Chapter 18: Oblivious

Ashton goes to his office and finds David hard at work. He'd been gone before he even woke and he was worried something had happened back home. He was still here so he assumed he was simply trying to keep his mind busy but still he worried about him working too hard and not being here 100%.

"David can I speak with you please?" Ashton called him into his office.

David came in and shut the door behind him. "I need to speak to you about the men."

Ashton rested his hands on his desk, "Have a seat." When David was seated he looked him over not seeing any signs of stress, if anything he looked happy.

"You were gone early this morning and have been working so hard I thought something back home might have happened…"

David shook his head, "Nothing bad. Candice finished with her case and is flying out today." He grinned, "I meant to tell you but you were with Kimberly when I found out and I wanted to get here early and get as much done as possible before she gets here."

"Oh David that's great news," Ashton stood up and moved around the desk to clasp him on the shoulder.

"I didn't think you'd mind."

"Not at all I couldn't be happier that she is coming. Now you can stop worrying about her."

David sighed, "I have to admit if she didn't come up today then I'm at a point where I could delegate the rest of it and work from LA. It's easier to do it myself but I was going to go home."

"I completely understand. I'm glad though she is coming. I know you'll want to be alone with her tonight but perhaps once you two have…reconnected you'd like to join Kimberly and I out for the evening."

"I'll ask her about it and let you know as soon as I can."

Moving back to his desk Ashton focuses back on business, "So let's get you back to work so you'll be ready when your lady love arrives."

Stretching her arms out Beth finds the other side of the freezer empty. Knowing Mick had probably waken before her to get to work but left her to rest she quickly got up and got dressed. Looking at the clock she saw it was still rather early. Kayla got out of school at 3 so she still had time to get some work done.

After having a glass of blood Beth headed across the hall to the office and found Mick where she expected. "Hey you. How long have you been up?"

"Only about half an hour," he assured her.

"Did you call?"

"You know it. She's safely in class."

Mick and Beth made sure to check in with Kayla's security detail almost every hour just to put their minds at ease. One would go into the school or from a window verify she was in fact sitting in class.

Grabbing her phone off her desk where she left it she saw two missed called from Candice. She had no messages so it must not have been that important. Calling back anyways she get's Candice's voicemail, "Just seen you'd call. I didn't have my phone. Call me back."

Moving to Mick's desk Beth walks about to lean over his shoulder to see what he was working on when her phone chimed. Looking down at it she saw a text from Candice.

'Was going to stop by before heading to San Francisco. See you when I get back.'

Beth had been happy that Candice was going to see David. She knew how hard it was on her to be away from him and with everything going on. Going to see him and get away from this whole mess with Ryan and Coraline would be good for her.

'Have a safe trip' she responded before getting back to work.

Kayla walked between her mom and dad as they made their way to a picnic table under some shady trees. Her hands busy eating her ice cream; some days after school when she didn't have dance or go spend some time with her friends they would stop by and treat her to an ice cream.

This special time was more important now with them spending most nights out until she was asleep. She knew they were working and they loved her but not sacrificing these times made that even clearer. She was their first priority.

At the picnic table Kayla set her spoon down in her ice cream and looked at her parents. "As school…I see…grown-ups that look…serious. They sit in a big black truck outside school. I watched them and they don't move. They don't try to talk to me but…they watch."

Mick couldn't help but be proud of how observant she was. She'd picked out her security detail without even knowing it. Beth rubbed her shoulder, "That's very good that you noticed them."

"Are they bad men?"

Mick shook his head, "No sweetie. You know your Uncle Josef is a powerful man right and he has security guards?"

"Uh huh and Uncle David is in charge."

"That's right," Beth agreed. "Well because we all want you to be extra safe we have some of his guards watching you at school. Just to make sure."

"Because of the mean lady?"

"That's right. You're safe sweetie they are just there as a precaution."

"I know I have you and Daddy. You always keep me safe."

Kayla goes back to eating her ice cream. They spend the rest of the evening together as a family before they take her to spend the night at with Aunt Jean and Uncle Josef. They know she will be safe there, Josef had more men on the house to guard himself yes, but also more important than himself Jean. They had some vampire they needed to talk to who kept normal vampire hours, thankfully Kayla was happy to spend time with Jean. Jean was just as eager to watch her favorite niece.

To Be Continued…

Evilous