Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Ever have one of those days? You know the ones that I’m talking about. The ones that never end, the ones where anything and everything that can go wrong, does? Well today is one of those days for me. I’m stuck in a god forsaken hell hole, chasing prey. Normally you’d think that this wouldn’t be a problem. Trust me, when the prey is almost as smart as you are, it is.

The day started out so easily too. Just find, hunt down and kill several humans. Another day in the office, so to speak. Yeah, right. These guys are smart or lucky, I haven’t decided which yet. How they’ve stayed out of my sights is anybody’s guess, but they have that is until last week that is. Doesn’t help when I don’t speak Chinese or look Chinese either. That part I’m used to. I travel the world tracking down and eliminating those that hunt and kill my kind. I’m sure you’re wondering why I used that particular phrasing. I’ll give you a little hint. I drink blood . . . only blood. Want another one? I’m undead, oh and I have fangs and pure white eyes when it suits me. So just in case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a vampire. Guess what? We do exist, really. Not something that we as a species like to have as common knowledge though. Very detrimental to our health.

Shit! Another bullet whizzed by my head. That was way too close. I let myself change so that I can track the direction in which it came from. I slowly turn my head towards the trajectory that the bullet had taken. Sure enough, I hear the sound of the gun cocking, the trigger being pulled and the bullet leaving the gun. I lean towards my left just as it flies by me. I hear another gunshot and a howl of pain. Damn the Gods! Enough already. I can feel my frustration start to morph into rage. Not something that I usually like to happen as it makes for being in control almost impossible. But these guys are getting under my skin. And trust me that’s not someplace that you want to be.

“Brid!” I hiss. Where the hell is she?

I hear a muffled answer to my right and down. “Down here. Bloody morons actually shot me!”

I scamper across the top of the building towards her voice. Its pitch black, but for me, it still looks like daylight. I jump down landing in a crouching position beside her. “Let me see.”

She cringes as I look closely at the wound in her left shoulder. I pull the fabric back as gently as I can. I growl softly in frustration. The wound is weeping, not healing nearly as fast as it should. “And you didn’t hear this coming towards you why?”

Brid turned and gave me an evil stare. “Gee, I don’t know . . . some of us don’t have your hearing.”

“Uh huh. You can hear them too, you just have to focus.” I reach into my back pocket to retrieve my knife. “That bullet needs to come out now. You’re not healing.”

“No really?” Brid shot back followed by a quiet moan. “Can you please get the bloody thing out? Now?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I take the knife and hold it over the wound, making a quick incision. I have to dig around, causing Brid to stifle a whimper. “I’m sorry, it’s deep.”

“I never would have guessed.” Came her reply through gritted teeth, her eyes are glowing in the dark.

I finally feel my knife hit metal. I maneuver the blade under the bullet and work it out. “There, it’s out.” Brid releases the breath she’s been holding. She reaches around to feel the hole in her shirt, as well as the wound that is now quickly closing.

“Bloody ‘ell! My favorite shirt!” Her eyes flash in anger, followed by a low menacing growl which of course earns a snicker from me and a glare from her. Maybe one of these centuries she’ll learn not to wear her favorite designer clothes hunting.

About that time the third member of my team, Brid’s mate, runs up. “So do any of us know who the hell is shooting at us?”

I just give him a blank stare in response. “Did you really just ask that?”

“Yes, I just really asked that.” He quietly snarled back, clearly annoyed.

I roll my eyes before answering him. “Dom, could it possibly be the hunters that we’re trying to eliminate?” Yeah, I’m being difficult, but I’m tired, hungry and pissed.

He’s about to answer as a ninja fighting star flies by, whistling as it does, nearly hitting him in the shoulder. He growls in frustration, features changing at the same time.

“Great,” I curse softly. “Could this day get any bloody worse?” I move from the sitting position I was in to a crouch, scanning the surrounding area, trying desperately to figure out where the hell the damn star had come from.

Dom suddenly points towards movement about 20 feet down the alley from where we are hiding. I nod silently and point in the direction that I want them to head and they move into position. We all watch intently for a few more minutes, trying to gauge how many we are dealing with; without much luck, which incenses me even more and I feel my control slip another notch. Vampire senses are heightened exponentially from human senses but it’s only useful to a point. Predicting how prey will move when one doesn’t know how many there are and where they will attack from pretty much nullifies the heightened senses factor.

I hear rustling on the roof directly to my left. I look up and let loose a quiet growl. Wonderful, the job just got even worse. I really, really wish that this day would end.

I look over towards Brid who is now hiding behind a small dumpster and point up towards the roof. She nods and looks up. She glances back at me unsure of what she is supposed to be seeing, when the object of our hunt moves again and I watch as recognition filters onto her face. She speaks to me in the ultrasound range.

“Ninjas?! This is getting ridiculous.” She reaches behind her to pull out her small crossbow and takes aim at the quarry.

“NO!” I yell back ultra soundly. She looks at me, perplexed. “Not until we know how many of them we have to deal with.”

Dom has slinked his way over and is now crouching down just behind Brid. I watch as his gaze follows the trajectory of the crossbow. “There are a total of three up on the roof.”

I have now made it silently over to where we had previously witnessed movement. I curse quietly, smelling blood and lots of it, none of it human thankfully, overwhelming my senses, making it almost impossible to get any sort of bearing of any kind. Well at least I know where the vampire was killed now. As I am backing out of the alley, I hear a soft thud on ground behind me. FUCK!! Followed quickly by three more soft thuds. Just bloody peachy.

I turn around slowly, and come face to face with four men, clad in black from head to toe, only their eyes showing. And yep, you guessed it, all standing in poses just like in a classic bad Kung Fu movie. I couldn’t help myself, I laughed. Bad idea, I know; which of course, infuriated the little Kung Fu men.

So, without what I assume they thought was no warning, they attacked, screaming at me in Chinese. I waited until the last possible second and then jumped straight up. Oh and for the record, no I cannot fly. Jump insanely high, yes. Turn in to a damn bat and fly, no. Although I have always wondered where that little myth came from.

I watch from my vantage point on the roof, as they all stop, obviously wondering where I went. These fools must have never dealt with real vamps before; otherwise they would have known that I have the ability to do that. Then it hits me, the smell of terror and urine. These poor souls have never; ever really seen a vampire and now are scared senseless. Too bad for them that they actually managed to kill a real one and now I have a job to do. I jump back down in front of them, an evil smile on my face. Okay, so sometimes I do love my job.

One gets brave, screams what seems to be a battle cry and runs directly towards me, nun chucks flaying. I dodge to my left, pivot and land a well placed kick directly into his chest sending him flying into the wall of the building directly behind him which forces him to drop the weapon to the ground.

I’m about to stalk over to him and finish him off when the second attack starts. All three of the remaining little black men charge, one with a pair of broadswords, the other two carrying sai’s. Shit, something that if they actually got lucky could kill me. I growl menacingly and get into a ready stance. And yes, I have black belts in several forms of martial arts.

With a warrior cry the first swings the broadsword at my chest. Timing my leap, I jump and spin in the air, kicking him in the head. He crumples to the ground; his skull now has a rather large dent in it, with blood oozing out of it and the smell of fresh blood almost driving me to distraction. Trust me; he won’t be getting up ever again.

Now fully in the mode, I turn my attention to the last two would be killers. I’m fighting to not lose control of what most would call the monster that lives within me. One of the world’s most common misconceptions; seeming to think that I’m two different beings in one body, like part of me disappears when the vampire shows up. I’m not and it doesn’t. I can’t quite explain it, well at least not in layman’s terms, it’s almost like . . . well I’ll attempt to explain later when I don’t have so many distractions.

I hear a blood curdling scream come from the main street where I had left Brid and Dom. Cursing softly to myself, I snap my head towards the sound trying to figure out who screamed thus taking my eyes from the two little Kung Fu men for just a second. Stupid mistake on my part, last mistake on theirs. I feel this intense burning sensation in my heart. The burning starts to radiate out from the wound into my chest and then morphs into a searing pain. I look down at the sai as he foolishly pushes it through the rest of my chest so that it is now sticking out several inches out my back. My eyes travel up from the sai to his face and see the look of triumph in his eyes obviously thinking that I shouldn’t be able to move. Fuck it. I let the controlled rage bubble to the surface. I smile a decidedly toothy grin at him, making sure my fangs are fully visible, followed by a snarl. I smile even wider as I watch the look of triumph on his face dissolves in to a look of pure unadulterated horror.

In one swift motion I grab the sai, pull it out of my body, with of course the obligatory sickening slurpy sound and run it clean through my attacker. He slumps to the ground, his blood gushing out the wounds, making the need to feed even more prominent. And thanks to him, I now really need to. I heal fast, blindingly really, but even at that rate I’ve lost a lot of blood and I need to replace it soon, and dinner plus desert is right in front of me.

The fourth human, well prey, drops his weapons, backs up a few steps holding his hands up in surrender. I hold my hand up and wag my index finger back and forth in a scolding motion. His response . . . eyes widen to saucer size, he then turns and runs as fast as his legs could carry him down the alley. I give him a hundred foot head start, hey might as well make it interesting, before I take off after him. Who says I can’t play with my food before eating it?

He weaves back and forth in front of me, pulling garbage cans down behind him trying to slow me down. I jump up and run a few paces on the wall before landing on the ground just behind him as he comes to an abrupt halt. He didn’t pay attention to where he was running and has cornered himself into a dead end. I stand at the opening smelling the rising panic in him, hearing his racing heartbeat pick up even more speed. I can’t help it; I lick my lips in anticipation. The need to feed at this point is threatening to overpower my hard fought control.

A sneer graces my lips as I stalk forward. The little Kung Fu man slides along the wall and into the corner of two buildings. “No where to run now, is there?” I say tauntingly. The closer I get to him, the louder his blood coursing through his veins pounds in my ears calling to me almost like the Selchie’s song.

As I take the last few steps towards him, he decides to try and bolt. He makes it one step before I grab him by the throat and throw him against the wall, holding him about a foot off the ground. “See you in hell.” I whisper in his ear before I rip the hood off, forcefully turn his head to the side and sink my teeth into his neck causing his blood to start gushing out. I have to gulp to keep up with the flow, relishing in its taste. Endorphins, adrenaline and terror give his blood a spicy kick that is intoxicating. It not only nourishes my body, it satisfies the beast as well.

I feel his heart flutter and stop beating. At that point, I stop feeding. I’m satiated and I don’t have time to do what it takes to get the remaining blood out of his body. I pick the deceased up, throw it over my shoulder and head back to the alley.

Once back to the area where the other three are, I drop the dead weight on top of the first kill and glide over to the one that I threw against the wall. He’s still out cold and probably would never wake up but I can’t take that chance. Part of my reason for being around so long is because I never, ever leave anyone behind that knows what I look like. I bend down; put my hands on either side of his head and twist sharply, breaking his neck, ending his life instantly.

I glance around, satisfied with the situation for the moment. It will have to eventually be cleaned up. I wipe the drying blood from my mouth as I head back into the main road where I left Brid and Dom. What can I say, being a vampire is messy.

As I round the corner I see Dom running towards one human that has obviously thrown a ninja star at him. How do I know that? The star is currently sticking out of his chest at heart level. Dom stops in front of his would be attacker, swings at his head with a fist, making contact at the side. Problem is in his rage Dom has forgotten to pull his punch. His fist not only makes contact with the humans head, it travels clear through it.

I watch as a look of disgust crosses Dom face at the mess he’s made of his hand. He pulls it out as fast as he sent it through, even before the body has started to fall to the ground. He starts shaking his hand violently back and forth trying, without success, to get the offending hair, skin bone, blood and brain matter off his hand.

So engrossed is he in his now blood and guts covered hand, he fails to hear Brid’s scream of anger. She stomps up and roughly shoves him to the ground.

I’m holding my sides, trying not to laugh out loud. I watch as she looks down at her shirt and back to her mate, the shirt now covered with blood, bone and brain matter. She takes two fingers, reaches down and pulls the shirt away from her skin. It makes an almost sucking sound as it releases from her skin. I can see the rage brewing in her eyes.

What comes out of Brid’s mouth next is nothing short of a verbal version of the 1666 fire in London, all of it in Gaelic. And yes, I was there for that. I watched in horror as the whole city burned to the ground. Sad story really. It was both a blessing and a curse for vampires. Plenty of food with that many people in such a small place, but we lost so many members of the London tribe as well. I bring my focus back to the present and stand back and let the drama that is Brid and Dom unfold. It is both an unending source of amusement and frustration for me at the same time. Don’t get me wrong, I consider them family and trust them implicitly, but sometimes . . . let’s just say my life is never boring with them around. Not that it is anyway. Boring well, what would be the point in living then?

Dom scoots across the ground like a crab, trying to stand at the same time. Brid follows him step for step, making sure to keep him off balance so that he can’t get up and make his escape. He stops short as the back of his head hits the garbage cans, making them rattle loudly. Too loudly actually. This is a small village and so far no one has come out to investigate the noises. And trust me there have been plenty and I want to keep it that way. There’s been enough death in this village for one day.

“Enough.” I hiss. “We’ve made too much noise already.” I smirk as two faces turn my way with looks of ‘how dare you interrupt’ on them. “Deal, you two. Brid you can plan his funeral later. We have a mess to clean up.”

She shoots me a look in response, but doesn’t move. It’s almost as if she’s trying to decide her next move. My gaze travels from her to Dom. I watch his facial expressions change from uncertainty to fear. Brid has a fairly long fuse, but once it’s lit? All I can say is get out of the way. A wicked smile comes to her face, signaling that a decision has been made and knowing her . . . well Dominic isn’t going to like it one bit.

Brid turns as if to head towards the two dead humans, but stops midstride, turns and plants her foot right on top of the ninja star, forcing it almost all of the way into Dom’s chest. He bites his lip, hard by the looks of it; blood is running down his chin, trying not to make any noise. A little whimper manages to escape his lips though. She leans down and whispers in his ear, “You owe me a new wardrobe for this.” Another groan escapes his lips. He knows as well as I do what that means. A trip to Paris. Dom hates Paris. It always costs him way too much money. Brid only wears haute couture.

Dom manages to squeak out “Yes, my love.” as Brid heads towards one of the dead humans. I snicker and walk over to him, reach down and pull the ninja star out.

“You’re getting off easy, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.”

I hold out my hand to help pull him up. Dom reaches out with the blood covered hand. I pull my hand back and arch my right eyebrow up.

Dom smiles sheepishly and shoves his other hand up towards me. I yank him up to his feet.

“Come on, Dom. We need to get this mess cleaned up and out of here before daybreak.” I head back towards the alley where my three dead humans are. Why is it I always manage to get the highest body count?

Just as I reach the corner of the building to head in to the alley I hear it. A groan from Dom followed by, “Can’t we just once pay to have someone else clean this up?”

To which Brid replies, clearly still very, very pissed. “No! How the hell would anyone get here in time anyway? You made the mess, now clean it up!”

The comments earn her a growl in response. I heard faint shuffling noises which mean that they are starting the gruesome process.

I snicker as I reach my own personal mess. Sometimes I wish we could to, but out here in the middle of nowhere, it’s just not an option. I lean down to the pile of bodies, trying to decide the best a quickest way to do this. When all is said and done, under no circumstances can it look like it the deaths were caused by vampires. Superstition runs high in this area.

I won’t bore you with the gory details of how we did it, but suffice it to say that just before dawn the mess is completely cleaned up and it can’t be linked back to the vampire nation. Hey, I told you I was good at what I do. Too good for some people’s tastes; vampire and human.

I head back into the main area to find Dom and Brid just finishing up as well. I glide over to them and look at their handy work. “Nice job. So where’s the one you punched your hand through, Dom?”

A disgusted look crosses his face. “You don’t want to know.”

I snicker back. “Really now?”

Brid flashes me a wicked smile. “Yeah, I made him dismember it and deposit it in the swamp that’s near here.”

“Ah so that’s why the smell of decay is so much stronger on him right now.” I can’t help it. He’s just too much fun to tease.

“Ha, Ha.” He storms off towards our rental car. Wonderful piece of crap that it is. But we couldn’t rent something conspicuous. “Can we get going please?” He glances from Brid and me to the lightening sky. The sun may not bother me but it does both of my companions. Another point that I will explain at another time when I’m not so tired. You see even among our kind, be it good or bad, I’m one of a kind.

I motion with my head towards the car and Brid and I head towards it. Dom climbs into the driver’s seat, starts the car and peals out, well tries to anyway, as soon as the passenger door is shut.

I try to relax and just enjoy the ride but the road is dirt so it’s full of ruts and potholes. Combine that with the string of obsinities that is literally pouring out of Dominic’s mouth, the long ride is looking to be not relaxing in the slightest.

After about fifteen minutes I huff and turn to look at him. “Knock it off Dom. We know the road is rough. Cussing every single second isn’t going to help; it’s just pissing me off.”

He glares at me. “Well it wouldn’t be such a problem if you’d let me rent a Land cruiser.” I smile a little at the venom in his voice.

“You know why we couldn’t. Deal.”

“They aren’t conspicuous.” He just won’t let it go.

I let out the breath I was holding, “Uh, huh. We’re going to a village that has mostly dirt floors in the little huts and you don’t think a Land Cruiser would stick out?”

Brid starts chuckling. “Oh, come on Aoife. You know him. It has to be fast and shiny.”

I turn to look at her. “Yeah, I know. There are three of them sitting in the garage at home.” Brid lives for designer clothes, Dom does cars.

What can I say? Me, just a quiet month at home would be nice, but I haven’t had one of those in I can’t remember when. Don’t get me wrong, I wear only designer as well, but I prefer to keep it comfortable.

The rest of the ride is relatively quiet. Dom pulls up in front of the hotel we are staying at just as the sun hits the front of the building. Both cringe in pain, their hands fly up in a vain attempt to block the sun as they almost storm the front doors. Like I said before, the sun doesn’t bother me so I make sure the car is secure before I head in.

By the time I reach the room, both are practically naked, trying to cool their rapidly overheating bodies down. I guess I should stop and explain here, no vampires to do burst into flame the moment the sun reaches them; no we do not lose our super human strength either. Sorry but Bram Stoker got it wrong. It does though; make us very, very ill. The sun rapidly dehydrates us, causing the blood lust to rise and if we are out in it for long enough, it will kill us. Just one of several things that can do that. No we are not invincible, although many seem to think that I am.

I decide to take pity on them and go over to the air conditioner and turn in up, full blast. Then I head to the cooler that I brought in with me from the car and set it down on the bureau. I open it and take out three pints of blood. I hand them one each and open mine. I sit down in the one chair in the room and take a drink. A soft moan of pleasure escapes my lips as the blood flows down my throat, not only nourishing the physical need but the psychological one as well.

I lean back, my eyes closed, mouth open, fangs peeking out. Blood, even bagged gives a head rush when we’re over . . . well over anything. How much of one depends on how fresh it is. This was several days old so . . . let’s say at this point it meets the immediate needs and that’s just about it.

I open my eyes and look at Brid when she asks, “So when do we head back?” Her eyes are tinged with red that is rapidly fading from the blood that she just drank. She’s leaning against Dom’s chest. He’s planted himself up against the headboard.

“Well, I figured we’d wait until tonight and then catch the red eye to London.”

Both vampires’ groan. “The red eye? Come on Aoife. Can’t we charter a jet?” Dom pleads. At time’s he still has a hard time with crowds. Planes? Yeah, too many heartbeats in a small space. Hell, it even gets to me sometimes. But this was a low budget affair and I had to leave the personal jet at home. Fuel prices for the thing are killing me.

“Nope, sorry. Not in the budget on this one.”

“Wait, we need to stop in Paris first anyway.” Brid announces. Dom rolls his eyes. Luckily Brid doesn’t see him or it would cost him a lot more than the side trip is going to anyway.

I huff and shrug. “I was hoping that you’d forgotten about that.”

“No way, Aoife. He owes me.”

“For a shirt that you shouldn’t have worn hunting in the first place.” I respond dryly.

“Wait, Aoife’s right. Why do I have to pay for a shirt that I didn’t ruin? The bullet hole did.” Dom is glaring at his mate now.

She whips around, fire in her eyes and states through tightly gritted teeth. “True, but I didn”t put MY bloody hand through a human’s head!” By the end of the sentence she’s practically yelling.

I sigh and roll my eyes. Here we go again. Like I said life around them in never, ever dull. “Brid keep it down, we don’t need to draw attention to ourselves.”

She glares at me and crosses her arms in front of her chest. She then turns her attention back to Dom. “Trust me; it’s going to cost you.” That said, she stormed off into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

I snicker softly, “You’d better hope that she calms down before we get to Paris or it’s going to cost you plenty, Dom.” Exhaustion is starting to seep into my body; I haven’t really slept since we left Ireland.

“Yeah, I know. Can’t you just say we need to get back to the manor . . . please?” He says as he makes puppy dog eyes at me.

“Uh huh. Yeah, no not going to happen, it’s fashion week starting tomorrow, you know she never misses that. Besides I need to see my tailor and get some new outfits made anyway. You’ll live. Besides you have always liked the view.”

He gives me a look and his response is almost a whisper. “Shhhhh, are you trying to get me into more trouble?”

My eyes sparkle with amusement, “Dominic, you manage to do that all by yourself on a daily basis.” I stand and head towards the hotel room door, just as Brid comes out of the bathroom, now dressed in a pair of pj shorts and a tank top that leaves nothing to the imagination. I watch as Dom’s eyes flash in desire.

Brid sees it too and gives him a sultry smile. “Yes, you can do penance. Come here.” She crooks her finger at him.

I laugh hard as I open the door and head out to go to my room. I truly feel sorry for whoever is in the room next to them. I just hope they remember to keep the bloodbath to a minimum. I hate paying the cleanup bill after them.

I unlock my room’s door and head inside, making a beeline to the ac and crank it up to maximum. At my age, cold is almost as important as blood. And just in case you’re wondering, I’m very, very old. A lady never tells her true age, but I will forever look like I’m about 26.

I head into the bathroom and start the shower. I desperately need to wash the day’s events off my body. It’s always been one thing that I have never been able to handle. I just can’t stand to have the smell of death on me, to the point of making me nauseous, if it could that is. I guess that it’s one of my coping mechanisms. I deal with death on a daily basis just because of what I am. It was one of the hardest parts for me to get used to once I was turned, having to kill beings that I used to be just like just to live. My compromise used to be to just kill those that didn’t deserve to live anyway. But after what happened to me in 1908? And no you don’t get to ask questions about that. A tale for another time. But as a result of what happened for the most part now the thought of sinking my pearly whites into human flesh makes my skin crawl. I drink bagged or bottled instead. Not as satisfying, but a whole hell of a lot easier on my conscience.

My shower complete, I take some time to brush out my stick straight waist length raven colored hair. No need for a hairdryer, I prefer to let it air dry. The noise from hairdryers is, to say the least very, very hard on my extremely sensitive ears. Walking out of the bathroom, I flop down on the bed sighing. Another job complete. Time to call it in. I lean over, grab my Blackberry and dial a very familiar number. It’s answered on the second ring. “The hunters in China are eliminated.” I say to what most would say would be air but I can hear the faint rustle of paper and pen scratching on said paper. I just don’t understand why they don’t use a computer. Heaven forbid they come into the modern age.

“Elimination noted. Continue to track all current subjects. No further action is required at this time.” A disembodied male voice tells me. I could swear if I didn’t know any better, he was truly a walking corpse as his voice holds no emotion what so ever. I hear the phone disconnect.

I place my phone back on the table and roll over on my back. So I get at least a day or two off. Paris here I come. I feel sleep overtaking me and I let it knowing that in the evening I have a very long and uncomfortable plane ride on my hands.

Chapter 8

Mick looked up and Mike turned his head at the sound of the freezer door knob being turned and the door pushed in. The sudden release of air made a whoosh as it rushed to escape announcing visitors. Beth and Selene silently walked in… Beth carried a tray with a carafe of blood on it and two zombie glasses; Selene’s hands held a set of clothes.

Beth glided past Mick to the small table that was next to the far wall past the freezer, stopping on her way by to give him a tender kiss. She set the tray down and joined Mike and Selene who had stopped to stand next to the doctor who was currently gazing through the frosted glass.

After a few moments Selene turned and hung the clothes on the hook next to the door. She snickered softly as she noticed the room no longer held a urinal. Mick looked at her, questioningly, one eyebrow arching up.

Selene shook her head in response, smiling. “Nothing, Mick.” She replied softly.

Beth glided back over to her husband, placed her hands on his shoulders and started rubbing them. He bent his head back into her chest in response, now purring. Beth leaned down and gave him another kiss, smiling. “You like this, huh?”

“Uh huh.” Came his contented reply.

Selene had wandered back to stand next to Mike. Asking softly, “Has there been any change?”

Mike reached up and rubbed his hands across his face. “No. Nothing. Her body is completely healed; she should be awake by now.” He stomped over to the table in frustration, picked up the glass rather forcefully, filled it with blood and took a long drink. As he looked back towards the freezer, Beth could have sworn that there were unshed tears in his eyes.

Beth looked at Selene, her face laced with worry, noting that Selene’s face mirrored her own. She leaned down to place one last tender kiss on Mick’s lips, motioned silently to Selene, who headed towards the door and followed Beth out.

Mick sighed, stood and went to the table to get his drink which he picked up after pouring a healthy amount and headed back to his seat. He turned it so that the back faced towards the freezer, giving him something to lean against.

“Hey, man. She’ll wake up.” Mick said, not quite sure who he was trying to reassure, Mike or himself.

“Yeah. I know. Just wish it was sooner rather than later.” Mike had taken his spot next to the freezer again. He stared at Aoife, willing her to awaken.

Little did both men know that at that very moment Aoife was rocketing towards consciousness. Her body was hungry and it was responding to the smell of the blood in the air. Suddenly her eyes snapped open. She lied still as a statue, trying to get her bearings. She smiled for a second but it quickly turned to almost a look of terror as she realized the both Mick and Mike were in the room and she could tell that they had been for some time. Fuck! I do NOT want to have to go through the god damn fledgling bloodlust again! She thought as a severe case of blood lust hit her.

She kicked the latch on the freezer, sitting up in time with the lid opening. She chuckled as she saw the shocked looks on the two male vampire’s faces. “Nice to see you, boys.”

Neither made any effort to move, both dumbfounded.

Aoife was getting desperate. “Hey!”

“Aoife?” Mick finally managed to squeak out.

“Last time I checked I was.” She wrapped her arms around her legs, trying to stay calm. “Can one you please get me a glass of blood? I’m dying here.”

“Yeah sure.” Mike stood so fast that the chair he was sitting in slid across the room and into the wall. He quickly poured a glass and handed it to Aoife.

She snatched it out of his hands and downed it in one gulp, handing it back to him immediately. “What?” Mike asked.

“Refill it. I’m going to fucking kill Vlad myself. God damn fledgling blood lust.” Mike refilled the glass and handed it back to her.

Mick’s eyebrows furrowed in concern at the mention of Vlad’s name. “So he did have something to do with it.”

Aoife twisted in the freezer to face her turn. “Yes.” He could plainly see the pain in her eyes. He just wasn’t sure if it was from the blood lust or what she had went through.

“Fledgling blood lust?” Mike asked, concern filling his voice. “And you know this how?”

Aoife glanced sideways at Mike. “Oh come on, you don’t remember what the blood lust felt like right after you were turned?”

Mike refilled the glass for the third time. “I try not to.” He said as he handed her the glass.

After she had drained the glass again, she set the glass down in the freezer and wrapped both her arms around her legs, trying to shield her naked body from two sets of eyes.

“Aoife, what’s wrong?” Mick asked, noting the frustration rolling off his sire.

“Oh gee, I don’t know. Could it be that I’m sitting in this freezer NAKED while two male vampires are in the room.” She snapped back. Wonderful. Newbie temper tantrums. I do not have time for this.

Mike couldn’t help it, he started laughing, hard. Aoife turned her head and glared at him. “What the hell is so fucking funny?!” Aoife screamed.

“Aoife McClellan, fledgling. Oh this is just priceless.” Mike snarked back.

Aoife started to vault out of the freezer to come after Mike but stopped halfway out remembering that she still had no clothes on. Instead she pointed towards the door, “OUT!!!” She yelled, furious.

Mike stood his ground, just on principle. “Not until I check you out.” He stated. Mick, being more in tune with Aoife than Mike was at that particular moment, stood and headed towards the door.

“Mike, come on. Let her get cleaned up and dressed. You can check her out after.” Mick turned the handle on the freezer door, pulled it open and stepped out.

Aoife picked up the glass and held it up in preparation to throw it. She growled and said through teeth that were held tightly together. “Out. Mike. Now.”

Seeing the look on her face, Mike decided that he had pushed her enough for now. “Yeah, yeah.” he said as he headed out the door. It slammed shut as soon as he was over the threshold.

“Seriously, Mike. Did you have to do that?” Mick asked exasperation plainly evident in his voice as the two men headed down the stairs to the living room.

Mick headed to the couch where Beth sat and laid down, his head in her lap. “And yes before anyone asks, she’s awake.”

In response the shower could be heard coming on.

“So how is she?” Beth asked. She’d taken to brushing her fingers through the front of Mick’s hair absentmindedly.

“Currently? She’s pissed. She seems to have a case of fledglingitis.” Mike responded, snickering to himself for his cleverness.

“Fledglingitis? What the hell is that?” Selene looked at Mike, incredulous.

“The inflammation of a fledgling. Wow, never heard of that one before, Mike.” Beth responded, a sarcastic tone filling her voice.

“Well, yeah. Just made it up.”

“That’s just stupid, Mike.” Selene sat in Kraven’s lap, glaring at Mike, her arms crossed over her chest.

Mike shrugged his shoulders in response. He sat down at the kitchen table, reaching around to turn his laptop on.

The shower turned off. Kusabana glanced up from her book, a faint and sad smile gracing her lips. The empath in her could feel the struggle in her dear friend.

Aoife stepped out of the shower, pulled a towel off the rack and wrapped her hair up. She then picked up a second one from the chair and dried her body off, noting how extra sensitive her skin was. Crap. I hope this doesn’t last long. I loathed going through it the first time. Padding to the bathroom counter, she picked up the hair dryer, turned it on and defogged the mirror. She turned the dryer back off and set it back down on the counter. Aoife then reached up and snaked the turban off her head letting her raven hair cascade down her back. Leaning on both arms to get closer to the mirror she took a good look at her reflection. She frowned at herself, not liking what she saw. Her eyes were still tinged yellow, her skin was paler than she would have liked and there were dark circles under her eyes.

She huffed in frustration, pushed off the counter and headed back into the freezer room, running her fingers through her hair as she did to remove any rats.

Once inside she picked up the clean set of clothes that she had noticed hanging on the hook near the door on the way out to the shower. Tears started threatening to fall when she picked them up. It was one of her favorite sets of yoga pants, tank top and hoodie. There was even a bra and matching thong. The outfit came from her home in the hills. Home. The only place she really wanted to be right then, but Aoife knew that her family was waiting downstairs for some sort of explanation. She let the tears fall unbidden not sure how much was truly an emotional release and how much was because of her current state.

Pulling the clothes on, she headed out of the freezer room and into the master bedroom. She noticed the set of stairs in the far corner. She stood for a moment contemplating and then glided over to them and then slowly climbed up them.

The stairs opened up to the very roof of the building. She walked out and stood near the edge looking out towards the ocean.

Aoife sighed and smiled slightly at the long missed tickle in her head.

Aoife?

Yes Mick.

Are you okay?

Not really sure just yet.

Do you want to talk? Aoife smiled again at the question.

When did you become me?

Mick laughed. I haven’t. Just anxious I guess.

Yeah, me too. Look I’ll be down in a little while. I just need to get my thoughts together.

Okay. Came his soft reply. Aoife held her arms across her shoulders, staring out into the night, knowing what she needed to do, wanting to tell them yet dreading the conversation at the same time.

“Okay, I know that look St. John.” Mick looked up at Beth.

“What look?” He raised one eyebrow.

“The ‘I’m having a private conversation with Aoife’ look.” Beth responded.

”Ah. Didn’t know I had a look for that.”

“Well you do. You always look like you’re off in space somewhere.”

“Well good to know . . . I guess.” The comment earned him a cuff across the head.

“So what did she say?” Selene asked, barely containing her excitement.

”She said that she’d be down in a little while. She needs to gather her thoughts.” Mick answered.

“She’s had three years to do that.” Mike groused softly. Selene shot him a look.

While the conversation had gone on, Kusabana had quietly set her book down in the library and headed up the stairs. She followed Aoife’s scent and found her still standing on the ledge.

“Hello, Kusabana.” Aoife said without turning around.

“Hello young one.” Kusabana floated up and stood next to the younger vampire. “You seem troubled.”

“More like scared out of my mind.”

“Why?”

“I have my family down there waiting for me to explain why I left like I did. I just don’t know if I have the strength in me to tell them.”

“Why?”

Aoife turned to look at the ancient vampire. “Because, I feel like a fledgling right now. I don’t know if I can keep it together for long enough to get it out.”

“And that’s the only reason?” Kusabana’s gaze was passive.

“No, you know it’s not. Kusabana, I hurt them all, badly. Very badly. I know that. But I did what I had to do to protect them all. I just don’t know if they will understand it.”

“Aoife, don’t underestimate them. Right now they have nothing to go on. Just speculation. Once you explain it, I’m sure they will understand and forgive you. Because isn’t that the main reason you’re balking?”

“What?” Aoife hated how the elder vampire could always see right through her.

“You don’t know if they will forgive you or not. Again, don’t underestimate them.” With that Kusabana turned and headed towards the stairs. “Don’t make them or yourself wait too much longer, Aoife.” She pulled the door open and went through.

Aoife sighed heavily, jumped off the ledge and followed Kusabana down the stairs.

She stopped at the top of the stairs, willing the butterflies that had formed in the pit of her stomach away with no avail. As she stepped from the landing to the first step she could feel seven sets of eyes on her. Not daring to look at them just yet, she held her gaze on the steps as she slowly descended them, mentally counting the number of steps to give her mind something to do other than think of possible ways the conversation could go a foothold.

Once down the stairs, she headed straight to the hidden fridge, pulled out a carafe, set in on the counter and pulled a zombie glass out of the cupboard. She filled the glass, picked it up and down it in one long gulp. She the glass down poured another and then placed the carafe back in the fridge. She stood facing the counter away from the living room until Beth asked, “Aoife? Is everything okay?”

Sighing, Aoife turned and padded into the living room. She took a spot on the far end of the couch nearest to the fireplace. “I’m not sure yet, Beth. Ask me that again in a while.” Aoife never raised her eyes from the glass.

Impatience had taken Mike over like the green eyed monster. He wanted to know why Aoife had abandoned them, no him the way she did. And he wanted to know now. “So out with it, Aoife. What the hell happened?” His voice held a hard edge to it, one that Aoife hadn’t heard in a very long time. One that told her how much he had been hurting.

She finally raised her head and looked at the assembled group of people. Aoife noted the look of hurt, disbelief and relief that was held in each and every one of their faces. It hurt her all the more knowing she was the reason that it was there. She fought desperately to control her emotions that thanks to her condition were barreling towards a train wreck with no signs of stopping. Vlad will pay with his life for the pain he has caused MY family.

“Well?” Mike said, controlled anger tingeing his voice.

Aed strolled in from the balcony, carrying his usual air of supremacy that absolutely drove Aoife crazy. “So Eva, care to share?”

The next thing Aed knew he was a foot off the floor against one of the columns with Aoife’s hand around his neck. He looked into her now pure white eyes not missing the turmoil that brewed there.

She squeezed his windpipe resulting in his chiseled features to grimace in pain as she hissed out at him, “Do. Not. Ever. Call. Me. That. Again.” To make her point abundantly clear she squeezed harder until she felt the windpipe crush. She pulled her hand away abruptly letting her sire fall unceremoniously to the floor.

Aed just sat on the floor where he landed, rubbing his neck. Kusabana floated to him and handed the old king a glass of blood to aid the healing. She chuckled softly. “She has warned you Aed.” All he could do is nod in response.

Aoife was now standing by the windows, looking out, her hold on her emotions and maybe even her sanity hanging by a thread. Mick had sat up when his sire had attacked hers and now quietly made his way to her side. “Aoife?” He asked, his voice almost a whisper.

She sighed and gave him a sideways glance. “No, Mick. I’m not fine. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way.”

Mike felt the anger that he had clung to for dear life quickly slipping from his grasp. What the hell did they do to her? He glided over and stood on the other side of Aoife. “What do you feel like?”

“That’s just it. I don’t fucking know. Not like a fledgling, more like . . .” She stopped trying to find the words to describe it. “More like a stranger in my own body.”

‘How can anyone feel like that?” Selene questioned, confusion gracing her beautiful face.

Aoife turned and gave Mick a half smile and glided back into the living room retaking her spot on the couch. She picked up the glass that she had set down on the coffee table when she went after Aed and finished it off. She just held it, looking off into space. Now she was getting frustrated that she couldn’t seem to put two coherent thoughts together.

“Aoife?” Beth asked as she reached out and touched her teacher on the arm.

“Yes, Beth.” Came Aoife’s soft reply.

“Ummm. Why did you attack Aed?”

Aoife fought the laugh that was trying to bubble its way out but finally gave up. It started as a giggle and quickly grew into a side splitting laugh.

Aed glared at his turn and stated rather gruffly, “It’s not funny, Aoife.”

It took her a minute or two, but Aoife finally managed to get herself under control. “I’ve warned him way too many times about calling me that.”

“What? Eva?” Beth queried.

“Yes, that.” Aoife sighed again; the laughter had seemed to help somehow. Well they say laughter is the best medicine for a reason.

“Why?”

“Eva is the Anglicanized form of my name, Beth. I was forced to be called that by the Brits as a young woman. Aoife is Gaelic and we were forbidden to speak Gaelic or to practice our faith. It was Catholic or nothing.”

You could almost see the light bulb go on above Beth’s head. “Ohhh. So Aed was disrespecting you when he called you Eva.”

“Exactly.”

Aed humphed. “I was not. I was trying to lighten the mood.”

Aoife turned her head towards the kitchen where Aed was leaning against the counter. “Uh huh. No you weren’t. You were trying to get a rise out of me.”

A knowing smirk flitted across the ancient vampire’s face. “It worked didn’t it?”

“Oh for the love of . . . “ Aoife rolled her eyes.

“Is he always like that?” Beth wondered out loud.

An emphatic “YES.” Came from Aoife, Mike, Selene, Kraven and Kusabana all at the same time. Aed’s smirk grew into a smile.

“Hey, what can I say, it’s a gift.”

“More like a curse.” Aoife shot back.

Aoife glanced over towards the windows overlooking the balcony and at Mike. He hadn’t moved since he’d gone over to her.

She shook her head, feeling the maelstrom of feelings that were filling his head. Taking a cleansing breath she said. “I’m not sure exactly where to begin.”

Mike whipped around and stalked back into the living room stopping in front of her, the anger and hurt fighting for dominance. “Gee, Aoife. I don’t maybe why the FUCK you left us to begin with?”

Aoife shot up from her position on the couch, shoving Mike back into the coffee table causing him to stumble and fall onto it. She glared at him and yelled back, “You think I WANTED to leave?! That I planned on just up and disappear on all of you?! Especially on such a special day?! GO TO HELL, MICHAEL!”

Not deterred, Mike stood up and planted himself so that there were two inches between them. “THEN WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!”

Aoife didn’t fight the tears that she had been holding back for three years as they started to fall. Softly she said, “It was either leave and never see you all again or watch all of you be killed.”

“What?!” Came from every person in the room.

To Mick it felt like all of the air in the room had been sucked out with that sentence. Aoife just stood, looking at the ground. “Aoife, please. What happened?”

Aoife lifted her face partway to look into Mick’s currently green tinged with brown eyes. The color they usually were when he was upset. She took a deep breath as she slowly sank down into the couch again. “Remember when I said that I had forgotten something in my room?”

“Yeah, of course. It was the last time we saw you until today.” Mick responded.

“Well I walked into an ambush.”

“An ambush? How? I had bodyguards positioned at all points of entry, Aoife.” Josef stated, his voice laced with anger that his people had failed him.

“They landed on the opposite side of the island, Josef. That’s how they got me out.”

Josef’s eyes flashed from their normal color to white and back again.

“So why kidnap you?” Kraven asked.

“To get me out of the picture. At the time I didn’t know who was behind it; I just knew that it seemed to be a personal vendetta against me. They knew that the only way to get me to cooperate was to make sure that I knew that if I didn’t all of your lives would be forfeit.”

Mick fought to keep the ever present rage in check. Beth felt him tense up and in response she pulled him into her embrace, hugging him tightly. She felt his body slowly unclench somewhat, signaling that the hug had had its desired effect. “Aoife, why didn’t you contact me telepathically? We could have rescued you.”

“I couldn’t. They had brought a psychic null with them. She did a real number on me too. Was sick for weeks.”

“What’s a psychic null?” Beth’s couldn’t help it. Her reporter instinct had kicked in.

Kusabana explained. “A psychic null is just what it sounds like Beth. The have the innate ability to block psychic abilities like telepathy.” She turned her head towards Aoife. “What did she look like?”

Aoife thought for a moment, “She was short, about 5’2” I’d say, short red hair that had blond highlights all over it. Her eyes were so brown that they almost looked black.”

Kusabana nodded. “Jade.”

“Huh?” Aoife answered back.

“Jade. She was one of Vlad’s favorite freshies. But she was past what he considered prime feeding material. Now I know why he kept her.”

“Wonderful. So I was forced to sit and listen to their offer.”

“Which was . . .” Mike was now leaning forward, his behind almost falling off the coffee table.

“Go with them and never have any contact with any of you ever again and . . .” Aoife let her voice trail off. How did she explain the next part?

The light bulb went off above Beth’s head again. “Wait! You were human when I saw you two days ago!”

“Yes I was.”

Beth’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. “See, I told you I talked to her.” Beth glared at her husband who was now standing near the fireplace.

Aoife chuckled. “They didn’t believe you did they.”

“Nope.”

“You’ve come along way Beth.” Beth would have blushed if she could have.

“They turned you human?!” Mike asked, disbelief written all over his face.

“Yeah. That was the other part of the deal with the devil. I had to let them try an experimental drug on me that would if it worked make me permanently human at best, at worst kill me.”

“Again, why didn’t you figure out a way to let us know so we could help you?” Mick ground out, his voice a cross between a hiss and a growl. His arms were crossed over his chest in a defensive posture, his brow scrunched together.

Aoife stood again and started pacing behind the couch. She stopped and faced him. “Damn it Mick! I couldn’t reach you telepathically! Trust me on this. They had enough vampire mercenaries there to take all of you out! None of you would have made it through the day alive if I hadn’t agreed to they’re demands!” She angrily wiped away the tears flowing down her face before she continued. In a shaky voice she continued, “I promised to keep you all safe no matter the cost, even if the cost was never seeing any of you again. I wasn’t going to go back on that promise.” Aoife’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if you all had died.”

“We could have taken care of ourselves!” Mick almost roared back.

Aoife kept her voice low and even. “No, Mick. I had a split second to make the decision. The mercenaries were in place to take you all out if I hesitated. Trust me, I saw them. Just as you’ll have to trust me now to know that it was the only decision I could have made.”

The group sat in stunned silence for several minutes. Mick finally broke the silence. “When did the give you the compound?”

“Before I left. Threw me into convulsions, the pain was almost unbearable. Almost felt like someone was ripping me in half. Why?”

“Because for the whole time you were gone until last night, it felt like you were gone but yet you weren’t.” Mick just stared at his sire for a moment. “I felt it happen. The moment they killed you.”

Aoife smiled softly. “Well I never thought I’d hear you say that returning human was killing someone.”

Mick fought the smile that was threatening to break free, finally giving up and letting it. “Yeah well, Beth’s not the only one that’s come a long way.”

“So I see.” Mick glided the two paces and pulled his sire in for a long overdue hug.

Mick released Aoife after a minute as Beth caught his attention mouthing the word ‘dream’ to him. “Aoife, were you unable to do telepathy until yesterday?”

Aoife had moved to stand next to Mike. She was absentmindedly rubbing his shoulders. Mike was so caught up in the conversation that he failed to register what she was doing, he just started purring quietly. Aoife looked down, smiled and said nothing about her mate’s reaction. “Well, for the most part of the last three years yes. Like I said that psychic null did a real number on me.”

“What about several days ago?” Mick prodded.

“What about it?” Damn, they figured it out.

“I had a dream three days ago about a conversation that you and I had about how I would handle you being gone from my life.”

“Mick, we don’t dream.” Aoife reminded him.

“I know that. I hadn’t thought of that conversation for ever until that night. Why?” Mick implored.

Aoife stopped rubbing Mike’s shoulders, causing him to snap his head to look at her, realization written on his face. He reached up and took one of her hands in his. Relief washed over her. She had a lot of fences to mend with him, but if this was any indication at least he would listen to her. “You’ve got to understand, my every move for three years has been monitored. My cell records dumped, my phone tapped, bugs in my apartment, my laptop hacked into on a regular basis. I just couldn’t take the chance contacting you. But three days ago the pain you were in, it was so very strong, it managed to get through to me. I couldn’t call you, so I did the only thing that I could do. I pulled the memory up for you, hoping that it would give you some comfort.”

“More like scared the shit out of me.”

“I’m sorry, Mick. That was never my intention.”

“I know, Aoife. Who knew three days later that you’d be here?” Beth had gone to Mick when he mentioned the dream and was now standing in front of him, his arms wrapped around her waist, hers setting on top of his. He leaned in and placed a quick peck on her cheek.

“Yeah, who knew?” Aoife said dryly.

“So what happened last evening? Who attacked you? Why did they want you dead all of a sudden?” Josef launched the questions at Aoife in quick succession.

“You mean after Beth talked to me?” Josef nodded. All eyes were on Aoife anxiously awaiting her answer.

Aoife laughed nervously. “I don’t know why Vlad wanted me dead all of a sudden. You’ll have to fill me in on what you all have been doing.”

“How do you know that Vlad . . . “Aoife held her hand up to stop Mick’s question.

“Let me explain, Mick.” She took a deep breath. “After I left Pershing Square I headed home. I just couldn’t bear to be in the apartment right then so I decided to go to the beach. I stayed there until it was almost dark. Funny thing is I felt them even before I saw them.”

“So who were they?” Selene asked.

“Davis and his roving morons.” Both Selene and Kraven gave a little snicker at Aoife’s description.

“You knew them?”

“Yes, Mick. They worked for Vlad. Davis falls into the ‘why the hell would you turn this monster’ category. He was a serial killer before he was turned. He was Vlad’s turn, I think.” She looked over at Kusabana and Aed for confirmation.

Aed nodded his head in affirmation. “Yep. I could have killed Vlad when he did it too. Davis had been a constant irritation from day one. Definitely not sorry to see him gone.”

“Anyway, they attacked me, hell you all saw what they did to me. I was ready to die, as long as it meant you all could live, then some part of me registered what Davis was saying about all of you.”

Mick’s eyebrow arched up in the unspoken question.

“He said that once I was dead that they were going to kill all of you . . . on Vlad’s orders.” Aoife took another big breath. “I guess I never was really human after all. That when it came right down to it when my body was almost dead, the virus woke up. I remember a burning sensation radiating out from my heart. Then the rage hit. I couldn’t control it and I didn’t try too. I think the only thing I didn’t do to them was bite them. The thought of their blood in my system even repulsed me in that state.” She paused for another moment or two and then continued. “Once they were dead I managed to get some kind of control over myself and made it here.”

Mike had been silently watching Aoife the whole time. He could tell the toll that telling the story was taking on her both emotionally and physically. She was beginning to have a hard time standing upright. He watched as she padded the few steps to the sofa and flopped down on it.

“Aoife, you okay?” Beth asked.

“Just exhausted, Beth.”

“So where do we go from here?” Selene wondered. Her face held the look of concern. She too couldn’t help but notice how tired her friend looked.

Mike stood, leaned down and placed a kiss on the top of Aoife’s head. “Everyone goes to bed, that’s what.” The faint hint of a smile graced his lips as he watched Aoife fight a gallant battle against the exhaustion overwhelming her.

“But we need to figure out what our next move is.” Beth responded. She was still in a state of shock at how weak Aoife seemed. She’d never seen her this way.

“Patience, young one. We have time.” Kusabana answered softly.

“But . . .” Mick cut Beth off with a kiss. She took the hint and didn’t finish the sentence.

Aoife lifted head with some effort and looked at Beth. “Kusabana’s right. We have time to plan this right. Vlad thinks I’m dead and he knows that it would take time to take all of you out.”

“And he knows this how, exactly?” Aed asked, dryly.

“Because Davis took pictures of me and sent them to Vlad right before I attacked him.” Aoife replied. She lifted her head up to look into Mikes’ eyes. “Mike, please. Take me home.”

“Your wish, your highness is my command.” Mike held out his hand to her, which she took and pulled Aoife up to a standing position. As he led her to the front door he said over his shoulder, “Bed all of you. Doctor’s orders.” He shut the door behind them, wrapped his arm around Aoife’s waist as he led her to the elevator. He pushed the button, the door opened and he helped her into the elevator. The door shut with a cheerful ding causing Aoife to cringe. “Still overly sensitive huh?”

“Yeah. It’s getting better though.” Aoife placed her head on Mike’s shoulder. “Mike?”

The elevator dinged announcing that they had reached they’re destination.

“Yep.” He bent down and swooped Aoife up into his arms.

“I really am sorry.” Tears started to flow down her face. Mike reached up and wiped them away with his thumb.

“I know you are.” He reached down and opened the door to the car and set her in the seat. He did her seatbelt, shut the door and walked to the driver’s side. He opened his door, climbed in, shut the door, put the key in the ignition and started the car.

“Mike?” Aoife whispered.

Mike looked over at the love of his life. “Shhhhh. We’ll talk after you’ve rested.” He could tell she was losing the battle with sleep. Her head kept nodding up and down.

“I meant what I said, before.”

“Meant what? That you’re sorry? I know that.”

“No, that I love you.” The words were slightly slurred since she was three quarters asleep, but Mike didn’t miss them.

“I love you too.” He whispered back. He wasn’t sure if she had heard him since she looked like she had fallen asleep but it had almost looked like she had smiled at his words.

Mike drove in silence through the twilight towards Aoife’s house in the Hollywood Hills, his hand resting on her thigh, wondering what the next day would bring.

Teacher, Teacher

Feeding. Something that we all do, human and vampire alike. Who knew that teaching someone something so basic could be so difficult?

I guess that I should back up and explain. I have a new fledgling in my house. Well not mine, my turns. Anyway, since he’s so new to being the kind of vampire that I am, I decided to teach them both what it was to be my particular kind of vampire. Mind you, Mick has been one for 55+ years now; well a vampire anyway, new to my kind. So he obviously wasn’t starting from scratch. Beth, on the other hand, is another story completely. She is truly a fledgling.

And with being a fledgling comes lots and lots and lots of learning. It is truly starting your life over. All the rules that applied before? Yeah, they go out the door the minute you take your first drop of vampire blood into your mouth.

Mick has been doing an admirable job with teaching Beth the basics, I will be the first to admit that. But there has been one subject that he has staunchly refused to broach. The subject of feeding fresh.

Yes, yes I know that I no longer do and neither does he. And if Beth chooses not to . . . well that has to be her decision; not his and not mine.

Believe me I tried to discuss it with him . . . several times. I swear sometimes Mick isn’t a vampire, he’s a brick wall. So, I did what I thought was best. I called my connection that I use for getting freshies for my annual ceilli, without telling Mick of course.

So I wasn’t surprised when Mick came storming into my study the day the male freshies arrived. He came in, eyes blazing, his anger palpable.

“Aoife. Why are there male freshies in the freshie wing?”

I looked up from my research, trying to keep my face calm looking. “It’s time Beth learned to feed from humans, Mick.” I continued to stare at him passively, knowing the barrage that was coming. I could feel his anger start to boil.

“What?!” Mick started pacing near the fireplace in the opposite end of the study. He turned to me, his eyes flowing from they’re normal hazel to pale white. “Why? She’s fine. She doesn’t need to know how to do that.”

I stood and walked over to him, purposely standing in his path, forcing him to stop in front of me. “Yes, she does. Mick feeding fresh or not has to be her choice, not yours. And the only way she can truly decide for herself is if she does it.”

Mick turned to stare into the fire. “She does. From me when we make love.”

I crossed my arms across my chest. “Not the same thing and you know it.”

Mick turned abruptly and stalked to the couch, throwing himself down onto it. “I won’t allow it.”

Now my anger was rising. “YOU won’t allow it?! Mick, how many times have you gotten a fledgling through the early stages?”

“Never.” His eyes held a steely glint, challenging me.

“So your expertise on this comes from where exactly?” I stood in front of him, glaring. My worst fears realized. He was going to fight me on it tooth and claw.

“Aoife, in this day and age she doesn’t have to.” Came his weak answer.

I decided to try another tactic. “Mick, how many times have you needed to feed off someone just in order to stay alive?”

“Just the one time.” He hesitated, his mind wandering back. “From her.”

“I’ve had to over the centuries so many times that I’ve lost count. And in every one of those cases, I didn’t want to kill the donor. I just wanted to live.”

“Soooo.” I could see the wheels turning in his head.

“I certainly didn’t want it to hurt them anymore than it had to. So in order to do that I needed to know how to do it right.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t see how Beth would ever get into that kind of situation.” Mick was now staring off into space, not looking at me.

“Mick, be serious. She’s a danger magnet. What you do for a living is far from the safest choice in the world; or mine for that matter and she’s involved in both. At some point there is a very real possibility that she will need to.”

“I find that hard to believe.” He said, looking me straight in the eye.

I threw my hands up, turned and headed back to my desk and leaned on it. “You truly think that? Come on Mick, there is no way you are that naive.”

I decided that if he wouldn’t tell me one way why he was so against Beth learning how to feed properly, then I would try another way. I gently probed his mind. I didn’t have to get very far in to discover his reasons. On the top of the list, yeah you guessed it, Coraline.

A small smile crept onto my passive face. He looked at me, dread filling his handsome features. “Mick. How did Coraline teach you to feed?”

I saw the fear, pain and loathing creep into his eyes. He started to look around the room, anywhere but at me. “She didn’t. When I was with her, especially at first all I fed from where unwilling innocents.”

“So when did you learn?” I sighed inwardly thinking yet again how Coraline should have never turned anyone. Being a sire is a huge responsibility and she didn’t have the patience, understanding or know how. She was just too much of a twisted individual. I found myself yet again in awe of the young vampire in front of me, who in spite of everything, had managed to make it through in one piece. I would have to have a talk with Josef at some point, how much he had taught Mick.

“Josef taught me the first time that I left Coraline and stayed at his place. He just about ripped my head off the first time I fed off of one of his freshies and almost killed her.” My mind wandered back to a party at Josef’s right about the time there was the big push in the human world regarding free range and bred chickens. He had said something to the effect, “There is no way I’m letting free range onto my menu. God, you don’t know where they’ve been or what they’ve been eating.” To which I reminded him that they were ALL free range until they signed with him. He looked at me totally aghast. “I DO NOT drink straight from the street . . . ever.” So yeah, I just bet he did just about rip Mick’s head off, literally.

I chuckled softly at the memory. “I just bet he did.” I stood thinking for a moment and then decided to sit next to him on the couch before I asked the next question. “Mick, did it make sense to you why he taught you how to do that?”

“Well, yeah. Of course it did. Bagged wasn’t really an option then.”

“And at some point it may not be again. She has got to know how.”

Mick shook his head. “No.” He said softly.

“Why do you feel that feeding from a freshie is cheating, Mick?”

His eyes widened in surprise. “I never said that.”

“Not in words, you haven’t. But in actions, yes you have.” I sat waiting for the tirade that I knew was coming.

Mick stood and glided to the window to look out. “I don’t know, Aoife.” He stated softly. “I know it’s not, I mean, we don’t have emotional attachments to our food . . . but.”

“But what, dear heart?” I prodded gently.

He turned to look at me, tears glistening in his eyes. “It’s not me that her fangs will be in, damn it. It’ll be some unknown male. . . and the look on his face will be one of pure bliss and he’ll probably cum.” His voice was laced with pain.

“Coraline fed and fucked freshies in front of you, didn’t she.” It wasn’t a question. Seamus had once told me that she had done it in front of him. He had tried to stop her once and she staked him every time after that so she could torture him and have her fun at the same time.

Again came the saucer eyes. “How. . . how did you know about that?”

I smiled a half smile. “Seamus told me about it one time. He tried to stop her once. She staked him and fucked three then while he watched unable to move.”

Mick smiled grimly. “She had a definite pattern, didn’t she?”

“Yes, yes she did.” I walked over to him and placed my hand on his shoulder. “Mick, Beth is not Coraline. She’s already told me that she wants nothing to do with feeding fresh and I told her the same thing that I’ve told you. She has to know how, just in case.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He turned to watch the rain that was now falling run down the picture window.

Patting him once on the shoulder before I pulled my hand away, I said “Mick, why don’t you go talk to Beth about it. She needs to understand your feelings.”

“I don’t want to dredge up the past.”

“But if you don’t it will still continue to rule your present.” I watched him intently for a few minutes.

“Mick, I’m not doing this to hurt you. I’m doing it to make sure she’s fully ready to move around in our world.”

He turned and I pulled him in for a hug.

“Yeah, I know that too, Aoife. I just don’t know if I can handle it.” He pulled out of the hug and headed towards the door.

I stood holding one arm. “It’s only one week Mick. It will be over quickly. Look I’ll even teach her. You don’t even have to go into the freshie wing.”

“No, it’s my responsibility.” He reached down and turned the knob, opening the door. He turned and looked back at me one last time. “Does she really need to do this?”

“Yes, Mick she does.”

He took a deep steadying breath, nodded once and headed out the door.

One week later, Beth is an expert at feeding fresh. The freshies are gone and she’s back to drinking bottled. And Mick, he made it through without any major meltdowns. Oh there were a few minor ones, but all in all he didn’t do bad at all. And Beth, well there were a few missteps but no fatalities and she has stated unequivocally that she prefers feeding from a glass or syringe, much to Mick’s relief.

For me, I’m just glad it’s over. I never told him but that part of being a sire has always been my least favorite part. Teaching someone the nuances of pleasure is without a doubt a bitch and one that honestly I hope I never, ever have to do again.

Chapter 7

Mike was so lost in thought as he headed down the stairs that he didn’t notice the stares of those waiting to here what had happened follow him down. He stepped off the final step, walked into the kitchen and stood contemplating. He finally took the few steps to the hidden fridge, opened it, pulled out a carafe, picked up a glass and filled it which he then downed in one gulp. He shook his head, still trying to wrap it around everything that had happened in the last couple hours. She was back. Aoife was back. His mind swirled with many of the same questions that Mick’s had earlier.

Sighing loudly, Mike turned, set the glass in the sink and meandered into the living room, plopping down into one of the available chairs.

“Well?” Selene asked. Mike just stared into space.

Selene huffed in frustration at his unresponsiveness.. “Mike!” Kraven reached over and rubbed her thigh in silent reminder to have patience.

Josef, Mick and Beth walked back into the living room from the office where they had been trying to keep themselves distracted by tracing the money, hoping to find out what Vlad had been up to.

As Beth walked by, she reached over and patted Mike on the shoulder. The touch brought him out of his reverie. He turned and gave her a small smile.

“Welcome back to earth.” Kraven snarked.

“Ha ha.”

By now Mick and Beth had situated themselves on the couch and Josef was leaning on the kitchen island, glass of blood in hand. “How is she?” Mick asked softly. Beth leaned into him and pulled Mick’s free arm around her.

Mike sighed again. “Sleeping. Whoever did that to her did a real number.”

Just then Josef’s phone rang. “Kostan.” He listened for a moment. “Okay, thank you for the information. Send me the bill for now.” He slid his phone shut and looked at it grimly for a moment.

Beth asked, “Who was that Josef?”

“The Cleaner.”

“And . . .” Beth prodded, a note of frustration in her voice.

“She got the alley cleaned up. She said that there had been three vampires, but all that was left were bits and pieces. It was like Aoife had ripped them to shreds. She said that she hasn’t seen anything quite like it . . . ever.”

“Oh wow.” Selene breathed.

Aed let out a quiet snicker. “Sounds like Aoife let the vampire out to play.”

Kusabana glared at him. “No, more like the rage took complete control of her.”

Beth looked at the ancient vampire quizzically. “How could rage completely take over someone?”

Kusabana let her gaze wander over the group and back to Beth. “The person more probably able to answer that question is sitting behind you young one.”

Beth’s face held a look of confusion as her gaze traveled from Kusabana to her husband. The look on his face mirrored her own.

Mick lifted his head to stare at Kusabana. How does she know?

Kusabana chuckled softly. “With age comes knowledge, Mick.”

“Honey, what is she talking about?”

Mick looked flustered. Uncertainty crept into his being. Beth would surely think him a monster if he told her, but yet he knew that the old vampire was right. He knew exactly what kind of rage she was talking about. He’d fought it for years and it had only truly start to abate after he had saved Beth from Coraline. It had a nasty habit of rearing its ugly head and the most inopportune moments.

“She means rage that is so very strong that you can’t control it, it controls you.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t get it. I mean, I’ve been furious, but never so mad that it took control of me.”

“Trust me, I hope you never do, honey.” Mick paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. “Well, for me it was all tied into how I was turned I suppose.. Josef can attest to what a mess I was.” Josef nodded in affirmation. “I took unnecessary chances constantly. I had a death wish. Most of the time the rage sat just below the surface, but if someone pushed at all, it bubbled up. I lost control extremely easily and took it out on innocent humans. I didn’t just kill them, I tortured them and mutilated the bodies.” Mick stared off, lost in the past for a moment. “Coraline of course loved it.” He finally stated softly, a tone of disgust in his voice. He didn’t dare look at Beth’s face, for fear of the anger and disapproval that he was sure he would find there.

Beth thought for a few moments, processing what her husband had said. She decided that it made sense. Maybe he couldn’t see it, but she could still see remnants of that rage floating under the surface sometimes. She turned slightly so that she could look into Mick’s eyes. “Honey, you’re not a monster.”

A shocked look came to his face. “I . . . I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to. Sweetheart, you have got to let that go. I may not have really understood all of it before; when I was still human, but I do now. My feelings aren’t going to change just because of stuff you did thirty plus years ago. That’s not who you are now.” Beth leaned up and kissed Mick lovingly on the lips.

A wicked grin crept onto Selene’s face. “So. . . . since I assume we’re all staying put until Aoife gets up . . .” Everyone just looked at her like, ‘duh’, she snickered “Josef, how did you and Mick become friends? You two are complete opposites.”

Josef rolled his eyes dramatically and sauntered back into the living room. He gracefully sat down in the overstuffed chair next to the couch. “It’s not really much of a story.”

“Uh, huh.” Selene replied back, not believing it for a minute.

Mick smiled at the memories. “Oh yes it is.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Want me to tell it then?” A smirk was plastered on Mick’s face.

“Want me to tell it then?” Josef parroted back in a sing-song voice. “No, I think I can handle it.” Mick chuckled in response.

Josef sat silently for a few minutes trying to decided how to start.

Mick arched an eyebrow at him. “Well?”

“Just a minute. It was a long time ago.”

“No it wasn’t.” Mick shot back.

“Well, you’ve got to understand that for the most part, most of the time, people are my “friends”, Josef did quotation marks in the air, “because of my money. But hey, I’m used to it.”

“No, really?” Beth snarked. Josef shot her a glare.

“Yes, really. Now shush.” Josef cleared his throat and continued. “So it wasn’t really a surprise to me when Coraline called one day saying that she needed to talk to me. She came over the next evening dragging what I thought at the time was her latest boy-toy.” He shot a pointed look at Mick. “First thing out of her mouth was, ‘I’d like you to meet my husband, Mick.’ She then proceeded to flash a small diamond ring under my nose. All that I could think was, She married the poor bastard?!” Josef glanced at Mick for a moment. “After taking one look at Mick, I told her in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t vampire material, to which she said, rather indignantly I might add, ‘Yes he is.’”

“And then she proceeded to ask you for money.” Mick interjected.

Josef gave him a look. “Who’s telling the story here.” Mick shrugged, smiling. “Anyway, I gave her the money just to get her and her fledgling out of my office. To be honest I was worried about him. Coraline just wasn’t sire material. She brought him by for parties occasionally. He looked and acted more like a loose canon every time I saw him. I didn’t even try to guess what Coraline had him doing. I wondered how long it was going to be before I had to call . . . “ Josef looked at Mick, hesitating before finishing the sentence, the significance of what he was about to say not lost on him. “Aoife to have him taken care of.”

Beth’s hand flew up to cover her mouth, shock covering her face. Mick just stared at his best friend. “I was that bad?”

“Yeah, you were. Anyway things seemed to finally calm down after a while. Coraline stopped bringing you around, guess she figured out that I wasn’t very happy with how she was teaching or not teaching you.”

“So when did you see him again?” Beth prodded, her curiosity piqued.

“Didn’t see Mick again until the first time he left Coraline, what about three years later?” Mick nodded.

“Sounds about right.”

“Mick needed a job. I needed security. So I hired him. He had seemed to have gotten himself under some semblance of control . . . at least outwardly.”

“How many times did you leave Coraline, Mick?” Selene asked, her curiosity finally getting the better of her.

“Too many.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Yes, it is.”

Selene huffed.

“Can I get back to MY story please?” Josef ground out. “Anyway, Coraline had kept him so sheltered that he didn’t really know how to move in vampire society. Which really surprised me at the time, considering her upbringing, But knowing now that her family didn’t know about Mick, it makes sense.” He paused for a moment. “Anyway, over time, Mick started to grow on me.” Mick’s eyebrow shot up.

“Grow on you?”

“Oh, come on, you know what I mean.”

“No, I don’t. Please, enlighten me.” Mick shot back. Beth snickered. Josef glanced at her, frowning.

“Shut up and I will.” Josef paused again. “So one day, I asked him to come into the office and I proceeded to basically throw my money around, figured he was just like all of the others.”

“No, you were trying to buy my loyalty.” Mick stated flatly. Beth snickered at the thought.

“And. . .” Kraven said, smiling.

“Mick told me to go fuck myself. He didn’t want my charity or my money. He proceeded to turn on his heel and walk out the door, slamming it behind him.”

“You didn’t?” Beth whispered. Mick chuckled.

“Oh, I did.”

Josef continued. “He did. Broke my door too. I figured that he would come crawling back in a week or two, just like everyone else.” Josef smiled at the memory. “But he didn’t. Gave me a real complex. Hell I didn’t hear from him for almost a year and when I finally did, it was to invite me to a football game.”

“A football game?” Mike shook his head in surprise.

“Yep. Had a blast too. Bought the team. You know that’s why some of the stadiums have sky boxes, right?”

“For what?” Beth asked.

“Feeding on freshies of course.”

Beth rolled her eyes. “Of course.”

“Wow. So, the reason you two are friends is because Mick wouldn’t take the bribe.” Kraven stated.

“Pretty much.”

“Amazing.” Beth added.

“Well, that and we both hate the Raiders.” Mick said, before he and Josef fell into hysterics.

“Okay, what’s the story behind that?” Beth asked.

Josef responded after getting himself under some semblance of control. “That’s a story for another time, Blondie.”

“So which football team did you buy, Josef?” Kraven’s mind wandered to fun in a sky box, a wicked smile crept onto his face.

“The Rams.”

Beth rolled her eyes. “Oh my god. No wonder we always have to have the Sunday ticket.” She turned and gave Mick a look.

“What?! I like football.” He shot back.

“Uh huh. Whatever.” Beth stood and sashayed into the kitchen to get the carafe and glasses, knowing that Mick’s eyes had never left her behind. Over her shoulder she said, “Stop drooling, dear.”

Mick pulled his eyes away, an embarrassed look on his face.

“Hey, man. I do it too.” Kraven said, quickly adding as he saw the look on Selene’s face. “Just yours sweetheart, just yours.”

Selene crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Kraven. “Uh huh.”

Kraven smiled sheepishly in response.

An uneasy quiet settled over the group. Time seemed to pass like molasses. Finally after a long while Mike could stand it no more. He stood and started pacing behind the couch.

After about fifteen minutes of watching him pace, Kraven said, “Mike, stop pacing. You’ll wear a groove in Mick and Beth’s floor.”

Mike stopped for a moment to give Kraven an icy stare, before resuming his pacing.

Aed looked up from his book and shook his head. Young ones have absolutely no patience.

Kusabana answered out loud a smile on her face, “Neither do certain ancient ones.”

“How did you . . .” Aed stuttered.

Kusabana just smiled sweetly at him. She returned to her research on her laptop.

Beth was leaning against Mick’s shoulder. She could feel her husbands restlessness, his worry about his sire. She could tell that it was slowly eating him alive. Beth started gently rubbing her hand up and down his arm to comfort him as she watched Mike pace like a caged tiger.

Finally Beth asked, “Mike?”

Mike stopped mid-stride and answered, sighing as he did so. “Yes, Beth?”

“How long do you think it will be until Aoife wakes up?”

Mike ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t even wager a guess, Beth. The only reason that she survived half of what they did to her is because she was a . . . “ He stopped mid-sentence, not sure how to finish it.

Kusabana stood and silently headed to the stairs. She gracefully climbed them, walked down the hall and to the freezer room door. She hesitated a moment be for opening it, bracing herself for the blast of ice cold air. She noted that Mike had turned the freezer down to its lowest setting.

She glided up to the freezer and placed her hand on the lid, closed her eyes and felt. A sad smile graced her lips. She left her hand there for a few moments in silent support of her dear friend. “Come back to us all soon, koishii shoujo (koh-ee-shee show-joh) (beloved daughter) We have many questions and no answers.” She spoke softly. Truth be told, Kusabana could count on her one hand the number of vampires that she could trust implicitly. Aoife being at the top of that list. Though she would never have admitted it to anyone, Aoife’s absence had left a rather large empty spot in her life as well.

Sighing, she slid her hand across the lid as she turned to leave. She opened the freezer door and headed back downstairs. As she stepped of the last couple of steps, she said “Well, her body is healed for the most part. So it just depends on her state of mind now.” She floated back into the living room and retook her seat, picking up her laptop to continue her research.

“And you know that how, exactly?” Mike asked her pointedly.

“I’m an empath, Mike.” Kusabana replied without looking up.

“You are?” Beth was beginning to feel out of place with no special powers.

“Yes, Beth and despite what you may believe, most vampires do not have special abilities. And may I remind you that you do. You, Mick and Aoife all do remember?”

Beth’s face lit up. “Oh yeah! I always forget that.” Kusabana chuckled softly in response.

Mike wandered over to the windows and watched the lightening of the sky signaling that the sunrise was imminent. He crossed his arms over his chest, wishing that Aoife would just wake up. He needed to hold her, breath in her scent, taste her, feel her body move in time with his; but most of all he needed to understand why she had left them all so suddenly. He knew that there had to have been a damn good reason, but though he tried he just couldn’t even wager a guess as to what it would have been. Aoife never backed down from a fight in the past, ever. But he had a feeling that this time it had been different.

Finally giving in to the urge to, if nothing else to be near her, Mike made his way silently to the stairs and up them. Mick watched him ascend, instinctively knowing where Mike was going. He was fighting a losing battle to head in the same direction himself. His solution was to pull Beth even closer to him to fight the urge to follow.

Beth stirred from her half comatose state when Mick hugged her tighter. She opened her eyes and gazed into Mick’s. She noted the turmoil brewing in them. They weren’t just one color. They were a mixture of blue, brown and green. She reached up and gently stroked his cheek. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, sweetheart. Go back to sleep.”

“Nice try, but I’m not buying.”

Selene looked up from her laptop. She gave Mick a small smile and then looked down again. Kraven’s head was cradled in her lap as they had both taken up positions on the floor.

Mick looked longingly towards the stairs. “Mike just went upstairs.”

Understanding came to Beth’s features. “Honey, why don’t you go keep him company.” She encouraged softly. To make her point, she stood and offered him her hand.

“God, I love you.” Mick breathed as he took her hand and stood up. He pulled her into a hug and rested his cheek on top of her head.

After a few moments, Beth pulled away. “Go. We’ll all still be here when she wakes. He could probably use the company.”

Mick nodded once, placed a kiss on Beth’s forehead and turned towards the stairs. He hesitated for a moment and then took them two at a time.

When he reached the grey door that led to the freezer room, he hesitated again and then knocked softly. Within seconds the door opened. Mike looked at him with bloodshot eyes.

“Thought that you might like some company.” Mick stated.

Mike silently motioned Mick in. Mick scanned the room noticing that Mike had moved the chair from it’s resting place to a spot near where Aoife’s head lie. Deciding that Mike had the right idea Mick walked over to where the second chair was, picked it up and moved it to the other end of the freezer.

While Mick had been doing this Mike had retaken his seat. He was resting his forearms on his thighs, hands clasped together, looking down at the ground. Mick couldn’t help but feel the mixture of anger, fear and longing rolling off his dear friend. Feelings that he was sure mirrored his own.

Mick walked over and placed a hand on Mike’s shoulder in an offer of silent understanding and brotherhood. He then walked over to his seat and sat down to wait with his brother for the woman the meant so much to both of them to return to them.

Chapter 6

Mick wandered away from the living room and found his way to the office. He stood looking out the windows, his head filled with a jumble of thoughts, feelings and questions. Lots and lots of questions. He ran his hand through his hair, sighing in frustration as he did. Was it really Aoife that Beth had seen? If it was, why didn’t she acknowledge Beth? Why pretend that she didn’t know her? Why not let them know that she was okay? Why was she human? Every question led to a new one all inevitably starting with why.

Then there were the feelings that he felt, all of them aimed at his sire. Anger at her leaving them all hanging, not telling them she had to leave. Fear that it was Aoife, fear that it wasn’t Aoife. Anguish that she might truly be gone. Confusion because he almost felt that she wasn’t dead, but yet couldn’t be sure.

Mick just stood staring out for a long time. He could hear the argument going on in the living room, but chose to tune it out. He just couldn’t handle all of the possibilities right now. He finally wandered over the the sofa and sunk down, he held his head in his hands, trying to make sense of it all, without any answers to put the puzzle together.

In the back of his mind Mick noticed that the argument had seemed to stall. It was in this quiet moment that he felt it. A familiar yet after three years an almost alien feeling. But an unmistakable one. “Aoife?” He said out loud, not realizing that he had.

All noise in the living room came to an instant halt at Mick’s utterance. Beth looked from Kusabana towards the open office door. Just as she was about to stand and see if she had really heard what she thought she had, Mick appeared in the doorway. His face was unreadable.

Beth stood and glided over to her husband. She searched his downcast face. “Honey?”

Mick didn’t respond. He lifted his head slightly and looked at Beth, a blank stare on his face.

Kusabana floated over to stand next to them. Unlike Beth, she could feel what had happened. A faint smile came to her lips. She knew the answer, well one small part of it anyway. “Mick. What is it?”

Beth reached up to caress Mick’s face. “Mick!” She said a little more forcefully. Mick shook his head and focused his eyes on her.

“The connection . . . “ Was all he could manage to get out. He desperately tried to fight back the flood of emotions that were threatening to break through his carefully constructed dam. The dam that he had erected to keep himself together for the last three years.

“What connection?” Selene asked softly; thrilled and terrified at what his answer would be at the same time.

Mick’s gaze traveled across the group. He wasn’t positive, yet the feeling kept getting stronger by the minute. He didn’t want to lift their hopes, but it felt like it used to. He took in a gulp of air and said “The connection that I had with Aoife. It’s back . . . I think.”

Mike huffed in frustration. “Either it is or it isn’t Mick.” Mick shot him a pained look in return. Mike instantly regretted his words. “Look man, I’m sorry. It’s just . . ..”

“Mike, it’s fine. I get it. Trust me, after this long I can’t even be sure myself.” Mick pulled Beth to him and held on for dear life.

“So what? It just clicked back on?” Josef’s connection with his sire was pretty much non-existent. He had never really understood Mick and Aoife’s. His was so weak in fact that Josef didn’t even know if his sire was alive or dead and he really had no desire to know.

Mick had set his head on the top of Beth’s. “No, not exactly. I don’t remember what it felt like originally, I was out cold when the connection started the first time. It was just there when I woke up.” He saw the look Josef was giving him. “No, it’s not the same as the one I had with Coraline. I could never talk to her telepathically.” He sighed. “Her’s was a completely different kind of hold.”

“Well, that’s an understatement.” Josef snarked back. Beth glared at him, contemplating getting a stake.

“Mick, your connection with Aoife is pretty much one of a kind.” Kusabana replied from the corner of the couch near the fireplace. “As far as I know she’s the only telepathic vampire alive.”

At that thought, a small smile creeped onto Mick’s face. “She’s definitely one of a kind.”

Aed chuckled. “Now you know why I turned her in the first place.”

Beth pulled out of Mick’s arms, taking his hands and pulling him back into the living room. She motioned for him to sit on the opposite end of the couch. He obediently sat and then she flopped down onto his lap. “Aed?”

“Yes Beth?”

“If it is Aoife that Mick is feeling . . . why would she have become human? She once told us that she had used the cure, but she would never want to go back.”

“She did. Hell most of us did. It was a very dangerous time to be a vampire. She ended up spending most of the Revolution in France. It was the last place that she wanted to be, but it was where she needed to be. She actually took it three times, I believe.”

“Wow.” Beth said softly.

“As for why. . . only she can answer that.” Aed finished. He sat contemplating for a minute. “Come to think of it, she had become quite the master of accents even back then.”

“Really.”

“Yes, Beth. Really.”

While the conversation had gone on, Mick had been trying to see if the connection was really there or if it was just his imagination. He decided to try to see if he could get her to answer. By now the link felt as strong as it used to. Aoife?

Aoife sat in her car, struggling to get her body to move. It wanted to but not in the direction she needed it to. She was on the razors edge between control and chaos and was struggling to keep the rational part of her brain in command. She needed to get away, to get blood and soon or she wouldn’t be able to stay in her right mind. It felt like every single one of her cells were screaming for fluid. She knew what she must look like; skin almost see through, eyes totally white, long talons with the fangs to match. Thank god its dark. I look like the monster that humans dream of.

Aoife reached a shaky hand up to the key and turned the ignition, starting the car. She could tell that humans were fast approaching. Their blood was like the siren’s song, calling her. She fought even harder to maintain her restraint as going rouge just wasn’t an option. She practically peeled out as she drove away She wove her way through the residential streets grateful the the gods that the streets were mostly empty heading towards 10 E and getting onto the 110S. She got off at the Wilshire exit and turned onto Hope, then turning onto 6th street and finally a left on Olive. She prayed that the entrance was open and sighed loudly at her luck that it was. She pulled into the garage and found a parking spot near the elevator. Thank god for small favors.

She weakly reached up and turned the car off. Two humans got off the elevator and headed towards their car that to Aoife’s horror was parked right next to hers. She froze, panic gripping her. The garage was well lit; she knew that if they glanced over they would be able to see exactly how she looked. But that was the least of her problems at the moment. Hunger and need were wrapping themselves around her like an unwanted blanket. She felt so very hot. Fever had set in. She reached back with a shaky hand and pulled up the hood of her sweatshirt and turned to look towards the opposite side of the car. Everything in her screamed for the blood that was now just outside her car.

Aoife’s heightened senses were on overload. Her left hand made it to the door handle before she managed to stop herself. She pulled it away with supreme effort and placed both of hands onto the steering wheel, squeezing it so hard that she could feel it change shape. Fuck! Just get in the damn car already! She was panting now, fighting and somehow winning the battle with the violent part of herself.

The two humans got into their car and pulled out of the stall and drove away. Aoife sighed and prayed that no one else would show up. Aoife knew that the next time she wouldn’t be able to stop herself. She could feel her body temperature rising by the second. She opened the car door, swung her feet out and grabbed the car door, pulling herself up to a standing position. She stood still for a few moments trying to get her equilibrium without succeeding. She shut the car door and wobbled and weaved her way towards the elevator door. Aoife fell against the wall next to the elevator and stabbed the up button. The doors opened immediately with an echoing ding that made Aoife cringe in pain. She staggered into the elevator and pushed the button for the penthouse. She could feel her life slowly slipping away as she slumped into the corner of the elevator for support.

The doors opened and Aoife couldn’t move. She had slid down the wall to the floor, her legs pulled up to her. Aoife weakly slid her hand up to the bar that ran around the middle of the elevator. She felt her hand grasp it, but she just didn’t have the strength to pull herself up. She could feel the tears start to slide down her face. She was so close and yet what she needed was unreachable to her.

Just when despair had reared its ugly head, she felt a familiar and welcome tickle in her head. Aoife. She couldn’t help but smile faintly. Mick. She answered.

Mick’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh my God!” he whispered.

“What?!” in some form or another came from everyone’s lips.

“She’s alive.” He couldn’t believe he was actually saying it.

“What do you mean, she’s alive?” Josef queried. He was watching his best friend very closely.

“She just answered me.” Mick replied. He was just about to say more when he heard her again.

Mick, please. There was a pause. Mick could sense that Aoife was in trouble. Her tone in his head was weak and pleading.

Aoife had managed to crawl on her hands and knees out of the elevator and into the hall. Each movement was agonizingly painful. She heard the elevator doors close with a woosh that made her cringe in pain. She looked up towards the door, it was only a few feet away, but it might as well have been a million miles. Her strength gone, she collapsed on the floor.

Where are you? Mick’s question echoed through her head. His voice almost panicked.

In the hall outside . . .She fought a battle with consciousness, finally losing. Her head hit the hardwood with a resounding thud that no one seemed to hear.

Mick stood panic squeezing his heart. She had to be somewhere close. He tried again. AOIFE!!!!!! Nothing. He paced for a few seconds trying to decipher what she had meant.

“Mick, what did she say? Where is she?” Beth had stood up from the couch and grabbed Mick’s arm to stop his pacing.

“The last thing she said was ‘In the hall outside.’ She just didn’t finish the sentence and now I can’t get her to answer.”

“Outside of what? Which hall?! That could be anywhere.” Mike responded, frustration tinging his voice. He had a very bad feeling that something was very wrong.

Mick turned to look at Mike, his face contorted in fear. “I know that. I can’t get her to answer again.”

It was just at that moment when a faint sliding sound was heard at the front door. Seven sets of eyes snapped to look at the door, but no one moved. Seconds ticked by.

Kusabana watched both Mick and Mike. She knew who was on the other side of the door, she could feel the pain, hunger and approaching death. Sighing she stood and started towards the door.

“What are you doing, Kusabana?” Mick squeaked out.

She stopped her forward progress and turned to look at him with compassionate eyes. “To see whose on the other side of that door.”

“So I wasn’t hearing things.” Not a question, but a statement.

A smile crept onto Kusabana’s face. “No Mick, you didn’t.” She looked at him intently for a moment. “Mick you know who is on the other side of that door.”

Understanding crept into Mick’s handsome features, followed by movement. He vaulted over the couch and practically sprinted towards the door. Without looking at the monitor, he yanked the door open, somehow catching Aoife’s limp body before it hit the floor. “Oh My God!!!!” He pulled her up into a sitting position, his eyes scanning over Aoife’s badly damaged body.

Mike was standing just inside the doorway, a look of utter disbelief on his face. He was frozen to the spot. It couldn’t be and yet it was. She was back but would she forgive him?

Selene watched the scene unfolding in front of her. Mick kept looking back between Aoife and Mike. Confusion had set in as to why the Doctor wasn’t moving. Selene cursed under her breath and sprang into action, letting her nursing training in triage take over. She shoved Mike out of the way and bent down to see how bad off her friend truly was. She carefully felt Aoife’s limbs and torso, noting the broken bones, probable internal injuries, numerous bites and gashes and blood loss. “Mick, carry her to the dining room table, please.”

It was at that moment that Mike came back. “No, I’ll do it.” He stepped forward to pick Aoife up.

Mick vamped out and growled. Through gritted teeth he responded. “No. She’s my sire, I’ll take care of her.”

Mike answered in kind. Now vamped out as well, “She’s MY girlfriend.” He took another step forward.

Mick stood and took a step towards Mike. “So. You cared so much that all you’ve done is just stand there.” Mick started to turn to pick Aoife up and was sent flying into the wall by the front door.

“No! I’ll take care of her.” Mike was now standing over Aoife and Selene.

Selene growled in frustration. “Oh for god’s sake! Would you two cool it! We WILL lose her if we don’t get blood into her, NOW!”

Mick and Mike just stood facing each other, both looking like they would rip each other apart if given the chance.

Kusabana shot a glance towards Aed. He shrugged his shoulders, indicating that the was staying out of it. She sighed and spoke. Her voice quiet yet holding the tone of her years. “Gentlemen. Do you really think now is the time to decide who is more important to her?”

Neither vampire moved. Selene looked pleadingly at the ancient vampire. “Mick, Mike; this is definitely not the time. If you’d pay attention to Aoife and not your respective prides you’d realize that her heart isn’t beating.”

That comment seemed to bring them back from the brink. Mike glanced down at Selene and then back at Mick. He sighed heavily trying to get his waring emotions under control. He knew that Mick wasn’t a threat to him. Hell he considered Mick a brother and not just because he was a fellow vampire. Aoife had chosen both of them for different reasons to be part of her life. He never wanted to take that for granted. He knew that she trusted very few people and for good reason. “Hey man, I’m sorry.”

Mick ran his hands through his hair. “Yeah. Me too.”

Selene growled at the two in frustration. “Wonderful. Now that you two idiots have your raging testosterone under control can we PLEASE get back to saving Aoife?!”

“Yeah.” Mike headed into the kitchen and grabbed the syringe and several vials of blood. “Mick put her on the dining room table.” Mick nodded once, He squatted down and gently lifted his sire up into his arms, carefully placing his head against his shoulder so that it wouldn’t loll around. He quickly walked over into the dining area and placed Aoife gently down onto the table. Mike strode up, filling the syringe as he did. He cursed to himself as he desperately tried to find a viable vein. Deciding that none would work in either of Aoife’s arms, he moved up to her neck and injected the full syringe into her jugular vein. He grabbed another vial, plunged the syringe into it, filled the syringe and repeated the process into Aoife vein.

Mike growled in growing panic. “Damn it! Why isn’t she waking up!” He turned to Mick. “Do you have any more vials ready to go?”

Mick shook his head. “No. Beth and I usually drink our blood, not shoot it up.”

“Shit!” Mike checked the veins in Aoife’s arms again. “She doesn’t have enough blood in her to get an IV going in her arm. They are completely collapsed.

Selene strode up, picked up the two vials and headed back into the kitchen. She opened the blood fridge and removed one of decanters of fresh blood. Beth came in and stood next to her, fear etched on the young vampires face. Without looking up Selene asked “Do you just have the one syringe?”

“Oh, no. We have two actually. Let me get the other one.” Beth turned to the drawer that was under the blood fridge and pulled it open. She reached in and picked up the syringe and handed it to Selene.

Making quick work of refilling the vials, Selene then handed them to Beth. “Here, take these back to Mike. You can be the go between.” Beth nodded and practically sprinted to the dining area.

After half a dozen trips, Mike really starting to panic. “She should be coming to by now?!”

Kusabana had been standing just out of the way, watching intently. She softly said, “Mike, her body is badly damaged and wasn’t healing at all. It has started to but it’s going to take time.”

He shoved the empty vials back at Beth. “Here, have Selene fill these again.” He failed to notice Selene slide up next to him. She did a quick feel of the veins in Aoife’s arm herself.

“Mike, this one isn’t collapsed completely now.” Mike looked down, not seeing what Selene had.

“Yes, it is.”

Selene rolled her eyes. “No, its not.” With that she picked up the needle and inserted it into the vein she had been talking about. She turned to Mick. “Mick, come here.” He glided over from the living room, anxiety etched on his face. Selene had gotten the pint hooked up to the needle. “Hold this up.”

Mick silently did as he was told. Fear rolled off of him in waves. He just couldn’t lose her now. Not here, right in front of him.

All watched in silence as the blood flowed from the bag, down the line and into Aoife’s arm. It was about three quarters empty when her heart started again and she took an sudden intake of breath.

Aoife’s eyes flew open and a moan escaped her lips. Her voice came out a hoarse whisper as she tried to focus her eyes on Mick. “Hey.”

Mick let out the breath he had been holding for what had seemed like eternity. “Hey, back.”

Aoife turned her head to look at Mike. She smiled weakly at him. His eyes held a maelstrom of emotions. “I’m sorry.” She managed to squeak out. At her words, Mike turned and headed out onto the balcony.

By now the first bag was empty. Selene took it from Mick, unhooked it and hooked up a second. Aoife struggled to sit up. Selene reached around her friends shoulders saying, “Uh uh. You stay lying down. You need to let your body heal.”

Aoife laid back down and looked up towards the ceiling. There was something that needed to be done, but what was it? “SHIT!!!”

“What?!” Selene responded.

“The cleaners. I need to call the cleaners.” Aoife’s voice, now stronger was panicked.

“So you killed whom ever did this to you?” Mick queried. Partially relieved that they were dead and partially pissed that he couldn’t do it himself.

Aoife sat up onto her elbows, earning her a glare from Selene. “Yes and no. I ripped to shreds the vamps that were sent to kill me and then all of you.”

Josef snapped his phone out and hit dial. “Clare, it’s Josef. I need a clean up.” Silence. “No, not me personally.” He shot Aoife a wicked smile. “I’m not that messy.” More silence. “Where? Just a second.” He looked over at Aoife.

“In the alley about the is near my apartment.” She was about to say the address but stopped. She watched in curiosity as Josef walked over to one of the computers and proceeded to read off her address. She smiled. Didn’t take them long once they had my assumed name.

You expected it to? Mick thought back. She looked at him and could see the glint of mischief in his eyes.

“No, I didn’t.” She responded back out loud.

Josef shut his phone. “Done.” He sauntered over to the dining area. “So mind telling us what exactly happened?”

Now that she had three plus pints of blood in her, Aoife could feel her body quickly beginning to heal. But now she was starting to feel drunk with exhaustion. She watched as Selene removed the IV from her arm and handed her a glass to drink. With exhaustion lacing her voice, Aoife answered, “Now or three years ago.”

“We can start with now.” Josef replied flatly.

Mike strode in from the balcony. He’d managed to pull himself back together. “Not right now she’s not.”

“We need to know what happened, Mike.” Kraven responded. He had walked up behind Selene and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Yes, we do. But right now, Aoife needs time in a freezer.” He motioned for Aoife to sit up and swing her legs over the edge of the table. He started checking her over, making sure that she was healing properly.

“Mike, her freezer is turned off.” Selene stated.

Aoife slumped against Mike, her head resting on his shoulder. He reached up and started stroking her hair, noting the mixture of her then human blood and three different vampire bloods. “Well she can’t wait.”

“Mike, I need to get all of this blood off of me.” Aoife said quietly. It was all she could do to keep from hurling from the smell or so she thought. Then it hit her. A wave of nausea so strong that she almost threw up all over Mike. She pushed him back roughly and ran into the bathroom, the contents of her last meal ending up in the toilet. Knowing what would be coming next, she stayed there until the ugly business of returning to the undead was finished.

Finally emerging from the bathroom, she noticed who all was there. She was both shocked and humbled. Selene, Kraven and Mike she had pretty much expected to see, but Kusabana and Aed was a surprise. She could tell that they had all been talking and had abruptly stopped when she walked out.

Just as she started to sway, Mike strode up and scooped Aoife up into his arms. He said over his shoulder as he ascended the stairs towards the master bath. “Where are the towels, again?”

Beth’s voice came floating up, “In the closet to the left of the shower.”

Mike stepped through the bathroom door and gently set Aoife down on her feet. She immediately reached for the wall for support. He reached into the shower and turned the water on ice cold. He could tell that even though the fever had broken, she was still too hot. He watched as Aoife struggled to get out of the bloody, tattered clothes.

“Here, let me help you.” Mike reached in to unzip the hoodie.

“I can get it.” Aoife groused back, struggling to get the zipper down herself after she had swatted his hand away.

Mike chuckled softly. “Uh huh.” He grabbed the zipper pull and yanked it down.

Aoife huffed in frustration. All she wanted at that moment was to get the offending blood filled clothes off and they just wouldn’t come. She fought back the tears of fear, pain and frustration that were threatening to fall. The adrenalin rush that she had been was now completely gone and she felt like she was moving through quicksand.

Mike was floored by the emotions rolling off of her. He stepped up next to her and pulled the hoodie off her arms, then reached down to what was left of the tank top she had on and pulled that over her head and tossed it into the forming pile on the floor. He then reached up and pushed the destroyed pants and panties to the floor, silently motioning to Aoife to step out of them.

He then quickly stripped himself. Mike then held his hand out to her. Aoife hesitated for a moment but then took the offered hand and followed him into the shower.

She took a sudden intake of breath as the cold water hit her overheated body but quickly got used to the feel. Aoife lifted her head to let the spray hit her face.

Mike stood near the wall just watching the blood wash from her body in rivulets. It swirled down the drain and was gone. The longer she stood there the more he could feel her relax.

Aoife finally bent her head down to look at him. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.” Mike held back all of the questions that were swirling through his mind. He knew that she would tell them all everything when she could.

“Mike, I . . .” Aoife was at a loss for words. How did she explain it all?

Mike took the two steps that it took to close the distance between them. “Shhhhh. It’s okay.”

Pain again filled Aoife’s eyes. “No, no it’s not. I . . . I wanted to tell you all. I . . . I just couldn’t.”

“Tell us what?” Mike wrapped his arms around his fallen angel, pulling her close.

“Everything.” She bit her lip and hid her face in his shoulder.

Mike reached down and lifted her head to look at him. He stared at her intently for a moment. “And you will, when you’re ready.”

Aoife lost it when she saw the look in his eyes. He had suffered so much. As the sobs started to wrack her body she kept saying “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Mike finally let his own tears fall. He did the only thing that he could. He held her, wondering all the while what had happened those three years.

After a few minutes the sobs became sniffles. Aoife gave a half hearted laugh. “Well so much for me being the strong one.”

“Aoife, never doubt that you are.” Mike reached over and picked up what he assumed was Beth’s fru fru shampoo, figuring that there was no way in hell that Mick would smell like that. He kissed her lovingly on the lips and poured the shampoo in his hands. “Here, let me wash your hair for you.” Aoife just nodded.

That done, he then picked up the poof, poured body soap on it, lathered it up and then proceeded to scrub every part of Aoife’s body to make sure that every trace of the other vamp’s blood was off of her. Finally satisfied, he quickly washed himself and turned the water off.

He opened the shower door and picked up the towels that he had set on the chair near the shower, silently handing two to Aoife, who immediately wrapped her hair and started drying herself off.

Mike looked up at her when he finished wrapping the towel low on his waist. He shook his head, smiling slightly. “Aoife?”

She lifted her head with a start. “Oh, sorry. All of a sudden I so exhausted.” Mike glided over and took the towel from her limp hand and finished drying her off. He unwrapped her hair and used his fingers to smooth out the few rats that there were.

“I imagine so. You were pretty battered.” He scooped her up and carried her to Mick and Beth’s freezer.

“Mike, I can’t. They need it.” Aoife half-halfheartedly protested as Mike gingerly set her into the freezer.

“Not like you do. They’ll understand.” He reached in and caressed Aoife’s cheek.

Aoife reached up and held it in place when he started to pull it away. “But I need to explain. . . “

“And we’ll be all ears when you have enough strength to actually hold a conversation.” He leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips. “No go to sleep and let your body do what it needs to.” He pulled his hand away and looked down as he reached up to shut the lid. Aoife’s eyes were already closed and her breathing was quickly slowing down.

As he started to pull it shut, she whispered three words that had him gripping the freezer to keep from falling. Three words that in all the years they had been together she had never said. “I love you.

Visibly shaken Mike headed back into the bathroom, put his clothes on and headed back downstairs to wait with everyone else for the woman that meant more than anything to him in the world awaken.

Chapter 5

Isolde strode out of the building where she worked with a purpose. It had been a bitch of a morning. Having to deal with a whiny Perry always gave her a headache. They were looking for a replacement for him but everyone so far that had been interviewed had about the intelligence of a pea. She made a beeline down the street towards the 24 hour gym that she had joined. Her path took her through Pershing Square. Hmmm. I’ll have to stop for an ice cream on the way home.

She walked up to the door of the gym, pulled it open and headed to her locker to change for a much needed cardio workout.

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Beth exited the elevator in the lobby of The Title Guaranty Building pulling out her sunglasses as she stepped out into the late afternoon sun. She wandered to the corner and waited for the light to change. Aoife would be so proud of me. I can handle crowds now. She smiled sadly to herself. The light changed and she crossed the street with a large group op people.

“Oh wow, The Farmer’s Market.” Beth checked her back pocket to make sure that she had her credit card. Satisfied she strolled over to the first row of shops, checking out the different wares. At the end of the row was a tent that held nothing but Celtic jewelry. She was instantly drawn to it. As she perused the offerings, she could feel the intense stare of the artist.

“Do you see anything that you like?” The older red-haired woman asked.

“Actually yes, I do. How much is that necklace and what is it made out of?” Beth pointed to an intricately made choker.

“It’s silver ma’am.” Beth cringed at being called ma’am.

She signed. “Do you have any that aren’t made of silver. My friend is allergic to silver.”

“Yes, but the jewelry is much more expensive.” The woman stood and waddled to the opposite end of the tent.

“Oh price isn’t an issue.” Beth followed her over. Beth watched out of the corner of her eye as the woman’s eyes watched the family crest sway around her neck.

“Excuse me.”

Beth looked up. “Yes.”

“That piece of jewelry on your necklace. May I ask what it is?”

Beth picked up the pendant from her chest and held it with reverence. “It’s my family crest.” A mixture of pride and sadness in her voice.

“Very impressive work.” Beth held it out so that the woman could take a better look at it. “Who made it?”

“That I couldn’t tell you. It’s an antique. Passed down in the family.” Beth let go of the pendant and reached for a white gold Celtic chain. “I’ll take this one. Do you take credit cards?” Beth reached into her back pocket for her Platinum American Express card.

The woman’s eyes went wide as Beth handed it to her. “Yes we do.” The woman took out her card reader and swiped the card. While it was processing she pulled out a necklace case and put the necklace in it and then put the case into a small white bag.

The card reader printed out a receipt in which the woman ripped of and handed to Beth along with a pen. “Sign here please.”

Beth signed on the dotted line, handed the woman the receipt back and picked up her purchase. She headed out of the booth to see what other surprises were lurking at the Market this Wednesday.

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Isolde reached down and turned off the stair climber. Sweat was running down her face. She picked up a small towel and wiped her face off. Well, that’s enough for one day.

She hopped down and made her way through the maze of bodies and equipment to the locker room. She pushed the door open to the locker room, stopped at her locker long enough to grab her towel, shampoo and conditioner and made a beeline to the showers. Not really liking the communal shower system that they had, Isolde made quick work of her shower and headed back to her locker, toweling her hair as she did.

Isolde opened the locker, pulled out her change of clothes, a emerald green tank top, black zip-up hoodie and matching black yoga pants. The clothes practically flew on and then she picked up her brush.

She gave her waist length hair a thorough brushing. The brush was sat back down on the bench and Isolde proceeded to braid her hair into one thick braid.

She jumped at the voice behind her. “That is so unfair.”

Isolde finished the braid and turned to look towards the direction of the voice as she put the ponytail holder in. “What isn’t.”

“Your hair. It’s so thick and shiny.” The woman reached back to touch her own ponytail. “Mine is so thin and dry. How do you keep yours that way. That can’t be your natural color.”

“As a matter of fact it is my natural hair color. I have never dyed it and don’t ever plan on dying it.” Isolde turned and reached for her bag. She took the towel folded it lengthwise, put her hair products on it and proceeded to roll it up. She put it in her bag, followed by her gym shoes , her workout clothes and her brush.

“So how do you keep it so healthy then?”

Isolde turned away and rolled her eyes. People are way to focused on appearances in this town. “I don’t know. I don’t over-process it, I guess.” She picked up her bag and turned to head out of the locker room. “Excuse me.”

She made a hasty exit out of the building and headed the three blocks to Pershing Square and the Farmers Market. Wednesday was her favorite day. The market reminded her of those that were held in the town where she grew up. It always brought back fond memories.

Isolde stopped at the edge of the market trying to decide which isle to head down first. The farthest one over held her favorite ice cream. Deciding that it would be first on her list, she made her way through the crowd towards the booth. She took her place in line and once she reached the head of it, she ordered two scoops of mint chocolate chip in a waffle cone with hot fudge and whipped cream.

She chuckled softly to herself as she made her way to a shaded area near the market where she could sit and properly devour her rather large treat. “Why do I always do this. I know I’ll never eat all of it.” She took her spoon and dug in with relish.

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Beth had just finished purchasing a new antique glass vase for Mick and decided that like it or not, she had better head back home. She turned from the last row and headed back towards home. She stopped to pick up a flyer for a local bar. She started reading it, when a very familiar voice, but yet very different caught her attention. She focused on which direction the voice came from. Scanning the area, Beth’s mouth fell open in shock and the now forgotten flyer fell from her hand, floating back and forth until it hit the ground. “It can’t be.”

She started towards the young woman sitting under the tree eating ice cream. As Beth got closer, she called out “Aoife!”

Isolde froze in mid-bite at the sound of the name being called out. She knew that voice. Her heart started pounding with fear. No, No, No, No, No!!! Please, god no!

Beth called out again as she approached closer. “Aoife!” She huffed frustratedly as she approached the woman. Why won’t she answer me?

Isolde watched in horror as the young blonde haired woman strode towards her purposefully. She stopped directly in front of her.

Beth for her part, was instantly thrown off. The woman was a dead ringer for Aoife, but she didn’t smell like Aoife. She smelled human. Beth looked at her puzzled.

For her part, Isolde desperately tried to bring her racing heart under control with no luck. She looked up at the female. “Can I help you?” She fought for control of her voice, trying to keep all trace of her accent out of it.

“Aoife?” Beth asked uncertainly.

“No, I’m sorry. That’s not my name.” Isolde cursed her heart and emotions, knowing the woman in front of her could read all of them.

“I’m sorry. It’s just . . . it’s just that you look EXACTLY like a very dear friend of mine that disappeared three years ago.

Shit. “I’m sorry to hear that. I’m not her though. I don’t know you.” Isolde replied. Yes, I do. I’m sorry. It’s just to dangerous for you all.

“Hmmmm.” Beth was now thoroughly confused. Her eyes said Aoife but her senses said human, not vampire. “So what is your name then?

Without thinking Isolde replied, “Isolde Trent.” She cursed softly to herself at her blunder.

Beth just looked at her, trying to take everything in.

Abruptly Isolde stood to leave, scanning the crowd in a vain attempt to see if she was being watched. “If you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere that I need to be.” She made her way around Beth and headed into the crowd. In her haste Isolde failed to notice that she had dropped the napkin that she had been holding.

Beth did see it fall though. She walked over and carefully picked up the wadded up napkin. “Okay, that was just weird.” Beth put the napkin into the bag with the vase. She just stood rooted to the spot stunned. She wandered over to the bench were the woman had been sitting and sat down. She set the packages down next to her and stared off into space, trying to figure out what had just happened. The signals that Beth had gotten were completely contradictory.

Beth finally came out of her revery at the sounds of the vendors tearing down their tents. She stood and shook the cobwebs out of her head. Deciding that there was no way she could figure it own on her own, she hurried back to the penthouse.

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Isolde made it back to her car before she came apart at the seams. She started sobbing uncontrollably. “Oh god. I can never go there again.” Once she got herself under some semblance of control, she started the car and headed home. Once there, she couldn’t face going into the apartment, so she started walking towards the beach. She needed to think.

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Beth practically burst through the elevator doors in her haste to get back to everyone. She hit the fob and the entry door swung open and she flew into the room.

“ . . .that it’s possible.” Kraven finished as Beth made her entrance.

Breathlessly Beth blurted out. “I just talked to Aoife!” She set her purchases down on the kitchen counter. She reached into the vase and pulled out the napkin.

“No way. We’d all smell Aoife on you.” Kraven responded, look of disbelief on his face.

Mick watched his wife closely. He decided that she had obviously seen something. “Honey, what are you talking about?”

Beth walked into the living room, giving Mick a kiss as she walked by heading towards Selene, the bag in her hand. “When I was getting ready to head home, I heard a familiar voice, but yet different. So l followed the voice . . . straight to Aoife.” Beth pulled the necklace box out of the bag and handed it to Selene. “Here, this is for you.”

“Beth, thank you. But why?” Selene’s eyes grew wide as she saw the choker. “This is beautiful.”

“Just because. I thought that it would look good on you.”

Aed sauntered back in from the balcony where he had been watching the setting sun. “Did I hear something about Aoife?”

Beth turned towards the elder vampire. “Yes you did. I just talked to her.” She stated matter of factly. Beth headed back into the kitchen to take the vase out. She started walking around the penthouse, trying to decide where to put it.

Mick sighed exasperatedly. He stalked over to Beth, taking the vase from her. “Beth.”

“What?” She took the vase back and glided into the dining area. She set the vase down in the middle of the table trying to decide if it looked right.

“Can you PLEASE tell us all what happened?” Mick asked again.

Beth turned to look at the group. “Just that. I talked to her.”

“And she didn’t come back here with you, why?” Josef asked, looking at Beth incredulously .

“Well, she said that she wasn’t.” Beth responded back, glaring at Josef.

“So it isn’t her then.” Josef stated triumphantly.

“It was. . . well I could have sworn that is was. But she was human.”

“Beth, Aoife is a vampire.” Mick quietly reminded her.

Beth rounded on her husband. “I KNOW that. That’s what’s so strange about it. She looked like Aoife, she sounded a lot like Aoife, she even walked like Aoife. She just didn’t smell like Aoife.”

“You know they do say that everyone has a double.” Selene commented, having a hard time comprehending what Beth was saying.

Kusabana sat quietly in the corner of the couch, taking it all in. From what she was sensing from Beth, she felt that there was an extremely strong possibility that it had been Aoife. A very HUMAN Aoife.

She finally asked, “Beth. Aside from how she looked and acted outwardly, what were her emotional signs?”

Beth turned to Kusabana. “That’s what made it even more strange. Her heart was racing the whole time and I could smell fear. But not for her, for me.”

“Like she knew you?” Kusabana queried.

Beth headed back into the kitchen and retrieved the wadded up napkin. “Exactly.” She walked over to Aed. “Would you know her human scent if you smelled it?”

“Maybe. You’ve got to remember Beth, that was 652 years ago.” Aed answered.

“Still, there’s a chance, right?” Beth clung to the thought fiercely.

“Yes. But we don’t have anything that she touched.” Aed responded. It was then that Mick noticed the napkin in his wife’s hand.

“Honey, what’s that in your hand?” Mick asked.

Beth looked down at her hands. “Its a napkin that she dropped. I picked it up.”

Aed held out his hand to Beth. She silently handed the napkin to him. Aed held the napkin to his nose and took a deep smell. He reached back into his memory to try and compare the scent that he had just smelled and that of Aoife’s in 1359. As he lowered his hand back down he said, “It could very well have been Aoife. I can’t be sure as I said, it’s been centuries. But it’s a definite possibility.”

Beth felt a smile of triumph creep to her face. She tried hard to keep it in check, not succeeding completely but not smiling as broadly as she could have either.

Selene now had her computer on her lap. “So what all did you get out of her?”

“What she’s going by now.” Beth replied, walking back from the kitchen with a glass of blood. She stopped next to Mick and laid her head on his shoulder.

“She actually told you?” Selene questioned. Disbelief in her voice.

“Yeah.”

“So what is it?” Selene held her fingers over the keyboard.

“Isolde Trent.” Beth answered, taking the last gulp of her drink. She held the glass down at her side.

Selene typed the name into the search engine. She watched as it churned away, After about 30 seconds an address popped up. She looked up at Mick and Beth with eyes wide in surprise. “You two should see this.”

Mick and Beth looked at each other. Beth set her glass on the coffee table and walked around to stand behind Selene to see what was on the screen. Her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh my god.” she whispered.

Mick’s face held a look of dread. “What?”

Beth looked straight into her husband’s clouded eyes. “It’s my old apartment in Santa Monica.”

Mick just about collapsed where he stood. Aed grabbed him by the arm to support him.

“Are you sure?” Mick had managed to make his now very weak legs take him to the couch. He sunk down next to Mike. Both their faces held looks of guarded hope.

“Mick, I know my own address. I lived there for three years.” Beth stated as she headed back into the kitchen to rinse her glass out.

“You know, it actually makes sense.” Selene said. Kraven smiled. He could see the wheels turning in his mate’s head.

“What do you mean?” Mike asked quietly.

“Think about it Mike. If for some reason she couldn’t be with us . . .” Selene didn’t finish the sentence.

“She would try to stay somewhere that reminded her of us.” Kraven finished for her.

“Like she hoped to be found?”

“Maybe Beth.” Kusabana responded. She gave Aed a knowing look. It was very much like Aoife to do something like that. Hide in plain site.

“So where do we go from here?” Beth was now sitting next to Mick, her hand on his thigh.

“We start a search for all records for Isolde Trent.” Kraven replied. He had pulled his laptop up to him on the coffee table. Beth reached for hers and fingers started flying.

**********************************************************************************
Isolde cursed at herself yet again as she strode hurriedly home. She’d stayed far too long at the beach. Now twilight was upon her and she unlike so many others, well most others that wandered this planet, knew what really went bump in the night. She cursed again and redoubled her speed, almost jogging now. I should have never told her my name. That was so stupid. I endangered them all.

Isolde had spent the rest of the evening just sitting staring out at the surf, going over again and again in her mind, the conversation with the beautiful blond woman in Pershing Square. But in the end, as hard as it had been to walk away, she had. She didn’t have a choice.

As she neared an alley about a block from home, she slowed to a stop. She peered down it, trying desperately to see if there was anyone lurking in the shadows. Who was she kidding; the whole alley was in shadow. She tried desperately to shake the feeling that she was being watched. She hesitated for a second or two more and then started across the front of the alley. She only made it three steps before she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She cursed quietly to herself and knew that this was trouble.

“Going somewhere?” A raspy voice came from behind her.

Isolde stood tall, trying desperately to keep her fear in check. She slowly turned to face the voice. “Yes. Home”

“Not tonight, you won’t be.” The voice replied.

Isolde looked closely at the man, no thing standing in front of her. She knew this being, and she knew that if he was there so was his two lackeys’. She huffed. Well, I had longer than I thought I would.

Two other beings, both looking rather slovenly, walked up and flanked the first. “She won’t be going home ever again, boss.”

“Very true, very true. To bad you chose your family, huh?” His face held a sneer.

Isolde glared at them. “I would make the same choice, again. But that’s something that you would never understand.”

“Was she always this feisty?”

“Yes, she was. And you’re right, I don’t understand and I don’t want to. I’m just glad that I’m the one that gets to kill you.” The leader took a step towards Isolde his face now pale, eyes gleamed white and fangs showing in his toothy smile.

Isolde looked at him in disgust. “Do you ever brush your teeth, Davis? You absolutely reek.” That comment earned her a low, menacing growl. “I didn’t think so.”

“Don’t you think that you should be afraid?”

“Of you, not likely.” Isolde had backed up a few paces towards the alley. If this was going to be it for her, she wasn’t about to let it happen in the open.

Her last comment was Davis’ undoing. He roared and lunged at Isolde. He flew past her and ran head on into the wall. He stood up dazed, shook his head and looked at her. “That was your one and only chance. Dinner is served boys.”

All three vampires were on Isolde in an instant. Struggle as she might and she did; there was no escape. The first bite landed on her arm and she shrieked in pain. She managed to get a few good kicks in to the groin; she wasn’t sure whose, but it all proved futile.

Within minutes she was covered in bites and deep gashes, her clothes in tatters. Isolde could feel her life quickly slipping away. Truth be told, she was at peace with it. Those that she cared about were safe; her life was worth the price.

Davis finished taking a long drink from Isolde’s neck. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and tossed her now limp body against the wall. “Not as good as I thought she would be.”

One of the lackeys walked over and kicked her in the stomach just for good measure. “So what now?”

“We do what Vlad is paying us for. We make sure she’s dead and then we go kill her precious family.” He pulled out his camera and took a few quick pictures, sending them to Vlad. The words came to Isolde, the human like a whisper. But to a very different part of her, the words were like a battle cry.

“So when do we leave?”

“In a few minutes. Her heart is still beating. I want to be here when it stops.”

The first sensation she felt was pain. But it was a different kind of pain. It radiated out from the center of her stomach. She felt like every molecule of her body was on fire. As that feeling subsided, it was replaced by a second more powerful feeling. Rage. All consuming, controlling rage. The kind that you don’t control, it controls you.

She slowly opened her eyes, surveying her surroundings; taking stock of where obstacles were and where the objects of her rage were standing. This kind of feeling was new for her. Yes, in the past she had been angry, but this surpassed that by one hundred fold. This had been pent up for over three years, anger at the choice she had been forced to make, anger at what had been done to her; what she had been forced to become. But most of all, anger at what she had just heard. Isolde felt her heart slow to a very familiar and comforting pace. She smiled to herself as she ran her tongue across her fangs. For the first time in her life, she let the vampire, her vampire take complete and total control.

What happened next was a complete blur. But within minutes, all that was left of the three attackers were bits and pieces of body parts and lots of blood.

As Isolde leaned against the brick wall of one of the buildings, she took big breaths, trying to reign in the beast. It liked being out. But going rogue was not an option.

With the lessening of the adrenalin, the blood-lust started setting in. She needed to get blood and soon. But how. Her clothes were practically non-existent and she was covered in blood. She decided that she had to chance it so she walked down the alley and sighed in relief as she saw that it emptied out right next to her apartment building. She felt for her keys that were mercifully still in her shorts pocket.

She stumbled to her car, fumbled with the keys and managed to get them not only in the lock but the door open. She fell into the drivers seat and took a few deep breaths fighting the urge to go after the scent of humans that was wafting towards her..

As she sat there, trying to get the energy to start the car; it hit her – Isolde Trent was gone; Aoife McClellan was back.

Chapter 4

Isolde groggily rolled over and looked out her bedroom window. Oh my aching head. She halfheartedly pushed the covers back and slowly sat up. She shuffled to the window, shut the curtains again and fell back into bed. Funny, I never used to get headaches. She lied back down and tried to force her sluggish brain to focus on what was the cause of her headache.

She suddenly sat up as realization hit. My connection. “It’s working?” She cautiously felt it. Intense pain, confusion, loss came flowing though like molasses.. “The same as mine.” She whispered to herself. He’s hurting so much. Tears started flowing silently down Isolde’s face. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t have lived with your death on my hands.” She breathed through her sobs. She pulled her legs up to her hugging them to her chest. She needed to help him. But how? A crazy idea struck her. Did she dare? Isolde wiped angrily at her eyes, drying her tears with the back of her hand. Crying wasn’t going to help him . . . or her for that matter.

“Well they can’t . . .” She stopped mid-sentence, remembering that her house was almost certainly bugged. She’d found them and destroyed them a few months ago, but prior go rounds proved that they wouldn’t leave them not working for long. They can’t stop me from trying to comfort him, even if he can’t really know that it’s me.

Isolde crinkled her brows together, thinking. It had been a very long time since she had tried to evoke a dream in someone. But he needed help and it seemed to be her only option. She formulated the plan in her mind. Something to let him know that she was okay, that some part of her was still with him. The fact that he thought that he was dreaming, even though he really he wasn’t would hopefully be a comfort.

She pushed herself back so that she was sitting against her headboard. She crossed her legs Indian style and proceeded to do several deep breathing exercises to calm her and open her mind so that she could do what she needed to do and not hurt herself or him. She cautiously threaded her way along the connection to the memory that she was looking for. She smiled sadly. He had buried it deep. Hopefully it would bring him the comfort that he needed.

Isolde closed her eyes and concentrated. He was asleep, well his version anyway . . . the perfect time to proceed. She reached back and pulled the memory forward. Once satisfied that it was replaying properly, she retreated back into her own mind, wishing all the while that she could do more; wanting desperately to wake him and talk to him, knowing all the time that it was impossible.

As she came back to herself, the tears started anew. God damn it! What did I do to deserve this? What did they do to deserve this? Yet again she wondered who her mysterious “benefactor” was. She shook her head. Truth be told she had no idea, enemies were something that she had in droves. They had hope I never figure it out. Heads will roll.

She looked over at the clock, sighed, stood and headed towards the bathroom to get ready for work.

*******************************************************************

Mick sat on the horse Aoife had bough him, waiting for her and Moonlight, her ride. “Come on, Aoife!”

Aoife laughed hard. She rode up and pulled her horse up next to Mick’s. “You know, for someone that was absolutely terrified of horses when he got here, you have sure taken to them.”

“Yeah, well I’ve had two really good teachers.” He gave Aoife one of his patented half-smiles.

“Uh huh.” Aoife kicked Moonlight forward. “Well, come on!” She hollered over her shoulder as she gave Moonlight his reign.

Mick kicked his horse and took of after her, just content to follow where his sire lead.

They pulled up to a small stream about fifteen minutes later. Aoife slid off her mount and walked over to a rock that jutted out into the stream a few feet away. She leaned on it, both arms back in support.

She sighed contentedly and watched as Mick not so gracefully dismounted to join her. Aoife chuckled softly.

Mick sauntered over, arms crossed in front of him in mock annoyance. “What?!”

“Nothing.” Aoife looked at him sideways, grinning.

“Yeah, right.” Mick walked over to the stream, picked up a rock and turned it over in his hand. “This place is so beautiful, Aoife.”

“It is, isn’t it.” She patted the rock next to her. Mick tossed the rock into the stream. He glided over and stood in front of her. “Pull up a rock, Mick.” She slid over so that he could join her.

Both just sat taking in the sounds and smells of the forest. After a few peaceful minutes Mick asked, “So why are we here?”

“We need a reason?”

“You purposely found something for Beth to do. You don’t do that unless you want to talk. She hates being without me.”

“You know that’s only temporary.” Aoife’s gaze followed the eagle circling above them.

“I know.” Mick followed her gaze. “Part of me wishes she would always need me this way though.”

“Really.”

“Yeah. I mean, I know that it’s not realistic, but it’s nice to be needed.”

“Mick, just because she won’t need your constant presence eventually doesn’t mean that she won’t stop needing you.”

Mick looked sideways at the elder vampire. “Aoife, what are you getting at?”

Aoife pushed off of the rock and meandered to the edge of the stream. She started watching the small minnows that swam within it. “Mick, how would you feel if I wasn’t in your life anymore?”

Mick’s eyes flew wide with shock. “What!? What kind of question is that?!”

“A simple one.” Aoife turned and looked at her turn, noting the fear creeping into his very core.

“Why would you ask me that?” He could feel his heartbeat pick up speed. The thought of life without his Sire in it was unfathomable to him.

“Mick, dear heart, we live an extremely long time, but even we don’t truly live forever. There may come a time when I’m not here.”

“I don’t want to think about it.” Aoife watched as indignation floated to the surface of Mick’s face.

“At some point you have to. Mick, what I do is extremely dangerous. I’ve been almost killed so many times, I’ve lost count. My luck is bound to run out eventually.”

“No it won’t. You’re the best at what you do.”

“Yes, but I’m not naive either. I’m not perfect, I make mistakes and one day it may cost me my life. So again, how would you feel?”

Mick stood, speechless. He knew how he would feel, like part of him had been ripped out. There were two people that he felt he couldn’t live with out in his life, Beth and Aoife. “I don’t think that I could go on.”

“You’d have to dear heart.” She saw the look he gave her. “Believe me, I understand. I truly do. But I can’t be your anchor forever. You need to become your own anchor.”

“Easier said than done.”

“True. Mick you are the sum of your experiences and what you do with them, how you learn from them. I am just one of those experiences just as Coraline is. You have done wonders with them. Continue to do so.”

“So what are you trying to tell me?” Mick looked at his Sire with fear filled eyes. Aoife looked at him compassionately. She walked over and pulled him in for a hug, whispering in his ear.

“Just remember, I am just a part of your life just as you are mine. When something does happen,” She squeezed him tighter as she felt him stiffen at her words, “part of me will ALWAYS be with you, you WILL be able to get through it and go on.” She let go of him, and sauntered over to Moonlight and remounted. “Come on, let’s go back to the manor. Beth is probably driving Selene crazy by now.”

Mick shook his head to clear it. He smiled and he remounted Ronan. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” He kicked Ronan and took off like a shot. “Race you!”

Aoife laughed and nudged Moonlight into a gallop. “You are so going to lose!”

*******************************************************************

Mick woke with a start. He reached over to Beth, shaking her gently. “Beth.” She groaned but didn’t move. “Beth!” His voice was almost panicked.

“What, Mick?” She replied groggily. Her internal clock told her that they had only been asleep a few hours.

“I’m still a vampire, right?” The comment got Beth’s attention. She frowned at her husband as she reached down and kicked the latch to open the freezer lid.

“Well, let’s see . . . you currently have white eyes and fangs, so yeah; you’re still a vampire.” She pushed herself up and jumped over the edge of the freezer. She watched Mick as he followed her, wondering what had spooked him.

Mick grabbed his red silk pj bottoms and tossed his wife her red silk robe. He waited as she put it on and then took Beth’s hand and pulled her into the master bedroom and onto the bed. Once they were settled at the head of the bed, laying against the headboard, Mick relaxed a little. He pulled Beth to him.

Beth rested her head on his chest, waiting. When he didn’t say anything she quietly asked. “Mick, honey; what caused all of this?”

She felt Mick’s intake of breath. “I had a dream.”

Okay, not expecting that. “Mick, we don’t dream.”

He sighed heavily. “I know that. I’m telling you, I had a dream.”

Beth stroked his chest, trying to calm him. “Okay . . . about what?”

“Not what. Who.”

“Who then?” Trepidation crept into Beth’s heart.

“Aoife. Well myself and Aoife.” Mick looked out the window watching the clouds drift across the full moon.

“Hmmmm.” Beth glanced up at him, noting the confusion written on his face.

“I haven’t thought about that conversation in three years.”

“What conversation?”

“Remember when Aoife got me Ronan?” Beth nodded against his chest.

“She got Selene to keep you busy.” Beth looked up at him again.”And then she took me out onto one of the trails. We stopped at that stream I showed you.”

“Oh that one with all of the moss in the trees and on the rocks?”

“Yep, that exact spot.”

“I always loved that spot.” Beth turned her head and placed a kiss on Mick’s chest.

“Well the first day that she showed it to me was a day that I never thought that I would forget.” Mick looked back down at his wife.

“But you did.”

“More like the conversation was something that I didn’t want to think about . . .”

“So you pulled a me and buried it.”

“Yes.” Both lied in silence for awhile.

“Mick?”

Mick sighed heavily. “Yes, honey.”

“What was the conversation about?”

“How I would feel if she were ever gone from my life.”

“Oh wow. How did she know?”

“I don’t think she did know that it would be so soon. She just wanted to prepare me for the eventuality of it. And I didn’t want to face it.”

“Well that’s understandable.” Beth had gone back to lovingly stroking Mick’s chest.

“I can still hear her last part of the conversation like it was yesterday.”

“What did she say?” Beth sat up and brushed a few locks of hair away from Mick’s face. His face held such pain . . . and yet just a glimmer of peace.

“She said, ‘Just remember, I am a part of your life just as you are mine. When something does happen, part of me will ALWAYS be with you, you WILL be able to get through it and go on.’”

“Well she was right. She’s a part of all of us and always will be.”

“I just never thought that I’d lose her so soon.” He stood and padded to the window. Beth stood and walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around him, placing a kiss between Mick’s shoulder blades.

“None of us did, sweetheart.” Beth pulled back a little, thinking.

“You’re thinking rather loudly again.” Mick rotated in Beth’s arms, now facing her.

“Sorry.” She looked up into Mick’s face searching it. “Honey?”

“Yeah.”

“Didn’t Aoife say something one time about being able to place dreams into people?”

Mick’s eyes flew wide in surprise. “Oh my God! She did. But I distinctly remember that she said that she couldn’t to vampires.”

“But it wasn’t actually a dream. It was a memory. Do you think . . .” Beth left the sentence unfinished.

“I don’t know. Definitely something to talk to Kusabana about this afternoon.” Mick pulled Beth in for a kiss and then started pulling her towards the freezer.

“Mick?” Beth pulled back on him. “Shouldn’t we try to figure this out?”

“Beth. You and I don’t know enough about what Aoife could or couldn’t do to figure it out. Aed and Kusabana do. Come back to bed. We can go over all of it tonight with them. Okay?”

Beth allowed herself to be pulled into the freezer room. Exhaustion was starting to catch up with her. “Okay, okay. You win.” She untied her sash, let her robe drop to the floor and vaulted back into the freezer. Mick quickly followed suit and pulled his bride up to him so that they were spooned together. Both were asleep within moments, safe within each others arms.

********************************************************************

Steam filled up the bathroom as Isolde turned off the shower. She pulled a towel off of the top of the shower stall and wrapped her hair in it. She then pulled the second down, wrapping herself in it after quickly drying her limbs. She stepped out of the shower and padded to the sink and mirror. She picked up the hair dryer, turned it on high and proceeded to defog the mirror. She turned the hair dryer off and leaned in and examined herself closely in the mirror.

Still no wrinkles. You’d think I’d be happy about that. I SHOULD be happy about that. She humphed unceremoniously. “Well so much for the theory that I’d age faster than normal.” She leaned into the mirror looking closely at the area around her eyes. No wrinkles. Around her mouth. No laugh lines.

She reached up and undid the towel around her hair. She brushed it out, turned on the hair dryer and proceeded to blow it out. She smiled to herself as she remembered a comment that one of her co-workers had made the day before about how it wasn’t fair that she never needed to use a straightener. Her hair never took a curl for long either, which was fine with her. Isolde loved her hair stick strait.

Just as she was leaving the bathroom, her new tattoo caught her eye. She smiled as she looked closely at it. “Healing nicely.” She padded back into the bedroom and to her closet, pulling out her favorite New Republic jeans. Now came the hard part. Her boss had decided that they needed “uniforms”. Why he thought that was lost on her. No one ever really saw them. It was one of the main reasons that she had taken the job. Less contact with lots of people the better. She frowned as she pulled out the striped button up shirt. It’s a god damn bowling shirt. Isolde tossed it onto the bed in disgust. Luckily she only had to wear it part of the day today. She only had to work a half day. Thank god for small favors. “Who knew that I’d miss hunting this much. Be careful what you wish for . . . “

Isolde pulled open a drawer and pulled out one of her fitted t-shirts, wishing that she didn’t have to wear the obscenely ugly bowling shirt. She pulled the t-shirt on over her head as she headed back into the bathroom to put her make up on.

Once satisfied with her appearance she glided back into the bedroom, grabbed the shirt off the bed and headed into the kitchen. She pulled out a seven grain bagel and set it on a plate. She turned to the refrigerator and opened it. Isolde grabbed the blood orange juice and the blueberry cream cheese. She proceeded to slather a generous amount of it onto her open bagel. She poured a tall glass of orange juice and then put both the cream cheese and juice back in the refrigerator, the bagel hanging out of her mouth as she did.

A glance at the clock told her that she was almost late for work. “Shit!” Isolde grabbed the other half of the bagel and the glass of juice. She stopped by the coffee table long enough to grab her Dolce and Gabbana purse. She fumbled around trying to get her keys so that she could lock the door while attempting to balance the bagel and the juice.

“Aha!” She announced triumphantly at finally getting the keys. She opened and shut the door behind her, locking it and then sprinted down the hall and out the front door of the creamy yellow apartment building and to her car.

Once headed into downtown LA she thought of things that she could do after she got off work. Hmmm. Feels like a gym day.

Finishing the last of her bagel just as she parked the car, she jumped out and sprinted into the building to start her day.

********************************************************************

Beth woke and stretched her stiff limbs. Wonder if I’ll ever get used to being so stiff when I wake up? She rolled over and planted a kiss on Mick’s lips. He smiled as she pulled away, his eyes still closed.

“Hmmmm. I think we should just stay in today.” He opened one eye to look at his wife, while placing his hands behind his head.

Beth kicked open the latch and the familiar whoosh of air was heard. “Nope. I have a feeling that today is the day.” Beth leaned up and pushed off the side of the freezer landing agilely on her feet. She reached down and picked up her robe from the floor, put it on and headed out of the freezer room.

Mick heard the shower come on. Visions of all of the possibilities floated through his head. “Oh no way, St. John.” Beth’s voice drifted from the shower.

Mick chuckled and jumped out of the freezer and sauntered into the bathroom. His gaze raked over his wife who was currently bathed in pale blue light. He could hear every drop of water hitting her body. “And you know what I’m thinking how?”

Beth reached over and turned off the water. She wrapped one towel around her hair and the second around her body. She opened the door and stepped out, stopping in front of Mick. “Because I know you and your dirty little mind.” Beth glided her hand around his chest as she walked by and out the door, which elicited a hiss from Mick.

“Shower, Mick. Now.” Beth hollered over her shoulder as she headed to the closet to get dressed.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Mick sighed, shook his head and smiled. He turned on the water in the shower and stepped inside. He tilted his head back relishing the feel of the cold water cascading down his head and body.

He picked up the shampoo, poured a small amount into his hand and proceeded to wash his hair. He thought again of what Beth had said before she got out of the freezer. He frowned, puzzled. Today is the day?

As he finished washing his body, he asked , “Beth?”

Beth, now fully dressed, answered. Knowing what the question would be. “Yes, dear?” She padded back into the bathroom to finish her hair and make up.

Mick shut the water off and pulled a towel down from its resting place and started drying off. He wrapped the towel around his waist, opened the shower door and stepped out allowing the door to swing shut. “What did you mean today is the day?”

“Huh?” Beth shut off the hair dryer. “I’m sorry sweetheart, I couldn’t understand you.”

“I said, What did you mean by today is the day?” Mick dropped the towel from his waist as he headed out the door. Smiling, knowing full well what was coming.

“MICHEAL SEAN ST. JOHN!!!!!!!!!” Beth flew out of the bathroom, towel in hand. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight before her. Mick stood next to the bed, beads of water falling from his hair, landing on his chest and traveling downward. Beth stopped breathing. She tried to remember what she was yelling at him for.

“Yes, dear?” Mick responded. A wicked smile gracing his lips, drawing Beth back into the conversation.

“DEAR. We have had this conversation before. Don’t leave your towel on the floor. It gets musty smelling.” She tossed the towel at him, hitting him in the head.

Mick tried to look contrite. “Yes, love.” He reached down and picked up his boxer briefs from the bed. “Still, sweetheart. What did you mean by today is the day?”

Beth gave him a ‘ don’t you get it look’. “We find Aoife today.”

Mick stopped, his boxers half-way up his thighs. “And you know this how exactly?” Beth giggled at his stance.

“First, pull your briefs up the rest of the way and second, intuition.” Beth sashayed by him to put the towel into the hamper.

“Uh huh.” Came the muffled reply from Mick as he pulled the coal grey Henley on.

“Yep.” Beth gave Mick one last appraising look before she headed out of the door and downstairs.

Mick shook his head, laughing softly. “My wife, the eternal optimist.” He said softly to himself.

“I heard that.” Came floating back up from the kitchen.

By the time Mick got downstairs, Beth had already gotten two glasses poured. She was sitting in the living room, holding her glass in the air, waiting for her laptop to finish loading. Mick picked up his glass and was heading into the living room himself after turning on the fireplace when the knock came to the door. He changed direction and opened the door after giving the monitor a quick glance.

“Hey all.” Mick moved aside to allow the group access.

Beth looked up from her laptop. “Hi everyone!”

“Hi, Beth.” Selene responded back. She pushed her way through the herd of men and plopped down on the couch next to Beth.

Both looked back at the men assembled in the kitchen. “Men.” Beth stated. Selene giggled.

“Yep.”

“So where’s Kusabana?” Beth asked.

“Oh, she said that she had an errand to run and that she would meet us all here.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Why?” Selene had gotten her laptop going and was now in the process of getting Kraven’s going. Beth stood and went into the office, returning with Mick’s. She set it down next to hers and turned it on.

“Something happened today to Mick.”

“What? He looks fine.” Selene looked from Beth to Mick and back.

“Yeah, he’s very, very good at that.”

“Good at what, Beth?”

“Looking like he’s fine. Trust me, he’s not.” Beth sighed in frustration.

Beth stood and headed to the door in response to the knock. She silently opened the door and bowed to the petite Japanese woman standing there.

Kusabana smiled warmly. “Hello, Beth.”

“Hi. Please come in.” Beth stepped to the side to let the ancient vampire in.

Beth went back into the living room and sat back down on the couch. Kusabana glanced over at the group of men and followed Beth. She sat down in the chair opposite Beth. “Beth, what’s wrong?”

“Mick.”

With that, Kusabana looked over at the young vampire. He put up a good front, but she could sense how troubled he was. Something had happened.

“Mick, can you come over here please.” Kusabana asked. Mick looked over, dread flitting across his face but did as he was asked.

He bowed to her. “Yes, Kusabana?”

She motioned for him to sit next to Beth. “You seem troubled young one.”

“Confused is probably more correct.” Mick looked at Beth. She reached for his hand and intertwined her fingers with his and then giving them a quick squeeze.

“What happened?” Kusabana softly prodded.

Mick took a deep breath, noting that the room had become completely silent. “We don’t dream, right?”

“No, Mick. For all of the abilities we gain, the ability to dream is one that we lose.”

“Well, I had one last night.” Shock went through the room like a bolt of lightening.

“Mick, that’s not possible.” Josef responded, a look of disbelief on his face.

“I know that Josef. I’m telling you, I did.”

“What was it about?” Kusabana nudged.

Mick pulled Beth to him for comfort. “It was one about a conversation that Aoife and I had had not too long after Beth was turned. Right after she got me Ronan, in fact.”

“Is it something that you thought about often?”

“No, Kusabana. That’s just it, I blocked this conversation with her out. We talked about what I would do if she died.”

“So you haven’t conscientiously thought about it in how long?” An idea was forming in Kusabana’s head. She was beginning to truly believe that Aoife was alive and fairly close to them.

“Three years or so. I just couldn’t fathom the idea.” Beth leaned in a placed a kiss on Mick’s cheek. Kraven had migrated over to Selene and was standing behind her, his hands on her shoulders. Mike had taken up one of the other seats in the living room. Josef stood leaning on the kitchen island; a half empty glass forgotten in his hand. Aed had taken up residence in the wing back chair in the library.

“Hmmmm. And you had been out how long?”

“A couple of hours at least.”

“Mick, that wasn’t a dream. Someone pulled that memory up for you on purpose.” Kusabana stated. The only other person that she knew with the ability to do that was rumored to be dead. Like hell she is.

Beth couldn’t help herself. “Aoife once said that she could make people dream. Well human’s anyway. Just not vampires.”

“Well you can’t give a being a dream that doesn’t have the ability anymore, Beth. But if you know how you can make them remember a memory.” Kusabana replied.

“Can you do that?” Beth was in full inquisitive mode.

Kusabana chuckled. “Yes I can.”

“And Aoife could.” Beth continued.

“Yes, she could.”

“So. . . that means that it had to be her.” Beth announced triumphantly.

Mick stared at his wife, almost shell shocked. “How do you figure, Beth?”

“Simple, you have never told anyone about that conversation, right?”

“Yes . . .”

“So the only one other than you that would know about it would be Aoife.”

“True.” Mick had mixed feelings about the complications of it.

“Therefore, it had to be her.”

“Not necessarily Beth.” Mike responded. He knew that Aoife had had the ability but he also knew that she had said it was extremely dangerous and therefore didn’t usually do it. His second thought was if she did, why now?

“What do yo mean?”

“Well depending on how deep into sleep Mick was, his mind could have brought it up on its own.”

“But why now, Mike?” Mick was grasping at anything that offered hope.

“I don’t have the answer to that one, Mick.” Mike looked at his friend. He understood where Mick was coming from. He wanted his mate back just as much as Mick wanted his sire back.

Aed stood and headed into the living room. “Mick, what was the conversation exactly?”

“Essentially that a part of her would always be with me and that I could go on.”

“I have to agree with Beth. Aoife pulled that memory up. Why now, I don’t know. But she did.” Aed walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of blood and then glided into the living room.

“I don’t think so. I think Mick’s subconscious did it to help him cope. Nothing more, nothing less.” Mike stated flatly.

Selene glared at Mike. “So, what?! You think she’s dead?” Kraven squeezed her shoulders in silent reminder that Mike was hurting too.

“I don’t know. I hope and pray that Vlad’s lying, but we don’t have any proof one way or the other.”

Selene crossed her arms and huffed.

Beth looked around at the group, suddenly feeling claustrophobic. She stood and headed towards the windows overlooking Pershing Square. Suddenly she felt drawn to go down. She silently went to the closet, pulled out her grey duster, grabbed her keys and phone and headed towards the door.

Mick watched silently. When Beth went to her coat, he stood and headed her off at the door. He put both of his hands on her arms near her shoulders. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. I just need to get out of here for a little while. I”m going down to Pershing Square.”

Beth, it’s the still late afternoon, the sun. . .” Aed started.

“Won’t bother me.” Beth leaned in and kissed Mick lovingly on the lips. “I’ll be back in a little while, I promise. I just need to stretch my legs.”

A worried look came to Mick’s face. “You sure?”

“Yep.” Beth pulled open the door and headed towards the elevator, unaware that two worlds were about to collide.

Chapter 3

A faint smile graced Kusabana’s lips. “Please sit, everyone.”

No one moved. They were frozen in their spots, looks of shock plastered on their faces.

Aed cleared his throat. “Josef, could I trouble you for a drink? The trip was grueling.”

The question shook Josef out of his stupor. “Of course. What’s your poison?” He pushed himself off of the door frame headed to the bar.

“Actually a 1985 would be nice.” Aed responded. Josef stopped in his tracks.

Shit. He turned back towards the Head Council member. “I’m sorry, Your Highness, but my 1985 is currently unavailable.”

Aed’s eyes narrowed. “She’s not?”

Kusabana knew that Aed was on edge. She reached over and put her hand on his thigh in gentle reminder to behave himself.

Josef swallowed hard. “No, not tonight. I sent them all out for a girls night out. I didn’t want any way for what we were doing to get out.”

Aed’s eyes softened. “I’m sorry. It’s been a very long flight and with the trouble brewing . . .” He sighed. “I’ll take whatever that you have fresh.”

Josef viably relaxed. “I have O+, AB-, A+. . . and” He held up the bottle and took a quick sniff, “B-.”

Aed considered a moment, “The AB- please.”

Josef nodded and poured a glass. He glanced at Kusabana. “Would you like anything. . .” He wasn’t sure quite what to call her.

Sensing Josef’s unsureness Kusabana responded, “Kusabana is fine, young one.” Josef nodded. “And a glass of O+ would be wonderful.”

Josef poured another glass and walked over handing the two glasses to the senior vampires. He then sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs; taking notice that everyone else had now found seats.

Mick had sat down in the other overstuffed chair and had pulled Beth into his lap. He had wrapped his arms around her waist for comfort. He sighed and then asked again “What information do you have?”

Aed finished the last of his drink and set the glass down. “Not a bad year, Josef.” He then looked to Kusabana for a moment and then back to Mick. “Have you heard the accusations that Vlad has been making?” Mick gave a curt nod in reply.

Selene huffed. “Yes. Total hogwash as far as I’m concerned.”

“So are they not true?” Mick looked hopeful. Beth could see it in his eyes. She just prayed that his hopes wouldn’t be forever dashed.

Kusabana just sat observing the group. She could sense the fear and frustration coming from them all. The had been trying to find Aoife for so long now, never giving up. This is the second go around for Selene and Kraven. Aoife picked well. She too prayed that Vlad was bluffing. She truly didn’t know how they, well Mick in particular would react if Aoife was truly dead.

“So far he hasn’t brought forth any proof, just boasting.” Kusabana replied.

“Is he really pushing for you to step down, Aed?” Beth asked quietly.

“Yes he is.” Aed responded simply.

“He scares me.” Beth replied back, a shiver going down her spine.

“And he should. Vlad is very unstable and that makes him all the more dangerous. That’s why he hasn’t taken over so far. Every vote that he has called regarding the subject has been four to three in favor of Aed continuing as Head Council member.” Kusabana answered.

Mike was getting impatient. “Can we please get to the information?”

Aed gave him a look. “Well, what we have discovered is that she did not go voluntarily.”

“How do you know that?” Kraven asked. His brown knit concern. “There was no indication that they forced her to leave in her hotel suite.”

“Kraven, there was nothing at all in that room to indicate anything that happened. We all saw the same vision. It just showed her walking in and then nothing.” Selene responded, exasperated.

“I know that . . . dear.” Kraven replied back, glaring.

Beth looked towards Mick. His face held the same frustrated look. “I still don’t understand, how can a memory be erased?” She asked.

Aed pursed his lips together before answering. “It’s not impossible to do, just very, very difficult.”

“How does someone do that?” Beth queried.

“Well . . . The room has to be wiped clean and the only way I know of that it can be is by using a physic null.” Kusabana replied.

Beth scrunched her nose, thinking, “What is a physic null?”

“Not what, young one, who.” Kusabana answered.

Selene’s face lit up. “Oh wait, I’ve heard about them. Aoife talked about one once. She said that it was the only time that she couldn’t touch them psychically. That and all memories in the room were erased. Frustrated the hell out of her.”

Aed chuckled. “I just bet it did.” Turning serious again, he said “The question is why did they feel the need to have it done?”

“Exactly.” Mick asked. He pulled Beth closer to him. Beth responded by leaning in to kiss him on the forehead.

“Well, they obviously wanted to hide the conversation.” Kusabana responded. She had stood and floated over to the large picture window.

“And there was nothing out of place. She just seemed to vanish.” Selene said.

“Exactly. Selene, Kraven, you’ve lived with her and worked closely with Aoife for what almost 200 years now?” Kusabana asked. She was facing towards the windows, her hands clasped behind her back. She was dressed in a blood red Kimono style shirt and black slacks.

“Yes . . .” Selene answered.

“And nothing was out of the ordinary before she disappeared?”

“No, absolutely nothing. She was in the best place that she had been in years.” Selene was trying to figure out where the line of questioning was going. Mike huffed in frustration. Selene turned and shushed him..

“We know obviously that Vlad is somehow involved. I suspect that Elvira and Simone are as well to a lesser degree.” Aed stated.

“Well we figured that.” Selene commented. “Those three are like peas in a pod.”

Kusabana chuckled quietly. “You know Selene, you’re right. I’ve never thought of it that way before, but it fits.”

Aed smiled. “It does. So The question is then what did they do or threaten to get her to leave like that?”

“You know, I’ve been giving that a lot of thought lately.” Beth interjected. Mick gave her an ‘ah that’s what you were thinking about earlier’ look.

“Have you now?” Josef snarked. Beth turned towards him, glaring..

“Yes, I have.” Beth hesitated for a moment. “And . . . well the only thing that I could come up with was that it had to be a threat against us.”

“That thought had crossed my mind as well young one.” Kusabana responded softly.

“What kind of threat would cause her to leave though?” Mick smiled at his wife. Her reporter turned PI instinct was kicking in.

“That is a good question. Aoife never backed down from a fight, ever.” Kraven stated. He looked over at Selene, who was now pacing behind the couch.

Aed laughed softly. “No she didn’t did she.”

“What’s so funny, Aed?” Mick looked at his sire’s sire, unsure of what could possibly be funny to the ancient vampire right now.

“Did she ever tell you about her turning, Mick?” Aed’s eyes sparkled with laughter.

“Only that you didn’t give her much of a choice.” Mick responded, his voice tight.

“Oh I did give her a choice, be turned or die.”

“Yeah, like she said not much of a choice.” It was all Mick could do to keep his growing anger and frustration in check. Beth wrapped her hands around his at her waist and squeezed. Mick visibly relaxed at the touch.

“True . . . true. You know she gave me a run for my money that night. She almost actually beheaded me.”

“Wow.” Beth’s eyes went wide in surprise.

Selene shook her head, surprised as well. “You know, in all of the time that I’ve known Aoife, she had never mentioned that.”

Aed chuckled. “Well now you know why I chose her to do what she does.”

Mike started laughing too. “You know, I can just see her doing that too.”

Beth laughed for a moment too, but then started to frown, thinking. “Okay, so basically we all agree that whatever was said to her made her make the choice to leave. . . but who did it and why?”

Kusabana had sat back down on the couch. “Well, that’s where Aed and I think Vlad comes in. We’ve done a preliminary search of his recent bank transactions and there seems to be a large outgo of money starting about five years ago. The trail seems to be covered pretty well and we are unable to determine to whom the money is going to.”

“Do you have the information with you?” Josef had now leaned forward in his chair, his arms were resting on his thighs. A smile crept onto his face. Now they were entering familiar territory.

“Yes.” Aed answered.

“If you give me what you already have, I can have my people trace the transactions to the payees.” Josef stated. His eyes almost glinted with excitement. Mick looked at Beth and smiled. He knew his best friend was in his element.

“I can get it for you in awhile. It’s on my laptop.” Kusabana stated. She just happened to glance over at Mick just as he was motioning to Beth to stand.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Beth’s eyes searched her husbands.

“Just need to get up and move a little.” Mick replied. He kissed Beth on the cheek and wandered over to the large fireplace at the far end of the study.

Mick stood watching the fire. He let his mind wander back to the night Aoife had disappeared. The night that his world had been turned upside down. For the first time, he the spent the effort to sift out his feelings from those of the blank memory that was forever burned into his mind. He could hear the assembled group talking in the background but blocked them out, choosing instead to focus on trying for figure out what Aoife had been feeling that night. His eyebrows crept forward almost touching as he focused on that night. He leaned on the mantle for support as he replayed the memory in his head over and over again.

Slowly he filtered out everything but the familiar sensations of Aoife.

Beth watched her husband from the chair they had been sharing. She sensed the change in his emotions and watched as his facial expressions evolved over the minutes. She quietly got up and walked over to him and stood next to him for a few minutes, just observing.

Finally she reached over and gently touched his arm. “Mick?” She said in whisper.

Mick felt Beth place her hand on his arm and knew that she was worried about him. In the back of his mind he also registered that everyone had stopped talking and were intently watching him. He felt the sting of tears start to make a trail down his face. He knew the answer as to why Aoife had left, well at least part of if.

Mick looked up, refocusing his eyes on Beth. “Oh my god.” Beth pulled Mick’s arm down from the mantel and pulled him in her arms for a hug.

Kusabana had stood and glided over to the young vampires. She had known what Mick had been trying to do. Being an empath she had tuned into him, “Mick, you need to let it out. You can’t help her now.”

Mick started to crumble to the ground. “No . . . no . . . no . . . she can’t be. . .”

Beth was becoming terrified. She couldn’t read the mixture of emotions that were hitting her. “Mick, what are you talking about?”

The rest of the assembled vampires looked on in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Mick shook his head, trying to erase the feelings. He needed to go back, just five minutes. Before he had filtered everything out.

Kusabana watched as the Mick slowly disintegrated in front of her. “Mick, don’t read too much into feelings. They can easily be misinterpreted.”

“Honey, what is she talking about?” Beth had started slowly stroking Mick’s back.

“I . . . I decided to try and filter out all of the other feelings of us all out of the memory of the day Aoife disappeared.” Mick took in a ragged breath. “I didn’t know if I could, but I remembered that Aoife had said that it could be done. She tried to teach me once.”

“And . . .” Josef snarked.

Selene proceeded to stalk over and slug Josef in the mouth. “Shut up!” she hissed.

In a soothing voice, Kusabana said “Go on, Mick.”

“I managed to do it.” Mick drew in a sobbing breath.

“Sweetheart, please. What did you get?” Beth leaned in and kissed him on the lips softly.

“At first happiness, then rage . . . then absolute and utter terror, not for her but for us. The last feelings that I got were . . . almost defeat. Wait no not defeat . . . acceptance and then nothing. Well not nothing either. ” Mick was now clinging to Beth for dear life.

“Acceptance?” Aed questioned. “Like she’d made some sort of decision?”

Mick wiped away the tears with the back of his right hand. “Yeah. Like whatever it was she accepted the consequences.”

“Hmmmm.” Selene had sunk down into the couch, next to Aed. “Well I guess that confirms our suspicions anyway.”

“Yes it does.” Kusabana knew that what Mick had done was draining, both physically and mentally as she had done it on more than one occasion herself Truth be told, not that it was of any importance to the rest of them, she was the one that had taught Aoife how to do it in the first place. She turned to the group. “I think we’ve gone as far as we can tonight. It’s almost morning and I for one could use substantial time in a freezer.”

Beth watched Mick closely. He suddenly looked totally exhausted. “Maybe you’re right, Kusabana.”

Aed stifled a yawn. “I agree. I don’t think we can get anywhere else tonight.” He stood and stretched. “We can start again in the evening.”

“Aed?” Kraven asked. He had turned off his and Selene’s laptops.

“Yes, Kraven.” Aed responded.

“Why the sudden push to find Aoife?”

“Because, it has become very apparent that IF she is still alive, she may not be much longer.” Aed replied tiredly.

“You know, I’m really beginning to hate Vlad.”

“Welcome to the club, Beth.” Mike snarked.

“Why thank you.” Beth held out her hand to Mick. “Come on, honey. Let’s get you home and into the freezer before you collapse on Josef’s floor.”

Mick took her and and allowed himself to be pulled up. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He looked over to the rest of the group. “Same time tomorrow?”

“Works for us.” Selene answered.

“How about our place tomorrow?”

“Sure, Beth.” Selene grabbed Kraven’s hand. “Come on. The freezer is calling.”

“So I guess we’re going to bed now.” Kraven allowed himself to be pulled towards the study door.

“Kusabana, do you think you can get me that info tonight before you head to bed? I’d like to get my people started on it as soon as possible.”

“Of course, Josef.” Kusabana headed towards the door. “Which way to my room?”

Josef strode out the door. “This way. Your room is also this way, your highness.”

Aed smiled. “As much as Aoife would have you believe that I actually LIKE being called that . . . just call me Aed.”

“Of course.” Josef headed down the hall leading the two elder vampires towards their rooms. He said over his shoulder, “I assume Mick, you and Beth can find your way out?”

“Yeah, Josef.” Mick replied. He couldn’t believe how exhausted he suddenly felt.

“Where are you staying Mike?” Beth asked as she shut down her and Mick’s laptops.

“Here too.”

“I’ve been wondering about that. Why aren’t you all staying at Aoife’s?”

A pained look came to Mike’s face. Selene came back in the room. “Because, Beth. It’s AOIFE’S house. Not ours.”

Mike shot her a wicked grin. “Forget something?”

“Yeah, my phone.” She leaned over and picked up her BlackBerry off of the coffee table.

“Wait. What does the fact that it’s Aoife’s house have to do with anything.”

“Beth . . .” Mick said, a hint of warning in his voice.

Selene sighed. “It’s fine Mick.” She turned back to look at Mike. “It just doesn’t feel right without Aoife there. Something’s missing.” Her eyes now drifted to Mick and Beth. “Do you understand, Beth?” She could see that Mick could.

Beth considered for a minute. “Yeah, I guess I do.” She finished zipping up the zipper on Mick’s laptop and handed it to him. “Come one honey. Let’s get you home.”

Mick yawned. “Yes, dear.” He turned to Selene and Mike. “Night.”

“Night, Mick . . . Beth.” Selene and Mike responded back.

Josef’s front door opened and closed. “So really, what was the real reason that you came back down.”

“To get my phone, like I said.” Selene headed towards the door with Mike right behind.

“You sure it wasn’t to get me for a menage o’ trois?” Mike sprinted off towards the stairs.

“MIKE! I am sooo staking you when I catch you!” Selene yelled. Tearing up the stairs after him.

Beth sat quietly in the car as Mick drove them home. She was desperately trying to get a handle on the emotions that had been flowing off him not twenty minutes earlier. She sighed frustratedly. He was blocking her completely; leaving her with nothing to go on now but his facial expressions which hadn’t changed since they had left Josef’s.

Mick parked the care in the underground parking, walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. He held his hand out to Beth, just as he always did, to help her out of the car. Beth shook her head. Her husband was on autopilot. She decided to wait until they reached the penthouse before trying to get him out of his stupor.

As soon as they were in the apartment Mick headed to the hidden fridge and poured himself a zombie glass full of blood, which he downed in one gulp. Beth stood in the living room watching him intently.

“Mick?”

Nothing. He just stared off into space. Great. He’s gone there again. Here come the demons.

Beth tried again, more forceful this time. “MICK!”

He looked towards her, startled. “What?”

“Can you stay on this plane please?” Beth walked towards him. She took the glass from his hand and set it in the sink. Beth then took Mick’s hands and pulled him into the living room.

She searched his eyes for some kind of answer. His eyes were a maelstrom of pain, fear, frustration and heartbreak. She sat down on the couch, pulling him with her. “Mick, talk to me.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Yes there is. You haven’t said two words since we left Josef’s and well . . . you’re not here.”

“Yes I am.”

Beth glare at him. ‘No, you’re not.” She reached up and forced his head up to look at her. “Mick, why do I have the feeling that what you told everyone is not the whole story?”

Mick fought back the flood of emotions hitting him. He looked up trying desperately not to start crying. He suddenly stood and and headed out onto the balcony to watch the rising sun. Beth sighed heavily and followed him out. She found him leaning on the wall. She took up her place next to him “Mick, honey. Please talk to me.”

Mick watched the sky change colors. How could he explain to Beth what he had sensed when he couldn’t really figure it out himself. He glanced sideways at her, noting the deep concern written on her face. “Beth, I truly don’t know if I can explain it.”

“Can you please try?” Beth reached up and caressed his cheek. “What did you mean by nothing and not nothing?”

Mick sighed. “It was like . . .” He stopped not sure how to put it into words. “It was like whatever they said or did to her she accepted. It almost felt like she died right then.” Mick hesitated again.

“But you’ve said that it always feels to you like she’s not.”

“That’s what is so confusing. It felt like some part of her died, but she didn’t die.” Mick looked back towards the lightening sky.

“Honey, you know that doesn’t make any sense.”

“I know it doesn’t.” He pulled Beth into him for comfort. She laid her head on his chest, listening to his low steady heartbeat.

After a few minutes, Beth asked. “Mick do you remember what Aoife said right after she turned you?”

“Which part?” He had laid his head on the top of Beth’s.

“The part where she explained that she could walk out of your life and you would be fine.”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“If she’s really dead or dies.. . .” Beth stopped fighting her own intense emotions.

Mick sucked in a ragged breath. “I know.”

“You won’t be fine.”

“No, I don’t think I will be.” Mick lifted his head off of his wife’s. She looked up at him.

“To be honest, I don’t think I will be either.”

“None of us will be.” Mick looked at the sun cresting the edge of the building. “Come on, lets go to bed.” Beth nodded and silently followed her bereaved husband inside.

Chapter 2

A groan escaped Isolde’s lips as her phone went off for the fourth time in just as many minutes. She pulled the pillow off her head and looked groggily at the clock. Fucking 3:30 in the damn morning. This had better be important. She reached over and picked up her BlackBerry off the side table. She stabbed the connect key and put the phone to her ear. “You had better have a damn good reason to call me at this hour, Perry.” In her sleep induced fog she almost didn’t catch her Irish accent from coming through.

“I’m sorry, Isolde. I really am. But I don’t know what to do.” A squeaky male voice replied back, complete with a slight tremor in it.

And he has a degree in this shit? Isolde placed her arm over her eyes, shielding them from lamplight streaming in through the window. “What’s going on?”

“Well. . . it seems that the air conditioning has gone out.”

Shit. “So have you called to get the repair people out there?”

“I can’t find their number.” Isolde could hear the fear in Perry’s voice. He knew that he was on thin ice with her. As far as she was concerned he wasn’t worth the space that he was taking up. Just two days before she had caught him closing out tickets without fixing the problems . . . again.

“It’s in the Rolodex.” Isolde had sat up in bed, now wide awake.

“I looked there.” Isolde stood and walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. She grabbed her laptop, set it on the coffee table and turned it on.

“It’s also posted on the wall next to the door in the main server room.” She hit a few keys and started to check the status of the different servers. Shit, shit, shit! She watched in horror as two of the raid drives for one server went out.

“That’s where I am now. I can’t find it.” Perry whined back.

Isolde stood and practically ran back into her bedroom. She pulled a pair of jeans, a printed t-shirt with a cartoon bunny on it that said Life . . . Get one! on it, underwear, bra and socks. She threw them on in record time, grabbed her sneakers, slipped her feet into them and headed into the bathroom. She grabbed her brush, ran it through her hair a couple of times, pulled her waist length raven black hair into a ponytail and headed out into the living room again. “I’ll be there in ten minutes. Go into the storeroom and get the fans and put them in the server room.”

“What good will that do?” He can’t be that dense, can he?

“It’ll move the air around. Hopefully we won’t lose anymore servers.” She picked up her laptop, threw it in its case, grabbed her wallet and keys and headed out the door.

*****************************

When Isolde got home again seven hours later, she was even in a more foul mood than when she left. “They had better not even THINK about calling me to come back in to work today.” she said to no one. She threw her stuff on the couch and headed into the kitchen. She grabbed the remote to her stereo system and hit play. The stereo made a few noises and then Evanescence’s song Haunted started playing.

She opened the refrigerator, looking for something to eat. She settled on leftover homemade ravioli and marinara sauce. Isolde pulled the container out, reached into the cupboard and took out a plate. She opened the plastic container, poured the contents onto the plate and placed the plate into the microwave to heat.

While the food was heating, she headed into the bedroom to change, coming out in a set of yoga capri’s and the same shirt. She opened the silverware drawer and took out a fork. She then padded back to the microwave, took out the plate and set it on the bar. Deciding that she needed a drink, she went back to the fridge, removed a bottle of Riesling, pulled a glass down from its spot hanging in the rack above the island and poured the wine into it. She then walked around to the bar and plopped down into the bar stool and started to eat.

******************************

Mick smiled, eyes still closed, as he felt Beth stirring. It still amazed him how he could still after three years wake with a raging hard on every day. Vampires just normally didn’t have that kind of thing, or so he had been told and up until he had gotten together with Beth, it had been true. He reached over and started fondling her breast, the nipple responding to his ministrations immediately. Beth pushed her derriere against Mick’s swollen member in response.

A soft moan escaped her lips, quickly followed by a smile. She snaked her hand behind her and down, finding what she was looking for immediately. She wrapped her hand around Mick’s member and started slowly stroking it up and down with a feather light touch that she knew absolutely drove him crazy.

“Oh . . . God . . . Beth.” Mick managed to eak out. She had rolled over and was now using both hands. Mick’s eyes rolled back in his head, a look of shear ecstasy on his face from the exquisite torture she was giving him.

Beth kicked the latch to the freezer causing the lid to open with a woosh letting the trapped air out to give her more room. She then pushed Mick back onto his back, smiling wickedly at him. “Just what are you thinking, my love?” Mick asked.

“Oh I don’t know . . . ” Her eyes traveling up Mick’s chest to rest on his face. “Making you cum . . . screaming my name, maybe?” Her eyes were dark with desire, the blue lost in the black of her pupils, white tinging the rims. Mick groaned. He knew then that he was in trouble, a very, very good kind of trouble, but trouble none the least.

“Only if I get to do the same.” Mick responded. He snaked one hand down her stomach, once reaching her folds he took his thumb and started massaging her clit, two of his other fingers finding their way down and into her hot, wet opening. The motions earned him a low growl of pleasure from her. “Swing that sweet ass of yours up here.”

Beth opened her now fully white eyes to look at her husband. “So . . . you want to do the tit for tat thing simultaneously today, do you?” She bent down and started to lick Mick’s cock like a huge lollypop.

“Oooooh my god, you do that way tooo well.” Mick managed to get out. He put both hands on Beth’s cheeks encouraging her to straddle his face. She obliged him, by lifting her leg up and setting it down on the opposite side of his head. He wiggled around a little to get into the right position. Mick took his tongue and slowly drug his tongue from the base of her area up to her clit, sending shivers down Beth’s spine. “Well someone always made sure that I had a huge supply of lollypops when I was a kid.” She commented breathlessly.

Mick smiled to himself. It had been one of his yearly rituals as Beth had been growing up to send her lollipops on her birthday. He sucked on one of her lips before dragging his fang along the inside up to her clit again, sucking it into his mouth. Beth hissed in pleasure.

Her response was to up the anty. She dropped her jaw and relaxed her throat, taking all of him in her mouth. Then she started slowly moving her mouth up and down, swallowing every so often just to change things up.

Mick was finding it hard to concentrate with what she was doing to him. But the scent of her arousal brought his attention back to her moist folds. They were calling to him. He licked his lips, another groan of pleasure escaping his lips as Beth changed the pressure and angle of her mouth on his cock. Without waiting he plunged his tongue into her core, pulling it out and then pushing it back in again, over and over.

Beth started moving her head up and down in time to Mick’s movements. She let out a moan that got a moan in response from Mick as he felt it through this cock and into his core. He decided to switch it up. He slowly drug his tongue up her folds. Upon reaching Beth’s clit, he sucked into his mouth, tickling it with the tip of his tongue, making sure to nip every once and awhile, stopping Beth in her tracks every time he did so.

Her response was to yet again increase her speed, making sure to drag her fangs along the sides of Mick’s member, nipping the tip every so often as well.

By now both were teetering on the edge of sweet oblivion. Mick could sense the change in his mates smell, just as Beth could sense the change in Mick’s.

“Beth . . .” Mick spoke, his voice filled with the tension of unreleased passion. “I can’t . . . I can’t . . . I’m soo close.”

Beth smiled around his cock, then picked up the pace yet again. Mick growled, closing his eyes, he fought the urge to bite until he could tell Beth was ready too.

He sunk his fangs in the sensitive flesh around Beth’s clit, sending him over the edge screaming “Beth!” as her sweet blood filled his mouth.

At feeling his bite, Beth quit resisting the urge to bite as well, and sunk her fangs into the base of Mick’s now throbbing member, sending her crashing over the edge with him. She pulled her head up, kissing the head before she collapsed to the side next to Mick. “Ha.”

Mick responded, breathing heavily, “Ha, what?” He reached down and pulled her back up to him so that Beth’s head was resting on his shoulder.

“You screamed my name.” She responded triumphantly.

“I do that all of the time.” He snarked back.

Beth smirked. “Not like that you don’t.”

“Oh, really.”

“Yep. You screamed my name like a girl.”

Mick glared at her. “I did not.”

Beth sat up, put her hands on the side of the freezer and agily jumped out. “Oh, but you did.”

She got a humph in reply, which sent her giggling as she put her turquoise blue thigh length silk robe on, tying the sash into a bow. She then sauntered out of the freezer room, heading downstairs. She called up the stairs, “You coming or are you planning on staying in bed all night?”

Mick thought about the question for about ten seconds. He sat up, put his hands on the lip of the freezer and vaulted out. He sauntered through the door of the master bedroom to the chest of drawers and pulled out his blood red silk pajama bottoms. He threw them on and headed down the stairs.

When he reached the kitchen a glass of breakfast was waiting for him on the counter. “Thank you, dear.” He picked the glass up and took a long drink. He glanced at Beth and couldn’t help but notice her patented reporter look in her eyes. “What is in that little head of yours now?”

“What? Oh nothing really. Was I thinking that loudly?” Beth finished her drink, turned the faucet on to rinse out the remnants of blood. She held her hand out towards Mick, pointing at his now empty glass. He smiled and handed the glass to her.

“You really do hate dried blood in the zombie glasses, don’t you?” Mick snickered at the look on Beth’s face.

“Gee, what was your first clue?” She snarked back. She picked up the now rinsed glasses and put them into the dishwasher.

“Do you really want me to answer that?” Mick responded, smirking.

Beth walked by, towards the stairs, slapping her husband on the butt as she did. “No, I don’t want you to answer that.”

“Leaving so soon?”

“Not on your life buster.” Beth headed up the stairs. “But we do have a date to meet everyone at Josef’s in an hour.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” Mick headed towards the stairs after her. “I just don’t think anything will come of it.” He climbed them, his thoughts wandering.

Beth responded from the bathroom, over the sound of the shower. “You never know.” Beth opened the shower door and stepped in. She giggled as she felt Mick’s smoldering gaze on her. “You just going to take in the view or are you going to join me.”

Mick opened the shower door, his gaze raking up and down his wife’s body. He stepped in, closing the door behind him. In a voice filled with passion he said, “Oh I plan on doing more that just joining you.” He pulled her in for a fiery kiss, electricity flowing between them. . .

**********************************

Isolde stood looking out the window watching the sunset. She looked down the street and noticed the familiar car parked there. Are they ever going to leave me alone? I’m doing what they want, damn it. I’m staying away. She sighed, just wishing the longing would lessen just a little. She still missed her husband terribly, but it was easier to deal with than the longing. He was gone, while her family was in the same city, just unreachable. Why did I have to move here? She went to the couch and flopped down. She pulled out her laptop and turned it on. She checked her emails, mostly junk but a few were work related. She answered them and then decided to see who was playing in the World of Warcraft. She logged in, picked her highest ranked character; a blood elf named Granuaile (graw + nya + wail) and proceed to see who she could fight. She was soon invited into a dungeon. She smiled grimly to herself as she accepted the invitation. I hate dungeons.

She played for the next several hours and had just finished when her phone rang. Isolde reached for it absentmindedly, answering it without looking. “Hello?”

Nothing, no sounds, no one answering. Isolde pulled her BlackBerry from her ear to make sure it was connected. “Hello?” Still nothing.

“Look either say something or I’m hanging up.” A feeling of dread crept through her, her heart started racing.

“Just a little reminder that we’re watching you.” A deep male voice responded.

Isolde huffed and responded, her voice filled with venom. “Like I don’t know that? You have my cell phone records dumped on a regular basis, my home and computers are bugged; oh and let’s not forget the not so inconspicuous car parked in front of my apartment at all fucking times.”

“Well we wouldn’t want you to go back on your word, would we now?”

“Like that would happen. I gave my word and my word has always been gold.” Isolde stood and walked back over to the window, looking down at the car still sitting there, desperately fighting the rage that was quickly boiling to the surface .

“Be that as it may . . . your benefactor wanted to remind you.”

“My benefactor?! I didn’t need any reminding.” Isolde replied, the rage fully evident in her voice. Her answer was dead silence. She took the phone away from her ear again to confirm that they had hung up. She then threw the phone across the room and onto the couch, screaming in frustration as she did so. She yet again wondered if there was someway to get around it all. She knew a lot about computers but wasn’t even close to the wiz’s that certain members of her family were. She’d wracked her brain for almost three years now trying to find a way. That’s why I moved here. Some place familiar; someplace where they used to be.

She sighed deeply and glided to the couch, picking up her phone. She looked at it carefully just to make sure that it still worked. “I’ve really got to stop doing that.” She whispered.

Isolde plopped back down into couch. She leaned forward, picking up the remote and switched on the TV. She surfed channels for a few minutes finally deciding on a movie. She tucked her legs in underneath her and settled to watch.

**************************

Mick and Beth pulled into Josef’s driveway, fashionably late as always. “You know that he’s going to be pissed.”

Mick had climbed out of the Benz and was holding the door to the passenger side open for Beth. “He’ll live.” Beth took his hand and gracefully stepped out of the car, shutting the door behind her.

“Oh, I know that. It’s just . . . well the vampire really needs to get a woman.”

They walked up to the front door, holding hands. “He does have one, well several.” Mick smiled at the look of disgust that came to Beth’s face.

“You know what I mean.” Beth responded.

“Yeah, I do.” Mick leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Beth’s mouth. “Whose turn is it to knock this time?”

Beth was just about to answer when the door swung open and one very miffed male vampire stood glaring at them. “About damn time!”

Josef took one whiff, making a face as he did so. “Can you to not do that just once before coming over here?”

Mick clapped his hand on his best friend’s shoulder. “Nope.” He pushed his way past, pulling Beth along with him. He leaned in to her whispering, “You’re right. He needs to get laid. . . and soon.”

Beth giggled as the door slammed shut behind them. “I think he heard you.”

Josef walked past the pair mumbling under his breath in a sing song voice, “He needs to get laid.”

Selene looked up from her laptop as the three entered Josef’s study. “Okay, what did you say now Mick?”

Mick looked at her, an innocent look gracing his face.

Selene rolled her eyes and turned to Beth. “What did he say?”

Josef walked around the couch and sat down with a huff.

Beth glided over to Josef and placed a quick peck on the elder vampires cheek. “He didn’t mean it, Josef.”

Josef waved his hand in the air. “Yeah, yeah. I know.”

“So what did you say, Mick?” Mike asked again for everyone.

“I just agreed with Beth.” Mick answered. A smirk gracing his face.

“Uh huh. I didn’t say that he needed to get laid.” Beth sauntered over to her husband, pushed him down in the chair that was behind him and then poked him in the chest for effect. “YOU did.”

The last comment and the look on Mick’s face sent everyone into hysterics that lasted for several minutes. Once the furor had died down, Kraven stated “So where are we starting tonight?”

Beth plopped down on the couch next to Selene. “I was thinking starting with that shipping label that was on the package.”

“Sounds like as good of place as any.” Selene responded.

Within minutes the only sound that could be heard was that of fingers flying over keyboards.

*****************************

“God Damn It!” Beth yelled in frustration. She looked at Selene and Kraven, exasperatedly. “How the hell did you to do this for sixty years?”

“It was definitely a very long lesson in patience.” Selene stood, stretched and headed towards the wet bar that was across the room. “Can I get anyone anything?”

Josef stood and swaggered over to the bar. He pulled out a bottle of single malt and handed it to Selene. “Will this work?”

Kraven looked up from his computer, “Oh hell yeah.”

Selene set the bottle on a tray while Josef pulled six glasses from the cupboard and placed them on the tray as well. Selene the carried the tray back to the large table and placed it in the middle. “I’m not serving, so help yourself.”

Kraven leaned forward and took the bottle. He removed the top, grabbed a glass and poured himself a tall glass. He held up the bottle towards Mike, “You having any?”

“You just did not ask me that.” Mike responded, deadpan.

“Hey, I don’t want to waste this. This is the good stuff.” Kraven responded, pouring another glass and handing it to Mike.

Kraven then looked at Mick. “How about you?”

Mick shook his head no. Instead he stood and walked over to the large picture window the faced towards the setting sun. Where are you? This was always our time.

Beth looked from Josef to Mick, her face laced with worry. She stood and silently padded to stand behind her husband. She wrapped her arms around his waist, placing her head in between his shoulder blades. “Hey, you still with us?” She whispered.

Mick placed his arms on top of hers. “Yeah. Just wishing.”

“Mick, we all want her back.” Mike said softly. All could feel the anguish coming from both men, though for different reasons.

Mick sighed heavily. He turned in Beth’s arms, placing a kiss on her forehead. He lifted his head to look at his friend. Mick knew that Aoife’s absence had been rough on Mike as well. He and Aoife had been doing really well. “I know, man. . . it’s just, well, sunset was always the time of the day that Aoife and I used to always gravitate to. I learned more about myself and her watching those sunsets.”

“She did love them.” Selene responded. She leaned over and gave Mike’s thigh a quick squeeze.

Mick was just about to respond when he was hit with the scent of very old vampire. He vamped out immediately, along with everyone else in the room. Then there were three quick raps at the door.

Josef stood, walked through the door to the study and to the ornate front door. He turned back towards the study and the five vampires standing in and around the doorway. The knock came again, more instant this time.

Josef took a deep breath, placed his hand on the knob, ready to spring as soon as the door opened. He turned the knob and pulled the door towards him.

One word came from Selene’s lips. “Aed.”

Aed nodded and then turned to Josef, chuckling. “Well, young one, are you going to invite us in or make us stand outside?”

That’s when Beth noticed the second vampire. She ran forward, giving the ancient vampire a hug. “Kusabana!”

Kusabana laughed. “Well, well, well, hello Beth!’

Josef came to his senses and moved aside motioning for the two Council members to enter.

Mick asked from where he stood in the doorway of the study, “Not that I’m not glad to see the both of you; but I have to ask, why are you here?”

Kusabana strode forward to stand before Mick. “To help you find what has been lost.” She stated simply. Kusabana then glided past Mick and went into the study.

Aed strode up to Mick and placed his hand on Mick’s shoulder. “We have information.” He then followed Kusabana into the study and sat down on the couch. By now everyone had reassembled in the study.

Mick was standing behind Beth, their arms intertwined around her waist, his head resting on her left shoulder. Selene was leaning on the side of a chair, her arms crossed over her chest with Kraven facing her, his hands on her shoulders. Mike had taken up residence on the chair next to the couch where Aed and Kusabana now rested and Josef was leaning against the door frame to the study.

“So why exactly are you here, Aed?” Kraven querried.

“As I said we have information.” Aed leaned back on the couch, coolly taking the group in.

Now Mick was getting pissed. Beth felt it and squeezed Mick’s hands in silent request. “What information, Aed?”

“You should probably all take your seats.” Kusabana answered. “This is going to be a long night.”

Mike’s eyes flashed. He wasn’t in the mood for games. Especially from Council members. “What is this about?!”

Kusabana turned to look at the younger vampire. She could see the pain in his eyes, then again she could see it in all of their eyes. She only needed to say one word and all the breathing in the room stopped. “Aoife.”

A Past Replaced – Chapter 16

Mike reached up and stroked Aoife’s cheek softly with the back of his hand. It always amazed him how soft her skin was. “Are you sure?” He couldn’t help but notice the tempest of feelings floating across her face. He let his hand drop to her lap, taking one of Aoife’s hands and rubbing the back of it softly.

“What kind of a question is that?” Aoife looked away for a moment.

“A simple one. Aoife, I have never stopped loving you. It hurt like hell when you broke things off and then you found Jordan. I was happy for you but angry at myself for losing the most precious thing in my undead life. It’s taken my over a decade to get some semblance of peace within myself to get past it. I know we can’t have what we had before; hell I don’t want what we had before, I want something better. So I’m asking again, are you ready for this?” Mike searched Aoife’s face for some kind of answer.

Aoife sighed and stood. The question had floored her. Was she ready? She thought she was, but now that the moment was here, she realized that as much as she wanted to be, she just wasn’t quite there yet. In some ways Mike still knew her better than anyone. “You are so damn frustrating sometimes, you know that?”

Aoife walked over to the window and looked out. Mike stood and glided up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and placing his chin on her shoulder. “So, not as ready as you thought you were, are you?”

“No. Guess not. I’m trying, Mike. And I do want this with you again. I guess I was just rushing things. I’m sorry.” Aoife placed her hands on top of his.

“No need to apologize. You’ve been through hell the last couple of years. It’s just good to hear that you do want this.” Mike gave her a quick squeeze and started to pull away. Aoife’s grasp tightened like a vice. “What?”

“Just because I can’t bring myself to have complete intimacy doesn’t mean I don’t want you to stay with me tonight.”

“You want me to sleep with you?”

“More than anything.” Aoife unwrapped herself from his grasp, headed to the freezer room, undressing as she did. She glanced over her shoulder to where Mike stood rooted to the spot. “Coming?”

Mike needed no more prompting, his clothes were off and he was in the freezer cuddled up behind Aoife in record time.

******************************

Beth woke with a smile plastered on her face. Today was her wedding day. She almost felt like she should pinch herself to make sure that it wasn’t all a dream. She felt Mick stir behind her and rolled over to face him. One of her little joys since she was turned was always being able to be the first thing he saw when he woke up. She giggled slightly as Mick scrunched his nose.

“What are you looking at?”

Beth giggled again. “You, silly.”

Mick opened one eye to look at her. “See anything you like?”

“Of course I do.” Beth responded. Mick’s answer was to reach up and put his hand on the back of her neck, pulling Beth in for a passionate kiss.

She reluctantly pulled away after a few minutes, breathless. “Mick, sweetheart. As much as I’d love to continue this . . .” Beth was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Hey you two. Up and out the door. There’s way too much to do and not enough time.” Aoife smiled at the growl she received in response. “Sorry, Mick. Beth still needs a wedding dress and you get to keep Kraven in line.”

The door to the suite swung open, revealing her very disconcerted turn dressed in nothing but a towel. Aoife smiled to herself. Damn that woman is lucky. “I have to babysit him, why?” He moved so that Aoife could enter the suite.

“Good morning, Beth.” Aoife glided over and gave the young vampire a hug. “Because you’re the only one that has no desire to feed fresh and as much as I sympthasize with Kraven, he cannot feed from these freshies. To do so would cost him his life.”

Beth finished buttoning up her shirt as she walked out of the closet, smirking. “Yeah, Selene would kill him.”

Aoife smiled slightly but turned serious in the next instant. “Selene’s anger would be the least of his problems. No one but the Council members can feed from their personal freshies.”

“Wonderful. So I get babysitting duty. Oh joy for me.” Mick snarked, now fully dressed in black jeans and a grey Henley.

“I’m sorry, dear heart. You’re the only one I trust. I can guarantee that Mike wouldn’t make it through the day. Besides, would you rather go shopping?” Mick looked up from tying his shoes, to glare at Aoife.

“No, I don’t want to go shopping.”

“I didn’t think so.” Aoife snarked back.

“I heard that comment, by the way.” Mike had slid up behind Aoife, planting a kiss on her neck. “Morning, Mick. Beth.”

“Hey, Mike.” Beth practically bounced to the doorway. “Aoife, is Selene up?”

“Yep. She already has breakfast prepared. She’s waiting for you.” Aoife looked from Beth to Mick. Both could feel the excitement rolling off the youngest vampire. Aoife’s mind drifted back to her own wedding day. She smiled sadly, shaking her head to try and dislodge the feelings brewing there.

Beth noticed instantly the change in her friend. “Aoife, what’s wrong?” She padded over and placed a hand on Aoife’s arm.

“Nothing that needs to concern you, young one. Just something that comes with age.” Aoife sighed and pulled Mike closer to her.

Beth looked from Mick and back at Aoife quizzically. “What do you mean?”

“Memories, Beth. Memories. I have six hundred and seventy-five years of them, remember?”

“Oh.” Beth looked down sheepishly.

“It’s fine Beth. Go find Selene. She knows all of the best shops. And have fun.” Beth nodded vigorously and practically skipped out of the room to find Selene.

“Are you really okay, Aoife?” Mick asked. Now that Beth was gone, she had let her shields down and Mick could feel the mixture of emotions coming from his sire.

“Yes and no, Mick. I’m so very happy for you but it brings back the memories of my own wedding. It was the happiest day of my very long life. I just wish Jordan was still here to celebrate too.” Aoife felt Mike’s hands loosen their grip on her. She turned around in his arms, effectively stopping his retreat. “And just where do you think you’re going?”

“Ummm. To work?” He continued to try to disentangle himself, with no avail.

“No you’re not. You’re running.” Aoife gave him a squeeze and let Mike pull away from her.

“What? No I’m not.” Mike responded. Indignant.

Aoife glared at him for a moment and then sighed. “Yes you are. Mike, I’m sorry if my comment about Jordan hurt you. You’ve got to understand, I would have been married twenty-two years today. Today. I’m still trying to figure out how I’m supposed to feel. But have no doubt, I Want You Here.”

Mike visibly relaxed. “Yeah, I get it. Sorry.”

“There’s nothing for you to be sorry for. That part of my life is over, just like so many other parts. It’s just . . .”

“I know, I know. I get it, Aoife. It’s hard to hear you talk like that is all.” Mike gave her a lopsided grin.

Aoife shot him a sultry smile in return. “Okay, so I’ve got way too much to do to stay here and stroke your ego.” Aoife headed out the door. “Come find me later. Mick, meet me in the freshie wing in about fifteen minutes and I’ll show you what to do.”

Mick gave her a disgusted look. “Do I really have to?”

His reply came floating back down the hall. “Yes, you do.”

“Damn.” Mick shook his head.

“It’s not that bad really.” Mike smirked and plopped down on the couch.

“Yes it is. All of those over-sexed women, trying everything to get me to bite? Not my idea of fun.”

“Oh, there’s men too.”

Mick glared at Mike. “Wonderful. There’s women on the Council?”

“Yep. Um, two . . . no three. Why does that surprise you?”

“Not sure. Guess it shouldn’t. We always seemed like such a chauvinistic breed.”

“Hate to admit it, but you’re probably right.” Mike’s expression turned thoughtful. “Mick?”

“Yeah.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.” Mick had just walked back into the suite from the closet, duster in hand.

“Is Aoife really okay with this?”

“Okay, didn’t see that one coming. Is she okay with what?”

“Us.”

“Little vague there, don’t you think?”

“She and I. She claims that she is, but then she makes comments like the one she did a few minutes ago.”

“Why ask me?” Mick had sat down on the opposite end of the couch.

“Because you know her better than anyone.”

“Yeah, right. Mike you’ve known her for what 150 years at least?”

“Not the point. I don’t have the connection to her that you do.”

“True. Okay. From what I’ve sensed, yes she is and no she’s not. I have a feeling that today is going to be rough on her. Between the Council and the wedding . . .”

“So I should back off.” Mike’s face fell.

“No, I didn’t say that, man. Best advice that I can give you is to just do what you have been doing. Don’t get pushy; take it at her pace for now. From what you’ve all said Aoife’s come along way in the last year or so.”

“Yeah, she has and you’re right.” Mike sighed and stood.

Mick felt a tickle in his mind. What’s taking so long? Mick smiled.

“I’m being paged.” Mick stood and headed out the door.

“Hey, Mick.” Mike stood and followed him out.

“Yep.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

• ****************************************

Selene smiled as she looked up from her glass as Beth practically skipped up to the counter, scooped up her glass and downed her breakfast in one gulp.

“So how soon can we leave?” Beth just couldn’t contain her excitement.

Selene laughed. “As soon as you’re ready.”

“Well, I’m ready.” Beth replied, smiling as she felt Mick walk into the kitchen.

Selene picked up the glasses, rinsed them and put them in the dishwasher. She glided over to the overstuffed red chair; grabbed her leather jacket, threw it on and grabbed her purse. “Oh, Mick. Thanks for helping Kraven.”

Mick chuckled. “Your welcome. It’s not like I had a choice in the matter.” Mick was just finishing putting his now dirty glass in the dishwasher.

“True. But still, thank you.” Selene turned to Beth. “Got everything?”

“Yep.” Beth bounced over and placed a soft kiss on Mick’s lips. “See you later.”

“Okay. Have fun.” Mick gave Beth a wink as he headed to the stairs on the opposite side of the house that led to the freshie wing.

“So which car are we taking?” Beth asked as they entered the garage.

“I figured the Land Rover so that we had plenty of room.” Selene opened the driver’s door, hitting the lock mechanism so that Beth could get in the passenger side.

Beth giggled. “Aoife’s right. You do love shopping.”

Selene pulled the Land Rover out onto the main road. “Yes I do. But don’t let that old vampire fool you. She can shop with the best of them.”

“Yeah, I know. You should have seen her on Rodeo Drive.”

Selene chuckled. “I can only imagine. She loves Rodeo Drive.”

“So where to first?”

“I know this really quaint dress shop in the old section of Galway. They have some of the most unusual but gorgeous dresses. I figured that we could start there since we don’t have a lot of time. Aoife wants us back by four at the latest.”

“That early?”

“Yep. She’s got her favorite hair and makeup people coming by at 4:30 pm to do your hair and makeup.”

“Oh you’re kidding. I didn’t even think about that.” Beth thought for a moment. “I wonder what else I’ve forgotten.”

“Whatever it is, Aoife will probably already have covered it. Don’t let her fool you, she’s the queen at planning.” Selene pulled into the parking lot behind the dress shop.

Beth suddenly turned quiet. Selene looked over at the young vampire. “Beth, what’s wrong?”

“Am I ready to be around this many humans yet?”

“Mick and Aoife seem to think so. Beth you’ve been a vampire almost a year now. You’ll be fine. Just concentrate on the shopping.”

Beth’s smile and sparkle in her eyes returned. “Okay, that I can do. Let’s go find me a dress.”

Selene parked the car in a small parking area behind a row of old buildings. “We’re here.” She smiled, noting Beth’s giddiness. Both vampires climbed out of the Land Rover and Selene led Beth to a small shop in the middle of the row of buildings. “After you.”

Beth bowed deeply. Giggling. “Why thank you.” Selene laughed in response.

Both were greeted by a salesperson upon entering the shop. Human. Beth noted to herself. “Good afternoon ladies. How can I help you?”

“Hello. I was wondering if Róisín was in the shop today?” Selene asked. Beth noted that Selene seemed to be put off by the saleswoman.

“Yes, she is. But she is otherwise indisposed right now. I’m sure that I’ll be fully capable to provide you whatever you need.” The woman tilted her head slightly in defiance.

“I’m sure you can. But I had talked to Róisín earlier today regarding our needs and she said that she would have some examples ready for us. So if you would please get her . . . now.” Selene’s tone left no room for argument and a tight smile graced her lips.

The saleswoman dropped her fake smile and gave a curt nod. “Of course. I’ll see if she’s available.”

“Thank you.” Selene turned from the saleswoman, effectively dismissing her. “Beth, Róisín might be a few minutes so why don’t we peruse while we wait.”

Beth had wandered over to the formal dresses. “Sounds good to me. I have no idea what I want to wear.”

“Well what type of formal dresses do you usually wear?” Selene had wandered over to the haute couture section.

“Um, simple but elegant usually. I’m not a frilly dress kind of girl.” Beth pulled an ivory beaded dress from the rack and held it up. “What do you think?” It was beaded from head to toe, halter style with a plunging neckline.

Selene turned to look. “Hold it up in front of you.” Beth did. “Well, the colors wonderful, but I’m not sure about the beading.”

“That’s too much embellishment for her.” A very thick feminine Irish brogue floated towards them.

Selene turned towards the voice, smiling. “Róisín! It’s so good to see you. Are you attending tonight?”

“Of course. Miss one of Aoife’s blowout’s? Not on your life. Besides, it’s not everyday the Council attends.”

The saleswoman that had tried to help them before approached. “Would you like me to bring out the rack?”

“Yes, Sarah. After you’ve done that, you can go. Once I take care of these customers, I’ll be leaving myself for the day.”

“I can keep the shop open for you.” Sarah turned to retrieve the rack.

Upon returning, she looked expectantly to her employer. “Thank you for the offer, but that won’t be necessary. Please lock the front door on your way out.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Sarah got her things from the back, went out the front door, locking it from the outside.

“Why do you keep her around?” Selene asked.

“The human customers seem to adore her.” Róisín was now fully focused on Beth. “Now, let’s see. What size are you, dear?”

“Um, a two in U.S. sizing. I don’t know what that translates to here.” It was all Beth could do not to keep her mouth open in amazement.

Róisín quickly flipped through the many dresses hanging on the rack, plucking half a dozen to start with. “Here, let’s start with these.” She led Beth to the changing area, hung a couple of dresses on the hooks inside and motioned Beth inside.

Beth’s excitement was beginning to get the better of her. She quickly stripped to her panties, noting that the first dresses that Róisín had chosen were strapless. She threw the first one one, pulling the zipper up on the side of the dress. She then stepped out of the dressing room.

“Come over here Beth to this three way mirror.” Beth glided over to where Róisín had indicated. She climbed up on the pedestal to admire herself.

“Um, I don’t think so. Too frilly.” Beth stated.

“Yeah, definitely.” Selene added.

“So go try on the next one.” Beth hopped down and entered the dressing room again. Removing the first dress and putting on the second.

The process continued this way for almost an hour with no prospects. Beth huffed in frustration. “Is that everything?”

“Pretty much. I’m sorry Beth. Let me go take one last look in the back room.” Róisín headed back into the back room to see what else she could find.

Beth wandered over to a rack that was near the back of the store, not looking at anything in particular. On the very end of the rack was a light ivory colored dress. She pulled it off the rack and looked at it. Her face lit up. “Selene! Look at this!”

Selene wandered over to see what Beth was so excited about. “Oh, wow.” Selene felt the Charmeuse fabric. “What size is it?”

Beth looked around frantically for the tag, a triumphant look crossing her face upon finally finding it. “It’s a two!”

“So go try it on.” Selene motioned towards the dressing room. She turned to look towards Róisín who was just entering the main store with a confused look on her face. She watched with curiosity as Beth practically bound into the dressing room.

“What did she find?”

“An absolutely stunning dress that was hidden on that last rack over there.” Selene responded, pointing to the far rack.

“A wedding dress over there? Hmmm. I never keep wedding dresses over there.” Both looked up as Beth re-emerged from the dressing room and floated to the pedestal.

Beth’s eyes lit up as she looked at herself in the three way mirror. “So what do you think?”

Róisín slowly walked around Beth checking the fit here, fiddling with the hem there. “I think we have a winner.”

“I so agree. Beth that dress is definitely you.”

Beth turned to look at the back of the dress. The back was low cut, ending just above the small of her back, with a removable Crepe de Chine train attached. It had a simple scooping neckline that showed just the right amount of cleavage.

(see Beth’s wedding dress here: http://www.voguepatterns.com/item/V2965.htm??tab=list/evening_bridal_includes_designer&page=all)

Beth giggled. “Me too. This dress is going to drive Mick mad.”

Selene and Róisín both broke out laughing. “That and every other male vampire in the room. It’s a good thing Mick is Aoife’s turn, or he’d have problems.” Selene responded.

“What?! Aoife turned someone? Since when?” Róisín looked at Selene shocked.

“Oh, what? About two years ago now? Does that sound about right, Beth?”

“Yeah, something like that. I’ve been a vampire a little over nine months, so give or take a month or two. Mick could tell you for sure.” Beth twirled on the pedestal, a huge grin plastered on her face.

Selene glanced at her watch. “So is that the one you want to go with, Beth?”

“Yep. I guess I should go take it off, huh?” Beth hopped down and headed back towards the dressing room.

“If you want to get the rest of your outfit, yes.” Selene smirked.

Róisín headed back into the back of the store to get a garment bag to put the dress in. As she came back out she asked, “So why did Aoife change her mind? She always told me that she would never turn anyone.”

“Mick is very special to her. She once told me that it just felt like the right thing to do. Mick and Beth are the reason that we pretty much have the Aoife we used to know before Jordan died back.” Selene smiled as Beth bounced back up, dress in hand.

“So, now where to?” Beth asked as she handed Róisín the dress and the American Express card that Mick had given to her.

Róisín gave Beth the card back. “No charge Beth. This is a once in a lifetime event. I’m honored that you’ll be wearing a design of mine.”

“Are you sure? I mean you do have to make a living and all.” Beth took the card back and placed it in her purse.

“Yes, I am.” Róisín handed Beth the garment bag with a smile.

“So what kind of shoes would you recommend?”

Róisín thought for a moment. “Selene do you still have that pair of Christian Laboutin shoes?”

“Um the bright red high heel one’s?”

“Yeah, those.”

“Of course I do . . . oh they would be perfect.” “Beth what size are you?”

“A 7 1/2 in US sizing.”

“Perfect. I got them in New York so they are sized American and I’m a 7 1/2.”

Beth looked at her watch. “Oh, shit. Selene it’s already 3:00. What else did we need to get?”

“Your bouquet and you wanted to get a ring for Mick?”

“Yes, of course. But where?” Beth looked almost panicked.

Róisín smiled. “There’s a fantastic jeweler right down the street. Four doors to be exact.”

“Four doors down . . . oh you mean Padraig?”

“Yep.”

“Ooh, his stuff is fantastic.” Selene grabbed Beth by the arm. “Come on, he’s going to be at the Ceili tonight too so he’ll be closing soon.”

Beth giggled and let herself be pulled out the door. “See you tonight Róisín and thank you for everything.”

Selene led Beth down the street four doors to a quaint old jewlery shop. She held the door open and motioned Beth through. Both women looked around for Padraig. He came out of the back looking slightly disheveled.

Both women snickered. “Hello, Padraig. Did we catch you at a bad time?” Selene asked.

Padraig wiped a finely embroidered handkerchief across his mouth. “No, no of course not, my dear Selene. I was just finishing lunch.” He turned his attention to Beth. “And who is this lovely young vampire?”

Beth gave the old vampire a small smile. She noted that he had been turned later in life, his hair had been black at one time but now was tinged with grey. “Beth Turner.”

“Ah, the youngest protégée of Aoife’s. She’s getting quite the following, isn’t she?” He turned to Selene. “What can I do for you today?” His eyes twinkled with the expectation of a sale.

“I’m not here for me today, Padraig.”

Padraig’s face fell. “No? Then . . .”

Beth cleared her throat. “I need a wedding ring for my fiancé. We’re getting married tonight.”

Padraig headed to the case holding the men’s wedding bands. He pulled out the box that held the White Gold rings. “These are all handmade locally. Are you looking for anything in particular?”

Beth and Selene had followed Padraig over to the case and were now looking intently at the rings. “Something definitely Celtic; since mine is.”

Padraig looked for a few moments and removed several rings for Beth to look at. The first couple she dismissed immediately, but the last two got her attention. “Selene, which one do you think? I can’t decide.”

Selene took the two rings from Beth, looking at the design of both closely. She set one down and handed the second to Beth. “I’d go with this one. It compliments the one Aoife gave Mick to give you.”

“Yeah, that’s the one I was leaning to. What size is it?” Beth handed Padraig the ring.

Padraig took out the ring sizer and slipped the ring on it. “It’s a size 10.”

“Oh, how perfect! That’s Mick’s size. I’ll take it.” Beth pulled out the American Express card that Mick had given her and handed it to Padraig.

“That’s Mick’s.” Selene had an amused look on her face.

“Yep. I have to admit that he had to practically force me to take it though.” Beth said sheepishly. Padraig came back and handed Beth the card and a ring box containing the ring.

“Here you go. I hope he likes it.” Padraig headed towards the front door. “I hate to be a poor host, but . . .”

Selene laughed, following the old vampire. “No, it’s quite alright, Padraig. We totally understand. Hope to see you at Aoife’s tonight.”

Beth and Selene stepped out into the afternoon sun. Selene’s hand flew up to block the sun. “Damn, I wish the sun would go down. Come on; let’s get the flowers Aoife wants.” Selene quickened her stride back to the car. Once inside it, she reached behind the driver’s seat and pulled out a thermos, taking the top off and downing a long drink.

“You okay, Selene?”

“Yeah, wish the sun didn’t affect me is all. You are so lucky.” Selene twisted the cap back on the thermos.

“Yeah, I guess so. So where to now?” Beth glanced at her watch again. “It’s 3:30.”

“Just to the florist. You need a bouquet.” Selene started the Land Rover and pulled out. She glanced over to see Beth looking intently at her nails.

“Okay, what’s going through that head of yours?”

“Well, I haven’t done my nails in almost a year, I was thinking that I would like to for tonight.” Beth continued to stare at her nails.

Selene snickered. “Not a good idea, Beth.”

“Why not?”

“Well . . . think about it. What do our nails do when we vamp out?”

“They turn into talons.”

“Exactly.”

“So?”

“Beth” Selene said with amusement in her voice. “The fake nails come flying off. Do you want them flying everywhere during a moment of passion?”

“Uh, no?”

“Trust me on this. I speak from experience here. It was not a pretty site. Aoife had warned me too.”

“I can do nail polish though?”

“That’s fine. We really don’t need fake ones anyway. Haven’t you noticed how strong your fingernails are now?” Selene pulled into a parking spot in front of the florist.

“Yes. So I guess nail polish it is.”

Selene chuckled softly. “Guess it is.” She stopped in front of the door and turned towards Beth. “How are you feeling right now?”

“Fine. Why?”

“Because this shop is one of the busiest in Galway. There’s always quite a few humans in here.”

“Oh.” Beth took stock of her hunger and control. “I should be fine. I mean knowing that frightens me somewhat, but I have to learn to do this. I’m so tired of staying behind. You all make it look so easy.”

“It will get that way for you too. Okay let’s go. I know Aoife already has an order in. All we have to do is pick it up.”

Beth strode purposefully to the door and pulled it open. She motioned Selene through and followed closely behind. Beth stopped mid-stride, the scents of at least a dozen humans assaulting her at once. She felt the vampire part of her fighting to come out. She looked at Selene with a look of panic on her face. Selene turned and put her hand around Beth and started speaking to her in the range that only vampire’s could hear.

“Take a deep breath.” Beth did. “Now remember all of the things that Mick and Aoife taught you about control. You have to think consciously about it.”

“Okay.” Beth took several more deep breaths, trying to tune out the excess. After a few moments that seemed like eternity to her; Beth pushed the vampire back to its resting place. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Selene smiled kindly. “Ready?” Beth nodded. “So let’s get these flowers and get home. Aoife keeps texting me.”

Beth followed Selene up to the counter. “Why?”

“She wants to know when we’ll be back. There’s still a lot to do and we’re running out of time. She always gets testy about this time of day when it’s Ceilli day.” Selene motioned to the clerk. “I need to pick up an order for Aoife McClellan.”

The clerk rifled through the tickets. “Here it is. Centerpieces and a bridal bouquet of white and red roses. Nice choice.” The clerk handed Selene the ticket for her signature. “Please bring your vehicle around to the back and we will load the arrangements.”

“Alright. Thank you.” Selene and Beth headed back out to the Land Rover.

Selene parked it behind the shop, hopped out and opened the back doors. “Beth, come here and take your dress. I don’t know how many arrangements Aoife ordered.” Beth climbed out and took the dress.

“Selene, why didn’t Aoife have them delivered?” Beth asked. Two clerks started carrying out the arrangements.

“She usually does. But with the guests that we’re having tonight, she decided to play it safe.” Selene let out a quiet “Wow” as Beth’s bouquet went by. Beth’s eyes flew wide in surprise.

“She ordered that for me? It’s huge.”

“You know Aoife. She doesn’t do things half way.” Selene shut the doors to the Land Rover and motioned for Beth to get back in. “Home we go.”

“Okay. God, Selene I’m getting married tonight!” Selene sighed. Beth immediately noticed the change in her friend. “Selene? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Beth.”

“Yeah, right. Doesn’t work anymore. No longer human. Talk to me.”

“Just a little jealous I guess.”

“Of what?”

“You and Mick.”

“Okay, I’m lost. Why?”

“I never got a wedding.”

“What?! So you and Kraven are married.”

“Technically, yes. But it was one of those Justice of the Peace kind of things.”

“Oh, Selene. I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you have a wedding?”

“At the time, Kraven and I were basically on the run. He wanted to marry me, but back then finding a vampire in that kind of position was hard to do. So when we did find this particular one off the beaten path we took it.”

“Wow. So how long have you two been married?”

“It will be 175 years this coming spring.”

“And you’ve never had a rededication ceremony?”

“A what?” Selene pulled into the garage.

“A rededication ceremony. It’s like a second wedding.”

“You’re kidding.” Both women jumped out and started to unload the Land Rover.

“Nope. You and Kraven should. Then you could have the wedding you never got.”

Selene looked up as the door opened and Mike, Kraven and Aoife came out to help with the supplies.

“Did you get everything?” Aoife started handing out centerpieces to everyone to take in.

“Yep. Wait to you see Beth’s wedding dress. It’s absolutely stunning.”

Aoife chuckled. “I’m sure it is. How do you like your bouquet, Beth?” Aoife carefully picked up the bouquet so as not to move the ribbon.

“It’s perfect Aoife. Why red and white roses though?” Beth was heading towards the door, doing a balancing act with the center pieces.

“It’s stands for unity and immortal love. Just as a marriage should be.” Aoife said following Beth into the manor.

“Where do you want these, Aoife?” Mike hollered down the hall.

Aoife cringed at the sound. “You don’t have to shout. In the ball room. Beth once you set the flowers down, go find Mick. Selene can take over from here. There’s not much left to do anyway. The Council members will start arriving soon.”

“Okay.” Beth quickly set the flowers down and was out of the ball room in a shot. She bound up the stairs leading to the freshie wing. The closer she got, the more she could feel Mick’s mood. She smiled. He was frustrated beyond all belief. She had to stop as she reached the rooms that held the freshies to get control again. How do they all do it?

The first three rooms were nothing but freshies. Both male and female. All looked up expectantly when she entered the room. Wonder if being fed on is addicting? I’ll have to ask. Now Beth was getting frustrated as well. She could feel Mick, but she was being bombarded by various scents and couldn’t single out his. She huffed. She stopped dead in her tracks at the opening of the fourth room. She’d found Mick and what she saw made her blood boil.

Beth glided into the room with all of the grace of a queen. She stopped in front of Mick, who was desperately trying to extricate himself from two very, very underdressed and over-eager freshies. Beth felt her face change. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”

Mick’s head flew up, a look of ‘help me’ plastered on it. “He looked hungry. We just thought that we’d offer our services.”

Beth smiled, knowing that her fangs were showing. “And did he ask you?”

“No. But we’re very experienced at this and we can tell.”

“Oh can you now? Whose private freshies are you?” Beth asked, her eyes narrowing.

“Simon LeBeau’s.”

“And he like’s to share?” Now the two freshies were starting to squirm.

“Well, no.” Mick pulled himself free and stepped back to watch the show.

“So you thought that you’d try and force my fiancé, who doesn’t drink living . . . ever to feed off of you and risk his life not to mention yours?” Man these women are dense. Beth thought. She took a step towards the freshies, causing them to step backwards. Both fell unceremoniously onto the couch behind them.

“We didn’t think about that. It just feels so good.” Beth’s left eyebrow arched.

Beth took another step forward. She growled quietly and noted the fear now coming from all of the freshies in the room. “I will tell you this only once. Stay away from my fiancé.”

One freshie stood defiantly. “Or you’ll do what?”

“Take you out of the rotation . . . permanently.” Beth turned and glided over to Mick, giving him a passionate kiss. She reached for his hand, pulling him out the door with her.

Selene was standing just outside, a huge grin on her face. “That was quite a show, Beth.”

“I know I shouldn’t have but, it just pissed me off.” Beth rounded on Mick. “Why were you letting them do that anyway?”

Mick smiled sheepishly. “I have been fighting that ever since you left. That’s why I didn’t want to do this in the first place. And I wasn’t letting them.”

“No one messes with my man.” Beth smiled at the tickle in her mind.

Rescue Mick yet? Aoife’s amused voice filled her head.

Yep. All saved. Beth giggled.Beth, you need to get back to your suite. The hair and make up artists are there waiting for you.Sure thing Aoife. Beth pulled on Mick’s hand, leading them towards the stairs. “Come on, Aoife says the people are here to do my hair and makeup. And you look like you need a break.”

“What?” Mick looked at her perplexed.

“Nothing. Private conversation with Aoife.”

“Hey. No fair.” Mick pouted.

Beth punched him in the arm. “Yes it is. You have them with her all of the time.”

 

 

“No arguments there.” He scooped Beth up into his arms and headed towards their suite.

*****************************

Aoife looked up from her paperwork to see one of the small staff that she had hired standing patiently in the door of her office. She sighed. “Yes, Colum?”

“There is a Kusabana to see you ma’am.”

“Thank you. Please show her in.” Aoife stood up from her desk and strode towards the door to meet her guest. Aoife bowed low as a petite Japanese woman of about 25 walked into the room. The woman bowed in return, pushing her long black hair back in its place as she straightened. She smiled warmly at Aoife.

“Hello, young one. You look much better than the last time I laid eyes on you.” The ancient vampire glided over to the sofa and sat down.

Aoife laughed. “You are the only one that can get away with calling me that. How are you, Kusabana (koos uh bahn uh)?”

“I’m doing well.” The smile quickly left Kusabana’s face. “We need to talk.”

Aoife’s heart sank. If Kusabana needed to talk then it wasn’t good. Aoife crumbled into the opposite side of the sofa. “About what?”

“Well . . . you do realize that the decision for you to eliminate the Duvall clan was not unanimous?”

Aoife sighed. “I figured as much. What was the vote?”

“Four to three. It was a blind vote, but I’m sure you can guess who voted to spare them.”

Aoife stood and walked over to the bar. She pulled out two glasses and a carafe; filled the glasses and went back to the sofa, handing one to Kusabana. “Well, if I had to guess, Vlad, Simon and Elvira.”

“You’re correct. Elvira literally threw a temper tantrum.” Kusabana’s face turned to a look if disgust.

Aoife chuckled softly. “I just bet she did. That woman acts more like a child than a 1,250 year old vampire and to top it off she’s a hypochondriac. How a vampire can be that is beyond me.” Both Aoife and Kusabana snickered at the thought. “She had an off and on thing going with Sebastian didn’t she?”

“She did. It was off at the time you killed him; she still looked like she was staked with a pure silver stake when the vote was read.” Kusabana took another sip from her glass. “Watch out for her.”

“I’m not too worried about her. I’m more worried about Vlad and Simon.” Aoife finished her drink and set the glass down on the coffee table in front of her. One of her help was standing patiently at the door. “Excuse me for a moment. Looks like the help has a question.” Aoife stood and glided to the study door. “Yes?”

“Ma’am the musicians are here. Where would you like them to set up?”

“In the ballroom, along the far wall.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The butler bowed and left the doorway.

“I thought you weren’t going to get more human help.” Kusabana smiled mischievously.

“I wasn’t. But this place is just too big to take care of on my own. Especially since whether I like it or not, I have to get back to work . . . soon.” Aoife plopped back down onto the sofa.

“That’s probably a very wise decision, Aoife. Vlad has been making moves to replace you with a young turn of his.”

Aoife’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?” Her posture stiffened. “Why exactly?”

“He feels that it’s time for new blood. Time for another, younger, more hip vampire to do the job.”

“You have got to be bualadh craicinn (fucking) kidding me? It took me almost seventy-five years to learn even a fraction of what I needed to know to do this job. Besides it anyone should take over, it should be Selene and Kraven. I’ve taught them everything I know.” Aoife’s eyes held the glint of controlled rage.

“I know you have. But this move is purely political. Vlad is tired of being second in line. He thinks that if he has the hunter under his wing, he’ll be the head of the Council.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s political, but knowing him that’s not the only reason. He’s always hated Aed and therefore me. Feeling’s mutual though.” Aoife stood and headed back to the bar. “Care for some sake?”

“I would love some.” Kusabana stood and practically floated to the bar to stand next to Aoife. “I share your feelings for him. I just wanted you to be aware so that if Vlad starts something . . .”

Aoife handed Kusabana a small glass filled with sake. “Oh he will. I just hope it’s not tonight.” Aoife gave the ancient vampire a grim smile and downed the sake in one gulp.

“He’s unpredictable at best. Please Aoife; watch you and your family’s backs. I fear trouble is brewing. You’ve done your job honorably for a very, very long time now and I hate to see you lose everything.”

“Not something that I’m planning on happening either.” Aoife smiled at the scent drifting towards her from the doorway. She turned to smile broadly at the vampire standing there. “Hey, Josef.” She giggled at what she saw. Josef looked absolutely terrified.

Kusabana took the lead in easing his trepidation. “Hello young one.” Aoife snickered at Josef’s response. She motioned him to come in.

“What’s up?”

Josef just stood rooted to the spot. Aoife did a quick feel and found that he was so flustered that his shields weren’t up to par. Bow Josef. As if on autopilot, Josef did. Kusabana bowed in return, smiling mischievously as she stood again.

Aoife tried again. “Josef.”

He shook his head as if to clear it and stepped forward heading towards Kusabana. He bowed again. “Your highness.”

Aoife smiled again. “Kusabana, I’d like to introduce you to the head of the Los Angeles region. Josef Kostan.”

“How nice to meet you. Aoife has reported that all is in order in your region. Thank you for your service to the tribe.”

Josef puffed up with pride. “My pleasure, your highness.” He turned to Aoife. “Where’s Beth?”

“She’s in her suite getting ready. Why?” Aoife noticed the box that he was holding tightly in his hand.

“I have something for her.” Josef absentmindedly rubbed his thumb across the box. Aoife could feel his mixed feelings about what was in the box.

“Well, you know where they’re suite is. Mick’s up there too, I believe.”

“Okay. Thanks. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Josef bowed again, turned on his heel and left.

Kusabana broke out laughing as soon as she knew Josef was out of hearing range. “It’s so amazing to me how vampires react when they get around Council members.”

“Yeah, well most aren’t as lucky as I am.” Aoife snarked.

“You make that sound like it’s a bad thing.” Humor filled Kusabana’s voice.

“Other than you, David and on very rare occasions Aed; it is.”

Kusabana set her glass down and headed towards the door. “I’ll leave you to finish your preparations. It looks like you are going to have a busy evening.”

Aoife followed her behind. “That is an understatement of the highest order.”

Choices Made . . .

Well, to be honest, I wondered when today’s events would happen. I’m sure your wondering why I would say that. So I guess the best place to start is the beginning.

Vampires don’t have families in the normal sense. We have to leave them behind when we are turned. It’s just too hard to explain to them what has happened to you and why you’re not ageing. That and at least when I was turned, vampires were considered real and were hunted down and killed. Think of it as the Salem Witch Trials of the 1300′s. Anyway, so vampire’s families are usually those that one turns or ones that you care for deeply. In my case that would be Selene and Kraven. With them it started out as just a working relationship. I can’t go after vampire hunters on my own, it’s just too dangerous. So when I met them 125 years ago, there was just something about the couple, something that clicked, so I hired them.

Back then the term freshies and the concept was very, very new. Yes, the idea of having willing donors is fairly fresh. It’s a good idea. I always hated that part of being a vampire. Hunting for food has never been one of my favorite things. I have never fed off of children (I abhor the idea) and tried not to feed off of innocents in general. My food of choice was the low life of the world. No one would miss them when they were gone. So when other vampires started talking about willing donors, I jumped on the idea.

Then 1908 happened. And my life was stripped from me for sixty years. Selene and Kraven, bless their hearts, never gave up looking for me or keeping up the work that still had to be done.

When I escaped in 1968, I found that I could no longer feed on freshies. I had been forced to try and get what little nourishment that I could out of bloated, decaying bodies for sixty years and now the idea of feeding live makes my stomach crawl. So I switched to fresh from a glass. Not as satisfying, but at least I can eat. I kept the freshies around for Selene and Kraven though.

Here in lies the problem that led to tonight’s events. Putting it mildly, Kraven likes to play with his food. A dangerous idea at best, but when you’re married to a vampire . . . let’s just say that he’s been warned.

Selene chose to quit feeding fresh out of respect for me when I returned. I love her dearly for that. I know she still misses it at times, even though she swears up and down that she doesn’t. She says that she gets enough of a thrill when she kills during a hunt. And it is quite a high.

Long story short, Kraven didn’t. And that fact may have cost him everything. And it led up to tonight’s turn of events.

Selene was out of town for a few days on business. And like I said earlier, Kraven likes to play with his food. So I’m sure it’s not a stretch of the imagination to figure out what happened.

He was up in the freshie wing, with at least half a dozen freshies. Now, Selene doesn’t have a problem with him playing, just a little. Just enough to get the endorphins flowing in the donor. It makes the blood richer, sweeter. She used to do it too. But she never, ever slept with her food. Maybe it’s just a male vampire thing. I never slept with mine either. Mike on the other hand . . . but that’s a story for a different time.

Tonight, Kraven went too far and got caught. Selene came home early and went looking for him. To be honest, I’m surprised he’s still alive. She found him not just playing with his food; he was having an orgy with them and as a result wasn’t paying attention.

His first clue was the low growl that Selene emitted. Problem was that his cock was in one of them and his fangs were in another. He went to pull them both out at the same time. He got his member out safely, but the same can’t be said about the fangs. He misjudged the angle and torn the poor girl’s jugular. If Selene hadn’t been there she would have bled out. (Selene decided to go to nursing school in the sixties, even worked at a hospital for awhile.) The girl was saved, but I don’t know if I can say the same for the marriage.

So now I have a decision to make, keep the freshies or get rid of them. The decision is almost a nondecision. They are all packing as we speak. I have no use for them and at this point and time I’m sure that Kraven is in total agreement.

I just hope that Selene can forgive him in time and all their hard work that they’ve put into this marriage can be saved. One hundred sixty-three years is even a long marriage in vampire terms. We are the kings and queens of divorce, on our terms anyway.

Only time will tell.

Chapter 17

Josef stood at the bottom of the stairs just staring at the old box in his hands. He was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he failed to notice Aoife slide up behind him.

“Ha’penny for your thoughts, Josef?” Aoife said softly. She chuckled quietly at Josef’s jump.

“Jesus, Aoife. If I was human you would have given me a heart attack.”

Aoife smirked. “Good thing you’re not then.” Her gaze travelled to the box. “Seriously though, what’s with the box?”

Josef sighed. “It’s a gift for Beth.” Aoife could feel the tempest of emotions coming from him.

“With a story behind it I take it.”

“Seems like everything in our lives has a story behind it.” Josef went back to looking at the tattered box.

“One of the perks of being a vampire I guess. What is it?” Aoife watched as Josef lovingly stroked the box. His hand went to the latch, pushed it in and the lid popped up.

“Oh Josef, that is absolutely stunning. And the story behind it . . .”

“I bought it in 1957. I was going to give it to Sarah . . .” Josef stopped mid-sentence. A wave of grief hit him so powerful that it almost drove him to his knees.

Aoife reached up and closed the box. She then stepped up to her friend and wrapped her arms around him and just held him. Any semblance of control that Josef had had up until that point melted. For the first time since that fateful day, Josef Kostan truly grieved for all he had lost in the arms of the one person in his world that truly understood.

They stayed that way for a few minutes until Josef could shed no more tears. He gave Aoife a squeeze signaling to her that he would be alright. She in return dropped her arms and stepped back. She gave Josef a sympathetic smile. All Josef could squeak out was “Thank you.”

“No thanks needed dear heart.” Aoife’s head snapped towards the sound of the front door opening. “No go. I have to go greet our guests.” A look of worry crossed her face. She turned on her heal, and headed towards the door. She stopped half a dozen paces from Josef, turned and winked at him. Josef couldn’t help himself; he smiled back then headed up the stairs towards Mick and Beth’s wing of the manor.

He stopped short of the door that led into the main hall of the couple’s wing. How was he going to explain this to them? Josef had sworn to himself that he would keep this until Sarah awoke. But it was very clear now that that would never happen. He took a deep cleansing breath; walked through the open doors and headed to the master bedroom where he could tell both Mick and Beth was.

He strode purposely down the hall, stopping just short of the doorway. A sad smile graced his lips as he listened to the couple chatting away. Flashes of what could have been crossed his mind.

As Josef stood there trying to get his emotions under control he failed yet again to notice the two vampires staring at him with concern written on their faces in the doorway.

“Josef? Is something wrong?” Beth glanced at Mick and then padded over to Josef.

D*mn. Yes and no Beth. How about we go back into the suite so you can finish getting ready. Wouldn’t want you to be late for your big day.” He placed his hand in the small of her back guiding her back into the suite. “Sit down please.” Mick couldn’t help but notice the tattered box in Josef’s hand. Beth just stood in front Josef, a look of confusion gracing her face. “Beth, please.” Josef motioned for her to sit. She slowly sank down into the wing chair.

“Okay, Josef. What’s up? This is supposed to be a happy day.” Mick eyed his best friend, perplexed by the mixture of emotions coming from him.

Josef looked down at the box yet again. Sighing, he said, “I have a present for Beth.”

“Josef, you didn’t have to.” Beth protested.

“Maybe so, but this is special. I hope you like it.” He turned the box around and handed it to Beth, the latch facing her.

Beth could feel the pain coming from Josef as well as see it written on his face. It was almost as if his heart was breaking right in front of her. She gingerly pushed on the latch and the lid popped open. A gasp of surprise escaped her lips. “Josef, this is stunning! Where did you get it?”

She caressed the necklace gently, amazed at the smoothness of the pearls. There were three rows of them graduating in size from the largest pearl in the middle of each strand. They glowed a gorgeous light cream color and the light reflected off of them in all directions.

Josef desperately fought back the tears threatening to fall as he watched Beth’s reaction. It was the reaction that he had hoped to see in Sarah. One that he never would. “I had it made custom in 1957.”

Beth’s face shot up from looking at the necklace. “Who was this for?”

Josef sank into the chair next to Beth. Mick had moved over to look over Beth’s shoulder, a whistle of appreciation escaping his lips. “I had it made for Sarah. I was going to give it to her after she woke up.” Josef’s voice cracked on the last few words.

“Oh, Josef.” Beth looked up at Mick and then back to Josef, her face filled with compassion. “So why give it to me. You should save it for her.”

“Beth, I have been for almost sixty years now. Aoife’s not the only one that’s needed to let go and heal. Sarah won’t be waking up, ever. At some point I need to start moving on and there’s no time like the present.”

Beth reached across and placed a hand on Josef’s arm. “I’m truly honored Josef. But please, don’t lose hope. There has got to be a way to bring her back.”

“Beth, our eternal optimist.” Josef mumbled to himself. “I hope you wear them tonight.”

Beth popped up out of the chair and leaned down to give Josef a hug. “I will. I promise.” She reached in to give the necklace another quick caress. “Oh and just so we’re clear, I am only borrowing these from Sarah. When she does wake, they go to her.”

“Beth. . .” Josef started.

“No arguments, Josef.” The look on Beth’s face told Josef that there was no point in continuing.

All three vampires looked up towards the door as a very familiar smell drifted in and a giggle that followed. “Mick, Josef, you to need to get your cute little hinnies out of here so that Beth can finish getting ready.” Aoife smirked at the hmmf’s that came from the two male vampires.

“Wait, this is my suite. Why do I have to leave?!” Mick crossed his arms across his chest in defiance. Beth snickered.

“Because you can’t see Beth in her dress until the ceremony and you need help getting into your kilt.” Aoife smiled at the look that Mick gave her. “Deal, turn. Go.” She motioned with her head towards the door. Mick just huffed and stood his ground.

Beth noticed the look of stress on Aoife’s face that she was trying desperately to hide. She couldn’t even begin to imagine all that Aoife had to deal with right now, but she knew that Mick being stubborn was not one that needed to be added to the mix.

Beth stood and padded the few paces to Mick. “Honey, go, please? We’re running out of time and although I love the distraction, right now it’s just too much.” She stood on tip-toe and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

“Come on man, getting into these get ups takes awhile. You don’t want Beth to eclipse you, do you?” Josef headed towards the door.

Mick shrugged his shoulders and followed. Beth and Aoife snickered as they heard Mick’s response float down the hall. “Like that’s ever going to happen, she’s cornered the market on the perpetual coolness factor.”

“So you finally noticed that little fact? Glad you finally caught up to the rest of the male vampire population.” Josef snarked back. The remaining women in the suite, four all told, lost it.

“So now what?” Beth went back and sat down in front of the mirror so that the hair dresser could finish.

Aoife slumped down into the chair next to her. “Well, the party officially starts in an hour. I’m sure that Aed will have to do some presentation about me being a grandsire now.” Beth giggled at the look of disgust on Aoife face. “Then I’ll announce the wedding ceremony and have you walk down the aisle. We’ll perform the ceremony and then hopefully” Aoife held up both hands with her fingers crossed, “the Ceilli can go forward without any hitches.”

Beth marveled at how fast the hair dresser was doing her hair. “You don’t sound very hopeful.”

“With this many blowhards in one room, no I’m not.” Aoife nodded her approval to the hair dresser for Beth’s hairstyle. It was in intricate updo that had soft tendrils of curled hair falling down in front of her ears. Both looked up as Selene, now dressed in traditional Irish garb, stepped into the room.

“Hey.” She dropped the shoes on the floor near Beth and headed to the closet to get the wedding dress.

Aoife gracefully stood and headed towards the door. “Selene, how are the boys doing?” She stopped at the entrance.

“Fine I guess. They’re being boys.” Selene walked over to the bed, set the garment bag down and proceeded to unzip it.

“Wonderful. Okay, I’m going to go get changed, myself. You know how to reach me if you need anything.” Aoife turned and headed out the door and to her suite.

Selene reached into the bag and pulled out the dress. “So ready to do this?”

“I’ve never been so ready for anything in my life.” Beth stood and walked over to where Selene stood. The next several minutes were spent getting Beth into the dress without messing up the up do that the hair dresser had created.

Once Beth had the dress on, Selene stood back making sure everything was in place. “You need something for your neck.”

“Oh, Sh*t. I forgot. Beth glided over to the table that sat between the wing chairs, picking up the tattered box. “Josef just gave these to me.” She popped open that latch and turned the box to show Selene.

“Those are spectacular. Where did he get them?” Selene reached in and carefully picked the necklace up.

“He had them made for Sarah. But he never got to give them to her.” Beth turned to face the mirror so that Selene could put them on.

“Oh. That explains the emotions rolling off him when he entered our suite. He was so sad, yet happy.”

“Yeah.” Beth gracefully walked over to the full length mirror to admire herself. “I told him that I was just keeping them until she woke up.”

“Beth, you do realize that there almost no chance that that will ever happen, right?” Selene went into the closet again to retrieve Beth’s traditional Irish costume. Beth looked over at her, curious. “What? Were you planning on Ceilli dancing it that all night?” Selene looked at Beth in mock horror.

“Well, yes . . . no, I guess I hadn’t thought about it.” Beth headed towards the door. “So where do I wait?”

“Um, good question. Let me find out.” Selene reached out to Aoife. Where do you want Beth to wait?

Have her wait in the study. It’s close enough for her to hear but far enough that no one will see her until it’s time.

Will do boss. “She wants you to wait in the study until it’s time.” Selene led Beth out the door and headed towards the study.

Aoife smiled to herself as she the familiar scent drifted towards her. She finished putting the last touches on her makeup and watched in the mirror as Mike sauntered into the bathroom.

“Wow. You look absolutely amazing.” Aoife smiled back at his reflection in the mirror.

“It’s not like you haven’t seen me in this get up before.” She picked up the 1 1/2 in barreled curling iron to finish putting in the Shirley Temple style curls in her hair.

Mike walked over and leaned against the bathroom counter, looking at Aoife; a smirk on his face. “I know. But you always look so comfortable wearing it. It’s peasant wear, isn’t it.”

“Yeah, basically.” Aoife put the iron down, turned it off and picked up an intricately carved barrette. She pulled the top section of her hair back and put the barrette in place. She took one last look at herself and sighed. “Aed hates it when I dress like this.”

“Why?” Mike pulled her over to him and wrapped his arms around her waist, placing a soft kiss on her nose.

“He says that I am royalty and I should dress so. I hate dressing that way, always have. Hell, I even fought it when I was human.”

Mike chuckled. “I just bet you did.” Aoife reached around and loosened Mike’s grip. She turned and headed towards the door.

“Come on, it’s time to get this party started.” She just couldn’t shake the nasty tickle in the back of her mind.

“Right behind you.” Mike walked up next to her and took her hand. “Ready?”

“No. But the show must go on, so to speak.” Aoife started towards the door and only got two steps before she stopped dead in her tracks. The air on her left side suddenly felt ice cold. Her free hand went up to her left cheek, touching it almost reverently.

“Aoife?” Mike’s face held a look of concern.

Aoife felt a smile creep across her face. “Someone just kissed me on my cheek.”

“Really.” He’s still looking out for her. Mike started towards the suite door again. “Come on the show’s awaiting.” Aoife followed reluctantly behind, hoping to see him.

Mike turned to look in the general direction of Aoife’s line of sight while still walking out the door, almost running into Josef, Mick, Kraven and Selene.

Selene and Mick instantly picked up on the strange vibe coming off of the couple. “Okay, what happened in there?” Selene asked her gaze intense.

“Jordan came to visit again.” Aoife still couldn’t believe he had.

“Oh, wow. What did he say?”

“Nothing.”

“What do you mean nothing?” Selene stared at her friend in disbelief.

“Just that. I didn’t even see him. I just felt a familiar presence and a soft kiss on the cheek.” Aoife again glanced back through the doorway of the suite. She sighed. They all now stood at the top of the stairs looking down at the huge crowd of people. She sighed again. “I suppose. . .”

Aoife put on her best smile as she regally walked down the stairs. At that instant no one could mistake her for not being royalty. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, she started graciously greeting her guests as she made her way towards the main ballroom.

“She does know how to work a room, doesn’t she?” Josef said to no one in particular as the rest of the group followed behind Aoife down the stairs.

“I’m always amazed at how she can turn the royalty part of her on and off. She absolutely hates having to do it, though.” Selene responded, holding Kraven’s hand.

“She hates being royalty?” Mick glanced from the scene in front of him over to Selene.

Mike responded. “Oh hell yes. Even when she was human; or so she claims.”

The group reached the bottom of the stairs and followed Aoife into the main hall. She had made her way through the crowd and to the stage in the back corner of the ball room.

Aoife climbed the two steps and glided to the microphone at the center of the stage. She motioned to the musicians to stop playing. Aoife looked around the ballroom at the assembled guests, her eyes falling on the Council members. She took a deep breath and began. “Honored Council Members, ladies and gentlemen. Please allow me to welcome you all to my annual Samhain (sow’wen) Ceilli. I invite you all to partake in every and all parts tonight. First though, there is a little business, well celebration to attend to. Many of you may not know . . .” Aoife looked towards her sire, Aed. She sighed and shook her head slightly, knowing what was coming. He made his way up to the stage, walked up and stood next to her. She motioned him towards the mike and stepped back two paces.

Aed cleared his throat, looked back at Aoife, a self-satisfied smile gracing his lips, turned back to the crowd and began. “I hate to interrupt my favorite child . . .” Aoife grimaced. “But I feel that we should all acknowledge her permanent place in vampire history.” He turned to look at Aoife again. She gave him a demure smile. “Many of you may not know what happened to Aoife in the beginning of this century and it is not my place to tell you, but suffice it to say that as a result of those steps taken against her and her recent turning of a human, she is now and will always be a Grandsire.” Aed turned and motioned for Aoife to step forward. She gave him a quick glare, stepped forward and bowed to the applauding crowd. Aed stepped back and headed off the stage.

“Thank you for your welcome . . . I think, Aed. Now back to what I was saying. Tonight is very special to us all in many different ways. We all know that Samhain is one of the most sacred of nights. The night when the veil of the living and the dead is at it’s thinnest. It will always be my wedding day. After tonight it will also be my turn’s as well.” Applause filled the room. Aoife motioned Mick to the stage. “Can you all please make room for the bride to make her entrance.” The crowd quickly parted to make room. Aoife turned to the band and had them start to play the Irish wedding music that she had chosen.

Beth heard the music start. As she walked up to Colum, he handed her the huge wedding bouquet. She took a deep breath and headed out the door, across the hall and into the ballroom. She smiled broadly at Mick. She could tell that he had momentarily quit breathing. She tilted her head up slightly and smiled at him. He smiled back, tears glistening in his eyes.

As Beth reached the stage steps, Josef held his hand out to help her up the steps. He smiled warmly at her, whispering “You look absolutely stunning.”

Beth smiled back. “Thank you.” She released his fingers as she made the final step. She glided to the middle of the stage, stopping just in front of Mick. Both looked at each other for a moment and then turned their gaze towards Aoife.

Aoife took a deep breath and started. “Know now before you go further, that since your lives have crossed in this life you have formed ties between each other. As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real, the ideals which give meaning to both this ceremony and the institution of marriage.”

“With full awareness, know that within this circle you are not only declaring your intent to be hand fasted before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also to your creative higher powers.”

“The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and lives of each soul’s growth.”

“Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?”

Mick and Beth looked back from Aoife to each other. “Yes, We Seek to Enter.” They both answered in unison.

Aoife continued, “In times past it was believed that the soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West and North. It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony.”

“Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East. Communication of the heart, mind, and body Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.”

“Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South. Warmth of hearth and home. The heat of the heart’s passion. The light created by both. To lighten the darkest of times.”

“Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West. The deep commitments of the lake. The swift excitement of the river. The refreshing cleansing of the rain. The all encompassing passion of the sea.”

“Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North Firm foundation on which to build Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives. A stable home to which you may always return.”

“Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and successful union. Yet they are only tools. Tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union.”

Aoife looked lovingly at the couple in front of her. She had pushed back all of the mixed feelings about this. She knew she would have to deal with them, but not now. She took a breath and continued. “I bid you look into each others eyes.” It hadn’t really needed to be said since they were already doing it, but it was part of the ceremony.

“Michael, Will you cause her pain?” Aoife asked.

Mick responded emphatically, “Yes.”

“Is that your intent?”

“No.”

Aoife turned towards Beth. “Elizabeth. Will you cause him pain?”

“Yes.” Beth responded with feeling.

“Is that your intent?”

“No.”

Aoife looked from Beth to Mick. “Will you share each other’s pain and seek to ease it?”

Both responded in unison “Yes.”

Aoife turned to the table that was located to the left and picked up six cords. “And so the binding is made. Join your hands.” Mick took Beth’s hands into his. Aoife laid the first of the cords across them.

“Elizabeth, Will you share his laughter?”

“Yes.”

“Michael, Will you share her laughter?”

“Yes.”

“Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?”

“Yes.” Mick and Beth replied together.

“And so the binding is made.” Aoife draped the second cord across their hands.

“Elizabeth, Will you burden him?”

“Yes.”

“Is that your intent?”

“No.”

“Michael, Will you burden her?”

“Yes.”

“Is that your intent?”

“No.”

“Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?”

“Yes,” came the reply from both Mick and Beth.

“And so the binding is made.” Aoife draped the third cord across the couple’s hands.

“Elizabeth, will you share his dreams?”

“Yes.”

“Michael, will you share her dreams?”

“Yes.”

“Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?”

“Yes.”

“And so the binding is made.” Aoife draped the fourth cord across their hands.

“Michael, will you cause her anger?”

Mick gave Beth one of his trademark half-smiles. “Yes.”

“Is that your intent?”

“No.”

“Elizabeth, will you cause him anger?”

Beth couldn’t help but smiling a little too. “Yes.”

“Is that your intent?”

“No.”

“Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?”

“We will.”

“And so the binding is made.” Aoife took the fifth cord and draped it across their hands.

“Elizabeth, Will you honor him?”

“I will.”

“Michael, Will you honor her?”

“I will.”

“Will you seek to never give cause to break that honor?”

“We shall never do so.”

“And so the binding is made.” Aoife draped the sixth and final cord across the couple’s hands. (This is the site that I found this ceremony. http://www.handfasting.info/hand4.html)

Aoife gathered the cords and started tying them together. As she did she spoke, “The knots of this binding are not formed by these cords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the cords, for as always; you hold in your own hands the making of breaking of this union.” Aoife gently motioned for Mick and Beth to release each other, removing the now tied cords. She then placed the cords on the small table next to her. Aoife then turned towards Josef and motioned him to come up onto the stage. Josef handed Mick the diamond claddadgh ring.

Aoife turned to Mick, her face solemn. “Mick, please place the ring on Beth’s finger.” Mick took Beth’s hand and slid the ring on her finger. “Please repeat after me.” Mick nodded. “With this ring and the solemn vows that I have taken . . .”

Mick repeated. “With this ring and the solemn vows that I have taken . . .”

Aoife continued, “I take you Elizabeth, as my wife for now and eternity . . .”

“I take you Elizabeth, as my wife for now and eternity . . .”

“Until death may separate us.” Aoife finished.

“Until death may separate us.” Mick repeated, tears glistening in his eyes.

Aoife turned her attention to Beth, who in turn held her hand out for the ring that Josef held. He placed it in her hands, winking as he did so. Josef then stepped back near the steps of the stage.

Aoife now spoke to Beth. “Elizabeth, please place the ring on Michael’s finger.” Beth took Mick’s hand and slid the ring on his finger. “Please repeat after me.” Beth nodded. “With this ring and the solemn vows that I have taken . . .”

Beth repeated. “With this ring and the solemn vows that I have taken . . .”

Aoife continued, “I take you Michael, as my husband for now and eternity . . .”

“I take you Michael, as my husband for now and eternity . . .”

“Until death may separate us.” Aoife finished.

“Until death may separate us.” Beth repeated, her face lit up with the joy she felt.

Aoife turned her attention to the assembled crowd. “Let no one, living or undead seek to destroy what has been joined here tonight.” She leaned in towards Mick. “You can kiss her now.”

A huge grin broke across Mick’s face. He pulled Beth to him and planted a scorching kiss on her lips, dipping her as he did so. Once Beth was vertical again, Aoife stated, “Ladies and Gentlemen. . . I present Mr. and Mrs. Michael St. John.” The crowd erupted with applause.

Aoife smiled. She motioned for the couple to make their way down the stage and the steps. Aoife followed close behind after stopping to talk briefly to the musicians.

Mick and Beth were surrounded by a huge crowd of well wishers by the time Aoife reached the main floor. She smiled sadly at the couple. The smile turned to a frown at the presence she felt come up behind her.

“Very nice ceremony, Aoife. Very nice.” Aoife turned towards the voice.

“Thank you, Aed.” She nodded curtly. “Was all of that necessary?”

He looked at her with mock innocence. “Was what necessary?”

“Oh, come on. The whole welcome to vampire history thing. I could really care less.” Aoife stated flatly. She wanted desperately to join her family.

“I’m sorry to hear you say that. You should care. The fact that you are the first in over 3,000 years is huge.”

“And the fact that I’m your Turn makes it all the more sweet, doesn’t it.” Aoife turned back towards the happy couple.

“That goes without saying.” Aed’s gaze followed Aoife’s to the newlyweds.

“From what I’ve heard, you made an excellent choice in Turning him.”

“I didn’t TURN him, I re-Turned him.”

“Really? Do tell.”

“I have one name for you. Coraline Duvall.”

A look of understanding came to Aed’s face. “Ah. No wonder you had no problem with eliminating them.”

“I would have had no problem without Mick as well.” She watched as Mick and Beth made their way towards her.

Aed chuckled. “I’m sure you wouldn’t have.” He looked towards the approaching couple. He’s young and she’s practically an infant.”

“Yes. Mick had to turn her. Coraline had just about drained her.” Aoife gave them a quick smile.

“Aoife, that ceremony . . . it was . . . it was . . .” Beth fought to find the right words.

“Perfect.” Mick finished for her.

Aoife laughed softly. “I’m glad you think so. That ceremony has been done for centuries.” She smiled as Josef, Selene, Kraven and Mike all walked up as well. She sighed knowing that introductions were in order.

“Aed, I’d like you to meet Mick and Beth St. John and Josef Kostan. You know Mike, Selene and Kraven.”

Aed held out his hand to Mick. “Welcome to the family, Michael.” Mick shook Aed’s hand firmly and then bowed slightly. Aed then turned his attention to Beth. He reached out, took her hand and placed a quick peck on it. “You as well, my dear.”

Beth did a slight curtsey. “Thank you, your Highness.” To which Aed chuckled loudly.

“Aoife, you have taught them well.” Aoife smirked.

“I try.” She smiled slightly, knowing what was coming as she watched Aed’s eyes travel the length of her.

“Aoife, how many times have we had this conversation?” He pursed his lips in frustration.

Aoife feigned innocence. “What conversation?”

“You are not wearing clothes befitting your status.”

“I am too. I’m wearing seven colors.” She looked over at the assembled group and winked.

“Under a peasant skirt.”

“As I remember correctly, I wasn’t really much more than that when you Turned me.”

“Minor technicality. You were born to the local king. He being almost deposed temporarily wasn’t important.”

“Oh, really. Hmmm.” Aoife turned her head so that he couldn’t see the laughter in her eyes.

Josef watched with interest the scene in front of him. He would have to ask Aoife about her Turning sometime.

“Well my dear, I think that I will take my leave.” He turned to Josef. “I understand that you are the head of the Los Angeles region, Mr. Kostan.”

Josef bowed slightly. “Yes I am, your Highness.”

“Walk with me. We have matters to discuss.”

Aed turned to leave after placing a kiss on Aoife’s cheek. Josef looked at her questioningly. She reached out to him. Go. He’s the head of the Council. It could be very, very good for you.

Josef smiled. “I’d be honored.” He took two quick strides to catch up to Aed.

Once Aed was out of earshot, Aoife fell into a fit of giggles. Everyone looked at her like she was completely nuts. “What?!” she said through the fits.

“Okay, that whole thing is funny, why exactly?” Mick asked, perplexed. Aoife motioned to Selene, Kraven and Mike; indicating that one of them should explain since she currently was struggling to get some semblance of control.

Mike chuckled as well. “Those two have the same argument every year. Never fails.” He looked at Aoife to see if he should continue. She motioned him to do so. “Except this year, he really had no point to argue. She was wearing seven different colors, like the kings in history always have.”

“Ah. Okay. . . I think.” Mick looked from Aoife to Beth confused.

Aoife finally had herself under control. “I usually don’t wear this many colors. But considering the situation, I decided that I had better.”

The confusion was still written on Mick’s and now Beth’s face as well.

Aoife sighed. “Okay, quick history lesson. In ancient Ireland, the number of colors you wore showed where you were in the hierarchy. Kings wore seven, druids wore six, district chiefs five, nobles four, soldiers three, peasants two and slaves one.”

“Oh, okay. I get it.” Beth responded.

Aoife snickered. “It was all pretty complicated. I’m so glad that for the most part I don’t have to deal with it anymore.” A broad smile came to her face as a familiar song started. “Beth, as stunning as you look in that dress, it might be best to get changed. The dancing is starting.” Beth’s face lit up and Mick groaned.

Beth grabbed Mick’s hand and pulled him towards the door of the ballroom. “Come on! I need help changing. I don’t want to miss the dancing!”

Kraven, Mike, Selene and Aoife all started laughing as they watched Mick let himself get dragged out the door, grumbling the whole time.

Once they were gone Mike held out his hand to Aoife. “Shall we?”

“Oh most definitely.” She took his hand and they wove their way through the crowd to the dance floor.

A couple of hours and endless dances later, Aoife left the group of friends that she had been talking with to make a quick sweep of the party, making sure that everyone had what they needed and basically schmoozed. Not her favorite thing to do, but it was necessary. She spotted Selene, Kraven and Mike talking to friends on one end of the hall; Mick and Josef were chatting with some of Josef’s European connections. A look of concern came to Aoife’s face. Where’s Beth? She searched the crowd and when she did find Beth, her blood started to simmer. I should have warned her. Aoife reached out and felt Beth’s mind. D*mn IT!

Aoife strode purposely towards the group that Beth was in. As she did she reached out to Mick Get over here now!

Mick was in midsentence when he felt the familiar tickle. Aoife’s words echoed in his head like a battle cry. He turned around searching for Aoife finding her just as she was almost to Beth. “Will you please excuse me?” Mick said as he felt Aoife’s boiling rage. He looked at Josef and motioned for him to follow.

Aoife let loose what could only be described as a sonic pulse towards her prey, sending him stumbling backwards and falling unceremoniously onto his @ss. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Aoife practically screamed; eyes held a steely glint.

Vlad stood, dusting himself off. “I was talking to this delectable young bride.”

“Right. By mesmerizing her?! A member of my family! Why?” Aoife was now shaking with rage. Mick walked up behind, touched her on the shoulder and then moved in behind Beth, pulling her to him. His eyes flashed white and a low warning growl escaped his lips.

“I did no such thing, Aoife. Really, you’re being ridiculous.” He smiled, the smile not reaching his eyes.

“No, I’m not. Now. Answer. The. Question.” Aoife took a step towards him.

By now Mike, Selene and Kraven were all standing behind Aoife. Mike strode up and put his hands on her shoulders. “Vlad, do you really want to risk her wrath?”

“What? Aoife’s? I’m not afraid of her. She’s the one that should be afraid.” Vlad glanced knowingly first at Elvira and then at Simon.

“And just why is that, Vlad?” Aoife was desperately fighting to keep herself under control. She felt Mike move his hands from her shoulders to her waist, pulling her to him, the touch calming her somewhat.

“Nothing, my dear, nothing.”

“I am not your dear.” Aoife spat out. She glared at the trio of Council members, reached down and moved Mike’s hands from her waist and turned to leave before things got ugly. She got two steps away before Vlad spoke again.

“It’s just too bad that Dr. Aeder didn’t have the courage to kill you like he was told to.”

Aoife stopped dead in her tracks. She turned her head slowly, slightly bowed, fully vamped out. She spoke through gritted teeth, “What did you just say?”

An evil smile graced Vlad’s lips. “You heard me, Aoife.”

Aoife was in his face in a millisecond. “So you knew?!”

“Of course I did. Sebastian told me about the plan before it happened.”

“And you did nothing to stop it?!” Aoife was beside herself. Aed had decided to join the party, not realizing what was going on until he felt his Turn’s raw rage.

“Vlad. You knew where they were keeping Aoife the whole time and didn’t bother to tell the rest of the Council?” Aed said softly, anger tingeing his voice.

“Oh, I told certain Council members, just not you.” Vlad again glanced at Simon and Elvira. Elvira shifted uncomfortably in her spot wishing that she could just slip away.

“Why would you not tell him; or Kusabana?” Aoife forced out, not believing what she was hearing.

“You outlived your usefulness long before you were taken Aoife. It’s way past time to have a new defender.”

Aoife took a step forward, fully intending to rip out Vlad’s throat, D*mn the consequences, when she felt a steely grip around her arm, stopping her forward momentum. Aed looked at her and shook his head no. “Aoife has done her job admirably for over 425 years now. I see no need for a new one.”

“Then, we need a new head of Council too.” Vlad replied flatly.

“Ah, so this is the crux of the situation. You want my position.” Aed just stared passively at Vlad.

“You’re ineffective, Aed. We need to be more forceful with humans, not less.”

“So you want to take over the world?!” D*mn, Kusabana was right. Aoife felt her control slipping. Nononono, not now! She clenched and unclenched her hands fighting a losing battle for control of herself.

Mick looked at Aoife, worried. He could sense her control slipping, sentence by sentence. He was at a loss of how to help her. He pulled Beth even closer to him.

“In a word, yes.” Vlad stated smugly.

“Then you are more unstable then I thought, Vlad.” With that comment made, Aed turned on his heal and walked away, leaving Vlad stewing, his tirade unfinished.

Aoife’s eyes held a look of unadulterated hatred in her eyes. “Vlad, get out.”

“You are ordering me, a Council member, out of your home, Aoife? My, my, my you don’t value your life, do you?” Vlad took a step towards her in defiance, not realizing who was standing behind him.

“Teigh trasna ort fein (Go F*ck yourself)!” Aoife hissed. Vlad just smirked at her, making no move to leave.

A soft but very firm voice came from behind Vlad, “I really think that it would be best if you took your leave, Vlad. You have not only threatened a Council member tonight, but you have dishonored Aoife and her family as well.”

“Kusabana, of course you would come to her defense.” Vlad responded tightly.

“When someone is as out of line as you are currently; yes I will.” Kusabana looked at him calmly.

“Vlad, take your freshies and get out of my manor, now.” Aoife’s tone left no room for argument.

“Fine, fine. This party was a bore anyway.” Vlad snapped his fingers and immediately three very scantily clad human girls slid up next to him. He glided towards the stairs to get his things and leave.

Aoife just stood, panting, still fighting for control. “Well so much for a quiet Ceilli.” She sighed loudly. “I’m sorry Beth, I should have warned you about him.”

“That’s fine, Aoife.” Beth was still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

Aoife turned and headed towards the back door, desperate to get fresh air and some semblance of peace and quiet to process what had just happened. Mick followed her with his eyes, wishing there was something that he could do. He decided to follow her.

“Mick, leave her be.” Kusabana uttered quietly.

“But . . .”

“Just give her a little while, young one.”

“How could he have known and not told anyone?” Beth asked in disbelief.

“Welcome to the politics of the Council. He wanted Aoife dead so he could take control of the Council.” Kusabana responded.

“Okay, but why?” Mick smiled, Beth was now in full reporter mode.

“Traditionally, the defender, for lack of a better term, has always been the Turn of the head of the Council. Aed, made a perfect choice in Turning Aoife.” Kusabana chuckled softly. “Not that Aoife agreed with him for centuries.”

“So Vlad is making a power play.” Josef interjected.

“Basically. Aed is right, though. Vlad is not mentally stable enough to be head of the Council. For all the things that he is not, Aed runs the Council fairly and makes good judgment calls.”

“I don’t like where this maybe headed.” Mick stated grimly.

“Neither do I, young one, neither do I.” Kusabana bowed to the assembled group, turned and headed to discuss what had happened with the other Council members.

Beth looked at her assembled family, confusion written on her face. “Okay, will someone please explain to me what the hell just happened? Why was Aoife so pissed at Vlad?”

“He mesmerized you Beth.” Josef replied flatly.

“What? Why would he do that? And I thought we could only do that to humans.” Beth felt her anger start to simmer.

Kusabana floated back up to the group. “Normally that is the case Elizabeth. But Vlad has somehow been able to perfect it to use on very, very young vampires such as yourself.”

“But why? He saw the wedding. I’m married to Mick.” Her blood was now starting to boil. She could feel the vampire in her fighting to come out.

“All the more reason for him to try, Beth. To take and own what is not his to take.” Kusabana replied, her voice filled with venom.

Now Mick could feel his anger rising. He would find Vlad and kill him if it was the last thing he ever did. In his angered haze, Mick didn’t sense Aoife slide up next to him. She reached out and put her hand on his forearm.

“Not a good idea, Mick.” Mick jerked his head towards the familiar voice. He was panting, his eyes shifting from their normal hazel to white. Beth walked the two paces to him, pulled his arms around her and laid her head on his chest, the comfort of being in each other’s arms calming them both.

Mick placed a kiss on Beth’s forehead. He turned to his sire and ground out, “He tried to take my wife!”

Aoife looked from her turn to Kusabana and back. “Yes . . . yes he did. But going after him will solve nothing, dear heart.”

“Except bring your life to a pain-filled end.” Kusabana interjected.

“And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?” Mick looked at the elder Council member with a certain amount of distrust.

“Mick do you know who Vlad is?” Josef asked.

“Other than one major pain in the @ss; no.” Aoife snickered at the remark.

If the blood in Mick’s face could have drained, it would have at Josef’s answer. “Vlad Tepes.”

Beth’s eyes went wide in shock. “Dracula?!”

Both Kusabana and Aoife chuckled. “The one and only. And trust me when I say, he earned the reputation for good reason. What is in the history books is only half of the story.” Aoife responded grimly.

Mike had taken the opportunity to pull Aoife into his embrace, placing his head on her shoulder. She smiled slightly at his gentle squeeze. She felt him stiffen after a few seconds. She turned her head to look at him. “What?”

He pointed towards the vampire striding purposefully towards them. “Look.” Aoife followed his gaze. “Ah. Wonder what malady she has now?”

Kraven and Selene tried desperately to hold in the giggles that were threatening to erupt. Josef, Mick and Beth just looked towards Mike and Aoife, perplexed. Aoife snickered and said, “Watch.”

Elvira stopped in front of the assembled group. “Dr. Corvin, I really need to talk to you privately.” Mike made no effort to move other than to lift his head off Aoife’s shoulder.

“What seems to be the problem, Elvira?” He asked as politely as he could; trying not to roll his eyes.

“Not here.” Elvira’s hand went to her temples, a look of pain drifting across her face.

“Yes, here. I’m not here in an official capacity tonight, Elvira.” Mike left her no room for arguments.

Elvira’s eyes darted around the group, trying to decide if she could trust them. Realizing that the doctor was not about to leave she sighed and started. “Well . . . I have been looking online at various diagnosis’ and have decided that I have a migraine.” She looked triumphantly around at the group.

It was all Mike could do not to start laughing. “A migraine. Really. And how do you think you got it?”

“Well I was feeding from one of my freshies today and he was complaining about having one. Now my head is hurting a lot. So I must have caught it from him.”

“Ah, I see. Well I would say that the best medicine would be for you to get some freezer time as soon as possible and that should cure it.”

Elvira’s face lit up. “Oh, thank you! Thank you. I will. I will.” She turned and headed towards the stairs to the guest wing.

Once she was out of earshot, the whole group broke out in a fit of laughter. Beth asked through her giggles, “How does a vampire catch a migraine?!”

“We don’t.” Mike answered, breathless.

“She’s a hypochondriac.” Aoife stated, gulping in air trying to get back in control.

“How the hell does a vampire become a hypochondriac?! We don’t get sick?” Josef asked in disbelief.

“Exactly.” Mike stated.

Aoife looked towards the new vampire heading their way with amusement. “Hello, Katrina.”

Katrina looked around, searching for something. “Hello, Aoife. Have you seen Elvira?”

“She was just here. Something about a migraine. Why?”

“What did you tell her to do?” Katrina looked at Mike.

“To go get freezer time. Why?”

Relief floated across Katrina’s face. “Oh thank god. She’s been following me around all night driving me stark raving mad. You’d think that a vampire that old would have made more than one friend by now.” She turned on her heel and headed towards the dance area. The group re-erupted in laughter.

“Looks like the party’s winding down.” Kraven noted, nuzzling Selene’s neck.

“Yes it does. It is after five after all.” Selene responded.

Aoife looked at Mick and Beth. She could tell that they were both exhausted. “So, quick question before I send you to off to bed.”

Mick glared at her half-heartedly. “Yeah.”

“Where do you want to go for your honeymoon? My treat.”

Mick and Beth looked at each other and responded in unison. “Home.”

Aoife chuckled softly. “Had enough of Ireland?”

“No, of course not.” Beth replied.

“It’s fine Beth. I get it. This isn’t your home, it’s mine.” Aoife smiled softly. “Why don’t you to head up to your suite. Just try not to get too carried away with the post wedding fun? Please?”

Mick swept Beth off her feet, earning him a squeal of delight from his bride. He started bounding up the stairs, hollering over his shoulder. “Not making any promises.”

Aoife smirked at Mike knowingly. Josef just shook his head. “No offense Aoife, but I think I’m going to go get a suite in one of the vamp friendly hotels in Galway.”

Aoife smiled. “None taken, Josef.” Josef nodded slightly, turned to go change and gather his things.

“So. . .” Mike started.

Aoife wiggled out of his grasp. “Yes?”

“How much longer before you kick everyone out?” His eyes darkened in desire.

Aoife turned to head towards the stage, looking back over her shoulder, her eyes mirroring his. “Right now.”

She walked up to the band, which were now packing up and thanked them for the wonderful music. She then strode to the mike. “Ladies and Gentlemen. I again would like to thank you for attending this year’s Ceilli. But as seeing that the sun will be rising soon. . . I bid you a pleasant day and farewell until next year.” She hopped off the stage and sauntered back towards Mike.

“Where did Selene and Kraven go?” She grabbed Mike’s hand and headed towards the stairs.

“Off to their freezer. I swear they still act like newlyweds sometimes.”

“Yeah, they do. Maybe we should too?” She gave him a side-long glance.

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope. I promise, no stopping this time.” By now they were to Aoife’s suite door.

Mike pushed it open behind them and pushed them both into the room. “That is an offer I can’t refuse.” He kicked the door shut behind him.

Josef grumbled to himself as he headed out the door to the waiting limo. “They are all enjoying themselves entirely too much. He climbed into the limo and pulled his breakfast to him. The driver shut the door, walked around to the driver’s side, climbed in and pulled out.

*****************************

Three days later. . .

Aoife stood leaning against the Land Rover, waiting for Mick and Beth to get there in the second. She sighed to herself. She’d gotten used to having them in the manor. It was going to be so quiet now. Mike had left a day earlier to attend to a vampire ill with silver poisoning. She’d sent Selene and Kraven on a reconnaissance mission in Italy on a hunter cell. She would be headed that way in the next day or so. Aoife sighed again. Back to work.

Mick and Beth pulled up in the second Land Rover. Aoife looked towards them as they climbed out of the SUV. She could feel the excitement rolling off of them in waves. Mick strode up, pulling his sire in for a hug.

“Aoife, I don’t know how to thank you.”

Aoife chuckled softly. “You don’t. It’s not like we won’t be seeing each other again.”

“I know. But you’ve given Beth and me so much.” Beth walked up next to him, and took his hand squeezing it gently. Mick turned and placed a kiss on her forehead.

“And I’ve received so much more.” Aoife motioned for Colum to get the couples bags. “Call me if you need anything. Okay?”

“You can count on it, Aoife.” Beth fought back the tears threatening to fall. She was giddy with excitement to go back to LA, but leaving Aoife was turning out to be harder than she thought it would be.

“Beth, dear heart. I’ll be fine. You both are welcome here anytime. That part of my manor is permanently yours now.” Aoife walked up and gave Beth a strong hug.

“Thank you. It’s just. . .” Beth stopped midsentence.

“Look at it as a grand new adventure.” Aoife stated.

The group heard and impatient “HmmmHmmm.” come from the plane.

Mick laughed. “Okay, okay Josef. We’re coming.”

“Good. Money doesn’t make itself, you know.” He turned and headed back into the plane before Mick could answer.

“Well, you heard him. Money before friends.” Beth snickered at the snarky comment.

“And if you really believe that then I can sell you the Brooklyn Bridge, cheap.” Aoife snarked back. She pulled both into another hug, trying to hide the wave of sadness that was trying to engulf her. She choked out “You had better get going. Call me when you get home, okay?”

Mick took Beth’s hand and headed towards the plane. “We will.” He said over his shoulder.

Aoife watched as the pilot shut the plane’s door. She sighed heavily, turned and headed back to the Land Rover. She heard the engines start as she was climbing in. Aoife watched as the planes rolled out of the hanger and onto the road leading to the runway.

She turned the engine over, put the Land Rover in drive and headed in the opposite direction of the plane. I really am going to miss them. A single tear rolled down her cheek. She knew that she’d see them soon. Selene and Beth were in the process of planning a second wedding for her and Kraven.

Aoife shook her head again as she pulled onto the main road heading towards the manor. She just wished that she could shake the feeling of impending doom that had surrounded her like a blanket. God, I hope that Kusabana was wrong.

Little did they all know how right the ancient vampire would be.

Chapter 1

Ever have one of those days? You know the ones that I’m talking about. The ones that never end, the ones where anything and everything that can go wrong, does? Well today is one of those days for me. I’m stuck in a god forsaken hell hole, chasing prey. Normally you’d think that this wouldn’t be a problem. Trust me, when the prey is almost as smart as you are, it is.

The day started out so easily too. Just find, hunt down and kill several humans. Another day in the office, so to speak. Yeah, right. These guys are smart or lucky, I haven’t decided which yet. How they’ve stayed out of my sights is anybody’s guess, but they have that is until last week. It doesn’t help when I don’t speak Chinese or look Chinese either. That part I’m used to. I travel the world tracking down and eliminating those that hunt and kill my kind. I’m sure you’re wondering why I used that particular phrasing. I’ll give you a little hint. I drink blood . . . only blood. Want another one? I’m undead, oh and I have fangs and pure white eyes when it suits me. So just in case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a vampire. Guess what? We do exist, really. Not something that we as a species like to have as common knowledge though. Very detrimental to our health.

Shit! Another bullet whizzed by my head. That was way too close. I let myself change so that I can track the direction in which it came from. I slowly turn my head towards the trajectory that the bullet had taken. Sure enough, I hear the sound of the gun cocking, the trigger being pulled and the bullet leaving the gun. I lean towards my left just as it flies by me. I hear another gunshot and a howl of pain. Damn the Gods! Enough already. I can feel my frustration start to morph into rage. Not something that I usually like to happen as it makes for being in control almost impossible. But these guys are getting under my skin. And trust me that’s not someplace that you want to be.

“Brid!” I hiss. Where the hell is she?

I hear a muffled answer to my right and down. “Down here. Bloody morons actually shot me!”

I scamper across the top of the building towards her voice. Its pitch black, but for me, it still looks like daylight. I jump down landing in a crouching position beside her. “Let me see.”

She cringes as I look closely at the wound in her left shoulder. I pull the fabric back as gently as I can. I growl softly in frustration. The wound is weeping, not healing nearly as fast as it should. “And you didn’t hear this coming towards you why?”

Brid turned and gave me an evil stare. “Gee, I don’t know . . . some of us don’t have your hearing.”

“Uh huh. You can hear them too, you just have to focus.” I reach into my back pocket to retrieve my knife. “That bullet needs to come out now. You’re not healing.”

“No, really?” Brid shot back followed by a quiet moan. “Can you please get the bloody thing out? Now?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I take the knife and hold it over the wound, making a quick incision. I have to dig around, causing Brid to stifle a whimper. “I’m sorry, it’s deep.”

“I never would have guessed.” Came her reply through gritted teeth, her eyes are glowing in the dark.

I finally feel my knife hit metal. I maneuver the blade under the bullet and with some maneuvering, dig it out. “There, it’s out.” Brid releases the breath she’s been holding. She reaches around to feel the hole in her shirt, as well as wound that is now quickly closing.

“Bloody ‘ell! My favorite shirt!” Her eyes flash in anger, followed by a low menacing growl which of course earns a snicker from me and a glare from her. Maybe one of these centuries she’ll learn not to wear her favorite designer clothes hunting.

About that time the third member of my team, Brid’s mate, runs up. “So do any of us know who the hell is shooting at us?”

I just give him a blank stare in response. “Did you really just ask that?”

“Yes, I just really asked that.” He quietly snarled back, clearly annoyed.

I roll my eyes before answering him. “Dom, could it possibly be the hunters that we’re trying to eliminate?” Yeah, I’m being difficult, but I’m tired, hungry and pissed.

He’s about to answer as a ninja fighting star flies by, whistling as it does, nearly hitting him in the shoulder. He growls in frustration, features changing at the same time.

“Great.” I curse softly. “Could this day get any bloody worse?” I move from the sitting position I was in to a crouching one, scanning the surrounding area, trying desperately to figure out where the hell the damn star had come from.

Dom suddenly points towards movement about 20 feet down the alley from where we are hiding. I nod silently and point in the direction that I want them to head and they move into position. We all watch intently for a few more minutes, trying to gauge how many we are dealing with; without much luck, which incenses me even more and I feel my control slip another notch. Vampire senses are heightened exponentially from human senses but it’s only useful to a point. Predicting how prey will move when one doesn’t know how many there are and where they will attack from pretty much nullifies the heightened senses factor.

I hear rustling on the roof directly to my left. I look up and let loose a quiet growl. Wonderful, the job just got even worse. I really, really wish that this day would end.

I look over towards Brid who is now hiding behind a small dumpster and point up towards the roof. She nods and looks up. She glances back at me unsure of what she is supposed to be seeing, when the object of our hunt moves again and I watch as recognition filters onto her face. She speaks to me in the ultrasound range.

“Ninjas?! This is getting ridiculous.” She reaches behind her to pull out her small crossbow and takes aim at the quarry.

“NO!” I yell back ultra soundly. She looks at me, perplexed. “Not until we know how many of them we have to deal with.”

Dom has slinked his way over and is now crouching down just behind Brid. I watch as his gaze follows the trajectory of the crossbow. “There are a total of three up on the roof.”

I have now made it silently over to where we had previously witnessed movement. I curse quietly, smelling blood and lots of it, none of it human thankfully, overwhelming my senses, making it almost impossible to get any sort of bearing of any kind. Well at least I know where the vampire was killed now. As I am backing out of the alley, I hear a soft thud on ground behind me. FUCK!! Followed quickly by three more soft thuds. Just bloody peachy.

I turn around slowly, and come face to face with four men, clad in black from head to toe, only their eyes showing. And yep, you guessed it, all standing in poses just like in a classic bad Kung Fu movie. I couldn’t help myself, I laughed. Bad idea, I know; which of course, infuriated the little Kung Fu men.

So, without what I assume they thought was no warning, they attacked, screaming at me in Chinese. I waited until the last possible second and then jumped straight up. Oh and for the record, no I cannot fly. Jump insanely high, yes. Turn in to a damn bat and fly, no. Although I have always wondered where that little myth came from.

I watch from my vantage point on the roof, as they all stop, obviously wondering where I went. These fools must have never dealt with real vamps before; otherwise they would have known that I have the ability to do that. Then it hits me, the smell of terror and urine. These poor souls have never; ever really seen a vampire and now are scared senseless. Too bad for them that they actually managed to kill a real one and now I have a job to do. I jump back down in front of them, an evil smile on my face. Okay, so sometimes I do love my job.

One gets brave, screams what seems to be a battle cry and runs directly towards me, nun chucks flaying. I dodge to my left, pivot and land a well placed kick directly into his chest sending him flying into the wall of the building directly behind him which forces him to drop the weapon to the ground.

I’m about to stalk over to him and finish him off when the second attack starts. All three of the remaining little black men charge, one with a pair of broadswords, the other two carrying sai’s. Shit, something that if they actually got lucky could kill me. I growl menacingly and get into a ready stance. And yes, I have black belts in several forms of martial arts.

With a warrior cry the first swings the broadsword at my chest. Timing my leap, I jump and spin in the air, kicking him in the head. He crumples to the ground; his skull now has a rather large dent in it, with blood oozing out of it and the smell of fresh blood almost driving me to distraction. Trust me; he won’t be getting up ever again.

Now fully in the mode, I turn my attention to the last two would be killers. I’m fighting to not lose control of what most would call the monster that lives within me. One of the world’s most common misconceptions; seeming to think that I’m two different beings in one body, like part of me disappears when the vampire shows up. I’m not and it doesn’t. I can’t quite explain it, well at least not in layman’s terms, it’s almost like . . . well I’ll attempt to explain later when I don’t have so many distractions.

I hear a blood curdling scream come from the main street where I had left Brid and Dom. Cursing softly to myself, I snap my head towards the sound trying to figure out who screamed thus taking my eyes from the two little Kung Fu men for just a second. Stupid mistake on my part, last mistake on theirs. I feel this intense burning sensation in my heart. The burning starts to radiate out from the wound into my chest and then morphs into a searing pain. I look down at the sai as he foolishly pushes it through the rest of my chest so that it is now sticking out several inches out my back. My eyes travel up from the sai to his face and see the look of triumph in his eyes obviously thinking that I shouldn’t be able to move. Fuck it. I let the controlled rage bubble to the surface. I smile a decidedly toothy grin at him, making sure my fangs are fully visible, followed by a snarl. I smile even wider as I watch the look of triumph on his face dissolves in to a look of pure unadulterated horror.

In one swift motion I grab the sai, pull it out of my body, with of course the obligatory sickening slurpy sound and run it clean through my attacker. He slumps to the ground, his blood gushing out the wounds, making the need to feed even more prominent. And thanks to him, I now really need to. I heal fast, blindingly really, but even at that rate I’ve lost a lot of blood and I need to replace it soon, and dinner plus desert is right in front of me.

The fourth human, well prey, drops his weapons, backs up a few steps holding his hands up in surrender. I hold my hand up and wag my index finger back and forth in a scolding motion. His response . . . eyes widen to saucer size, he then turns and runs as fast as his legs could carry him down the alley. I give him a hundred foot head start, might as well make it interesting, before I take off after him. Who says I can’t play with my food before eating it?

He weaves back and forth in front of me, pulling garbage cans down behind him trying to slow me down. I jump up and run a few paces on the wall before landing on the ground just behind him as he comes to an abrupt halt. He didn’t pay attention to where he was running and has cornered himself into a dead end. I stand at the opening smelling the rising panic in him, hearing his racing heartbeat pick up even more speed. I can’t help it; I lick my lips in anticipation. The need to feed at this point is threatening to overpower my hard fought control.

A sneer graces my lips as I stalk forward. The little Kung Fu man slides along the wall and into the corner of two buildings. “No where to run now, is there?” I say tauntingly. The closer I get to him, the louder his blood coursing through his veins pounds in my ears calling to me almost like the Selchie’s song.

As I take the last few steps towards him, he decides to try and bolt. He makes it one step before I grab him by the throat and throw him against the wall, holding him about a foot off the ground. “See you in hell.” I whisper in his ear before I rip the hood off, forcefully turn his head to the side and sink my teeth into his neck causing his blood to start gushing out. I have to gulp to keep up with the flow, relishing in its taste. Endorphins, adrenaline and terror give his blood a spicy kick that is intoxicating. It not only nourishes my body, it satisfies the beast as well.

I feel his heart flutter and stop beating. At that point, I stop feeding. I’m satisfied and I don’t have time to do what it takes to get the remaining blood out of his body. I pick the deceased up, throw it over my shoulder and head back to the alley.

Once back to the area where the other three are, I drop the dead weight on top of the first kill and glide over to the one that I threw against the wall. He’s still out cold and probably would never wake up but I can’t take that chance. Part of my reason for being around so long is because I never, ever leave anyone behind that knows what I look like. I bend down; put my hands on either side of his head and twist sharply, breaking his neck, ending his life instantly.

I glance around, satisfied with the situation for the moment. It will have to eventually be cleaned up. I wipe the drying blood from my mouth as I head back into the main road where I left Brid and Dom. What can I say, being a vampire is messy.

As I round the corner I see Dom running towards one human that has obviously thrown a ninja star at him. How do I know that? The star is currently sticking out of his chest at heart level. Dom stops in front of his would be attacker, swings at his head with a fist, making contact at the side. Problem is in his rage Dom has forgotten to pull his punch. His fist not only makes contact with the humans head, it travels clear through it.

I watch as a look of disgust crosses Dom face at the mess he’s made of his hand. He pulls it out as fast as he sent it through, even before the body has started to fall to the ground. He starts shaking his hand violently back and forth trying, without success, to get the offending hair, skin, human bone, blood and brain matter off his hand.

So engrossed is he in his now blood and guts covered hand, he fails to hear Brid’s scream of anger. She stomps up and roughly shoves him to the ground.

I’m holding my sides, trying not to laugh out loud. I watch as she looks down at her shirt and back to her mate, the shirt now covered with blood, bone and brain matter. She takes two fingers, reaches down and pulls the shirt away from her skin. It makes an almost sucking sound as it releases from her skin. I can see the rage brewing in her eyes.

What comes out of Brid’s mouth next is nothing short of a verbal version of the 1666 fire in London, all of it in Gaelic. And yes, I was there for that. I watched in horror as the whole city burned to the ground. Sad story really. It was both a blessing and a curse for vampires. Plenty of food with that many people in such a small place, but we lost so many members of the London tribe as well. I bring my focus back to the present and stand back and let the drama that is Brid and Dom unfold. It is both an unending source of amusement and frustration for me at the same time. Don’t get me wrong, I consider them family and trust them implicitly, but sometimes . . . let’s just say my life is never boring with them around. Not that it is anyway. Boring well, what would be the point in living then?

Dom scoots across the ground like a crab, trying to stand at the same time. Brid is following him step for step, making sure to keep him off balance so that he can’t get up and make his escape. He stops short as the back of his head hits the garbage cans, making them rattle loudly. Too loudly actually. This is a small village and so far no one has come out to investigate the noises. And trust me there have been plenty and I want to keep it that way. There’s been enough death in this village for one day.

“Enough.” I whisper. “We’ve made too much noise already.” I smirk as two faces turn my way with looks of ‘how dare you interrupt’ on them. “Deal, you two. Brid you can plan his funeral later. We have a mess to clean up.”

She shoots me a look in response, but doesn’t move. It’s almost as if she’s trying to decide her next move. My gaze travels from her to Dom. I watch his facial expressions change from uncertainty to fear. Brid has a fairly long fuse, but once it’s lit? All I can say is get out of the way. A wicked smile comes to her face, signaling that a decision has been made and knowing her . . . well Dominic isn’t going to like it one bit.

Brid turns as if to head towards the two dead humans, but stops midstride, turns and plants her foot right on top of the ninja star, forcing it almost all of the way into Dom’s chest. He bites his lip, hard by the looks of it; blood is running down his chin, trying not to make any noise. A little whimper manages to escape his lips though. She leans down and whispers in his ear, “You owe me a new wardrobe for this.” Another groan escapes his lips. He knows as well as I do what that means. A trip to Paris. Dom hates Paris. It always costs him way too much money. Brid only wears haute couture.

Dom manages to squeak out “Yes, my love.” as Brid heads towards one of the dead humans. I snicker and walk over to him, reach down and pull the ninja star out.

“You’re getting off easy, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.”

I hold out my hand to help pull him up. Dom reaches out with the blood covered hand. I pull my hand back and arch my right eyebrow up.

Dom smiles sheepishly and shoves his other hand up towards me. I yank him up to his feet.

“Come on, Dom. We need to get this mess cleaned up and out of here before daybreak.” I head back towards the alley where my three dead humans are. Why is it I always manage to get the highest body count?

Just as I reach the corner of the building to head in to the alley I hear it. A groan from Dom followed by, “Can’t we just once pay to have someone else clean this up?”

To which Brid replies, clearly still very, very pissed. “No! How the hell would anyone get here in time anyway? You made the mess, now clean it up!”

The comments earn her a growl in response. I heard faint shuffling noises which mean that they are starting the gruesome process.

I snicker as I reach my own personal mess. Sometimes I wish we could to, but out here in the middle of nowhere, it’s just not an option. I lean down to the pile of bodies, trying to decide the best a quickest way to do this. When all is said and done, under no circumstances can it look like it the deaths were caused by vampires. Superstition runs high in this area.

I won’t bore you with the gory details of how we did it, but suffice it to say that just before dawn the mess is completely cleaned up and it can’t be linked back to the vampire nation. Hey, I told you I was good at what I do. Too good for some people’s tastes; vampire and human.

I head back into the main area to find Dom and Brid just finishing up as well. I glide over to them and look at their handy work. “Nice job. So where’s the one you punched your hand through, Dom?”

A disgusted look crosses his face. “You don’t want to know.”

I snicker back. “Really now?”

Brid flashes me a wicked smile. “Yeah, I made him dismember it and deposit it in the swamp that’s near here.”

“Ah so that’s why the smell of decay is so much stronger on him right now.” I can’t help it. He’s just too much fun to tease.

“Ha, Ha.” He storms off towards our rental car. Wonderful piece of crap that it is. But we couldn’t rent something conspicuous. “Can we get going please?” He glances from Brid and me to the lightening sky. The sun may not bother me but it does both of my companions. Another point that I will explain at another time when I’m not so tired. You see even among our kind, be it good or bad, I’m one of a kind.

I motion with my head towards the car and Brid and I head towards it. Dom climbs into the driver’s seat, starts the car and peals out, well tries to anyway, as soon as the passenger door is shut.

I try to relax and just enjoy the ride but the road is dirt so it’s full of ruts and potholes. Combine that with the string of obsinities that is literally pouring out of Dominic’s mouth, the long ride is looking to be not relaxing in the slightest.

After about fifteen minutes I huff and turn to look at him. “Knock it off Dom. We know the road is rough. Cussing every single second isn’t going to help; it’s just pissing me off.”

He glares at me. “Well it wouldn’t be such a problem if you’d let me rent a Land Cruiser.” I smile a little at the venom in his voice.

“You know why we couldn’t. Deal.”

“They aren’t conspicuous.” He just won’t let it go.

I let out the breath I was holding, “Uh, huh. We’re going to a village that has mostly dirt floors in the little huts and you don’t think a Land Cruiser would stick out?”

Brid starts chuckling. “Oh, come on Aoife. You know him. It has to be fast and shiny.”

I turn to look at her. “Yeah, I know. There are three of them sitting in the garage at home.” Brid lives for designer clothes, Dom does cars.

What can I say? Me, just a quiet month at home would be nice, but I haven’t had one of those in I can’t remember when. Don’t get me wrong, I wear only designer as well, but I prefer to keep it comfortable.

The rest of the ride is relatively quiet. Dom pulls up in front of the hotel we are staying at just as the sun hits the front of the building. Both cringe in pain, their hands fly up in a vain attempt to block the sun as they almost storm the front doors. Like I said before, the sun doesn’t bother me so I make sure the car is secure before I head in.

By the time I reach the room, both are practically naked, trying to cool their rapidly overheating bodies down. I guess I should stop and explain here, no vampires to do burst into flame the moment the sun reaches them; no we do not lose our super human strength either. Sorry but Bram Stoker got it wrong. It does though; make us very, very ill. The sun rapidly dehydrates us, causing the blood lust to rise and if we are out in it for long enough, it will kill us. Just one of several things that can do that. No we are not invincible, although many seem to think that I am.

I decide to take pity on them and go over to the air conditioner and turn in up, full blast. Then I head to the cooler that I brought in with me from the car and set it down on the bureau. I open it and take out three pints of blood. I hand them one each and open mine. I sit down in the one chair in the room and take a drink. A soft moan of pleasure escapes my lips as the blood flows down my throat, not only nourishing the physical need but the psychological one as well.

I lean back, my eyes closed, mouth open, fangs peeking out. Blood, even bagged gives a head rush when we’re over . . . well over anything. How much of one depends on how fresh it is. This was several days old so . . . let’s say at this point it meets the immediate needs and that’s just about it.

I open my eyes and look at Brid when she asks, “So when do we head back?” Her eyes are tinged with red that is rapidly fading from the blood that she just drank. She’s leaning against Dom’s chest. He’s planted himself up against the headboard.

“Well, I figured we’d wait until tonight and then catch the red eye to London.”

Both vampires’ groan. “The red eye? Come on Aoife. Can’t we charter a jet?” Dom pleads. At time’s he still has a hard time with crowds. Planes? Yeah, too many heartbeats in a small space. Hell, it even gets to me sometimes. But this was a low budget affair and I had to leave the personal jet at home. Fuel prices for the thing are killing me.

“Nope, sorry. Not in the budget on this one.”

“Wait, we need to stop in Paris first anyway.” Brid announces. Dom rolls his eyes. Luckily Brid doesn’t see him or it would cost him a lot more than the side trip is going to anyway.

I huff and shrug. “I was hoping that you’d forgotten about that.”

“No way, Aoife. He owes me.”

“For a shirt that you shouldn’t have worn hunting in the first place.” I respond dryly.

“Wait, Aoife’s right. Why do I have to pay for a shirt that I didn’t ruin? The bullet hole did.” Dom is glaring at his mate now.

She whips around, fire in her eyes and states through tightly gritted teeth. “True, but I didnt put MY bloody hand through a human’s head!” By the end of the sentence she’s practically yelling.

I sigh and roll my eyes. Here we go again. Like I said life around them in never, ever dull. “Brid keep it down, we don’t need to draw attention to ourselves.”

She glares at me and crosses her arms in front of her chest. She then turns her attention back to Dom. “Trust me; it’s going to cost you.” That said, she stormed off into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

I snicker softly, “You’d better hope that she calms down before we get to Paris or it’s going to cost you plenty, Dom.” Exhaustion is starting to seep into my body; I haven’t really slept since we left Ireland.

“Yeah, I know. Can’t you just say we need to get back to the manor . . . please?” He says as he makes puppy dog eyes at me.

“Uh huh. Yeah, no not going to happen, it’s fashion week starting tomorrow, you know she never misses that. Besides I need to see my tailor and get some new outfits made anyway. You’ll live. Besides you have always liked the view.”

He gives me a look and his response is almost a whisper. “Shhhhh, are you trying to get me into more trouble?”

My eyes sparkle with amusement, “Dominic, you manage to do that all by yourself on a daily basis.” I stand and head towards the hotel room door, just as Brid comes out of the bathroom, now dressed in a pair of pj shorts and a tank top that leaves nothing to the imagination. I watch as Dom’s eyes flash in desire.

Brid sees it too and gives him a sultry smile. “Yes, you can do penance. Come here.” She crooks her finger at him.

I laugh hard as I open the door and head out to go to my room. I truly feel sorry for whoever is in the room next to them. I just hope they remember to keep the bloodbath to a minimum. I hate paying the cleanup bill after them.

I unlock my room’s door and head inside, making a beeline to the ac and crank it up to maximum. At my age, cold is almost as important as blood. And just in case you’re wondering, I’m very, very old. A lady never tells her true age, but I will forever look like I’m about 26.

I head into the bathroom and start the shower. I desperately need to wash the day’s events off my body. It’s always been one thing that I have never been able to handle. I just can’t stand to have the smell of death on me, to the point of making me nauseous, if it could that is. I guess that it’s one of my coping mechanisms. I deal with death on a daily basis just because of what I am. It was one of the hardest parts for me to get used to once I was turned, having to kill beings that I used to be just like just to live. My compromise used to be to just kill those that didn’t deserve to live anyway. But after what happened to me in 1908? No you don’t get to ask questions about that. A tale for another time. But as a result of what happened for the most part now the thought of sinking my pearly whites into human flesh makes my skin crawl. I drink bagged or bottled instead. Not as satisfying, but a whole hell of a lot easier on my conscience.

My shower complete, I take some time to brush out my stick straight waist length raven colored hair. No need for a hairdryer, I prefer to let it air dry. The noise from hairdryers is, to say the least very, very hard on my extremely sensitive ears. Walking out of the bathroom, I flop down on the bed sighing. Another job complete. Time to call it in. I lean over, grab my Blackberry and dial a very familiar number. It’s answered on the second ring. “The hunters in China are eliminated.” I say to what most would say would be air but I can hear the faint rustle of paper and pen scratching on said paper. I just don’t understand why they don’t use a computer. Heaven forbid they come into the modern age.

“Elimination noted. Continue to track all current subjects. No further action is required at this time.” A disembodied male voice tells me. I could swear if I didn’t know any better, he was truly a walking corpse as his voice holds no emotion what so ever. I hear the phone disconnect.

I place my phone back on the table and roll over on my back. So I get at least a day or two off. Paris here I come. I feel sleep overtaking me and I let it knowing that in the evening I have a very long and uncomfortable plane ride on my hands.

Chapter 1

March 27

Today is day three of my new life. A life that was not of my choosing but one that was forced upon me. They thought it would be a tough choice. My life for those that I hold most dear to me. It wasn’t. I willingly chose mine over theirs.

So now I’m in a strange town . . . alone. I miss them all so much that my heart feels like it’s shattering into a million pieces. And it hurts all the more knowing that I can never talk to them, see them, touch them, explain to them why I had to go; why I made the choice I did.

I want to be who I was three days ago. I want to go home.

**************************

Isolde stared at the words that she’d written almost three years ago, the last words she’d written in her journal. She’d made the choice, her family’s lives for her own. It was a choice that even today she didn’t regret making. But she still longed to see them all again. Some nights the pain was still unbearable. But part of the deal with the devil had been to have no contact what so ever with them. She smiled ruefully to herself. She hated her life now and was thoroughly disgusted with what they had forced her to become.

She reached up and forcefully wiped away the tears starting to stream down her face. She closed the journal again. She thought that she could maybe start journaling again but in reading the last entry again came to the realization that she just couldn’t chronical her now mundane life.

Isolde uncurled her legs from underneath herself, stretching with feline grace; stood and glided towards the bookshelf to replace the journal in its spot. Her gaze went from the journal to the well worn photo album. She reached up and pulled it out lovingly. Maybe tonight it would give her the comfort she so longed for.

As Isolde headed back to the couch, her stomach growled angrily. Guess I should get something to eat. She plopped down on the couch, reached over and picked up her BlackBerry, scrolled through the numbers, deciding on Chinese. Kung Pow chicken. That should hit the spot.

She hit dial. The restaurant answered on the third ring. “Golden China Restaurant.”

“Yes, I’d like to order a delivery please.”

“Okay. What would you like.”

“One order of Kung Pow chicken, extra spicy and one order of potstickers.”

“Fine. Have you ordered before?”

“Yes.” My god they should recognize the number by now.

“What’s your address?”

“1425 Sixth St., Apartment 5, Santa Monica.”

“Fine. That will be $15.25. Should be about forty-five minutes.”

“Great. Thanks.” Isolde hit end. She just stared at the BlackBerry for a few seconds, catching herself before she dialed an all too familiar, but off limits number. Realizing what she was about to do, she quickly set down the phone, turning her attention back to the photo album.

Isolde sighed as the doorbell rang. She set the album down and padded towards the door. She picked up the large bowl filled with candy that sat on the entry table as she opened the door. She plastered a fake smile on her face as she heard the familiar holiday greeting. “Trick or treat!”

“My, my aren’t you so adorable.” She held out the bowl so that each child could choose what they wanted. Once each had chosen, she smiled again and shut the door.

She walked back into the apartment, set the bowl on the coffee table and sunk back down into the couch. Isolde again reached for the photo album. She set it on her lap and slowly opened it. She smile sadly at the images there, ones of much happier times. I hope their anniversary is a happy one.

She slowly turned the pages, trying to remember the happy times, not the fact that no new memories would ever be made. It really was a stunning dress on her.

Isolde was so lost in the memories that she almost didn’t hear the doorbell. Startled, she shook her head out of her reverie, stood, grabbed her wallet, and headed to the door.

“Hey.” She said to the delivery guy.

“Hey, Isolde. In the mood for spicy tonight, huh?”

“Yeah.” She handed him a twenty. He reached into the cooler, removed the hot food and handed it to her. “Keep the change, Charlie.”

He smiled broadly. “Thanks!” He turned to leave, stopping a couple of steps down the hallway. Isolde could tell that he was trying to get the courage to ask her something. She still could read body language with the best of them.

Charlie turned back, taking a deep breath as he did. “Isolde?”

“Yep.”

“Are you doing anything this Friday night?”

“Not sure. Why?”

“Well, there’s this great Irish rock band playing at a little pub I know. I thought . . . I thought that maybe you’d like to join me.”

Isolde smiled sadly. It sounded fun, but she just couldn’t risk the possibility of running into anyone she knew. “Thanks for the invitation Charlie. But I can’t.”

He looked clearly hurt at being shot down. “Why not? It’s the fact that I’m a delivery guy, right?”

“Oh, nononono. It’s just . . . I’m just not in a place where I could even begin to think about dating.” Isolde smiled sweetly, trying to bring him down gently.

“Ah. Still trying to get over the last guy?”

“Something like that.”

“Okay, maybe another time then?”

Isolde leaned on the doorframe, a halfsmile gracing her lips. “Maybe.”

Charlie’s demeanor changed dramatically. “Great! See ya around.”

“Yeah.” Islolde walked back into the apartment and closed the door behind her. Her stomach was really complaining now. “Okay, okay. It’s coming.” She smiled and shook her head. “Now I’m talking to my stomach. I really need to get a life.” A wave of utter dispair hit her. “I had one.” She wispered to no one.

She flopped back onto the couch, set the box of food on the table and picked up the remote. She turned on the TV and started surfing the channels finally settling on a cartoon movie. She picked up the box and started absentmindedly eating. Once done, she set the box down again, trying to get into the movie with out any luck.

Finally giving up, she stood took the empty take out boxes to the trash and headed into the bedroom. She stood in the doorway, totally lost. Tears started anew. She padded to the dresser and pulled out an old worn shirt. She held it to her nose, drawing strength from the familiar smell. Even after three years, his smell still lingered in the material. She put the shirt back in it’s spot, pulled out a pair of boxers and a tank. She stripped, threw them on and wandered over to the bed. She pulled the covers back, climbed in and then she cried herself to sleep.

****************************

Beth sat on the floor leaning against the couch staring intently at the screen of her laptop. She huffed frustratedly to herself but couldn’t help but smile as the very familiar feeling of safety came over her, signalling that Mick was on his way down the stairs. She looked up towards the stairs. “Hello, sexy.”

Mick grinned back, taking the last few stairs. He stopped to look at her lovingly before heading into the kitchen. “Hello, beautiful.” He opened the hidden fridge and pulled out a pint of blood. He held it up in a silent request of his mate.

“No thanks, sweetheart. I already had breakfast.” Mick nodded, pulled a glass down from the cupboard and poured himself a glass. He replaced the bag in the fridge, took the glass, walked into the livingroom. He sat on the couch, his legs on either side of Beth.

“Soooo . . . any luck this time?” Mick placed a kiss on the top of Beth’s head.

“No. It’s so fucking frustrating. How can anyone just fall off the planet?”

“Beth, vampires do it all of the time.” Mick finished his drink and set the glass down on the table, earning him a glare.

“You leave that glass there long enough for the blood to clot, you wash it.” Mick chuckled in response.

“Yes, dear.” He leaned in closer to see which search engine that she was using. “That’s new.”

“Oh, yeah. Selene sent me the link this evening. It’s just for vampires.”

“I can see that.” Mick leaned over Beth and enter a few words and hit search. The computer chugged away, searching. A cheerful ping indicated that the search was done. “Damn, nothing.” Mick said under his breath.

Beth turned to look up at Mick, a smirk across her face. “Already tried that one.”

“Fine.” Mick leaned down and placed a kiss lovingly on Beth’s lips. “So when does the party start?”

“Oh, everyone should be here in about an hour and a half. Mike called about forty-five minutes ago and said that had managed to make the flight.” Beth put the laptop in sleep mode, put her hands on the either side of Mick’s thighs and pushed herself up.

“Really? So everyone’s coming? Wow.” Beth held her hand out for Mick. He took it and she pulled him to his feet.

“It is, isn’t it.” Beth started pulling him towards the stairs. “Now come on, we need to get ready.”

“Yes, love.” Mick replied, just loving the veiw of Beth going up the stairs in front of him. He felt his desire rising with every step.

So could Beth. She smiled to herself and walked into the bedroom, stopping just inside the door. Mick sauntered up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling Beth to him. He pulled her hair to the side and started to nuzzle her neck, which started Beth purring.

“Like that do you?” Mick asked, his voice heavy with desire.

“You know I do, but we don’t have time. They will all be here in an hour or so. Josef will probably be early, like he always is.” Beth turned in Mick’s arms, gave him a kiss, wiggled free and headed into the closet to grab her clothes.

Mick padded over to the bed and sat down, watching his wife with amusement as she tried to decide what to wear. “You know, they aren’t really going to care which designer you’re wearing, dear.”

Beth stopped rummaging and turned and stuck her tongue out at him. “I know that. I still want to look nice. We haven’t seen Selene, Kraven, Mike and . . .” Beth stopped in midsentence, pain flittering across her face, “Well we haven’t seen them in almost a year.”

Mick stood and walked the ten paces to Beth, pulling her in for a hug. “I miss her too sweetheart.”

Beth fought back the tears. Today was supposed to be a happy day. “I know.” She gave him a squeeze back and Mick dropped his arms and headed to his part of the closet to get his clothes.

Forty-five minutes later, both heard the distinctive knock of Josef. Beth looked triumphantly at Mick, “Told you.” She slipped her foot into her left flat and headed out the door of the bedroom and down the stairs with Mick on her heals.

“Yeah, yeah. He’s punctual as ever.” Mick grumbled.

“You know, in reality, he’s really predictable.” Beth stopped in the kitchen, pulled out the bowl, put ice in it from the freezer. She then went to the refridgerator and took out the two bottles of vintage Krug and shoved them into the ice.

Mick sauntered over to the door and pulled it open. He silently motioned his best friend in.

“Mick, you don’t look happy to see me.” Josef shot Beth a smile and headed into the living room. Saying over his shoulder as he sat in the arm chair “I heard that, by the way Beth.” Her only response was to smile wickedly at him.

Mick was just about to shut the door when the elevator dinged, the doors opened and Selene, Kraven and Mike walked out the doors sliding shut behind them.

Selene reached Mick first giving him a hug and a peck on the cheek. “Mick! It’s so wonderful to see you again.”

Mick hugged her back, laughing. “It is, it is.” He motioned them all in. “Please come in.”

Beth was just finishing putting six flutes on the tray as the group walked into the loft. She smiled broadly at her family. She couldn’t help but notice the veiled sadness the was held in her new guests eyes. She smiled even wider, trying to hide her own mixed feelings as she carried the container with the Krug into the living room. “Hey everyone!”

Mike walked up to Beth and pulled her in for a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. “Well, aren’t you looking just delectible.”

Beth giggled and Mick growled quietly, which earned him a hearty laugh from Mike. “Geez Mick. Get a grip. I have no intention of taking your girl. Hell I wouldn’t even make it out of the loft. You’d kill me if she didn’t first. Besides, I have one.” A look of grief danced across his face.

“Damn straight I would.” Beth replied. She walked over and hugged Selene and then Kraven. “So how was the flight over?”

Selene flopped down onto the couch next to Kraven, placing her legs across his thighs. “Long. Had time to do plenty of research.”

“Oh is that what we’re calling it now? Research?” Kraven snarked, earning him a solid punch in the arm. “Owwww.”

“Deal.” Selene turned back to Beth who was just coming back from the office where she had set her laptop. “So what did you think of the site I sent you?”

“Very, very interesting and absolutely no help what so ever.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve run into as well.” Selene stated grimly.

“I mean, I know vamps change lives every so often, but isn’t there usually some kind of trail? At least that we can follow?”

Josef chimed in, “Usually. Just depends on how good the person that’s setting up the move is.”

“Well then whoever did this is absolutely ingenius. Because she’s fallen off the planet.” Mick replied.

“I still think something happened. It’s just not like her to leave and not say anything. No good bye, no anything.” Beth looked up at Mick. She could see and feel the intense pain of his loss. Losing Aoife was hard on everyone, but for Mick it was ten times so. She sighed. They all had had this coversation so many times over the last two and a half years, that it was to the point of just rehashing old news and tearing open unhealed wounds.

“Your right Beth, it isn’t. Even when she did undercover stuff, she let us know what was going on.” Selene looked over at Mick. “Still nothing?” She asked softly.

Mick leaned his head back on the couch fighting his emotions. When he lifted his head again, tears glistened in his eyes. “No. I’ve tried reaching out to her so many damn times, I’ve lost count. There’s nothing.”

“Have you heard that Vlad is now openly pushing for Aed to step down as Head of the Council?” Kraven asked. He was absentmindedly stroking Selene’s legs.

“Yeah. Kusabana called me about it last week.” Josef replied flatly.

“Why would she call you?” Beth’s curiosity piqued.

“I’m the head of the LA region. She just wanted to give me a heads up. Turmoil in the Council causes problems.”

“Like what?” Beth just couldn’t help herself. Mick smiled. He could see that reporter instinct kicking in.

“Do you really want me to discuss vampire politics right now, Beth?” Josef’s eyes were filled with amusement.

Beth sighed “No, I guess not.”

“So. . . three years.” Mike stated.

“Yes . . . your point, Mike?” Beth responded.

“Nothing, nothing.”

“Uh, huh. Beth pushed herself up and off of Mick. “So who’s up for Krug?” She walked back in to get the flutes. “Mick can you start opening the bottles?”

“Yep. Already on it.” Beth went to the hidden fridge and grabbed a small bottle with a stopper in it. She squeezed the stopper top and then unscrewed the lid, squeezing the stopper again, dropping several drops of fresh blood in each of the flutes. She was just about to pick up the tray when the doorbell to the loft rang. Six sets of eyes turned towards the door.

“Expecting someone else, Mick?” Josef snarked.

“Noooo.” Mick stood and headed towards the door. He looked at the screen on the wall next to the door. Seeing it was a deliveryman, he opened the door. “Can I help you?”

“I’m looking for Mr. and Mrs. St. John.” The deliveryman didn’t even look up from his paperwork.

“I’m Mr. St. John.”

“I have a package for you.” The deliveryman walked back over to the elevator and wheeled out a handtruck with a large box on it. He then pushed it up to the door. He held up a handheld computer towards Mick and held up a stylus for Mick to use.

“Sign here please.” Mick signed and then handed the stylus back.

“Would you like me to put this inside?”

“No. I can get it. Thanks.”

“Okay, but I’m warning you, it’s really heavy.” The deliveryman shrugged, grabbed the hand truck and headed back to the elevator. Mick watched until the guy got on and then bent down and picked the package up effortlessly.

Beth had carried the tray with the flutes on it back into the living room. Mick walked up and set the box down on the coffee table. Six sets of eyes closed all sniffing.

“Who’s it from?” Beth asked. She handed Mick one of the bottles. “Finish opening this please.”

Mick tore his eyes and his attention away from the box. He took the bottle from her, twisting the wrapper and metal from the bottle, put his thumbs on either side of the cork and pushed it out with a loud pop, sending the cork flying. He then set about pouring champagne into each flute. Beth handed them out to each vampire as Mick finished filling them.

“So what are we toasting to?”

“Oh you did not just ask that Josef?” Beth said indignatly.

Josef just smiled.

Mick raised his glass. “To three of the most wonderful years in my undead life.” He looked at his wife. “And I owe it all to you.” Beth smiled lovingly at him.

“To the two of you.” Selene toasted.

“To those lost but not forgotten.” Mike squeaked out almost choking on his words, his voice heavy with emotion.

Beth nodded in agreement, tears pooling in her own eyes. “Definitely, Mike.” She lifted her glass. “To the lost.”

Glasses clinked and were quickly emptied.

Mick set his flute down on the coffee table next to the large box. “So let’s see what’s in here.” He walked over to the office and picked up a letter opener. It was antique with celtic dragons on it. He rubbed his thumb across the markings, the memories of the day Aoife had given it to him floating through his mind.

Josef cleared his throat loudly. “Earth to Mick. Don’t keep us in suspense anymore man. Open the damn box.”

Mick looked over and gave them one of his trademark half smiles. He walked back up to the box, ran the opener over the tape and then pulled the flaps open. Beth leaned in towards the box, examining the contents. It was filled with packing peanuts. She reached in and pulled out a small saucer.

“Wow, this is beautiful. But who sent it?” Beth reached for the packing receipt after handing Mick the plate.

“Why does this look familiar?” Mick turned the plate over, looking at the markings on the back. He looked up as his wife emitted a frustrated growl. “What?”

“Well, it shows the company that shipped it, but nothing else.”

“So we call the shipping company tomorrow.” Selene answered. Her hand shot up to her mouth in surprise as she saw the pattern on the plate.

“What, dear?” Kraven asked, a worried look on his face.

“Mick, can I see that saucer?”

“Sure.” Mick handed her the plate and reached in for another.

Selene carefully studied the pattern and then turned the saucer over to check the markings. “Oh, my god!” The words came out a whisper.

Beth looked up from the tea cup she was holding to her friend. “What, Selene?” She looked closely at the beautiful off-white china decorated with tiny flowers.

“Don’t you recognize this pattern, Beth?”

“Well, it does look familiar. I don’t know where I’ve seen it though.”

Selene looked at Kraven and then back at the piece of china. A look of understanding came to his face. “Shit.”

“Would either of you like to share with the class?” Mike snipped.

“Oh good lord, Mike. You don’t recognize this?” Selene shot back exasperately.

“Nope.”

Beth had been carefully rummaging around in the peanuts looking for some indication as to who had sent the china set. On the bottom, under the full size plates she found a small envelope. She carefully removed it and held it up triumphantly. “Ah ha!” Her face fell as she read the note inside.

“What is it, honey?” Mick reached across and touched Beth’s arm.

“Yeah, what does it say?” Josef asked impatiently. Mick glared at him.

“It just says: To Mick and Beth. Happy 3rd Anniversary.”

“That’s it?” Mike asked incredulously.

“Yep. And it’s type-written and no signiture.” Beth closed her eyes and smelled the memory. It had been typed by a person at the warehouse that shipped the china. “Damn, nothing.”

Mick turned to look at Selene. She was wiping tears from her eyes. “Selene, where do you know this china pattern from?” He asked gently.

“Jordan gave Aoife the same set on their 3rd wedding anniversary.”

Mick’s eyes went wide in shock. “This is Aoife’s set of china?!”

“No, it’s a sister set. It’s really, really old. There were only a few complete sets around even back then.” Selene responded. “She absolutely adored that china.”

“Who the hell would know about that other than you two?” Mick sank back down into the couch, completely flabergasted. Beth walked around and sat next to him, taking his hands in hers.

“I don’t know.” Selene looked around the room at the now silent vampires. All seemed to be lost in their own thoughts.

“Could Aoife have sent it?” Beth asked quietly to no one in particular.

“It’s not out of the realm of possibility.” Selene responded.

“Not if the rumors are true, sweetheart.” Kraven added grimly.

“I refuse to believe anything that Vlad Tepes has to say.” Selene ground out. Her eyes flickering from their normal color to whit

‘Okay, would someone PLEASE tell me what you to are talking about?” Beth said exasperatedly.

“You haven’t heard?” Kraven’s face held the look of dread.

“Heard what Kraven?” Mick responded, his voice tight.

“Vlad is saying that he has proof that Aoife is dead.” Selene responded.

Beth’s eyes flashed white. She narrowed them. “And where is his so-called proof?”

“That’s the thing. He refuses to show it. Aed has asked him point blank to produce it and Vlad refuses.” Selene shook her head.

“Then I don’t think he has any.” Beth stated with finallity. She wrapped her arms around Mick’s neck and hugged him tightly when she felt his emotions. Hearing all of this was so hard on him.

Deciding that the coversation was getting too morose, Selene stood and sauntered over to the bag that she had brought in with her. She bent over, earning her a whistle of appreciation from Kraven, reached in and pulled out a box. She then headed back into the living room. “Kraven, dear. . . no wait, you have a tendancy to break things.”

Kraven crossed his arms across his chest, his jaw set. “I do not.” The comment sent Mike laughing so hard he couldn’t speak for a time.

Once he had himself under control, he said, “Oh, man I needed that. And she’s right, you do have that tendancy.”

Josef stood and walked the few paces to the box, picked it up and took it to the dining room table. “Better?” He asked as he retook his chair.

“Much. Thank you, Josef.” Selene set to work getting the parts of the game out.

Josef gave her an incredulous look as he realized what the game was. “Trivial Pursuit?”

“Yep. But not just any version. It’s the vampire history version.”

“There’s a vampire history version of Trivial Pursuit?” Beth couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Uh huh. It’s fun and you’ll get to learn more about how history really was.” Selene finished setting up the board and handed out the items needed to play. “So the teams are Kraven and myself, Mick and Josef, and Beth and Mike.”

“Why do I have to be with Josef.” Mick pouted.

“Gee buddy, thanks for the vote of confidence.” Josef countered back.

“Well, I figuered that each team should have one older vampire and one younger one.” Selene explained. “That way it’s more fair.”

“Works for me.” Mike stated. Everyone changed places to be with their respective partners. “Let the games begin!”

“Oh, lord Mike!” Selene rolled her eyes. “Could you be anymore dramatic?”

“Yes I could as a matter of fact.” Beth giggled.

“Come on, I for one am ready to whip some ass.” Josef snarked.

Now it was Mick’s turn to roll his eyes. “Of course you are.”

“Can we please get started?” Selene rolled the dice and the game began.

*****************************************

Several hours later a winner was finally crowned. “I can’t believe you two actually pulled that off.” Josef sat back taking a long drink from his glass of blood.

“Well, that should teach you to never underestimate me, Josef.” Beth smiled triumphantly, trying to stifle a yawn.

Mike nudged her arm. “Looks like someone’s ready for sleepytime.”

“I’m fine.” Beth groused back.

Kraven looked down at his watch. “It is getting late. We probably should be going.” He stood and held his hand out to Selene and pulled her up and into his arms. He placed a soft kiss on her lips.

“Yeah, probably so.” Selene started to pick up the game, putting the pieces back in the box.

Mick stood and went to the office to grab everyone’s coats. Over all it had been a fun time. He felt yet again a twinge of sadness, longing really for the one person that wasn’t there. Where are you? What happened that day? He reached out yet again for her and got nothing in return. He sighed and headed back into the living room.

“Thanks man.” Mike took his coat and shrugged it on. Mick handed Selene her coal gray duster and Kraven his short leather jacket.

Beth walked out from the kitchen towards the front door to meet them all there. Hugs went around the group. Mick reached and opened the front door. “Call tonight and we can brainstorm on new search ideas.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Kraven stated. He took Selene’s hand and pulled her through the door.

“You know, we’ve all tried everything to find her.” Josef looked towards the ground, not wanting anyone to see the emotions in his eyes. He hated to admit it, but Aoife had become more important to him than he’d dare admit. She’d given him the strength to really, truly mourn Sarah and move on. Most, even Mick, didn’t know that his actions had been just an act for over 50 years. That he had been a walking shell of a person. “She may not be out there to find.”

Beth couldn’t help it, she growled. “Do not even think that Josef,” she ground out.

“I don’t want to believe it either Beth, but the possiblity is definitely there at this point.”

“We’ll talk this evening.” Selene pulled Beth in for a hug. “Josef, is that offer of a freezer still open?”

“Of course.” Josef turned towards Mike. “You staying at my place as well.”

“Hmmmm, let’s see, ice filled bathbub or freezer. . . freezer it is.”

“Fine. Oh I have a wonderful 1987 for you to try.” Josef told Mike as they all got on the freezer.

“Do tell.” Mick and Beth heard Mike say as the elevator doors closed.

Mick headed back through the open door, but stopped when he realized that Beth hadn’t moved. “Beth, dear?”

Beth shook herself out of her reverie. “Coming sweetheart.” She walked though the front door and Mick shut it behind them both. He reached over and set the security on high.

Beth had headed back into the kitchen and was busy putting the glasses in the dishwasher to wash. Mick walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, setting his head on her left shoulder. “Mick?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think she’s dead like Vlad is saying?” Beth turned in Mick’s arms to face him.

“I don’t know. That’s what is so very strange. I mean the connection that I had with her isn’t there anymore . . . and yet it’s almost like it is.”

Beth unwrapped Mick’s arms from around her, took his hand and headed towards the stairs. “That doesn’t really make any sense Mick.”

Climbing the stairs behind her, “I know that. It doesn’t to me either. But that’s why it’s so hard for me to believe that she’s dead.” He’d been so lost in thought that he didn’t notice that Beth had been stripping as she had ascended the stairs, until he saw her very naked body go through the freezer door. He took the rest of the steps two at a time.

Through the Eyes of Another Part 2

Aoife looked up from her reading as she sensed a very familiar, yet tortured presence standing in the doorway of the study. “Mick, come in please; sit down. What did you need to talk about?”

She motioned for him to sit. He looked around, finally deciding on the deep burgundy wing back chair that sat across from the couch were Aoife was seated.

Aoife set the book she was reading down across her lap. She looked passively at Mick, waiting for him to start. He sat hunched over his arms resting on his thighs, his hands clasped together, looking down at the floor. He took a deep breath and slowly lifted his head to look at his sire. Aoife could sense the mixture of emotions that Beth had been talking about. Beth had been right. The strongest emotion she felt coming from him was disgust. Not at Beth, but with himself.

Mick sighed deeply. “So . . . what are you reading?”

“A book on Irish history. You know it’s amazing what gets left out or is completely wrong.” Aoife continued to stare passively at him.

“Hmmm. Guess that’s what happens when you actually lived through it.” Mick leaned back in the chair. He absentmindedly stroked his hand through his hair.

“Very true.” Aoife made no effort to help the conversation along.

Mick ran his hand through his hair yet again. “You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?”

“Make what easy, dear heart?” She took the book, closed it and set it on the coffee table. Aoife then stood and padded to the sideboard. She picked up a bottle of single malt scotch and two shot glasses; then headed back to her seat on the couch. She set the glasses down, took the bottle, filled the two glasses and handed one to Mick. He drank the liquid down in one gulp. He held the glass, looking at it with much more curiosity than needed.

“With this conversation.”

“Nope. Mick, you wanted to talk . . . so talk.”

Mick stood and walked over to the window, placing his hands behind his back. “Why do I feel this way?”

Aoife pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “Feel like what Mick?”

“Oh, come on. It’s not like you can’t tell.”

“Your right, I can . . . to a point. Why are you feeling this way?”

“I don’t know.” Mick sighed again and headed back and took a seat opposite of Aoife on the couch. He sat with his back against the the arm of the couch. “I know I shouldn’t feel this way, Beth keeps saying that she wanted to join us, that she’s fine with everything. So why aren’t I okay with it?”

“That’s what you have to figure out, Mick. I wasn’t there when Coraline turned you, I don’t know what happened.” Aoife looked at her turn with a mixture of sadness and curiosity in her eyes. Seamus had told her of his turning by Coraline once, but she didn’t want to assume that Mick’s had been the same way.

“Why would that matter? She’s not my sire anymore. YOU are.” Mick leaned over and poured himself another shot.

“True. But you have a history with her. A very violent and twisted one. One that is very much tied into how you are feeling now.”

Mick felt the tears starting to try to fight their way out. He lifted his head back to try and keep them at bay. “Mick, tell me about your turning and your first days as a fledgling,” Aoife prompted softly.

Mick looked back down at Aoife, unshed tears shining in his eyes. “I went to bed a happily married HUMAN man and woke up a mo . . .” He stopped mid word by the look on Aoife’s face.

“Stop simplifying things. And no, you are not a monster.”

Mick wiped at his eyes angrily. “You weren’t there.”

“No, I wasn’t. Mick, I’ve been alive almost 677 years now. Do you think that I was a vanilla vampire all of that time? I’ve made so many miss-steps, bad calls, etc. I can’t even count them anymore. Yes, I’ve done things that I am far from proud of. Some of them out of stupidity but more of them out of necessity or desperation. The will to live overriding common sense sometimes. If I dwelt on them, the things that I can’t go back and change; I’d go insane.”

“But you don’t hate what you are.”

“Not now, but there have been times that I would have traded anything not to be a vampire. But I am one. It was a decision that I made 651 years ago, because it was either that or die.”

“But you said you were a rape turning.”

“I was. Mick rape isn’t always because the person doesn’t know what’s going to happen to them.”

“You got to make the choice.”

“Oh, yeah. Some choice Aed gave me. Either become a vampire or I kill you.”

“You still had the choice.”

“Trust me, it didn’t seem like much of one at the time. Being a vampire back then was very hard. There weren’t such things as freshies, for example” Mick gave her an amused look. She sighed exasperatedly. “Yes, there were plenty of torch bearing mobs.” I’m going to kill Josef.

“At least your sire wasn’t a twisted bitch.” Mick reached for the tumbler of scotch, pouring himself another glass.

“No, but having Aed as a sire was no easy thing either. He has a very definite evil streak when he wants to. Now back to the original question, what happened the first few days after you were turned?”

Mick took the glass and downed the scotch in one gulp. He set the glass down, stood and started pacing. Aoife watched her turn struggle with his inner demons. How many more will he have to beat down?

Mick finally stopped pacing, now standing in front of the fireplace watching the flames dancing in and out of the wood. “She brought me a female that first morning. I was in so much pain. I begged her to kill me. I didn’t know what I wanted, I just knew that I was ravenous. She pushed the girl next to me and the blood lust hit. I just bit. I felt so ashamed, abhorred at myself for what I was doing and how good the blood tasted.”

“She didn’t’ explain any of it to you?”

“No, not at first. She just kept telling me that it would get better. Everything was so . . . I’d forgotten how intense everything is right at first until you re-turned me again.”

“So no explanations. Wow, that must have been unnerving.”

“I felt so violated, used, lied to, tricked.. The only outlet it seemed that I had was blind rage. Which I took out on helpless, innocent people. Coraline relished in it all. She seemed so . . . relieved. Happy even that I was lashing out.” Aoife couldn’t help but notice the deep feelings of shame that were starting to bubble to the surface.

“She did keep you from going rouge.”

“Barely. The second night she brought me a . . .” Mick stopped mid sentence; a strangled sob escaped his throat. Aoife put her hand on his shoulder in silent support. When he started again, the words came out in a rush, “she brought me a child, a little girl . . .” Mick looked up at his sire, tears of pain streaming down his cheeks. Aoife could feel the horror at what he had done. In that instant she understood everything. Mick started to hyperventilate. His world started spinning. He reached for the hearth trying to steady himself.

“Mick, what did the little girl look like?” Aoife asked softly.

Another sob escaped Mick’s lips. The pain in his eyes was almost more than even the old vampire could bear. “She was about four, blond with blue eyes.” Mick looked away towards the fire again. “I drained her Aoife. Without a second thought, I was so hungry. I hadn’t had anything in at least a day and a half. When I realized what I had done I ran from the house. Coraline called Josef to help find me. I met him the next day. I didn’t step back into Coraline’s house for months.”

“I bet not.” Aoife walked over to the coffee table, picked up her drink, finished it and set the glass down. She stood and glided back over to where Mick still stood. “Mick, Coraline did that to you on purpose. There’s your reason.”

“That’s not why.” Mick slumped against his arm in defeat.

“Yes it is, dear heart. You’ve killed a second blond, blue eyed little girl. Except she’s not a little girl anymore, Mick. She’s an adult that made an informed decision.”

“Great.” Mick gave her a grim smile.

“Mick, I’m sorry Coraline was your sire. Some people were never meant to be turned,” Aoife paused for effect, “and some vampires should never be sires. You got nailed on both points.”

Mick nodded in response. “So how do I deal with my feelings about turning Beth?”

“Realize that you didn’t kill a child, you gave the woman you love the thing she wanted the most; to spend eternity with the man she loves.

“I don’t know. What if I turn out to be the same kind of sire as Coraline? I just couldn’t put Beth through that. She deserves normal. She deserved to stay human.”

Aoife turned to look towards the door. She saw Beth standing in the doorway, tears of sadness in her eyes. She motioned for the fledgling to join them.

“Mick, I didn’t want to stay human. I wanted eternity.”

Mick didn’t look up from the fire.”Beth, I killed you.”

Beth walked over to where Mick stood. She pulled his arms down from the hearth and wrapped them around her. “No, you didn’t. Coraline did. You gave me what I asked for, a very happy, fulfilling LIFE with you.”

Aoife patted her turn on the shoulder and headed back to the couch. She fell back into it, wiggling around until she got comfortable. “Mick, listen to her. She’s fine. You’re fine. You’re doing a wonderful job .And she’s definitely not that little girl.”

“I don’t know. . . “ Mick lost himself in Beth’s eyes. Beth’s response was to giggle and pull him in for a hug.

After a minute or two, Beth pulled herself from Mick’s hug, grabbed his hands and headed towards the door. “Come on, old man. You promised to take me hunting in the forest.”

“Oh did he now?” Aoife stifled a chuckle. She couldn’t hide the laughter in her eyes.

“Yep” Mick lifted his love’s hand to his mouth and gave it a peck. “Go get our jackets, I’ll meet you by the back door in a minute.”

Beth smiled and practically skipped through the door to go to their suite.

“Guess I don’t have a choice in this do I?” Mick remarked as he watched Beth climb the stairs.

“We all have choices, Mick. Just follow your heart. She did hers”

Mick looked at his sire and gave her one of his patented half-smiles. “Yeah. Man, it sucks being outnumbered.” He stepped through the entry to the study to meet Beth by the door.

Aoife leaned forward and picked up her book. She just couldn’t help but wonder how many more demons Mick would have to slay, thanks to Coraline. She sighed and started reading again, glancing up as she heard the door open and close, followed by the sound of laughter drifting in through the window. She sighed and went back to her reading.