Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. Think they would be willing to sell it?

Thank you for the lovely reviews. Here is the scene many of you have been asking for. It is time to address the "bite".

Chapter 18

Mick opened the door to his apartment and motioned for Beth to proceed in. She stumbled slightly and giggled as Mick quickly reached out to steady her. His arm snuggly wrapped around her waist.

"Just how much wine did you have?" he chuckled.

"Not all that much. Are you implying I'm drunk?" Beth asked with an arched eyebrow as she pulled free of his hold. She walked over to stand before the couch with a much steadier gate than she had previously exhibited. It gave her a thrill how protective he was when he thought she was unsteady on her feet. After her talk with Kira and with the decision she had finally arrived at, Beth was feeling rather bold and she placed one hand on her hip and crooked a finger at him. "Come here big boy, let's discuss it," she said in a sultry voice.

"You….are playing a dangerous game," Mick laughed and hurriedly joined her. In one swift move he sat, pulled her down beside him and pressed her into the cushions as he kissed her.

"I do love how you discuss things," Beth murmured as their lips parted. Her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Just what are you up to Beth?" he asked as he leaned over her, still holding her against the cushions.

Beth reached up to play with the buttons of his shirt, slowly opening the top few. Her fingers reached in to brush the chain of his necklace as she stroked his neck.

"I am trying to seduce you Mick," she breathed as she looked up at him through her lowered lashes. "Does that appeal to you?"

"If I didn't know better I would suspect you have been taking some of that Black Crystal again," Mick said, not releasing his grip on her.

"Nope…no Black Crystal," Beth replied shaking her head as a giggle escaped her. She ran one finger over his lips. "I feel this way just being close to you," she finished in a whisper.

"You are trying to drive me crazy," Mick grinned and closed his mouth over hers once more. Beth moaned in pleasure and ran both her hands through his hair, pulling him close.

Mick's head began to swim as his desire for her began to build and the vampire within began to stretch his control. He could smell her rare blood pounding through her veins and that scent became all consuming. His fangs pushed down against his will as their tongues tangled. Fighting to suppress the transformation, Mick felt Beth's tongue catch on one of his fangs and suddenly he tasted her rich blood for the second time in his life. In shock he pushed himself away from her.

"Mick….no," Beth exclaimed as she grabbed hold of his shirt to keep him from getting to his feet. She examined his pale face and silvered eyes and didn't flinch. The vampire before her didn't frighten her and the initial sting of her tongue was all ready fading. The panic in his vampire eyes worried her.

"I don't want to hurt you Beth," Mick rasped out.

"I have bitten my tongue harder than that before. Mick, you are over-reacting," Beth said calmly and brought one hand up to touch his cheek lightly. The grip she had on his shirt with her other hand did not lessen. She smiled warmly up at him. "You don't scare me Mick, I am not afraid of your vampire. If you were going to hurt me, you would have done so in the desert when you were dying. But you didn't. You stopped; I only had to whisper your name and touch your shoulder. You stopped Mick," she reminded him as she stroked his cheek gently.

Mick tilted his head as he stared at her, the taste of her still on his tongue. The desire for more kept the vampire in control and he attempted to look away but Beth firmly prevented that.

"Don't hide from me. It is time we face this. Let's take that step forward," she said softly.

Mick wanted to argue, he wanted to get to his feet and walk away but he couldn't move. Beth's words touched him; they reached in and made him pause and think. He had stopped in the desert. But the thought of feeding on Beth disgusted him. He loved her, he could not bear the thought of treating her like a freshie, she was more important than that.

"It's okay Mick," Beth continued. "I don't want to feed you but I want to know what a good bite feels like. I want to know why freshies stay and still donate. Don't you think that you owe me a pleasant bite?" she asked as if reading his mind. She raised her wrist near his mouth.

"You have no idea what you are asking," Mick said harshly, still resisting.

"Yes I do," Beth insisted as she sat straighter and pressed closer to him. "I want this, I want to know. Please Mick."

The scent of her blood, so very close, was tearing at Mick's resistance. The vampire yearned to bite, to taste. He looked into her trusting blue eyes, heard her heart beating steadily and while it was accelerated; it was from excitement not fear. She smiled, not lowering her wrist.

"I can't…." he began.

"I love you," she countered.

Mick's resistance dissolved in the face of the temptation before him. The determination of his Beth, the refusal to let this go overcame his reluctance. He could mount no argument that could counter hers other than the fear he would enjoy drinking from her too much.

Carefully he took her wrist in his hands, staring at the marks that faintly showed his previous bite. His lips lightly passed over her skin before he opened his mouth and hesitated. Beth was right; he owed her the full pleasure of a true bite.

Even though she had asked, Beth braced herself, preparing for the bite to come. She watched his sharp teeth come towards her arm and she closed her eyes. There came the initial stab of pain that vanished almost immediately under a surge of pleasure as Mick sucked in. A deep sigh escaped her as a rush of heat ran through her body and she sank back into the couch cushions. This was nothing like the feeling that his bite in the desert had produced. Only actual sex with him could feel better.

Mick raised his head from her wrist after licking the punctures and Beth felt suddenly adrift as the amazing sensations left her. She looked at him through hooded eyelids, breathing heavily as he pressed his fingers against the marks.

"Wow…" she sighed.

Mick's mouth quirked as he reached out to stroke her hair with his other hand and felt his own feelings tip upside down.

"I could say the same thing," he said, still savoring the taste of her.

"That was amazing," she replied, then frowned at him.

"Beth?" Mick asked anxiously as her eyes narrowed.

"I think I was completely justified to be jealous of Simone when you tasted her blood. If you made her feel like that…."

"I did not make it feel that way. Beth, I swear it wasn't like that," Mick protested. "I love you that makes it different."

Beth couldn't keep up the charade in the face of his attempt to explain. She flung her arms around his neck as she laughed.

"I believe you. I love you too. I was just teasing," she whispered in his ear. "That was incredible."

Mick hugged her tightly and felt one more part of his heart heal. Monsters did not get the chance to love but Beth had seen his vampire and didn't waver. She did love him. Maybe the universe was not as cruel as he thought.

Beth let go of his neck and her hands slowly moved down his body, her fingers started pulling at his shirt, trying to tug it free.

"Hey are you still trying to seduce me?" he asked in amusement.

"You do not get a girl all hot and bothered and then not deliver," Beth said with a small growl. "Take me to bed Mick."

"Well, I can see I may have to bite you more often," Mick chuckled, surprising both himself and Beth with his words. Beth smiled at him and kissed him gently.

"One step at a time Mick," she said softly. "We will find a way to make this work."

Mick nodded and got up, pulling Beth with him. He lifted her into his arms.

"I think that the new mattress needs further testing," he grinned. "Do you agree?"

"Oh I most heartily agree," Beth nodded, her fingers playing with the hair at the back of his neck.

Mick carried her upstairs.

*M*M*

On the production lot of Dark Nightmare Pictures sat a small two story house. Upstairs, in the quiet hallway Laslo Masterson paused at the door of one of the bedrooms. After the visit from Josef and St. John, he had felt the need to check on his girls. He carefully opened Chrissy's door and was pleased to see she was sleeping peacefully as both Melinda and Darla had been. Reclosing the door, he leaned against the wall and felt a wave of fear roll through him.

Someone was threatening his world. Who had killed Tammi and why? Was this just some awful mistake or was he a target of an angry vampire? Tammi had wanted to be a star, sure she had been upset with the script changes but she would have cooled down. He was sure of it. So who had convinced her to leave the set and then killed her? He had a feeling it was someone with a connection to the film production. It had to be someone who worked for him but he had no idea who would do this to him.

Mick St. John struck him as the type of guy who would not stop until he got answers. He knew St. John suspected him of being involved but he could deal with that attitude if the man found the real culprit. Leonard Meier was really just a vamp who wanted to live his life quietly and make his films. He may have chosen a flamboyant name but deep down he shunned the spotlight. Comforted that his girls were safe, he left to get some freezer time. Tomorrow could get complicated.

End chapter.

So….what do you think? Did this seem like the way it would have happened? I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading.