ok, i've decided ot continue writing this story...for the time being...as the part i had didnt seem all that close to an ending...hehe...ok hten...on with the story...JG


Jaden stood for a while, staring at the shut door. She was snapped out of her stupor by Marchette, who asked, "Are you thirsty, madam?"

Jaden looked up at him, and then to the human he'd brought with him, and shook her head. "Do what you want with her, I'm going to my room." She stalked out of James' suite.

It wasn't until she was trying to close her own door behind her that she realized Marchette had followed her. "What do you want?" she snarled, trying to slam the door in his face. He was able to stop it with ease and force his way into the room

Raising an eyebrow, he replied, "Guarding you." He said this in a tone of someone pointing out the obvious.

Jaden glared, "do I look like I need guarding?" She stood, legs braced, fists resting on her hips, staring him down.

He smiled crookedly, with a slight shake of his head. "Yes, I believe you do need protection." When she glared again and opened her mouth to speak again, Marchette held up a hand, adding, "you are so unsure of yourself now. All you know has been set to flame. You are confused and afraid, which makes you vulnerable. There are many here who would take advantage of that. That is what I am protecting you from."

"Vulnerable?" Jaden sputtered, outraged.

Marchette nodded. "Yes. Vulnerable. Right now you mourn the loss of your previous life, and grieve to learn it was all of it false. Your guilt, for the Korr girl's death, and that of Nathan Korr, is clouding your judgment. That was why you chose me, as your protector, and not Brent or Fuller, because you saw a shadow of your past in me. It is this vulnerability which could lead to your death." He approached her, taking her hand. "Elaina, heed me," he softly said, "Let go of Jaden Korr. Forget she ever existed. You never were her, and never will or can be." He squeezed her hand. "You are Elaina Nichelle, daughter of Zachariah Nichelle and Satine Myra, two of the greatest Pure Bloods living, and most powerful in the Leagues Nichelle and de Myra." Laying a hand on her shoulder, he shook her gently. "Your brother will one day lead the people of the League of Nichelle; and one day, you will carry on in his stead." Jaden stared at him, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. "Vampires are not all as you've encountered. The ones you fought as an Agent were young and wild, untamed by the passing of time and patience. Those of whom you were born, are just as the humans are, only a new branch on a stronger evolutionary line. We are what will survive, when the squabbles of mortals wipe them out. You descend from kings, not savages, like you believe." Jaden was staring at him unblinkingly still. "What?" he asked in exasperation, after the silence of her gaze enveloped the room.

Jaden smirked, "I'd never take you as one who makes long speeches."

He glared at her. "I didn't mean to make a speech," he snarled, "you were just being impossible and obtuse."

Jaden grinned. She liked this man, for all his vampire-ness. It was fun to annoy him, and his exasperation and annoyance was easy to invoke. Her smile faded slowly, and a look of tiredness overcame her. "If its alright with you," she murmured, "I'd like some time alone."

Marchette gave a sort of nod-bow, and immediately left the room. As the door closed, the breeze it stirred up made the smell of blood on her skin apparent. Jaden looked at her clothes, and shuddered with revulsion to realize she was covered in blood. She stripped off her shirt and threw it to the floor, it crackled as the dried blood on it was disturbed. Running a hand through her hair, she discovered it was crusty and matted, also with blood. Making a face, she pulled off the rest of her clothes and walked to her bathroom. She opened the door, and discovered she was not the only one in her room as someone grabbed her from behind and pinned her to the wall. Her scream of rage and surprise was blocked by a large hand.

As she writhed against her attacker, he chuckled and whispered in her ear, making her freeze. "Don't you remember the last time you resisted me?"

Fuck, was the first thought that entered Jaden's mind, followed closely by, I'm going to kill this bastard!

His free hand roamed down her side and caressed her hip as he hissed in her ear, "oh, how nice of you to save me the effort of removing your clothes. But I just want to talk, milady." Jaden tried to bite his hand, but he gripped her chin, holding her jaw shut. "Now I'm going to let go of your mouth, so we can talk like civilized creatures. Promise me you won't scream."

It won't be me screaming, fucker, she murderously thought, but she nodded all the same. He freed her mouth, but continued to hold her pinned to the wall. "What do you want, Neskab?" Jaden snarled as soon as she could use her voice.

She could almost hear him smirk. "I wanted to clear up some misconceptions you seemed to have about me, before you next see your father." Jaden stiffened; she could tell the next thing he said would piss her off. It did. "You see, Elaina, in the course of your Blood Rage, you had some powerful hallucinations. One being that I set myself upon you the day we met. Though you believe it true, it was nothing more than a vision brought on by the Rage. Understand?"

For ten seconds, Jaden stood absolutely still, counting down. 5…4…3…2…1! Her elbow jabbed behind her, while her head also was thrust back. She succeeded in digging her elbow into Liam's stomach and smashing the back of her head into his face. Roaring in pain, Liam crumpled, crying out once more when Jaden's foot connected with his chin. He was stunned long enough for Jaden to seize him around the throat, dig her nails in, and drag him to her eye level. "Here, let me help you," she snarled, the words coming out in a feral growl. Liam's eyes widen as he remembered when those words were used last. She gave him one look of pure unadulterated hatred, before she scooped a hand behind his head and sunk her teeth into the flesh of his throat.

He screamed loudly in Jaden's ear, but she became deaf to it. She didn't hear when Marchette came bursting in and yelled for her to stop. She didn't even feel his hands pulling her away from Liam. All there was to her was the sweet revenge in his blood.

With a jerk, she was pulled away from her prey though. She tried to return to him, but there were two hands firmly on her shoulders, pushing her so she stumbled backwards out of the bathroom. She felt a robe being placed about her shoulders, but didn't realize it completely. All she could do was stare at Liam, bleeding on the bathroom tiles, motionless.

"Well, that was exciting," someone commented near her. She was forced into sitting on her bed, being pushed back down every time she tried to rise again. Her view of Liam was obstructed as someone knelt at his side, offering a wrist to him. Rage bubbled up in Jaden's chest as the saw he still lived. Once more she tried to throw herself at him, only to be roughly tackled and crushed under someone's larger weight. Now, instead of sitting on the nice bed, she was being straddled by some guy, his mass digging her into the hard floor. For a while, she mindless struggled to free herself, only to get her wrists grabbed, accidentally sliced open, and get her head knocked against the floor (which was not an accident).

Finally, in frustration and rage, she screamed at the man restraining her, "Get off me so I can kill the mother-fucker!"

She felt the man shake with laugher, as he simply replied, "No. Sorry." She bared her teeth and snarled. In response, he raised an eyebrow and looked unimpressed.

"Is Master Neskab okay?" someone else asked, a note of concern in her voice.

He won't be when I get free again Jaden's mind snarled. I'll start by ripping off his balls, one by one. Then I'll rip out his hair, piece by piece. Finally, I rip open his throat. And if that doesn't kill him, I'll light him on fire, just for the fun of it!

The man who was restraining her must have sensed her thoughts, because his grip redoubled on her wrists, immobilizing her completely. "Calm down," he advised, squeezing her wrists. "If you go psycho now, you won't be able to prove what he does. They'll see an insane girl, attacking a Pure Blood who has seemingly done nothing to her." He said all this in a voice only she could hear over the bustle of people attending Liam's wounds. "If you want to get him back, you stay still. Understand?"

For the first time, she looked away from the man she very nearly murdered, and at her captor. It was Andrew. He stared at her, as if to read her answer in her eyes. It was there, but she slowly nodded all the same. Watching her closely, he let go of her wrists and sat up so he pinned her hips to the floor still. Seeing she wasn't about to go berserk again, he shifted so he could adjust her bathrobe.

"What's going on here," an authoritative voice asked from the door. Andrew shifted suddenly, allowing Jaden a glimpse at the speaker. "Why is my daughter being treated in such a manner? Get off her, boy!" Zachariah Nichelle snapped.

"No," Marchette snapped instantly, before Andrew had even moved. "She'll be a danger to us and herself if she's allowed to move," He quickly explained to his master. He looked at Andrew, "stay."

Jaden glared up at Marchette, "the only one in danger will be him," she pointed at Liam as someone was helping him to his feet.

"Really?" Zachariah asked curiously, "And why is that?" He turned to Liam, and addressed him sharply, "Why is that?"

Liam gave him an incredulous look, "How should I know? The girl is obviously still under the effects of Blood Rage." He shrugged, "if I'm not mistaken, she had a vision in which she took a great disliking to me. This probably explains why she attacked me before your arrival. She seems to think I hurt her in some way. Obviously I wouldn't!"

"That's a fucking lie!" Jaden roared, thrashing wildly to break away from Andrew. "He attacked me, and every other Turned girl of a high bloodline."

Zachariah glanced at her, and then back to Liam, "That's a dangerous accusation, Elaina." Still staring at him, "It could mean dire consequences if its true."

"It is!" Jaden snarled. "If you don't believe me, ask Vanessa Cartier! He raped her! Ask James! That piece of shit raped and killed his wife!"

The room went silent. Those around Liam seemed to edge away subtly. Zachariah turned to James, who stood by the door, and asked, "Is it true? Did he lay hands upon my daughter, and your wife."

James looked statue-like for an instant, before he said one word, in a cracking voice. "Yes."

Zachariah faced Neskab, raising an eyebrow. "Really? Is this correct, Liam?"

Neskab looked away, and muttered something like, "No. They're just jealous. And they asked for it; they were all whores anyway."

Suddenly, in a movement too fast for anyone to see, Liam was slammed against the wall by the furious James. "You piece of lying horse shit," James snarled, smashing Neskab's head against the wall. "Annabelle was no whore!"

"James!" Zachariah commanded harshly, "Release him!" With a look that should have set the other man aflame, the furious widower relinquished his stranglehold, and backed away, trembling. Zachariah took a step towards Liam, who flinched as if he'd been slapped. "You laid hands upon my daughter, without her consent; didn't you?" He asked in a frighteningly calm, menacing voice. Liam looked terrified, all he could do was nod. Zachariah narrowed his eyes. "Then your fate then will not be a happy one," he informed him in a soft voice. "Liam Neskab, you are to be sent to the blood farms, to be used as sustenance for the Newborns there, and as hunting practice for those that need to learn." The accused man's eyes widened in horror.

"Furthermore," the vengeful father continued, "upon the birth of my daughter, Elaina's, first child, you shall be brought so that she does not need to tax herself in finding blood donors until the child is old enough to hunt. At which point, you will become its trainer." When a glimmer of hope appeared in Liam's eyes, Zachariah shot it down by adding, "You will be the hunted!" Liam winced and hunched, as if curling up would save him from his fate. "So shall be your place in the world, for every single child my daughter bears. Also, for every child they bear, you shall act as blood donor for their first two years of life. Do you understand me?" The wretched man, who was moments ago a proud Pure Blood, nodded as tears streamed down his face. By now, he'd slid down the wall and was huddled on the floor, weeping.

Zachariah stepped away from the sobbing mess of a man with a look of disgust and instructed his bodyguards. "Have his sent to the blood farm by morning. There, he is to have his genitals removed with a handsaw, one stroke per minute. He is not to be provided with blood during the procedure." Liam made a strangled sound behind Zachariah, who paid no notice. "Afterwards, you shall remove his hands, with the same instrument, going at half the speed. Only once he has lost both appendages will he be supplied with blood. And only enough to stop the bleeding." He turned to Brent, and informed him, "You shall be bringing him to the farm. Be sure that my instructions are followed. You make take whomever you wish from Tsar's staff with you."

Brent bowed to his lord, and then motioned for Maddox to help him drag the damned man from the room.

Jaden stared as she watched him go, hatred still raging inside her, an evil monster cheering as he wept for himself. She tried to sit up, then realized Andrew was still sitting on her. Raising an eyebrow, she said, "I think you can get off me now."

"Hmm?" Andrew stared, drawn back to reality after the lordly display of Zachariah's. "Oh! Right!" He rolled off her and helped her to her feet, muttering, "Sorry Korr – I mean, Miss Elaina."

Marchette immediately moved to her, knotted the bathrobe that loosely covered her, and checked her for injuries. Jaden had barely known him twenty minutes, and he was running his hands over her body with alarming familiarity. But, the instant he was assured she was unhurt, he took a large step back, and held himself away from her. Andrew quickly followed in suit.

Zachariah cracked a small smile when Jaden glanced in his direction. "You certainly don't know how to live a docile life." Jaden just stared incredulously, which made her father laugh. Then, as quickly as he'd been happy, he turned serious. "Did his punishment seem to fit the crime, Elaina?"

Jaden looked at the ground as her mind said instantly, No. But she knew that allowing her to simply kill him would not be punishment enough. There'd be no way to draw it out long enough to truly hurt him as he'd hurt her and so many before her. "For personal gratification," she said quietly, "no. But for justice for all those women and girls," she looked up at him, hatred burning in her teary eyes "yes."

A wry smile crossed his face as he replied, "good." And he wrapped her in his arms, "I am glad you approve, my daughter. And Marchette," he added, releasing Jaden and advancing on his bodyguard, his voice growing more menacing by the syllable. "Be certain that no one ever enters my daughter's room without her knowledge. Is that understood?" Any other man would be cowering and whimpering, but Marchette stood his ground and nodded, his eyes only betraying his fear. "See to it," the angry father snarled.

Zachariah then turned back to Jaden and pleasantly said, "get dressed, we are transferring to a different compound soon. One that is closer to the airstrip where we will be leaving from. I want to be out of this building by one hour after sunset." Jaden mutely nodded.

The lord of the Nichelle turned on his heel and swept from the room, people rushing to follow. In a matter of moments, the only people still in the room were Jaden and Marchette, who was standing in the same spot and stance as when Zachariah was chastising him.

When Jaden stared at him, confused, after a moment, he gave a stiff bow and said, "Forgive me, milady for being so lax in my security measures for your safety. It was improper of me not to sweep the room. There is no excuse for my actions." He straightened from his bow. "You may discipline me in whatever way you see fit." After saying this, he dropped to his knees, and bowed his head.

Jaden just gaped at him for a moment, stunned by his words. "Get up," she said weakly. "I don't want to discipline you." She was horrified that he expected it too. Marchette instantly was on his feet, obeying almost before she'd finished uttering the phrase. He was as stiff as ever. "Calm down! I don't want to hurt you," she assured him. "Relax!"

He gave her an almost suspicious look, as if he suspected a trap. But after a moment, his posture became less rigid and he looked less like a statue and more like a living organism. He took a deep breath before inquiring, "Will milady be washing up before dressing?" For a confused moment Jaden didn't know what he was talking about. But he gave her apparel a pointed look, and she remembered she was covered in blood, fresh and old, and wore nothing but a bathrobe.

"Yes," she replied, "I will."

He gave a bowing nod, and asked, "Will you need assistance in anything, madam?"

"No, I can manage on my own. Thank you," she answered.

Marchette bowed again and said, "Then I shall wait, until you call for me, in the hall, if it pleases you." Jaden absently nodded as she went to the wardrobe to find something to wear. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Marchette walk to the bathroom, and check it thoroughly, as well as the rest of the room. When she turned away from the wardrobe and looked over at him, he nodded to her and left the room.

Jaden stood in the shower for the longest time, letting the hot water run over her, washing away the last of Liam Neskab, from her body and thoughts. She was also trying to wash away who she was. She was so confused, so uncertain. She had lived a lie all her life. She both desired and loathed to let the Agent fade away, to let all the temptation that lay before her, to consume her, and to forget the world she once was a part of. But it was impossible. Move openly with the Vampires, and the Agents would destroy her. Move to escape the Vampires, and the Nichelle would be convinced she was betraying them, and would also destroy her. Even if she chose neither side, she would still be hunted. She had to choose. Jaden or Elaina? Elaina or Jaden?


ok...shitty chapter ending...i just wanted to get across how Jaden/Elaina felt about this stuff going on...ok...thanks for reading