I have a great critic. I am most fortunate.

Late Thursday morning

Beth rolled herself out of bed much later than she'd expected, hoping it was late enough to avoid Tara and Lisa, but certain that it was early enough to avoid Josef. She'd climb in the freezer with Mick, if there were room. Anything to avoid that unholy triad. She wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, so she threw on some yoga pants and a tee and went downstairs in search of caffeine.

She found the kitchen quiet, and coffee already brewed. "Thank you, God," she silently prayed. The cup she poured was bitter; it had obviously been brewed many hours before. "Appropriate," she thought, though she liked thinking that there was a kindred spirit here who'd also spent a restless night. Soon as she finished the coffee, she'd call Mick. She really wanted to see him, touch him, hold him, had to be certain he knew she wasn't afraid of him, but she'd settle for the sound of his voice caressing her ears. She picked up her phone and dialed his number.

"Hello?" He sounded distracted.

"Hey, Mick, just wanted to hear your voice. What are you up to?" He laughed at that, of course she couldn't know where he was.

"I'm in the office, why don't you come and find out," laughed again as the phone went dead and he heard her padding toward him.

She found him behind the computer, with what looked like a ream of printouts sitting beside him, and she was on him before he could stand. She threw her arms around his head, kissing his hair and holding on tightly. He lifted her shirt, kissed her belly. Inhaled deeply, how he loved the smell of her, the taste. He loved the feel of her warm skin against his cheek and the little intake of breath when he kissed her. But he had to work, had to do more to solve this case. Reluctantly, he let her go.

"How's it going?" she asked, settling into a chair she'd pulled up beside him.

"I wish I were better with computers. But I have printouts of all the phone records for the major players both here and in Morocco, and I'm going through them hoping someone is talking to somebody they shouldn't even know."

"I'll help. Hand me a pile and tell me what I'm looking for."

"Here's the list of who usually deals with whom. So I'm matching the London numbers against Tangier, looking to see if Robertson, or any of them, had an unusual amount of calls, or time, with numbers that weren't their regular contacts." He grinned at her serious face, said "Oh and by the way, I love you. Want to have dinner tonight?"

"Only if we can order in." She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

"Better yet, let's go to a hotel and get room service." He kissed her then, sweetly, the turned to get down to business.

An hour later, Mick rubbed his eyes, and his face a frustrated moue. "I hate this. I want to be on the street, chasing down the bad guys. Guess I'll make us a hotel reservation, instead."

"Wait. What country code is this?" Beth pointed to "34" on one of the printouts. "Move over." She attacked the keyboard, had an answer in moments. "It's Spain. Who's in Spain?"

"Could be suppliers, anybody. I'll go wake Josef and ask him."

Beth put her hand on his arm. "Uh, Mick, I can just call the number." He gave her an evil smile.

"No, I insist. Josef spoiled our night, and we both know what one good turn deserves." He gave her a peck and left the room.

"Great," she thought. "I hoped Josef would sleep a month at least." This was not a good time to see him, especially not with Mick around. She didn't know what she'd say and wasn't at all sure she wanted to know. "Coffee. I'll go get more coffee," she thought as she rushed off to the kitchen for more liquid comfort. Unfortunately, the kitchen was where Josef stood, pouring a tall glass of blood. She frequently forgot how fast they moved.

"Beth. I'm glad we have a moment."

"I just want more coffee." Josef stood between her and the carafe; she hesitated to move closer to him. With a half-smile, he reached for it and poured her a cup, his fingers brushing hers as he handed it to her. She started at the contact.

"Look, I'll say this once. I am genuinely sorry that you witnessed my folly, but mostly that I spoiled the evening for you and Mick." He'd looked right in her eyes as he said it, then lowered them. Josef sincere. She supposed stranger things could happen.

"It's okay. Your sex life is none of my business." Wait a minute. "What did he tell you about last night?"

"I made it your business and it was not my intention. Mick told me he finally said the "L" word." He smiled ruefully. "And that you had, too. I know that when I've said that to a woman for the first time, my second thought was how soon we could be naked together. Now maybe Mick feels differently, but I doubt it. And I sure would not have wanted any human love of mine to be thinking blood orgy when I wanted her to think only of us. Well, not the first time, anyway." Beth softened. "By the way," he added, slipping right back to the Josef she knew, "he doesn't deserve you. I think I'll go tell him."

She smiled and saw him relax. Interesting, but probably more to do with Mick than her. "We have to know who your business contacts in Spain are. I found this number, a call to Robertson's phone." She followed behind as he made his way to the office.

"We use lots of Spanish suppliers, construction teams, ferry service. I'll call Ta- Owen to get right on a list."

"It's okay, Josef, really. I'm good." She handed Josef the list, and Mick looked relieved to see that they seemed comfortable.

"I know this number. It's Oziel. I'll kill that bastard if he's behind this."

"Last night you told me you loved him," Mick chided as Josef punched a number into his phone.

"Yea, well, you know I'm fickle." He gave a deadly grin into the receiver. "Oziel, I was delighted to see you last night. Are you free for dinner? I have a few matters that might be of interest to you." Beth and Mick watched him intently and he shot them his usual grin. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps Saturday? Good, I'll have mine call yours." He snapped the phone closed. "He says he's busy." Flipped the phone open again, punched a button, barked "Oziel Salazar. I want him found. Now." He turned to Beth and Mick. "Can I go back to sleep now? Wake me when you hear some news."

"Wish I could remember to answer my own questions that way. Makes it easy to get the response you want," Mick quipped. He took Beth in his arms, held her close. "I have to go." She gave him an exaggerated pout. "I know. I promise, I'll book a room at a hotel as far from here as I can find, and tonight…" He pulled her close, slid a hand up her side as he kissed her. "Love you."

"Be careful." She couldn't wait for tonight. Maybe she would call Tara. The scene might have shocked her, but the lingerie was great.

Tara knew just the place. As they greeted Charles, she said "Agent Provocateur."

"Soho or Selfridges?" he inquired.

"That's why I love you, Charles. Soho." She settled back in the seat, regarded Beth somewhat cautiously. "Sorry I was so snappy last night, but you really showed up at the worst time."

"Well if we'd known-"

"I didn't mean it that way, Beth. Look, it's not always like that. It's never been like that, for me, with Josef before. He was different. Not that he isn't wild, but last night, he was…there was something desperate about him and really intense. Then Mick, with the key, don't vampires have super-coordination or something?" She sighed.

Beth giggled. "He's usually amazing, physically, but last night we were kind of anxious to get to the bedroom ourselves. Guess he was distracted."

"So the lingerie's for Mick? Lucky you."

"It'll be our first time." Tara looked at her skeptically. "Do not ask me to explain. You just wouldn't believe it." Charles stopped the car in front of a very steamy shop window. "Wow, that looks… interesting." Over the top, she thought.

"Wait until you see the dressing rooms." As they entered, Beth saw a girl wearing a tiny nurse's uniform and black fishnet stockings.

"Tara!" she exclaimed as she hugged her, air kissed her. "Great to see you." She looked past Tara's shoulder, added "Is Josef with you?"

"No Cilla. But maybe I'll find something he'll like. We'll call you if we need you." Tara took Beth to a display, adding, "Josef loves this store. He's legendary."

"Forget Josef. It's Mick I want to dazzle."

She was back at the house within an hour. Anxious to review her purchases, she went directly to her bedroom and locked the door. Tossed the bags on the bed, kicked out of her shoes and noticed a single red rose and an envelope on the dresser. Opening it, she found a card key from the Portobello Hotel and a note that read "7 P.M." Her body sang. Mick, in just a few short hours, finally, Mick.

Mick spent most of the afternoon in the research department at Firth Winscombe, cross referencing every supplier, every contractor, every name, finally finding a slender, connecting thread. Workers from a single company had found both bodies, and, according to time sheets, had not reported the finds right away. Darkstar Energy, owned by one Henri Benoit. They'd found the bodies under stacks of solar panels that were being installed as part of an electrical system that would supply all the energy the hotel and part of the surrounding neighborhood would need. Leave it to Josef to find yet another way to incur the goodwill of the locals at absolutely no extra expense to him. He was planning to build the cost into the already wildly expensive room charge.

Of course, the panels may just have been a convenient place to stash the bodies. Odd, there were no photos of the crime scenes here. He'd have to ask around about that. Surely someone had taken pictures, Josef said he'd had all these investigators… and no photos? He resigned himself to the sad fact that he'd have to go to Morocco tomorrow and leave Beth here. He didn't know what the danger might be, and he wasn't taking any chances now. Not when they were on the verge of, maybe, forever. He smiled at the thought. His reverie was interrupted by the sound of his phone. He glanced at the ID. Josef.

"Mick, I'm five minutes away. Get your ass down to the street now." The line went dead. Mick moved. Josef didn't go to people. People went to him.

The car stopped right in front of him, the door swung open. Mick got in and they were off before the door closed.

"The police found Robertson's body in Shoreditch, he was stabbed. And I got a very interesting phone call regarding Salazar. He's in Morocco."

"I wanted to talk to you about that. I think I should go there tomorrow. Something's up. There are no pictures from the crime scene so I'll have to check it out myself. Do you know someone named Henri Benoit? Darkstar Energy?"

"Benoit? The name's vaguely familiar, but no, not really. Darkstar, of course, they're doing the electrical for the Tangier project. Why?"

"Darkstar employees found the bodies, and Robertson was in touch with Benoit. That might not be out of the ordinary, but it's the only lead I have."

"We're on our way to the airport. You're leaving for Tangier in a couple of hours. We can't wait."

Josef was right, of course, if Salazar had fled to Morocco hours after seeing Josef, he could be involved. Mick would do some research, figure out how Salazar could benefit from Josef's misfortune. But, oh no, Beth.

"Josef, I know I have to go, but, Beth and I are meeting at seven at the Portobello. Can't it wait a few hours?"

"No. The flight plan's been registered and you're lifting off at seven. And I have arranged for some exceedingly great assistance for you once you get there. Trust me, Beth's disappointment will be nothing compared to the wrath of Yalda."

"Who's this guy Yalda?" Mick felt as if a fist were clenching his heart. He didn't care how much this guy could do for him, he wanted Beth. Screw the wrath of some guy he'd never met. Mick was far more concerned about Beth's wrath.

"Yalda is most definitely not a guy. She's the chief counselor to the royal family and has been for over six centuries. Through several royal families, in fact. She's the oldest and most powerful vampire I've ever met. So be a good boy and do not cross her. She's my most valuable asset in Africa and I've known her for most of my vampire life. You'll be amazed, you'll be dazzled and you'd better not fuck up. A woman learns a lot in eight hundred years."

"Eight hundred years?"

"Give or take, she could be eight-fifty, but she doesn't look it," Josef grinned.

"Eight hundred." Mick tried to process the idea of meeting a vampire who'd been around since the Crusades. He sighed, resigned to another false start with Beth. "Josef, I'll call Beth, but please, help me with this."

"Okay, if you insist, I'll meet her at the Portobello and we'll trash the room in mythic fashion." Josef realized it wasn't the time for Beth jokes. After all, Mick would already be laid if it hadn't been for him. "Of course I'll explain. I promise. So you're not worrying about her when you'll need to be worrying about you. As soon as I found out that Robertson was stabbed here in London, I set the three musketeers on her, and she won't be going to the bathroom alone. Not that I think she's in any danger, but all of them know that if she so much as breaks a nail, I'll disembowel them. There's really nothing so painful as a good disemboweling. It's one of the things I really miss about the seventeenth century."

Gatwick Airport loomed ahead, and Mick knew there was no avoiding this. "Take care of her, Josef. I'll be in touch," he said as he left the car. Morocco. He never thought, if given the choice, he'd rather be in Notting Hill.

Thursday night

"Where's Beth?" Josef asked when he got home to find Lisa and Owen sitting around his living room doing nothing.

"She's in her room, boss, she threw me out after Mick called," Lisa answered. "Tara's taking first shift on the security monitors. Beth's fine. Unhappy, but intact."

"Tell Tara to kill the cameras and mics for now. I'm going up to see her." Josef went upstairs, knocked gently at her door. "Beth, can I have a minute?"

"Go away, Josef."

"Beth, open the door." He heard her light footsteps approach, heard the lock click. She opened the door and stood aside, her tear stained-face turned away from him. He saw the rose and envelope, laying abandoned at the end of the bed and turned to face her as she closed the door. "Mick asked me to check in on you. I sent him there Beth. Don't blame him."

Her voice barely a whisper, she said, "I blame no one, Josef. Don't you get it? Last night, it was your blood rites, tonight it's business…I wonder if he wasn't right all along, we'll never work this out."

"He's loved you all your life. You've loved him since you've known him. You're just frustrated." He moved very close to her then, wiped a tear from her cheek. "You will be together. You were meant to be. I sent him away tonight, he didn't want to leave. Life happens. He'll be back in a day or two and I promise, you'll know I'm right." He saw in her eyes that she wanted to believe it, believe him. Grinning, he added, "I'm certain I can think of something that will take your mind off Mick for a couple of hours."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Excuse me?"

"Beth, you've got a filthy mind. I see why Mick loves you. However, I was going to suggest we bake cookies."

She burst out laughing, and each time she thought she had it under control, the very thought of Josef baking cookies made her laugh all over again. She hugged him, "Thank you, Josef, I needed that."

He needed to keep her arms around him just a moment longer. "And I need a drink. Come downstairs. We'll think of something to distract you."

Mick gazed into the darkness of the night sky, trying to turn his thoughts to the task at hand. Yet over and over, only one thing repeated; he and Beth couldn't go back, but fate seemed to be conspiring to keep them from moving forward. Shake it off. There was nothing he could do about it now.

Monika, his attendant on this flight, was perky and not nearly so bright and engaging as Tara and Lisa had been. She was willing to give up her blood, though, and asked him incessantly if he were hungry. Or maybe it just felt that way, maybe he was feeling as Josef had the night before, that a bit of liquid refreshment might soothe away the heartache. It hadn't worked for Josef, and he was fairly certain it would not work for him.

So he reviewed the building plans, went over his notes until he'd committed them to memory. I'll rest a while, he thought. It already felt like a very long night.

Beth was enjoying the evening more than she thought she could an hour ago. A glass of wine with friends, it felt comforting to think of Owen and Lisa as friends. The conversation was easy, even Josef was participating, she only wished Tara would join them to make this little circle complete. Moments later, Lisa excused herself and Tara joined them. "It's all set boss," she said, taking the glass of wine he'd poured her. "You're good to go for 9:30."

"I'd be good to go now if I could get a fashion show." All heads turned to him at this seemingly incongruous statement. "Oh, come on ladies, Charles told me where he took you this afternoon. Owen and I would be more than happy to review your purchases," he leered. While Tara regretted that her things were not on the premises, Beth blushed. "Mick's eyes only, huh? Well, in case he doesn't appreciate all that hard shopping you did, the offer's still on the table. So what bit of sightseeing have you planned for tomorrow?"

"The Tower, some shopping and Tate Modern at night. At this rate, I'm going to miss the British Museum, and I haven't seen a play," Beth smiled, "guess I'll have to plan a vacation here soon."

"You should. You're welcome to use the house, Charles and Owen whenever you wish." Josef glanced at his watch. "Come on, we don't want to be late, and it's such fun to mingle with the tourists."

There was still a fairly large crowd waiting noisily for their turns to ride the Eye. Owen spoke a few words to a gentleman in a uniform and they were ushered aside. "You two are now officially off-duty, by the way, so if you'd rather not join us, I'll understand. Completely." He could not believe he was actually going to trap himself in a glass bubble for a half-hour of slow-moving torture, and he certainly wouldn't force it on two favored employees.

"Tara loves this, and I love her. We've certainly never had a private car before. If you don't mind, Mr. Kostan."

"In light of the fact that you could ruin my reputation if this ever got out, please, join us." When the next car emptied, they were ushered on to it, prompting quite a few complaints in the waiting crowd. Josef offered no acknowledgement, merely went in and sat on the bench beside Beth. Tara stood on the opposite side of the car, with Owen beside her, arm around her waist.

Beth was still processing the thought of Owen and Tara, in love. She'd really believed Owen was interested in her, and she'd certainly seen enough of Tara and Josef to be thrown completely off-kilter by Owen's matter-of-fact statement. She'd have to ask Tara about it tomorrow. Right now, she was going to enjoy this flight.

The flight had been fine, but Mick was glad to be on the ground as the plane taxied closer to the terminal building. He'd feel a lot better when he was moving around, the endless sitting had made it hard to concentrate on anything but Beth. Now, in a country on a continent he'd never seen before, maybe he'd be able to clear his head, regain his focus.

"Mr. St. John?" Mick nodded at the man waiting at the end of the jet way. "I am Nikolai, I'll be your driver while you explore Tangier. Mr. Kostan has arranged for your immigration to be expedited just downstairs, and we'll be at the construction site in but a half-hour."

"Nice to meet you, Nikolai, call me Mick. And remind me to tell Josef what a pleasure it is to work for him." No mundane distractions, no wheel left ungreased. Sometimes Mick wondered if, in three hundred years or so, he'd have people easing his way through life. Nah, probably not, unless it was Josef.

They wound their way around the mountain road, speeding through a night that was clear and starry. The smells of residual heat, exotic spices and strange flowers intrigued him, and he anticipated the hunt for clues with relish. No more bodies, Josef wealthy and happy, he and Beth together. Yea, he was ready to rip.

"The construction site is just ahead. I'll wait here by the road." Nikolai pulled over, and Mick was confronted by a series of terraced structures rising from the waterside to half-way up a hill. Whitewashed walls, a central building with a gleaming minaret, the scent of exotic flowers filling his senses…he'd have to bring Beth here for the grand opening. If there was a grand opening. If there were no more murders.

He made his way easily up to the place where the panels were being installed, vampire senses aided by the clear moonlight gleaming off the structure's walls. He breathed deeply when he reached the stacks of panels. Vampire. Definitely vampire, and whoever it was had been here recently. Then he smelled fresh blood, heard a faint heartbeat. He followed the sound, calling out as he swiftly moved to the last stack. He saw an arm, poking from beneath ten or twelve of the large panels, and sped to lift them from the fallen man. He reached for the pulse in the man's neck, faint, but it was there, and found his hand blood-covered as he reached for his phone. Damn, what good would any of them do him, back in London, so he lifted the man easily into his arms, applying pressure to his wounded neck as he did, and took off in the direction of Nikolai, screaming for him to start the car.

While Josef would never let any of them suspect, he was having a good time. Listening to the whispers of Tara and Owen, smelling the heat building in each of them. Appreciating Beth's glorious behind as she stood against the railing, taking in the really quite spectacular view of London on this clear moonlit night. They were nearly at the top, and he just knew Beth would run to the other side once they reached it, looking toward Greenwich and the south end of the city. For this moment, life was good. He saw Beth turn, and rose to join her by the window.

"I had no idea, from the ground it's impossible to tell how the much Thames winds through this city," Beth said quietly. She'd noticed how close, how intense the air around Owen and Tara was, and didn't want to spoil their mood. "Isn't it beautiful?" She looked at Josef, who was smiling gently at her, memorizing the way the moon shone on her face, the way her eyes gleamed with pleasure.

"The very thing I was thinking," he replied, and she had no choice but to accept that at that moment, he was not looking at the city. It should make her uncomfortable, she knew, but somehow it felt just right, and she smiled graciously at him, silently accepting his praise. The Eye rose to its apex and as if preplanned, Beth and Tara each moved to the opposite side of the car, abandoning Owen and Josef to the other.

"You could probably use a quick drink," Tara whispered, offering her wrist to Josef as she caught Owen's eye. "I can be silent, if you can." He paused, but took a quick, deep, silent draft.

"Thank you," he mouthed, then joined Beth and Owen. He had to remember to send them each a really generous bonus when this was over.

Nikolai pushed the car to its limits through the narrow winding streets of Tangier. They passed a hospital, but Mick's protests fell on deaf ears. Finally they stopped in front of a narrow, one-story building with few windows, Nikolai helping Mick as they rushed the dying man inside. A small medical team, as well as a man that Mick thought looked like a National Geographic photo of a Bedouin, whisked the man away on the waiting stretcher.

"Come, they will take care of him," Nikolai urged Mick to follow him back to the car.

"I'll wait. I have to know if he'll live."

"Yalda instructed me to bring you to her as soon as we left the site." He looked about nervously, torn between obeying Mick and displeasing Yalda.

"Explain to Yalda that the pleasure will be mine the moment I know what will happen to that man. Josef will want to know about this, and I need to know if I was too late." Mick sank wearily into the lone chair and Nikolai knew that the conversation was over. He excused himself, and Mick heard him apologizing and reiterating that they'd be there as soon as possible, and finally Nikolai's voice calmed, and his conversation ended.

"Yalda said that she will make herself available when your curiosity is satisfied. Mr. Kostan apparently warned her that you are…different."

Different. Josef had probably saved his ass from the wrath of such an old one with that designation, and he was grateful, but he was very tired of hearing how "different" he was. He was a vampire like them both, not as old, not as experienced, but he surely was not the only one who cared for humans, and he wasn't some damned freak. He leaned his head against the wall, closed his eyes, and waited.

The flight ended, and the four made their way back to Charles, again waiting patiently while they had fun. "What a strange job, ferrying people between episodes of their lives, never participating, waiting, while others lived," Beth thought as he opened the door for them. She decided she'd ask him to join her tomorrow, when they went to the Tower, or maybe for lunch. Get to know him a little better, let him know how she appreciated his service.

"Earth to Beth," Tara said. Beth smiled at her apologetically. "Want to stop by our place for a drink?"

"Thanks, that's really kind of you, but I'm so tired, I think I'll go straight to bed and be up bright and early, maybe I'll actually fit in my entire to-do list in, just this once."

"Can't say that doesn't sound good," Owen grinned. "What do you say, Tara, straight away to bed?"

Tara broadly faked a yawn. "Yes, I think that's best," she grinned.

"Enough of your innuendo. Charles, drop them at their place," Josef added. Beth was surprised when Charles stopped the car across the street and just a few houses up from Josef's. "What did you expect?" he asked Beth. "They're my security, they're on call when I'm in town, and I own most of this block. And I assure you, living in this neighborhood for nominal rent is exactly why I have such remarkably talented people on staff. Come on, I'll see you in. The night is young and so am I, well, not really, but that'll be our little secret."

He walked her inside, wishing he were going "straight away to bed", to quote Owen, with her. As that was not to be, he had to get out and move. Drink some women, maybe find a patsy to play some pool with him. Fill the time, if not the emptiness.

"You're not any easy man to know, Josef," Beth said as he moved toward the door, "But I am very glad I've had this time to try. I'm beginning to understand why Mick loves you. I'm growing pretty fond of you myself." He looked over at her with that half-smile he often wore, and she watched as the door closed behind him.

The doctor was able to assure Mick that the man would live. Mick took a quick peek into the room, and the man did seem to be resting comfortably. He shook the doctor's hand, turned to Nikolai and said, "Now I'm ready to go where ever it is you want to take me."

They drove back in the direction of the resort, but wound up a different hill to a place he hadn't noticed, but must have passed. It was well-hidden by foliage, a large, two-story house with what appeared to be just this veiled access road leading to it. Perfect set-up for a vamp. He was tired, but curious, and anxious to meet his hostess.

Nikolai pointed to a path, instructing Mick to the entrance. The door opened, and he was led inside by an enormous man with gentle eyes and a deadly body. Not a vamp, but the power Mick felt was pretty close. He introduced himself as Latif, and showed Mick into a large, white room, ultra-modern, everything white save the narrow, vertical windows with heavy amber glass that studded all four walls. Mick sat, and Latif brought him a tall glass of blood so fresh it was still warm. Delicious, and much-needed. He hoped they had a freezer for him here. He closed his eyes and dreamed of cold, sweet sleep as he finished the blood.

"Mr. St. John." His name recited in a voice so rich he felt the very human sensation of warm, sweet honey in his mouth. The sound was that luscious, that full. He opened his eyes and knew he must be dreaming. Before him stood a goddess, nearly as tall as he, diaphanous gown caressing firm, full curves, bronze skin, sun-streaked hair falling thick around her shoulders and the palest green eyes he had ever seen. It was Eve, it was woman, he struggled to wake up. "I am Yalda. Welcome."

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