Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.
xxxxxx
1 month ago, …
Mick enters the apartment. It doesn't take but a second to realize that there is the smell of an unfamiliar vamp in the apartment. He hits the stairs running hoping that Beth is okay. He senses some nervousness and worry from her but no fear. When he gets to the terrace, he finds Beth and a strange vampire sitting across from each other chatting. They are sharing a bottle of his best scotch and some AB negative from Josef's private stock. Beth turns to him and smiles. She senses his distress.
Mick glances at her companion and sees a late thirties looking vamp with one black pupil. "I wasn't sure who was in the apartment."
Beth nods. "It's all right. You remember Lance. He came to talk to you about Coraline."
Lance gets up and crosses the terrace to Mick and they shake hands. Beth turns to them. "Hey, I have to go to work." She leans in and kisses Mick. "I'll call you later." She turns to Lance, "It was nice to meet you Lance." Mick nods, not taking his eyes off Lance until he senses Beth has left the apartment. "Thank you for not frightening her."
Lance shrugs. "My business is with you. I see no reason to involve her, at this point." The subtle threat is not lost on Mick. "She was quite gracious once she realized I meant her no harm; she's going to be quite a handful when she gets older."
Mick snorts. "She's a handful now."
Mick notices that Lance is doing his best to seem disarming. Lance continues. "I don't know if my dear sister mentioned it, but she had six brothers and we were all turned long ago."
Mick nods. "Is this about retribution for killing Coraline?"
"Hardly. You saved us the trouble. We didn't even know what she'd been up to these last fifty some years. We wouldn't have cared much but she managed to get in and out of the estate and stole something from the family. We've been looking for her. Imagine our surprise when word reached us that she had been killed by her husband." Lance smirks, "And apparently not for the first time."
Mick shrugs, grateful that Lance is taking his sisters demise so well. "What can I say, she brought out the worst in some people and she is really and truly dead this time."
Lance snorts. "That she did. I did some investigating when I got here, as you can imagine people are never reluctant to tell me what I want to know."
For a second Mick feels the power rolling off the old vamp. "Yes, I can imagine you don't have much problem getting information." Mick is sure lying to Lance would not be an option. He wishes Lance would get to the point so Mick can get him the hell out of the apartment.
"So, I find that she turned you against your wishes and ours?"
Mick looks at him puzzled.
"We're royalty. We tend to be snobbish, what can I say?"
"Are you mocking yourself or are you serious?"
Lance smiles. "I'm afraid, a little of both. Our bloodline goes back to King Louis the 16th of France and we're rather proud of it. The family made a pact a long time ago. We would not include anyone in the bloodline that wasn't approved of ahead of time and you were not approved of."
Mick knows there is absolutely nothing he can do if this vamp decides to kill him. "So, what are you going to do about it?" Mick prepares himself for a fight.
"Now that I've met you, nothing. I suspect we would have approved of you. You have the gift. I'm sure that she knew if push came to shove, we would have been approved of your turning retroactively. We ask that you don't turn anyone haphazardly and contact us first if the desire arises."
Mick nods. "I'm not likely to turn anyone any time soon, if ever. I didn't even turn Beth."
"Yes, I noticed that, but someone of the other true bloodline did. She also has a gift. She's quite enchanting for someone so young. I congratulate you on your choice of a mate. She will be much more fun than my sister. One last thing, I understand that you don't relish being a vampire. Not many know this but there is a cure of sorts, and because you are of our bloodline, I can offer you a bit if it's found."
Mick smiles, Ah, that's what this is about, and that was the inducement to help find it. "Yes, I saw it firsthand. Coraline used it a couple of times. She wanted to offer it to me but because of Beth, there doesn't seem to be much reason anymore. Coraline wasn't pleased about that. No thanks. Beth has convinced me in several ways that this really is the life I was meant to live."
Lance nods. "Good. I'm going to tell you a couple of things that I know you won't repeat." Mick slowly shakes his head. He knows he doesn't want Lance as an enemy if it can be helped. "The substance that Coraline took is not something that can be reproduced. The plants that were used in its production are extinct. The damn peasants ate them a few hundred years ago. So, what we have left is all there is and it's not much. She stole a tin of it from us if you come across it, the family would be very grateful to have it returned."
Mick eyes Lance warily. "Do any of you leave Europe very often?"
Lance smirks. "No, we have connections and power struggles with other old families that keep us busy enough. That tin needs to be found and if I need to stay and look for it, then I need to stay and look for it. Its return is of the utmost importance to the family."
Mick laughs and Lance looks at him quizzically. "No offense but that alone is enough reason for me to make sure you get it back. I would just as soon you went back to Europe. One your age around here is enough. Follow me."
The two go downstairs and Mick moves some books around on his shelves and a safe is revealed. He spins the dial and opens it up. He extracts the small tin and hands it to Lance. "I found it when I searched the place where she was living. I wanted to make sure she hadn't left anything behind that would blow up in my face once she was dead."
Lance opens it and smiles, "Thank you Mr. St. John. How on earth did my sister ever manage to end up with someone like you? In my experience she never wasted time on anyone who had character. It was one of the reasons for the pact on turnings."
Mick snorts. "We all have our obsessions and I may not have always had much character."
Lance slightly bows to Mick. "Thank you again. I'll take my leave of you. As you American's say, if there is anything you need. We owe you one." Lance turns to leave and stops. "I will tell you one thing. Keep a close eye on the young woman. There are people, who would most certainly like to use her gift for their own agenda." He gives Mick a small smile. "Someday the three of you will be powerful enough to challenge the ruling council in this country. There are people who most assuredly will want to stop that before it can ever happen." Before Mick can question Lance, he is gone.
Mick grabs the phone and punches up Josef's number. Josef picks up on the first ring. "Beth is here, and she is telling me you have a visitor. She's extremely worried."
"Yes, he's gone. It was a very weird meeting. He wanted me to know he could snap me like a twig but not threaten me so much I wouldn't help him if I could. I suppose it was his idea of the carrot and the stick approach. "
"Did it work?"
"You're damn right. No offense, but Lance, makes you seem like a pussy cat."
Little do you know. Josef smiles into the phone. "That's me, just a big pussy cat."
And suddenly Mick has the feeling that he would not ever want to see Josef really and pissed off. Time to change the subject. "How's Beth? She seemed nervous and a bit worried when she left. She said she was going to work."
"Oh, she covered pretty well then because when she got here, she was pretty upset. She thought you would do better not having to worry about her, so she decided to get out of there as soon as it made sense. I told her you would call me right away. Hold on a minute. I want to let her know you're all right and I'm not going to have to avenge your bloody bones." Mick hears some muffled talking in the background and Josef comes back on the line. "She is going to work now. She said she would call you when she gets there. Is he likely to be trouble?"
Mick snorts. "No. At this moment, I'm sure he's headed for his private jet on his way back to Europe. He got what he came for and he says the family owes me one." Mick decides to tell Josef the rest of it another day.
Josef lets out a low whistle. "You do make the strangest friends."
Xxxxxxx
Present day….
Frank flips open his phone. "Bishop?"
"Frank it's a go for two days from now. Ramsey is at his retreat, meditating." Frank can hear the sarcasm in Bishops voice. "He called to tell me to get my people ready. He found out Beth is at St. John's alone. He doesn't want to wait. Someone told him you said it must be done before she goes back to Josef's. He also has convinced enough of the right people that the Duvall's are about to make a move on her to get even with St. John. The plan is to take them both, while they are separated from each other and Josef."
"Damn. How in the hell did Ramsey find out she was alone? I thought we had this mess contained. Thanks for the heads up." Frank shuts his phone and thinks of how to progress.
Bishop crosses the parking lot to the three young humans waiting for him. "Hey, Freddie, what's up?"
Freddie glances around and then looks back at Bishop. "Bishop? You asked for the meeting you tell me."
Bishop smiles. Freddie is not the sharpest tool in the shed. He hates bringing humans into this. There is no way St. John gets taken by surprise by vamps without some fancy footwork. He'd know something was wrong a mile away. Bishop needs to keep St. John off balance so at least one of his plans works.
"Freddie, I need you to kill a guy. I'll pay you and your boys over there, ten-grand."
Freddie smiles. "Ten-grand isn't much money to whack a guy. For you Bishop, a returning customer, I have a counteroffer. How about ten-grand but with a bonus of five for me? You know for setting the deal up."
Bishop gives a mental shrug. "Hey, however you want it. There are some conditions; it needs to be done a certain way. We need to send a message to certain people, so the killing needs to be done as I say. You must stick a wooden stake in him and call me so I can see the body. No other damage. We want to make sure his people can recognize him and what was done to him."
Freddie shrugs. "Fine with me. Are you trying to call someone a bloodsucker or something? I mean that's how you kill vampires."
Bishop laughs at the joke. "Yea, blood suckers. You figured it out." Idiot. "He's staying in this hotel. I figure the guy will leave tonight or tomorrow night. I'll show you his car. You stake his car out and when you see him coming have your crew ready for him. Here's a picture of him." Bishop hands Freddie a picture of Mick.
Freddie scrunches his face up. "Can't we watch him, so we know when he's leaving?"
Bishop shakes his head no. "Believe me this guy will know you're there in a minute and the whole deal will be blown. Be ready at his car. So, is it a deal? You stick a stake in his chest and call me. I'll be ready."
Freddie nods and they walk towards the parking lot so Bishop can show Andy the car.
xxxxxxx
Frank walks into Damian's office. "We need to talk about Beth and St. John."
Damian looks up. "What about them?"
"I have information that says Ramsey has the support to send his people after them. Ramsey's people will make their move two nights from now."
Damian shakes his head. "You're sure?"
Frank nods. "Yes, we need to get to her first, she's the lynch pin for this plan. Without her there is no reason to take St. John.
Damian nods. "If Ramsey gets to her, he will do things to her that will require absolute retribution on everyone's part. It will tear everything apart. It could even split the council and I guarantee you there won't be anything left of us once Josef gets through."
Damian knows the answer but asks anyway "Can you do this?"
Frank knows there is a double meaning to the question. "Yes, Vanessa is going to be royal pissed either way. If I let something happen to Josef's fledgling and don't make a move to stop it..." He trails off, thinking of the consequences. "You know how Vanessa is about 'family'. If Ramsey gets his hands-on Beth, Vanessa will never forgive me, that I can't live with. So, to answer your question, yes, I can do this. It needs to be done. We've geared up for this since it became apparent that Ramsey was going to make a try for Beth." Frank opens his phone and starts making calls as he walks out the door.
Frank looks across the plane. These are his best men and they've done a lot of extractions together. This should be a piece of cake. Extraction. He shakes his head. When did they start calling kidnapping, extraction? Maybe they are getting soft as well. Most of the team is well over two hundred years old but it's all so easy anymore. The young ones now don't have any fight like the old days. He hopes Josef and St. John stay put. That is the only wild card. If one of them shows up unexpectedly it will get out of hand in a hurry. Even if he could explain, there is no telling how many could end up dead. He gets a flash of Vanessa in his mind and pushes it away. He knows what she would think about what he's about to do and it's not good, particularly because it involves Josef.
Pete parks the van in the garage of Mick's building. Frank opens the door and turns to his team. "Ok, everybody knows their part." He looks at them individually to drive his point home. "Everybody knows that we do whatever is necessary to keep her from any permanent damage. A couple of you remember what Josef was like. I don't for one want to have to deal with him and St. John over a dead fledgling slash lover. Pete you need to keep a look out for any vamps. You've seen St. John and Josef's pictures. For God's sake, if you spot either of them sing out." Pete nods.
Frank turns to William. "You have the electronic lock pick?"
William nods. "I wish I could have tried it out on St. John's door ahead of time. He knows a couple hackers and any one of them could have altered that lock or booby trapped the door."
Frank shrugs. "We're going to have to go with what we have and hope there hasn't been any tinkering."
Silently the five of them go up the elevator to Mick's apartment. Frank has a tranquilizer gun hidden under his duster. They come out of the elevator and he gives everyone their last-minute instructions. "Once William gets the door open, Ben you and Howard go in first. Distract her then I'll shoot her with the tranquilizer." He turns. "Tim, you and Russ wait in the hall. Once we have her down you get in here and stick that I.V. in her arm. I don't want her any more hysterical than need be. The last thing we need is St. John 'seeing' her taken out of here wild eyed and fighting. At least if he sees her sleeping, he should know we don't intend to harm her." The two men nod.
William clicks the lock and Ben and Howard slip in the door and then it swings shut and locks behind them. Frank turns to William who is shaking his head. "Damn, I told you. The damn thing is booby-trapped. It's going to take me a good five minutes to get it back open."
Frank shakes his head. "Make it three. Shit. I hope they don't have to hurt her. It will be our hides if they do. Tim, you and Russ be ready to go in and do whatever needs to be done. Set the IV line down we can worry about getting it in her once we find out if they've hurt her."
Beth hears the click of the front door and wonders why Mick is back so soon. He's been gone almost a week. He isn't supposed to come back for a few more days. She listens and reaches out to him and realizes with a start that it's not Mick down there but two vamps she doesn't know. She freezes, remembering the last time she was attacked by vampires in this apartment. She smiles grimly to herself. She managed to kill one of them and she was still human. She forms a quick plan.
The first thing is she needs to do is get down the stairs. If she stays up here, she has nowhere to go, no exit and she can get trapped. Beth flies down the stairs as fast as she can and doesn't hesitate at the bottom. She doesn't know their exact positions. She prepares to run into them and hopefully knock them flat and head straight for Mick's weapons chest.
There is no resistance when she gets to the bottom of the stairs. As she passes them, she senses they are in the kitchen watching her. She makes it to the weapons chest, flings it open and grabs the little crossbow. Thankfully Mick left it loaded. She gets off one shot and hits the first one in the shoulder. The second one looks amazed and she smiles. Mick was right. They underestimated her because she's so young. She gets the bow loaded. The second vamp recovers his wits and comes at her fast and tries to wrestle it away from her. He's strong and she's afraid he's going to get the bow away from her. She uses every bit of strength and leverage she has and aims the bow at him as they struggle, and she pulls the trigger. It hits him dead center in the chest and he falls to the floor.
She grabs the machete out of the chest and slices the first one across the throat. She buries the machete in the throat of the second. The machete sticks in the floor. She starts to pull the machete out, but she hears footsteps in the hall and then the lock on the door clicks. She looks up to sees two more vampires come rushing in and start to circle her. As they circle, she feels a pain. She looks down and there is a dart sticking out of her shoulder. She looks up and there is another one at the door with a gun in his hand. The room starts to swirl around her, and she looks at the shooter. "You are so dead." She tells him as she falls to the floor.
Tim catches her before she hits the ground. He lays her on the couch. Frank turns to Russ. "Get that damn I.V. in her arm." He does as he's instructed, and the clear liquid begins to drip into her arm. "Well, hopefully that will keep her down."
Tim looks around the room at the dead vamps on the floor. "What a blood thirsty little bitch."
Frank turns to him. "Yea, you know, it's not like she was attacked in her own home or anything." Shit. "We're so use to extracting young ones that have no fight in them we've lost our edge. Face it; we, no I, underestimated her and two of our people are dead because of it. St. John and Josef did a hell of a job with her."
"Any idea how many days we have until they start looking for her?"
"If we get lucky a week but something tells me Damian won't leave it up to luck." Frank says.
Beth stirs in her drug-induced sleep. "Shit. Russ, adjust the flow on that drip." Frank looks at Tim. "You can't overdose a vamp, can you?"
"No, but the more of this crap we pump into her the worse she's going to feel when she wakes up. Make sure there is blood for her to feed and it won't last long. If she feels rotten it's more likely that either Josef or St. John will know something has happened to her. From the reports we have her connection to them is strong. Emotional upset intensifies the bond in extreme conditions."
"We should be able to fight back with this one." Russ growls.
Frank swivels and looks at him. "You lay a hand on her and I'll kill you myself. You know the stakes with this one. I can't believe you would bitch because she had the guts to take on a pair of, two-hundred-year-old vampires and win. She's barely out of fledgling status. Let's get out of here and get her on the plane. I sure as hell don't want to have fight with her."
xxxxxxx
Comments are always welcome.
