A/N: Before I begin, I do need to make one change from Treason. Since some characters will reappear, Ali has suggested I inform you that he is, in fact, older than Maverick. He was just last on the list since He and Maverick were friends. Yes. That may or not have any effect on the story, I’m not quite sure yet. But, anyways, on with the story.

..............................................................I lied. First, a quick overview of Treason for anyone just tuning in or who has forgotten! If you remember, skip this and move on to the story!

Maverick (a vampire) and Allison (A twenty-something human) have this whole plot going on. Maverick chooses a vampire he wants out of the way, Allison finds a hunter that is willing to do it (since no hunter would work for a vampire, most likely. Well, there are one or two, but they’re EXPENSIVE). Maverick found out that she had hired a hunter to kill the vampiress that killed her fiance and uses to blackmail her into working with him. They get found out and flee. Maverick stops for a bite one night and Allison gets attacked by an annoying little fledgling called Mace. Afraid that she might be injured, Maverick rushes her to an old friend’s house, Atticus. She’s fine, but she has to rest for a few hours. Upon leaving, Atticus remarks that His niece (not biological) would love to see Maverick again. (Whole other story, but hey?). They leave, go to Mardi Gras for some fun, nothing important happens. Later, they stop by a little town where Maverick hangs out in a Blood Bar and Allison meets a ‘nice’ guy in a coffee shop that caters to a lot of the humans worn out from a night in Devoid (the blood Bar). Turns out he’s a hunter who tries to kill Allison. (He’s one of those expensive ones, but Allison and Maverick are wanted, so...) Maverick comes out and beats him to a bloody pulp. Pulp never wakes up. Maverick must decide what to do with Allison, who is dying in his arms. He takes her to the hospital and when she wakes up, asks her view on the whole Immortality thing. I’m not telling you what the decision is, though. Here we are. Now it’s Time for Chapter one of Renewal.

Enjoy!!!

........................Renewal: Chapter One: Signing Out........................

Allison was more than joyful to finally be leaving the white prison she was being held in. The scent, the sounds, the sights, all had melded into some dull, monotonous cage, trapping even her thoughts in continual loops and repetitions. But freedom was at hand.

She dropped her feet to the chilled tile floor and tugged the thin hospital gown into a less revealing position. “Laugh it up,” she glared at Maverick, who was relaxing in one of the stiff chairs. He smiled and tossed her the clothes he had dragged from the deep abyss of her car, likely fighting of fiendish beasts that had begun a happy life there in the mess.

“Go on. I want to get out of here,” he sighed, letting his dark eyes wander across the white ceiling tiles. He was surprised folks didn’t go insane in such a sterile place.

“Did you bring any socks?” called Allison from the cramped bathroom.

He paused to ponder for a moment. Had he? “Nope, don’t think so,” came his final reply. She sighed.

“What a bunch of help you are,” she sighed, exiting the bathroom and tugging her shirt over her head. “Can’t even remember socks.” Her hazel eyes quickly scanned the room, making sure nothing was forgotten. That check finished, she began to walk out the door.

“Uh-uh,” chided Maverick, catching her shoulder in his powerful grasp. “Hospital policy. Get in,” he ordered, presenting her with a dilapidated wheelchair.

“Oh, come on,” she sighed, sinking into the creaking thing. Abruptly enough to nearly give her whiplash, Maverick started off down the long and boring hallways.

The sun was out and its brightness stung her eyes, used to the dim fluorescent pallor of the room. She covered her eyes and climbed slowly into the front seat, taking special care to buckle up, given Maverick’s typical habit of taking the speed limit as a mere suggestion for those cowards who didn’t think they could handle eighty or ninety.

After the hospital was a few miles behind them and Allison could open her eyes without being blinded, she spoke. “So, we’re back to living in the car again. Bad as it was, I didn’t mind hanging out in one place for a few days. One good thing from my visit is that I got a shower in.”

“Well, we could probably take it a little slower now, considering the little hunter is off our tails.”

“Wait, did you know we were being followed?” she asked, a slightly accusing tone rising in her voice. Inwardly, Maverick cringed.

“I did. But there wasn’t any need to worry you about it. You paranoid or panicky wouldn’t have helped anything.”

“Oh, since I don’t live forever, I can’t handle the fact that someone who main goal is to kill us is following me. Instead of panic, maybe I could have been more cautious.”

“Come on,” he sighed, banging one hand lightly on the steering wheel, “what good would have come from you knowing about him?”

“I don’t know, but I doubt I would have let him escort me to my car, had I known we were being followed. I would have been a little paranoid. Then, we wouldn’t have been stuck here long enough for someone else to start tailing us. Are they now, huh? Do we have someone else following us? Or would you even tell me?”

“No. We’re fine. Calm down. See, I didn’t want you to get all upset if I told you. Like you are now.”

“Upset?” she questioned, dangerously quiet. Something in Maverick’s mind informed him that he had just stuck his foot halfway down his throat. “I see. I shouldn’t be upset that my partner withheld information from me that we were being followed and a little caution might be a good thing. You’re right. I shouldn’t be upset.” She smiled in a way that portrayed an absolute lack of joy and scared even Maverick. Then she turned to stare out the window at the rapidly passing scenery.

Maverick shook his head. Apparently, she was in a bit of a bad mood. Somewhere in his head, a familiar proverb played through his head and he realized the wisdom of its speaker. “It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.” How true.

..................................End Chapter one...............................

Yep, there it is. The quote, BTW, is from Proverbs. As in the Bible. Umm...yeah. This was short and fairly pointless. I just decided Maverick needed to get in a little hot water for not telling her. Hehe. I’m not going to be able to update for about a week, since I’m going away to camp. (I’m actually supposed to be packing right now....) Well, hope you like it. Thanks for reading! Ummm...if you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me. I’d be happy to help. Let me know what you think!

later!

Gata de la noche