Enigma

By: Evilous

NC-17

Disclaimer: Once again so not mine, although a girl can dream. I do own my OC's though, hey that's something. Well enjoy!

Chapter 10: Talking to the Boss

Mick strolled into Josef's just after twilight, giving him time to have fed. He finds him standing behind his desk, on the phone. This was not unusual for Josef always barking orders, making deals, but this phone call was different his tone was soft and sensitive, riddled with emotion. As quickly as Mick picked up on this it was gone, Josef finished the call in a hurry.

"Mick so glad you could drop by, what can I do for you tonight, care for a snack? I have a few good years on hand."

"I'm fine thanks. What was that about?"

"Business."

"If that was business then dare I say you are going soft."

Josef looks his friend in the eyes knowing he was off his game. Perhaps it was time to talk about it; he had to tell him something to get Mick off his care.

"That was about Sara."

"Oh," Mick had not been expecting to get such an honest answer quite so soon. "How is she?"

She was in a permanent coma, how could she be? Stupid question but for lack of anything better to start with.

"Josh had her room bugged remember. After we dealt with him I had her moved, if he could find her she was not safe. I had her brought here to LA, so I could watch over her more closely."

"It's harder now. Being so close to her."

"I know its best, to keep her safe. I can visit her more often, not that it does her any good, just my own private confessional. A constant reminder of how I failed her, how I screwed up."

"Josef you—"

"But I did Mick. I have turned a few in my time for one reason or another, but I have never wanted to turn anyone like I wanted to turn her, to spend eternity with her and her alone, and it's the one time I screw up. If I just knew what I did wrong, what happened, why it didn't work maybe I would be able to accept it."

"If you knew you would just beat yourself up about that. Josef she loved you, Beth told me about her last entry in her journal, she wanted to spend eternity with you. She is worried about you to Josef."

"So now I have a human worrying about me, how did I get so lucky?" Mick does not break eye contact, "Speaking of Blondie…I mean Beth, she gave me that damned journal. I know she meant well and at times I am grateful to have it, others it…"

"This should go without saying but if there is anything I can do to help—"

"I know man, I know. Tell anyone about this and I will kill you myself friend or not."

They both laugh, knowing that their friendship began in the strangest of ways, neither liking the other but now they were really more like brothers. It never needed to be said to keep their secrets, but still it would always be said.

"Then to top it all off I am about to lose one of my favorite girls."

"How so?"

"Candice," Josef pauses. "I haven't drunk from her in some time, for me anyways. I know how important her exam was so I left her be for that then since then I can just feel it. She has feelings for someone else."

"Josef—"

"I know about it all. I may have been somewhat distracted these last few weeks but I am not blind. David likes her, I can't really blame him, she is an amazing woman. She can hold conversation, stands up to me like only a few can, she tastes delightful, it will be a shame to lose her."

"And so we're clear, when you say lose her?"

"I am not going to kill her; must you think the worst of me?"

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Depends on them. I had no intention of stopping them, I like her around and I give them freshies as it is, if they could muster up the courage to talk to me, not sneak around—"

"They haven't been sneaking around. They have been dancing around it, neither one admitting they liked the other. Then last night, they talked and decided to talk to you about it tonight."

"I should have known you would be helping them."

"He is falling for a human, afraid to say anything about it…sound familiar. I hated it when you would tell me what was best but I have to admit I am grateful now. I was just trying to help him learn from my mistakes."

"So you came here to what get me ready for him?"

"I came here as your friend, to see what has been bothering you. Yes I did plan on letting you win a few games of pool make some big wagers help you loosen up some."

"Let me win?"

Mick quirks his eyebrows, "So what are you going to do about…David and Candice?"

"Why don't I tell you while I teach you how to play the game?"

"Rack them up."

They start to play both starting in with their witty banter about everything under the moon. They discuss how Josef plans on handling David, Mick's relationship with Beth, her friends and their character, could they be trusted. This continued for a few hours, until Josef was satisfied that he had proven to Mick no one let him win, he just won.

David pulls up in front of Josef's still on edge, he had not heard from Mick but Josef called him saying he needed to speak to him. He couldn't very well say no, so he went, deciding he would have to face him even if he was upset he needed to do this as a man and a vampire.



Letting himself in, as was the norm, he took a steadying breath and went into find Josef overlooking the pool. As usual Josef didn't let on much about his mood, leaving David flying in the dark.

"Sir," he asked announcing his presence.

"David, glad you are here I have some business to talk to you about." Josef walks over and pours himself a scotch, holding up the glass offering David a drink he accepts. "You meet Beth's computer friend Coop something or another last night."

"Yes."

"Good I want you to talk to Ryder about him, and that girl too, Danielle. Mick says he doesn't know anything about her, but that Coop is a good guy. Be that as it may, I still like to know the people around me. I want a full background on both of them."

"I will talk to Ryder tonight."

Josef moves behind his desk, taking a drink as he sits in his chair leaning back propping his feet up on the corner of his desk. Still his facade is typical Josef, power stare no hints of what is going on in his head.

"Actually he is out of town at the moment taking care of some things for me, you can work with him on that when he gets back." David nods his understanding. "You have worked for me for how long now?"

"Almost 16 years."

Okay let's see how he handles this. If he tells me the truth no harm, if he lies to me or chickens out he does not deserve her, or to work for me.

"I consider you a valuable member of my staff and this community. You do your job, you have a good head on your shoulders, and you have yet to disappoint me." David just stairs at him unsure what else to do. "I hope by now you have realized I take care of my employees."

"Yes sir, I am fortunate to work for you."

"I offer many benefits one of which is your very own freshies. I have noticed that you have not touched Megan. Is she not to your liking?"

David shifts uncomfortably in his seat; it was a reflex he could not control.

"She is fine, nothing on her part."

"Not a problem, we all have our preferences, no A, which do you prefer?"

"AB negative is my blood of choice."

"Candice is AB negative," Josef said just as casually as one would mention the weather. Getting no response from David, "Will she do? She is the right blood type."

"Sir," David's head might explode trying to process everything. He was offering her to him, but would he be doing this if he knew the truth?

"Is there a problem?"

"I need to speak with you. It involves Candice…I have feelings for her."

"When did this happen?"



"To be honest I have no idea. It's all a big blur, I didn't know what to do with these feelings, she is your personal freshie. I respect you, I would not want to betray you, and frankly you also scare me and I like my head."

Josef couldn't help but laugh. He was being honest, not chickening out, and unknowingly stroking his ego. He did love her, when time becomes lost and life is a blur it was love, it was what he felt for Sara what he was sure Mick felt for Beth. He could understand the vampire before him; he would let him off the hook after he played with him a little longer. See exactly why he hired him, and kept him on all these years.

"Why now? Why tell me now? I was just offering to make her your freshie; you could have just accepted it and had her for yourself."

"I don't want her as property or a reward I have feelings for her. I wanted to be honest with you, I owe you that much."

Okay before this gets to emotional, "I know all about your feelings for her. I may have been slightly distracted as of late but nothing passes by me. I appreciate you telling me the truth, I meant what I said. Your loyalty and honesty make you one of my most trusted. That's all I have to say."

Still confused, feeling as though he would keep his head, but unsure if he still had his job or Candice. "What does this mean?"

"You can keep your head, she does not have to quite she can still be a freshie in my house, but I will make it known she is now your freshie. That is as long as she wants to be. Now get out of here, I will have Ryder call you as soon as he gets back into town, I expect you to get right on it."

"I will. Thank you again for your understanding sir."

David gets up to leave.

"David," he turns back to face Josef. "We have known each other for some time, you may call me Josef."

"Thank you Josef."

David leaves, practically in a run to his car. He reaches for his phone to call Candice, but puts it away. He gets in his car and drives to her place; he wanted to tell her the news in person.

Josef sat in his office, a saddening smile on his face. He was alone now, all his armor could fall, he could just feel. A luxury he allowed himself from time to time, to feel the pain of all his years. Since Sara she always seemed to be the one thought on his mind.

He pulled out her journal and slowly read it over again. Reading about her life before she meet him, and how he changed her life. Her love for him, bringing a tear to his eye as he finished it.

Josef made a silent prayer to himself, I will find a way to make it up to you Sara someday some how.

To Be Continued…

Evilous