Mick watched as Beth slept next to him. He still couldn't believe just how close he'd come to losing her tonight. It was definitely not an experience he wanted to repeat. He knew there would come a day he'd have to say goodbye to her if she didn't want to be turned, but it was a subject he wouldn't ever bring up. That decision rested with Beth and Beth alone. Unlike him, she had a choice in the matter.

He leaned forward planting a soft kiss against her forehead then began to untangle their limbs. He stopped moving instantly feeling her stir. "I'm sorry I woke you, Beth. Go back to sleep."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to head back to my place."

"Where your freezer is. I forgot. Will I see you tonight?"

Mick smiled and nuzzled her neck with his lips. "I dare anyone to try and stop me."

"Good. Have a good rest, Mick. I love you."

"I love you too, Beth. Now, go back to sleep."

He watched her fall asleep then quietly dressed before leaving the apartment locking the door behind him with his lock pick. It didn't take him long to reach his loft since the roads were practically deserted. The smile he wore disappeared as he stepped out of the elevator. He had visitors, and from the amount of decay he smelled they were old.

Mick sighed as he entered the loft. Why was Lance here? He had both Coraline and the cure. What more did he want? "Lance, this is a surprise. I never expected to see you again. Where's Coraline?"

"She's been dealt with. Don't worry she won't be bothering you any longer, Brother. Our sire wasn't pleased with her for bringing you into the fold, but he is curious about the compound she gave you."

"I don't have any answers for him I'm afraid, and I'm not your brother," Mick replied coolly.

"Yes, I didn't figure you would, but I am curious about one thing," Lance said clearly ignoring his comment. "From my own experience with the compound, I know it should have lasted longer than a week. What happened, Mick?"

"I've been a vampire for over fifty years. After the beating I took from you, I realized being human wasn't for me anymore."

"What do you take me for, Mick? I'm not a fool and neither was my sister. How is sweet Beth?"

Mick took a step toward Lance as a growl rose up in his chest. He didn't care how old Lance was. He'd kill him if he tried to harm Beth. It was Lance's laughter and the fact he was outnumbered by three to one that stopped him from attempting to rip out the elder vampire's throat. He watched Lance closely as he moved around the loft.

"It looks like I touched a nerve. Don't worry, Mick. I have no intention of harming your mortal, but I do have a warning for you, Brother. Our bloodline is old, but it isn't the oldest in Europe."

"Get to your point, Lance." Mick was getting tired of all the cat and mouse games.

"My point Brother, is our family isn't the only one who knows about the compound. There are those who will stop at nothing to make sure the original compound remains a secret. The new formula is the only defense we have if the humans suspect we still exist. Before Coraline was executed for her crimes, she was tortured for information by the heads of all the elder families. They're known as the Council, and they know you were given the original compound.

"So what? What's the difference in the two compounds?"

"That doesn't matter right now. What does matter is the Council is coming for you, Mick. And they will kill anyone who stands in their way."

Mick frowned as he watched Lance. The last time he saw this man he was cocky. He had an air about him that screamed royalty, but the man before him was acting completely different. It made no sense to Mick why Lance would even warn him in the first place. What was his end game? What did he want?

"Why are you telling me this, Lance?"

"I've lost too much of my family, Mick. Most of my brothers are gone, and now I just lost my sister."

"And that's your own fault, Lance. You took Coraline back to them."

"I did. I was told Coraline would be punished for adding you to our bloodline. But when they learned about her giving you the original compound her fate was sealed. She didn't know there were two compounds when she took it, but she still broke our highest law. Our sire had no choice but to kill her or face repercussions from the rest of the Council."

"You know as well, Lance. I don't believe you held that back from them."

"If I had told them, they would have killed me as well."

"Why?"

"For allowing you to live. You see our law states that if any vampire takes either compound without the Council's consent they forfeit their life. I broke my own law by agreeing to Coraline's request to let you live. But I could never refuse my baby sister anything."

"I'm sorry, but I never pegged you as the sentimental type."

"There's a lot about me you don't know, Mick. Heed my warning Brother, because family is precious."

And with that Lance and his associates vanished. Mick sat down starring toward his balcony. The warning made no sense to him. He needed to speak to Josef, but it could wait until he got some freezer time. His friend might be able to shed some light on this strange visit. Warning or no warning, Mick didn't trust Lance. He rose to his feet and headed upstairs to his awaiting freezer and sleep.

The loud banging above his head was Mick's first clue that he was no longer alone. His eyes snapped open, and he lifted his head toward his intruder. Josef… "You can stop banging on my freezer, Josef. You can see I'm awake."

Josef smiled as he opened the freezer lid. "Well, you never can be sure with vampires. So, where did you go after you left the warehouse last night?"

Mick shook his head as he caught the towel Josef tossed at him. He wrapped it around his hips and climbed out of the freezer. "You had to rush over here this morning to ask me where I went?"

"My curiosity got the best of me. I had to see if my suspicions were correct. So, where'd you go?"

"And it couldn't wait until later?"

"I waited over twelve hours. You went to see Beth didn't you?"

Mick couldn't keep the smile off his face as he watched a smile grace Josef's face as well. "That's none of your business."

"Damn, it's about time, Mick. So, did you…bite down?"

"That's really none of your business, Josef." Mick cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows at his friend. "Do you mind getting out of here so I can get cleaned up? I need to talk to you about something else."

"Sure, I'll be downstairs."

Mick waited for Josef to leave before he hung the towel around his hips on the shower stall door. Ten minutes later, he descended the stairs to an empty room. He frowned as he walked into his kitchen for his breakfast of blood. Where was Josef?

"Josef?"

"I'm in your office."

He stepped inside his office after fixing himself a glass of blood. Josef was sitting in a chair facing his desk with his hands clasped together. "Are you comfortable, Josef?"

"You said you needed to talk to me."

"Yeah, but we could talk in my loft. What's your fascination with my office anyway?"

"I'm a business man, Mick. I have all of my meetings in my office. So, what's going on?"

Mick took a seat behind his desk and took a deep breath. "I had another visit from Lance last night after I got home."

"What did he want?"

"To warn me," Mick replied leaning back in his chair.

"Warn you about what?"

"He said the Council in Europe is coming after me."

"That makes no sense, Mick. I've heard about the Council. They only go after those they feel have brought too much attention to our existence. You haven't done that."

"When Coraline gave me the compound she was breaking their laws."

"Why would they care if you wanted to become human again even for a short time?"

"I don't know, and Lance didn't tell me. What he did say is there either was or still is two different compounds, and Coraline accidentally gave me some of the original compound. My detective sense is telling me there's something about the original compound the Council doesn't want getting out into the general vampire communities."

"I have no doubt you're right, but without actually going to Europe ourselves we'll never know what it is."

"I know. I don't fully trust Lance, but we need to take this warning seriously. If you notice the slightest thing out of place you need to tell me."

"I will. Did he tell you what happened to Coraline?"

"He said they tortured her before they killed her for turning me. But that's how they found out she gave me the compound."

"That's cold. Except for Lola, she was one of the oldest vampires I knew."

"I know." Mick took a drink of his breakfast as he watched Josef. In the fifty plus years he'd known him, Mick always seemed to know when he was contemplating something stupid. "What are you thinking, Josef?"

"Nothing."

"Uh huh, you forget I know you, my friend."

"No, I suddenly realized I needed to pack for my trip to London. I have a meeting there in two days."

"No, you don't, but I appreciate the gesture. The Council is coming after me not you. I want you to stay off their radar. You're the only one I trust to look after Beth if something happens to me."

"Nothing is going to happen to you. But if something does, you have my word I'll keep Beth safe."

"Thank you, Brother."

"You're welcome. Now that my curiosity is sated I have some business to attend to."

Mick smiled and nodded his head. He knew Josef would keep his word. He also knew his friend would look into Lance's warning as well. As he took another drink from his glass, his mind wandered to Beth. She had been through so much in her life. He didn't know if she could handle losing him too. He silently hoped that day would never arrive.