Taking Chances

Title: Taking Chances- Chapter 2: Gone With The Voice Mail
Author: Bubukittypuck
Archived: Here of course, Fictionpress, and my laptop
Summary: Marguerite's first person perspective on the relationship she has or does not have with Josef. She is freshie to Josef's donor.
Rating: It ranges from PG-13 to M later on.
Pairings: OC/Josef
Feedback: Review please though do not flame.
Characters: Josef, Marguerite, Beth, Mick, and any other characters inhabiting Los Angeles.
Beta’s: None
Disclaimer: I don’t own Moonlight or the characters, though I do wish Moonlight does come back. For now, writing fanfics seems to stem the need to hunt down Jason Dohring and bring him back to my bedroom
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After another day of classes, I was ready to take a nice, leisurely bath, study while in the bath and get ready for my date with James the Bartender. He called during my Mexican-American history class to confirm the date and double-check on the address I gave him. James planned to pick me up from my apartment and take me out to dinner and a movie. Not bad, considering I had not seen a movie in the past two month's. If James wanted to see the new Indy flick, I was all for it, since I had a older man crush on Harrison Ford for the longest time, and seeing Ford crack the whip was a favorite thing of all time. Well, not favorite of all time, but in the top ten things I enjoyed in movies.

"There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes. A kind of...."

Josef's ringtone which was David Bowie's, 'As the World Falls Down', started to sing next to my ear, disturbing the little cozy atmosphere I built for myself in the bathroom. Though I knew he could not see me bathing, I still grabbed a towel and placed it over my chest in the bubble bath.

"Hello?," I asked as I started to shave one leg while holding the phone with my shoulder and ear and scan the pages of my history book. The only sounds in the bathroom were the water sloshing against my skin, the telling scrape of the razor gliding over my legs and the pages being flicked quickly back and forth.

Seconds went by before Josef said a word. For a bit, I assumed the call disconnected but Josef was not the one to hang up on a person he was trying to reach. "I called to wish you good luck on your date and to remind you that you are needed later on for a feeding." That was odd. He rarely asked me to come for feeding if something else came up. When I had a midterm test to study over, he had insisted I studied before anything else. I assumed he would want to reschedule his feeding tomorrow.

"Josef, I thought I could come over tomorrow because the date might run over into the feeding time. James and I are going to the movies first and then have dinner, that is if we are not stuffed with popcorn and ice cream." More seconds went by as I heard him shuffle papers around, guessing he was at his newly remodeled office after it had gotten blown up the first time. There was a wonder if he was stalling for an excuse or not. As I waited for him to reply to me, I set my cell phone on speaker, and placed it to the side as I went to shave my other leg.

"Do you have a test to study for?," he asked.

"No," I replied, wondering where this was leading towards.

"Are you sick?"

"Nope," I answered, as I dunked my head in the water and washed out the shampoo.

"How about your parents?"

"No, they are fine. Still traveling around Mexico," I replied, scrubbing the soap over hands, arms, and neck.

Once, Iris, my sister's career took off as a blues and jazz musician, she went out of her way to buy my parents a motor home, paid off the mortgage, and even offered to pay my first year of tuition, but I declined. Our parents needed the money more than me after seeing them give tooth and nail to support the two of us in our education. That is what Iris did and used the money intended for me in paying off the mortgage for another home for Mom and Dad in Mexico. The image of my mother crying her eyes out and my dad holding back a few tears from shedding when my sister handed the deed to the house over to them was a sight to behold. It was my parents dream to go back to Mexico and spend their retirement years with the rest of the clan.

"That's good and is Iris in town?"

"No and you would know before me, Josef. Now what is with the questions?." This was starting to become an inquisition and I was not ready for him to quarter me to make me spill the secrets of where I hid the Godiva chocolates.

"It shows that there is nothing important that is keeping you from breaking our appointment tonight. I will have a driver pick you up at 9pm and do not be late, Marguerite." With that, he hung up, the dial tone ricocheting off the bathroom walls. On the other side of the lane, Josef, was slightly irritated, Marguerite had not put him before James. Hell, he was the one making sure her college expenses were paid off and even pulled in a few favors to have her light and gas bill lowered. He felt this need to tell the bartender boy off and even pay him off to leave her alone but that was pushing it far past his comfort zone.

I, on the other hand, groaned and sunked lower into the tub, the water sloshing over the rim of the tube as I thought about my options. There was no way I was going to cancel a few shorts hours before the date I had with James. Instead, I would ask him to come by earlier and still make the movie and dinner date before the appointment. Josef could be a stubborn ass when he wanted to be. Still, there was no reason for him not to let me enjoy this date thoroughly. I even asked him last night if he needed blood but he blew the question off. Instead, I was going to make the best of this situation and I needed to move quickly.

First call was made to James in requesting to push the date up earlier. He actually was considerate and even said he was anxious to take me out. A bit strange considering in Los Angeles, men like him were hard to find. The kind of guy, who actually called a girl after exchanging numbers and did not wait several weeks before calling said girl for a date was a rare thing around here. Most of the men I met in Los Angeles had the Peter Pan syndrome. What was known as men who still wanted to act like children and not take responsibility was the Peter Pan syndrome which overtook a lot of the eligible men in L.A. Those who were not single were either married or gay, most of the time gay and married; though it took a few years before the married men came out the closet.

Second and last call was made to Josef to let him know the appointment was still on. "You are so going to owe me a box of Godiva’s and maybe a chew toy for Phantom," I said to him when he picked up the call. Phantom laid his high and mighty self on the closed toilet seat and raised his head up when I mentioned his name, ears up to listen in on the conversation.

"Phantom will get his chew toy tonight when you come for the appointment. James will have to wait another time to take you out to dinner," he said, his fingers tapping on the keyboard, bringing up the background check he asked Mick to do as a favor. Mick was suspicious and asked the roll of questions but when Josef commented it was for Marguerite's safety, Mick had let it go though he knew the real reason.

Beth and Mick saw what was starting between Josef and Marguerite, even if the two did not realize it. Even Beth was starting to drop hints around Josef that Marguerite was an attractive and intelligent woman once you sat down and talked to her. Mick tried to stop Beth everytime she did so, but with Beth, there was no stopping her. He knew there could be a possible relationship between his best friend and his fleshie but only time would tell.

"That is a riot, you thinking I am still not going out tonight with James. I called James and we are heading to the movie in thirty minutes, which means I need to get out of this tub and hurry my ass up," I teased as I jumped out of the tub and grabbed my fluffy robe.

On the other side of the line, Josef made clenched his fist, sweeping aside items on his desk. The items clanked towards the ground, a glass of blood spilling on the carpet, another reason he was going to be angry. He tried to explain away the fury he felt at Marguerite's words by the fact she loved to goad him. One of the many things he enjoyed was her penchant for sarcasm, a thing he was known for. "Is that so? Well, make sure he has those parking tickets paid off if he wants to pick you up." Josef smiled when he noticed James' troubles with parking tickets. One call to the police department and he could estimate twenty minutes it would take before the bartender's car was towed away.

As I dried and toweled off the extra water from my hair, I stopped at Josef's words. Josef is a powerful man and known to get his way but he was not about to ruin the potential date between James and I. From what I heard, he could have been the one who made Jimmy Hoffa disappear and put Geraldo up to ruin his credibility in trying to locate Hoffa. Though Josef intimadated other people into doing his bidding, I was not about to let him walk all over me.

"Don't think about it or even go through with it, Josef. What is the big deal about me going on a date? I am not going to do anything out of place other than maybe let him get to second base with me." I smiled at the thought of a kiss from James and even third-basing it with him.

Another thing Josef and Marguerite were fond of was the fact the two could joke around. There were times it grated one another's nerves and Mick's, but both enjoyed it more when Mick was the one foaming angrily at the mouth. At times, Mick even voiced Marguerite and Josef were one other's doppelgangers. Quickly, it had sobered Josef up and made him get behind the shield he kept around everyone, even his best friend. Those were times Marguerite's thoughts ran wild with the idea of Josef opening his heart to her and declaring his need to be with her as more than a fleshie.

Laughter emitted from the phone as I changed into the ass-hugging jeans which made my behind look better than Beyonce's, but not as grand as J. Lo's. Several turns in the mirror placed against the corner of my room let me know the jeans might make James' pulse jump and anything else I hoped to make jump as well. A wanton smile danced along my lips if Josef were to see me in this outfit, but it deflated as quickly.

"What do you think I am plan on doing, Marguerite?," he asked as he did the R letter rolling again. Damn him and his vibrating tongue. Once more, an x-rated thought emerged in my head. It involved Josef using his tongue for other purposes, one of which, made me moan out his name when he used his tongue.

Like Sasha, I fanned myself to keep cool as I dragged a t-shirt over my head. I went for the laid-back but hot-to-strut look. "How about you trying to get his car towed just before he has to pick me up. Which is in fifteen minutes, by the way," I answered as I dabbed lotion on my arms and rubbed it into my arms and elbows. In the family, we were known for ashy elbows and I prayed James did not try to rub my elbow as a gesture of affection while in the movies or at dinner.

Josef and I went back and forth. He stated that he could not be blamed if James was late with payment on tickets. I came back with him to let me make my mistakes. From the long message Beth left on my voice mail this morning, Josef was concerned with how I lived. Yes, I lived in an off-campus apartment by myself and usually walked or used local transportation to get to and from class but there was no complaint from me. Saved money on gas since it was up to $4.00 a gallon and the money I saved as a non-car owner went to my Europe trip fund.

Now, that was another thing I had not mentioned to Josef. I planned to back-pack and explore the sights of Europe and even think about study abroad if the experienced was worthwhile. Beth and Mick once again informed me Josef had not been in Europe in several centuries and I wondered why. Those two tell me things but never reveal the whole story which is a good thing to keep everyone protected. What one does not know will not have to be tortured for hours on end to tell before tortured a few more hours and then finally put out of their misery. That is what Josef said to me on the second day I met him. Such a way to charm the ladies, I say.

Last turn in the mirror and I was ready for my date as the conversation with Josef wound down. “Now, dad, you know I will make sure to call if anything goes wrong,” I teased and laughed at the way Josef started to act like my own father. Even my own father was not this overzealous when my sister and I were asked out on dates. My dad had the decency not to have the date’s knees broken unless said date had harmed or assaulted me in any way. Which only happened once but I had taken care of the guy before my father had a chance to teach him a lesson.

Josef scoffed on the other side of the line and I smiled at his over protectiveness. One more thing I liked about him and which made it harder not to fall for him. He was betrothed as I saw it to a vegetable named Sara but he was not about to change it for anyone. “Be very happy I am not your father plus it would make it incestuous with our meetings,” he teased as he caused another blush to rise in my cheeks. I was only grateful he could not see the blood pooling in my face and neck.

With my purse in hand, I threw in the necessary items and heard a knock at the door. “Josef, I have to go because James is here and I will be back at the house before nine for the meeting. Now, I will text you to let you know how the date is going just to get you off my back. Bye.” I did not let Josef get a word in on the last part and it was better that way. He might have twisted my hand and make me to text him every hour or minute if he had it his way. The way he was acting might have given me thought to him caring. Impossible, though I guessed he wanted to make sure his fleshie did not spill secrets on the date. I signed a confidentiality form and even had a blood oath on top it to show my loyalty to the company which contracted the fleshies.

[Italicized]The first time Josef used me as his fleshie was the third day after I came into his service. He had called me on my phone as I headed off to my civilizations class. When you are trying to talk about feeding schedules, it is a hard thing to do while on a bus full of people surrounding me. I was afraid throughout the bus ride that someone would call the cops if I started to ask where the best spot he liked to bite and drink from on a female body. However, people in this city had heard, seen, and participated in a lot of odd events and to me, I was a regular L.A. girl.

Josef laughed into the phone and asked what spot worked best for me. Since I attended school and had group study sessions, I requested the inside of my arms. No one would notice the puncture wounds unless someone was a licensed dermatologist then detection was low. He had not questioned my location and it was strange he had not pushed further.

After my last class, I was picked up by a private driver, and taken to Josef’s office. There the whole thing was a blur with being identified with fingerprints and eye scans. I only assumed it happened in Mission Impossible movies but I guessed it happened in real life as well. Once I passed all of the necessary tests and at one point I thought I was going to be asked stand on one foot and recite the star spangled banner for the enjoyment of others, I was led into Josef’s main office.

He stood by the tinted windows and stared out at the Los Angeles I admired and at times was ashamed of. What most people had no clue of was Los Angeles was not its real name. It was shortened from El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula, also known as, The Village of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels of Porziuncola to Los Angeles. Try to say L.A’s real name five times and see if there is no stumbles or tongue ties.[Italicize]

A knock at my front door brought me back to the present as I realized James awaited me. I looked back down at my cell phone one last time and noticed Josef had texted me. The text could be answered back later and I placed it in my phone and opened the door to James.

“Wow, you look great,” were the first words James said to me. A point for him with the compliment and even another for the way he was dressed. He took the time to shave the 5 o’clock shadow I had seen him sporting last night at the charity ball. Donned in a pair of dark denim jeans, black low-top converses, white t-shirt, and a black dinner jacket made me realize I was on a date and it was not Josef; one point to me and one smile plus a ‘thank you’ was thrown towards James.

With the door locked up behind me, Phantom eating his weight in food in his room, James and I started our date out right. He opened the door to his 1967 Ford Mustang and walked around the front of his car to start up the engine and drive us to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Just as I suspected we watched the new Indiana flick, I drooled over Harrison Ford and his whip.

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Several times during the movie, James held my hand and I caught him glancing at me when he thought I was not looking. Sweet gesture and I even reached out over the armrest to interlink my fingers with his. He smiled and he leaned over towards me. Like the relationship inept fool that I am, I assumed he wanted to comment on the movie, and I leaned in as well. When his lips pressed themselves against my own a small jolt started in my chest at the touch.

"I have wanted to do that since last night," he whispered into my ear while his hot breath fanned against my neck. The little smirk of mine played itself across my lips at his words as I kissed him once more, forehead pressed against his own. I had no idea what this feeling was but the image of Josef watching me in the movie theatre flashed in my head. Slowly, I pulled myself away from James, looking in every direction of the dark theatre. I swore I had felt the presence of Josef in the place but I must have been under the influence of James's kisses.

Once more, I reached out and grabbed James hand and teasingly said, "How about we get out of here before we get kicked out for public indecency?" He nodded and we grabbed our things while excusing ourselves to reach the exit door. At the entrance, James pulled me closer to nuzzle my neck and I felt the urge to blow off the appointment. Josef would understand but I knew he would make the Devil cringe in his hooves if I blew the meeting off.
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Off we went back to my place to make our own dining experience but as James drove us back to my place, I kept going back to Josef in the movie theatre. Somehow, it was not a mirage of him at the flick. Maybe I was trying to make myself believe he could go out of his way to check on me on the date. Pulling out my cell phone, I checked the screen and found there were five new text messages and a voicemail. During the movie, I had placed the phone on silent and until now, I forgotten to turn it back to full ring.

While James contemplated the best route to get back to my apartment, I read over the text messaged and listened to the voicemail. Voicemail was from Sasha how the date went or if it is still going and for me to use condoms and lots of lubrication. Sasha is one of those females I adore immensely even though I have known her for two days'. What can I say? I am trusting of people though I can feel out a faker from a real friend. Sasha is one of those rare but real friends I can see being around for however long I want her to be.

The text messages were from Josef, Mick, and Beth. Three of those text messages were from Josef, each one asked how the date was going and a reminder not be late. I would think he was only using my blood for nourishment and not the two other fleshies on call. Two months into the gig, Josef bumped me up as primary fleshie while Sonja and Gabriela were back up's in case I was too weak to feed him or I was too busy with school. After Josef's text, I read Beth's and found myself smiling.

Her text read: Watch out with James. Josef thinks he is a creep. Call me later.

The thought of James being a creep did not cross my mind. This was another in a long line of events which made me wonder where vampire/fleshie went past the line. Even Josef's offer to help me tape my cell phone to my thigh was a bit over the top. Usually, he kept his sex-filled innuendos to his bedmates but when he said it to me I felt there was more than the recited spiel. Once again, I was trying to make mountains out of a mole hill. When I was I going to make myself grow out of the fairy-tale junk.

With Mick text it said: Don't mind Josef's intrusion. Wants to make sure you are safe and out of harm.

Mick, a man most women would not kick out of their beds and between other places was a good guy all around. I was not around when he was human but from the conversations Beth and I had, Mick gave it his all in living life. When Beth was kidnapped, he had willingly given up his humanity for her. That was a man to keep around.

I turned to look at James, his eyes on the road, a scowl planted his face. "Hate this stupid afternoon traffic," James muttered, who turned and apologized for his language before placing his attention towards the road again. James was something but not the one I wanted. Damn, I needed to pull myself together with the whole Josef situation. Most females would be glad to at least have one man in their lives especially in Los Angeles. A part of me wanted James and another part told me to wait for Josef. The part which waited for Josef was one I hated and wished could want James the Bartender. For now, I could push aside the feelings for Josef and try this out with James and hopefully, both sides could fall for James.

The car stopped and I looked up at my apartment. "We are here," I whispered, throwing him a forced smile at him. He smiled back and asked, "Are you sure about this? I don't want you to think I am some kind of horn-dog because I am not, even though I work as a bartender...and..." I kissed James to shut up his cute but somewhat long explaination.

Truly, I wanted every part of me to take this guy and have him six ways from Sunday but at the moment all I thought about was alone time before the meeting. I wanted to get my thoughts together and not have Josef pounding at the door if he heard me screaming in pleasure. An inner glee came from the thought of Josef jealous because I was in the arms of another man. Though, it would only work if he had feelings invested in me other than the need to drink my blood.

James was slightly disappointed when I told him the 'reason' I had called him to push the date up was the fact I had to 'visit' my sister for our bi-weekly lunches. A nice half-lie, since I have lunches with my sister to play catch up in one another's lives but it was once a month we did that. He understood the need for family and we scheduled a second time even though I had no clue what I thought of him whether it was a friends with benefit, but even then, we have not even slept together to even be that.

A walk to my door and another kiss goodbye and I headed inside. I was wrung out with raging thoughts of what Josef was to me and what I was to him. Even Phantom with his big, brown eyes staring up at me was no help to cheer up my spirits. The nap I promised myself would help for the meeting which by my bedside clock was in an hour. Great, just great.