Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

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librarian_7
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Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by librarian_7 »

Usual disclaimers…

A/N: This story was suggested by reactions to one of Josef’s statements in the second New Orleans story, “In the Hotel Monteleone.” Every title I can think of is a bit of a spoiler, so I’m just going to call this one….


Josef’s Point of View


I stared out the window, but the city lights below, the view that always gave me such pleasure, seemed like it was mocking me, every light a puzzle piece, every dark space between an enigma. I wanted to do something, to hit something…to bite something, hard.

The fear and distress in the air was almost palpable, and the eight pairs of eyes trained on me in silent, panicked fascination barely even dared to blink, let alone fidget. Now that was a first…at least for this group.

Outside, I heard the sputtering roar of Mick’s Mercedes pulling up. It’s unmistakable. Sounded like he was in a hurry. And possibly needed a new muffler.

Hey, just because I was furious doesn’t mean I don’t keep track of my surroundings. Otherwise, you tend to get dead. And I don’t do dead. Obviously.

Mick blew by my bodyguard with barely a word, which was unlike him, and came straight to the point, which is.

“What’s going on, Joz’ef?”

“Freshies,” I spat.

He looked at me with honest concern in his hazel eyes. I can always count of Mick to be rational when I’m not. I do the same thing for him. And more frequently, I might add. “These girls?” he asked, gesturing at the flock of females perched on and around my couch. I didn’t turn and look at them when he did, knowing what he’d see.

It was almost like ticking down a list. Brunette, honey blonde, ash blonde, black, cherry red, golden blonde, brunette, another blonde. While he was tabulating the roster, he commented, “You mentioned killing someone on the phone. Do we have a body to dispose of?”

“Not yet,” I grated. It’s hard to talk around your fangs, sometimes. I didn’t recall having phoned him, but I must’ve.

The light finally dawned. There were no—with due respect to the recently dyed—redheads in that group. Mick opened his mouth to say something, but stopped, then turned back toward the girls. He was sizing them up, looking for a weak link. Normally, the sight of another vamp studying the menu—my menu—would have me popping fang, preparing to get up close and personal. But this was Mick. Him, I’d share my toys with. And besides, I knew he wasn’t looking to play that way anymore, which continues to be a damn shame.

I could see the girls in the reflection on the glass, slightly distorted, like watching a poorly shot movie. They looked nervous, at being scrutinized.

He picked the honey blonde to question, going down on one knee in front of her, looking very harmless and sincere. Might have known. “What’s your name, sweetheart?” he said in that deceptively seductive voice of his, all whiskey and moonlight, and promises he had no intention of keeping.

He fooled the girl, all right. “S-Seana,” she stuttered. I could see the reflections of the girls on either side scoot away from her, trying to distance themselves from whatever she had to say.

Mick smiled at her. “Seana, that’s a pretty name.” He paused, studying her. “Seana, why is Josef so upset?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“I think you do. I’m a friend of his, you know that. Tell me what’s going on, okay?”

She looked to the others for support, but they were all watching me. Not Mick, not her. Flattering, I suppose, but it handed my friend a wedge.

“Come on, Seana, talk to me. I only want to help.” No one does earnest like Mick. No one.

Seana, little doll that she is, and about as nice a B neg as you’d ever want to taste, looked at me, looked down at her hands, looked at the other girls, looked at me again, and finally whispered, “Somebody’s not here.”

Mick nodded, patient as always. “I can see that. Where is she?”

“She went—she went out on a date.”

“A date?” I could picture Mick’s quizzical expression, the questioning, furrowed brow and slightly pursed lips.

Seana nodded. I could see her wavering reflection in the glass. “With—“ she cut her eyes at me, her voice dropping even further, “with a human.”

Reflection-Mick dropped his head forward. It was such a classic “oh, shit” reaction from him I almost could have laughed. Almost. He peered up at the girl again.

“Seana, where’d she meet this guy?”

The girl obviously could barely stand to choke out an answer. “She went—she went to this bookstore in Burbank. Dark…something. They specialize in books about vamps. And, and there was this guy…she said he was nice. We told her not to go, but she said it was okay. She said Josef said—“

“Seana, shut up.” I didn’t want her blurting out anything else. And she obeyed, of course.

Then Mick stood up, and shoved his hands in his pants pockets. “Ladies,” he said, “I need to speak to Joz’ef. Alone.”

My freshies are good girls. And they know which end of the fang is pointed. Not one of them moved, although every eye flicked back to me. I waved my hand. They could go. And like that, they vanished. It was as though the reflections flickered, and the room was empty of heartbeats.

And Mick was standing beside me again. “What’s going on, buddy?” he asked.

I didn’t answer. I don’t have to explain myself to Mick. Not this century.

He was being reasonable. Logical, which was not what I wanted to hear. “What happened to ‘my freshies serve at my pleasure’?” he asked. “If she pissed you off, fire her.”

“I can’t do that.”

“You mean, you don’t want to.” Trust Mick to point out the obvious.

“Fine. Whatever.”

“She’s a freshie, Joz’ef.”

“She’s not just a freshie. Not anymore.”

“Is she your girlfriend now? Or what?”

I didn’t want to answer his question. Girlfriend? The idea was shocking. I don’t have girlfriends. I have freshies. And I have lovers. Occasionally. And they are not drawn from the same pool. “I know why she’s doing this,” I said.

“Do I want to know?”

“I told her. I told her to get a human boyfriend.”

Mick sighed. “I knew I didn’t want to know. And when did you offer this sterling piece of advice, Joz’ef?”

In the past four centuries I have rarely wanted to blush. I did now. “We were in bed.”

“You’re sleeping with her.” Mick’s face hid his surprise, not well, but as well as he could. “I thought you had rules.”

“I do.”

“So?”

“Special circumstances.” Like hell was I going to tell him about the event. He may bite and tell, but I don’t. At least not the gory details.

“It always is.”

I had a glass of scotch in my hand. It had blood swirled in it, and I knew before I tasted it that it was her blood. I could as good as smell it on my lips. “Screw you,” I said. I took a big slug from the glass.

Mick waited. He was going to be waiting a long time, as far as I was concerned. I could always outwait him, and sure enough, he finally spoke, although what he said wasn’t quite what I was expecting. I thought for sure I’d get some snarky comment on my lousy timing, but no. Instead, he asked me another question.

“Joz’ef, if she’s not your girlfriend, and she’s not your freshie, what is she?” he asked.

I shrugged and gave the only answer I could. “She’s Lucky. She’s just…Lucky.”

&&

“Lucky,” Josef repeated as he raised his head.

He must’ve dozed. Funny, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d dreamed. And such an odd dream, too.

He glanced out the window. Dawn was breaking, it was almost time for him to hit the freezer, but he thought a sip before bed might be nice. He could hear someone stirring in the kitchen, and rose quickly to intercept whoever it was.

Naturally, of course, it was the one freshie he wasn’t sure he wanted to see right then. He took her wrist, without words, and as she melted against him without protest, he drank.

Afterwards, he smiled at her, nestled in the crook of his arm. “Hey, doll, got plans for the day?”

Lucky leaned against his shoulder, comfortable. “I was planning to go over to Burbank. There’s a bookstore there I’d like to check out. You just never know what you might find, in a good bookstore.”

She wondered what caused his arm to tighten so.
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by jenstc2003 »

OOH I liked it!! Josef's fears come through in his nightmare... and then reality comes a bit too close to home. His girls would never do that to him, though. *Smiles* Nicely done.
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by cassysj »

Ohhhh!!!! I knew Josef shouldn't have said get a human boyfriend. Hmmmmm will Josef think of a reason to put Burbank off limits.
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by allegrita »

Heh. Josef--hoist with his own petard. (And Josef knows what a petard is, even!) I love this little peek into his dreams. There are lots of different types of nightmares... :snicker:
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by RangerCM »

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” he said in that deceptively seductive voice of his, all whiskey and moonlight, and promises he had no intention of keeping.
Love these little insights into Josef's opinions about Mick :snicker: :snicker:

This is such a great short. Long live Josef!!
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by allegrita »

RangerCM wrote:
“What’s your name, sweetheart?” he said in that deceptively seductive voice of his, all whiskey and moonlight, and promises he had no intention of keeping.
Love these little insights into Josef's opinions about Mick :snicker: :snicker:

This is such a great short. Long live Josef!!
I've got to agree--and that description is sheer poetry, Lucky. :rose:
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by Lilly »

I love Mick in this. He's in full-blown big brother mode -- not only to Seana, but to Josef as well. It's a side of Mick that Josef counts on but he'd never openly admit it.

One of my favorite lines:
He looked at me with honest concern in his hazel eyes. I can always count of Mick to be rational when I’m not. I do the same thing for him. And more frequently, I might add.
He does have a point. Still, it's fascinating seeing him trying to keep the upper hand with Mick, even when he knows he's in over his head. And dreaming.
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by eris »

The Josef/Lucky bit is great, of course, but what sticks out to me most is Seana. I wonder if she's really a J-freshie, or just one he dreamed up as someone Mick would relate to.
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by PNWgal »

Now, you know how much I love this, Lucky. I'm so happy to see it posted!

I can see in my mind's eye, all the freshies gathered around like scared rabbits and Mick trying to sort out what's going on.
But this was Mick. Him, I’d share my toys with. And besides, I knew he wasn’t looking to play that way anymore, which continues to be a damn shame.
Doesn't it just? ;-)
“What’s your name, sweetheart?” he said in that deceptively seductive voice of his, all whiskey and moonlight, and promises he had no intention of keeping.
Oh god, I love this phrasing - sooo very perfect and lovely description of Mick's voice. Yum. :happysigh:
I shrugged and gave the only answer I could. “She’s Lucky. She’s just…Lucky.”
Poor Josef. He just can't put his finger on what makes freshie Lucky so special. I love his consternation and confusion.
Lucky leaned against his shoulder, comfortable. “I was planning to go over to Burbank. There’s a bookstore there I’d like to check out. You just never know what you might find, in a good bookstore.”

She wondered what caused his arm to tighten so.
This got me to chuckling.

Just a wonderful piece all around. Well done!
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by LadyAilith »

Very nicely done! I can hear Mick's "moonlight and whiskey" voice trying to calm Seana enough to find out what's going on, sense Josef's almost overwhelming consternation with Lucky. He slept with her then told her she should have a human boyfriend. Of course she's going to go right out and find one just to piss him off!

Even though it's just a dream, I'm glad that she had the gumption to one up Josef. I'm sure he never thought she'd do it...And not all nightmares have scary monsters in them.

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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by one.zebra »

What an interesting game Josef and Lucky play...in his dreams and out....
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by francis »

Josef’s voice is so strong in this. He is introspective and snarky.
And I don’t do dead. Obviously.
:snicker:
“What’s your name, sweetheart?” he said in that deceptively seductive voice of his, all whiskey and moonlight, and promises he had no intention of keeping.
Ouch. Josef can see through Mick’s hero-exterior. Mick surely made promises, to Beth for example, he didn’t keep. And I love the description of his voice.

So Lucky did something that pissed Josef off. Probably on purpose, knowing full well it would provoke him enough to reach a decision about where he stands with her. Smart girl, and very brave.

I love how Josef takes his anger out by belittling MIck in his thoughts, though he is friend enough not to let it out in words.

And then it’s just an odd nightmare. So it wasn’t Lucky who made him think about Lucky, it was his own subconscious. Now, what’s he gonna do, let her go? Be all jealous without a cause and confuse her even more?

This is a great chapter in the Lucky/Josef story. Josef is way out of his comfort zone, and a vampire on edge is always a sight to behold – dangerous, indecisive, snarky, angry Josef must confuse everyone in the house, and most of all himself. I wonder how long he can play that game.
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by mitzie »

I really love this one! Loved Mick being the rational one in the dream, while Josef seemed to be feeling in way over his head and not knowing how to deal with the situation. Loved the description of Mick talking to Seata! Beautifully written!!!! :yahoo: :yahoo: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :hyper2: :hyper2: :giggle: :dizzy: :angel: :yahoo: :devil: :whistle: :yahoo: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :thud: :thud: :thud: :thud: :notworthy: :hyper2: :hyper2:


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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by Phoenix »

He looked at me with honest concern in his hazel eyes. I can always count of Mick to be rational when I’m not. I do the same thing for him. And more frequently, I might add.
Poor Josef. He really needs to get past his inferiority complex. :giggle:

Wonderful, Lucky. :biggrin:
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Re: Josef's Point of View (PG-13)

Post by AggieVamp »

I love how Josef's own conscience is beating him up in dreams. :tomato: ..maybe he is trying to make a decision about Lucky - and this is his mind's way of forcing the issue. Obviously he doesn't like the thought of Lucky having a 'human' boyfriend - but does he want to admit to himself that she means more to him than just a 'meal'? :giggle:

And Mick was in perfect 'best friend' mode.. :D

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