In most ways, JJ Townsend looked the same as she always had. Tall and pale and pretty, with her dark blue eyes that looked too old for her face. And empty, as though shuttered, a void. But one only noticed that when they looked closely, which few did. She moved more gracefully than she had, slipping through corners and around people like a quiet ghost, too vague and noiseless to leave much of an impression. She was also bigger than she had been. Where before she had been like an insubstantial whisp, she had put on some muscle, though she was hardly built. Her hair was shorter, barely long enough to pull into a tail.

Still, all and all, she looked no tougher, no more formidable at seventeen than she had been at fifteen. Not the type to be walking through the dark, garbage-filled alleys with her back straight and eyes alert and unafraid. She slid along through the stinking shadows, her heavy black denim jacket helping her blend with them. JJ slowed at the sound of voices, one low and lecherous, the other high and fawning. She paused, watching until the two people stepped into the flickering light from one of the few working streetlights. The man was of average height but built like a boxer, and his shaved head seemed to fit the image. The woman was obviously a hooker, giggling a little as the man's hand slid up her skirt.

"Immanuel Moore?" JJ said, watching as both heads snapped her direction. She knew his face from his mug shots. He'd been arrested plenty, after all, mostly for sex-based offenses. Manny Moore was the go-to guy for high-end child pornography. Not that he participated, he just bought and sold.

He looked at her, grinned a little. "Sorry, honey, I like blonds."

JJ raised her eyebrow as she glanced at the hooker. "Good thing she shaves, then," she replied, earning herself a nasty look from the prostitute.

"Why don't you go home, little girl?" the hooker suggested, linking her arm around Manny's. No way she was losing an hour's pay to some teenager.

JJ simply pulled the 9mm Luger from the shoulder holster she was wearing, flicked off the safety. It was her grandfather's gun, an unregistered antique, in prime condition. Her own father hadn't been much for guns, but he'd kept it in pristine order. And now, so did she. "You should go," she told the hooker, keeping her eyes on the man, "This really has nothing to do with you."

Pay or no pay she wasn't getting in front of a gun. If she stayed things were sure to get messy for everyone involved and just in case the cops got involved....

The woman ran of, much to Manny's surprise.

"Baby! What the hell you doing! You afraid of a little girl?"

But the woman was already gone, and that made him mad. He turned back to the girl, glaring down at her now. "I might like blonds, but you I think I'll teach a lesson to." He moved quickly, grabbing the girls wrist and pointing the gun away before squeezing the girls wrist tight enough, making her drop the gun. He kicked it into the ally before looking around. No one else out here was noticing anything, just like usual, and no one would notice if this little brat went missing.

"You have a little fight though... And I like that." Manny said with a smirk, his free hand going to his pocket where he pulled out a simple handgun. "If we had a more appropriate place... I'd have a bit of fun with you first..." And who's to say she wouldn't end up in one later?

He pushed the gun against her cheek as he pressed her back against the brick wall.

"So you gonna be good for me? And maybe I'll take care of ya real nice if ya do. You could have asked Lizzy if you hadn't scared her off. I take care of my girls that take care of me. But those who don't play nice..." He let his voice trail off, the side of the gun trailing down her cheek to pres firmly between her breasts.

He moved faster than she expected. JJ cursed mentally as he got inside arm reach before she could react, then cursed aloud as he wrenched her wrist, made her lose her grip on the gun. In terms of brute strength, she knew she still had a ways to go before she could offer more than a fly's resistance to a guy built like Manny, and didn't bother resisting much as he slammed her back against the alley wall.

Her eyes rounded as he pressed the gun to her cheek, the navy blue going bright with fear as he brought it down, to her chest. "Please, don't hurt me." JJ let a quaver slip into her voice, even trembled a little, letting her breath flutter.

No threat here, after all, just a stupid little girl who thought a gun made her invincible...

"I didn't-- I thought," she stammered, losing the calm, controlled look and replacing it with one of panic that the situation had suddenly gotten entirely out of hand. "Don't hurt me?"

As the fear ran through her, he could almost feel it.

Manny smiled as she became submissive, relaxing against his firm grip on her wrist. "You thought that you could make me pay.... Thought you could right all the wrongs I've done." He said with a smirk. "The truth is darling... If someone could make me pay, they would have done it a long time ago. This world isn't the way you think it is..." Letting go of her wrist, he brought a hand up to stroke through her hair.

"You could be pretty ya know... Almost pretty enough for me." He smirked, looking her over.

Dark eyes watched the going ons from the edge of the roof. Marcus didn't want to yet involve himself... This little one had some fight in her and though her look held all the signs of fear and panic... He could only smell the faintest traces of it off of her scent. She had a plan, and he was fully content in watching this game play out. If she did get into trouble... He could help... But then she might have to pay a cost that she wasn't willing to. He could smell the arousal and desire from the man, and it affected him as well. He hungered too...

"So..." Manny smirked. "Why don't we go back to my place. After all, I told you if you behave I'd be more than happy to take you in. Besides... I wouldn't want to fuck a dirty little street girl like you. Maybe after a shower though, it wouldn't be quite as bad."

JJ let the fear remain on her face, even as she gave a brief, forced smile. "You're... you're right," she agreed, her voice still trembling just a bit, she shied away slightly as he ran his hand over her hair, just like any good, terrified little girl would do.

It didn't disgust her to have him touch her. It was to be expected. For all her world-weary eyes, JJ was still slight and pale, with delicate features and a slightly crooked nose. She didn't wear makeup, which made her look younger. And men liked them young.

As he leaned back a little to run his eyes over her, he let the gun drop and she felt his hand relax on her wrist. The fragile face and big blue eyes were the biggest advantage she had, the way JJ figured it. Given the slightest opening, she took it, bringing her knee up into his middle, which wasn't hard as they were practically the same height. She was aiming for his crotch, but a blow to the belly when one was unprepared took the wind out of them pretty well too. She would know.

Slapping a hand to the back of her neck, she came up with a switchblade, slashed it deftly at his gun hand and felt the slight resistance as the sharp knife sliced through skin. She didn't hesitate again, that had been her mistake earlier, and instead pivoted to swipe the blade at his throat.

The sharp scent of blood was what first alerted Marcus that something had gone wrong. Wrong or right? For it was the man who yelled in pain, grasping his arm.

The blade had sliced through his forearm, the gash was not deep, so of course it hurt worse. "You little bitch!" He growled. His eyes still on the girl. He knew his gun was a few feet to his right, just where it had fallen when he dropped it.

As she stepped in to aim at his neck, he stepped in to meet her, bringing his left fist into her gut sharply. "You stupid little brat!" He snapped, the back of his right hand striking her across the face before she could recover from the first blow.

Marcus snarled from the rooftop shadows, but didn't leap down just yet... The girl had fight in her... She would figure out something... And if not, he could stop the man before he did any serious damage to the girl. It was this amusement that kept him from the blood... It had been days since he last fed, but he could hold himself for now... The weak one had finally crumbled, so the stronger will was now in charge.

"Bitch, brat." JJ was smaller than Manny, and lighter on her feet. Still, she couldn't completely dodge the swing into her stomach, which landed hard enough to knock her back several steps. The next strike slammed into the side of her head. Rather than try to take the blow, she rolled with the momentum, felt her foot kick something heavy as she did. Her gun or his? Probably his, since he'd kicked hers away...

She swung out with the knife again, this time going low, for his thigh. Better would be his balls, but she figured that would be asking for too much luck. Her head was ringing, but she'd had worse, and her eyes were focused as she nimbly bounced back to her feet.

"You're the one who got faked out by a teenager, Manny," she said coolly, trying to goad him. She was more agile, though he was a hell of a lot stronger. As long as she could keep at arm's length the switchblade and her own quick feet could keep her from being completely overwhelmed. "I guess you don't need to worry about the nuances when it's an eight year old doing the acting, is it?" She kept her gaze on him, but searched the filth for either of the guns out of the corners of her eyes. "Not used to those preteens fighting back, right?"

Quick was good sometimes, but she'd forgotten one big thing in a fight. Never back yourself into a corner. He might have been bleeding from a gash in his leg now as well as the one on his arm, but she was trapped. She wasn't going anywhere.

"You're not going to live to learn from your mistakes tonight girl... You've worn out my patience and now you're going to suffer for it." He said, glaring at her as he moved closer, backing her even further into the corner. "You're going to learn why they listen to me... And why they do it the first time."

She moved to strike him again, but he'd been waiting for it, grabbing her arm before wrenching it behind her back. He pressed her hard, face first into the wall, grinning as he heard a crack, her head snapping back as if she'd been dazed. His other hand slid around her waist to the front of her pants and began to undo the fastens.

But before he could get to the zipper of her jeans he felt himself being hurled through the ally, his own head cracking on the pavement. Then something was tearing at his throat, the pain made him scream.

Marcus was hungry and fed quickly. The girl had just started to stir as he dropped the man's body to the ground, paler than it had been even in life.

He moved to the shadows, wrapping them around him until he got a clear view of the girl. Before he could judge her mental state. She wouldn't see him until he wanted her to.

Sucked when the bad guys were right. JJ tried to sidestep as he came at her, going low in an attempt to get under his reach, but miscalculated. Her head slammed hard into the unyielding wall--she heard the snap of bone against brick before the pain exploded and that funny metallic taste filled her mouth. Not blood, but similar. She figured it came from a few brain cells getting rearranged.

Dazed, she could do little more than bat at his hands like a kitten might when he pushed them into her pants. It was hard to think, but part of her mind was still calculating. If he raped her, it would give her a moment to recover, to figure out some way too...

In a quick, confusing instant, the hands were gone, and she was knocked to the ground, head cracking against a more solid surface once again. There was a scream, but was it hers? She didn't think so... she didn't scream much anymore...

The scream cut off quickly, and she rolled onto her hands and knees, gasping a little and swiftly taking the weight off of her wrenched right arm. Rocking back to her knees, she ignored the fire from the gash on her forehead as she pressed the back of her hand to it, wiping at the blood. She spotted the gleam of her knife close by and grabbed it, warily searching the murky shadows for the shine of Manny's bald head. She spotted his gun and then the dark lump at the end of the alley. Grabbing the pistol, switchblade disappearing back under her collar, she gripped it in both hands as she limped a little closer to the figure, weapon held at the ready.

JJ wasn't going to hesitate again, but quickly saw that there was no need. His throat was rent violently open. He was dead. Still, she didn't relax, instead tracking the shadows for any sign of movement. Something had killed the pimp. His throat hadn't opened all on its own.

Now that the man was dead, he smelt the girl's blood. Sweet, tangy... It smelt delicious... But no... She was not for eating...

In the shadows Marcus watched her with an amused grin. She would make a wonderful huntress with real training. She would make a wonderful vampire as well. And with that fire she had, even though she was still injured... Was it any wonder that he wanted to pull her close, feeling that fire for himself. Was it any wonder that he wanted to claim her for his own?

Even the weak side, as it began to stir in him again, realized that the girl was more than ordinary. Young or not... As he man said, she could be beautiful if she wanted to be.

However, he wondered if he had waited too long to interfere. She seemed shaky on her feet, blood was pouring freely from the gash on her head.

"Little one..." His voice was soft yet husky. "You are safe now, let me help you." As her back was turned he let go of the shadows, becoming visible to her. "I shouldn't have waited like I did... I wanted to see what you would do." His voice was still gentle, trying to sooth her.

Kicking at the trash, JJ kept both hands on Manny's gun as she searched out her own. There! Picking it up, she wiped some of the grime off onto her jeans before she tucked it back into her holster. It was heavier than Manny's gun and would have been harder on her injured arm.

At the sound of the voice, she dropped low and whirled until she faced him, pistol completely steady as she drew a bead on the chest of the man who had appeared. "You killed Manny," she said, studying him as much as she could. The only light was at his back. But he was big, taller and broader than Manny had been--and Manny had kicked her ass.

"Safe?" JJ's eyes narrowed as he spoke. "You were watching." She wondered if that was surprising, then what to think of a man who could easily kill another and watched as a girl fought. "What do you..." she trailed off as she wiped her sleeve at the blood in her eyes. Then the steady barrel of the gun jumped as another man appeared, jumped back again as the two men merged into one.

"Concussion... damn," she said mildly, before going down, first to her knees and then, vision greying, toppling onto her side, gun still clutched in her hand.

"Yes. If that was his name." He said slowly, watching her. "And yes... I was watching. You seemed to have everything under control, and you seemed to have a purpose. For me to interfear would have ruined both." He said simply. His eyes never left her, but they narrowed as he watched her sway.

Though she was a fighter, she was still only human and could easily be injured. And she wouldn't recover as fast as he could.

"You should probably sit... You don't look well." He murmured, stepping close to her. But she muttered and then began to sway more. He didn't let her hit her head again though, cradling her body before anymore than her knees hit the ground. He smiled eagerly at her. She would be his… Her spirit was strong and she would eventually want what he could give her. And something told him that she…

She could give him something he needed.

“You will be mine little one… “ His whisper was gruff, but gentle. “I will teach you so that you never need me to step in again.” Sure she was unconscious, but it felt good to say it. He held her in his arms for a moment looking at her curiously. Admittedly… He didn’t really know what he was going to do with the human girl. Train her? To fight? Perhaps. She would be good at it and she would want to know how to fight at least. So he would teach her.

Beyond that though… He was clueless.

He carried her swiftly through the streets, making his way to the shabby one room apartment where he lived. Once she woke up… Then he’d see what would happen next.

When she closed her eyes, she dreamed. Sometimes, the dreams were so crisp, so clear, it was as though she had simply stepped into the past--which was more accurate really. They weren't dreams, but memories, after all.

JJ looked around the dark room with it's cutesy wallpaper and assorted flotsam and jetsam of a young girl. And then the bed, with it's pretty covers and sheets and equally pretty girl soundly asleep in the middle. The last night she slept soundly, JJ realized, realizing that it was a dream. She no longer fought to wake. It was like trying to swim through molasses--exhausting and mostly useless. So she simply watched impassively as her brother entered her room, watched as the bed depressed with his weight. The girl on it didn't stir, until he slapped her. Her expression didn't change as the dream memory continued, as he gagged her with a belt, tied her hands behind her back, as he pulled her pajama pants away and pressed his cock between her legs to scare her, to show her exactly what he was going to do.

When he began to rape her, his head turned, his pretty face smiling at her as she watched from the corner, as she cried on the bed. "You should have killed me, little sister," Nick told her, grinning as his hands bruised her hips holding her in place and he ripped away her virginity. Gloatingly, he slowed his pace, obscenely licking his lips as she watched and struggled, watched and cried.

JJ's eyes snapped open. There was no gasp for air, no disorientation. She'd been having the memories for too long for that anymore. Back to the first time, that was where she often went in her dreams, back to that first night. It was always so horrifyingly clear. Other nights might blur or might not, but the first night was always crystal. She blinked it away, her hand automatically going to her side where the reassuringly heavy Luger lay beneath her jacket. Where was she?

It was getting closer to dawn... He only had about an hour before he would fall asleep, unable to speak to her. Well... If she didn't wake up before he had to sleep he could always drink from her to weaken her further so she would sleep longer... But he didn't want to do that. It was too dangerous for her.

But he didnt' have to worry as he heard her breathing grow stronger and heard her move.

She seemed to be having a nightmare, her breaths sharp, ragged. He'd sat beside her most of the time, simply watching her. But as she stirred he moved, not wanting to scare her.

"Good. You're awake." He murmured as he moved back to her. He stood a distance away, not watning to frighten her. "How are you feeling little one?" He asked, his arms across his chest, tilting his head slightly as he looked at her.

How did she feel? JJ took stock. Her right arm was weak, which made it fortunate that she was a southpaw, and her head felt like it had been used as the ball for a Major League game. Plus, scattered other bumps and bruises. "Like I've been run into by a truck, with special attention paid to my head," she said, keeping her good hand on her gun as she shifted into a sitting position.

"Who are you? Why am I here?" she asked, studying him as she pulled the gun free, set it on her knee almost casually. If he wanted to hurt her, she didn't think he'd have left her with it, but the world was full of fucked-up folks with fucked-up ideas of fun. She popped the magazine out, tapped it, then slid it back into place. It was full.

JJ studied him again. He was perfectly calm. "You've left me with a fully loaded weapon," she said, her eyes curious. "How do you know I won't just shoot you?" A ghost of a smile flickered briefly over her face. "I might be a murderer for all you know."

"I'm sorry... I wasn't quick enough." He apologized softly.

"I'm Marcus. Or Marc if you prefer. It doesn't really matter to me." He said with a slight smile. "I brought you here because I'm not the kind to leave someone on the street. Especially one with so much potential." His smirk became more noticeable now.

But he chuckled as she called herself a murderer. "No... You aren't the type. Not like me. Like I said before, you have a purpose to your kills. Murderers... Are a bit less controlled." He moved a little closer to her. "You're a killer perhaps. Though I haven't seen you kill anyone. But... You could be if you wanted to be. If you worked at it you could be quite a good killer to." He mused.

Most people would think that killing and murder was the same thing. But they werne't. Murder was unprovoked... Murder was for unnecessary personal gain. Killing... Killing had a purpose. You killed animals to eat them, you murdered a person for money.

"And besides... I think you're too curious to shoot before asking a few questions first." He added with an amused tone.

JJ's eyes narrowed as he said she had potential. Potential for what? She watched him warily as he edged closer, but had nowhere to go. "You don't even know me," she said calmly as he spoke about murderers and killers. "How do you know Manny wasn't a perfectly innocent man I set out to kill? I could be a psychopath... maybe I wanted revenge for him denting my car."

It wasn't that she wanted the guy to think she was evil, she simply didn't understand his attitude. He had utter confidence in what he was saying, which was ridiculous. He freely admitted to being a murderer with no nudging from her. It didn't seem to add up. Perhaps he was crazy.

But, in some ways, he was also right. She wasn't just going to shoot him and ask questions later. He'd done nothing to her and, as far as she knew, nothing to anyone but Manny and, since it had been her own intention to kill Moore, she could hardly hold that against him. "So, what, you brought me here to... chat?"

"And to let you rest. Yes." He seemed perfectly at ease simply standing there. He knew he was being too still for a human, but he didn't care at the moment.

"You already know the answers to that question though. I was watching. I saw what he did to you, and even though he was provoked, it was clear what kind of man he was." He said with a shrug.

"Besides, even psychopaths can be reigned in for a better use if they are traind and taught to understand what is needed. But you're too lucid to be a psychopath. And your thought process makes sense to me. But then again I could be a psycho as well, so who's to say." He grinned as if hearing an inside joke.

It really wasn't too far off. It was only his curiosity that kept him from simply enjoyng every part of her now.

He wanted to touch her... wanted to claim her...

His jaw was clenched as he snapped out of the thoughts, and he made himself relax.

"I have a little bit of food in the house. Not much. Usually don't have company over. Help yourself to whatever you'd like." He offered, turning away from her. Even though her blood was cleaned up, she was still a temptation.

JJ eyed Marcus the way one might eye a Jackson Pollack piece, with curiosity and faint discontent. "He trafficked child pornography," she said at last, "made and distributed." And not the vague, is it or is it not, naked kiddies stuff, but hardcore films. Some was even rumored to be snuff, but she didn't know

There was something about the guy... something off that she couldn't put her finger on. It was frustrating. JJ had made it her business to be able to read people, but this guy was opaque--as when he had been in the alley, she felt like she could get nothing from him but his silhouette.

As he turned away, she slowly drew in a deep breath but didn't stand until she knew she could do it smoothly, locking her knees as she did so. "I need to use your bathroom," she said in response. There weren't many places it could be in the little apartment. She'd been analyzing the layout of the place since she'd woken up, even though her attention had seemingly been on Marcus. She slid the antique handgun back into its holster. He hadn't attacked her yet, so she supposed she'd give him the benefit of the doubt.

Limping only slightly, she disappeared into the tiny bathroom, then leaned onto the sink as her breath wheezed in and out. Sucking in a breath, she gritted her teeth as her wrenched arm protested her shrugging out of the heavy jacket and the holster. The dark green shirt beneath was dark and wet low on her right side and she hissed as she pulled up the hem, which stuck to her skin. The wound was like a large, ragged knife cut, bloody and painful but not life-threatening unless it got infected. Unbuttoning her shirt, she pulled it off, reached for one of the cheap towels to try and dab at the blood. JJ was hampered by her wrenched arm and the angle of the wound.

Marcus nodded as she told him about what the man had been into. Good, so it had been a purposful kill. One that gave more than just personal gain. She would be a good killer indeed.

As she moved he noticed the limp of course. He was a hunter, he noticed weakness in his prey. But aslo he could smell the blood. He thought he'd cleaned all of her wounds, but apparently he had missed one.

He waited quietly until she was in the bathroom, then let out a shuddering breath. The scent of the blood was tempting... And it grew stronger. That wasn't a good thing for more reasons than one. First of all, it was already hard for him to resist her in every way. Secondly, it meant that she was bleeding more than a little trickle.

He moved to the bathroom door and knocked softly. "Is everything okay? I can smell blood." After all, if there was that much of it even a human would be able to smell it. Wouldn't they? "Do you need any help?" He asked.

JJ stared into the mirror, her knuckles white as they gripped the edges of the sink. She was dizzy and not sure if it was from the head blow or bloodloss. Likely both. When Marcus knocked, she closed her eyes. If he could smell blood out there, she was bleeding pretty badly.

She looked down at the shirt and the jacket. It'd be a hard time getting back into them, meaning he'd know she was hurt any way it went. So here it was, knuckle time. Try to pass it off as nothing or ask for help?

JJ needed help. And, she thought practically, if the guy wanted to kill her, he'd have done so by now. He didn't need the added wound to make her a more tempting target--she'd been pretty helpless when she'd been unconscious. Propping her good hip against the sink for balance, she leaned to open the door with her good hand. The bloody gash started on the side of her stomach, but curved down more along her back. The deepest part dipped below the top of her jeans, but her belt had stopped the blade from going any further, and had the nick to show for it. She had it mostly covered with the towel, which featured a slowly spreading stain.

"Know how to make stitches?" she asked, her voice surprisingly steady.

As she opened the door he held bac a curse, his lips pulling back into a snarl as he saw the gash that marred her beautifully pale body. It was deep, but not terribly deep. But she did need stitches.

"I didn't make it painful enough..." He muttered, glaring at the wound. "I should have taken my time with him..." The anger on his face was evident. Not only was he angry at the man who'd done this, but at himself as well. How could he have missed the wound? How could he not have smelt it or seen it before? He'd put her in terrible risk, and he should have caught this sooner!

And now that the blood was everywhere... It was so hard to resist....

He craved it... Just as much as he craved her body at the moment. But he knew partaking of either-or would probably kill her, and he wasn't going to risk that.

"Stay put... Or rather sit on the toilet..." He growled as he turned on his heals. He knew he had to have something here to close her up, even if it was just an ordinary needle and thread. But it was actually lucky that he had even that. He'd risked a quick trip to get a basic first aid kit for her, but he wasn't finding anything of use in there for sutures.

But he'd had the little sewing kit and the heavy duty thread would work well enough for now.

"I'm sorry. I don't have anything to numb it..." He murmured. He did have some liquor, but that would only hurt her chances... "This will hurt... But I think you can handle it..." She might not be able to but a false assumption of bravery would give her something to prove to him. Screams from his apartment would not be a good thing to wake the neighbors with. Curving the needle slightly he frowned.

"Lean back..." He folded up a towel and placed it on the edge of the bath tub. "Try t lay your head on this, it'll help slow the blood flow and let the skin lay together better..." He murmured.

JJ's brows knitted a little at the strength of his reaction, but she shrugged dismissively. "He's dead either way," she said, "and in my book, child porn still merits a lower ring in Hell than this." The girl paused, lifted her shoulder again before adding, "Besides, it's all part of the job, isn't it?" Not that it was actually her occupation, but the same principle applied. Severe injury and possible death was hardly unexpected.

Plugging the sink behind her, she pulled the towel away as he left, replaced it with a fresh one while dropping the bloody one into the sink and running cold water over it. The bright red blood stood out against her pale flesh, a fresh mar against the faint lines of older scars.

When he returned she raised an eyebrow as he spoke, obviously intending to try to stitch her up in the cramped confines of the bathroom and then shook her head. "We need the bed," she said flatly, brushing by him and leaving her shirt and jacket on the floor of the bathroom. "You'll probably want another towel as well to keep the blood off of your sheets." When he said he thought she could handle it, another there and gone smile flitted humorlessly over her face. "No, you don't. Neither do I."

Limping, but moving steadily enough, she lowered herself down to the narrow bed, chanced lifting the towel to check the bleeding. Still flowing, but slower due to the pressure. Pressing it back and swallowing the hiss of pain, her fingers moved competently enough as she slid her belt from the loops. Because part of the cut went below the top of her jeans, she'd have to either take them off or at least draw them down a little for him to stitch up the nasty gash. Turning the belt over in her hands, she looked back at Marcus. "I can't manage my boots," she told him matter-of-factly, the prospect of being next to naked in front of a strange man seeming not worrying to her.

"Had I known either thing about him before... He would have suffered..." He muttered, examining the wound. Well... It didn't go too deep at least. Just surface damage. Nothing visible anywhere that shouldn't really be seen. Just muscle, skin and flesh.

He growled low in his throat as she got up, moving towards the bed. "You shouldn't be moving." He said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. He snorted dismissively as she worried about his sheets. "I know how to get blood out of cloth... Don't worry."

As she pushed her pants down he had to force images from his mind. Ones that he would really like to indulge in. Later... Later he told himself. Once she had a chance of surviving the encounter.

"Lay on your side." He muttered, bringing a chair to the bed. "Put your hands up by your head so they're not in the way."

Laying as she was though, he couldn't help but admire her shape... His hand skimmed along the skin about the cut, just beside her breast. The warmth flooded through his fingers and he shuddered with pleasure. "Think of happy thoughts for a while..." He murmured. After he stitched her up... Maybe there was something else he could do... Something that would help the wound heal better. He'd seen it done before, but he'd never tried it.

Well now what as good a time as any.

One hand held her side so she wouldn't move, his fingertips brushing almost longingly against her breasts. "I'll try to make it quick." He promised as the tugging began.

It struck JJ that she'd been in this position before, bloody and half-naked in front of a man. Was it irony that the very helplessness she'd tried to put an end to was back because of the way she'd attempted to end it? She supposed it was.

Pushing her pants down enough to give him unrestricted access to the gash, she shifted to do as he had said and lay on her left side, facing him. Folding the belt, she stuck it between her teeth and, after locking her eyes on his face for a moment, closed her eyes.

She flinched a little as he touched her, not from the contact, but the coldness of his skin. JJ lay still though as he set his hand on her, not reacting to the light brush of his fingers near her breasts, nor again to the peculiar coldness of his flesh. She concentrated on keeping her breathing shallow and steady, her hands gripped together in front of her face almost as if in prayer.

Happy thoughts... She thought of swimming, of competing, of that thrill of racing through cool water to victory over a challenger, or simply over the self. She'd dreamed of the Olympics once, before those dreams, like all the others, had been robbed away. But she didn't think of that, dwelled instead on the feeling of cutting through the water. Even then, though, she couldn't hold back the sounds of pain as the needle nipped through flesh, as thread drew the ragged edges together, or hold back the way her breathing quickened, sharpened.

He watched as she put the leather between her mouth and had to admire her courage. His lips pursed together, trying to focus on the gash, on the stitching that needed to be done.

It took him about fifteen minutes, and three different colored threads. He wanted to make sure that everything would hold after all. He leaned down, his lips rested against her shoulder for a second as he took in her scent. "Just one more thing little one..." He murmured soothingly.

With a quick bite he let blood drip from a fingertip onto the wound. It began to heal almost at once, but he wasn't going to risk it.

A second later he took an alcohol pad, wiping down the area before getting several gauze bandages to cover the wound and an ace bandage to wrap around her torso. He lifted her gently as he wrapped it around her and laid her back on the bed. "You're not leaving here though... I don't want let you leave and wake up to find you dead in the morning from tearing the stitches open." He muttered. He moved his hands, wanting to run his fingers through her hair, but he pulled back, resisting the urge.

"Understand?"

Fifteen minutes of hell. JJ had been there before, and for longer stays. As far as this went, it was really only the first or second ring. She'd been through worse, she told herself, even as her teeth clamped down onto the belt. She felt him finish, and shifted before he touched his lips to her shoulder. JJ blinked, but then closed her eyes again, and was surprised by a lessening of the pain. She assumed he was putting some sort of salve on the wound.

As he wiped the wound with an alcohol pad, she opened her eyes, craning her head to look atit. It was neater than she had expected, neater than she usually managed when she sewed herself up. And it amused her to see yellow and green thread along with the standard black.

She raised her eyebrow as he told her she wasn't leaving. "I've dealt with stitches before," JJ said mildly as he helped her into a sitting position and began to wrap the Ace bandage around her abdomen. As he moved to lay her back again, she set her hand on his chest to stop him. JJ wasn't blind or stupid; she could tell he wanted her. It was probably what he expected, in any case.

"Thanks for the favor, Marcus," she said softly, addressing him by name for the first time. She was practically cradled in his arms, so it didn't seem that out of place. Her eyes were dark as she laid a hand on his wrist, guided his hand over her skin.

"It's nothing..." He whispered looking down at her. The warmth of her skin against his cold body burned him to his core, the scent of her skin, the sound of her pulse... It was all driving him wild. Her breasts bare and in his mind, beautiful, perfect.

Marcus let her pull his hand along her skin, enjoying the smooth, warm feeling of her stomach.

The hunger was rearing it's head, and he couldn't stop it. He didn't want to hurt her, but he wanted her... He wanted to take her here and now, and by no means gentle. But... His hand tensed, stopping her actions in their track. Turning his wrist he took her hand, reversing the hold. He pressed her palm against his cheek before turning his head to kiss the center of it.

"As much as I would love to show you how a young woman like yourself deserves to be ravaged senseless... I don't think now is the time... Rest... Let yourself heal and if you still want to find out what a real man can do... You have only but to ask." He had to get out of the room... Had to feed to calm himself, release the tension in his body some how....

He leaned down, kissing her eagerly but still gentle. "I'm going to pick up some groceries... You better be asleep when I get back and not have moved an inch..." He stood then, moving away from her quickly. He hated it... He didn't want to admit it... But he needed the weakling. He needed the resistance, the immunity to blood that the pathetic part of him clung to.

But she did need food if she was going to stay, and he needed to feed. If he wanted to resist her for too much longer... "I'll be back soon." He said as he moved through the door, closing it and locking it behind him.

As he touched her, JJ felt nothing. Not fear, not attraction, not even disgust. She wondered if she would, someday, or if there was simply numbness from here on out... She thought about it in a detached way; really, she didn't care. It was nothing about Marc. At seventeen, she'd already had more sex than she could ever want.

But she was surprised when he stopped and, with startling tenderness, pressed his lips to her palm. Even as he spoke of "ravaging" her, he was backing off, but for a heated kiss. Not angry at all. She levered herself up a little on her good arm, watching him warily even as he began to leave.

Slowly, she let herself back down again. What was with this guy? Even though he'd helped her, JJ wasn't sure if she should really trust him. There were too many... there was just something about him that felt off. He acted as though they were old acquaintances, as though they'd known each other longer than a few hours. There was no clear motivation for his actions. He was attracted, that much was easy to see, but he didn't act on it. Why? He'd killed a man and acted as though it were an everyday act--had shown viciousness when he'd seen the harm Manny'd done her. Again, why?

JJ didn't like the questions, liked the lack of good answers even less. It was suspicious, even if he didn't appear to pose any immediate harm. She'd leave in the morning... assuming, of course, he let her go.

He'd hunted quickly, the blood of the bum he'd left in a visible area, alive in a rare show of spirit... He walked normally to a quick-mart that was still open, letting his mind run over all the questions that were in his mind...

But unlike the girl back in his flat, he had answers to some of them.

Why did he want her?
What was it that got his blood boiling?
Why did he feel the need to protect her?
Would she accept his offer of training once she thought of it again?
Why didn't she seem to trust him?
Why didn't she respond to him like he seemed to respond to her?

Well a few of those were easy. She was a young girl, but she was a fighter. They were of like spirit, same souls. He wanted her to be as strong as she could so she could protect her self in what she thought she was supposed to do. That took care of the first three

Of course she wouldn't trust or be attracted to a strange man. He'd appeared out of nowhere and he'd done strange things without even explaining. He hadn't really tried to act human, which was a problem. He'd better start up with that. So that took care of two more.

There was only one that left unanswered, but that would have to wait until later. She'd have to answer that one herself. If she accepted... Then perhaps she would get to know him. Perhaps then, once she realized that he wasn't a monster like the ones she hunted. Even if he really was. But blinking as he reached the handle of the door he shook his head, clearing his mind. He was back to himself. The man he'd been before the change.

He paused as the door creaked open, and he was going to call out to the girl, to let her know it was him... But he realized that he didn't know her name. Well they had been preoccupied... He moved to the little kitchen area, setting the bags of basic groceries on the counter. He put the milk, eggs and cheese in the fridge, and set the bread on the counter. Digging out a package of ham cold cuts he put that in the fridge as well. He put a bag of chips on the counter and a six pack of cola into the fridge.

Why couldn't the bagger just put all the refrigerated things together? Wouldn't that have made more sense?

Oh well...

JJ slept lightly. It was a by-product of having lived with Nick for so many years. He had liked waiting until she was soundly asleep so he could wake her in some unpleasant way--it had gotten to the point that she woke at the smallest sounds or disturbances.

The sound of the door closing woke her. JJ never took much time to make the transition from sleep to wakefulness, but she moved her hand to her side where her gun should have been as a matter of habit. Her fingers touched the bandage instead and she remembered that the holster, with the gun in it, was in his bathroom.

JJ blinked, watching as he pulled groceries out of bags and put them away in various places. Studying what he had bought, she actually had to resist the urge to laugh. Such guy food--chips and sodas, bread and lunchmeat.

He looked up as he heard the girl move on the bed.

"You shouldn't do that." He said lightly, moving back out in to the main part of the room that wasn't sectioned off with cabinets. "How are you feeling? I got some food, just some basics... If there's something you want me to get, just ask." He offered with a small smile. His movements were less coordinated, more awkward as he made his way to the chair by the bed.

Her scent made something in him growl, but it was only a reminder. Nothing too bad. The hunger was locked away tight. She wouldn't have to worry about that anymore.

"I... I'm sorry if I behaved badly before." He said as he looked at her, his eyes away from the lump under the sheets, trying not to remember the supple shapes o her breasts. "I've been on my own for a while really and it's hard being around people again. It's hard to explain. I also have some medical problems, which kind of explain it as well, but that isn't the only reason. But I just want you to know, that I have no intentions of hurting you or doing anything else that you don't want." He promised, his face sincere.

"I want to help you actually. I've had training, and I've done a lot of things in my life that most people would be ashamed of. I know what you're doing and I can take a good guess at why. And I want to help." He said, knowing he was kind of rambling. "I didn't stop him, because I wanted to see what you could do. I wanted to know who you were... If you just gave up too easily, or if you were really the fighter you seemed to be. I have a lot I can teach you, and I want to help you so you don't get hurt out there. If you want that is. I know my place isn't much, but you're always welcomed... Well so long as you keep the curtains shut." He added.

JJ's dark eyes were cool as he moved closer to her, though she made no attempt to move away. He was acting differently now, less assured of himself, less confident. His posture was even different, his shoulders more rounded. And his eyes moved more, didn't linger in any one place for long, as if he were unsure of where to look.

She cocked her head a little as he mentioned medical problems, but didn't elaborate. Hopefully not mental ones, she thought to herself. "Look," she began as he kept talking, as if he were unable to stop himself, "I don't know what you're thinking, but I'm not really a team player." JJ wondered briefly what "training" he was talking about. He didn't come off as the type.

"Thank you for helping me out. Thank you for stitching me up. But I don't know anything about you beyond your given name." JJ pushed herself up into a sitting position. "So, I'm just going to go."

"I... I was just thinking you would want the help." He said unsure. "I don't want you getting hurt out there again... If I hadn't been there..." He tried to reason with her. "I want to help you learn how to fight them. Martial Arts, sport training... It doesn't work out there. You have to learn to street fight. Otherwise... It..."

But he trailed off, knowing it was no use.

She was a fighter. She wouldn't listen to him... He knew she wouldn't. But he still had to try didn't he? "I can help you so you don't have to be a team player." He tried again. But she sat up then, making him frown.

"Look... You really shouldn't go. I mean You might feel better, but the stitches can reopen. I don't want to see you getting hurt again." His voice was almost pained, almost pleading. But he kept the worst of it from his voice.

"If you want to get to know me, that's fine. I don't care, really I'll tell you everything you want to know. I don't have anything to hide from you." He didn't want to hide from anyone.

Knowing she was going to leave though, he stepped aside, leaving her a clear path to the door. "But... Be safe... Make sure you see a doctor about the stitches..." He told her.

It wasn't that she didn't want anyone worrying about her, it was just that JJ just wasn't used to it. And she certainly wasn't used to it coming from a stranger. Stepping into the bathroom, she slid her arms into her torn shirt, which was stiff with drying blood, and the strapped on the holster.

"Look," JJ said when he voiced his concerns as she stepped from the bathroom, "this isn't my first time at the rodeo." The slightest bite of impatience touched her voice. "I've had stitches before. I know how to take care of them. I've been hurt before. I'll take care of it. I'm sure you've got the best of intentions, but I don't need a mother hen." She had stiffened up a little during the bit of sleep she'd gotten, making the limp noticeable as she headed for his door, but at least her bloody shirt was covered by her coat. "I'm sorry you bought all that stuff for me," she said, her hand on the knob. And, with that, she stepped outside into the just-breaking dawn.


-------Two Weeks Later

Another dingy alley, another slimeball. JJ had spent the last two weeks researching her latest mark as she'd healed. She'd have a scar from her run in with Manny, but that was nothing new, and the range of motion in her right arm was back to as good as it had been pre-Manny.

This mark was a Denarik Billings, drug dealer. Mostly dealt small-time like weed and ecstasy or prescription like Ritalin or Adderol, but also sidelined in GHB and Rohypnol. He also liked to dip into his own supply. Denarik had recently slipped a murder charge stemming from a girl dying from a GHB overdose--he hadn't been the one to put the drugs in the drink, after all, and he had gotten probation for a drug charge instead.

It actually wasn't an alley, but a warehouse. JJ knew it was where Denarik set up operations. Back in her black denim jacket, she eased noiselessly through the dark building, Luger held securely in both hands. Spotting the door where he kept his "office" JJ slid along the wall to peek inside. There he was, catnapping on a ratty couch. "Denarik Billings?" she said, watching his head jerk up, then look around. "Denarik Billings?" JJ repeated.

He focused on her, just a head peeking into his office. Seeing just a young, delicate face girl, he smiled, figured she was a new customer. "That's me, sweetie. You looking for some nice grass? Mellow you out."

JJ nudged the door open with her toe. "I bet," she replied, firing two shots into his chest and another between his eyes before he could even open his mouth. Holstering the Luger, she rifled through his pockets, came up with a fistful of cash that she stuffed in her pocket and a couple of pill bottles. It wasn't like he needed it.

"Hey!" The shout startled her, her head snapping around to wear a man in a puffy coat came out of another door from the office. JJ cursed, throwing the pill bottles in the man's face as he reached beneath his jacket as she spun out the door. A bullet snapped through wood behind her.

He'd followed her scent, stale as it was he managed to find the place where she was. He saw her on the computer, reading newspapers... Why he didn't understand, but as he followed her in the shadows almost two weeks to the day since they'd first met... He began to understand. He had always hunted as she slept, knowing she would be safe during the day as she'd never attack in broad daylight.

So when she left her apartment and didn't take any of the usual routes, he kept his senses open, watching for trouble, watching for her target.

Unlatching a window in the warehouse he slipped in as quiet as a shadow, using his talents to keep him hidden as best he could in the darkness.

The first man, the main target, was down in almost an instant, but another man came in quickly and she bolted. Marcus quickly dispatched him twisting the man's head around just about one-hundred and eighty degrees.

But in the path of confused scents, it was hard to follow her. Everything was so fresh, so overwhelming... Where had she gone? And she didn't know her name to call out for her... And would she even want him here?

No... Better to stay hidden.

JJ pressed her back up against a wall, her heartrate up, but still surprisingly calm for someone being chased by a man with a gun. Speaking of... where had he gone? She frowned a little, not hearing any footsteps or more shots. Keeping her back to the wall, she tried to orient herself again. She knew the layout of the renovated warehouse from the blueprints she'd studied online and from some exploration she'd done earlier.

The Luger was back in her hands as she edged her way through the dark building. She could hear a voice from behind her. Denarik's pals having been woken by the shots, JJ assumed. Moving more quickly now, she turned left down a short hallway. Another left and then a right and she'd be out of the building. Then she heard the pound of feet from behind her, and a spear of light caught her as a door opened.

One of Denarik's pals. JJ recognized him. Aairon Smith, a spinecracker type who kept delinquent customers in line. He fired at her, forcing her to duck into what appeared to be a storage room of some kind. No way out. She heard him fire again and again, but the bullets didn't come through the walls. He'd come in the room himself. But he would just open the door, he'd stick his arm in with the gun and fire blind all over the place. He'd expect her to be along the wall.

Taking a deep breath, she crouched low, throwing herself into a roll out of the room, slammed into the hallway wall. Aairon was exactly where she thought he'd be. Coldly, she fired three times, two shots hitting him low in the abdomen, the third higher, in his chest. He dropped like a rock.

Before any more of Denarik's buddies could pop out of a dark corner somewhere, she took off at a limping run. Blood was soaking one pants leg. She wasn't sure if Aairon had hit her, or if it had been the other one, but someone had gotten a piece. She knew she was damn lucky it hadn't been more than that.

The scent of blood was strong, but why?

Because it was her blood.

As he thought about it the scent was actually rather faint. He'd just been keen to it after smelling it in mass quantities last time. She was hurt again, and that made his blood boil. Someone had hurt his woman... Someone had hurt her and they were going to pay.

The gloves were off, he didn't give a damn about acting human. Had her stitches not held? Had something else happened to her?

He rushed through the building. Hearing three shots he froze for a second before darting through to where they were.

There was a dead man, and the scent of the girls blood. He followed it, catching up to her in a moment as quick and silent as a shadow. But... Again he struggled with revealing himself. The voice in the back of his mind pleaded for him to let her go. Pleaded him to let her live her life away from their monstrosity. But no.. That wasn't what he wanted, and now he was in control. He was no longer the prisoner, he was the warden.

Leaping over her and landing silently in front he held his arms open and she ran write into them. He simply held her close to him, his nose in her hair taking in the delicious scent.

"What the hell are you doing here woman?" He said in a rough growl. "Do you know how dangerous this could have been? What they could have done to you?" His tone was obviously angry, but more like a parent scolding their child when although they were angry, had been terrified at the same time.

JJ came as close to losing her composure as she ever had when she slammed straight into someone--someone who had come out of nowhere. Biting down the instinctive yelp of shock, she slammed an elbow into the sternum of her surprise... hugger?

What the fuck?

JJ shoved at the guy's chest as she recognized who it was. "Who the hell do you think you are?" she snarled, emotion piercing that cold veil she wore at last. She paused for a second, visibly wrestling to get her adrenaline-boosted emotions back under control. "You've been following me." It was a statement rather than a question, and one said in a tone just to the side of icy.

She stepped back, her dark eyes flat as she looked at him for a moment. "They would have shot me," JJ replied calmly, though it was the kind of overly calm tone that indicated a simmering anger and, in this case, impatience. "Between the two of us, you're the only one worried about that. I told you last time, I don't need a mother hen. I know exactly what the stakes are."

As she pushed her away he let her go. He just really hadn't wanted her to shoot him by mistake. Sure it wouldn't kill him, but it would hurt like hell and too many questions would be asked afterward.

"Yes I have." He said in his usual calm tone now that she was with him. "I told you you have potential, and I won't give up easily for something I want." A smirk of amusement flickered across his face for a moment.

It was gone though as he frowned, her obvious lack of self-preservation irritating him.

"So... You're ready to die are you? You don't care if one night you go out and get yourself killed? Don't you have anyone out there that worries about you? Anyone at home that cares about you?" His voice was stiff, he knew the answer already of course. There was no one else that had even come in to her apartment. The scent there was all hers.

"If you want to do good, rid the world of this kind of scum, you're not going to do any good when you're dead." He pointed out. "Or do you really have a death wish or something of the likes?"