For the second time that day, the scene he found in his living room surprised Josef. Instead of blood and yet another dead blonde on his floor, Josef saw two young women laughing and talking over drinks. Of course, the brunette's drink was a little redder than the blonde's. When Josef looked over at Mick, he could practically feel the relief emanating from him. Josef returned his attention to the girls.
"And what's so funny?" He asked as he poured drinks for Mick and himself. Beth tried to suppress a smile, but she failed miserably.
"I just can't believe you were pick-pocketed!" She said with a laugh. Josef frowned, but Elwen smiled. She wasn't sure if pissing Josef off would be wise, but talking with Beth had boosted her spirits considerably.
"C'mon, Beth." She told the reporter, "Give me a little credit." When Elwen saw the dark look on the eldest vampire's face, she hastily added, "Although, he is the only person who's ever come back for his wallet." She yawned as she finished her sentence.
"Are you tired?" Beth asked with a small laugh.
"It's nothing," Elwen assured her, "I'm used to sleepless nights…"
"When was the last time you slept, I mean, really slept?" Beth dug, her inner reporter shining through.
"What's today?" Elwen asked her new friend.
"Tuesday." The younger girl thought carefully.
"I think the last time I slept was Sunday night… but that was only for a few hours." Beth's eyes widened, and then she looked at Josef.
"Do you have a place where she could sleep?" The reporter asked him.
"There's my freezer…" Josef said, although it was more like thinking with his mouth open. Once he realized what he had actually said, he hurried to take it back, "But she can't sleep there."
"Why not?" Mick and Beth asked simultaneously.
"Because it's mine!" Josef returned. He didn't care if it sounded mean- he didn't want someone else sleeping in his freezer… that would be gross… Josef looked at each of his three guests in turn. Mick and Beth were giving him identical dirty looks, but Elwen's eyes were full of last night's defiance.
"It's fine." She sais suddenly, "I don't want to sleep in his freezer anyway." Not once did Elwen drop her gaze from Josef's, "It probably stinks just like him." Mick and Beth shared a confused glance.
"Well, then, at least we agree- you won't be sleeping in my freezer." Mick stared at his friend for a moment.
"Josef, another word…"
"Another one?" Josef asked incredulously, "You're needy tonight, Mick." When the younger vampire threw a glare in his direction, Josef groaned, "All right! Fine!" When they were in the kitchen once more, Mick looked at Josef coldly.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing!" Josef insisted, "I'm the same ruthless, heartless vampire you've always known." He muttered.
"It's just one night, Josef."
"Yeah," Josef nodded, "Until she asks again, and again, and the next thing I know I've got a roommate with no intention of paying rent." Mick scoffed.
"As if you would need her to pay rent…" Josef looked at him sharply.
"That's not the point, Mick."
"Well, then what is the point?" Josef wheeled on his friend, his voice low and cutting. If Mick hadn't known him, he would have been very afraid of Josef just then.
"The point is that I said "no"!" Mick watched his friend carefully, "And if she doesn't learn now that, in my house, what I say goes, then..." Josef fumed, but Mick smirked.
"Why does she need to learn how things work in your house?" Mick's smile broadened, "She's only staying one night…" Josef paused, as if replaying what he had said inside his head. Then he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked away from Mick.
"Yeah… for now…" He grumbled. Mick hurried to hide his smile.
"So you'll let her stay?"
"Yes!" Josef huffed, "But, if she's not gone tomorrow, it's going to be entirely your fault!" Mick smiled knowingly at his best friend of nearly fifty years.
"All right, Josef," Mick said calmly, "That sounds fair." The P.I. followed his friend back into the living room. Josef didn't even pause, he walked straight towards his room.
"Elwen!" He shouted from down the hall, "The freezer is this way…" He grumbled, but the two vampires heard him easily and the youngest hurried after him.
"Is everything all right?" Beth asked worriedly, she hadn't been able to hear Josef grumble from where she was seated.
"Everything's fine." Mick assured her, "Josef just doesn't like it when things don't happen on his terms." Beth snorted.
"That must be a vampire trait…" They glared at each other for a moment before they both started laughing.
In the back of the house, in the master bedroom, Josef was showing Elwen his freezer.
"Don't get too used to it," He warned her, "This is strictly temporary."
"Ok, I get it." She told him, "You don't want me here…"
"Well," Josef smiled sourly, "At least we understand one another."
"Would it really be that bad if I hung around?" Although she was considerably shorter than he was, she had no trouble staring Josef down.
"Hm… Let me think…." He paused for thought, "Well, we've already established that you're a thief," He ticked that fact off on his index finger, "you have an amazing knack for pissing me off," His middle finger joined his index finger, "and, you're about to become a freezer monger." His ring finger joined the other two, "So, yes- it would be that bad." Elwen huffed at him as she climbed into the freezer.
"You know," She began, "I'm not the only one who can be irritating." She told him with a smirk. Before he had a chance to reply, she slammed the freezer lid shut.
"Hey! Be careful with that!" He exclaimed, "It probably cost more money than you've seen in your entire life…" He grouched as he left the room.
When he entered the living room, Mick and Beth immediately stopped talking.
"Should my ears be burning?" he asked them as he poured a glass of scotch and added some AB negative to it.
"Mick and I were just thinking…" Beth started.
"I'll alert the media- oh, wait!" Josef looked at her wickedly as he sat, "That's your job." Beth ignored Josef's idea of humor.
"We were thinking that maybe Elwen should stay here…" Josef spat scotch and blood all over himself.
"What?"
"She needs a place to stay, Josef." Mick said matter-of-factly.
"Well, then, why don't you take her in, Mother Teresa?" He shot at his best friend.
"I don't have the space for another freezer." Mick told his friend logically.
"Sure you do," Josef thought for a second, "Get rid of your couch."
"What? I'm not getting rid of my couch, man!"
"Oh, who's self-sacrificing now?" Mick was about to counter his friend's claim, but Beth interrupted.
"Focus! Please!" Both vampires turned their attention to the blonde, "Josef, you could put the second freezer in the spare bedroom. Just get rid of the bed…"
"News flash, Buzzwire, that bed serves a purpose." Beth looked at him blankly for a second.
"Oh! Yuck!" She exclaimed with a scrunched up face.
"Yuck?" Josef asked in offense.
"That was a visual I did not need!"
"C'mon, Beth…" Josef smirked, "You know you've thought about it." Mick quickly stepped in.
"All right! That's enough!" He looked at both of them, "Calm down- both of you…" Beth cleared her throat.
"As I was saying- put the freezer in the spare bedroom, just for now." She added. Josef slouched in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest like a petulant child.
"Josef," Mick began, "It's still temporary. She'd only be staying as long as she needed help adjusting to our world." Josef looked at Mick, and then at the reporter; their gazes were resolute.
"I'm not getting out of this, am I?" Beth patted his arm in mock sympathy.
"Sure you will…. Eventually."
"Great." Josef spat, "Josef Konstantin: Vampire, Hedge Fund Trader, Babysitter…." He glared at his friends and then looked out the window glumly, "I'm gonna have to buy new business cards…"