Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.

xxxxxxx

Richard paces the floor of his penthouse. He's gotten word that there has been an emergency meeting of the council called. "Damn it. I'm the head of the council. Where do they get off calling an emergency meeting?"

His assistant smiles to himself. Stewart has been around the council for a very long time. He was the assistant to Vanessa and her predecessor. He knows when the shit is about to hit the fan and he can't wait for Richard to catch it.

Stewart clears his throat and turns to Richard. "I'm sorry sir but they have a quorum. There is nothing you can do about it. The car is downstairs waiting. Would you like me to get your suit jacket for you?"

Richard starts to snarl at Stewart to get it when Richard's phone begins to ring. Stewart goes to the desk to wait for Richard to finish. What follows, Stewart wouldn't have missed for anything.

Stewart watches Richard and he could swear that he saw the vampire turn even paler than normal. Richard involuntarily gulps twice and then he slams the phone shut. "I'll find a way to get that son of a bitch for this." Richard growls. Stewart watches as Richard slams out of the penthouse. Stewart smiles and calls for a car for himself.

Richard sits in the limo and tries to decide how to play this. Indignation isn't going to cut it. If he's truly broke and there is no reason to think he's not, then Josef is behind it. If Josef is behind it then the council knows full well, he's broke so they are calling this meeting to unseat him. He can do one of two things. He can go to the meeting and let them unseat him, which he has no way of fighting. He is sure that Frank and any other muscle they need to enforce it will be in attendance. Or he can try to get to California and do what he should have done in the first place. He can get his hands-on Josef's woman and make Josef return his money and then kill her.

Stewart arrives at the building that houses the council's meetings. He hates this building, all the metal and glass. This was Richard's idea to bring them into the present. They could have retro fitted the old building at least it was brick and mortar.

Vanessa looks around the room and wonders why this meeting is being called. She doesn't see Richard anywhere, just Arthur and the other three members. Everyone looks rather happy and smiles brightly at her. Something is going on and somehow, she has a hunch Josef is behind it. Well, she will know soon enough. The meeting should be called to order any time now, with or without Richard.

Vanessa crosses the room when she sees Stewart enter. "Stewart, where is Richard, isn't he with you?"

Stewart shakes his head. "He got some distressing news and slammed out of the penthouse. I haven't seen him since."

Vanessa looks at Stewart closely. She knows him well; he serves whoever is head of the council and they were good friends when he was her assistant. "Stewart, I don't want to pry into Richard's business, but do you know what his distressing news was?"

Stewart smiles slyly at her and shakes his head no.

Vanessa knows right away he's lying. She also knows that if he is lying to her it's for a good reason. She decides to let it go and see where this meeting ends up.

Stewart stands at the head of the table and everyone moves to their usual seats. "Ladies and gentlemen, you called this meeting but I'm afraid it seems that the council head is unable to attend. You will have to continue on without him."

Vanessa looks up and Frank is at one door. Then she sees the head of the council security at the other door with a full complement of men in attendance. Vanessa realizes whatever it is they are prepared for trouble.

Then she spots Josef, Mick and Beth slipping in past Frank.

Richard decides he will go to the airport. He knows he can't use the council's private plane, but he can buy a ticket like a common human. It will not be pleasant flying under those circumstances, but he needs to find a way. He needs to get to California. He looks up to tell the driver to take him to the airport and sees the driver talking on the phone. The man is glancing back over his shoulder at Richard. Before Richard can stop him, the man pulls over to the side of the road. He pulls the key from the ignition and gets out. He disappears into the theater crowd. Just like that the man is gone.

There is only one reason for this behavior. Richard's money troubles have become public knowledge. He opens his wallet and sees the usual five hundred dollars he carries. He is so used to using his credit cards that he never carries much cash. He could take a cab to the airport, but he would never get a ticket all the way to California. Even if he took a ticket from someone, the way the security is these days he would never get on the plane. He looks out the window of the limo and realizes dawn is a few hours away. He decides to get the money however he can and take a flight out the next night.

Vanessa watches everyone around her. Whatever is happening, everyone knows but her. She's getting frustrated at being kept out of the loop. She is toying with the idea of doing a little digging around in someone's head when the meeting is called to order.

Arthur stands up. "Being as our head of council has decided he has other things more to attend to, I will chair the meeting for the moment. It has come to my attention and I'm sure to some of you, have no doubt heard that Richard is having financial troubles. He is completely broke." Vanessa can see the laughter playing at the corners of Arthur's lips. He's never liked Richard. Arthur was one of the ones that tried to keep her from resigning to protect Josef.

Arthur continues, "I have confirmed these to be more than rumors. He is indeed broke, completely wiped out. This makes him and the council vulnerable to usurpers and pretenders we must act swiftly. We must remove him from the leadership and elect a new head of council."

Vanessa watches in amusement as they first unseat Richard in a unanimous vote. Then elect her to return as head of the council. She shakes her head in at the wise decisions she made so long ago to turn Josef. He is astonishingly resourceful. She's not sure she ever wants to know how he managed this. The bankrupting of Richard was probably child's play for him. Getting the rest of the council in line must have taken some interesting footwork.

Frank smiles across the room to her and she nods slightly to him. She wonders how much of this he knew was coming. She realizes that none of them are safe yet. There are a couple more things to attend to. Now that Richard is not a political problem, she will take care of him first.

When the meeting finally comes to close Stewart and Edgar, the security chief faces her. Both men bow before her. She senses that both men are genuinely happy to have her in charge again. Stewart smiles. "I have been asked to tell you, by the council's staff that we are once again glad to be of service to the Lady Vanessa."

Vanessa smiles at the two men. "Gentlemen if you bow to me again like that, I'll take both your heads. You know how I feel about that custom. Yes, ma'am will do fine."

"Yes ma'am." They answer in unison. The three of them laugh.

Frank watches from across the room as the rest of the council members congratulate her and wish her well. When everyone has filed from the hall, he and Beth approach the table. "May I sit with you my lady?"

Vanessa snickers at him. "Now don't you start."

Beth comes out from behind Frank and gives Vanessa a hug. "Congratulations."

Frank sits and faces her "Vanessa this has been a long time coming. I'm glad things are back to the way they should be. If I had known that Josef could act this fast, I would have told him the truth myself, years ago."

Vanessa shakes her head. "No, I think it was something that had to happen just in this way. Everyone was in the right place at the right time for it to all come together. There are still one or two problems that need to be attended to." Vanessa frowns "Where did Josef and Mick get to?"

Beth and Frank exchange a look. Frank shrugs. "They went to take care of that problem that needs attending to."

Vanessa stands up. "NO. This is something I will take care of. I let you and Josef talk me out of it before because it was a political problem. It's not anymore. I should be the one to do this. Does Josef think I can't handle Richard?"

Frank sighs. "No, he knows you can. Josef wants to do it. Richard went after his family." Franks smiles at her. "I can't imagine where he gets that attitude from."

Vanessa flips open her phone. "Angel, I would like you to keep your eyes open for Richard. Call me as soon as you see or hear from him."

Angel smiles into the phone. "Yes, ma'am." And hangs up.

Angel turns to Josef. "She's mad. I could hear it in her voice. Josef, I'll call you if I see Richard, but I have to call her first." She smiles at Josef. "Of the two of you I'm way more afraid of her than I am you."

Josef smiles. "No problem. Just make sure you call me too."

Richard walks the streets of New York trying to decide the best course of action to get to California. Then he can choke his money out of Josef. He knows that's who cleaned him out. He can't believe it's all gone. All the money, the wonderful power, no more pliant freshies at his beck and call, everything taken from him. He racks his mind to think who he can get ready cash from and comes up empty. Most of his supposed allies aren't vampires who are going to be sympathetic to him now that he's broke.

He decides he better find a place to sleep. Hell, he can't even go back to his beautiful Penthouse. He cuts across the park to see about a meal at the same time. He finds a clearing in the deepest darkest part of the park and senses another vampire. He turns and looks behind him. He sees Vanessa watching him like a cat watching prey. He knows that look. He's seen it on his own face a time or two.

Vanessa laughs. "You are such a fool. It never had to come to this."

Richard snorts. "Josef would have challenged me for my seat. Because of his alliance with his two friends, I wouldn't have been able to stop him. I tried to stop them from ever getting powerful enough to do it."

Richard turns as he senses two more vampires. "Richard, Vanessa is right. I would never want a seat on the council. I'm happy where I am. I have all the power I need. Hell, look how easy it was for me to take you apart."

"I don't believe you."

Vanessa shakes her head. "That's because you're a back-stabbing troll who can't believe that other people aren't as greedy and arrogant as you are. It ends here."

Vanessa watches him go into a fighting stance and she laughs. "You're such a stupid fool."

Mick leans against a tree as Josef enters the clearing. "Let me take care of this idiot. He did come after my family."

Vanessa shakes her head. "Beth is my family too. I should get to do this."

Richard looks from one to the other as they argue over who is going to kill him.

Josef shrugs. "I actually don't care which one of us does it, but I want this son of a bitch to suffer." He turns to Richard. "Did you ever think for one-minute what Ramsey would have done to Beth if he had gotten his hands on her? Did it ever matter that he would have made her suffer imaginable horrors?"

Richard stares at him blankly. There is nothing to be said to Josef's anger and fear for Beth.

Richard sees the smile on Vanessa's face and feels the cold hand of an ending death against his throat. "Richard, I'll tell you a little secret. I work with my abilities. I'm always trying to learn things, to stretch and get the most out of them. Not only am I a telepath but I also have a few other talents that not many people have had the misfortune to see. I'm also telekinetic."

She and Josef circle him. Vanessa continues "I can move things without ever touching them. For instance, and this is new, but I'm so proud of it, I can make the blood in a body flow any, which way I choose. I'm told it's very painful. I can even drain someone without ever having to touch them."

Richard knows she's not lying. He shakes his head trying to call her bluff anyway. "You can't."

'Oh, but I can and will." The three of them watch as all the blood in Richards's body starts to seep out through his eyes, mouth and every other opening in his body. He tries to scream but she even denies him that ability. He thrashes for a bit and finally he stops flopping on the ground.

Vanessa looks at Josef. "Do you think he suffered enough?"

Josef looks at Vanessa. "Almost." He walks towards Mick. "Let's go." Mick nods and the two of them leave the area.

Vanessa crooks her finger and Angel comes out of the shadows. "Please remove these remains to the nearest furnace."

Angela smiles. "It's nice to have you back in charge ma'am. I'll take care of it. Is there anything else?"

"Yes, Angel. Please meet me at this address in an hour." Vanessa hands her the address and walks away.

Angel smiles and watches her go. Damn, you just don't cross her.

Angel and her crew remove Richards's body and take it to the closest incinerator. Angel looks down at the address and smiles, one down and one to go.

Vanessa enters the room and Damian looks up at her. "I wondered when you would show up. At first, I wasn't sure if it would be you or Mick but after some thought I was sure it would be you. I assume Richard went first."

Vanessa nods. "Yes, he started this mess and I ended it. You've been on my list for a very long time and this latest fiasco reminds me that I should never have let it go last time. No, Damian, for Beth and Mick, and anymore of my kith and kin, you are a dead man. Unlike Richard, I will make this quick and clean."

Damian nods. He knew this was coming. He was lucky she didn't kill him the last time. "Vanessa, I have something you need to have. I don't want anyone else to get their hands on it. You will know what to do with it."

He hands her four computer disks. Vanessa has a hunch she knows what's on them. Quickly she spins and in one clean swipe she removes Damian's head.

Vanessa turns as Angel enters the room. "This should be the end of it. Please take care of this mess and send the bill for both clean ups to me, not the council. This was my decision."

Josef and Mick go to Vanessa's home on Long Island to collect Beth so they can all fly home. They find Beth sitting in the night blooming gardens. She sees them approach.

"It's over." Josef tells her. "Let's get to the airport and go home."

She looks at the two of them. Beth isn't sure what happened but whatever it was it was not something either of them is going to forget. She can see it in their eyes. "We have to stay for a bit."

Josef shakes his head. "Why?"

"Because I told Vanessa we wouldn't leave until she got back. It seemed very important to her."

"Crap." Is all Josef can say and he sits down heavily next to Beth on the bench.

Mick smiles. "That pretty well says it all. Man, remind me never ever to piss Vanessa off."

Beth eyes them both. "What happened?"

"Let's say Vanessa took care of Richard and leave it at that." Mick explains.

Beth nods and decides whatever it was it's to fresh for them to talk about.

Mick sits down on the other side of Beth and the three of them sit and relax in the moonlight.

Josef looks up when he senses Vanessa and sees her walking towards them. "Thank you for staying until I got back. I wanted to say good-bye and ask you if you had plans for next week."

Beth smiles. "We're going house hunting."

Vanessa smiles and looks at Mick. "The three of you?"

Mick smiles back understanding her question. "Yes, Vanessa."

"Good. Once you get a break in the whole buying and selling, I expect you three to come back and stay a few days. I want more time with you." She turns to Josef. "And you stop dodging visits. I expect to see all three of you at the solstice."

Josef rolls his eyes. "So, you've abandoned Hera for the Druids?"

Vanessa looks indignant. "Certainly not but I was always fond of the Druids. I like the idea of the solstice and it's a special time of year." He rolls his eyes hoping she won't elaborate.

She looks sternly at Josef. "I mean it."

"Yes, ma'am." He smirks at her.

"Now come, I want hugs, and you can get to your plane."

xxxxxxxxxx

Mick's phone rings and he's a little surprised to see Vanessa's name flashing. "Vanessa?"

"Yes, Mick. I wanted to let you know that Damian won't be bothering any of you ever again."

Mick looks across the cabin at Josef "Josef didn't say anything about Damian."

"I didn't tell Josef. You can if you want. Josef had a blind spot about Damian because he thinks Damian kept Ramsey from killing him. I have no such blind spot. He messed with my family and it was time he was taken care of. I got tired of him playing head games with our people. I thought you should know."

Mick smiles. "Vanessa, Beth and I are lucky you've included us in your family. Thank you."

Vanessa smiles. "Your welcome. If you or Beth ever need anything, please call me."

"I will and thank you again Vanessa, for everything." Mick hangs up.

Vanessa looks up and sees Frank standing in the doorway. "Frank, I had to put an end to Damian, you know I did." She looks at Frank warily. "I didn't think you or Josef would want to take care of it, but for Mick and Beth, Damian had to be dealt with. It's the only way they would ever feel safe."

Frank looks off into the distance and then he nods to Vanessa. "I knew this was coming sooner or later. He's pushed to many boundaries over the years. Now that Ramsey is gone its time the Order had new leadership. I can think of a couple of good candidates. They will do what they were mandated to do by the council without the meddling that Damian was so found of."

"You're not mad then?"

Frank shakes his head. "No, Damian should have been grateful it took you this long to get around to him." Frank crosses the room and pulls her up out of her chair and into his arms.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

One of the flight crew opens the door and Josef, Beth and Mick file down to the tarmac. "Can you drop me at my place?"

Josef smiles. "I figured you had about enough of the pool house. The keys should be in that blue Porsche over there."

Beth looks at him questioningly. "You haven't changed your mind, have you?"

Mick kisses her. "No, but until we find something for all of us, I'm going to stay at the apartment. You understand, don't you?"

Beth nods. "Yes, of course. Call me and tell what the best time for you to go look at houses."

Mick nods and shakes Josef's hand. "I'm glad it's over and I'll talk to you later."

Josef claps Mick on the back. "Take care."

Josef puts his arm around Beth and smiles down at her as they move towards the Ferrari. They drive off into the night.

xxxxxxxx

Epilogue

Josef enters the private plane sitting on the tarmac. Vanessa stands and they exchange hugs.

She motions for Josef to sit.

"Vanessa, it's not that I'm unhappy to see you. I'm very curious as what could be so important that you would fly in, have me meet you and then just fly back out. On top of that you make me promise not to tell anyone we are meeting. Mick and Beth would love to see you."

"I have a matter to discuss with you and it needs to be done in person." Vanessa watches Josef. "It's about Beth and you and Mick. I asked to see you because I don't think either of them is old enough to have this information."

Josef looks at her questioningly as she continues. "You know that besides Damian's other duties he was a historian for the community."

Josef nods.

"Well, one of the things he did was track bloodlines of the more powerful of us. Unfortunately, he got that idea from me. Josef, before I was turned, I had three daughters."

Josef looks surprised. "I never knew."

"You know how I am about family. In the beginning after I was turned, I kept track of them and their offspring and down through the ages. It was a hobby to give me a connection to my children."

This doesn't surprise Josef in the least.

"Somehow Damian found out what I was doing and managed to get his hands on the information. It was how he found Beth."

Now it's time for Josef to look surprised. "You mean, that Beth is a descendant of yours?" Josef starts to scowl. "If you knew Beth was under threat by being your descendent, why wasn't she under protection before Coraline could get to her?"

"Because there shouldn't have been any threats to her. No one besides me was supposed to know who she is. Josef, I don't tempt fate too much. I keep track of my descendants, but I don't' protect them, I don't alter their fate. I want them to turn out to be whoever they were meant to be without my or any of the community's interference. Having them grow up under someone's thumb is not growing up normal. When they make it to adulthood, I go to them, and see if they have any gifts, if they do, I make my offer to join the tribe. If they refuse, I erase the conversation and never look back. Once Coraline had done her damage I saw the same thing Damian did. Beth would have her protector and it wouldn't happen again."

He reluctantly nods. "All right, I'll give you that."

She laughs lightly. "You could have knocked me over with a feather when you said you were going to turn her. I did not see that coming. Beth is of my direct line, one of the few left. I didn't realize what Damian was doing until he found Beth and manipulated her childhood. After he realized what I had been doing he started back tracking the major bloodlines."

"Does Damian have information on the other bloodlines besides yours?"

"He did. Josef, he's dead. I couldn't let him go anymore. He had to be taken care of and I didn't want you or Frank to have to do it."

"Mick told me. I was debating about killing him. I would have gotten to it, but it's just as well you took care of it. It was the only way Beth was going to feel safe."

Vanessa continues. "You know how this works. Every vampire has a sire but any special abilities that are enhanced when they become a vampire need to be present in the human. Damian's theory was that more powerful of us are linked to only two or three bloodlines. But because vampires are sired up and down the timeline it's not noticed. Like, Beth being my descendant. Before he died Damian gave me all his research. He knew it was time and he didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands. He knew I was coming and gave me his master disks and the copies."

Josef wants to ask her about his own bloodlines but is afraid of her answer.

Vanessa looks at him and sees his hesitancy. "Josef, I wish I had told you this a long time ago. I've always known your bloodlines. You are a direct descendant of mine also."

"Really?" He smiles at her.

"Yes. That day I found you I knew right away that you had to be given the choice. You see, in my bloodline you are the only male to ever show any ability. All the rest have been woman, which is yet another reason you are my only male turn."

Vanessa loves the shocked look on his face. It's not often she gets to surprise him.

"If you have Damian's records… is there anything about Mick?"

"Yes, but you have to promise me you will not tell him any of it until you and I decide the time is right. This is not something he should be told at this time in his life."

Josef nods. "I can agree to that. I trust your judgment. But if something comes up and I feel he has a need to know, I want the right to discuss it with you again."

"Which is exactly the way it should be since you know him better than I do. Josef, Coraline may have been his sire but his gifts come from his mother's side of the family. I'm not sure if Mick even knows this since she was in hiding. His mother was from the house of Romanov."

Vanessa sees Josef's eyes flash for a heartbeat before he manages to hide it. She can't believe after all this time he thinks he can hide anything from her. She will let it go for now but some day they will have to discuss Katrina Romanov."

Josef is speechless. "But they were… are…"

"Josef, some of them are our people, some of them were not. Mick is one of ours. Let's leave it at that for now."

Josef switches gears quickly to hide his feelings. "Good grief, no wonder Mick is so moody, he's Russian nobility. It's in his genes. Let me guess, Maria?

Vanessa nods. "Yes, he is a direct descendant of the kindest of Nicholas's children. She had the gift and before she was turned, she had a child of her own. Unfortunately, even being one of our people didn't save her from suffering the same fate as the rest of her family. The historical records have been blurred often, to protect us and it is the same in this case. It also protects the Romanov's other attributes."

Vanessa watches with amusement as Josef begins to pace. "You are right about Mick doesn't need to know he is part of that bunch."

"Josef, I also think that for now Beth doesn't need to know any of this either."

"Vanessa she would love to know her connection to you."

"Yes, but let's wait until she's a little older."

Josef shrugs. "If you like."

Vanessa hesitates for a moment. "Someday you're going to have to tell her about her father."

He narrows his eyes at her. "How…."

"For goodness sakes I told you Beth is my direct descendant. You don't think I kept track of her mother and what happened to her father? When you said you were going to turn Beth and told me she was a reporter. I had her investigated because I didn't know a lot about her, but I did know about her mother and father."

He sighs. "I'm not going to worry about it until she starts asking about him. If she starts backtracking her own life, we'll cross that bridge at that point."

"Well, now that she's a vamp, they both have time and that's what matters. You know someday she is going to have all the same abilities that I do."

He nods. "Yes, I told her as much, but I don't think she comprehends what that entails and won't until she gets older."

Vanessa stands up and smiles at him. "Now I must get back to New York. I have a great many duties to attend to since I am council head."

Josef turns and hugs her and leaves the plane. Josef watches her plane taxi away. He wonders how much she knows about the Romanov's and his involvement with them. Add in the secrets he's keeping about Beth's dad and he could lose them both.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

18 months later….

Beth looks around her little house and smiles. This one is by a lake just like the last. Smokey and Kingston are in the stables not far from her just as before. Josef was as good as his word. It had taken them six months to find a place and have it fitted to their needs.

Mick had consented to live with them for six months, which has turned into a year. She guesses, will turn into another six months and then another year. For this tick of the clock in what she hopes will be a very long-life Beth knows that Josef, she and Mick couldn't be any happier.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Well that's it. Comments always welcome.

I'll get the next one up as quick as I can. They start getting longer and longer so it might take a bit longer.