Blueeyeddevil06, thank you for being my beta.

I loved writing this chapter. I hope you love it too. It opens up the world to so much more and explains more of what is going on. I have had wonderful reviews speculating as to who the "-ites" are... here you go...

Usagi walked into the house where the poker game was set to take place. After centuries of being a vampire, she'd perfected how to easily get invited into a home. She had Motoki make a phone call on speaker phone to the host of the game who was also the owner of the home. He easily invited her to come and join the game. It wasn't even a challenge to get in and that disappointed her a bit. She liked a challenge. Still, she took it as the win it was.

They arrived last, she liked making an entrance, she used all her senses to analyze Mamoru's reaction to her arriving with his best friend.

Yet, while much of her attention was focused on him, she didn't miss the fact that there were four adult, male werewolves in the room. She almost laughed. Tonight was going to be a ton of fun.

She loved messing with werewolves, they thought they were incredibly powerful, it was fun putting them in their place. She was four hundred and sixty-two years old —ancient even for a vampire. She was incredibly more powerful than them.

She smiled brightly at everyone and said, "Thank you for letting me step in for Motoki. I love poker."

One of the men mumbled, "I'd love to poke-her," to the man to his right. The man with long white hair to his left chuckled. It was obvious to her that they didn't know she could hear them.

That fact was incredibly interesting to her, apparently they hadn't learned how to identify a vampire yet. Werewolves had the disadvantage of being more Alpha than brains. She found that they tended to be so wrapped up in their own power that they didn't bother to discover if anyone else had more.

They had a definite pecking order, and to change that required a direct challenge. They didn't know how to react to vampires usually, since they were so much more subtle. They didn't attack head on. If they struck you, you never saw it coming.

She was pleased that she was wearing her silver ring with a crescent moon on it. It was fun watching a werewolf flinch with a casual touch. Silver burned like acid to them, and it was a good way to put them in their place. Especially since she could play it off like she didn't know what she was doing.

She slid into the seat next to Mamoru and felt her awareness pick up and his blood call to her. Being that close, he was going to be a distraction. But, with her skill with cards and centuries of reading people, she wasn't worried. Her attention could be divided and that would be fine.

Yet, still, the desire rolling off of her was intense, and she tried to tamp it down and remember patience. The only Alpha male in the room she cared about was him. He definitely liked to take charge.

She smiled at the host of the game and said, "Are you going to introduce everyone? I want to know who I'm about to beat—badly."

"Well, we spoke on the phone and you know I'm Nephrite," he then pointed at the others as he introduced them. "That's Jadeite, Zoisite, next to me is Kunzite, and that is Mamoru."

She playfully rolled her eyes, "Stones? Are they like cutsey couple names?"

Kunzite looked at her with his clear blue eyes. "Our fathers all knew each other and…"

She knew why he couldn't explain to her the reason for the names. Werewolf packs were incredibly tight knit. The idea of friends naming their kids similarly wouldn't be weird to them. It was in the outside world that it didn't make sense. To them, it would be a bond and a declaration that they were raised to be friends for life.

It was his reactions and how the others patiently waited for him to continue that told her the most. He was the Alpha. It was him that she needed her focus on.

He sighed, "We were raised together. It's hard to explain."

She decided to help him out. "I'm sorry. I was just teasing. I think it's nice that your fathers were friends and now you are too. There's something to be said by growing up that close to others. They would truly know you and feel like family." She emphasized that word since that was literally what a pack was.

Unlike a wolf pack, male werewolves could be friends. In fact, they had incredibly strong bonds. She figured it was out of self and communal protection. Werewolves used to be hunted ferociously for quite a long time. Men, women, and children were all slaughtered. They had to rely on each other and the power of other males to protect their families. She actually respected that about them.

The problem was, she didn't smell a traditional pack on them. She couldn't really call them rogue werewolves since there were four of them, but she didn't know what to make of the very untraditional pack. She racked her brain if she could remember if there were any packs slaughtered in the area. They might be a pack of four due to tragedy. That or they were highly unusual.

Still, even with the unusual pack, Kunzite was known to her, and since he was the Alpha, that meant she knew more about the others too.

Mamoru smiled tightly as Motoki fidgeted. He wanted to know what the four men were, and she couldn't inform him out loud. Instead, she pulled out her phone and texted him. Werewolves. Don't worry, they're like children compared to me.

He quickly texted back, Do they know what you are?

Nope. They haven't figured out how to sense vampires. Relax. I got this.

It was Jadeite who quipped, "Passing notes with your boyfriend, Usagi?"

She laughed, shook her head, and put her phone away. "No, just letting him know what I think of you."

"And that is?" Zoisite asked.

"That I'm going to take you for all your money. I've got this."

Mamoru laughed, "Even I struggle to beat them, and everyone knows I count cards."

"It's not cheating if you admit it at the beginning?" She asked sassily.

He shrugged, "It's what it is and at least I'm honest."

"Well, I'll honestly whip you all at cards," she said back smiling at him.

"How can a naive little girl beat us?" Jadeite challenged.

"Deal, and I'll show you."

It was half an hour later that Jadeite cursed and threw down his cards. "I fold. Again. Seriously, how are you cheating? I can't figure it out!"

She smiled sweetly to him. "I count cards?"

"Wait, you're not sure?" Zoisite asked.

She shook her head. "You won't believe the truth."

"And that is?"

"That I'm better than you." She then laid her cards down face up. "Aces and eights. Dead man's hand."

"How do you know about the 'Dead man's hand'?"

"I like history," she said cryptically. "Wild Bill Hickok, in the Wild West in America, was shot dead with back aces and eights in his hand. I'm a bit off. One of my eights is red."

She watched as Kunzite and Mamoru placed their hands face up and she had beaten them. She leaned forward and swept the poker chips toward herself smiling.

Three hands later she said, "Maverick" as she laid down her card and everyone at the table grumbled in frustration. "It's also known as 'Oedipus'."

Mamoru, loving new facts, asked why. She said, "It references Oedipus killing his father, the king, to marry his queen mother. He's the jack."

It was Nephrite who grumbled, "She's taking all our money and you're concerned over why a hand with three jacks and two queens has two different names?! This is ridiculous! Who invited her?"

Motoki piped up from the seat where he was observing, "You did."

"Well, I didn't know she was this good! Why did you want her to play against us?"

"Because this is hilarious. Isn't that enough? She's creaming you all."

"Do you want to quit?" She asked with fake innocence.

"No, I want to win some of my money back." Jadeite commented.

Kunzite laughed at that. "And what would make you think you could suddenly beat her? History says otherwise."

"It has to be dumb luck."

Zoisite shook his head, "No, she's reading our tells, and for the life of me, I can't figure out what they are. I've been watching her, and I'm stumped."

Jadeite stood abruptly and grabbed her arm. Mamoru and Motoki both immediately moved to stop him, but Usagi waved them off with her other hand. Motoki knew what she was, so he relaxed and sat back down. Mamoru stayed standing, poised to jump in if she needed him. She smiled at him gently; the fact that he was such a gentleman warmed her heart.

While Jadeite held her left arm roughly, she reached with her right hand and squeezed one of the arms that held her. He hissed when the silver from her ring came in contact with his skin. He tried to pull away but she didn't let him, maintaining her hold and the burn mark he received from her ring.

She locked eyes with him and said, "I think it's time you sit back down." She had compelled him to obey her.

To his surprise, he released her arm and immediately sat back down. She then leaned forward, bracing her arms on the table. She held back a smirk as she noticed he hid his burn mark under the table. "Don't touch me. If you can't handle losing to a woman, then I'll leave. Cash me out."

She sat back down and crossed her arms, glaring at the four werewolves. She was pissed that they escalated things in front of Mamoru. Usagi had wanted to have a fun evening getting to know him and impressing him with her abilities and her mind.

Just like she expected, it was Kunzite who spoke up. "It won't happen again. You don't need to leave."

That wasn't true. She had to leave before they realized she didn't bruise from him grabbing her. She really didn't want to give away what she was right now. While she had held him tightly, she knew his pride wouldn't be able to admit it to his friends or to himself. If she kept doing the unexpected, then they would ask questions, though.

"No, cash me out. I'm done. I'm really not into idiots attacking me." She then looked at Motoki, "I can get a ride with someone else. You don't need to drive me home."

The last thing he wanted to do was stay there with four werewolves now that he knew what they were. The problem was that he didn't want to leave Mamoru behind. His brain raced. "Umm…. No, I'll drive you. Are you heading out too, Mamoru?" He hoped the question sounded casual. Then he had an idea and added, "I assume you don't want to stay after he assaulted her." He tried not to smirk as Mamoru stood and asked to be cashed out too.

Once they were both given the money in exchange for the chips they had, Usagi being the only one to receive more than she came with, she paused before she turned to leave. "Tell Diamond he's on notice. I have a friend who's rather offended by his actions."

Zoisite spoke up then, "We don't know who-"

She cut him off. "Fine. Say whatever you want. Just pass the message along like the good little soldiers you all are."

Kunzite leaned forward frowning, "I don't know what makes you think we know him at all!"

She rolled her eyes dramatically and said, "Tell me who else could have made that sniper shot other than you? It was impressive."

"Sniper shot?" Mamoru asked.

"Dead cop," she said dismissively. "A dirty, dead cop. Cheating on Diamond's sister is a big no-no."

She could feel the tension rolling off of Motoki in waves. He was terrified that, not only were they werewolves, they were also part of the Negamoon Yakuza.

It was Mamoru's interest that piqued when she mentioned the dead cop. "And how do you know who killed him when the police don't even know yet?"

She ignored his question and focused on Kunzite. "He may seem like a powerful man to follow, but use your brains. He's a monster. Also, this you don't know. The cop you killed was Wiseman's only son."

That hit the four of them hard. In certain communities, it was well known that Wiseman was vicious in protecting werewolves. He never became one, but his brother had been one, and it wrecked him the day his brother was killed for what he had become. Since that day, he used every bit of his evil organization to help protect and preserve werewolves, and because of that, a lot of them worked for him out of gratitude.

The assumed fact that it was Diamond's father that turned on Wiseman would typically have been enough to stop a werewolf from working for him. But now that Diamond killed his only living son, having Kunzite carry out the hit, it should break their working relationships.

"You lie!" he snarled.

She laughed, pulled out a USB, and tossed it to him. "There's proof. When you're ready to turn on him, contact me."

"How?"

She shrugged, "Get creative. I'm not helping you anymore after this moment. Figure the rest out yourself." She knew they weren't dumb. They had Motoki's number, and he knew her. It wasn't rocket science how he would get ahold of her.

Mamoru had his jaw clenched tight. He loosened it and asked roughly, "How the hell did you get that information?!"

She smiled over at him and shrugged. "Maybe I'll tell you one day." That didn't sit well with him.

Mamoru was upset as they left, that was crystal clear. She figured at least she had his full attention. They were meeting at his apartment. He demanded explanations, and the Crown Arcade wouldn't be a good place for such a talk.

Motoki sighed in frustration when the two of them got in his car. "Do you even have an explanation for him when we all get to his place?!"

She rolled her eyes playfully at him. "I'm four hundred and sixty-two years old. I'm not the dumb blond I look like."

"I wasn't implying…."

"Yes, you were. Of course I have an explanation, and it's the truth. Don't worry; I won't hang you out to dry with your friend."

She tried not to sigh sadly. She often knew over the centuries that those who knew what she was, even those who accepted it, struggled to believe someone they saw as less than human.

"You've killed."

"What?"

"You're a vampire. I assume you've killed people."

She frowned and stared out of the window. That was it, wasn't it. It was that he saw her ultimately as a killer. Many did; what could she say?

"I hate Diamond. He's…he's found a way to immortality. As much as what I am isn't natural, he's so much worse. I was turned by another vampire. He had a witch conduct blood sacrifices to gain his immortality."

"What does that make him?"

"A true monster. There have rarely been beings like him over the centuries. He feeds on the depraved and wicked, and it powers him."

"What does that have to do with my question?"

"Most of my kills lately have been his vessels. He finds rapists and drinks their blood, linking them with a spell. Then he sends them out to…you know. Once they do…there is a ritual for that. It preserves his current age this way."

"So, you're saying you've mostly killed men to prevent his extended life?"

She frowned down at her hands. "It's not enough, and I know it doesn't justify it in your eyes. You're even the first I've told this. I know someone who would go after him for this, and I care about his life very much."

"Mamoru?"

"No, someone else. Mamoru has self-restraint, and I, theoretically, could tell him."

"This person you know doesn't?"

"He…he's dedicated his life to protecting people." She shook her head, "Not that Mamoru wouldn't but…but, he's less impetuous."

"You aren't going to tell me who, are you?"

"No. This way you can honestly say you don't know. If this is going to blow up in someone's face, it will be mine. I'm not into risking the innocent in any way."

"Won't pulling him into this risk him?"

"I would slaughter anyone who threatens him!" She roared out, surprising Motoki.

He pulled into the parking lot of a fancy, tall apartment complex. "We're here."

She smiled up at the building. Soon, she would know exactly where he lived, which warmed her heart more than she expected.

When Motoki dropped her off at Mamoru's door, she almost kissed him on the cheek. She didn't know what she'd done to get his help or his trust, she decided she'd ask tomorrow over a milkshake. She was about to have alone time with Mamoru, even if that would be emotionally charged; she was excited.

Mamoru was concentrating so much on getting answers that he didn't register the idea they'd be alone. He was just hoping that Motoki being gone would let her open up more—less of an audience to the grilling he was planning on giving her.

She sat primly on one end of his couch, and he sat on the other and turned to face her. As he did, he was hit by the overwhelming truth of how beautiful she was. His heart rate sped up, and he tried to ignore the intense interest he had in her.

He attempted to sound gruff when he asked, "How in the world do you know about the murdered police officer?!"

She rolled her eyes. "And I told you who the murderer was, and you walked away and didn't question him."

"I'm an intern for the Medical Examiner, not a detective! Plus, how do I know you're right?"

She raised one eyebrow at him and reached in her purse, pulling out a small card and handing it to him. He asked, "What is this?" Smiling at him, she said, "My PI license. I've been investigating this on my own."

Long ago, she thought private investigators were fascinating but didn't see the point. After all, she could compel any information she needed out of anyone. Then the modern era with phones, computers, and crappy customer service took over. To compel someone, she had to be face to face. That wasn't possible anymore in most cases. It was then she realized a private investigators license would be helpful. It gave her more of a legal right to ask questions, and when she needed legal permission to talk to someone, she could compel a Notary to verify a document to release the information.

"Kunzite killed that police officer and you're playing poker with him. How long do you think you'll keep your internship when that comes out?"