Josef's Little Human
Chapter one
A/N: As Mick and Beth finally find a common ground (last episode of season 1), Josef begins to feel the desire to get close to someone again. Being close to Beth stirred some old desires he had. He has Simone, but he doesn't expect a stranger to pull him into a new light. What he doesn't imagine is that a life altering event that takes place and changes the way he views life. This is Josef and a different female lead not in the show. (Mick/Beth pair is in here occasionally too because they are friends, ya?) ;) enjoy 8 year after the show lol.
Freshies are a dime a dozen, I think to myself as I toast and hear the clank of glasses against one another yet again tonight. Some people might like to think they run off and tell about us, but they'd never live long enough to prove it. There were those of us who had "special" abilities, while there were others that suited a purpose. Sure we all had jobs, and we followed the rules. Well mostly, kind of. Vampires needed to store wealth for a rainy day. Trouble is, you had to be creative how you went about it. Ergo, hackers.
Like hacking traffic lights, I thought bemused at the teenage-like vampire I'd recently met. Who lives in a basement all day? He did a shit job and I'd considered the red tarps for a brief moment. But he'd taken out the van so, whatever. Mick had met two others who were photographers. Gave me that great Idea to get rid of the one Beth had told me about.
People danced; their bodies tangled together as the rhythm moved, I surmise looking around and feeling a bit alone this evening. I could see my reflection. Hair spiked up, cute blue eyes, nice suit. But even my face, as deadpan as it was, still showed my restlessness. My latest human, a lawyer called Simone, was out of town for the week. Or should I say conquest? Seeing Mick and Beth take their freakish leap of 'whatever the hell this is between us' this last week got me thinking. I'd not told anyone, but I'd tried to move on. I was going to pull the plug on Sarah. The thing is, Simone was not the answer.
Act now, do later. "Carpe diem," I mutter to myself.
Good for them, I thought as I'd taken a sip of this retched drink. I'd grown closer to Beth, and I thought that Mick might actually get his own head out of his ass before he hit a hundred, thanks to her. She seemed sweet, but she would do what it took to protect him, and that's all I needed to know. Oh, and I had a little crush. Who knew if she was still around in a few hundred or so...I was just that bad when it came to sex. Too many commitment issues. I'd fucked anyone that had two legs, smelled good, an tasted better. Time took the fine lines away from the daily human hang ups.
Beth, now that name made me smile. Within one week she took my advice and got a new job, and I had been after Mick about it for months. We had our little secret, and truth be told, Mick would just have to get over it once he found out. And he would, of course. He would look at her a different way, I supposed, but making a human girl out to represent your lost humanity was a little too moody for my tastes. Which brought me back to being hungry.
Moving right along here. There had to be a female that would catch my eye. I wanted something different, maybe someone innocent like little Beth.
Forever was a long time to be with someone for no apparent reason. Ergo, Simone. I mean I liked her, but then I liked most women. A sinister smile curved my lips. Then came the whole idea of siring. Did I want to go through that again? I liked my women tied down, or with my fangs in their skin. Simone was a little too giving, but she was smart. God, what the hell did I need?
I needed a woman that could challenge me and not fuck me over like Lola, or be a deranged bitch like Coraline. We all played our little games, as vampires, time got old. Women flocked to me and my money which made it easy to feed, but still didn't fill my ache. This was no lie, but it got boring. four hundred some years later, not much surprises you. And at my age, I need a little surprise.
"Fucking Lola." Shit, I am old, and there were not many older vampires than me anymore. Not ones you messed with anyway.
I rolled my eyes as I sipped the champagne that never hit the spot, and I wanted to bite something. I've been restless since seeing Sarah. I don't know why I wished she could just wake up. By far, Sarah was the one person who kept me satisfied then. Complete, or some shit like that. But the guilt over her loss still haunted me. I basically killed the woman I loved in an effort to change her like I had every other bastard. Figures the one I wanted was the one that didn't wake up.
This place, or the event I'd attended, was for show more than anything. Great, more fluff. Perhaps I just needed to kill someone? I bobbed my head from side to side like I'd stretched. I stood and decided to hang back and give silence a go this evening. Time for dinner, I thought with relief.
As I slowly walked around to take in the various humans in the room-or dinner something happened. I could sense it. I paused, I but I couldn't tell what IT, was. It's like the air vibrated around me, a gentle touch of the skin as a feather caressed against it. Hmm, I sighed as I felt chills line my arms. I shook out my arms in my coat & grabbed and readjusted the lapels. I moved in deeper to the room trying to locate the source of the pulse.
And then I saw her.
OK the back of her. I watched her move away from something trying to appear a little less obvious about it. Then out of nowhere, two men grab her and a scuffle begins. I can smell them, old, yet not too old. Vampires. My eyes narrowed, no way. Not the one interesting female I had seen this entire night.
Before anyone can get to help her, she has both men on the ground moaning. I love a good show, maybe she can be my dinner and entertainment? She turned then, and I see waves of black hair and cerulean blue eyes scope for an exit. She looks young. I can't tell if she's like me, but she radiates a warmth that…seems like sunshine. What the fuck is this shit?
People move out of her way until something hits her from behind and she skids to a stop on the floor besides my feet. Drop dead gorgeous is more like it. I looked down to my feet trying not to interfere, and thought this was a perfectly good waste of nice ass, when more shit happened. I heard that tick that occurs right before a bomb ignites. Not this shit again, I think to myself. "Christ. I just got this suit."
A bomb sounds, people are yelling, and my ears rang. I could see the girl is wore converse under that dress, and pants. Above us, the glass is shattered and her eyes open in the midst of this. She moved like the grace my kind had mastered. I took a large breath of air, fascinated. She was fast, efficient, maybe deadly. She met my gaze all before most humans had moved an inch. In this craziness, she turned to look up at me? We are at eye level now, and I want her. This crazy feeling swept over me, like a need I'd never known before. Her eyes meet mine and I can smell gas in the air. Shit, I haven't live this long for no goddamn reason.
It feels like time stopped between us.
"Josef," she says in pain and then it begins again.
Above us, I could hear the fire boom and rage through the room like a vacuum that sucked up lives. It occurred to me then. I'm not gonna live through this, am I?
The glass gave, and she rolled over, pulled out the protruding sword-and I gasp-from her chest. Next she launched herself over me in a tackle. Our bodies collided and smashed under something… I cannot tell, but I think it was under a seat. A fire blazed over us, and I cringed and shut my eyes against the pain I know is coming. Then there is no frickin pain. I opened my eyes as she screamed above me-not that I don't love a good scream-but they are rarely in pain if you know what I mean. We were protected by a shield, something I've never seen or heard of, and her skin peeled as it healed. Her eyes were wide with pain, like she was being burnt alive repeatedly. Her sweet mouth was open in a scream that wouldn't register. I'd known pain like that.
I said more to myself, "What are you?"
"We…need…to get out before…it's over." Her limp body collapses as she struggles for breath. I nearly touched her, but thought better until it healed.
No shit. "The smoke?" I murmur.
She nods as the pain rides her again. "Speed, I can't hold it…much longer."
I grab her, because she is the shield protecting us, and I get us just outside before the barrier breaks. She goes limp in my arms, and I noticed burns on my skin. Hers had shards of glass that could have ended me in combination with the fire. My throat constricts, thinking that was way too close for comfort in so many weeks. I'm not as crafty as Mick is in these situations. He actually chased people when they ran.
Why me? I waver, needing blood. I hadn't fed before because, let's face it, dinner and a party were my thing. She stirred, and I shook her some to speed the process up. "Hey, snow white." I snapped my fingers at her. Her skin is ashen from pain or blood loss, yet her beauty is evident. "Hey, wake up."
"I need…" she said as I pause and I take in her nice long throat. I licked my lips, but looked away. This is not the time, I told myself
"No way. It could be bad if you ate right now. We need…to get in…"she struggles to speak.
Crap, I can't bite the human shield, or whatever she is. "Ya, don't eat whatever you are. How'd you do that?" I sniff her but I don't get a whiff of death. Hmm, curious. She seems human enough.
My behavior was noticed. She leaned back & cringed, "Are you unwell? Emo? Metrosexual? Shut up, don't snap your fingers at me, and get your phone, pretty boy."
Oh, she thinks I'm pretty. "Yeah," I say as my New York accent becomes thick. She'd just pissed me off and I needed answers. I'd been aristocracy once.
She laughed and then coughed. It was my turn to rub it in. "Having trouble breathing? That is a basic function, no?"
"God, I regret saving you already."
"What?"
"Nothing," she said and coughed again. "I can cough on you if you like. Freezer. Safe place…" she gave me an address and winced in pain again. I can hear people coming, and I am not sure I can get out of here in time. Her skin hasn't healed yet, and I knew I looked worried. I could see my face in her eyes. She'd held her tears to look brave, and I admired it. They wanted her, but she's saved my life.
She looked up, then said "Jump, they are too close."
I didn't hesitate. I took a ladder or two, feeling like Mick for a moment again. I'm seriously getting hungry, and haven't had to run like this in a long time. In truth, this is why I have money; to pay people do this shit for me. Blue eyes is on my back, but I want her up front. The poor girl could barely walk. I located the address using the phone, and then dropped down from the roof in front of the door. By then, I knew I'm too hungry and I will kill her. "Shit."
I felt a hand on my cheek as I worked the knob behind her. It's her hand, but it's so cold. I felt her tremble, and I paused to meet her eyes. I'd seen that look before, and her life was short. The street was dark, and I heard no voices. "Where here, blue eyes. "
There was a slight breeze, and a little ground mist. It'd rained, I supposed, after a hot day. Whatever, it was good cover. The girl pulled out a key from under the burnt dress, and attempted to give it to me. She missed my hand by a few inches.
"Tricky," I said trying to get the thought of blood out of my head, but my fangs had descended. Whatever she's doing, it's helped. I got the door open and I saw a freezer. There is nothing left in me once her hand came away from me-but I am not starved like I was. I actually feel the need to sleep. Like I ate. I put her and I on the front of the freezer and put my fingers under her chin. "We made it, blue eyes."
My hand trembled then, and I hunch over unable to hold us. She opens the freezer, but I'd just passed out. I felt aware of her, still. She picked up my body, grabbed my phone, and texted someone. I have no idea what she's doing, and I worried. The lid opened up higher, and I felt her using her entire body to hold me still so she could get me in. Ah, must be familiar with vampire life.
She's not a vampire or freshie. No marks no smell. "I want you," I heard myself say.
"I'm already wanted, so to speak." As I slid in she dropped my phone. We are too entwined and she has no energy left. The lid fell over us as we fell in ; neither of us able to stay awake.