Copycat (PG-13) chapter 7

[francis]

Hi, dear readers, I'm early because I will be out and about all day. Here's the next slice of story.

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Josef interrupted Mick’s monologue. “Norm was a volatile character. Mick took him under his wing and showed him the ropes, taught him the rules and explained the structure of vampire society. At first, Norman reacted really well to having a foster sire. He thought he was the only vampire trying to live on morgue blood, but found he wasn’t alone. Norman spent lots of time with his substitute sire here and got a job at the morgue with Guillermo. Norm became obsessed with Mick--he dressed like Mick and wanted to become a private investigator like him. We don’t worry about this for a while in a newby as it’s a stage in vampires just like in human children--think of a little girl clumping around the house in mommy’s high heels. They grow out of it. Norm didn’t. I told Mick that once a vampire goes rogue they can’t be saved, but you know Mick – you can’t tell him anything.”

“OK. I get that we aren’t dealing with someone who reacts logically, but there is something else. What happened to make him hate Mick so much that he planned this whole operation and killed numerous people to get back at him?”

Mick sighed. “He had asked me for one last favor before he’d agree to go out on his own. I had to teach him to feed fresh. I wasn’t convinced that he could do it, but he needed to learn. He had reached a plateau of sorts--he became aware of the rules but never really internalized the reasons behind them. In preparation for his fresh feeding lesson, we covered a lot of ‘theory’ before we got to the ‘behind-the-wheel’ part. I hired an experienced freshie, Candace, and had lots of bagged blood available in case I had to get him away from her. We set a date and a time: I asked Candace to come around midnight and insisted that if I was not there, Norm was to wait, play host until I got there and during the session to listen to my voice at all times. Things went terribly wrong.

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Mick had grown used to living alone. Norm cost him lots of time--time he didn’t really have. His P.I. business was finally taking off after some high profile cases and good word-of-mouth advertising. Having to find the time somewhere, he cut back checking on Beth Turner. On the evening of Norm’s session with Candace, something had felt ‘off’ and promising Norm he would be back before Candace arrived, he drove to the Turner household.

Beth was almost 18 and a high school senior. Her grades had been excellent--so good that she had already received several letters of acceptance to college applications, including one to Harvard. Living alone with her mother after her father abandoned them and the emotional vestiges of her childhood trauma made her hesitant to leave home.

That night, when Mick pulled himself up to the higher branches of the maple tree in their small garden, he could already scent her tears before he heard her voice. What had happened that made his Beth cry like that?

He sniffed the air and peered through the dark window into her room. He didn’t smell despair, but lots of anger, and a residue of fear and shock. When the door to her room opened and the lights came on, Mick shrunk back into the foliage. Beth’s mother entered and sat down next to the bundle of misery stroking her daughter’s blond hair.

“Are you still thinking about this morning?”

Beth sniffled. “I just… I can’t stop imagining what could have been. I mean, it was really close. I could have… been dead. Or injured. Or just abused. I was so lucky that the couple came by and got what was going on. I should have known…”

“You couldn’t, Beth. He asked you out and you agreed to go--you never agreed to what he tried to force on you. He was totally wrong, and none of this is your fault.”

“If I hadn’t gone with him…”

“Beth, you’re young and a bit naïve but I don’t want you thinking you are to blame here. You aren’t. He assaulted you. It could have happened to anyone, anywhere.”

“I should have noticed that something was off. He was too…too close from the start. He wanted… ”

Her mother squeezed Beth’s shoulder. “Bethy, take this experience and learn not to trust so easily. Trust is good, but it can be misplaced. Next time you’ll know the signs. Maybe you should take some self-defense classes to help you feel comfortable again.”

“That’s a good idea, mom. I just wonder…”

“What, dear?”

“I’ve always felt so safe, even after the kidnapping. I never doubted my guardian angel would watch out for me but today he wasn’t there. Do you think he left me?”

“Beth…” her mother hesitated. “Perhaps you have imagined him. For a long time, you needed a symbol to feel safe but maybe you’ve grown out of things like that now. You know that the world can be a scary place. You do your best to be careful and accept the risks. It’s called growing up.”

Beth nodded, but her face was sad. Her mother tucked her in tenderly, turned off the light and closed the door.

Mick was in shock. He left Beth alone to take care of Norm and she could have been killed! She felt abandoned. From Mick’s perspective, she had a right to.

He felt terrible. For some time, he watched the sleeping girl through the window. Would he resume his silent vigil now, or would it be healthier to let her go? Finally, he decided that the stalking had gone on long enough. Soon she would go off to college, and make a life of her own so he resolved to let her go, thinking he wasn’t very helpful anyway.

Returning to his loft long after midnight, he found the living room a mess. The signs of what had occurred here clearly around him. Norm had tried to feed on Candice without supervision but had been unable to control himself. The petite blond freshie lay on the carpet, throat torn out and mauled almost beyond recognition.

Norm was nowhere to be found.

[allegrita]

Eeeeeeeeeee... so Norm blamed Mick for having divided loyalties? Well, he was obviously a very self-centered guy to start with. Sigh...

[Kara]

Beth got assaulted while Mick was taking care of Norm then comes home and finds Candace killed by Norm. These events are enough for Mick to redefine brooding for sure.

Wow. Thanks for the update guys.

[maggatha3]

A very unstable, self-centered vampire...I am afraid there is no hope for him, but I hope he will not take Mick down with him. I wonder if Carl is putting two and two together and if his result points to Mick...
Thank you both, Francis and Jenna

[redwinter101]

Oh no! Poor Mick - as they say, no good deed goes unpunished.

I'm surprised that after all of this, Norm has managed to elude the Cleaners (and Mick) for so long.

Red

[maggatha3]

After what Josef said about the story, it doesn't seem that Mick went after Norm or had the Cleaners go after him...would he have escaped for so long...?

Also, I wonder if Beth is feeling a tiny bit guilty already....

[MickLifeCrisis]

Wow...overload of guilt for Mick! And interesting that Norm is still around.

This was another terrific chapter, ladies!

[darkstarrising]

Great update!!

Beth's mother is a very wise woman

“Beth…” her mother hesitated. “Perhaps you have imagined him. For a long time, you needed a symbol to feel safe but maybe you’ve grown out of things like that now. You know that the world can be a scary place. You just do your best you can do to be careful and you accept the risks. It’s called growing up.”

yet she has no way of knowing that Beth's guardian angel is very real...

As for Norm, Josef is right - he's not stable and he's now really a threat not just to Mick but to everyone

[MoonMarg]

Also, I wonder if Beth is feeling a tiny bit guilty already....

I hope she is!! I'm still abit peeved about her thinking this killer could be Mick in the first place. She knows Mick is a vampire and yes, he does kill people etc - she knows all that. But to think he would delibertly lie to her about all these killings - how could she think so little of him??

[cassysj]

Oh my! Double time guilt for Mick. He is carrying a lot on those broad shoulders.

[nutmegger911]

This is really compelling. And poor Mick, guilt upon guilt, neither of which was his fault.

[jen]

I'll bet Beth is feeling both relieved and quite a bit guilty right now for doubting Mick but as long as Norman is still on the loose, nothing is resolved yet.

[jen]

At least Beth is feeling a LOT better at this point. She has her guardian angel back!

Thank you!

Jenna

[allegrita]

Oh, man... Mick feels guilty for neglecting his self-appointed job as Beth's guardian angel, and then guilty for not being there to save poor Candace. And Norm, who is the one who should be feeling guilty, is one of those self-centered sociopath types who blame other people for everything they do wrong.

Norm needs to be taken out. I just hope it's not too late to protect Mick from the frame job.