After long moments of staring at that demon's face on the screen, I felt like I could finally breathe again.

I had hardly been able to believe it was there before me on the screen in the cramped little corner in the dimly lit room down in the leech's archives. It was him, a leech by the name of Jack, the malevolent dark eyes and the narrow face looking out arrogantly from the screen as if it of all beings had the right to steal the life of a human. Its lips were curled in a repulsive smirk as if the memories of every atrocity it had committed amused it.

Now there was a smirk that I was going to relish burning to ash in the sunlight.

I had committed every scrap of information about the disgusting bloodsucker to my memory. I knew everything that the council had recorded about it, the location of its lair, its habits, its history, the identity of its sire. I cross referenced the leeches it was recorded to be linked to. I knew its age, and a part of me was glad to discover the monster was only a half century older than me, since by my own leech's estimation it would be much easier for me to kill. All I needed now was to get out there and hunt it down.

Escape was not going to be easy, and doubly so if the leech found out that I had found my quarry. She would know that I would want to leave and would surely take steps to prevent me from getting away if she thought she needed to.

The best strategy in the moment would be to pretend that I had not yet discovered what I was looking for.

I remembered my previous conversation with Travis. He wanted to escape and so did I, so perhaps we could work together to break our way out of here. I recalled Mark; he might be willing to help as well. I would have to feel him out and see if he would want to try his luck. Neither of them were yet branded so time was of the essence if they wanted to avoid that pitfall.

I had slept well with the satisfaction of having taken a huge step towards my goal and woke with impatient expectations for the day. I went through my usual routine, ate breakfast, fitness training, and then I retreated to the computer archives as if I had not already found Melissa's killer.

One quick read through of Jack's entry was all I allowed myself before I quickly started going through the other entries again. I spent the morning going through them alphabetically one by one.

It was a relief when noon came and I left to get myself some lunch. The sky was again cloudless, so I carried my tray outside and sat in my usual place and sat facing out to see what all the other humans were doing, most specifically looking for either Travis or Mark.

Unfortunately, neither of the newer slaves was anywhere within sight so I settled in to eat, watching as people walked by. Few of them paid any attention to me, and I was perfectly happy to have it so. The more people overlooked me, the more I might be able to find my opportunity.

Surreptitiously, I eyed the guards visible far off on the wall. They were at attention as always, I supposed that fear of the leech's wrath probably kept them from nodding off too much.

"Hey," one of my least favourite humans called as he sat down on the bench a short distance away from me. I could not be so fortunate that he might be talking to someone else. I frowned at the intrusion.

"Nice weather, Little Human. What are you doing out here?"

"Eating, Agro. It's not that difficult to puzzle out."

"Eating, watching the guards, same thing."

"If you say so." I shrugged.

"I know what you're doing. You're acting suspicious."

"I'd be surprised if you know anything," I said, taking a bite like he was not even there beside me. "I'm pretty sure the bloodsucker is controlling your mind, and I don't blame her, because it seems like it would be so easy. Hell, maybe she compels you without even trying."

From the corner of my eye I saw Marcel stiffen up. Seemed he was getting as frustrated with me as I was with him. I did not care, if he wanted to fight, I was ready to shut him up once and for all.

"I'm going to—"

"What? Beat me? I don't think so."

"Stop provoking him," the fighting trainer snapped as he walked over. I was not sure if Raoul was talking to me or Marcel. "If the two of you are going to fight, we'll make it official and have a proper one, fair and square in the training grounds. And then you can both knock it off afterwards."

He swung his steely gaze at me. "If you've got the time. I know you're in the middle of the Mistress's project."

I did not argue the fine points of what I was doing with him. "I can spare the time," I said. I would have spared this time even if I had not discovered Jack's entry.

"Good. Today, during martial training then."

"I'll be there," Marcel promised as he launched himself to his feet and stalked away.

"I look forward to it," I called after him.

Raoul looked annoyed at our exchange. "You can both stop that bullshit. We don't need petty squabbles here."

I raised an eyebrow at the statement. Who was he to tell me how to behave? Although I had turned my situation to my benefit, I remained an unwilling prisoner here, even if every other human in her domain had forgotten the truth of the situation.

With a shrug, I turned back to my food.

* * * * *

I continued through the archives, working on one leech after another. I tried to commit the worst of the monsters to my memory so that I would be able to remember them once I disposed of Melissa's killer.

I was closer to my goal than I had ever been but was simultaneously further at the same time. For the first time since my hunt had begun, I had the information I needed but I lacked the mobility.

My frustration was like a living thing.

Still, my escape would happen, either around or through the leech. I no longer relished the thought of her demise, but I would still do what I had to do. It would be easiest if I could avoid her notice.

As if summoned by my thoughts, light footsteps sounded in the corridor, sure but subtle. I did not have to turn around to know that it was her. I did not acknowledge her presence, although every instinct inside me screamed not to leave my back exposed to a predator.

Instead of turning, I moved on to the next entry.

"How far are you, now?" she asked lightly.

"I'm into M."

"Hmmm," she said. "Who're you looking at now?" She moved closer and tilted her head as she looked at the picture on the screen. "I don't know her. Victoria Mendal? I know all the old ones on the continent, and probably in all in the world."

She kept reading. "A fledgling, I see. Those fools just keep making more all the time. Stupider than humans, I swear."

I considered her delicate face by the light of the screen. I knew from my lessons there were other great landmasses impossibly far away. Humans had once freely moved between them in planes, although the concept seemed rather fantastical to me. A part of me envied the freedom of my forefathers from before the vampires had made slaves and livestock of us all.

"What's the rest of the world like?" I asked, almost against my own will.

She took a long sip from her cup before she turned her face towards me, too close for my comfort. "I haven't been out of North America for a few hundred years, and the last time was only down to South America to visit a friend. I haven't been in the east in a long time, not since before the wars. Perhaps, I will leave all this behind and relocate, one day, when I'm finished amusing myself here."

I turned my attention back to the pretense of my task.

"I suppose that you would find the terrain fascinating. Different landscapes, different animals. People are different wherever you go, except under the surface, they're the same."

"Deep," I said, raising an eyebrow at her description.

She chuckled. "Well, every human has the same beautiful delicious blood, swimming below the surface, after all."

Of course that was what she meant.

"So, I hear you and Marcel are set to pound on each other this evening."

"Uh huh."

I could see that she was watching me from the corner of my eye. I wondered if she would interfere with the fight. I tried to ignore her, but it was hard to focus on some leech named Menucha while she kept doing that.

"You don't seem particularly concerned."

"I'm not."

She laughed lightly. "Don't hurt him too badly if it comes down to it, please."

I met her eyes, warm brown and oh-so-human looking by the light of the screen before us.

"I'm only going to teach him a lesson," I told her, almost against my will.

She smiled. "Thank you."

I turned back to the screen and resumed reading the leech's profile describing his habits and the fledglings that he had sired.

"Why does the council have this information on all the leeches?" I asked.

She chuckled again. "Because they're pompous control freaks, the worst, most boring kind of vampires. The only thing they don't try to control is their own excesses."

Again, she disparaged the other leeches. "You don't like the council?"

She laughed again. "All I can say to that is that I only like the entertaining amongst us. Although, to their credit, the council does have its amusing moments, especially when I properly shake them up. Although, that's likely down to my impressive ability to squeeze water from a rock, rather than any innate ability on their behalf."

Apparently I was not the only being she delighted in aggravating and the idea that she was expending some of her efforts in vexing the other bloodsuckers was actually rather pleasing.

"Well, I'll let you get back to work. Good luck, Jamie."

"Thanks," I muttered. I was not sure if she was referring to my search or for the coming fight, but I did not care enough to find out. Her footsteps sounded in a relaxed rhythm until they faded out the door.

* * * * *

Supper with the leech's favourites was louder than normal. They all seemed to find the idea of Marcel and me sparring to be of great entertainment value and were loudly debating which of us would knock the other one out first. Marcel seemed to be the favourite amongst the leech loving traitors, but that was fine with me.

Perhaps it would be best to let Marcel win so that they would underestimate me more in the future, but as I listened to Marcel cocking off from one of the tables behind me it was obvious there was no way I would have the self control to do that.

Ignoring Marcel had done nothing to shut his mouth, maybe my fists would prove more effective.

Finishing my meal as quickly as possible, I left the dining hall and made my way to my room. I changed into the clothing I typically wore during training, plain shorts and a loose fitting shirt and then pulled my lengthening hair back into a low ponytail. I did not have much time so I made my way out to the yard where a few people were already gathered. Raoul was talking with a couple of the guards, but a few people already seemed there simply to gawk.

Every human in the leech's lair had likely heard about the match with Marcel flapping his gums.

I stretched and prepared myself for the fight while I waited, noticing as more people trickled into the area around the training yard. Apparently we were going to have an audience.

I had been in plenty of sparing matches in the past, both when I was learning how to fight with my father and the other men in our clan, then later Hadron, who had become my mentor, and then finally since the leech had decided I would be trained like her guards. While there had occasionally been onlookers to those fights, this seemed to be growing into something beyond the magnitude I was accustomed to.

It seemed the leech's humans were so starved for entertainment that this fight would be a spectacle. Maybe they wished to see the truth of my claims. The idea bothered me and I almost regretted getting myself into the situation, but if I backed down Marcel would be all the more intolerable.

No, my only choice now was to win and deal with whatever blowback might come from the display of my capabilities.

Raoul came over to me. His hair was short and greying and his face was well lined, but he exuded an air of competence that made obeying his commands tolerable. I met his calm eyes.

"You haven't seen one of these matches before, Jamie, but the ground rules are basically the same, no permanent damage. These official matches go on until a fighter gives up or can no longer defend themselves, which obviously includes knockout. If I call it, that's that. Match over, I decide the winner."

I nodded. I wondered if he would favour the leech's slave, but that just meant I had to make my victory decisive. Like when going for a leech, I would not mess around, although in a less fatal way.

"Questions?"

"Nah."

"Then, good luck."

There was a stirring in the crowd and Marcel was swaggering towards the field like some ridiculous rooster. It was obvious he was enjoying the fanfare. Was he as good as he thought he was?

It was almost time to start. Marcel walked forward, wearing similar clothing to mine, and as he walked he pulled his shirt over his head.

I mirrored the action, because I wasn't going to leave Agro a grappling advantage. A desire to win flooded into me, of lesser importance but not entirely unlike the feeling of wanting to see the end of the demon bloodsucker. I wanted to taste it, the sweetness of a task accomplished.

Raoul stepped into the middle of the training yard. "You know that our mistress does not want to see any permanent damage, so keep it clean. Standard rules apply, boys. Fight goes until submission or incapacitation."

Marcel's face was all obnoxious confidence and determination.

I kept my face impassive as the head trainer walked off to the side. "Ready?"

I met his eyes and nodded. I was more than ready.

"Yeah, I can't wait," Marcel said.

Raoul looked between us. "Begin."

Marcel strode towards me. "Sure you don't want to back out, Little Human?"

I chuckled. "Why would I, Agro?"

"You're about to find out." His smirk was full of confidence.

Marcel lunged towards me fast, not as fast as a vampire, but good for a human. His right hook barely caught the side of my cheek as I tried to move out of the way, and I brought my arms up and blocked the next two punches that he threw my way. With swift movement he thrust up his knee up to slam me, so I hit it with my left arm while returning the blow in a solid strike with my right fist into the side of his jaw.

He was off balance and it took a couple of steps backwards before he righted himself with a quick shake of his head. Marcel grinned at me darkly. "I guess you're not all talk, Little Human."

I could have returned the compliment, but I did not want to encourage more of his talking.

We began circling, Marcel's earlier recklessness tampered down, but not entirely gone. He was fast and strong, but he was hasty. Marcel would likely wear himself out from exertion, so patience would be my friend. This was not like fighting a vampire in which I only got one good shot. I could outwait him.

I continued watching for my opening, and Marcel did the same. Somewhere far away I could hear the buzzing noises of the spectators, but they were muted by my purpose and by my heart thumping in my ears. I steadied my breathing while I kept my attention fully on my opponent.

Marcel finally moved again and his hits came fast and hard. I blocked and dodged and returned when there was a good opportunity. Marcel's movements were rapid, but he was wasting energy, landing only two good hits to my face between all the wasted attempts. I slammed him with my elbow and got him to back off for a moment before he continued with his assault.

Between punches, he managed to hook my head and slammed his fist into my face and then again twice more. I felt the sting in a distant corner of my mind, but my attention was all on him. He went to knee me again between jabs, but I hooked my arm under his leg and dropped him onto the very dirt I was going to make him eat. He hit the ground hard on his back and I landed on top of him, taking the dominant position before he had a chance to react effectively. I pinned him and slammed my fists towards his face.

He was not ready to admit it yet, but the fight was mine.