Chapter 3

Disclaimer: i do not own moonlight. If i did we could all have lots more fun and the show would never have been cancelled. I make no profit from this work, it purely stops me being driven insane while i research!

Chapter 3:

Beth awoke the next morning in bed alone. It was a Saturday and she could smell the bacon frying in the kitchen, Mick was making her breakfast. She smiled and stretched in the bed with a content sigh. Could things get any better than this?

Well one thing she thought and that is exactly nine days away.

Turning over she grabbed her phone and went to check her inbox. She had a new message from Elaina and clicked it open:

Hey Beth,

I have almost finished the beading on the dress. When we get it home, we'll just need to do a fitting and it'll be perfect. Hueilen is due to arrive not today but the day after tomorrow. I can't pick her up since I'm busy frying and Josef is out of town for the next two days. Could you and Mick pick her up? She is staying at my own house so you just need to drop her there and ensure she has some blood. I hear the preparations are going well, good luck!

I'll see you in nine days,

Elaina

Beth was about to reply when Mick walked in carrying her breakfast tray. "For you" he said, pleased with himself "bacon omelette, your favourite right?"

She smiled and put down the phone. "Your sister just mailed me" she said picking up her knife and fork "we have to pick up Hueilen tomorrow. She is flying in for the party."

Mick nodded "and i suppose if we don't pick her up, we'll never hear the end of how poor Elaina is off in Milan being burned to a crisp while she shoots her collection"

Mick rolled his eyes and struck a dramatic pose "o no!" he wailed in a high pitched voice "I'm a finalist for an exclusive award. And i get flown to Milan to shoot my collection and possibly make a whole lot of money and boosted my name but ah! It's the sun! It'll burn me!!!"

Beth threw him a look "that's not funny Mick, she sounded really tired when i talked to her, i think she is finding the sun really hard"

"i suppose" Mick conceded "hopefully she'll be okay. I'll pop a reminder to meet Hueilen into both our phones so we don't forget. But now Miss turner, how about we go finish moving you in?"

"Sounds great" Beth nodded in approval. Together they headed down stairs to tackle the last of the boxes.

***

Hueilen looked up from where she was seated in her green house in Minnesota. She smiled as she caught the smell of her friends Serafina and Edgar approaching. Serafina, an elegant Japanese vampire, was dressed in a purple and black silk kimono and Edgar, looked dapper as always in a charcoal coloured suit.

"How goes the work?" Serafina asked placing a glass of blood on the table for Hueilen.

Hueilen stood and breathed in the green house, the scent of so many leaves and flowers, she knew them all. "Good, i think this is what i was meant to do with my life. This green house brings me such a sense of peace"

Edgar nodded "i am glad to hear this Hueilen. But perhaps it is not a good idea to spend all of one's time with plants, perhaps it is time to look towards nursing something else your good at again?"

Hueilen looked at him puzzled.

"Fledglings" Edgar confirmed "you have been one of the most prolific and impressive sires of your time. Your boys are among some of the most respected and impressive elders and members of our kind anywhere. And even your little step fledgling, who any other vampire elder would have killed, flourished and grew under your care"

Hueilen looked at the two vampires before her and smiled "such kind words but Elaina is to some degrees still a baby. I promised myself i would not sire again after her until she was 100 in vampire years"

Serafina looked at her friend sharply "Elaina is no baby and we both know it. How many babies do you know who have taken down four hunter families?"

Hueilen looked at her friends "what is this really about?"

Serafina and Edgar looked at each other. Finally Edgar spoke "a fledgling has been found, not abandoned but rejected by his sire. He is near feral and none of us have any experience in dealing with a step fledgling...except you"

Hueilen looked at her friends "no, if i sire again, i would want it to be from my own blood. Step fledglings are so much more unpredictable...and without the connection, the bond, you can never tell what they're up to"

Serafina knelt next to her friend "so sire as well and have twins. You're already the foremost expert in fledglings in our tribe, push your boundaries"

There was a pregnant pause for a moment and Serafina laid her hand over Hueilen's "he has nowhere else to go. He's too scared to even tell us his sires name so the sire might be punished for this crime. You're the only one who can help him"

Hueilen sighed "can it wait till i come back from LA? I'm supposed to be going down there to help with Elaina's brother's mate's transformation."

"It'll probably take us that long to clear him with the council to be transferred from Alaska" Serafina said throwing her arms around her friend's neck.

"You won't regret it" Edgar promised.

"mm" Hueilen replied "that remains to be seen"

***

The spread was complete and Nathaniel stretched in his seat. Elaina hung the last of the photos up on the white board and stepped back murmuring approvingly.

"It's perfect" she sighed "let's bring it down to the committee and submit it"

Nathaniel agreed "then all we need to do is wait"

"i was so not blessed with the patience to wait" Elaina groaned as she picked up the board and headed for the door.

***

Josef was finishing a business meeting in san fransico when he ran into Lorenza. She threw her arms around him before he could react and gave him a squeeze.

"i heard you were down this way. I'm working a follow up to a case for Kai here. I thought I'd pop in and surprise you" she smiled

"well" said Josef with a smirk "consider me surprised. How are you Lorenza?"

The purple haired guardian nodded and beckoned for him to follow her "I'm good" she replied as they fell into line "the work here is hard but i enjoy it too so its overall for the good. I'm really looking forward to my break though and to seeing Elaina and our new fledgling in a few days. Not long now!"

"Yes" Josef agreed "everyone is very excited by it all. Mick is nervous but Hueilen is flying in tomorrow to give them both a master class in siring and sure she has had 30 boys so i am sure she'll have seen it all and put their minds at ease"

"Have you talked to Elaina recently?" Lorenza asked " I mailed her this morning to wish her luck while submitting the spread but i haven't heard back"

"Last night we spoke" Josef confirmed "she seemed pleased enough though according to the papers she should be using me to supply herself with a world class photographer and model"

"And yet if she did, she'd be a gold digger" Lorenza sighed "you just can't win"

Josef rolled his eyes "the media, what can you do about them?"

***

Chapter 3 for your reading pleasure! Reviewing is always liked and appreciated!