Blood, and lots of it.

It was all she could smell, all she could see, taste, feel around her. The beating of their hearts though had long stopped... Their bodies almost cold as Jenny continued to drink them down. Well the last one anyway. Two others were already dry, empty shells. But this one... He still had some life in him yet. Well... Life for her, for even dead, the blood still gave her strength, gave her power.

She had begged for help from the most powerful... Begged for help to become stronger, stronger so she could control herself, so she could restrain her lust for blood.

But the mighty Amman condemed her to her monsterous fate...

Jenny knew that they would come for her one day... They would come to kill her as punishment for her crimes, to hide the secret of their world. It wasn't that she wanted to die... No. She had never wanted to die to begin with. She had tried to live and in so doing had killed herself. This world was never her choice...

But because she couldn't remember... Because she couldn't move forward without knowing where she had been... She was wild... Wild and reckless.

In the back part of the Alley the vampire had killed her prey, was feasting. And though no mortal eye would ever see her, no vampire would mistake she was here. The smell of death... Blood... It was written all along the walls... To the street and beyond. But Jennifer welcomed the scent... She welcomed the death of others... Knowing that it would only bring her own sooner or later.

As usual, Finch looked not unlike a receptionist or business clerk. He was entirely too neat. Every hair on his head was in its place. The glasses perched on his long, straight nose gleamed. His shirt, an off-white that made his skin seem tan, was perfectly pressed and starched. Finch's grey jacket was free of lint. His black slacks were also ironed and had a razor-sharp crease. And his shoes! The black leather shoes were shined so perfectly, you could see your reflection in them.

Certainly not the type you'd expect to drink blood.

But, since he did indeed drink blood, the powerful scent of it caught his attention. And there was a lot of blood. The reek of it screamed for him to look, overpowering the staler stench of trash. Even a human could have smelled it. (Although Finch doubted that a human's reaction would be the same as his.) His stomach growled.

Tucking his hands in his pockets, appearing surprisingly relaxed, he walked towards the alley. He felt... something. Finch was a young vampire, unsure of his abilities, but he knew he felt something. As he went nearer, the feeling became more specific. He could tell that there was another vampire in that dark alleyway. But the feeling was strange. It was both faint and wild. Fainter than what he had felt with older vampires, but more feral as well.

He had the impression that whoever it was was younger than him. Cautious now, he paused at the mouth of the alley, standing on the edge between weak light and darkness.

Vampire!

That was what her mind screamed as her head snapped up. Her amber eyes glared down the ally, towards the street as she caught the scent over the blood. Jennifer hissed loudly, a growl beginning to form in her throat. But her prey was dead already… There was nothing left for him to steal. If that was what he was here for now anyway.

But… It wasn’t an Amman. They would reek of power… She would be able to feel them a mile away.

“What do you want? They are already dead…” She hissed, loud enough for the vampire down the alley to hear. “You can’t save them… You can’t save me…” Jennifer then said as she stood from the bodies, tossing the newest one on the ground like a rag doll.

Her clothes were torn and tattered, bloodstained and filthy. Since her rejection she had been living on the streets… Hiding in dumpsters… Abandoned buildings… The only places she could call home. She had to survive… Survive until she was killed by one of her own kind.

“Are you here to kill me vampire?” Her voice echoed off the surrounding brick walls. She was walking to the entrance of the alley now, her body warm and life like from the binge of blood. Three lives worth. She was licking her lips, her fingers, as she saw the man. “If so… Do it quickly. Before I kill you.” She growled, her amber eyes glinting in the in the lamp light.

"Dead, are they? I don't doubt it." Calm, Finch eyed the three corpses, the deep blue of his gaze glinting briefly in the fuzzy orange light from the street. Instead of backing away from the, apparently, mad vampire, he took a step forward. "As for saving them... no point in trying is there? You've done killed them already. And as for saving you... any point in that?"

Strangely, he didn't feel afraid of this girl. He felt a little pity, but no fear. Perhaps he should. But she was younger than him and, it seemed, not quite as strong. Of course, she might be powerful enough to squash him and just be hiding it, but he didn't think that was the case. She didn't seem rational. Or sane. Could he reason with her?

Did he really want to?

Since his turning, Finch had lived more like a human than a vampire. Though he affiliated himself with the Enashe coven, he was more comfortable living with the, well, living. It didn't usually bother him to kill, something he might have the US Army to thank for, but he didn't exactly glory in it either. Most of all, he preferred a simple life. Or unlife as it may be. Did he really want to get mixed up with this girl?

"Is death what you're looking for? Is it something you desire?" He asked softly, holding up a hand. Focusing, he had no training in this particular area, he used what abilities he had to hold her back. She might be looking for an end to existence, but he was in no hurry.

Yes... Jennifer was the oppisite of this man... She had only survived... Even retained her sanity but pulling away from the world... Letting the darkness in her take over. It was the only way she would survive, feed.

"Once... There might have been a reason too... Once I might have had a chance at redemption... But the mighty Amman, so deserving of their lives..." She nearly spat on the ground with disgust. "Have judged otherwise. Have sentanced me to insanity... Pain... Death..."

A part of her, even Jennifer, craved the touch of that hand... To know she wasn't truly a monster as they had seen her. Inside her own mind, Jenny was screaming, screaming for help, for him to rescue her.But the feel of the forcefield as she tried to step closer... She felt as if all was hopeless.

Jennifer though, hissed as she felt it. "Are you afraid of me? Is that why you hide? Are you afraid of this monster before you?" He was probably stronger, even though he was not an ancient. "But no... Death is not something I want... But I accept it as my fate... Sooner or later it will come for me. No one truly ever wishes to die. They may say it... But test them, and they will chose life."

She was pacing around him now, her amber eyes taking in ever part of him, watching him as a cat would watch it's prey.

Finch stared at Jennifer with a mixture of pity and apprehension in his eyes. He wasn’t afraid of her exactly, but didn’t quite know what to make of her either. She was, it seemed, completely mad. Yet… there was something more. She seemed lost, almost like a small child who wanted help but went about getting it in all the wrong ways.

“Fuck.” He muttered.

Finch didn’t want to get involved here. He liked his life as it was, with its predictability and, yes, its blandness. So what if it was boring sometimes? That didn’t mean he wanted it over. And yet. Something about this girl was… what? Brought out his nurturing side? Perversely fascinating? Though he continued to hold her back, Finch took a few steps forward.

He would try to puzzle her out. If it didn’t work out, well, he was stronger than she was. While he’d never done it before, he might just kill her. Put her down.

The blood she had consumed had stated her for now. Making her almost like... A tiger... Purring lazily in the sun. Content, but still dangerous, still wild and untamed. Stepping towards him once more she pressed her cheek against his outstreachec hand, rubbing against it as a cat would.

"You needn't fear me... I am satisfied for now... I have drank my fill." No... She wouldn't hurt him... He hadn't given her cause, yet.

"The only question that remains... Is just what are you going to do? Are you going to run? Forget about me like soooo many others..." She purred as she pulled away from him. "Will you try to help me like a scarce few... But yet still fail?" She was circling him now, watching him as if he were prey. "Take me in as your fledgling and try to break me of this naughty naughty little habit? Or... Are you going to do what no one has and kill me?" The last was a whispering hiss where as her otherwords had been a gentle, soft purr.

"So... What will it be?"

All of a sudden, Finch felt a wave of disgust. Not for his companion, but for himself. What was he doing, cowering away from this, well, girl? He was a man who had fought in a war, used to face charging linemen without flinching. Yet here he was fearing a girl eight inches shorter and probably forty pounds lighter than him. Size wasn't really a factor when one considered they were both vampires, but he was fairly certain she was younger than he was too.

But nuts. Couldn't forget that.

Finch dropped his hand and the invisible barrier separating himself from Jennifer vanished. Suddenly, he looked quite calm, relaxed even. Apparently, his mental drubbing had had an effect. Deep blue eyes watched her pace and he revolved on the spot to watch her.

When she spoke, she seemed to hiss. Gently, but as a cat purrs gently before pouncing. Then her voice dropped, reminding him of the sound rattlesnakes made slithering through fallen leaves. Really, it was quite unnerving. And fascinating. "How about... none of the above? How about I just turn and walk away and leave you to your own devices?"

No! He couldn't leave! He could help them! Help her! Anyone could try to help her! But she always scared them off. Jennifer, it was as if she wanted death! Wanted to die! Jenny didn't she wanted life... She wanted to be herself again, but no one was ever able to see that it seemed... She was just a monster because of this other part that raged so strongly.

It was that part in control now.

"Yes... Of course... Run away from me... Fear me just like everyone else does..." She said quietly before turning away. There was almost a dejected pain in her voice now as she spoke. "Everyone else does... But they will kill me soon enough. You won't need to be afraid much longer." She was wandering back down the alley now, a blank look in her amber eyes.

She just couldn't understand why... Why couldn't anyone help her? Why didn't people understand that...

It didn't matter. No. The Amman had already made up their minds it seemed. Not a one would help her... They all ignored her please for help... So all she could do now was kill and kill. Untill they decided to quiet her once and for all.

Jennifer didn't know what to do now... Why wouldn't he atleast kill her? With pure vampire blood in her veins... She was dangerous... It was as if the vampires blood she took created a while new being in her. But she backed down now, letting Jenny, her true self come through.

She knew there was no chance with this man now... How could she convince him that she wouldn't hurt him? That she wouldn't kill him? He would go, let them stay here now. But that was probably better for him... Better in the long run. He didn't need her to interupt everything, to throw off his life.

Jenny slumped against the wall now and slid to the dirty ally street near one of the bodies. All she could do was wait.

He was tempted. After all, it would have been so easy to simply turn and stroll away. Away from this dark alley and its rank smells, away from the bodies now littering it. Most of all, away from this strange and unpredictable vampire. Why complicate his life when it was so peaceful?

But he did not turn to leave. Under his breath, he cursed viciously. Turn, you fool, turn and walk away. Instead he walked towards Jennifer, stared down at the figure sprawled in the filthy alley like another corpse. Why are you doing this? To that question, he had no answer. It might have been pity; perhaps the wounded tone had needled him into this.

“Stand up.” Finch said quietly. From what he could piece together from her ramblings, others had tried to help this girl before. He would be the latest, Finch supposed. And he would be far out of his element. He was still working to develop his own abilities. You don’t have a clue what she needs. You’re a fucking history professor, not a psychiatrist.

In the same quiet voice he asked, “What’s your name?” He could hardly continue to call and think of her as ‘the girl’ and ‘her’. It probably wouldn’t matter too much though. If (possibly when) his fumbling attempts to help her failed, he would kill her. She reminded him of a wounded dog. Left alone, as he had planned to do, she would only snap at whoever crossed her path.

Wounded... A particularly good way to describe her, especialy now as she lay on the alley floor, curled up helplessly.

Soft brown eyes looked up at the man as he aproached her and she began to tremble. Had he decided to kill her after all? Stand up. Jenny obeyed fearfully, standing in front of the man now, only now aware of her apperance. Her light brown hair that fell down to her waist was matted in places, blood and dirt clinging here and there. And her clothing was in much of the same state, a pair of jeans and t-shirt Vince had bought for her nearly four months ago now.

Her name? "Jenny." She said in a soft whisper.

When they were all the clothing you had, they got quite a bit of wear.

"I don't want to hurt anyone... I don't want to kill..." Jenny whimpered as she looked up at him pleadingly. "I can't help it..." Her eyes fell again. "The Amman won't help me... I begged them... But they just ignored me... They probably want to kill me." And they more than likely would if she didn't clean up her act.

"I don't know what to do anymore..."

Finch sighed, removing his glasses so he could pinch the bridge of his nose. You're an idiot, you know that, right? Yes, probably. Idly, he wiped his glasses with his handkerchief, before sticking them back on. "Well, Crazy Jenny, I'm Romax Finch. Let's see if we can do something about this killing spree thing."

He stuck a hand out towards her, as if to shake. Mostly, he wanted to see how she might react. Eyeing her filthy state, he sighed slightly. He couldn't just let her run around like that. It would draw a lot of attention. And, right at the moment, he figured a lot of attention probably wasn't something CJ here needed.

"Come on, CJ. You need to scrape a few layers off."

Crazy? She... She wasn't crazy... This wasn't her fault, she couldn't do a thing about this... Why...

"I'm not crazy." She whispered as she looked down at the alley floor. "I... I wasn't made the same as you... There's something in me... Like... Like another person that's trying to get out. She wants to kill us... She does." Jenny said in a trembling voice. "It's not my fault... I try... But she's too strong..."

She wasn't crazy. Nafalen... Antony... They all knew she wasn't crazy... And they... Even in their lives had never sees someone like her... Someone who had turned themselves without knowing... Killed their sire with their first feeding...

Jenny ignored the offered hand. Actually, she more so didn't see his hand there.

CJ? Oh... Crazy Jenny...

"Please! Don't call me that!" She said, nearly in tears. "I'm not crazy. I'm not. And just thinking I am isn't going to help. If I don't control her, she's going to get us killed!" She shook her head and bit her lip slightly. "You don't understand. No one does!" Only the fact that he was between her and the alley entrance stopped her from running away.

Apologetically, Finch raised his hands in the air. He didn't really want to call her Jenny, though he wasn't quite sure why. Diplomatically, he decided to compromise. "Alright, fine. No Crazy Jenny, no CJ. How about just Jenn?" Hopefully, she wouldn't have an aversion to that.

Tipping his head to the side slightly, he listened curiously as she spoke. Two Jennys? Well, that would fit his definition of crazy. But if it agitated her to be called or thought of as crazy, he would definitely lay off that. Interesting, though. One Jenny was definitely violent but the current Jenny was... trembly.

Not only is she nuts, but she's in denial about being nuts. Congratulations, you have a violent, nutcase who dislikes the label of nutcase. "Oh, hush." Finch muttered under his breath. Yes, he talked to himself. Maybe he was nuts.

"Still. We need to do something with these bodies and... well, you really should consider getting cleaned up. I don't suppose you have a h--place to stay?"

"I don't really care what you call me... But I'm not crazy though..." She said stolidly before looking down again. "I may sound crazy, I know... But I'm not."

"But you can just leave them... The Amman will take care of them, they always do..." She said quietly once more. But that was why she never worried really. The Amman knew everything she did. And the only hope she hung on to was that they were still giving her a chance. Why they just wouldnt' help her... She didn't know.

"But I've been staying in this house... It's condemned... So no one bothers it... They might be tearing it down soon though... There are bulldozers and everything over there." She gave a little shrug.

"She always finds a place to stay... If it gets too early and we don't have a place... She'll take over to get one."

”But you can just leave them… The Amman will take care of them…”

Finch stared at the three bodies, trying to figure out what to do with it. Easiest thing to do would be to just throw it in the trash, but it would likely be discovered there. “True, Jenn, but I think the less the Amman have to clean up after you is probably the better.” He replied, gingerly lifting one of the bodies by the arm. He didn’t want to stain his nice clothes. Almost unnoticeably, he levitated about a foot off the ground so he could peer into the dumpster more easily. Yep… just what he had expected. There were a bunch of broken, half-empty bottles of liquor plus rags and cardboard.

Easily, he hoisted the body into the rusted trash container and did the same with the other two, making sure that the bodies were stacked on top of each other. Then he pulled a lighter he had confiscated from a student, clicked it until a flame shot up, and tossed it in. It landed in a pool of whiskey and a soft whoosh could be heard as the flames billowed out. The bodies should burn down to little more than ash, stacked atop each other as they were. Bodies were hard to burn because there was so much water in them, but the melting fat would drip down and feed the flames.

It helped that they were bloodless.

Quickly, the reek of burning garbage began to fight with another scent, the disturbingly pleasant aroma of roasting meat. Still, it didn’t matter, dumpster fires were a common occurrence in this part of Demaitre. Nobody would get close enough to take a deep whiff. Polishing his glasses, Finch turned back to Jenn. “I don’t suppose your condemned house has running water?”

"It doesn't matter anymore... Not really anyway." She said almost inaudibly.

Jenny watched though as he put the bodies in the dumpster. Was he just going to leave them like that or something? She could only wait and watch. But no. He lit them on fire... The scent of burning hair... Burning flesh... It made it's way into Jenny's nostrils. It nausiated her more than anything else. It made her stomach flip and she nearly wretched as she leaned against a wall, holding her stomach as she trembled.

As he turned back to her she looked at him pleadingly. "Can... Can we go somewhere? Anywhere... I feel sick... The smell..." She whimpered after shaking her head to his question. Of course it didn't have water or electricity... She didn't have anything there but what was on her back, sleeping in one of the closets at night on the floor.

"But... it doesn't have anything... No water, no electricity or heating... It's just an empty building..." but it had been her home for over a week now as she struggled to try and control herself, as she tried so hard to be herself again. But she bairly remembered her families names let alone what she was like.

Finch was quite surprised by Jenn's reaction to the smell. Of course, the stench of garbage was really quite off-putting, but it didn't bother him too much. He'd gotten used to less than desirable odors in the Army and later, when he'd tried the bad-boy shtick out. Replacing his glasses, he nodded, giving her an after-you kind of gesture.

He nodded as she confirmed that the building where she'd been living had no amenities. Finch had expected as much. "Well, you need some clothes and such. And you should probably get cleaned off." Sure, he'd gotten used to unsavory smells, but that didn't mean he relished them. Jenn had been living in a condemned building for however long she'd lived there, and blood doesn't smell pretty when it sits.

"Come on, this way. You can take a shower at my apartment and I'll wash those clothes. Then we can go to Wal-Mart or something so you can get some new stuff." Walking out of the alley, Finch stuck his hands in his pockets and waited for Jenn.

He still didn't know why he was doing this.

Jenny nodded as he spoke. She didn't say a word, not really sure what to say. Was he actually going to help her? Was he going to try to help her control herself? Could he really help her though?

As she was thinking, doubting really, he moved away and looking up and expecting to see him where he no longer was, she panicked.

"Sir?!" Jenny called out almost terrified. But after turning her head she saw him again and rushed up to his side. She didn't like to be alone... She hated it. She really really hated it. But it just seemed to happen to her. Because of what she was.

Jenny nearly clung to him as if not to lose him again. But refrained herself. She didn't want to scare him... After all, she was terrified enough for the both of them. "Please... Please don't leave me... I don't... I don't like being alone. She doesn't come out a lot when others are around... Be-because I feel braver with others. Stronger." She stammered fearfuly as her brown eyes looked up at him pleadingly.