Strongly recommended: Please listen to Point of No Return while reading this chapter. It's available on youtube, limewire, and myspace music. As well as a few places I might not know about. Thank you!

I was there for awhile. The hotel, I mean. I didn’t know how long it had been, since light was blocked out the window since I arrived. No longer was there a beautiful view of the ocean, but just blackness.

Time passed.

I occupied my time by ordering room service (which Jayce had to go down and order himself) and watching movies that I ordered from the Pay per View channel.

I tried not to think of the fact that I had been kidnapped, and instead tried to think of it like I was out of town for the weekend staying at a crazy nice hotel. It seemed to comfort me that way.

The only thing that still hurt me was the fact Lucan wasn’t here. He wasn’t looking for me. He definitely would’ve found me by now if he had. I mean, it’s not like I’m that hard to find, you know? Lucan probably didn’t even want to go looking. Like I was just something he didn’t have to deal with anymore.

Well then.

That kinda hurt.

I need to just like, stop myself sometimes.

Jayce never brought up the short make out session in the kitchen, and neither did I. He never further explained about being claimed, or mated or whatever either. I frowned.

It seemed like days later, but I didn’t really know for sure. It was a while later when I found Jayce sitting on the couch.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing. Work.” I sighed, sitting down next to him.

“Oh. What am I doing here?” Jayce looked over at me, the power of his eyes no longer affecting me like they used to.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean like, what do you want with me? What am I doing here? Why do you need me?” Jayce sighed, putting aside the papers he was working on and gave me his full attention.

“Lana, don’t be daft. You realize you are the link between those dogs and us. By having you, we have the upper hand. Don’t worry your pretty little head though, we won’t harm you. Yet.” I pouted.

“Why are you so mean?”

He just laughed and shook his head, about to get back to work. “But that still doesn’t answer my question,” I continued, “Why am I here?”

Jayce remained silent for a minute. “Lucan wants you. We have you. End of story.”

The name hurt to heart out loud. To be contradicting my thoughts was giving me false hopes that I knew would never come true. He told me he didn’t want me. He told me.

You’re the one that’s gallivanting around in next to nothing and grinding your body against mine…why else would I want you?

My heart swelled with pain and became heavier. I shook my body as if to rid myself from the feeling.

“No,” I replied out loud, “He doesn’t.” Jayce looked back at me in surprise.

“I thought we went over this. Of course he does. He claimed you.” I shook my head adamantly.

“No,” I insisted, “He doesn’t. He made himself perfectly clear when he was screaming it at me in his study. He doesn’t want me. He doesn’t like me, he doesn’t have a high opinion of me, he forgets about me.” I sighed, “In most likeliness, he hates me. I try not to think to hard about it because it hurts to much. But…” I shrugged. “It still aches.”

Jayce was staring at me with an expression halfway between disbelief and disgust.

“You are very confused, Lana. Very, very confused.” I snorted.

“No, this time I think I’m being the smartest one about it. I’m not disillusioned about anything right now.” My heart thudded against my chest, and my eyes watered. “He doesn’t want me. He doesn’t. I know it. My heart wouldn’t hurt this much if he did. I just…” I took a deep breath, “I just know.”

Jayce looked me over, studied my facial expression before shaking his head.

“You know, I can make it not hurt as much.” My head snapped up to look at him.

“What do you mean?” Not hurt as much? It seemed to good to be true.

“The pain you feel in your heart. I can make it go away. Disappear. Never come back again.” My heart swelled with hope.

“How?” I whispered, unable to believe that the ache in my heart, in my soul, would ever go away.

“Come closer, Lana.” I scooted over on the couch to be next to him. His eyes were back to changing seasons, and I couldn’t stop staring at them.

“Remember how I told you that mating with those dogs is kind of like mating with vampires?” There was a gleam in his eye that I ignored, too entranced to even realize he was acknowledging me.

“Well, I can….I can claim you. Then it wouldn’t hurt. That pain that you feel inside…it would just vanish. Completely.”

I thought about it.

It was so tempting.

Make the pain go away.

I shook my head out of the trance, and fell back onto the other side of the couch.

“No, no. Just…just don’t.”

Jayce looked at me through his bangs that swept over his face.

“You see, Lana,” He said after a minute, “For every werewolf, there is a vampire counterpart. An exact opposite. Each has a mate, but that mate is compatible for both. You see what I’m saying?”

I shrugged, unable to meet his eyes. “Kind of.”

“For every werewolf, there is a vampire. For every species, there is a mate. But it is possible, you see, to have a mate that is compatible for both vampires and werewolves. That is you Lana. You may have been destined to that young, stupid, puppy, but you don’t have to be. You could be with me. Immortal. Eternal. Forever. You have no family to worry about leaving behind. No loved ones.” I got even more confused.

“I don’t understand still. What do you mean?” He sighed.

“Each werewolf has a mate. That mate can be destined for either vampire or werewolf, and it is up to the mate to decide. Either side cannot force him or her, and it is up to them to choose which path they want to lead. I’m leaving it up to you to decide. Me or Lucan. Immortality or…” He paused dramatically, “rejection. Think about it. Forever, Lana. Forever. You could make history being with me.”

“How do you even know I’m meant for you?” My insides were upset, “Or for Lucan for that matter.” I added as an after thought.

He laughed loudly, “Oh, Lana, just think about it. Your blood calls to me. Sings to me like a siren. This,” He gestured to the space between us, “is what makes the stars shine, and the sun glow, and this is the seconds of time passing. This is what makes people believe in God. Think about it Lana. Just think. You know in your heart that this is right. This,” He reached over to stroke my hair, then drag his fingers over the pulse in my neck, down my arm, and over my wrist. Jayce brought my wrist up to his nose where he smelled it sensually. “This is what keeps flowers blooming, and waves crashing, and the moon setting. Nothing like this has ever been known before. You are one of a kind. Think about it.”

So I did.

I thought of my dead parents.

I thought of Tiffany.

And finally I thought of Lucan.

“No,” I said again, turning away from him. “I don’t care. I don’t…believe in any of this anyway. It doesn’t matter to me. When you let me go, I’m just going to go to my community college and get a stupid nine-to-five job, and marry some guy that will probably work at a gas station, and live my life like that, okay? Don’t crush my dreams.”

Okay. Not actually my dreams. My dream would probably involve Prince Eric, Tarzan or Kocoum.

But that’s beside the point.

Jayce smirked. He reached over to grab my chin and forced me to look at him. I got entranced by his eyes once more.

“That’s not your dream,” His gaze bore into me, “I’ve seen your dreams, Lana. I know more than you know yourself. You want more than a pathetic werewolf could offer you.” His head dipped near my throat and I stiffened, but didn’t pull away.

“Come with me tonight. To a ball. I’ll make your blood race,” His teeth dragged along my jugular, and I wanted to pull away, so much it made my body ache, but I didn’t. “I’ll make your body burn for me, I’ll make you love me.” I shivered, turning away and fleeing back to the room.

I could feel him smirking as he watched me go. I shut the door.

(MOO)

I spend the next three hours thinking about what he said. I shouldn’t. Oh, God I know I shouldn’t. I loved Lucan. I loved him. I know I did.

But he didn’t want me.

I almost tore my hair out trying to think about the situation. I’m not going to lie, what Jayce said did have an affect on me. I couldn’t stop moving, and his words struck me.

Jayce or Lucan?

Vampire or werewolf?

Good or evil?

Lust or love?

There was a knock on the door. I jumped up to get it, but opened it hesitantly. Oliver was standing uncomfortably outside the door, holding a large white box. I heard Phantom of the Opera playing outside. I quirked an eyebrow, and he rolled his eyes shoving the large box at me.

“Wear this tonight. Be ready in two hours.” I swallowed the lump in my throat, but knew better than to disobey.

“Okay,” I said quietly. I shut the door and went to place the box on my bed. It was large, taking up half the width of the king size bed. I opened it gingerly.

I gasped, fingering the scarlet fabric that tumbled out of it. It was a silk, scarlet dress. I pulled it out and winced. It was floor length, with a large slit that went all the way to the hip. It was a sweet-heart cut, and completely strapless. I peered inside the box, where a pair of blood red shoes lay to match, and a black necklace and ribbon.

I snorted and placed the dress back into the box before heading to the shower.

As I got dressed, I felt unbelievably…sexy. I always felt cute or even pretty. Sometimes beautiful. But never have I felt sexier than I did in that dress. The dress fit me perfectly, emphasizing my average size boobs, but making them look much larger than they really were. But it also made my waist look extremely small. Whenever I took a step, the slit in the dress would show my upper thigh, and if I wasn’t careful a little higher than that. I let my hair down in waves and placed the ribbon in as a bow.

I waited until they knocked on the door. Oliver was the one to come and get me, and his eyes darkened as he saw me. I blushed and he took a step closer.

“I can smell your blood,” His head ducked so his nose touched my cheek. “Stop blushing,” He whispered.

I nodded, but couldn’t stop blushing. He led me out of the room, where I noticed no one else was waiting. We went straight to the door, and down the stairs. When we reached the lobby, I noticed people (mainly guys) giving me looks. I felt powerful. Good. Sexy. I flushed, and quickly followed Oliver to where he was waiting outside with a sleek black car. Possibly the same one as he kidnapped me in. I scowled realizing he never gave me a proper apology.

“So,” I began once we were comfortable in the car, “Where are we going?”

“A ball.”

“Well, yeah, but where?”

“Would you even know if I told you?”

I thought about that, and agreed grudgingly. “Is it at a nice place?”

Oliver shrugged. “Only the best.”

Stars were out in the sky when I looked out the window. I wondered if Lucan was looking at them too.

I shrugged off the thought.

It was ten minutes later of absolute silence when we reached a tall building. I gaped up at it. It looked like a huge cathedral, white and glowing against the dark skyline. It was tall, much taller than the buildings around it.

“Here? But I thought vampires weren’t allowed in cathedrals and churches and stuff?”

I thought of Jayce’s words. This is what makes people believe in God. I shrugged off the thoughts, and the feelings it invoked inside me. I paid attention to Oliver.

“That’s a legend. God rejects no creatures. Even if he turns them away, he still allows them into his,” He sneered, “holy refuge. Come on.”

Oliver escorted me up the stairs, and pushed open the double set doors. I gasped, the old cathedral setting was still there, but none of the pews were there. Hung from the walls were barely-glowing lights ever foot. It was almost completely dark, and chandeliers hung from the ceiling giving off a dim source of light.

There were a lot of people, maybe a hundred or so, all dressed in black. I felt subconscious for dressing in such a drastic color. Like I was maybe a target.

Then I realized.

Is it really such a good idea for me to be going to a ball full of vampires?

Oliver seemed to be aware of what I was thinking, “It’s not all vampires,” He assured me. “There are many humans here. Pets, if you will. Dates.” I scrunched up my nose, flicking my hair over my shoulder.

“Come,” Oliver took my hand, “Follow me.” He guided me past the crowd as if I was walking to my death. Eyes followed me, some as if they wanted to consume me. I shuddered off the looks and focused on the sound of music that echoed through the hall.

It was classical, I noted. Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. I shivered at the beautiful melody before Oliver snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Lana, Preston would like to meet with you.” He pointed toward the front of the cathedral, where I saw him sitting higher than the dance floor or anyone else. He was talking to a man, and his hair gleamed in the dim light.

“Now, shoo.” I nodded obediently, making my way mindlessly to where he was.

I pushed my way through the crowd, and when Jayce looked up and saw me, he nodded to the chair next to him. I quickened my pace, and stumbled up the stairs that I found. The man that he had been talking to quickly left, and it was just me and him up on this tall pedestal. I flushed as his gaze ran over my body, and I hurriedly took the seat next to him.

“What is this?” I asked quietly, not wanting to break the mood that hung over the ball.

He looked amused. “Why, my dear, it appears to be a ball. What did you think it was?” I blushed again from embarrassment.

“No, I mean. What’s it for? What’s its purpose?” He shrugged.

“Does anyone need to have a reason to have a ball?” I bit my lip, thinking about it.

“No,” I said slowly, “I guess not.” There were a few moments of silence.

“You know how to dance?” Jayce nodded to the dance floor, but his eyes were glued on me. I got sucked in with the power of them.

“Yes,” I breathed, leaning in closer. Amusement played in his eyes, and he took my hand to lead me down.

This is surreal. This can’t be happening. But it was. I pushed myself closer to him as we approached the crowd, and suddenly, many couples were dancing. Waltzing. Steps that I knew from memory. It seemed so long ago when I took those classes…like a whole other life. But it couldn’t have been more than three weeks. The music changed.

Lyrics poured through the hallway, and I flushed, recognizing the tone.

The Point of No Return.

From Phantom of the Opera.

I grimaced, realizing he probably planned this. I remembered earlier when the soundtrack was playing in the living area.

Jayce grabbed me, pulling my back to his chest, and resting his hands on my waist. “Past the point of no return,” He was whispering in my ear. “No backward glances. Our games of make-believe are at an end.”

He turned me to face him, and I suddenly realized all the other dancers had cleared the stage. But it didn’t matter anymore. I was being consumed, body and soul.

“Past all thought of ‘if’ or ‘when’. No use resisting,” He pulled me back against him, grazing his fangs along my throat. I shivered and reached my hand to rest against his neck. “Abandon thought and let the dream descend.” He spun me out, where I caught my ground and locked eyes with him. He walked around me like a hawk, and my pulse skyrocketed. My heart beat in my chest rapidly.

“What raging fire shall flood the soul? What rich desire unlocks its door? What sweet seduction lies before us?” I walked forward hesitantly to meet him in a loose embrace. Jayce’s eyes had darkened when his arm curled around my waist. He dipped his nose to graze along my collar bone and I shuddered.

“Past the point of no return,” He was almost hissing it at me and I rested my cheek against his. His mouth grazed my ear. “The final threshold, what warm unspoken secrets will we learn? Beyond the point of no return.” He dipped me, his mouth grazing my neckline. I shook my head from clouded thoughts and took a few steps back out of his hold.

“You have brought me to that moment where words run dry, to that moment where speech disappears into silence,” I sang loudly, walking backward slowly, away from him. “Silence.”

He followed me, grabbing my arm. “I have come here, hardly knowing the reason why. In my mind I’ve already imagined our bodies entwining defenseless and silent.” He pulled my body once again to flush against his. Soft vs. hard. Pliant vs. marble. He was cold against my warm body and I shivered from the contrast. “And now I’m here with you. No second thoughts, I’ve decided.” My gaze met his, and his eyes were burning. “Decided.”

No.

I pulled away, “Past the point of no return. No going back now. Our passion play has now, at last, begun.” I walked toward the crowd, trying to find an escape. No one was showing me mercy. “Past the point of right or wrong.” I flipped around, seeing Jayce an inch away from me. “One final question, how long we two wait before we’re one?” He grabbed my hair; gently but firmly and pulled me back to him.

Reel and bait, I was hooked.

“When will the blood begin to race?” Mine already had. “The sleeping bud burst into bloom? When will the flames at last consume us?” He spun me around to face him, pushed as close as we had ever been before, that we could have been one.

“Past the point of no return,” We both were yelling it at each other. “The final threshold, the bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn.” He dipped me again, and suddenly we were waltzing. Tragically and violently. He tossed me, and I would come violently back. “We’ve crossed the point of no return.”

Jayce pressed his lips to mine. His lips bruised, violently, brutally, aggressively mine. He broke away.

“Say you’ll share with me one love, one liftetime. Lead me, save me from my solittude. Say you want me with you here beside you.” His lips descended on mine again, softer this time. “Anywhere you go, let me go too.” I covered his lips with mine on the final note as the song faded into another one, and the people came on the dance floor again.

We were still kissing when I realized something.

I pulled away breathlessly.

“Why isn’t it hurting?”

He smirked. “You’ve accepted me, Lana.” My dropped my jaw, “Now there’s no going back.” Jayce covered his lips with mine, and I gasped. He took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside. His hand wandered to the slit in my dress and ventured North. He rested against my upper thigh, and hiked my leg around his hip.

Why aren’t I screaming in protest?

Why aren’t I doing something, anything about this…this not even a man who’s violating me?

Partly because…I’m enjoying it. I really am.

And partly because Lucan didn’t want me. As much as it already sunk in, it still hurt, so much, to think about. I pressed harder against Jayce to push the pain down and away from the rejection.

Make it stop, my brain whispered as if he could hear me, make the pain go away.

Even if he couldn’t hear me, he was answering. Jayce’s hand found itself tracing patterns on my back, making me shiver and lean into the kiss more.

Lana.

There it was. His voice. Lucan’s voice. In my head. I pulled away gasping for air.

“Did you say something?” I asked breathlessly. Jayce gave me an odd look, dropping my leg from his hip.

“No…” He said slowly, scrutinizing my expression and body language.

“Oh,” I breathed out, putting a hand to my forehead. I’m going crazy. I’m absolutely going crazy.

“Come,” He said, taking my hand gently. “Let’s get you some fresh air.” I nodded, agreeing to whatever he was saying. I’m obeying him. My heart sunk.

What on earth have I gotten myself into?

(MOO)

A week. It might as well been an entire lifetime.

Lucan hadn’t eaten, hadn’t slept. He tore apart the countryside, interrogating everyone and anything that stood in his way.

They managed to track her to the school, where a teacher informed them (through wide eyes and a split lip) that Lana had left with a tall, mysterious individual who gave no name. That was where the trail ended.

Nobody saw who she left with. Nobody knew his name, where he came from, what he looked like. If it weren’t for the small disturbance he created in the classroom, he might not have been there at all.

Lucan was back inside his office, pouring his eyes over a map of freeways that webbed itself inside California and connecting states.

He had never been more miserable in his entire life.

To feel his pain, you would have to have experienced the loss of a loved one. Anything that you ever felt close to, magnified by ten, ripped away from you. Gone, without any single trace at all.

It felt like your soul was being destroyed right in front of your face, piece by piece. Like you can’t breathe, and suddenly never wanted to again. As if your heart had burst, leaving an empty hollowness Lucan didn’t bother trying to fill. His everything was void. It was like…winter. When the sun never shone and darkness filled his eyes. When love turned to hate, and nothing had ever been more important than finding her and getting her back.

When did it turn this frantic? This reckless? This wretched, hopeless, violent need inside him? He kept asking himself over and over again. His office was torn to pieces from him throwing things.

Anything, he thought,anything to get her back.

“Worthless. I’m completely worthless.”

And when Ethan knocked on the door, he didn’t answer.

Heartbroken. This is the reason stars are kept apart, that universes collide, that evil reigns good. This is the reason God created the Devil. This is the way life was never, ever supposed to be.

Hmm. Dramatic much?

Haha. I’d love some feedback! Tell me what you guys think? What’s going to happen??

I strongly, strongly recommend listening to Point of No Return while reading that scene. Just you tube it. It really doesn’t get any sort of affect without it.

And sorry for any late updates, and confusing parts. I’d love any kind of comments! Except the mean ones. I don’t have the heart for those.