I took Neo to meet my father the next morning. Just as I hoped, it went perfectly. Jason had already told him everything we'd learned, and my father had agreed that Neo would do for a short trip. So we could go, right after lunch (my father insisted that Neo stay for lunch).

I'd never been to the Old Quarter before, not even with my father. I found that, despite my conviction that I'd be willing to risk my life for my research, I couldn't help but be afraid of the place. It was dirty, and it seemed to get darker as we entered, even though I knew it hadn't. I heard Neo chuckle slightly, and I felt my face grown warn with embarrassment. He surely didn't think very much of me, getting scared after everything I'd said the day before.

What bothered me the most was the number of weres on the streets. There were countless half breeds, normally rare since most true humans know better than to sleep with a were. The full weres were harder to spot, the slight twitches of their near-invisible whiskers being much less obvious than the ears and tail of a half breed. Still, I saw far too many of them. And there were transformed weres, walking around as giant cats as if they were just as good as the true humans all around them.

It disgusted me. I felt uncomfortable, surrounded by so many of those creatures. So I stayed close by Neo's side and told him I wanted to go faster.

"What?" he asked, in an ever so slightly mocking tone. "Are you scared? I thought you were willing to do anything for this book..."

"I am!" I shot back. "But I don't like this place. It's disgusting, and I want to be out as soon as possible.

"Your rich girl life must be more different than I though it was," he commented. "It isn't so bad in this part, you know. Now, once you get farther in, where the dumpsters hold bodies more often than trash... That's when it gets bad. But don't worry, I'm here to keep you safe, and we're not going that far in."

"Good," I said. I was careful not to let him see just how relieved I was. I didn't want him thinking he was better than me.

The junk store was nearby, for which I was highly grateful. The person behind the counter wasn't one of the owners, but when she called one of them to the front I could tell he was surprised to see me there. He obviously hadn't expected me to follow them.

The negotiations went quickly. He finally admitted to having the book and sold it to me when I offered him more money than most people would pay for a house. It still wasn't the book's full value, but he didn't know that. And what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, or my wallet.

"So what is this book you were so insistent on getting?" Neo asked me as we walked back through the streets of the Old Quarter.

"Why do you care?' I asked. "It's not like you'll appreciate it."

"That doesn't mean I'm no curious as to why you dragged me out here," he shot back. "I just want to know what you think is so important."

He had a point. Sure, I was paying him money just to guard me, but if he wanted to know what the book was it wouldn't hurt to tell him. I opened my mouth to tell him, but before I could start speaking he clapped his hand over my mouth and hissed for me to be quiet. His attitude had changed completely, and he was now acting like he was on the hunt.

"Shhh," he said. "I think there's someone following us." I shut up...he sounded much more serious than I was comfortable with. As he looked around us a group of men stepped out from an alley to our right. They were led by one of the owners of the junk shop, and all of them had either a nasty looking knife or a blunt object.

"Hey girl," the leader said. "I know we sold you that book and all, but we've changed our minds. So, if you don't mind handing it over, no one will get hurt."

"I paid good money for this book!" I exclaimed angrily, pulling out from Neo's grasp. "If you didn't want to sell it to me in the first place, then you should have just said no!"

"Is that a no?" he asked, slapping his heavy stick against his palm in a threatening fashion. I nodded, but I was starting to feel more than a little outclassed. Behind me, Neo made an exasperated sound.

"Get out of the way girl," Neo said, stepping around between the men and me and pushing me backward. "Try to stay back, and I'll deal with these idiots. Whatever you do, just stay out of the way. Got it?"

I nodded, backing out of the way, and he set to earning the money we were paying him. I know I said earlier that I thought he could handle his job of guarding me, but to be honest I wasn't sure of that before then. He just wasn't that big, and seeing a groups of almost ten men against just him I thought he was going to be down right away, and I was going to lose the book.

I was very, very wrong though. He was just a black blur as he went among the men. Where he moved, they fell shortly after. I couldn't do anything but stare, as did most of the men who were still standing after the first few went down. After the fourth man went down the rest ran, leaving just the leader with his stick.

Neo stopped in front of him, smoothing down his coat absently. I noticed that he hadn't even moved enough to get his sunglasses or hat knocked off, and I believe the leader noticed it too, because he looked scared.

"Are you so sure you want that book?" Neo asked, his voice almost a growl. The leader's face turned white, and a few seconds later he was gone, just like the rest of his thugs.

"I thought so," Neo commented. He looked content as he turned back to me. "Now, what was this book?" Just like that, as if he hadn't just taken down four men and made the rest flee in terror, he went back to what we'd been discussing before.

"Oh," I said. "It's the journal written by the founder of the Hunters. It details how he started the organization, and the steps he took to make sure it would function after his death." His jaw dropped.

"You mean you dragged me out here for that piece of filth?" he asked, and I heard venom in his voice. He was glaring at me, I think. I couldn't tell because of the sunglasses.

"It's an invaluable source for research on the Hunters," I squeaked. I wanted to back away from him, but I didn't.

"Sure," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Start walking."

We walked in uneasy silence back to the edge of the Old Quarter. He practically radiated a sense of anger and danger the whole time, so people moved out of the way to let us through. Once out, he stopped short.

"There, I've done what you paid me to do," he said tightly. "I hope you know the way back to your home, because you're on your own now. Tell Mr. Melling I'll be by to get my money tomorrow."

"Wait, but..." I started to say, but he was already walking off.

I looked around. It was starting to get dark, and I wasn't completely out of the bad area, though I was out of the Old Quarter. A half breed not too much older than I was winked at me and licked his lips suggestively. I shuddered. A woman a little farther down the street did much the same, looking me up and down. She was human, I think, but it still caused me to shudder again, and I ran.

I didn't stop until the streets were clean again and I recognized the area. Then, I caught a cab home. I tried to focus on the excitement that I was finally going to get to read the book in its original language instead of the fear I'd felt after Neo left. It wasn't working.

My father was gone when I got back, so I called Mel. She listened to the story, and then we talked. Finally, right around when she had to go get ready for a date, I managed to calm down. Then, I lost myself in the book.