Silver Cross PG-13 Champagne #161

[cassysj]

I do not own any recognizable characters no copyright infringement is intended.

1982


Mick was in his freezer crying. He thought he could conceal the sound from Coraline but the lid came open.

“Hand it over.” She ordered.

“No. It belonged to my mother.”

“It’s poison.” Coraline yelled.

“It’s her silver cross. She managed to hold onto it through the depression.

“Depression? I’m depressed smelling it. Mick, she’s dead and you’re a grave robber.

He snarled. “The only way I could pay my respects is in the cemetery. I couldn’t go to her funeral last week.

“That doesn’t mean you should steal from the dead. That’s bad luck.”

“A vampire is worried about luck, that’s priceless.”

“Give it to me. You’re hurting yourself.”

“I’ll heal. Tonight I’ll drink from Janice, Jennifer or Joy and will be all better.

“You shouldn’t play with silver. It’s dangerous.

“I don’t care. It belongs to my mother.

“Give it to me. You can keep it, you just can’t touch it.

“What’s the point?

“You can look at it. I’m going to put it in a safe place until you’re over this funk.

“Funk? My mother’s dead and you call it a funk?

“You’ll get over it Mick. For heaven’s sake it’s not like your sire’s dead.

“I’d trade you in a heartbeat for five more minutes with my mother. He said harshly

She snatched the cross, wincing in pain as she grabbed it. She ran out of the house and headed for the one person she knew who could fix this problem. She drove up to the Hollywood Hills, parked in the driveway of a beautiful mansion and rang the bell. A pretty blonde answered the door.

“I need your Lord and Master. Tell him it’s Coraline Duvall.

“I know who you are Mrs. St. John. The girl said sweetly. “I’ll get him immediately, please wait in the library.

Josef had trained this new crop to call her Mrs. St. John because it annoyed her.

He opened the door to the library. “I don’t know where he is. Try the cemetery, I’m sure he’s still depressed.

“Josef, she’s been dead a week. He needs to move on.”

“Tell him that. I’m sure that will cheer him right up. Now show me your filthy weapon before I snap your neck.

Coraline sighed and threw the cross on the desk. “He dug up her grave. Can you fix it?

“Do I look like a jeweler?

Coraline was furious. “No, but the new vampire jeweler in town is Charles Riley. I can’t work with him.

“Why not?

“I……ate him.”

“Excuse me?

“I feasted on Charles the human the night he died. He doesn’t like me very much.

“I can’t imagine why, you’re such a popular lady.”

“Josef, he’s burning himself. Can it be converted?

“Why not duplicate it?

“He’ll know if it’s not the same. Don’t ask me how but he’ll know.

Josef looked at it. “It will be expensive. It has to be dipped in platinum and you have to pay for any extra blood Charles needs for handling it.

“Fine, just…..take care of it……please.

“Coraline, I’m not your assistant. Get Cynthia.

“Charles doesn’t like her either.

“Was she at the feast?

“No but guilt by association.

“I’ll do it for him but Coraline, carry him through this or he’ll self-destruct. Parents, children they’re the hardest deaths.

“I’ll handle it. Thank you.

“You owe me. Josef said seriously.

“I always pay my debts, it won’t be in silver but gold.

[MickLifeCrisis]

Oooo... I really liked this! I have to admit though that I was half expecting Coraline to get rid of the silver cross where Mick could never find it. I was pleased to read that she had the compassion to "fix" it for him. Since she didn't seem too compassionate with the "it's been a week - get over it" part.

Great job on the new challenge!

[allegrita]

This is a great example of how incompatible Mick and Coraline are. She simply can't fathom his yearning for what he's lost. And his unshakable love for his family makes no sense to her. Interesting that Josef gets it, even though he's older than she is. I'm glad she's trying to do something kind for him, but somehow I don't think it will endear her to him. He'll see it as an attempt to make the cross alien, no longer his mother's. I feel bad for both of them.

[francis]

Wonderful take on the challenge. I love to have the origin of Mick's cross explained. It truly shows how much Mick longs for his human family.
I also love that Josef helps him. Coraline tries, but she just doesn't get it.

[Lucy]

Wonderful vignette of just how Horribly self centered Coraline is. Of course she has alienated most the vampire population! You are so creative and entertaining

Darn phone is heck for posting replies.

[cassysj]

MLC - Coraline would have had 30 years experience with Mick. If his mother had died earlier I think she would have just thrown it away.

Alle - It's interesting, I think it's a matter of Josef being more "modern" than Coraline. They both grew up in a world where death was common. An infection could take your child or your mother in a matter of days. In our modern times medication extends life to almost a pseudo-immortality in comparison to the sixteen and seventeen hundreds. Josef can see how in our modern world a fifty year old can be as sad at his mother's death as a five year old in Josef's world. I think you're right, Mick won't thank her for it.

francis - Coraline is trying to the best of her ability but...it's just not happening.

Lucy - Thank you. I had to spin my Charles in here and his history is that Lola and Coraline decided to snack on him for dinner. Charles is very forgiving but that is one thing he really never got past. Since I had Charles move to LA in the late 70's the timing was perfect.