CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN – "A Turn of Events"
A Moonlight NC-17 Fanfic
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Coraline had been in this prison long enough, and was about ready to chew through her own chains when her eye caught sight of something on the floor. Geez! How had she not seen the thing before! It was her underwire! The one Mick had used to pick the locks on her chains that day he had let her go! She had to lie down and stretch to reach it, but she pulled it back and hid it inside her bra. She had no idea how to pick a lock, but it hadn't taken Mick any time at all, so she'd just play around with the wire until something happened! Mutt and Jeff were looking at her right now, so she decided to wait until they were asleep. The suit guy wasn't doing well and slept most of the time. Maybe he needed more blood than the rest of them did on their rations. Well! At least now there was some hope!
The Legion sent out their Summons to Appear in early January, the week after New Year's, respectfully asking Mick to show up at their next meeting to be grilled and possibly fried afterwards. He was on the phone with Josef in a second, and sure enough—Josef had received the same Summons. This would happen on January 26th, the night of the full moon. Mick clicked the phone off when he was done talking, and gave me a look that shot fear through me like a bullet through the heart. Mick and Josef couldn't even prepare—they had no idea what they were up against, so we had to try to pretend we were okay until this was all over. Our baby was due on February 7, and I prayed Mick would be with me for the birth. How could he not be there! I thought he needed to hold our child more than I did, since I'd have been holding it for, essentially, nine months, and he was still waiting! I knew he loved our baby already, and could hardly wait for the day it arrived, the day he'd officially be a dad!
We tried to be upbeat about things, but that summons hung over our heads like a funeral shroud. Every night we held each other tightly, as if our time together was ticking away, and though we could not imagine being torn apart, we had to face the possibility. I prayed hard for this to all pass over us, but in my heart, I felt the reality—this might not be a happy ending for us. We made love over and over, trying to somehow make a few short weeks last a lifetime, just in case a few weeks was all we were going to have.
When Mick was busy with other things, I cried my heart out, not only for myself, but for him, for our baby, for all of us. All we wanted was to be a family, and we were so close to having it all! The baby was due a week after the Legion meeting! I could only cling to the hope that Mick wouldn't be sentenced to something that would take him away from me and our baby.
--
After three days of fiddling with the underwire pick when the others seemed to be asleep, Coraline finally heard the click of the last lock as it gave way. It was the one around her neck, and it felt heavenly to get it off of her! She carefully and soundlessly removed the shackles from her wrists and ankles. Looking around to be sure everyone was sleeping, she floated up to the high ceiling, out of sight in the darkness up there, and decided to simply hang around until she had a chance to escape. It didn't take long—about a half hour later, the door banged open for the evening feeding, and as she floated up the stairs, the attendants trudged on down the stairs beneath her to bring in the blood bags. As she floated out of the opening into the night, she heard cries of surprise from down below. She didn't even try to hear what was said, but imagined there would be hell to pay for someone down there due to her escape!
--
"Mick?" I called his name out as I entered his office. It was a beautiful sunny winter day and I needed to get into the light for a change! I didn't know if he'd let me out of his sight, but I had to ask. In two or three weeks, I might be stuck inside with the baby, since we certainly wouldn't want to subject our child to any danger!
He looked up from his computer and saw that I had a sweater on. "You need to go somewhere?" He started to get up, but I waved him back, so he sat down again.
"I just need to go to the store. We're out of a few things, and frankly, I just need to see some sunshine! I promise I won't be gone long!"
He didn't look happy. "I'd really like to go with you, Beth. We still can't be sure it's safe out there."
"Oh, come on, honey! Coraline's been in shackles for weeks now! Logan and Ben have both said so! I'll be fine, really!" My eyes were trying to give him a confident signal without being too pleading.
Mick crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the floor. His feet were bare, and I thought he looked good enough to eat, but then, I always thought that, so nothing was new.
When he looked back up at me, he was way serious! "Call me when you get there, and call me when you leave. If I don't hear from you, I'm coming to look for you."
"Thank you, Mister Prison Guard!" I smiled giddily and he smiled back tentatively.
"Hurry back, but be safe."
I took the elevator down to the parking garage, wondering if my car would even start after sitting idle for so long! We always took Mick's car everywhere, and it had been ages since I had driven anywhere by myself! 'Ah! Good car!' I was thinking as it started right up! I backed up and braked quickly as something flitted past me, a shadow—it must have been a bird, I thought. I headed out into the sunshine and didn't even wear sunglasses, but just drank in the rays.
The PCH wasn't crowded today, and I enjoyed driving along the ocean with my window open, feeling the breeze in my hair. The baby was kicking up a storm, reminding me that it was getting eager to come out and meet the parents! I smiled, thinking of how much fun it would be to have a baby in our house! Then the shadow of the Legion's gathering fell on my happy thoughts, instantly dampening my mood. "Oh, God! Please let us be okay!" That was my constant prayer these days.
I pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store and clicked the lock on my fob as I headed for the doorway, and once inside, was happy to find that the usual crowd was pretty small! I guessed it didn't really matter, since I was in no hurry, but was enjoying my solo expedition as much as a trip to the beach! Well, almost! When had I last been out on my own, I wondered? Before Mick's birthday, at least! I felt a certain liberation, even though spending all of these days with Mick had been nothing but wonderful.
As I filled up my shopping cart, I thought back to Christmas, just a couple of weeks ago--our first Christmas together! We'd had so much fun picking out gifts for each other, trying so hard to keep them hidden as we shopped. I now had a pair of beautiful diamond string earrings to match the circle necklace Mick had already given me, and I thought how much they looked like Simone's earrings that I had worn for our wedding! Mine were longer and had more diamonds, but otherwise, they were very similar!
We had gone over to Josef and Sarah's on Christmas Eve for a quiet little gathering of friends, then we came back home and exchanged gifts by the twinkling lights of our tree, which, Mick informed me, was the first Christmas tree he had had since he was a kid living with his mom and dad! Again I marveled at how much he had changed my life, and yet, I had probably changed his even more, and hopefully for the better.
Remembering that night, I now was thinking ahead to the day I could begin wearing the beautiful clothes Mick had given me for after the baby came! I guessed that being Mick's wife meant that I might be expected to start wearing the labels like he did, so in my huge closet I currently had outfits hanging around that, all totaled, had cost more than my car, but I was now living in Mick's world, and I seriously doubted I'd have much trouble getting used to it! The beautiful things he had picked out for me to wear completely overwhelmed me, just as the Prada and Chanel bags had.
We had also given each other piles of tiny baby clothes, which were now all washed and ready to be worn by little Miss or Mister St. John. I got Mick a very cool white gold ID bracelet with a secret engraving inside of it, which made him get suddenly shy as he laughed at the same time, and when I told him it had GPS, he didn't even blink, just put it right on, as though he expected I'd want to keep track of him! Right! Now he wears it on his right wrist, and I hope he thinks of how much I love him every time he looks at it!
I checked out and pushed my cart full of supplies to my car. I had just put the last bag into the trunk when I felt myself lifted off of the ground. In a second I was in a big SUV with Coraline, who was on top of me in the back seat and was wrapping my wrists together with duct tape as her accomplice sped off. I tried to kick her, but she wrapped my ankles with duct tape too, then put a piece of the sticky stuff over my screaming mouth. I was so terrified that I couldn't even think! What would she do with me? "Mick!" I screamed inside my head, but I knew--he wouldn't know what had happened to me, and somehow that made this even worse.
--
Mick picked up his cell and saw that it was Logan calling.
"What's up, Logan?"
"Mick—Watch out for Coraline—she got out!"
Mick jumped out of his desk chair and ran to put on shoes. As he was getting his keys he asked exactly what Logan knew.
"I've been watching the satellite feed from last night out at that cave, and Coraline has escaped the place somehow! The time on the recorder says she got out at around six p.m."
"Okay, so she's out. I've gotta call Beth, Logan."
"She's not with you?"
"She went to the store by herself. I'll call you back."
Mick hit Beth's speed dial and her phone went to voicemail. He panicked. "Beth! Call me back right away! And don't leave the store, honey—Coraline is loose!"
He cut the call off and tried again, and then again, but only got her voicemail. By now he was speeding toward the store at about 100 miles an hour, praying that she was all right. Damn that Coraline! He pulled into the parking lot and spotted her car. His stomach sank when he saw that her trunk was open, full of bags, and she was nowhere near the scene. He sniffed the air and felt her panic at being taken by Coraline. He could smell his ex, and she was still a vampire. He also smelled the fear Beth had felt, he heard her cries, and saw the black SUV she'd been taken in. He called Lt. Carl and quickly told him what had happened, and next he called Ben.
They were both on their way over to the crime scene, and while he waited, Mick tried to follow the scent trail of the vehicle, but lost it at the highway. Too many other smells mixed in with the unique scent ID of Coraline's car. When Lt. Carl showed up, he tried to calm Mick down, but Mick wasn't hearing it. He was pacing and growling low in his throat, trying desperately not to vamp out in public.
Ben came with a man Mick didn't know, and introduced him as his new assistant—the one he'd hired when Beth had left. Mick saw Ben's concern and felt somehow comforted that another person was in distress over Beth's kidnapping. Soon the parking lot was full of cops and CSIs, which was all well and fine, but Mick knew who had taken his wife. He just had no idea where they had gone.
"Carl, I've got to go see if I can find Beth. Call me if you find out anything, will you?"
"Yeah, of course, Mick. You let me know if you find anything too, okay? Don't go vigilante on me now."
Ben gave Mick a nod. He knew what was up, and he also knew Lt. Carl didn't have much of a clue. Mick nodded back and ran for his car.
His first stop was Coraline's apartment, which he picked his way into. It was swept clean, and from the smells he could pick up, he discerned that she hadn't lived here since before her imprisonment. He noticed the dent in her wall and wondered who had made that. Probably Hank when she threw him at it. He shuddered, thinking of how Hank had ended up! "God, please stay with Beth!" he whispered under his breath as he ran back to his car.
His next stop was the glass party house, but again, nobody had been in there for months. When he ran out of ideas, he simply drove around, trying to get a scent—something to tell him where Beth was, but found nothing. At dawn he went back home.
He walked through the empty house willing her to be there, knowing she wasn't, so exhausted and sick at heart, he laid down on their bed, took her pillow to hold next to his face so he could smell her, then he curled himself into a fetal position and wept.
--
As the sun was setting, Josef let himself into Mick's place with his key. Ben had called him earlier, and before Beth's car was taken to be impounded and examined, he and Sarah had brought her groceries over and put them away. At the time, Mick was out looking for his wife, and since Josef couldn't help, he left him alone. Now it was perfectly silent in the apartment as he moved through the rooms, looking for his friend. He found him asleep on the bed and decided to let him be. At a time like this, sleep was an escape. He went back out to the bar and poured himself three fingers of Mick's Scotch.
When Mick finally padded into the room where Josef sat, it was quite dark.
"You look awful," he said, quickly sizing up his distraught friend. "Have you fed lately?"
"I can't remember—it's been since this morning at least."
Josef got up and went to Mick's hidden blood stock and poured him a tall glass. "Here, buddy, better keep your strength up."
Mick took the glass, but didn't drink.
"If anything has happened to her, Josef, I don't care—I don't care if I shrivel up—I don't want to be here without her." The pain in his friend's eyes made Josef flinch. He sat down in the chair next to Mick and put his hand on his knee and gave it a squeeze. "You have to feed, because there's no other way you can save her. If you aren't strong, she has no chance. You know that, so drink."
"I don't know if she has a chance anyway, Josef! I can't help her—I don't know what to do!"
Josef stood up and looked down at Mick. "I said drink, Brother."
Mick put the glass to his lips in a robotic kind of way and drank it down, then handed the glass back to Josef. "I need more."
"Coming right up."
After three glasses, Mick poured out his anguish to his friend, who listened and anguished with him. "I don't know what I can do to help her, Josef! I don't know where to look! Where do I even start?"
"Clear your head, Mick. You have to get over the panic and think clearly. You're the investigator here, not me! You'll think of something, but when you're completely terrified, it's hard to be rational!"
"I know, man! I know! I just can't be rational right now! I AM terrified! I'm completely lost!"
"Hey—let's not give up yet! It's way too early, Mick! I've called Logan and Guillermo and they want to help you look. I'm sorry, but I'm still human, and I can't do much for you, but take them and see if you can scent something. Start somewhere, and just keep going until you find a clue, anything! Until you find HER!"
Mick had his head in his hands when there was a knock at the door. Josef let the other men in. Guillermo took one look at Mick, then raised an eyebrow at Josef.
"He needs your help, guys. I'll stay here just in case she comes back. Call if you need me for anything, okay?"
The three vampires headed out into the dark night while the one human stayed behind, hoping and beseeching the Universe for a miracle for Beth.
--
A week later, Mick had to admit defeat. They had covered most of L.A. and had found no trace of Beth. Logan had tried looking for Coraline Du Vall or Morgan Vincent in all of the hotels in and around the area, but had come up with nothing. Guillermo was reluctant to go to work every day, and always breathed a sigh of relief when he ran through the census and found that there had been no new bodies delivered during his time off that in any way matched Beth's description. Ben called daily, but had nothing to report; only that Lance had been notified of his sister's actions, and apparently he was most displeased with her.
In agony, Mick drove to Josef's and walked in through the elevator door to his office. The scene was pretty normal, with Josef on the phone and his worker bees doing their jobs. When he saw Mick, Josef ended his call and ushered his grieving friend out onto the balcony. "Nothing, huh?"
"Nothing. Josef, she's vanished. My wife and my baby are gone! Why did we ever let Coraline go? Josef, it's my fault! I unlocked her and let her go!" Josef watched Mick put his head into this hands and felt more than heard his anguish. "I can't take this, Josef." His voice was softly desperate.
It choked Josef up hearing the fear and abject desolation in Mick's voice. He'd do anything to help, but what? 'Use your head!' he thought, wondering what angle they hadn't yet covered.
"What about Coraline's friends? Is there anyone who would help her? She had to have somebody help her! Someone drove the car, you said—so who?"
"Good question. I don't know. Hank's dead, and I don't know who Coraline knows here. She probably paid someone to help her!"
"Paid someone to help her kidnap Beth? I'm not so sure. Think, Mick. Anyone."
Mick got up suddenly and started to pace back and forth. "I don't think she has friends in L.A. Maybe New York, but not here!" He paced some more and stopped dead when it came to him. His breath caught in his throat and he was immediately excited. Why hadn't he thought of her before!
"Cynthia! She's Coraline's oldest friend!" He clasped his hands together and looked to the sky. 'God, please let this help us find her!' He was completely out of other ideas.
"Right!" Josef was also excited. "Good old Cynthia! Have you checked to see if she's in town?"
"No. I didn't think of her until just now."
Josef walked briskly over to Ryder Englund who was working hard at something. He stopped immediately when he saw Josef standing next to him.
"I need you to check all of the hotel registries for a Cynthia Xavier Davis, and then check with the rental agencies, and every possible hidey-hole for her and Coraline. Check all of California and Nevada. Let's even check Arizona, okay?"
"I'm right on it, boss," Ryder said with serious concentration as he got to work.
With Ryder working on finding his wife, Mick sat down and leaned back on the sling-back chair on Josef's balcony, trying to breathe normally, trying to keep from losing his mind. He looked up into the sky and wondered if Beth could see the sky wherever she was being held. He couldn't even think about more dire possibilities. He prayed, lips moving, eyes closed, for her and their baby. 'Just take care of them, please,' he was pleading.
Physically, he wasn't feeling well. The terrible aching was back, like when he had been abducted, and the only explanation was that separation from Beth caused more than mental anguish for him; it was an actual physical pain that hurt him in his bones and his head, but mostly it hurt him in his gut, where the giant gaping hole lay open and bleeding without her to fill him with her unique brand of happiness and contentment. A tear slid down his cheek and he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. He felt so inadequate and so terribly responsible! If she died, he'd die too, and he didn't care. Living without her was not an option, and the thought flitted like a flash through his mind that if he ever found her, he'd turn her in a moment, just to know that she'd be here forever with him. So much for commitment issues!
He heard a shout from the other room and ran to Ryder's work station. Both Ryder and Josef were talking rapidly to him. They had found Cynthia, but she wasn't in L.A. She was over in the town of La Quinta at the famous resort near Palm Springs, where she had rented a bungalow all to herself.
"Get this," Ryder said, looking at the computer screen, "she rented it the day before Beth was kidnapped, and according to the records, she hasn't checked out!"
As Mick heard this, alarm bells went off in his head. He knew Cynthia hated California! She'd never book a bungalow for a week!
"Josef—I think it's a good possibility that Beth is there. I have to go!"
"Ryder is calling my pilot right now. Let's get to the airport."
--
Mick sped the whole way to LAX and they got there in record time. They had to wait about twenty minutes for the pilot to arrive, and that was agony for both of them. Time ticked slowly when the life of someone you loved was at stake. Mick carried the one bag they had between them, a heavy bag full of the last of Josef's blood stock, which was frozen now, but would thaw over the next few hours. Josef had been the one to remember it—Mick couldn't be bothered with mundane things like survival at a time like this.
They were silent on their flight, which was particularly painful for Mick, thinking that only months ago, he and Beth had been on this same plane on the way to their honeymoon. He looked around, and the memories flooded his head of a time when they were naïve enough to think forever was possible!
Josef kept an eye on his friend, but it was difficult to see him so upset. Mick kept his eyes closed for most of the trip, which was relatively short, thank goodness. When they landed at the Palm Springs airport, they were met by the attendant who had brought the vehicle Ryder had ordered per Josef's instructions—it looked as though they'd had gotten it right, Josef thought. They tipped the man, got into the car and sped off in a blur, Josef at the wheel, Mick navigating from the car's GPS system.
"I like this car! I said I needed something fast, and they brought this over." Josef had his foot pressing heavily on the accelerator of the small rocket in which they rode.
"I wish I could enjoy the ride. Maybe next time."
"Let's just be glad they had something speedy—an Astin Martin doesn't let too many road runners get around it. Tell me when I make my next turn."
"Not for a while, just keep speeding."
"Mick—what do we do when we get there? I mean, it's pretty much up to you. Remember, I can't really help you fight."
"Yeah. I know! Of all the times for you to be human, Josef!"
"Sorry, Brother. I know the timing is really bad."
"I'll say! Let's just get there. I can probably take Coraline by myself, but I'm not sure. She's awfully strong, and she's probably going to be really pissed off when she sees us."
"Yeah, and you've got two old vamps there to fight with. I mean one old one is bad, two is. . ."
"I know, Josef! I know I'm outnumbered!" Mick looked at the speedometer, and Josef was flying along at about 120. With the traffic, it wouldn't be safe to go any faster, he thought. He was fighting the urge to growl and vamp out in anticipation of the fight. He just hoped there'd be something to fight FOR once they got there!
"Turn here," Mick said, pointing the way, and they exited the highway. They had to slow down here on the more quiet side street, but Mick noted their speed was still close to 60 in a 35. They only went about a mile when Mick told his friend, "Slow way down here—the turn is coming up fast!" Josef decelerated to a crawl as they went through the picturesque entrance to the famous La Quinta Resort and Spa.
--
Over the past week, I'd gone from thinking I could fight my way out (not realistic) to waiting for a time they weren't watching me and I could escape (that wouldn't happen—they kept a watch on me constantly between the two of them!) to being sure I would live to have the baby to being sure Coraline would kill me, as she had promised, and would take the baby and make her happy family with Mick. Yeah. She might kill me, but she'd never have Mick, and I was absolutely sure of that!
"Here—since Cynthia says not to kill you yet, I guess we should feed you." Coraline handed me a tray which she had ordered from Room Service, and I fell on the eggs, toast, hash browns, sausages, orange juice and tea like a starving animal. I'm sure I was even grunting as I ate. All I'd been able to get from them for two days was water and a few pillow mints. I tried to slow down, but that was difficult. Coraline watched me. "I sure don't see what he sees in you! You eat like a pig and you look a mess!"
"I'm sorry, Coraline, but I've found I'm never at my absolute best when I've been kidnapped and held without a shower for two days, nearly starved to death, and generally scared shitless."
"Oh! Feisty! I guess Mick does like women with spirit. Maybe that's what he likes about you."
I ignored her and kept eating, afraid she'd pull the tray away from me any second just to be mean.
"So, Beth, who is the lucky father of the baby? I know it's not Mick, and I'm really curious!"
I still remained silent, swilling my orange juice instead. Vitamins tasted so great when you needed them, I decided. I heard her begin tapping her foot, and knew she was irritated, but I didn't care. I certainly would never tell her this child was Mick's!
"I see. You don't want to talk. Well, fine. Just so you know, though, I do plan to kill you, and I do plan to do it soon. The only thing that would save your baby would be if it somehow was Mick's. Then I'd have to be sure it lived so I could take it to him. BUT—it's not his, and you and your baby will die, and Mick will recover from your loss, and he and I will be back together again!"
I had stopped eating, feeling a sudden attack of nausea. I began sipping my tea, hoping to keep the food down. In case I did live, the baby would need the nutrients. I had to think! She wanted to kill me and the baby? Why?
"Coraline, I guess I can imagine why you'd want to kill me—you think I'm in your way with Mick. Maybe that's true. But why would you be so heartless that you'd kill a baby? Even you can't be that evil."
"HAH!" It sounded like a witch's cackle to me, and I jumped, spilling a few drops of my tea. She looked at me, and I could see the craziness in her eyes. They looked like Charles Manson eyes to me! I had to try hard not to shake and tremble under that gaze. "You ARE in the way with Mick! I could see it right away, before I ever went to work for BuzzWire, when I was watching the two of you, and yes, those pictures you found? That was my proof that he loved you. I could tell by the look on his face when he was talking to you. I could tell by his body language! YOU are a threat to Mick and me, and I want you gone!"
"Okay, but can't you let me have my baby? Mick is really looking forward to this baby."
"So you're saying it's his? Because I don't believe you! It's impossible! He wasn't human long enough, and you weren't together when he was human!"
I tried to think this through, and decided that if I explained that the baby WAS Mick's, even if she killed me, she'd get the baby to him, and if it was the last thing in this world I ever did for my husband, giving him this baby would be it! So, I decided I had to tell her the truth. What agony!
"It was a miracle, Coraline. It's hard for us to believe it happened, but it did. Apparently the six days of his humanity were enough for his body to make, ah, sperm. Over the months, that sperm matured instead of dying when he was turned back into a vampire. Even our doctor is astounded and calls this our miracle! But the baby IS Mick's, and he is very, very eager to have a child that shares his own DNA. It means so much to him." She was looking skeptical. "Coraline, if you love Mick, you'll let him hold his child. If you don't, he'll hate you forever for killing his only chance at having a child of his blood."
"Why should I believe you?"
"You don't have to, obviously, but I'm telling you the truth. Think about it. Josh died in January—a year ago. This can't be his baby! Mick is the only man I've been with since Josh!"
"You might just be saying this to save your baby." She still looked evil, but she was processing what I was telling her, I could see it in her crazy eyes.
"I might, so do a DNA test. If it's not Mick's, then kill it. But you won't have to do that--it's Mick's."
"So, I could just cut it out of you today, and I'd have Mick's baby. Then I could take it to him, and he'd be so thrilled to have his child that he'd want to be a family!"
Now I really had to think fast! "There's only one problem with that idea, Coraline—the baby isn't due until the end of March. If you took it now, it would die, unless you have a neonatal intensive care unit here to administer all of the medical procedures you'd need to do with a very premature infant!"
'Oh, God, please let her believe me!' I prayed. At this point, it wasn't my life I would bargain for, but the life of our baby. Mick could raise it without me, and he'd be comforted to have his own child, even if I had to die.
"You look too big to be premature!"
"Well, maybe you're an obstetrician, Coraline, but I'm just going by the dates the doctor gave me."
"How much weight have you gained so far?"
"Thirty pounds." Actually it was only twenty, but I wanted her to think I was just fat.
"Wow, that's a lot!"
"You're telling me!" We had a stare-down. I won.
"Okay. " She sighed a huge sigh. "We'll just have to stay put, I guess! We'll wait for the baby to get big enough. I'll have to do some research. What's your due date?"
"March 27th," I lied. It was my dad's birthday, so it sounded as good as anything.
"I'm going to find out how soon we can get that baby out of you."
"Whatever." I pushed my empty breakfast tray away and decided to lie down. All of this stress was making me tired and causing me to get crampy. I didn't want to go into early labor if I could help it.
--
Three days later I woke to hard cramping and got scared. As I lay there over the next hour, the sun rose and my cramps became more regular. If this was labor, it meant the baby was a couple of weeks early, and I hoped it was only false labor. I stayed as still as possible in my bed, thinking of Mick and how we had practiced our breathing exercises for labor, and I cried until I had soaked my pillow, missing him, wanting him, needing him.
The contractions (I had to admit, that's what they were becoming!) were about ten minutes apart, which wasn't making birth imminent, and I still could hope they would just go away. I closed my eyes and prayed I'd be found before I had this baby!
Coraline and Cynthia came in later and asked me if I wanted breakfast. I was in the middle of a contraction and couldn't immediately answer. Coraline looked at me suspiciously.
"What's wrong, Beth? Are you feeling sick?"
"I just need a little water, I think, and yeah, I do feel kind of sick."
"Too bad. We were going to let you have a shower today. Guess we'd better wait until you feel better."
A shower! Oh, how I wanted a shower! "Could I try the shower? Just a quick one? I might feel better if I could get cleaned up!"
They looked at each other, and then Cynthia reached out for my hand. "Come on with me. I even have a clean gown for you." HEAVEN!
As soon as I hit the shower, a strong contraction doubled me over, and I had to wait for it to pass. Cynthia wanted to know what was wrong, since she was watching me through the glass door. "Oh, I'm just having some stomach cramps. I'm sure it's nothing." I quickly soaped and shampooed, but before I was done, I had to stop again and wait for another contraction to pass. I guessed that now they were getting a little closer together, and wondered at what point I should tell the evil twins that I was in labor. I was pretty sure that telling them would be the end of my life, so I was putting it off as long as possible.
I was glad to see a clean towel and nightgown waiting for me when I got out. Cynthia simply stood and watched me dry off and dress; she didn't say a word. I hurried as fast as I could so I could get back to bed before the next contraction hit, and I was almost there when I doubled over in pain. I actually got on all fours on the floor, panting, as Cynthia looked on with the disdain of someone watching a dog vomit. I couldn't help myself, though. The contractions were getting closer and stronger! I was terrified that Coraline would come and cut the baby out of me if she knew!
When it was over, I stood up, shaking, and asked Cynthia to please not tell her friend that I was "sick." Cynthia seemed kind of clueless—maybe she didn't know anything about babies being born, but she said she'd tell Coraline that I still wasn't feeling well, and she let me get back into my bed, where I shook and prayed and took the pain as it came, trying not to make any noise.
--
"Okay," Mick said, trying to be calm, but not feeling anything close to calm! You've got to take a right here, and we go down to the end of the street, then make a left."
Josef could hear the strain in Mick's voice as he called out the turns on the way to where Coraline was holding his wife.
His prayer had become constant now—'Please let them be alive and okay.'
They wound through the streets of the picturesque resort, past the main building, past the shops, past rows of fruit trees which would blossom soon, but the beauty of this place was lost on both men; they were on a mission, and neither had time to soak in any of the ambience of the beautiful place surrounding them.
They drove past bungalows of different sizes, some with private swimming pools, all with high fences around them for privacy. A pretty perfect place for evildoings, Mick was thinking. Nobody would hear any cries for help out here.
"Make another left here," Mick said, watching as they passed by one more cottage before stopping at a dead end. "Sorry—back up." Josef backed up and they looked for the number of the cottage, which was the most isolated of all of the rentals on the entire property.
"This is it!" Mick said emphatically, noticing that the number of the bungalow matched Ryder's research. "Back up so they can't see us," he suggested, and Josef swiftly backed up farther and stopped a half a block away. "Okay, this is good!" Mick said as he rushed to open the car door, then ran the half-block to the rental in a few seconds. He crept carefully up to a window, which was low enough to allow him to peer inside.
He could smell Beth here, and Coraline as well, and he felt a sense of elation just finding the scent! She was alive! He was so close to her now that he could feel her, and his stomach tightened up, wondering what condition she'd be in. There were loud noises coming from inside, lots of hollering, and beneath all of the racket, he could hear Beth crying. He stole another look inside and saw Beth lying on a bed against the wall across the room, unrestrained, with Coraline and Cynthia arguing over her. Coraline had a large knife in her hand which she was waving around, and this terrified Mick to the point where he almost rushed right in. He knew he had to think this situation out, though. If he couldn't fight them both, Beth would surely die. He tried to listen to their words, but they were in a shouting match that looked as though it might soon come to blows—or stabbing. He had to act fast! He ran back to Josef, who was standing by the car, and Josef could see that Mick had found Beth by the look on his buddy's face.
"Okay, Josef, it's fight time. Both Coraline and Cynthia are in there arguing with each other. I can see Beth lying on a bed and I can hear her crying, so she's alive!" He took in a gulp of air and swallowed. He was fairly frantic and had a hard time controlling himself. "Actually, right now I can hear her screaming! Josef! I have to get in there! I might get killed, but I have to try! Buddy, say a prayer for me! And if. . .something happens. . .tell her I love her." Mick's eyes were so full of emotion that Josef almost lost it. He watched as his friend turned to run back and sacrifice himself for the woman he loved.
Josef hesitated for only a second, then reached out quickly and grabbed his friend by the arm before he got away. "Mick, we should call for help! You can't fight them both! Not by yourself!"
"Oh, and who do we call Josef! Even if I knew somebody here, we don't have time! I can hear her screams! Josef—it's Beth in there, and she's in trouble! Maybe she's hurt! Listen, man, I can't wait another second!"
Josef was silent for a beat, watching his best friend go through this anguish. Mick was breathing heavily from fear, and Josef was suddenly aware that he was too, and he was gripped by the cold reality that he could lose them all today, Mick, Beth and the baby.
"Mick, I. . ."
"Josef—That's my Beth and my baby in there! God! I have to try, and if I die trying, at least I did what I could!"
He pulled out of Josef's grasp, but Josef grabbed his coat and stopped him. Mick turned, exasperated and dreading the fight ahead. "What!" It would have been a shout, but he was too terrified to shout. It came out as more of a plea.
"Turn me."
"What?" That came out as almost a croak, Mick was so surprised.
"You heard me." Josef's stare was direct and stern.
Mick stood dumbfounded. "I. . .I. . ."
"Turn me back, Mick. I have to help you fight. These vamps are OLD. They might even be able to beat the both of us, but you need me with you, so TURN ME!"
"Josef! The baby—you want a baby—I can't do this! Don't ask me to do this to you!"
"Listen, Brother—I don't even know if I can have a baby, but YOU DO! Your baby and your wife need us right now—they're here, and my baby may never be a reality! Stop stalling and TURN ME BACK!"
Mick looked at his friend for only a second, then tore off his coat and threw it on the ground. He grabbed Josef before he had time to re-think this terrible decision and sank his fangs deep into his neck. Josef's eyes rolled back in his head as Mick drained him and lowered his body to the ground. Seeing Josef near death on the ground in this unfamiliar place made Mick feel sick and shaky as he raised his arm to his mouth, biting deep into his own flesh. He held the wound so that the blood fell on Josef's lips, but Josef didn't move, not for several seconds. Then his tongue came out and licked the blood from his lips, but he didn't take Mick's arm.
"Come on, Josef! You know what to do! Take the blood!" He wasn't shouting, but he was growling, and praying, and scared to his very core. He put his bleeding wound on Josef's mouth, and within seconds, he felt a tongue lapping gently at the blood on his arm, and then felt strong hands grip him. Mick was so glad to feel Josef sink his fangs into him that he nearly wept with relief! He let out a huge breath he had been holding, and felt Josef taking his blood—he'd be all right now. Mick stopped him after a minute and withdrew his arm, telling him as he rose, "Stay put—I'll get the blood," and he practically tore the door off of the vehicle to get to their bag of blood.
In a few seconds, he sat down next to Josef with the duffel holding the blood, which was thawed enough to drink. He was heartened to see Josef sitting up , and he handed him his meal.
They each drained a bag of blood in mere seconds. Then Josef turned his vamp eyes to his friend, and said in a low, growling voice, "Let's go kick their asses to tomorrow."
--
Cynthia must have told Coraline that I was very sick because Coraline showed up with a huge knife, and I knew I was going to die. I'd never see my baby, and I'd never be able to see Mick hold his little boy or girl! I began to cry, and I couldn't stop. Coraline was arguing with Cynthia and was waving that knife around like it was a toy, but I knew better. She meant to kill me with that knife, and worse, take my baby! The next labor pain came along and I started to scream.
I felt Coraline's cold hand on my shoulder, shaking me as I screamed in pain and terror and sadness. "What is going on here! Are you having that baby now?"
"Uh-uh!" I continued to cry and moan. "I'm sick!"
"I don't believe you, you liar! That baby is coming now!"
"No—it's way too early! It'll die! Call the paramedics! Don't let my baby die! Help!"
"You should call 9-1-1." I heard Cynthia try to be a voice of reason. "You can't really think you'll get away with ripping that baby out of her, Coraline! Mick will kill you!"
"Mick will not kill me! He loves me, Cynthia! If we have a baby that's his, all will be right again!"
"I think you're crazy, Coraline!"
"I don't take kindly to people calling me crazy!" I could only imagine the look on her face now! I was glad I didn't have to see it.
They were arguing so loudly I doubted they even heard me crying, but with the next pain, I screamed out and felt my water break at the same time, a warm river all down my legs, soaking the bed and my nightgown. The two women didn't even see it happen. Cynthia seemed to be on my side of the argument, at least. She didn't want Coraline to do her evil deed right here, but then, she had been the one to drive us out here, so I still didn't trust her. I kept crying and wailing and they kept arguing, and I knew any moment I'd be breathing my last breath if Coraline got her way!
I sobbed into my pillow. "Forgive me, Mick. I wanted to give you a child so much! I hope you can hear me! I'm so sorry! I can't protect it! Oh, God! Help Mick through this terrible thing! Help him go on living without us! But if it be your will, at least let the child live! Let Mick see his baby! Please, let him be a daddy to our baby!"
When the next pain came along, I was so spent I could hardly even scream, so I just lay moaning and crying, weeping for the life that might never see day, weeping for myself because I'd die here, and I'd never get to say good-bye to my husband, but mostly I wept for Mick, thinking it was possible that he might lose both of us.
--