Hi!
Here comes a new chapter with a lot of things happening. Some of you wanted answers especially from Josef, here they are with even a little cliff *smirk*
I want to thank you for your kind review, I was SO happy to read them!! :)
I hope you'll like this chapter, I'll wait for your feedback ;)
Thank you so much for reading my story! Thank you to my two great betas Ancholia and Moonjat too.
This chapter as you can see is rated NC-17... I couldn't help myself *smirk*
A symbol of the past
The motor stopped as the car parked. She looked at her hands. For the first time they had a serious trail on the case and she had been given the key to it. She felt his eyes on her, she lifted her face and met his gaze as he put a hand on hers.
"You're okay?"
She nodded. She was indeed okay, like she had never felt since her turning. The case had finally a new trail to explore but this was in part because of her vision.
Mick opened his door and walked around the car before he opened for Beth. She smiled at him. Being with a 85 years old vampire had its benefits, being a gentleman was one of them. She followed him into the hall and stepped into the elevator. Last time she'd taken it, she had told him she was going to leave. She was worried about his reaction.
She felt an arm around her waist. Mick had felt her worry since they'd left and as he squeezed her, she instantly felt better. Beth realized that she had finally found the real cure and the thought made her smile.
The door opened and Mick took her hand in his. They walked hand in hand down the corridor and reached the office. Beth felt nervous. There was a smell she hadn't expected here, not so soon. They entered the office and there he was, sitting in front of Josef.
Josef stood up, a smile on his lips.
"Good. The duo is back."
"Hi Beth." Talbot stood up, his eyes locked on her hand held by Mick's.
Beth nodded to him. She hadn't seen him since that horrible night at her apartment.
Ben took a look at Josef who nodded a goodbye. He walked towards Mick and said a low "Hi Mick" before he left the office. As he passed, Beth could smell all his emotions and it made her feel even worse. Ben looked tired and weak. She could tell that he hadn't slept in days.
Mick finally approached the desk with Beth and they both sat.
Josef watched them and said.
"So, is love back in the air?"
Beth couldn't hold back a smile. The worried Josef she had left last time had disappeared. The old sarcastic one was back. Mick nodded and as he crossed his legs, he began to speak.
"So, Josef why don't you finally tell us everything you know?"
Josef raised an eyebrown and whistled. "That would take a very long time my friend. After 400 years I became a real encyclopedia." He winked at Beth.
Mick took from the pocket of his long dark coat a picture that he put on the desk.
Josef recognized the picture, it was the symbol of blood on the chest of one of the victims.
"I already told you. I don't know what that means."
"Oh no Josef. On the contrary, I think you know very well what the symbol means."
Josef looked silently at Mick then Beth who couldn't hold his stare. Mick continued.
"What about: 1608?"
Beth lifted her eyes and saw the mask of fear cover Josef's face, just like the night she'd told him she was leaving. He almost fell off his chair, his two hands on the desk, one taking the picture. The symbol suddenly became all clear, the oval, the line and the two "6": it was clearly the dreadful number.
"Josef?"
"Yes Mick, I heard you." A painful sigh left him. "You're right, I might already know the killer, or should I say, the potential killers."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, it might be one of three women I knew."
"Knew?" Beth's little voice broke through. Josef looked at her with a sad face and nodded.
"Yes, knew. Because all three of them are already dead."
"But that's not possible." She added as Mick fell back in the armchair.
"No, it is exactly what we are supposed to find."
Beth watched Mick with a surprised look. He turned towards her.
"Guillermo told me that the reason why we can't smell the vampire's scent is because he's already dead."
"She." Corrected Josef.
"Yes." Replied Mick.
"So, our killer is one of the three women. And who are they?" asked Beth.
Josef sighed one more time.
"Well… The first one was killed by me." He looked at Beth straight in the eyes. "Coraline." Beth's blood almost frozed in her veins. "The second one was killed by Mick." He stared at his friend. "Lola." Mick rubbed his lips remembering her death. "And the last one was killed a long time ago." He paused, watching outside. "It was my sire… Aliana."
Mick raised his back from the chair.
"I thought your sire was -"
"Yes, he was my sire after she died. Friedrich was her sire. Aliana was killed three nights after my turning. The 16th August 1608."
***
Talbot arrived in his office. He sat at his desk and looked at the blank computer screen. Josef Kostan made him nervous. Talbot knew he did that so he was sure he would obey him. He hated this situation. He'd asked nothing and it just fell upon him, like a huge stone from a wall. He remembered that night when he thought he had lost Beth. Seeing her now holding Mick's hand had broke his heart. She looked beautiful. Her face was peaceful, her eyes brighter. The Beth he'd seen at work, since she'd changed, was a lot more different. The one he'd met at Kostan's office was a woman in love.
He sighed and took from a drawer the file on Mick St John. Kostan had ordered him to leave Mick alone. Mick was the wrong target as Kostan said, but Talbot had another opinion. Everything was because of that man, monster. He'd learned enough about Josh Lindsay's death to know that since Mick St John appeared in their life, everything had changed. The report said that St John had been heroic trying to save Lindsay's life, but Talbot wasn't ready to believe in his good side. Even when Mick first drove him to Kostan's building, he had told him that Beth cared for him. It had surprised him to hear that from St John. He still didn't know why he'd told him that. Was he trying to be friendly? Talbot couldn't believe that.
Talbot was staring at the picture of Mick hit by a car, when his phone began to ring.
"A.D.A Talbot?"
Silence.
"Hello?"
"Did you read the list?"
His heart sank. That wasn't the killer's voice, but the one when he first received the list.
"Yes, I did." He remembered what Kostan told him and added. "It doesn't make any sense."
"Oh don't lie to me. I think you know very well what this means."
"What do you want?"
"We only want Kostan."
Talbot looked in front of him. The voice gave him cold shivers.
"I – I can't give you him."
A terrible laugh broke the strange silence.
"Yes, you will. You know his friend, Mick St John?"
"Yes, I do."
"You'll give him to us, then we'll have Kostan."
Talbot suddenly thought about Beth. If Mick was a target, then Beth would be one too.
"I only have one condition."
"Of course you have."
"You won't take Beth Turner."
"Who?"
Talbot was surprised and suddenly felt like he was doing something wrong, but his voice kept talking without his own will.
"St John's wife turned her."
There was another silence on the other side of the line.
"Hello?"
"We'll contact you."
Talbot looked at the phone. He realized that he'd made a terrible mistake. They didn't know about Beth. He suddenly reached the list and read it fast. Her name wasn't on the list. He stared straight in front of him, terror runing through his body.
He'd betrayed her.
***
The night was cold. The rain had fallen all day long and now the smell of wet humus surrounded the place. The castle was plunged into darkness, only some lights shone through the night.
In the room, they were silent. They'd just heard something they hadn't expected.
He looked at his Sire. His face was suddenly cold, grave.
"Who is this Beth Turner?" asked the dark figure beside him.
Lance turned and watched the hidden old face.
"Never heard of her before."
Richelieu stood up from his chair.
"He told you that Coraline turned her. That's impossible. When would have she done that?"
Lance walked towards the window. The night had fallen on the French wood. His monster's eyes could see the nocturnal animals waking up. Like him, they were night hunters, ready to jump on their poor victims. As his eyes fixed the dark sky, he answered.
"She didn't turn her when I came for her. If she has, then it happened after."
"Then Henri must know." Added Richelieu. "What did your man say about Henri?"
Lance turned and looked at his Sire.
"He found no trail of Henri. He lied to Cynthia. He's with them." A grimace of disgust appeared on his face.
The dark figure walked behind Lance, a cold wave of air followed.
"The youngest isn't the foolest."
"Henri doesn't know what he does." Answered Lance with disgust.
Richelieu looked at the family tree on his desk.
"We do like we've planned. She's going to take him, isn't she Lance?"
Lance nodded. "That's the plan."
"We'll take care of that Beth Turner after that. We have to kill Kostan first."
***
Mick and Beth walked inside his apartment. They'd stopped at her own to take some of her clothes. As Mick closed the door, he watched Beth who was still silent. They were both anxious about what Josef had told them.
Josef had explained how Aliana had been killed, that a vampire had decapitated her and left. He'd tried many years to find who the killer was, but never found the answer. A sad silence had filled the office. Then Josef looked at Mick, with eyes he had never seen before. Beth was suddenly terribly worried for him and for what he was going to say.
"I never saw her body." The words had filled the silent room.
Mick and Beth had looked at each other, then Josef had revealed that the same night Friedrich had told him about her death, he'd left the house. Friedrich had never spoken of her body and Josef had assumed he'd buried her somewhere in the city.
Beth sat on the couch and Mick came next to her.
"Hey". His deep tender voice brought her back. She looked at him with a sad smile.
"You're okay?"
"Yes. It's just that what Josef said is so sad."
Mick nodded.
"You think Aliana is the killer?"
Mick stared the table in front of him, his face suddenly serious.
"I don't know. Coraline is dead, just like Lola. And as he told us, he never saw the body." He paused then looked at Beth. "When I burned Coraline, I never saw her aches and then she came back."
Beth shivered as she heard her name. Mick took her hand and squeezed it.
"She's dead Beth, there's no doubt about it."
She nodded, smiling to him, but not completely sure if it was true. Then she thought about Josef.
"I can't imagine how terrible it must have been for him."
"Yeah, me too."
"My Sire died, but I hated her. Josef loved that woman, he wanted to live forever with her, and she died. Now she might be back and she's killing vampires. Why?"
"I don't know Beth. Maybe Josef is keeping other secrets about her from us."
Beth looked at her hands. This case was terrible, everything had turned into something horrible. Her visions, the murders, Talbot.
"Hey."
She stared at Mick and saw in his eyes how much he cared for her.
"You may have lost your Sire, but I'm here for you, forever, no matter what." He paused and plunged intensely into her eyes. "I love you so much Beth."
Beth felt like she never had been before. All the horrible things that had happened to her before didn't matter anymore. The man in front of her had told her what she needed to hear. If she had pushed him the first time he'd told her he loved her, she felt now like it was his very first declaration and she wasn't going to push him away. She leaned down and as she fixed his eyes, she kissed him with the strongest love she could feel.
She caressed his cheek with her hand and broke the kiss.
"I love you too, Mick. I couldn't and I can't live without you."
They looked at each other and Mick slowly brought his lips to hers. He kissed her tenderly, feeling her cold and sweet lips; he put a hand in her hair and pulled her closer to him. Their kiss grew stronger. Mick took Beth by the waist and had her straddle him. Her hands travelled to his hair as he rubbed her back down to her butt.
She slid down on his lap and heard him growl as she slowly moved on his crotch. She moaned in his mouth as she opened his shirt and felt the cold skin of his hard chest. Mick suddenly broke the kiss and looked at her.
"God Beth, you don't know what you do to me."
She smiled and tenderly kissed his neck, rubbing herself against him, becoming harder. She slowly clenched the thin skin of his neck with her fangs and heard him growl again.
Suddenly her shirt was on the floor and felt her bra following. Mick cupped her breast and searched for her lips. Beth pulled his shirt down as she kissed him and went to his belt. He stopped her and lay her back on the couch, never breaking his kiss.
He brought his hand along her thigh as his tongue played with hers in her mouth. He could feel her hips pushing up against him. His hands went to the belt of her trousers and slowly unbuttoned it. She lifted her butt and felt the material of her trousers and panties descend along her legs. She raised her back and took Mick's face in her hands and kissed him passionately. She opened the buckle of his belt then saw him stand in front of her. His trousers and pants were at his feet, his body lighted by the lights of the fire behind Beth. She looked at him, possessed by the beautiful figure of the man who was hers.
He sat back on the couch and took her in his arms. She sat on his lap, straddling him and rubbed herself against his hard shaft. They both sighed, feeling the need for each other. Beth looked into his eyes and felt his arousal and desire for her. She took his length in her hand and began to stroke him slowly. His head fell back and growled as he felt her fingers playing with the top of his cock. He moaned her name and Beth stroke him harder. She felt her hand and the tip of his length close to her already wet entry. Mick finally took her face between his hands and kissed her.
"Turn around."
She looked at him, confused.
Mick slowly lifted her and turned her around. Beth kneeled on the couch and sat back on his lap, her back against his chest. She felt his hands around her, cupping her breast, playing with her nipples. She could feel his shaft against her butt and slowly rubbed herself against him. One of his hand left one nipple and went down between her legs, her head fell back on his shoulder as she felt him rubbing her clit, a finger entering her then a second. His mouth was on her neck, licking her skin above her veins. She turned her head and found his lips searching for hers.
"Mick, please."
Her voice was a shivering whisper as he stroked her. He lifted her by her hips and brought his shaft close to her entry. He rubbed his cock against her wet flesh, causing her moans and her fingers clenching his hair. Then he slowly lowered her upon him and both sighed. Beth began to move, his hand still cupping her.
Her hand came behind his head, she kissed him, her tongue licking his lower lip, quickly taken by his tongue. She moved faster as Mick pressed his hand down between her legs. His other hand left her hard nipple and took her free hand down with his. He placed her hand between her legs so she feel them. Beth sighed loudly in his mouth as she felt herself then his shaft moving inside her.
"Oh god, Mick"
"hmmm, you feel so good". He moaned, his breath brushing her hair.
Beth felt pleasure build in her belly and Mick move faster. His mouth left her lips and travelled to her ear, he whispering her name, then moved down to her neck where she felt his tongue and fangs.
She was close and began to pant. She murmured his name and saw his arm approach her mouth. She pushed herself up and down around his thick shaft filling her deep inside, her walls tight around him, until she finally spasmed. Her fangs pierced his flesh and exploded as with the sweet taste of his blood in her mouth.
Mick moved her hips up and lifted his butt to thrust deeper inside her, close to climax. His mouth on her neck, he kissed and licked her skin and with a last hard stroke, before biting her. He felt the vibrations of her growl deep inside him, as he emptied himself inside her.
He slowly licked the wound which slowly disappeared and felt her lips kissing where she had bitten him. He gave her small kisses on her neck, chin and lips, still holding her tight against him and slowly lowered on his side, so they were both lying.
Mick kissed her shoulder and slowly removed himself from inside her hearing her sigh. She turned and lay her back on the couch finally looking at him. He was smiling.
"Welcome home Beth."
***
Josef stood in his living-room. The freshie had just left and he was looking at the city. Mick and Beth had left some hours ago. He was glad to see that one good thing had happened this day. Beth was back with his friend and had seen happiness in their eyes.
This relief didn't last long since Mick had asked him about that terrible number. As he'd explained them about the three women who had been important in his life, Josef knew that one of them was a suspect. He was no fool. Mick and Beth had guessed it too.
He sighed loudly. A strong pain was there, deep in his chest. He knew she was somewhere in the city, looking for revenge. But why? He only loved her, never betrayed her. They'd told him she was dead. How could he possibly know it wasn't true?
"Aliana." He whispered in the silent room.
The old love was still deep inside him. How would he fight against his very first love?
He looked down at the floor, then turned around, heading his freezer, not noticing the figure on the roof of the building in front of his window, her hair blown by the wind, a mischievious smile on her red lips.