Chapter 7

Answers

Intro Song: Step Out, Jose Gonzalez

Author's note: The scenario Victoria described when telling the store of how she became a vampire is documented in history books and was something that actually happened to many girls in that era. The vampire she references was an actual historical figure (although perhaps not a vampire?)…

The morning sun found the trio of vampires settled in for the long flight from L.A. to New York City on the plush jet. Even with all the shades down, it was still bright in the cabin and they kept their sunglasses in place to protect sensitive eyes as the jet flew above the clouds in the golden morning light.

Mick reclined his seat, closing his eyes with a sigh. It would be a lot more inviting if there were a few freezers included on–board… Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and he abruptly sat upright. "Crap!"

Both Josef and Victoria looked at him, startled. "What's the problem, Mick?" Josef's face clearly said what now?

"Nothing...nothing." He winced as he realized he had spoken aloud. "I just need to call Beth, that's all. I'll do it right now." Given the early hour, Mick had not wanted to disturb her further. Now that he was unexpectedly on his way out of state, there would be hell to pay if he didn't get in touch with her.

As St. John pulled out his phone and hit Beth's number, Josef looked over at Victoria and shrugged. "Human relationships..." Mick turned away from them to give at least the illusion of privacy as Beth answered her cell phone.

Her tone was guarded as she answered. "Thanks for calling me! What happened?"

"Beth, I'm OK – and so's Josef. But something's happened to Sara Whitley... yeah, it's bad. We're on our way to New York now – just took off a few minutes ago." Mick considered giving Beth more information, but decided against it. She was, as Josef had so accurately pinpointed, a "quick study" and didn't need explicit details to grasp the gravity of the situation. Besides, there was still so much he really didn't know...

She was shocked to hear that they were already in the air, but the last thing Mick or Josef needed under the circumstances was another human problem. "Oh, that's terrible about Sarah! How's Josef doing?"

"He's all right, I guess – as good as can be expected," Mick glanced over at his friend, who had moved over to take a seat at the far side of the cabin, clearly not interested in engaging in conversation with anyone. He answered the unspoken question he knew was on her mind. "I'm not sure how long we'll be gone. I need to poke around and see if I can find out what happened. I'll let you know as soon as I have a better idea."

"OK, thanks. Is there anything I can do from here?"

"If I think of anything, I'll be in touch."

She exhaled slowly. "Please tell him how sorry I am."

"I will." He added softly, "I love you, Beth."

"Me too," Beth closed her eyes briefly to picture his face as she reluctantly broke the connection. She opened them to see a very curious Ben Talbot staring at her.

Victoria smiled at Mick, who reluctantly met her gaze as he returned his phone to his coat pocket, removing his sunglasses as he did so. "Don't worry about it, darling. We've all been there."

"Been where?" Mick shrugged out of his coat with quick, irritated movements.

"With a possessive 'freshie' of course!"

His anger flashed so quickly that it caught Mick off guard. He would not tolerate Beth being insulted by this woman who didn't know her at all. "Beth's not..." he started, and then hesitated. Victoria was Josef's friend and counterpart, and also a leader - and he was the lowest ranking vampire in this group. He had to be mindful of political realities. Given the current tragic circumstances, and the uncertainty of what awaited them in New York, he may yet need Victoria Silver's help. And do I even want to discuss Beth with her?

He took a deep breath and tried again. "Beth is not a freshie. She's my..." He paused again. What was Beth, exactly? His girlfriend? That sounded too frivolous. His lover? That sounded too much like a strictly physical relationship. He sighed. How complicated was a relationship when you couldn't even figure out what to call the other person?! "She's very important to me. We're... together." This sounded lame, even to him, but it was the best he could come up with.

Victoria smiled, clearly amused. Getting up to walk over, she leaned down to him as she took off her sunglasses, placing one hand on the armrest on either side of him. With her face just inches from his, her blue eyes intent, she whispered, "Well, I'm happy to hear that you are...together. Just remember, though – humans will never be able to fully understand us. Be careful that you don't expect too much from this relationship – or you'll both end up hurt."

She leaned in even closer, causing Mick to push back in his seat, uncomfortable with her advances. Vampire elder aside, this should not happen. The situation was bad enough without him having to tolerate Victoria Silver's unwelcome advances. "Victoria... I'd rather you didn't."

Her lips almost touching his, she whispered, "Are you sure?"

Before the startled Mick could respond, she straightened, with a laugh, and sauntered over to the bar area to pour a glass of blood, conscious of his eyes following her. "Can I get you anything?" She arched her eyebrows coyly, sky–blue eyes sparkling.

Her estimation of the young vampire was growing exponentially. He was not only gorgeous and a gentleman, but loyal as well - and to a human, at that. This one was going to be a very real and welcomed challenge. Good! After 300 years, a challenge is just what the doctor ordered. Things were getting a little boring...

For his part, Mick decided that the way to deal with Victoria Silver was to not let her see that she had any impact on him. "Sure – some blood." He got up and came over to her. "Who knows what we'll find when we get there?"

"Who knows, indeed!" She smiled slyly, openly admiring him in his Henley shirt and well–cut jeans, her eyes lingering on the triangle of skin exposed by his shirt while she poured another glass of Type A blood. Mick took the glass and drained it in two gulps, then gestured for more. When it was poured, he tried to deflect her attention from him. "Thanks. Now, what were you saying in the limo about how you and Josef met?"

"Nice change of topic, Mick," the vampire purred, gliding languidly back to her seat. "I can take the hint – for now. So, let's see. Where were we? Oh, yes, the draft riots. Well, as I said, a number of vampires were killed during those riots. Josef always suspected that there was more to them than met the eye.

"Those of us who were left tried to band together for protection, but some were... undisciplined, to say the least. They didn't think rules applied to them. Josef and I just sort of gravitated together. We were of like minds when it came to vampire behavior and how to survive. That's why he's still around after 400 years." She glanced toward the corner where Josef still huddled, hiding behind his sunglasses.

"And you after... how many?" Mick interjected.

"About 300 or so – give or take a few years. And I will excuse your asking a woman her age this time." Victoria smiled.

"Do you mind my asking how you became a vampire?" He was intrigued in spite of himself.

"Not at all. It's not a secret – at least nothing I keep from my friends." Victoria emphasized this last word. "I was turned in 1723, in England. I was actually a prostitute at the time. That's not something I'm particularly proud of, but, you have to understand the times. London, in that era, was built on the sex trade. One out of every five women or so was a prostitute of one sort or another."

"I came there from the country. Naively, I thought that I could make a living there as a cleaning girl. I didn't know about whorehouses or madames; they called madames 'bawds' in those days - or sometimes, 'hags of hell', which was probably more accurate. They trapped girls – gave us food, a place to stay. Made us think they were doing it out of the goodness of their heart – until they presented you with a bill for services. Of course, there was no way to pay - and they knew it."

St. John sipped his 'drink' as he sat back down across from Victoria. "So, you were made into an indentured servant – without even knowing it."

"Exactly! But the madames had a solution – one they offered in place of prison for failure to pay debts. Deflowering rights."

"Excuse me?!" Mick frowned, his voice strained.

"Deflowering rights," Victoria lifted her blue eyes to meet his piercing hazel stare. "Just what it sounds like. The madames trapped young girls, and then offered an 'out'. They sold young virgins' 'deflowering rights' to noblemen for a large fee...most of which they kept. Then, they invited them to join their brothel – in exchange for not telling their families what they had done. It was a trap without any exit for girls like me..." she trailed off, then resumed briskly.

"For me, it was a woman named Charlotte Haynes. I was actually lucky in a way. She ran a brothel with liveried servants, manners and etiquette lessons for 'her' girls, and a high class clientele. It could have been much, much worse."

"Hard to imagine that being a 'lucky' arrangement." He looked into his glass with a shake of his head.

"Well, you had to have seen some of the alternatives." Victoria's face bore a trace of a smile. "A vampire was one of my regular clients. He paid for my time, but not for sex – I was his 'freshie' – and he liked me."

"Then, I got sick, like a lot of girls – too sick to work. Syphilis was an epidemic in London in those days, as you can imagine. The vampire came to see me… and offered to turn me if I wanted it. I jumped at the chance. I mean, how could my existence have been much worse? The idea of being a powerful vampire with eternal life was very seductive. So...he turned me. And, the rest, as they say, is history." She shrugged. "I've never looked back – no regrets."

"What was your name?" His voice was soft, his eyes kind.

"What did you say?!" The question startled her.

"Your name. What was your real name? I'm guessing it wasn't Victoria Silver." His eyes remained locked on hers.

She angrily dashed away the sudden tears that unexpectedly welled up in her eyes. "You know," she sniffed, "in all the times I've told this story, no one has ever asked me that before. It was Emily. Emily Warren."

"And the vampire who turned you?" Mick prodded gently.

"Joshua Reynolds – Sir Joshua Reynolds," Her eyes focused on something only she could see. "I cared about him a great deal." With that comment, she seemed to bring herself back to the present. "I think I'm beginning to understand why Josef is so very fond of you. Now – you know my story. I think it's time for yours. All I know from Josef is that it didn't end well."

"That's an understatement!" Mick exhaled with a short, mirthless laugh. "There isn't much to tell – certainly not a story like yours. I married a woman I didn't know was a vampire – and she 'turned' me on our wedding night – without my consent. Period. I guess you could say it didn't end well." Now it was his turn to drop his eyes.

"Coraline DuVall was your wife, right? She's the one who 'turned' you." Mick glanced up, puzzled. "Josef told me that you had been married to her. I didn't know she turned you, though – or that it was against your will. Josef does tend to leave out some details when he tells a story."

"Yes, he does." Mick smiled in spite of himself.

"I know Coraline. You have my condolences – although I can certainly see why she was attracted to you," Victoria smiled her brilliant smile at her companion. "I met her at the same time Josef did – in New York City during the Civil War. She was one of those vamps that I mentioned – undisciplined, no limits. Sounds like not too much has changed." With that, she placed her sunglasses back over her eyes and reclined her seat.

"No. Not much," Mick gloomily swallowed the last of the blood and settled back with a sigh, his memories a morbid companion for the remainder of the flight.

Beth looked up from her cell phone, meeting Talbot's stare with one of her own. The best way to handle this is to pretend there is nothing to handle.

"Sorry about interrupting our morning conference, Ben. A bit of a family emergency." She had purposefully not used Mick's name during their brief conversation.

"Everything alright, I hope?"

"It will be, thanks. A very distant…relative…passed away in New York." I won't go to hell for telling a white lie like that. She frowned. "Making arrangements long–distance is always challenging. I apologize."

"Beth, I'm no ogre – at least I hope I haven't given you that impression. If you need to leave, I'll certainly understand. I know that everyone has a life outside this office." Talbot wanted to get closer to this enigmatic young woman, but his words always seemed to be misinterpreted by her.

"No, it's fine. But I do appreciate the offer, Ben. Thank you. I'll get on with my work." She rose and beat a hasty exit from his office as Talbot frowned after her.

Something about this doesn't feel right. But why would she lie to me about something like this? Talbot resolved to keep a closer track of Beth Turner. There was definitely more there than met the eye.

It was late afternoon in New York City by the time the chartered jet landed at La Guardia airport. Ryder had done his job well, and a limousine service was waiting for them when they disembarked.

Kostan had been uncharacteristically uncommunicative throughout the trip, keeping to himself during the flight, but when Victoria suggested that they retire to her home – and her freezers – for a few hours, Josef instead insisted on traveling directly to 300 Waverly Place to see the damage for himself.

With the heavy traffic, it took almost an hour for the driver to navigate to the location, still roped off by arson investigators. Victoria stayed in the limo as Josef and Mick got out to take a look at the site. Standing across the street from the charred, still smoking remains of the building that had housed 'his' Sarah, tears streamed down Josef's face, his sad eyes hidden behind his dark sunglasses.

Mick wordlessly put his hand on his friend's shoulder, the two friends standing there united in loss and sorrow. He had tears in his own eyes as he watched his friend struggle with this loss. It was too easy for him to imagine Beth as Sarah, caught in between the human and vampire worlds. Silently, he resolved never to 'give in' and attempt to turn Beth.

After what seemed like hours, Josef sighed and wiped his eyes. Glancing at his watch in the failing light, he realized it had actually only been a few minutes since he confronted the wreckage that had been Sarah's home. Yet, the images of her that had tumbled through his mind had seemed like they covered a lifetime. "Let's get out of here," he said to Mick without looking at him.

"I'm with you, Josef." Mick hurried back to the limo with his friend.

All in all, the day hadn't turned out badly, considering the crappy start. Over the last several hours, Beth had completed her reports, collected statements and other related information for a couple of fairly interesting – and non-vampire-related - murder cases, and even managed to get out of the office for a bit to do research.

Talbot had even been relatively pleasant – or at least not a major discomfort in the posterior. Maybe he's feeling badly about my 'death in the family'. Beth had the good grace to feel slightly ashamed of the thought.

Unfortunately, her personal affairs weren't going as smoothly. She had waited futilely to hear more from Mick after their brief call that morning. The conversation, cut short by her desire to keep Talbot from realizing she was talking to Mick, had left a lot to be desired. Why couldn't he at least give me a call when they landed? Beth grumbled in exasperation. Vampire or human, men were real pieces of work.

"Uh oh.."

"What?" Beth responded absently, looking up to find Jamie Sommers standing next to her desk.

The young woman juggled the files in her arms and pushed her glasses back on her nose. "That expression. I was just heading to the file room and I couldn't help but notice. Is everything OK?"

"No, it's not!" Beth exclaimed in rare candor. Just as quickly, she regained control of her emotions. She could not have outbursts like this. It wasn't professional, and Jamie, however kind, was still an unknown quality. "Sorry, I'm so frustrated with... him right now." She gestured toward the discretely-placed picture of Mick.

"Ah." Jamie expressed sympathetically. "My momma always said they were three–legged, two–headed monsters, so I learned not to let them drive me crazy a long time ago." Making this kind of statement was a calculated risk - Jamie was willing to bet that being pissed off at her boyfriend made Beth more approachable.

Beth looked down to hide her laugh. "You and your mom are right," she responded when she regained her composure. Inwardly, she shrugged. What harm would it do for her to talk about this without getting specific? "He's away on travel – an emergency, actually – and I haven't been able to get hold of him to make sure he's all right."

Jamie mimicked Beth's concern. "Do you know where he's staying – you can always call the hotel..."

"No, I mean, he's OK," Beth offered. "I don't want to call him yet because I know he was going to be busy as soon as he landed. I'd just like to have more information about what's going on… She sighed. "I'm just frustrated," she repeated. "I'm sure he'll call when he can – but you know how men can be."

"Speaking of men," Jamie offered, "Carl Davis is... nice."

"Really?!" Beth responded enthusiastically, happy for the change of subject. "I take it your lunch date went well."

"Quite well, truth be told. He's smart, a very down to earth guy... quite sexy, too. Eyes I could get lost in... sorry, I'm babbling."

"No... please tell me!"

Jamie looked at her watch. "It's getting close to quitting time. I'd love to dish – I think we both could use some 'girl time' if you get me."

Beth considered the implied offer. The morning had sucked, Mick was away, and she was feeling, once again, ostracized from him by 'vampire business'. A night out may not be a bad idea.

"If it makes a difference, I'll drive. I was always the designated driver back home." Jamie touched her sleeve gently. "You must've had one helluva day – Ben told me you had a death in the family. I'm thinking you might want some company, maybe have a few drinks.

"I'm not that big of a drinker" Beth countered. Not since my college days, anyway. She was only half–kidding when she had told Mick she might have slept with a vampire once – she'd vowed never to get that hammered again. "Some company might be nice, though."

"At least if I drive, no worries. Why take a chance?" Jamie waited expectantly for Beth's reply.

Fun and company tonight sounded good, no doubt. She'd feel better if she had back–up though. Jamie was nice enough, but still a stranger. "Is it OK if I invite a friend along?"

"Absolutely! The more, the merrier!" That was a lie, but Jamie had already surmised Beth would never fully relax with someone she didn't know. Her flexibility was rewarded. "All right... give me about, oh, another half–hour?"

"No problem, Beth. I've got to wrap up myself. Just come grab me when you're ready."

When the blond woman nodded, Jamie said cheerily "All right, see you in a bit!" Walking back to her cubicle, she thought, well, not as good as if I got her alone, but definitely progress. She hoped Beth would invite someone who'd make her job easier. While still within earshot, Jamie overheard Beth calling someone. "Hey, Marissa... yeah, it's me. Listen, you and Jordan wanna hang out tonight? No, no, just us and a girl from my office – no 'man–god'..."

Thirty minutes seemed an eternity to Jamie; she felt each second of it. The possibility that Beth might change her mind weighed heavily on her. Gaining her trust was crucial to the mission.

Her apprehension was eased when the petite blond appeared at her desk. "You ready? If not, I can just go back over and... "

"Lord, no," Jamie exclaimed in her soft southern accent. "Now is fine. Let's get out of here. I've already shut down my PC." Jamie worked hard to project a casual, friendly persona. "My offer to be the DD for the evening still stands. I can trail you home and pick up you and whomever you invited, if you want." Always give her an out – don't push this one too hard...

Beth shook her head. "No, that's not necessary. The bar I have in mind is here in downtown anyway. My friend, Marissa, will meet us over there."

"OK, so, where are we headed?"

"The Library Bar, on 6th Street. It's not far, only a few blocks or so. You can follow me."

"Why are we even still here, then? Let's go!" Jamie cried enthusiastically. "I'm sick of going straight home and staring at my walls."

"You don't have any friends here?"

Jamie grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair and pulled it on in one graceful movement, then slung her purse strap over her shoulder. "Not yet. I'd like to meet some, though."

Beth grinned. "Well, you've met me. I hope that counts for something."

"Yes" came the honest reply. "You have no idea how much this means to me." I like you a lot, Beth, but what I really need is access to Mick…

The limousine transported the three vampires from Waverly Place to Victoria's home on the upper East Side. They rode in silence, broken only by her occasional comments on the area and history. As they passed the Metropolitan Museum, Victoria casually mentioned that a portrait of her as Emily Warren hung in the European Painters Collection. Mick was struck again by how intricately these old vampires were woven into the fabric of history. As he had once said of Josef, he was history.

Victoria's home reflected its' owner – expensive, elegant, and exclusive. Graceful architectural touches such as 13–foot ceilings, huge windows and inlaid walnut floors bespoke classic luxury, while the condo's ubiquitous top–of–the–line fixtures and finishes represented contemporary living. 300 East 79 was just like Victoria Silver – a mix of old and new, all speaking of class and luxury.

"Victoria, my dear." Josef Kostan's smile did not quite reach his eyes. "It has been a long and trying day. I would like to retire for a few hours before we tackle what lies ahead."

"Of course, Josef. Let me show you both to your rooms." Victoria, ever the gracious hostess, led them both upstairs to a suite of bedrooms off the main hall, one equipped with beds, the other with ultra–modern freezers. An adjoining bathroom linked the two rooms and all were luxuriously appointed. There was an identical set-up across the hall. "Please. Take either room and make yourselves at home." She gestured gracefully toward the freezers before leaving the room.

"I think I'm going to stay up to talk to Victoria for a few minutes, Josef." Mick added, his voice betraying his concern." Is there anything I can do for you right now?"

"Nothing." Kostan removed his sunglasses to expose red–rimmed eyes. "That is, unless you have a way to keep me from dreaming. I... I can't stand seeing Sara in my dreams, Mick."

St. John, thinking of how he was so often haunted by the specter of Coraline burning up in his own nightmares, just shook his head in futility. "I wish I did, Josef. I really wish I did." He put a hand on his friend's shoulder comfortingly, then reluctantly left him to his dreams.

Closing the bedroom door behind him, St. John hurried back downstairs to find their hostess. Victoria was having a drink – alcohol this time – in the elegant drawing room off the main hall. "Mick!" she exclaimed as he entered the room, "I didn't expect to see you for quite a while. Come have a drink with me – I absolutely hate to drink alone."

"I think I will, Victoria. As Josef said, it's been a long, trying day already." He accepted the cut glass brandy snifter gratefully, inhaling the fragrance of the rare alcohol within. For vampires, drinking was as much about the scent of the alcohol as it was about the taste. This drink was good on both counts. He smiled as he tasted it. "This is excellent, Victoria."

"Well, it isn't Hardy Cognac." Victoria's face was gloomy as she thought of the rare spirit that Josef had destroyed in his rage upon hearing of Sarah's fate. "I can't bear to think of what Josef did to that cognac – he probably broke half of the remaining world supply! This is Anno Domini, quite good in its own right."

"Year of Our Lord," Mick sipped the amber liquid as he sank into the overstuffed couch, feeling as if he could easily sleep there forever.

"Exactly. You know your Latin. Why is that?" Victoria looked at him over the top of her brandy snifter.

Mick shrugged. "No mystery. Catholic schools growing up. Although I would guess that most people would know that one."

"You'd be surprised how ignorant people have become compared to times past. Mystifying in the age of computers – the more knowledge at their fingertips, the more ignorant people become, it seems. So, what compels you to come down here instead of enjoying the oblivion of that freezer upstairs?"

"I could use the freezer time," Mick admitted, "but I wanted to ask you about something first. You and Josef both mentioned Crucis and it didn't sound like they're a Boy Scout troup. I want to know about this group – and what you think their involvement might be in Sara's death."

"You don't know anything about Crusis? Josef hasn't told you anything?" Victoria stiffened, her face stamped with a look of astonishment.

"No. Nothing – I've never even heard the name before today." Mick frowned as he dragged his free hand through his hair, frustrated. "But it certainly appears obvious that it's something I should know."

"Yes, you most definitely should. All I can say is that Crucis is an organization that has been around for centuries. Up to now, they have focused their efforts in Europe, but I am afraid they are beginning to turn their attention to us. That's why I came out to L.A. – to talk to Josef about what I'm seeing and hearing. They are a danger to us all." She settled down close to him on the plush couch. "Speaking of Josef, I think I have said too much already. It is his place, not mine, to inform you about Crucis... I'm not sure why he hasn't before now, but I'm sure he has his reasons. He'll tell you when he's ready. I am rather fond of my head, after all. Now, let's talk about more pleasant things before you go to your freezer..." I'd like to do more than talk right now but I don't think I have a receptive audience…yet.

After a few more minutes of small talk, Mick excused himself to hit the freezer. It was clear that Victoria was not going to divulge any more information on the mysterious Crucis organization despite his attempting to return to the topic. It was also clear that it worried her – which meant it worried him too. Why is Josef hiding something from me? Are we in danger?

He settled into the inviting cold space of the freezer with his thoughts running in circles. Tomorrow, Josef needed to give him answers… Don't dream.

End Song: Looking For An Answer, Linkin Park