Let's Talk About The Beth Thing
Mick St John and his best friend Josef Kostan are sitting comfortably in Josef's office sharing a drink in the early hours of the morning. The light of day is still a few hours away.
Mick has been a little quiet tonight and Josef can guess why.
"Are you going to do anything about this thing with Beth." Josef asks.
"There is no thing Josef."
"You can deny it all you want Mick but we both know that there is definitely a thing. You know I can read you like a book. It's one of the advantages of being over 400 years old. You get a sense about these things. It helps that you are so emotional it is written all over your face."
"She is a human and I'm a vampire you know what that means."
'Jeez Mick, you are the most self sacrificing vamp I have ever met. Are you so determined to be miserable for all eternity? This is really starting to get old you know."
"It doesn't matter anyway she has a boyfriend." Mick responds quietly.
"Oh yeah, the suit, I forgot about him. No biggie. I'll have someone take care of him for you. You won't have to lift a finger."
Josef already has his cell phone out punching out a number but stops when he notices the look on Mick's face.
"Man, I can't believe you. If Beth and I ever get together it's not going to be because you took Josh out of the picture Ok."
"Aaha so there is something going on between you two I knew it." Josef is laughing happy now that his teasing has made Mick reveal his feelings.
'Josef you are such an asshole sometimes."
Mick is agitated getting tired of where this is heading and wishes that he could change the subject. But he knows that Josef will not let it drop.
"Well no need to get snippy I'm just trying to help you." Josef says trying to act hurt.
"I don't need your help stay out of it."
"Look,I know that Coraline did a number on you but I have known you a long time, no one has made you look twice. Stop thinking so much and live a little. If you feel something for this girl then take a chance buddy and go for it."
"If I remember correctly, weren't you the one who wanted her out of the way after the vampire stories started on Buzzwire?"
"Well yes, but I didn't know Blondie then, she's growing on me. I think I would like to get to know her better."
"Stay away from her she has enough to deal with without you interfering." Mick sighs. Why did everything have to be so complicated? It is then that he realises what Josef has just inferred - that he has met Beth before.
"Wait …what did you say? When did you see her?"
"I may as well tell you now I wasn't going to mention it but what the hell."
Mick stares at Josef wondering what he could possibly be talking about.
"I went to have a little chat with her after I found out that she knew about you, about the existence of vampires."
Josef can see the anger rolling over Mick but continues before he can speak.
"I wasn't going to do anything to her calm down. I was pissed with you it's bad enough that any human finds out about us but a reporter, a rather pushy reporter for that matter. This could be all over the internet by now and then what ……."
"No Josef I trust her." Mick interrupts.
"Well at the time I didn't know what she would do. Even you have to admit that that was pretty damn stupid Mick. Why did you think that you could trust her? It would be so easy for her to expose us all."
Micks get up from his chair and walks over to the window looking out over the night sky.
"I don't know. I can't explain it. I just knew she wouldn't…. that she won't."
"Blondie has a temper. She didn't take my visit well. I told her to stay away from you if she knew what was good for her and that if she ever did anything that would jeopardise our secret that she was going to have to deal with me. She told me in no uncertain terms that she didn't care less what I thought of her and that if she wanted to see you again there was no way that anyone was going to stop her."
Mick smiled to himself that sounded like Beth alright.
Josef remembered that he could have easily killed her as soon as she opened the door. She was no match for a vampire. She had told him that she wasn't afraid of him but he knew that she was terrified.
"She looked me straight in the eye and said that you trusted her and that she would never do anything to betray that trust. Then she told me to get the hell out of her apartment. She's brave I'll say that much for her."
Mick was still at the window and tried to picture Beth standing up to a 400 year old vampire.
"You sure are going to have your hands full with that one." Josef teased.
Maybe Josef was right. Maybe it was time to take chances. He had to admit that he was tired of being alone and miserable all the time.
Mick's cell starts to ring and he looks to see that it is Beth calling.
"I have to go." he walks past his friend and taps him on the shoulder as he leaves.
"Yeah, I wouldn't keep her waiting either" Josef calls after him.
Josef sits back in his chair and smiles to himself hoping that this is the beginning of happier times for his friend.