I sprawled out in my chair and glared at the human who looked like he was going to wet himself. He was a shaking mess, and normally, I might have felt just a bit bad about such terror, but I fully intended for these humans to be thoroughly chastised before I allowed them into their proper places.

It was hard to believe that Evan, wrapped in chains and looking anywhere but at me, had dared to participate in an attempted escape.

"And what were you thinking, Evan?" I asked with threat in my voice.

He whimpered. "I just wanted to get away. I'm so sorry, Mistress!" he wailed.

He was obviously sorry for even daring to exist in this dreadful world. I wanted to sigh. This human was no fun whatsoever. A slight breeze could send him into hysterics and I had no interest in playing with one who could barely even stand.

But, dealing with the instigators of the plot needed to be done, even if this particular one was a chore. At least I had begun with the most tedious so I could put him behind me.

"Be that as it may, I want to know who started the fire that damaged my things. If you tell me willingly, I'll go easy on you, even if it was you. Was it you, Evan?"

"No!" He probably would have crumbled if Jeffry was not keeping him upright.

He was probably telling the truth. I was sure there was still fire in this human, but there was probably some horrible trauma dampening it. I did not have time to play psychiatrist, so I decided then and there I would utilize him in one of the factories.

Perhaps living somewhere safe, surrounded by only other humans, would help him. As he was, he was near useless.

But first, I needed my answers. "So, who was it?"

His only answer was renewed trembling. It was surprising it was physically possible for him to increase his shaking. His terror in my presence was truly a bit flattering, a lovely reminder of my power. Still, I needed answers more than I needed to revel in my supremacy.

"Tell me," I said as I sat up and looked at him more directly. I decided to just be done with it. He was suffering and I was growing more bored by the second, so I infused my words with my ancient power. "Whose idea was it?"

"Mark's."

"Hmmm. Really? And who set the fire?"

"Barb."

There was no way that this human could resist my control so his words were surely true.

I added a final command. "Don't tip off the others about the content of our little discussion, but do remember to tell them how terrifying it was. Feel free to embellish." The simplest way to torture a human was to let them handle it in their own imagination.

"Mistress." His voice was little better than a squeak.

"Take him back to his cell," I commanded Jeffry. He nodded and took the human out of the chamber, thankfully before he defiled my floor with his excrement.

Once they were gone, I considered whether to deal with another of them, but I decided it would be better to let them stew in their own anticipation of what I might do to them. Besides, it was late enough that it was almost time for me to help with training again, but I had just enough time to sneak down to the kitchen for another cup of coffee.

I smiled at my guards to accept their respectful nods as I walked by and down the halls, my mind fully on my next bloody coffee. It would get me through, but after training I would need to feed properly. Should I find a favourite or stick to the schedule? The eternal debate.

I pushed open the doors to the kitchen. My humans had done well; there was no trace of damage from the fire that had marred the room a month previously. My coffee maker had been replaced with a twin, but I could still tell the difference. It was one thing to lose something or someone through the natural wear and tear of years, but loss through malice made my blood boil.

"Mistress!" Madeline greeted me. She sounded genuinely pleased to see me. The others repeated her greeting, with varying degrees of friendly nervousness.

"How are you feeling?"

She smiled. Over the years, her fear of me had faded until I could not detect it at all. Another human I would one day miss. "Oh, I'm back to normal now. Thank you for saving me."

"No need to thank me," I told her. "Although I do want some coffee."

"Of course, let me make you some."

I sat down on in a chair and waited. While I did, she pulled some blood out of the fridge. "Mistress, I know that you said not to thank you, but I was told I almost died. I probably would have, if you hadn't carried me out."

It was true, but all I felt was irritation at the human who dared set the fire. Who would have imagined it would be that young female? Had she been the one to knock Madeline out? I was torn between wanting to punish or promote her.

Still, I had to navigate carefully, because I did not want to lose control of my temper and waste their lives. Humans remained a limited resource.

Madeline brought me a full mug at the exact right temperature and my blood creamer. I smiled at her swift movements. I was glad she was alive.

Once my coffee was perfect, I sat back and savoured it while I observed my humans. These ones were never completely relaxed in my presence, but they did well enough.

"Nate beat me two out of three games last time we played," I told them to get the stilted conversation going.

"Is that true, Nate?" Madeline asked.

He blushed and I found myself quite amused. "Well, she does play blindfolded," he protested.

"Still, it's no mean feat. Perhaps we should have a little pool tournament, I bet you'd beat all the other humans here," I mused.

It might be another good distraction for me and something to lift the spirits of the humans a touch. Things were getting far too business focused for my preference. All work and no play made Vienne a cranky vampire. What was I doing all this for, if not to encourage leisure entertainment?

He got even redder. "I don't know about that."

I chuckled. He was so cute when he was flustered.

The kitchen door banged open and Theo came rushing inside. "Mistress!?"

"Yes?" I asked. He was slightly out of breath.

"We've been looking for you everywhere. You've got a visitor."

"Who?" I asked, wondering what threat could set him off so much.

He straightened his glasses and glanced around the room at my kitchen humans. "Please, just come with me."

My curiosity was piqued, so I got up immediately. "Have a nice evening, humans," I said and got up to follow Theo, carrying my cup along with me.

As soon as the door shut behind us, I glanced at him. "Now, who is it that got you all worked up?"

"It's Jamie."

I blinked. "Are you certain?"

"He was spotted on one of the cameras and he's coming this way."

I was at a loss for words. I had not dared to hope for this, and I had definitely not expected he might return. I was unsure what to think, although I could not stop the excitement that filled me that I would see him again. Even if he had come in a vengeful rage to try to even the past wrongs I had inflicted on him, I was happy. I had to stop myself from rushing forward in a most undignified manner.

"What do you want us to do when he gets here?"

Now, there was a good question. I supposed it ultimately depended on Jamie. "I shall speak with him, in my chamber. I'll need you to inform Raoul that I shall have to skip training this evening. When will he arrive?"

"You've got about ten minutes."

Well, that sounded like an eternity, yet hardly any time to figure out what I might have to do.

"I'll meet him at the gate. Which way is he coming?"

"South."

"Thank you, Theo," I said, and immediately my mind shot back to Jamie. I tried to remember what this moment might have felt like when I was alive, but it was so long ago I could not quite recall the memory of the pulse of my heart behind my ribs. Instead it sat changeless and still, as if I felt nothing, when the very opposite was true.

If I were still human I might think I was dreaming, but dreams were lost to me so reality was the only explanation left.

He was back.

* * * * *

Although the sun had set, there was still ample enough light that my humans could see without artificial assistance. As expected, the ten minutes was more like ten lifetimes while I waited with my guards.

Delight welled up inside me at the sight of him at my gates. I had not allowed myself to hope that I might see him again, but here he was, standing before me. His hair was unkempt and he had clearly not shaved since he had left New Haven since his sandy beard was well overtaking his face. I could not care less.

Even though this time he had come to me, his dark eyes were still filled with as much challenge as they had been the first time I had seen him, although the killing intent was gone. I smiled wide enough that my fangs clearly showed.

Again, I suppressed the most absurd desire to rush over to him.

Instead, I said, "Guards, restrain, collar, and bring him inside."

They obeyed, pulling his arms behind his back and slapping a collar around his neck. He had not lost any of the additional muscle he had built up while staying with me the first time and I admired his form. Finally, I looked up at his face and read the anger at his reception, although he did not look very surprised. Clever human.

"Come back to throw yourself on my mercy, Little Human?" I asked, and his whole form stiffened.

"I—"

I cut him off before he could say anything foolish with my finger over his lips. He was so warm. I leaned up to him and whispered, "Relax, Jamie, it's all for show. Or rather, for the sake of show, don't relax, because you would be upset right now, considering you're being detained yet again." Probably no one was watching, but one could never be sure.

I gave him a meaningful look and then turned to my guards. "Bring this one to my chambers and I shall deal with him there."

Quick nods assured me of their understanding and I watched as they hauled him off. I made my way along at my own forced leisurely pace, still trying to decide how I should handle him.

He was certainly a risk, a foolish risk that I could not resist. Even if his goal had not been completed, he had been running amok, doing who knows what who knows where. It had been one thing when I had figured out who he was after I had brought him from the cages, but now that I knew and he had been out of my control, anything he had done might rebound onto me if the council were to find out. They would not look kindly on me letting loose such a dangerous human.

Despite the hazards, I was torn between hoping he had managed to take out Jack and the wish that he had reconsidered his vendetta, although I already knew he would never do that. Even then, I could not bring myself to care, so glad was I that he was back, regardless of the risk.

My only way forward would be to talk to him and find out what had happened. If he had simply discovered the difficulty of reaching Jack and had come back to ask for my help, perhaps it could be arranged, even though I knew it was a terrible idea. And if he had managed it, then I would hide him, because there was nothing else I could bear, foolish or not.

Leif would certainly disapprove with either choice, but my word would be final on the matter.

I walked towards the guards at my chamber doors. Javier had a bit of a smirk on his face, and Ian seemed unnaturally happy that Jamie had returned considering their displeasure at my staking. It forced me to reach the unpleasant conclusion that perhaps my ruse of calm satisfaction had not been seamless amongst these humans who knew me well.

Such thoughts were swept aside as they opened the way for me automatically.

Jamie was standing in the centre of the room, frowning rather deeply at the humans around him before he turned that dark gaze to me. I did not smile since he was clearly already wound up and I wanted to actually talk with him seriously.

I met the eyes of the guards and tilted my head towards Jamie. "Unbind him. You know I can handle him without the need of such things."

They did as I had commanded and I watched as he was released. He stood straight backed and muscles easy, still resolute, but not resentful.

"Collar, too," I amended. New game, new rules.

My guards glanced at me, but then did as I had ordered.

"Now you can all leave."

My guards at the door looked unsure about leaving their post entirely and I sighed dramatically. "Very well. Come, Jamie, there're better places for us to speak."

My main chamber was not soundproof since I liked to hear when people approach, but the inner chambers were far more secure. None would hear us down there.

I slipped forward with the sound of him moving behind me. We entered a small hall, and I led him to descending stairs. He followed me, his heart even paced and rhythmic. There was not even a trace of fear at all now. My predatory spirit was not entirely satisfied at the end of this particular chase, but I also contradictorily liked his new acceptance.

"I would have had you scream, perhaps, but I don't think your acting is quite up to the level I would need it to be. Besides, my guards are likely the only audience near enough to hear the show either way."

"The game?"

"My plans, of course. You were at New Haven long enough to figure out something, no doubt, most especially since Marcel wanted to rub your nose in it."

"Well, yes. Lucas said you started a rebellion... because you were bored?"

"That's quite close to the truth," I agreed with a smile. "I realized quite early on that I did not want to live under the rule of the vampire council indefinitely, and it was clear that humans generally felt the same way. So we started working together, and over time we've built quite a lot in preparation for the day we will overturn it all. The world of humans was far from perfect, but it was definitely more fun than this dismal mess we vampires have made."

"I see."

"I suppose my reasons seem frivolous to you?"

"Like Lucas said, your reasons don't matter."

I chuckled. "Well, Lucas just so happens to be an incurable optimist. Considering my motives is actually the wise way to go. If I am truly in this to combat my boredom, then what if I get bored with my cause?" I asked him as we reached the small living room in the basement below my chambers. I indicated that he should take a seat and I did the same.

I answered my own question. "I won't get bored, because it's a cause worth sticking to, and fortunately I know my own fatal flaws. I simply keep myself amused. But perhaps I push it a bit too far on occasion." I glanced at him, wondering if he caught the very vague apology in my words. I hoped he did because it was the best he was going to get.

Nothing in his face told me that he did or did not. I offered him a chair and he took it, and I sat across from him. I decided to ask what I needed to know. "So, Jamie, tell me everything that you did while you were loose in the wilds."

"Everything?"

"Everything of relevance to vampires and my plans."

"I cut the brand and let it heal. I travelled to Ivan's lair and staked two of his fledglings."

I smiled in spite of the trouble it would cause. Ivan was going to be seriously angry about that. "Two? Which two?"

"Dana caught me. I had to stab her and then I killed Jack."

He was satisfied at the memory and I could practically feel it rolling off of him. His edgy impatience was gone. "Then congratulations, although that will be somewhat problematic. Ivan won't take it lying down, I can promise you that. He's a monster, but he nurtures his fledglings."

"You made that quite clear," he agreed. "No one saw me, and then I travelled to hide my trail."

I nodded that I had heard, as I considered the possible avenues of trouble.

Did Ivan have security footage? I doubted it, he had been rumoured to dislike technology to the extreme. He had argued against the council data archives, but the council control freaks had won the day. I had not minded that time since their data became my data.

"What was Ivan's home like?" I asked curiously.

"Cold and stone, dark, the humans were jumpy. It's on the edge of an old city."

That made quite a lot of sense. I focused on Jamie and raked my eyes over him as I tried to read what he was thinking. He was not really giving away much at all.

"Now, Jamie, I have another vital question. Why did you return?"

"I don't know."

I cocked an eyebrow at his rather inadequate answer.

"I can't live like the rest of them. Ivan will be after me. I won't risk bringing him down on other free humans."

"But you'll risk bringing him down on my rebellion?"

"I'm sure I was not followed."

I was inclined to believe him. This was not Jamie's first time destroying vampires and escaping unscathed. If anyone could obscure their trail, it was he. Besides, if Ivan had found him he would have already drained him where they stood.

"So you're here for shelter, Jamie?"

"No. I could have lived free, but it seemed empty."

I knew that emptiness, that void without direction. Dancing around it perpetually and keeping myself from falling into it was how I existed. I nodded to demonstrate my understanding. "Then what are you here for?" My throat almost felt constricted which was odd, but I ignored the sensation. "I'll ask you one final time then. Jamie, do you want to join me and help with my plans?"

"Yes." He did not even make me wait, and he sounded assured, like he had made his peace with the idea. I felt something better than amusement and sweeter than satisfaction at the thought. Even if I were never able to bridge the gap between us, in at least this way, he was mine.