'The Crucible' is my (late) offering to the challenge to write a story using the starting sentence provided by another writer. Luxe de Luxe
graciously allowed me to use one of her opening lines which had to do with the investigation of Dean Foster's death and it's impact on Beth.This is a story of Beth's self-discovery about the lengths she would go to to protect the ones she loves and the sacrifices made in the name of love. By the time I had completed this story, I realized I had come full circle.
I hope you enjoy it.
The normal disclaimers apply. I don't own any of the characters and no copyright infringement is intended. The only recompense I receive is the joy of writing these stories.
The Crucible
It was only after Talbot asked her to investigate Dean Foster's death that Beth considered how alike she and Josef really were. Hearing of the paparazzo’s disappearance, and knowing the reason for it, she felt neither shock nor regret, only relief that a serious threat to Mick’s secret had been dealt with. With Talbot’s request to investigate Foster’s apparent murder, it had fallen to her to deal with yet another.
And so she had.
Our Father, who art in heaven……
A year ago, Beth knew nothing of Josef Kostan or his kind. Then, one moonlit night, a solitary man stepped out from the shadows, changing both their lives forever. A man with a secret, who’d killed one he loved to save the innocent child she once was, only to capture the heart of the impetuous woman she’d become. Until recently, she hadn’t fully appreciated the pain of his sacrifice so long ago, but now she did. If only he knew …..
Now, under the rays of the late morning sun, Beth sat silently surrounded by towering oaks and dying flowers, their cloying fragrance carried on a gentle breeze. Yet not even the sun’s warmth could thaw the chill in her heart, nor dispel the fear that her dark little secret might someday be revealed. If it were, then her bargain with Josef would have been for naught, her heart likely forfeit as well as her soul.
Adjusting her sunglasses, Beth recalled her first encounter with the head of the LA vampire community under what could only be described as bizarre circumstances. Summoned to the offices of Kostan Enterprises, she found herself impersonating an escort in the presence of the head of the corporation. At the time, Josef impressed her as a bit quirky, almost uncomfortable in her presence. What struck her though, was the easy relationship between a work-a-day private investigator and the youthful head of a multi-billion dollar corporation. In short, Josef Kostan was intriguing.
In a somewhat perverse way, she enjoyed Josef's discomfiture, as well as Mick’s. They may be vampires, but they were still men and their reaction to the innuendo of her sultry voice amused her. Josef had complimented her on her beauty and intelligence, polite attempts at breaking the ice, or so she thought. Eventually, she’d come to learn that Josef did nothing without purpose; in his own way, he was letting Mick know he approved of this human woman, at least to a point.
Over time, as she grew closer to Mick, she grew closer to Josef as well, recognizing their love for the younger vampire was not all they had in common. Through both men, Beth became aware of how tenuous the safety of the vampire community was, and just how easily any peaceful co-existence with their human brethren could be destroyed. Like several others of her kind, Beth swore to protect their secret, and in so doing, protect the man she loved.
While Beth appreciated the ever-present danger of exposure, she wondered whether Josef’s fears were influenced by human ignorance and prejudices of centuries past. In his mind, should vampires be discovered by those less tolerant, history would likely repeat itself, and their persecution would begin again. The lucky ones would be hunted down like rabid animals and slaughtered. Those less fortunate would be ‘studied’, a polite euphemism for the biological experimentation humans would perform on those they feared. It wasn’t until Dean Foster tried to blackmail her that she fully understood Josef’s fears and just how dangerous one man could be.
Foster had initially been an obnoxious pest, one best dealt with by being ignored, until his attempt at blackmail made him a threat to the entire vampire community. While Beth could likely explain away the photos he sent her, it was clear that Foster wouldn’t stop stalking Mick until he uncovered something damning that he could profit from. Left to his devices, the greedy paparazzo might stumble on something that would expose Mick for what he was, knowledge Foster would sell to the highest bidder. Then, Josef’s fears of discovery would be realized, with persecution sure to follow.
Her decision to enlist the elder vampire’s aid hadn’t been made easily, but more than anyone, Josef understood the danger and was best positioned to deal with it. The contract had been offered, the meddling photographer’s fate implied, then sealed by her silence. Human and vampire were bound together by their love for Mick, willing to do anything to protect him, even murder. While impressed at the step Beth had taken, Josef advised that she find another career if she were serious about consorting with a vampire and protecting their secrets. Coming from Josef, Beth knew it wasn’t a request.
Later that night, Beth made her final broadcast, then spent the evening with the man for whom she’d given up her job and just a bit of her soul. Little did she know as she savored her wine and Mick’s company, Dean Foster stood only yards away capturing the intimate exchanges of two who would soon be lovers. How horrified she would have been had she known that moments later, Foster would breathe his bloodied last.
With Forster’s disappearance, the threat to Mick and the community was neutralized, or so Beth thought. Josef, ever circumspect, never acknowledged his role in the matter, honoring his promise to keep their little secret safe from all, including Mick.
Forgive us our trespasses..
Weeks later, now a civilian investigator, Beth found herself in Ben Talbot’s office. Before she’d started working for him, she’d found the new ADA abrasive, ambitious and arrogant, trusting few and clearly disdainful of Mick. Like Josef, however, he was quick to appreciate Beth’s intelligence and skill, ultimately offering her a job. It wasn’t long before Ben’s respect for her grew along with his trust. After Jacob Fordham’s recovery, he was even beginning to respect Mick. When the Monaghans disappeared, however, Talbot once again became reticent. As he closed the door to his office, there was something in the ADA’s manner that put Beth a little on edge.
‘Remember that paparazzo that was hounding Tierney Taylor and St. John? It seems he didn’t leave town after all.’
Without missing a beat, she’d asked ‘Who’s he harassing now?’
‘No one. His body, what’s left of it, was found tangled in some debris in the LA River. Not a pretty sight.’
Beth had felt her blood run cold, shocked not at Foster’s death, but that someone working under Josef’s direction hadn’t properly disposed of the body. ‘How did he die?’
‘Good question. The remains were mostly skeletal, with no obvious signs of trauma. Spending all that time in the water didn’t help matters either. ID was made by dental records.’
Beth blanched as images of the late Dean Foster were placed before her. It was one thing to know that she was responsible for his death, another to see the lurid results of her bargain with Josef. ‘Could he have been killed during a mugging? His camera equipment must be worth some serious money.’
‘Great minds think alike. No wallet or other valuables were found with the body, which does point to robbery. If we’re really lucky, the camera will show up in a local pawn shop. If the memory card is still intact, the last images Foster took might lead us to his killer.’
Knowing Foster’s obsession with Mick, Beth feared that whatever was on that memory card could be dangerous. ‘What do you want me to do?’
‘Check with the local pawn shops. See if expensive camera equipment like Foster's was hocked in the last couple of weeks. Somehow, I have a feeling that Foster didn’t go quietly into the night without leaving some clue to his killer.’
Beth had spent the next several hours dutifully looking for equipment she’d likely not find. Whoever Josef had tasked to dispatch Foster couldn’t possibly be stupid enough to pawn the equipment. Then again, how could Josef employ someone so sloppy in the first place? She thought of approaching the elder vampire, but something held her back. Talbot seemed to be watching her more closely than ever before and talking with her less. For whatever reason, the ADA seemed suspicious of her.
When she reported the negative results of her search, she wondered what avenue Ben would pursue next. It didn’t take long to find out.
‘You know, maybe robbery wasn’t the motive here. Maybe someone took exception to all the attention Foster was giving them. Any idea who that might be?’
Beth found the lies coming easily now to her tongue. ‘No, Foster seemed fixated on Tierney even after she died. If he’d transferred his ‘attention’ to someone else, I’m not aware of it. Maybe one of Tierney’s fans took their grief out on Foster knowing how hellish he made her life.’
‘Or maybe her boyfriend did. He’s a person of interest, even though he doesn’t strike me as the violent type. No, whoever took Foster out had to have motive, means and the balls to do so.’
‘That could be any number of people. You yourself said Foster harassed some so badly that they left the country.’
‘True, but I’m thinking somebody a little closer to home. Someone like St. John, maybe? Foster made his life hell for a while. St. John’s a broody bastard, probably with a real short fuse. Just how well do you know him anyway?’
‘Well enough to know Mick would never kill someone for being an asshole.’
‘But he’d kill given a better motive? Maybe blackmail?’
Beth felt her gut clench, as Talbot’s gaze bore into her. The ADA knew something, but what?
She’d stared right back. ‘What could he possibly blackmail Mick about? He wasn’t Tierney’s boyfriend, only her bodyguard trying to protect her.’
Talbot snorted. ‘Great job he did of that.’
Beth exploded. ‘Look, I can’t help that you don’t like Mick. But just because you don’t like someone doesn’t make him a murder suspect.’
Talbot’s eyes glittered dangerously, yet his voice was soft. ‘Who said anything about murder? I figured maybe Foster was on the losing end of an argument that got out of hand. God knows the guy was obnoxious enough to piss almost anybody off. Murder means somebody planned to take him out. I’m sure you don’t know anybody that would do that.’
That’s when she knew Talbot had something on Mick, and perhaps even on her. She needed to find out just what that was or the spotlight would once more shift to the man she loved more than life itself.
When she informed him of Talbot’s suspicions, Mick seemed more worried about her than anything else.
‘Hey. Why are you so upset? All Talbot’s got is skeleton that’s not telling him much of anything. Even if he finds the camera, what could be on it that would make Talbot suspicious of me? Worst I ever did was shove the guy. Trust me, Foster had as many enemies as Josef. Any one of them could have killed him and probably did.’
At Josef’s name, Beth flinched, something not lost on the PI. ‘What?’
‘What if Talbot already has something? The way he was asking questions seemed like he was trying to goad me.’
‘Any idea what that might be?’
That’s when the lies came again, this time not so easily. If she told Mick about Foster’s blackmail attempts, it wouldn’t be long before he figured out what she had done. And that was something he could never know. But Talbot had used the word ‘blackmail’. Maybe Foster had sent Talbot the pictures as well. ‘N..no….but I’ll see what I can find out.’
Lead us not into temptation…..
The opportunity to find Talbot’s evidence presented itself one evening after a clearly upset ADA rushed out of the office. As others closed up shop and headed home, Beth took advantage of the situation and let herself into Ben’s office. She knew she couldn’t stay long without arousing suspicion, but she also knew whatever evidence he had wouldn’t be laying out in plain sight. Purposely dropping a file she’d brought with her, Beth crouched behind Ben’s desk, tugging at each desk drawer as she picked up the scattered papers. The second drawer yielded what she’d been looking for, a case file marked ‘Mick St. John’.
Flipping quickly through the file, her worst fears were confirmed; Foster had sent the images to Talbot. Even if the ADA didn’t understand what they were showing him, the paparazzo had effectively made Mick a person of interest in his death. But there was something else as well, a large black envelope, with an old fashioned wax seal. Peering around the desk to make sure no one was watching, Beth opened the envelope and scanned the names listed on several pieces of paper. Many were unknown to her, but those she recognized had one thing in common – they were all vampires.
Trembling with fear, Beth quickly replaced the folder and fled Talbot’s office, her mind swirling with questions. Who had betrayed the vampire community? Did Ben know that the people on that list were vampires? Is that why he hated Mick so?
Regaining her composure, Beth made her way to her car and headed for the one person who could help her - Josef. When she entered his office, whatever snarky pleasantry he’d intended died on his lips. The fear gripping her was palpable and if she had come to him and not Mick, whatever had brought her here couldn’t possibly be good. Once Beth explained what she’d found, Josef cursed silently.
‘So, Mr. Foster was smarter than he looked. Sending those photos to Talbot was meant to keep Mick in line, but ended up making him a ‘person of interest’. Mick may have had nothing to do with Foster’s death, but that won’t matter to Talbot. He’ll dig until he finds something to incriminate Mick, only it won’t be what he expected.’
‘What do you mean, ‘may’ have had nothing to do with Foster’s death? Didn’t you have someone…’
‘No. By the time I set the hounds on Foster, he’d already disappeared. Besides, no one in my employ would have left any evidence behind. If they had, it would have been the last thing they did.’
‘So, who did kill Foster? Could it have been Mick?’
‘No. Don’t get me wrong, he’s more than capable, and in this case certainly had grounds, but Mick doesn’t do things halfway. If he’d killed Foster, no part of that scumbag would have been left to find. Just so you know, I’ve already put word on the street that I want to know who did.’
‘Josef, there’s more.’
She’d proceeded to tell him about the list in the black envelope, and about how some of the names on it had been crossed out. ‘All of the names I recognized I know are vampires. The ones that were crossed out, Pierce Anders, Donovan Shepherd, Emma and Jackson Monaghan, have all been destroyed. Your name is on the list, Josef, and so is Mick’s.’
Josef looked at her then, his eyes full of sorrow. ‘And so it begins again. The Legion has returned, an ancient enemy has once again thrown down the gauntlet. Going to the authorities with a list of our names is a declaration of war, one we might not be able to win this time.’
‘What will we do?’
A sad smile crossed the ancient vampire’s face as he touched her cheek. ‘ ‘We’, Buzzwire? While your loyalty pleases me more than I can tell you, if this is war, you can’t cast your lot with us. Humans known to shelter or give aid to our kind have suffered for their kindness. No, for your sake and for Mick’s, you must leave LA. What he’ll have to do, what we’ll all have to do, is something you can’t be a part of.’
Hearing those words again galvanized Beth. She’d let herself be shut out once before, but she wasn’t about to be shut out again. ‘This isn’t about loyalty, Josef, it’s about love. Mick is everything to me, and always will be. Human or vampire, there is no way that I’ll ever leave him. We have to find a way to stop Talbot.’
Deliver us from evil……
And so she had. When it came to protecting the one who had loved and guarded her all her life, Beth found that she was capable of almost anything.
It had been serendipitous, really. An urgent call from Talbot brought her to the courthouse, to discuss what he called a matter of life and death. When she caught up with him near the second floor courtrooms, the ADA was clearly agitated, almost frightened. Taking her by the arm, Talbot hustled her to the staircase.
‘Beth, listen to me. I don’t know how you got caught up in all this, but I can help you get out of it and into protective custody.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘Kostan. St. John. They’re marked men, Beth, and I’ve got to get you away from them.’
Beth felt her heart hammering. Somehow, Talbot had discovered the truth. ‘Ben, listen to me. They’re good men, just different. Please, you’ve got to believe me.’
‘No, you don’t understand the danger! These men are evil and they’ll stop at nothing to fulfill their hateful agenda. I’ve got to get you out of LA before you get hurt!’
As Ben propelled Beth toward the stairs, an awkward stumble on her part caused the ADA to lose his own balance as he tried to steady her. In an instant, her need to protect the one she loved overcame any instinct to reach out and save the tumbling man. When his fall ended at the base of the stairs, a broken neck silenced any threat from Ben Talbot.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Yet it is only through death that we are born into eternal life.
“Beth?”
Mick’s soft voice and a gentle touch brought her back to the present. The graveside service was drawing to a close. Lost in her reverie, she’d heard little of the final words said to commemorate the life of a good and decent man. If she had heard them, they would have brought her to her knees.
“It’s time, Beth.”
Flanked by Mick and Josef, Beth rose to her feet, wondering if Ben knew she let him fall to his death. It didn’t matter. She knew, and the fact that he died trying to protect both Mick and herself would haunt her forever. At last she understood the guilt Mick felt when he killed Coraline to save her. How he bore that burden and still continued to live was something she would now have to learn herself.
The minister began the final benediction before the coffin was lowered into the cool embrace of mother earth. “Lord, look with favor upon your servant, Benjamin. In life, he sought justice for those who suffered wrongs, protecting the weak and the innocent from harm. In death, may he find eternal peace. Lord, grant that we, your children, learn from Benjamin’s example, letting love and justice guide us in all we do. Protect us from our enemies and deliver us from the hands of all that hate us.”
One by one, the mourners departed the gravesite, leaving Beth alone to grieve privately. Reluctantly leaving her, Mick and Josef made their way to the line of cars, each man feeling complicit in the death of Ben Talbot, but only one knowing the true tragedy of it. Leaning up against his car, Mick worried about the lone woman in black standing next to the casket.
“Beth’s taking Talbot’s death pretty hard. I keep telling her it was an accident, that she couldn’t have done anything to stop his fall. I wish I knew how to help her.”
Josef looked at his friend, fearing he knew why Beth felt as he did, a secret he wasn’t about to share. “She’s human, Mick. Death for her is still a reason to mourn. Knowing now that Talbot was trying to save her from the Legion and not us, has made the tragedy of his death even more profound. Will she recover and move on? Eventually, yes, but not today or even tomorrow. Give her time, my friend, when she’s ready to let you help, you’ll know.”
“I misjudged Talbot and I’m sorry for that. He might have been a hero, if he’d exposed us. Instead, he sent me the folder with Foster’s photos and the list. He had no way of knowing that he was being used by one of your enemies trying to topple you from power.”
Josef grimaced. “Brilliant strategy, when you think about it. Strike fear and paranoia into the heart of the community, thinking the Legion had returned. When I can’t find this phantom threat, my ‘leadership’ is called into question by said enemy and I get taken out. The king is dead, long live the king.”
“Yeah, but Talbot had no way of knowing there wasn’t any ‘Legion’. Beth said he thought they were ‘evil men’ with a ‘hateful agenda’. She thought he was talking about us. He tried to warn me of the danger, to give me a running start. He tried to protect Beth, something I’ll owe him for all eternity.”
“I know, and his sacrifice restores just a little of my faith in humanity.” Josef reached into his pocket and drew out a memory card. “For you, my friend, compliments of two well-intentioned, but sloppy acquaintances of yours. They took it upon themselves to take Foster out ‘in the name of vampire solidarity’. To think, one stupid, greedy paparazzo started all this.”
“What’s on the card? Anything incriminating?”
“Only about matters of the heart and it’s clear where Beth’s lies.”
“Then why’d she go to you and not me? I could have….”
“Yes, and that’s exactly why Beth came to me. Knowing you as she does, she was afraid you’d have drawn even more attention to yourself in trying to deal with Foster. She just asked me to ‘encourage’ him to leave you alone, pay him off. Fortunately for us, his fellow paparazzi took care of matters more permanently.”
As Beth slowly made her way toward the two vampires, Josef offered one final piece of advice. “Beth’s been through hell and back over the last few weeks, and what she’s seen and done has forever changed her. What she did by coming to me, she did out of love for you. She’s proven she’d do anything to protect you, to protect us. It’s time for you to man up, boyo, and let her know just how much you love her. She needs you now more than ever.”
His voice cracking, Mick acknowledged his friend’s request. “I know, and I will.”
When Beth arrived, the elder vampire gently kissed her forehead. “You’re a good woman, Beth, one I’m proud to call friend. Go home, get some rest and know I’ll never forget all you’ve done for us.”
Locking eyes with Josef, she saw a kindred spirit, knowing he understood her pain and the reason for it. “I did what I had to, Josef, though God knows a good man died for no reason. I wonder if he’ll ever forgive me. I know I’ll never forgive myself.”
Turning away, she sought the strong embrace of the man for whom she’d likely lost her soul. In his arms, she felt his love. In his arms, she hoped to find peace. Through his love, she might one day find redemption.
Having a conversation about turning would have come eventually, but right now, Josef, knowing just how much it cost Beth to protect their secret, wants Mick to commit first to her, knowing how skittish he's been. If and when Mick commits, then Josef could work the turning aspect.