I'm very, very sorry to all of my lovely readers who have supported this story. I just do not have time or the inspiration to continue writing this story. I liked what I was writing – it was a fun diversion from the book, and I enjoyed it – but I really can't finish it, for various reasons.

I'm glad so many of you liked it, and because of that, I'm leaving you with this, which wasn't supposed to show up for a couple of chapters. It's one of my favorites, as you see below in the original author's note.

This will be left up for a week or two before I delete my account. Again, I am so glad people loved this story, and I'm so sorry that I am leaving it.

A/n: This is probably one of my favorite scenes to write, just because it's how I imagined Jessica to come into her own as a powerful woman. She rocks. Haha.

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim rights to Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side.

Chapter

At the end of a long day, I headed back to my locker. I had had to stay after for Matheletes in which I had an upcoming match, on top of a pop quiz in English and a test in Science. I was not a happy camper. I had also seen Lucius and Faith getting a little too cozy at different points in the day. Speaking of which, as I leaned against my locker, working on the combination with my eyes closed, I heard the shrieking laugh of the diabolical blonde cheerleader. Swinging the door of my locker open, I stood there for a minute, just leaning and thinking and listening. It was far after the end of the day, and Lucius knew that he didn't have to wait for me because of Matheletes. There must have been cheerleading practice, and that little twit somehow got him to meet her after. I noticed that if I pushed my locker door open just the slightest bit, I could see in the mounted mirror the two of them around the corner, both leaning on their shoulders against the lockers, facing each other.

I knew my true nature was slowly coming out, but this experience was totally unexpected. Though, I will admit, I did like it a bit.

Without my brain really noticing, my body began to act on its own: dropping my backpack to the floor I shrugged out of my zip-up hoodie and stashed it in the main pocket, my hands tugged my hair out of its scrunchie and fluffed and tousled it so that I had slight sex hair, I pulled a tube of lipgloss out of my locker and smeared some on, throwing it back onto a shelf, and my hands swiftly unbuttoned the first few on my fitted plaid blouse until I the last barely covered the band on my bra. Realizing what I was doing, I looked in the mirror, reaching up to smooth down my hair; I heard that annoying shriek again. Redirecting my hands, I reached into my locker for my kohl black eyeliner instead, defining my eyes in a way I had only seen in magazines, but never tried myself. I looked down at my tight skinny jeans – well, Lucius had himself to blame for those. Stashing my backpack for later pick-up, I slammed my locker door, stuffing my phone in my pocket. I headed around the corner of the hallway, sauntering in only the way a princess could.

"Aye, Packwood! Who let you out of your house looking like that? You know, there are some bad, bad boys around here…" There were a couple of football players coming down the hall from the library. The taller, better looking of the two had called out to me. They had stopped by a locker on the right side of the hall, leaning against it. I swayed my hips over to them, knowing that I had their, and Lucius', full attention.

"Well, boys, if I weren't already attached, I'd be very interested in getting to know the bad, bad boys around here." I stood close to them, playing the flirt that they've never seen before.

"You look good, Packwood. You should come hang with us later," said the second jock. They both had their arms crossed over their chests and grins on their faces.

"Sorry, boys, but I need to go take care of something." I let my eyes slowly swivel down the hall towards Lucius, who was now standing rigid, not paying attention to Faith.

The football players followed my glance. "Oh, babe, you shouldn't be worrying about Basketball Star. He's got Blondie all chatted up. You should spend your time on guys who like dark-haired chicks with style." The first jock winked at me, playing with a piece of my hair.

I laughed loudly. "Oh, if only I could. But I really must be off. Although, just a suggestion – keep up whatever it is you're doing, because you boys are really damn fine." With a stroke of their biceps and a wink, I was off, swinging my hips down the hall. I heard them call after me in good humor, but I kept going, zeroing in on my target: my philandering betrothed.

I could see the murder in his eyes when I approached the happy little couple. "Hey Vladescu, can I have a word?" I practically purred out his name. I honestly don't know where any of this came from, but it was pretty effective. He turned to Faith, and with minimal effort he had her flouncing off with a glare over her shoulder at me.

I turned and watched as she walked down the hall, past the football players, and I waited until all three had gone from the hall, leaving us alone, before turning back to Lucius.

He had been staring, I knew, at my slightly disheveled appearance. His hand was sneakily coming towards my hips, and I leaned into him, hands on his arms, pushing him against the lockers.

"Now, Lucius, I've been hearing some very bad things about you and Miss Cross lately. That you've been seeing each other romantically." I stroked his biceps, much like I had the football players'. He was watching my face carefully as my hands slid up to his shoulders.

"Yes, well, Miss Cross is an attractive, if not exactly interesting girl." That smirk… at the moment, I was getting revenge for that damn smirk.

"You see, Lucius, I have a bit of a problem with this situation." I slammed his back against the lockers so hard there was a ringing up and down the hall from the metal striking metal. "The way I see it, I'm not allowed to become friendly with guys, then you, by God, are not allowed to be friendly with girls. You're being sexist, and frankly, a selfish bastard."

In a quick movement I was pressed against the cold metal myself, his dark eyes nearly black. But I refused to show my fear, shoving him back. "I refuse to be restricted when you don't feel the need to follow those same rules. If you screw around on me, starting now and throughout our marriage, I promise you, good luck having an heir." I spun on my heel to march back to my locker, when he grabbed my upper arm and practically threw me against the lockers again.

"You, my dear, have no say in the matter. I don't know if perhaps you've forgotten, but your parents are in my custody. You can make no demands." He leaned down, arms braced on either side of my head.

"Oh, Lucius, I very much do. As I said, if you are unfaithful, you don't deserve to get an heir from me."

He pressed our bodies together against the cold metal.

"You know that I am much stronger than you. If need be, I will not hesitate to overpower you to procreate."

I laughed darkly. "You don't know what you're dealing with, Lucius. There's such a thing as birth control, abortion -"

"Both of which you will not be allowed to go anywhere near."

"Darling, I could also cut off your manhood while you slept." Roughly shoving him away, I stalked away, throwing over my shoulder, "I'd love to see you try and stop me, love."