'Together' or 'Christmas at the Cabin' PG 13 Pairing: M/B
Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 1:22 am
This fic is an expansion of my poem and covers Mick and Beth's Christmas at the cabin.
I have mentioned some wonderful characters that originated in fanfic. Eris' wonderful Karl, Lucky's fabulous Lucky and many, many thanks to my good friend, Lionsonleashes who looked this over and gave me some great suggestions.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Rating: PG
Pairing MickBeth
So, with no further ado, here we go!
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
The December sunlight poured through palm trees in L.A., temperatures dropped, seasonal styles changed and the nearness of Christmas was splashed across advertisements as Mick and Beth fought for a bit of peace at lunch. She had wanted to check Chateau Laurent out for weeks, and thought this would be a perfect opportuny but underestimated both her bosses ire and his need to track her down and vent. Mick sat across from her watching as she tried to take control of the conversation.
“Ben-” she was surprised the volume that was pouring from the speakers of this cheap cell. She held it three inches from her ear, thinking that Mick could easily have followed the conversation even without vampire hearing.
“Ben-" she tried a bit louder, but didn't think she was getting through.
“BEN!” she shouted, and conversation at tables around her fell silent. She looked around, uncomfortable, then noticed that Ben Talbot, too, had fallen silent and jumped in.
“This was not my case. I had no involvement with it, remember? You assigned me to work the dockside strangulations.. I know that you're frustrated but yelling at me, while fun, will not solve your problem. I suggest you do a post mortem on the case and talk to the judge, though right now he probably doesn’t want to talk to you. Is Erin around?--Fine. Will you please put her on?
Mick smiled faintly. Beth had things in hand, but while her mind clearly understood that she wasn't responsible for the mess, the blood surging in her veins in time to her accelerated heart rate, and the spike in her adrenalin testified that her body was reacting to the verbal assault.
“Erin---Sorry, I’m glad I’m not there, too. Get him to do some deep breathing exercises. Yoga would be good. If you can, talk to Carl or Will about the post mortem for now. Either of them may have better luck. I'll be back around 2:30. Bye.”
Sighing, she folded her cell and slipped it back on her purse. “Sorry about that. Talbot’s gone nuclear. A case most of the office has been working on for over a year was thrown out of court on a technicality, and he is looking for somebody to blame.”
“I heard, but you didn’t have anything to do with it. Want me to take care of it?” He had no intention of killing anybody and knew Beth wouldn’t ask, but he wanted to diffuse her bad mood.
It worked.
“My hero. No, Ben just needs to vent. We’ve all seen (and heard) it before. He goes off like Mount St. Helens, then calms down and feels bad. The timing is perfect for Christmas. This afternoon he will hit the guilt stage and we should be able to get him agree to just about anything.” Beth grinned, as she finished her shrimp salad.
“Need a raise?” Mick teased.
“Freeze on salaries.” she sighed. “Major budget cuts all over.“
“What time do you want me to pick you up for the reception?”
“Oh, no! I forgot. I was going to get a dress and get my hair done but I got sidetracked over the busted case. Honey, I am so sorry! I know I said I’d go, but can I bail on you and take a rain check?”
“Whatever you need. I could stop by later with some takeout and sympathy, or do you want to be alone?” he asked.
“Are you serious? You're the most therapeutic thing in my life. I have to get back to the office in about an hour but I need run some errands first. Hopefully, he'll calm down before then. I love you, you know,” she said exhaustion fading the brilliant blue of her eyes.
Mick kissed her and she walked out into the sun as the seeds of an idea came together in his mind.
The D.A.’s office had become familiar territory to him over the past year, Moments after leaving the restaurant, he was winding his way through the executive offices in the District Attorney‘s office building.
Ben Talbot‘s secretary, Erin, smiled in recognition.
“Mick! Beth isn’t back yet. She is running some errands-”
“I know, Erin. We were just having lunch. I’m here to see Ben.”
Erin frowned and dropped her voice. “This may not be the best time for a social call. If he snaps at you, don’t take it personally.”
“I won't. I heard about the case that was tossed out. This should only take a few minutes. Does he get like this often?”
“Just once or twice a year. Don't misunderstand me--most of the time, Ben Talbot is a total sweetheart but when he gets like this, we know to walk a wide circle around him for an hour or two. It blows over pretty fast and then he feels guilty for days. I've worked for lots worse.” she changed the subject to a more pleasant topic. “You and Beth have plans for Christmas?”
“Actually, that’s why I’m here. I’d like to surprise Beth with trip. You and Bobby headed for your folks again?”
“Oh, yeah. My family does the whole Norman Rockwell Christmas thing and I wouldn‘t miss it. I want my son to have those kind of Christmas memories, too.” she eyed Ben’s closed door. “you know--now that I think about it, you couldn't ask at a better time. This is when the guilt kicks in.” Her lips turned up in a conspiratorial grin.
“Exactly my plan! Wish me luck.”
“Good luck," whispered Erin, touching a button on her intercom and announcing Mick.
Ben sat behind his desk looking dejected, but not angry. “If the tar pits are in my immediate future for yelling at Beth, it'd fit right in with my day.”
“Nah, I’m not here to dispense vampire justice. Heard that your case. Sorry.”
“Thanks.” Ben said. “It's all a part of the job, but it hurts mainly because I know that lives will be lost because of what went down today. What can I do for you, Mick?”
“I want to take Beth away for a Christmas holiday. She doesn’t know about the plan yet and I wanted to get some details ironed out before I talk to her. Could she take off from after work on December twenty third and the week after Christmas if I promise to have her back by Monday, January third?”
“After the way I yelled at her, I couldn’t say no but your request actually comes at good time. The case she is working on is in a holding pattern and I don’t expect any action until late January. Go--and I hope you two have fun. “
“Do you have any idea why the judge rejected your case?”
Ben nodded. “A key piece of evidence was mishandled by the cops collecting it. I don’t blame them, they were short staffed and working double shifts to cover during the flu outbreak. They feel bad enough as it is.“ Ben grinned ruefully. “Maybe I should go somewhere for the holidays. Think Kostan would put me up in a cabin somewhere--not near La Brea?“
“Worth a shot. We do owe you a few favors--and now one more. Thanks, Ben.”
“My pleasure. Happy holidays, Mick.”
One down.
Mick walked past security at the Kostan Industries building with a nod, past the screeners to the restricted elevators in the back of the lobby and up to the private offices. On the top floor, Josef’s assistant smiled, texted her boss, and waved Mick through. He settled into a leather chair across from Josef’s desk that he had not seen before, waiting as his friend completed a call. Sometimes it felt like Josef spent way too much time on the telephone.
“New furniture?” he asked, “very nice.”
“Obviously. Lucky had mentioned how uncomfortable they are, and I gave her the standard spiel about not wanting my visitors to be comfortable but she brought up a good point--that the chairs should represent my ability to make a guest comfortable. So I decided to make some changes.“
“You could always put the comfortable chairs in your assistants area as visitors have to sit there be fore they get in here, that way the visitor knows your ability to provide comfortable seating. They come in here, and they are uncomfortable, as clearly you like to keep people uncomfortable.”
“Good thought.” Josef said. “Except that would mean that my friends would be stuck with the uncomfortable stuff--and don‘t say that my friends are used to it. Why are you here?”
“Beth and I will not be at the reception tonight. Something has come up and we can’t make it.”
“Beth doesn’t have the flu, does she? Half this town has the flu. Simone and I were going to spent Christmas together but now she has the flu. I wonder if Lucky would go...”
“Josef, don’t you think you could find a way to be a little more sympathetic and supportive of Simone? She didn’t plan to bet the flu. ”
Josef Kostan shuttered, for effect. “Have you been around many humans with the flu? Nasty business. In my day, people died from the flu. Now, it is less often fatal but just as nasty.”
"Medicine has made advances. She is going to be fine in a few days. You don't have to worry."
"Who said anything about being worried? I said it was nasty--all that coughing, sneezing, dripping to say nothing of other inappropriate bodily fluids."
Should have known. Mick was surprised Simone still loved him. “I once had the flu when I was human, and I guarantee it is no fun. I could have died.”
“Thankfully, that was before we met,” said Josef. “Simone called me and said that I should just stay away and she would call me when she was feeling better. She does not want to make me uncomfortable.”
“Maybe you should be willing to make yourself a little uncomfortable if it means making someone you care about feel better. Besides, since when do you celebrate Christmas?”
“I celebrate lots of things. Like not being able to catch the flu. There must be something else. You could have un- R.S.V.P.’d by phone?"
“I want to take Beth away for a nice Christmas holiday and remembered the cabin you have just south of the Oregon state line. You offered it to me several times in the past but I didn’t any reason to take you up on it. Now I do. Beth needs this trip--she’s tired, stressed, and would enjoy it.”
“That's where Simone and I were going to spend Christmas. I suppose it would be a bit depressing to go there now…so, yeah--you can have it though the first week in January. It was going to be stocked with caviar, champaigne and my preferred blood types, but send me a list and I will restock it for the morgue blood and pizza set.“
“Great.” Mick started to go, then turned back. “I talked to Ben Talbot at the D.A.’s office about an hour ago. He is really upset about one of his cases being thrown out of court. I was wondering if you could send him on a holiday cruise or something. After all, he has helped us out on numerous occasions and you talk about how we take care of our friends.”
“What is this--the Mick St. John human benevolence foundation? All right, all right. I’ll look into it,” Josef agreed, “actually, I have a lovely beach house in the Bahamas, maybe Lucky would like the tropics...”
“Thanks, Josef,” Mick vacated the comfortable chair and strolled out of the office, smiling.
Two down, with a bonus, and there was time for a few hours in the freezer before he would see Beth tonight.
About an hour later, Beth received a call in her office. When she saw the name on Caller ID, she was shocked.
“Hello?”
“Buzzwire, don’t talk, just listen. Your boss has been very helpful to the Community and we take care of our friends, but I am going to need your help here. I want you to find some reason to be in Ben Talbot’s office in about twenty minutes. A courier is on the way over to notify him that he has won a luxury holiday cruise to the destination of his choice as part of a sweepstakes. Ben will probably say that he hasn’t entered any and that is when you say that you entered for him about a year ago when you were at that conference in Reno.”
“Um. Sure. That is very generous of you.” said Beth, sounding more than slightly surprised.
“Yeah. I’m a real humanitarian. You are not allowed to say one word about this, Buzzwire. I have a reputation to maintain.”
“My lips are sealed. I talked to Simone this morning. She's--”
“I know. Flu. You have fun, Blondie.”
Beth hung up the telephone wondering what Simone having flu had to do with her having fun. Vampires. She shifted through her desk for something to discuss with Talbot, walked down the hall to his office and knocked.
“Come in.” She opened the door and entered.
“Beth. I’m really sorry for dumping on you earlier. It wasn’t fair.”
“It’s OK, Ben. I’m a big girl. Can I talk to you about--”
Before she could specify what she wanted to discuss, Erin ushered the courier into Ben’s office where he delivered the news about the contest and the next few minutes played out as Josef expected. The courier left a few minutes later to make arrangements for a ten day cruise to Hawaii over Christmas.
Once the courier and Erin were gone and Beth was alone in her bosses office, a stunned Ben Talbot told her that he knew that Josef Kostan was behind it all and to tell Mick ‘thank you.’
Beth agreed, and left.
Hours later in her apartment, Beth answered the knock on her door and took the two bags of takeout from Mick, who followed her into the kitchen.
“Ben wanted me to relay his thanks for you getting Josef to send him on that trip over Christmas.”
“I just told him that Ben was having a hard time, that getting away might make him feel better, and reminded him how valuable Talbot has been this year.”
“Santa has nothing on you,” Beth smiled. “Was this after he yelled at me? Ben Talbot gets a cruise to Hawaii and I get nothing. Not feeling the love."'
“Can I borrow a glass? I brought my own dinner.”
“Sure. But I’ve got AO negative, fresh from the vein.” she smiled and held up a wrist, then walked into her bedroom to change into sweats.
Mick went to the door of her bedroom and said softly--but loudly enough to be heard in the next room “Beth! Quiet! Someone will hear!”
Beth walked out in sweats. “Relax. The occupants of the apartments on either side of me and across the hall are all gone for the holidays. We can make as much noise as we like. As long as Josef is giving away Christmas trips, think you could score a couple of tickets for us? I’ve never been to Hawaii.”
“Actually, vampires and tropics don’t generally mix well, but if you have your heart set on it, I’ll see what I can do.”
“No, Mick--I understand. If you wouldn't enjoy it, it wouldn't be much fun for me. If we ever take a trip, I want to go somewhere you'd enjoy.”
And that is anywhere you are, he thought.
Beth poured the blood from the a packet he brought into a wine glass and he filled a matching glass with wine for her as she took a plate down from the cupboard and dished up a helping of steaming Thai pineapple chicken and rice.
“Have any got plans for Christmas?“ he asked, sitting down at the table.
She carried her plate in and sat down opposite him.
“Not at the moment. There is this guy that I like but he hasn’t said anything about it yet. I was hoping he would, but we are getting down to the wire.” She looked at Mick meaningfully before continuing. “You have got to have the worst poker face on the planet. Are we planning on doing anything for Christmas? Dinner? Meet up at the morgue?”
“Oh. Well, yes. Josef has this resort cabin just south of the Oregon state line. How about we drive up for a couple of weeks?"
“What?!” Beth was surprised. “And I just said I wanted to go to Hawaii. Of course I want to spend Christmas with you. When do we leave? How long will we be gone? I need to make arrangements with work-”
“Already taken care of. Josef owns the cabin and has offered to let me use it before, but I never wanted to before now. When Ben Talbot was yelling at you, I decided it was time to stop declining use of it. I talked to Ben about the leave while he was still feeling guilty, and you are off from work for about two weeks. The cabin will be stocked and ready for us by the evening of the twenty third.”
“Simone told me that she and Josef were going to spend Christmas in some cabin-”
“Same one. I didn’t know about Josef’s plans with Simone or that they had fallen through when I asked about the cabin. Generally, it takes over a week to get the cabin ready but that has all been taken care of.”
“Well, I’m sorry to be benefiting from Simone’s flu and their plans being ruined, but it sounds amazing. I hope there is a big tree. I love a big Christmas tree.“
“There is no tree right now but there will be soon. You have some ornaments? When I was a child, we used to all work on trimming the tree.”
“In my family, too. So that is what we will do! Do you have any work to wrap up before we go?”
“A couple of reports to deliver and that's it. When does Ben leave?”
“The twenty first.”
“You are off from after work on December twenty third and we will come back on Sunday night, January second.”
“How long will it take us to drive up?”
“About five hours. We could always go Kostan Air?”
“Let’s not push it. I think Josef is near his altruistic limit.”
“I agree. You should have seen his face. I think it messes with his self image to have people know he does nice things for people, too.”
“He is a sweetie from time to time but will never hear it from me.”
“That is probably a good idea. Beth, there is something I have been wanting to say to you about Chateau Laurent.”
“Do you like it? I hear it is one of the oldest, most famous restaurants in L.A.”
“It is. It's vampire friendly and was Coraline’s favorite. I understand that you like it and you can go there with your friends, but I would rather…not. Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” said Beth as she mentally crossed the elegant establishment off her list of acceptable restaurants. “I wish you'd said something sooner.”
Late in the afternoon of the twenty third, Mick picked her up at her apartment and they began the drive to the cabin, making surprisingly good time after leaving the congested L.A. freeways.
“It’s amazing how little has changed in the last eighty years,” Mick said. “I know it's getting dark, but look to the north and eventually you'll see Mount Shasta. It still looks the same as when I was a teenager. Dad took me up there with Ray and his dad and taught us to ski. There is a little more smog now.”
“A little more smog? Nobody had coined the word back then.” then she grew quiet, thoughtful. “It looks cold, indistinct and unchanging. I guess some things last longer than vampires.”
Mick didn’t answer.
While still seventy miles from their destination, they encountered the first flakes.
Beth let out a whoop of pure delight and started singing, ‘Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, but at long as you love me sooo, let it snow let it snow let it snooow,”
And Mick St. John learned something about the lovely, talented and fearless reporter he had watched over for decades that he hadn’t known before. Beth Turner was tone deaf. The look he gave her from across the front seat of the car caused her eyes to narrow.
“Not one word,” she warned. Wisely, he turned his attention to the road and complied.
Thankfully, the vocal concert lasted only a couple of miles.
“I’d love to hear you sing something,” she said. “You have such a beautiful speaking voice, I’ll bet that your singing voice is fantastic. You told me why you gave it up.”
He chuckled. “A combination of factors, actually. Coraline said that it was too high profile for a vampire, and at first, I deferred to Coraline in everything. Still, if that had been the only reason, I would have gone back to it somehow, even if I couldn’t perform any more. When you play the guitar, and that was one of my favorite instruments, you develop thickened skin pads on your fingers from the strings but after I was turned, those pads went away. Every time I played for any length of time, I cut my fingers open and got blood all over the neck and strings of my instrument. Of course I healed immediately, but it was messy. While it wasn‘t a game changer, in and of itself, my hearing also became much more sensitive and the instruments sounded…different--harsh and mechanical. The sum total of all the little things was that I decided not to pursue any of it.”
“Sad. Your mode of creative expression was a huge part of your life, of your identity. The fact that it was so important tells me you need a creative outlet. Didn’t you ever replace it with anything?”
“Yeah. Being a vampire without being a monster requires creativity.” he said with a lopsided grin. “Tell me a Christmas tradition from the Turner household.”
“When I was little, we spent Christmas with my Grandparents. Grandma made taffy the week before Christmas and we would pull taffy and eat it until we were all almost sick. She made enough to give away as gifts and it had time to dry and season a little before Christmas Eve. Now you, tell me a Christmas tradition from the St. John household.”
“Well, my mom would made hot chocolate with real cream and cinnamon. It is amazing that my arteries didn’t clog before I was Turned.”
“Sounds delicious. I love cinnamon.”
“You’re up.”
“Oh. OK. We did the stocking thing. Mom would get these huge stockings and hang them up on the hearth. We went to church on Christmas Eve and when we got back, after dinner, we were allowed to take down one stocking and also open one big gift from under the tree.“
“Were you Catholic?” he asked.
“Nope. Presbyterian. You?”
“Catholic. We would go to midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. We had dinner, trimmed the tree and opened one present before Mass. When we got back, we all just went to bed.”
“That was five traditions right there, but I think we will only count two--not trimming the tree before Christmas Eve and opening one present. So, I get two turns now. My Granddad was an amazing man in many ways. He used to have some hunting career we haven’t entirely figured out, but he had a Christmas tradition of having the family sit in a circle and, one by one, each person taking a turn and telling about the good things that they had found during the past year. Mom kept it up after he and Grandma passed away. I still do it.”
“That’s only one.”
“Well, I don’t know if this counts, but on Christmas day, after we were done with the Turkey, we would use the leftovers to make other stuff.”
‘That doesn’t count. Everybody recycles the leftovers. You have to do better than that.”
“Ah, but we ground it up and made chili.”
“Turkey chili? Turkey chili?? No wonder you’re tone deaf…”
As they neared their destination, the temperature continued to drop until Beth fished a blanket out of the back seat, wrapped up in it, shivering. Mick made a mental note to have a heater installed in the Mercedes when they got back.
They arrived at the cabin an hour later.
Beth expected a cozy, small cabin but it was a three story structure and a large garage and realized that this was Josef Kostan‘s definition of rustic.
Mick got out, pulled her out of the car and up the stairs.
“What about the bags?” she asked.
“I’ll get them later. First priority is to get you out of the cold and show you around.”
The interior of the cabin was lovely. Lots of glass and a huge roaring stone fireplace. It was warm, but not uncomfortably so. He took her hand and pulled her out of the large living area with a sofa and lots of overstuffed chairs and into a large, modern kitchen, to a dining area, and the downstairs bath, then, up the stairs to the second level with four bedrooms, two with freezers, two with beds and baths attached to each. The top floor had one huge game room, with a computer, large screen TV, full entertainment center, and an incredible view of the countryside. There was a full bath and a small kitchen on that level, so there was no need to go downstairs.
“Is that a balcony out there?” Beth asked noticing the sliding doors.
“Yes. I can spend some time out there, but I wouldn’t recommend it for you.”
“Mick this is unbelievable.”
“I hope that means ‘good’ unbelievable.”
“Definitely. If you will bring in the luggage, I will see if I can find the hidden fridge and pour you some A positive and fix myself something to eat. I am starved.”
Mick nodded. “There is a door in the kitchen that leads into the garage. I will be coming through that door in a few minutes.”
“Thank you, Sweetheart.” Beth said, her eyes shining. She kissed him slowly, the kiss had promise of things to come.
“Hold that thought.” Mick grinned and trotted out the front door to move the car. A few minutes later, he came through the kitchen door carrying Beth’s three suitcases and a garment bag.
“Want these in your room?” he asked.
“I was thinking in terms of ‘our room’ but then, I wasn’t expecting the such a huge cabin. Either one is fine, Honey.”
“There is a room filled with ski equipment--all in our sizes, I might add. I plan to put in some time on the slopes.” Mick said, after stowing her luggage and retrieving his own.
“I may join you out there on the slopes, but I don’t ski often.”
“Then I’d recommend you stay inside. I heal, and I know this mountain pretty well but it can be brutal for an inexperienced skier.”
“If you say so. I broke my leg skiing when I was fifteen and I don’t want to repeat the experience.”
“I remember. I have never seen a more inept mountain rescue in my life. I almost marched in there and took over.”
“My hero,” Beth said, scrunching her nose. “Suddenly this seems weird.”
“Story of my life.” he sighed
“Let me put my coat back on. I want to see the garage and the ski equipment.”
It was nearly one when they got upstairs to the bedroom.
“Do you need some freezer time?” Beth, asked softly, running a finger down the side of his face, barely touching the skin, setting off a wave of sensations. She had practiced this little gesture over the last few months and watched him practically shiver.
“Yes,” he moaned. “I hate it, but I have been on my feet for 24 hours and I do.”
“All right, then we have two choices. One--I give you a kiss and we pick this up tomorrow or, Two--I give you something to dream about while you are in the freezer.”
I’m a dead man, Mick thought, and being a vampire had nothing to do with it. “I’m thinking I can last a while longer.”
Two hours later, Mick lay in bed with Beth sleeping in his arms.
“Sweetheart?” he said softly. “Beth?”
She opened her eyes and yawned. “Hi, there,” she said huskily.
“I need to spend some time in the freezer,” he said, regret written on his face. He touched his forehead to hers, “I didn’t want to leave without telling you that I was going and why.”
Beth sighed, got up, pulled her robe on and held out one hand. He pulled on his pajama bottoms, took her hand and she pulled him into the freezer room.
She opened the freezer and he got in.
“I know I said that I understood, but I need you to explain it to me why do you have to sleep in a freezer?”
“All right,” he agreed. “I will tell you all I know about it. Would later be okay?”
Beth kissed him, “Sweet dreams, Sweetheart. I miss you already.“
“You get some sleep, too. I will be up in a few hours. Love you.“
She closed the lid, smiled down at her love as he closed his eyes. She watched the lines of his face smooth out as he slipped easily into sleep.
She walked quietly from the freezer room and went back to bed, but now it felt cold and empty.
Sunlight was pouring in through the heavy drapes when she awoke, but the house was silent. Getting up, she wandered through the silent cabin. She got dressed and fixed herself breakfast. Mick was still in the freezer so she decided to do some exploring on her own. She opened cabinets, searched out rooms and discovered a basement that Mick had not told her about. It was as large as the house and garage combined and there was more equipment stored down there. She spent the morning snooping every nook and cranny, then returned to the kitchen for lunch. She opened the doors of each bedroom quietly and found that one of the freezers had the outline of a form within it. Good. He has been pushing himself too hard and needs rest. After a lunch of fresh pasta salad and cold chicken, she dressed warmly and walked around the outside of the cabin. Momentarily tempted by the ski equipment, she remembered Mick’s warning and decided to take his advice. Besides, skiing an unfamiliar course without your guardian angel is just dumb.
She went back inside after a couple of hours and heard the shower running upstairs.
Mick was up! She pulled off her cap, parka and gloves and ran up the stairs. When he opened the shower door, Beth was standing there, her eyes sparkling and her nose and lips reddened from the cold.
“Afternoon, Sleepyhead! Had some A positive yet?” She kissed him playfully.
“No, I just woke up. You could give a guy a little privacy,” he suggested.
“Fine.” she said. “I'll pour some blood. The hidden fridge is full of bottles. Josef probably will keep you supplied with the good stuff while you are here. When you're decent, come down.”
She left Mick wondering why he waited so long to do this.
She was waiting for him in the kitchen when he came down a few minutes later.
“So, what have you been up to for the last…ten hours?? I must have been more tired than I thought.”
“Poor Baby.” she sympathized. “Well, I slept for about four hours after you went to the freezer and I was up early and checking everything out. I amused myself without getting into trouble.”
“So, how do you like it?”
“The cabin or our trip so far?”
“Both.”
“The cabin is amazing. I get the feeling that I haven’t scratched the surface about this place yet.”
“And our holiday?”
“It’s amazing, and I don’t think we have scratched the surface there either.”
“Good answer,” he said. “I’ve got an idea. Let’s go into town tonight.”
“Town? There’s a town?”
“There is a small town and a large resort. We could go dancing and they have a live show.”
“It’s a date,” she said, pleased with the idea of a date and especially with the idea that she and Mick would come home together afterward.
They started out a few hours later. Mick gazed at the pewter clouds hanging low in the late afternoon sky. “There is a lot of snow in those clouds,” he remarked. I saw a lot of clouds like those in the Ardennes. I hope we don’t get snowed in at that resort.”
“Well, if we do, I’ve got your AO negative right here.” She raised a wrist and wiggled it. “I’ve never been ‘snowed in’ before--sounds kind of exciting.”
“Yeah, well. The cold won’t hurt me, but there are a lot of humans around for whom the ordeal would not be so pleasant.”
“I should have checked the weather. You think we should go back to the cabin?” Beth asked worriedly. She had little experience with harsh winter weather.
“No,” Mick said, venturing another glance at the clouds.
The lodge was about seven miles away but it was nearly an hour when they arrived and parked the Mercedes. Mick’s arm around Beth kept her from being blown over as they walked into the lodge.
Once inside the door, they were greeted by a middle aged woman with a warm smile and sparkling green eyes.
“Welcome to the Chesterton Lodge. I’m Dora Chesterton. You folks are certainly brave to come out on a night like tonight. We generally see some folks from the surrounding area, but you are the only people here that aren’t our guests.”
“Mrs. Chesterton, I’m Beth Turner and this is Mick St. John. We are staying at a cabin a few miles away for the holiday.” She brushed some snow off Mick’s hair gently and he dusted the snow from her head.
“Well, come on, let’s get your coats checked in so you can warm up!”
A few minutes later, she lead them into the main hall, where there was a huge Christmas tree on one side and a stage with a few pieces of a jazz band milling around. There were a few other couples already seated but most of the tables were empty.
“Where do you want to sit?” Mick smiled.
“How about over there?” Beth walked to a table beside the dance floor with a good view of the stage.
“Beth Turner and Mick St. John?” a man in a tuxedo with a smile that matched Dora Chesterson’s walked up to them smiling. “I’m Wilfred Chesterton. You met Dora?”
“We did.” Mick reached out to shake his hand. “She told us the crowd will be light tonight.”
“More like nonexistent. This sounds too much like a movie plot to be believed, but the storm is even keeping some of our staff from getting in and our piano player will not be here either. Our chef is in place and has a wonderful dinner prepared. Hope you’re hungry.”
“Mick has medical issues and is on a strict medical diet and we have already taken care of that. I on the other hand, am famished.”
“Well, son--I’m sorry to hear that. If you change your mind, our chef is very flexible and can do some amazing things.”
“I’ll fine, thank you Mr. Chesterton,” Mick grinned.
“Will. We are Will and Dora and you re Mick and Beth. We're casual around here. Where are you folks from?”
“L.A. originally,” answered Mick easily, and Beth took her cue from him. He could read people far better than she and he saw no reason to be distrustful of these people. “We are staying at a cabin about seven miles to the south.”
“I do, although you are the first people to come to see us from there.”
“Yes, well. The owner is a bit of an eccentric recluse. He keeps to himself.”
“Some hedge fund trader from L.A., I heard. Glad you made your way over and I hope you do so again when we are more up to speed. I‘m afraid we may be doing karaoke or amateur night unless something turns up. Either of you a famous entertainer hiding from the press or just an amateur who sings or plays an instrument?”
“Mick’s a private investigator and I work for the D.A.‘s office,” said Beth.
“You look familiar, ” frowned Will.
Mick grinner and said in a stage whisper, “Please don’t ask her to sing. I love her with every fiber of my being, but she can’t carry a tune in a bucket.” and was rewarded with a playful slap on his arm from Beth.
“I used to be an internet reporter. You may have seen me in one of my reports but Mick was a musician in college,” she said smiling. “I hear he met a lot of girls that way.”
“Uh, it's been a long time-”
“Nonsense,” said Will. “We’ll talk later.” and their host walked over to the jazz ensemble.
“Don’t put me on the spot like that-” he whispered tightly after their hosts stepped out of earshot.
“Oh, relax,” she said. “You'll be fine. Even if they ask me to play the piano, I can do that. I can hear the correct notes, I just can't vocally produce them. I’m sure the don’t expect much.”
Mick remembered the way Beth played the piano. They won't get much. Wisely, he said nothing. But Beth turned and looked at him, her eyes narrowed, as though she read the thought.
Now that's scarey, he thought.
After dinner, the band started and Will announced that the snow may result in everyone present being snowed in for the night. He also announced that the entertainment for the evening was going to be self created and various members of the band played pieces, the woman who checked their coats sang a couple of old classics, Dora and Will sang a duet of, ‘Baby, it’s Cold Outside’ and Beth played a piece on the piano that contained several notes that weren't on the sheet music she used to learn it. At one point, Mick walked to the piano and took over from her, and he started playing--beautifully. After several songs, he took a break and a member of the band brought him a book of piano music and asked if he‘d like to try to play with them. No pressure, but it may salvage the night. Mick agreed and Beth watched with astonishment and growing delight as a side of Mick long submerged came to the surface. Two hours later, Mick switched instruments to play the drums when the band member who was filling in on them just couldn’t get it right. He provided a comic backup for Will’s announcements and even sang a couple of songs. His voice was smoky velvet, rich and deep--even better than Beth had imagined.
The Chesterton’s were clearly thrilled when the threatened snow event did not materialize in spite of the forecasts.
After the evening was completed, Mick and Beth drove back to their cabin under a clear, starry sky.
“You had fun,” Beth observed.
“Yeah,” Mick agreed. “I really did. You know that explanation I gave you before, about not being able to hear music the same after I was turned? That was true. It sounded different, but I would have adjusted to that. If the only other obstacle had been cutting open my fingertips, I could have found a way around that, but there were a couple of things I couldn't get past. Coraline told me that my music was too high profile, but I would have kept it up if only for myself, but when a person is Turned they lose their creativity for a while. It doesn't only happen to musicians but any form of creative expression. Josef told me that it's temporary, and that after about fifty years or so it would start to come back. He advised me to step away from it for a while, and I have. I don't have it all back, but the limits are not what they were after I became a vampire. I won't be forming a band any time soon, but I can bring my guitar out of storage and try playing a few chords. It's hard to explain to someone who isn't a performer, but the energy you draw from a crowd is…almost addictive.”
“It is a part of you I never knew existed. Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"
"I honestly don't know. I guess misdirection becomes a habit after a while."
"Can I listen when you play the guitar?"
"I think I would rather find out where I am in private. If I'm going to screw up, I'd rather do it in private."
"Okay, but I want a private concert."
"My pleasure,” he said. “You seemed to be getting on well with Kyle from the band. Should I be jealous?” Mick eyed her sideways from across the car.
“As if." Beth said, " I love that you are. As I’ve said before, your jealousy makes me feel desirable. Kyle is a nice guy. I met him a couple of years ago at a concert. His last name is Chesterson. Will and Dora are his parents. Think we can go back to the lodge again before we go home to L.A.?”
“Absolutely. But only next time we watch the floor show, not be the floor show,” said Mick. “And if this is the first time you have felt desirable on this trip, I’ve been doing something wrong.”
Beth smiled broadly, “I’m fine, thanks for asking--you are doing everything perfectly.” she eyed the headlights illuminating the snow covered road and the ice covered trees at the side of the road. “It may be a good idea not to tell Josef about the performance, though. He worries.”
The ride back to the cabin took less than half the time of the drive through the blizzard and they were in bed by one a.m. again. Beth lay in his arms, silent for some time..
“Baby?” she said softly, breaking the silence..
“Mmmm?” he rumbled softly, into her hair.
“I’m sorry.”
“What for?” he could feel her sadness, her concern wrapping him in comfort. It was a precious thing.
“You love music and performance and can’t have it now.” she explained. “It was different when you thought you had lost the ability to do it but tonight, you learned tha tit was coming back, just as Josef said it would and it's hurting you that you have to give it up again.”
“Am I that transparent?” he asked.
She lifted her head from his chest and gazed into his eyes, “Only to me.”
She laid her head on his chest again. “I can’t entirely blame Josef for being concerned about secrecy. People can be monsters about things they don‘t understand. Maybe it will just have to wait until later. The future is a lot longer for you than it is for me. Things change. It may take a long time, but you will find a way around it.”
He pressed a kiss onto the top of her head and wrapped his arms more closely around her, for the first time considering what he once thought unthinkable.
“Now, I think anything could happen.”
Hours later, he listened to the blood surging in her veins, the steady beat of her heart, her slow breathing and all the other sounds that made up the symphony that was his Beth. There was no sweeter music in the universe than that and he cherished each and every note. As she slept in his arms, he thought of when he had carried her back to her mother after rescuing the terrified child. That had been a pivotal moment in his life. Somehow, Beth had managed to be on hand for a lot of pivotal moments. There had been several here.
Beth opened her eyes to see him regarding her from a few inches away.
“Good morning, Sunshine,” he smiled softly.
At first, she looked puzzled, they here eyes widened and a smile of pure delight lit up her face.
“You stayed!” she said, her voice filled with wonder and delight, that vanished immediately. “Oops. Sorry.” she covered her mouth with her hand. “Morning breath.”
He chuckled. “You do not have any such thing. Merry Christmas, Beth.”
“Merry Christmas!” she said, “you stayed. How could you do that?” She got up and walked to the bath, giving him ample opportunity to enjoy the sight of her walking away.
“I had plenty of sleep the day before, so reserves keep me going longer. Besides, after the show at the lodge, I was wired. You didn’t notice?”
She stuck her head in, and now she was wearing the blue bathrobe with her electric toothbrush in her mouth.
“Oh, I noticed all right, and I dejoyed it. I just thought that you couldn’t sleep in a bed like a regular person.”
“You know I can--sometimes, but it doesn’t happen often. Usually, I need the freezer to relax. Did you ever wonder why I don’t age and why I heal so fast?
“Of course, but I thought you would eventually tell me if you wanted me to know.”
His eyes narrowed. “Not buying it. Who are you and what did you do with Beth Turner.” He smiled. “You want to know something, you're relentless.”
“All right, all right--I thought I'd worm it out of you eventually but should bide my time. You vampires are a very secretive, paranoid crew.”
“True, but I am not like Josef.”
“Agreed--and no offense to Josef but I wouldn't be here if you were,” she said and then frowned. “For that matter, if you were like Josef Kostan, I probably wouldn't be alive now.” she shuddered. “So, back to the healing and not aging--”
“Right. Well, it turns out that my cells divide very, very quickly now. My DNA has been essentially rewritten, and that means that some systems of my body work very differently now when others are still pretty unchanged, I still look as I did when I was turned, my voice sounds the same, I still perceive the universe in much the same way but my senses are heightened, I‘m stronger and faster-”
“Allergic to sunlight and silver.”
“Blood-”
“Blood?” Beth frowned. “You’re not allergic to blood.”
“No, not allergic to it. I need some. You need to shower, get dressed and get something to eat, too. How about we meet downstairs in a few minutes.”
Beth was looking at him with one eyebrow raised, “I know a distraction when I hear one. Not going to work. You do your thing, I'll do mine and we meet downstairs. Now that we've opened this particular ‘can of worms,’ I want to hear everything.” Beth dissappeared into the bathroom and he heard the shower start.
“I’m 88 years old,” he laughed. “I don’t have time to tell you everything.”
Twenty minutes later, Beth was in the kitchen waiting for him. She was fixing her breakfast and had poured his breakfast into a glass across from her. The microwave ‘dinged’ announcing that Beth’s waffle was ready. She fetched some strawberries and butter from the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of milk.
“Thank you,” he picked up the glass of blood and took a long sip.
“So,” said Beth. “Stronger and faster, allergic to sunlight and silver-“
“Uh huh. We both produce electrical energy in our brains, but now I produce a whole lot more than you do. As a matter of fact, the individual cells within my body produce more energy,” he said.
“I’ll say,” Beth smiled, waggled her eyebrows at him and chewed a bite of her waffle.
He cleared his throat. “Beth-“
“All right, all right. I’ll be good.”
“Thank you. As I was saying, the individual cells of my body produce a lot of energy. I never found out if this energy was produced in order to fuel rapid division of my cells or if the energy was a byproduct. Anyway, my heart still beats but in a very different way than yours--it circulates the blood in my veins, though that blood is not produced in the marrow of my bones. It is produced or processed in my digestive tract and liver now. I still breath to take in oxygen and to speak, but that is not my sole source of oxygen any longer. Some of the hormones my body produces are the same ones that it produced when I was human, and some are entirely different. My bones are lighter and a lot stronger now. My body is slightly cooler to the touch than yours is, and I don’t normally radiate heat. My body temperature is much more in a state of flux than yours is and while I experience a rush of warmth when I engage in some activities, I don’t run a fever unless something is wrong. Like when I had been in the sun too long with Leni.”
“I remember,” said Beth, finishing her waffle and dabbing her lips delicately. She carried her plate, fork and his glass to the sink and proceeded to wash them up. He joined her with a kitchen tower and he dried the dishes and put them away. “This sounds like work is continuing on this front. Where is this research being done?”
“It isn’t.” he said and she sensed tension behind his words. “Back in the late eighties, genomic research was still in its infancy, most of medicine believed. But there were a few places that were already far along in the research. There was a biomedical think tank in central California. There was a brilliant researcher on the team named Lewis Sanders. He had a twin brother named Lawrence who was a teacher of astronomy until he was Turned. Some sets of twins are extraordinarily close, and we still can’t entirely explain why and how, but Lawrence couldn’t break contact with his brother, Lewis, in spite of the rules. After the initial shock wore off, Lewis started researching the ‘how’s and whys’ of our condition. Lawrence was careless and foolish and was killed, but before he died, he told his brother about me and a lot about vampire society. Lewis showed up on my doorstep a couple of weeks after Lawrence was killed, thanked me for trying to help his brother, told me what he knew, what they had been doing and said that he would never betray us. I decided that I wanted to know more about my condition so I let Lewis and his fiancée, Loren Ames, another researcher at the think tank, continue the tests using me as the guinnea pig. Unfortunately, Lawrence was had already been much more open about what was going on that is healthy, even for a vampire, and the Council found out about the research and I spent a few months in a Council dungeon, thinking I was going to be killed. Somehow, Josef got me out of there alive.”
“Lewis and Loren?” Beth asked, already knowing the answer.
He shook his head sadly. “Lewis died during questioning. After he was dead, Loren just…didn‘t care any more. I saw her for a few minutes before she was killed. She said she didn’t blame me.”
Beth crossed the distance between them and put her arms around him. “Oh, Mick She didn’t blame you because it wasn’t your fault.” When she released him and stepped back, she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Remember last night when I said that there is time, and although it may take a long time, things can still work out?”
He nodded. “Of course,”
“Well, this could be another one of those times. I would think the Council should understand that if they don’t make use of the new technology, someone else will use it against them and the results could be catastrophic for all concerned.”
“I know.” he said, “but there are a lot of very powerful vampires who have more control than they have sense.”
“Hey, it is Christmas Eve and there must be something happier for us to get involved in.”
“Absolutely! The caretakers will deliver the tree I requested this afternoon so that you can decorate it tonight.”
“No, you are not pushing this off on me, St. John. We decorate the tree together. Where are the ornaments?”
“They'll be delivered with the tree.”
“When are you going to try out the slopes?” she asked.
“Not during the day. The sun reflecting off the snow is really strong. I thought I'd try some skiing tonight.”
“OK, but please be careful. I know you heal and all that, but if you ski into a tree and a limb goes though your chest-”
“I stake myself. Ouch. Fine. I will take my cell phone and I’ll tell you the ranges I am going to ski. If worse comes to worse, you can use the GPS in my telephone to locate me.”
“I think I going to email Simone. It has been several days now since the onset of her flu. She may be feeling better but be depressed that Josef went to the Bahamas with Lucky.”
“I doubt it. Simone knows Josef and accepts him with all of his quirks. Besides, she really likes Lucky and understands their relationship. Also, Josef can be very, very generous. Think about the cruise for Ben and letting us use this cabin.”
“I'm emailing anyway. I wonder how Ben is doing on his cruise.”
“You going to call him and see?”
“Nah. I’ll hear when we get back.
It was late afternoon when the tree was delivered. Beth examined it carefully from all angles to find the perfect one, then added lights and the gold tinse. Mick went out on the terrace to watch a fresh dusting of powder that would make for some exceptional skiing later.
Beth found him there.
“Mick, come back in here. I’m freezing!”
“Oh, sure,” he stepped back inside and closed the door. “Sre you ready?”
“Yeah. You looked like you were lost in thought.”
“I guess I was. I was thinking about your Grandfather’s tradition of talking about your blessings on Christmas Eve. I think I can talk about it. Yeah. I definitely can.”
Beth smiled, “Good. Well, let’s get cracking on this.”
Over the months since they had met, Mick and Beth investigated cases together, solved mysteries together, and had started building a life together.
It felt right.
Much later, he awakened her briefly to say that he was going skiing and he would be back shortly after the sun came up. When he was dressed in the skisuit, Beth came into the bedroom where he dressed, wearing her robe, hair tousled from sleep.
“Sweetheart, have you fed yet?”
“Not yet. I will in a minute.” he answered.
“Mick, Josef says that you heal better from fresh, so I want you to feed from me.”
“The stuff that Josef has in the bottles is from his freshies. That is better than what I usually drink,” he said, but he knew she was right.
“It’s not the best.” she said. “You can drink some of that, but top it off with some from me.” She held out an arm.
He nodded and they went down to the kitchen and he downed a mug of blood, then went back upstairs. She sat down on the bed and he sat down beside her, and swept her hair away from her neck, scented the vein that he knew well and licked the skin to ready her for the bite. She didn’t feel his fangs puncture her skin. He took only a couple of ounces, then sealed the tiny wounds and tucked her into bed.
“My Beth,” he said softly, kissing her.
“Always.” she replied sleepily. “Be careful.”
Always.
The cold was wonderful. The speed exhilarating and the hours he spent on the slopes seemed to fly by. This ritual of feeding, taking just a little from Beth, then skiing for the rest of the night left him energized and pleasantly tired when he returned to the cabin.
To his surprise, when he returned to the cabin, Beth was up and waiting for him by the tree.
“Honey, what are you doing up so early?” he walked in from the garage after stowing his skiis with the rest of the equipment.
“Christmas morning, of course.”
He walked in and saw the packages.
“Who?”
“Josef, Karl, Lucky, Simone, Ben, and Carl. There presents were delivered by courier about a half hour ago. hy don‘t you go change and then we can open them.”
“Be right back,” he promised.
A few minutes later, he was back carrying a gold box he passed her and leaned in for a kiss.
“Merry Christmas, Baby,”
With a big smile, she passed a large box to him. “Let’s save ours to each other for last, okay?”
Sounds good, he sat down on the floor by the tree and fished out the closest box. “To Beth from Simone“ he read.
“Gimme.” he passed it over, Beth opened it and squealed with delight. “It‘s a Gucci purse. We were shopping two months ago and I admired it. She remembered. I got her a sweater set she liked but this cost a lot more.”
“I always heard that it was the thought that counts,” he said.
“It does,” said Beth, “but so does the price tag.”
The next present was to Mick from Lucky. It was a CD of soft jazz.”
“What did you get for Karl?” Beth asked.
“CD of music he likes. It used to cassette tapes, and eight tracks before that.”
“You are so imaginative. Not. I am choosing your gifts next year.” Beth said.
“OK,” he grinned, happily crossing that chore off his mental 'to do’ list.
The exchange of gifts continued until there were mounds of brightly colored wrapping paper and bows on the floor and the only unwrapped boxes were from each other.
“You go first,” Beth said and Mick unwrapped the box and found a leather coat very much in his style.
“Thank you, Beth. This is wonderful!“ he kissed her and she unwrapped her box. It was a three stone pendant with candlelight diamonds that matched her diamond stud earrings he had given her earlier that year.
“Oh, Mick,” she breathed. “It is beautiful. I’ve heard that it means ‘I love you yesterday, today and tomorrow.“
“Yeah, about that, I‘ve been thinking that that bottom stone is going to be way too small.”
Beth looked at him, not believing that she was hearing what she was hearing.
“Do you mean-”
“Yeah. I think I do. How do you feel about it?”
She launched herself joyfully across the space between them.
“Wait a minute,” said Beth. “Did we open anything from Josef?”
“I didn’t.” Mick said.
“Me neither.” she started going through the wrapping paper and Mick looked on his side.
Mick found a thick envelope wrapped like a present. “It says, to Mick and Beth,”
“Open it,” she smiled.
He tore off the brightly colored paper and opened the folder. “It’s the deed to this cabin and three acres of land around it, ” he read, “And says that it will continue to be managed by Kostan Industries, but that it is ours.”
“What did you get him?” Beth asked.
“A first edition of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” signed by the author.” Mick chuckled, “and I‘m glad I was out of town when he opened it. What did you get him?”
“You know those websites that will print out a cover of Time magazine with anyone’s picture as ‘man of the year’?”
“You didn’t!” Mick laughed.
“I did.”
“Good job! He'll probably have it framed and hanging on his office wall by the time we get back.”
That afternoon, they walked the property line together and explored it thoroughly. They planned to come back here at least twice a year.
Over the next few days, there was shopping in the small town and another visit to the Chesterton Lodge.
The last week of their vacation flew by, and on the evening of January second, Mick dropped Beth at her apartment, kissed her and returned to his loft. He dropped his bags down inside the door and stood for a moment, soaking in the silence. It was familiar and the silence hadn't bothered him in a very long time. Now it did. He stowed the contents of the cooler he had just picked up from Guillermo in his hidden fridge and carried his bags upstairs.
A short distance away, Beth was similarly absorbing the silence. She didn’t like it either. When her cell rang, she didn’t have to answer to know who it was.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“I miss you already and the loft is too quiet. Can you come over?”
I have mentioned some wonderful characters that originated in fanfic. Eris' wonderful Karl, Lucky's fabulous Lucky and many, many thanks to my good friend, Lionsonleashes who looked this over and gave me some great suggestions.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Rating: PG
Pairing MickBeth
So, with no further ado, here we go!
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
The December sunlight poured through palm trees in L.A., temperatures dropped, seasonal styles changed and the nearness of Christmas was splashed across advertisements as Mick and Beth fought for a bit of peace at lunch. She had wanted to check Chateau Laurent out for weeks, and thought this would be a perfect opportuny but underestimated both her bosses ire and his need to track her down and vent. Mick sat across from her watching as she tried to take control of the conversation.
“Ben-” she was surprised the volume that was pouring from the speakers of this cheap cell. She held it three inches from her ear, thinking that Mick could easily have followed the conversation even without vampire hearing.
“Ben-" she tried a bit louder, but didn't think she was getting through.
“BEN!” she shouted, and conversation at tables around her fell silent. She looked around, uncomfortable, then noticed that Ben Talbot, too, had fallen silent and jumped in.
“This was not my case. I had no involvement with it, remember? You assigned me to work the dockside strangulations.. I know that you're frustrated but yelling at me, while fun, will not solve your problem. I suggest you do a post mortem on the case and talk to the judge, though right now he probably doesn’t want to talk to you. Is Erin around?--Fine. Will you please put her on?
Mick smiled faintly. Beth had things in hand, but while her mind clearly understood that she wasn't responsible for the mess, the blood surging in her veins in time to her accelerated heart rate, and the spike in her adrenalin testified that her body was reacting to the verbal assault.
“Erin---Sorry, I’m glad I’m not there, too. Get him to do some deep breathing exercises. Yoga would be good. If you can, talk to Carl or Will about the post mortem for now. Either of them may have better luck. I'll be back around 2:30. Bye.”
Sighing, she folded her cell and slipped it back on her purse. “Sorry about that. Talbot’s gone nuclear. A case most of the office has been working on for over a year was thrown out of court on a technicality, and he is looking for somebody to blame.”
“I heard, but you didn’t have anything to do with it. Want me to take care of it?” He had no intention of killing anybody and knew Beth wouldn’t ask, but he wanted to diffuse her bad mood.
It worked.
“My hero. No, Ben just needs to vent. We’ve all seen (and heard) it before. He goes off like Mount St. Helens, then calms down and feels bad. The timing is perfect for Christmas. This afternoon he will hit the guilt stage and we should be able to get him agree to just about anything.” Beth grinned, as she finished her shrimp salad.
“Need a raise?” Mick teased.
“Freeze on salaries.” she sighed. “Major budget cuts all over.“
“What time do you want me to pick you up for the reception?”
“Oh, no! I forgot. I was going to get a dress and get my hair done but I got sidetracked over the busted case. Honey, I am so sorry! I know I said I’d go, but can I bail on you and take a rain check?”
“Whatever you need. I could stop by later with some takeout and sympathy, or do you want to be alone?” he asked.
“Are you serious? You're the most therapeutic thing in my life. I have to get back to the office in about an hour but I need run some errands first. Hopefully, he'll calm down before then. I love you, you know,” she said exhaustion fading the brilliant blue of her eyes.
Mick kissed her and she walked out into the sun as the seeds of an idea came together in his mind.
The D.A.’s office had become familiar territory to him over the past year, Moments after leaving the restaurant, he was winding his way through the executive offices in the District Attorney‘s office building.
Ben Talbot‘s secretary, Erin, smiled in recognition.
“Mick! Beth isn’t back yet. She is running some errands-”
“I know, Erin. We were just having lunch. I’m here to see Ben.”
Erin frowned and dropped her voice. “This may not be the best time for a social call. If he snaps at you, don’t take it personally.”
“I won't. I heard about the case that was tossed out. This should only take a few minutes. Does he get like this often?”
“Just once or twice a year. Don't misunderstand me--most of the time, Ben Talbot is a total sweetheart but when he gets like this, we know to walk a wide circle around him for an hour or two. It blows over pretty fast and then he feels guilty for days. I've worked for lots worse.” she changed the subject to a more pleasant topic. “You and Beth have plans for Christmas?”
“Actually, that’s why I’m here. I’d like to surprise Beth with trip. You and Bobby headed for your folks again?”
“Oh, yeah. My family does the whole Norman Rockwell Christmas thing and I wouldn‘t miss it. I want my son to have those kind of Christmas memories, too.” she eyed Ben’s closed door. “you know--now that I think about it, you couldn't ask at a better time. This is when the guilt kicks in.” Her lips turned up in a conspiratorial grin.
“Exactly my plan! Wish me luck.”
“Good luck," whispered Erin, touching a button on her intercom and announcing Mick.
Ben sat behind his desk looking dejected, but not angry. “If the tar pits are in my immediate future for yelling at Beth, it'd fit right in with my day.”
“Nah, I’m not here to dispense vampire justice. Heard that your case. Sorry.”
“Thanks.” Ben said. “It's all a part of the job, but it hurts mainly because I know that lives will be lost because of what went down today. What can I do for you, Mick?”
“I want to take Beth away for a Christmas holiday. She doesn’t know about the plan yet and I wanted to get some details ironed out before I talk to her. Could she take off from after work on December twenty third and the week after Christmas if I promise to have her back by Monday, January third?”
“After the way I yelled at her, I couldn’t say no but your request actually comes at good time. The case she is working on is in a holding pattern and I don’t expect any action until late January. Go--and I hope you two have fun. “
“Do you have any idea why the judge rejected your case?”
Ben nodded. “A key piece of evidence was mishandled by the cops collecting it. I don’t blame them, they were short staffed and working double shifts to cover during the flu outbreak. They feel bad enough as it is.“ Ben grinned ruefully. “Maybe I should go somewhere for the holidays. Think Kostan would put me up in a cabin somewhere--not near La Brea?“
“Worth a shot. We do owe you a few favors--and now one more. Thanks, Ben.”
“My pleasure. Happy holidays, Mick.”
One down.
Mick walked past security at the Kostan Industries building with a nod, past the screeners to the restricted elevators in the back of the lobby and up to the private offices. On the top floor, Josef’s assistant smiled, texted her boss, and waved Mick through. He settled into a leather chair across from Josef’s desk that he had not seen before, waiting as his friend completed a call. Sometimes it felt like Josef spent way too much time on the telephone.
“New furniture?” he asked, “very nice.”
“Obviously. Lucky had mentioned how uncomfortable they are, and I gave her the standard spiel about not wanting my visitors to be comfortable but she brought up a good point--that the chairs should represent my ability to make a guest comfortable. So I decided to make some changes.“
“You could always put the comfortable chairs in your assistants area as visitors have to sit there be fore they get in here, that way the visitor knows your ability to provide comfortable seating. They come in here, and they are uncomfortable, as clearly you like to keep people uncomfortable.”
“Good thought.” Josef said. “Except that would mean that my friends would be stuck with the uncomfortable stuff--and don‘t say that my friends are used to it. Why are you here?”
“Beth and I will not be at the reception tonight. Something has come up and we can’t make it.”
“Beth doesn’t have the flu, does she? Half this town has the flu. Simone and I were going to spent Christmas together but now she has the flu. I wonder if Lucky would go...”
“Josef, don’t you think you could find a way to be a little more sympathetic and supportive of Simone? She didn’t plan to bet the flu. ”
Josef Kostan shuttered, for effect. “Have you been around many humans with the flu? Nasty business. In my day, people died from the flu. Now, it is less often fatal but just as nasty.”
"Medicine has made advances. She is going to be fine in a few days. You don't have to worry."
"Who said anything about being worried? I said it was nasty--all that coughing, sneezing, dripping to say nothing of other inappropriate bodily fluids."
Should have known. Mick was surprised Simone still loved him. “I once had the flu when I was human, and I guarantee it is no fun. I could have died.”
“Thankfully, that was before we met,” said Josef. “Simone called me and said that I should just stay away and she would call me when she was feeling better. She does not want to make me uncomfortable.”
“Maybe you should be willing to make yourself a little uncomfortable if it means making someone you care about feel better. Besides, since when do you celebrate Christmas?”
“I celebrate lots of things. Like not being able to catch the flu. There must be something else. You could have un- R.S.V.P.’d by phone?"
“I want to take Beth away for a nice Christmas holiday and remembered the cabin you have just south of the Oregon state line. You offered it to me several times in the past but I didn’t any reason to take you up on it. Now I do. Beth needs this trip--she’s tired, stressed, and would enjoy it.”
“That's where Simone and I were going to spend Christmas. I suppose it would be a bit depressing to go there now…so, yeah--you can have it though the first week in January. It was going to be stocked with caviar, champaigne and my preferred blood types, but send me a list and I will restock it for the morgue blood and pizza set.“
“Great.” Mick started to go, then turned back. “I talked to Ben Talbot at the D.A.’s office about an hour ago. He is really upset about one of his cases being thrown out of court. I was wondering if you could send him on a holiday cruise or something. After all, he has helped us out on numerous occasions and you talk about how we take care of our friends.”
“What is this--the Mick St. John human benevolence foundation? All right, all right. I’ll look into it,” Josef agreed, “actually, I have a lovely beach house in the Bahamas, maybe Lucky would like the tropics...”
“Thanks, Josef,” Mick vacated the comfortable chair and strolled out of the office, smiling.
Two down, with a bonus, and there was time for a few hours in the freezer before he would see Beth tonight.
About an hour later, Beth received a call in her office. When she saw the name on Caller ID, she was shocked.
“Hello?”
“Buzzwire, don’t talk, just listen. Your boss has been very helpful to the Community and we take care of our friends, but I am going to need your help here. I want you to find some reason to be in Ben Talbot’s office in about twenty minutes. A courier is on the way over to notify him that he has won a luxury holiday cruise to the destination of his choice as part of a sweepstakes. Ben will probably say that he hasn’t entered any and that is when you say that you entered for him about a year ago when you were at that conference in Reno.”
“Um. Sure. That is very generous of you.” said Beth, sounding more than slightly surprised.
“Yeah. I’m a real humanitarian. You are not allowed to say one word about this, Buzzwire. I have a reputation to maintain.”
“My lips are sealed. I talked to Simone this morning. She's--”
“I know. Flu. You have fun, Blondie.”
Beth hung up the telephone wondering what Simone having flu had to do with her having fun. Vampires. She shifted through her desk for something to discuss with Talbot, walked down the hall to his office and knocked.
“Come in.” She opened the door and entered.
“Beth. I’m really sorry for dumping on you earlier. It wasn’t fair.”
“It’s OK, Ben. I’m a big girl. Can I talk to you about--”
Before she could specify what she wanted to discuss, Erin ushered the courier into Ben’s office where he delivered the news about the contest and the next few minutes played out as Josef expected. The courier left a few minutes later to make arrangements for a ten day cruise to Hawaii over Christmas.
Once the courier and Erin were gone and Beth was alone in her bosses office, a stunned Ben Talbot told her that he knew that Josef Kostan was behind it all and to tell Mick ‘thank you.’
Beth agreed, and left.
Hours later in her apartment, Beth answered the knock on her door and took the two bags of takeout from Mick, who followed her into the kitchen.
“Ben wanted me to relay his thanks for you getting Josef to send him on that trip over Christmas.”
“I just told him that Ben was having a hard time, that getting away might make him feel better, and reminded him how valuable Talbot has been this year.”
“Santa has nothing on you,” Beth smiled. “Was this after he yelled at me? Ben Talbot gets a cruise to Hawaii and I get nothing. Not feeling the love."'
“Can I borrow a glass? I brought my own dinner.”
“Sure. But I’ve got AO negative, fresh from the vein.” she smiled and held up a wrist, then walked into her bedroom to change into sweats.
Mick went to the door of her bedroom and said softly--but loudly enough to be heard in the next room “Beth! Quiet! Someone will hear!”
Beth walked out in sweats. “Relax. The occupants of the apartments on either side of me and across the hall are all gone for the holidays. We can make as much noise as we like. As long as Josef is giving away Christmas trips, think you could score a couple of tickets for us? I’ve never been to Hawaii.”
“Actually, vampires and tropics don’t generally mix well, but if you have your heart set on it, I’ll see what I can do.”
“No, Mick--I understand. If you wouldn't enjoy it, it wouldn't be much fun for me. If we ever take a trip, I want to go somewhere you'd enjoy.”
And that is anywhere you are, he thought.
Beth poured the blood from the a packet he brought into a wine glass and he filled a matching glass with wine for her as she took a plate down from the cupboard and dished up a helping of steaming Thai pineapple chicken and rice.
“Have any got plans for Christmas?“ he asked, sitting down at the table.
She carried her plate in and sat down opposite him.
“Not at the moment. There is this guy that I like but he hasn’t said anything about it yet. I was hoping he would, but we are getting down to the wire.” She looked at Mick meaningfully before continuing. “You have got to have the worst poker face on the planet. Are we planning on doing anything for Christmas? Dinner? Meet up at the morgue?”
“Oh. Well, yes. Josef has this resort cabin just south of the Oregon state line. How about we drive up for a couple of weeks?"
“What?!” Beth was surprised. “And I just said I wanted to go to Hawaii. Of course I want to spend Christmas with you. When do we leave? How long will we be gone? I need to make arrangements with work-”
“Already taken care of. Josef owns the cabin and has offered to let me use it before, but I never wanted to before now. When Ben Talbot was yelling at you, I decided it was time to stop declining use of it. I talked to Ben about the leave while he was still feeling guilty, and you are off from work for about two weeks. The cabin will be stocked and ready for us by the evening of the twenty third.”
“Simone told me that she and Josef were going to spend Christmas in some cabin-”
“Same one. I didn’t know about Josef’s plans with Simone or that they had fallen through when I asked about the cabin. Generally, it takes over a week to get the cabin ready but that has all been taken care of.”
“Well, I’m sorry to be benefiting from Simone’s flu and their plans being ruined, but it sounds amazing. I hope there is a big tree. I love a big Christmas tree.“
“There is no tree right now but there will be soon. You have some ornaments? When I was a child, we used to all work on trimming the tree.”
“In my family, too. So that is what we will do! Do you have any work to wrap up before we go?”
“A couple of reports to deliver and that's it. When does Ben leave?”
“The twenty first.”
“You are off from after work on December twenty third and we will come back on Sunday night, January second.”
“How long will it take us to drive up?”
“About five hours. We could always go Kostan Air?”
“Let’s not push it. I think Josef is near his altruistic limit.”
“I agree. You should have seen his face. I think it messes with his self image to have people know he does nice things for people, too.”
“He is a sweetie from time to time but will never hear it from me.”
“That is probably a good idea. Beth, there is something I have been wanting to say to you about Chateau Laurent.”
“Do you like it? I hear it is one of the oldest, most famous restaurants in L.A.”
“It is. It's vampire friendly and was Coraline’s favorite. I understand that you like it and you can go there with your friends, but I would rather…not. Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” said Beth as she mentally crossed the elegant establishment off her list of acceptable restaurants. “I wish you'd said something sooner.”
Late in the afternoon of the twenty third, Mick picked her up at her apartment and they began the drive to the cabin, making surprisingly good time after leaving the congested L.A. freeways.
“It’s amazing how little has changed in the last eighty years,” Mick said. “I know it's getting dark, but look to the north and eventually you'll see Mount Shasta. It still looks the same as when I was a teenager. Dad took me up there with Ray and his dad and taught us to ski. There is a little more smog now.”
“A little more smog? Nobody had coined the word back then.” then she grew quiet, thoughtful. “It looks cold, indistinct and unchanging. I guess some things last longer than vampires.”
Mick didn’t answer.
While still seventy miles from their destination, they encountered the first flakes.
Beth let out a whoop of pure delight and started singing, ‘Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, but at long as you love me sooo, let it snow let it snow let it snooow,”
And Mick St. John learned something about the lovely, talented and fearless reporter he had watched over for decades that he hadn’t known before. Beth Turner was tone deaf. The look he gave her from across the front seat of the car caused her eyes to narrow.
“Not one word,” she warned. Wisely, he turned his attention to the road and complied.
Thankfully, the vocal concert lasted only a couple of miles.
“I’d love to hear you sing something,” she said. “You have such a beautiful speaking voice, I’ll bet that your singing voice is fantastic. You told me why you gave it up.”
He chuckled. “A combination of factors, actually. Coraline said that it was too high profile for a vampire, and at first, I deferred to Coraline in everything. Still, if that had been the only reason, I would have gone back to it somehow, even if I couldn’t perform any more. When you play the guitar, and that was one of my favorite instruments, you develop thickened skin pads on your fingers from the strings but after I was turned, those pads went away. Every time I played for any length of time, I cut my fingers open and got blood all over the neck and strings of my instrument. Of course I healed immediately, but it was messy. While it wasn‘t a game changer, in and of itself, my hearing also became much more sensitive and the instruments sounded…different--harsh and mechanical. The sum total of all the little things was that I decided not to pursue any of it.”
“Sad. Your mode of creative expression was a huge part of your life, of your identity. The fact that it was so important tells me you need a creative outlet. Didn’t you ever replace it with anything?”
“Yeah. Being a vampire without being a monster requires creativity.” he said with a lopsided grin. “Tell me a Christmas tradition from the Turner household.”
“When I was little, we spent Christmas with my Grandparents. Grandma made taffy the week before Christmas and we would pull taffy and eat it until we were all almost sick. She made enough to give away as gifts and it had time to dry and season a little before Christmas Eve. Now you, tell me a Christmas tradition from the St. John household.”
“Well, my mom would made hot chocolate with real cream and cinnamon. It is amazing that my arteries didn’t clog before I was Turned.”
“Sounds delicious. I love cinnamon.”
“You’re up.”
“Oh. OK. We did the stocking thing. Mom would get these huge stockings and hang them up on the hearth. We went to church on Christmas Eve and when we got back, after dinner, we were allowed to take down one stocking and also open one big gift from under the tree.“
“Were you Catholic?” he asked.
“Nope. Presbyterian. You?”
“Catholic. We would go to midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. We had dinner, trimmed the tree and opened one present before Mass. When we got back, we all just went to bed.”
“That was five traditions right there, but I think we will only count two--not trimming the tree before Christmas Eve and opening one present. So, I get two turns now. My Granddad was an amazing man in many ways. He used to have some hunting career we haven’t entirely figured out, but he had a Christmas tradition of having the family sit in a circle and, one by one, each person taking a turn and telling about the good things that they had found during the past year. Mom kept it up after he and Grandma passed away. I still do it.”
“That’s only one.”
“Well, I don’t know if this counts, but on Christmas day, after we were done with the Turkey, we would use the leftovers to make other stuff.”
‘That doesn’t count. Everybody recycles the leftovers. You have to do better than that.”
“Ah, but we ground it up and made chili.”
“Turkey chili? Turkey chili?? No wonder you’re tone deaf…”
As they neared their destination, the temperature continued to drop until Beth fished a blanket out of the back seat, wrapped up in it, shivering. Mick made a mental note to have a heater installed in the Mercedes when they got back.
They arrived at the cabin an hour later.
Beth expected a cozy, small cabin but it was a three story structure and a large garage and realized that this was Josef Kostan‘s definition of rustic.
Mick got out, pulled her out of the car and up the stairs.
“What about the bags?” she asked.
“I’ll get them later. First priority is to get you out of the cold and show you around.”
The interior of the cabin was lovely. Lots of glass and a huge roaring stone fireplace. It was warm, but not uncomfortably so. He took her hand and pulled her out of the large living area with a sofa and lots of overstuffed chairs and into a large, modern kitchen, to a dining area, and the downstairs bath, then, up the stairs to the second level with four bedrooms, two with freezers, two with beds and baths attached to each. The top floor had one huge game room, with a computer, large screen TV, full entertainment center, and an incredible view of the countryside. There was a full bath and a small kitchen on that level, so there was no need to go downstairs.
“Is that a balcony out there?” Beth asked noticing the sliding doors.
“Yes. I can spend some time out there, but I wouldn’t recommend it for you.”
“Mick this is unbelievable.”
“I hope that means ‘good’ unbelievable.”
“Definitely. If you will bring in the luggage, I will see if I can find the hidden fridge and pour you some A positive and fix myself something to eat. I am starved.”
Mick nodded. “There is a door in the kitchen that leads into the garage. I will be coming through that door in a few minutes.”
“Thank you, Sweetheart.” Beth said, her eyes shining. She kissed him slowly, the kiss had promise of things to come.
“Hold that thought.” Mick grinned and trotted out the front door to move the car. A few minutes later, he came through the kitchen door carrying Beth’s three suitcases and a garment bag.
“Want these in your room?” he asked.
“I was thinking in terms of ‘our room’ but then, I wasn’t expecting the such a huge cabin. Either one is fine, Honey.”
“There is a room filled with ski equipment--all in our sizes, I might add. I plan to put in some time on the slopes.” Mick said, after stowing her luggage and retrieving his own.
“I may join you out there on the slopes, but I don’t ski often.”
“Then I’d recommend you stay inside. I heal, and I know this mountain pretty well but it can be brutal for an inexperienced skier.”
“If you say so. I broke my leg skiing when I was fifteen and I don’t want to repeat the experience.”
“I remember. I have never seen a more inept mountain rescue in my life. I almost marched in there and took over.”
“My hero,” Beth said, scrunching her nose. “Suddenly this seems weird.”
“Story of my life.” he sighed
“Let me put my coat back on. I want to see the garage and the ski equipment.”
It was nearly one when they got upstairs to the bedroom.
“Do you need some freezer time?” Beth, asked softly, running a finger down the side of his face, barely touching the skin, setting off a wave of sensations. She had practiced this little gesture over the last few months and watched him practically shiver.
“Yes,” he moaned. “I hate it, but I have been on my feet for 24 hours and I do.”
“All right, then we have two choices. One--I give you a kiss and we pick this up tomorrow or, Two--I give you something to dream about while you are in the freezer.”
I’m a dead man, Mick thought, and being a vampire had nothing to do with it. “I’m thinking I can last a while longer.”
Two hours later, Mick lay in bed with Beth sleeping in his arms.
“Sweetheart?” he said softly. “Beth?”
She opened her eyes and yawned. “Hi, there,” she said huskily.
“I need to spend some time in the freezer,” he said, regret written on his face. He touched his forehead to hers, “I didn’t want to leave without telling you that I was going and why.”
Beth sighed, got up, pulled her robe on and held out one hand. He pulled on his pajama bottoms, took her hand and she pulled him into the freezer room.
She opened the freezer and he got in.
“I know I said that I understood, but I need you to explain it to me why do you have to sleep in a freezer?”
“All right,” he agreed. “I will tell you all I know about it. Would later be okay?”
Beth kissed him, “Sweet dreams, Sweetheart. I miss you already.“
“You get some sleep, too. I will be up in a few hours. Love you.“
She closed the lid, smiled down at her love as he closed his eyes. She watched the lines of his face smooth out as he slipped easily into sleep.
She walked quietly from the freezer room and went back to bed, but now it felt cold and empty.
Sunlight was pouring in through the heavy drapes when she awoke, but the house was silent. Getting up, she wandered through the silent cabin. She got dressed and fixed herself breakfast. Mick was still in the freezer so she decided to do some exploring on her own. She opened cabinets, searched out rooms and discovered a basement that Mick had not told her about. It was as large as the house and garage combined and there was more equipment stored down there. She spent the morning snooping every nook and cranny, then returned to the kitchen for lunch. She opened the doors of each bedroom quietly and found that one of the freezers had the outline of a form within it. Good. He has been pushing himself too hard and needs rest. After a lunch of fresh pasta salad and cold chicken, she dressed warmly and walked around the outside of the cabin. Momentarily tempted by the ski equipment, she remembered Mick’s warning and decided to take his advice. Besides, skiing an unfamiliar course without your guardian angel is just dumb.
She went back inside after a couple of hours and heard the shower running upstairs.
Mick was up! She pulled off her cap, parka and gloves and ran up the stairs. When he opened the shower door, Beth was standing there, her eyes sparkling and her nose and lips reddened from the cold.
“Afternoon, Sleepyhead! Had some A positive yet?” She kissed him playfully.
“No, I just woke up. You could give a guy a little privacy,” he suggested.
“Fine.” she said. “I'll pour some blood. The hidden fridge is full of bottles. Josef probably will keep you supplied with the good stuff while you are here. When you're decent, come down.”
She left Mick wondering why he waited so long to do this.
She was waiting for him in the kitchen when he came down a few minutes later.
“So, what have you been up to for the last…ten hours?? I must have been more tired than I thought.”
“Poor Baby.” she sympathized. “Well, I slept for about four hours after you went to the freezer and I was up early and checking everything out. I amused myself without getting into trouble.”
“So, how do you like it?”
“The cabin or our trip so far?”
“Both.”
“The cabin is amazing. I get the feeling that I haven’t scratched the surface about this place yet.”
“And our holiday?”
“It’s amazing, and I don’t think we have scratched the surface there either.”
“Good answer,” he said. “I’ve got an idea. Let’s go into town tonight.”
“Town? There’s a town?”
“There is a small town and a large resort. We could go dancing and they have a live show.”
“It’s a date,” she said, pleased with the idea of a date and especially with the idea that she and Mick would come home together afterward.
They started out a few hours later. Mick gazed at the pewter clouds hanging low in the late afternoon sky. “There is a lot of snow in those clouds,” he remarked. I saw a lot of clouds like those in the Ardennes. I hope we don’t get snowed in at that resort.”
“Well, if we do, I’ve got your AO negative right here.” She raised a wrist and wiggled it. “I’ve never been ‘snowed in’ before--sounds kind of exciting.”
“Yeah, well. The cold won’t hurt me, but there are a lot of humans around for whom the ordeal would not be so pleasant.”
“I should have checked the weather. You think we should go back to the cabin?” Beth asked worriedly. She had little experience with harsh winter weather.
“No,” Mick said, venturing another glance at the clouds.
The lodge was about seven miles away but it was nearly an hour when they arrived and parked the Mercedes. Mick’s arm around Beth kept her from being blown over as they walked into the lodge.
Once inside the door, they were greeted by a middle aged woman with a warm smile and sparkling green eyes.
“Welcome to the Chesterton Lodge. I’m Dora Chesterton. You folks are certainly brave to come out on a night like tonight. We generally see some folks from the surrounding area, but you are the only people here that aren’t our guests.”
“Mrs. Chesterton, I’m Beth Turner and this is Mick St. John. We are staying at a cabin a few miles away for the holiday.” She brushed some snow off Mick’s hair gently and he dusted the snow from her head.
“Well, come on, let’s get your coats checked in so you can warm up!”
A few minutes later, she lead them into the main hall, where there was a huge Christmas tree on one side and a stage with a few pieces of a jazz band milling around. There were a few other couples already seated but most of the tables were empty.
“Where do you want to sit?” Mick smiled.
“How about over there?” Beth walked to a table beside the dance floor with a good view of the stage.
“Beth Turner and Mick St. John?” a man in a tuxedo with a smile that matched Dora Chesterson’s walked up to them smiling. “I’m Wilfred Chesterton. You met Dora?”
“We did.” Mick reached out to shake his hand. “She told us the crowd will be light tonight.”
“More like nonexistent. This sounds too much like a movie plot to be believed, but the storm is even keeping some of our staff from getting in and our piano player will not be here either. Our chef is in place and has a wonderful dinner prepared. Hope you’re hungry.”
“Mick has medical issues and is on a strict medical diet and we have already taken care of that. I on the other hand, am famished.”
“Well, son--I’m sorry to hear that. If you change your mind, our chef is very flexible and can do some amazing things.”
“I’ll fine, thank you Mr. Chesterton,” Mick grinned.
“Will. We are Will and Dora and you re Mick and Beth. We're casual around here. Where are you folks from?”
“L.A. originally,” answered Mick easily, and Beth took her cue from him. He could read people far better than she and he saw no reason to be distrustful of these people. “We are staying at a cabin about seven miles to the south.”
“I do, although you are the first people to come to see us from there.”
“Yes, well. The owner is a bit of an eccentric recluse. He keeps to himself.”
“Some hedge fund trader from L.A., I heard. Glad you made your way over and I hope you do so again when we are more up to speed. I‘m afraid we may be doing karaoke or amateur night unless something turns up. Either of you a famous entertainer hiding from the press or just an amateur who sings or plays an instrument?”
“Mick’s a private investigator and I work for the D.A.‘s office,” said Beth.
“You look familiar, ” frowned Will.
Mick grinner and said in a stage whisper, “Please don’t ask her to sing. I love her with every fiber of my being, but she can’t carry a tune in a bucket.” and was rewarded with a playful slap on his arm from Beth.
“I used to be an internet reporter. You may have seen me in one of my reports but Mick was a musician in college,” she said smiling. “I hear he met a lot of girls that way.”
“Uh, it's been a long time-”
“Nonsense,” said Will. “We’ll talk later.” and their host walked over to the jazz ensemble.
“Don’t put me on the spot like that-” he whispered tightly after their hosts stepped out of earshot.
“Oh, relax,” she said. “You'll be fine. Even if they ask me to play the piano, I can do that. I can hear the correct notes, I just can't vocally produce them. I’m sure the don’t expect much.”
Mick remembered the way Beth played the piano. They won't get much. Wisely, he said nothing. But Beth turned and looked at him, her eyes narrowed, as though she read the thought.
Now that's scarey, he thought.
After dinner, the band started and Will announced that the snow may result in everyone present being snowed in for the night. He also announced that the entertainment for the evening was going to be self created and various members of the band played pieces, the woman who checked their coats sang a couple of old classics, Dora and Will sang a duet of, ‘Baby, it’s Cold Outside’ and Beth played a piece on the piano that contained several notes that weren't on the sheet music she used to learn it. At one point, Mick walked to the piano and took over from her, and he started playing--beautifully. After several songs, he took a break and a member of the band brought him a book of piano music and asked if he‘d like to try to play with them. No pressure, but it may salvage the night. Mick agreed and Beth watched with astonishment and growing delight as a side of Mick long submerged came to the surface. Two hours later, Mick switched instruments to play the drums when the band member who was filling in on them just couldn’t get it right. He provided a comic backup for Will’s announcements and even sang a couple of songs. His voice was smoky velvet, rich and deep--even better than Beth had imagined.
The Chesterton’s were clearly thrilled when the threatened snow event did not materialize in spite of the forecasts.
After the evening was completed, Mick and Beth drove back to their cabin under a clear, starry sky.
“You had fun,” Beth observed.
“Yeah,” Mick agreed. “I really did. You know that explanation I gave you before, about not being able to hear music the same after I was turned? That was true. It sounded different, but I would have adjusted to that. If the only other obstacle had been cutting open my fingertips, I could have found a way around that, but there were a couple of things I couldn't get past. Coraline told me that my music was too high profile, but I would have kept it up if only for myself, but when a person is Turned they lose their creativity for a while. It doesn't only happen to musicians but any form of creative expression. Josef told me that it's temporary, and that after about fifty years or so it would start to come back. He advised me to step away from it for a while, and I have. I don't have it all back, but the limits are not what they were after I became a vampire. I won't be forming a band any time soon, but I can bring my guitar out of storage and try playing a few chords. It's hard to explain to someone who isn't a performer, but the energy you draw from a crowd is…almost addictive.”
“It is a part of you I never knew existed. Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"
"I honestly don't know. I guess misdirection becomes a habit after a while."
"Can I listen when you play the guitar?"
"I think I would rather find out where I am in private. If I'm going to screw up, I'd rather do it in private."
"Okay, but I want a private concert."
"My pleasure,” he said. “You seemed to be getting on well with Kyle from the band. Should I be jealous?” Mick eyed her sideways from across the car.
“As if." Beth said, " I love that you are. As I’ve said before, your jealousy makes me feel desirable. Kyle is a nice guy. I met him a couple of years ago at a concert. His last name is Chesterson. Will and Dora are his parents. Think we can go back to the lodge again before we go home to L.A.?”
“Absolutely. But only next time we watch the floor show, not be the floor show,” said Mick. “And if this is the first time you have felt desirable on this trip, I’ve been doing something wrong.”
Beth smiled broadly, “I’m fine, thanks for asking--you are doing everything perfectly.” she eyed the headlights illuminating the snow covered road and the ice covered trees at the side of the road. “It may be a good idea not to tell Josef about the performance, though. He worries.”
The ride back to the cabin took less than half the time of the drive through the blizzard and they were in bed by one a.m. again. Beth lay in his arms, silent for some time..
“Baby?” she said softly, breaking the silence..
“Mmmm?” he rumbled softly, into her hair.
“I’m sorry.”
“What for?” he could feel her sadness, her concern wrapping him in comfort. It was a precious thing.
“You love music and performance and can’t have it now.” she explained. “It was different when you thought you had lost the ability to do it but tonight, you learned tha tit was coming back, just as Josef said it would and it's hurting you that you have to give it up again.”
“Am I that transparent?” he asked.
She lifted her head from his chest and gazed into his eyes, “Only to me.”
She laid her head on his chest again. “I can’t entirely blame Josef for being concerned about secrecy. People can be monsters about things they don‘t understand. Maybe it will just have to wait until later. The future is a lot longer for you than it is for me. Things change. It may take a long time, but you will find a way around it.”
He pressed a kiss onto the top of her head and wrapped his arms more closely around her, for the first time considering what he once thought unthinkable.
“Now, I think anything could happen.”
Hours later, he listened to the blood surging in her veins, the steady beat of her heart, her slow breathing and all the other sounds that made up the symphony that was his Beth. There was no sweeter music in the universe than that and he cherished each and every note. As she slept in his arms, he thought of when he had carried her back to her mother after rescuing the terrified child. That had been a pivotal moment in his life. Somehow, Beth had managed to be on hand for a lot of pivotal moments. There had been several here.
Beth opened her eyes to see him regarding her from a few inches away.
“Good morning, Sunshine,” he smiled softly.
At first, she looked puzzled, they here eyes widened and a smile of pure delight lit up her face.
“You stayed!” she said, her voice filled with wonder and delight, that vanished immediately. “Oops. Sorry.” she covered her mouth with her hand. “Morning breath.”
He chuckled. “You do not have any such thing. Merry Christmas, Beth.”
“Merry Christmas!” she said, “you stayed. How could you do that?” She got up and walked to the bath, giving him ample opportunity to enjoy the sight of her walking away.
“I had plenty of sleep the day before, so reserves keep me going longer. Besides, after the show at the lodge, I was wired. You didn’t notice?”
She stuck her head in, and now she was wearing the blue bathrobe with her electric toothbrush in her mouth.
“Oh, I noticed all right, and I dejoyed it. I just thought that you couldn’t sleep in a bed like a regular person.”
“You know I can--sometimes, but it doesn’t happen often. Usually, I need the freezer to relax. Did you ever wonder why I don’t age and why I heal so fast?
“Of course, but I thought you would eventually tell me if you wanted me to know.”
His eyes narrowed. “Not buying it. Who are you and what did you do with Beth Turner.” He smiled. “You want to know something, you're relentless.”
“All right, all right--I thought I'd worm it out of you eventually but should bide my time. You vampires are a very secretive, paranoid crew.”
“True, but I am not like Josef.”
“Agreed--and no offense to Josef but I wouldn't be here if you were,” she said and then frowned. “For that matter, if you were like Josef Kostan, I probably wouldn't be alive now.” she shuddered. “So, back to the healing and not aging--”
“Right. Well, it turns out that my cells divide very, very quickly now. My DNA has been essentially rewritten, and that means that some systems of my body work very differently now when others are still pretty unchanged, I still look as I did when I was turned, my voice sounds the same, I still perceive the universe in much the same way but my senses are heightened, I‘m stronger and faster-”
“Allergic to sunlight and silver.”
“Blood-”
“Blood?” Beth frowned. “You’re not allergic to blood.”
“No, not allergic to it. I need some. You need to shower, get dressed and get something to eat, too. How about we meet downstairs in a few minutes.”
Beth was looking at him with one eyebrow raised, “I know a distraction when I hear one. Not going to work. You do your thing, I'll do mine and we meet downstairs. Now that we've opened this particular ‘can of worms,’ I want to hear everything.” Beth dissappeared into the bathroom and he heard the shower start.
“I’m 88 years old,” he laughed. “I don’t have time to tell you everything.”
Twenty minutes later, Beth was in the kitchen waiting for him. She was fixing her breakfast and had poured his breakfast into a glass across from her. The microwave ‘dinged’ announcing that Beth’s waffle was ready. She fetched some strawberries and butter from the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of milk.
“Thank you,” he picked up the glass of blood and took a long sip.
“So,” said Beth. “Stronger and faster, allergic to sunlight and silver-“
“Uh huh. We both produce electrical energy in our brains, but now I produce a whole lot more than you do. As a matter of fact, the individual cells within my body produce more energy,” he said.
“I’ll say,” Beth smiled, waggled her eyebrows at him and chewed a bite of her waffle.
He cleared his throat. “Beth-“
“All right, all right. I’ll be good.”
“Thank you. As I was saying, the individual cells of my body produce a lot of energy. I never found out if this energy was produced in order to fuel rapid division of my cells or if the energy was a byproduct. Anyway, my heart still beats but in a very different way than yours--it circulates the blood in my veins, though that blood is not produced in the marrow of my bones. It is produced or processed in my digestive tract and liver now. I still breath to take in oxygen and to speak, but that is not my sole source of oxygen any longer. Some of the hormones my body produces are the same ones that it produced when I was human, and some are entirely different. My bones are lighter and a lot stronger now. My body is slightly cooler to the touch than yours is, and I don’t normally radiate heat. My body temperature is much more in a state of flux than yours is and while I experience a rush of warmth when I engage in some activities, I don’t run a fever unless something is wrong. Like when I had been in the sun too long with Leni.”
“I remember,” said Beth, finishing her waffle and dabbing her lips delicately. She carried her plate, fork and his glass to the sink and proceeded to wash them up. He joined her with a kitchen tower and he dried the dishes and put them away. “This sounds like work is continuing on this front. Where is this research being done?”
“It isn’t.” he said and she sensed tension behind his words. “Back in the late eighties, genomic research was still in its infancy, most of medicine believed. But there were a few places that were already far along in the research. There was a biomedical think tank in central California. There was a brilliant researcher on the team named Lewis Sanders. He had a twin brother named Lawrence who was a teacher of astronomy until he was Turned. Some sets of twins are extraordinarily close, and we still can’t entirely explain why and how, but Lawrence couldn’t break contact with his brother, Lewis, in spite of the rules. After the initial shock wore off, Lewis started researching the ‘how’s and whys’ of our condition. Lawrence was careless and foolish and was killed, but before he died, he told his brother about me and a lot about vampire society. Lewis showed up on my doorstep a couple of weeks after Lawrence was killed, thanked me for trying to help his brother, told me what he knew, what they had been doing and said that he would never betray us. I decided that I wanted to know more about my condition so I let Lewis and his fiancée, Loren Ames, another researcher at the think tank, continue the tests using me as the guinnea pig. Unfortunately, Lawrence was had already been much more open about what was going on that is healthy, even for a vampire, and the Council found out about the research and I spent a few months in a Council dungeon, thinking I was going to be killed. Somehow, Josef got me out of there alive.”
“Lewis and Loren?” Beth asked, already knowing the answer.
He shook his head sadly. “Lewis died during questioning. After he was dead, Loren just…didn‘t care any more. I saw her for a few minutes before she was killed. She said she didn’t blame me.”
Beth crossed the distance between them and put her arms around him. “Oh, Mick She didn’t blame you because it wasn’t your fault.” When she released him and stepped back, she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Remember last night when I said that there is time, and although it may take a long time, things can still work out?”
He nodded. “Of course,”
“Well, this could be another one of those times. I would think the Council should understand that if they don’t make use of the new technology, someone else will use it against them and the results could be catastrophic for all concerned.”
“I know.” he said, “but there are a lot of very powerful vampires who have more control than they have sense.”
“Hey, it is Christmas Eve and there must be something happier for us to get involved in.”
“Absolutely! The caretakers will deliver the tree I requested this afternoon so that you can decorate it tonight.”
“No, you are not pushing this off on me, St. John. We decorate the tree together. Where are the ornaments?”
“They'll be delivered with the tree.”
“When are you going to try out the slopes?” she asked.
“Not during the day. The sun reflecting off the snow is really strong. I thought I'd try some skiing tonight.”
“OK, but please be careful. I know you heal and all that, but if you ski into a tree and a limb goes though your chest-”
“I stake myself. Ouch. Fine. I will take my cell phone and I’ll tell you the ranges I am going to ski. If worse comes to worse, you can use the GPS in my telephone to locate me.”
“I think I going to email Simone. It has been several days now since the onset of her flu. She may be feeling better but be depressed that Josef went to the Bahamas with Lucky.”
“I doubt it. Simone knows Josef and accepts him with all of his quirks. Besides, she really likes Lucky and understands their relationship. Also, Josef can be very, very generous. Think about the cruise for Ben and letting us use this cabin.”
“I'm emailing anyway. I wonder how Ben is doing on his cruise.”
“You going to call him and see?”
“Nah. I’ll hear when we get back.
It was late afternoon when the tree was delivered. Beth examined it carefully from all angles to find the perfect one, then added lights and the gold tinse. Mick went out on the terrace to watch a fresh dusting of powder that would make for some exceptional skiing later.
Beth found him there.
“Mick, come back in here. I’m freezing!”
“Oh, sure,” he stepped back inside and closed the door. “Sre you ready?”
“Yeah. You looked like you were lost in thought.”
“I guess I was. I was thinking about your Grandfather’s tradition of talking about your blessings on Christmas Eve. I think I can talk about it. Yeah. I definitely can.”
Beth smiled, “Good. Well, let’s get cracking on this.”
Over the months since they had met, Mick and Beth investigated cases together, solved mysteries together, and had started building a life together.
It felt right.
Much later, he awakened her briefly to say that he was going skiing and he would be back shortly after the sun came up. When he was dressed in the skisuit, Beth came into the bedroom where he dressed, wearing her robe, hair tousled from sleep.
“Sweetheart, have you fed yet?”
“Not yet. I will in a minute.” he answered.
“Mick, Josef says that you heal better from fresh, so I want you to feed from me.”
“The stuff that Josef has in the bottles is from his freshies. That is better than what I usually drink,” he said, but he knew she was right.
“It’s not the best.” she said. “You can drink some of that, but top it off with some from me.” She held out an arm.
He nodded and they went down to the kitchen and he downed a mug of blood, then went back upstairs. She sat down on the bed and he sat down beside her, and swept her hair away from her neck, scented the vein that he knew well and licked the skin to ready her for the bite. She didn’t feel his fangs puncture her skin. He took only a couple of ounces, then sealed the tiny wounds and tucked her into bed.
“My Beth,” he said softly, kissing her.
“Always.” she replied sleepily. “Be careful.”
Always.
The cold was wonderful. The speed exhilarating and the hours he spent on the slopes seemed to fly by. This ritual of feeding, taking just a little from Beth, then skiing for the rest of the night left him energized and pleasantly tired when he returned to the cabin.
To his surprise, when he returned to the cabin, Beth was up and waiting for him by the tree.
“Honey, what are you doing up so early?” he walked in from the garage after stowing his skiis with the rest of the equipment.
“Christmas morning, of course.”
He walked in and saw the packages.
“Who?”
“Josef, Karl, Lucky, Simone, Ben, and Carl. There presents were delivered by courier about a half hour ago. hy don‘t you go change and then we can open them.”
“Be right back,” he promised.
A few minutes later, he was back carrying a gold box he passed her and leaned in for a kiss.
“Merry Christmas, Baby,”
With a big smile, she passed a large box to him. “Let’s save ours to each other for last, okay?”
Sounds good, he sat down on the floor by the tree and fished out the closest box. “To Beth from Simone“ he read.
“Gimme.” he passed it over, Beth opened it and squealed with delight. “It‘s a Gucci purse. We were shopping two months ago and I admired it. She remembered. I got her a sweater set she liked but this cost a lot more.”
“I always heard that it was the thought that counts,” he said.
“It does,” said Beth, “but so does the price tag.”
The next present was to Mick from Lucky. It was a CD of soft jazz.”
“What did you get for Karl?” Beth asked.
“CD of music he likes. It used to cassette tapes, and eight tracks before that.”
“You are so imaginative. Not. I am choosing your gifts next year.” Beth said.
“OK,” he grinned, happily crossing that chore off his mental 'to do’ list.
The exchange of gifts continued until there were mounds of brightly colored wrapping paper and bows on the floor and the only unwrapped boxes were from each other.
“You go first,” Beth said and Mick unwrapped the box and found a leather coat very much in his style.
“Thank you, Beth. This is wonderful!“ he kissed her and she unwrapped her box. It was a three stone pendant with candlelight diamonds that matched her diamond stud earrings he had given her earlier that year.
“Oh, Mick,” she breathed. “It is beautiful. I’ve heard that it means ‘I love you yesterday, today and tomorrow.“
“Yeah, about that, I‘ve been thinking that that bottom stone is going to be way too small.”
Beth looked at him, not believing that she was hearing what she was hearing.
“Do you mean-”
“Yeah. I think I do. How do you feel about it?”
She launched herself joyfully across the space between them.
“Wait a minute,” said Beth. “Did we open anything from Josef?”
“I didn’t.” Mick said.
“Me neither.” she started going through the wrapping paper and Mick looked on his side.
Mick found a thick envelope wrapped like a present. “It says, to Mick and Beth,”
“Open it,” she smiled.
He tore off the brightly colored paper and opened the folder. “It’s the deed to this cabin and three acres of land around it, ” he read, “And says that it will continue to be managed by Kostan Industries, but that it is ours.”
“What did you get him?” Beth asked.
“A first edition of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” signed by the author.” Mick chuckled, “and I‘m glad I was out of town when he opened it. What did you get him?”
“You know those websites that will print out a cover of Time magazine with anyone’s picture as ‘man of the year’?”
“You didn’t!” Mick laughed.
“I did.”
“Good job! He'll probably have it framed and hanging on his office wall by the time we get back.”
That afternoon, they walked the property line together and explored it thoroughly. They planned to come back here at least twice a year.
Over the next few days, there was shopping in the small town and another visit to the Chesterton Lodge.
The last week of their vacation flew by, and on the evening of January second, Mick dropped Beth at her apartment, kissed her and returned to his loft. He dropped his bags down inside the door and stood for a moment, soaking in the silence. It was familiar and the silence hadn't bothered him in a very long time. Now it did. He stowed the contents of the cooler he had just picked up from Guillermo in his hidden fridge and carried his bags upstairs.
A short distance away, Beth was similarly absorbing the silence. She didn’t like it either. When her cell rang, she didn’t have to answer to know who it was.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“I miss you already and the loft is too quiet. Can you come over?”
. You paint a wonderful, Christmasy image of Mick and Beth enjoying the holiday in Josef's 'cabin', but the part I really loved was when the talked about the Christmas traditions each of them grew up with. Just a very creative way for letting each of them get to know something about the other they might not otherwise have known. 
So very special, .. making their own new holiday customs. 
The night at the resort is such a wonderful little scene... I can see it happening just that way. Beth helped him find his music again.