"Your home," Hannah murmured, pulling him from his memories and back to the beautiful woman lying before him.

"I considered it such," he told her.

"He was like a father to you."

Jack released a small huff. "He was almost nine hundred years younger than me."

"Still, he meant a lot to you and was better to you than your own father."

"He was," Jack agreed. "But more than that he was my friend, the first real friend I'd ever had."

Melancholy crept over her features as she nodded. "Friends are always a wonderful thing to have. It sounds like it was a lovely place to live, when they weren't hiding from your father's men or fighting for their lives."

"It was," he agreed. "Some of the time it was the most peaceful place in the world. Maybe I'll take you there one day."

Her smile was wistful as she shook her head and waved at the towels. "As you can imagine, I'm not much of a traveler, at least not during the day."

Sadness filtered through him, he felt he should comfort her somehow but she hadn't said it in a self-pitying way. He pulled the towel away from her back. The blisters had nearly vanished and her skin was pinker in hue than the mottled shade of red it had been. He had to fight the temptation to lean forward and press a kiss against the enticing hollow of the back of her neck but that wasn't what she needed right now.

"It's looking a lot better," he told her.

"It feels better."

"Good. Now Hannah, tell me about Calvin."

Her recoil was minute and instinctive, but he still saw it before she was able to cover it up. "There's not much to tell," she mumbled.

"It seems like there's plenty to tell. He's clearly interested in you."

He had to stop his hands from clenching into fists at the thought of someone else wanting her. The idea of anyone looking at her in such a way made his fangs extend. His almost total loss of restraint unnerved him as he forced himself to control his frustration. This kind of unreasonable anger was a first for him.

"He's been showing an interest in me since I reached maturity last year," she murmured.

Her words made him focus on something other than the urge to destroy something. He was glad she didn't deny it, but even still it wasn't something that he liked to hear. "I see," he grated through his clenched teeth. "And how do you feel about him?"

Delicate lines marred her brow as her eyes searched his. "Calvin runs this town, he makes the rules, and if I'm going to keep my family and friends safe then I have to play along and be nice."

"I think he wants a lot more from you than you just playing nice."

"I know what he wants from me, Jack," her voice was tinged with annoyance as her eyes held his.

She wasn't the only one feeling irritated though. He rose from the chair and paced over to the door as he ran a hand through his hair. "And you accept this?" he demanded.

"What choice do I have? I can't leave here and even if I could, Uncle Abe can't. Our home is here, our friends are here, this tavern is our livelihood; it's all we've ever known."

"He'll only hurt you." Her eyes darted away but not before he saw a flash of red in them that stopped him midstride. The fact that she wouldn't hold his gaze made a warning bell sound in his head. "Has he hurt you already?"

Jack strode over to her side but her eyes were focused on the wall. "Hannah..."

"Things are different here," was all that she would say.

He remained unmoving at her side as he battled between shaking some sense into her and ripping this room apart with his bare hands. No, he felt like ripping Calvin apart with his bare hands. His gaze ran over her as he searched for any other injury beside the burns on her back. On the back of her hand he thought he saw a faint purplish hue against her alabaster skin but he couldn't be certain.

"What has he done to you?"

"Things are different here," she murmured again.

His patience snapped like a line pulled taut. Grabbing hold of the chair, he jerked it out of the way with enough force that he nearly smashed it into the wall. Her head finally turned toward him. If it hadn't been for the flash of fear he saw in her gaze he may have smashed the chair to pieces in an attempt to ease some of his frustration with the infuriating woman lying on the bed before him.

It took all he had to draw his temper in again. "I'm not going to hurt you," he told her.

Defiance radiated from her as her jaw clenched and her jade green eyes sparkled. "I'm not afraid of you," she retorted.

"But you're afraid of Calvin?"

A ring of red encircled her eyes as her chin tilted. "You will leave, Calvin will still be here."

"So eager to get rid of me?"

"It is simply what will happen. You will move on, as you have done so many times over the last year, and continue to make sure that the practice of using blood slaves has in fact been eradicated from the outer colonies."

It sounded like a worthy cause, but he knew that it wasn't what he or William had been doing. In fact, they had yet to encounter a town where blood slaves were still being used. Coexistence between the species hadn't been easy, there was still a lot of fighting and resentment amongst the humans and vampires, but Braith had a lot of troops moving throughout the settlements who were working hard to keep the peace. He was hiding amongst these outer towns; he knew it, just as he knew William was also well aware of the fact that he was doing the same.

She was right, when he was done here, he would move on. He would continue to do so until there was nowhere left for him to go, or until either he or William decided it was time to return home.

"You're right, I will move on." Her nose crinkled slightly at his words, her gaze focused on the wall behind him. "But I can guarantee that Calvin will continue to leave you alone when I'm gone."

"I'm sure you believe so."

"I know so." With his temper under check again, he grabbed hold of the chair and pulled it next to her bed. "He won't ever force you into something that you didn't willingly choose Hannah, I can promise you that."

She looked as if he had just handed her the most precious jewel in the world as her mouth parted and hope filled her eyes. "Why would you do that?"

He wasn't entirely sure how to answer that question or even what the answer to it was. "Because no one should be forced to do something they don't want to do."

"Thank you," she whispered.

"What is Calvin's weakness?" he inquired.

"He doesn't have one," she said as she stifled a yawn.

"I thought everyone in this town had something wrong with their DNA."

"That's true, everyone, except for Calvin and Kane. From what I've been told they showed up here four hundred years ago and never left."

Like a thermometer in the sun, Jack felt his temper rising again. "So he established himself as the leader in this town because he believed everyone to be weaker than him."

"We are weaker than him, they're not Undesirables."

"Neither are you."

A sleepy smile curved her mouth as her eyes fluttered closed. "I'm glad you think so."

He sensed it when she fell asleep again and bent down to press a kiss against her temple.

***

Lucas shifted nervously and tapped his fingers against his leg as Jack pulled the rope on the bell hanging beside the gate. "Those are not friendly puppies," William muttered as he eyed the dogs growling at them from the other side of the gate. "Seriously those things could rip my arm off and they'd probably even be able to nibble off one of your vampire fingers."

Jack shot him a look as he pulled at the bell again. Calvin knew they were there, he was certain of it, but he was enjoying making them wait. He briefly contemplated just killing the man and ending all of their problems right now, but even Braith couldn't save him if he was arrested and tried for murder. From what he'd seen, Calvin had done nothing overtly wrong. He couldn't kill the man simply because he didn't want him going anywhere near Hannah again.

"Maybe we should throw them some steak or something," William said.

"I won't let them eat you," Jack retorted impatiently.

"You didn't promise that I could keep my extremities."

"I may just shove your foot in your mouth if you keep talking."

"Somebody's cranky," William said with a roll of his eyes at Lucas.

Lucas wisely chose to remain mute as Jack glowered at William. They were more than friends, he'd come to consider William a brother. However, like any sibling there were times when he wanted nothing more than to throttle him, especially right now. He'd appreciate the silence strangling William would bring, but he would also miss him.

"Ripper, Vicious, sit."

"How fitting," William muttered as the dogs retreated a few feet and sat down at Calvin's command.

The large blond vampire smiled as he approached the gate. "They're really much friendlier than they seem," he said as he opened the gate. "Please come in."

He made a grand gesture with his arm as he stepped aside to let them pass. William's eyes remained riveted upon the panting dogs but for once he kept his mouth shut as Calvin closed the gate behind them. "If I had known that you were coming to visit, I would have had them put inside so they didn't bother you."

"They're not a bother," Jack said as William finally turned away from the animals.

"Well come in then. I was hoping we would get a chance to talk some more," Calvin invited.

Jack seriously doubted that but he didn't argue against the bullshit Calvin was trying to shovel on them as he followed him up the stairs to the double front doors. One door was already open and the ugly vampire Kane he remembered with Calvin in the tavern was standing just inside of them.

"It's unusual to see you out of the tavern, Lucas," Calvin said as he led them down a lengthy hallway.

"I get out once in awhile," Lucas replied tersely.

Most humans would have had a difficult time seeing in the gloomy home but Jack's eyes picked up all the details of it. Spears, knives, swords, katanas, and an assortment of crossbows and long bows lined the walls beside him. Jack imagined the assortment of weapons, and the implication that Calvin knew how to use them all, had been meant to intimidate the vampires that had entered here before him. He didn't feel intimidated though, instead he eyed a finely crafted crossbow at the end of the hall that he would like to get his hands on.

"I suppose Hannah is capable of taking care of things," Calvin said.

Jack didn't miss Calvin's glance at him but he refused to rise to the vampire's baiting. The hallway opened into a massive sitting room with two sofas set against the wall across from them and the wall on his right. Instead of weapons lining these walls, there were suits of armor taking up almost every inch of available floor space.

The only source of light within the room was the six sconces lining the walls. The flickering candles in them cast dancing shadows over the blood colored rug and dark brown wooden walls. Calvin walked around the glass coffee table in the middle of the room and settled himself onto the red sofa across from where they stood. He leaned back and folded his hands behind his head to study them.

"Please sit. Would you care for a drink?" Calvin inquired.

"No," Jack said in a clipped tone.

Calvin waved his hand and a woman scurried from the shadows of the room beyond this one. The beat of her heart would have given her away as human even before he spotted the bite marks and bruises marring her wrists and neck. She wore a floor length dress but it did little to cover the ample cleavage exposed by her low cut top. Jack took a step forward as she poured a glass of what smelled like whiskey for Calvin.

"Pour one for Kane too Portia," Calvin said as the bull like man standing within the shadows strode forward.

Though Kane was shorter than everyone in this room, at about five ten, he was one of the stockiest people Jack had ever seen, and one of the ugliest. Unflinching hazel eyes, that reminded him of a lizard's, focused on him as Kane lifted the glass and swallowed the contents in one gulp.

A small clatter brought his attention back to Portia and Calvin as the young woman's hand trembled enough to bump the decanter against the crystal glass. "I know what you're thinking but Portia is here willingly, aren't you Portia?"

The young woman's sable eyes were shadowed as she glanced around at them. "Of course," she murmured.

"Some women just like a little extra danger in their men, right Portia?"

"Yes." She was saying it, but Jack wasn't buying it as her haunted eyes briefly met his before skittering away. He knew there were humans willing to fill the role that Calvin was describing, but none of the ones he'd encountered had appeared this unhappy and worn out.

Calvin slapped her butt before gesturing toward the alcove she had been standing in before. "Go on now Portia, let us have some privacy."

Like a mouse she scurried into the shadows. Irritation spurted through him, but he forced it back as he remained standing, his gaze unwavering upon Calvin's. "I'm sure you're aware of the laws Braith has instated and changed."

"You'll find no blood slaves here," Calvin replied casually.

"There were more than just blood slave laws that were changed. There is to be equality throughout the land for vampires and humans alike."

"You will find that here," Calvin smiled at him over top of his glass as he took a sip of his drink.

"I haven't so far."

Calvin's gaze slid to Lucas, but to his credit, the young vampire remained where he was with his shoulders thrust back. "I don't know what Lucas has been telling you..."

"Lucas has told me nothing. I have eyes; I see the way the people in this town react to you. You lead here by intimidation and that is going to end," Jack told him.

For the first time he saw a crack in the man's flawless demeanor. The smile slipped from his face as he leaned forward on the sofa and placed his drink on the table next to him. "I have been in charge of this town..."

"For too long." A dim part of him was aware of the fact that the authoritative tone of his voice sounded like his father, but for once he didn't shy away from the association. If it got Calvin to stay away from Hannah, and to stop tormenting the people within this town, he would do what he had to in order to get his way.

"You have no right," Calvin said in a low voice.

"My brother gave me every right to take charge and make changes as I saw fit. You saw these vampires as weaker and you took advantage of that. There will be equality here."

"Is this about Hannah?" Calvin inquired as he rose from the sofa.

William shot Jack a questioning look; Lucas took a step closer at the mention of his cousin. Jack didn't miss the subtle movement of William's hand to the small crossbow tethered to his belt, hanging down against his thigh. "This has nothing to do with her," Jack told him though a trickle of aggravation filtered through him.

"We all know how women can exaggerate things."

Jack's mind flashed back to their conversation in her room. It was Lucas that stepped forward to speak though. "What are you talking about?"

Calvin gave a casual shrug. "We simply had a pleasant conversation, but as you know women can be stubborn and they don't always know what is best for them."

"What are you talking about?" Lucas demanded again.

"Sometimes women must be persuaded," Calvin replied.

Jack recalled the shadows on her hand and suddenly he understood. What he didn't understand was the haze of red that descended over his eyes or the fact that he was moving without even realizing he was doing so. In less time than it took to blink, he was leaping over the table in the center of the room and seizing hold of Calvin's throat. He lifted the man and propelled him back three feet before slamming him against the wall. Calvin's body crashed into the wood with enough force to knock one of the suits of armor over. The clatter of the metal resonated within the large room.

Calvin's feet kicked against the wall, his hands clawed at Jack's but Jack only squeezed harder. Though Calvin didn't require air, his face became florid as his eyes bulged. "Don't even think about it," William grated out.

Jack glanced back to where he'd left his friend. He'd pulled the crossbow at his side free and had it leveled upon Kane. The vampire's lip curled into a sneer. "You think you can take me, human?"

William just smirked in return. "I wouldn't push your luck, vampire."

Convinced that William could handle Kane, he turned his attention back to Calvin. The man had gone still within his grasp; his ruby colored eyes were riveted on Jack, his hands were wrapped around Jack's wrist. It took everything Jack had not to smash his head against the wall or tear his heart out.

"You're not stronger than me," Jack growled as his fangs lengthened and he leaned closer to the man. "You may be stronger than the residents of this town, but you're not stronger than me."

The red of Calvin's eyes grew even more vivid but he remained unmoving within Jack's grasp as his eyes slid past him. A small gasp brought Jack's head back to the hallway. Just barely visible amongst the shadows, her hand pressed against her mouth, Hannah stood within the doorway. William kept the crossbow trained upon Kane as another one of Calvin's men slipped out from behind Hannah and started walking toward Kane.