Well, apparently I maxed out the amount I could put in a single item. If you haven't already read part one, you should probably go do that now.

Standard disclaimer: This is 16+. It has fairly graphic violence and foul language and suggestive situations and blood-sucking and mature themes and confusing plot twists. You have been duly warned.

Many thanks, as always, go to MXSkai, my amazing editor of +5 awesomeness, and all the readers who have stuck with the story.  I applaud you!

Enough talking stuff!  I left you on a cliffhanger, so I guess I should go resolve that...

An edit: This is now draft #2 of chapters 18-31.  There have been some significant changes, especially in the later chapters.  Asha's reaction to Vincent has been added to chapter 21, and pretty much all of chapter 29 has been rewritten. Also, Thomas!Louis vs. Tab!Louis has been added to chapter 30, and some plot details in chapter 31 have been changed around.  Sorry about all that, but I think it flows much better now.

Things that may or may not be useful to understanding the story:

Chapter Nineteen

If you never had to read Johnny Tremain for school, it's a story set during the American Revolutionary War about a boy (named Johnny Tremain), who, at one point in the story, has boiling metal poured over his hand (accidentally).  Because his burned hand is wrapped up, it doesn't heal properly, and so the palm fuses to itself weirdly.  Contrary to what Marcus believes, slicing your hand open with a box cutter will not make it fuse together weirdly.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Kitab challenged me to include a scene with Marcus playing a ukulele.  It has been included.  Whether it stays in subsequent drafts is an entirely different matter.  (Edit: Second draft and it's already gone. Sorry.)  That said, Clay's mentor actually DOES have a back story, although I doubt that it'll ever make it into the main narrative.

Also, for anyone who's wondering, Miguel's martial arts are a fusion of capoeira and more street fighting-like styles.  He had some experience with Asian martial arts at some point in his training, but he didn't like how rigid they are.  He will get to actually fight later in the story, so you shall get to see him in all his glory.  Yay.