Welcome to the first chapter of a new tale with our gang. We left off last with a shock for one couple, a mystery caller and shut down female vamp ex, a nosy reporter digging into Josef, Mick and Beth taking some time with Kayla, and Danielle working on something that may prove valuable. Thank you all for sticking with me, I truly love to write these stories and I may take some time between chapters due to real life work and such but I will always come back to my story. I have so many ideas I will be writing for a while. Hope you enjoy and as always please remember comments are the food to the muses soul.

Illusions of the Past

Chapter 1: New Beginning

Mick walked up behind Beth as she fixed her hair in the mirror and kissed her cheek, "You look beautiful."

Beth turned towards him wrapping her arms around his neck, "Thank you Mick. It looks like I'll be there on time too."

Mick snorted, "Only because you had more will power than me." He had tried to have another round of love making but Beth had plans with the girls and had resisted promising him a rain check. Candice had called to arrange the whole thing the day before, saying they were all needed and even Allie would be coming. All Beth knew was that Seth was supposed to have been turned on Sunday but she had gotten a call from Candice Monday setting up this lunch, clearly indicating she hadn't done it…new turns are a handful.

Beth kissed his lips softly letting her tongue trace his lips before he let her in and deepened the kiss. When they broke apart both were moaning, "My control isn't that strong Mick."

Grinning against her lips he kissed her once more and stepped back, "Then you should finish getting ready. The sooner you go the sooner you come home and I can have you to myself. I have a rain check to cash in."

Giving him that 'you bet your ass' look she turned and headed for the closet to get dressed. From the closet she called to him, "Mick?"

"Change your mind about going?"

She laughed as she pulled on her blouse, "No. I was wondering has Josef mentioned anything to you about what he has Danielle working on?"

Mick stuck his head in the closet door, "Not that I recall why?"

Beth shrugged, "When I stopped by last time she had vampire security guards and I wasn't allowed inside only directed to her office. It wasn't like that before. Why does she need guards? And the place reeked of vampires, more than just a few security…it was a different smell I can't place."

Mick's brow furrowed, "What did she say she was working on?"

"She wouldn't. She said Josef wanted it kept under wraps and that she respected his wishes."

"So now you have to know?"

Beth finished buttoning her jeans and turned to him, "She's my friend…I'm concerned for her."

Mick raised one brow as he looked down at her, "And it has nothing to do with your ingrained desire to know what is going on."

Rolling her eyes at him she sighed, "Maybe a little of both, but come on Mick tell me that doesn't sound strange to you. Why would Josef want us kept out of the loop?"

"Is this your way of asking for my help?"

"Maybe…" she moved towards him taking his hands in hers and pulling them together between them. "Come on Mick you know you love to help me."

Chuckling in defeat he leaned forward and captured her lips briefly, "You win I'll talk to Josef see what I can dig up."

Smiling happily Beth kissed him once more before stepping back and out of the closet, "Thanks Mick. I'm going to meet the girls at the loft; I'll call when I'm finished. Don't forget its Tuesday Kayla has dance class after school and it's your turn to take them."

Seth watched Allie as she got ready to leave; she had been invited to lunch with the girls by his sister. He knew his sister was trying to be nice and invite her after what he had told her. His sister had been as shocked as Allie, she had even held off on the 'I told you so' speech. She had done the research and found that of the two types of paternity testing the earliest can't be done until at least the tenth week. He had called Rachel with Allie to ask her about the testing, hoping she would agree to the earliest option, provided she was healthy enough of course he never would put a mother or her child at risk but he wanted to know. Rachel had agreed to get the soonest test, but according to her doctor she was only 6 weeks or so along, leaving them at least a month to wait before the test.

Since the news just over a day ago Seth noticed Allie seemed to become distant. They had made love yes and they were there in the moment connected but there was a sadness about her that she wouldn't talk about. After everything he had just put on her he knew it was a lot and he didn't want to push her into opening up. For now he would just offer support and make sure she knew he loved her and he was very sorry for this.

As she walked into the living room she reached for her purse and phone, "I'm off. I'll see you later," she said as she headed for the door.

"Allie wait a second," Seth came to her side his hands going up and down her arms.

"I'm going to be late Seth."

"They'll get over it. I just wanted to give you a kiss," he leaned in and kissed her lips. She returned the kiss but still he felt it, the walls she was putting up to protect herself. "I love you Allie. You're mine and I'm yours always and for eternity right?"

She smiled against his lips and kissed him again, "I love you Seth. I always will. Now I have to go, this is the first time I've been invited and I don't want to show up late."

He hadn't missed the wording when she said she loved him. She needed to go and he needed to find a way to make her open up, "Have a good time. I'll see you tonight."

Allie headed for the door ready to meet the girls knowing Danielle had invited her as a way to help make her feel better. Maybe even hoping that being part of the inner group would keep her from doing something stupid and considering her options it wouldn't be such a bad thing to get the others take on it. She knew she didn't like any of the options but at least this way it wasn't only her emotions making the decision, she would think it out rationally as well.

To Be Continued…

Evilous