Last chapter wasn't my greatest work ever, but the few reviews I got were positive so, yay? To those who did review – thank you oodles, for those who didn't – well, thanks for reading ;)
And I'm horrible for updating. I have no excuse other than AP and SAT studying. Yes, it's that time of year. Bleh.
This chapter delves deeper, is longer, and has the meat of the story in it. There are a heck of a lot of new characters in this chapter as well as a few characters from the last chapter that will be coming back in this one, and possibly the next, so keep a look out for them and what they are really like. A few are surprising. And it jumps back and forth a lot. Sorry about that. Yes, there is a reference to Beth's mother again, all will be explained in time.
SO here it is – Part 2 of ?
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48 Hours earlier
"So Els, Annie, guess who I just got paid a visit by?"
"Brad Pitt?" A girl with a slight Irish tinted voice asked.
A third, laughing, voice joined in, "My God Els... You really need to get over him. It's never going to happen. Ever."
The Irish girl sulked, although neither of the other two could see over the phone.
"No, it wasn't Brad Pitt, or anyone like that. He finally came."
Two gasps and the third girl, the one with a slight French accent said hopefully, "He's coming? He's really coming?"
"Yep. He should be there sometime soon. Girls, you know what to do. Good luck."
"Good luck," the other two chimed in. As they hung up, the Irish girl added under her breath, "We're all going to need it."
Present Time
"Welcome to the family was not an invitation."
If it was possible, Mick would have shuttered – that voice sent shivers down his spine.
"I see that you've found your way to my humble abode, dear brother in law." Lance casually tossed his arm to his left and the other to the right. "I'm rather surprised. Not many people know where it is. Vampires and humans alike. Obviously I've left a few loose ends. I'm going to have to take care of that." Lance kicked Mick slightly with his shoe, "What's that? You look like you have something to say. I'm all ears." There was silence except for the sound of water trickling in a fountain somewhere to their right, "Nothing? Alright then, let's get you inside. Maybe you'll be more receptive to talking there." Lance snapped his fingers once and two large men appeared. Vampire guards by the smell and look of them. "I need to speak with his caretaker." He put extra stress on the word caretaker. It was obvious that it wasn't good. "Take him inside. Chamber one." Lance smiled as he sauntered away, "Oh, and try not to hurt him too much. He needs to be in tip top shape for what we will have in store for him."
Mick felt the four strong arms lift him up, taking care to stay well away from the piece of wood in his chest. One wrong move from the two guards and he would be in excruciating pain, but that would be nothing compared to what the guards would go through. Lance ruled over them and Lance liked to keep his guests in relative safety – those who harmed them would be severely punished. The guillotine may have been outlawed years ago, but in the hidden castle nestled near the town of Soissons, the laws did not apply – it was as if time had stopped.
As the guards maneuvered him through the castle, Mick's eyes, the only part of his body he had control over, flickered around wildly, trying to memorize the path out if by chance he was able to escape. The corridors soon blended together, and Mick gave up quickly. He would have to try and smell his way out. If that was at all possible. His tracks could be covered, his scent taken out. He wouldn't put anything past Lance. That man was the devil incarnate.
Another dark, unfamiliar voice cut through his thought system, "It's alright boys, I'll take it from here." The two guards looked at each other and nodded. Setting Mick down lightly, they bowed and took their leave. Mick cursed his bad luck, this was yet another vampire. And a powerful one at that. He smelled old, just as old as Lance. A horrifying thought struck him – if this was one of the... "Mr St. John, it's an absolute pleasure to meet you. My dearest sister has said nothing but good things about you."
Of course. Just his luck. Another brother.
The man grabbed Mick's arms and drug him toward one of the damp gray walls, this was obviously chamber one, "Unfortunately, she hasn't been the most trustworthy member of the family, so I hope that you'll excuse me for not believing her." Reaching up, the elder vampire grabbed a hand cuff linked to the wall and snapped it around Mick's wrist, another soon following suit. A sharp pierce of pain jolted through his body as each cuff was placed on. When Mick was thoroughly restrained the unknown man tentatively took out the stake. Mick groaned in agony, his wrists were hurting like hell as did the gaping hole in his chest. "The cuffs hurting you? I apologize. Unfortunately the blacksmiths never got the memo that silver is dangerous for a vampire. Oops." Mick's face of horror only spurred the vampire on more.
The man shuffled to the door, keeping a tight grin on his face, "Don't fret too much, there's only a trace. Not enough to poison, just enough to make you somewhat uncomfortable." He started to shut the door, the room fading into darkness, "By the way, my name is Raphael and I'm going to be taking care of you until Lance comes." The door was nearly closed, "If you live to see him again. Be seeing you." The laughter that followed permeated through the iron door and stomped to death the part of Mick that had hoped that perhaps he had a chance of getting out of here. If these vampires were so confident...
Mick shook his head to get that thought out, because, to him, confidence is not knowing all of the facts. Eyes full of defiance, he looked at the door and muttered to himself over and over again while systematically yanking at the chains (and in turn causing him to gasp in pain), "They will not win. They will not win. They will not win."
LA
HALFWAY ACROSS the world, the second eldest vampire on the west coast of the United States (falling short by 120 years to a German female currently residing Oregon), as well as the oldest in California, was pacing in his office, impatiently awaiting the arrival of his blonde human friend. Or as close to friend as she could be.
Josef didn't like keeping mortals close to him. To him, it was honestly just not worth it. They were as their name said – mortal. No sense in getting close if they could die in the blink of an eye. He kept his freshies in another wing of the house, calling them in only for a bite to eat, so he would never get attached. Plus they annoyed him incessantly with their chatter. With his cold front it amazed him as to how this one blonde could attain what several others had not – his affection. She set him off balance, and that was a hard thing to achieve. He admired her greatly. But she could never know that. Mick would eventually find out, and he'd never live that one down.
She had a distinct smell, something like lilacs, Mick, himself and of course, as all vampires pick up the quickest – her blood type. He never had the chance to taste her type of blood, and he planned on keeping it that way. Friends don't let friends drink friends. Unless said friend offered him her blood. Josef had no qualms about it in that case.
Her smell drifted into the room, and he could hear the sniffling as she came through the door. Fuck. Josef thought. She's crying. I hate tears. "Beth," he greeted, walking briskly to the door, ushering her in. "Glad to see you made it safe."
She offered a half smile and looked around his 'office' "Redecorating, I see."
Josef's eyes flashed in annoyance, "Yeah. I keep forgetting why I hate moving – the decorating. I swear, the designers get more and more insistent as the years go by." He shook his head and muttered quietly, "Mortals. Think they know everything about what I want. I could show them a piece or two."
Beth quirked an eyebrow, "What was that?"
"I have a piece or two things to tell you." He said quickly, "But only after you tell me what's wrong."
Beth's shoulders slumped, "Fine." She said dully, "But first, can I get something to drink? And before you ask, no, I will not drink blood. No matter how long I'm around you or Mick, no way." Josef smirked, it was obvious he was going to ask her that question – if only to get a mile out of her, and went to the small kitchenette in the corner, "Just a glass of water, please."
He returned shortly, vampire speed had its advantages, "So," he said, rolling his chair over to where she was seated on the couch, "Talk."
"Well, it started when Josh took a case that dealt with a gang of drug dealers. They weren't going to go after him, instead they were going after the person he cared most about – me."
Understandable. He would have done the same thing.
"He was going to drop the case, but I told him not to. I told him that these guys couldn't win. So he kept going, and it ended up with him being thrown into the trunk of a car." Josef was a little surprised, a trunk was just bad form. "Mick and I chased after him, it led us to a park, near the pond. Mick fought the two guys, but one shot Josh in the leg and the abdomen. Mick tried to save him, but it didn't work." Beth was openly crying, and Josef, having no idea what he should do was awkwardly patting her on the back, "I asked him to turn him... To turn him for me, but he wouldn't! He wouldn't save the man that I loved, saying that it wasn't living. He's right, and Josh probably wouldn't be happy to be a vampire... But still he's gone. Everyone is leaving me. Maureen's dead, Josh is dead, my mom is getting sick, Mick's gone." She growled slightly, "Mick... I hate Mick right now." She said the last part in a whisper, mainly to herself, but Josef could hear it loud and clear. This is what Mick was talking about. She wouldn't want to go save him because he wouldn't save her boyfriend – even if she wasn't in love with him anymore.
Steeling himself for more tears to come, and in the back of his mind reminding himself that this was his friend, and getting his shirt dry cleaned would be simple, Josef easily hoisted her up off of the couch and onto his lap. Beth immediately clutched onto his shirt and buried her head in the crook of his neck, tears pooling onto his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Beth. I'm so, so, sorry." Doing the only thing he could think of, he kept rubbing her back and whispering that he was here, and not going anywhere. He wouldn't leave her. Even if his life depended on it.
LANCE'S FORTRESS
MICK WAS STILL fighting against the silver laden handcuffs when the slight pitter patter of footsteps brought his attention to the door. He looked up, expecting Lance, Raphael, or one of the other crazy vampires inhabiting this fortress, but was surprised to see that it was the small mousy looking girl... The one who had staked him.
Short in stature, the brown haired girl topped off at about 5'3" and couldn't have weighed over 120 pounds. Mick silently berated himself for letting a human, much less a small person get the best of him. She confused him greatly – why was she working for Lance? With all of the experiences Mick had with this family, he had noticed a severe trend of dislike towards humans. They're were just cattle to these people.
In her hands she carried a tray with two glasses of blood in them. O-, not his favorite, but blood is blood. "Mr St. John?" The girl said quietly, a trace of Irish lit in her voice, "Lance requested that I give you these. But he also said that I couldn't uncuff you. I hope ya don't mind me feedin' ya." Mick shook his head, his fangs already out and the blue eyes trained upon the glasses. She took a few steps closer and set the tray down, "My name's Elsie, but me friends... And just about everyone else I guess... call me Els. You can call me that if you want." She had a glass in hand and gently moved it towards his mouth, "You're gunna need to drink carefully. Don't spill, because I can't get ye anymore than this. Lance keeps the blood locked up. Why, I don't know. It's not like me or any of the other humans are gunna be drinkin' it anytime soon and there are plenty of freshies around..."
He drank the first one without a problem, and as she bended down to put the first glass back on the tray, he, still in great pain despite the relief of the blood rushing through his system, gasped out, "Why are you here?"
She glanced up at him briefly before directing her gaze towards the crimson blood, "Lance's orders. He told Raphael who told me to feed ya. I'm supposed to take care of ya, check and make sure that ya ain't dyin', and give ya the blood. Now, drink up."
She brought the second glass to his lips, but against his body's wishes, he turned away. "No, why are you here? Why are you working for Lance? What the hell is going on?!"
"Just drink and I'll explain, m'kay?" Mick nodded, albeit reluctantly, and Elsie started to talk again. "In order of your questions, I've been workin' here for all me life. Me mum and her mum, all the way to me great, great grandma to the nth power, have been workin' here for their entire life. I dunno how it started, but I've been livin' and workin' here ever since I can remember. I can't explain what Lance wants with you, all I know is that you're going to be a very important player in a certain event that will be happenin' in the near future. Just... Hang on for a few more days, alright?" She took the glass away from him and grabbed the tray to head out of the room, "You need to stay alive Mr St. John. It's very important. To everyone's survival." She turned her head slightly and whispered so softly he had to strain to hear it, "You'll be needin' your rest. I suggest you best be gettin' to sleep."
Mick nodded numbly as he watched the door shut and lock itself again. Event? Me helping? Mick was utterly bewildered, but the blood helped to clear the fogginess in his brain as well as heal the gaping hole in his chest. If I'm so important... I'll stay for a bit. Fidgeting until he was in a comfortable position, with the silver touching as little skin as possible, Mick took Elsie's advice and closed his eyes, only having the intent of resting his eyes but quickly fell into a deep sleep.
ELSIE CLOSED HER eyes and leaned her head back against the door. This whole secret thing wasn't going to work out too well for her. She liked to talk. Hopefully Raphael, Lance and all of the other workers would leave her alone for the most part, and she could orchestrate the plan simply from the inside.
But, alas, fate never seemed to be on her side. Walking to the kitchen to wash out the glasses she ran, literally, into none other than Raphael's right hand man, Viktor. "Watch where you're going, Davenport." He growled softly, "I haven't eaten yet, and Lance only says that only the family can't feed off of you. There's no mention of me in there." Elsie looked at him, fright clear in her eyes and he chuckled, "But you're not who I'm in the mood for. Plus, you were just around St. John, you reek of him." He looked down to the glasses, "Get those washed. And then meet me out in the garden. We have to discuss the plans soon." He pushed her towards the kitchen, "One hour, by the south fountain."
She gave him a mock curtsy and said sarcastically, "Until then."
"I'll be counting the minutes."
Viktor wasn't a bad one to run into, she mused as she added the soap to the glasses, he was on board with the plan and was helping her to get it rolling. Plus, he was funny and charming, neither trait found in the brothers (and sister, but Elsie had never met Coraline), but above all, trustworthy. A good guy, for a vampire at least.
After tackling the dishes, Elsie carefully snuck outside to the south garden to wait for Viktor and to make one very important call.
Two voices assaulted her seconds after she made the call, one French woman, and one Cali girl.
"Annie, Laura – Viktor and I are going to have a quick meeting to go over the game plan one last time. I told Mick that in about a week or so something is going to happen that he will be an important player in. Have you realized that this is finally going to happen?"
"Thank god." Laura said, "We've been waiting how many years?"
"Yeah, it's gotten ridiculous." Analise complained, "Waiting, and waiting, and waiting."
Elsie cut them off, "Shut up. At least you haven't had to be enslaved to the Devil and his advocates since the day you were born." The two were silent, "But in a week's time we won't have to worry about any of this ever again. We'll finally be free."
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Thoughts?