Beth stared at Mick and Coraline, her arms placed around his neck. Coraline kissed his lips one more time, causing Mick to look away embarrassed and ashamed. She stroked his cheek to add insult to injury, and turned to give Beth a sultry smile.
"Hey, Beth, just stopped in to say hi." Beth clenched her jaw, fighting back hot tears. Her eyes were filled with pain, and her heart was breaking. She knew both Mick and Coraline could smell what she was feeling, but she wasn't going to let it show.
"So you said your hellos, now get out." Beth held the door open, her words short. Her hand started to tremble as she held the door open. She kept her gaze locked on Mick's turned face. His jaw was clenching, his head was bowed and he was gripping the counter top so tight his knuckles were white. Beth waited until Coraline was completely out before she slammed the door behind her. Once she was out, Beth's tears started to fall. She leaned against the door, her head back, her tears falling unchecked. Sobs began to hiccup in her body as she looked back at Mick.
Mick closed his eyes tight as he smelled the salt from her tears, the heartache rolling off of her in waves. He fought for composure and the words to say, but all he could think of was to apologize.
"I'm sorry." His words were barely audible. Beth bit the inside of her lips, hot tears still falling. She nodded her head and walked half way to him.
"You're sorry? That's all you have to say, 'I'm sorry'." Beth threw her hands up, letting them fall to slap her thighs harshly. Mick pushed off the counter, turning sharply toward her. His mind began to race. He was afraid she would walk out and not return. His heart began to panic. They had come so far. His heart belonged to Beth, not Coraline, and he was about to lose it all. He rushed over to her, grasping her shoulders.
"No, that's not all…" He gathered his thoughts fighting for the strength to keep her here, next to him. "She came here for…" He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I don't know why she's here."
Taking Beth's hand into his, he guided her to the couch. He sat next to her, pulling her into his arms, placing kisses to her forehead, stroking her back and hair. "She was here telling me that you're blood is part of the cure, that when she first took you it was for that reason, then it turned into a way to try to save our marriage." He closed his eyes and images of that night ran through his mind like a movie reel. "She said you're in danger, not only from the Legion, but from some of the vampire elders." Beth turned her face up to his; her eyes reflected the fear that was beginning to build. "I'm not letting anything happen to you, that's why you have Oscar around you. He answers only to Josef, and no one else." Mick stroked her jaw with his fingers, trying to reassure her.
"And the kiss?" She said softly. Mick dropped his eyes and released a slow breath.
"I told her that I was in love with you, and that there was no more her and I." He pressed his lips to Beth's forehead as he spoke. "And Coraline, being Coraline..." He closed his eyes tight, forcing her memory from his head, his jaw working, clenching in frustration and embarrassment. He hated how helplessly he fell into her web, her lies and treachery. Mick inhaled Beth scent, as if it would cleanse him of Coraline's memory, anything to get her out of his head. "I love you, Beth." He tilted her head so he could see into her ocean blue eyes. Tears were falling still, and he wanted to kiss every single one of them away, kiss her until she was completely his. Lost to his own need and as if on their own accord his lips met hers, what started as timid and slow soon ignited into a deep and passion filled kiss. Beth gripped desperately at the back of Mick's neck, pulling him closer to her, wanting to melt into him, under his skin be one with him.
Mick pulled Beth tighter to him, caressing the velvet softness of her mouth, the sweetness that was Beth began to awaken the beast within and his fangs descended. He felt Beth's tongue graze over the tip of a fang and a low growl erupted from his chest. He pulled away from Beth's mouth leaving her breathless. He kept his hands at her cheeks, caressing them with his thumbs as he fought for control. He felt Beth push closer to him seeking his lips again. Knowing full well to where this was heading he sat them both up, his hands now trembling along with Beth's body.
"When, Mick, when? I'm not scared of you." She breathed as he pressed his forehead to hers.
"Not like this..." His voice shook from the amount of need that was coursing through him and Beth wasn't helping. Her scent most definitely shifted to that of passion and desire. He rose from the couch running his hand through his hair and nervously rubbing his jaw. Beth took several deep breaths sitting up completely, her legs now crossed and her face filled with frustration as she watched Mick pace the floor. He eased himself back to the couch and took a deep breath closing his eyes, trying to get himself back under control.
Beth finally had enough. She was tired of Coraline and her games. Beth watched as Mick rubbed at his temple absently. She knew he was torn, torn between his love for her and his fear of hurting her. Finding strength in her decision Beth eased herself onto Mick's lap, straddling him with her legs. She pressed her forehead against his and breathed a sigh of relief when his hands went to her back, drawing her near.
"I want this to be... I need this to be for us. I don't want this to be because of Coraline." He said as he started to catch his own breath. "I love you, please believe me. I do." He looked into her soft blue eyes, pleading with her to understand what he was feeling, his fears and apprehension.
"I know you love me and not Coraline, I do. But it scares me that she can still have this power over you. We haven't made love yet. I know you're worried about hurting me, the last time you tasted me was in the desert." She took a steadying breath and held his eyes trying to judge how he would react next. "I need to know you want all of me, my body and my blood." Her voice was soft, almost caressing in a way.
Mick was frozen, hearing her simple words, want all of me. "I do want all of you."
"Then bite me, Mick. I know this isn't the time and place to make love for you... but I need to know." Her voice was pleading, pleading with him to reassure her that she truly was the only one he wanted, needed.
Mick's eyes narrowed to Beth's throat. He leaned in slowly and started to kiss her neck lightly, inhaling her soft scent. "You'll tell me if it hurts and you want me to stop… I'm not hungry…I'll only take a little." Beth closed her eyes to his words. His lips continued to kiss her neck, tracing her veins with his mouth and his nose. He moved his lips down the column of her neck to her shoulder only brushing them against her alabaster skin. He soon found his mark, a small vein above the swell of her breast.
Beth's breaths soon became pants, filled with anticipation of what was about to happen. Her hands hung around his neck, stroking the soft curls around his collar. She didn't have to look at him to know his eyes were white and his canines were fully extended, she could already feel it.
Mick pressed his lips against the light blue vein he had found, it pulsed lightly, unlike the urgent throb of her arteries and the ever present beat of her heart. A steady unfrightened rhythm that said want all of me, want all of me. Her skin seemed transparent and he thought she is life. Fangs descend, poised above this line of blood. A sharp cutting bite pierces the vein and Mick pulls back to watch blood swell out of the wound following down the contour of her breast. The borderline between him and her, he licks it erasing the space between them.
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It had been a long hard day for Beth Turner, her mind was nowhere near where it should have been. Once again Coraline messed with her mind, once again Coraline invaded her life, hers and Mick's. When they seemed to be doing fine, when life seemed to be perfect, she was there.
Oscar opened the door to his Jeep Cherokee scanning the surrounding area for anything that shouldn't be there. He looked at Beth as she settled in, something was off, and he hated the fact that he could tell. It irked his professionalism that he was getting attached to this human, he liked to keep moving for just that reason.
Beth sat silently as he drove her back to her apartment. She had already called Mick and told him not to come over. She was still confused Coraline's return, Mick's usual unsure caginess and the feeding… Her heart slowed and spiked at the memory, the flood of sensations running through her. She swallowed at the sensation in her gut, her cheeks flushing at the sensation of pure pleasure that flowed through her at that moment, his mouth laving at her breast, coaxing blood, his tongue caressing…
"Beth… remember, I am a vampire…" Oscar felt strained, he could sense her arousal and her spiked heart rate. Her cheeks flushed again as she shifted in her seat, her hand covering her eyes. This is what she hated most about vampires, their ability to sense what the humans felt and desired. She groaned inwardly and pushed her head back into the cushion of the seat.
"Out with it Beth, what is it?"
"Nothing…" She looked at him quickly then looked back out the window.
"Nothing? Is that why Detective Davis had to repeat his questions to you at least twice. And the Assistant DA had to call your name the same amount of times to get an answer?" A small trace of a smile crossed Oscar's face.
"You know for someone who says he doesn't get involved with his charges you sure are asking a lot of questions" she said defensively.
"Fine…" Oscar shook his head as he concentrated on traffic.
"Why do you think Mick can't shake his attraction or connection or whatever it is to Coraline? He says he loves me, and I believe him. But the minute she shows up, he's…" Her voice trailed off as she felt the sting of tears. She turned her head more toward the window, not wanting Oscar to see her cry.
"If you are going to cry, we're walking back to your place." Oscar looked at Beth again her hand pressed to her mouth her eyes closed tight.
"She's his sire, he may not be in love with her, but he'll always be connected to her, that doesn't go away, no matter how much you want it to." Beth watched as traces of memories or where they emotions trace across his face. Oscar took in another audible breath and then looked at Beth again.
"Vampires can't read minds; we depend on our ability to read your emotions. And for you, a human, they're a weakness. It gives Coraline the advantage she craves. You have Mick, its obvious to any human or vampire… Believe me!" Beth couldn't help but give a shy smile. "If Coraline see's how upset you are, she'll pounce it like a cheetah attacking its prey." Oscar steers the car away from her apartment and back to Josef's.
"Where are we going?"
"To let you vent."
Beth followed Oscar into a part of Josef's home she had never been or seen before. It was a downstairs gym. There was a huge open floor, like a gymnastic floor. She watched as Oscar toed off his shoes and went for a staff and then a second one. He stood in front of Beth.
"Remove your shoes." Beth swallowed and her eyes became as big as saucers. She took the staff and watched as Oscar went to the middle of the room. "You need to be in the middle of the floor Beth." She looked at the staff and then walked over to where Oscar was standing. He put down his staff and came around behind her. He pulled her feet further apart and pushed behind he knees, as they gave he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up a little, keeping her from falling. "Don't move." He came around to her front and squared her shoulders and then stood beside her, his stance the same as hers, only more sure of himself.
"Now, you follow every move I do. I'll do it slow, but you follow me." Beth nodded timidly and started to copy Oscar as he moved the staff in the air. As Beth focused on Oscar's movements she started to relax her attention shifting from her fear and apprehension of Coraline's return, and more at the task at hand. She always did better when she could focus on something else, help her process what was going on. Nice
"How much do you know about becoming a vampire?" Oscar shoves the staff forward and watches in the corner of his eyes as Beth does the same.
"Not much, just what Mick told me, being turned on his wedding night by Coraline. He said he went to bed a happily married man and woke up a monster." Beth turned as Oscar turned and shoved the staff down and then up.
"Do you think he's a monster?"
"No… No he's not…" Beth stopped and looked at Oscar. "He could never be a monster." Oscar touched Beth's shoulder and guided her to a seat. He handed her a towel and a bottle of water.
"There are things you don't know… And there are people that need to tell you. I'm not one of them." Oscar looked at Beth then at a dummy that was standing in a corner. He walked over and pulled it to the center of the room. He went to the wall and pulled a stake from the wall. He walked back to Beth and pulled her up guiding her to the dummy.
"I'm betting you know how to use this. So show me." Oscar handed the stake to Beth and then stood behind her "Think of it as Coraline, and what you saw the other day." His voice was lower than a whisper but Beth heard it. Her heart slowed and her eyes narrowed. And suddenly she charged the dummy, a shriek escaping her lips as she lunged toward the dummy and plunged the stake deep into the chest. She stood in front of the dummy shaking, her hand trembling. She released several shaky breaths and started to cry. Oscar walked behind her and placed a hand on her neck rubbing it gently as Beth held onto the dummy, her body shaking from her tears.
"This is our world Beth, cold and deadly."
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Josef watched as Beth pulled herself together, Oscar handing her another water. He heaved a sigh, he was disgusted with the whole situation, the Legion dictating what should and shouldn't be done and wondering about the return of Coraline and no doubt Lance. He couldn't help but feel that quite possibly Coraline was the reason behind the sudden surge of the Legion. Josef finally went back up to the main part of the house and into his den. He decided to see if Logan had any more information on Ryder's death. He wanted to know if this was a random act of violence or if it was related to Legion. He was suspicious, especially with Lady Wallace visiting Mick. The whole chose sides speech had him worried whether they were going to try and play on Mick's sense of loyalty. Not that he questioned it, he knew Mick, his best friend, "brother" as he called it. Of course it might mean telling him how ruthless the Legion can be as well, if the Foster brother's were indication enough of the extremism of the Legion. Especially those that thought they were doing God's work.
Josef snorted as he went to his bar pulling out a bottle of aged Scotch, filling a glass he (delete no more and) went back to his desk when his cell rang, it was Logan, he had Josef's information.
"Logan , what do we have so far?" Josef said as he walked back to his desk Scotch in hand.
"It isn't good. Definitely looks like Ryder's death was a Legion hit and it isn't the only one. A few more have been taking place again as well. But Ryder's was the first. Some big names to Josef, really big names. I'll email you the names I have so far. They are taking their time close space, stalking their prey, should I send out an alert?'
"Not yet… I'll get back to you when. Send the same information to Mick as well. I'll call him later to discuss where we go from here. I need to you track this more Logan, I don't like being kept in the dark got it."
"You know they attack the same way the Sith do."
"The Sith??"
"Yeah, you know, like in Star Wars. Very sneaky and under handed. When they began the process of killing the Jedi in Star Wars Episode 3, it was like a pack attack. The coolest one was Eva Zacura, who happens to be one of the hottest Jedi's I have ever seen. She has ..." Logan started to grin as he thought about the scene. "She was considered a powerful Jedi and Clone Troopers were really scared by her, so they all snuck up behind her and shot her in the back. It was TOTALLY cool." Josef looked at his phone and almost growled.
"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Josef barked back.
"Well… Just an observation... Nothing really. I'll, I'll get right on it Sir, Mr. Kostan... Bye." Josef ended the call and gave a disgusted huff. This business was beginning to get ugly. "War… More like genocide. Joyous." Josef slugged his drink back, and then contemplated how to convince Mick he was already on the right side.