Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. I do own the rights to this story and I have a feeling that CBS isn't coming after me about their characters.

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Chapter 25

Outside Mick nudged Tyson who was standing beside him as they watched Rayna hand her car keys to Beth.

"Go to the front. Get Savannah and Beth if she'll go and get them out of here," Mick ordered. He was impatient to go to Beth but seeing her in the room had reassured him. There were too many in the room for him to let Josef go in alone and since the humans were armed he didn't discount them. Mick didn't like the odds against Josef.

"Right," Tyson agreed quickly. He planned to tell Beth to get Savannah out of there safely and he'd go back and help Mick and Josef. Quietly he hurried to the front of the house.

Beth helped propel Savannah out the front door and down the steps outside as quickly as she could without tripping the human. She pressed the keys into Savannah's hands as they stopped by the car. Owen closed the door behind them.

"Go, drive out of here. Go to Josef's," Beth instructed as she heard the front gates rumble open.

"But Beth…." Savannah argued.

"Savannah please get to safety," Beth urged. "You have no weapon and the guys are here. They will handle this."

"Then you go too," Tyson said running up to them. "Josef and Mick are going in now that you are out. I don't think Rayna can reason with this character."

He gathered Savannah into his arms and hugged her tightly. Relief flooded through him to find her safe. As her arms went around his neck he picked up a strong scent of Beth on her skin. He noticed the fresh puncture marks on her left wrist and a brief flare of jealousy went through him before reason took over. There was undoubtedly a good explanation for why Beth had bit Savannah and now was not the time to ask. He made a mental note to ask later.

"I'm not leaving Tyson," Beth said stubbornly.

"Then go around to the side of the house. Mick and Josef are there if they haven't gone in yet." He had barely gotten the words out of his mouth when Beth was sprinting off to find Mick. Tyson looked down at the woman in his arms.

"Cherie, you have no idea how worried I was," he said and kissed her quickly. "Now get going so I can help the others."

"Have you got a gun on you?" Savannah demanded.

"You know I do," Tyson responded, his eyes narrowing. "Sugar you are not staying. I won't risk you."

"Just give me the gun Tyson. I'm staying by the car but I'm not running away. That woman in there drugged me and gave me a monster headache. If she comes out that door, I'm taking her out," Savannah proclaimed heatedly.

"Okay, okay," Tyson said knowing he had lost the argument. He handed over his weapon with a grin. He loved her tenacity and respected it as well. "Promise me you will wait out here."

"I promise," Savannah said coolly checking the gun's clip. "I will be a good girl and stay out here. The humans are packing silver ammo so you be careful," she warned.

"I can take care of myself but thanks for the warning," Tyson promised giving her a second, hungry kiss. "Stay out here."

"Yes handsome," she promised again. As soon as she spoke there were sounds of breaking glass followed by several gunshots. Alarms sounded muffled from inside.

"Go help the others," Savannah urged, patting his chest. She then hurried to the other side of the car and smiled at him bravely. "Go on," she ordered.

"Good girl. I will be right back," Tyson answered and ran for the front door.

******

Moments earlier Beth had joined Mick and Josef, running straight into Mick's embrace as she reached him.

"Is Rayna okay?" she asked after Mick had kissed her thoroughly.

"Yes," Josef said quickly. "For the moment." A growl escaped as he looked inside the room. Beth went and laid a hand on his arm to try and calm him. Jefferson had moved close to Rayna and once more had taken her hands in his. Josef growled again and moved closer to the windows.

"Rayna, I have waited so long for us to be together. I am thinking we should leave Los Angeles quickly. There is no reason for us to stay. I must get you away from Kostan's influence."

"Jefferson stop it!" Rayna said in exasperation, pulling her hands free. She took a step back. "Listen to me please. I do not love you and I sent no signal to you. I….I want to be with Josef. We are committed to each other." She held up her left hand displaying her ring.

"You do not need t lie anymore. You are free," Jefferson said his voice filled with hurt and puzzlement. He did not want to hear these words from her.

"I'm not lying," Rayna sighed. "I love Josef."

"No…" Cole moaned shaking his head. He couldn't accept what she was saying. "That can't be true."

"Sir please…..listen to what she is saying," Hugh finally spoke up. Cole's irrational behavior disturbed him and he feared that he would lose complete control. All along Hugh had suspected that Rayna did not return his sire's feelings and he was impressed with how she had tried to tell him. He was aware she was much older and could just attack them but she held back, trying to reason with Cole.

"NO!" Jefferson's anguish was turning to anger and he shifted away from both of them. He squeezed his eyes shut tight but couldn't stop himself from letting the vampire within to rise. He turned back to Rayna in full vampire anger.

"You lied. I have loved you all these years and you betray me," he choked out angrily.

"I never said I loved you Jefferson. My only lies have come with the desire to free my friends," Rayna said simply. "Why did you never tell me of your feelings? Why hide?"

"You knew. You had to know, I never hid it from you," he insisted. "We were meant to be together."

"Sir, listen to her," Hugh broke in. "She doesn't care for you."

"Don't say that," Cole hissed and then he saw the truth in Rayna's eyes. She recoiled from him and there was pity on her face. With a roar of rage, he grabbed for her, wanting to punish her for not returning his love. She was no better than his sire, playing with his feelings and then moving on. Once more he had been used and then cast aside.

Rayna struck out in self-defense, drawing deep gouges in his face. Jefferson snarled in rage and pain and grabbed her roughly by her upper arms.

That was all Josef could stand to watch and with his own angry roar he launched himself through the nearest window. He landed inside amid a shower of glass falling around him.

"Let her go!" he demanded.

"You brought him to my house?" Cole bellowed at Rayna, his face inches from hers and he shook her. A shrill alarm sounded through the house as Josef straightened up to face Cole. His silvered eyes glowed angrily and he leapt for Cole as Maria fired her gun. She missed as Josef moved and Cole threw Rayna away from him, meeting Josef's attack with his own enraged growl.

Mick had followed Josef through the window and immediately stepped in to stop Hugh from going to the aid of his sire. Maria turned her attention to Mick, raising her gun only to find herself face to face with a fully vamped Beth. With a snarl Beth struck at the woman sending her flying out into the hallway. She struck the wall and slid down still holding her gun. Maria scrambled to her feet and ran for the foyer in search of Owen. She did not want to take on these vampires alone. Beth turned back to the room to see if she could help.

Josef and Cole were exchanging blows, neither one getting the upper hand. Josef had his age in his favor but Jefferson was a skilled fighter and he managed to keep Josef from ending this quickly. Mick easily tossed Hugh into a couch but the young vamp regained his feet and charged back at Mick, showing more fight than Mick anticipated.

Beth saw Rayna lying crumpled on the floor in a pool of blood. Above her was the broken edge of a glass table that she had struck with her face when Jefferson had thrown her. Beth hurried over to see if she could help her. She tried to bring her back to consciousness.

Mick landed a powerful punch to Bishop's jaw and the youngster ended up on the floor in front of the couch he had just left. Then Mick turned his attention to the battle going on between Josef and Cole. Josef had his fangs locked on Cole's throat and Jefferson howled in rage as he beat his fist on Josef's shoulders.

"Josef," Mick called out and Josef raised he head, blood dripping from his fangs. Quickly Mick unhooked his machete from his belt and tossed it to his friend. Josef caught it in mid-air and stepped back from Cole. The loss of blood slowed Jefferson and he looked in surprise at the blade in Josef's hand. Rage ran through him as the realization that he was going to lose to his rival sunk in. With a desperate cry he lunged at Josef.

"You don't deserve her," he snarled.

Coldly Josef swung the blade through his neck, slicing flesh and bone and separating Cole's head from his shoulders. He didn't flinch as blood splattered him.

"Neither do you," he said icily and stepped back from the body.

"No!!!" Hugh cried out, springing to his feet and charging towards Josef. Josef braced him for this new threat and raised the blade high in readiness. Mick snagged the young vamp from behind, keeping him from committing sure suicide.

"Hold on kid, do you want to die?" Mick warned him.

Gunshots from the foyer rang out, freezing everyone in their place.

End chapter.

I do hope that this played out the way everyone hoped. As I have said before, I am not the best action writer even though I do tend to have some type of fight in most stories. I need to work on my blood lust. LOL Thank you for reading, reviews are greatly appreciated.