heyhey, sorry it took so long to get this done. but don't worry, i got the beginning and the end of the next chapter written, so all i need to do is write the bridge. thank you for waiting so long. enjoy...reveiw


There was dead silence. The only sound was the hum of the jets from the abandoned tub and Elaina's harsh breathing. Marchette held absolutely still. The placement of her hand, should it shift slightly lower, could slice open his throat in an instant. In her state of rage, he wouldn't put it past her to do it. The injury he'd sustain wouldn't be mortal, but rather painfully inconvenient. By the way she was staring at him, she must have thought that going without blinking while glaring into his eyes would reverse time and change the course of history.

Marchette thought it best not to shift his eyes as well. Apparently, his charge had no trouble being completely nude, for this was his second encounter with her in such a manner in as many days; this made things awkward, as he often looked at the ground when he addressed his mistress or, he'd look straight at her. In his current position, looking down meant ogling her breasts, and lower; were they not inches apart, looking straight at her would involve the same predicament.

After an eternity of scrutiny, Elaina apparently realized Marchette was useless for changing past events, so she gritted her teeth and with a soft snarl, jerked his chin so the side of his head made contact with the wall. She then turned away and left the room, still, completely nude. Rubbing his slightly stinging head, Marchette followed his ward from the bathroom into the master bedroom. From his position, Elaina was hidden behind the massive door to the wardrobe she was rifling through. Good, he thought, she's putting on clothes. She's remembered herself. She's calmed down. That'll make my job a hell of a lot simpler. He stood patiently, waiting for his mistress to finish dressing. He was rather shocked though when she slammed the wardrobe door so hard, a large crack slithered its way through the wood.

"Why?" she asked violently, flinging herself around to face her bodyguard.

Taken aback by her sudden outburst, Marchette foolishly asked, "Why, what?"

Slowly approaching him, she spat through clenched teeth, "Why do I have to fuck a Neskab?"

Marchette stood his ground, looking straight ahead. "It is for the good of your family, madam."

"My family?" she snarled. "A group of people to whom I have no loyalty or had any knowledge of until two days ago? That family?"

Marchette shook his head, "you're something else," he commented.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped.

Marchette gave her a cold look. "After all they've done for you, keeping you safe all these years, this is how you repay them. Balking when they ask you to do a small deed for them. I guess it shows what a weakling you are." He shook his head, "I had no clue that one of Zachariah Nichelle's children could be such a coward."

"Coward," she snarled. "I'm not afraid"

She was cut off before she could say anything more. "Yes, coward! Who else would be so petty as to become so upset over such a trivial matter."

"Trivial!" Elaina sputtered, "This is hardly a trivial matter. You're expecting me to have a baby with a man I've never met before. Who is the brother of the man who raped me. How in god's name is it unreasonable that I be a little upset?"

Marchette took a step towards her. "Everyday, in every city, there are people who have never met before that sleep with each other. Sometimes children result as a product of that union; sometimes not. As will be the case with you and the Neskab. It would just be better for you if a child were conceived."

She looked at him suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

"The Neskabs are pissed that you had Liam sent away for rape," Marchette explained. "They say that you are lying,; and threaten to break away from the League. If htat happenes, not only will the League basically be ripped in two, as the Neskabs are the larges family of Pure Bloods in the League, besides the Nichelle. Their first move would be to kill off all of Zachariah's and Jordan's close female desendants."

Elaina frowned, "Why? Who's Jordan?"

Marchette rolled his eyes, "Your brother, who is your father's heir. The females would be killed so Zachariah and Jordan can't make alliances," Elaina looked confused. Marchette added, "The best alliance is made with the birth of two children. One to be raised by each side."

"So if I were to refuse the thing with the Neskab…" she trailed off.

"You would be the catalyst of ripping apart the League and sealing your own doom," Marchette finished for her.

Elaina's face crumbled as she slumped down on her bed, holding her face in her hands. "I hate you people," she muttered into her palms. Looking up, a weary look on her face, she asked, "How long do I have?"

The answer was, "Your first Time of Fertility will be in the second week of March. Actually it comes at a perfect time. It falls on the twenty-year anniversary of your conception, therefore that entire week you'll be Fertile."

"Goodie!" she said with dreary sarcasm.

"No, no, that's a good thing," Marchette assured her as he sat next to her on the bed. "If I'm not mistaken, there are two or three Neskabs who will be in their Time of Virility during that week, which means you, in a way, get the choose the father."
"Goodie!" she repeated, with the same level of sarcasm. She rolled her eyes and got off the bed in time to hear a knock at the door. She groaned softly, she sunk back onto the bed, motioning for Marchette to answer it.

He smiled slightly and clapped her on the shoulder, before becoming the stern bodyguard who answered the door.

A nervous looking blonde stood on the other side of the threshold. She was obviously a Myra. "Is everything alright?" she asked. "I heard shouting." Her eyes flicked into the room and saw through the open bedroom door, his mistress, slumped on the bed. She slipped past the bodyguard and moved to the bedroom door. Addressing the other woman directly, she asked, "Are you alright, Elaina?"

The young Nichelle started at the sound of her name and looked up, confused. "I'm fine," she replied, warily. "Who are you?"

The blonde broke into a grin. "I'm your sister, silly!" she exclaimed happily. "We met in the hall, like, an hour ago!"

Still looking lost, Elaina answered, "Right." Her eyes flicked to the roof as she struggled to remember the blonde's name. "Michelle?"

The woman smiled and corrected, "Norah."

Elaina tried to look bashful, "Sorry."

Norah flapped her hand and said, "Don't worry about it. I am so terrible at names, I'm surprised I remembered yours!" She giggled, a quality that Marchette was not exactly fond of, "I'm sure we'll be the closest of sisters!" She squealed and clapped her hands rapidly, jumping up and down.

Marchette shot a quick glance at his charge as he approached the bedroom door. The expression on her face was a mixture of being disturbed and amused. Elaina gave a rather sarcastic and forced smile, but her sister seemed to miss the lack of joy, so Norah bounded over and plunked herself down next to the woman, who moments before had been very tempted to murder the next thing that breathed too loudly. Completely oblivious, Norah wrapped an arm around Elaina's shoulders and began half bouncing on the bed, a silly grin plastered on her face.

"Ooh!" Norah suddenly exclaimed, "We should go do something!" She was nodding emphatically to get her point across, the grin still in place. "We could go shopping, or to a party! What do you think?"

For the first time, she actually turned to Elaina and gave her sister her full attention. Elaina was had a blank, stunned, dazed look on her face as she tried to process her sister's outburst. She blinked a few times and said uncertainly, "sure."

Marchette suddenly remembered who Norah was. She was a notorious party-girl who often brought the Pure Blood's exposure close to reality. It wouldn't be good for his charge to follow her sister's advantage. Perhaps if it were Tara, Tamara or Caitlyn suggesting that they go out, he would feel less apprehensive. He felt he must act quickly. Clearing his throat loudly, he got Norah's attention, "Miss Myra -- "

"Halding-Myra," Norah interrupted offhandedly. "I am Norah Halding-Myra."

Unseen to her, Elaina rolled her eyes. Smiling slightly at that, Marchette continued, "Miss Halding-Myra, I do believe that Elaina leaving the safety of the Myra Pure Blood Safe house is not a good idea. It would be better altogether if she stayed here."

"Oh," Norah pouted, "Why's that?"

Quickly thinking Marchette supplied, "There was an attack on Elaina's life enroute to Nephrita. She was quite traumatized." Norah shot her sister a look. Elaina managed a wide-eyed nod with eye filled with terror just in time. "As you can see, she is quite unnerved. Perhaps it would be best if she could have the day to herself and perhaps make plans for tonight, when more of her siblings could meet with her, within the Safe house."

Norah looked a little disappointed, but perked up almost instantly after a moment's thought. "Alright," she said brightly, "I'll organize a party!" She said it as if it were the best idea in the world. "I'll get everyone together and you can meet them all!" Her grin reappeared and she jumped, which is a small understatement, to her feet. "Ooh! This is going to be so much fun. I'll see you later Elaina!" She grinned, waved, and skipped out of the room.

Elaina shot her bodyguard a death glare as soon as her sister had shut the door behind her. "A party," she stated, annoyance adding an edge to her voice. "Why in god's name would you think I would want to go to a party?"

Marchette shrugged weakly. "Sorry," he apologized. "But it's better you go to a party with your siblings than go out on your own, in daylight, with your crazy sister, Norah."

The woman smirked and asked bemused, "Crazy?" Her smirk widened, "I noticed nothing wrong with her."

Catching the ill-disguised sarcasm in Elaina's comment, Marchette smiled and said, "Norah is rather careless when it comes to safety. In fact, she's a security nightmare! A complete party-girl who will freak out if things aren't going her way. She also is a big mouth. If ever there was an unknowing Agent informant, it'd be her. Things tend to just drop out of her mouth, as you can see."

Elaina chucked, knowing exactly what he was talking about. After a moment though she grew somber, "If I'm to be pleasant, I am going to need some time to be unpleasant. So if you please," she gestured towards the door, "I need a little me time."

Bowing, knowing it was time to step aside, Marchette said, "of course, Madam."

As Elaina followed him to the door she said, "I want no disruptions."

At the bedroom door, Marchette turned, grasped the knob and replied, "I will come to you at nightfall. Until then, I shall see to it that you are left undisturbed." He pulled the door shut behind him.

For a moment Elaina stood in the middle of her room, vaguely listening to the hum of the jets that she's left on, and to her bodyguard's retreating footsteps. Next she began to pace the room, wringing her hands and muttering murderously. She allowed her earlier semi-contained fury to well up and fill her, making her blood sizzle and skin burn. Hot rage consumed her so powerfully that she was forced to cease her pacing to stop the quaking that threatened to completely incapacitate her. When she'd finally stilled her furious trembling, she stood in the middle of her room again, breathing heavily, attempting to repress the flood she'd let loose.

After a time, she was breathing at a reasonable level and she could see straight. She lay down on the bed to think, her anger still audible, but now she was at least coherent. She went over every scrap of information she'd been forced to absorb and analyzed it, picking it apart and justifying it. Slowly, seething anger fizzled out and became a still calm. The torrential storm that her anger had been was now steady droplets of calm rain. It was present, but unthreatening. She had finally regained her senses. She could think.

Sometime in her musings, she must have fallen asleep because she awoke with a start as a soft knock sounded on the door. Slowly it opened and Marchette stuck his head in cautiously, "Madam, its sunset. Your sister will be arriving in about an hour to bring you to your party."

Rolling of the bed where she'd been so comfortably resting, Elaina trudged to the bathroom and shut the door behind her. She noticed the jets were still on in the tub. Feeling foolish, she shut them off quickly. A twenty-minute shower passed, and she climbed out, drenched but feeling a little better.

She opened the door into the bedroom and strode out in a robe, stopping dead when she noticed a person rifling through her wardrobe. As quietly as she could, Elaina crept into the room and peered out the open bedroom door. Marchette was sitting on the couch just outside, reading a book. Carefully, she stole through the door.

Seeing the motion of his charge stealing from her room, he glanced up and hurriedly got to his feet, casting the book aside. With a nod of his head he said, "Madam, how may I be of service?" He frowned at Elaina's frantic motions for him to stay quiet.

The woman from the bedroom emerged and asked incredulously, "How in the bloody hell did you get out here? I swear I didn't hear you after you got out of the shower."

Less suspiciously than she actually was, Elaina asked, "Who are you?"

"Oh," the woman gushed, "I'm your great niece, Margaret. But I like to be called Mary." She grinned, "Grandmother said to come help you find something to wear for the party." She gestured back to the bedroom, "I brought some of my own stuff too. The stuff you have here is just hand-me-downs. I got some quality stuff that actually may fit you."

A little taken aback Elaina answered with a simple, "Alright." And followed her great-niece-Margaret-who-liked-to-be-called-Mary into the bedroom. Marchette moved to follow them in, but Mary shut the door in his face, not before giving him a stern look though.

For a good half hour, he sat on the couch again, reading and catching snatches of the conversation in the next room. His favorite piece came from Mary, "My god, you have gorgeous boobs!" she exclaimed.

Marchette had to rely heavily on his training not to first, burst out laughing, or, second, go charging into the bedroom. He was more than certain that his mistress would be displeased with either reaction. So he had to be contented with waiting to see her. When she emerged, he was hardly disappointed.

"How do I look?" she asked, apprehensively, ghosting through the door, moving silently but for the click of her shoes on the hardwood. She held up her hands slightly and turned around slowly. She was a vision in crimson. The dress she wore hugged her body but the skirt was lose and was of such a light material, that it whooshed as she turned. Her shoes were the exact color as the dress; very high heeled pumps that made her legs a mile long. The makeup she wore caused her features to pop, her lips a bright cherry and her eyes seductively shadowed. Her chocolate locks were lose, curling playfully at the ends, teasingly drawing the eyes to her neck, collar and lower. If one word was asked to describe her, it'd be dazing. Just seeing her, Marchette could barely keep his wits. He pitied the fools who'd dare to make a pass at his charge tonight. First they'd have to deal with him; then with her.

He just gaped at her, finally coming up with a coherent way to describe to her how she looked without sounding entirely perverted, "You look amazing, Madam! I've never seen anyone so stunning!" He meant it. The only thing that came to mind was looking at the pictures that humans had in their magazines, before The Rise, of film stars and musicians, and people who really did nothing, where the beautiful people were immortalized and computer enhanced to make them more so. Elaina grinned sheepishly and looked away, shyly thanking him.

Mary emerged from the bedroom, unnoticed, a knowing grin on her face as she looked from Elaina to Marchette. Still smiling, she audibly cleared her throat. Both Elaina's and Marchette's heads snapped in her direction. "If you two don't mind," she said, "I'm going to go get ready myself. Apparently Grandmother wants me set up with someone going tonight. I want to make a good impression." She bowed slightly and left the room, pulling the door shut behind her.

"I thought this was just a family thing. I don't see why I have to get so dressed up," Elaina said, a little peeved.

Marchette smiled apologetically. "When a Pure Blood says family, it usually means any Pure Blood in the area. They are family." He shrugged, "Besides, wouldn't you rather one large meeting of all your maternal associates, than a bunch of small ones?"

Elaina twisted the corner of her mouth wryly. "I guess you have a point." With a sigh, she asked, "I have to do this too much, do I?"

"Sorry," the bodyguard said, "but yes. If you like, we can stay a few hours, meet the important Myras, and associates, then come back here. Once they see you, they'll know who you are, and all anyone will be concerned with is you knowing them. But being so young, they won't hold a grudge if you don't actually learn their names for a few years."

Elaina nodded. "Ok," she said, with a gusty sigh. "Are you wanting to get ready?" she asked. "You can use the bedroom."

"I'm alright," Marchette replied. "Kegan came over earlier, while you were asleep, and he helped me set up the other room in the suite."

Elaina frowned. "What room?"

He smiled and walked over towards the door into the office. He paused at the panel beside door and, gripping a bit of the trim, slid the panel back to reveal a hidden room. It was plain enough, with a bed, desk, phone, armoire, and lamps. "This is the bodyguard's quarters," he explained, when Elaina gave him a look of utter confusion. "It would be strange for a supposedly invisible individual to have his own bedroom. So, these hidden rooms are built so that the guarded are not disturbed by the sight and habits of their guard, and to throw off anyone who may break in that this person has protection."

Elaina nodded as Marchette slid the panel shut again. "So you're going to be here all the time?"

"No," he corrected, "I'm going to be with you all the time." Her face fell. "It's for your protection, madam, I assure you!" he insisted.

"I know," she said in quiet resignation. Their conversation lapsed into an awkward silence that was broken by a knock at the door.

Marchette rushed to it and opened it silently. Standing outside was Norah, wearing a very short electric blue dress and very high heels. Her blond hair was pin straight and her bangs hung in her face in an alluring fashion. She rushed into the room when she saw her sister, completely brushing past the bodyguard. "Oh my god, Elaina!" she squealed. "You look, like, so amazing. You, like, have no idea! Like, oh my god!" She gripped Elaina's forearms and was jumping (well, bouncing, her shoes made jumping impossible) up and down.

A little thrown by the sudden and enthusiastic greeting, Elaina said, "Uh, thanks Norah," in a rather flat and confused voice.

"Was Mary enough help?" Norah asked. She smiled widely when Elaina nodded, and said, "Oh good." She looked Marchette up and down appraisingly, before adding, "You don't look so bad yourself, Nikoli," in an outrageously flirty voice. For some reason, the way Norah was talking to her bodyguard annoyed her, though why, Elaina could not understand. With a more appropriate and authoritative tone, Norah said, "Now, because so many people are coming to our get together, we're instead going to a small club."

Marchette folded his arms. "Norah," he sounded forbidding, "I told you that I did not want Miss Nichelle removed from the compound premises. It could be very dangerous for her to leave."

Norah rolled her eyes. "She was in danger in Venisa because that was a city controlled by The Organization. They have no presence here. Besides, the club is a five-minute walk away. To make you feel better, I've arranged for cars with a motorcycle escort." Rolling her eyes again, she asked, "Happy now?"

Marchette narrowed his eyes. "I don't like this plan. It's still fairly risky. I hear all the time about spies who get into the city. They wreak havoc then disappear. If Elaina is caught in any sort of crossfire, it's more than just my ass on the line."

Elaina's eyes were flitting from her bodyguard, to her sister, to her bodyguard again. Both sides of the argument sounded reasonable enough. She felt it was time to speak up, "Stop being silly, Marchette," she said sharply. "Its not like I'm any sort of weakling. I am capable to taking care of myself. I've managed on my own for a while now. I'm not a completely useless person who needs to be coddled." She shrugged, "if you really feel so worried, put a tracking node on me and give me a gun." She folded her arms over her chest and imitated the stubborn look on her bodyguard's face.

Marchette sighed. "Very well. I don't like the idea, but if you wish to go, madam, I shall accompany you." He extended his arm with a bow. Rolling her eyes, Elaina accepted it, allowing her sister to lead them to the parking garage.