You're Mine

Beth licked her lips nervously as the tall, lean vampire in front of her stalked towards her, both menacing and seductive as his Armani clothed body drew near. Her heartbeat raced, her limbs felt like jelly, and she could have sworn her skin was on fire, hotter than the conflagration that burned at her back, in the marble hearth. Despite how much she wanted what was going to happen, no matter how much she needed him, burned for him, she couldn't help but feel a spark of fear. The future was veiled, unknown, mysterious.

A drop of fear in an ocean of desire.

The vampire in front of her stopped, just a bare metre away, his hot gaze fixed on her, his eyes transmuted into crystalline sapphires, glowing with a fierce lust, and not just for her blood. Slowly, painfully so, he unbuttoned his shirt, letting it fall to the floor, as Beth bit her lip, fresh surges of desire making her weak kneed. His voice was husky, hoarse when he spoke.

"If we do this, you will be mine, Beth," he said, his voice barely a whisper, yet its dark depths sent shivers through her.

"I have never been yours…" Beth replied, not quite finishing her sentence, knowing he would finish it for her. She stepped forward; sliding her woollen shrug off, so only her light summer blouse remained. His hand slid around her waist, pulling her forward against his naked chest, so her breath hitched. She might be his but he was hers. Her vampire.

He bent his head to her lips. "…But you will be," Josef murmured, before his lips completed their conquest and took hers with a hunger that transcended everything, even mortality.

Six months before

Mick had died. Beth could only sit there and stare vacantly into space as Josef stared concernedly into her eyes. Mick was dead.

He'd been killed whilst trying to help Coraline escape the US, after she'd turned him human. Duvall had killed him, because he wasn't worthy to be of their 'bloodline'. The man she'd loved, was willing to give life and mortality for, was gone forever. Josef had arrived too late.

Five months later

Beth strode purposely towards the towering gates of Versailles, her long beaded beige gown gently shushing around her. Two splits ran up the long, fishtail skirt, showing off the slender lines of her legs. The colour of her gown was the exact same shade of her skin, so the beading seemed to be painted onto her very flesh, except for a black lining, matching the black velvet band around her neck. Her long golden hair was hidden beneath a black up-do wig. Black gloves finished the ensemble, as she strode towards the side road that would take her to the sewers, and lead her to Lance. After five long months, she would finally gain revenge for Mick's death. At last.

She'd given up her job at Buzzwire, and used her numerous contacts to track down Lance, and his precious 'bloodline'. Josef had refused to help her, had even taken her hostage to stop her from doing 'something suicidal' as he'd put it, but she'd slipped his leash and run off to Paris.

Lance had organised a party for his bloodline, with entrees included. Namely attractive female entrees in provocative clothing. It hadn't been difficult to knock one of the girls out and take her identification. Namely a fleur-de-lis tattoo on her arm, just above the crook of her elbow. Or in Beth's case a stick on one. She could only pray it would hold up under scrutiny, at least long enough for her to get inside, kill Lance and set the place ablaze. She gave no thought to her own safety; without Mick she had nothing else to live for.

Two vampire heavies stood at the entrance to the sewers, gilded chandeliers making the entrance seem a little less gloomy. Beth, calm and collected, merely flashed her tattoo and walked confidently through the archway, unchallenged.

Inside the vampires' sanctuary was a Gothic haven of luxurious silks and glittering gold, mixed with the ancient architecture. Luxurious sofas and chaises littered the room, vampires and glittering human meals already sprawled over them, decanters of wine and blood being propelled around the room by bare-chested waiters. Suppressing a sneer, Beth stepped into the crowd, already scanning for her target. There.

A vampire, handsome and obviously European, accosted her immediately.

"Mademoiselle, allow me to escort you," he offered his arm, smiling unctuously. Beth speared him with a glare.

"I have another in mind," she said huskily, before dismissing him and walked gracefully towards Lance. He was sprawled across a chaise a few metres away, smiling lasciviously at her, his black and blue eyes fixed on her as she approached. Her dismissal of the handsome European vampire had drawn attention to her, and many appreciative and speculative looks followed her. This beautiful stranger was different from the docile creatures currently on offer.

As Beth approached, she steeled herself and peeled off her right glove, keeping eye contact with Lance. Finally she stopped in front of him, not looking at the half-drained, squirming girl on his lap, whimpering for her master to finish taking her blood and give her the climax she desired. For that was what blood-drinking did to a mortal. You might die, but you'll have one hell of a ride first.

Instead of letting the disgust she felt show, Beth smiled seductively and picked up a knife on the side. Lance shoved his girl away, and sat up. The other vampires around them didn't take notice, too busy with their own meals.

"Well, well, well this is unexpected. And what, Mademoiselle, makes you think you are good enough for me?" Lance asked, his eyes on her slender figure, moving to the pulse throbbing in her neck. In answer, Beth nicked her palm with the knife, letting the scent of her blood free. Lance inhaled it, as did every other vampire, all of whom paused in their meals to send lusting, fiery looks her way, both male and female. Lance's eyes narrowed.

"A rare jewel indeed. I think we should continue this in private," Lance rose and took her hand.

They passed into a curtained alcove, occupied with a cushioned bed, whilst sounds of ecstasy and animalistic grunting filled the air from adjoining alcoves. The vampire shut the curtains, enclosing them in a dark, heated bubble of gold and red satin. Lance turned and regarded Beth with lidded eyes.

"You are a conundrum, my dear," he smirked, taking one step forward. Beth smiled beckoningly, lying back on the bed. Lance joined her, his eyes glowing eerily, as his hand crept up her thigh. Beth bit back a shudder and stopped his hand.

"Let me," she murmured, sliding up her skirts, her hand feeling for the stake hidden beneath them. But then a name was announced that sent slivers of shock and dread up her spine.

"Josef Konstan,"

Damn!

The expletive rang in her mind, as she paused. Lance was waiting, but what could she do? Carry out her plan and stake Lance, with Josef around to mess it up for her or withdraw before he could take her back again?

In a rush of decisiveness, Beth whipped out her stake and thrust it into Lance's chest, paralysing him. At that moment, the red curtain was swept aside and Josef strode in, his quick brown eyes surveying the scene before him.

"Well, Beth, you are surprising," he murmured, before walking to look Lance in the eye. "Here I doubted you. Never again."

"Thanks for the compliment," Beth rolled her eyes, before hopping off the bed. Lance's eyes were frozen, but their glint had changed from lustful to furious.

"But what are you going to do now?" Josef asked, questioningly. Beth glared at him, before pointedly looking at the candelabra sending soft light over the alcove.

"And how were you going to get out?" Josef asked, his voice ever so slightly strained. Again all he got was silence and a glare. Sighing exasperatedly, Josef left the bed and took hold of Beth's chin, tilting her head up so her eyes couldn't escape his. "I asked you a question, Beth."

"I wasn't planning on answering it," Beth said through gritted teeth.

"The truth is you weren't planning on getting out, were you, Beth?" Josef asked, not letting her off the hook. Her silence was all the answer he needed. "Beth, Mick wouldn't have wanted this for you. He would have wanted you to live."

"Shut up. You don't know what he wanted. We'll never know now," Beth spat, trying to lift her chin from his grip. It only tightened.

"I always said you were a crazy one, Beth Turner," Josef murmured. "Sorry about this."

Too late, Beth tried to move. "Josef, don't you da-"

Josef clapped a handkerchief over her mouth, cutting off her breathing. There was a sedative in the material, one that took effect quickly as Beth slowly collapsed into his arms, furious tears leaking down her cheeks. Supporting the girl in one arm, he quickly took hold of the candelabra and set it to the curtains and pillows of the bed, finishing with Lance's clothing. Panic filled the ancient vampire's eyes, and the flame began to eat his clothes, and smoke filled the air, screams and shouts of alarm filling the underground chamber. Josef leant over Lance, cradling Beth in his arms.

"That was for Mick St John,"

As Josef climbed away from the palace with Beth coming to in his arms, the sewers of Versailles exploded. The vampire smiled grimly, as Beth stirred.

She blinked owlishly at him then at the burning palace, collapsing in on itself, then back at him, forgetting to be mad at him for interrupting her plan.

"What did you do?" she asked him, her mouth dropping open. Josef looked down on her in the moonlight, flushed and beautiful, and felt his body stir. He shrugged, sending her a devilish smirk.

"Versailles needed remodelling anyway."

A week later

Beth sneaked out of the building, remembering to turn back and lock it up, so no evidence of her break-in remained. She'd learned lock picking from a very useful friend in college.

"Well, well, well we are in trouble,"

Beth jumped and spun to come face-to-face with Josef Konstan.

Half an hour later, Beth slammed her bag onto the kitchen counter of her apartment, before facing the impossible vampire behind her.

"Why the hell did you come after me?" Beth asked sharply. Josef gestured, a disarming smile on his face.

"Well someone has to keep an eye on you, after all," he muttered. He watched Beth from the corner of his eye. Her body language clearly said: pull the other one

"I was worried about you, after Paris," he said, abandoning his nonchalant stance and moving closer to her. Beth didn't move, just glared at him, unaware of her breath hitching as they nearly touched. Josef was surprised at the level of desire the sight of her glaring at him invoked, but could do nothing to alleviate it.

"You had no right to interfere," Beth said, enunciating brusquely and clearly. Josef's face hardened.

"I had every right to interfere. God, Beth!" he raised his hands, and they hung in midair, as if he didn't know what to do with them. "Mick wouldn't have wanted you to throw away your life. You can't mourn forever; you have to start living again. You have to move on someday,"

Beth rounded on him vehemently. "Don't talk to me about living and moving on. You know nothing about it!"

"Because I'm a vampire!" Josef shot back, his voice rising, anger taking hold. Beth had to hide a shiver at the taut muscles and smouldering blue eyes of the vampire. He was seriously pissed off. She summoned her courage and stood toe-to-toe with him.

"No! But it's a little thing called Sarah?" she yelled back at him, remembering back to the young woman he'd failed to Turn.

Fury and hurt flashed over Josef's face as he turned on his heel and walked out of her apartment. Instantly Beth felt terrible and she began to run after him, calling, "Josef, I'm sorry!"

But the door of her apartment swung open again, and Josef reappeared, his anger making him seem like a fallen angel. Beth had just enough time to catch her breath before she found herself pinned against a beam and all but nose-to-nose with Josef.

A moment later his lips were pressed against hers, his hand threading into her hair, pulling her against him. After a surprised second, she reciprocated it whole-heartedly, feeling a sense of release in the caress. She felt the arms around her, the muscle against her go taut, and she sensed with a shiver that he'd gone 'vamp'. The thought just made her kiss him harder, unafraid even when she felt the prick of his fangs against her tongue.

A short while later, Josef laid Beth down on her bed, their mouths fused urgently, their clothes a distant memory on the floor.

- Present day…

Memories of the past six months flashed through Beth's mind as she felt the rough shag carpet beneath her back, the heat of the fire bathing one side of her body, heat of another kind warming her throughout, compounded by the familiar, steely body above hers, possessing hers, holding her immersed in a sea of pleasure, rough, ungentle. She clasped her immortal lover closer, running her hands through his hair, shivered cries escaping from their joined mouths, as Beth felt her body give in to his possession, unforgiving and unlike anything Beth had ever experienced. This wasn't the tender, passionate lovemaking she'd experienced with Josh, but a deeper, darker passion. Animalistic, unthinking, totally irresistible.

All of a sudden, it became too much, and she broke, crying out in pure ecstasy, breaking from Josef's mouth, head thrown back against his apartment floor. She felt his shudder, his own release, as their eyes locked, vampiric blue to deep brown, one infinitely aged, the other comparatively innocent and young.

Bending his head, Josef brushed a soft, tender kiss across her bruised lips, gently stroking her mussed hair back from her face. He chuckled wryly; as he looked down on a woman he had fallen so deeply in love with. She was an addiction, his drug. What had that ridiculous new teenage vampire movie said? She was his own personal brand of heroin. Her blood and her scent combined to drive him insane. She was his.

"If Mick could see what I'm about to do, he'd have my hide staked somewhere nice and sunny," Josef growled, his voice still low and husky after their passion.

"That is not a nice mental image. Sunbaked, starved, crazed vampire; urghhh!" Beth smirked teasingly, a mischievous glint in her eye. In response, Josef leant down his head and nibbled her lower lip, leaving it redder and tenderer than ever, as Beth moaned and sought his lips. "Not fair, you tease."

Chuckling, Josef sobered after a moment. "Are you sure you want this, Beth?"

"Are you sure you do?" Beth shot back at him, unable to believe they were having this conversation for the umpteenth time whilst lying languorously sated on the floor of his apartment.

"I do, more than anything. It surprises me how much I want it, but, Beth….." Josef looked down, painful memories resurfacing. Only in front of Beth had he ever and would ever show those memories and the emotions they evoked. He'd already lost one woman he'd loved.

Beth supported herself on her elbows, bringing their faces closer together, their bodies still enmeshed in the other's, and put her hand on his face. "Josef, that was a long time, and I know that won't happen again. You're not going to create another Sarah,"

"How can you be sure? Something could go wrong again…."

"No, it won't. I just know," Beth interrupted him mid-tirade, and silenced him with a kiss. When they next broke it, Josef looked at her with haunted eyes.

"I don't want to lose you like I did Sarah. You mean too much to me, Beth," he murmured, stroking her soft golden hair. "You mortal pain in the arse."

"Arrogant, jumped up old vampire," Beth shot back playfully.

"Hey, I'm not that old," Josef moaned, frowning at her.

"400 years," Beth retorted.

"Point taken," he conceded grumpily. A moment later, he looked down into his lover's eyes and smiled, a touch sadly. "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready," Beth tried to make it as sure and confident as she could, lying back, and tilting her head to the side. Josef kissed her lingeringly, before planting soft kisses down her jaw, down to her carotid artery.

"Beth, forgive me," he murmured into her neck, before he bit down.

When Beth opened her eyes, it was to a new world, a new existence in the arms of the man she loved. Slowly she sat up, thirst and hunger alike burning in her throat, so many new smells and sounds echoing through her head. The intoxicating scent of survival filled the air, as Beth snapped her head to the source of it.

"Here, drink, my Beth," Josef proffered a cup of blood to her, supporting her with his arm behind her back. She drank greedily, grateful for the warm liquid soothing the fiery thirst. At last, she was finished and put the cup down, facing her lover and sire.

"Told you so," she muttered, as one arrogant eyebrow rose on his face. He shook his head slowly.

"Now you're an immortal pain in the arse," he murmured, before leaning in and kissing her hard. Relief and need were in that kiss, one Beth returned wholeheartedly, uncaring that no heartbeat now sped up in her chest at his touch. She entwined her arms around his neck, pulling herself close, noticing for the first time that they were both clothed in loose dressing gowns. Too many layers between them, in Beth's opinion.

Josef felt her tear his robe off, and growled. In retaliation, knowing he could let his full desires free now she was as indestructible as he, he pinned her to the floor, hands already tearing her flimsy robe to pieces, mere shreds of silk. Their mouths fused, their fangs extended, they kissed with a reckless abandon.

A moment later, Josef took her body, driving her insane with need and unfightable passion, as he rocked into her. His lips left hers to whisper in her ear.

"You're mine now, Beth. Forever mine," he growled, possession and pride in his blue eyes, as he surveyed his vampiress through a lusty haze. His, for all eternity.

"Forever," Beth managed to reply in agreement, before she pulled his lips back to hers, kissing him passionately, eagerly, wrapping her legs around his as he lifted them both from the floor, and flitted through the apartment to his bed. Beth wasn't aware of the silken pillows or the hardened surface of the icy refrigerator he called his bed, only of him as they made love, possessing and possessed. Forever bound, by blood, love and loss.

Forever.