Jessica chooses the path of good

The night was a blur or blood and sex. Jessica indulged in every urge, every craving. It felt good, but as she drained her last victim of the night, a moment of lucidity came to her in the frenzy. What am I doing? Why does this all feel so empty? She thought.

Jessica fled the city after nightfall, never looking back.

Several years have passed. Elizabeth never stopped searching for Jessica, enraged at the child who got away. Jessica had some close calls, but became skilled at evading Elizabeth's spies and emissaries. Jessica had to change cities every few weeks, starting from scratch each time, but she didn't mind. My existence, my rejection of her cruelty, is the ultimate victory Jessica told herself.

Jessica was proud that she had not killed since those fateful nights after meeting Mary-not once. There had been some close calls over the years, where she had gone slightly too far, but had always been able to pull back. She still fed on humans (she couldn't totally reject her nature), but never inflicted unnecessary anguish or pain on them. It was difficult at first, but she had gotten far more skilled at controlling her worst urges.

Jessica took human companions from time, but this was increasingly rare. Jessica had realized that any humans attracted to her were attracted for all the wrong reasons.

Increasingly, Jessica was alone, but she didn't mind: Her life had purpose now. Jessica spent her nights patrolling her adopted cities, looking for situations where she could help. An abusive boyfriend beating his girlfriend. A family trapped in a totaled car. An elderly man being mugged by teenagers. She viewed each act as some small penance in the cosmic accounting of her life, slowly but surely drawing down the balance of her behavior with Elizabeth and Mary.

Jessica sits on the ledge of a building, gazing at the skyline of the city. She wonders what tonight will bring.