Valerie lurched up from her bed, a surprised gasp escaping her lips as she awoke. Her skin was damp with sweat and her heart was racing in her chest. Looking down, she realized her hand was once again slick with her own wetness.

Yet another dream about Jon had visited her in the night. Yet another set of sheets had been soiled by her unconscious fingers. Valerie groaned in frustration, falling back into the bed with her forearm resting upon her brow. She couldn't figure this out. The President cared for all her servants equally, and she was no stranger to handsome men. Finn was counted among her Peerage after all. If she desired attention from an attractive male, he was only a stone's throw away. But, he was also distant, reclusive, and kept himself emotionally isolated.

Jon was different. A perfect southern gentleman in every sense of the word, but beneath that charming exterior, the heart of a passionate beast pumped fire through his veins. He'd just as soon gobble you up as he would make you feel like no other woman existed, to say nothing of his lethality with that revolver. She wanted to corrupt him; to twist his heart and wring out every last bit of pious nobility from him. Valerie wanted to watch him fall completely from grace.

And land directly into her waiting arms.

A knock on the door caused a catch in her breath. Valerie quickly covered herself with a silk comforter before acknowledging her visitor's presence.

“Enter,” she commanded.

A younger-looking woman with short bubblegum pink hair and black highlights entered the room. “Ms. President, I'm back with the latest report.”

Valerie nodded, thankful that at least one member of her peerage had the decency to knock before entering. “Thank you, Raina. Let my Queen know we'll be discussing our next move in the chapter room.”

“Will do.” With that, she left, giving Valerie enough time to get dressed before the meeting.

--

Valerie, Raina, and Tai sat on the lavish sofas in the middle of the Occulta Disciplina chapter room. After much discussion concerning the events that had transpired over the past three months, a consensus on their next course of action was all that remained.

“So we are all in agreement then?” Valerie asked one more time.

“I believe so, Ms. President,” Tai concurred.

Raina nodded. “You really hit the nail on the head this time, Val. That bozo still doesn't realize he’s being played.”

“Must you judge him so harshly?” Tai reprimanded. “The poor boy is just lonely. Such affection could cloud even the most strong-willed of men under the isolation he has endured.”

“Psh.” Raina turned away, her frown still present. “I still think it's pathetic. Heaven’s Revolver brought down by a nice set of tits.”

“Okay, that's enough,” Valerie called for attention. “None of this matters in our present situation. We should have acted sooner, I realize that now. But the fact is we waited too long and someone else managed to get to him first.”

“His reputation as a Hunter of lesser creatures cannot be overlooked, though he’s never encountered a higher being before,” Tai observed with a clear hint of intrigue in her voice. “I’ll be fascinated to see how he rises to the occasion.”

“So what’s the plan, Val?” Raina asked.

The President bit down on her thumb thoughtfully. If they did not intervene quickly something would likely happen. But maybe that was exactly what she needed.

“We can use this,” she finally decided. “Continue to monitor him for now.”

“This is getting exciting,” Tai commented gleefully. “I can’t wait to have a new member to play with.”

“Patience, my Queen,” Valerie snickered devilishly at her. “When the time comes, I shall make the first move myself.”

With that, the meeting adjourned. The plan was risky, Valerie understood that perfectly well. But it was her best chance at claiming the object of her unmatched desire. Jonathan Hyodo would never willingly come into her fold. He'd been trained by the Church and by life itself to despise her kind; it was almost instinct.

If she was to have her Hunter, then she would have to break him first. Heaven’s Revolver had to fall. The betrayal of his former Order was a good start, but it was not enough. He had to lose all hope in anything but her. For that, he would have to be pushed to the absolute edge of what a man can survive.

And when he finally did fall, she would be right there to catch him. Soon, very soon, Jon would be coming home.

--

The campfire crackled and burned with the smell of oak and ash permeating the air. Deep in the Ozark Mountains, away from any signs of civilization, Jonathan Hyodo drew from his smoke, relaxing in the cool night breeze and gazing up at the stars.

“Anyone told you lately those things will kill you?”

His lip curled into an annoyed frown. Sitting opposite of Jon on a nearby log was Father Kyle, whose normal robes had been replaced with hiking gear. He continued to poke at their campfire fire with a stick as the two talked with each other.

“If I live long enough for these things to kill me, it will be a miracle,” Jon spoke flatly after blowing another trail of smoke into the air. 

Father Kyle gazed solemnly at him. “You seem awfully certain of that.”

Jon shrugged, fiddling with the cigarette between his fingers. “Just a pragmatist’s perspective. I have half the Underworld's freakshow parade gunning for me. That's not including all those psychotic cultists who want me dead.” He took another puff. “The fact that I made it to my seventeenth birthday at all is a miracle in itself.”

“In that, at least, we both agree. But do not be so quick to lose faith, my son. Through God, all things are possible.”

Jon didn't reply.

“But enough of that dreary talk. Come, let's begin tonight's training.” Father Kyle proceeded to pull out a large black case from behind the stump he was sitting on. Jon snubbed out the remains of his cigarette and did the same.

“If you insist,” he replied, opening his case.

They both pulled out the instruments for tonight's lesson and put them in their lap.

“Now remember what we practiced last time,” Father Kyle instructed, strumming a major chord with his pick.

“Hold on, I'm having some trouble with the B string.” Jon quickly finished tuning his guitar, strumming once to check if he did it right.

“That should do. Now let's begin where we last left off.”

“Before that, you mind explaining what exactly we're doing?”

“Beg pardon?”

“I mean...why are we out here in the Ozarks for a week? And furthermore, why even teach me how to play guitar?” Jon shrugged. “Just seems like I could be using my time more wisely.”

The Priest set his guitar down. “How do you figure?”

“I could be training right now. Or studying. Or heck, I could be on another hunt.”

“You've trained and studied quite enough,” Father Kyle insisted. “And your last hunt was a success. It's important to rest the body and mind after such a great undertaking.”

“And the guitar?”

“For dexterity,” he explained. “Your weapon of choice requires impeccable hand-eye coordination. Learning guitar is an excellent way to improve that.” He picked his guitar back up and fiddled with one of the strings. “Also, take it from me, there is nothing women find more attractive than a man who can play an instrument.”

Jon chuckled in amusement. “This coming from a Priest of all things.” He frowned softly. “Shouldn't I be more worried about Carlia?”

“You intend to slay an Elder Vampire within the next week?”

“Well...no, but the sooner the better as far as I'm concerned.”

“And what do you intend to do after she's dead?” he asked patiently.

Jon thought for a moment. “I guess...I never really considered that. Finding Carlia and killing her has been my whole reason for living up to this point.”

“Revenge is never a reason to live,” the priest lectured sternly. “Your parents wanted you to have a good life, not a vengeful one.” Father Kyle suddenly gazed up from his instrument and looked Jon in the eye. “I want that for you as well.”

Jon simply stared back at him, unsure of what to say in response.

“But enough. It's time to practice,” the Priest insisted.

Not knowing what else to do, he simply returned to his instrument and began to play.

--

Jon sat on a nearby bench on the bridge, strumming his new guitar a few times, testing to make sure he had tuned it properly. Once he was satisfied, he began to play one of his favorites, expressing the feelings he held in his heart for Miya through the gentle melody of his guitar. The slow moon rising, shining on her skin. The way her body moved him.

He played and sang through a couple of songs, decidedly happy with the instrument’s overall sound quality. He just hoped Miya liked it as much as he did. The past six months had gone by in a blur. Jon wasn't entirely sure when his life stopped being about finding a way to remove his mark and started being about her, but truth be told he didn't care. He'd never been this happy in his life. Finding a solution to his problem seemed trivial in comparison to brightening his girlfriend’s day. He'd been spending less time at the library and more time practicing his music. Any time he didn't spend with Miya he spent planning what their next date would be.

“It sounds wonderful.”

Jon turned to see a familiar redhead staring down at him, a gentle smile on her face.

“I had a good teacher,” he replied. “How've you been, Val?

“Fine, I suppose,” she took a seat next to him. “I haven't seen you in the library much lately. Done with that project you were working on?”

“Something like that,” he commented before returning to his guitar.

“How is it I never knew you played an instrument?”

He shrugged. “I dropped it for a while, but when Miya found out I used to play she insisted I pick it up again. I promised I’d try to write her something one day."

“You're a man of many talents, Jon.” Her smile faltered. “I just hope your girlfriend realizes how lucky she is.”

“Honestly, I'm the lucky one.” He quit strumming his guitar for a moment and set it down. “You know how it feels to live your whole life thinking you're gonna die alone, just for someone to come along and tell you you won’t?”

“I…” For a moment, her brow furrowed. Yet she maintained her composure and smiled pleasantly at him. “No, I can't imagine.”

At that moment his cell phone went off. Jon whipped it out of his pocket and stood up from his seat. “That's her,” he explained while slinging his guitar over his shoulder. “See you around, Val.”

She nodded. “See you around.”

He turned to leave, only making it a few steps before she stood up.

“Jon.”

He turned around. “Hmm?”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a rolled-up piece of paper. “For you.”

He took the paper and inspected it. It appeared to be some sort of flyer for her Club. In the center of the paper was a pentagram with the words 'Make Your Wish Come True' written on top.

“Uhhh, thanks? What’s it for?”

“Just in case you ever need a change of fortune,” she answered somewhat cryptically.

He gave her a weird look, but otherwise simply stuffed the paper in his jacket pocket. “Thanks, though to be honest my fortune has been pretty good lately.”

With that he turned and left, contemplating the strange paper Valerie gave him.

Make my wish come true, huh? I kinda think it already has.