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Here is the answer to who sent the email to Beth…
Chapter 4
The water barely rippled as the man dove into the swimming pool. It was attached to a smallish house in the outer environs of Los Angeles, common among the hundreds of other homes in the neighborhood.
He rented a house with a pool to keep fit, as he didn't leave home much. Perhaps he was paranoid, but he didn't want to risk being recognized. Coming up from the water, he shook his head, clearing the drops from his hair. He was a youthful man of thirty-eight, and intended to keep himself fit until he could make the transition.
Climbing out of the pool, he dried himself and flopped into a lounge chair in the sun. Dr. Christian Ellis, Professor of Mythological Anthropology, late of Hearst College thought, I should enjoy this now, I won't be in the sun much once I become a vampire.
His whole life had changed the night he'd been confronted in the basement of Chandler Hall by Mick St. John, an actual vampire. The eyes, the fangs and incredible strength shocked him. All that he'd studied about prana and energy vampires went down the drain with that encounter. He spent that night on the beach, trying to take it in.
After the arrest of his teaching assistant for the co-ed murders, he found out that the blond student he'd tried to seduce in the basement was a reporter, Beth Turner. The case never came to trial because the killer was deemed mentally incompetent and was sent to a state facility. Ellis was called to testify and even though he was not implicated, his extracurricular activity with his female students was revealed. The embarrassment he suffered caused him to take a sabbatical from teaching. He left Hearst College and the Board was relieved to see him go. His wife had also had enough and divorced him. He didn't care, as he was entirely focused on finding out more about the real vampires he now knew existed. He had a sizable fortune from his family even after the divorce settlement, so he was able to pursue his investigations.
Using his academic mind, Ellis knew the first thing he had to do was find out as much as he could about vampires. He traveled to many esoteric libraries, compiling facts and myths and wrote up his findings just as if he were pursuing a doctorate. Then he realized he could only go so far with research and decided he needed to find a real vampire. From what he'd read, this could be dangerous, but he had two things a vampire would want: blood and money. He went south looking from San Diego to Tijuana and after several months of searching, found some women in a dive bar who seemed to have bite marks on their necks and wrists. He watched and waited and finally found a vampire who was willing to talk to him for money.
Ellis was careful, but after meeting the vampire, Ricardo, he saw that not all of them were intelligent or sophisticated. Ricardo had been turned some thirty years before and seemed to have no ambition other than to drink alcohol and blood. They soon struck up a friendship, with Ellis providing large sums of cash to buy women for Ricardo to feed on. The vampire willingly gave Ellis the information he needed about vampire habits and weaknesses. One night, unknown to the vampire, Ellis set up a camera in a hotel room where Ricardo brought one of the women. Ellis was pleased to get video of a vampire feeding. It was what he needed to carry out his plan. After leaving him with more money, Ellis came north to Los Angeles. He made his plans and found a place to stay.
He knew for sure Mick St. John was a vampire and found that Beth Turner was now living with him. He found that St. John's best friend was the multi-billionaire Josef Kostan. Ellis reasoned that one or both of them were also vampires, and sent an exploratory email to Beth Turner. Ever since learning about vampires he had one goal—to become one himself. Now that he had his research in order and the tape from Mexico, he would convince one of them to turn him into one of the undead. He would move carefully, but he was determined to succeed.
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Beth came back from her meeting in good spirits. Kostan Industries would be hosting a charity function to spearhead the building of several safe houses for abused women and children. Beth told Josef it would be fantastic publicity for the company, and Josef agreed, also thinking about the tax advantages.
Beth dropped her bags on the sofa, wondering where Mick was. She spied the almost empty bottle of scotch on the counter and frowned. "Mick!" she said loudly, knowing he would hear her.
He came out of his office, looking slightly disheveled. "Hi, honey." He swayed a bit but didn't slur his words. "How was your meeting?"
"It was fine." She held up the bottle. "I thought we were going to save this for guests."
"Well, um, I wanted to have a drink…"
He came toward her and under the smell of scotch she scented another vampire. "It seems you had more than one. What's going on?" she said, frowning.
"Nothing….." Even in his stupefied state he realized Beth wouldn't be put off. "Um, I had a visitor earlier."
"Yes?"
"Uh, well, it was Coraline."
Beth felt the celling crash down on her. "Coraline?" she squeaked.
"Yeah, but it's okay." Mick made for the bottle of scotch and Beth was so unnerved, she let him.
"What did she want?" she finally managed to ask.
"Nothing, just to say that she was in town." Mick poured two glasses of the expensive liquor, hoping that would help.
Beth took the glass and swallowed a large gulp, coughing as it went down. "Is that all?"
"Yeah, really." Mick looked at her blearily. "She wasn't doing anything, she's here for work."
"I thought the Duvalls were banned from America for the duration."
"Not Coraline. She wasn't a part of what they did in New York."
Beth took a smaller sip, glad that vampires were mostly immune to alcohol. Mick had consumed the majority of the bottle. If he'd been human he'd be passed out by now.
"So all she wanted was to tell you she was here."
"Uh-hm." he responded. "She was reasonable and everything. I don't think she'll bother us." Mick threw back the rest of the scotch.
"Then why the drinking binge?" Beth asked narrowly.
Now Mick looked sheepish, like a little boy with his hand in the cookie jar. "I didn't know how to tell you, and then I have to tell Josef, too."
Beth couldn't stay mad; he was too close to her heart. She went to him and put her arms around him, Beth knew he was afraid she'd be jealous. "It's alright, Mick. If she does anything, we'll handle it together."
Mick curled over her, hugging her tightly. "I love you so much, Beth. You're my life."
She held him tighter, "I know. I love you, too." She felt him sway against her and said, "I think it's time for a shower and some blood, then the freezer." She could still smell Coraline on him. She wasn't jealous, but it didn't mean she wanted him to carry the scent of his former sire.
"Good idea." He said, knowing the blood would counteract the liquor. They went upstairs, a little slower than their normal vampire speed.
The next afternoon Beth rose from their double-wide freezer, hoping Mick wouldn't have a hangover. She checked to make sure there was some fresh blood in the little fridge in the freezer room. Blood was the sure fire remedy for any vampire woes.
After showering and feeding, Beth headed for her home office and checked her messages. There were a few regarding the new company project, and she was working on the publicity when her cell rang.
"Beth Turner."
"Ms. Turner, so glad to speak with you again," came a man's voice.
"Who is this?"
"I'm the one who sent you the email about Mr. St. John."
Beth was thankful she didn't have to breathe. Her first instinct was to hang up but she had to get more information.
"What email? I get hundreds every day."
There was a slight chuckle. "I doubt you get too many referring to the fact Mr. St. John is a vampire."
Shit. "What are you talking about? Look, buddy I don't have time to play games," she said.
"Neither do I." The voice became hard. "I know St. John, you, Josef Kostan and probably all his friends are vampires."
"Why do you think so?" She had to find out who he was.
"Because St. John attacked me. He was four inches from my face with his eyes and fangs. Then he threw me across the room. After that, I've made it my business to find out everything I can about vampires."
Beth felt afraid. What if this guy was a hunter coming after Mick? "What do you want?"
"Very simple. I want to be a vampire. I want someone to sire me or I'll release all my information to the internet, along with an interesting video of a vampire feeding."
Beth knew there was no use denying anything. "Why are you calling me? I can't help you with that."
"Perhaps not, but you'll know who to contact. I'm calling on a disposable, untraceable phone. I'll give you some time to make the arrangements. When I've made the transition I'll be happy to turn over all my research and dvds."
"I need to know who you are."
There was a pause. "I suppose it doesn't matter, as you won't find me until I want you to. I'm Christian Ellis. You remember me don't you, Ms. Turner? We had an interesting encounter at Hearst before your boyfriend tried to kill me."
"Oh," Beth gasped, remembering the time she was drugged and almost killed by the crazed student. Mick had attacked the professor? He'd never told her anything about Ellis. "Yes, I know you," she said tightly.
"Good. I trust I'll be hearing from you soon." The phone clicked as he hung up.
Beth sat back distraught. Some nutcase wanted to be a vampire and had proof of their existence. It was almost like Dean Foster all over again. There was no way she and Mick could handle this—they had to call Josef. She pushed herself out of the chair to get Mick. Now she knew how he felt when he had to tell her about Coraline.
She ran to their bedroom and Mick was coming out of the shower, wrapped in a robe, toweling his hair dry. He felt her distress and said, "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
"Mick, I just got a call from the guy who sent the email." He froze as she continued, "It was that professor, the one from Hearst when that student attacked me."
"What did he want?"
"He—he knows you're a vampire; he said you attacked him and he saw you. He's found out about vampires and said he'd out us. He wants someone to turn him; he wants to be a vampire," she blurted out rapidly.
Mick sat down and put his head in his hands. Damn, damn. He remembered that night; he'd lost it when he was looking for Beth. He was so frightened for her and he'd exposed himself to the human in anger and frustration. He'd never heard from the professor again so he thought he'd scared the man enough to leave them alone.
"What else did he say?"
Beth gave him a verbatim of the conversation. "Mick, we have to tell Josef. We can't handle this alone."
"Yeah," he responded. "I'm sorry, Beth, I guess I overreacted when I couldn't find you."
She put her arms around him and held his head to her chest. She knew he always wanted to protect her and now she wanted to do the same for him. "We'll find him and if he causes trouble we'll take care of it," she said fiercely.
"I hope it doesn't come to that, but I won't let him hurt us," Mick said. He hated to kill, but to protect Beth and the vampire secret; he was willing to eliminate any human.
"Okay. Let's call Josef."
Later that night, they drove up to Josef's house in the hills. He wasn't going to the office that evening, planning to spend it with Simone. He heard the concern in Mick's voice and told him to come right away. Josef wondered if Coraline had anything to do with it.
Hale escorted Mick and Beth to the lounge where Josef was reading and Simone was on her laptop. They allowed Josef to pour them a blood and scotch.
"Mick," Josef said, settling down on the sofa next to Simone, "What's going on?"
Mick knew it was his fault so he started, "Beth got a call from the guy who emailed her."
Josef was surprised, and by his friend's expression, knew it wasn't good. "And?"
Beth interjected, "It was Christian Ellis, the professor from Hearst College."
Josef frowned. "Who is that?"
Mick took a deep breath, "When I first met Beth it was that case with the girls being killed by a student and made to look like vamps did it."
"Yes," Josef said, "I remember. Who's this Ellis?"
"He was the professor I was investigating. I was looking for Beth and, well, I let loose on him and vamped out."
Josef sat up. "What?" He scowled.
"I was trying to scare him and …. I guess I wasn't thinking straight," Mick finished lamely.
Josef stood up. "I guess you weren't." He was angry and worried now. He could understand Mick losing control as he'd done it himself a few times. The difference was that Josef would make sure there were not loose ends if anyone saw him in vampire mode. "So what does he want? Money?"
"Uh, no. he wants to be a vampire—he's looking for a sire."
"WHAT?" Josef spat.
Simone went to him in an attempt to calm him, then looked at Mick and Beth, "Surely he doesn't think he can blackmail us into turning him? How could we ever trust someone like that?"
"I know, but he says he has proof of our existence and he'll release it to the internet if we don't," Beth said, her voice laced with anxiety.
Josef was pacing up and down, and got his emotions under control. "Beth, tell me exactly what he said."
Beth related the telephone conversation and when she was done, Josef looked thoughtful. "All right, here's what we'll do. I'll have Rider try to locate him by his credit cards and bank accounts. Beth, you contact him again and get him to meet you or at least talk. We need to know what he has on us and how he plans to use it. We'll get this under control."
"He doesn't seem to be crazy or anything," Beth commented. "He's just determined to be a vampire. I think if we use that as an incentive he'll cooperate."
Josef scrubbed his hand over his face. "I hope so. Get Rider to tap into your phone so we can record your calls to him."
Beth nodded, and sat next to Mick who still looked miserable. "Josef, I'm sorry," he said.
"We all do things when we're upset, buddy." Josef put his hand on Mick's shoulder briefly. "We'll find this guy and finish it one way or another."
Simone was at the bar and poured some blood for everyone, thinking they needed it after all the turmoil. She handed the glasses, "If anyone can flush this guy out, I know you can," she said to Mick and Beth.
Mick nodded. It was his mess and he'd take care of it, as Josef said, one way or another.
TBC
Now we know who's causing the trouble. Will our vamps be able to make the professor see reason? Hope you enjoyed and thanks for your feedback!
