The airport was bustling with life, though it was late in the day. It was so strange how busy this small place in the world could be. All strangers, moving from destination to destination, unaware of what lay beyond the glass doors outside. I could feel Nick's eyes on me as my own search for Jerry. We each had a small carry on of cloths. I could feel the eyes on us, people staring. From their prospective, we probably looked like models. Nick in his black turtle neck and black slacks, while I wore a white jumpsuit with black collar and had a large hat in hand. With Paris, fashion was forefront, and when I stepped off the plane I knew Dante's minions would be watching.

Suddenly Nicks smoke voice cuts through my thoughts, 'Your assistant isn't coming with us, is he?'

I give him a quick glance, his face placid of emotion, as his eyes finally turned to look into the sea of people parting around us. The answer was simple, and that's when I saw Jerry. He looked nice in his own pair of black slacks, simple v-neck and brown leather jacket. It was interesting how calm he was now, all business as I knew he would be. He had proven to be the best of friends, and more so confidant. He comes up and says, his own duffle hitching on his shoulder, 'Alright, here we are. The plane leave in a hour, first class as always.'

He hands each of us our tickets as he says, 'So Paris, I don't think I've ever been on a business trip to Paris with you before Nina.'

'Because I avoided Paris as much as I could these past 50 years.'

Jerry frowns before asking, 'Why?'

I simply wave my hand and say, 'Its not relevant now. Let me see your ticket.'

Jerry seems confused, but hands it over without question. As soon as its in my grasp, I tear it up.

'What are you doing?!?' Jerry asks in shock and anger, trying to grab for the remains of his Paris ticket.

I step over to a trash can and toss it as I say calmly, 'You will not be joining us for this span of the trip.'

'WHAT?!?'

His yell attracts a few peoples attention and I explain softly, 'This part of the journey will be extremely dangerous. I can't have you harmed. And as you have already put it, you are just a cow on a leash.'

Jerry jerks back in surprise. I hated having to hurt him like this, but it had to be done. If he joined us, Dante would try to use him, and he wasn't kind to human or vampire alike. Jerry's face becomes a mass of anger, but I hold up my hand and in it is another ticket. He blinks, but his clenched jaw and frowning eyebrows told me he wasn't happy. I hold it out to him and say, 'You don't understand the complexity of the situation you are in Jerry. From this point on you would be in more danger than if you seperate from us now. The... Phantom I will be meeting is far more dangerous than you can imagine.'

'You don't believe I am what you just said and throwing my words back at me won't stop me from helping you Nina.'

'You don't work for me anymore Jerry. I have you your severance package in Zurich, so you are free to go.'

'I won't,' He grounds out slowly.

That's when I hear Nick sigh, step forward and say, seeming to try and help, 'Paris is a nest for the worse vampires who ever lived. I have no interest in keep my eye on a wimp of a human while dealing with those people. Nina has to meet one of the worst. Most, if not a Purebloods keep a healthy distance from the one she will be speaking with.'

'So?' Jerry says sarcastically, his eyes narrowing in anger as he continues, 'I've made it so far with you around, how bad can he be?'

I place my hand on Nick's arm, knowing his steel reserve was lacking when it came to my PA. Taking a deep breath, I say, 'His name is Dante.'

'Ok...So?'

The anger was slowly draining from his face. I knew he was exhausted and beyond even his mental capabilities as I say softly, explainung further for his common sense to kick in, 'He took on that name after meeting Dante and helping him write The Divine Comedy. In fact Dante used the information he gleaned from this phantom to write the nine rings of hell.'

Jerry frowns in thought, then looks at me asking, as he rubs his forehead, 'So Dante the writer was inspired by this vampire?'

'Yes.'

'What was his name before he took on that name?'

Nick answered that with a flat, 'Hades.'

This is when I notice Jerry's face go pale and he looks at us both before asking, 'How old is this guy?!'

'A little older than myself, somewhere in the ballpark of 3,000 years old.'

Now Jerry was wide eyed, anger completely wiped from his face as he slowly looks back down at me. My eyes were calm, determined and he looked down at the new ticket. It was a quiet moment before he says, 'Is this more dangerous than that day?'

I knew what he was asking, regarding to JR and I nod. I could smell his sudden fear, see the sweat start to form on his forhead beforehe murmurs, 'I got it.'

'You will be safe there.'

Jerry looks up and asks, 'Why here?'

'Its a neutral zone where vampire seldom go unless with diplomatic immunity.'

'Seriously? Costa Rica?'

I nod and he chuckles. Shaking his head, he sighs and says, 'Ok, I get it, though I still have a ton of questions.'

'I know.'

'Will I see you again?'

'I don't...' but he butts in, 'I hate final goodbyes. It's a see you later, promise?'

I smile with a huff and look up at him, holding out my hand, 'Deal.'

We shake hands. Jerry turns to Nick and says, 'See you around Russian Bear.'

'I prefer not.'

Jerry chuckles, hitchs his bag once again and turns away, walking to a different entrance and a different life. I yell out, 'Hey Jerry!'

He turns, walking backwards asking, 'What zombie girl?!'

'Say hi to that hottie girlfriend of yours next time you see her.'

He laughs, saying, 'She's going to rip me a new one. Will do.'

With that he turns, raises his hand in a farewell wave and disappears into the crowd. My smile slowly fades, determination steeling my insides, the Pureblood Dracul standing beside and he says, 'Costa Rica is the safest place you could send him.'

I nod, look up at him, and say, 'At least for now.'

I look back at the crowd knowing he would most likely be the last human friend I would ever have. I had cut my ties with my human family, now my closest human friend, who I likely would never see again. Now I would move deeper into the Phantom world and it terrified me.

The plane was quiet. Most of the humans on board deep in sleep as the Boeing 747 slide through the night sky. Nick was quiet beside me, his eyes closed, and for a moment I could almost see him as he was so many years ago. But then he surprises me by asking, 'What do you feel at this moment?'

My heart skips a beat and I jerk in surprise. I knew he wasn't asleep, but I could imagine he could sense I was watching him. Sitting back in my chair, I ask, 'What do you mean?'

Slowly he opens his eyes, and looks over at me saying, 'Doesn't it feel as if you are a wolf in a lambs pin right now?'

I blink, realizing where his line of thinking was. Shaking my head, I murmur, 'No.'

Nick sets his seat up and says with his eyes searching my face, 'Its facinating how little you eat.'

Frowning, I ask with a burning blush at how intently he is staring at me, 'What do you mean?'

'Last night you only had one glass of blood, and the last time was at my mansion before the explosion. You didn't seem hungry when around your family, or when you were hurt by JR. You should be starving, but you seem quite well.'

His eyes were shadowed, and the plains of his face sharper, more wolf like as I shrug murmuring, 'I don't understand it myself either.'

'It makes me wonder who your maker was.'

This makes me stiffen as I slowly look up at his sharp face, feeling my inside go cold. His face was inscrutable, like a marble statue. My heartbeat started getting fast the longer I stared at him. Quickly I pull away from the moment and shake my head saying with bitterness in my voice, 'It doesnt matter anymore, he was a dream.'

'He?'

My heart stopped as I look back at him. He was waiting for more and the quieter he was, he was hoping for more. But I shake my head again murmuring, 'As I've said, a dream from years ago.'

The bitterness in my words were also mingled with something else I refused to acknowledge, as I grab for a magazine in the pocket in front of me. Nick was quick as lightning, grabbing my wrist and pulling it away from the distraction. I look up at him with a glare and he murmurs, 'Whoever he was, he should have kept you close, seeing as you are so unusual.'

The bitterness bit out in my words as I hiss, pulling at his strong grip, 'So he should have.'

For a moment, we were in a deadlock, his mind trying to once again infiltrate my own, and my own defenses like a steel trap. Finally he concedes, releasing my wrist. I rub at it, feeling the burn of his skin from where he had touched. His grip hadn't been painful, just firm. Why he hadn't hurt me, I didn't know. I was a pawn to him so why was he suddenly so overprotective, but he had turned his face away from me, looking out the window.

'We should be in Paris before sunrise,' I say, although it was something he already knew.

He murmurs an ascent as I look at his profile. Finally he asks, 'You have history with Dante?'

'Yes.'

Slowly he turns back to me, face once again placid, 'I find that facinating. Dante is an A class vampire, for him to have any dealings with a bitten is beyond me.'

This burns more than I'd like to admit but I say blandly, 'Well I seemed to have caught his eye about 60 years ago when I lived in Paris.'

'You are facinating I must admit. It seems the more I'm around you, the more mysteries you are wrapped into. To know so many well known vampire, though not famous but infamous troubles me.'

I shrug and murmur, 'I find it interesting too, I have nothing special about me to attract such attention.'

'Oh, but you do...' he says in a voice deeper than I remember ever hearing and my eyes snap to his. They had darkened and I felt a sudden chill. What did he suddenly know about me?