So this starts a series on evil cliffy, blame silvanelf. She has been beta-ing my post and has been the influence behind some of the more evil cuts. I was going to have most of these chapters combined, but now, they are going up separately.

As for the plot, here it is… This is basically my reveal chapter; from here it is action, suspense, sex, clean up, sex and resolution.

Note: Ritalin abuse is a subject close to me. My brother is ADHD and has been on Ritalin for years. I have seen first hand its effect on people (even those it is meant for) and I think there should be more awareness as to its dangers.

Captured

Mick hung up with Beth. Pregnancy patches for freshies? The Agency is up to something, but what…?

Mick still stood in the kitchen with Adriana, half a roast beef sandwich in his hand. Adriana had stopped slicing cheese and looked up at him.

"Was that Beth?" she asked, tentatively.

"Yeah. She said the Agency was handing out pregnancy patches," Mick told her.

"Really? Do you think it's a clue?"

"It could be. Beth said the one of the girls the dead vamp was feeding on last night was wearing one, too." Mick took another bite of his sandwich, lost in contemplation.

Josef entered with Rose right behind him. "Be sure to do another sweep of the house. I want to know that no one is still hiding. Inventory the wine cellar and the safe. Then you and the girls should get some rest," Josef dictated. Rose nodded, gave Mick an inquisitive look, and left.

Mick was surprised by Rose's inquiring eyes, then he realized he was still absently munching on the sandwich in his hand. Josef was now staring at him. He swallowed the large bite in his mouth and started to speak, but Josef beat him to it.

"I thought I told you not to be turned until we knew what was going to happen to me!" Josef was pissed.

"No, Josef I-"

"Don't. Just don't," Josef said, disappointedly. He turned to Adriana. "How could you?" he asked, hurt by her disconcern for his feelings.

"I didn't, Josef," Adriana said.

"But-" Josef started to protest, pointing to the sandwich in Mick's hand.

"I didn't turn him, Josef," Adriana said again. "He drank my blood. It will give him some human-like qualities for a while. He can taste food for right now, but he is still, essentially, a vampire."

Josef stood there looking at Mick, deciding whether to apologize or not. Mick spoke first.

"Sorry to scare you, Josef. I was just so excited to be able to taste food again, I got caught up in it."

"Whatever. Just don't forget our deal. You wait until I am safely turned back into a vampire, then we talk to Adriana about turning you," Josef said.

Mick didn't know how to respond. Should I tell him now that I want to be a vampire? What would he say if I told him I've finally accepted what I am? How would he react to knowing that it was Beth who inspired this change?

Before Mick could voice his thoughts, Adriana piped up. "Beth called. She might have found a clue."

"What?" Josef asked looking to Mick.

"She was given a pregnancy patch at the Agency. She also saw one on the freshie in the club last night," Mick explained.

"So, you think the Agency is using pregnancy patches? For what…?" Josef asked.

"That's what I can't figure out. Vamps can't impregnate humans, so why would they bother to hand out pregnancy patches?" Mick mused.

"Does the girl from the club tonight have one on?" Adriana asked.

"I'm not sure, but she is in the room down the hallway. We can go check," Josef supplied.

They entered the room where the girl lay passed out on the bed. "Her heart's still beating fast," Mick observed. He moved towards the bed.

"What are you doing?" Adriana asked.

"Seeing if she has a patch," Mick replied.

"No, you're not," Adriana stated. "I'll inspect her. You go stand over there, next to Josef."

Mick rolled his eyes. Why is it that both Beth and Adriana don't trust me to remain professional around naked women? Mick answered himself, Probably because I'm a guy…

Adriana pulled a sheet up over the girl, hiding her from Mick and Josef's view. She then proceeded to shimmy the girl's dress up her hips.

Josef and Mick watched Adriana intently, waiting for her to say something. She dropped the sheet back over the girl. "Yep, she was wearing a patch." Adriana held up the small patch she had removed from the girl's hip.

"You took it off?" Josef asked.

"Yeah, I figure she doesn't need it now. And if it is the source of trouble from the Agency, it's probably best for her not to be wearing it."

"Okay, but what harm is in a pregnancy patch?" Mick asked.

"What if it's not a pregnancy patch?" Adriana pondered.

"Well, if it is, vampires could tell. Mick, can you smell the hormones in her blood?" Josef asked.

Mick walked closer and took a deep breath. "No. She's not on birth control," Mick said.

"The patch could be used to dispense some other drug. You know, a slow release endorphin or something," Josef suggested.

"Maybe… But what? The freshies' drug tests were clean. I saw the results myself," Mick said.

"You can fake paper work," Josef replied.

"What if the drug wasn't illegal?" Mick and Josef looked at Adriana as she said this. She was staring at the girl, then she turned to Josef. "What if the drug is Ritalin?"

Mick and Josef stared at her. She continued, "It fits, and it makes sense. Remember, the doctor thought you were on Ritalin, Josef. Maybe you were, you did feed off one of the girls that night in the club." Josef and Mick exchanged nervous glances.

Adriana continued, "Ritalin wouldn't show up on a normal toxicology report, because it is administered to thousands of children with ADD and ADHD every year. And Ritalin provides a temporary high that can be habit forming."

"But Josef didn't' act crazy like the other vamp in the club?" Mick asked.

"Maybe I didn't digest enough of it. The dead vamp had fed multiple times, from multiple girl, I only had a single dose. And I did act a little odd…" Josef looked at Adriana.

Adriana blushed and added, "Ritalin has many side effects. Paranoia, irritability, and increased heart rate, just to name a few. I bet the freshies passed out because the doses were too high after their blood loss. And I think you're right, the vamps, not knowing of the drug, overdosed, causing them to lose control. Ritalin is a legal form of speed."

"You're right," Mick said. "The Agency was just starting out, and they were trying to increase their client base. By supplying their freshies with 'pregnancy' patches laced with Ritalin, they could insure that their clients would be fed the drug and would want to come back for more. They had to use new freshies, because experienced feeders would have know the whole pregnancy patch was a hoax."

Adriana observed. "You know, it is kind of ingenious, Ritalin was invented as a diet drug, it curbs your appetite, so it would also keep the freshies thin."

Josef was repulsed by the whole notion. "Doesn't anybody have any decency anymore? The Agency could have killed those girls by supplying them with that drug."

"Don't tell me that, you, Josef Konstantin, have a soft spot for mortals?" Mick joked.

Josef sneered at him. "This is not the time to be making jokes. We need to stop these bastards before they hurt another freshie or vampire."

Bump, bump, bump

The noise permeated Beth's mind. It sounded far away. She struggled to listen. She could feel herself reverting back into blackness. She wanted to wake-up, wanted to cry out, but all she could do was hold on to this little bit of consciousness. She concentrated on the sound. It grew louder.

Bump, bump, bump

She felt the noise inside her head. The blackness was slipping away. Her head was ringing with the sound. Then she realized; her head was the source of the noise, banging against something hard. Her eyes fluttered open and she caught a glimpse of car upholstery. She started to drop off again. Focus… focus, she urged herself.

She forced her eyes open. She was laying in the back seat of an SUV. There was man next to her and someone up front driving. She saw her purse on the floor of the car. The contents had spilled out and she could see the mirror Josef had given her. She looked into it. She could see herself, but the man wasn't there. He's a vamp, she thought.

She fought for consciousness. Noticing her cell phone next to the mirror, she thought, If I could only call Mick… She reached for the phone.

"Hey, she's awake," the man next to her said.

"What?! Knock her out," a female's voice said from the front seat.

Beth conjured all her strength and lunged for the phone. She pressed speed-dial 3, praying she had cell service.

"Oh no you don't. Come back here."

She felt a blow to the side of her head and the world went black again.

Mick's phone rang. He was startled by the sudden noise. He looked at the caller ID. "It's Beth," he said. He answered.

"Oh no you don't. Come back here." A man's voice said.

Mick's eyes widened as he heard the distinctive thud of a boot hitting someone's head. He heard a soft moan then the man's voice again, "Shit, she called someone."

A woman responded, "Then hang up, stupid."

The line went dead.

I know it is leaving you hanging, but ! want to hear what you think, so please review!!!