10 Things and a Chat with Jalmari

The computer screen casts a dim glow on J.D.'s head. Her face is just visible under the pile of post-it notes. Deep, slow breaths claim the air as a trickle of saliva runs across the wood and dampens the ends of her hair. Jalmari phases into the room and glances at J.D. A sigh ensues before he phases back into the hall, then barges in, banging the door against the wall.

J.D. jolts upright then glances around the room in confusion for a few moments before she realizes she has company. "Oh, hey, Jalmari. Can I help you?"

"Yes. We need to talk."

JD puzzles the damp knot of hair stuck to the side of her face and goes to work trying to brush it out with her fingers. "You guys have a post due for the Character Cafe, don't forget."

Jalmari frowns. "Have one of the others do it."

A coy smile inches across J.D.'s face. "You're already here. The topic is '10 Favorite Things'." She waves at the computer while standing, then disappears into the adjacent bathroom. She enters the room again in an instant with a hairbrush and makes a constipated-looking face as she forces the brush through the snarled hair.

"If I do the post, can we talk about something serious?"

"Mm? Yeah, sure."

Jalmari narrows his eyes, giving J.D. his "I-mean-business look", but J.D. is oblivious and continues to work on her hair. With a sigh, he seats himself at her desk and types.

10 Favorite Things
by Jalmari ta Korento

1. Blood
2. Sex
3. Flying
4. Speed
5. Being the leader of my clan
6. Having an author around to write my biography
7. Which
8. She

9. Is not
10. Doing.

Jalmari hits "save" then leans back in the chair. "Blog post complete."

J.D. frowns, sets down the brush despite several locks of hair still being stuck together in one gooey chunk, and goes to look over Jalmari's shoulder. "Hey, you wrote that in chapter four of my WIP!"

"At least you have something in chapter four now."

J.D. narrows her eyes at Jalmari. "Let me guess, this 'serious talk' you want to have is about me not working on Dark Liaison, isn't it?"

Jalmari pivots the chair to face J.D. and crosses his arms. "Yes."

J.D. rolls her eyes. "Well it's not my fault! Jesu and Ema don't delegate the story like you do, and D.L. doesn't focus on you as much as the first book did, so you're S.O.L."

"But the third book does focus on me. I want that third book, J.D." Jalmari points a finger at a picture frame hanging in the center of the far wall. "You got that contract you so desperately wanted. You have a deadline now."

J.D. groans. "I know, I know."

"You made a commitment to yourself and to everyone, just like I made a commitment to my clan."

J.D. inhales a sharp breath and opens her mouth to speak--

"Do not even think about getting on the subject of the Council and me going A.W.O.L," he warns. "That is a completely different and justified condition."

J.D. exhales. "Oh sure, completely justified." She rolls her eyes.

"I'm going to send my brother and the girl in now. I expect to see some progress before you retire for the night."

A dead-pan stare crosses J.D.'s face then turns into a pout. "Fine, but have Ema make me a cup of coffee first. She's the only one that remembers not to mix blood into my drinks."

Jalmari nods then leaves the room. J.D. quickly shuts the door then flings herself onto the bed and buries under the blankets. A soft snore fills the room in no time.