A/N: Just to let my readers know, for the next month, I'll only be able to update about once a week. I'll try to update more, yet I doubt that that will happen.

A/N2: A lot of people have been asking about Victus. So, I'll answer your question…in a few chapters. So, be patient and you'll figure out the whole Josef/Victus relationship (just to let you know, it's not a slash—far from it…). Enjoy Chapter 4

Josef pulled me towards a shiney silver car. I instantly recognized it, even though I rarely ever could.

"You drive a Lamborghini?" I asked, awestruck at the foreign sports car. "What happened to not exposing us?"

"Everyone thinks I'm just a business man with a lot of money. Not a vampire that's been on this earth for over 400 years. You on the other hand, can't go out without being recognized. Your picture has been plastered on the news every night, and even though you're a vampire, you haven't changed much," Josef told me as we climbed into the car. I nodded and stared outside at the city rushing past us. After a few minutes we approached an apartment complex and Josef got out. "Come on Nike," Josef said. "Wouldn't want to take this opportunity to meet a like soul from Mick, now would you?" I got out of the car and followed him up to an elevator.

"Who's this Mick? Tell me about him before I actually meet him," I asked him softly.

"He's a vampire, and my only friend who doesn't care about my money. Sad, yet true. Mick and I have known each other for a few decades and we've been good friends. He also has a problem with being a vampire, just to let you know," Josef told me as we stepped out of the elevator. "Stay out of sight for a minute, I've got a plan." Josef grinned a bit wickedly.

"Sounds cool. Fun also," I replied, smiling for the first time since my Turning. I couldn't wait to see Mick's reaction. I hid around the corner, keeping as silent as I could. Josef knocked on the door and I heard it open.

"Josef. To what do I owe this surprise?" a man asked like he was bored.

"Don't act like you're not excited to see me. Would you mind pouring two glasses of blood for us?" Josef asked.

"Yeah, I was just going to pour me some as well, yet I thought you didn't like my blood. 'Non-fat soy vegan crap' I think you called it," the man said. I was beginning to assume that this was the Mick that Josef talked about. "And what is this new scent on you. It's vampire, yet I don't know whom. Who's hiding behind the corner?"

"Nike, come on out. I thought we would fool him for a bit longer. Mick, this is Nike Minuit. Nike, this is Mick St. John," Josef said as he walked into Mick's apartment.

"You have a bit of explaining to do, Josef," Mick said as he poured a few glasses of blood for us. "Starting off, how old is she?"

"Seventeen. She was Turned just a few days ago. Let me guess, your next question will be how well she is adjusting," Josef said, sitting one of Mick's couches and taking a sip of the blood.

"You're right, like always," Mick said. I was starting to wonder how these two people could be friends.

"Of course I'm right. I always am," Josef answered. "She's not adjusting well, which is why I came to you. Please Mick, enlighten her as to what could happen to her if she holds on to humanity." He took another drink of blood, a smirk on his face.

"What? How she'll buy blood? Not drink from freshies?" Mick asked.

"No. About the searching for a cure, not being able to kill when she'll have to, stuff like that," Josef replied.

"Yeah. That can get dangerous for us vampires. I have to ask though, why aren't you adjusting to this life? You can't change it," Mick said. Josef laughed and muttered something under his breath.

"Well, Mick, Josef, I had everything going for me. I was on track to go to some of the best engineering schools after high school, had some of the best friend and that monster takes it away from me. And his reasoning was utterly stupid, too," I told them.

"His reasoning?" Mick asked.

"He thought I was lonely," I replied. Mick stood up.

"He Turned you because he thought you were lonely?" Mick said, his eyes turning silver and his fangs exposed. "He stripped you of your life because he thought you were lonely? Who is this pathetic vampire?"

"Victus," Josef said. "Sit down Mick. It's already been arranged for him to be killed. Now, Nike, I know that you're going through a hard time; every vampire has to go through that. Yet, if you hold on to your life as a human, then you'll end up like Mick here."

"Now I'll take offence to that. Besides, your name, Nike, sounds familiar," Mick said.

"Yeah, it's the name of the Greek goddess of victory," I replied. I often had people asking me if I was named after the brand, and it always was annoying.

"No, I don't think it was that," Mick said. After a few minutes he started talking again. "I remember now! There was an amber alert for you. Something about being kidnapped and that there were no possible suspects. Snatched after school one day."

"Yes, that's her. Which is why we're here in the middle of the night and not during daylight hours," Josef told Mick. "I've allowed her to stay with me for a few months, and we'll see what happens after that." I nearly choked on the last sip of blood in my cup. I didn't exactly realize how long I would have to put up with Josef.

"Yet Josef, what about Simone? What will she think?" Mick asked. Josef lazily waved his hand as if he was shooing a fly away.

"What about her? She'll understand," Josef said. "Once I explain the situation to her, she's sure to understand. If not, things can be arranged. Besides, Nike, do you know why Victus left you on my doorstep?"

"I'm not entirely sure. Probably because I'm not a cold-blooded killer like him," I said. "Though if he had the right person, I gladly would have complied and killed them."

"Who did he force you to kill?" Mick asked. "There was another amber alert, one for a Samantha Johnson. Is that who?"

"Yeah. I knew her, thought she was pretty cool. And then I killed her," I said. "He killed my second victim. Left him alive, though there would have been no evidence to say that anything happened other than an animal bite."

"So he left you on Josef's doorstep?" Mick asked. "No offence, Josef, yet you aren't really the human-loving type. You probably kill someone every day."

"I object," Josef said. "I didn't kill anyone today. Wait, there was this one guy I just killed today, so yeah, you're pretty much right, Mick. Well, Nike, we best be leaving. Good night Mick." I set down the glass that was still in my hand, with a small fracture in it. Josef and I stood up and walked out of Mick's apartment.

"So, Nike, what do you think of Mick?" Josef asked me as we stood in the elevator.

"He has to have a complicated past. I would love to learn what it is," I said.

"Not really. He met a girl, and fell in love with that human girl. She then found out what he was, didn't care, cared then left him. Not complicated at all," Josef said.

"You forgot the fact that he hates being a vampire and wants to be human. He probably also wished he never met his sire," I added.

"How could you tell?" Josef asked sarcastically.

"You know, sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. I figured that you would be old enough to realize that," I told him.

"I prefer to think of more important things, and wit of a higher form takes up thinking time. I'd rather think about how to kill the last guy who annoyed me or how to make more money for less," Josef said.

"And Winston Churchill is rolling over in his grave right now," I muttered under my breath as I watched the city rush past the car.