Well, this story is coming out longer and longer. The plot bunnies keep attacking me and I can't write fast enough to include all of them, but all of this has to do will the plot!

Enjoy!!!!

The Back Room

"Where are they?" Mick asked the coordinator again. He had just finished telling a long epoch of the freshies who had feed the dead vamp this evening.

"As I said, two went home, one is passed out in the back and the other was picked up by the agency." The coordinator exasperated, "If that is all, could I please get back to my job?"

"One more question… What is the agency?"

The coordinator sighed, "It's the company we get our freshies through. Miss Lebenblut hired them. Here. Go interrogate them." The coordinator shoved a business card in Mick face and hurried off to help a VIP.

"He seemed a bit…squirmish." Beth stated.

"Yes and no. Coordinators tend to be that way…just worried…wanting to please and all." Mick replied absent-mindedly.

"Really? How do you know about coordinators?" Beth eyed Mick curiously.

Crap, Mick thought, Now what to I say? "Uh…well…" Mick tried desperately to come up with some plausible explanation. Beth's lips curved into a knowing smile. Mick sighed deeply and started again, "I wasn't always so reserved."

"How so?" Beth hoped his answer would be juice, but she was sadly disappointed.

"I used to be into this scene," Mick motioned to the club around them, "But now I realize the error of my ways."

"Error?" Beth questioned.

"I was young. And vamp clubs provided a…release from all the hiding and scrounging. But now I know how many people I hurt, and I…" Mick paused. Beth could see the shadows of the past dancing in front of his eyes. He shook his head and continued, "I have to live with that everyday." He finished in a whisper.

Beth swallowed heavily. Mick's expression brought her close to tears. His self-loathing written clearly across his face, How can he live like this with himself? What is he hanging onto? Beth thought as she wrapped her arms around him in the only gesture of comfort she could think of.

Mick pushed her away. "I don't deserve sympathy." He mused more to himself than her.

"Okay, no sympathy then, but you must promise to stop wallowing." Beth locked eye with Mick. "Wallowing implies that you want to be consoled. If you don't want me to comfort you we should proceed with this investigation."

She hoped her words would soften him, but instead he straitened up and said, "You're right. We should go to the agency…after we examine the body and the girl in the back."

Beth rolled her eyes as Mick walked toward the guard at the back door, but quickly followed, afraid of being alone in the club.

As they approached the door they overheard the guard tell a young vamp that he could not enter the back room for any reason, other then to use one of the private rooms. Apparently Adriana had forbid the guard from breaking the rule for anyone.

"Great," Mick sighed, "How are we supposed to get back there? Adriana didn't give us a full invitation for our investigation." Mick looked around for some idea.

Beth grinned wickedly. "I know how to get us back there." She smiled at Mick who looked at her confused. She walked up and kissed him.

Mick stood there, stunned. What is she doing? He thought. And then he felt her arms wrap themselves aggressively around him. She leaned into him and moaned. Mick stepped back, more then a little shocked at Beth reaction.

"Play along." Beth whispered as she moved forward to keep contact with him.

Finally, Mick understood. He grabbed Beth and pulled her to him, deepening the kiss. Beth eagerly kissed him back, her tongue exploring his mouth. He backed across the room pulling Beth with him.

Mick moved to disengage himself from Beth, but Beth pushed him against the wall next to the door and pinned him there with her lips, aggressively running her hands all over his body. The guard smiled and opened the door, "Room 14 at the end of the hall." Beth pulled Mick through the doorway by the collar of his shirt, still not releasing his lips.

The instant the door shut behind them, Beth pulled back. "And were in."

Mick looked at Beth in amazement. "What?" She asked. "It worked didn't it?"

Mick just smiled and shook his head, backing away from her. "Well, now that we are back here, where do we go?"

"We could just start looking in rooms?" Beth suggested.

"Mick turned his head and looked at her. Beth got the message, That wasn't a good idea.

Can you give me a break? After a kiss like that… You may act cool Mick, but I felt your arousal. Beth smiled and kept this last part to herself. Shoving Mick against the wall had been fun and the memory of his lips on hers made her body tingle.

Mick felt Beth's heart rate increase and decided he needed to put more space between himself and her, before he took up the guards offer on room 14.

The door began to open behind them and Beth grabbed Mick's arm pulling him to the room at the end of the hall. Mick wanted to protest, but knew they needed to hide. Beth shut the door behind him as voices entered the hallway. Mick flattened his ear against the door and peered through the peephole.

"Right this way sir." The coordinator was directing a client down the hall. "As you can see our rooms are privately locked and all of them are sound proof…" Mick snorted. "Each one is individually decorated and themed…." Beth looked around the room to see the humble furnishings of a 1950's hotel room. "We are equipped to provide to a wide arrange of tastes…"

"What is this room?" the customer asked.

"Nothing. Storage, cleaning supplies, first aid, etc. How about the modern Japanese…" Mick looked to Beth. She was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"What?" she mouthed.

Mick smiled, she looked so innocent…so young, perched like that on the bed. Mick's vision flashed to memories, to a room identical to the one he stood in now…

"I'll love you forever." He said, meaning every word of it.

"Forever?"

Mick stepped back, the emotion of the memory overwhelming him. Beth looked at him curiously. Mick blinked a few times and then motioned for Beth to come to the door. She got up hesitantly and walked toward him.

"There is a storage room down the hallway, when the hall is clear we can go check it out." Mick said as she approached. Beth smiled up at him then closed her eyes and leaned forward to kiss him. Mick stiffened and backed away from her quickly. Beth opened her eyes and furrowed her brow in concern.

Mick looked down at her and replied, "We have a job."

Beth's face dropped. Damn you and your righteous nobility.