Her office was bathed in red. Beth could not help but feel a little uncomfortable with the color suddenly, mostly because it related to the precious fluid that flowed through her desirable veins at the moment. Fear was evident on Beth and Mick once more settled his hand on her back to comfort her.

The room was enormous, but then it would have to be since there were no windows. Mick and Beth had the same simultaneous thoughts that they shared with a look to each other. Both could not imagine being in a room with no light, no way of seeing out into the world. Even though sunlight was damaging to Mick now, he still could not imagine not seeing it, breathing fresh air or seeing the night sky at least. He still held onto the human element.

Josef was of course unaffected. He wandered the room looking over the ancient artifacts, the different decorations, and the many paintings she had hanging. There were even some paintings leaned against the wall, as if there were not enough room for her desire to see such beautiful creations. Josef stopped at one wall and scoffed.

"You own an Andy Warhol? You have got to be kidding me!!" He said pointing to it accusingly with a face a fresh disgust. Katherine was at her desk sorting through different papers. She looked up from her task.

"What? I knew him!" She spat back him. "You wouldn't understand anyway. You try to be hip, but everyone can smell how old you are." She sat down in her chair behind the desk.

"Oh yes, you did know him. I heard you spent time in "The Factory". And of course I smell of decay, that's how we identify each other. I can't help what I am." Josef smiled said approaching in front of the desk.

"Yes, but you have that special rancid scent that registers with us all how culturally inept you really are." She said with a sly smile. He lifted his hands in surrender. And then commented under his breath,

"Yes, very hip in bad taste." He continued to wander the room, picking random things up to inspect.

"Is there really no windows here?" Beth asked. Katherine could sense an immense anxiety radiating off of her. She could only guess that she was claustrophobic, or perhaps overly stressed. But she could also sense a deep fear…of capture. Katherine could not understand the feeling, but something pointed to a very early and poignant event that would cause such a reaction.

"Yeah, no windows." Josef brushed Beth off easily. "Meanwhile, I am starving. Is there a bank here of the blood variety, preferably in willing volunteers of the young and beauty nature? Oh and female as well. You have no idea how many times I have gotten the wrong order on that one." Josef smiled, but no one was really paying attention to him. Mick moved to Beth, but Katherine was already next to her. She almost looked sympathetic to Beth.

"I can take you to an entrance only I use. It goes to the roof." Katherine started to move towards a wall and laid her hand on it for a mere second and it opened a hidden door. Mick started to move with Beth but Katherine stopped him.

"I can take her. Go with Josef down the hall and you can be fed." Katherine said to him. Mick stayed and looked at Beth for what to do. "I know you are hungry." Still he did not move.

"I promise she will be safe with me." Beth had not a very good talent with trust but when she looked at Katherine she felt deep sincerity.

"I'll be fine." Beth turned to Mick to reassure him. He still stayed for a long moment and extended his hand out.

"Are you sure?" He said, still willing to accompany her. Beth gave a small smile and nodded. She followed Katherine through the door and into an elevator. She turned around to see the doors close on Mick. She still felt safe, she thought. She was willing herself to feel safe she supposed.

"So you are a reporter?" Katherine asked when the silence started to weigh heavy. Beth nodded voraciously.

"Yes, but I am not going to write about this….I mean no worries, I would never…" Beth stammered.

"Relax, Beth. I was just trying to make conversation." Katherine cut her off. "I just don't want you freaking out okay?" She said turning to her.

"Okay, okay." She said nervously. Another bout of silence and Katherine once more tried.

"So, where you from? I don't know many people who are from LA originally." Katherine said casually. The elevator finally reached the top floor and the door opened. Beth laughed still feeling edgy.

"Yeah, well I am one of the few, born and bred." She said trying her best to be normal. The walked out onto a hallway and the view opened up to a small room with nothing but glass windows for walls. There were four reclining chairs all facing the city of Miami in the dark.

"Wow, it is really beautiful up here." She said as she sat down. Katherine walked to the window and stood before it crossing her arms.

"Yeah, I rather like open spaces. Unfortunately, most of my friends can't enjoy it as much as I do." She said trying to joke. Beth smiled.

"It must be hard." Beth said out loud. It was a thought she was running on, but had not meant to run out of her mouth. Katherine turned to her.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Beth fidgeted, but then decided to go for it.

"Well your life. I mean Mick tells me stuff about his, and how much he really hates to be what he is, and then not have family or to lose people you love. And I am guessing that it must be pretty lonely, especially for you. I mean you are so important." Beth finished. She felt as if she was courting a hard interview. She was interested in who Katherine was exactly, she could not help turning on the journalist switch in order to do so. Katherine looked out for a long while on the city, but Beth still waited.

"Yeah…it's hard." She said finally. She sat down but did not uncross her arms. She looked so guarded.

"Do you have any family left? Your father?" Beth was venturing into dangerous territory and she knew it.

"No, he is gone. He has been gone for awhile." She said thinking on her father sadly. It was strange but Beth could feel the sadness. It was very deep and still very sharp. It surprised her. "I don't really talk about that though." She said firmly. Beth nodded. She waited a few moments to ask her next question.

"So I don't understand. Did you have to be turned? Or were like this from the beginning?" Beth asked intently. Katherine laughed.

"Like this? Wow sounds real monster like there Beth!" She turned to her. Beth reeled back.

"I'm sorry. I did not mean to offend. I was just curious though. I'm sorry." Then there was silence. Katherine felt her, knew that was true. She relented.

"No I did not have to be turned." She broke the silence. Beth looked to her. "I was always like this." They both watched the sky once more, but Beth still had more questions. Katherine looked over several times to her, but Beth tried her best to control herself from asking the questions swirling inside of her.

"What else do you want to know?" Katherine finally allowed. Beth smiled back at her.

"Have you ever turned someone?" Beth asked innocently. It seemed like a strange thing to ask when it left her mouth, but then she had to account for the company that she kept.

"What? Interested?" She shocked Beth into silence. "I was joking, Beth." She smiled at her.

"Well, have you?" She asked again.

Katherine looked out to the night sky and seemed to cease breathing. Maybe Beth had hit too close to home. Katherine nodded lightly.

"Only one." She said looked down and then to Beth. "Only one." She repeated.

She could feel the past envelop her in the memories of their first meetings. She could still remember their first meeting.

It was the year of 1643 in Paris, France. The air was alive in renaissance and enlightenment, but not as free as the rest of the world. The King Louis VII having just died though brought hope for more freedom of religion and maybe more.

Katherine was still very young and traveling with her father and their extensive household. Being vampires inspired changing locations to become more than a necessity of routine, it was a matter of life and death. The myths and sordid stories that coursed through the general public's mind perpetuated such paranoia of anything suspicious.

She was of marrying age at twenty-two years, but she claimed to be too dedicated to her father to leave him for the life of marriage. People would often assume which father she spoke of, either her heavenly one or biological one. She let them create the story in their minds. They had only been in Paris for a few months, staying with many members of the Bloodline that eagerly accepted them into their houses. Katherine felt like royalty, and in this world, she truly was.

That evening of spring warmth found them in the house of Luke Colbert. The head of the house was a vampire, as was his wife. Turned after having children, they promised to raise them to a proper age and then turn them for the cause. Katherine had no intention of developing a relationship with such people. Not only had she been disturbed to be in the same house as human children as young as four, which was beyond pardonable with constant crying especially at night, but the family were obsessed with her every movement. She had learned to not appreciate those most interested in her legend then herself.

The family had arranged a party to welcome the father and daughter, inviting vampires and humans alike. The vampires of the party had been instructed to leave the guests of the party alone. They would be rewarded with many desirable and expendable treats after the human guests had left.

Although she was one of the guests of honor, she found herself often relishing in finding spots of empty silence as she wondered the many rooms and galleries of the house. She had been fighting a lonely heart, but she was unsure what she was lonesome for. She could not name it in her chest as it swelled with such intense feeling. She sat in a parlor on an empty couch and watched as the many guest conversed, played games and devoured the many platters of food. She smoothed her dress out. A lovely pattern of white with scarlet roses danced under her fingers as she admired the fabric. It was then that her thoughts were broken.

"Madam Katherine, if you will allow me to burden you with a most glorious introduction, if I may?" Luke Colbert practically groveled before her. She tilted her head to allow it. He moved aside to reveal a tall man with the most striking blue eyes she had ever seen. She admired him immediately and rose and extended her hand. He gave a crooked smile and kissed her hand with a bow. Her attraction rose as she scanned him. His dark hair highlighted his bright ivory skin, and giving such beautiful contrast to his blue eyes. His figure was sturdy and athletic, his outfit dark and obviously foreign from the French. She smiled back to him.

"This is Monsieur Louis Joyce of Ireland." Luke finally announced. Katherine's interest piqued when she heard of the country.

"You are from Ireland, sir?" She asked in French. He nodded.

"Yes, madam." He repeated back. She stifled a chuckle to hear his accent very evident in his French. "Well, I did try." He finally allowed in English.

"Yes." She said mercifully. It was then that she realized he was human. She could smell the fresh blood streaming through his veins. She looked down and then to the side. She felt her heart quicken. She could not bring him into her world. She was sure of it. She had never had relationship with a human besides having to feed on one. She bit her lip and extended her hand once more.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, sir." He gave a look of confusion and then bowed once more to kiss her hand. He held her hand a second longer than was proper and she took it away from him. "Excuse me." She left the men confused and the host excusing for such behavior.

She found herself outside in the garden. Something had wakened in her when she met eyes with that man. She was not sure what it was, but she had an idea of lust. She had known blood lust in her life. She did not have to feed as often as her father had too, only two to three times in year, but when she felt the blood lust it was the most intense urge she had ever felt. She had fed on humans. She could still smell the sheer terror, horror, and pain of the victim. She could still feel them trying to struggle from her grip, and then finally as their body slowly gave up and grew tired and cold.

When she was in the blood lust she could not see these things. She saw the blood, the flesh. She could only feel her affliction and her need. It was later when she could not rationalize the draining. It was later when she felt her self become guilty. Perhaps it was the fact she was half human, not previously human. Maybe the turned vampires learned to deal with such things. Maybe they had fewer qualms about taking life to give it to themselves. She had wasted hours trying to find a balance, and was hard pressed to. She was encouraged by her father to feed till she drained her victims as an act of compassionate mercy. He had told her that no human should live with such a memory.

She remembered the first human she did not drain. She lifted her mouth away from her neck long before her desire was sated. She breathed heavy with the need still in her to feed. She could hear the girl give a weak scream under her gag. Katherine knew what she must have looked like. Her face pale, her eyes ice, her mouth dripping with this girl's blood; she was a monster. She quickly untied the girl's binds and lifted her gag. The girl stayed silent, perhaps in fear or shock, Katherine could smell and feel both. She could not release her vampire form, and found her self trying desperately to control herself.

"Run." She heaved deep breaths. "Run as fast you can home, don't look back." The girl sat up gripping her hand to her neck. Katherine could see the blood trickling down her hands and onto the dress. She licked her lips still finding the blood there, but now cold. It awoke a need of warmth in her once more. She looked away and growled deep.

"Go!" She barked. The girl jumped to her feet and ran.

"Hello." She heard behind her. She looked forward. She could already easily identify Louis. She breathed heavy still caught in the memory.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to disturb you." His soft accent drifted in the heat. She turned smiling with her party face, a perfect mask of property and perfect social manners.

"Not at all, Sir Joyce." She replied with lacking cheer than she meant to. Something was broke inside of her and she was unsure what it was and why it restricted her so. She looked down.

"Are you alright?" He asked approaching closer. She backed from him a step.

"Yes." She smiled brightly. "I am well. The air is just thick with warmth. I fear I have forgotten I am dressed for a party not a walk in the garden." She tried to be humorous.

He smiled and nodded.

"Do you wish to return? I would be happy to escort you back." He offered sincerely. She looked at the house. She could hear the people, so many people. She felt anxiety grip her at the idea of being at the mercy of such a crowd once more.

"Yeah, I don't want to go back either." Louis smiled and stepped forward once more, she did not back away this time. She felt the breeze on her. The feeling was such a relief from the heat of the night, and the heat she felt inside of herself.

"Would a walk be desirable to you, milady?" He offered his arm as he arranged himself beside her.

"It is the middle of the night." She stated flustered as his proximity.

"Personally I prefer such excursions in the night instead in the light of day. I think the world is much more inviting then." She allowed him to take a hold of her hand and wrap it in his arm. They started forward in the garden. It set before them many lanes of trees and flower trails. The moon lit their path, but darkness was still so much deeper. She could not understand the strange sensation that overcame her in this man's presence. She had to count her steps to try and regain control of thoughts.

"How do you know the Colberts?" She asked out to make conversation. She would very much like to know who this man was. Her emotions were out of control and she was afraid that she was projecting them on Louis. She tried to read him, but was discouraged that she could feel no response from him.

"I have not known them long. I was in town….looking for a certain group to find friends." He replied looking over to her. She tilted her eyebrow.

"A certain group of friends?" She asked. Did he know what they were? Did he understand what considerable danger he was courting? Did he understand that he walked now in a garden lane with a creature that would certain overcome and kill him in minutes? A certain group? What could that mean?

"Well, every Irish gentleman likes to acquaint himself with proper society so far from home." He said quickly. She could not be reassured and felt her self grow weary in this melting pot of worry and attraction. "I understand you are away from home yourself. Not so very far away from me own home." He smiled at her.

"Yes, I live in England. My father and I travel extensively though." She said breaking herself from the embrace of his arm to admire a flower on the hedge. It was an excuse to lessen the grip on her. The lust she felt had not decreased and she found her self swimming in ideas and longings. She held the bud in her hand softly, a delicate rose of white.

"And how do you know the Colberts?" He asked holding his hands behind him. In the moonlight she could see him clearly. His face was so familiar to her, but yet incredibly interesting and alluring. He was appealing in many ways, but when he smiled she could not deny him most irresistible.

"Well, every English lady likes to acquaint herself with proper society so far from home." She quipped back to him with a sly smile. He chuckled and kept smiling long into the moment. He then looked serious.

"You are very beautiful, milady." He almost sighed out. She considered what he said most sincere, but a sound in her head alarmed her. Who was this man? What was he doing here?

"Thank you, sir." She walked away from the flower and down the lane. "I would comment on your physical qualities, but unfortunately present propriety limits me to my compliments to you, good sir. I would loathe to be thought a flirt." She said sitting on a bench under an enormous willow tree. He followed and sat next to her.

"Besides, darkness does cover so many flaws. I fear that my lord might think himself in a dream. I cannot fulfill such fantasies of beauty then." He looked at her intently. She feared he had been offended, or had no humor to share. She was startled when she suddenly felt his hand on her cheek. He gently ran his fingers down to her jaw enjoying the softness of her skin. She felt like his hands were on fire, the sensation she felt caused her to feel unhinged and vulnerable. He let his hand fall away from her. Even though the act in normal society would have cued Katherine to seek her chaperone, she was not normal. She had no rules or limitations. She was free to do as she wished. She could take this man in what ever way she wanted, but she didn't. In some way, with this man…she wanted to be taken.

"You are not a dream." He whispered. She felt a deep intimacy in his voice so low. She could not imagine the path she would take at the moment. She could not have an idea of eternity and how her dreams would come true, but then so would her nightmares. She did not know the betrayals and the protections. She only knew his eyes, ice blue. The most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. She only knew his touch, the fire that bred such a deep connection. She only knew this moment, and she was happy in it.