A/N: Hello loves. It's been so many months since I last updated this story and I can never promise that I'll update regularly anymore. Things are rough for me lately and I'm trying to get back into writing slowly. For now, I give you what updates I can, when I can. Please enjoy.

OOOOOOOOOO

Jessi walked out of her room, running a hand through her hair and headed down the hall the next evening still feeling good from the evening before. She made it as far as the living room before the good feelings were smothered by the smell of Phil and Erik's joints and coughed. They always got the worst kind, that stupid cheap shit even though they could at least afford to get better. The blonde lifted her dark eyes to them and narrowed them into slits as she realized that they were stoned and still checking her out.

Like they would ever stand a chance, Jessi thought, rolling her eyes as she moved for her jacket.

"Someone looks especially hot tonight," Lester commented from his perch on the chair next to where her jacket had been unceremoniously tossed when she had come home. "Any particular reason, Jessi?"

"Fuck off, Lester," Jessi said, reaching for her jacket.

"Only if you're in the mood to do the same," Lester shot back, watching her every move. "I could show you a thing or two."

"Not interested."

"You haven't even given me a chance…live a little," Lester purred, his voice almost hypnotic. "You know you wanna."

Jessi stared at him with a blank expression on his face and saw the yellow tint in his eyes. The one that always reminded her of the danger that she and Jack were in when they moved in with Lester and the other bandmates. They needed to get out and get out fast, but money was tight and finding a new place was hard.

"Lester, enough, man," Jack said, coming into the room, dressed for the night. "You promised none of that supernatural shit on either of us. And I really fucking hate it when you talk to her like that."

Lester smirked at Jack. "I was only playing with the little princess." His dark eyes flitted back onto Jessi as she pulled her hair out of the collar of her jacket. "I smelled another man on your last night. Did you have company for once?"

"I hung out with a guy, but that's none of your business, Lester." Jessi crossed her arms. "He's just some guy that likes to bother me and we didn't do anything. But again, none of your fucking business."

Phil and Erik laughed. Jessi moved closer to Jack and pressed her hand against his arm. She would have said something to him, but she didn't want to speak with the creeps in the house. Her eyes swept the room once more.

"I'm heading out," she announced. "Have fun at the concert. Or whatever. Knock 'em out, Jack."

"Did you pack lunch?" Jack asked, looking down at her.

"I'll get something at the boardwalk," Jessi told him. She shoved a hand in her pocket and headed towards the door. "Bye."

As she stepped out into the night, Jessi took a deep breath and let it out in a low curse. She hated leaving Jack with those losers. She hated being with those creeps, but leaving her brother with them felt like she was abandoning him to be slaughtered. She never knew if she would see him again when she walked out of the house for the night.

God, keep him safe, she thought to the Cosmos before heading down the street in the direction of the distant boardwalk.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Paul danced around the entrance to the boardwalk where his family were parked and sang a song under his breath as he polished off a joint. Faith was humming under her breath and leaning against David, her hand stroking the back of David's neck absently while she looked out into the distance, clearly not paying attention to anything that David was saying to the group. Not that Paul was paying as much attention as he should either. His thoughts kept roaming around to Jessi and wondering what was up with his Sister and where he was going to score his next load of weed. He glanced over at Iona and saw her watching Faith, her hand tight on Dwayne's hand.

Dude, she's going to break your hand if she keeps that up, Paul thought with a mental laugh in the direction of his dark-haired brother.

I've got this covered…You should pay attention to your surroundings. That's what David is so concerned about. He knows there are other vampires around tonight because Max lifted his territory boundaries tonight to give the Masters a chance to talk to him. The others are just scoping out the territory for them. And Faith…

We got her back. No problem. Paul nodded his wild blond head and tuned his brother out.

His eyes turned back to Faith as he dropped his joint's butt and she shifted her shoulders. Paul knew that she was getting anxious to move away from the entrance to the boardwalk where they were out in the open and was probably holding her tongue – both physical and mental – with David to keep from telling people about it. Paul decided that it was time.

"Let's get moving," Paul said, clapping his hands together. "I don't know about you, but I want to get things done tonight. Party the night away! Woo!"

David looked annoyed while Faith looked mildly relieved. She mouthed "thank you" to him and proceeded to pull David onto the main boardwalk like Paul's words had sealed the decision. The others followed at their own pace. Marko glanced at Paul before leaving and elbowed him.

"Go get 'em, Tiger," he laughed before bouncing away.

Paul laughed and moved through the crowd. He bumped purposefully into a few people and took their wallets, looting them for whatever he wanted. A snort passed through his lips when he found a condom in one of them that he doubted would fit on the guy that he took it from. He tossed it over his shoulder and continued on his way. A vampire to his right caught his attention and Paul grabbed him by his arm.

"Hey buddy," he said, putting a dark look on his face. "Remember the rules. Hands off of the red princess. Hands off the gypsy. How about this? Hands off everything pretty here?" He laughed. "That means no touchy anything including us. Got it?"

The vampire sneered. "You don't scare me."

"That's because you haven't seen me angry yet," Paul told him with a broad smile. "But trust me, you don't want to see any of us angry. So fuck off and be a good leech."

Paul let the vampire go and moved on, knowing exactly where he was going for the night. He just hoped that he wouldn't have to protect his Sisters tonight.

OOOOOOOOO

Jessi moved around the record shop, putting new records into place and tried to ignore Toni talking about inventory and other employees, records and management details. She didn't care about that stuff really unless it seriously affected her job and then she did something about it. Toni leaned over the counter next to the register that he was manning in her stead for the moment.

"So, business aside," he began with a grin. "How was that date with Paul?"

Jessi shook her head. "It wasn't really a date considering we're not dating."

"Sounded like he asked you out, Jessi."

"He kidnapped me and you just let him, Toni. That's not a very good boss like quality of yours." She dropped her empty box next to the counter and glared at him. "You can't just let random customers kidnap your employees because you think they need a night of fun."

"I think he's a good match for you," Toni admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "He looks rather like a rockstar –"

"He looks like he's up to no good and hasn't grown up since he was a kid," Jessi countered.

"So he's fun," Toni lifted an eyebrow. "You could use some fun in your life. Someone to lift you up and make you smile again. Ever since you moved, you haven't been smiling as much."

Jessi stared at him. "You're nosy."

"I'm observant. As a good boss should be. What's been going on, Jessi? What took that smile away? Is there something I should know about? Something that I can help with?"

Only if you know a way to get rid of three bodies that can't be killed…Jessi thought bitterly before shaking her head. "Nope, just roommates not clicking well with me. They click better with Jack, but hey, they're his bandmates and male. You men are weird." She shrugged. "I guess live and learn."

Toni didn't look like he quite believed her, but what could Jessi tell him? That her brother's bandmates were part of something much worse than humanity and that they were constantly offering her something that she didn't want any part in? That she wanted out of that house and far from Santa Carla so she could be sane and safe with her brother? All of it would raise a few eyebrows and red flags and get her sent to the loony bin for sure.

It's best to keep silent about it until we have an escape plan in place, Jessi told herself, moving around the front of the counter to look her boss in the eye. Who knows what Lester and the others are capable of if they think their secret is threatened? Who am I kidding? I know exactly what they're capable of…

"Toni, look, I'm fine. I've just hit a rough spot. I need to do some relaxing in my shower more and try to I don't know, write more songs. Play my guitar. Find my inner peace. I'll get back to smiling, but that doesn't mean you get me kidnapped."

"Even if I pay you for the time?" Toni asked.

"No pay for the time," Jessi said, shaking her head. "I don't get kidnapped again."

"Who says you don't get kidnapped again, Beautiful?" Paul's voice floated to her ears as the bell over the door sounded and the wild blond skipped into the store.

Jessi grew warm at the nickname that he'd given her, but put her head down on her arms on the counter with a sigh. "Paul…"

"Toni, Toni, Toni," Paul sang, bounding over and bouncing on his toes. "Can I kidnap her again? Can I? Can I?"

Jessi lifted her head from her arms and glared at him. "Don't you have brothers or something to bug? Can't you hang out with them?"

Paul put his tongue in his cheek. "They're not as fun to bother as you."

"Oh joy," Jessi jerked her thumb in his direction as she looked at her boss. "See the shit I deal with?"

Toni reached under the counter and grabbed her jacket, tossing it to her. "Make sure she gets home at a reasonable time, Paul. Jack will eat my head for breakfast if she doesn't get her beauty sleep."

Jessi stared at her boss in surprise as she held her jacket against her chest. She turned to Paul. "You see the fucking shit I put up with?"

Paul smirked and crooked his finger at her. "Come play with old Paul, Beautiful," he crooned, backing up slowly towards the door. "We've got another night together."

Jessi groaned and slid her jacket on as she followed the Lost Boy out of the record shop. She didn't want to admit, she was excited to see what this wild blond had in store for her tonight. And to him, she never would.

OOOOOOOOOO

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this little bit that I could give you. I'm slowly easing myself back into working on my longer stories. I've only been working on one-shots lately and I feel bad for abandoning these ones. Please leave a comment if you would like to. Thank you and have a wonderful evening. -Scarlet