Thanks for all the reviews and to those who only read. I'm happy to keep Moonlight going for those who love it. Now, you can't keep those Duvalls down, and Ben is getting ready to carry out his mission.
Chapter 3
Coraline walked through the rooms of the Duvall mansion, looking for her brother Henri. She had been home for almost a week, and she was still depressed at her failed attempt to kill Beth St. John. She'd spent her nights cruising the vampire clubs of Paris, with Luc as her shadow. She'd gotten used to having him around when she was in Los Angeles, and his utter devotion soothed her battered ego.
She found Henri in Lance's old office, behind an original Louis XIV desk. His laptop was in front of him, and papers covered the large surface. He didn't acknowledge Coraline, and she felt his frustration and anger.
"Henri, what's wrong?"
He pushed away from the desk and took a moment before he looked at her. "Our finances are in chaos, and our investments have all but disappeared," he fumed.
"But how?" Coraline asked, alarmed by her brother's anxiety.
"I don't know. Someone has been buying up and disposing of everything we've invested."
"Who would do that? How could they know?"
Henri got up and paced around the ornate room. "I can't tell, but I suspect it's your friend Kostan."
Coraline hissed, "He's not my friend. You're the one who tried to have him killed." After her return, Henri had told her of the plot to assassinate Josef.
Henri resumed his seat, and slammed his hand down on the desk. "I told Erik to leave Kostan alone after the first time, but he wouldn't stop. My sources in Los Angeles tell me that Erik is dead, but Kostan knows I sent him and now he's come after us."
"Don't we have any other money?" Coraline asked, realizing the situation was serious.
"Yes, but not enough. Our expenses are high here and we have to keep up appearances to the vampires here." Henri ran his hand through his hair. "Lance managed all the money, even when our sire was alive, and I don't have the experience."
Coraline went to him, putting her hands on his shoulders. "What can I do, mon frère?"
He smiled slightly, covering her hands with his. "There's nothing you can do since you burned your bridges in Los Angeles. Kostan won't listen to you."
She sighed and pulled away. "He never would. Josef has no mercy and is loyal to his friends," She couldn't bring herself to mention Mick's name. "Even if we had money to invest, what's to say Josef wouldn't get to that, too?"
Henri responded, slowly. "If we had the funds, I could put it with a broker under a false name. I know such a person, but they won't act unless it is a large sum."
Coraline walked to one of the long windows in the room, her gown sweeping the floor. She turned to Henri, her favorite brother who had always supported her, and made a decision. "I know where there are jewels and gold."
"What do you mean?" Henri frowned.
She gave him a sly smile. "Marie Antoinette was deemed a fool and a dilettante by the people, but you remember she was neither. She trusted no one in Louis' court and she could see what was to befall during the Terror. She was desperate to save her son and the monarchy. Marie trusted me, for our family wasn't in line for the throne. She told me of a cache of valuables she had hidden."
Henri sat up, his eyes wide. "Where?"
"She had jewels and gold hidden in a coffin and buried within the Catacombes de Paris. Our family was not persecuted, and she made me swear I would use them to save her son if necessary. After the Dauphin's murder, it didn't matter, but the jewels remain in the catacombes until this day."
Henri, whooped and jumped up to give Coraline a hug. "And you know they are still there?"
"I went to see them in 1904. Some of the walls had given way, but it is still possible to get to the coffin. Now it is under the city, and has been closed off for a century."
Henri picked her up and swung her around, laughing. "My dear sister, you have saved us."
Coraline basked in Henri's approval. For once, she wasn't just the little sister who was attached to the family on sufferance. It almost made her forget her failure in killing Beth. "I haven't been down there for a long time, but I'm positive no one has found them. It would have become public knowledge."
"I'm sure they are safe," Henri said with renewed confidence. "You must guide me to them, and we will survive."
Coraline stepped away, looking at Henri shrewdly. "I will save us, but you haven't heard my price."
He frowned, "What price?"
"I want to be a full partner in this family. I have capabilities and want to be included in any decisions made for our future. It is no longer the 18th century, Henri, and I want to be given the respect I deserve."
Her brother looked at her and nodded. "I agree, mon cher. I know our sire and then Lance treated you like chattel, and I never agreed with that. We must move with the times. If we recover this treasure, then you will have a say in its disposal."
Coraline's eyes flashed silver, then back. "I want my participation drawn up in the contracts for our new investments."
Henri nodded. "Oui, I approve of that."
She damped down her impulse to jump up and laugh. For the first time, she would be a major player in the family. "But what of the others? Will our brothers agree?"
"I will give them no choice," Henri said, darkly. "It is a matter of our survival." He had always known that his sister was more than an ornament to their clan and now his brothers would have to understand it too.
"Then I will show you the treasure," Coraline said, grinning.
It was a momentous moment, and Henri took her hand and kissed it. "Welcome to the family, mon soeur."
Coraline accepted his homage as her due. She wasn't about to tell Henri she'd kept the treasure a secret in case she'd wanted to use the funds to escape and disappear. He didn't need to know that.
"When can we go to find the jewels?"
"Tomorrow night I will show you. We must have transport and help."
"It will be as you command, mon cher," Henri said, and kissed her hand again.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
There was a huge thump as his body hit the mat for the twentieth time than night. Ben Talbot picked himself up and shook off the pain. "Dammit, Mick, that's a move I don't know yet."
"That's what I'm here to teach you," Mick responded, grimly
"Then show me," Ben growled. He began to wonder if he'd taken on more than he could handle when he offered to go to Paris to spy for Josef. He'd spent the last ten nights training in unarmed combat with Mick and several of Josef's security team. He was also being schooled in firearms and swordplay. In between, he was working with Megan to perfect his French. Ben went to his freezer every morning exhausted, and he knew Megan was worried about him. His vampire vigor was being tested but Megan made him drink fresh blood to keep up his strength. He knew once he was up to Mick's standard of fighting, he'd have to work with Ewan and Josef to be able to shield his emotions from the older vampires he would be dealing with in France.
Mick pulled Ben into a hold, and demonstrated how to get out of it, and throw his opponent. Ben was a quick study and after a second try, threw Mick to the ground. Mick stood up, smiling, "Good job, man. You picked that up fast."
Ben nodded, feeling pleased he'd was able to best Mick. Ben had never been an athlete, although he'd run for track at college.
Mick said, "I think that's enough for tonight. Megan said she'd have my head if we went past midnight."
"Yeah, she wants me to practice my French later," Ben said. He was still surprised that as a vampire, he didn't sweat after a workout.
They walked to the door of Josef's home gym, and Mick commented, "Just remember, use your instinct when someone's coming at you. They won't expect you to have much skill since you're so young." Mick saw Ben grimace. "Use it to your advantage, Ben."
"I know. It's hard thinking I was competent as a human but not as a vampire."
Mick nodded. "You and Beth, both." He still thought of the terror he felt when he found out Beth had fought Coraline. "In fifty years you'll be able to take on anyone, trust me."
Ben, like Beth, was still coming to grips with the fact of his immortality. He stuck out his hand to Mick. "Thanks for your help."
They shook hands, and Mick said almost wistfully, "I wish I could be there."
"I know. But I'll have plenty of back up. Once I make contact, I'll convince them Megan will help me and she'll come over."
"Good. We'll have at least one more session before you go."
"Fine," Ben said and they left Josef's house, each heading for their cars.
Mick watched Ben drive off, and got into the Benz, turning the vintage car toward the loft. He still felt responsible for the attempt on Josef's life, and Coraline's attack on Beth. Right now, he wanted to get home and bury himself in Beth's arms to forget about his guilt. He entered the loft, and found his wife in the kitchen, pouring a glass of blood.
"Got another one of those?" He asked.
She gave him a huge smile, and reached for another glass. "Of course."
They downed the nourishment, and Mick poured some scotch into their glasses, mixing the golden liquor with the blood. They sat down and Beth asked, "How is Ben doing?"
Mick stretched out his long legs, and smiled at her. "He's doing well with self-defense. And he has good instincts about people."
"He does. He always knew there was something different about you, didn't he?" Beth raised her eyebrow.
"Yeah, I'll give him that. I'm just glad he stayed away from you when you were both human."
Beth snorted, "Really, Mick. You know I was never interested in him. I just stayed at the ADA's office to keep an eye on what was going on."
Mick moved over and pulled her into his arms. He knew Beth had never been attracted to Talbot, but he liked to tease her with it. He sighed, "I wish I could go over with Ben. I could stay out of sight—"
Beth growled, "You know you can't do that. If the Duvalls or anyone over there got a whiff of you, the plan would be ruined."
He buried his face in her neck. "I know. It makes me nuts that I have to sit on the sidelines."
Beth thought a little tough love might be the solution to Mick's gloom. "You know, not everything is about you. Josef is trying to keep this from becoming an all-out war, and save humans from dying."
Mick looked at her and raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.
"And, we have to work on finding that missing teenager. Her parents are suffering, and we can help them."
Mick smiled. His Beth always knew how to make him feel like his life as a vampire was worthwhile. "I suppose you're right," he said feigning reluctance. He nibbled on her ear, raking his fangs down her neck.
"Mick, are you listening to me?" she huffed.
"Of course, Mrs. St. John." He mumbled into skin. He felt her shudder with desire as he brought his mouth up to meet hers. She wanted to talk with him about the missing girl they'd been tracking, but his hands on her body drove all rational thought from her mind. At least she'd taken his mind off his doldrums.
When mick picked up to take her to their bedroom, she decided their talk could wait for a while.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
"I think it's further down this way," Coraline said, her voice echoing in the stone caverns. Henri followed her, armed with a lantern. They had half a dozen of their guards with them carrying satchels to remove the treasure.
Coraline paused at a junction of two tunnels. "This way, I think," she said, walking off to the left.
Henri followed, not allowing any doubts about his sister's story. She took the lead, not needing a lantern to see the way. Her vampire vision was enough in the dim tunnel. She wrinkled her nose. She was used to the smell of death, but in the closed confines it was overwhelming. Coming to another turn, she gasped. She recognized the crude cross gouged into the wall, and knew they were close. "Yes, it's this way." She hurried through the rubble-filled catacomb with Henri close behind. She counted three alcoves and at the fourth, she stopped. "It's in here," her voice waivered with excitement.
Henri came up behind her. "Where?"
"It's the coffin at the back." They walked carefully between the outer caskets which had fallen apart, their footsteps crunching on dried bones. Neither vampire paid attention to the dead humanity and found the back of the tomb.
"It's this one," she breathed.
Henri set down the unneeded lantern with a thump. The coffin lay on its side, a victim of the decay of the centuries. He reached for it, wrenching the lid off. A hail of jewels and gold coins fell out and Coraline laughed in relief.
"I told you it would be here!" she exclaimed.
"You did, my brilliant sister," Henri responded. He stood up and his eyes went silver in his excitement. He kissed her on the cheek and called out to his guards.
"Come, load up the treasure." They moved out of the way in the crowded niche as his minions started to scoop the jewels and gold into their packs. Unlike his miserly sire and Lance, Henri had promised a bonus to his guards for this night's work.
Coraline and Henri watched as all the valuables were tucked away. The vampires strained with the weight that was almost too great for their immortal strength. Henri was delighted, and said to them, "As I promised all will receive a portion of tonight's takings. Remember, ma sœur de dame has authority over you, as if they were my words."
The guards bowed to Coraline, even with the burden loaded in their packs.
She nodded graciously, and the group started toward the entrance to the catacombs. The cloud that had hung over her since her failure lifted. Coraline began to imagine that with her new standing in the family it would be possible to try again to kill Beth, and make Mick see that she was meant to be with him.
TBC
So Ben is getting ready to go to France, and the Duvalls aren't as defenseless as Josef hopes. Next, Ben makes his move to find out what's going on.
Comments are always welcome and appreciated!