Bethalie took her time showering and washing her hair, trying to give Noah Grey time to vacate her room, only to step out of the steam filled stall to find him sitting on her sink, watching her with an easy expression on his handsome face and a gleam in his hazel eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked, peeved that she suddenly couldn't take a shower in her own house. She truly doubted that his supposed Vampire assassins would be jumping out from behind her clothes hamper to attack her!

"I'm watching you take a shower," he said plainly.

She gritted her teeth as she padded a few steps to the towel cupboard, pulling out a bath towel and wrapping it securely around herself. "Why?" she demanded, reminding herself of her promise not to stake him and throw him out with the garbage.

"Because," came the reply.

Because Vampires tended to do whatever they took in their minds to do! Who was going to stop them? Well, fine! If he wanted to watch her, he could watch her. She wanted him to see that she couldn't be intimidated by the lowly likes of a Darksider.

Bethalie took her own sweet time drying off, behaving just as she would if she was alone. Then she went about combing her hair and smearing herself with lotions and oils as per her usual routine. Yes, even a Ward had to worry about ashy knees and premature laugh lines. Once she was properly lubed up, she went out into her room and over to her wardrobe, where she dropped her towel and dressed in black jeans, a black fisherman's sweater, and her black leather boots, pulled her hair back into a pony tail and then left her loft, completely ignoring the Vampire who had been watching her every move.

Going down to the living room area, she stopped off to check on Mace Donovan, who was now up to slowly moving his arms and legs about. He kind of looked like a bug stuck on a pin. An incredibly hot bug on a pin.

She then went to Evyn's desk, where the girl was still pecking away at her computer. "What's the news?"

"The news is that Seth works graveyard tonight and Monday. His shift starts at six and ends at close. He lives at 2012 Princeton Avenue, apartment 12B. He drives a red Honda Civic, license plate 235MCB. He has five credit cards, all maxed out, a minor traffic violation ticket picked up last week on Oak Street, and his electricity bill is two weeks over due."

"That's depressing," Bethalie said, feeling sorry for poor Seth.

"It's inflation," Evyn sighed. "It's hard times all around."

"So, his life sucks and he'll be at Stoney's tonight," she said.

"Yes and yes."

"Any word from The Big Guys?" she asked hopefully.

"Not yet," was the response.

Damn. She was still stuck babysitting Mace Donovan while simultaneously playing detective.

"It could be worse, Bethalie," Evyn cajoled, seeing her expression. "You could have to be out hunting targets on top of everything else, but both your targets have been accounted for."

True. Hunting targets was a full time job. Some Darksider was always breaking the laws in one way or another. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands of Darksiders living in Port Angeles. But, there were also hundreds of thousands of humans living alongside them. That was a lot of temptation. Not just for Vampires or Demons or the occasional Werewolf that strayed out of the mountains, but even Witches and Warlocks and other fairly benign Darksiders could give in and commit offenses. A Witch or Warlock that spelled a human with, say, a love spell, essentially mind washing the human and taking away their free will, was viewed as the same kind of offender as a Vamp feeding on a human, because in essence it was the same offense. There just wasn't blood involved.

There were countless offenses that could get a Darksider put down and once the offense was confirmed, a process she had no part of, it fell to her to carry out the punishment. It did pain her to have to put down a Witch just because she'd spelled the boss into making her his vice-president, but it was wrong. Plain and simple. And the offenders knew it was wrong, which was why they always tried to run and hide. The crime might be fun, the punishment was not. But, those offenses kept her in a job...

"How'd the phone call go?" Evyn asked as Noah Grey silently appeared beside Bethalie.

Annoyance shot through her. She needed to put a bell on Noah Grey! Maybe then he couldn't be all stealthy and lecherous. It would be hard for him to be a Peeping Tom with a big old cow bell hanging from his neck! She wondered what a cow bell would do to his cool factor. Probably nothing good and that brought a smile to her face.

"It went fairly poorly," Noah answered. "My family isn't very pleased that I'm disobeying a direct command. Naturally, they wouldn't listen when I asked them to forget about trying to avenge Alexia. Even though she was killing people and needed to be put down, they're set on making someone pay."

"Are they sending people after Bethalie?" Evyn asked worriedly.

"Definitely. My father has...associates who deal with his problems." Noah turned his hazel gaze to Bethalie. "They'll find out who you are pretty quickly. I'd say they'll be here in a day or two, tops."

"How do they work? Fire power or up close and personal?" Bethalie questioned, figuring she might need to be informed.

"Usually, it's up close and personal. And they are very efficient at what they do," Noah answered. "However, once they realize that I'm helping you, they'll probably resort to fire power. Either that, or they'll simply overwhelm you with numbers."

Noah made it sound as if she should expect a full on tactical assault with snipers hiding in the trees, but most Darksiders, especially Vampires, preferred to kill the old fashioned way. It was far cooler to appear out of the shadows and snap someone's neck barehanded, with teeth gleaming and leather trench coat billowing in the wind, rather than simply pulling out a gun and shooting them from a few hundred yards away.

"You think you can keep Bethalie safe either way?" Evyn asked seriously.

"I intend to try. If she goes down, then I'll go down, too," Noah stated. "It's my fault she's in this spot. Plus, I owe her for saving my life."

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Evyn said to him.

"I'll be fine," Bethalie told Evyn in a firm tone. "It's not your job to worry about what's happening to me. It'll only drive you mad."

"I have to worry," Evyn stated, her chin once again going stiff with the threat of tears. "You've never been up against something like this before."

"Everything will be alright. I've gotten this far haven't I?" Alone, she could have added, but didn't because Evyn was upset enough. "We've been together a long time. You aren't getting rid of me that easily."

"I truly will do my best to keep Bethalie safe," Noah said to the woman. "And I happen to be very competent in this sort of situation."

"What exactly is it that you do, day to day, Mr. Grey ?" Bethalie wondered suspiciously. Well, other than behaving like a letch and trying to look cool.

"I'm the one who usually handles my father's problems," Noah answered.

"I thought he had a team for that," she said, eyeing him sharply.

"He does. When the problem is something I can't solve or refuse to deal with, he sends in his other problem solvers to take over."

Bethalie couldn't help but let out a derisive snort. "Are you saying that it takes a team of people to make up for one of you!"

"I'm saying I'm very good at my job," he told her, shrugging a broad shoulder.  "Though, as I said, my father might decide to overwhelm us with numbers, because I'm very good at my job."

Whether she believed him or not, his boast seemed to ease Evyn's concerned expression, so she didn't argue the point. "I'm going to clean out the van," she sighed, grabbing her phone from the charger on the desk before turning and making for the door of the loft. "I'll be right back up. Call me if our guest starts moving around."

Bethalie exited the apartment, hitting the elevator and turning to close the gate, only to find that she hadn't been quite fast enough. Noah was already stepping onto the elevator behind her.

Damn!

"You don't have to follow me," she gritted out. "You said it would be a day or two before they came after me."

"It will," Noah said, pulling the creaky gate closed.

Ah. So, he was just being aggravating. Lovely.

They rode down to the garage in silence and stepped out into the cavernous space, which smelled strongly of lye and burning herbs, letting her know The Mix was doing its work. It wasn't until she was a few feet out of the elevator that she was struck with a sudden sense of something...well, odd. It was something she didn't feel often enough to put a label to, but it caused her to turn and put her hands on Noah's chest, stopping him short.

"Wait. You don't have to be down here," she said, grimacing as his gaze swept past her and over toward the trough that was filled with what was left of his sister.

"It's alright," he said hoarsely, taking one of her hands in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. The small gesture sent a giant shockwave through Bethalie, but she immediately went about pretending she hadn't felt it. "I should say goodbye."

Not knowing what else to say, Bethalie pulled her hand away and turned back around, walking over to the van and leaving Noah to make his way over to the trough and the dissolving body of his sister. She actually felt...what was the word she was looking for? Guilty? Remorseful? No. It wasn't guilt or remorse. If there was a body covered in Mix, it deserved to be there. So, what was it that she was feeling? Was it...sympathy? She thought about that for a moment. Yes. She was feeling sympathy for Noah Grey.

She felt...she felt for him because he had to see what was happening to his sister. It probably wouldn't be easy for him. But, at least he was getting to say goodbye. Most families didn't have that opportunity. They simply received a brief message explaining that their relation had broken the laws and had been put down. By that time, she was usually shoveling the deceased into garbage barrels.

At the van, she peered inside, assessing the cleanup that was needed. It wasn't too bad. A little spritz with some disinfectant and a rinse with the hose and all would be well. Trying not to look at Noah, she went to the back wall and grabbed the water hose, turning on the valve and pulling it around to the back of the van. She left it long enough to go to one of the dozen or so wooden supply cupboards lined up along the walls, grabbing out a huge bottle of disinfectant before returning to get to work on the cleanup.

After rinsing out and disinfecting the van and then washing everything down the drain in the middle of the garage floor, she rolled the hose back up and then walked over to pick up the black garbage bags that contained the Vampiress' clothing. The small plastic bag of jewelry had been laid on the work table next to the gloves and other small hand tools.

She hesitated a second before picking up the bag and taking it over to Noah, who was staring down at the pile of Mix with a solemn expression. "It's her jewelry," she said quietly, dropping the bag into his large hand.

Hurrying away from him, she snatched up the garbage bags and carried them across the space to the door by the elevator. Behind the door was a small room that contained two large gas furnaces, along with all the fuse boxes and the water heater for the building. The one furnace that was always roaring, no matter the time of year, had nothing to do with heating the building. It served only one purpose.

She opened the door, the heat of the flames rushing out and hitting her in the face. The furnace burned constantly to keep it at a temperature that would destroy personal items without so much as a trace. She picked up the bags and tossed them into the flames, making sure they caught fire before shutting and fastening the door. All that was left was cleaning up The Mix and calling Waste Management.

Turning to leave the room, she found Noah leaning against the door frame, watching her with his intense eyes. She let out a breath, trying not to flinch. "What are you doing?"

"Watching you," he answered.

She wondered if Evyn would raise a stink if she staked him just one more time.

Bethalie left the furnace room, pushing past Noah and stalking back to the elevator, with him right on her heels. Aggravating Vampire! She didn't really believe that he was in her house simply to watch out for her. She actually thought he was there to settle the score for his sister by driving her nuts! What better way to off her than by tormenting her so that she was driven to the edge? That way, when the assassins came, she'd already be half gone and easy pickings.

Back in her apartment, she tried to shake her irritating shadow by going over to the sink and washing up the dishes, figuring that no self-respecting Vampire would want to be near something so mundane and uncool. But, this damned Vampire followed right behind her, rolled up his shirt sleeves a few turns further and helped rinse the dishes. He actually rinsed the dishes! What the hell!

"Bethalie, I'm going to run out and pick up some things. We'll need a little more food if we have to keep Mr. Donovan with us," Evyn said, leaving her desk with a note pad in hand. "I'll bring back some food for you, too, Noah."

"Thank you, Evyn," Noah smiled, drying his large hands on a dishtowel.

"Behave, Bethalie," Evyn shot at Bethalie on her way out the door. "I expect to see both of you alive and well when I get back!"

"Yes, Mom," she called after the girl, feeling like a chastised child.

The door closed and Bethalie had a hard time keeping herself from going for her weapons and attacking Noah Grey with a vengeance. But, she couldn't. So, she decided to ignore him and go about her business as she normally would. And on a normal Sunday she would check her weapons supply to make sure that everything was stocked and ready to go. Crossing over to her cupboard, she looked inside to check her cache of pulverized silver, as well as the boxes of dried herbs she kept on hand for an endless list of purposes.

Trying to ignore the feel of Noah's gaze on her, she poked through her cupboard, making a list of things she was running low on so Evyn could order them. Her supply of Purslane, Absinthe, Rue, and a couple of other herbs needed re-stocking, so she jotted that down on a piece of paper before moving on to the drawer that contained her reserve of Witch Balls, which weren't exactly as weird as the name implied.

A Witch Ball looked like a small Christmas tree ornament. They were palm sized and silvered on the inside, with a small hole in the top that was plugged with a tiny cork. The balls were fragile and pretty and were filled with all manner of herbal concoctions, depending on what they were needed for.

As a Ward, she used them mainly as a weapon against the magick of Witches and Warlocks, but there were some other sorts that could conjure, too. A Witch Ball filled with pulverized silver and a few specific herbs could be used to instantly negate—temporarily—a Witch or Warlock's magick. Tossing the ball at them, it would explode on contact and the resulting cloud of Mix would enter the body through the airways and wham, their ability to conjure was canceled out, giving her a chance to get close enough to do what needed to be done.

Most magickal Darksiders weren't terribly powerful. They could all spell, of course, which was a whole involved process and didn't happen instantaneously, unlike the way magick was portrayed in the movies. However, there were exceptions to the rule and some magickal Darksiders were powerful enough to eviscerate a foe with just a little concentration. Thus, the need for Witch Balls.

Of course, they worked on a number of Demons, too. The right Mix could stun certain breeds or drop them right to the ground, which came in handy when a Ward was being charged by a two hundred fifty pound, pissed off Nargle Demon.

Her Witch Balls were all spaced out in wooden bins that were carefully labeled according to the herbs that were used in them, which was a necessary step because hitting a charging Demon with a ball filled with the wrong herbs could get a Ward killed rather swiftly. She also checked her supply of silver bullets, making sure she had plenty in stock. Not that a normal bullet straight to the forehead wouldn't kill most anything, but why chance it?

Everything was gone through, right down to her supply of Ash Tree stakes hanging from their leather straps and the velvet pouches she used to carry her pulverized silver powder in. With her list complete, she placed it on Evyn's desk. Evyn would order everything she needed and it would all arrive at her door within a couple of days.

"Bethalie?" Noah's voice from behind her sounded out.

"What!" she snapped, whirling around to face him. She was getting mighty tired of him hovering over her!

Wordlessly, Noah lifted a hand, hitching his thumb over his shoulder.

Bethalie let her gaze slide in that direction, over toward the living room area, where Mace Donovan was now standing, wobbling slightly on his feet. Wow. He'd only been bitten maybe eight hours ago. It would usually take a good ten to twelve hours for the paralysis to wear off enough for a person to stand up. The man had resiliency.

Quickly hurrying over to him, she put herself between him and the front door, just in case he felt froggy enough to try and make a break for it. "Mr. Donovan, you should probably take it easy. It might not be a good idea to try and walk around yet."

He opened his mouth to speak, but it took several seconds for his voice to find its way out. "I think I'm okay," he croaked, holding his arms out as if he was trying to balance on a high wire.

"I think you should sit," she said, stepping up and putting a hand on his shoulder. It didn't take much effort to get him back down onto the sofa cushions. "Just stay here. I'll get you some water."

She hurried off to grab a glass of ice water, all the while watching Mace Donovan to make sure he didn't try and bolt for the door. He didn't, and she returned to him with the glass, which he drained in a few swallows. She took the glass and turned to go back to the sink, but bumped into Noah, who was standing right behind her.

"I'll get it," Noah said, taking the glass and sauntering away.

Grrr! Damned Vampire. He was hovering! She hated hovering!

Bethalie sat down beside Mace Donovan, who looked rather like he'd been hit by a truck and left for dead, not knowing just what she should be saying to him. Holding someone hostage was a new thing for her. But, this was part of her job for now, so she'd start there.

"Mr. Donovan, do you have a cell phone on you?" she asked, trying to sound as gentle as she could.

"Mmmm," he nodded, taking in deep breaths. He looked like he was about to pass out cold.

"I'm afraid I have to ask you for it," she said.

She expected an argument, but he reached into his jacket and pulled out the phone, handing it over.

"Here's some more water," Noah said, appearing and handing Mace another glass. Again, he drained it in a couple of swallows and Noah went to fetch another.

"Do you have anything else on you?" she asked. "Any other way of communicating with anyone?"

Mace shook his head.

"Do you have car keys on you? Any money?" she asked, thinking it might be wise to strip him of everything all in one fell swoop, like ripping off a Band-Aid all at once. It hurt less. Plus, it would be harder to flee if he had no ride and no money to hail a cab.

Without argument, Mace dug through his many pockets and produced a key ring that he handed over. "I don't carry cash. And the other woman took my wallet," he told her.

She took his key ring as Noah appeared with a third glass of water, handing it to Mace, who chugged it down. "I think that's enough for now. You'll get sick," she said, taking the glass and giving it back to Noah.

Mace cleared his throat, turning his sparkling green eyes to her. "You're really keeping me here?"

"I'm afraid I have to. For now at least," she answered.

"Should I ask what happens to me later?" Mace Donovan wondered.

"I really don't know," she answered him truthfully. "I do know that every minute you get to spend here, is another minute that you don't get to find out what's going to happen. So, here is the safest place for you right now."

Mace looked at her for a second, comprehension dawning. "So, as long as I'm with you, the people you work for are still trying to figure out what to do with me."

Bethalie's brows shot up in surprise. "You understand what's going on then?"

His hand went to his neck, his fingers touching the silver fused to his skin. "I understand. I'm just not sure I really want to believe it. I mean, I hunt ghosts and monsters for a living, but...but..."

"But, you never really expected to come face to face with the things you've been hunting," she finished for him.

"Not really. It's just...I was bitten by a...a..." he paused, the word getting caught on his tongue.

"A Vampire," Noah finished helpfully, coming to sit on the arm of the sofa next to Bethalie.

Mace shook his head in disbelief. "Yeah. A...Vampire. That's what you saved me from. I-I would have been...killed if you hadn't found me," he said to Bethalie and the gratitude in his deep voice was plainly evident.

Bethalie couldn't feel glad that she'd saved him from the Vampiress. After all, he was going to be put down anyway. She probably should have let him die in the alleyway. It would have spared him the torturous wait.

"Is there anyone expecting to hear from you?" she asked him as the thought struck her.

He thought for a moment, clearly having trouble focusing, but who could blame him. "Uh...I-I'm here scouting locations for my show for a few days. My crew and my producer won't expect a call from me right away, but after a day or two, they'll probably try to call me."

"Okay. We'll handle that when it happens," she said. "Are you staying at a hotel in town? I can go there and get your things for you." She figured someone might notice if his room was untouched.

He shook his head. "My bag is still in my car. I hadn't checked in anywhere yet. I stopped at a club on my way into town. I wanted a drink..."

And he wound up getting chomped on by a bloodthirsty fiend in six inch heels. Wrong place, wrong time. But, that was how it usually worked.

"Give me the keys and I'll get his car," Noah said, holding his hand out. "While I'm gone, he needs to get out of those bloody clothes. The scent has been driving me insane."

Bethalie's head whipped toward Noah. "Why didn't you say something!" she demanded. Better yet, why didn't she think of it?

"I didn't want to be a bother," he shrugged. "It's not so bad if I don't get too close."

Yes, because he wasn't being a bother without complaining about Mace's blood soaked clothes.

Heaving a sigh, Bethalie looked back to Mace. "Where is your car?"

"It's parked in a lot on Peavler Street. It's a black BMW." Mace said somewhat unsteadily. "But, is he going now? It's daylight."

"Humph!" Noah snorted. "Humans."

Bethalie stood and headed for the front door, with Noah right on her heels. Out in the hallway, she handed him the keys. "Bring the car back here and park it in the garage. We don't want anyone to report it as abandoned."

"We?" Noah questioned, lifting a thin brow.

Bethalie shot him a vicious glare. "We as in Evyn and I," she hissed, stepping back into the apartment and slamming the door shut right in the Vampire's handsome face. And she had to admit, it felt good.