Disclaimer: The following is an adaptation of episode 2, season 1 of Moonlight. I do not own these characters. Credit for dialogue and plot from the show goes to their respective authors.

Author's Note: Thanks to all of you who are reading. Please leave a review with your thoughts if you can. Hearing what you guys think really does help me construct future chapters. :) This is a revised, longer chapter from what I originally had on this site.


Mick was standing stock still in the living room area of his apartment, staring in disbelief at the television screen. On the TV he had opened a browser with Buzzwire's web page. Beth was interviewing a woman, an author and a friend, about a book that she had written. Since Beth's first appearance on the news web site a few weeks ago, Mick had already gotten into the habit of checking Buzzwire's site for her reports every evening.

He wasn't sure if it could be considered fortunate or not that Beth's job was as a reporter for a web site. Reason being, she was right there on the screen every day now. It was this ease of access to seeing her that one could view as a potential issue, depending on your point of view. He guessed it was a bit of a problem, being that he pretty much rose from the freezer where he slept during daylight hours, showered and dressed, then checked the web site before doing anything else.

He had already been in the habit of checking on her, there just had not been many easy opportunities, but since rescuing her a few weeks ago… since she'd hugged him a few weeks ago... things felt different. If challenged on it he'd say he had always been concerned for her safety and well-being. If he was being honest however, he'd have to admit it just made him feel good to see her.

He knew that Josef in particular would find this particular obsession objectionable. His closest friend was a vocal advocate against human interactions that put said humans in any position other than servitude. Humans were employees or a food source to Josef. If they happened to be a beautiful young woman like Beth, they might have all sorts of entertaining prospects, but Mick thought Josef never really considered them friends. For one thing there were too many secrets to be kept.

But it wasn't Josef's opinions about humans that was troubling Mick at this moment. It was the subject of Beth's interview that disturbed him.

"He's finally getting out, isn't he?" Beth asked the woman seated across from her.

"Yes," her friend nodded back in agreement. "A lot of us have worked a long time for this moment."

Beth turned her gaze to address the camera directly. "I am talking to my good friend Julia Stevens, newspaper reporter and author of the upcoming book Wronged Man. It's about Lee Jay Spaulding, a man who has spent 25 years in prison."

"For a crime he didn't commit," Beth's friend Julia was quick to interject.

"And he just won his parole. Is that right?" Beth asked with a smile.

Mick could feel the muscles in his back and shoulders tightening as a purple haze of agitation coursed through his system. FUCK! Of all the damn criminals in the world, they let out this asshole. He was trying not to let his thoughts run away with him, but it wasn't easy.

He was so distracted by Beth's interview that he didn't immediately notice the sound of his apartment door opening. When it hit him that a person was entering his space without permission, an internal warning flared up and his muscles tensed for a fight. Thankfully the sensation was brief. It only took one deep breath, pulling in the scent of the intruder, to identify that it was Josef. Josef was the only other individual with an entry key and took full advantage of this fact every chance he could.

Mick didn't pull his eyes off of Beth, still conducting her interview on the television but started speaking to Josef without looking at him.

"Have you seen this?" Mick asked. "They're letting him out." He was seething and could feel anger pouring out of him in muddy waves. He was sure Josef could sense his disposition and shot a quick look over to his friend.

"Yeah, I knew you'd be on the war path," Josef answered him, "So I brought you some fresh blood." He gave Mick a winning smile as he raised a stoppered carafe containing a suspiciously viscous ruby liquid with one hand.

That's not the blood I want at the moment Josef. Mick watched the screen for a moment longer before turning away in disgust.

The television was seated on a stand at one end of his small living room area. On the side closest to the apartment entrance a butterscotch colored leather couch with box arms sat with its back toward the door, an entry table behind it. Opposite the couch and farther from the door, were two matching chairs. Between them was the coffee table, in front of which Josef was currently standing, uncorking the bottle he'd been carrying. "Never underestimate the stupidity of what humans will do," Mick told him waving one hand in the air for emphasis. He stopped at the far end of the table, near a third chair and glowered at no one in particular.

"Hey, cut them some slack." Josef advised him nonplussed. "I believe you used to be one, before you became a vampire."

Cut them slack? You're normally the poster boy for paranoia, and you're telling me to ease up? On some level he knew that Josef was only trying to talk him off the ledge, something that Mick had often done when their respective positions were reversed, but he was in no mood to be appeased right now. Mick shot a dark look sideways at Josef who was busy pouring the red liquid into a tall stemmed glass.

Josef was dressed in typical attire for the wealthy business man, an expensive designer black suit and a gray striped silk shirt, minus the tie. For vampire that had been born in the 1600's, Josef always looked completely at ease in the 21st century. The only aspect of his appearance that would give anyone who didn't know better pause, was the correspondence of his youthful boyish face with his apparent abundant financial resources and high status in the world populated by businessmen and stock brokers. He looked 25 and yet was a billionaire who expected that people jump when he snapped his fingers, which most did.

Most but not all anyway. It was fortunate that Josef had learned long ago that Mick did not fall into the category of individuals who obeyed his commands so quickly and easily. He was also grateful that this reality did not seem to bother Josef and they had remained friends throughout the years.

Mick reached out and took an offered glass from Josef, swallowing a long gulp.

Josef finally turned to look at the TV and Beth's interview. "Hey, is that your friend? The blond?" Josef stood a little straighter as his attention perked up. "Hmm, I'd like to meet her someday."

Mick's gaze flicked to Josef in annoyance. Right, like I'm going to let you anywhere near her. Josef must have felt the sting of Mick's eyes boring a hole in the back of his head. He glanced over and looked genuinely surprised when he caught Mick glaring at him. "What? I'm just saying," he told him with an innocent smile.

On the screen Beth's friend Julia was going on about what an amazing person Lee Jay was. How he held no grudge against those who had wrongly convicted him and left him in prison for 25 years. Mick huffed a breath in irritation and shook his head.

Josef just let out an amused snort. "Please, I should get her to write a book about me." He used the carafe in his right hand to gesture at the screen. "Make me sound all innocent and suffering." He drained his own glass and sat down on the leather couch, reclining against the arm rest. "Humans don't know how to properly deal with their bad guys. What else is new?" He poured himself a second drink. "You want take matters into your own hands," he instructed. "Now come on, I've got a few hours to kill." He looked up at Mick, the corners of his mouth curving up into a smile.

Mick didn't answer Josef, only gave him a silent stare in return.

Josef shrugged in what Mick assumed was acknowledgement that they weren't going to go out and terminate Lee Jay right this minute. Turning away from Mick, he set his glass and the bottle back on the table in front on him. "Look, otherwise just let the guilt go, ok? What this guy Lee Jay did, that wasn't your fault," Josef finished.

"Yes, it was," Mick insisted. "You weren't there. A woman's dead because of me."


I have many regrets in my life as a vampire. There's a very long list. One of the items on this list is a murderer by the name of Lee Jay Spaulding.

In 1983 a woman paid me to protect her from an ex-boyfriend. I was cocky and overly confident back then. And I was naive enough to think that I could scare Lee Jay into leaving Eileen alone. I stalked him, caught him, snarled and showed my fangs, gave him a few words of warning. I thought he'd be out of her life after that. I mean, I'm a vampire, I'm that scary right? Unfortunately Eileen suffered for my stupidity. Lee Jay ignored my threat. He murdered her, making it look like she had shot herself and committed suicide.

In my fury I vowed to take care of Lee Jay, remove him from the world permanently, as I should have before. I owed that much to Eileen. Unfortunately, there again I failed her.

I had followed Lee Jay and cornered him in a dark alley. I let the vampire side of me surface and was barely containing a blind rage. I jumped on Lee Jay, roared and started to feed. I had no intention of stopping before he was dead. Then out of the blue there were lights and a siren. A cop car had entered the alley and had caught us in its headlamps. I had no choice. I fled, leaving Lee Jay, scarred but alive.

It was far from my finest hour. Lee Jay did end up going to prison for his crimes, but he also knew what I was. Or he had a fairly good idea, not a safe state of affairs. All these years later Lee Jay was being released from prison. And to add insult to injury he had convinced this writer friend of Beth's that he'd been wrongly convicted and she'd written a book extoling his innocence.


Mick was sitting in the high backed deep chair nearest to where Josef was seated on the couch. He finished telling Josef the story of Eileen's case, what had happened to her, and how Lee Jay had escaped. Escaped with a new found knowledge regarding the existence of vampires.

Josef's face was drawn and serious. "Wow," he exclaimed in a low quiet voice. He met Mick's eyes. "You really did mess up."

Mick swallowed thickly and dropped his head against the chair back. He trained his eyes on the ceiling. This time I actually wish you didn't agree with me, Mick thought.

"You absolutely better waste this guy," Josef continued.

Mick's forehead furrowed and he shook his head. "It's not that simple."

"Yeah, it is," Josef urged him. Mick stood up and turned away, unable to stand Josef's pointed gaze any longer. He walked a short distance to one of the tinted and blind covered windows on outside wall of his apartment. He balled his left hand into a fist, pounding it once lightly against the metal window frame.

"What if he decides to go Van Helsing and come after you?" Josef asked from behind him.

Good question. He had been thinking the same thing. Too bad he didn't have an answer for that one.


I understand Josef's concerns. And I don't disagree with him, but Lee Jay is attracting way too much attention right now for me to go out and kill him in cold blood.

With all my attention on Lee Jay's release, I don't know why it didn't occur to me to ask what was in that book. The author called me asking for an interview several times over the last year, but I managed to avoid her. Not that I wouldn't have loved to share some of the details about Lee Jay that were being overlooked, mostly that he's a violent thug with a tendency toward domestic abuse, but I can't very well talk to an author about a twenty five year old case when I am supposed to be thirty myself.

I never thought that the author would go as far as finding a picture of me and putting it in her book, but turns out she had.

And turns out… Beth has seen it.


Mick could hear the doorbell ringing and jogged over to the apartment entrance. Before he opened it, he always checked the small video screen that was set into the wall, just to the left of his front door. It displayed the feed from a camera mounted on the other side, giving him a view of the hallway and the person standing there. At least he knew it wouldn't be Josef this time since this person was ringing the bell and waiting to be admitted.

He got close enough to make out the image of the person standing in front of the door. A shot of adrenaline swooped through his veins.

Beth was outside the door to his apartment.

What am I supposed to say to her? This would have been hard enough considering the last time he'd seen her he'd just saved her life. Add in her connection to this whole Lee Jay mess, he wasn't sure where to even begin.

He closed his hand around the door handle and pulled it open.

Beth stood in front of him, staring without moving for a moment. Wearing a neat tan jacket over a pink top with subdued makeup and hair, she gave off a composed appearance. A small smile hinted on her mouth when she finally walked past him into the apartment. Once inside, she stopped and turned on her heel to look at him, her eyebrows raised a little in an embarrassed but amused question. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to come up with a gift that says: thanks for saving me from a psycho serial killer?" He could hear her heartbeat. Its rapid clip betrayed her nerves.

He cocked his head to one side and gave her a slight smile back as he shut the door behind him and walked over to her. "Ms. Manners doesn't cover that?" he asked her narrowing his eyes.

"Surprisingly, no." She laughed a little.

I love the sound of her laugh.

"So..." she raised her hands and held out a tube shaped container.

She actually brought a gift? He tamped down the urge to smile at her again. Instead he took the package from her outstretched hands and looked down to read the label. "Oh," he exclaimed softly, his eyes widening. He looked back at her. "25 year old single malt. Thank you." He nodded his head.

Well, she's got good taste in liquor, I've got to give that to her.

Before he could come up with something else to say, she was looking away from him, reaching into her oversized shoulder bag and rummaging around inside, as if trying to find something. "I thought you might want to see this," she told him. She pulled out a book.

Not just a book… but the book, the one from her interview about Lee Jay.

Damn it, not good. He averted his eyes and brushed past her, walking over to a credenza set against the outside wall and setting down the container of scotch on top of it.

Beth did not appear to immediately notice his discomfort. She was flipping through the book's pages as if searching for something. "A friend of mine wrote it," she said. She found what she was looking for and moved to follow him across the room. "There was a P.I. involved in this case called Mick St. John."

His stomach clenched and he grit his teeth. Leave it to Beth to pick up on that detail. "Really?" He tried to keep his voice nonchalant as he turned to respond to her.

Beth had stopped right next to him. She held out the book to show him a something. "So?" Her voice raised in question, and her wide blue eyes searched his face with interest.

A sinking sensation hit him. Wow, they actually found a picture of me. He was looking at a black and white photograph of himself taken in 1950. His hair had been slicked back in the fashion of the day and he was wearing a light colored suit and tie. It was an ID photo so he wasn't smiling, only staring back at the camera with a blank expression. The photo had been taken before he had become a vampire.

And this would be why Josef doesn't want me to get too close to humans. There was a great deal about being a vampire that was easy to hide. The not aging thing however… there was no getting around that particular detail. Humans did tend to notice things like that, especially sharp minded ones like Beth.

"That's my father," he told her lightly, hoping she accept his explanation.

"Looks more like your twin," she blinked up at him.

Not a twin exactly. "I inherited some strong genes." He closed the book and put it down.

Her face darkened only briefly with a suspicious expression before she moved on with her questions. "The book says your father had a serious run in with Lee Jay. Did he ever tell you about that?"

You could say that.

"Kind of…" He wanted to make her understand without giving too much away. Mick turned so that he was facing her, leaning against the piece of furniture behind him. He locked his eyes on to hers. "He told me Lee Jay was one of those broken individuals who can't stop themselves… that they have to kill. So, you might want to tell your friend that she's got it all wrong."

Beth was watching him closely. Her features were somber and attentive as she took in every word. "She's a really good reporter." She shook her head and argued with him. "She researched this very carefully."

A dark flame ignited in his chest at the memory of Eileen's death and he took a breath. Why are humans so blind when it comes to the monsters of the world?

"Tell her she got it wrong," he repeated. There was a touch more anger in his voice than he'd intended.

Beth paused to consider his words. "Ok," she responded slowly.

"And tell her to be careful," he warned her in a stony voice.

An awkward silence drew out between them as Beth stared back at him for a long moment, confusion playing in her eyes.

I wish I could tell you more and make you understand, he thought.

But there were too many secrets and no way to explain. He'd already risked too much as it was.

"I guess... I should go," she said at last with an apologetic nod. He saw a flash of hurt on her face and he knew his stilted reaction had caused it.

Part of him wanted to stop her, but he just watched as she crossed the space to the apartment door, moving through it and shutting it behind her.


It didn't take long for guilt to set in over my last conversation with Beth. I know that I should just leave it and let her be. If she has bruised feeling because I'm cold and distant, then she'll stay away from me, which would be safer for all parties involved.

It's too bad then that I've never been very good at staying on the path of wisdom and caution.

I had heard there was going to be a launch party promoting Lee Jay's book, and decided that it was time to pay him a little visit, rattle his cage. Isn't the best defense supposed to be a good offense? Besides, I'm fairly certain that Beth would also be there.

It wasn't hard to crash the party. I was lurking in the back of the room, keeping watch for both Beth and Lee Jay. The guests were crammed into the small ballroom of an upscale hotel, so the party was noisy and crowded. I drew little attention.

It didn't take long for Beth to spot me. She was dressed up for the occasion in a black cocktail dress with a deep neckline. Her hair was curled and partly pulled back. Blond tendrils framed her face.

And I thought she looked amazing the other times I've seen her recently. At some point I need to get a handle on the physical sensation that hits me when I see her. You'd think I was a teenage boy the way my stomach flips and my nonexistent pulse pounds. Makes it just a bit difficult to concentrate. Still it was a relief that her expression indicated she was surprised but happy to see me.

She approached me, her eyes sparkling with questions, and asked what I was doing at the party. I explained I had two purposes; the first was to apologize for my behavior earlier. Her face was warm and her body relaxed as she graciously accepted my apology. I confess that it made me feel better to hear her say that.

I then told her my second goal… to give her the case file from Lee Jay's arrest.

Her eyes widened and darted around at my words, making sure no one was in ear shot. She was quick to point out that it was neither the time nor the place for her to be reading about the alleged crimes of the man whose supposed innocence the party goers around us were celebrating.

Not to argue with her… again, but I had to insist she take the file. If Lee Jay has convinced this room of people that he can be trusted, and particularly if Beth's lovely author friend Julia feels safe around him, then it's all the more important that my files reach the right hands.

Lee Jay is not now… nor will he ever be, safe.

It was precisely at that moment, exasperation over my persistence building in Beth's posture and tone, that Julia showed up, striding over to Beth with a pleased smile.

Julia's entire demeanor changed the moment she caught sight of me. She stared in shock as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Beth hurried to introduce me to Julia, Mick St. John Jr., she was telling her friend, when Lee Jay appeared at Julia's side.

Despite the twenty-five year span from the last time I'd seen him, I'd still recognize him instantly. He's over six feet tall, and very muscular, with his head completely shaved. His most distinguish mark however is the noticeable scar on his left cheek, remnants of two deep gashes, spaced about the same distance apart as my fangs. My feeding on Lee Jay had left its mark, permanently.

His keeping such close tabs on Julia does nothing to appease my fears for her safety. On the surface Lee Jay gave the impression of politeness and tolerance, but his eyes held the unmistakable cold glint of a predator. It's a species of being that I'm intimately familiar with and is impossible to completely disguise.

Lee Jay's gaze never left my face, coolly appraising me with little reaction. With a few brief words over the death of my 'father' Julia ushered Lee Jay away to the podium for his speech. But not before Lee Jay assured me that he'd catch me later. I responded in a flat tone that I knew he would.

Beth gave me a backward glance then ran off to find her camera man to tape the speech.

I should have left. Beth had the file and Lee Jay knew I was still watching him. It would have made sense to leave.

Instead of leaving, I waited till his speech was over, and then followed Lee Jay into the bathroom for a little chat.

I told him that I knew who he really was… a murderer. He always will be, and this time I would stop him before he hurts anyone else.

The bastard didn't deny his guilt. He didn't plead his innocence. He didn't even blink. He stared me straight in the eye and told me that since I'm a vampire I've probably killed more people than he has.

His attitude, his arrogance was too much. My temper got the better of me and I went after him. I could feel my eyes shift to a bright ice blue, my fangs descended, and I was across the room in a flash with my fingers wrapped around his throat, set to crush his windpipe. This admittedly would have been a bad idea regardless, considering the nearby crowded room, but it was only when he pulled a stake out and pressed it into my chest that I realized the full extent of my problem with Lee Jay.

Twenty-five years is a long time to do vampire research, and although most of what he's read is probably wrong, there's bound to be a little that he got right. It's also a hell of a long time to plot your revenge.

I released Lee Jay to get away from the stake. He gave me a malevolent smirk before smashing his head into the bathroom mirror and fleeing out into the party with blood pouring down his face, and yelling to all who could hear that I'd attacked him.


Mick was waiting across the street, outside the hotel. His body was still keyed up and tense with energy from his scuffle with Lee Jay.

Beth was standing near the hotel entrance amidst a crowd of people departing the party. As he watched, Lee Jay and Julia exited the building. He focused his hearing on them and could make out their conversation.

Julia was telling Lee Jay, that they should call the police.

"Don't call the police." Lee Jay responded to her. "I don't want to press charges. He's obviously disturbed. Jail is not what he needs."

I just bet you have a few ideas about what I need, don't you Lee Jay? Somehow Mick doubted that Lee Jay was through with him yet.

Beth's stare followed Lee Jay and Julia as they crossed in front of her. When she caught sight of Mick, she set her jaw with determination and strode across the street to meet him. Anger was blazing in her delicate features.

He groaned internally. This should be fun. Way to make good impression on her.

"Very nice, is that your party personality?" She bit out her words once she'd reached him, her eyes flashing.

He shook his head slightly but held her stare. "I didn't do anything," he told her in a calm but firm voice.

But she was having none of it. "I'd hate to see what you'd call 'something'," she shot back.

"I didn't touch him," he swore to her. Well, at least I didn't smash his head into that mirror anyway, he thought.

Beth narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, right." Judging by her sarcastic tone, she didn't believe him.

"He did that to himself," Mick informed her.

Beth paused for a moment, processing his words. "That's ridiculous," she finally said.

Mick took a breath and looked away from her then back again. "The pain and blood is worth setting me up. It's just the way he thinks," he tried to convince her. "Did you read the case file?"

Beth rolled her eyes. "You know, with all the excitement, I haven't had a chance yet."

"This guy killed two women, Beth," he insisted. "And he pawned them both off as suicides." A spark of doubt crossed her face and Beth shot a look over her shoulder at Lee Jay and Julia getting into Julia's car. Lee Jay met Mick eyes, watching him with a cold, knowing stare as the car started to roll and passed them.

Beth's eyes moved back to Mick's face, still penetrating but less angry. Maybe his words were having an effect after all.

"That guy romancing your friend… he's a killer. Trust me," he pleaded with her, his voice shaking with emotion.

He kept his eyes locked on her face. Please believe me Beth.

He couldn't fail again. Not with this guy.


Mick knew something was wrong the second he stepped out of the elevator. A scent, someone's scent… Lee Jay. Alarm bells started shrieking in his head. His eyes shot down the hall to the door to his apartment. It was cracked open.

Mick crept slowly down the hallway towards the door.

How the hell did he get in?

When he reached the entrance, he pushed the door open with his left hand.

From his vantage point in the doorway he could now see the entire apartment. First was the living room area. Behind that, separated by a crystal fireplace was a dining room table and metal chairs. At the far back were shelves of books, his library. Seated in one of the two chairs in front of the books, was Lee Jay Spaulding.

In Lee Jay's left hand he held a book, which he appeared to be reading. In his right hand was a bag of blood, taken Mick presumed from his personal stash hidden in the kitchen.

It felt like all the air had been sucked from his lungs. How did he even find that?

Lee Jay looked up at Mick and snapped the book shut. He rose calmly from the chair as if he had no cares in the world. "This is sad." Lee Jay held up the blood bag. "You have... what's the word, food issues?"

"How'd you get in here?" Mick demanded, still standing in the doorway without moving.

Lee Jay stared back at him without a hint of fear. He behaved as if he were in perfect control. "25 years on the inside," he answered Mick. "You get some skills."

Mick on the other hand felt far from in control. "Put that down," he ordered Lee Jay.

"Or what?" Lee Jay asked. "You tear my head off?"

"Yeah," Mick responded under his breath before striding across the room toward Lee Jay. Oh, I'm going to do worse than that when I get my hands on you.

Lee Jay moved a short distance into the kitchen, on the back left side of the apartment "But the thing is," Lee Jay kept talking casually. "I told everybody I know I was coming over to make peace. Now how would that look? Huh?" He held up one hand as if asking Mick for his thoughts.

Mick stopped in his tracks. Damn it, I can't even hurt the guy.

As he watched, Lee Jay lifted the blood bag to his mouth and took a sip through the tube, drinking the red liquid. He made a gagging sound and his face contorted. "That's disgusting." He shook his head and dropped the bag onto the floor. "How do you live like this?" He cocked his head to the side as if he were genuinely concerned. "So, what's the deal Mick? You're what? You're stronger than us? Smarter? I got to admit…" Lee Jay smiled a little, "you are the only one who seems to through my B.S." He narrowed his eyes. "Or maybe it's just because you get me. We're not so different, really."

Oh yes we fucking are! The pounding noise in his ears grew with every word Lee Jay spoke. He ground his teeth together, attempting to stay in control. "We're nothing alike," he spat out.

"No?" Lee Jay acted surprised. "What's it feel like when you kill somebody? Because I know what it feels like when I do."

The leash holding Mick back snapped and he rushed toward Lee Jay. "Hey, easy… this is your gun, Mick." Lee Jay picked an object up off the kitchen island with a paper towel. "The one you keep hidden behind the desk." Mick froze again, his eyes wide and staring at the gun… his gun.

Lee Jay held up the gun and waved it around slightly. "That's got to be pretty annoying for you using this, when you can tear somebody apart with your teeth."

"Another fake suicide?" Mick scoffed. "Huh? Is that the plan?"

Lee Jay raised the gun and pointed it at Mick, arching one eye brow. "You're so smart. You tell me."

The corner of Mick's mouth curled up in a sneer. I've got news for you buddy. Go ahead and shoot. "Well, you better have the right ammunition," he growled.

Lee Jay smiled "Oh, I do." With his free hand he pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. Before Mick could register what was happening, Lee Jay had hit a button on the phone, then turned the gun on himself. A deafening crack resounded in the small space and the acrid smell of smoke filled the air, as Lee Jay fired the gun into his own shoulder, dropping to the kitchen floor.

A voice came through the cell phone. "911 What is the nature of your emergency?"

Lee Jay's face was screwed up in pain, but he spoke loudly and clearly into the phone, which had landed close by on the kitchen floor. "I've been shot… by Mick St. John." He looked up and met Mick's eyes.

Panic started coursing through Mick's system. Oh my God, what has he done? His gaze careened around the room. There was a bag of blood on the floor, and more in a small fridge set into the wall. I've got to get out of here.

"You know what? I see it now." Lee Jay started talking to him as Mick sprang into motion, racing around the room collecting the blood. "It's like your own little prison, isn't it, this whole vampire thing?"

"Shut up!" Mick yelled at him, grabbing the bags of blood from the fridge and shoving them into a satchel. He had only minutes before police officers were going to come pouring through his door. And among the many good rules for vampires, high on the list was do not get put in jail.

"You can't have anybody poking around," Lee Jay was still talking. "A girlfriend… anyone who cares… you got a problem." Mick was hurrying to close the satchel when a blood bag fell to the floor near Lee Jay. "Ahh… You're a bundle of nerves." Mick bent over to get the bag and his eyes landed on the gun. Lee Jay saw what he was staring at. "Oh yeah, the gun… you leave it there that looks bad. You take it then it's even worse."

Mick's eyes shot up toward the apartment entrance as he heard the ping of the elevator doors opening. He could also hear the crackle of voices over police radios and stealthy footsteps in the hall. With a last scowl at Lee Jay, he sped out of the apartment down the back stairs.


I am aware that I should have known better. It stands to reason that Lee Jay would go after me. And once again, I somehow thought that whatever he came up with, I could challenge him.

After fleeing my own apartment, and believe me I can't even begin to tell you how much the running part pisses me off, I met Josef on the top floor of an empty parking garage across town. I don't know why he thought that given my request to keep a low profile, it was appropriate to pull up in a cherry red Ferrari.

"You made the news," Josef informed me with a sarcastic smile.

According to Josef the cops had believed Lee Jay's story. They were charging me with attempted murder, a 25 year penalty, with an additional 15 years for a firearm enhancement. In Lee Jay's mind this would be the perfect revenge. I go to prison just like him, and he gets to go on killing whoever he wants. No one would stop him.

I handed Josef the bag I'd filled in my apartment. If I'm going to get caught, I'd rather not explain why I'm carrying around plastic blood supply bags. I was more than a little taken aback when Josef started accusing me of being off my game.

I tried to argue with him that with all the time Lee Jay's had to plot his strategy, Josef wouldn't have seen this coming either.

Still though, Josef thinks I refuse to kill Lee Jay because I'm afraid of what Beth will think of me.

I swear that's not what this is. Yes, of course I don't want Beth to think badly of me. That much is true. But at the end of the day, if I break Lee Jay's neck and drop him down some dark hole where no one will find him, then no one will ever know what he did to those women. No one will ever know what he did to Eileen. I'm still trying to give her some justice, even if that's too little, too late.

Josef nodded as I explained all this to him, although I think he has his doubts. He told me that regardless I will end up having to leave Los Angeles and relocate, assume a new identity. Move on.

Yeah, sure I leave my life, my home and Lee Jay keeps on killing?

No way… I'm not going anywhere.

If the only way Josef can see to get me out of this is relocating, then I only have one other person I trust to help me.

I went to Beth's apartment.


Mick was standing in the hallway outside of Beth's apartment staring at the door bell. He took a deep breath. Well here goes nothing. He reached out and rang the bell twice.

After a short interval, the door opened, revealing a man standing on the other side. Short dark brown hair and brown eyes, medium build, wearing a blue button down shirt and khakis, eyes narrowed with confusion, followed closely by dismay. And this must be her boyfriend, Josh.

"Hey," Mick said by way of greeting, cautiously meeting Josh's eyes, before glancing over his shoulder into the apartment. I sure as hell hope she's here.

"You're Mick St. John," Josh stated, his voice tinged with shock.

Mick nodded back to him. "Is Beth here?"

"No." Josh didn't pause before answering and Mick could see the muscle in his jaw twitch.

Josh's response wasn't fast enough however. Out of the corner of his eye, Mick could see Beth shoot up from her perch on a kitchen stool and rush over to the door. Her face was tight with concern as she stood behind Josh, staring back at Mick. "They're looking for you," she said.

Mick's eyes followed Josh briefly as Josh bit his lower lip and turned away from the door. His gaze went back to meet Beth's. "I didn't shoot Lee Jay."

"Then why did you run?" she wanted to know. "Why didn't you stay there and tell the police what happened?"

Because I'm a vampire? He took a few steps into the apartment, running his eyes over the room, unable to meet her eyes and answer her question. Because I'm a vampire… They were both watching him, expecting him to say something, and there was no good way to explain it.

Mick took a breath and shook his head. "I guess I panicked." It sounded like a hollow excuse in his ears.

Josh was still standing nearby, staring at the two of them. "Look, he can't be here," he directed toward Beth, gesturing to Mick with one hand. "You know that. I'm an attorney."

Beth nodded back at Josh. "I know." She held up her left hand to Josh as if she understood, but she also didn't make any move to make Mick leave.

"In the D.A.'s office," Josh continued, his voice growing more forceful with each statement. His eyes swiveled between Mick and Beth as if trying to gage whether either of them were even hearing him.

How did you end up with Beth again? Mick was getting the very clear sense that Josh was a strictly by the book type of guy. He was wondering if Josh even knew the lengths, not entirely legal, to which Beth had gone in the past, pursuing a story. Right now he was just hoping that Beth's will was stronger than Josh's, and that he could convince her to help him.

"I know," she repeated to Josh.

"I'm harboring a fugitive here." Josh was obviously not giving up this fight easily.

"Listen." Mick interjected. "I understand this looks bad." He turned to address Josh directly.

Josh was still ignoring Mick and keeping his attention on Beth. "I'll get disbarred, and jailed."

"I didn't do anything." Mick insisted loudly. Finally Josh looked over at him. "Ok. This guy comes to my place."

"And what?" Josh interrupted. "Shot himself?" His voice echoed with disbelief.

"Yes." Mick emphasized, not breaking eye contact.

Josh stared back at him for a few seconds, before looking over to Beth for her reaction. Mick did likewise.

"That's what Lee Jay does," Beth ended the standoff, her voice hesitant. "He's staged murders before," she continued to Josh. "It's all in the police files. See for yourself." She pointed behind Josh, to the kitchen countertop where the brown case file folder was sitting.

Mick could see Josh's throat working as he swallowed. He remained motionless, but eventually turned and walked over, picking up the case file.

Beth's eyes moved away from Josh to meet Mick's. She took several steps in his direction, stopping closely in front of him. "I need to know that you're telling the truth." Her voice was firm.

She believes me. Relief flooded through Mick's body.

"I am," he told her. "You know I am."

"Because if you're not…" her voice trailed off. He knew she was taking a chance trusting him, and it would be at Josh's expense if it went wrong. He couldn't even express how grateful he was for her faith in him right now.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked.


It was a huge relief that not only did Beth let me into her apartment, but she agreed to help me. If it had been left up to her boyfriend Josh on the other hand, I'm pretty sure I'd be in handcuffs by now.

Beth and I talked, and we decided to put my side of the story out there. The benefit of her being a reporter I guess.

There are many advances in my lifetime that I'm happy I've lived long enough to see. Among those is the internet. Beth taped my version of events, and uploaded it to Buzzwire's web site, along with copies of both case files. I explained Lee Jay's long history of violence, the two women he'd killed and made to look like suicide. I also told them how he'd shot himself in my apartment to frame me.

Would Josef be happy about my putting myself out there to tell this story? Giving so many people a look at me? No, of course he wouldn't. Vampires are not supposed to be this high profile. But then again Lee Jay is the one that made this into a major story when he tried to frame me for shooting him. I'm only trying to refocus the attention where it belongs, back on him.

Of course at the end of the day, it's just my word against Lee Jay's. I'm far from out of the woods from a legal standpoint. If Lee Jay had kept his head down and insisted on his version of events, I might have needed that relocation specialist that Josef knows.

The thing is… I'm not the only one with a temper.

I just didn't bank on precisely how bad Lee Jay's can be.


Mick was wearing a rut in the floor, pacing back and forth across Beth's living room. Josh and Beth were huddled in front of her laptop in the kitchen. The video of Mick's accusations against Lee Jay had been picked up by almost all major media outlets.

What exactly am I waiting for? Lee Jay or the police?

The phone rang and Beth answered it, visibly nervous. Julia was on the other end of the line. Mick froze listening to the conversation.

Things had quickly gone downhill from there. Even standing across the room, Mick could hear Julia crying through the phone. The crying was followed by Lee Jay's voice.

"Put him on!" Mick could hear Lee Jay yelling through the phone.

Mick hurried to grab a second phone off an end table in the living room. "What do you want?" he demanded.

"You do not talk to me that way!" Lee Jay growled through the phone. "You forget who you're talking to. I know what you are, Mick." Mick's eyes sprang up to automatically to meet Beth's. He caught a flash of confusion crossing her face, but just as quickly she turned her attention back to the phone.

"Now, here's what I want," Lee Jay continued. "I want you to go down to the nearest police station and I want you to turn yourself in."

Mick shook his head. "I didn't do anything. I'm not going to say that I did."

"You know what, if you feel that way about it, then Julia ends up like Eileen."

"How do I know you won't kill her anyway?" Mick asked. You're going to kill her no matter what I do.

"You don't." Lee Jay responded. "You got one hour."

Julia's voice was back on the phone. "Please, help me. Please." Her voice came out in a desperate breathless gasp before the line went dead.


Mick and Beth were in his car. He was driving, and she was tracking the GPS device Mick had stuck on Julia's car at the launch party. Josh was in his own car, on his way to the police, carrying Beth's answering machine, complete with a recording of Lee Jay's threats.

Mick could see Beth look up from the GPS and over at him. "You tried to warn me Julia was in danger." Her voice was full of remorse.

Mick huffed out a breath. "Yeah well, none of us want to believe that there are monsters like Lee Jay right around us."

"You did," she told him.

Yes well, unfortunately I have a lot more experience with monsters than you do.

He could feel her eyes on his face. "What did he mean 'I know what you are'?"

A twinge of fear hit him in the chest. I guess it was too much to hope you wouldn't remember that. He ignored the question and didn't say anything.

But she wasn't going to be deterred that easily. "Mick?" she repeated. "What did he mean?"

"I don't know," he answered quickly, in a dismissive tone that he hoped would end the conversation.

"I don't believe you," Beth challenged him. He shot a quick look away from the road, over to her. She didn't look angry at his lack of response, but leaning more toward intrigued.

He trained his eyes back on the road. "How about we get Julia first?"

She was looking down at the GPS again. "How about you finally answer a question without evading or disappearing?"

"Hour's almost up." He tried again to refocus her attention off of him.

"Like that." There was a hint of annoyance in her tone now.

Right, like you'd even believe me if I tried to tell you.

"We all have secrets, Beth," he finally said, looking over at her. "And that's not evading."

Beth only met his eyes briefly before going back to the GPS. "Right here." She pointed for him to turn. "Ok, stop, stop."

Mick pulled his car to a stop. They were now parked in a dark alleyway outside a large, rundown industrial warehouse. The building's slate colored metal walls, coated in rust, rose twenty feet high.

"Alright, I'm going in," he told her. "Open the glove box," he nodded in its direction. Beth put down the GPS and reached out to pull the handle and open the compartment. It popped open revealing the gun he always kept hidden. Without even looking over at him for confirmation, Beth grabbed the gun and carefully removed it.

"Now, do you know how to use that?" he asked her. She turned to him with one raised eyebrow. Holding up the gun, she released the magazine then slapped it back into place with one hand. She then pulled back and let go of the slide, depositing a bullet in the chamber. She glanced back at him, verifying that he'd understood.

Okay, she can handle a gun. Good to remember. Why was that not really much of a comforting thought?

"Remember what I said?" he asked.

She nodded. "Call the cops if you're not out in 10 minutes. Don't come inside," she parroted from memory. "I got it."

"Ok," he said as he got out of the car, shutting the door and crossing to the side of the building.

"Why does the girl always have to wait in the car?" He could hear her asking his retreating form as he walked away.

Mick turned a corner of the building. He gave a glance back toward the car, confirming that he was out of Beth's line of sight. He moved closer into another corner, where two walls met to form a V shape. Taking a deep breath, he first crouched down, then pushed up with his legs, springing into the air. He pressed his feet against the walls as he went, propelling himself upward, and in a matter of seconds he reached the roof.

He crept over to the edge and stole a look down at Beth in the car. She was still sitting there, waiting for him. The gun was sitting in her lap.

Alright, you've confirmed she's still okay after a grand total of thirty seconds. Now time to go find Julia.

Mick focused his hearing. There was a television set on inside the building. He crossed the roof till he thought he was nearest to the sound, and then peeked into an open window. Below on the warehouse floor, Julia was lying on her side on a couch, bound with zip ties at her hands and feet. Her face was streaked with makeup from crying, but right now her eyes were closed.

Mick ran his eyes over the rest of the room. Two men were seated on folding chairs near Julia, holding shot guns in their laps and watching an old TV. He couldn't see Lee Jay. He inhaled a deep breath through his nose, but the powerful scent of some sort of industrial solvent filled the room, masking his sense of smell.

Mick jumped through the window, flying forward till his hands connected with a steel ceiling beam. He hung there for a second before letting go and dropping down, his long black coat streaming out behind him. He landed on the concrete factory floor behind the two men. Julia's eyes opened and met Mick's. She gave a sharp intake of breath and her guards shot to their feet. He could hear their heartbeats begin to pound wildly.

He was within arm's reach of the first guard. The man didn't even have time to raise his weapon. Mick grabbed his head, and with one strong twist, snapped his neck. Letting him fall to the ground, Mick hurried to close the distance between himself and the second guard. Before he could finish lifting the gun, Mick hit him a roundhouse kick to the chest, sending him tumbling through the air, landing on the concrete, and cracking his head. Mick took a second to listen and verify that the man did appear to be unconscious, and then rushed to Julia's aid.

He seized on the zip ties, first at her feet, then her hands, breaking them. Julia was shaking and she couldn't take her eyes off his face. "Run!" he commanded her.

Julia gave fast bob of her head, and then was on her feet, sprinting away from him.

Mick only heard the shot gun blast a split second before he felt it hit him. Julia screamed and pain exploded through his body. An excruciating sharp ripping sensation spun him around and drove him to his knees. A flash of white light blinded his vision for a split second and he fought not to pass out.

"Silver buck shot," Lee Jay's voice reached him. "Had to special order it." Mick was struggling to regain his feet and stand up. "And correct me if I'm wrong, but silver is like poison to you."

Mick hadn't made it all the way up when the shot gun fired again. He was hit by another blast and landed back on his stomach on the ground, writhing in pain.

"The only thing more deadly to a vampire is fire," he heard Lee Jay saying.

Fuck! The pain was unbelievable, but he rolled onto his back, and tried to focus on what Lee Jay was doing. Need to get up. Come on, you need to get up. His body was not obeying his commands right now.

He heard a hiss and a click, and squinted up at Lee Jay. What the…? Oh shit!

Lee Jay was advancing on him, holding a lit blow torch.

"Now, I gotta admit…" Lee Jay said as he closed in on Mick, holding up the torch in his right hand. "Part of me wonders what it would be like to live forever. Powerful." Lee Jay stood over him and his foot shot out, connecting with Mick's jaw, snapping his head back. White spots danced in his vision.

Lee Jay leaned down, bringing the torch closer to Mick's face.

"The last thing this world needs is an eternal you," Mick managed to say.

He could see Lee Jay's face hovering above him, lips curled in a sneer, eyes focused and cold. He could feel the heat from the torch, and his hand started to blister. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned his face away. But the heat was so close now.

A shot rang out, and just as suddenly, the torch was gone. Mick eyes flew open and fixed on Lee Jay. He was holding his left hand to his neck, and blood was pouring out through a bullet hole. An expression of utter shock had taken over his features. Lee Jay looked across the room at something, and then stumbled backward, falling down, slowly closing his eyes.

Mick kept his eyes on Lee Jay for a few seconds, listening as his heart beat started to slow. Then with a grimace, he lifted up, propping himself on his right elbow. He focused his eyes across the room. His vision blurred then cleared again.

Beth stood there, gun still in hand, pointed at Lee Jay. She shook as if she would fall down, horror plastered over her face.

"I thought… I'd told you to stay in the car?" He stammered out.

She could only stare back at him wordlessly. As he watched, her legs gave way, and she sank to the warehouse floor in slow motion. Her eyes floated closed and the gun slipped from her fingers onto the concrete.

He forced himself up, swaying to his feet. One hand clutched the wound in his shoulder and he took a few shuffling steps in her direction.

Beth?!

He couldn't begin to catalogue what felt worse right now, his body or his heart. "Beth!" He called her name. He needed to reach her, make her open her eyes and look at him. Beth, open your eyes.

He was halfway to her when he froze in his tracks. The smell of blood overtook him. His entire body tensed and a strangled cry escaped his lips. Not now, please not now. He shut his eyes and tried to force the sensation down.

It was no good, he could feel the shift happening. His eyes, his body, a familiar rush roared through him and his incisors descended to become fangs.

She can't see me like this.

His head shot up, cocked at an angle, police sirens were getting closer.

They're almost here. They'll get her.

He gave her a last look, his heart cramped, his body on fire from the silver. She raised her left hand to her face to rub her eyes, and murmured a little. She was about to open her eyes and see him. He turned and ran in the opposite direction, out the door to his car.


Mick barely made it back to his apartment. He fumbled to work the key fob door opener. When the door unlatched, he burst through it, sinking to his knees in front of the entry table. His body was convulsing and everything hurt as if it would never stop. Not bothering to shut the door, he dumped the two blood bags he'd been carrying in his coat onto the table. Grabbing a bag, he ripped the top off one and started greedily sucking down the blood bag.

The silver had done a sufficient job of weakening him, to the point that he was unable to maintain a human appearance. He was in permanent vampire mode and would stay that way until the poison was out of his system. He was still gulping down the liquid, when he heard footsteps behind him at the door. Footsteps followed by her voice.

"Mick?" she called his name softly, worry in her tone. "You ran off again. One second you were there and then you were gone." Her voice faltered "Are... are you okay?" she asked.

A sharp stab of panic hit him. Damn it, not now. She can't be here now, was his only thought. She can't see me like this.

"Please leave," he told her without turning around to look at her.

"Not without answers," she replied. Her footsteps circled around to his left. She kept moving and he realized that she was almost facing him.

He spun around and sat down, gasping in a breath and jerking his head away so she couldn't see his face.

"I keep dreaming about you," she said quietly. "Why?"

He was hunched down in front of the table, holding up one hand to shield himself. But it wouldn't work, Beth was moving closer to him. "Please don't look at me," he tried again.

No, please no. You have to leave.

Her footsteps stopped when she could see him clearly. He could hear her slight intake of breath. "Oh my God," she whispered.

He kept his head turned away for a moment, afraid. When he had gathered enough courage, he lifted his head and looked up at her.

She gasped as her hand flew to cover her mouth. "What are you?"

That word, what.

She didn't ask who he was, but what. He couldn't stand the look of fear in her eyes. But it was useless to lie at this point. His eyes, his fangs, the blood… he knew what he looked like.

"I'm a vampire," he managed to spit out, his voice shaking.

She stood and stared at him, shocked and silent. In all his years as a vampire, he'd never felt so ugly, so much a monster, as he did seeing the horror reflected on her face at his words. She turned on her heel and fled out the door.


As I watched her run away from me, I sat on the floor and felt, just empty. I've been alone for so long now. I don't entirely know why this felt different.

I still remember what it felt like to hold her in my arms when she was a little girl. The way she looked at me like I was her savior, a hero. Now she'll be scared of me. Maybe I'll never see her again.

God does that hurt.

When I'd done a sufficient job of recovering, I got up and crossed the room, shutting the apartment door. If she'd just been a little later, I would have been able to keep up the charade. She'd have had no idea.

With one word it was all destroyed… vampire.