Blood Red

I watched Zephyr leap on Dario. I snapped foreword, pulling her back, pushing down into a chair.

"Calm down." I said harshly. I knew why, fuck, I knew how she felt. If someone had just outted my … attachment to Josef, I'd want to kill them as well. But this was Mick's kill. This was Mick's vengeance.

And what a vengeance it was.

Mick pounced on Dario, ripping his head back and throwing a fist into Dario's stomach, just below his ribs.

"You fucking like this? Is what you wanted? This why you killed Beth?" Mick roared. My security was looking edgy, but I just waved them off. A few of the other vampires were looking over, watching Mick with interest.

"Is it, huh?" Mick shouted.

"He can't speak with his neck bent back like that." Josef commented. Obligingly, Mick let Dario straighten up a little, compensating by digging his nails into Dario's stomach.

"Why'd you come back?" Mick asked again. Always the little detective, he was.

"T-to f-fuckin' tell you, man." Dario coughed out.

"Tell me what?" Mick dug his fingers deeper into Dario's stomach, his fingers cutting through the flesh so he was in up to his knuckles.

Dario managed a smirk, "She tasted good." He cackled. Mick let out a glass-shaking roar and clamped his mouth around Dario's neck, his fangs tearing through the muscle and flesh, the sinew coming apart like unraveling thread as Mick brought his head back, and half of Dario's neck with it. Mick spit it to the side and bit down again, completely disembodying Dario's body from his neck. His head arched backwards, hitting the floor with a thump and his body following soon after. I pursed my lips.

"Should have put them in the studio. That dry cleaning's going to cost a fortune for no-questions-asked." I whispered to Josef. He laughed quietly and looked over at me.

"You actually have the studio's?" He asked. I nodded.

"In the back, behind my office." The studio's had started out for soundproof rooms for recording vampire musicians. Since we now had our own recording studio's for that, the back studio's had been unused for at least fifty years. They'd turned, basically, into my torture studios where I brought people who owed me money, or information.

Josef grinned. "I don't think I'll know everything about you, will I?" He asked.

"You've got forever to try." I said, letting go of Zephyr's shoulder and letting her go over and comfort Mick. "Call the cleaners!" I shouted after her before turning back to Josef.

"Care to join me in my office? Free blood." I offered. Josef smirked in answer, holding out his arm for me to hold. We walked to my private office, Josef picking up a rose from a vase and giving it to me on the way. I smiled and kissed his cheek as we entered the room. I walked over to my desk, sitting on the chair as Josef paced for a second before sitting on top of the desk. Josef shook his head.

"Something about this isn't right." He said quietly. I nodded and threw my heels on to the desktop, beside Josef's thigh.

"I know what you mean. Dario isn't stupid. He must have known killing Beth was a Deathwish. And why would he come here, when he knew that I'm… close to you, and you're friends with Mick? It doesn't make sense." I said. Josef nodded.

"Maybe he knew he was going to die one way or another, and he wanted to die on his own time." Josef suggested. I shook my head.


"I used to know Dario. He and I used to blood runs together when we were feeling stressed. He's reckless, not stupid. He wouldn't have gone after Beth for no reason." Josef looked at me, startled.

"You were with Dario?" Josef asked.

"It was a fling; it only lasted a year and a half, sixty five years ago." I answered nonchalantly.

Josef pursed his lips.
"Still. Dario? He's not… of your league." Josef said carefully. I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? And who is?" I asked, leaning forward. Josef leaned foreword too, instinctively.

"Someone with… a little more class. Someone who knows how treat a woman right. Someone who's the same age as you." He said quietly. I cocked an eyebrow.

"You mean someone who's twenty years older than me?" I asked, running a finger across the two white puncture marks on his neck that were still there after all his years; as were mine. Josef grabbed my hand.

"Maybe. It would suit you better. Someone who knows how to have fun." Josef said, inching closer to me. Both our eyes shut, just as the door slammed opened. We both jerked back, looking at the door with wide eyes. Mick was standing there, Zephyr standing behind him. I growled.

"Jesus, Mick, fucking knock!" I growled, and I knew my eyes were flashing blue. Mick had the decency to look apologetic for a moment before going back to just looking angry.

"We need to go! We have to follow him!" He yelled loudly. I stood up.

"Follow who?" I asked.

"Dario's friend! He was here! He laughed and said something about the Clan or something!" Mick was pacing now, trying to get us to move faster. Josef and I exchanged worried glances. The Clan was an extremely old group of vampires. Some of the oldest.

"Mick, you do know who the Clan are, don't you?" Josef asked lowly. Mick shook his head distractedly. Even Zephyr was looking a bit lost.

"You can't go after them, Mick. You wont win. You just won't. You wont get answers, Mick. You'll just get killed. Go after Dario's friend, but don't let him lead you to them." I said. Mick growled.

"I have to, don't you get it? Dario didn't kill her for his own sake! It was them! It was because of them!" He shouted. I crossed my arms.

"Calm down." I said. Mick turned suddenly, turning and charging at me. I changed as well and knocked him in the chest, knocking him onto his back. I put my foot on his chest, glaring down at him.

"I am older then you. I am stronger than you. Don't attack me." I said harshly. Mick let out a large sigh and changed back into human form. I moved my foot and he stood up. Josef flexed his hands, stepping closer to me.

"Sorry. Sorry, Viv. I don't know what I was doing." He said. I nodded.

"No, you didn't. Which is why Zephyr and I will go after Dario's friend, and you will stay here with Josef and figure out what you know." I said. Mick looked up at me, his eyes wide and baleful.

"But, Vivian, I need to-" He started, but I cut him off.

"You need to get your wits together and cool off. You need to sit in this office and find out what you know with Josef. We'll see you later." I said, letting go of Mick shoulder and walking out the door, herding Zephyr out on he way.