When they grabbed him and tried to force his arms down behind his back, though, he started fighting. IntelDiv had some nasty moves picked up from combat techniques developed by a couple of decade cultures; he'd decked three of his assailants before reinforcements arrived and took him down, handcuffing him and confining him to a padded holding cell. An indeterminate, almost painfully frustrating amount of time later, he felt some relief and slumped to the padded floor; a Kin was approaching. Whoever it was stopped, perhaps at the desk, then he sensed anxiety, and the Kin started moving again. Not long after, Enna Kaufman was at the door of his cell, opening it and entering. She knelt beside him. "Jase, what's wrong?" Her nearness calmed him; Thompson breathed deeply, his tension easing. "I wish to Chaos I knew! I damnsure didn't bargain for anything like this when I wanted you to feed on me." "Neither did I, or I wouldn't have." She removed the handcuffs, then stroked the wounds on his throat; he relaxed. "I can feel what you want, Jase, but I can't do anything about it; I fed off you last night, so you have another nine days before any Kin will touch you again." "I . . . don't think I'll last another nine hours, much less nine days. Chaos, Enna, what do I have to do?" "I don't know. Prince knows, I'd help you if I could!" * * * * * The Count was having a night as restless as Thompson's. Finally, not long after he'd been put in the holding cell, she got out of bed-- carefully, so she wouldn't disturb the Donor she'd mated with--and went into her living area to call Security. "Is anything wrong?" she demanded as soon as the desk sergeant appeared on her screen. "Not really, my Lady," the desk sergeant replied. "Captain Thompson came in a few minutes ago looking for Chief Kaufman, but she's out on patrol, so I told him he could wait. But he was scratching his throat, drawing blood, and he wouldn't stop--I had to order him restrained. He's handcuffed and in the holding cell till she gets back. He's trying to climb the walls, but at least he can't hurt himself." The Count frowned. That was a peculiar reaction to an attempted Change, even to one she and Kaufman had known would be unsuccessful-- but it did explain the feeling of strain she sensed. Perhaps the attempt had had some effect after all; though it certainly hadn't made him into a Kin, he was reacting as strongly as if it had. "Call me when Chief Kaufman arrives. I want to see for myself exactly what is happening." "Yes, my Lady."