FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

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FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

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FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions.
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DISCLAIMER: I don’t own ‘Moonlight’, or any of its wonderful characters. I’m just taking them out for a run!

SUMMARY: A multi-chapter, action-adventure featuring Mick, Beth, Josef, Guillermo, Talbot, Logan, Simone, and a few really big werewolves, among others. This is, essentially, my virtual “Second Season” of our beloved ‘Moonlight’. Rated PG-13 for occasional language and violence.

SPOILERS: Follows on from all 16 episodes of ‘Moonlight’, as aired on CBS. Follows on from Allegrita’s FanFic, ‘Presto Agitato’, Ch 1 & 2. (Mick and Beth ‘seal the deal’ and become lovers. Would have been Epi #1 of my “Second Season”, with the sexuality toned down for TV!) Follows on from Desdemona’s FanFic, ‘Silver’, Ch 1 thru 7 only. (Talbot finds out about vampires in general, and Mick in particular, the hard way! He also shares ‘The List’ with Mick and Josef. Would have been Epi #2 of my “Second Season”!) Borrows the original character of ‘Karl’, and his bio history, from Eris’ many fine FanFics, with her kind permission. Other original characters, such as ‘Phelan’, ‘April’, ‘Heather’, and the French Chef, are all mine.

Okay? Hold on tight! Here we go again!!!
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With the pudgy French chef’s help, Beth had worked her way quickly through the first venison carcass, and was just starting on the second one, when one of Karl’s security team entered the kitchen and moved toward Karl’s side.

Beth turned her great lupine head towards this new arrival……a vampire, tall and lean, with short coal-black hair and a rather large, hawk-like nose. She watched as he approached Karl…… her deep sapphire eyes questioning…. as she chewed and swallowed another chunk of venison.

The meat….cautiously extended to her, one rump-roast sized chunk at a time on the end of a large two-prong skewer…… had gone a long way towards soothing her furious agitation. So did the slow, but steady, improvement of the two vampires feeding from her enormous canine wrists.
Mick and Josef still seemed unaware of their surroundings…… each resting on the makeshift stretcher of an elevated kitchen island…… but their skin was becoming less waxy, their faces less sunken. Occasionally, their silvery eyes would slide open alittle, only to close again. They each gripped one of Beth’s wrists tightly with both hands, hanging on for dear life.

Behind where Beth sat upright on her haunches, the drainage tubes, two in each vampire’s torso, continued to release a steady stream of purulence and blood, mixed with the silver emulsion that had brought both vamps so close to destruction. The poison was being successfully flushed from their systems. The discharge flowed towards a recessed drains in the tile floor beneath the kitchen islands.

The newly arrived guard’s expression was stern. His eyes had returned to a normal shade of brown, but he was still clearly anxious and angry. He stopped and stared for a moment, watching as both Mick and Josef continued to feed from Beth’s wrists. His gaze lingered on Josef, before lifting to meet the golden wolf’s eyes. He nodded politely towards Beth. She dipped her graceful muzzle in acknowledgement.

Karl turned to look down at him as the security guard stepped to his side. One eyebrow lifted in silent question as he waited for the report.

“The shooters were human, and they’ve already cleared the area.”, the guard said flatly, “But, we found Roger……on the dirt service road above the main gate. He’s out cold…..heavily sedated. He was bound, and gagged.”

Karl sighed and shifted his gaze to the floor in front of him, his expression tightening further with concern. After several seconds, he turned back to his security team member. “Secure him……until we can be sure he was not….. complicit.”

The guard nodded, looking as though he had expected this, and turned to leave.

Beth was stunned, blinking in surprise. Her huge sapphire eyes flicked back and forth between Karl and the vamp security guard. “What?! The missing gatekeeper? You’re thinking he was in on this somehow?”

Karl met her wide almond-shaped eyes. “We do not know.” , he replied softly, “We cannot know until he wakes. We can take no chances. The condition we found him in…….. may be a ruse.”

Beth thought about this for a moment, and a barely audible growl rumbled in her chest. Had the human gatekeeper betrayed them all? Josef had trusted the man! Was he working with The Legion? A spy? Had he helped to bring this down on her mate……… and her pack?

“Bring him to me.”, the golden she-wolf said quietly, her expression determined.

Karl blinked, eyeing Beth for a moment. The hawkish vampire security guard stared openly at her for a moment, and then shot a frantic glance at Karl. An anxious silence descended over the vast professional-style kitchen. Even the little French chef fell still, frozen in the act of shoving another large chunk of venison for Beth on the fork of his skewer. His eyes flicked up to Beth, and then over to Karl.

Beth waited, watching Karl intently, her tall triangular ears pricked forward and oriented on the tall Slavic vampire.

Finally, Karl stepped lithely around the kitchen islands, moving with a tiger’s grace, and came to a stop in front of Beth. The golden she-wolf followed him with her eyes. Karl looked up into those deep sapphire eyes. Even with his imposing height, Beth was still taller than he, sitting up on her haunches as she was…….

“Miss Beth,” Karl said softly, in his heavy eastern European accent, “We do not know if he is guilty......we must wait…..”

“I think I can help…..”, Beth interrupted, lowering her lupine head towards Karl, “Josef said a werewolf can literally smell a person’s memories……. from that person’s point of view…… if the wolf concentrates, and is physically close to the person. Let me try to……. read…… this fellow’s memories in his scent. Bring him to me. If it works, we’ll know what he has…… or has not…….. done.”

Karl was silent as he considered the idea for several seconds. Then his pale blue eyes shifted to the security guard who was still watching near the stainless double doors. Karl nodded once. The vamp security guard nodded back, and with one more glance at Beth, he turned and left the kitchen.

Less than a minute passed before the guard returned, an unconscious, middle-aged human male slung over his shoulder. The man had been untied, and his gag removed, but he was still out cold. He was of medium height and build, with thinning light brown hair. His vampire co-worker hesitated, eyeing Beth nervously, before moving around to stand behind Karl.

Karl glanced back at them, and then looked up into the golden she-wolf’s eyes again. “Restrain your temper.”, he cautioned her.

Beth nodded. “He’s safe…….for now, if he’s guilty. My hands are full.” She tipped her muzzle to her right, and then to her left, indicating Mick and Josef, still securely latched onto her wrists. “No promises about later, however.”, she added ominously, her luminous sapphire eyes narrowing just a bit.

Karl nodded and turned, carefully taking the unconscious man from the hawkish vampire guard. He turned back to face the golden wolf, cradling the human gatekeeper in his arms. He waited, looking up at Beth, his expression tense.

Beth leaned down slowly until her elegant muzzle hung in the air just above the unconscious gatekeeper’s chest. She didn’t know how to do this…….scent reading……thing. She only knew that Josef had told her it was a werewolf ability.

Attempting to concentrate, Beth closed her eyes and inhaled, drawing in the layers of scent before her……… The first impressions came in a jumbled rush, and startled her with their vividness, causing her to gasp softly……..

Loneliness……lost love…..heartbreak…… The image of a dark-haired, willowy beauty flashed quickly through Beth’s mind…… a sleek female figure silhouetted against a window in a dark room. Jealousy…….disdain for a rival…… The pain of believing that he had, at last, found a soul mate after so many countless decades alone…… only to lose her to another…… Loathing directed at his rival…… Mick’s face flashed across the image and then was gone.…… Devotion to, and concern for, his long-time friend and employer……Josef………..the only one who could have, and did, stop him from acting on his hatred for his rival…………..

Beth snarled involuntarily at the strong sense of another threat to Mick. She gasped again, releasing the connection, and lifting her head. Her eyes snapped open, her mind reeling from the intensity of the feelings that had just bombarded her. She gave her head a small shake to clear it.

She had…… read….. the wrong man. That had been Karl…….. She had unintentionally scratched the surface of Karl’s memories instead. Still waters truly did run very deep, it would seem.

Beth had known, ever since she became a wolf, that Karl didn’t like Mick. It was always evident in Karl’s scent whenever Mick was around. She had just written it off as a part of the mystery that is Karl. Mick had sensed it too. But neither of them knew why……. What had Mick ever done to Karl? Nothing…..as far as either of them knew. Now these feelings and images……Mick a hated rival??? For who????? Certainly not her….... It didn’t make any sense, based on what little Beth had been able to see, and feel, when she briefly touched the surface of Karl’s memories.

Her sapphire eyes flicked to Karl’s impassive face, an unspoken question in her tense expression. She turned her graceful lupine head to her right and glanced down at Mick beside her, before looking back to Karl. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she regarded the huge vampire. Was Karl a threat to Mick now? She doubted it. If he had wanted to harm Mick……he had certainly had ample opportunity before now. Still…..the smoldering hostility she had felt in Karl’s memories, apparently directed at her mate, was unnerving. Clearly, she needed to have a private talk with Karl at a more opportune moment.

Karl was watching the golden she-wolf’s face, evidently just waiting for what she might be able to uncover about the human gatekeeper’s loyalty. Something in Beth’s eyes caused the towering pale-blonde vampire to shift on his feet slightly. His expression hardened. No one else in the room noticed it……but Beth did……Karl knew……he must have realized what had just happened. He and Beth held each others’ eyes for a moment.

The golden wolf glanced meaningfully down at Mick again, and then back to Karl’s pale-blue eyes. Her own deep sapphire eyes narrowed further. “Do I need to worry?”, she asked simply.

“No, Miss Beth.”, Karl replied, giving his head a slight shake, keeping his own expression neutral.

Several people around the kitchen exchanged nervous glances. What was going on? Something had just happened…..but no one knew what.

Beth nodded. “Okay then……I’ll try again.”

Hoping for better aim this time, she stared intently at the unconscious man in Karl’s arms, before scenting him and allowing her eyes to slide shut again………… On the surface, there was the scent of his humanness, below that, the acrid scent of whatever powerful sedative the man had been given. And below that…………….

Seeing through the man’s eyes, Beth recognized the inside of the little guard shack beside the main gate…… glancing down at the instrument panel…… up at the bank of close circuit security feeds from around the estate…….everything seemed normal. What was that? Looking out the window and down the driveway…… what appeared to be a young woman stumbling past the end of the driveway down by the street……. Was she drunk? Hurt? The shambling female form lurched out of sight, disappearing behind the thick shrubbery. Stepping out of the guard shack….. peering down the driveway……wondering if he should radio for help……deciding he’d better make sure there was actually a problem first. Hello? Do you need help? Walking down the driveway…… arriving on the sidewalk at the end of the driveway……. Nothing. The sound of branches cracking in the shrubbery behind him…..the sound of a soft thud…… Great. She must have stumbled in there and passed out. Better see if she needs an ambulance. Stepping into the dense shrubbery……turning this way and that…… Where had she gone???? A sharp stab of pain in his back…….whirling to try to see……feeling confused…..feeling weak and unsteady……..someone dressed in black…..a black ski mask….. Then the vision clouded and faded away………….

Beth’s eyes snapped open and she raised her head. She blinked and met Karl’s patient gaze.

“He was tricked out of the shack and then someone jumped him.”, Beth said, “It felt like he was injected with a fast-acting sedative. He wasn’t in on this. He had no idea what was going on.”

The hawkish vampire security guard, still standing behind Karl, visibly relaxed, his shoulders sinking as his muscles let go of the tension they had been holding.

Karl appeared to consider this information, taking a moment to look down at the still unconscious man in his arms. He then looked back up to meet Beth’s eyes. “Can you go further? Back further…..to be sure?”

Beth blinked at him. “I’m pretty new at this particular skill set, you know? I don’t really know how to control it yet…….”, she hesitated, “But, I guess I can try.”

Karl solemnly nodded his approval, and waited.

Beth returned her attention to the man lying motionless in Karl’s arms, dipping her lupine head until her muzzle once again hung just above the gatekeeper’s chest. Her sapphire eyes slid shut as she inhaled the man’s scent once more………..

More images of the guard shack….. Comings and goings…….arriving at work……going home…… Joking with co-workers, both human and vampire…… Home…..work…..home…….work……
Beth tried to will the images to flow backward faster, concentrating harder….. To her surprise, it worked.
The images of the human gatekeeper’s day to day life flew past the eye of Beth’s mind……faster and faster. It was all very mundane. The man was a dedicated employee who took pride in doing his job well, and appreciated the generosity of his employer. Beth could feel that in his memories. She could feel his loyalty to Josef. The image of a Christmas tree, aglow with lights and ornaments, attracted Beth’s attention……and with no conscious effort on her part, the speed of the images slowed and stopped……focusing on the Christmas tree. So pretty…..


Those around Beth watched as a soft smile touched the corners of her lupine muzzle. Her eyes were still closed, internally focused on the memories of the unconscious man in Karl’s arms.

Beth watched the Christmas scene through Roger’s eyes…… They were in his house, surrounded by his family. It was a very nice, well appointed, home. Josef obviously paid his gatekeepers well. The loving family warmth of the holiday season was palpable to Beth, as was Roger’s happiness. His home was beautifully decorated for the season, including the towering Christmas tree that had first caught Beth’s eye. He had a lovely wife and two beautiful children……a lanky boy who looked like a Junior Higher to Beth, and a giggling girl who looked like a Grade Schooler. After lingering there for a few moments, soaking up the warm emotions and images, Beth forced herself to move on……pushing further backward. Images once again flew by her mind’s eye……..Thanksgiving…..then Halloween……then just more day to day life, more comings and goings from work and home. Even though the images moved by very rapidly, Beth found that she was completely aware of every detail, and every emotion, as it passed. She mentally blushed at the memories of the man’s passionate love making with his wife, and rushed past them. Finally……the memories were of Summer time again. She had sifted through an entire year of the gatekeeper’s memory.

The golden she-wolf opened her eyes and lifted her great head, breaking the connection. Her brilliant sapphire blue eyes fastened on Karl. “I went back a full year.”, Beth said, “I could see what he saw, feel what he felt…….. He’s loyal to Josef, and he’s had no contact with The Legion. I’m sure of it.”

Karl nodded, and then turned and handed the unconscious gatekeeper to the vamp security team member, who was still waiting behind him, his expression mildly anxious. He took the gatekeeper from Karl quickly. Beth thought the hawkish looking vampire guard seemed very relieved to be getting his human co-worker back in one piece.

“Put him in one of the human guest rooms.”, Karl said quietly, “And call his wife……”

“I’ll take care of it, sir.” , the hawkish guard replied, nodding, as he carried Roger towards the stainless double doors.

Just as the guard pushed one side of the double doors open with his shoulder to exit the Kitchen, Logan and Heather slipped in quietly. Both had heard the initial chaos of Beth’s arrival with Simone and the two dying vampires, and had followed the commotion to the Kitchen.

Logan’s eyes locked onto Mick where he lay, being fed by Beth, with drainage tubing snaking to the floor from his torso. Logan’s dark eyes widened in shock and fear as his jaw fell open. His nose wrinkled slightly as he caught the burning metallic scent of silver. Dropping his eyes to the floor, he could see the source of the smell. Silver-laced discharge from the drainage tubing swirled around a drain recessed in the floor.

Heather’s eyes came to rest on Josef……. in the same condition as Mick. Her eyes widened, and quickly began to shine with gathering tears, as she raised one dainty hand to cover her mouth.

“Miss Heather?”

With some difficulty, Heather pulled her eyes away from her grievously injured employer and focused on the hawkish security guard beside her in the doorway.

He indicated the unconscious gatekeeper in his arms with a nod. “What room do you want me to put him in?”

Heather blinked back tears and tried to think. Her eyes dropped to the man in the guard’s arms. Roger, one of the gatekeepers. What had happened? “Uhm…… 215 is empty, I think……you can put him there.” Her eyes returned to Josef, watching as the huge golden wolf continued to feed him from her wrist.

The vamp security guard nodded quickly and left the Kitchen, carrying his human co-worker to the assigned guest room to recover.

As the Kitchen doors swung shut, both Logan and Heather inched slowly forward. They each came to a stop at the foot of a kitchen island……Logan at Mick’s feet, and Heather at Josef’s. Both human and vampire wore identical expressions of dread, and anticipatory grief.

Beth turned her graceful lupine head, and glanced back at Logan and Heather quickly, before dropping her eyes to the floor behind her, where the effluent from the drains continued to flow. The discharge was getting cleaner and cleaner……less pus and silver……more pure blood. The treatment was working well. The golden wolf smiled……good, very good.

Swinging her head back around, Beth focused on the little French chef, who was still standing beside the island next to Mick. Said kitchen island still heaped with large chunks of venison.

Previously Beth’s mortal enemy, the pudgy little Frenchman was now waiting patiently with a five pound chunk of venison impaled on his long twin-prong skewer.

“More please?”, Beth asked tentatively, her fluffy half-tail swishing slightly on the floor behind her, barely missing the swirling pools of drainage.

The French chef smiled and extended the skewer towards Beth’s waiting jaws again. Another rump roast sized chunk of venison was plucked from the prongs and tossed back. He reloaded the business end of the skewer while Beth was chewing, and extended the next piece to her, as soon as she leaned towards him again, her jaws parting expectantly.

A few minutes……and half a deer……later, Beth paused in her meal and turned her head to look back down at the effluent flowing from the drainage tubes. It was now clean blood……no further purulence or traces of silver. She had done it! The silver had been purged from their systems! A triumphant canine grin broke across her face.

“Karl!”, Beth yapped happily, “Pull the tubes! I think we’re in the homestretch!”

Karl nodded and silently circled around to the other end of the kitchen islands. Logan and Heather stepped back to let the towering vampire pass. Stepping in between the two islands, carefully avoiding the swirling pools of wound discharge, Karl stopped behind Beth, and bent to inspect the drain insertion points. He hesitated, looking up at the huge golden wolf, only to find her head turned back, watching him intently.

“Yes!”, Beth snapped impatiently, answering his unspoken question, “I’m sure! Pull ‘em!”

Karl grasped Josef’s abdominal drain in one hand, and Mick’s in the other. Applying gentle traction, he cautiously slid both lengths of tubing out, letting them drop to the floor. The wounds left behind quickly closed and healed.

Without comment, Karl then grasped the chest tubes of both Josef and Mick, gently withdrawing them from their bodies as well. These last two drains also dropped to the floor, and the wounds where they had been promptly closed and healed.

Beth nodded in approval. “Okay…..good. That should do it.” She turned her graceful lupine head back to look down into the faces of Mick and Josef. Both vamps had steadily improving color now, and both still nursed greedily at her wrists. She smiled gently. “Now…… I think all I need to do is top off their tanks.”

The golden she-wolf’s eyes slid back to the little French chef…… and the pile of venison he commanded. “Uhmmm…..Chef…..” She hesitated, feeling awkward. “Say……what’s your name anyway?”

The pudgy little man smiled. “Pierre, Mademoiselle…….at your service.”, he replied in his heavy French accent, dipping in the suggestion of a bow, “And may I call you Beth?”

Beth returned his smile. “Absolutely, Chef Pierre! Now…..would you be so kind as to keep feeding me as long as I need to keep feeding them?” She dipped her elegant muzzle towards Mick and Josef.

“Certainly Mademoiselle Beth!” Another chunk of venison was skewered and hoisted towards Beth’s waiting jaws.

Several minutes……and another half a deer……later, Josef let go of Beth’s left wrist and retracted his fangs. The twin punctures in her furry golden wrist closed and healed immediately. A moment later, and Mick released Beth’s right wrist. Both vampires let their hands fall to their sides, and neither appeared very alert or aware yet. But their color had returned to normal……. that horrible waxy, sunken look was gone.

With her hand-paws free, Beth dropped to all fours again. She peered down into the faces of both Mick and Josef, her luminous sapphire eyes flicking back and forth from face to face. Both vampires smelled clean now……. The burning stench of silver was gone from them, as was the stink of death and purulence.

Their scents were normalizing…..returning to the rich earthy musk she was accustom to……..the heady scent of a healthy vampire…….what Mick and Guillermo insisted on describing as “decay”. Beth snorted at that thought, and shook her great shaggy head slightly, smiling, as she continued to gaze fondly down into Mick’s sleeping face.

“Decay” indeed! Vampires don’t smell like a dead thing, or rotting flesh, for heaven’s sake! They are tremendously vibrant, powerful….. and very living….. beings. To HER nose, they smelled like warm, freshly turned earth. It was a beautiful fragrance. Those were the best words she could come up with to describe the rich scents of the vampires around her……. She wondered if Mick actually believed he smelled like a decaying corpse? More of his I-hate-myself nonsense? She would have to remember to ask him later.

Cocking her head, Beth listened to their blood flowing smoothly through their veins. She closed her eyes and sighed in deep relief……. They were going to be okay. She had pulled it off. Beth stepped forward, out from between the two kitchen islands, and turned to face Karl and the others.

“Now they need ice.”, Karl said simply. He stepped to Josef’s side and scooped the elder vampire up in his massive arms.

Josef grumbled something that sounded like, “Careful…..”, under his breath, but otherwise didn’t respond. Karl left the Kitchen in a blur, leaving the large stainless steel doors swinging madly in his wake, as he carried his employer, and friend, to his upstairs suite……where his plush freezer room awaited.

Beth followed suit….. only without the hummingbird speed. She stepped to Mick’s side again and, sitting back on her haunches once more, she gently scooped her mate up into her arms, being careful not to nick him with her talons. She cradled him against her chest and rose to her full height on her hind legs.

Mick sighed and murmured, “Beth……”

The great golden wolf dipped her head to nuzzle Mick’s cheek, where his head rested against her chest. “Shhhh sweetie…”, she whispered, “I’m here……you’re going to be fine…..everything’s okay.” Her deep sapphire eyes shimmered with gathering tears.

Before exiting the Kitchen, Beth turned to look down at the little French chef…..Pierre. He smiled up at her from beside the kitchen island that was still littered with venison scraps.

“Thank you.”, Beth said softly.

Chef Pierre nodded, “It was my honor, Mademoiselle Beth.”

Returning the chef’s nod, the golden she-wolf then padded towards the swinging doors on her hind legs, gently cradling her vampire in her arms. Shouldering through the doors, Beth turned and headed for the stairs in the freshie family room. She had come to think of the downstairs Newbie Suite as their room, so she planned on taking Mick to that freezer.

She was aware that both Logan, Heather, and a shocky-looking Simone, had followed her out of the Kitchen. She could hear them trailing along behind her in silence, and she knew their scents.

She could also hear chef Pierre’s thick French accent back in the Kitchen, “Oly sheet, peoples! Clean dis mess up! Quickly! Quickly!” Beth grinned and shook her head. At least he wasn’t yelling at her anymore!

Just as she reached the top of the stairs which led down to the Newbie Suite, Beth felt a tentative touch on her left elbow. She turned her head and looked down, meeting the upward gaze of Heather, Josef’s human Harem Manager.

The slender and elegant middle-aged woman blinked silently up at Beth for a moment. Then she softly said, “Thank you…….for what you did…….for saving Josef.”

Beth nodded.

Heather turned then and hurried out of the room, undoubtedly following Karl to Josef’s suite. After a quick glance at Beth and Mick, Simone followed Heather.

Beth watched the two human women depart before starting her descent down the stairs to the Newbie Suite. She tread carefully on the steps that seemed so tiny now, under her enormous hind paws. She didn’t want to trip and jostle Mick.

She had to duck her head alittle upon reaching the landing outside the Newbie Suite. Josef had gotten the Lexan viewing bubble reinstalled, so that temporary portal was sealed again. Beth regarded the closed sally-port doors with building frustration…… What was the damn code? She had never bothered to find out. Shit!

Fresh out of patience, Beth rocked back onto one hind paw, and raised the other broad hind paw into the air in front of herself……drawing back for a kick. The doors were going to be open…..one way or the other……

“Here…..let me by…..”, Logan shoved his way around Beth’s shaggy, golden flank. She put her foot down and took a step back, giving the pudgy vampire room. Her curved talons clicked on the tiled floor beneath her paws.
Logan deftly entered the access code. The exterior door slid open smoothly. He entered another sequence of numbers before proceeding to the interior door. Another sequence of numbers were entered on yet another keypad. The interior door slid open. Logan entered one final sequence.

“There…..”, he announced, turning to grin proudly up at Beth, as she ducked her massive head further to peer inside the sally-port, “Now both doors are locked in the open position.”

He was rewarded by a toothy lupine grin. “Thanks Logan!” Beth’s fluffy half-tail waved behind her as she ducked her way through the sally-port and into the Newbie Suite. Logan flattened himself against the sally-port wall to give her room as she shouldered by him. At seven hundred shaggy pounds, Beth tended to take up a lot of space.

Still torpid in her arms, Mick moaned softly. Beth dipped her head to nuzzle him again, and coo reassurances, before striding down the hall to the bedroom. Ducking through the bedroom door, she headed for the adjoining freezer room. She heard Logan padding along behind her, and now he once again darted around her.

“Here…..I got it.”, Logan said, as he lifted the lid of the plush glass freezer case.

“Thanks.” Beth crooked a smile at Logan, as she gently placed Mick on the soft mattress inside the case.

Mick sighed as the healing cold embraced him. Beth cautiously removed his ruined shirt, pulled off his shoes and socks, and finally, undid, and tugged off, his jeans and underwear. The sheer size of her hand-paws, combined with her razor-sharp talons, made this process a difficult proposition. She left the shoes on the floor, but dumped the rest of the clothing down the laundry chute in the wall beside the freezer case.

Finally…… she dipped her graceful lupine head inside the freezer and pressed her muzzle against Mick’s cheek, inhaling the scent of her mate, loving him. Her eyes slid shut as she savored, and wallowed in, the knowledge that he was going to be alright. Softly, she touched his cheek with the tip of her pink tongue, before raising her head and closing the lid.

Dropping to all fours again, Beth backed out of the freezer room and turned to find Logan inspecting the wallpaper with feigned interest in its design pattern. She smiled. The nerdy vampire was clearly embarrassed by the intimate scene he had just witnessed.

“Logan?”

“Uh-huh?”

“Sit with him, please……. In case he comes to while I’m gone, and needs anything.”

Logan stopped examining the wallpaper and turned to stare at the gigantic golden wolf. “While you’re gone?! Where are you going?!”

Beth was already moving, stalking out of the bedroom and down the hall. “Those people have tried to kill Mick twice!”, she snarled, “There isn’t going to be a third attempt!”

Logan trotted along behind Beth. “What!? No…no….no! You can’t go after them by yourself!” His large brown eyes were widening with growing alarm.

“Watch me.”

“Beth! Please!”

“Just stay with him, Logan. I’ll be back soon.” The elk-sized golden wolf turned her head to regard him briefly, before darting through the still-open sally-port doors and disappearing up the stairs.

Now alone, Logan stared after her…… Great, just great……
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Beth could feel her self-control already ebbing away, as her mind shifted from the nurturing of Pack members, to the defense of her territory. She could feel the rage beginning to bubble to the surface again. A deep growl rumbled like thunder through her chest and up her throat. So focused was she on her building fury, that she nearly ran over Simone at the top of the stairs.

Simone squeaked in alarm and stumbled back out of the way as the huge golden she-wolf bounded to the top of the stairs.

Beth turned blazing sapphire eyes on the startled human. “Sorry, Simone.”, she managed, her mood softening again quickly.

The slender brunette attorney put a hand to her sternum and nodded, indicating that she was okay.

“How’s Josef?” Beth asked quietly, lowering her shaggy head to meet Simone’s eyes.

“All tucked in for his power-nap.” Simone favored Beth with a tired smile. “He looks a hundred percent better.”

Beth nodded, and then headed for the sliding glass doors of the freshie family room. Outside…..the waning night beckoned.

“Wait! Where are you going!?” Simone trotted after her.

Beth stopped and turned to look back at her. “After them…..”, she snarled, “After the ones who did this…..”

Simone’s jaw dropped, “What!? No, Beth! You can’t! Not alone! At least wait for Phelan to get back! Wait for back-up, please!” Her hands stretched toward Beth, palms up, imploring.

The golden wolf shook her head. “The trail is fresh. I’m not giving them anymore of a head start then they already have.”

“They’ll be heavily armed!”

“I’m pretty heavily armed myself.”

“They’ll have silver!”

“I’ll be careful.”

Karl entered the room from another hallway, followed by Heather. Beth’s deep sapphire eyes shifted to the tall, powerfully built Slavic vampire. Karl gazed calmly back at her.

“Mick is resting in our Suite’s freezer.”, Beth said, her tone edgy, her attention locked on Karl’s pale blue eyes, “I trust he will be safe there until I return?”

Karl nodded, “Upon my life, I swear it.”

The corner of Beth’s lupine muzzle crooked up slightly. “Excellent choice of words……. I’ll hold you to them.”

The eyes of both Heather and Simone darted back and forth between Karl and Beth, and then exchanged a nervous glance. What was that about?

Without further comment, Beth hooked one curved claw through the handle of the sliding glass door, pulled it open, and plunged outside. Her talons clicked and scraped on the patio for a few brief seconds. Then she was gone, disappearing into the night like a phantom.

“My gosh!”, Simone blurted, furious, turning to glare at Karl, “Why didn’t you stop her!? She’s going after them alone!”

Karl was watching the doorway where Beth had bolted outside, his expression unreadable. Now he turned his head and regarded Simone silently. One eyebrow quirked up. The unspoken question was clear……. How did she expect him to stop Beth……. exactly?

Simone groaned in exasperation and threw her hands in the air, turning away from the towering blond vampire. Her eyes shifted to Heather. The salt and pepper gray woman still stood beside Karl.

“What’s the name of that freshie who’s out with Phelan?”, Simone demanded without preamble.

Heather blinked. “April……he’s with April.”

“Does she have her cell with her?”

“Of course.”

“Then call her right now! Tell them both to get back here fast! Beth has gone after a bunch of psychos who have big guns, and silver bullets!”

Heather fumbled in her pocket for her cell phone and began dialing, while Simone fumed and paced.

Karl glanced at the two agitated human women before moving quietly to the open sliding glass doors. He stood in the doorway, looking out into the night beyond the patio area. He could hear the rapid, four-beat thuds of Beth’s paws as she ran to intercept, and follow, their enemies’ scent. His expression tightened slightly as his eyes drifted across the lights of LA far below.

Somewhere, out there, tonight…….a battle was going to be fought. An intense and brutal battle…….that would no doubt leave quite a mess in its wake. But where? How bad would it be? How many surviving witnesses? Who would win?

Karl sighed softly, shaking his head, and reached into his pocket for his own cell phone. He began dialing the Lead Cleaner’s private line.
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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

Post by coco »

Outstanding, lions, as always. :clapping:

Totally worried about Beth now though (although I'm sure she can take care of herself :snicker: ).
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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

Post by lionsonleashes »

Thanks Coco! :hug: :rose:
I'm glad you enjoyed it! :yahoo:
And yeah.....Beth is deffinitely a force to be feared now! She's biting off alot here....but then.....she's got really big teeth! :gasp: Pity the Legion! :eek2:
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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

Post by mitzie »

Wicked cool chapter!!!! :yahoo: I hope Beth isn't going to bite off more than she can chew!!!! :whistle: :eek2: :gasp: :fingerscrossed:

I love, love, love this story and can't wait to see what happens next... :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :clapping: :clapping: :hyper2: :hyper2: :hyper2: :hyper2: :nails: :nosee: :eyes: :eyes: :bash: :dog: :scarycat: :slappy: :stir: :devil: :fingerscrossed: :clover: :yahoo: :yahoo: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :thud: :thud: :thud: :thud: :notworthy: :heart: :flowers: :thanks:


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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

Post by lionsonleashes »

Thanks Mitzie! :hug: :flowers:
Girl....you are my Cheerleader! :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: Shoot....you're an entire CheerSquad! :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:
Your enthusiastic use of the emoticons just brings a smile to my face, and warms my heart.....not to mention inspiring my muse!
My muse has been uncooperative lately, which is why this Chapter took sooooo long to get finished and posted. :quill: But, I think I have her back in my corner now, :fingerscrossed: so hopefully the next Chapter won't be so long in coming. Thanks for sticking with me! :rose:
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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

Post by draco »

wow, that was totally worth the wait! :flowers:
a fantastic chapter and Like beth I would like to hear more about this connection between Mick and Karl.

I hope your muses are going to cooperate for the next part but however long it will take, you have me waiting for sure :hug:
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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

Post by lionsonleashes »

Thanks Draco! :rose: :hug:
Chapter 26 is in the works! :thumbs:
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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

Post by allegrita »

Lions, this was so gripping. Mick and Josef are sooooo lucky to have Beth--not just for her healing blood, but for her quick thinking. I love the fact that she's so strong and so decisive. You go, girl! (Uh, wolf-girl!) :yahoo:

Hmmmmmm. Who is the dark-haired woman who Karl loved? Could it be Coraline?!?! Did Karl love her? I'm so curious...and I wonder if Coraline, or Mick, ever knew how he felt. Beth will get to the bottom of this mystery, I'm sure.

Thank goodness, Pierre has finally come to appreciate Beth--because I'm not sure he'd have survived much longer with the attitude he displayed in earlier chapters. He really helped Beth here, and I can see that the two of them are going to be fine...assuming that Beth survives her upcoming encounter with the Legion, that is! :eek2:

I sure hope that Phelan comes back soon, to provide backup for Beth. Because yeah, she's amazing, and well able to defend herself, but if she gets a belly full of silver emulsion, she can't feed on a vampire to help herself get better, the way Mick and Josef were able to feed on her. Who will help Beth if she gets poisoned??

So, anyway... I'll be happy if Phelan is there to lend her a... paw. :laugh:

I loooove this story--thank you so much for continuing it! I know what it's like to feel abandoned by the muses...and I'm glad you've enticed them back again. :flowers:
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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

Post by lionsonleashes »

Thanks soooo much, Alle! :rose: :hug:
I always love to hear from you! :friends: :yahoo:

Yup.....you guessed right...... The dark willowy beauty in Karl's memory is indeed Coraline. Poor Karl is another one of her romantic casulaties. It was just a long on again, off again, fling to her.....but Karl fell in love. Then Coraline met Mick and abandoned Karl......breaking his heart. :hankie:
And no.....neither Mick nor Coraline has any idea how Karl feels. Mick never even knew.....and still doesn't know.....that Karl and Coraline were involved. Josef knows, but no one else.

And yeah......the troublesome little French chef came thru when he was needed the most....rising to the occasion! :snicker: The fastest way to a werewolf's heart is thru their stomach.....so Chef Pierre just made himself Beth's new best friend! :phew: :teeth:

And will Beth survive her upcoming close encounter with the Legion??? Well.... here's a hint..... Beth is a great deal stronger now than anyone....including Josef and Phelan.....suspect. She's not just a werewolf.....she's an AO-Neg werewolf.....that rare bloodtype that imparts special abilities. ;) :thumbs:
A tsunami of rage and power is headed for the Legion. It won't be a walk in the park for Beth.....but the Legion is in a great deal of trouble! :confused2: :eek2:

Thanks again for your feedback, Alle! :hug: I appreciate your mentorship soooo much! :rose:
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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

Post by toria1521 »

Lions, :rose:

You're killin me here! More please!

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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

Post by lionsonleashes »

:comfort: Hang on, Toria! :hug: :flowers:
Chapter 26 is nearly complete! I've been working on it.....but you know me! I'm a perfectionist.....so is my muse.....I can't post it until I'm completely happy with it. :quill: :reading:
It'll be ready soon! :notworthy: I'll finish it as fast as I possibly can! :tomato:
Thanks for sticking with me! :notworthy: :rose:
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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG-13)

Post by jen »

“Decay” indeed! Vampires don’t smell like a dead thing, or rotting flesh, for heaven’s sake! They are tremendously vibrant, powerful….. and very living….. beings. To HER nose, they smelled like warm, freshly turned earth. It was a beautiful fragrance. Those were the best words she could come up with to describe the rich scents of the vampires around her……. She wondered if Mick actually believed he smelled like a decaying corpse? More of his I-hate-myself nonsense? She would have to remember to ask him later.

Love this statement. This is my favorite paragraph of this chapter. This is just how I see the state of the Moonlight vampires, too.

Delicious chapter, but I am worried about Beth. Those two assasins have had time to talk to their 'headquarters' and perhaps get information on how to bring down a werewolf. Beth is formidale, but she is still a largely untrained pup. What of that 'descended from werewolf hunter' details from early in the story. Will that play into the story again?

Outstanding!

Thanks, Lions!

Jenna

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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG

Post by jen »

Karl is, indeed, a very wise man!

First, he calls Claudia to give her a heads up, of what is probably about to go down, and second, he has sworn to take care of Mick while Beth is off avenging an attack on her Pack, and willful injury to her Sire and her Mate.

I think a little communication between Mick and Karl would be a very, very good thing. Both men have been badly hurt by Coraline. I can see them polishing off a few bottles of Josef's good scotch and talking.

Wonderful!

Thanks!

Jenna

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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG

Post by jen »

Wonderful chapter where Beth handles the first priority and then moves on to the second one.

In this read through, when Josep is being moved to his freezer he mutters something that sounds like 'careful' and this intrigues me for some reason. He didn't say, 'careful' but something that sounds like it.

Could be more to this?

Chef Pierre seems to know that there is a time and place for temper tantrums and this was neither. His assistance and cooperation was invaluable here.

Thanks!

Jenna

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Re: FULL MOONLIGHT---Ch 25----First Aid and Suspicions. (PG

Post by francis »

I'm so glad that Beth is a werewolf now, or Mick and Josef would be dead. Now I hope the backup is on the way, Beth might have big teeth but this is a really big mouthful to chew alone.
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