Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. At this point I wish I could arrange visiting rights. That would be cool, right?

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Chapter 11

Mick parked the Benz alongside of the road, near a driveway. The house it led to was hidden up the wooded drive. Mick got a bag out of the trunk and the two decided to walk up, stopping just before the trees opened into a clearing. An old rundown house sat dimly in the light of last quarter of the moon. Josef looked to Mick to lead the way since he had more experience with this sort of thing. Lights shown very softly out of one front window.

"So do we break in?" Josef asked.

"We need to see if he's in there. And if he has the girls here. I'll go around one side, you take the other. We'll see what we can sense. You take the side with the lighted window. We'll meet in the back," Mick instructed.

Josef nodded and the two crossed the clearing quickly. They slipped along the outside of the house moving slowly. Mick crept along the right side. Halfway to the back he heard muffled crying. Noting the window, he found he could hear two heartbeats, but no sense of a vampire in that room. He hurried to the back, where he saw an old van parked.

Josef joined him moments later. He looked pleased.

"The girls are in a room on that side," Mick whispered nodding back toward the way he came.

"I scented Rivers in that front room. He's alone, watching television," Josef answered just as quietly.

"Okay, let's take him out first. I don't want the girls witnessing anything we can't fully explain." Mick reached into his bag and handed Josef a stake. He withdrew his machete. "Now be careful and don't stake me."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Josef quipped. He motioned to the back door. "Are we both going in that way?"

"I'll take the front," Mick said. "Give me a couple minutes to get there. Then come in quietly."

"Sounds good."

"Oh, and Josef," Mick said as Josef had started towards the door. Josef paused.

"What?"

"You're better at this than you think," Mick grinned and disappeared around the corner.

Josef waited and entered the house quietly. Out in the country this far with no neighbors, Rivers hadn't locked his outside doors. With complete silence Josef moved through the house heading towards the front room. He paused outside a closed door listening to the whimpering of the two women inside.

He looked up and saw Mick enter the front room in a blur. He heard River's shout of surprise and Mick's snarl. Josef arrived in the room in time to see Mick holding the vampire by the throat against the wall.

"Is anyone else coming here?" Mick demanded.

"No."

"Why are you killing these girls?" Mick snarled in Stan's face.

The smaller vamp with stringy brown hair flicked his eyes wildly around him.

"What?"

"Why did you do this? Do you want to expose us all?"

Stan looked at Josef but was met with bared fangs and icy eyes.

"I was doing what I was told," the frightened vamp cried. Mick cocked his head to one side, his eyes burning into Stan's.

"And what were you told?"

"I was told to take two each time. I was to hide the fact it was a vampire from the humans. He said you'd end up investigating this case. Finally I left the card because he wanted you to know he was behind this," Rivers recited the explanation he had been given. "He didn't say you'd find me."

"Well we have," Josef said icily. "Who gave you these instructions?" It was clear this guy was not the brains behind this operation. He didn't like the feeling he was getting.

"Some big guy. I think his name was Lance. He paid me big money."

"Four girls are dead," Mick said darkly. "Tell me why I should let you live."

"I just did it for the money. The other two are okay. I didn't feed yet. Take them," he pleaded. He looked about desperately.

Mick looked at Josef and at that moment Rivers kicked out, sending Mick backwards. Josef jumped him, trying to drive the stake into him. Rivers got lucky and knocked it out of his hand. But Stan hadn't counted on dealing with a 400 year old vampire. Josef grabbed him and bent him back, snapping his spine. Mick swung his machete, severing Stan's head from his body. Josef grinned up at Mick.

"Damn, that felt good," he stated.

"You need to get out more," Mick told him. "Let's check on the girls."

They easily broke open the locked door. Cheryl West and Lisa Walker were cuffed to the metal headboards of twin beds. They were gagged and terrified of the two men bursting into the room. Other than their restraints they appeared to be fine.

"It's okay, we're here to help," Mick told them, snapping on the dim overhead light. "It's okay."

They stopped struggling but watched them warily.

"I'll call Lt. Davis. Keep them calm while I get rid of the body. I don't want to explain that to the cops," Mick whispered softly. "Keep them calm and don't go breaking unbreakable handcuffs."

"Don't leave me babysitting these girls," Josef protested but Mick was gone.

He did return shortly and found Josef gently trying to remove the duct tape gags. He finished taking off Cheryl's and Mick was able to pick the cuff locks. Carl and the rest of the cops appeared after a short wait and took over. It was fortunate that the girls hadn't heard the confrontation in the other room. They had no idea who had kidnapped them and now they were safe they didn't care. Mick and Josef swore they had found no one at the house when they got there, just the TV playing loudly in the other room. Carl didn't press on how Mick knew where to look, he just ordered him to stop in the next day to finish up the report.

It was a few hours till dawn when Mick and Josef arrived back at the house. Rayna was talking to Rider while Beth was curled up on the sofa and Anthony was dozing in one of the plush chairs. Rayna looked up happily as the two walked into the room. With a radiant smile she was across the room and was in Josef's arms in a blink.

"We were monitoring the police band. You saved the girls. What happened to the kidnapper? Who was he? What's going on?" she peppered him with questions.

"Down girl," Josef laughed in delight. "The girls are safe and the vamp is dead. And Darius is involved."

Rayna pulled back, looking apprehensive.

"No, oh Josef," she said in shock.

Mick had gone over to the sofa and sat on the edge. He reached out to lightly touch Beth's shoulder. She stirred but didn't awaken. Mick looked over at Rayna.

"How was she?"

Rayna smiled reassuringly.

"Mick, she is amazing. I always thought Anthony and Mary were exceptionally rare humans in the way they accepted me. But Beth has an unusually open mind. She really loves you Mick," Rayna told him.

He nodded and turned back to the sleeping woman. Beth looked so fragile in sleep but he knew she wasn't that way awake.

"Mick," Josef broke into his thoughts. "Use a freezer here. It's been a busy night. Good work. The tribe is lucky we have you on our side."

"Thanks Josef," Mick answered.

"Come with me Beauty?" Josef said softly to the woman in his arms.

"As you wish my love," she said with shining eyes.

"Rider, good work. Get some freezer time," Josef said as they headed out.

"Go get comfortable," Rayna said to Anthony whose eyes opened slightly. Josef led Rayna out of the room and up the stairs to his room.

Mick stroked Beth's hair wanting to stay by her. She was utterly at peace and he hated to disturb her by moving her. He covered her with a soft throw and kissed her gently on the temple.

"Sleep my love, I'll get up early," he whispered in her ear. He headed to the freezer.

A couple hours later Beth's phone shrilled her awake. Maureen had heard of the rescue and wanted her ace on the story. Beth assured her that while they may not have the first report they would have the most in depth story. Hanging up, Beth smelled the enticing smell of fresh brewed coffee. Following her nose to the kitchen she found Anthony pouring a mug full. He grabbed a second mug and poured one for Beth. As he handed it to her, Beth noticed the puncture marks on his forearm.

"Anthony do you feed Rayna?" she asked curiously.

Anthony glanced down at his arm and then back up at Beth.

"Emergency purposes only," he said. "She doesn't like to do it. Ray says she doesn't want to view me as a freshie. But sometimes she can't be choosy."

Beth touched her own arm and the faint marks there.

"I understand fully," she said softly.

Anthony smiled. He knew what she was saying.

"I never dreamed I'd be able to talk to another human being about this after Mary died. It's kind of nice."

"I know what you mean. My only options are Josef's freshies and most of them really don't want to talk," Beth said ruefully. "I'm not really part of their group. What Mick and I have is different."

The older man nodded. He admired this young woman. He could imagine just how hard it was to love a vampire, who wouldn't age while you did. The two would have some tough choices to make in the future. He was glad his own feelings had never gone beyond friendship or more like an older brother/ father love. His heart still belonged to Mary.

"I get the feeling that Mick is unique, even in the vampire world," he said.

Beth smiled and nodded.

"He's one of a kind."

End chapter.

I hope you enjoyed the action chapter. They are not my easiest to write. Now we get to the heart of this story. Please review; I'm such a needy writer. lol