Predestined (18+)

Verity

As I entered the chamber I withheld the gnawing urge to speak. To say all the ways in which I had felt pain over the death of those I cared for. Though I barely knew Mr. Blake, and Spencer I had only known in another life, the pain remained all the same. Loss. Its never light.

I couldn't peel my eyes away however. The small frame, the fire red locks floating over her face as she stood behind bars etched with symbols. Markings meant to contain any vampire. I wondered if it took all three of the others to imprison our guest.

"Hello JoJo. I missed you." She smiled as she leaned into the metal cage dividing us.

She looked no different. Her tan limbs still glowed of bronzed freckled flesh. Her blue eyes sparkled as she leaned against her cage and watched me cross the room. By all accounts she only seemed to remain the girl I once knew her to be. The one who had been there when I was down, worried on how I would pay rent. Eat. Live. She'd listened to all my concerns and never hesitated to give up a shift to help me make the extra cash I needed. A friend. It twisted my insides to attempt to process the truth of who she really was.

"Hello Stacy." I replied, taking my place at Rebecca's side. I couldn't find another phrase to speak. My mind still hadn't caught up with my surroundings.

"You look well Jo." She mocked. I'm sure she knew the turmoil running through my head. I'm sure she enjoyed my pain.

At the time I had no idea just how little she actually enjoyed my existence. I would be a means to an end and nothing more. A project...no, a duty to fulfil. Like the rest of her kind, she hated me. The human part of an equation they all needed to solve.

"Lets leave the girl chit chat out of this and get down to the fun, shall we?" Nate suggested as he waltzed toward the bars and reached through to take Stacy's chin into his grasp. "Tell me why you're here love." His silk voice rang out. His compulsion efforts seemed to only cause her to break into a fit of laughter and she reached for his hand as she spoke.

"Your little tricks are of no use on me mighty ruler, but I will gladly tell you what you want to hear. Hell, I'll tell you my life story if you have the time." Her mockery only drove Nate to retract his hand and snarl in response, but Rebecca seemed to take the bait.

"Tell us then." She spat, stepping toward the cell. "Who are you and why can't you be compelled?"

Stacy shook her head as she snickered to herself. "Oh how the mighty have protected. The three strongest vampires have done so well. They keep their kind hidden from humans. Well they try." She shrugged mocking the myths and legends humans plagiarize in literature and film. "You did your best. However, their are those of us who can keep things hidden. Even from you three."

Her grin widened and I watched Nate slam his arm against the cage, vibrating the air around us with the echo. "Watch your tongue or I'll pull it out." He warned, but she only laughed in return.

"Go ahead your grace. While you're at it, you may have my head." Her eyes glistened as she motioned her arm toward him and bowed in his direction. "None of it will do you any good. I'll just keep coming back." She explained as she returned to standing upright and shot him a crooked grin.

"Enough." My brother's voice interrupted her chastising. He had been so quiet. Xander spoke less than I had and I'd barely manage to get out a full sentence since entering the chamber. He walked around Rebecca and stood at my side. Then, he handed me something.

"What's this?" I asked confused and holding out my hands to receive the book in his grasp.

"Its what she was rummaging through when we found her." He explained.