Moonlight: The Next Chapter

Chapter 5, Interlude

Intro Song: "Don't Wake Me" by Love and Theft

Sunlight is not a friend to human or vampire, not after a night of indulgence on the level that Mick and Beth had shared. Alcohol wasn't the issue, though wine had flowed freely, but rather the frequent, prolonged activities of the previous evening. Not that anyone was complaining - quite the contrary. After all that had recently happened to them, they felt that they'd earned it.

Friday night, after an admittedly frightening start, had a very late and satisfying conclusion. Teasing, tasting, touching, caressing...with an intensity neither had experienced with anyone else. Finally, sated and spent, the lovers slept in their separate accommodations in the stylish penthouse apartment - Mick in his freezer, Beth on the couch.

Beth was so exhausted that she slept much later than normal, waking at 10:30 on Saturday morning to the annoying rays of light that somehow managed to force their way through the almost closed blinds. Her irritation was amplified by the sound of persistent knocking on the reinforced front door.

Throwing back the soft brown cashmere throw covering her, Beth groggily struggled into her jeans, cursing as she tripped over one of the armchairs.

This had better be good! she thought grumpily as she yanked open the front door - and immediately regretted the action. What am I thinking? she berated herself. She and Mick, unfortunately, did not live in a world where one could open the front door without checking first to see who was there. She wasn't sure she would ever get used to that.

Fortunately for Beth, the worst consequence of her momentary lapse was having the smartly-dressed delivery man see her with a bad case of 'bed head'. Bowing slightly and smiling, the young man presented her with a small, beautifully wrapped box. "This is for you, Miss Turner, from Mr. Kostan. He requests that you open it immediately."

As he turned and walked away, Beth called out, "Wait! How do you know who I am?" The delivery man simply waved and continued on his way to the elevators.

Running her free hand absentmindedly through her tousled hair as she elbowed the front door shut, Beth inspected the package from Josef. What an enigma he was! Settling back down on the soft couch, she ripped the package open. The box contained a cell phone with a single button on the front, along with a beautifully embossed card. The front of the card contained the inscription, "Call me after you read this - Josef".

Her curiosity thoroughly aroused, Beth opened the card; her mouth dropped open as she scanned the details of an extremely large credit - in her name - at Stella McCartney's new store in L.A. She immediately dove for the phone and hit the single button.

"Well, good morning, Beth!" Josef's voice betrayed his smile. "I see you have my package."

"How did you know I'd be here?"

"Just a lucky guess, I suppose... Seriously, where else would you be? Unless Mick is disappointing you, of course. Is he disappointing you, Beth? Because there are...remedies...if he is." He was obviously enjoying himself.

"Josef, I know you'd like details, but I will leave that discussion to Mick." Beth responded primly. She smiled in spite of herself. Josef Kostan's curiosity and voyeuristic tendencies were, oddly enough, part of his charm. "Now what is this extremely generous gift for? Is my wardrobe so bad that you feel the need to give me a makeover?"

"Believe it or not, I have no ulterior motive here - despite the fact that I would love to have you on my arm in designer clothes. This is simply me expressing my thanks in some..." Josef paused for effect "...useful way. Besides, I owe Paul a few favors and he loves nothing more than to have me mix business and pleasure."