FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 7----The Hunt. (PG-13)

[lionsonleashes]

FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 7---The Hunt.

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DISCLAIMER: I don’t own ‘Moonlight’, or any of its wonderful characters. I’m just taking them out for a run! No copyright infringement is intended.

SUMMARY: A multi-chapter action-adventure featuring Mick, Beth, Josef, Guillermo, Logan, Talbot, Simone, and a few really big werewolves, among others. Rated PG-13 for mild language and violence.

SPOILERS: Follows on from all 16 episodes of ‘Moonlight’, as aired on CBS. Follows on from Allegrita’s FanFic, ‘Presto Agitato’, Ch 1 & 2. (Mick and Beth ‘seal the deal’ and are now lovers.) Follows on from Desdemona’s FanFic, ‘Silver’, Ch 1 thru 7 only. (Talbot finds out about vampires in general, and Mick in particular, the hard way!) Borrows, with Eris’ kind permission, her original character of ‘Karl’ from her many fine FanFics.

OK? Ready? Here we go!

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“You’ve got to be shitting me!”, Talbot shouted, his eyes wide in disbelief.

Beth winced at his volume and felt grateful that she had closed the door behind her when she entered the ADA’s private office that morning. Unfortunately, his office was one of those fish-bowl types, with glass walls and a glass door. She risked a glance over her shoulder….sure enough, heads outside were turning towards them.

“No, I am not ‘shitting’ you, Ben!”, She hissed quietly, “And would you please keep your voice down?!”

“But a son-of-a-bitchin werewolf!?”, Talbot said in a harsh whisper, leaning towards her across his desktop.

Beth sat calmly in one of the chairs facing the ADA’s desk and returned his gaze evenly. “Yes. A werewolf.”, she said tersely, “And would you please keep in mind that there is a lady in the room?” She indicated herself with a wave of her hand, then folded her arms across her chest, glaring at him.

“Sorry….sorry. You’re right…..I just…....wow. First vampires, then a secret society of commando later-day vampire slayers…. now this…..What’s next? Trolls? Dragons?” Ben Talbot raked his fingers through his dark hair and tried to think. Beth Turner had only worked for him for a few months. He had only been in LA himself for a few months. In that brief time, his whole reality had been flipped upside down, and run over a couple times.

Beth Turner was a sweet, and very beautiful, young woman. Ben was attracted to her. But, unfortunately for Ben, Beth’s boyfriend was a terrifying freak of nature……a vampire.

Ben hadn’t known that at first, of course. He had always thought vampires were fiction and fantasy. But before too long, he found himself on the business-end on Mick St John’s inhuman appetite. He’d seen the teeth….the eyes.

It was one of those desperate situations when people do things they never thought they would be capable of doing. Mick had been attacked and seriously injured by unknown assassins. Ben had driven them off with a timely arrival, but not timely enough. St John was dying. Beth was devastated and crying. Ben couldn’t stand to see her crying. And he couldn’t stand to just watch St John die, even after the man’s injuries, and the resulting delirium, made it obvious what St John was…..and what he would have to have if he was to recover…..blood.

Talbot had let Mick feed on him, so that the terrifying freak of nature would live, and Beth would stop crying. Mick had been out of his head, and hadn’t stopped when he should have….his need was so great. Ben hadn’t resisted, and had nearly died from the blood loss, but had recovered due to the quick intervention of Guillermo Gasol, another vampire it turned out, who worked at the Morgue. Who knew?

In the wake of all this, Ben had very mixed emotions about Mick, Guillermo, and Mick’s other friend, the Billionaire Kosten. Guillermo seemed like a gentle soul, and Ben didn’t feel especially frightened of him. The stocky Hispanic vampire had essentially saved Ben’s life, and had a caregiver air about him. St John’s friend Kostan was another matter…..that pompous bastard had introduced himself to Ben as a vampire, and promptly went out of his way to scare the shit out of him….. apparently just for laughs. Kostan seemed very dangerous to Ben, but he was aware that Beth knew, and even liked, the creature. No accounting for taste.

Finally, there was Mick. Ben hadn’t liked him, even when he thought he was human. But, in retrospect, he had to admit a lot of that had been jealousy over Beth. Ben liked her, and clearly, she was with Mick.

But, Ben had seen the concern and regret in Mick’s eyes after he had recovered from his injuries, fueled by Ben’s blood. He could tell that the vampire had been terrified that he might have killed Ben, and was sick with relief when Ben began to recover. Mick had tried to reassure and befriend Ben at that time, but Ben’s overwhelming fear of this new reality, and Mick’s teeth, combined with the shock of his ordeal, made that initially impossible. Mick had given him space, as much as he could that is, once Ben figured out what the List was, and shared it with Mick.

Since that time, Ben had decided that…. as terrifying freaks of nature go…. St John was a pretty decent guy.

Talbot rubbed his face with both hands and let out a long breath, collecting his composure. Then he managed a weak smile for Beth. Her irritated expression had softened as she sat watching him sort through his churning emotions and thoughts. She would always be tremendously grateful to Ben for saving Mick’s life.

“Better now?”, she asked quietly.

Ben nodded. “So…..werewolves are real too…..and one is responsible for those chewed up body scraps in the Morgue..….and all those victims were vampires?”

Beth nodded.

“Why am I being allowed to know this?”

“Josef wants you kept in the loop.”, she answered, “You helped the vampire community by saving Mick, and sharing the List. Josef thought it would be a good idea for you to be aware of what the real situation is here, and he’s hoping you’ll let us know anything new that you hear in return.”

“Josef? As in Kostan?”

Beth nodded.

“Hmmm…..I was pretty sure that guy was going to off me the same night I fed Mick. He’s got a very cruel sense of humor.”

Beth smirked. “Ahh….yeah….Josef is…..different. But he has no intention of hurting you. As long as you keep their secret, you are a valuable human-who-knows to their community.”

“Alright. Fair enough.”, Ben said, leaning back in his chair and trying to relax, “So, I know that our ‘perp’ in this string of killings isn’t a human, or a pack of dogs, and the matter won’t be settled with an arrest or a trial. What, exactly, do I do about it?”

“There isn’t much that you can do at this point, Ben, other than letting us know any new information on it that comes across your desk. “

“So….what? The vampires just hide and hope it goes away?”

Beth sighed. “No, Mick is meeting me after work here, and we’re going to see if we can figure out where the thing is hunting, and maybe where it’s laying up when it’s not hunting.”

“What?! How?!”

“We’ll start at the scene. Mick is going to backtrack the scent of the most recent victim….trying to find a point of origin for where the chase began.”

“Why on earth do you have to go along?!”, Ben was starting to raise his voice again.

“Shhhh!” Beth hissed, glancing back over her shoulder at the room beyond the glass wall. “Because it will still be daylight and I’m driving, that’s why! Don’t start that macho BS with me! I’m perfectly capable!”

“Capable of fighting a werewolf!?” Ben demanded. The thought of Beth being anywhere’s near a huge, supernatural carnivore simply terrified him.

“Why not? My Grandpa used to hunt them, and kill them, for a living! It probably runs in the family.”

Ben’s jaw dropped, and he gaped at Beth like a fish.

MLMLMLMLMLMLML****************************************

Mick pulled his Mercedes into the multi-story parking structure adjacent to the DA’s office building. He was very glad to be in out of the afternoon sun. It was a hot, cloudless day. He found a parking spot near Beth’s Prius. Getting out of his car and locking it, he glanced at his watch. It was a quarter to five. Right on time.

MLMLMLMLMLMLML****************************************

Beth glanced at her watch….quarter to five. Mick would be arriving soon. He’d be waiting for her downstairs. She started closing out the report she had been working on for the past two hours. Her desk phone buzzed.

“Beth Turner.”, she answered in her best phone voice.

“Beth…..it’s Ben. Can you come to my office for a minute.”

“I was just getting ready to take off for the day, Ben.”

“It’s not five o’clock yet.”

“Fine…….I’ll be right in.” Annoyed, Beth stood and picked up her purse. At least she could leave right from Ben’s office.

Ben rose to his feet as she entered his glass walled office. He indicated the seat in front of his desk. Beth took the seat and waited, her expression neutral.

Ben sat back down and cleared his throat. “Is there anyway I can talk you out of doing this today? Can’t St John track this thing on his own?”

“No….he needs me to drive while he scents. It’s a two-person job.” Beth met Ben’s dark eyes. She could see the deep concern there…. “Look Ben, I appreciate the concern, really, but I’ll be perfectly safe. It’s broad daylight, and Mick will be with me the whole time.”

Ben snorted and shook his head. “Forgive me, but if I understood your explanation this morning, vampires are a werewolf’s favorite food….right?” He raised an eyebrow at Beth.

Beth nodded, eyeing the ADA.

“So, you’re going to be going into the field accompanied by this thing’s favorite food……and that equals safe to you? That makes about as much sense as saying you’ll be safe swimming with sharks because you’ve got this nice big basket of chum with you!”

Beth rolled her eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh, and stood up. “I’ll be fine, Ben. See you in the morning.” She took her purse and left his office. He watched her go, worry etched on his face.

MLMLMLMLMLMLML****************************************

Mick was sitting in the main lobby of the DA’s Office building when Beth stepped off the elevator. He caught her scent immediately and looked up, smiling broadly and rising to his feet to greet her.

Beth returned his warm smile as she walked towards him. He looked so cute….wearing that black ball cap he always wore when forced to be outside during the day. It’s long bill helped shield his face from the sun.

They embraced and kissed lightly. They were in public, after all.

“All set?” Mick asked.

“Let’s go find our Big Bad.” Beth responded playfully, grinning.

Mick put one arm around her and steered her toward the exit, giving her a gentle side-hug in the process. “Sounds like someone’s letting their family heritage go to their head.” He smiled down at her.

Beth produced a mock-pout expression. “Am not….” Then she brightened again, “I call dibs on the hide!”

Mick rolled his eyes, and produced his sunglasses as they exited the building into the bright sunlight of a cloudless summer afternoon. It was hot. He hoped the AC in Beth’s Prius was working. He settled his sunglasses in place as they crossed the street together, heading towards the parking structure.

They made their way to Beth’s Prius, leaving Mick’s Mercedes to wait for them to return. The cool shade of the parking structure was a relief to Mick. He just wasn’t built for excursions on hot summer days.

Beth glanced sidelong at him as they slid into the Prius. “How’s my delicate flower holding up?” she asked, smiling gently.

Mick snorted and offered her a lop-sided grin. “I’ll be better once you turn on the AC….full blast please.”

Beth obliged him, cranking up the AC as soon as the Prius was switched on. She wound her way down out of the parking structure. True to its hybrid technology, the Prius ran silently on its battery, until they reached the street and were obliged to accelerate. Then the engine kicked on.

“The Morgue first, Beth.” Mick said, “I need to get the scent of the most recent victim from his remains.”

Beth glanced at him, her nose crinkling. “Eww…..OK, if you must.” The Morgue was close to the DA’s Office, so it was a short trip. Beth managed to find a parking space in the shade.

Once inside the coolness of the Morgue, Mick sighed with relief and went to look for whoever was on duty this time of day. Beth trailed along at his side. Given what they both did for a living, the Morgue was practically a second home to them, and both really knew their way around the place.

As they rounded a corner, Mick slowed, sensing something. Beth missed it and kept walking, nearly colliding with Guillermo. She let out a startled gasp, nearly losing her balance in an over-correction to avoid the collision. Mick’s hand shot out to steady her.

“Hey Beth… Mick….” Guillermo went from looking pleased to looking uncomfortable in the blink of an eye. “How you two doin’?” He grinned at them.

Beth chuckled and grinned back at him, overcoming the start of nearly crashing into the stocky vamp. “Fine Guillermo…..we need a favor. Mick needs to sniff something.” Her nose crinkled again in disgust.

“Yeah? Sure….anything you need, buddy. You know that!” Guillermo smiled at Mick.

Mick didn’t smile back. Guillermo’s smile faded and he swallowed hard. Beth’s eyes shifted from one vamp to the other. What was going on?

“What are you even doing here this time of day, Guillermo? I thought you were Night Shift?” Mick asked evenly.

“We’re short-handed.” Guillermo replied nervously, “I’m doing a Swing-Night double shift.”

“Ah.” Mick responded, his expression still unreadable.

“So…..what do you need to sniff, man?” Guillermo asked, hoping to break Mick’s focus off of him.

Mick continued to stare for several more seconds before speaking. “What’s left of the most recent mauling victim.” He said finally, “I need a scent to backtrack the guy’s course.”

“Sure man,” Guillermo tried to sound casual, but even Beth could sense his tension, “right this way.” He turned and led them down a hallway.

They followed. Beth looked up at Mick, trying to get a clue as to what was going on. No help there…..Mick continued to stare at Guillermo’s back, his expression stony.

Guillermo led them to a bank of freezer-drawers in the far back area of the Morgue. The unidentified, and pending investigations, area.

He grasped one of the metallic doors and opened it. Then he pulled out the body-sized sliding tray within, revealing a small, draped storage bin. “Here he is…..” Guillermo looked up at Mick, wilted under his gaze, and stepped back.

The stocky vampire lightly touched Beth’s elbow. “You might not want to look at this Beth….it’s pretty bad.”

Beth looked at Guillermo, and then back to Mick, still trying to make sense of what was going on between them. Something was wrong….Mick was clearly angry…..Guillermo was acting like a whipped puppy….what the….???

“Alright…” She said abruptly, “What’s wrong with you two? Mick? Are you mad about something?”

Mick froze with his hand poised at the corner of the bin’s drape. Guillermo looked at the floor in front of him.

Finally, Mick sighed, and threw Guillermo a searing glare. “I would have thought that I deserved a head’s up when a werewolf starts eating vampires in town, that’s all. I always assumed my buddy in the Morgue would call me about something like that.”

“Mick, I wanted to….really!” Guillermo said, almost pleading, “But Kostan insisted he be my first call….and he wouldn’t let me tell you anything…..he said he’d handle it.”

“Since when is he supposed to be your first call?!”

“Since that feral vamp whacked two people in public, and then killed his own wife, before you were able to find him and put him down. Hell of a mess.”, Guillermo replied in low tones, not wanting to be overheard, “Kostan got ahold of me after that. He didn’t like finding out about that situation second hand. He told me I’m to always call him first. I’m….sorry, man. Really sorry. But, Kostan freaks me out! I feel like I’ll end up in the Tar Pits if I piss him off.”

Mick continued to stare, his expression intense and angry.

Beth had been watching the two vamps, her eyes flicking back and forth between them. Mick wasn’t letting this go, he was escalating….and poor Guillermo was practically cringing. She decided to step in.

“OK!” Beth hissed, “That’s enough!”

Guillermo looked at Beth, but Mick’s eyes remained fastened on the stocky, Latin vamp.

“Mick! Stop it! Leave him alone! He said he was sorry!” Beth stepped in front of Mick, placing herself between the two vamps.

Mick glared at Guillermo over the top of Beth’s head. She heard Guillermo take a couple shuffling steps backward away from Mick.

“Mick…..I mean it….knock it off right now!”, Beth said in a harsh whisper.

Mick shifted his gaze to Beth and his posture relaxed just a little. “Beth….” he said quietly, “You don’t understand….” His expression softened now that he was talking to Beth instead of glaring at his friend.

“Yes I do!” Beth snapped, “I get it…..he didn’t call you. That hurts your feelings.” Mick opened his mouth to speak, clearly about to object to this having anything to do with hurt feelings. Beth held up her hand to silence him. He rolled his eyes, but closed his mouth.

“I also get why Guillermo didn’t call you.” Beth continued, her voice low, but adamant, “Don’t you? I mean, really, Mick. Think about it. Not every one sees Josef the way you do. You and Josef are pals. Of course he doesn’t scare you! But is it so hard for you to understand that other members of your community might see him as a powerful leader to be feared and obeyed? Isn’t that actually what Josef is…..or am I wrong?”

Mick sighed again and dropped his gaze to the floor in front of him. Beth folded her arms across her chest and smiled slightly…..Bingo….she had him. “Now,” she said, “did you come here to beat up your friend? I thought we were here to memorize a scent. Was I misinformed?”

Mick looked up at her and offered a lop-sided grin. “You’re right, Beth. Sorry.” Then he looked over her head at Guillermo. “Guillermo? I’m sorry, buddy.”

Guillermo grinned widely, an expression of tremendous relief on his face. “It’s OK man….I understand….and I’m the one who’s sorry! I wanted to call you….I really did!”

“I know.” Mick said, “I’ll be having a little talk with Josef about this, I think.”

Guillermo’s eyes widened in alarm. “No man! Don’t do that! He’ll think I ratted him out to you!”

Mick smiled. “Well, you kinda did….didn’t you?”

At Guillermo’s expression of speechless horror, Mick chuckled and said, “OK, OK, I won’t mention it to him. Don’t worry.”

Guillermo sagged against the wall with relief. “Thanks man, really. Besides….I think you’ve got Kostan’s motives all wrong.”

Mick arched an eyebrow in silent question.

“I think he didn’t want me to tell you because he was afraid you’d go into White-Knight-Mode and try to go after the thing on your own.” Guillermo explained, “You have a tendency to do that, you know. I think he was just trying to protect you, until he could figure out what to do.”

“Well, that does make sense.” Beth commented. “Josef knows how you are….”

“How I am?” Mick said, looking indignant at both of them.

“Sure,” Beth continued, “You do tend to charge in and try to save the day…. sometimes without thinking it through first.”

“Oh fine… Whatever…”, Mick grumbled, and turned back towards the plastic bin of remains. “Like I’m the only one who leaps before looking.”

Guillermo and Beth exchanged glances and smiles. Guillermo mouthed a silent, ‘thank you’, to Beth. She nodded back, her smile widening.

Beth returned her attention to Mick just as he lifted the plastic sheeting off of the plastic storage bin, revealing the pathetic remains within. Beth’s eyes widened and her hand went to her mouth, as bile rose in her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut, turning away, and tried to concentrate on not vomiting.

Guillermo placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. “Do you want to go outside, Beth?”

She shook her head, but didn’t open her eyes. “No….I’m OK….give me a minute.”

“Beth?” Mick said tenderly, “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I shouldn’t have just uncovered it like that…..I wasn’t thinking. Why don’t you go on out with Guillermo?”

“No.” Beth said, “I’m fine….just give me a minute.” My gosh….that was all that was left of a person?!

Finally, with the rebellion in her stomach under control, Beth opened her eyes. Both vampires were watching her with concern. Mick had replaced the plastic sheeting over the remains.

Beth looked from one to the other. “I’m fine now.” She said firmly, “Go ahead.”

“You should wait outside.” Mick said.

Beth glared at him. “I said I’m fine! Do what you need to do.”

Mick sighed. “OK.” His Beth was so stubborn….so determined. He once again lifted the sheeting off of the bin, exposing the remains. He looked down at them….only a few pounds of tattered meat….that’s all that was left. He wondered sadly who this had been….what was his life like? Was someone missing him? Wondering where he was? Worrying about him?

Beth watched Mick…..and she looked at the remains…..forcing herself to remain clinical….detached. There was such a small amount. A little pile of shredded flesh, shattered bones, a few entrails. Nothing recognizable as having once been a human, or a vampire. A wave of sadness swept over her…..they didn’t even know who he was….who he had been. She felt Guillermo give her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

Mick inhaled deeply and closed his eyes for several seconds, concentrating….the deceased vampire’s scent filling his senses. Everyone’s scent is unique, like a fingerprint. He memorized this unknown vampire’s scent. Even if no one else remembered him, he would not be forgotten by Mick. Whoever he was….he would be remembered.

Sadly, Mick drew the plastic sheeting back over the storage bin. He looked up at Beth and Guillermo. “OK….I’ve got what I need. Let’s go.”

Guillermo walked out with them, stealing sidelong glances at both Mick and Beth as they made their way through the Morgue’s hallways. The two of them were quiet, solemn, apparently lost in their own thoughts.

They paused in the shadows just before exiting the building into the bright sunlight of the summer afternoon.

“So Guillermo,” Beth asked him, apparently trying to redirect her thoughts back to normalcy, “How’s the new condo working out?”

Guillermo grinned, glad for the distraction himself, “Great! I love it! I’m going with a historic Latin-Mexican theme in the decor. It’s looking really good so far….and I love having my own space, and a big screen TV! And I love my new freezer! You were right, Beth. Thanks!”

Beth nodded and smiled warmly. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you’re having fun with it. Let me know if you need any help decorating. I love to shop.”

“Will do.” Guillermo said.

Mick rolled his eyes at the two of them. Beth had finally managed to convince Guillermo a few weeks ago that his habit of sleeping in an empty drawer at the Morgue was ‘crazy unhealthy’, as she put it. She insisted he needed his ‘own space’ away from work. She was right, of course. Living at your place of employment is…..well…..just plain nuts. It was definitely not the same thing as having a home-office! Guillermo had plenty of money saved up. He paid cash for a nice condo near downtown and had been reveling in his new personal space ever since.

They took their leave of Guillermo and headed back to Beth’s Prius outside. Beth drove. Working at the DA’s Office had its advantages. She knew exactly where the most recent crime scene was, and drove there without difficulty.

Creeping through the back alleys, the Prius predictably shut down its gas engine and went electric, moving silently. Beth pulled up to the yellow crime scene tape and stopped. Mick got out. Beth watched him as he moved around the yellow-taped area, scenting the air. The large blood stain on the tattered concrete was still very visible. Her eyes ran over the surrounding buildings. Empty, black windows looked back at her. This place was so deserted, so lonely. She thought about the man in the bucket, and shuddered at the thought of dying in such a desolate place. Sadness for that unknown vampire washed over her again.

Beth jumped when Mick opened the passenger-side door and got back in the car. Her mind had wandered to unpleasant places.

“What’s wrong?” Mick asked, seeing, and smelling, her startle-response.

“Nothing…..sorry. This place just gives me the creeps.” Beth answered, a little embarrassed. “Did you pick up the scent?”

“Yeah, hard to miss it….poor guy was splashed all over this alley.”, Mick responded, his expression grim, “Let’s get started.”

Beth hit the button to roll down the passenger-side window. With his long-billed ball cap and sunglasses firmly in place, Mick leaned toward the open window as Beth backed out of the alley.

Beth stopped and Mick scented the air. “Straight down this alley….that way.”, He said, pointing. Beth started off, the Prius gliding silently along on its battery only.

That went on for miles….alley-ways, side-streets…. ‘turn here’, ‘no stop!’, ‘back up…’, ‘this way’….. and so on. Mick scented out the passenger-side window and told Beth which way to turn, which road or alley to take. Beth drove, trying not to get frustrated with Mick’s often abrupt direction changes.

Eventually, they made their way through one large, busy intersection, and a few main roads, before returning to back-allies again. At last, the Prius crept into the back parking lot of a small night club.

Beth stopped and waited while Mick inhaled deeply through the open car window. He closed his eyes, concentrating, then his eyes snapped open again. “This is it.” He said, “The chase started here.” Mick could smell the change in the victim’s scent here…..he had, at first, been happy, content…..then something had happened….he had felt confused, then frightened….then he ran for his life. Mick’s jaw clenched reflexively.

Beth pulled into a parking spot. They got out, looking around as they did so. It was still daylight, but Beth was feeling increasingly uneasy. Mick’s eyes drifted to a metallic-red Harley Heritage Classic parked near the back door of the night club. A helmet was still perched on the sissy-bar. “There.”, he said, “I think that’s our victim’s vehicle.”

They walked over to the Harley and stood beside it. Beth looked up at Mick. His expression was tense….unreadable.

“Yeah,” Mick said softly, “This was his ride…..his scent is all over it.”

There was a narrow alley leading out of the parking lot to the street frontage on each side of the night club. Mick looked to his right, and then to his left. Once again, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, scenting the air. There were so many different scents here, many vampires, and many humans, all overlapping one another. This little night club had high traffic of both. Like someone sifting thru papers on a desk top, searching for that one thing they need, Mick’s mind sorted through the jumble of scents, searching for that special one.

His eyes snapped open. “Got him…” Mick said simply, “This way.” He turned and walked towards the alley on their left. Beth followed.

They emerged from the alley and Beth continued to follow Mick as he turned and headed for the night club’s main entrance. He stopped on the sidewalk in front, and they both looked up at the establishment.

It was modest, unassuming, and clean. Seemed to be a nice little place. A small neon sign hung above the door. It read, ‘The Twilight Room’. Mick and Beth exchanged glances. The hours posted on the front door were from 5pm to 6am daily.

“I think this is a Club.” Mick said.

“Yeah…..a night club.” Beth responded, confused as to why Mick was stating the obvious. Despite the late afternoon heat, she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She hugged herself and rubbed her own upper arms.

“No….”, Mick said, glancing around them, “I mean a Club….there’s several in LA. They’re places where vampires and humans-who-know get together for some…….friends-with-benefits quality time.”

“Oh…..OK.” Beth said, “I didn’t know there were such places.”

“Yeah….,” Mick said, “All big cities have them.”

A wave of unease suddenly swept over Beth. She shuddered and looked around. She had the strange feeling they were being watched. The hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up.

“You OK?” Mick looked down at her, concerned.

“Let’s get inside,” Beth answered, “I don’t like it out here.”

“OK.” Mick said, still eyeing her with concern. He held the Club’s door open for her and then followed her inside, placing a reassuring arm around her shoulder.

MLMLMLMLMLML******************************************

The predator had watched the pair from across the street as they emerged from the alley beside the little night club. A male vampire, less than a century old, if he were to guess, and a human female, a pretty blonde in her mid-twenties.

The predator was in his human form now, and wearing his usual camouflage for hunting in a big city…….that of a homeless man. He was a large, lean man, with black hair, dark eyes, and many days growth of facial hair. Beneath the facial hair, his features were ruggedly handsome, but no one noticed that aspect of him. No one noticed him at all. He looked, and smelled, dirty and disheveled. His clothes were tattered. No one, including vampires, noticed the homeless. Most actually went out of their way to avoid noticing them, looking away, not acknowledging them. The homeless were invisible. Temporarily joining the ranks of the homeless was the perfect way for the predator to hide in plain site.

He was sitting on the ground next to a dumpster in an alley across the street from the little night club, downwind from it, of course. At first, the vampire and his pretty blonde companion only drew mild interest from the predator. It was early yet, still daylight. Much too early to consider a hunt.
Then he caught a better whiff of their scent………..and leaned forward.

They had both been in the company of a very old vampire! Recently! Several hundred years old, judging from the faint remnant of scent. Both the male vamp and his human companion had showered and changed clothes since they were near the old one, but the scent remained, ever so faint. It was enough for the predator to pick up. Jackpot! A vampire that old was an energy-rich prize worth an extra effort to obtain.

He watched as the female human became increasingly restless and uneasy. The predator wondered why. Then the vampire and his human went into the night club. He settled back against the wall to wait. When those two came back out, he would follow them. With any luck, they would lead him to his quarry for tonight, a vamp that was several hundred years old. He smiled……anticipation was sweet.

[coco]

Loved the exchange between Mick, Beth & Guillermo

[lionsonleashes]

Loved the exchange between Mick, Beth & Guillermo

Glad you liked it! I hadn't originally intended for that scene to be that detailed.....but the story had its own ideas....and that scene just kinda took shape in a way that seemed right for the characters involved.

[jen]

As Josef will always tell anyone who will listen, it's all about Josef Kostan.

Just kidding! I would suppose there is sufficient security measures both at Casa Kostan and the Kostan Industries offices to protect Josef, but the tension is rising.

Worried about Mick and Beth right now.

Thanks!

Jenna

[jen]

Lions, you do have Guillermo and Mick down--the exchange feels so right. Guillermo is not an aggressive vamp as a rule, and he was threatened by Josef playing the big, bad vampire.

And I adore your take on Beth's character. She has instinctively moved into vampire society and has carved out a role for herself, to everyone' benefit. Generally, I let a little more time pass before I reread a favorite, but I couldn't resist!

Talk about a fabulous ride in store!!!!!

Thanks for sharing your vision!!!

Jenna

[lionsonleashes]

Thanks Jenna!
I'm hammering out the details on Chapter 28 right now. It will be ready soon.
Lions

[jen]

That's fabulous news, Lions!

A lot of us around here will be very, very happy!!!

Thanks

Jenna

[lionsonleashes]

Thanks to you, Jen, and to all my readers for you longsuffering patience with my writer's block. You are all so completely awesome! You keep me going!
I had originally planned for Chap 28 to include both the Clean Up at the former Legion Field base {what's left of it}, and then Phelan taking Beth back to the mansion, where she must face Mick with the knowledge of what she's done.....a prospect that terrifies her.
But.....Chap 28 is going to be way too big if I try to do that. So I decided to deal with mess at the Legion's destroyed Office, and Beth's early Trauma-Intervention cares, in Chap 28. But pause, and deal with the "talk" that Beth and Mick must have over what she's done.....how does Mick feel about it.....how does Beth feel about it, and herself.......and where do they go from here? Big stuff.....and I didn't want to rush into it. It needed it to happen at its own tempo. So the big Mick/Beth "talk" about what happened in that seedy Office building will have to wait until Chap 29. But Chap 28, which is coming right up, if filled with surprising discoveries for everyone.
I hope you'll all enjoy it! I should get it finished and posted with in the next few days.

And future Chapters???? Got them too, rolling around in my head......Here's a sneak peak.....

#1 Coraline sneaks back into town.....thinking she must "rescue" Mick because she'd heard the Legion is gunning for him. She doesn't know Beth is a werewolf now......Beth still has many unresolved "issues" with Coraline. They both show up at Mick's FOS at the same time. Chaos ensues as Beth's new, rather explosive temper, gets the better of her. Coraline is too stunned to react. Mick struggles to keep Beth from going nuclear. Beth descides to "read" Coraline.....against the vampress's will, Beth wants to learn the tuth about what happened when she was a little girl. Why her....What was Coraline going to do with her? Beth learns ALOT more for Coraline's mind than either she, or Mick, were expecting! Beth has alot of difficultly coping with what she sees in Coraline's memories.

#2 The Legion is regrouping. They know, that in order to come at the LA Tribe, they must deal with Beth too, the Tribes' nearly unstoppable protector. They set about plans to take out the meddling yellow she-wolf. As usual......they underestimate Beth.....but it's a close shave none the less!

#3 Other possible Chapter-lines.....a permanent Phelan & April hook up? How would Josef react to that???

#4 Then there is Sarah....Josef's comatose vampire love. It's clear she's the only woman he's ever realy loved. He's fond of Simone... But Sarah is his first thought when her wakes, and his last thought when he closes his eyes. Now..... it has been well established in my story's premise that werewolf blood is the vampire-panecea. It can fix anything. Surely Josef's thoughts have already turned in that direction. Could Beth be the miracle he's being waiting for all these decaces? Hmmmm..... Now if he can just get Beth and Mick to agree to try.......

Okay.....That's all the previews you get for tonight! Sweet Dreams all!

[jen]

Wow! Lions!

That is huge!

Talk about ramping up the tension with all the wonderful topics in store!!!!

I am so in--this sounds absolutely fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for your vision!

Totally blows me away!

Jenna

[lionsonleashes]

Thanks, Jen!

[jen]

bumpage

[lionsonleashes]

Thanks Jen!

[jen]

This chapter had some wonderful moments between Beth and Ben. Loved the line about how his reality had change and been run over a couple of times.

Then there was the tense moment at the morgue between Guillermo and Mick when Beth had to jump in and referee.

Beth as some interesting abiliies hiding in hr DNA--the intense unease when they are being watched is a gift from her Grandfather.

Fabulous.

Thanks

Jenna

[jen]

This chapter is full of wonderful little details.

Love Beth's keeping Ben in the loop. His reactions are hilarious, but totally understandable. How would any of us react in his place (I get it--it's a lot to...get!) Guillermo was well and truly Kostanized and the trauma had him totally under Josef's control. Beth filled the role as peacemaker here with still and flare. Very nice. Then, Mick and Beth together on the hunt and finding the club frequented by the poor vampire who was the werewolf's victim.

Fabulous reread! Thanks, Lions!

Jenna

[francis]

Oh my, so now Josef is in danger too.
I really liked how Beth stood up for Guillermo.