Ok this is more like a chapter to get you to chapter 5. It might seem like Coraline is out of character, but I'm going to explain everything. Please enjoy!

Lost Things- Chapter 4

"I'm sorry," whispered Beth. The sun was just beginning to rise and she could now see Coraline looking really hungry on the other side of the room.

"For what?" Coraline's eyes looked tired and glassy. She wasn't in very good shape already.

"For staking you…I just really thought you were a vampire."

Coraline laughed. "We all make mistakes…" Her voice was weak and without interest in the subject. "Let's just call it even ok?"

Beth had to wince when she saw Coraline huddled in the corner, shaking. "Why are you choosing to suffer instead of killing me?" Beth couldn't believe she was saying this, but she still hadn't completely gotten rid of the idea that Coraline was playing some kind of trick. But she just didn't know what kind of trick Coraline could have devised in this sort of situation.

"I told you…"

"But that doesn't seem like a good enough reason for you to suffer like this. I mean it could all be over with if you just killed me." Coraline wasn't even looking at her as she spoke. The vampire's big eyes were closed, trying to relax.

"You need to shut up before I change my mind."

While Beth wanted to listen to her every bit of her ached to find out what Coraline seemed to be hiding. "Why won't you just answer my question?" she continued with the interrogation.

"Ah!" Angry, Coraline sat up and looked Beth in the eye. "Because I don't have to and I don't want to! End of story!" Then she crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall again.

The door opened, surprising Beth. "Here," a male voice said as a water bottle was slid into the room. The door then closed again.

"Well I guess that's for you," said Coraline with sarcasm in her voice. Beth had to notice the lack of fear or frustration Coraline was showing. Sure she sounded weak but not scared.

"You really do seem to be taking this well," mentioned Beth.

Grinning, Coraline repositioned herself. "I've been in worse situations."

Beth laughed. She couldn't believe her stupidity. Coraline was about 300 years old and probably had had quite a life. "Like what?"

Coraline's eyes shot open in annoyance. "Just shut up ok? I don't feel like talking right now!"

Beth wasn't intimidated by Coraline. Beth wasn't intimidated by anyone and didn't plan on starting now. "Ok fine then…I'm just saying we've got nothing else to do."

Coraline didn't answer.

An hour or so passed. The sun was now fully shining and the room became horribly hot. Knowing how the sun and heat had affected Mick, Beth began to worry about Coraline. Beth examined the vampire from across the room she was shaking and her skin had turned a deathly pale. Perhaps she could just give her a little bit of blood, but Beth did not trust Coraline. She might kill her, but then again Coraline would die if Beth didn't give her blood.

"I'm gonna regret this," Beth whispered before crawling over to the sick vampire.

"My gosh what do you want now?" Coraline exclaimed opening her eyes and sitting up.

Beth rolled up her sleeve and held it to Coraline's mouth. "To help," she answered.

Coraline stared at Beth's arm with lust in her eyes. She could smell the sweet blood running through Beth's veins, and she could almost feel the relief it would give her when she took it. "I don't know if I can control myself," said Coraline turning away from Beth's arm.

"Well you're going to have to," replied Beth still holding out her arm.

"You would really like that wouldn't you? To have something to hold over me?" Coraline said feeling betrayed, but then again it was probably just the heat. Heat and vampires never went well together.

"No…just take it ok before I change my mind." Beth already felt really uncomfortable about all this.

Still Coraline hesitated. She wasn't one to take charity and she never liked pity, but she desperately needed the blood. "You're sure?"

"My gosh and I thought Mick was bad about all this! Just take it or you'll die!"

"Ok…" Slowly, Coraline opened her mouth and bit into Beth's soft skin. Immediately she felt the pain in her body subside. The blood tasted so good and she didn't want to stop.

Beth gasped at the pain. It was nothing like it had been with Mick. Then she had felt more comfortable, but there was no telling if Coraline would stop before it was too late. When she felt herself losing consciousness she tried to pull her arm away from Coraline, but the vampire had a strong grip. "Stop…" demanded Beth as she felt her strength diminish and still Coraline continued. Gathering all her strength, Beth screamed louder, "STOP!"

Finally Coraline realized her grip and Beth fell to the floor. "I'm sorry but I told you that would happen."

Beth's vision was hazy, but she could tell already that Coraline sounded better. Slowly, Beth crawled back to the other side of the room. She huddled in the corner, leaning against the wall for support. "Just try to get some sleep," she heard Coraline say. She couldn't see much, but she saw a blurry version of Coraline's face over hers. "Thanks Beth." Then everything went black.

--

Mick sat in his apartment drinking a glass of blood thinking of his times with Beth. The first time he had seen her she had looked so scared, but he remembered her big blue eyes when she saw him when she was four years old. The hope she had in her gorgeous eyes when he came to rescue her and everything about those magnificent eyes now. He loved the way she looked at him even after knowing what he was. She didn't care. Beth knew he was a vampire but she still cared about him. It was a wonderful feeling when he hugged her that one time. Just to feel her warmth, the warmth of the woman he so desperately cared about, was the most amazing experience he had had in a long time. And the more he thought about Beth the more it made him fear losing her. If she was gone he would just be the same lonely vampire he was before.

But then his mind went to Coraline and the cure she had. Coraline had come back for him, and he had pretty much blown it in her face. He did care about her, and it was a great relief for him to find she was still alive. But what he had with her was a flame that started from the moment he saw her, but when she kidnapped Beth that flame had diminished almost completely. Still Coraline was his wife for a time. She was the woman that turned him, and why he hadn't appreciated at all what she did, he knew why she did it. Coraline had loved him, but he didn't love her anymore. There was still a tiny spark trying to ignite again, but now that this happened it would probably never happen. Even so Coraline was a part of his life and to know she was being hurt killed him. He had to save the both of them. Mick could not live with himself if Beth or Coraline died.

There was a knock at his door, and immediately he knew it was Josh. He really didn't want to answer it, but it could have something to do with the case so reluctantly, he did. Mick opened the door to be splashed in the face with water. "What the hell!?" he screamed. Wiping his eyes, he could see Josh standing there with a small bottle of water.

"Holy water," explained Josh.

"Why the hell did you splash holy water on me?" Mick glared at him looking as mean and pissed off as he could which wasn't hard considering he was really pissed off and wanted to rip this guys head off.

"It was supposed to burn you…" Josh's voice trailed off.

"What? Did you think I was a vampire or something?" Still Mick continued glaring at him. Mick was surprised to see the guy had figured it all out. Josh was obviously smarter than he looked. Mick would have to be more careful.

Josh stuttered a bit. "Well yeah…I looked up your records and it says you were supposed to be 85 years old and-"

"You know what I don't even care. We're just wasting time with this crap. Did you look up the name I asked you to?"

Josh didn't answer him at first. He appeared to be scolding himself for making such a stupid decision. "Uh what? Oh yeah…um Sarah Nelson was her name and she disappeared from an orphanage about ten years ago. No one has seen her since then."

This is just getting worse and worse. "Did you get the results of the DNA test?" There was nothing Mick could do about Sarah now except stop her.

"Yeah it belongs to a man named Rick Thompson." He handed Mick a file of papers. "The guy has a criminal history longer than…well I've never seen a history that long."

Mick quickly glanced through the files…Burglary, Assault…this guy had done everything that wouldn't get him life. "Hey does this Rick Thompson have a large van or truck?" he asked thinking of the tire tracks. They weren't from some small car.

"Actually I thought that might help so I looked it up. He drives a white van with the tag-"

"Listen get the cops searching for this van. We find this van we find Beth." Mick then grabbed his coat and keys and headed out the door.

"Where are you going?" inquired Josh.

"Out to look myself. The more people the better, and plus I can't just sit around doing nothing."

They came to the elevator. "But we don't have any idea where to look. Beth could be anywhere," Josh argued.

"Well my bet is that it's somewhere in the desert." Mick said that thinking of Coraline and the time he had spent out there. There was no better place to hold a vampire than the desert; it was a prison in itself.

"Should I go with you? Two eyes would be better than one out there," Josh put in.

The elevator door opened and they both walked out. Mick really didn't want Josh to come. The guy asked too many questions. "Uh...no. Don't you think it would be better if you searched in your own car? We could cover more ground. Plus you need to stay with the police." Then he left before Josh had the time to argue.

Mick rushed to his car. He would search the desert, but he would get some help that would be much better than Josh. Mick needed the help of another vampire and he knew just who to go to.

--

Beth opened her eyes to see Coraline sitting in front of her. She still didn't feel too great, but the sleep had helped. Slowly, she sat up. Coraline was watching her intently.

"Feeling better?" asked Coraline looking genuine.

Beth nodded. She had to admit she was surprised by Coraline. Before this Beth had thought of her as a horrible and cruel vampire, but now she was starting to see a different side of the vampire she hated. Of course with Coraline there was not telling if it was real or a trick. "Why are you acting so nice? I thought you hated me…" mentioned Beth.

Coraline had her arms crossed and was staring at the other side of the room. "Well there's no point in fighting," Coraline replied without emotion.

Grinning, Beth shook her head. That was a lie if she had ever heard one. "No, that's not the real reason. You're not as big and mean as I thought you were, are you?"

Coraline turned to look Beth in the eye. "What do you want from me?"

"I just want you to tell me why you're being so nice."

Rolling her eyes, Coraline turned away. "You thought I was some dreadful vampire monster didn't you?"

"Well you gave me no other reason to believe otherwise."

Coraline smiled. "Well I wasn't always that way, but you wouldn't know that would you?" She turned to Beth.

Beth shrugged her shoulders. "You could always enlighten me."