Disclaimer: Not mine, unfortunately. Do you think that, if I owned the hot vampire Mick St. John I'd have time to write these stories?

No, I didn't think so.

Love Set in Stone

Part 1

My name is Mick St. John and I am a vampire. I live and work in Los Angeles as a Private Investigator; maybe helping other people will make up for what I am. Fifty six years ago I was betrayed by a woman named Coraline who turned me on our wedding night. Needless to say that our 'relationship' was doomed from the start. It was in nineteen eighty five that she tried to turn a five year old girl, Beth, in an attempt to create the perfect happy family.

I staked her and left her to burn.

I always stayed close, watching Beth grow up; a hidden presence and guardian angel whenever she needed me. I never intended for her to know me, but I was too enthralled by her walking through that fountain to leave when she finally approached me. It feels so much longer than eight months ago. After that, things happened way to fast. I still don't know how it came to be, but she knows what I am…and she's not afraid, she's not angry. Much has happened between us, but for now we can only be friends. Even that is already too dangerous.

But we do make a good team.

Pale blue eyes opened slowly from a dreamless sleep and sharp, white fangs gleamed in the faint light of the room as Mick St. John yawned, waking up to face another night.

Hopefully one a little more uneventful than usual.

His movements were languid as he lifted the door to of his freezer, quite tempted to close it again and drift back of to sleep. Unfortunately it was not to be; his phone started to ring, the vibrations causing it to slip dangerously close to the edge of the counted on which it rested. With a sigh he lifted himself, grabbed the phone and checked the Caller ID.

Josef. No extra rest tonight then.

"St. John." He answered the phone, trying his utmost best to suppress a yawn.

"Didn't wake you did I?" Just like Josef. He knew damn well Mick didn't like to be disturbed during his Start-of-Night routine. As if to confirm this Mick simply 'Hmm'-ed as a reply.

"Thought so. Listen, I need you. Do whatever you do – or come and feed here, whatever – and then get over to the house. I have a problem." The phone died.

Frowning slightly, Mick stared at the device in his hand. Josef never was one for many words, but this wasn't like him. If he had a problem he usually had the courtesy to come and see him at the apartment to explain the situation. But something him riled up, more so than usual. All thought of sleep left Mick as he rushed from the cold room. If Josef wanted him at the compound something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

He completed his routine in half the normal time and he found himself driving to Josef barely twenty minutes after The Call. Somehow it had acquired capital letters in his mind, Josef's words mulling around in his head as he left the apartment behind. "Josef Konstantin, if this is one of your goddamned 'I gave someone money and I want it back' emergencies I'm going to kill you myself." He muttered under his breath to absolutely no one at all as he sped over a red light, hearing a woman swearing behind him. The phone on the seat next to him began to ring again and he didn't even need to look at it to know who was calling.

"I'm on my way."

"Drive faster." The line died again. Josef was going to have some serious explaining to do, this truly was unlike him. Yes, he loved to race around in his damned Ferrari, but he always insisted on obeying the rules of the road. Just another one of his 'Attract as little attention as possible' rules. Apparently that was being tossed out of the window tonight as well…and it did not bring on any positive thoughts.

He slowly approached his destination, but it was not deliberate. He simply had no other option – the driveway was flooded with security vehicles – most vampire friendly and/or owned – and people were mulling all around the perimeter. He was right to have been worried – Josef NEVER made such a scene without very good reason. Hell, he'd never seen things this frenzied since meeting the vampire! If something happened to warrant all this ruckus he was rather hesitant to see the state Josef was in. Not even Lola and her million dollar stunt brought this on.

Parking the car he made his way into the building only to be met by a secretary who was near tears. She reeked of fear…what the hell?!

"I'm here to see…" she cut him off before he could finish.

"Mr. Konstantin is waiting." She mumbled before rushing off, no doubt going to cry her heart out. He did not have to ponder the secretary's state too long. Even as he approached Josef's office he could here him yelling and roaring alternately.

"I DON'T CARE HOW LONG IT TAKES OR HOW MUCH IT COSTS! GET YOUR FUCKING PATHETIC ASS OUT OF MY OFFICE AND FIND IT!!" Mick could have sworn he felt the floor beneath him vibrate as the door opened mid sentence and a young man rushed from the office as if he was being chased by a monster. Which, if he didn't manage to satisfy Josef, was a very likely possibility in the not so far future. Mick slowly opened the office door to find Josef leaning on the table, palms flat, fangs extended and eyes shockingly pale. The office itself was a mess, papers strewn everywhere and valuable ornaments smashed to pieces. Mick could almost swear he smelt blood as well. But the one thing that stood out to him was on the opposite wall – Josef's safe. He'd checked the thing's security himself, it had been flawless – impenetrable. Yet it was hanging open and completely empty.

"Finally decided to show up, did you?" he asked, his words dripping with sarcasm.

"Watch it man. I'm here to help, don't forget that." Mick answered back as calmly as he could. He was not going to let Josef take his temper out on him, friend or no friend.

Josef ran his hand through his hair, taking a deep breath. "Yeah? Start with that." He pointed to the safe, his voice returning to its normal tone. "Some fucking bastard managed to get in here, past all the security, broke into a safe YOU checked, and stole everything!" He headed over to a small table in the corner of the office, where only one of the usual three decanters was still whole. He poured himself a glass, not even bothering to offer any to Mick.

"Vampire?"

"Can't see how it can be anything else. There was also a good amount of stench in the air…I'd put him at about your age."

Mick nodded as he approached the safe. With all the commotion there wasn't much of a scent left, but there was enough to assure him he'd be able to recognize it should he find it again somewhere else. He turned to survey the room and the damage done to it before raising an eyebrow at Josef. The place looked like a warzone!

"All me." He said before turning away, lifting the glass of thick red liquid to his lips.

"Why am I not surprised?" Mick was only answered with a 'Hmph' before he shook his head and looked back at the safe. "What did they take that has you so riled up?" he was met with silence, having only Josef's back to stare at until the older vampire finally decided to turn around and face him. He was wearing his usual mask of composure but Mick was no idiot. Josef was angry, worried and miserable at the same time. Whatever he had been keeping in that safe had been very valuable to him.

"Sit down."

"Josef…" He began, but he could speak no further.

"Do you want to know or not?" He didn't leave much room for an argument. If Mick wanted to know the truth he would have to pretend to be comfortable on the once luxurious seat that was now almost torn to shreds. Josef didn't look him in the eye until he heard Mick sink down onto the ruined piece of furniture.

"Right, I'm sitting. What's going on Josef? As I recall everything in that safe was replaceable. As for the paperwork, I'm sure you have backups filed away somewhere."

Josef laughed, walking to the safe and running his fingers along the cool metal. "Almost everything was replaceable." His eyes closed and when he reopened them his eyes had, once again drained of color. He slammed the door of the safe, the walls rattling as he did so and the metal making a sickening screeching sound. "They took the one thing I value most, the only thing I'd be willing to die for. I want you to find it and bring it back…" he growled "…as well as the bastard who thought he could steal it from me."

"Fanged justice?"

"He deserves no more."

"So what did he take that you value so much?" Mick was becoming slightly impatient. Josef was talking in circles as if he wanted to avoid the one subject he'd summoned Mick about. Either he was embarrassed that he'd probably made a fool of himself again, or it was something from his past. His human past. Josef never talked about it, he didn't even want to remember it, always insisting that he was more than happy with leaving the mortal coil behind him. They had most likely been staring at each other in silence for a good ten minutes before Josef finally relented, turning away to stare out of the window and out over LA.

"The Stones of Blood." Josef's voice was soft enough that Mick had trouble hearing it even with his enhanced senses.

"I'm sorry…Stones of Blood?"

Maybe the time to book my old friend into an Asylum had finally come.

"What, are you deaf now as well?" Josef asked him, becoming slightly irritated himself. "The Stones of Blood…a collection of thirteen of the finest and rarest blood red diamonds set in a diamond and white gold necklace. The reddest of the set rests in a ring of the highest quality white gold. The total carats of the set equals more than the bloody crown jewels, I promise you that, and it's about nine times as valuable."

Mick was staring at his friend, his mouthing agape. He had surely not expected something this fantastical. "I thought it was a myth? A story jewelers talked about to impress their customers?" This was too unreal, too unbelievable. Why would Josef have possession of such an exquisite set of jewels?

"How do you know it wasn't a fake?"

Silence again.

"Josef?"

His voice was resigned, emotion finally permeating his words. "Because I was the one who had it commissioned centuries ago…for my wife."