NICK IS IN LOVE WITH NATALIE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S CORONER. SHE IS HELPING NICK WORK ON A "CURE"...TO MAKE HIM MORTAL AGAIN, SO THAT THEY CAN BE TOGETHER. NICK IS ALWAYS AFRAID TO PURSUE A RELATIONSHIP, SINCE HE WAS MARRIED ONCE BEFORE AND KILLED HIS WIFE WHEN HE VAMPED OUT.
AT THE START OF SEASON THREE, WE ARE INTRODUCED TO TRACY VETTER, NICK'S NEW PARTNER, A GOOD COP WHO IS AT THE SAME TIME A SMART COP AND A DITZY BLOND. REALLY LIKEABLE CHARACTER. CARRIES A LOT OF BAGGAGE FROM HER FATHER, POLICE COMMISSIONER RICHARD VETTER.
IN THE FIRST EPISODE OF SEASON THREE ("BLACK BUDDHA"), THERE IS A PLANE CRASH. AT THE CRASH SITE, TRACY SENSES ONE OF THE VICTIMS IS ALIVE. EVERYONE TELLS HER SHE'S A FLAKE, BUT WE SEE THIS VICTIM'S EYES OPEN AND HE SCURRIES OFF. HE IS JAVIER VACHON, AND HE AND TRACY MEET UP AGAIN LATER AND THERE'S CHEMISTRY.
VACHON HAS SPENT HIS 500 YEARS OF LIFE PARTYING....AVOIDS RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL COSTS. HANGS OUT WITH A RATHER DISGUSTING BUT LIKEABLE "CAROUCHE" VAMPIRE NAMED SCREED ....A CAROUCHE IS ONE WHO BITES ANIMALS VS. HUMANS...SCREED HAS A TASTE FOR RATS. SCREED DIES DURING SEASON THREE FROM A VIRUS THAT KILLS ONLY VAMPIRES...REFERRED TO AS "THE FEVER"
DESPITE VACHON'S DISDAIN FOR RESPONSIBILITY, HE FINDS HE CANNOT "WHAMMY" TRACY (HYPNOTISE HER) INTO FORGETTING HIM, AND HE CAN'T KILL HER, EITHER...SO HE'S SUDDENLY THRUST INTO THE ROLE OF HER PROTECTOR. THE ENFORCERS (SORT OF VAMPIRE GREEN BERETS WITH BAD ATTITUDES) WOULD KILL TRACY IF IT BECOMES KNOWN SHE KNOWS ABOUT VAMPIRES.
THE TERRORIST WHO CAUSED THE PLANE CRASH IS CALLED "VOODOO". WE ALSO MEET "THE INCA", VACHON'S VAMPIRE TWIN (THEY WERE "MADE" AT THE SAME TIME BY THE SAME MASTER). HE AND VACHON, THOUGH ONCE MORTAL ENEMIES, JOIN FORCES TO SAVE TRACY (AND TORONTO) FROM VOODOO (THE INCA TAKES THE TRIGGERING BOMB AND FLIES OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE...WE SEE THE EXPLOSION AND PRESUME HE'S DEAD)
THE PREMISE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN THE SERIES THAT VAMPIRES MAY BECOME MORTAL AGAIN THROUGH SEX WITH A MORTAL AND TAKING "SMALL BITES". THIS HAPPENED TO A LADY VAMP NAMED JEANNETTE AND HER MORTAL LOVER ROBERT...BUT IT TOOK ROBERT'S DEATH TO BE THE EMOTIONAL CATALYST TO COMPLETE THE TRANSFER, BEGGING THE QUESTION...DOES THE MORTAL LOVER HAVE TO DIE TO COMPLETE THE CURE?
SINCE THIS NOVEL IS BUILT ON THIS PREMISE, THE NOVEL CONTAINS ADULT LOVE SCENES.
THE TELEVISION SERIES HAD THE WORST ENDING IN THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION.
IN THE SERIES EPISODE "ASHES TO ASHES", DIVIA, AN ANCIENT VAMPIRE OF TRUE EVIL, ATTACKS VACHON. HER EVIL BEGINS TO FILL HIM, AND HE'S TORMENTED BY HORRIBLE VISIONS. HE'S AFRAID THAT HE WON'T BE ABLE TO FIGHT THE EVIL, SO HE BEGS TRACY TO STAKE HIM. SHE REFUSES, BUT HE LUNGES AT HER WHILE SHE'S HOLDING THE STAKE, AND DIES IN HER ARMS.
THE NEXT EPISODE WAS CALLED "LAST KNIGHT". IN THIS EPISODE, A DERANGED MAN NAMED DAWKINS GETS LOOSE IN THE PRECINCT, NICK AND TRACY TRY TO CAPTURE HIM. HE TURNS TO FIRE AT TRACY, HITS HER, AND SHE SEES NICK VAMP OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME. HER DYING WORDS ARE "YOU COULD HAVE TRUSTED ME."
NICK CAN'T TAKE THE GUILT, AND WANTS TO RUN AWAY. NATALIE CONVINCES HIM TO TRY DRINKING "JUST A LITTLE" FROM HER, BUT OOPS! HE TAKES TOO MUCH AND KILLS HER.
NICK DECIDES HE DOESN'T WANT TO GO ON LIVING, AND HAS LACROIX STAKE HIM. AND THAT WAS THE SUCKY END TO THE SERIES. SO THIS NOVEL PICKS UP JUST AFTER TRACY HAS STAKED VACHON IN ASHES TO ASHES, AND REWRITES THE ENDING.
OKAY, THAT SHOULD DO IT...IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS DURING YOUR READING OF THE NOVEL THAT I HAVEN'T ANSWERED HERE, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO WRITE ME FOR CLARIFICATION.