LOVE, Full Blooded Love

Rated: R

Categories: Alternate Universe, Song Fic Characters: Beth, Josef, Mick, Original

Chapters: 1 Completed: Yes

Word count: 9103 Published: August 25, 2009

Part 1

Mick's POV:

Intense Affair. Burning insanity, jealousy, eaten up with passion and spit out, left alone. Done that once and I am watching for any signals. Once burned, twice shy – great song, better advice.

As excited as I am right now I'm tempering each step with some hard earned judgment. With the human divorce rate at 50% or better and no stats for the undead, I am a cautious vamp. When Beth decides to leave around 11pm after a visit I'm OK with that. I need my freezer (which she hasn't seen yet) and Beth likes being around the corner from school in the morning. Of course it takes us about 30-40 minutes to say good bye each time we part. These days I vote for a long term, steady flame in my heart rather than fireworks that blow off your fingers.

Beth's POV:

6 Weeks. This Friday it will be 6 weeks that I have known Mick St. John. Sometimes I look at him and forget to breath. I wonder if this is the way my Mom started with Dad. Mom remembered the day she met him only it took 9 weeks for him to ask Mom out. Dad made up for lost time and put an engagement ring on her hand in 8 weeks. I grew up hearing their individual stories, thinking this is a fairytale to have a love like theirs! Each have them have told in their own way the "you'll know when you know". At my age I understand them better.

No wonder Mick came off as old fashioned, he's my Grandfather's age. Hey, at least of don't have to share him with other blonds at the Playboy Mansion. He causes me to think about the time I have on earth because he's has so much time. He confided he had wasted at least one lifetime already – he didn't tell me how, perhaps one day he will.

Truth be told, his being undead or a vampire or whatever the cool buzzword is means about as much as if he were left-handed. It's inconvenient at time, nothing we can't work around. Another day dawns and he goes to his rest and I get up from mine. I dress with a smile on my face and head to school in the best mood I've had in a long while. I see an end to the school year and then exercising the decisions I've made about my career. Mick has a way of making comments, asking questions and encouraging me. He urged me to love what I do and I feel the suggestion came flawlessly from his heart.

Mick's POV:

She stares through my shadow

She sees something more

Believes there's a light in me she is sure

And her truth makes me stronger

Does she realize I awake every morning with her strength by my side

I love Josef like a brother yet his advice on women leaves something lacking. By the time I'm 408 I hope I'm a bit more developed in my understanding of women. I know my Dad spent many hours in his workshop, tinkering on some wood while he fussed under his breath that, "If I live forever, I'll never understand your Mother". So here I am with options Dad never had….and what have I learned?

• Don't play with your food, respect it.

• Don't think with my little head.

• Share my gifts with the people I love

• Behave like a gentleman, even if she's not behaving like a lady.

• And as far as Josef goes, don't kiss and tell – he can smell it all on me anyway so attempts at discretion get refuted with a detailed description and his quarterbacking my techniques.

The very best part of Beth in 2008 is she's no victim. I'm a guy she met and liked and we're dating. It's as simple as that. The day I find out she leaves the cap off the toothpaste I'll be tolerant, not bombastic.

When the evening fell, little did I know I'd have what I thought was finished business knocking at my door.

I am not a hero, I am not an angel, I am just a man

Man who's trying to love her unlike any other

In her eyes I am

I was at the computer, when there was a knock at the office door. Usually if they don't walk directly in and they knock I meet them at the door. I scented humans, two females and opened the door. There stood Louise and Caroline Bishop, one looking worse than the other.

I thought to myself, "Good evening, Miss Ghost", and held the door open, inviting them to have a seat in the office.

Caroline sat eyes downcast, hands folded between her knees, her shoulders hunched over, and her bleached blonde hair still punk-styled and semi-dirty. She wore the odor of the newspaper mailroom, the paper, the solvents the ink ground into her fingertips after months of handling newspaper bundles. Louise looked older than when I saw her six weeks ago, dark circles under her eyes and about a half inch of grey roots in her blonde hair. Louise started the conversation,

"Mr. St John, thank-you for helping Caroline a few weeks ago. I never got to call, we appreciate what you did." She looked at Caroline as if she was supposed to speak, then began again, "Caroline and Jonas, Micah's father had an argument last weekend, we're afraid that Jonas has taken Micah. Jonas was due back with him at Noon today and the cell isn't turned on and Jonas isn't at work. I thought of you after I called the police."

I folded my hands on the desk and swallowed….was it Yogi Berra who said…."It's déjà vu all over again"?

"Ms Bishop, do you have a formal child visitation agreement with Jonas?" I asked, trying to make eye contact with Caroline. She sat up and rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand before she spoke.

"No, we never had anything on paper, he doesn't pay regular and when he doesn't pay I don't let him see Micah", she was monotone. "We fought this weekend about money; he said he'd bring me money when he brought Micah home today. It was noon and there was no Jonas, no Micah and no money." She bit her bottom lip and sat back in the chair, her head back, eyeing the ceiling as it held the answers to the world's questions.

"What were you instructed to do by the police?" I was starting a form on the computer, typing as they spoke.

"They said we need to get official arrangements, they want to have us talk to a mediator, and they've taken his info, put out an alert for him."

"If you want we can go back to your home and I can take a look and see if I can locate him and ask him to voluntarily return Micah. Is Micah on any medication or in any danger?" My biggest fear was Micah being asthmatic or allergic to foods.

"No, he's ok, I just want him home, Mr. St. John", Caroline was now starting to weep softly. "I'm sorry I was a smartass the other night, I didn't need to be like that. I should have been nicer to you, at least bought you a drink".

I held up my hand, thinking water passed over the wheel and shook my head, "Caroline, no problem. Let's get back to your place, where the three of you were last and I'll see if I can find them this evening, OK?"

My phone rang, it was Beth, and I excused myself to take her call.

Our soundtrack : Josh Groban, In Her Eyes

http :/ www . you tube . com/watch?v=9UVX_hh4wKI

This world keeps on spinning only she stills my heart

She's my inspiration, she's my northern star

I don't count my possession all I call mine

I will give her completely to the end of all time

Beth's POV:

"St John here," Mick sounds all business.

"Good evening, handsome"

"Hello, babe, how was your day?"

I could hear the smile in his voice, so I replied with my best smiley voice "As days go it was great. Just checking in to see how your night is shaking out."

Then he shares he's with a surprise client, they popped in unannounced. I didn't even want to know what it was.

"Will you be working? You know, since you have people in the office already?"

"I do have a couple of things to check out, would you be up around 11 or would it be too late to drop by?"

I'd take a nap and wake back up for the chance to see him. The hair, the eyes, the walk….the kiss, "Sure will, I'm staying up for Letterman at least and Craig if he has a good monologue".

"OK, Beth, I'll call to let you know I'm on my way, OK?" he made a kissing noise, it just makes me swoon, I puckered back and closed the call.

I am not a hero, I am not an angel, I am just a man

Man who's trying to love her unlike any other

In her eyes I am

The apartment that Jonas calls home is small, dank and completely male. I scent the argument, Jonas and Caroline sleeping in a queen bed, Micah sleeping on sofa cushions on the floor with stuffed animals that smell like cigarette smoke. I see tickets from a movie house in the neighborhood, several stubs for the recent Pixar movie.

This could be easier than I thought. I scent the towels in the bathroom, Jonas had bathed Micah and they had headed out to the theatre….they hadn't been home because Jonas was no more mature than Micah. If I drove to the theatre now, they'd probably be on their second tub of popcorn and big gulp, sitting laughing at the movie.

I excused myself, sending the Bishops back to their home. I drove to the Cineplex and picked the bills out of my wallet and retrieved my ticket and entered the Lobby. There were a dozen screens with the movie on 3 of them. I stood inside the back door and scented, nothing in the first room, walked to the next one and saw Micah's luminous blonde hair in the reflected light of the movie screen. Father and son were smiling, Micah in his Dad's lap, picking small hands full of slippery popcorn and feeding his Dad. I stood there, under their spell, and then took a seat near the door, waiting for the movie to end.

When the credits rolled and the house lights came on I stood up, waiting for them. "Jonas, could I have a word with you?" I flipped my PI Badge at him. He was calm and picked up Micah, holding him away from me.

"Caroline pissed off?" he must have been used to it.

"Jonas, she asked me to help find you and Micah. Although you don't have an agreement with Caroline I'm going to ask you for Micah's sake to sit down with the mediator and work something out. Do it for your son, OK?"

The guy was ok looking, not stoned or under the influence, just a working class stiff with an illegitimate son. "You want to follow me there so she doesn't go ballistic on me?" he asked. I nodded and we walked out together to our cars. I followed him to the Bishops where the sound of the cars drew the women to the front porch. Perhaps my presence did diffuse her rant; they shuffled at each other in the drive way as Louise retrieved Micah and took him inside the home.

"You both, OK? "I asked. They nodded and I waved that I was leaving; it was till earlier that I expected, about 9:45, so I stopped at the grocer and picked up a pint of Cherry Garcia, and arrived at Beth's within minutes. I dialed her phone from the parking lot and asked her to come to the French doors

In her eyes I see the sky and all I'll ever need

In her eyes time passes by and she is with me

Beth's POV:

When the phone rang I was still napping….Mick's early! "Hello" I just popped up and pushed my hair out of my eyes.

"Come to the French doors" he asked… was he going to sing to me from the ground?

"OK, I'm coming out now", as I open the doors wide and step into the dark night. There's a whoosh and a flapping of fabric and suddenly Mick is in front of me holding a small grocery bag.

"You can fly?" I asked, giggling like a girl as I walked into his arms.

"No, I've just got a ridiculous vertical leap" He smiled, just insanely handsome and hugged me to him as he kissed my lips lightly.

"Anything else you want to share?" I asked as I pressed against his length and took the freezer bag from him.

I am not a hero, I am not an angel, I am just a man

Man who's trying to love her, Unlike any other

In her eyes I am, In her eyes I am

Part 2

Beth's POV:

Mick did this jump…yeah a jump…up from the ground onto the balcony. There he was, breeze blowing his curls in his face, duster flapping around his thighs. No wonder there are stories about vampires turning into bats and flying…did I ask him about shape-shifting? Maybe I should…. Anyway, once he walked inside my apartment it looked like something was under his skin. I didn't think it was me; it looked more like something from earlier in his evening. I'll let him tell me; let me see if I can draw it out of him.

I've been working real hard, to get my hands clean,

Tonight we'll drive that dusty road from Monroe to Angeline,

To buy you a gold ring and pretty dress of blue,

Baby just one kiss will get these things for you,

Mick's POV:

This is the good stuff, the surprise on Beth's face when I landed right in front of her; I guess she expected a fraternity quartet singing "Sweetheart of Sigma Chi". Right now part of me wants to take her into my arms and just inhale her from toe to the top of her head. The past few hours have been a diorama of human anxieties. A man and a woman meet, make a child and then abuse each other, along the way abusing the child….the child grows up and it goes on…..In 24 or so years, will my "son" investigate Micah's child's disappearance? If it didn't seem so odd, I wish I could shower right now to get all of "it" off me.

"Didn't expect that, did you?" I grinned and winked. I like the way her nose wrinkles when she winks back, and there she just did it.

"That was the last thing I expected, you are early and that means I haven't had a chance to wake up from my nap, are you sure this isn't a dream? Earth to Beth, your boyfriend just flew in through the balcony"

"Beth, that's the way rumors start, I jumped, not flew" I put the pint of ice cream into the freezer while she stood back, leaning against the island. I turned around and hung up my duster on the coat rack and came back to her. I hefted her up so I could look up into her eyes and wrap my arms around her waist. I rested my head on her breasts and listened to her heartbeat earnest, strong, steady, just like Beth. I inhaled her crispness and held her.

A kiss to seal our fate tonight, a kiss to prove it all night.

Prove it all night, Girl there's nothing else that we can do,

So prove it all night, prove it all night,

And girl I'll prove it all night for you.

Please open a second window for the soundtrack: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Prove It All Night

http: / www . you tube . com/watch?v=C3vUKBOJ5sU...opicID=25248879

She lifted my face and traced my lips with her finger, "What's this about? You seem so melancholy"

Whenever children are involved the images that stay in my head are more disturbing. There was the déjà vu of the initial meeting and then the relief that Coraline wasn't involved.

The images of Jonas with Micah in his lap enjoying the movie struck me hard; I never had that sort of simple happiness. At the apartment I picked up on Jonas' emotions, as messy at it was I felt their playfulness where Jonas tossed the damp towel after he dried Micah from his bath. The two has played with pirate toys in the small bathroom's tub before leaving for the movie. Jonas was a man with few opportunities for pleasure and his son was a true joy to him.

I turned my eyes to Beth and put on my brave face, "How about some music?"

"Music it is" she grinned as she jumped off the island, pressing against me into my arms until her feet hit the floor. She feels so good.

Everybody's got a hunger, a hunger they can't resist,

There's so much that you want, you deserve much more than this,

But if dreams came true, oh, wouldn't that be nice,

But this ain't no dream we're living through tonight,

Girl, you want it, you take it, you pay the price.

"Ice Cream?" I hold up the Cherry Garcia as she fiddles with the iPod at the docking station.

"Sure" she nods, returning her eyes to the play list.

What's when I break into vampspeed, its great on so many levels. I'm into the hall closet, the bedroom, the kitchen and back to the bedroom.

"What are you up to?" she asked, boggled by the blur.

"Something" I left her hanging as she hung back watching, lest she come near and get knocked over in my path.

"I'm sure glad you don't do everything at that speed" she said in no particular direction. I came to stop right in front of her as she sat on the edge of the sofa seat. Her eyes were closed and her arms crossed over her breasts.

"Why are your eyes closed?" I asked, perplexed.

"I figured it was all about a surprise, so I want the full effect" Matter of factly.

I reached out for her hands and guided her into the bed room and asked her to open her eyes. She regarded the room awash in candle light, the bed tray adorned with body butter, Ice cream, fudge sauce, crushed cookies, whipped cream and caramel sauce.

"Mick, you don't eat….what are we going to do?" Beth giggled at the big bath sheet across the bed. She ran her hand over the bed rail as she walked to her side of the bed. She went to remove her shirt and I stopped her.

"Allow me" I volunteered and lifted the sweater over her head. A luscious lace brassiere held her delicate breasts and I kissed her cleavage as I unbuckled her jeans and drew them down her hips. As she stepped out of them she placed her hands on my shoulders and we both shivered a bit. Beth's was expectation, mine was from awe.

I laid her down and turned to disrobe and she reached me by my pants waistband, "My turn"

I let her pull me back to the bed and sat as she kneeled behind me to remove my Henley. Her lace brushed my back and it zinged me with her warmth, her scent and the thought of her hard nipples hiding behind the lace. Then I heard the clasp of her bra unclip and her soft flesh trailed on me. It was enough to jumpstart by heart.

"You have to let me stand up if you want my pants off" I volunteered.

She bent kissing my neck, alternating her tongue, then lips, then teeth – just a gentle bite exactly where Coraline took my life. Beth had no way of knowing, there was no physical scar. The scar I held was in my heart – losing my humanity so many decades ago. When I read her desire all harsh thoughts of my murder were washed away. Hot emotion poured through me, desire, passion and fascination so wildly that it held me captive. Sitting there, not moving, Beth got creative.

She took the bowl of caramel sauce and the 3 tined fork. Swooping up a fork full she dripped the rope of caramel across my shoulders and returned the fork's tines through the caramel, scratching a trail into my skin that healed immediately.

Beth drew her tongue and lips over me consuming the sauce amid giggles and moans. Once she ate all of the sauce off me she whispered.

"Now I can have my favorite vamp and eat him too!"

"Favorite? You've had others?" I faked a crushed look.

She mocked back, chuckling, "Band Camp, I forgot to tell you about him".

She nudged me to stand and began to work on my belt buckle and unbutton my jeans. As her fingers brushed my lower stomach I was near bucking to come, then I regained control and waited as she worked over me, pushing my jeans down as I toed off my shoes. I turned to step out of the pants and she reached out and pinched my ass. I jumped to scare her and peeked over my shoulder.

"Hey, hey, hey don't bruise the merchandise; you break it you buy it"

There was, lying on her stomach, her chin in her hands – like a little girl waiting for a bedtime story then she blushed.

"I have NEVER seen such a fine ass in my entire life. I see you and I want to take a big bite of it" and she licked her lips.

"I thought you were a lady….I've never heard you talk like this….." more mock astonishment served up to her.

"Mick, I know you better now, "that honey voice sang to me as she rose off the bed and drew herself to my body for a hug. Warm flesh and a beating heart seeking the refuge of my cold flesh and still heart. I slipped my thumbs into the sides of her panties and slid them down. I pushed her gently back and she bounced on the bed, the motion of my pulling her panties threw her legs in the air. I tossed the panties over my shoulder. I caught her feet and kissed each toe. She moaned as I teased her with my tongue.

"If you're moaning now, I can't wait until later" I kissed the sole of her foot and laid them both down on the bed.

"Go for broke, Mick. It's about time the neighbors know I live here. Let's give them something to talk about." She lowered her voice and it sounded huskier and sexier.

Prove it all night prove it all night, prove it all night,

And girl I'll prove it all night for you.

Prove it all night, prove it all night girl,

Prove it all night, prove it all night and girl,

I prove it all night for your love.

I spend time stroking and kneading her back and torso, pressing and stroking the body butter and rubbing into her soft skin. Her body shone in the candlelight when I was done, and she grinned with a loose loving look as I crawled into bed with her, stretching along her side. Beth was flush from her blood moving from the massage and it literally sang to me, I wrapped my arms around her, drawing her arousal into my soul.

"I believe we have a serious problem" she was so very serious…..

"What, babe? What's wrong?" There wasn't anything I would try to do to make her world right. I released her from my grasp as she sat up.

I didn't see what she did until she turned with the bowl of melted ice cream, just the cherries floating in the soup.

"The Ice cream is melted, I'll have to lick it off you…." And she poured a good bit down the center of my chest down below my navel. She took a hand full of cookie crumbs and dressed the soup pooling on me. The fudge sauce decorated my erection along with whipped cream on the tip of me. I threw my hands behind my head and watched as I became dessert.

Baby, tie your hair back in a long white bow,

Meet me in the fields out behind the dynamo,

You hear they voices telling you not to go,

They made their choices and they'll never know,

What it means to steal, to cheat, to lie,

What it's like to live and die.

I welcomed the coolness of the ice cream soup; her warm lips provided the sexual tension. Beth licked and lapped, sucking up the cookies crumbs, stopping occasionally to grin back at me. She pinched my nipples between her fingers as her tongue delved into my navel, swirling in a circle until all the ice cream was licked clean. When she crawled between my legs and began to trace the veins on my erection I began to lose vision….all white light and coursing sensations. She drew her tongue the length of my underside and took as much of me in her mouth as she could. The fudge outlined her lips and it trailed up and down me as she stroked. The whipped cream melted into our skin and we slid against each other with silent grace, savoring the peace.

Her lips danced around one side of me, then the other side, drawing the skin of my erection so tight….so impossibly tight I wanted to surrender to her mouth….then I thought about the incredible tightness her pussy held and I wanted to bellow for her to ride me. I kept my mouth shut, enjoying her love and care. That's when she smacked another handful of caramel sauce on me and slathered the crème on to herself, crawling up to ride me. I met her stroke for stroke and her body was a canvas covered with caramel, fudge and whipped crème. We moaned and stroked until I felt her muscles choke me, she licked her lips and fell to me. She held my face and watched my change and offered herself to me. Even in the rapture I knew I didn't want to mar her neck, so I begged for her breast and she gladly offered it for my bite.

We rode the path to the bright white void together, collapsed on one another. While we're glued together with fudge and caramel and sweat, our hearts are entwined with curiosity and love.

Prove it all night, Girl there's nothing else that we can do,

So prove it all night, prove it all night,

And girl I'll prove it all night for you.

To prove it all night…...

Part 3

Mick's POV:

Man is driven in en toto by his insecurities. That works for vampires too. My visit to Beth's tonight was all about reclaiming my manhood, my humanity, to enjoin in passion and connect with someone who would miss me if I didn't walk this earth when the moon rose next.

In the still coldness of the industrial freezer that I will always occupy alone I lay here, tape looping in my head…Mick St John, this is your life…what was today all for?

Why couldn't I have chosen another profession? A private investigator will always have to hear a tale of woe before he accepts a job, puts a price on someone's problems and puts on the tights and cape to save their sorry ass. I feel like such a cynic. Today I couldn't even put a price on their problems. They live with two weeks pay in the checking account. My services today were gratis for Louise paying me in 1985 when my wife was the cause of their problems to begin with.

What mental illness, what ICD-9 code would a get slapped on my chart?

Tonight's soundtrack is provided by The Fray, Say When

http:/ /www .you tube. com/watch?v=i_MzfchNUbg

Earlier at Beth's apartment

When Beth climbs off me we're still reveling in the orgasms and the silliness of our personal ice cream social. She runs to the shower to get it started, yelling back over the sounds of the water,

"It may have to be a bit warm to clean off the syrup, are you OK with that?" Beth hadn't had nerve to ask for the heart to heart about my relationship with sun, hot water, etc. and I hadn't come forward on my own, she did know my preferences for darkness, shade and cold showers.

"A little won't hurt", I got up from the bed and stretched. I walked toward the shower, running a hand through my hair and self consciously wiping at my deflating erection feeling relaxed and spent. She bounced back to me with a kiss as she ran to lock the apartment door and turn down the music a bit.

I went ahead and got into the shower and began lathering up, when I heard Beth's phone ring. I sensed her reticence and then she picked up.

"Hello, Anthony, why are you calling?" Anthony, the ex. Her voice was thick with frustration. All I heard was one side; I didn't want to turn off the water to listen in.

"That's right, I could have let it roll into voice mail and then I would have had to dial you back and YOU'D let it roll into voice mail so you could call me back. You are always in control" At the last sentence her voice quieted to a submissive level.

"Why are you calling so late?"

"You what? You saw the lights on? Are you stalking me?" Now her anger was ramping up. She stood silent, almost shaking while she listened.

"I really need you to stop. Yes, you and I are done." She was nodding and leaning against the island where I had hugged her earlier.

"I need to know, are you outside now?" her concern grew at the thought that someone watched us.

"You never cared for the symphony…..who I took is none of your business. Anthony, I am hanging up and if you ever call me or I see you watching me I will have my attorney and the police make the next call. Do you understand me?"

I had turned on the shower massage feature to increase the sound, I didn't want to let on I had heard her anger and frustration. She slid the shower curtain aside and stepped into the tub, I had the shower wand ready to sprinkle her and make her smile. I did sprinkle her and she didn't smile. In fact, she clung to me and burst into tears. All the syrups that I had washed off were back on me from her tight embrace.

I See you there, don't know where you come from

Unaware the stare from someone don't appear to care that I saw ya.

And I want you

What's your name Cuz' I have to know it you let me in and begin to show it

we're terrified 'cuz we're heading straight for it, might get it.

Once we were out and dried off she threw me a robe, "I hoped you'd spend more time here to need this" The white robe was like the deluxe hotel robes in fine hotels and the pocket had an ornate MSJ embroidered in gold on the pocket.

"Thank-you, I'm a kind of speechless, I've never had one like this" I slid it on to feel the super soft velour interior and rolled back the cuffs. Beth slid on her robe and we sat together on the sofa, she held a wine while I had two fingers of scotch. I didn't have to prod, she repeated the call verbatim and shook her head at different comments he had injected.

Anthony had in fact followed her to the symphony, he assumed she'd be alone and had expected to connect with her …. When he saw her enter the private reception with me he was put off, yet not as much as when he saw the two of us in a private box. Anthony knew who Josef Kostan is and he was curious about whom I was….

Anthony had in fact driven by about an hour ago, seeing the lights he had intended to call and then come upstairs, what a master of timing that would have been. Would have served him right when you go stalking and find your ex fiancé with her vampire boyfriend covered in ice cream toppings…..

You're in the song playing on the background

All alone but you're turning up now

And everyone is rising to meet you, to greet you

Turn around and you're walking toward me

I'm breaking down and you're breathing slowly

Say the word and I will be your man, your man

Her total honesty in her predicament with her former flame was refreshing and it drove me to want to be honest with her…I felt dirty and deceitful when I recalled my back story to our meeting.

How long would I have to know her to tell her why I was looking for Beth Turner? Would she think I dated her for her name? What a cad I am. I'm a cad and all I want to do is be with her, share things with her, maybe even travel with her, show her whatever I can show her to let her know she is special.

Say when and my own two hands will comfort you

tonight, tonight say when and my own two arms will carry you tonight, tonight

It was early, about 1am when I left, she was still wrapped in her robe when she walked me to the door. I left more conventionally than I arrived. We had covered so much on her side of our tale. I knew her so much better now.

Come close and then even closer we bring it in but we go no further

we're separate. Two ghosts in one mirror, no nearer

Later on if it turns to chaos, hurricane coming all around us

See the crack, pull it back from the window, you stay low

As Beth related the situation she never once mentioned taking advantage of my position or career to "heavy hand" Anthony. Her honor and desire to see it through to a restraining order seemed almost angelic.

Then what do I have to do to feel honorable enough to be with her? What river do I have to wade to wash away my sins of obsession and delusions of a contrived romance?

Say when and my own two hands will comfort you

tonight, tonight say when and my own two arms will carry you tonight, tonight

The following afternoon, Church of the Immaculate Conception, confessional

I lied again when I crossed myself and said, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned, It has been 3 years since my last confession." It actually had been 1952 since I had taken the sacrament prior to my wedding. At least when I went to my death I went with a clean soul. I became undead with a sparkling white soul.

"Father, thank you for meeting me here on such short notice." I was penitent.

"Do you wish to speak here behind the screen, son, or did you want to sit in the pews?" The priest was older, at least older than my 30's appearance.

"Father, I would prefer to be here. I'm used to this, if that's OK?" I was too ashamed to face anyone.

"What is your burden, son?" He never looked to the screen, just sat holding his worn leather prayer book on his lap.

If we only had time for all of it, I'd spend all of the time on my knees here in the dark if it bought me absolution.

Come across your lost and broken

you're coming to but you're slow in waking you start to shake.

You still haven't spoken, what happened

they're coming back and you just don't know when

you want to cry but there's nothing comin'

they're gonna push until you give in, say when

"I've not been honest with a woman I believe I love" It was the plainest way I could explain it.

"And why haven't you been honest? Is it because of Pride, Covetousness or Lust? These son, are capital sins….."

I immediately thought, Oh, brother he just peeled those off his tongue like I'd peel dollars bills off for a valet at the car park.

"I'm a private investigator. I called a woman in the course of an investigation, it was a wrong number and we chatted and I confirmed that she wasn't who I was looking for, and a few days later she saw me in the news and she called me back. I was fascinated with her because of her name. When she asked to meet me I did it just because of her name" There I had said it…there was no rational way to come clean by lying.

The priest's hand went to his chin as he sat in thought. "Son, were you lusting after her? Had you licentious thoughts about her from her voice on the phone? Did she mislead you?"

"No sir, not at that time. I was curious about her, she sounded nice"

"Son, there is no sin at that point, what are you leaving out? I feel your hesitancy – what else is there?"

I wanted to scream and have the sound carry the lie out of me. "Father, I had experienced delusions, delusions for years that I was protecting a previous client." I sat in silence while I tried to make this PC and vampire-free for the priest

"Go on" Fr. Donovan nodded, waiting for the rest.

"I had rescued a young woman from a kidnapper. I had fought and killed the kidnapper. I returned her to her mother. I imagined that I followed her as a favor to the family; I thought that the she would always be vulnerable. In the past 5-6 months I have imagined that I have been dating this young woman, that we were about to marry. It was all a delusion. The young woman had the same name as the young woman I am seeing now."

I had to clean up the entire time line…nothing like trying to find a vampire priest when you need one. Did my lie of a story explain what I went through? Did compressing the time change any of the facts?

"Was this young woman under the age of consent?"

"No, sir, she wasn't. My feelings of deceit stem from the fact that I haven't told my current girlfriend that I've been slightly nuts, that I was delusional about a romance with a woman by the same name, that I was initially interested in her because of a name."

"Have you given the entire situation sufficient reflection and chosen to be deceitful? I feel that by coming here today you are seeking a way to speak to her, that you have not given a full consent of the will to this sin you feel you have committed. If you feel she is worthy of love then the sum of your love would bear this confession to her".

Now we're here and it turns to chaos hurricane coming all around us

Double crack throws you back from the window, you stay low

It all began with the man and country

Every plan sends another century around again another nation fallen

I took a deep breath as a cleansing step. All of these things had bounced off the walls of my brain. I had my upbringing hidden somewhere and needed an outsider to escort me to my Rubicon.

"Thank-you, Father for your time, I'll pursue this with her. I just needed a push, you know, from the outside. My parents are deceased and I needed some advice like I'd get from them"

"Son, you've been mindful to call me for guidance, even at your age that is admirable. Your 30's are years of great change and tremendous personal growth. If you had a good family life then it is natural that you do miss a family. These are years for you to transform your house into a warm home with a wife and children, grow your family around you, become the husband your father was."

I swallowed hard on those words. Plenty of marriages were childless; our friends could be our family. I may be immortal, yet my time could be finite. Whatever time I could have with this tender and expressive woman would be time savored for eternity when my soul eventually rested. Could our souls rest together?

Maybe god can be on both sides of the gun never understood why

Some of us never get it so good, so good

Some of this was here before us all of this will go after us

Never stops until we give in, give in

"Beth, hey, how's your day been? I didn't keep you up too late last night, did I?" I didn't want to tire her excessively when I was about to confess to her and rely on her empathy and compassion…..

"Actually, I've worked on less sleep and the evening was a ton of fun right up until Anthony the Asshole called" She was back to herself.

"I'd like to cook dinner for you tomorrow, could you come by right after school, have dinner over here?"

"Sure, should I pack a little overnight bag?" she was playful and I wanted to hold her so much right now.

"I would love for you to pack an overnight bag…..so I'll see you after school tomorrow? Beth, you mean so much to me, I'll miss you until then. Get a good night's sleep and I'll see you" I kissed at the phone mouthpiece and I heard her kiss back.

Oh, well there goes more of the 9th commandment crumbling down around our ankles.

Say when and my own two hands will comfort you

tonight, tonight say when and my own two arms will carry you tonight, tonight

Say when and my own two hands will comfort you tonight, tonight

Part 4

Mick's POV:

Josef. My brother, confidante, major heckler and my vampire conscious. I expect the truth 100% of the time whether I want it or not.

There we are, with dinner in our laps, while my mind was somewhere other than the brunette A+. I drew on her and swallowed her relaxation. Sheila is a pro, never anxious, always placid from her large dark eyes to her soft pink toes in the sandals. I gathered her up and lay her on the chaise, covering her with a throw. I turned and saw Josef had left me so I followed his hearty bellow as he prowled the hall to the game room.

"You have some minutes to spare?" I asked.

"214,444,800 of them so far and God knows how many to go" he turned on a dime to face me, hands on hips looking somewhat menacing to anyone but me.

I grinned and shook my head; bit my bottom lip before I spoke. "May we speak privately?" I tilted my head to the room ahead.

As he entered the room and poured us drinks he asked, "Sheila, OK?"

"Very fine, yes, this is about Beth" I accepted the glass and sat down.

"She needs a job?" He cocked his brow and adjusted his tie as if he'd go right into an interview with her…

"Josef, not at all" my chest rumbled at the thought of Josef "interviewing" her. I gave him my best stern face and put my feet up on the ottoman. Josef took a seat on the leather sofa opposite me.

"Old Beth or new Beth?" he pursed his lips before sipping the scotch.

"New Beth" and my face registered the smile I always have when I think about her.

"I guess its good, by your smile" he winked.

"I'd like to say it is. I need some advice" I got serious and he grew a wry smile.

"Just inside the leg is the sweetest, but you knew that" he knew I was getting serious by my flat expression.

"Thank-you, Josef, I'm being serious here. I need to know the protocol". The vampire equivalent of the facts of life, or un-life.

"Since I'm assuming you are not going into the Diplomatic Corps, you mean the Vampire Protocol?" even that made him serious.

"Right", I hate when he makes me pull it out of him. He knows Coraline never followed "The Protocol" much less mentored me in it.

"Did you need the Reader's Digest Condensed Version or the Catechism?" He grew more sincere, quieter.

"How do I know what I don't know? Have you got it on a flash drive? I'll read it and get it back to you." I figured it would be the size of "Jane's Aircraft" and I could peruse it and return it.

"Not exactly….it origin is a single illuminated parchment from a monastery in the northern Italian, near Lago Maggiore. This predates Gutenberg's Bible and I'm not talking Steve Guttenberg" he stopped to grin and impress me with his wit, "Other than a nomadic group that convenes in major cities intermittently all of the protocol is verbal from Sire to Fledgling. Unless your Sire decides she wants you to twist and spin for eternity, like Coraline did."

"Right" I nodded and waited to hear whether I would have the wisdom imparted or dismissed.

"The Tribe has it's network. Forget the Masons and the US Government. The founding fathers patterned their form of government after us. John Hancock, why do you think he signed so large? He was a member of the tribe and didn't give a rat's ass about being outed. But I digress" Josef snapped out of his almost lounge act and made eye contact with me. "You do not want to know how to run for the Governor of Vampire California, you want to know how to take Beth to the next level, right?"

I nodded back to him, "I want to know more about the dangerous, difficult and complicated."

When Josef kicked off his shoes and stretched out on the sofa I knew this was going to be awhile, I had never seen him remove his shoes to talk. "You want to know everything from first bite to fledgling?" He tipped back into the corner of the sofa and stretched his arms above his head.

"Yeah" I said; ready to be up all night. He started slowly then went off on a tangent about a girl in themed 1600's, then wrapped up with his Sara in a coma in New York. In his hands it all becomes the Gospel according to Josef.

I gleaned that although I hadn't broken and punishable rules I had skated close by divulging so much to Beth so soon. I was wise to have Beth around my friends for their observations and to integrate her into our society. Through their interaction they sought to confirm her patterns of confidences kept and general behavior.

The Tribe doesn't proselytize and they don't actively "recruit". According to Josef the last culling was minor and occurred during the First World War

My getting involved as I had I was setting myself up for eminent relocation while Beth's exit strategy could be more drastic. Her current options were akin to joining a dangerous cult. Join and cleave to the beliefs, leave and be shunned or worse.

I was struck by the look on Josef's face when he discussed the categories of humans. The terms seemed clinical and disengaging.

"The Salariarius are the lowest of the culture, they're being the non-feeding staff employed by vampires, house staff, etc. We find it in our nature to be generous as these people can be some of our closest allies. I know I've had a few in my 400 years" Josef nodded distantly, able to remember a handful of them.

"The Amicus are the non-feeding acquaintances, the business associates that stood toe to toe with the Tribe, the people I verbally beat up over business deals every day".

"The Epula, Epulae were the forerunner of the "Freshies", their jobs deemed them sacred as they fed the vampires. They earned great esteem and were kept healthy and well fed for all their days. To this day, they are one of my best investments"

And I couldn't help but comment back to Josef, "And source of Income, after seeing my first grocery bill from you". Josef frowned and continued.

"The Cupio are those marked by their lover vampire. The Tribe recognizes the bite and scent evidence of carnal knowledge as a badge of ownership a "Do not touch" to other undead. Anytime an older vampire desires your Cupio, they could try to haggle you for her or just flat out be a son-of-a-bitch and take her. That hasn't happened in my home since Vlad Tepes wanted Simone last year. He's taking some time out in the Aegean right now" Josef winked.

I began to feel goose flesh when Josef's voice lowered almost to a whisper, speaking about the "Noviciatus" those who were sealed to a vampire. Their desire to accept the dark gift was being given consideration. Both the Sire and the Noviciatus would be under scrutiny prior to the turning. Josef's position changed as he moved his feet to the floor and leaned over, his elbows on his knees.

The next step was the "Fledgling" the newly turned vampire relied totally on their Sire. This was my worse experience and established my decades of angst over my being. I drank up nervously as he described the beautiful relationships that could be forged between the two….it just had not been my experience.

"The longer you live the more you will become acquainted with the Antecedens, who had been engaged in service or trusted in some way with the secrets of the tribe. Their terms of service had been terminated amicably and they continued to hold the tribe's secrets while no longer working with them. I've kept a watch over each of mine, or at least someone in my employ does."

Josef chuckled and ran his hands through his hair, "You're going to love this group….I guess this is the group I have contributed to the most. The Damnatus, prime candidates for a trip to the tar pits although there were other means employed."

I continued to sit there….wondering how we could categorize the majority of the world, especially with most of them never ever even being aware of us. It was quite like a scientist categorizing Butterflies when the Butterflies didn't recognize the scientist. The majority of Humans were unaware of a tribe with the ability to scoop them up and pin their "wings" to a board to admire them like a Boy Scout would pin a Black Eyed Blue Butterfly.

"So now you know more than you knew and less that you want to know….Any questions?"

I regret I am unable to retrieve this video…I had one when I began the story and it is now gone…..The One, by The Kin

The song is available within their play list at this site- .com/thekin

A dollar in your pocket, you got five on the line

You've been through the wash you've been hung out to dry

This time you know for sure it's real

Would you be the one to fight for love

Would you stand the gun to bring it on

Would you be the one to fight for love?

Cause the best you've had is yet to come…

"I'm inviting Beth over tomorrow evening for dinner." I began to tell Josef, unsure of exactly what I'd say and do once she is there with me.

"Are you thinking of posing the eternal question?" Josef got reverent all of a sudden.

"No, not now, we've known each other 6, maybe 7 weeks….I couldn't imagine asking her to move in at this point, must less how would you like to live forever with me?" How could Josef be so smart in some ways and so dim in other areas?

"So it's just her dinner and your drinks and maybe a night with what…a National Geographic documentary? Hot monkey love?" Josef seemed unimpressed by my evening and he sat back into the sofa again.

"Right…..I can't even figure out how to proceed. It's not like we have inquirer's classes….If she'd want it I could see saying yes, I don't see the day, yet I see being ready for the day when it comes. I could just imagine what it would be like to sire Beth" I closed my eyes and got a ripple of excitement up my spine, a thickening against my fly, I reopened my eyes and smiled and Josef nodded.

"Buddy, I'd wish you plenty of luck with that….I don't know how I did, what I did to Sara. I would stay as far from me as possible if you need help in that area", he shook his hands at me as if to stay away.

"I have to level with her about how we met. If she doesn't burn my loft and run then we'll take it from there. She's special to me. She's told me she's beginning to love me. I've been a jackass and haven't returned the comment even though I've tried to show her how special she is, you know keeping her while she was hurt, feeding her to heal her.." and that's when Josef perked right up…

"You did what? He winced with a yell, jumping to his feet. His hands flew to his face….what the hell had I done?

"She was so beat up from the accident; it looked like it would be weeks before she healed. I felt sorry for her, she began to heal within minutes" there I sat defending myself, head back staring at Josef.

"Wow, Mick, you've got no alternative now….you'll have to , uh, uh marry her, you know?" he was dead-eyed serious

"What? You never said that in your explanation….I've spend half the night listening to you about protocol and vamp-human relationships." I was flipping out, not wanting to cage her or scare her. Josef sat there with his head down in his hands when I thought I heard him say something and I said, "What? Josef, what did you say?"

"Easy Mark says what?" and he smacked me on the shoulder, laughing loudly. I stood up wanting to slug him, and he caught me in a bear hug.

"Mick, I know you won't be careless with your love, I know she's special to you. Take it day by day. Even with immortality it's worth it to go day by day when you have someone to love."

I stood there in the hug and read the emotion in his eyes, heard the soul in his voice and knew my words would be understood, "Josef, I love you, brother, I love you. I couldn't get through this without you"

"Hey….buddy, I love you too." With that he released me and lightly slapped my cheek "If anyone knows I hugged you I'd have to show you where we keep the Damnatus".

You've followed your nose to the end of the line

Singing you've come this far, now this is your time!

This time you know for sure it's real, this time

all this time I have ignored the signs

Yet out of the dark will surely come the light

I will fight for this love again… this time

To be continued in Love, Reflected and Consumed.