Thanks to all of you, including Guests, who commented. Your reviews always give me ideas and I appreciate your feedback. Now, the battle will begin~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 14

The next day, Josef was at his house getting ready to go after Lance. He'd spoken to Mick, and his friends were back in town, and getting some freezer time before coming over at noon. Josef had also spent some time in cold oblivion, lulled to sleep by Simone's determination that he rest. Simone was confident he would succeed, and kept her concerns to herself. She knew Josef didn't need her worrying about him, although she did. Josef didn't want Simone along on this mission, but she insisted she could wait by the cars, ready with blood and medical supplies. He grudgingly conceded she could do that. He knew she wanted to be close by, and he admitted to himself he was glad she would be there.

Josef was in his home office, wearing a tee-shirt and jeans. He'd get dressed in boots and Kevlar later. All the team would be wearing the bulletproof vests. There was a light knocked on the door, and Hale entered.

"Excuse me sir, but there's a Guillermo Gasol wanting to see you. I told him you were occupied..."

"It's all right." Josef knew Guillermo was delivering extra blood that would be ready in case of injuries.

Guillermo came into the room, looking quite different without the scrubs he always wore in the morgue. "Hey, Josef."

"Yes?" Josef didn't want to be brusque with the vampire, but he had a lot to do in a short time. "What can I do for you?"

"I heard you're going after the guy who poisoned you in Switzerland."

Josef didn't know how Guillermo knew about their experience in Geneva, but he supposed the grapevine was alive and well. After all, Guillermo and Beth had become good friends.

"Yeah, were going this afternoon."

"I wanna come with you," Guillermo said.

Josef raised his eyebrows. "I've got enough men, and I wasn't aware you were a fighter."

"I've done my share over the years."

Josef had his plan set with his men, as well as Annie, James, Mick and Beth. He was touched that Guillermo wanted to help, but he didn't want to have anyone else involved who might get hurt.

"I'll tell you what. I've got enough people for the assault, but Simone's going to come and stay with the cars managing the blood and medical supplies. I'd appreciate it if you could wait with her, and help with any injuries."

At first, Guillermo looked disappointed, but then brightened as Josef finished.

"Yeah, I can do that. I've taken out bullets before."

"Good man," Josef said, smiling. "Be back here around noon, and we'll get things sorted out."

Guillermo nodded, and left. Josef was pleased that Guillermo wanted to help, and glad that he'd be with Simone.

Another tap on the door brought him out of his reverie. It was Hale again, looking apologetic, "I'm sorry, sir, but Mr. Conley insists on seeing you."

Josef rolled his eyes. What did Ewan want? He nodded, and Hale moved aside to let Ewan pass.

The tall, Irish vampire was dressed as casually as Josef. He smiled and came to the point. "I want to go with you today."

Josef shook his head. How had his secret mission become so well-known?

Josef gave him a rueful smile. "The next thing my computer techies wanting to go."

"They probably do," Ewan said, easily. "But I think I can be more help. I don't talk about it, but I wasn't always at university."

Josef felt unaccustomed warmth. All these people were his friends, and they wanted to support him. He'd been alone so many centuries, relying only on himself. For the last fifty years or so, he'd counted Mick as a friend, almost a brother, but now he had a wife and others who would risk their lives for him. He cleared his throat pushing down the emotion.

"I have enough people," Josef said. "But I do have a request. If anything happens to me, look after Simone, and I want you to take over as Elder here."

Ewan frowned. "Do you think that's likely?"

"I hope not," Josef grinned wolfishly. "It's not in my plans. "But I'd feel better knowing everything won't go to hell if I'm gone." He leaned forward, placing both hands flat on his desk. "And, if I'm dead and Lance survives, hunt the bastard down and kill him."

Ewan's eyes narrowed and his face took on the fierceness of seven hundred years. "Count on it."

"Good," Josef stood up straight.

Ewan nodded, and said, "I'll wait for your call." He turned and left the room.

It was a little before noon when everyone started to show up. Annie came in, telling how she evaded Lance's look out.

"No problem. I told Bella to take care of him at noon. He checked his watch, "Just about now. That will be one less at the house," he said, grinning.

Annie smiled back as James came into the room. She gave a little cry and threw herself into his arms. Simone followed, along with Mick and Beth. They were all dressed in comfortable sweats, knowing they'd be out in the daylight.

Beth knew Mick was tense, worried about her. She'd spent the night reassuring him she wouldn't take any chances. He knew this was something she had to do, and he supported her, but couldn't help his uneasiness.

Josef picked up on Mick's feelings and drew him aside. "Are you all right, buddy?"

"Yeah," Mick responded. "I don't want Beth to get hurt."

"Neither do I," he said. "But she handled herself in Geneva, and she's past her fledgling stage now. We'll be with her, and she needs to do this."

"I know," Mick sighed, watching his wife check out the weapons in the room. "I hoped she'd stay with Simone out by the cars."

"No need. Guillermo will be with Simone to take care of any injuries. With luck, we won't have any."

Mick nodded, and pushed away his concern. He needed to concentrate on the mission.

Josef turned back to the group in the room. "All right, everyone. Get into your gear, and we'll go over the plan."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Josef looked up, squinting at the sky. Clouds were rolling in, blocking the sun. He was grateful, even though he and his team were sheltered beneath the trees surrounding Coraline's house. It was shortly after 2:00 pm, and in a few minutes they would infiltrate the hill house. When they assembled earlier at Josef's, they were all outfitted with vests, and the team leaders had earbuds. James and Annie led one group, with Josef, Mick and Beth in another. The rest of Josef's security guards would follow the two teams. They had gone over satellite photos of the area. There were no fences, and several entrances that could be entered from the ground floor.

Simone was there but stayed back with the vehicles, parked off a back road, loaded with medical supplies and blood. Simone had hugged Josef, then Beth, telling them to be careful. She knew she was too young and inexperienced in fighting to be any use in the attack, but she wanted to be there to help. Guillermo was staying with Simone. He checked his medical supplies again, and nodded as the group left silently through the surrounding woods toward the house.

Josef paused when the structure was in sight. Mick and Beth were beside him, looking grimly at the building, Mick with loathing, and Beth with some apprehension. She'd insisted she come along to fight, but now she was concerned about how she would handle herself. Mick's calm acceptance of her participation gave her courage. She had killed the human in the basement after she was turned, but this was a different matter. This was a planned assassination. She had no sympathy for Lance; he deserved to die for his attempts on their lives. She just hoped she wouldn't let Mick and Josef down.

Josef and Mick knew the house, and decided to go in via the lower level. There were doors that led to the pool and the gardens that would be easy to enter. Mick told Josef that the alarm system hadn't worked in years, which was confirmed by Beth, who had broken into the house when she was trying to find evidence that Morgan Vincent was actually Coraline.

They decided to move during the day, when most of Lance's men would be in their freezers. Mick knew where the freezer rooms were located and they'd assigned each of Josef's men to take out Lance's enforcers.

James was there, with Annie next to him, and they were happy to be together again. James told her once this was over, they were going away for a while, and Annie thought that was a great idea. In the meantime, she was ready for a fight. She'd been up close to Lance and had only contempt for the French vampire.

Josef had spared no expense, and all his men had silver machetes and handguns with clips loaded with silver. Normally, he would have James in charge, but this was personal. He wanted to kill Lance himself.

There were two dozen vampires waiting to go, all of them ready to take out Josef's enemy. Bella said she'd have her Cleaners ready to handle any bodies, and she'd told Josef she'd better not find him among the dead.

Mick looked at Josef. "Are we ready?" He asked.

Under their Kevlar vests they were all getting warm. "Yes," Josef growled. He spoke into the small mike pinned to his collar. "Team one, go for the south door."

Josef nodded to Mick and Beth, as they made their way to the doors by the pool, followed at a distance by the other vampires.

Mick quickly picked the lock, knowing that the other team was doing the same thing at the door at the back of the house.

They were in, Josef leading, with Mick and Beth and the others following. They knew the guest freezers were in various rooms in that level. Beth gave a thought to the sub-basement that contained the pink and white room where Coraline kept her as a child. She pushed it aside, concentrating on the task at hand.

Inside the house it was much darker, the shades drawn against the sun. They moved silently, all of them scenting strange vampires close by. They wanted to catch Lance's men in their freezers, stake them and find Lance before any alarm was raised. Mick knew there was a freezer room off the master bedroom on the upper level, and that's where they thought Lance would be.

Josef's group quickly found a room with several freezers, with an occupant in each one. While one of the team lifted the lid, Mick staked the occupant, cracking the bottom of the freezer with the force. They staked all of the vampires on that side of the house, trusting that Annie and James were having the same luck.

Annie and James had found one of Lance's enforcers awake and ready to fight. He yelled for help, and tried to kill her, but Annie feigned to the left, and as the vampire avoided her, James took his head. The body slumped to the ground and it was silent.

James spoke softly into his mic. "One down and we staked two others in their freezers."

Lance was in Coraline's office, making some overseas calls when he heard the crash and cries from the lower level. His self-preservation instincts took over, and he didn't follow the sounds to see what was going on. He quickly opened one of the large windows and jumped out. The two story drop didn't hurt him, and he rolled into a standing position.

Scenting the air, he could smell unknown vampires, and he hunkered down a moment. The garages were on the other side of the building, and he wasn't sure if could make it to a car. He took the only way that seemed clear—into the wooded area around the house.

Lance made his way through the underbrush and trees heading toward a road. He would flag down a car and kill the human driver. Then he would regroup and find out what had happened, and plan his next move. He knew the general direction of the main road, but the wind shifted and he scented other vampires. He turned and silently stalked up on them. From the trees, he saw a dirt road that contained three SUV's and a male and female. He assumed they were vampires and stayed far enough back that they couldn't scent him. One of the vehicles had the back hatch open providing shade and both of them were sitting under the makeshift cover.

He realized this must be the convoy of whoever attacked the house. He vamped out in fury. He would kill them and take the car. He looked around to get his bearings. He would take out the man first, then the woman.

At the car, Simone hoped the mission was going well, and checked the blood in the coolers for the tenth time.

"They'll be all right," Guillermo said. "If Josef came out of his office being bombed, he can do this."

"I know," she said, shading her eyes from the sun. "I just wish—"

She stopped when she saw Guillermo look up and pulled his Glock from his belt. In a flash, a vampire was on him, and knocked the gun from Guillermo's hand. The stocky vampire fought back, both combatants had their fangs bared, trying to take out each other's throat. Lance picked up the gun and shot Guillermo point blank. Simone growled, vamping out, and threw herself on Lance's back ripping with her fangs. The older vampire grabbed her arm, flinging her back, breaking her arm as she fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Lance dropped the gun in the melee, but it was too far away for Guillermo to get as he continued to fight off his attacker.

At the house, the crew mopped up the devastation. All of Lance's thugs had either been killed or staked, and they focused on finding Lance. They searched the house without finding him. Suddenly, they heard Beth call out, "Up here!"

The group rushed up the stairs to the office where Beth stood near the open window. "I think he got away."

Mick closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, scenting the past. He saw Lance open the window and jump, then run toward the woods.

"He's headed for the road," Mick said, grimly.

"Simone," Josef growled under his breath. He turned toward his men. "You three stay here and keep watch. The rest of you, come with me." Josef didn't wait, but jumped out the window, followed by his team, including Mick and Beth. Mick led the way, scenting as he went. The group spread out, moving silently between the trees and brush.

Simone's pain was like fire, and she felt sick with it. She finally focused and saw Guillermo in a life and death struggle with another vampire. She saw Guillermo's gun in the dirt and tried to rise. The pain made it impossible, so she dragged herself over to it. Her hand was shaking, but it was her left arm that was broken, and she grabbed the weapon, taking a deep breath. She got control of the adrenaline rushing through her and pointed the gun. Lance had thrown Guillermo to the ground and was preparing to pounce. Lance was only ten feet away and didn't pay attention to her collapsed at the edge of the road. She fired, catching Lance in the side and back. There were only three cartridges left in the clip, but she emptied it, hitting the vampire twice, and Lance staggered back. Guillermo got up, blood-soaked from his wounds and numerous rips in his torso.

Lance roared and turned on Simone, his black eye glittering, the other silvered with rage. He started toward Simone when Josef and Mick broke through the trees. Josef smelled Simone's blood, and incensed, he vamped out, ready to defend his wife.

"Lance," Josef's voice rang out. "You bastard, come get me." He pulled out his machete, swinging it in Lance's direction.

"Kostan," Lance roared. "I should have known it was you." The French vampire was bleeding from the bullets, but was still on his feet. "I'll kill the woman and then kill you." Lance started toward Simone.

Guillermo growled and prepared to attack, but Josef said, "No, I'm going to take this fils de pute myself," and Josef moved between Simone and Lance, swinging the blade in wide arcs. Mick was near Josef, and Beth pulled her gun. Mick put his hand on it, shaking his head. "Let Josef do this," he said softly.

Beth nodded, but was ready to respond at a moment's notice. The rest of Josef's men came out of the woods, surrounding the combatants.

"Your men are all disabled or dead," Josef said. "You're going to die the true death."

Lance grimaced in pain, but managed to laugh. "It will be hard to kill me, Kostan. Many have tried."

"I'm not going to try. I'm going to do it."

Josef turned to Mick, and his friend understood. Mick pulled out his machete and handed it to Josef, who threw it to Lance.

"Defend yourself," Josef said, coming toward Lance, blade raised.

Lance growled and charged Josef, slashing with the silvered blade.

Josef jumped back and moved swiftly to the right. He stabbed quickly at Lance's side, but Lance parried and sliced into Josef's vest. The two adversaries circled each other, trying to find a weakness.

Beth had to hold herself back, and she could feel Mick vibrating with tension. She scanned Josef's men, and knew they were feeling the same way. Annie and James were vamped out, growling.

Lance lunged at Josef, who jumped high avoiding the blade, landing behind Lance. Before the French vampire could turn, Josef swung his machete, slicing through Lance's neck, nearly decapitating him. Lance dropped to his knees, blood spurting from the wound before he fell to the ground.

Beth moved forward, her face hard. "Let me, Josef." She aimed her gun and fired off three silvered bullets into Lance's head.

She let go of gun, shaking. It was over and Mick was there, taking her into his arms holding her head so she didn't have to look at the dead vampire. "You did good, sweetheart," he reassured her.

When Josef saw Lance was truly dead, he moved to Simone. She was unconscious and Guillermo was trying to staunch the blood. Josef felt her arm and found the bone had penetrated the skin. It was a bad break that would have to be set. "Get Dr. Roberts," he cried to his men. "Tell him to meet us at the house." One of the men helped Josef pick up Simone and they headed toward one of the SUVs. Guillermo limped toward the car, knowing he needed to have the silver removed before he could heal.

Josef turned and said to Annie and James. "Call Bella and get the cleanup started." Annie looked with concern at Simone and Guillermo, but nodded. "Don't worry, we'll take care of everything," she said.

Josef said to his men. "You guys stay and help. Come back to the house when the Cleaners are done." He made sure Simone and Guillermo were safe in the back of the car and looked over his shoulder. "Good work, guys. Hale will have your bonuses when you get back."

Mick loosened his grip on Beth and she smiled at him weakly. "Let's go. I want to make sure Simone is okay."

"Fine," he kissed her head and they went to the waiting cars.

TBC

So Lance gets what's coming to him. We'll see what Coraline thinks, and how Josef's friends help. Thank you for reading, and I appreciate any comments on the story.