Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I wish I did but they won't sell.
This follows "Welcome to the Family". This will start slower than the previous story but will be a continuation. I know you will be patient with me. Thank you for reading.
By the Darkness of the New Moon.
Chapter 1
It was ten at night and there was a crowd gathered outside an older, well kept up apartment building. The yellow police tape kept them at a distance.
Beth Turner stood with her back to the building, holding her microphone and facing the camera Steve held.
"At present the police have no more information to give us on Lisa Walker's abduction. This is the second one in as many nights. Cheryl West disappeared last night from the lobby of her apartment building. The police are working under a time constraint. This is the third time in the last three months that a pair of girls disappeared on a full moon. Twice we have had two bodies reappear on the night of the new moon. There are two girls out there who have two weeks before the new moon. If you have any information please contact the Los Angeles police department at the number on the screen. This is Beth Turner for Buzz Wire." She lowered the mike and smiled at Steve. "How's that?"
"Cool and competent as ever," Steve approved. "Cops aren't giving you much to work with."
"No, I think they're baffled. This is so eerie," Beth said looking back at the building. Oh, there's Carl, I'm going to see if he has anything he can give me," she said shoving the mike at Steve and sprinting toward the police lieutenant. He saw her coming and stopped dead.
"Carl, can you tell me if the lobby security tape told you anything?" she asked eagerly.
"Beth, I told you I can't release any information. This is a sore spot with the department. Four girls are dead and now two more gone. Listen, I'm glad you've bounced back, but don't think I 'm going to give you insider tips out of sympathy," Carl tried to hold her off.
"Oh come on Carl. There has to be something you can give me. Is it one maybe or two? I know forensics has got to have given you some information. Maybe a little bit can shake the publics' memory and generate some leads," Beth cajoled.
Carl stared down at her and shook his head.
"Go home Beth. You've gotten all you can from me. I like you but I won't release classified information to the press. You'll wait like all the others." His face softened. "I'm glad you're doing better."
"Thanks Carl." Beth said warmly. Carl looked over her shoulder and saw Mick St. John leaning against his car, parked on the other side of the street.
"St. John is still around I see," he commented with just a little disapproval.
"Yes, Mick is," Beth said defensively. She knew Carl didn't dislike Mick personally. It's just Carl had had a good working relationship with Josh. She knew he wondered about Mick's involvement with Beth in the months before Josh's death. Beth refused to carry the guilt of that anymore. She loved Mick and she would not be ashamed of that. "He doesn't like me being out at night alone."
"That's probably a good idea," Carl grudgingly admitted. "Have him take you home Beth." Carl walked away.
Beth crossed the street and smiled up at Mick.
"Lt. Davis is not happy to see me around," Mick commented.
"I forget about the hearing," Beth said wrinkling her nose. "He can't help it, he worked closely with Josh."
"I'm sorry they make you feel guilty about being with me," Mick said softly, putting his arm around her shoulders.
"I don't feel guilty about being with you," she said, blue eyes sparking with temper. "I've made peace with Josh's death and how things were. I feel sad sometimes, but you are the best thing to ever have happened to me. In more ways than one," she finished with a loving smile.
Mick smiled back and leaned down to kiss her.
"If we talk about how long I've been watching you, I'll begin to feel my age," he complained. "Remember, we've agreed to stay in the here and now."
Beth nodded. They had discovered that it was easiest to concentrate on the present. The past was done and the future only caused them both pain. Mick losing any hope of a cure had wounded him deeply. Beth caught his lost look when he thought she wasn't looking. He hid it well all the rest of the time.
"So Mr. St. John, your place of mine?" Beth asked.
"I believe it's my turn," Mick grinned.
"Just so you can slip out of the freezer and startle me. That's getting old sweetheart," Beth grumbled.
"Can I help it you are so delicious I can't stay away long enough to warm up?" he chuckled as he started to kiss her neck.
"Just take me home," Beth laughed pushing him away.
"To my place, right?" Mick asked.
"Yea, your place," she gave in.
As they rode to Mick's apartment, Beth thought back on how it had been since their return from Canada. The three days or more accurately, the nights had been the stuff dreams were made of. Beth hated returning to LA and reality.
Once back though, they fell into a comfortable routine. They didn't move in together but often were together. Mick had bought the bed so it was more comfortable to spend nights at his place. That had brought about their agreement to live in the present and not speculate on the future. Beth knew how he felt about not turning her, even if it meant losing her to death. Since she wasn't completely sure she wanted to be a vampire, she found this agreement the easiest way to deal with it for now. She knew that Josef was still working on Mick, trying to get him over the disappointment of the lost cure research. She knew that he felt if Mick embraced his vampirism it would make his life easier. Beth found to her surprise that she felt Josef might be right. She didn't want him brooding the rest of his undead life. And running this through her head again only gave her a headache.
Beth laid her head back against the back of the seat and enjoyed the warm September air blow over her. She loved Mick's Benz. Mick smiled at her. This was the most content he had felt since he had been turned.
Once at Mick's apartment they rode the elevator to his penthouse. Stepping out of the elevator they found Josef about to open Mick's door.
"You know, Beth knows a cop who could arrest you for that," Mick said dryly.
Josef spun around to face them and grinned.
"You'd never do that," he said.
"Probably not," Mick agreed. "What are you doing here?"
They went into the apartment. Mick and Beth took a seat on the couch and looked expectantly at Josef. He sat on in one of the chairs near them. He looked seriously at the two of them.
"I heard from Philippe today," he said bluntly.
Both Mick and Beth came to attention.
"Is he okay?" Beth asked in concern.
"Yes," Josef said. "When he returned to France with Cynthia, Darius sent him to the far East under his brother, Raoul's watchful eye. They took care of Darius' many business interests. He is now back in France and the close watch has been lifted."
"And Cynthia?" Mick asked.
"Darius does like a pretty face," Josef said with a sigh. "He realized she only did what Coraline asked of her. Sending Philippe away for a few months was a pretty good punishment."
Beth looked at Mick with a slight smile.
"That's a good, isn't it?" she asked.
"That is," Josef said. He looked serious. "Philippe told me he interrupted a conversation between Lance and Darius. He heard Los Angeles mentioned. I'm not sure I like what that implies. I want both of you paying attention. We cannot afford to be blindsided by Darius," Josef insisted.
"If everything is okay with Philippe and Cynthia, why would Darius even care about us?" Mick asked and slipped an arm around Beth's shoulders. She nestled closer.
Josef found it interesting watching Beth and Mick interact. It was as if they were totally in tune. Words weren't necessary. It triggered memories of how he felt about Sara. A small tug of envy hit him. It had been a long time since he had shared closeness with another. He shook himself mentally, bringing himself back to Mick's question.
"I knew from the moment that Lance was brought into this that Darius would not be far away." Josef said. "I figured it was just a matter of time."
"After all the warnings about not bringing Darius down on us, you had to throw down the gauntlet." Mick said in exasperation. "Why didn't you just send him an invitation?"
"I thought that was what I did," Josef said with a shrug. "Darius all ready was watching us. It was too late. I thought he might ignore us, but I guess I'm just tired of being afraid of him. That's the problem with immortality, you enemies don't die off as fast as you may want them to and sires tend to view you as a child they can control for centuries."
"Even so Josef, he may just be curious," Beth said trying to put a good spin on it. Josef looked at her gratefully.
"Yea Blondie, he may just be that. Let's just hope the LA climate doesn't agree with him," Josef answered.
End chapter.
Okay, I'm greedy; I need reviews to feed my ego. lol I love my readers and I hope I haven't let you down. I promise this will pick up after the ground work is laid. So thumbs up or down. Please be kind.
