100% Freshie Chapter 21 --PG-13

[librarian_7]

Disclaimer: The characters from Moonlight are copyrighted by CBS, and no infringement is intended.

Special note: This work takes place in the world of Moonlight, but your favorite vamps are not the main focus. Sorry about that; try to enjoy the story anyway. You might be surprised.

100% Freshie

Chapter 21

I.

“You did what?” Lucky asked, wide-eyed over the table that held their late lunch.

Even though Danni was firmly convinced she had made the right decision, she had thought it wouldn’t hurt to talk it through with a friend. The next day, since she was feeling much recovered, she called to see if Lucky might be available for a chat, and here she was, once again seated in Josef Kostan’s house, across from one of the vampire’s exclusives. She thought, belatedly, that Lucky might not be the most sympathetic ear, but she was the only friend—the only human friend, anyway, that Danni had thought to call.

“Do you need a place to stay?” Lucky continued. “I mean, I’d have to check with Josef, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind—“

“I wouldn’t mind what, sweetheart?” Josef said, silently appearing beside Lucky, startling both women. “Danger, always a pleasure to have you grace my home.”

Lucky smiled up at Josef. She couldn’t help it, the sight of him always made her smile. Grin like an idiot, more likely, she thought, but she hadn’t heard him complain. “Danger needs a place to stay for a few nights.”

Josef waved a pale hand. “Of course. Mi casa and all that.” He paused. “Mind if I ask why?”

Danni shook her head. “No, that’s the funny part of all this. I don’t need a place to go. Apparently, it’s all fine.”

Josef’s gaze homed in on her intently enough to make her shift in her seat. It was like being targeted by a heat-seeking missile. “Then why,” he asked, “did Lucky think you did?”

Danni took a sip of her iced tea, nervously trying to frame an answer. Suddenly the whole “lunch with Lucky” seemed like less of a good idea. Before she could speak, however, Lucky answered for her, sounding perplexed. “I guess I just assumed that—Josef, Will asked Danger for exclusivity.”

“Did he? And this is a problem, how?

Danni spoke this time, her mouth suddenly a little dry. “I—I turned him down.”

That got her a frown, and a look first of disbelief, then of speculation. “Hmmm,” Josef said. “He must’ve asked you badly. Knowing him, I’m less than surprised. But you’re not on the outs? Hmm.”

Danni suddenly found herself wishing she could speak to Josef alone. He was probably more capable of understanding her position than anyone else. And yet, standing there with his hand resting lightly, but proprietarily, on Lucky’s shoulder, the only vibe she was getting from him was disbelief and disapproval. She felt a bubble of hysterical laughter rising in her throat, and choked it back. Somehow this didn’t seem the place or time to blurt out that he was one of the reasons she’d turned Will down.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of someone turning down an exclusivity offer,” Lucky said, trying to break the silence.

“Oh, it happens, from time to time,” Josef replied. “Usually it means the freshie in question has decided to quit the life, however.” He laughed softly, shaking his head. “I’d love to have seen the look on Spence’s face. I don’t think he’s ever asked a freshie to be exclusive before. And then to be rejected. That must’ve been a blow.”

Danni smiled, but it was only to acknowledge his statement. “Actually, I was the second. He asked Emma as well, and she did accept him.” She paused. “I didn’t do it to hurt him, you know.” She wished her voice didn’t sound quite so forlorn, but there it was.

“Perhaps not,” Josef said, “but I’m not sure it was the wisest thing for you to do, Danger. There are plenty of vamps out there who don’t quite approve of independent freshies.”

Lucky put a hand out in quick sympathy. “Of course you didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I know you’ve always cared about Will a great deal. And I’m sure you had your reasons.” She cast a sidelong look up at Josef, thinking he was taking the vampire solidarity thing a bit far, given his usual low regard for Will Spence. She still remembered the time Josef had invited the other vamp over for one of his infamous poker nights. He’d taken more delight than usual in winning that particular game. Even if she didn’t understand herself why a freshie would turn down the protection of a powerful vamp, she had to tell herself that her experiences as a freshie with other vamps were limited, and perhaps there was more than Danni was telling.

After Josef took his leave of them, Lucky was distracted, only half-listening to what Danni had to say, and when her guest departed, she stayed at the little table for a long time, lost in thought.


II.

“Casablanca? Again?” Will said, griping good-naturedly as Danni settled into the couch next to him and passed the big bowl of popcorn over to Emma, seated on the vampire’s other side.

“Shut up, Will,” Emma said agreeably. “You knew that was the plan before you ever got here.”

“This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” Danni quoted, giggling. Will groaned.

“Do you have any idea how many times—“ he started.

“Hey—the classics never get old,” Emma interjected, and Danni was secretly pleased to see how much happier her friend had seemed the past few days.

“Yeah, Will,” Danni added. “Just like you.”

“I’m not sure whether to be flattered or insulted by that,” was Will’s comment, but in truth he was quite content to spend a quiet evening with these two. He appreciated it more than he would once have realized. It was—comfortable. With no pressing business concerns at the moment, he could relax. And he did, until his phone rang. He had to disturb Emma to dig it out of his pocket, and he frowned as he saw the caller ID.

“What can I do for you, Kostan?” he asked, his tone cold. Emma and Danni grimaced at each other, and Danni paused the DVD.

Will’s frown of annoyance deepened as he listened, and Danni was faintly alarmed. After their last meeting she’d half-expected Josef to call her but had heard nothing. Then Will looked at her, and her stomach suddenly dropped like a stone in water.

“Yeah, she’s here,” Will grated out. “Hold on.” He extended the phone to her. “He wants to talk to you. Doesn’t he have your number?”

Danni shrugged helplessly. “Of course he—I mean, yes. He does.” But she took the phone from his hand.

Josef’s voice was brisk, although he sounded as if it were an effort to keep from laughing. “Texas,” he said as soon as she’d greeted him, “I’m taking you out to dinner. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“But—but I have other plans.”

“Change them.”

“I’m not dressed to go out.”

“Then you’re wasting precious time.” He paused. “I don’t believe I said this was optional. Are you going to be ready?”

Danni looked at Will, knowing he was listening to both sides of the conversation. He nodded, shortly. “Yes, Josef,” she said.

“That’s my girl, Texas. You’ve got seven minutes.” And the line went dead.

“Shit,” Danni said with deep feeling. “What now?”

“Now?” Will said bitterly. “Now, I expect you’d better run get dressed.”

“But I want to stay here with you and Emma.”

Will shook his head, pocketing his phone. “I’d prefer that myself. But in this town—this community—an order from him is pretty much law.”

“He’s that powerful?”

“And then some. And you’d better change.” Will sat down and started the movie again as Danni hurried from the room. She could hear Emma already trying to calm him, although she suspected the effort would be futile.

She barely had time to slip out of her yoga pants and tank top, and into a clingy black jersey dress, thinking as she stepped into her heels that it was a good thing she’d left on a nice bra. Not that any of these vamps had seemed all that interested in her—lingerie. But the dress wasn’t meant to be worn with cheap underwear.

A quick brush through her hair, and minimal makeup. Thanking her stars she had bathed and shaved before Will arrived, she surveyed her reflection critically in the mirror. If Josef were disappointed, then he should have given her more time.

Just as she was finishing dusting on some mineral base, there was a knock on the door. Apparently she’d made the deadline. Will left it to her to answer, and she couldn’t say she blamed him.

“Texas,” Josef said with a smirk, extending a hand to her, “you look charming. I knew you were up to the challenge.”

“You’re too kind.”
“Shall we go, my dear?” He was, Danni could tell, pointedly ignoring Will’s presence. She hoped she wasn’t going to get caught between them. Again. It was a damned uncomfortable place to be.

When she was seated next to him in the back of his limo, a glass flute of champagne in her hand, she twisted to look the vampire full in the face, smiled sweetly, and said, “What the hell is going on here, Josef?”

He blinked innocently. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” Then he held up a hand, quellingly. “Dinner first, talk later.”

“Your dinner or mine?”

“You do have a sharp tongue this evening. Yours, of course.”

“And yours?” Danni asked.

“That’s up to you. But I did think we should talk.”

“Why?”

Josef stretched his long frame. Danni had always secretly found the ancient vamp dangerously, deeply attractive. Even though she had drowned in Will’s beauty, and the fascination of his way, Josef, well, even now, when she was more than half angry with him, she couldn’t mask her reaction to his physical presence. He smiled. “Because,” he said.

At the restaurant, they were shown, obsequiously, to a private dining room. Danni could certainly understand that, considering, but as her dinner was placed before her—and Josef had oh-so-thoughtfully ordered without consulting her, she noticed—along with a scotch for him, she did consider rebelling. Instead, she smiled. She was trapped, and she had no doubts that she would not be allowed to leave until he desired it. On the other hand, she’d seen enough of him to know that as long as she preserved the outward social niceties, so would he.

“Blood for your scotch, Josef?” she asked.

“That would be much appreciated.”

She ate in silence while he idly entertained her with anecdotes of his travels. He’d spent some time in her home state, mostly during oil booms, and mentioned names of friends she’d heard of in history classes.

Finally she pushed away the remains of her steak. He’d ordered it rarer than she liked, dismissing her tastes with a comment that it was better for her blood.

“That is such an old wives tale, Josef,” she complained.

“Where do you think the old wives got it?” he replied drily. “Do you seriously think I take any chances with something as important to me as blood?”

“I suppose not.” She sat back, tossing her napkin on the table with what she hoped was a graceful and sophisticated gesture. “So. Why the imperious summons? And why twist the knife in poor Will that way.”

Josef took a sip of his scotch. “Next time, about two drops more, doll. And why goad Will? Because I can.” His smile was utterly feline. “I’ve never been able to resist such an easy target. And as to why you’re here tonight—why don’t you tell me?”

Danni was mystified. “What? What the hell are you talking about?”

“Damn, I love the twang you put in your curse words, Texas,” Josef said, sipping his scotch again. “You came crying to Lucky because you wanted to come crying to me. That’s good, that’s fine. She like you, most of the time.”

“And does that matter?”

Josef fell silent for a few moments. “It doesn’t hurt.” He stared down into his glass, swirling the reddish amber liquid. Then he laughed a little oddly, a high-pitched sound she’d have thought nervous, of she didn’t know better. As it was, it sounded alien enough to remind her, if she needed reminding, that the being in front of her was something far outside the ordinary. “So Will asked you to go exclusive, and you turned him down. And for some completely inexplicable reason, you decided to come to me to validate this action. I will admit to being fairly curious.”

About that time there was a discreet knock, and the waiter entered to remove Danni’s supper plate and replace it with coffee and dessert, along with a fresh scotch.

This time, Danni simply held out her hand for his drink, watching his face as she milked the blood from the small lancet puncture of her finger. Drop, drop, drop….Finally he nodded. It was enough. His words were unexpected, though.

“Stir it with your finger.”

She complied, and when the alcohol stung her pricked finger, put it in her mouth, shivering as the taste reminded her of Josef’s kiss. As she was sure he’d intended. Danni took a sip of her coffee to clear her mouth, and her head. “I shouldn’t really eat dessert,” she said.

“Will may subscribe to the modern human idea that a woman is only beautiful when she’s starving, but frankly I prefer a girl who looks as though she might have some blood in her veins. And you, my dear, are evading the issue.”

Danni took two deliberate bites of her dessert. She had no idea what it was, but it did taste delicious. Then she put down her fork and looked across the table. Josef was watching her with an expression of amused benevolence, although she suspected that neither amusement nor benevolence was uppermost in his thoughts. She was out of time and out of excuses, and she knew he’d be able to smell a lie. Not worth trying.

“There are a number of reasons,” she said carefully, “why I turned Will down. Some of which—most of which—are, as you say, frankly, none of your damn business. Can I just say I thought I was making a decision in my own best interests?”

“You can say that. I don’t necessarily have to accept it.”

“Okay, then, Josef, let me ask you a question. If we’re being honest here. What is it about my decision that makes you feel so threatened?”

Josef rocked back, blinking. He narrowed his eyes, speculatively. “I think you can figure that out, sweetheart. And I have to say, Texas, you are not the same little innocent that swept in off the plains.”

Danni smiled as she sipped her coffee. “I am what the vampires have made me, Josef. And I think it’s a little late for you to complain about that now.”

“I never said I was complaining.” Josef favored her with one of his trademark smirks. “I’ll just say this, and we can leave the topic for the evening. Your present arrangement with Will—it gives you a certain amount of protection. Should that change, should you or he sever that connection, contact me immediately. There are those, as I said, who do not favor independence for the humans who know our secrets. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“That you’ll protect me if I need it.” She paused. “At what price, Josef?”

She never saw him move from his seat, only felt a slight rush of air, but he was standing behind her, his hands resting on her shoulders, his head bending over her. “I don’t know,” he breathed down at her, “but never at a price you would be unwilling to pay.”

Danni licked her lips, fighting the urge to incline her head to the side, to display her throat to him. Her breathing was fast and shallow, not with desire, but with sudden fear. She could not resist him, would not, but “willing” was a stretch in these circumstances.

Just as suddenly, he had moved back, dropping his hands from her shoulders to the back of her chair, signaling her to stand. As she did, she turned to face him, and he cupped her chin in one large hand, lifting it slightly. “Do you truly think I would take you now?” he asked.

She smiled at him. “If it suited you,” she replied.

That got her a crooked smile and short snort of laughter. “I do like you, Texas,” he said. “You’re a pain in the ass, but I do like you.”

[francis]

So Danni wants to talk to Josef alone – that’s kind of surprising. Even to herself. Lucky and Josef are both puzzled. Seems that Lucky for the first time even thinks about the possibility to turn down a vampire. I’m not sure if Danni herself knows why she turned Will down.

I love the easy banter they have going at home. Movie night, so domestical. Maybe it's not as cozy on the inside as it is on the outside.
Then Josef intrudes. He is making a point here, isn’t he? Calling Will just to show him that he has no right to object. Josef shows his power. I like their conversation, uncomfortable in a way, edgy, but Josef seems not threatening, but benevolent and curious.

Danni gets that Josef is threatened by her. She is an independent freshie, a concept that gives her an edge and makes her equal parts irresistible and annoying, but it also puts her in danger.