Jazz followed Ana through the smoky air of the barroom. Her gaze fixated almost hypnotically on the gentle undulation of Ana’s hips as she glided across the floor. Ana halted before an empty booth with seats covered in black vinyl. They sported a scattered patchwork of silver duct tape where half-hearted attempts at repair had been made by the proprietor. For some reason Jazz found this fact to be incredibly amusing. Another sign of the times. No one cared anymore about the quality of his or her work. Green eyes slowly slid closed of their own volition.

Jazz recalled the countless years the daughters of Artemis had toiled over the marble grandeur of the temple of Cybele at Mytilene. Their flawless work was a matter of pride, of honor. A selfless gift to the goddess who had delivered them from the wrath of their enemies. A heritage of rich traditions they joyously passed down to their daughters and granddaughters. Jazz smiled gently as she remembered the sight of oiled Amazon bodies gleaming in the sunlight. Firm muscles rippling across backs as tensing biceps strained to lift the heavy blocks into place. How she missed the feel of the warmth on her face, the smell of lightly perspiring bodies kissed by the sun‘s heat. The soft chanting of their voices as they sang ancient songs to make the work seem lighter. If only she had known it would be the last season of her life in which she would ever feel the sun on her face...

“Jazz? Jazz? Are you OK?” Ana quietly asked. Jazz opened her eyes as a hand gently shook her shoulder. She stared into Ana’s worried gaze and slowly opened and closed her mouth as she searched for some way to convey what she was feeling to the young woman in front of her. “I...I was remembering...” Jazz whispered, as the pain in her heart threatened to choke her. Ana released Jazz’s shoulder to grasp both of her companion’s small hands in her own. She squeezed the blonde’s hands gently but firmly to let her know she was listening. “Remembering what? What could make you look so sad? Like you just lost your best friend.” Ana murmured. Her chest ached in sympathy for the petite woman before her. Suddenly Jazz seemed so much smaller and so lost. For some reason she couldn’t quite define, this fact caused Ana a great deal of distress. She felt an overwhelming need to comfort the woman standing so stilly in front of her. “The sun...I was remembering the sun. I had almost forgotten...”

Suddenly, a small whimper escaped from Jazz’s mouth as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. She tore her eyes from Ana’s riveting blue gaze and did something she had not done since the day of her death and subsequent rebirth as a child of darkness. Simply put, Jazz turned and ran. She ran like all the harpies of hell were hot on her tail. She thoughtlessly shoved bodies aside as she sprinted for the door. A trail of shocked curses and grunts of pain followed in her wake. Jazz stumbled up the stairs leading away from the dance floor and threw herself out of the door into the blessed darkness. She greedily sucked in draughts of the frigid air as she fisted tears from her eyes. She pressed the bridge of her nose between the fingers of her hands as she fought to calm her pounding heart. Pain lanced through her brain as she felt something start to tear, to give way. For a moment there was warmth and comfort.... Blue eyes softened by love smiled at her and a hand reached out for hers. “Selene....” The word flitted about her like a whisper on the wind. Bearing her teeth the vampire threw wide her arms and screamed into the night. “Nooooooooooo!!!!” The pain was intolerable, she could not bear it. She had to get away from Ana. Somehow, she had to be responsible. It had to be the blue eyed woman’s fault. Jazz had never felt pain like this before.

She turned to leap upon her bike and escape into the darkness when a black blur flew out of the alleyway and hit her in the knees. The vampire’s leather soled boots skidded on the ice and her feet flew out from under causing her to land flat on her back with a resounding thud. ‘Bullit! Are you suicidal? Wait until I....’ The black bull terrier skittered nimbly out of his mistress’s reach and took a seat in a nearby snow bank. He whined softly as the door was flung open and Ana flew out the door in pursuit of Jazz. The vanquished vampire shot another glare at her four footed friend. ‘You did this on purpose. Just wait! You! You! Traitorous K-nine! You Judas! You Brutus....You! You...’ Bullit panted happily, his black tongue hanging out of his mouth in a doggy grin as Ana reached down and pulled Jazz to her feet. “Jazz, Are you Ok? I’m sorry. I seem to keep asking you that? But, why did you run away from me like that?” Ana fired in a rapid staccato laced with frustration. “I didn’t run away from you.” Jazz mumbled testily as she looked intently down at her boots in the snow. Ana pulled back and placed her hands on her hips. “What? Well, I certainly didn’t see any fire in there. Or bad guys or big hairy monsters or...” Not knowing what else to do at this point, Jazz reached up and grabbed Ana by the back of the neck and pulled her face downwards. As Ana’s still moving lips came into range, Jazz kissed her, hard. The dark haired beauty, now silent, stood blinking in the moonlight as the snow continued to softly fall. The sound of Bullit’s wagging tail could be heard in the background as it thumped against the snow.

“Ummm.. I...You...that...” Ana stuttered as she tried to recall who and where she was. This couldn’t possibly be happening to her. She was the one who left the girls spouting gibberish and drooling on their shoes. This hadn’t happened to her since she ...well not ever. How did the little blonde do it. Ana stared at Jazz with something akin to total amazement in her eyes. Who was this woman. What was she. No normal woman could possibly sneak through her defenses so easily. Ana’s eyes narrowed as she slowly began to reevaluate the green eyed “monster” standing in front of her.

Jazz folded her hands behind her back and smirked bemusedly up at her startled companion. Lifting an eyebrow Jazz realized she was just as surprised herself. Kissing one’s food was not a good idea. It kind of made things personal and Jazz preferred to avoid personal attachments at all cost. “Uh, my loft is nearby...” Ana finally said. “Why don’t we go there? You’re all wet, we really should get you out of those clothes (Jazz‘s eye brow crawled all the way up into her hairline at this statement)...and, you still haven’t had that drink I promised you.” Ana finished softly. Jazz sighed. She knew when she was beaten. “Fine, lead the way. I’ll follow you.” Ana’s face broke out in a dazzling smile at Jazz’s words and then she turned and headed for her car. Bullit jogged along behind her happily. “Uh, do you mind if my dog rides with you, Ana? He seems to be quite taken with you.” Jazz asked. “What? Oh sure. He really is adorable you know.” Ana gaily replied. ‘I see why they call you ‘man’s” best friend now. And no snacking on the way! this one’s all mine!” Jazz shot at her K-nine companion as he jumped into the waiting car. The first real smile in centuries crept across the petite predator’s lips as she kicked the big Harley to life and followed the red mustang into the night.