The vampire gentlemen's club
Mick and Josef are sitting in comfortable leather sofa's, a glass of bourbon laced blood in one hand, cigar in the other. Mick is looking pensive, Josef decides it's time to throw it out in the open.
"Have you ever seen your sister vamp out?"
"No, I haven't. But then again, I've not seen her in a situation that would require it either."
"Look I know you don't want to hear this, but there's something strange about her, it's almost like she's not really one of us."
"Yeah I know. But whatever it is, she's still my sister Josef." He takes another sip of his glass, savouring the taste before sighing deeply.
"I know that, I'm not saying that it's something that will endanger all of us, but you know, I want to know what it is."
Mick puts down his glass on the table in front of them and the cigar in the ashtray. He's annoyed now. "Don't you think I want to know what the big secret is that she's hiding? I do, I really do Josef, but I don't want to push her either. She'll tell me when she's ready for it."
"Look Mick, chill, I'm not saying she's public enemy number one, I'm just pointing out that she's rather bizarre."
"I got it the first time 'round you know!"
"What do you know of her time in Versailles?"
As soon as Josef speaks the words, the hesitation in his voice, Mick knows he's going to hate what is going to follow.
"Not much, I know she lived with Lance, that he treated her as if she were his childe. She gets along with every Duvall with the exception of Coraline."
"Did you ever tell you anything about her grandsire?"
"No, and from how Lance seems to worship him and Coraline fear him I don't think I want to know." Mick tries to put enough determination in his voice to shut Josef up, and he hopes to god that this time it's working.
"Finally you're smartening up."
"Why, what's the story?"
Mick voice-over
I hate it when he does that, he always manages to trick me in taking the bait, even when I really don't want to know what's going on!
Josef sighs, realising well that if he doesn't talk, Mick will start looking for it eventually anyway. "It took me a while and cashing in quite a few favors to find this out. Cédric Duvall is the inventor of the mortal cure. Not only that, he fabricated it back in the middle ages. He's the biological father of all 7 Duvall siblings."
Mick's jaw drops. "He turned his own children."
"Yes. And it doesn't end there. He's one of the most ruthless vamps around, and one of the oldest. He's over 700 years old. And he's an oracle."
"A what?" Mick frowns.
"An oracle. Only one vampire in about a thousand is one. They have the power of clairvoyance and through acting on their visions, they can alter faith. They are far more potent than other vampires, their powers develop faster, and their genetics are advanced so their healing is far more accelerated. They're easy to recognise, their eyes are jet black. Those they turn aren't automatically oracles, but their bloodline does get certain advantages. Which explains for the instant healing of fire damage you saw Lance pull."
Mick is dumbfounded and reaches out to grab his coat.
"Where are you going?" Josef sounds worried.
"To Beth's."
And with those words he leaves, leaving his best friend behind with alcohol and cigars on his own.
Mick voice-over
"I really hope that Ophelia's secret isn't something dark and horrid. If she turns out to be an oracle I can deal with that, but her being like Lance or her grandsire is another matter entirely, those guys are monsters…"
Beth's apartment
We love this exaltation (woh oh, o-o-oh)
We want the new temptations (woh oh, o-o-o-oh)
It's like a revelation (woh oh, o-o-oh)
We live on fascination.
Passion,
is our passion,
in the moonlight,
on a joyride
She's cooking when there's a knock on her door, smiling she walks over to it and pulls it wide open, hugging Mick who's standing there, weekend bag over his shoulder and kissing him passionately.
He grins, momentarily forgetting his worries.
"Careful, or you'll let your cooking burn." He teases her, knowing full well she'll have her revenge sooner or later but he doesn't care, all he cares about is her.
"Then I can just order in." She grins and kisses him again, pulling him inside the flat.
He grins and purposely wanders into the kitchen to occupy himself with dinner, knowing full well Beth will chase him out. This time is no different.
"You! Out of my kitchen!" She teasingly hits him with a kitchen towel until he, laughing and grinning, retreats to the sofa to watch TV while Beth cooks. Settling on an werewolf movie he waits for her to flop next to him with her evening meal.
"Blood and chocolate, I love this movie, it's so bittersweet."
"You shouldn't talk while eating you know, it'll all get cold." His voice is teasing.
"Speaking of cold, there's A positive for you in the fridge."
"Really?"
"Yes really. I got some at Guillermo's, he was very confused initially."
"You're a star you know that?" He kisses her on the cheek and gets up, getting his own dinner and returning to the sofa with a large mug filled with human blood.
As soon as Beth has finished the dishes disappear in the sink, and she pulls Mick close to her in the sofa.
"I love you, do you realise that Mick St-John."
"I love you too Beth, I'm so happy and lucky to have you in my life."
He looks into her eyes for a moment before kissing her passionately.
Mick's apartment, in the early am
Gentle? I think that you're mistaken
Delicate? I went through that phase
Tender? Want me to say I love you?
Love? I heard it's all the rage
Ophelia opens the door, pulling Ben in with her.
"Why can't we go to my place?"
"Because at some point, I'll need to regulate my body temperature, and you don't have an industrial freezer."
"You sleep in a freezer?" he looks like he doesn't believe a word she's saying.
"Yeah I've got one in my room, next to the bed. Just like my brother has one in his room."
"Speaking of Mick, somehow I doubt he'll be pleased to find out about us."
"He's at Beth's and the way those two go at it once they start, I'm not expecting him back before noon on Sunday."
"That really was too much information."
She turns on the music and pulls him in the sofa with her, kissing him passionately to shut him up.
Gentle? I think that you're mistaken
Delicate? I went through that phase
Tender? Want me to say I love you?
Love? I heard it's all the rage
It works because he returns the kisses, sliding his hand under her top to stroke her skin while she strokes her fingers through his hair. They're so wrapped up in each other that they don't hear the front door opening, the sound of Beth bursting out in laughter startling them and breaking the kiss.
"Oh gods, this I really did NOT have to walk in on!" Mick sounds annoyed.
Ophelia looks at Ben, who is rapidly turning red "at least now we don't have to tell him about us anymore."
"And how long, exactly, has this been going on?" Mick asks, annoyance apparent in his voice. Beth puts a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.
"A week now. Look don't worry, we'll just go upstairs to my room. Besides, you have no right to grouch, you were supposed to spend the weekend at Beth's!"
"That doesn't mean I can't change my mind, and it doesn't give you the right to make out on my couch."
"Fine, we'll just go and fornicate in my bed then." She retorts, matter of factly, pushing Ben out in front of her in the direction of the stairs. He turns around, still taken aback by the entire situation, shrugging and throwing his hands up in the air apologetically before being taken by the arm and dragged up the stairs by Ophelia.
Mick is speechless, staring at them going, turning at Beth, who is still laughing.
"It's not funny!"
"Oh come on Mick it is, you've just acted like her father rather than her brother."
"She was making out with Talbot, with the clear intent of going further! With _Talbot_. Who is your boss by the way."
Beth is clearly failing to see what's so bad about that particular situation. "Mick, see it this way, it could be worse."
"I don't see how!"
"She could have been dating Logan."
Finally he sees the humour of it all and laughs, pulling Beth near for a passionate kiss and pulling her into the sofa with him.
Ophelia's room
Ben is sleeping in the bed, peacefully. In the freezer next to it, Ophelia is tossing and turning, dreaming of monsters and horrible things.
"In nomine, spiritus sancti. In the name of the lord I cast you out demon. In the name of the Lord I send you back to hell!" The priest is shouting, waving around a crucifix. There's fire burning around them and it feels like they're in hell already.
The vampire is snarling, eyes blazing blue and fangs barred. The priest raises a sword and in one fell swoop the head rolls away. Long brown hair, it comes to a halt against an althar. She's looking straight into Simone's open and dead eyes.
The scream goes through marrow and bone, waking up not only Ben but also Beth and Mick, who wake up with a shock, look at each other and then get out of bed to storm into the room to find Ophelia shivering in Ben's arms.
"What is going on here?" Mick sounds concerned.
"Ophelia had a nightmare." Ben has goose bumps over his arms from the coldness of her skin, still frost covered from the freezer but he's not even considering letting her go.
Beth sits down on the bed next to them, stroking Ophelia hair, the girl is sobbing quietly. "It's ok honny, it was just a dream."
"No, no it wasn't. Someone is going to die, one of us."
"Ophelia, it's just a bad dream, go back to sleep." Mick stifles a yawn behind his hand, already half turned to go back to bed.
"No its NOT, I know it's not, it never is." She's angry now, her eyes turning jet black and her skin going milk white, she doesn't look like a corpse, just a paler version of herself. Ben tries to hide her vamping by puling her closer but Beth notices.
"Ophelia, your eyes…"
Curious, Mick goes to sit on the bed next to his sister, taking her by the shoulders and turning her towards him. She looks him in the eye whilst hers turn to their natural shade of grey again and her skin turns to it's normal colour.
"You're an oracle aren't you?"
"Yes…"
"What does that mean?" Beth sounds worried.
"It means she not only sees the future, but she can control it to some degree." Mick explains to his girlfriend.
"That's not entirely true… I can see all times, but I can't always intervene. And it's an involuntary power, not one I can control." Her voice is quiet, as if she would rather not talk about this anymore, and she gets out of her brother's hold and retreats back into the safety of Ben's arms. He presses a tender kiss on top of her head.
"Are you like your grandsire?" Mick sounds hesitant, as if he's afraid of the answer.
"I'm an oracle like him, but I am not like him no, I'm not a monster."
"That's all I need to know. Now go back to bed, we'll talk about this in the morning…"
He gets up again, taking Beth by the hand. She turns in the door opening "night…"
Before pulling the door close.
Ophelia watches them go, her eyes turning jet black again. "He doesn't understand, and I don't want to have to move back to France because of this. Because of what I am…"
"Sometimes Lia, you don't give him enough credit… and you need to accept what you are, you can't go on hating yourself."
"I don't hate myself Ben, I just hate being an oracle... I love you though." She adds the last part shyly.
He smiles, reaching over to kiss her softly "I love you too… You know, maybe I should just move to France with you, then your brother can't throw a strop about you dating a werewolf. I'm sure I can get a job there once I learn the language."
She laughs, kissing him again and reaching out to pull the covers over them.
The next morning, Mick's apartment
Beth is buttering a croissant, while Mick is drinking blood from a mug, they're both reading a part of the paper, the news is on tv in the background.
Ophelia is coming down the stairs, Ben right behind her. Beth smiles at them both. Mick just nods, obviously unsure on how to react to having Ben at the breakfast table.
Knowing better he asks the question anyway. "So Ben, how long have you known about vampires?"
"I've known about what you are since that entire business with Anders Mick, I saw him vamp out that day."
"And you didn't say anything about it? What was the plan, using us as tools in solving your cases while you stay safe from supernatural harm? No more repeat experiences from that kidnapping?"
"And what was I supposed to do? Walk up to you and say: hey Mick, what's it like being a vampire?"
"Did you for a second stop and wonder why Anders took him as well as Beth?"
"Ophelia, you're not helping darling." Ben interrupts her.
Mick puts his mug down and Beth reaches out, her hand on his in case he's about to loose the plot.
Ophelia sits down on a chair next to her brother's and looks him in the eye. "Look, we're different, but we've always been haven't we?"
"Yeah, but this isn't about us anymore, or you being an oracle. I want to know what's up with your boyfriend over there. I want to know why Anders took him. I want to know what other secrets you've been keeping Ophelia."
Ben sighs, resignedly. "I'm a werewolf. Anders took me for the same reason he took Beth, my blood."
Beth, who had just decided to continue her breakfast through all of it, intent on not interfering on the family affair, drops the croissant on her plate and gapes at Ben with open mouth. Mick is sitting there completely speechless for a moment, jaw dropping, before regaining his composure.
"You're a WEREWOLF?" He looks at Ophelia. "And you knew this? Have you got any idea of the implications of sharing your bed with a werewolf? How the community will react?"
She stands, taking a few steps back 'till she stands next to Ben. "It was my choice to make and I stand by it Mick. Whether you like it or not. And the community will be fine with it, werewolves aren't on our list of enemies you know! It's just you who can't wrap his head around it!"
"Wow, what have I walked in on?"
Josef is standing in the room, through all the screaming and shouting no one heard him letting himself in. He walks a few slow circles around Ben, who follows Josef with his eyes every second. "A werewolf huh, I always thought there was something strange about you. It's that unnerving stare. Yes, that one right there. Makes you kindda creepy my friend, you might want to do something about that. Of course when it comes to creepy, your girlfriend here wins first prize." He winks at Ophelia cheerfully.
Sitting down on a chair he pours himself a glass of blood from the jug on the table and takes a sip. "Well I've come to lighten the mood. I'm throwing a party coming Saturday, well Simone and I are, and you're all invited. And that includes you too wolfboy."
"He's a frigging werewolf and you're inviting him into your home?"
"Mick! Don't be such a racist! We co-exist with werewolves just as well as with humans, we just meet less of them! So, 8pm sharp next Saturday. And think of this way, it could all have been worse. Ophelia could have been dating one of the computer geeks. Imagine her coming home with Ryder or Logan. Logan probably shouts things like "Leeroy Jenkins" while doing the two backed beast!"
Downing the rest of his glass he stands and walks out, turning around one more time grinning boyishly. "Wait 'till I tell Simone about all of this."
"Come-on Ben, let's go too, I don't want to be here right now." Ophelia takes her boyfriend by the hand.
Mick watches them leave, refusing to look back when he hears the door being slammed shut.
"Are you happy now?" Beth asks, looking at Mick pointedly.
"No I'm not happy, you know what would make me happy? To see her with someone else than Talbot!"
"Why? Because he's not a vampire?"
"No that has nothing to do with it, how can you even say that?"
"Is it because he's a werewolf then?"
"Yes! No…" He shuts up.
"Then what's the problem with Ben Talbot? Have you forgotten who brought Ophelia to you only a short while ago? Or is this a cliché case of "no one is good enough for my kid sister? In case you hadn't noticed, she's not a kid anymore."
He looks at her, sulking, realising he's at the short end of this particular stick. Beth continues. "Ben might not be a vampire, or a human for that matter, but I work with him nearly every day and he's a good guy who really cares about people and what's right. Ophelia really could have done a lot worse and they're lucky to have each other. Just like I'm lucky to have you. He's not all that different from you when it comes to morality and doing the right thing. And yes, ok, Ophelia should have told you about all of this sooner, but I'm sure she didn't keep it from you with the intention of hurting you, but only out of fear of your reaction. Justifiably so it seems. Think about all of that, I'm going home, you can come stop by when you've calmed down." She stands, picking up her bag from the sofa where she left it the night before, kissing him softly on the cheek before leaving. Leaving him to sort his thoughts on his own, giving him space.
Stay by my side, it's over
the ride isn't what I told you
the painkiller-side of this night
is to not look behind it's over
I have been told about longing
a feeling so old. it's dead.
I must have been misled
so stay by my side. I'm sorry.
Mick voice-over
"Beth's right, and I fear that if I don't make amends with Ben and Ophelia soon, I'll loose her again. I can't let that happen."
Ben's apartment
Ben is looking through a case file in his home office when the doorbell goes. He puts down the file and gets up, walking through the living room where Ophelia is sitting in the sofa listening to music with headphones on.
Calling out, calling out
Haven't you wondered
Why you're finding it hard
Just looking at me
"Mick."
"Hey… can I come in?"
"Yeah sure." Ben looks unconvinced but lets him in anyway.
"I want to apologise. To both of you. I behaved like a jerk."
"Yeah, you did." She stands up, walking towards him.
Didn't want to leave you
With the wrong impression
Didn't want to leave you
With my last confession
"It's just, I want you to be safe. And I didn't think we had secrets that big between us."
"But I am. How could I not be between you and Ben and Josef? And everyone has secrets Mick, you always say so yourself."
"You're right, I'm sorry." He looks at them both.
"Hey it's ok, I understand, water under the bridge." Ben says, extending a hand to Mick, who smiles and shakes it.
Ophelia shrugs and sighs "What can I say, I can't stay mad at you. You're my big brother after all."
He smiles, relieved, and hugs her to him.
"You're strangling me!"
"I have to, I don't want you to run off to Paris!" His voice is joking, and he relents his hold into a looser hug.
She looks at him wide-eyed. "You found the plane tickets?"
"Well you didn't exactly hide them well, shouldn't have put them in that case file on your desk, if you had put them in something personal I wouldn't have found them as I didn't look there."
"Maybe I should get a box of tampons."
They look at each other and burst out in laughter.
He lets go of his sister and looks at Talbot. "Hey can you shape shift in that big wolf monstrosity you see in the movies?"
He groans and looks at his girlfriend in a "help" sort of way. She just laughs.