Sorry, for not posting sooner!!!! As Greenleaf9 said, I was caught inn the blizzard in Northern California (I-5). I have been driving through snow, sleet and rain all day to bring this to you. I am now in the warmth and safety of my apartment with Greenleaf9 and we are conspiring away!!!!

A/N: No one was impersonating Josef in the club to Adriana. Josef did call the agency to tell them not to bug Adriana, but the coordinator made up the story about Josef's involvement in the rest, to lure Adriana into a sense of false security. The coordinator was lying through his teeth. Don't worry, the difficulty with the agency are only beginning.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!

Healing

Ring…Ring…Ring

Beth dug through her clothes.

Ring… Ring

"Where is it?" She muttered to herself.

Ring

Beth pulled her phone from her pants pocket. "Hello." She said, slightly out of breath and a little nauseous from the sudden movement.

"Girl, you won't believe the story I have for you."

"Mo," Beth's voiced dropped Great. Now she calls for a story. Why not yesterday? Then I would have had an excuse not to have to spend the day with Josef. She had to admit that she had enjoyed herself at points. "I can't." She told her boss.

"What do you mean you can't? Don't you still work here? Look I let you have yesterday off, so now you owe me."

Beth groaned. "Look, Mo, I am really sick. I can't come into work today."

"Really?" Mo asked with attitude. "This from the girl who covered a story with a 100 degree fever… in the snow. Don't tell me a little cold is holding you back."

Beth smiled. That had been when she was just starting out. She had needed the story. "Mo, I really can't do this right now." Beth pleaded.

"Too bad. Steve's on his way to pick you up. Be ready in 15."

"But, I'm not at home." Beth said.

"I know." Mo said confidently.

"How?" Beth was confused.

"Don't think I don't have the GPS coordinates on your phone. Who are you with?"

At that moment Josef walked back into the bedroom. "Josef." Beth screeched as she scrambled to cover herself, again.

"Josef, hum… would that be Josef Konstan? The owner to property you are staying at. Actually, the owner of a lot of property, quite a few companies and with whom you have a marriage certificate dated yesterday, I might add." Mo asked, devilish laughter barley hidden in her tone.

"How do you know that?" Beth was in shock.

"Come on Beth, I pay highly for my contact at the marriage registry. A reporter's got to know which celebrity is eloping this week. Surprised the hell out of me when your name came up yesterday. Congrats by the way. I wouldn't have called you, honeymoon and all that, but I really need this, and you didn't ask for vacation, so you are obliged to come in. We'll have a cake for you when you finish. Bring the man around so we can all inspect him. From what I understand, you just scored the most available, most mysterious, bachelor in LA, who probably has the best connections in the country."

Beth panicked. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. What the hell am I going to do? She thought.

From the other end of the phone Mo continued. "This shouldn't take more then a half hour. Then I will personally fill out your vacation slip myself, God knows you deserve it. But I have to have you for this story. You were the only one who could get into the club last night—and by the sound of it had quite a wild time. Married in 24 hours, damn!—I need you back there."

"What? Why?"

"Because the elevator mysteriously crashed. Just do a short cover of the story, please."

"Yeah, sure." Beth didn't know why she agreed. She knew Mo wouldn't give in and that Steve was on his way, but she still could have protested.

"Great see you, and the new hubby soon." Mo hung up before Beth could decline.

Beth groaned and hung her head. She could barely stand, much less coherently cover a story.

"So, we are making a public appearance?" Josef said. He was still standing in the doorway.

Beth looked at him quizzically, "How…?"

Josef taped him ear, then said, "I could be mistaken, but didn't Mick say to stay here?"

"No," Beth retorted, "He said no strenuous activity. I only have to stand and talk to do a report." Beth pushed herself to her feet, clutching the sheet to herself and swaying a little.

Josef quickly came to her side and slid a supportive hand around her waist. "Whoa there, you need to take it slow." He warned.

"Steve's on his way. I need to get ready. Do you have any turtle necks?" Beth asked.

"Turtle necks? What, do you want to be murdered by the fashion police?" Josef asked.

"It's not my first choice, but it worked in high school to cover hickies. I guess I will have to get used to them again." Beth motioned toward her neck.

"Wow. He really did a number on you. That's a deep one." Josef said.

"Josef, please I need to get ready." Beth pleaded.

"Sorry, no can do. None of my girls wear turtlenecks."

"Well then, how do they cover the bite marks?" Beth asked, irritated.

"They don't. They wear them as a mark of pride. I don't let any of them out of the house after I've bitten them." Beth groaned. Josef added playfully, "But I do have something else…" Josef sat Beth on the bed and walked to the vanity.

Josef rummaged through the draws and pulled out a small bottle that looked like an eyedropper. He walked over to Beth and said, "Tilt your head so I can see the bite." Beth complied. "Good, I am just going to put a little of this on. It is going to sting a lot, but try not to move."

Josef dropped some of the clear liquid onto the wound and waited. Beth flinched under the cold drop. The liquid stung. Her neck tightened and then became itchy. She forced herself not to move. Finally, the cold, itchy feeling went away. Beth tilted her head her head and looked at Josef.

Josef was inspecting her wound. "All better." He smiled and screwed the cap back onto the vile.

"What?" Beth asked. She raised her hand to feel her neck. The bite marks were gone. "How did you…?"

"Distilled vampire essence." Josef said, motioning to the bottle. "We came up with it long ago. It will cure everything, even cancer. Makes humans heal like vampires."

"Why don't people know about this?" Beth asked, marveling at the bottle.

"Because it would be suicide. Humans would come after vampires for this stuff it they thought it was the fountain of youth. They'd set up workshops to captivate, drain and distill vampire blood. Lola was using a similar technique to make the drug Black Crystal, which I believe you have tried." Beth blushed deeply and Josef smiled, then he continued, "We use it very sparingly. Never for small cuts and bruises, just emergencies."

"Then why'd you use it on me?" Beth asked.

"Emergency. There's a human on the way and you are going to be forced to do a report. I can't having you showing off vampire love bites to the World Wide Web, now can I?"

Beth smiled. "It's always about you, isn't it?"

"You got it sweetheart." Josef grinned and left the room to give her some privacy. He slipped the vile into his pocket, Just in case…

Ten minutes later Beth emerged, dressed, primped and ready to go. Her neck looked perfectly normal, but she kept checking on it in the mirror in the hall.

"Don't worry. It's healed." Josef said from the couch in the living room.

"Yeah, I know, I'm just a little disappointed. I kind of wanted the scar, you know, as a memento of tonight." Sadness crossed Beth's face.

Josef stood up and approached her. "You will have plenty of evenings after this one to be with Mick." Josef helped her into her coat. "And you will have plenty of scares."

Beth loved this side of Josef, the sweet sensitive man who knew just what to say to make her feel better. "Why are you dressed?" She asked, realizing Josef was in a suit.

"I'm going with you." Josef said simply.

"No your not." Beth argued.

"Yes, I am."

"No, your not."

"Yes. I am."

"No-" Beth started.

"Look, Blondie, I am coming with you. One, it's not safe for you to go out alone. Mick is going to be furious with me anyways, so I might as well accompany you. And, two, your boss wants to see us, both of us. So yes, I am coming with you."

Beth bit her lip. She knew he was right. "Fine, but let me do my job."

"Agreed. Here." Josef handed Beth a small shinny object.

"What's this?" Beth asked. On closer inspection, she realized it was a small antique mirror. The design work on it was exquisite.

"It's a mirror." Josef said. "It was my mothers." Beth could see Josef fighting back his emotions. "It's very old, so the mirror is backed with silver. Vamps won't appear in the mirror. Use it if you are unsure of the company you are in."

"Thanks Josef." Beth was astounded. This was a very precious gift.

"Well, I can't use it, so you're the next best candidate." Josef tried to shrug off the importance of the gift, but a tear escaped down his cheek. Beth took note of this. He must have some rough times in his past.

"Here I have something for the light headedness." Josef held up a large needle, like the one Mick had.

"What are you going to do with that?" Beth asked, a hint of panic in her voice.

"Your type A positive, right?" Josef asked, bringing the needle up to Beth arm.

"Yes, I think. What are you doing?"

"I'm just going to give you a transfusion. It won't replace all the blood you lost, but it should help. I'm going to have to shoot it into your vein because we are working with time restraints." Josef held Beth's arm against his chest with his upper arm. Then he delicately slid the needle into her vein and gently squeezed the syringe.

"How is it that you and Mick are so good at that?" She asked as Josef hid the needle in a secret cupboard in the kitchen. She was applying pressure to the wound on her arm, but it had already stopped bleeding "And where did you get the blood?"

"I have 400 years of experience with blood, veins and needles, I am a pro at transfusions, even if I'm not a vamp anymore, I can still stick a needle. And I always have a supply of blood on hand for my girls, if they should need it. But what do you mean by 'you and Mick are so good at that'? I don't believe he told me that little story. Why was he using a needle around you?"

"You keep blood for your freshies? Do you use it as an emergency back-up supply?" Beth asked, ignoring Josef questions.

"No. Blood like Mick drinks is meant for human transfusions. It is mixed with an anti-coagulant. It keeps the blood liquid in the bags, but it ruins the taste and is less effective in satisfying hunger. Also, it can curtail the vamp's healing abilities, making the drinker similar to a hemophiliac. Like humans, what vamps eat determines their health. But what about my question, how do you know Mick can use a needle?"

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Steve had arrived, Thank god. Beth thought. Saved by the bell.

She and Josef walked toward the door. Josef opened the door and greeted Steve.

"You must be the husband." Steve responded. "Nice to meet you man. We are going to have to get together over a beer and swap Beth stories."

"That sounds like fun. Why don't we start on the way to the shoot?" Josef asked.

"Sure, there was this one time, Beth was soaked from head to toe. She had jumped off the dock to break into a boat, we were doing this story… doesn't matter, anyways, she is wearing this white shirt, you can see right through it…." Steve continued as they walked to the car, making Beth blush.

Josef opened the door for her and smiled devilishly, "We are going to have sooooo much fun tonight.'