The Sire, Part 2
Fandom: Moonlight
Characters: Mick/Beth/Josef
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: After last tv episode, "Sonata"
Summary: Mick realizes he had successfully sired another vampire long ago.
Author's Note: Seventh in my post-"Sonata" series. Thanks in advance for your feedback!
It had been a long day. It was eight o’clock, and I’d had to work late for the third night in a row on a case with Ben Talbot. For once it wasn’t a murder, or a hurt child or a woman abused. It was string of convenience store robberies, and we’d been working closely with the police. I was exhausted. I walked to my car in the semi-lit darkness, clutching the little can of mace on my key chain, a common habit for a woman living in LA. But I’d never had to actually use it. Then, without any warning, strong hands gripped my arms as I was about to open my car door. Acting on instinct, I shoved my elbow back as hard as I could, making contact with what felt like a brick wall. With the other hand, I simultaneously reached around and sprayed the mace.
“Awwww! Dammit! Beth!” I turned around as the hands dropped from my arms.
“Oh my God. Mick!” His eyes were streaming, but suddenly he was laughing. I pulled out a Kleenex from my purse and started trying to wipe his eyes. I had caught a whiff myself, and could feel my eyes watering too. I was momentarily blinded, and tried to dig in my purse for another tissue.
“I’m sorry,” I said, sniffling and wiping. “I told you this would happen someday. Quit sneaking up on me!”
“Okay, you finally got me.” He was recovering quickly, still chuckling. “Well, I have to say, that was a first for me. I’ve been slapped, shot, stabbed, punched and bitten, but never maced.”
“Well, you totally deserved that.” He was moving in closer to me, pulling me in for a hug. We were both laughing and crying now. He leaned back to look in my teary eyes. He brushed a lock of my hair back from my face, and smiled tenderly, still looking very weepy himself.
“I’m glad you carry that with you. If I weren’t a vampire, I would have been totally incapacitated. That stuff is lethal. I’ll drive you home; you still look a little blind. Hoisted on your own petard, I guess.” He shook his head in amusement, grabbed my hand, and he guided me to his car parked a little ways away from mine.
“Had you been waiting for me?” I asked.
“Yeah. I’d gone by your place but you weren’t home yet. I called your cell a couple of times, but it went to voicemail. Since your car was still here, I thought I’d wait for you. They won’t let me in after hours.”
“Oh. Sorry. I had my phone off because I’ve been in meetings all day.” He opened the car door for me. It was a nice night, so the top of the convertible was down. I wiped at my eyes some more. So much for my mascara.
“Have you eaten?” He asked, after he got in.
“No. We can just drive through somewhere. I’m beat. You could come to my place and watch me eat.”
“Sounds good. I’ve got something I need to talk to you about.” Well, that sounded ominous. We drove through my favorite hamburger place, and I broke my diet and even got some fries and a Coke. I could tell the smell was torture to Mick.
“God, I miss a good burger,” he said, handing me the bag and Styrofoam cup as we drove away.
“Were you a fries person or an onion rings guy?”
“Fries all the way, baby,” he said, stopping in front of my place. He turned to me. “Are you recovered enough to kiss me?”
“Now how could I refuse a request like that,” I laughed, unbuckling to slide across the seat. Then he was kissing me, his cool lips warming slightly in contact with mine, his tongue a familiar visitor to my waiting mouth. My hands went as usual to his thick, curly hair, so soft, so sexy. I couldn’t believe I was making out with a guy in a convertible in front of my home. It was like every girl’s dream as she watched an old “Happy Days” episode. My own personal Fonzie. He felt me smile against his mouth at the thought.
“What are you thinking about? Do my kisses amuse you?” He was smiling his sweetest smile, the one that made my heart turn over.
“Sometimes, when I’m with you, I feel like I’m going back in time, to when things were simpler. I would love to have lived in the forties and fifties with you.”
He laughed. “You are way too independent to have been a woman of that time. The reason things were so much simpler then is because women didn’t question their place.” Now that was offensive. My face must have clearly shown my annoyance. Then I realized he was baiting me when he grinned.
“I rest my case,” he said. “No, you are in the right time, Beth. The fifties couldn’t have handled a girl like you. And back then, I couldn’t have handled a girl like you. You would have scared me to death.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I said, moving my lips back over his. A few minutes later, I was breathing heavily, forgetting we were on a public street. Mick came to his senses first, and disengaged my arms from around his neck.
“Hey, your burger’s getting cold,” he said mock seriously, looking deeply into my eyes.
“You’re right,” I replied, a little dazed. He laughed and got out to open the car door for me. Once inside, I took my dinner to the coffee table and sat on the couch to eat. It was heavenly. I tried not to let it bother me that he was staring at every bite I took.
“So,” I began conversationally. “You have something to tell me?”
He hesitated, and I set down my hamburger. “What is it, Mick?”
His face took on a determined look, and he jumped right in. “You remember a few months ago, you asked if I had ever turned anyone into a vampire?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“Well, I actually didn’t know at the time-or at least, I didn’t let myself remember…”
“I’m not following you, Mick.” He ran his hand through his hair in frustration.
“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just, well, I had this dream this morning. But it was more like a memory. It reminded me of when it happened. I was just turned myself, and…”
He went on to tell me all about the dock worker and how he’d tried to save him. How Coraline had been her usual bitchy self, and how he only just realized that he had been successful. And that he had sired Daryl Morgan. I was shocked, to say the least. Poor Mick. Poor Daryl.
“My God, Mick. It must have been so hard on him. On you. He was lucky he didn’t go crazy and end up dead. Like that abandoned doctor you had to kill.”
“Yeah, it was lucky. Despite my negligence, Carrie found him and took him under her wing.” He looked up at me, the conflict and pain clear in his beautiful eyes. He stood up, the better to pace nervously.
“Like you said, though, you were a very recent vampire. Just like a child, how could you fully understand the consequences? How could Coraline allow this to happen?”
He laughed once. “That’s just what Josef said.” I tried not to be jealous that he’d gone to Josef with this first. After all, Josef was a vampire too. Still, it hurt a bit, as immature as it felt to admit that to myself.
“So what are you going to do?”
“I honestly don’t know yet. I hoped you might have some insight.”
That made me feel a little better. “I think you should tell him, Mick. You are an honest person, and this will eat you up if you don’t”
“I’m not that honest, Beth, if you remember. I kept my little secret from you for over twenty years.”
“Your heart was in the right place though, and you were actually protecting me. But Daryl doesn’t need your protection now. Is it because you’re afraid of losing his friendship? Mick, he really cares about you. I mean, look how he came through for you and the guys when you were all kidnapped by the Cleaners. And I bet that wasn’t the first time, either. He might be mad at first, but he’ll forgive you, I just know it.”
He stopped pacing. “You think so? Because Josef said I’d only be doing it to ease my own conscience. That it wouldn’t help Daryl to know at all.”
“Well, far be it from me to disagree with Josef’s opinion, but no matter how it makes you feel, Daryl has a right to know who sired him, don’t you think?” He looked at me, his eyes bleak.
“I know you’re right. But there’s something to what Josef is saying too. I would really just like to leave all this in the past. I wish to God I hadn’t remembered!” He clamped a hand on his forehead in consternation. I went over to him and took him in my arms. It seemed like this was yet another symbol of why he hated what he was. I myself threw it all back squarely in Coraline’s lap. He could never fully get away from her and the havoc she had wrought in his life-and his death. He held me close a minute, then resolutely stepped back. I could tell he had made a decision.
“I’m going to tell him. It’s not going to be pretty, Beth, but I would feel better if you could be with me for moral support.”
“Of course,” I said, my hand caressing his cheek. “Whatever I can do.” I paused a minute, suddenly afraid of the second thoughts I was having. “How do you think he will take it?” I finally asked.
“I have no idea. On second thought, maybe you shouldn’t be there. He might react…violently.”
I imagined the gentle giant I had met a few times. Aside from the man’s physical attributes, he was kind, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. He loved his wife. And I think he loved Mick as a brother.
“I can’t imagine that happening. He’s so easy-going, for a vampire. You two have similar personalities. I bet he takes it better than you think.”
He laughed and kissed my forehead. “Beth, my eternal optimist. Okay, I’ll set up a meeting at my place. Please come, but be ready to hide if need be.”
“I’m not worried,” I said. He raised one eyebrow at that statement.
“I’ll let you get some rest; you look tired. I’ll get your car back to you later tonight.” I didn’t ask how he was going to manage that. “I love you,” he said simply. “Thanks for being here.” And then he kissed me with a passion that surprised me.
“Thanks for the burger,” I told him, as I walked him to the door.
“You’re welcome. Oh, and Beth-you might want to bring your mace, just to be on the safe side.” We were both smiling as I locked the door behind him.
Characters: Mick/Beth/Josef
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: After last tv episode, "Sonata"
Summary: Mick realizes he had successfully sired another vampire long ago.
Author's Note: Seventh in my post-"Sonata" series. Thanks in advance for your feedback!
It had been a long day. It was eight o’clock, and I’d had to work late for the third night in a row on a case with Ben Talbot. For once it wasn’t a murder, or a hurt child or a woman abused. It was string of convenience store robberies, and we’d been working closely with the police. I was exhausted. I walked to my car in the semi-lit darkness, clutching the little can of mace on my key chain, a common habit for a woman living in LA. But I’d never had to actually use it. Then, without any warning, strong hands gripped my arms as I was about to open my car door. Acting on instinct, I shoved my elbow back as hard as I could, making contact with what felt like a brick wall. With the other hand, I simultaneously reached around and sprayed the mace.
“Awwww! Dammit! Beth!” I turned around as the hands dropped from my arms.
“Oh my God. Mick!” His eyes were streaming, but suddenly he was laughing. I pulled out a Kleenex from my purse and started trying to wipe his eyes. I had caught a whiff myself, and could feel my eyes watering too. I was momentarily blinded, and tried to dig in my purse for another tissue.
“I’m sorry,” I said, sniffling and wiping. “I told you this would happen someday. Quit sneaking up on me!”
“Okay, you finally got me.” He was recovering quickly, still chuckling. “Well, I have to say, that was a first for me. I’ve been slapped, shot, stabbed, punched and bitten, but never maced.”
“Well, you totally deserved that.” He was moving in closer to me, pulling me in for a hug. We were both laughing and crying now. He leaned back to look in my teary eyes. He brushed a lock of my hair back from my face, and smiled tenderly, still looking very weepy himself.
“I’m glad you carry that with you. If I weren’t a vampire, I would have been totally incapacitated. That stuff is lethal. I’ll drive you home; you still look a little blind. Hoisted on your own petard, I guess.” He shook his head in amusement, grabbed my hand, and he guided me to his car parked a little ways away from mine.
“Had you been waiting for me?” I asked.
“Yeah. I’d gone by your place but you weren’t home yet. I called your cell a couple of times, but it went to voicemail. Since your car was still here, I thought I’d wait for you. They won’t let me in after hours.”
“Oh. Sorry. I had my phone off because I’ve been in meetings all day.” He opened the car door for me. It was a nice night, so the top of the convertible was down. I wiped at my eyes some more. So much for my mascara.
“Have you eaten?” He asked, after he got in.
“No. We can just drive through somewhere. I’m beat. You could come to my place and watch me eat.”
“Sounds good. I’ve got something I need to talk to you about.” Well, that sounded ominous. We drove through my favorite hamburger place, and I broke my diet and even got some fries and a Coke. I could tell the smell was torture to Mick.
“God, I miss a good burger,” he said, handing me the bag and Styrofoam cup as we drove away.
“Were you a fries person or an onion rings guy?”
“Fries all the way, baby,” he said, stopping in front of my place. He turned to me. “Are you recovered enough to kiss me?”
“Now how could I refuse a request like that,” I laughed, unbuckling to slide across the seat. Then he was kissing me, his cool lips warming slightly in contact with mine, his tongue a familiar visitor to my waiting mouth. My hands went as usual to his thick, curly hair, so soft, so sexy. I couldn’t believe I was making out with a guy in a convertible in front of my home. It was like every girl’s dream as she watched an old “Happy Days” episode. My own personal Fonzie. He felt me smile against his mouth at the thought.
“What are you thinking about? Do my kisses amuse you?” He was smiling his sweetest smile, the one that made my heart turn over.
“Sometimes, when I’m with you, I feel like I’m going back in time, to when things were simpler. I would love to have lived in the forties and fifties with you.”
He laughed. “You are way too independent to have been a woman of that time. The reason things were so much simpler then is because women didn’t question their place.” Now that was offensive. My face must have clearly shown my annoyance. Then I realized he was baiting me when he grinned.
“I rest my case,” he said. “No, you are in the right time, Beth. The fifties couldn’t have handled a girl like you. And back then, I couldn’t have handled a girl like you. You would have scared me to death.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I said, moving my lips back over his. A few minutes later, I was breathing heavily, forgetting we were on a public street. Mick came to his senses first, and disengaged my arms from around his neck.
“Hey, your burger’s getting cold,” he said mock seriously, looking deeply into my eyes.
“You’re right,” I replied, a little dazed. He laughed and got out to open the car door for me. Once inside, I took my dinner to the coffee table and sat on the couch to eat. It was heavenly. I tried not to let it bother me that he was staring at every bite I took.
“So,” I began conversationally. “You have something to tell me?”
He hesitated, and I set down my hamburger. “What is it, Mick?”
His face took on a determined look, and he jumped right in. “You remember a few months ago, you asked if I had ever turned anyone into a vampire?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“Well, I actually didn’t know at the time-or at least, I didn’t let myself remember…”
“I’m not following you, Mick.” He ran his hand through his hair in frustration.
“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just, well, I had this dream this morning. But it was more like a memory. It reminded me of when it happened. I was just turned myself, and…”
He went on to tell me all about the dock worker and how he’d tried to save him. How Coraline had been her usual bitchy self, and how he only just realized that he had been successful. And that he had sired Daryl Morgan. I was shocked, to say the least. Poor Mick. Poor Daryl.
“My God, Mick. It must have been so hard on him. On you. He was lucky he didn’t go crazy and end up dead. Like that abandoned doctor you had to kill.”
“Yeah, it was lucky. Despite my negligence, Carrie found him and took him under her wing.” He looked up at me, the conflict and pain clear in his beautiful eyes. He stood up, the better to pace nervously.
“Like you said, though, you were a very recent vampire. Just like a child, how could you fully understand the consequences? How could Coraline allow this to happen?”
He laughed once. “That’s just what Josef said.” I tried not to be jealous that he’d gone to Josef with this first. After all, Josef was a vampire too. Still, it hurt a bit, as immature as it felt to admit that to myself.
“So what are you going to do?”
“I honestly don’t know yet. I hoped you might have some insight.”
That made me feel a little better. “I think you should tell him, Mick. You are an honest person, and this will eat you up if you don’t”
“I’m not that honest, Beth, if you remember. I kept my little secret from you for over twenty years.”
“Your heart was in the right place though, and you were actually protecting me. But Daryl doesn’t need your protection now. Is it because you’re afraid of losing his friendship? Mick, he really cares about you. I mean, look how he came through for you and the guys when you were all kidnapped by the Cleaners. And I bet that wasn’t the first time, either. He might be mad at first, but he’ll forgive you, I just know it.”
He stopped pacing. “You think so? Because Josef said I’d only be doing it to ease my own conscience. That it wouldn’t help Daryl to know at all.”
“Well, far be it from me to disagree with Josef’s opinion, but no matter how it makes you feel, Daryl has a right to know who sired him, don’t you think?” He looked at me, his eyes bleak.
“I know you’re right. But there’s something to what Josef is saying too. I would really just like to leave all this in the past. I wish to God I hadn’t remembered!” He clamped a hand on his forehead in consternation. I went over to him and took him in my arms. It seemed like this was yet another symbol of why he hated what he was. I myself threw it all back squarely in Coraline’s lap. He could never fully get away from her and the havoc she had wrought in his life-and his death. He held me close a minute, then resolutely stepped back. I could tell he had made a decision.
“I’m going to tell him. It’s not going to be pretty, Beth, but I would feel better if you could be with me for moral support.”
“Of course,” I said, my hand caressing his cheek. “Whatever I can do.” I paused a minute, suddenly afraid of the second thoughts I was having. “How do you think he will take it?” I finally asked.
“I have no idea. On second thought, maybe you shouldn’t be there. He might react…violently.”
I imagined the gentle giant I had met a few times. Aside from the man’s physical attributes, he was kind, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. He loved his wife. And I think he loved Mick as a brother.
“I can’t imagine that happening. He’s so easy-going, for a vampire. You two have similar personalities. I bet he takes it better than you think.”
He laughed and kissed my forehead. “Beth, my eternal optimist. Okay, I’ll set up a meeting at my place. Please come, but be ready to hide if need be.”
“I’m not worried,” I said. He raised one eyebrow at that statement.
“I’ll let you get some rest; you look tired. I’ll get your car back to you later tonight.” I didn’t ask how he was going to manage that. “I love you,” he said simply. “Thanks for being here.” And then he kissed me with a passion that surprised me.
“Thanks for the burger,” I told him, as I walked him to the door.
“You’re welcome. Oh, and Beth-you might want to bring your mace, just to be on the safe side.” We were both smiling as I locked the door behind him.