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Forever Is A Long, Long Time

An Adult Forever Knight Novel

by Vickey Brickle-Macky

 

     This story was written in the summer of 1993, but never got published in zine format as I had planned due to family problems that continued for several years. (I was writing for Nightbeat and also doing my own Beauty and the Beast zines at the time. And I haven't been on the net or in fandom for about five years so I'm a little rusty at submitting stories. )

     This is a end of first season story. I've done a little revision here and there, but basically it's unchanged from when I originally wrote it. This was also pre-The Fix and several other stories, so I was blown away when I saw a lot of my story elements show up in the second and third seasons of the show. So this was written at that point in time and does not incorporate any of the 2nd and 3rd season information about characters and past situations.(especially about Nick being married before to a mortal)

     NOTE: This story contains adult material of a sexual nature. also some violence and strong language. Please email any and all comments to me at BrdOFire@aol.com.

 

     Disclaimer: The concept of Nick, Nat and everyone else belongs to Sony, James Parriot, and the rest of TPTB and not to me.

      

      

     (Part 1/30)

Forever Is Such A Long, Long Time

by Vickey Brickle-Macky

      

     Quick, light footsteps echoed in the cold night air, but no one was there when he turned and peered back down through the murky darkness of the litter strewn alley. There was nothing, no one. He shruged his shoulders and resumed walking. Still . . . he could feel a presence. He could feel something at the edge of his consciousness, something intangible--yet it was there. He kept turning and looking, still nothing except that damnable feeling of being watched by unseen eyes. He quickly went from annoyed to mad.

     "Okay, enough already! If there's someone there, show yourself!" Nick demanded angrily at the night's darkness but only the whisper of the wind and the rustle of dry Fall leaves blowing across the pavement answered him.

     Disgusted, he turned back to his door and punched in the code. The door swung open easily and he stepped inside the lift still feeling a little unnerved. Arriving at his door he opened the gate and stepped cautiously in. He looked around: nothing out of place, everything was where he had left it when he had gone to work. Just nerves, he told himself. Too many back-to-back cases, not enough rest, and enough of the right kind of nourishment.

     Natalie's treatments were working, but he felt suspended in some kind of strange limbo between being truly alive and truly dead. He still needed to drink blood, but now he could manage to choke down and retain some solid food. His skin had become more human in texture and color and more sensitive as well. He could feel pain. He could itch. He could feel textures and almost taste things again. He had even cut himself shaving this morning. There was a warmth to this body and the beginnings of an almost normal pulse. They were both impressed with his progress, but it had taken them almost three years to bring him this far along.

     His journey to become mortal was coming closer to being reality instead of an impossible dream. Once he thought the only thing that could help him were the Mayan cups, but the destruction of one of the pair had ended that possibility. And the death of Alyce Hunter by LaCroix had ended his other dream: that of finding someone to share his life with.

     No, he told himself, I can't start thinking about her again. She's gone, dead and properly buried as it should be for mortals. LaCroix hadn't had time to bring her over before he had destroyed him with a flaming stake through the heart. Natalie had been positive Alyce was dead. He hadn't been able to attend her daylight funeral, but he had been assured that she had been buried. Yet there was always the nagging bit of doubt in his mind that would never quite go away, no matter how hard he tried.

     He had not thought about her in almost three years. Why tonight? he wondered as he took a bottle out of the fridge and downed it while he checked his answering machine. Nick hit the rewind button and the tape whirled for a moment before playing his messages.

     BEEP! "Nick, it 's Schanke. If you are there, pick up. The Captain's just handed us another nasty. Looks like we've got another vampire killer on the loose like we did a couple of years ago. Someone is posing as a prostitute and doing their customers in. A beat patrolman found the guy in his car in an alley near Strass Road. Nat says all the blood has been drained from the guy and it wasn't a neat job either. Throat's all torn out. I'm going to go ahead and run down who the victim was and check the neighborhood to see if anyone saw anything. Give Nat a call, she'll fill you in on the details. Call me as soon as you can. Schanke out," he said as the message clicked off.

     Nick frowned as he listened to the message. He didn't know of anyone new in town, or anyone so dumb and stupid as to leave such a flamboyant calling card. Even the newly brought over ones were not that careless. He should call Janette at the club, but it was already too close to sunrise and he knew that closing time was not a good time to call her. He'd have to reach her tonight, find out what she knew.

     "BEEP!" went the start of the next message. It was Nat, as he knew it would be. "Nick, it's me. In case Schanke hasn't called, there's a new vampire killer on the loose. Someone attempted to make it look like a normal homicide but there's too much damn blood missing and I found puncture marks on the neck, despite attempts to tear the throat of the guy out. The victim was a white Caucasian male, early forties, expensive business suit, but no wallet or ID. He was found slumped over the steering wheel of a tan '89 Lincoln. Motor Vehicles is running down a make on the car, and Jerry's working on the prints to see if we can ID the guy. It happened about four A.M. just after you got off shift. I'll come to your place after I get some more information. I think we need to talk about this one and not over the phone. See ya," she sounded a little worried as well as a touch scared.

     He shook his head as he listened to Nat's message. He had a good idea of what she wanted to talk about--his friends and who might be running amok. Schanke's and Nat's calls were the only ones on the machine. It rewound and turned off with an audible click.

     He sat down on the couch and pondered what to do. The news upset him as much as his friends but for different reasons. A modern vampire did not have to kill to get nourishment if it was one of his own doing this. Only the really crazy ones blatantly killed and advertised the fact. And only another vampire could deal with this type effectively and put them down so that the secret of their existence was preserved and maintained. Instead of waiting, he decided to call Janette.

     It took a number of rings but he finally got an answer. "Hello, this is The Raven. We are closed now, but we will reopen at 5:00 P.M.. If you need to leave a message for the owners, please leave your name, your number, and the time of your call with a short message at the sound of the beep and someone will get back to you. Thank you," came the rich feminine voice with its slight French accent.

     "Janette, this is Nick. If you are there, pick up. Some one is running amok and leaving very messy corpses for the police to find. If you know of anyone new in town or someone who might be responsible, please give me a call at home as soon as you can. Thanks," Nick said. He hoped that she'd get the message before she went to sleep for the day.

     Before he could hang up Janette was on the phone answering him. "Nicholi, darling, you just caught me before I laid down. What is this about one of us running amok?" she questioned. She sounded very displeased and worried.

     "I said maybe, Janette, that someone may be running amok because I don't know the particulars yet. Schanke and then Nat called me about a body that was found over by Strass Road. Nat says it's been drained of blood and the killer tried to hide the marks by messing up the throat. The victim was an older guy, a business suit. He apparently picked up someone for fun and he or she wanted more. They left the guy in his car. It happened a couple of hours ago. I thought maybe you might know of anyone new in town. It sounds like a fresh convert without a mentor," he waited for her reaction while he fidgeted nervously on his couch.

     "I will check around and see if anyone knows anything. Right off hand I can't think of any new ones here or anyone just in for a visit. None of my older clientele would dare jeopardize themselves by being so open or so messy. LaCroix was the only one with a vendetta against you that I was aware of, but if there is someone else out there, no one is talking, darling" she said, as puzzled as he about these recent murders.

     "But if you hear anything?"

     "I will call you, Nicholi. What would you ever do without me, darling?"

     "I really don't want to contemplate that, Janette. I'll call you tonight, sleep well," he said.

     "And you too, darling Nicholi," she replied with a kiss to the receiver and then hung up.

     He replaced the phone and reflected on his relationship with Janette. She was friend, mother confessor, informant, girlfriend, lover, and old love. She had seduced him and brought him to LaCroix. The lure of being immortal, forever young, his youthful body frozen in time, seeing the centuries go by in a way few could even contemplate, was something he could not resist. All this had been a rare gift just as LaCroix had promised during that first meeting. And he had been so-so willing to try the forbidden then.

     He had seen death close at hand all around him and didn't want to feel its icy hand around his tender throat. Given this offer at a time when one was extremely fortunate to reach maturity, let alone old age, it hardly mattered that the ultimate price was his soul and that he had to kill others to survive. To live forever, he had wanted it with all his heart, and it had been granted. It had also meant that he was forever in debt to Janette and LaCroix.

     If they snapped their fingers he came like a dog on his belly. For over eight hundred years, across continents, across lives and loves he had answered their calls until he finally broke away from LaCroix, broke the chains that bound him to his "family". LaCroix thought he was insane trying to be mortal with all that entailed. The need to be mortal, to quit killing in order to survive had been growing over the centuries, until now it eclipsed everything. But LaCroix had dogged his steps. Everywhere he went LaCroix followed, city after city, century after century, trying to keep him in the dark, making him question his convictions, making him almost mad with the pull to the dark side, to the evil within him that he would never fully succumb to.

     LaCroix was no more, destroyed by his own hand. He had read that if one destroyed the vampire that made them then all the other vampires made by that one would die as well, yet he was still among the living? Of course he had not met or killed the vampire who had made LaCroix. That being was still out there somewhere and neither Janette nor LaCroix would not talk about how they had been brought over, unlike the others he had met who had no qualms about discussing their origins. He did not know whether it was because of Natalie's treatments he had been spared, or if the old myths were wrong. In any event, LaCroix would only trouble him in his restless dreams and waking hallucinations, a voice of evil conscience still trying to keep him in the darkness away from the light of the redemption he sought.

     Nick had enough of contemplating his past and he needed to get some sleep before Natalie came over. He was bone tired. He and Schanke had three murders they were working on, and now a fourth one had been dumped into their laps. Overworked and under paid, wasn't that always what his partner was griping about? He wasn't in this for the money. If he were he could have picked another profession this time around. He was here to help people, to repay society for all the wrongs he had done. He'd never be able to fully make it up, but helping the police as a homicide detective did give him some satisfaction knowing that he was making some difference in people's lives.

     He went upstairs and stripped for bed. He put on some pajama bottoms for modesty's sake. He had given Natalie the pass code for his apartment early on. He was such a deep sleeper that she had had to physically wake him up a few times. Since he never knew when she was going to pop in he had started wearing PJ's again rather than sleeping in the nude. That had proved too embarrassing the one time she had found him that way.

     She was a friend--only a friend, he kept reminding himself. He couldn't allow it to go beyond that for both of their sakes. He couldn't afford to love anyone, at least not anyone mortal. That was his other curse: never to love anyone, or have a real relationship with anyone. They would either grow old and die or get killed. Either way they died. Loving another vampire was all right, but each had a tendency to go off in their own directions, usually away from him. Only mortals believed like he did in love being for forever, though they never lived beyond a mortal lifetime.

     He had noticed the looks Nat gave him when she thought he wasn't looking. She was in love with him. It might even be part of her motivation in helping him, though another was the sheer medical challenge to see if it could be done, but the greatest part of it was caring about him as a person. She saw him not a vampire, but as a man. Unfortunately, they were also colleagues, that's where the rub came. Interdepartmental romances were discouraged, and their fears of getting close made sure they deliberately kept their distance from each other. Being buddies, pals, friends was okay, but lovers, mates, that was forbidden. It was never discussed, just felt. Deeply.

     And did he love Nat? Yes, he did, more than he wanted to. He could admit it finally to himself, but he would not let her know. It was too dangerous for her. She was too vulnerable and he was too weak.

     His love had proven fatal too many times. . . . Like Alyce. . . . he had almost killed her when he kissed her. When she discovered what he was she had not been afraid, rather she welcomed it and wanted to join him. He wouldn't, couldn't do it to another. Curse them as he had been cursed. Then when LaCroix had showed up and he had had to battle for both their live she had begged him to take her blood because he needed its strength to fight LaCroix, but he had torn himself away from her neck and went to battle LaCroix as best he could. LaCroix, however, had not had any such scruples. He had overpowered him and then attacked her. LaCroix had geefully drained her blood, and killed her before his eyes, before he could kill his master.

     He had to forget her, forget thinking about her. Maybe the ache would go away--someday, he thought with a sigh as he slid under the bedcovers. He forced his mind not to think, to remember, not to feel, merely to fall deeply to sleep. He closed his eyes, willed himself to sleep, and within minutes he drifted off into strange dreams. . . .

       There was the darkness of the night and a strange gray fog surrounded him, cool and wet, clinging wispy tendrils that caressed his skin and wet his naked skin with their moisture. All around him was the musty, stale smell of the tomb, of things long dead and forgotten. Naked except for his silky black pajama bottoms, he wandered he knew not where, instinct guiding him to where he could see a faint blue light ahead cutting through the blackness. He went towards it, knowing that was where he was to go, yet oddly reluctant to comply. Growing too, was a tingling, warning sense of danger that grew the closer he approached the light.

     A figure loomed in the brightness, the face and features cast in shadow--but he knew that shape, that bone thin form, no matter how might this malignant evil chose to appear to him, it could be none other than his mentor LaCroix. And in greeting the specter laughed mockingly. The laughter echoing eerily on the wind of the gray-shrouded void as LaCroix saw his pupil's hesitation to approach closer.

     "Come, come, Nicholas, surely you don't fear me.? We're friends, aren't we my sweet Nicholas, for forever, the longest friendship, right?" LaCroix said taunting him turning so his features could be more easily seen.

     He wore all black: black shirt, black pants, black knee high boots, and a black great coat with a high turned up collar. The severe darkness of his clothing only served to emphasize the paleness of his cruelly handsome face and the stark whiteness of his short cropped hair. His eyes were pale, clear, watery without true color of any kind, but life, evil malevolent life shone out of that laughing countenance.

     Looking at him with revulsion Nicholas waited for the laughter to die down before he spoke. "We were . . . once, LaCroix. You're dead, finally dead, LaCroix--why do you persist in haunting me, even in my dreams? Why can't you just leave me alone, leave me in peace?" Nick asked the apparition of his mentor, shivering not from the cold but from anticipation . . . of something yet unnamed about to befall him.

     "Haunt you, my dear Nicholas? Me? Methinks it be your guilty conscience that conjures me up when you are most troubled. Was I not your father confessor for all those long years, your guiding light to show you the true way? Where would you have been without me, dear boy?" he smirked, with an upturned eyebrow as he regarded Nick who stood some distance from him.

     Long dead and without this unending curse."

     "Curse is it now? My, my, my, you really crave mortality so much, crave to feel mortal pain and suffering once more? Haven't the years taught you how much your were above such foolish things? Still, if you wish all you have to do is open a blind. . . . However, there is something, someone you should be aware of that might make you check your rush to embrace to the light instead of darkness," LaCroix taunted, watching Nick expectantly with crossed arms.

     Nick was suspicious now, but he kept his distance, watching, waiting, afraid of something he could not name but somehow sense at the fringes of his senses. "Who?"

     "An old girlfriend. . . ."

     "Who? And why should this interest me?" Nick inquired cautiously.

     LaCroix merely grinned and held out his right hand into the bright whiteness that the light had become. Another figure approached , coming out the light into the dark where he stood. It took a moment for the slight figure to register upon his mind. The light obscuring the woman's features as it had LaCroix's. He knew that shape, that walk, that essence of being radiating from her--Alyce!>

     "Alyce!" he shouted with joy, but some sixth sense warned him back with LaCroix so near and watching.

     "Nick?" she asked hesitantly, standing between Nick and LaCroix. "It's me, Nick, really it is. I've come back for you, to join you." Her eyes were both innocent and yet oddly seductive at the same time, and she was dressed in a clinging black low-necked gown, like something that Janette would wear, rather than the modest scholar's clothes he remembered.

     He shook his head, disbelieving the apparition. "No, you're dead, Alyce. LaCroix killed you. I saw it, felt it. You were pronounced dead. He did not have time to bring you over," Nick argued, looking at them both fearfully, backing away a few steps automatically.

     "Didn't I, Nicholas? How little you still know after all your time upon this earth. Maybe you wouldn't have had time--but me," he laughed loudly enjoying Nick's confusion and discomfort.

     "Yes, Nick. I am immortal like you. I have realized my dream. I can now see civilizations rise and fall, just like you. There is nothing now to keep us apart. Nick, I want to be with you, forever. To love you forever, and forever is such a long, long time," she said with a smile as she took a step towards him, her arms outstretched, begging, wanting him to hold her in his arms.

     "NO!" Nick screamed in agony. "NO, this is a terrible lie! A terrible dream! This isn't real!" he yelled at her, backing further away. Then he pointed his finger angrily at LaCroix. "This is your doing, your evil torment in my mind. WHY?" he demanded loudly in fury.

     "A lie, dear boy? Hardly. I assure you it's quite real. Your Alyce is one of us now. A parting present from me. She wants you Nicholas, she even loves you. . . or so she thinks. Do you, Alyce? Tell him!" LaCroix told her.

     "Nick, I am real and I do love you. I've come back. I went away because I knew you'd be angry with me becoming like you. But Nick, I am so happy, freer than I've ever been, and I want nothing more than to share myself with you. We can have a life together!" she said happily as she tried to come nearer to him.

     "NO--we can't. Not one of the darkness. I won't, can't accept that. I want the light not the dark and you should too. I will be mortal soon. Only as mortals can we love and have a real future," he said sadly.

     "Then you do not want me? Want my love?" she asked incredulously. "All these months, I've wasted making myself worthy of you and you reject me because I wish to remain a vampire?"

     He looked at her with sad, sad eyes, and pity. "Yes. Even if this were real and not a dream I would have to tell you to leave me," he said with sincere conviction. His eyes held only regret, and deep longing for another dream, another love that could not be.

     Mocking laughter followed Nick's pronouncement. "Fool! You always were a fool, Nicholas. The girl offers herself to you and you reject her because she is no longer mortal anymore? My, we really have lost touch with reality, haven't we?" LaCroix asked, his biting tone cutting through Nick's defenses.

     Alyce attempted to go to Nick but the closer she came the more he backed up until she was forced to give up. At first she was sad and bewildered, then she grew angry and furious.

     "LaCroix is right you are a fool, but I will not be one with you. I prefer the new life he has given me far better than my own empty existence before this. So you want to be mortal? Fine be so! However, I warn you, Nick, this was not a dream: you were given a choice, and you made it. Be prepared now for the consequences," she said coldly, her face a mask of smoldering fury.

     She turned around and stalked to LaCroix who waited, laughing in silent amusement. "Take me away," she asked him as she took his outstretched hand.

     "Gladly, my dear," he agreed, bowing to her with courtly graces. They turned to go back into the light from whence they had come. LaCroix stopped momentarily, and inclined his head in parting. "Good bye, Nicholas, we will meet again, soon. . . very soon." He laughed as he vanished into the white-blue intense light, his mocking voice like a Cheshire cat's, fading on the wind which had suddenly exploded from nowhere to buffet Nick with savage fury. Shaking him. . . shaking him . . . .

       

     He awoke hissing and snarling, fangs fully displayed. He sat up abruptly, startled and disorientated. "Huhh. . . .?" he sputtered, coming fully awake now and aware of Natalie, who stood well away from the bed and stared at him with huge, frightened eyes.

     "God, Nick, I'm sorry. You were dreaming, calling out in your sleep," she apologized still unsure whether to approach him or not.

     He shook his head, trying to get the sleep and the dream out of his head. "I'm sorry if I scared you, Nat. I had a nightmare," he apologized to her, embarrassed for his outbursts.

     "That was obvious. That was why I tried to wake you up. You're definitely no Mister Sunshine. Anything you want to talk about?" she asked as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

     She hadn't been home Nick noted. She was still wearing what she had been wearing last night and she looked like she had been sleeping in it too. Probably sleeping on his couch again. Should he ask? Instead he told her: "No, I need to sort this one out on my own. You're here already? What time is it?" he asked glancing over to his bedside clock. It was three o'clock. He usually didn't rise for another hour or so.

     "I came over and you were sleeping so soundly, I didn't have the heart to wake you. I fell asleep on your couch again," she admitted sheepishly.

     He looked at her, really looked at her and observed the dark circles under her eyes, and her unhealthy paleness. "And you talk about me not taking care of myself. Nat, you're the one who isn't getting any rest and eating right. Take-out food at all hours while you're on the run or working in the lab. When you are off you're over here worrying over me. When are you going to start worrying about yourself?" he asked seriously and very concerned.

     Natalie shifted uncomfortably under his worried gaze. "Everyone's got to have a hobby and mine is looking after you. Quit worrying about me!" she laughed nerviously, while she wished that he's turn that piercing glaze of his somewhere other than on her. "Look, Nick, I've survived for years like this. I just stopped over to let you know what I had found out about the murder victim last night," she said wanting to steer the subject away from herself.

     He wasn't buying her 'don't worry about me rountine'. He had wanted to talk to her about their relationship, but he could tell she wasn't ready to. On any other subject she was quite vocal, but about herself she was a closed book and wouldn't allow anyone any access to the real Natalie except in vague, general terms. To the world she was a very independent professional woman, determined to make it on her own. She lived alone with only her cat, Sidney, rarely dated, just worked, went home, or came over here. She was a beautiful woman, friendly, warm, full of energy and life, and good humor, someone who could probably have her choice of any man, but she chose to be with him. Even though there was no hope for anything more than deep friendship between them.

     Trying to talk to her about this was another matter. There was a part of her that was closed off, hidden, that wouldn't allow anyone to get too close to her. In that regard they were very, very similar, maybe that was why they hit it off so well. He knew why he was closed off, he had secrets to protect, but her? She wasn't going to open up and he wasn't going to try and make her. When she was ready she'd talk--he hoped.

     He sat upright with his back against the headboard. For some reason tonight he was comfortable talking here and not in more formal settings. "Okay, Nat, what have you found?" he asked switching back to police mode.

     Relaxing, she spoke with growing excitement about the case. "The victim's name was Robert Downing, a computer consultant from Los Angeles here for a conference. He was staying at the downtown Hilton. He arrived Wednesday and would have left Sunday to return home. Evidently he was doing the usual nightclub and pick-up-a-lady bit while he was in town. I found traces of lipstick on his shirt collar and on his ear and neck. Over the counter stuff, nothing exotic. There were a few long dark brown strands of hair on his suit, and other than the messy throat wound, both he and the car were pretty clean. The car, by the way was a rental, one of the local agencies. That's how we found out who he was and where he was from. They've notified his family and they'll becoming in tomorrow to identify the body and make arrangements." she reported. Nick nodded as he listened to the details as he absorbed them.

     "And you're sure it's a vampire who did the killing?" he asked.

     "Positive. The body was drained like the museum guard and Alyce Hunter. However, I would say that whoever did this was female. The bite marks are smaller, and there is the lipstick. Either the woman is working as a prostitute or pretending to be one to pick up victims. She's killing them and taking their money. I thought your people weren't that open about such things. Have you found out anything from your friends?" Nat watched his reactions to her news.

     "Nothing so far. Janette will check around and see if there's anyone new in town. She's not pleased either," he replied.

     "I don't imagine she is. The last time someone was killing this openly it was LaCroix trying to draw you out. Are you holding out on me?" she asked, with a lifted brow.

     "No. Janette asked me the same thing. I don't know of anyone who might have a grudge against me. I'm generally on good terms with most of my kind. However, I did get rid of LaCroix and there may be someone out there that may want revenge because of that," he commented, reflecting on that possibility, running a hand through his short curly hair.

     "But nobody comes to mind right off hand?" she questioned.

     "Nope. No one.," he answered truthfully. "Nat, have you gotten any sleep, or eaten anything today? Or been home?" he inquired.

     "Nick, you worry too much. I got a couple of hours sleep on your couch, and I picked up a burger earlier. I'll stop by home before I come in to work. Don't worry," she said, "I'm a doctor, this is par for the course. So how are doing? Up to trying a hamburger yet?"

     "Maybe, I can try. I need to get up and get dressed first. Though at the moment you do have me at a slight disadvantage," he tactfully teased, moving to the edge of the bed to get up.

     "Oh, sorry," she said fully realizing the position they were in for the first time and rose quickly up off his bed. "I'm meet you downstairs, okay?" she said with a touch of embarrassment as she bounced up and headed for the door.

     He observed her nervousness and the underlying tensions that were always present when they were together in intimate surroundings. "Nat, are you sure we don't need to talk? Maybe about us?" he ventured. She reacted sharply as if he had caught her, found her out.

     She stopped short and looked at him innocently. "Nick, whatever are you talking about?" she disassembled quickly, with a nervous laugh as she tried to edge towards the door. "There is nothing to talk about. We're friends, just friends, right?"

     "Yes," he agreed. "but . . . . Nat, there's something else there too. You think you're doing a good job of hiding it, but you're not succeeding. When are we going to talk, really talk?" he asked as he threw back the sheet and got up to rise to his full six foot plus height. He heard her gasp.

     The faint light from his bathroom shone on his bare, slightly furred chest, and outlined his slightly turned lean, muscular body. Turning his head slightly, Nick looked at her speculatively, but he didn't push. He valued her friendship too much to ever force himself on her. He knew what mental and physical struggles she was going through. He just watched her to see what she was going to do with the opening he had just given her.

     "Nick, there really isn't anything to talk over, honest," she said nervously as she backed out the door flushing crimson. "I'll meet you downstairs," she added, and vanished out the door before he could say another word.

     He shook his head and wondered what was wrong. Was it because he was still a vampire, or something deeper like mixing work with relationships? Or was it because she scared stiff of having any kind of relationship with anyone? He didn't have a clue as to what was going on behind those hazel eyes of hers. Would he ever?

     With a deep heartfelt sigh he padded to the bathroom to take his shower. The hot water felt good and he could feel it now. He wasn't indifferent to physical sensations, thanks to her treatments. He hadn't been able to really feel much of anything for a long time. Being dead did that to you. Some senses were heightened while others were forever numbed. It took a lot to get those dead nerve ends to feel and when they did it was like they were put into overdrive. Like sex.

     Once he was aroused, sex was incredible. Making it when he been alive had been fantastic but sex now was almost a spiritual experience. He had to be careful not to let himself get carried away lest he hurt his mortal partner. With another vampire there were no problems. With a mortal it was different. Mortals were so vulnerable, so sweet. His heightened sensations made their own passions more intense. Feedback loop, a friend of his in computers had suggested. The more aroused he got, the more his partner did, aroused him, until it was beyond description.

     However, it had been a while since he had had sex with anyone, mortal or vampire. Maybe that was why he was getting edgy, tense, and starting to look at Nat as something more than a friend when he really shouldn't. He hadn't felt stirrings like this since Alyce and that had been a couple of years now. For the time being though, he'd just have to ignore whatever attraction he was feeling for Nat until she was ready, if she ever would be.

     He stepped out of the shower and toweled off. He dressed in silky blue shirt and navy pants, and went downstairs where Nat sat on his couch watching TV. She looked up at him approvingly and then went back to her show. He got one of his bottles out of fridge and noticed her frowning at him.

     "What?" he asked as he started to uncork it.

     "You're not going to get any better if you keep drinking that stuff. I thought you were going to eat some solid food?" she questioned, getting up and going over to him as she eyed at the bottle he held accusingly.

     "Nat, I need it," he protested.

     "No, you don't. Try some food first. Then you can have some if you still need it. Are you still taking your garlic pills?"

     "Yes, and they still burn going down. Any word from your biochemist friend in New York?" he asked reluctantly as he put the bottle away and got out the pound of hamburger he had bought last night at the all-night grocery at her insistence.

     "Nothing yet, but he's having a field day with the samples I sent him. He did say your problem's almost the direct opposite of an AIDS victims. Where they have no immunity left, you have almost too much immunity. He wishes he had more blood to work with to see if he could create a serum out of your blood to test out the possibility of using it to build up anti-bodies in some of his patients."

     "What--vampirism as a cure for AIDS? That would be a strange twist of fate," he tried not to laugh.

     "Stranger things have occurred. At least we know your people can't catch it. It can't lock on to your blood cells and whatever protects you destroys it almost instantly. You're also immune to cancer, heart disease, all the niceties that plague us regular folk. Then there's your rapid healing and regenerative powers. Too bad none of your people will volunteer themselves for science," she took the hamburger away from him and carried it to the kitchen to fix it for both of them. She chopped up some garlic and sliced some onions to go on top.

     Nick was grimly amused by her comments. "What, and let our life and times be spread across the National Inquirer or worse? Nat, we live vicariously enough. The only way we've managed to survive is by hiding, not standing out in the open to let the religious fringe take potshots at us. As long as people think we are fiction and fantasy we have a chance to survive. Let them know we are real and they'll hunt us down like dogs or worse. I know," Nick replied meaningfully.

     "Vampire hunters?"

     He nodded solemnly. He watched as she deftly shaped the patties for cooking and slapped them into the hot pan on his seldom used stove. "Yes, at least once every hundred of years. There have been more than a few close escapes,"' he said bitterly with a shiver trying to forget those frightening times.

     "People are more enlightened now," she argued.

     "Are they? The modern cinema portrays us as either monsters out to get everyone in sight or objects of ridicule. I won't even go into the numerous books both fact and fiction about vampires. I sometimes do wonder if one of my kind ever did write a true history whether it would be classified as a fiction or fact," he said with a rueful smile.

     "Hey, you could always write one. It might even make the best seller list like that Anne something or other with her vampire rock star books," she teased as she flipped the burger over. The smell was beginning to make him nauseous.

     "Didn't I tell you--that's my biography?' he said with a devilish smile.

     "Yeah sure, Nick. You a rock star? You couldn't carry a tune if your life depended on it. Remember, I've heard you sing?" she teased back, laughing at him.

     "All you have to do is be able to yell, and half way play an instrument, plus look good under all those lights," he joked back. He really didn't want to destroy her illusions about him, but he had been a rock singer-- once.

     "The burgers are up. Wanna get us some plates?" she asked.

     He got the plates, and she slipped the meat into the buns and put the sliced cooked onions on top before she put on the top bun lids. Nat handed him his plate and he took it dubiously like it was going to bite him back. They sat down at his kitchen table, and she remembered to grab some paper towels for napkins.

     "Eat!" she ordered as he stared suspiciously at his sandwich.

     He did, taking a bite, and trying to chew it as well as swallow it down. One bite down. So far so good. Next bite, a little more difficult but it got down. Third bite it was getting damn difficult. Fourth bite, he didn't make it through the chewing to the swallow part. He had to put it down hastily and make a run for the kitchen sink, hoping he didn't throw up.

     Nat came up behind him and put her hand gently on his back. He could feel the warmth all the way through his shirt to his skin. It felt good. It felt soothing. It felt--he crossed that thought out before it could imprint on his mind. His stomach was still protesting but the waves of nausea were passing.

     "You okay?" she asked with deep concern.

     He nodded, a little embarrassed. "Yeah, I'm alright. It's been awhile since I tried solid protein like that. French fries are one thing, but animal meat is another," he replied, straightened up and released his death grip on the sink.

     "It's my fault for suggesting it," she apologized, feeling guilty. "I should have tried something simple like beef bouillon or chicken soup. Why don't you sit down, and I'llbring you a bottle," she offered.

     "No, I'll do without for now. I want to give the hamburger a fair trial before I give in. I'm determined to make it, Nat. No matter how painful, or uncomfortable it might be initially." He walked shakily to his chair and sat down before his half-eaten hamburger. He was amazed that he had eaten as much of it as he had. "You wouldn't happen to have any catsup, would you? he asked and she laughed.

     Going to her purse she pulled a handful of carryout packages from the bottom of it and brought them back to the table. Nick took one and opened it and squirted the contents over what remained of his food. She looked amused and a little mystified as she watched him. She went back to eating her own meal.

     I figured it worked for the French fries so it ought to work for this. Here's to catsup, the universal fixer," he said raising his burger in a mock toast and took another bite out of it. Then he took another, and another, and soon it was gone. "Catsup," he concluded, with a flourish.

     "Nick, I'm amazed, I really am," Nat said settling back in her chair. "And how does your stomach feel?"

     "It's not real sure yet. Better than it did. I might try some water to wash this down though," he added, needing something liquid still. Nat got him some water and he took slow careful sips and then he sat the glass down. "If I keep this up we may be able to go out to a restaurant and have a real dinner one night," he smiled broadly and felt a little euphoric at his accomplishment.

     "Something is working, but I'm not sure what. Are you still hungry?" she asked.

     "I can't tell yet. Give me a couple of hours. So what are you up to? Staying here? Going home? he asked getting up and carrying his plate over to the sink and rising it off and Nat followed him.

     "I do need to go home and change before I go in. Of course my going in two days straight in the same outfit is not that out of the ordinary, even before you showed up," she smiled.

     "You could always keep some spares over here," Nick suggested, just to see how she'd take that suggestion. "I've got a spare closet or two I'm not using."

     Nat flushed red, and ducked her head. "Nick, no, I couldn't do that. It wouldn't be right," she protested, completely flustered.

     "Why," he asked, innocently.

     "Just because it wouldn't be. I mean. . . you have your place and I've got mine. . . it just wouldn't be right. I mean, it would be like me moving in," she said nervous now.

     "So? I have no objection to you keeping some clothes over here. It's a drive over to your place, and it's closer to the station from here. You're here more than you're home," he countered logically while he maintained a neutral expression as he followed her into the living room. "I'm just trying to make things easier for you."

     "I appreciate the gesture, Nick, really I do. I feel I'd be taking advantage of our friendship if I did," she said with hidden emphasis.

     He looked at her with puzzlement. "Huh?"

     Seeing his growing confusion she decided to elaborate. "Usually when a person leaves some things in another person's apartment it means there's a bit more going on than just friendship," she carefully explained.

     "I see. Well, you're perfectly safe with me," he told her in hopes that would make her feel better.

     Evidently, that was the wrong thing to say as she rose quickly from the couch and paced a few steps away from him with her arms folded and her back towards him. He could see the stiffing of the back, feel the rising anger and he couldn't for the life of him figure out why she was reacting this way.

     "I see, too," she spoke finally after a long and painful silence. Her voice was decidedly flat but with undertones of anger and hurt. "Thank you for your generous offer, Nick, but I think I need to go home. Maybe I am spending too much time over here, anyway. I'll see you later at work," she added not looking at him as she picked up her coat and headed for the door, but Nick was there before her blocking her way out.

     "Nat, wait! I really think we need to talk about this," he suggested strongly. He put his hands on her shoulders, and wished she would look at him, see the pain reflected there, but she wouldn't meet his eyes.

     She tossed her head, getting more angry now at his detaining her. Coldly she replied: "There's nothing to discuss. You made yourself perfectly clear," she added angrily, pushing and trying to get past him. He blocked every attempt. "Nick, I want to go home--now!" she demanded hotly on the verge of tears.

     "No, not yet," he demanded firmly, not letting go of the grip on her shoulders. "I apologize for whatever I said or you misinterpreted. Nat, you are more than a friend to me," he confessed.

     "In what way?" she asked curiously, stopping her struggling to look up at him questioningly..

     "I . . . care for you," he ventured, afraid to say more.

     "Do you?" she asked trying to pin him down.

     "Yes, . . . I do. I worry about you being alone. I worry about another Roger coming after you. . . . I like having you here," he admitted.

     "Do you? So it's my safety now? she questioned. not seeing beyond his obvious words. "Or is it something else, Nick?"

     "Nat," he protested, afraid to go further, afraid to say what was really on his mind and in his heart.

     She saw with disappointment that he wasn't going to go further and she needed him to. Deep down that made her angry again, undoing all his hard work, and she reacted feeling rejected rather comforted by his words. She lashed out. "Well, when you figure it out, let me know! For now I'm going home and get ready for work. Bye!" That flat, odd, angry tone was back in her voice as she stepped around him and when she opened the door this time, he didn't object or hold her back. She shut the door hard making it resound with a loud clank and was gone out into the late afternoon sun where he couldn't follow.

     He stood remorseful for many long minutes afterwards, mentally kicking himself for not telling her how he really felt when he had the opportunity and hoping he hadn't blown it completely with her for all time. He finally made the effort to go back to the living room and sit on the couch. He sat for a very long time, thinking about many things.

      

     (Part 2/30)

     Forever Is A Long, Long Time

     Vickey Brickle-Macky

      

     By the time Nick arrived at work, Schanke was already at his desk deep into a foot high mound of case files that threatened to topple at any time and spread across his already messy desk.. Schanke didn't see or hear him come in so absorbed was he. He did finally look up when Nick dropped a white paper bakery sack in the middle of the file he was reading.

     "What's this?" Schanke asked. He cocked a hairy eyebrow up in suspicion first at the bag then at Nick.

     "A present, a peace offering for my screw up on the Ferro case," Nick said sincerely as he took off his sports coat and draped it on the back of his chair before he sat down.

     Schanke opened the bag and peeked in. A broad smile lit his features after he saw its contents. "Donuts! Fresh baked bakery donuts, no less! I'm impressed. Amazing what a little guilt will do," he grinned as he took the glazed morsel out and took a large bite out of it. He looked heavenward in culinary rapture. "I won't insult you by offering you one," he commented about to take another bite.

     "Why not? Insult me," Nick said with a grin as he laced his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair.

     "Huh?" came Schanke's stunned reply. He looked at him open mouthed, donut posed. "Yeah, sure Nick. Take one," he said offering him the bag and Nick took one out.

     Nick took a large bite. Schanke's eyes almost bulged out and Nick went up several levels in his estimation. Nick was almost finished with his donut when Nat wandered in. She stopped dead in her tracks in disbelief, and her own mouth gapped open. Nick saw her and grinned up at her.

     She gulped hard and approached the two detectives. "Ahh, Nick, here's the autopsy file on Robert Downing, the murder victim from last night," she said as she remembered why she had come in. She was dying to ask about the donut eating but didn't dare. She did wonder what was going on with him. A complete hamburger, now a donut too, all in the same day? Something was up.

     Nick sat playing innocent, daring her with his eyes. But before she could rise to the bait Schanke asked "Anything new show up?" he asked getting down to business while he licked his fingers clean and took the file from Nat's numbed fingers.

     Nat tore her eyes from Nick and concentrated on Schanke's words, getting her own mind on police business. "Nope. So far no leads. I've got some hair samples for a DNA analysis, and lab should be getting back with the blood work up any time now. There were a number of prints both inside and out of the rental car. Ryan went over the rental agency to get prints of the employees that might have handled the car and we'll run them through. That's about it so far," Nat reported.

     "Thanks, Nat. I'll see you later at the lab," he told her. He still wanted to talk about them, but he also needed to talk about the case. He was glad she was down playing the torn throat part of the murder until they both could be sure a vampire had done it and proceed from there. The Enforcers were ever present on his mind.

     "Later then," Nat acknowledged with a serious nod, then turned and left.

     "Well, partner, it looks like it's time to hit the streets. We still have some leads to follow up on the Stevens and Garrison cases and we need to go check this latest scene to see if the lab boys missed anything," Schanke said as he got up and grabbed his coat.

     "Sounds like a long night," Nick commented as he put his coat on.

     Schanke just nodded as he grabbed up the files and they headed for the door.

     Before they could leave the Captain came out of his office and headed them off. "Hold it detectives!" he ordered and Nick and Schanke froze in their tracks. They knew it wasn't going to be good from the Captain's angry expression. "A call just came in. There's been another murder, same MO. A patrolman just found a guy slumped over the wheel of his Lincoln with his throat torn out in an alley, same neighborhood too. The address is 910 Angus Street. Get over there and check it out," Stonetree ordered, not liking two similar killings happening back to back in less than a day's time.

     "Got it," Schanke replied as he scribbled down the address.

     "I already told forensics. They'll met you there," Stonetree added as the detectives resumed their exodus to the door.

     The two men acknowledged they had heard and vanished out the door. Once outside Schanke started cussing and fuming. "Damn, if we didn't have enough to do tonight! Another murder gets dumped into our laps. Not enough hours in the day or night to check these cases out and he's wondering why our percentages are going down--jeez! I wish the Captain had stuck this baby with Murphy or Morganson. Why us?" he asked exasperated.

     "Maybe because we're good?" Nick offered.

     "Yeah, right, Nick," he said sarcastically and shot him a look.

     Nick got out his keys and let Schanke in the Caddie. At least after three years, his partner wasn't asking about them using a regular unmarked car. The Caddie was distinctive but it worked to their advantage rather than against it as their reputation as partners grew. He opened his door, and was about to get in when he saw Nat take off in her car going to the crime scene. He watched her a moment before getting in. The action was not lost on Schanke.

     "Looks like Nat's going to beat us to the scene again," Schanke commented as he buckled up.

     "Looks that way," Nick replied his mind already racing with the problems the case was beginning to pose.

     "I still don't see how she stays so cheerful," Schanke said as they pulled out of the parking lot.

     "Who stays cheerful?" Nick asked , not following.

     "Our lady doctor," he replied like Nick was dense. "All those dead bodies. The woman's weird to be so happy."

     "She likes her work," Nick defended, "she likes the challenge and trying to make sense of a murder scene. Nothing weird about it."

     "That's your opinion, but the gal has no social life to speak of, you know what I mean? All she's got is her work, her cat, and her apartment. She's as bad as you are, except you at least go out and down to The Raven. She doesn't even do that, I've asked her. Though I have heard through the grape vine that she does spend a lot of time over at your place when she's off duty. Is there something going on I should know about?" Schanke inquired hopefully.

     "Nope, nothing," Nick denied quickly. "Nat and I are just friends, nothing more."

     "Uh-huh, sure, Nick. That's not the way it looks from my view." Schanke eyed Nick dubiously as he folded his arms.

     "Nat's like a sister to me, Schank. I wouldn't dream of . . . you know, doing anything. It wouldn't be right," he stammered as he tried to keep the denial up.

     Schanke laughed, "Sister? You--her? Don't give me that, buddy-boy. I know you, and I think I know her. You can deny it all you want but you're in love with her and she's got it bad for you. Anyone with half a brain can see that," Schanke said triumphantly.

     Nick felt cornered. He was cornered. He could keep denying or he could confess. He wasn't sure which was better. But Schanke wasn't going to give up on the subject, that much he could tell, and he wasn't quite ready to talk about it, not until he and Nat did talk some more.

     After a long minute, he replied. "So what if I am in love with Nat? It's no one's business but my own." He tried to concentrate on his driving.

     "Not when it's obviously tearing the two of you up inside. I don't know what the problem is between the two of you, but there is one. The whole station knows it too."

     "They do?" Nick asked surprised. Were they really that obvious or was Schanke just saying that to get a rise out of him?

     "Yeah, they do. Even the Captain asked me about what was going on and truthfully I had to tell him I didn't know. So come clean, Nick, what is happening? Maybe I can help," he offered sincerely.

     "There's nothing you can do. It's just something that has to be worked out between her and I, if can be."

     "Well, I for one hope it can. You two are a prefect match. I've thought so for a long time. The department usually doesn't encourage romance but in this case you've got a green light," Schanke said trying to reassure him.

     Nick didn't know whether to laugh or cry at Schanke's remark, but it was touching in its way. Well he wanted to live a normal, mortal life, he was getting the chance to and with all it entailed. This at least proved to him how accepted he was in his work life, that people cared enough about him to be interested in what he did and who he did it with. It was a strange feeling to be so accepted but he liked it.

     He turned the corner and saw they had arrived. at their destination. Up ahead of him he could see flashing lights and an ambulance. The uniforms were busy the blocking off the scene with bright yellow tape and signs and putting up barriers. "We're here," Nick announced as he pulled up behind Nat's car and parked.

     Wisely, Schanke didn't continue the conversation they had had in the car. He was all business once he got out and began checking out the scene. He went to the ranking officer on the scene and began to gather info while Nick headed for the physical scene himself careful to stay out of Nat's way as well as the other technicians as the searched the alley carefully for any clues.

     Nat leaned in carefully through the open down of the white '92 Lincoln. The body hadn't been moved yet. It was exactly as the patrolman had found it slumped over the steering wheel. The man's hands gripped the top of the wheel tightly while his head rested on it. His face turned inward as if he looked towards the passenger side. Nat ordered the photographer to take shoots from every angle of the body, then she walked to the other side and leaned in to see the body from that side before she finally moved it off the wheel with her gloved hands for a closer exam.

     She had no doubts that it was definitely the same killer. The throat was torn out as in the case last night and she knew that she would find that all the blood had been drained from the body as well. Outside of some blood around the wound, a few patches on the man's white shirt and tan pants, the rest of area was devoid of any bloodstains. The man had evidently died in terror though. His eyes were wide open and staring in fright, his features frozen for all time to the horror that had over taken him. His mouth hung in a silent scream. They would have to canvas the neighborhood to see if anyone had heard or seen anything.

     Nat ordered him moved to a gurney while she continued her inspection of the car looking at the passenger seat for any clues. She was not sure yet whether the killer had rode to scene with victim in the car or if the victim had been in the process of picking the killer up off the street. She smiled in triumph as she found some long dark hairs on the back of the passenger seat and quickly scooped them up into a bag. Also when she had opened the closed car she had smelled traces of an expensive musk based perfume and she leaned close to seat and found that scent was quite strong there. So the killer had been physically in the car. The rest of the car was clean, very clean, only a wadded up gum package in the ash tray . No doubt another rental.

     Under the man's neatly folded sport coat in the back seat was a brief case, leather, expensive. She opened it. Manila folders, some loose papers, a legal pad with writing on it, pencils, a calculator, and some business cards in a pocket carrying case. The cards belonged to a Joseph Kiem of the Broadex Corporation in Kansas City. The cards announced that he was senior V.P. in charge of marketing. Not any more, Nat thought sadly to herself as she found a framed picture of a beautiful blonde wife and three pretty teenage girls at the bottom of the case. The notepad had notes from his meetings with several clients in town earlier that day. Nick and Schanke would check those out. Nat closed the case and backed out of the car and as she did so a flash of gold on the floorboard caught her eye. Gingerly with her gloved hand she picked up a broken chain with an odd charm on it. Somehow it looked familiar, but she couldn't place it right off hand. She slipped it into an evidence bag.

     "Find anything?" Nick asked from behind her. He had been checking the alley itself looking for clues. So far he had found nothing.

     "There's not much. He was another out-of-towner here on business by the papers in the brief case. The killer wore an expensive brand of musk based perfume. I'll get the lab ones to pin it down. Then there's this." She held the bag with the gold necklace up for him to see. "I've seen something like this before but I can't place it. Ring any bells with you?" she asked hopefully.

     Nick took it, and looked closely at the odd Mayan Indian-style charm. "It's Mayan, one of the minor gods of thunder. A museum replica of a real one. Not your standard jewelry for a common prostitute. Nor can I think of anyone whose taste would run to wearing such a thing among the community," he added in a low voice for her ears only as he saw Schanke approach. She nodded in understanding then left him to examine the body on the stretcher.

     "Anything?" Schanke asked about the bag Nick was now holding.

     "Nat found it on the floor in the back. It might belong to our killer."

     Schanke took it and looked at it. "Mayan," he pronounced. "You don't see too many of these wandering around. The last time I saw anyone wearing one was that museum curator friend of yours, Dr. Alyce Hunter. I noticed it right away and asked her where she got it.. It looked like something I'd like to get for Myra."

     "Dr. Hunter, are you sure?" Nick asked trying not to react, but he saw Nat stiffen as well at the mention of the name.

     "Yeah, positive. She said I could get a necklace like this through the museum gift shop, but hers was real. She found it on one of her digs. But your doctor friend, she died, what three years ago? Maybe her stuff got sold and someone bought it or its a replica."

     "Maybe you're right, Schank. I still have nightmare over what happened to Alyce and your bringing up her name, you know . ." Nick told him.

     "Yeah, sorry, buddy," Schanke apologized, then turned his attention back to Nat. "So how goes it?"

     "Definitely the same MO, throat torn out as before. And the man's ID states that he is Kenneth Kiem from Kansas City. No cash or credit cards are missing, so robbery wasn't the motive. He might have struggled with his killer, there's skin under his fingernails and blood. I'll see what shows up when I get him downtown," she said as she zipped up the body bag and told the attendants to take it away.

     "This is getting decided weird. I hope you come up with something, Nat, as right now, we don't have a clue as to what is going on. We're going to go check the other crime scene and see if anything was missed. Then track down some leads on our other cases," Schanke told her.

     Nick was silent, thoughtful. He knew Nat was probably thinking the same thing he was. He needed to check with Janette to be sure. His only problem was getting away from Schanke long enough to go to The Raven alone. He glanced at Nat and saw she had read his intentions as well. He could tell that it worried her that Alyce Hunter might be a vampire, despite the fact she had done an autopsy and pronounced her dead. That thought chilled her but she knew they couldn't discuss it yet.

     "Right," Nat responded automatically to Schanke. She wished she and Nick could talk. Instead she said, "I'll see you guys later. I should know something in a couple of hours."

     She then left for her car, and Schanke motioned to Nick, "Let's go, partner. We've got places to go and people to see."

     Nick followed his partner and they went off on their rounds. Several hours later after they had caught up on their casework Nick headed for The Raven. "I need to see Janette about something. Is it okay if we stop by The Raven real quick?" Nick asked, knowing he was taking a chance bringing his partner to the club but he had to talk to Janette before he talked with Nat later.

     "Yeah, sure," He was a little puzzled as to what Nick had to talk to Janette about but he shrugged in acceptance. "I'll go over to the news stand and get a Police Gazette while you go talk," Schanke added as they pulled up in front of the club. After his encounter with Irma, he had had decided it was best if he stayed outside and waited.

     The club was still very crowded despite the late hour of night. Heavy metal blared from the speakers, and the rainbow colored lights swirled around him as he walked through the crowd heading for Janette's usual table by the bar. She was perched on a bar stool talking with one of her employees. He waited politely until she was finished before he came up and sat down next to her. She smiled at him, delighted to see him.

     "Nicholi, I'm glad to see you. I was hoping you'd come by," she smiled, and took a sip from her drink.

     "Schanke is out in the car, so I can't stay long. Have you found out anything?"

     "Not much. If it one of our own, they are acting independently and don't associate with other members of the community. There are a few newcomers to town, but they have been checked out and aren't responsible for last night's killing," she relayed.

     "There's been another killing tonight, an out-of-town businessman. Same MO, found with his throat torn out in a rental car. The only thing different was that a gold necklace was found at the scene with a Mayan charm. Know of anyone who might have taste along that line?"

     She shook her head. "No, mon cheri, no one comes to mind. The general interest runs to skulls, and swords. The usual heavy metal style."

     "Has the name Alyce been mentioned recently? Or has anyone seen a newcomer, female, medium-height with medium length, straight brown hair, and hazel eyes around? A loner, possibly without a mentor?" he asked pointedly.

     "You suspect someone?"

     "Maybe. It's a hunch, one I'd rather not hope be true. Just before he died, LaCroix attacked Alyce Hunter, the woman from the museum who was helping me. I was positive at the time he killed her and so was Nat who did an autopsy on her. Now I'm not so sure," he confessed at looked up to met Janette's startled eyes.

     "You think she was brought over instead? Surely, she would have contacted you by now."

     "Ordinarily, yes. But when LaCroix went after me, I was weak from hunger. She offered herself to me, and I refused. She wanted to be immortal no matter what the cost, but I denied her. I couldn't make her like me, and I couldn't take her blood no matter how bad I needed it. I fought LaCroix anyway and he knocked me unconscious for a moment. When I came to he had her and was drinking her blood. His killing her enraged me and I went after him with a burning stake and drove it through his black heart," Nick recounted bitterly, his mouth a grim line.

     Janette just shook her head, torn between her feelings for Nick and her loyalty to the memory of LaCroix. She was still angry over LaCroix's death by Nick's hands. She and LaCroix had been companions for many long years prior to Nick joining them and she had shared many of his more unusual appetites for pleasure and amusement.

     "Please, must you bring that up, Nicholi?" she asked, "I do not wish to think about his death. So you think this Alyce might have brought over?" She changed the subject.

     "I hope not, but with LaCroix gone she would have been on her own unless someone took her under their wing and no one has taken on an independent, have they?"

     "Not that I know of. But I will ask. Nicholi, you should know too, the Enforcers are back. The headlines in the mortal papers have drawn them. They are conducting their own investigations into these killings. Is Nat aware of their existence?"

     "Yes, I told her about them when that TV reporter caught me on film. She is doing her best to keep a lid on this and protect our secrets. She knows what is at stake and how vulnerable she is knowing what she does know. I will find this renegade. Who ever is doing this is jeopardizing everyone," Nick said worriedly.

     "Well, my darling, I will do my part and tell the others. It's terrible when one of our own is so reckless. But take care and warn Natalie. Even though she is a mortal she is a good friend. Oh, did I tell you, she and I finally had that talk?" Janette let drop.

     "Ohh? About what?"

     "Girl things, mon cheri, the usual," she smiled disarmingly, and battered her eyes innocently as she took another sip from her drink.

     Nick doubted that, but he could tell Janette was not going to say a word unless she wanted to. He cocked a skeptical eyebrow.

     "She did say, you are getting a lot more serious about your relationship with her. She asked me what I thought about her keeping a few things at your place."

     "And what did you tell her?"

     "To go for it, naturally. That you just don't make such offers to people unless you mean it. So what is going on with you and her? Janette asked with purr as she bent forward leaning on the table with her chin on her hand fixing him with an almost innocent inquisitive look.

     "Nothing really. We're just friends, no more than that," he answered honestly.

     "Ah, but I think you wish for much more, am I right?" she smiled, daring him to deny it.

     "If it is possible, maybe." He was trying hard not to commit himself to anything.

     She shook her head and sighed loudly in exasperation. "You're hopeless, Nicholi. You love her. She loves you. Do something about it. Don't miss this opportunity," Janette counseled sagely.

     He knew she was right that he shouldn't miss this opportunity but he was still afraid and the fears would not easily be vanished with just a few words. He felt miserable. He looked miserable. "I can't, not yet. I could hurt her still. I'm not safe," he told her truthfully--his truth--his fear, and saw her shake her head.

     "Isn't knowing real love worth the risk? You have what you've always wanted, my love. You're almost mortal, and have a woman that loves you and understands your secrets, yet . . ."

     "That's just it, I'm not fully mortal. I'm balanced between, neither fish nor fowl. I still fear for her, and losing control."

     "She understands, Nicholi, and she's not afraid. That's what you have to understand. She's willing to take the risk. That's why she's done all that she has for you."

     "It is? She really feels that way? She told you so?" He asked, not quite believing her.

     The beautiful dark-haired woman nodded solemnly, "Yes, she did. Talk to her, Nicholi. Find your happiness."

     "I will try, Janette. I've got to go. I'm surprised Schanke hasn't been in here before to get me," he said as he stood up and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. "Thanks for the talk, and if you hear anything. . . ."

     "I will call you. Good night, my love, and good luck on finding this killer," she wished him as he left and he nodded back in acknowledgment before he vanished into the crowd.

     Outside Schanke was curled up against the door of the Caddie asleep with the police radio turned down low. That quickly explained why he hadn't been in to get Nick. Nick opened the door and Schanke promptly sat up looking around a little dazed.

     "Have a good nap, Schank?" Nick asked with a grin as he slid under the wheel and started the car.

     "Yeah, I didn't mean to. I was reading and the next thing I'm out like a light. I got plenty of sleep today," he commented sheepishly.

     "And here I thought you'd be all over me for being there so long."

     Schanke looked at his watch and whistled. "It must have been a hell of a talk. Our shift is almost up. Does Janette know anything?" he asked.

     "No one's heard or seen a thing. That the killings have been taking place so close to the club bothers her too. She'll let us know if she find out anything," Nick relayed truthfully as he drove them back to the station.

     "That's good. So do you have any idea what's going on with these murders? It ain't robbery, both victims still had their wallets intact. Looks like the victims didn't even get to fist base before they got their throats torn out. That's the weird part of this. How could a normal woman do it? She's have to be some kind of amazon as there is no evidence that any animals were involved as I first thought. A big dog could do that kind of damage but there weren't any. Maybe she used some kind of weapon but the edges of the wound are too ragged and there's no blood except for a few spots on the victim's clothes. You use a weapon, there's blood from the cut, but it's all gone. I hope Nat can tell us something because this is driving me nuts trying to figure out what went on," Schanke said as Nick just listened.

     He had the answers to a lot of Schanke's questions but he couldn't say a word, in fact if he did come up with who was doing this he'd have to handle it himself. Especially now that the Enforcers were around. He had to protect the mortal public, but he had to also protect the secrets of the vampire community. He was walking a tightrope and he knew it. He wasn't even sure right now how he was going to resolve this, except have the case go into the unsolved case files and then make it quietly disappear.

     "I hope she can too, Schank," Nick replied belatedly to his partner's comments as they parked in their usual spot at the station.

     "You go on ahead and I'll meet you at Forensics," Schanke said as he got out.

     "No problem. See you there," Nick replied then sighed with relief that he'd be able to get a few minutes to talk Nat alone before Schanke did show up.

      

      

     (Part 3/30)

     Forever Is A Long, Long Time

     Vickey Brickle-Macky

      

      

     Nat was just sending Grace off with samples to be delivered to the lab when Nick walked in.

     "Evening, Detective." Grace gave him a big grin, and a knowing look as she wandered out.

     "Evening, Grace," he responded, not sure what had been said earlier to spark the look she had given him. Then he turned his attention back to a mysteriously smiling Natalie waiting for him by the empty autopsy table. He decided he really didn't want to know and to keep his conversation neutral as he could. "Hi, Nat, find anything? Schanke will be down shortly. He had to drop off some paperwork to the Captain," he warned her as Grace disappeared out the double doors.

     She understood. "So far everything is the same. Same lipstick, same hair samples, long, brown, straight. The skin sample came back. . ." she let that hang there for a moment.

     "And?" he asked moving closer since was indicating she didn't want to be overheard. He stood beside her as she leaned over the stainless steel table then he leaned with her, to hear her low pitched voice.

     "I had a hunch ...," she began nerviously glancing at him then away quickly afraid to go on

     "You found something. . . tell me, Nat," he begged, dreading and knowing at the same time what she was going to say.

     She nodded and took a deep breath before she carefully told him: " I checked back through the old autopsy files and specimens. I haven't told anyone but I found a match."

     "Alyce?"

     She nodded. "The DNA matches with the samples I still had. Did you tell Janette? Has anyone seen her?"

     His worse fears had been finally confirmed. Alyce was alive. He let out the breath he had been holding. "I told her. If it is her, she hasn't made herself known to anyone that Janette knows. She going to make inquiries. Then she told me to warn you, the Enforcers are around. The publicity on this case has drawn them out of hiding. She said to be careful. She worries about you," he relayed.

     "She does?" Nat asked genuinely surprised.

     "She does. You hold a high place in her esteem--for a mortal," he added.

     Nat laughed. "I must. I feel honored."

     "Oh, and she told me about you and her talking."

     Nat looked innocent for a moment, and grew suddenly shy. "She seemed like the best person to ask for advice. I mean she's known you forever. I've been doing a lot of thinking . . ," but whatever she was going to say next was cut off by Schanke's appearance.

     "Hi, people, opps . . . did I come in at a bad time?" he asked, his face turned red as he noticed how close they were and how cozy it looked between the two of them.

     They both straightened up as if shot and backed away from one another. They were both flustered. Nick ran his hand nervously through his thick blond hair while Nat headed for her desk and shuffled papers. Schanke inwardly kicked himself for walking in when he had.

     "No, Schank, no problem. We were just discussing the case," Nat said. It was a half-truth. They had been.

     He didn't buy it, but took her word for it. "Okay, so did you find something?"

     "Nothing that will help. The killer used some kind of shears to tear the throat to make it look like it had been torn out. The draining of the victims is identical to the killings a couple of years ago. Possibly a copy-cat killer. Revenge might be a motive since none of the victims were robbed," Nat lied, hoping Schanke wouldn't catch her.

     He was very puzzled now. "So how did our killer get close enough to use sheers or whatever? There wasn't any sign of a struggle. Drugs?"

     "The blood chemistry analysis hasn't shown anything yet. I'll run it through again to see if anything exotic shows up that might have been overlooked."

     "But if the prep is draining the body wouldn't there be evidence of some sort of equipment? It had to go somewhere and the scene was too clean."

     In answer Nat held up a suction device attached to some tubing. "Maybe they used something like this. Any medical supply house, or hospital has this kind of equipment in stock. It's pretty standard. Then just attach a holding container and pump and there you have one drained body," she explained logically.

     Nick was impressed with her creativity. Now if Schank would buy it. He knew she hated sending the detective on a wild-goose chase but she had to do something to get him diverted so they could go after the real killer.

     "If you say so, Nat. You're the expert. So what are they doing with all the blood. Some kind of cult thing, rituals, black magic?" he questioned not entirely convinced.

     "That something we'll have to find out when we catch her," Nick told him.

     "So is a she doing this."

     "Definitely. I suspect it's a white female, maybe in her thirties with brown hair, medium length, straight. That much we got from the hair samples left at the crime scenes," Nat relayed.

     "At least that's something. I'll tell the Captain, have him put a bulletin out to keep an eye on anyone answering this description in that general area. Well, it's check out time. Nick, you staying around or going home?" Schanke asked as he looked at his watch.

     "I'll be getting home. What you need a ride?"

     "Yeah, Myra's got mine while hers is in the shop. Don't mind do you?" he asked knowing how nervous Nick got about getting home before sunrise.

     "Tell you what, you drop me off and you can keep the Caddie and then pick me up for work tonight. How's that?" Nick asked.

     "You're sure?"

     "Yeah, I won't need it. Just be careful with it," he warned, grateful that his car had been restored to its pristine state after Schanke had "borrowed" it before.

     "Sure, partner, sure," Schanke said taking the responsibility seriously. "See you later, Nat. You coming, Nick," he asked as he noticed him linger.

     "In a moment. I'll meet you out there. Here, here's the keys." He tossed them to him and Schanke nodded as he caught them. He got the message.

     "Are you coming over?" Nick asked when they were finally alone.

     "After I finish up here. You're right we need to talk. Are you up to it?" she asked seriously.

     "Yes. It can't go on like this."

     She shook her head agreeing. "No, it can't."

     "In a hour then?" He wanted to know when to expect her.

     "There abouts."

     "Okay, see you then," he said simply and left.

     Natalie watched him go. She wished she could have left with him but there were still some papers to go over and reports to file before she was finished for the day. She bent to her task and the time slipped by. Forty-five minutes later she felt a sudden chill down her spine and she looked up in surprise to see someone standing before her desk.

     "Hello, Doctor, we've never been introduced but I believe we have a mutual friend," the cultured voice said easily from behind his wrap-around sunglasses.

     "We do?" she questioned as she looked over tall pale man dressed all in fashionable black clothes. She had a premonition, and she grew scared. "You're dead." It was a statement of fact.

     "Then you know who I am?" He was amused.

     She wasn't. She was terrified if everything about this man was true and it was who she thought it was. "You're LaCroix!"

     "Correct, my dear. You get an "A" for your perceptiveness."

     "What do you want?" she asked as her hand slid down under the desk to push the silent alarm to call security.

     "You, naturally. It's time to end this mortal charade Nicholas has been indulging himself in. It's time he returned to the fold," the man said, removing his glasses gracefully and he held them thoughtfully as he looked at her.

     "But you died three years ago?" she questioned, fascinated despite the danger. She could understand now the awe, the fear, the power of the man that still held both Nick and Janette in its thrall. It was almost a tangible thing, this aura of power the ancient vampire had.

     "Died? I led Nicholas to believe that. He hurt me, injured me but he was far from destroying me. I am unstoppable and eternal. No, I decided to let him be, let him think me finally destroyed, and to watch him, observe him from afar. He has proved to be quite entertaining as he tries to be mortal and you help him. I've also noticed that he is now up to eating solid food. I'm impressed, doctor, I really am. At this rate he might even succeed at his quest. I cannot allow that--nor these feelings he has for you," he said plainly as he came to the point.

     "What feelings? We're just friends."

     LaCroix laughed, doubling over in fact with his laughter. "Doctor, either you are blind and a fool, or you're lying. Then what was it you wished to talk to him about after your work? No, my dear, my Nicholas is quite enamored of you. And you do have immense promise. There is a power and a strength in you unlike his usual choices in mortal women."

     "Is that supposed to flatter me?" Nat asked.

     He shrugged. "It's a pity you will have to die."

     "And why must I? Can't you just leave me alone. If I am such a problem I could leave, vanish from his life. Isn't death a little extreme?"

     He smiled, enjoying the game being played between them. "Alas, poor Nicholas would try to find you if you did leave. He doesn't give up. Then there is your knowledge about him, about what he is as well as the rest of us. You are quite dangerous."

     "I've kept your world's secrets, made sure no one knew. I've even helped preserve them."

     "Yes," he agreed. "Still, my dear, you could slip. In all the centuries no mortal has been privy to us. He has broken the sacred trust by revealing himself and our world to you. The Enforcers are not pleased. Only I stand between you and their justice."

     "You? How?" she asked worriedly.

     He did not give her a direct answer. He merely smiled and held out his whitely-pale hand to her. "I want you to come with me." It was a command not a request and he expected her to obey him.

     "To where and why should I?

     " To see Nicholas of course. If you don't I will kill you dead where you sit and there will be no rebirth for you," LaCroix warned. It was not a casual threat and Nat knew it.

     'Then I guess I don't have a choice, do I?" she said as she got up and faced him. "Let me get my purse. It would look suspicious if I left it," she added as she tried to think quickly of possible escape routes of the lab, but there were none. She was trapped--like a rat, and she somehow suspected he knew that too.

     LaCroix inclined his head as he agreed with her logic. She walked towards him, her heavy bag in her hands. Without warning she threw it at his face catching him off guard as the security guards burst in guns drawn.

     "FREEZE ASSHOLE!" One of them yelled as he lined LaCroix up in his sights.

     LaCroix looked back at them and laughed, then turned back to Natalie who had backed away out of reach. He smiled benevolently at her and with out stretched arms as he bowed to her cunning wit. "You're good, very good. But you had your chance, my dear, to do it the easy way. Now beware!" he warned as he vanished completely from their sight as if he had never been.

     Nat and the guards looked at the empty spot where the vampire had been. She was as confused as they were as she knew normal vampires didn't vanish like that. She looked at her watch almost sunrise. Good, there should be some safety in the light.

     "Are you going to be okay, Dr. Lambert?" one of the guards asked not sure how to write this one up.

     "Yeah, I think so, Sam. Just some kind of weirdo."

     "But he vanished like smoke. Where he'd go, anyway?" he asked, looking around.

     "That I don't know," she said truthfully as she collapsed on a corner of her desk. She began to shake and then she started shivering violently. How close a call she had had with death was starting to hit home.

     Grace came running in. "You okay, Nat?" she asked solicitously going to her.

     "Yeah, I think so," she didn't want a fuss made over her. She hated that.

     "Do you need a ride home? Do you want someone to come with you?" Grace asked as the guards stood by waiting for her answer too.

     "I don't know. I was going over to Nick's."

     "I'll take you, Dr. Lambert." Sam volunteered. "At least at Detective Knight's you'll be safe if you got some sort of crazy after you. Did you know the guy?" Sam asked.

     "No," she said truthfully. "Okay, Sam, you're on. Let me check if Nick's home yet." She reached for the phone and called his number. She got the answering machine and waited until she got the beep to leave her own message. "Nick, if you are home, pick up. It's Nat."

     On the other end Nick picked up curious. "What's up?" he asked.

     "I had a visitor at the lab. I'll explain when I get there. Sam's bringing me. I'm too shook to drive."

     "Alright. You're okay?"

     "Just nerves. I'll be there in a few. Be careful." she warned as she hung up. Nat then turned to the waiting guard. "He's there. Grace, I'll see you later tonight. Let's go, Sam."

      

      

     (Part 4/30)

     Forever Is A Long, Long Time

     Vickey Brickle-Macky

      

     Fifteen minutes later she was punching in the keycode at Nick's apartment while Sam stood discreetly by. He wasn't leaving until he was sure she was safety inside.

     The door opened before she could finish. It was Nick "Thanks Sam, I'll take it from here," Nick assured him as he gently pulled Nat in before he could begin to smoke in the sunlight.

     "Okay Detective Knight, Dr. Lambert, see you at work," he said with a wave of his hand as he left satisfied that the doctor was safe and secure with the detective.

     "That was taking a big chance," Nat commented after he had locked the door.

     "In view of your call I wanted to make sure it was you and that you were alright. So what happened?" he asked as she went to his kitchen and fixed herself a badly needed cup of coffee. He followed her waiting for an answer. She ignored him hovering near her. She took a couple of sips and added some more before she left the kitchen. He stood by patiently knowing by her determined silence that she wasn't going to talk until she was ready.

     "I think you better brace yourself," she warned as she sat down on his couch.

     He looked at her expectantly as he sat down too.

     "Nick, I had a visitor after you left. . . . It was LaCroix. He said he was there to take me somewhere with him."

     "LACROIX? He's dead. I killed him myself. I saw the ashes of his body." Nick protested, not believing her, not wanting to believe her because the implications that the evil vampire was still alive was too horrible to contemplate.

     "Nick, I'm not lying. It was him or else a damn good double from both yours and Janette's description of him. And he knew about us, about your eating, about how you are turning mortal. He said he was going to stop you, return you to the fold."

     "And what did he threatened you with? Did he touch you?" Nick asked afraid and angry.

     "He didn't get a chance to. While he was there he was a gentleman. He told me I was going to die, but I think rather than outright killing, he has plans on bringing me over, making me a vampire. It seems I amuse him since I don't cower in fear of him."

     "Yes, he would respect that, but that means too that if he chose to kill you outright he would also make it very painful and long, rather than quick. Rather like a cat that toys with its food. I thought the nightmare of him was over, dead and gone. Janette said she had felt something, now I know it was HIM. Damn his black soul. All I ever wanted was to be free of him after I awoke to the depths of his endless cruelty and found I couldn't stomach it. Now he threatens you. I'm sorry, Nat, I truly am," Nick looked up at her worriedly.

     "Nick, what's done is done. I admit I'm scared. I've never felt such utter . . .evil? I never believed in such a thing until I saw him. You were right. He is evil. How could you get mixed up with such a person, Nick?" she asked.

     "Innocence, pure innocence. Disbelief in the fact that such evil could walk abroad on two legs. First Janette seduced me, and I lost my knightly chastity and broke my vows, then LaCroix came and offered me eternal life and visions of possibilities I had never dreamed of. I followed willingly not knowing how great a price I would be paying ultimately, what depths to which I would sink. Innocence is so easily corrupted and destroyed."

     "I think I understand. He has such a pull, a power to control. He is not easy to resist, nor will he be easy to fight," Nat said as he looked at him, worried for his sake.

     "No, he won't be. Just when I thought my life had some meaning, some hope of a real future he returns as he has always done to snatch the happiness from my grasp. I'm grateful that you are still alive and well. I shudder to think how close you came to . . . ," he left the rest unspoken and looked away from her embarrassed.

     "Nick, it will be okay," she reached a hand out to touch his . He looked up as if he had been shocked but made no move to remove his hand nor did she.

     Feeling the warmth of her humanity it brought home how fragile, how delicate she was compared to him, how easily hurt she could be. He looked at her sadly with compassion. "Nat, it's you that doesn't understand. I may not be able to protect you. I have changed to where I can be hurt. And he could kill you either outright or make you like me, like I made Richard. Do you want that?"

     "No, but I don't want final death, not yet, not now. And he said the Enforcers are after us, after me. Maybe my only choice is too come over."

     "Natalie, you can't mean that!" he protested, alarmed.

     "Nick," she said firmly, trying to make him understand. "I am not ready to die--call it quits. Die after a nice long period of old age but not, now, not in the prime of my life. I don't want to lose you, Nick. I love you--there I've said it," she said quickly, embarrassed at her boldness. Now she couldn't face him. She chewed on her lip nervously waiting with baited breath for his reaction.

     Nick's first thought was: She actually loves me? It''s true? His heart sang, overjoyed at her words. He had hoped to hear those words but that she could actually tell him how she felt was a gift more precious than she could ever know. He sat there a little stunned at her confession, though why he should be he didn't know. He put his hand on her shoulder and turned her to him. She was afraid to look up, meet his eyes. He accepted that. He was scared too. They were both taking giant steps forward tonight breaking down their self-imposed barriers. He took a deep breath to say what he had to tell her, what he had been holding back because he suddenly realized that there might not be time later for either of them.

     "Natalie, look at me," he commanded gently.

     She shivered under his hands, expecting rejection, his condemnation. "I can't, Nick. I'm sorry I said anything. I apologize for . . . ."

     He wouldn't let her finish. He put a finger to her lips. "Shh, there is no need to apologize or anything to be sorry for. Natalie, I've been wanting to tell you all along, since yesterday. . . I love you, too," he confessed in a quiet voice.

     She looked up sharply in disbelief as if she really hadn't heard him correctly. "You do?" she asked in wonder, her heart taking a flying leap.

     He nodded, transfixed by her gaze. "I have for a long time. I just couldn't admit it to myself. I've opened myself to you in ways I've never opened myself to any other person. Let you get under my skin, and I haven't regretted it."

     "Until now?"

     Her response threw him. "You think because of LaCroix, I'm saying all this?" he asked incredulously.

     She didn't answer. She wasn't sure she should.

     "Nat, I wanted to tell you I loved you last night but you stormed out of her before I could. That's what I wanted to talk to you about today--us. That's why I made the offer to keep some things of yours here. But I wasn't sure how you felt. You are so damn hard to read."

     "You've been around eight hundred plus years and you don't know women?"

     "There has never been anyone quite like you in my experience," he said honestly with a slight smile on his face and in his voice.

     She noted that he had not removed his hand from her shoulder and that his fingers were gently stroking it, kind of like a cat kneading when they were being petted. It was pleasant, comforting, soothing, yet she wished for more. Could there be more between them than just admitting how they really felt about one another? She felt as if she were suspended in a dream, that this couldn't be happening, that they were finally getting it all out in the open.

     "Not in eight hundred years? Seriously?" she questioned, doubting that this could be true.

     "Seriously. You are unique, Natalie," he told her sincerely.

     She felt giddy under his intense gaze from those blue-grey eyes. She became giddier as he leaned forward and at the same time drew her unprotesting form to him across the slick black leather of the couch. His long fingers lifted her chin up and she closed her eyes as she felt the first tentative touch of his lips on hers. They were soft, warm, human feeling, not cold. Not the cold she had half expected, the cold she remembered from the first time they had met, the first time she had touched his skin. Nat thrilled at his touch.

     Nick allowed himself to feel, to let go, in a way he had not let himself go in a long time. He trusted himself not to lose complete control with Natalie. Not to vamp out, he had progressed that far--he hoped. He deepened his kiss and Nat responded back as he crunched his fingers into her long, loose, curly brown hair to draw her closer still. Then he forced himself away, because his intense feelings for her were threatening to overwhelm him. He fought for control but it was not the vamp that was rising in him only his own undeniable passion for her.

     He had not lost his touch. Her eyes were still closed and her mouth was still posed for his kiss when he released her. She was breathless, ecstatic, and tingling all over from that first kiss. She laid back against the couch missing his touch already. Slowly she opened her eyes. "Wow, . . . someone ought to bottle that," she quipped, finding it difficult to talk.

     Nick grinned, amused at her reaction. "Too much?"

     She shook her head, "no . . . just more intense than I had expected. Believe me, I am definitely not complaining and it was worth the wait," she grinned back at him trying to ease some of the tension still between them.

     "I'm glad to hear that. I've been wanting to kiss you for a long time."

     She cocked her head. "Why didn't you? I wouldn't have objected. You came close a couple of times with your quick pecks on the cheek and forehead, which I will say left me feeling rather . . . frustrated??"

     "I didn't dare go further. I guess I was afraid of your reaction. Since that incident with Roger you changed. It just seemed like you closed into yourself and didn't want anyone getting near you."

     She rolled her eyes up and growled, " ugh. . . , you really don't know women do you? Nick, I desperately wanted you to make a move and you didn't. The whole thing with Roger never would have happened if I hadn't gotten angry and frustrated with you over my birthday, and in general. Jeez, you never guessed what was going on, why I took up with a perfect stranger?" she questioned incredulously.

     "No, not at the time," he still didn't have a clue.

     She shook her head, having a hard time believing that he didn't know. "Nick, I wanted to make you jealous. Boy, did that backfire. You didn't even twitch. I wanted you to notice me as someone other than your doctor and friend. I wanted you to notice me as a woman. You don't know how tore up I got when you were falling in love with Alyce and then when I walked in on you and Janette. . . I had a hard time being around you for awhile it hurt so much."

     "I'm sorry, I should have guessed. I was jealous when you were seeing Roger. That was the whole problem. That I was surprised the hell out of me. I'm not used to those kind of feelings in myself. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't think, I wanted to tear Roger's heart out because he was doing what I want to do and didn't dare. When Grace told me you had a luncheon date I lost it. That's why I was there at your apartment waiting for you. I wanted to tell you then how I felt but when I saw you kissing Roger I didn't know what to think except that if you were kissing him then you didn't really have any interest in me other than a friend. Then we started fighting with Roger there and I felt like a fool and backed down on what I was going to tell you because you were so angry with me for intruding. And above all else I wanted you to be happy, even if it wasn't with me."

     "God, Nick, you're too noble for your own good sometimes. I shudder to think what would have happened if you hadn't been there. I walked right into it all the way with Roger."

     But you wouldn't have if I had been more up front with you. Neither one of us has been very good at saying what's on our minds."

     "That's for sure," she smiled. "So you were jealous? I suspected it but couldn't pin you down. I wanted to throw things at you when you said you felt protective about me like a sister," she said giving him a gentle jab.

     "It seemed like the best thing to say at the time. I realized my mistake afterward but it was too late. I've made a whole lot of mistakes when it came to you because I wanted everything to be right between us. I wanted to be fully mortal and to be able to give you normal life, a normal relationship like you deserve," he said seriously tracing his finger down her shoulder.

     "Nick, what is normal? Normal is what two people make of it together, but I know what you mean. Sure it'd be nice to go walking around outside in the sunlight with you, but we can't--not yet, at least, but there is always hope for the future that it will happen. I don't want to wait for things to be quote, 'perfect', I want what we can have now, this moment in time for it may never come again. Time might have you frozen but I'm not.

     I have wanted you from the first time I saw you, falling in love with you was so easy and I didn't really know how bad it was until you started talking about kissing Alyce. You can't imagine the horrible things I wanted to do to her, and I won't even begin to tell you about my reaction to Janette that first time she and I met."

     "I never guessed. Why didn't you let me know how you felt?"

     "I couldn't . . . it just didn't seem right. I never thought I was good enough for you and I knew all about your fears of letting yourself love anyone after your experience with Alyce. I had to just push down what I felt about you. I couldn't let it show because if I did I was afraid that you would leave, disappear and there would go all our work and I couldn't bear the idea of not ever seeing you again," she confessed.

     He was touched by her words, seeing more of the real Natalie she had kept carefully hidden inside. He drew her close to him, holding her head against his chest. "Nat, I would never do that to you. I really do love you and I . . want you, but I'm still afraid . . for you," he breathed into her hair as his lips slid to her ear to nuzzle there while he sought to catch his breath from the intensity of his feelings.

     "Nick , I want you too," Nat replied her own lips brushing against his neck sending shivers down and through him. "I'm not afraid. No more words, Nick, just . . . let go," she said wanting, needing him to let go.

     "Nat, you don't know what you're asking," he said trying to keep some measure of control still.

     "I do, Nick. I know you and I trust you completely. We may not have this time together again," she said seriously as she raised back to look at him.

     He shook his head in denial. "I don't want to believe that."

     "Neither do I. I came here originally to tell you that I was going to accept your offer, and to see where it went from there. No push, no shove, just let it happen. I still want that. Have you changed your mind?"

     "No, and I won't. The decision was and is always yours. It's been hard for me to let down my barriers, too many years of secrets, hiding behind false walls, never to let anyone see me, but you managed to get past my defenses despite all that I tried to do to keep you out."

     "Have I, Nick? There will always be a vast gap between us, centuries. I still find that hard to deal with in my head and wonder what I have to offer you. We are hardly equals."

     "It doesn't matter. This is now. You are now and I live in the now. To dwell on my past is to know pain, darkness, I'd rather go forward to a better future with you," Nick said sincerely.

     "What about LaCroix? The Enforcers?" she interjected. She hated to break the mood but the threat was real and present.

     "We deal with them as it happens, for now I want to think only about us." he told her not wanting to even think about them, only her.

     He drew her close once again to hold her tightly in his arms afraid that she would vanish and this moment and her would disappear as with the mist of morning dew with the touch of sunlight.

     "Nick, don't let me go," Nat begged him as she held him just as tight, afraid that she might cry.

     "I won't, not ever, Nat," he replied as he tenderly kissed her hair then began to work his way down her face to her lips once again.

     She met his lips and her body molded instinctively to his. She had wanted him, this moment in time for a long time and they only had this moment in time, for the next one might not come because of LaCroix and the other threats to their world. She gave herself freely to him, more freely than she had ever allowed herself to give before. For this man she would. For this man she would do anything, make any sacrifice of soul, of body, of spirit or her life if need be.

     And he knew what she was willing to give up and why. For that reason and more he treated her with his most tender passion, his most gentle love for he too would give up all he was for her. Through Natalie Nick had begun to awaken and shake off the chains of the past. In loving her he remembered mortal love and how fragile it was. For he knew that these feelings they shared were real between them, and not some abstract thing to be only pondered upon during lonely, daylight awakenings any longer. He understood and respected how it grown between them and how it must be carefully nurtured still, for this was their beginning into unknown waters. He understood too their connection, and what had drawn them together, and that his quest for love had ended in her, with her. It had taken centuries, a seeming thousand lifetimes of searching to reach this point in time. He was grateful for whatever fates had guided his path and hers for it was worth it all he discovered as he lost himself in loving her and feeling that love returned with equal vigor and passion.

     Their kisses became more intense and demanding. He heard her soft moans and whispered sighs as his lips and hands took her flying on wings of sensations she never knew existed. Natalie did not question or protest when he scooped her up in his arms and flew her to his bedroom with its black satin sheeted bed.

     Carefully, and slowly he kissed every part of her shapely body as he undressed her and she in turn undressed him. There was no rush. Time was suspended as they savored every moment of their mutual unveiling.

     "You're beautiful Natalie," Nick softly said as he kissed her naval, his strong hands sliding expertly down her back and hips as he knelt before her on the carpet.

     She flushed pinkly, trembling under his kisses on her burning flesh. Her hands were in his soft blond curls part holding on to him for support, part wanting to hold him closer. "No, Nick," she gasped breathlessly, "you are. . . . I'm just plain, ordinary . . . ."

     "Never, and not . . to . . me," he replied in between kisses.

     He wanted to make their first time special and he was succeeding as he removed the last of her clothes trailing kisses down her bare thighs and legs then surprising her by standing up and scooping her into his arms to carry her lovingly to his bed.

     "I love you, Natalie, more than you'll ever know," he said truthfully as he lay on his side and she lay beside him looking up at him waiting for his next move.

     He stroked his hand gently down her side as if were the more natural thing in the world. She trembled slightly under his touch , whether it was from fear or anticipation he was not sure. He only knew she was nervous, and a little scared too. He was too. It was hard to contain his desire for her but he did unwilling to do anything to jeopardize this time with her. Looking down at her he could see her fears reflected in her storm colored eyes. He met her fears with his own willing her to feel what he was feeling for her and she did surprised and humbled by what she did see in his eyes.

     "Nick, you really feel all of that for me?" she asked in wonder as she reached up a hand to touch his cheek. It was all so strange being here in his bed , yet it was all so so right as well.

     "Yes, that and more. You have made this tortured soul feel alive. It's as if I've been asleep all these years and suddenly awoke," Nick told her, brushing strands of loose hair from her forehead, then twining one of her long curls around a finger.

     She laughed nervously as she shifted to her side propping her chin on her hand to match him. Then she made him shivered as she took a finger and traced the soft golden hair on his chest, liking very much what she saw. "Nick, come on. You make it sound so lofty. It's sweet, but I really don't want to be put on any kind of pedestal. It's not me," she protested, her finger tracing the lines of his collarbone.

     "But I want to, indulge me Natalie. Let me give you the world, everything I am, everything you could ever want as my gift to you because I do love you and you deserve every happiness."

     She looked up at him suddenly serious now. "If this were any other man saying this you know I would have belted them for giving me such a line, but knowing you, knowing how you think and react to things I know you're sincere. And that's going to take some getting used to Nick--your knight in shining armor approach to me. I mean I've seen it before, but to be the full recipient of it . . . it's rather heady stuff for a mere mortal like me."

     He raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You make me sound like some god come down from Olympus."

     "Aren't you in a way?" she asked half in jest.

     "No, no god, nor supernatural being--at least you don't think so. So that leaves only a mere man who at this very moment is only a man and whom is very much in love with the most wonderful woman in the world. One that wants me flaws and all," he smiled tenderly back at her tracing the lines of her face and lingering on her warm inviting mouth. "At least, I hope you still do?"

     "Yes, my shining knight that is hell-bent in turning this modern liberated girl into a fairy tale princess despite her protests,' she grinned back, turning her head to kiss his finger. "Nick, why did we wait so long to finally get to this point?"

     He shook his head. "I don't know, stubbornness, too many fears on both sides, lots of things, I guess. What matters is now, this moment, you, me, us. And I won't let LaCroix take this from us. I won't let him steal our happiness and our future," Nick told her. "But right now, I don't want to worry about him, I just want us and to make love to you, my beautiful one," he smiled at her grabbing her and rolling over on top of her pinning her body and wrists down on the bed playfully. "That is if you are still interested?" he questioned.

     "Ummm, I might be with some persuasion?" she teased back, squirming a little.

     "Methinks, I detect a challenge, my fair lady?"

     "Ummm, could be Sir Knight. Us modern princesses are rather hard to conquer."

     "Oh really? And what does it take to conquer a modern princess? Lance and shield? Slaying a dragon? Banishing an evil sorcerer?" he asked enjoying this game as well as the feel of her underneath him.

     She was giggling now, "No, fair knight, it starts with a kiss."

     "Ah yes, the usual way to break a spell. Then my lady a kiss is what it shall be," he said with a devilishly gleam in his eye as he bent his head lower and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Nay, fair damsel, this will require more than just one kiss, a hundred, nay a thousand more will all be required to win your hand."

     She was giggling so hard she was shaking. "Nick, stop already with the Shakespeare imitations. You win already," she said trying to control her laughter.

     "I do?" he asked in mock seriousness. "Darn, I thought this was going to be hard, nevertheless. I do expect payment in full . . . ."

     She cocked an eyebrow at him, waiting to see what he was going to do next. "Ummm?" she asked, waiting.

     She did not have long to wait as he bent his head lower and kissed her on the lips slowly deepening it as his hands trailed through her hair then down to her silky shoulders to bring her closer to him. Her arms went around his neck as she responded back, molding her body to his. They were both breathless when he finally released her to look down at her passion warmed face as he held her close in his arms feeling her aliveness, her desire for him. He had never known it could be this way for him to feel all these once-forgotten, truly human emotions for the woman he held in his arm. He had been so afraid of feeling before, of letting anyone get truly close to him, he had forgotten how to feel.

     "Nick, don't stop . . . don't ever stop," she smiled as her hands wove through his thick hair and drew him back down to her waiting lips.

     He came without protest wanting to lose himself completely in the soft warmness of her lips and eager body she was surrendering to him or was it the other way around as they loved. There was no stopping, nor did either want to. The wanting was too strong. He was not her first lover nor was she his but they treated themselves with infinite tender gentleness and shyness as they explored the contours and planes of each other.

     Nicholas had not made love to a mortal for over a century so he held himself back, being careful, very careful for this mortal was very special to him and even changed as he was he now he could still hurt her with his greater strength. Even though he knew he had driven Natalie beyond the point of caring, more than several times, he could not let himself fully go until he got caught up in her release. Her emotional and physical reactions were so strong, so intense that Nick found himself flying upward with her to join together in a massive explosion of sheer ecstasy that went beyond anything either had known. They spiraled back down to earth to lay there twinned together totally spent and sated, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

     To his surprise and great relief the urge to vamp-out had not overtaken him even with the siren scent and closeness of Nat's hot blood so thinly veiled beneath her sweat soaked skin. His velvet lips and dancing tongue had played over her skin but his fangs had stayed safely sheathed. He had not made love like a mortal in over eight-hundred years and he delighted in what he had forgotten and what he had missed and she with him. Through the morning hours they loved until exhaustion over took them and they slept wrapped tightly in each others arms.

      

     (Part 5/30)

     Forever Is A Long, Long Time

     Vickey Brickle-Macky

      

     Nick awoke later in his bed with Natalie asleep beside him and realized it hadn't been a dream. She was here, and they had made love, and had shattered all the barriers between them. He worried if he had lost control, and carefully he checked her neck. He sighed in relief. There were no signs he had vamped out or had damaged her.

     He was fully awake now as he sat up and leaned back against the headboard. He looked at his clock on the night stand. It was almost five P.M., the evening would fast be arriving and with it, he feared --<LaCroix! > That thought chilled him. Any confrontation with his former mentor worried him as he was now in his present weakened, almost mortal state.

     Nat was even more vulnerable. How was he going to protect her, keep her safe? How was he going to fight LaCroix? Anger and the element of surprise had seemingly destroyed his mentor the last time they had fought. He did not imagine he would have any advantages this time.

     Nicholas wished he could take Natalie away so that they could vanish without a trace. In all the times before this he had been able to vanish like the wind, but could she? Could she just take off and leave, start up again with a new name, new identity? He dared not leave her behind. It was because of him the threat was more to her than to him.

     He had his vampiric connections to smooth the way, open doors, find him sanctuary in a strange town. Though his friends in other places might not be so understanding of his mortal companion as Janette was. But he and Janette had a shared history, and they were en famile. He would try to ask for Janette's help. He wondered if she even knew that LaCroix was back? He doubted it otherwise she would have warned him as she had before that his mentor was around.

     Though he should have been forewarned by his recent dream of LaCroix and Alyce. Now that he thought about it, it had been a lot more vivid and real than an ordinary dream involving LaCroix. He should know by now not to dismiss his dreams so lightly. It made sense now where Alyce was. She was with LaCroix. The older vampire had not killed her, instead he had brought her over then after the fight he had come for her and taken her under his wing. Gone forever was the gentle scholar. Nicholas shivered to think what his mentor had turned her into. What dark paths he had forced her down. He understood why he had backed away from her. She was now as corrupt and evil as LaCroix was. He had not told Nat or Janette about the dreams, maybe he should have.

     He glanced back at the clock. It was almost five-thirty now. He had to wake Nat. They needed to talk, make plans for her safety and what to do about the case. She was asleep on her stomach, both arms wrapped tightly around one of his black satin clad pillows. He leaned over and brushed the hair from her face and brushed his lips against her temple.

     She stirred, and stretched sensually. He stroked his hand down her bare back which arched like a cat's against his hand. Then she froze as she came fully awake. She lifted up on her elbows then turned her head to regard him with surprise.

     "Nick? I'm not dreaming?" she asked as she tossed and pushed her decidedly tangled hair out of her eyes.

     He regarded her with amusement as he now lay on his side to face her, his head propped on his hand. "No, if you are, then I am too. I hated to wake you, but we've got a long night ahead of us and very little time before dark and before we have to go to work," he said seriously, his expression grave and worried.

     "Yeah,. . . work," she sighed and flopped back on the bed with a arm across her forehead. "Geez, I don't want to think about that. I don't know about you, but I'm all for calling in sick. After this morning with LaCroix just popping up in my office out of nowhere, I'm scared to death to be there alone. Even having someone sitting in there all the time isn't any guarantee against him," she exclaimed worried.

     He nodded grimly in agreement. "No, no mortal weapons like guns or knives will be of any use. Nor would a crowd of people keep him from doing anything he really wanted to do."

     She grimaced, remembering how close a call it had been. "So how does he handle garlic, holy water and silver crucifixes?"

     "He laughs at them. He is considerably older than me, even older than the Christian era. The religious objects that bother me have no effect on him. I have found that what ever beliefs one was raised with, the objects and relics of that belief are what can harm one like a Jewish vampire isn't bothered by crosses but a star of David paralyzes them," Nick relayed truthfully.

     "So that leaves a stake to the heart, sunlight, fire and decapitation?"

     "A wooden stake, metal won't do. I found that out our first battle. I doubt fire will work, only decapitation will. "

     "God, do I have to start carrying a sword or a machete around? Nick, I don't mind telling you, I'm scared to death. He sounds like some kind of unstoppable superman. I'm not ready for this!" she said, the stark reality of the danger made her shiver as if from a cold, icy wind.

     Nick wanted to tell her everything was going to be all right but he truthfully couldn't . They had few options left to escape this horror. "Nat, I have to ask you something."

     "What is it?" she asked as she turned over and sat up wrapping the sheet around her.

     "If it could be arranged tonight would you vanish with me, leave Toronto, your home, your work, everything if it would also meant you could live? "

     She looked at him totally stunned. That possibly had never occurred to her, that of running, if there was any escape from this evil madman. "You're serious, aren't you?"

     He nodded. "Yes, I am. I have to be for both of our sakes but especially yours. Nat, we could live anywhere in the world. I have homes in several countries, and as far as money--that is not a problem. The truth is: I do not know whether <I can protect you>. LaCroix is determined to destroy anyone or anything that means something to me. This is a fact, not a speculation. He means for you to die permanently and I don't want to lose you, not now, not ever. I meant it when I told you I loved you, that too is a fact. I wouldn't want to live if something happened to you," Nick told her very seriously.

     "Nick, this is happening so fast--everything," she gestured frustrated. "I don't want to lose you either but to run?" she questioned and shook her head feeling more than a little overwhelmed by all his confessions and plans for their future. "Nick, at least let me think about it. Let me get a shower and a cup of coffee, first. I don't make major decisions sans coffee very well. A question though, if I did say yes, how would we explain our vanishing?"

     He grinned. "Actually that may be the easy part. In our case, it might be assumed we eloped given the what the office grapevine has been saying. Or I think Janette could come up with something suitable to tell Schanke who in turn would tell everyone else. But if we vanish, we will have to vanish completely, new identities, new lives, everything. I'm sorry, I know how proud you are of your accomplishments and how hard you have worked to build up your reputation. It's going to be asking a lot of you to leave here and start all over. But that is the best I can offer to keep you safe and alive." Nick was apologetic for what involvement with him was doing to her previously calm and safe life.

     "But won't he be able to track you and find us?"

     "Not where I plan to go. I have places we can go that he doesn't know about, nor does anyone else."

     Nat sat there quietly her hands in her lap the sheet laying loosely about her now as she contemplated his words and debated what she could do under the current threatening circumstances. Not much on her own except die, given LaCroix's reputation he would see to it that it was unpleasant and prolonged and probably with Nick forced to watch. She shivered at that thought. Nick had enough death's on his conscious without adding hers to it. There was only one way out, there was no other choice. "Okay, we've gone this far, Nick. I'll go with you, where ever you think it's safe to go to. How soon do you want to leave?" she asked knowing that there was no turning back.

     He was relieved, and smiled at her . "We'll go as soon as I can arrange it. It won't be easy walking away from everything, everyone," he warned.

     She sighed in resignation. "I know that. But I don't want to die and I don't want you to. Logically, I agree that leaving here is the only way we're going survive this, but in the meantime, I still need coffee and a shower."

     "I'll fix the coffee and wait for you downstairs. I've got some calls to make," he said as he got out of bed, not unaware of her adoring, definitively appreciative eyes on him as he put on his robe. He wished he could have stayed in bed with her and repeated their earlier lovemaking but time was getting short. In his rush to leave he did stop long enough to bend over and kiss her before he left and she returned it, passionately. It made his head swim. He almost decided to stay before she broke it off abet reluctantly.

     "Nick, your calls?" she reminded him a little breathless as she drew back and her hand dropped away from his shoulder.

     "Yeah, . . . ," he replied, trying to clear his head. After this day he wanted a lifetime with her now not just this one moment in time.

     He saw the beginnings of worry cross her features and he knew he needed to reassure her. "It will be alright, Nat, I promise. I'll make it work. Now, go get your shower."

     She nodded believing him and watched him leave before she did get out of bed and head for the bathroom.

     Nat took a long, hot, steaming shower, both to wake up and to think. She had once accused Roger of moving too fast, but was Nick? Was she? Was she doing the right thing by running, but if she didn't would she live to see the next day? She got out and toweled off. She went back to the bedroom to find her clothes and found an outfit laid out on bed for her, a tasteful pair of dark blue pants and a teal long sleeved shirt. It was conservative and not too flashy like she liked. Mentally, she thanked Nick's thoughtfulness as she put the outfit on. Then she went downstairs.

     Nick was on the phone when she came down. He looked at her in puzzled surprise. That was not the outfit she had arrived in. Maybe she did have a hidden stash of clothes here anyway, he thought to himself. Still puzzled he went back to his calls. She found her coffee all ready and fixed for her, then she went back to the living room to join him on the couch as he finished his call.

     "Nice outfit, new?" he asked.

     "You should know, it was on the bed all laid out." She was not in the mood for games.

     His expression froze as he answered calmly. "Nat, I've been here. I haven't been back up. You didn't bring it?"

     "No," she replied her voice catching in her throat. She was getting a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She looked around alarmed, but there was only her and Nick. "Nick?" she questioned in a small, quiet voice as he too looked around the room.

     He shushed her with a gesture as he scanned the area all his senses in play, but he could detect nothing. They were alone.

     "You didn't hear anything, or see anything?" he questioned as he continued to scan the room.

     "No, I was in the shower. Nick, he can't make himself invisible, can he?"

     "Not that I know of. We can control our density so that objects can pass through us, and we can blind mortals to our presence if we wish, but not to one another. We know when another vampire is present."

     "But since you are changing, wouldn't your abilities be diminished?"

     "Some, but not entirely. I need to get dressed, but I hesitate to leave you alone," he told her worriedly.

     "I'll go with you. I don't want to be alone either," she said as she grabbed her cup and followed him back upstairs.

     Nat sat on the bed while Nick went in and showered quickly and dressed. He was definitely feeling watched. Still he could not detect a thing with either vampiric or normal senses. He sat down on the bed to put on his socks and shoes and felt Nat shiver. He looked at her questioningly.

     "I feel something. A chill in the air, and like I'm being watched," she said in a low voice, her eyes widened in fear.

     Nick felt it too, the cool wind, the chill and he smelled the musky odor of death and decay in the air. These were things he had associated with LaCroix, and he knew the time of confrontation and their final battle was at hand. Time had just run out for him and Nat. He looked at the clock: six-forty-five. The sun had set. There was no safety margin left. Death was free to walk on the wings of the night.

     Nat gripped his arm. "Nick?" she questioned as she looked around apprehensively at the shadows in the room.

     "Downstairs--NOW!" he ordered as he pulled her up and hustled her forward. Deep, insane laughter rose out of nowhere and yet everywhere and followed them in their wake as they ran down the stairs. Almost to the outside door they found their way blocked by not one, but four black leather clad forms.

     "Going somewhere, Nicholas?" LaCroix asked. He stood with his arms crossed, and his booted feet widely braced, a smirking smile on his pale thin lips which were parted to reveal his whitely bright extended fangs. His normally pale eyes glowed green-gold and deadly. There was no amusement to be read their mad depths. "I believe your little vacation plans will be needed to be postponed--indefinitely!" he added with intense satisfaction.

     "Yes, I quite agree, my love," Alyce purred as she looked from Nick and Nat to gaze adoringly up at LaCroix. Her arm was wrapped possesively around his as she molded hercurvaceous black leather clad her body close to his. Her hair was long and loose, a black headband holding it off her forehead. There was no trace of the scholar in those clothes or her behavior.

     "Alyce!" Nick said in astonishment. "Then it is true then you are a vampire! You didn't die."

     "To the mortal world I did. I got my wish, Nick. I got from LaCroix what you denied me--rebirth and immortality everlasting. Though, I will say my scholarly interests have waned because I have found more interesting diversions to occupy myself with. I have also found I have a great taste for revenge and I have found sisters to share that feeling with," she laughingly purred as he stroked LaCroix's arm with a gloved finger.

     From the shadows came a gorgeous blonde and equally gorgeous brunette. Nat recognized one of them while Nick knew them both. "Alexandra, Baroness, I should have known. You've joined together as renegades?" he asked.

     "Renegades? Not hardly! The murders were to draw you out, to embarrass you as they would be eventually lain at your door. WE had forgotten how good your doctor friend here was at covering for you and hiding incriminating evidence. We purposely drew the Enforcers here and they have been now fully informed about your pet human's knowledge of us as well as your distasteful quest to become human as well. They have been watching you since the reporter caught you on film and since they didn't believe you had succeeded in making her forget they went back and removed her permanently," Alexandra proudly said.

     "Tawny's dead?" he asked angrily.

     "Yes, very. Haven't you noticed her unexplained absence from the local news shows?"

     Nick and Nat stared in horror at the four-some before them.

     "Who else have you hurt in your quest for revenge?"

     "Every one you have helped, Nicholas, since you started this new mortal life of yours. Careful track was kept of you and we have systematically been paying your mortal friends back for trusting and believing in you.," the Baroness added.

     "You lie!"

     "Are you so sure?"

     He was growing uncertain, unsure whether they were telling him the truth or an out and out lie to get a rise out of him. If it was the latter, it was working, he was angry, but the odds were too great--him against four--no way to win with Natalie helpless against them. In any event he kept Natalie protectively close to him, and he could smell and feel her terror.

     "You seem frightened, my friend. Fear is such a wonderful, useful emotion. And the fear in your lady is quite strong is it not? I can smell it from here and it makes me hungry. Doesn't it make you hungry, Nicholas? It should. Can't you just taste her rich, hot, mortal blood already on your tongue? Or have you forgotten how delicious that sweet nectar tastes? Or do you need a spot of catsup on her like a hamburger to make it taste right!" he laughed while the women with him laughed and giggled.

     Nick was hotly mad now. "Stop it, LaCroix! Stop it! It's over! Done! I told you that three years ago. Why can't you leave me be?"

     "Because you are mine, dear boy. You will always be mine until I decide the game is finished. Haven't you learned that lesson by now? Above all the others before and after you, you were my special prize, my knightly angel, that I worked so hard on to turn into a wondrous dark angel. I will not let you go," LaCroix said passionately taking a step forward towards him and Nat.

     "Then let her go. She has done nothing to you."

     "Oh, but she has, my dear Nicholas, she has taken you from me. She has turned you away from my darkness and lured you to the false light of the day. She is granting your every wish as you step closer to regaining your mortality. I did not believe it was possible to do such a thing but she has proved me wrong. Where spells and incantations would not work, her systematic science does. She's positively brilliant--and dangerous," he said taking a step closer.

     "There is no danger to you."

     "Her love is a clear and decided danger. It undoes my work of many patient centuries. You are my creature, not hers. I will not allow you to love her or to be loved--except by ME!" LaCroix snarled and quickly crossed the distance between them in the wink of and eye to wrap his long fingered clawed hand tightly around Nat's neck.

     "NICK!" Nat screamed in sheer terror as she felt LaCroix's fingers dig painfully into her tender throat and begin to crush her windpipe.

     "Stay your hand, Nicholas, or she dies this instant!" LaCroix warned him levelly, shooting him a triumphant look.

     Nick was frozen in place, his arm still protectively wrapped around Nat's waist for all the good his protection had done her. He could only growl in frustrated rage at his mentor lest the vampire carry out his threat.

     "What do you want?" Nick snarled, his eyes now glowing dangerously green-gold and his fangs fully descended. LaCroix had managed to get a rise out him and call the vampire in him out. Nick knew LaCroix wanted something or Nat would already be dead.

     "A simple compromise, really, to save her and for me to call the Enforcers off then you may go on your vacation," he smirked.

     Nick had a sinking feeling what the "simple request" was. "Which is?" he had to ask.

     "I want you to return to the fold, to us, your loving family," LaCroix said and behind him the ladies giggled in amusement. "You know what I want you to do or must I spell it out?"

     "No, you don't, . . ." Nick said sadly in a soft voice, his eyes apologizing to Nat.

     "But I will generous with you, tonight. I give you the choice to either kill her outright or to bring her over. I realized my error on that little dancer friend of yours since you get so attached to your mortal playmates. Take her, Nicholas, make her one of us that way you will never be parted from her and her danger to us will end. Take her!" LaCroix commanded.

     "Nat? he asked as he looked at her sadly wanting to know what she wanted him to do.

     LaCroix loosed his hold just enough for her to answer. "Nick, I don't want to lose you. I love you, remember that. Do what you must," she said with crystal tears in her eyes. She knew the agony he was going through, but she was resigned to her faith.

     "Let me have her, LaCroix," Nick requested quietly. He was trapped and the white haired vampire knew it. There was no escape. Nick had no choice but to have to go through with it.

     LaCroix nodded and smiled broadly in triumph. He released Nat so suddenly that she stumbled as she fell into Nick's waiting arms. He drew her to him tenderly, the vamp gone for the moment. And for that brief moment there was only the man, the man that loved her . He lifted her chin gently so that she looked into his eyes and saw the love he had for her reflected there. Just as tenderly he kissed her warm lips and murmured, "I'm sorry, Nat, for getting you involved in this mess and for what is about to happen to you, but I'll never be sorry for loving you."

     "Nor will I, Nick. Know that I am yours for always, my love," she whispered back as she felt his kisses travel across her check, to her ear, and down to her neck and linger there. She felt the change in him and braced herself for whatever was to come. She did not have long to wait as she felt the first prick of his sharp fangs on her flesh, then searing pain followed by utter ecstasy, a dizziness, and a creeping coldness as she felt her life-force being drained. She shivered and held onto him more tightly as he held her as well. A glorious blackness overtook her as she collapsed in his arms, and her consciousness fled towards a final oblivion.

     Nick's front door suddenly exploded open with a resounding boom like a crack of thunder and his head jerked up sharply. He hissed angrily in surprise at the intrusion.

     There was a loud gasp, a sharp intake of breath and a cry of primal rage before Schanke could find his tongue or react to the spectacle before him. When he could move he was like an avenging angel as he drew his gun and charged forward. "OH MY GOD! NICK! YOU . . . . GODDAMN FIEND! FREEZE RIGHT THERE!" Schanke yelled in utter angry loathing.

     Nick opened his tear stained eyes to see that the others were gone. He knew they would be. LaCroix had set it up perfectly, including knowing that Schanke would be back to take him to work at this point in time.

     And Schanke was decidedly wide-eyed, edgy, still coiled into crouch shaking with suppressed anger and fear. He was utterly confused as he trained his gun on Nick as he held Nat's apparently lifeless body cradled in his arms. Nick knew there was going to be no explaining away of this. No fast talking was going to get him out of this nor did he even have the will to try to do so.

     "Schanke, I'm not going to do a thing. At least let me lay Nat on the couch," Nick asked looking down at her then back at his partner who was lowering his gun. but still had it pointed in the general direction of Nick's chest.

     "Is she dead, Knight?" he asked in a hollow brittle tone.

     Nick nodded, soberly as his tears changed from pink to red and streamed down his face as he carried Natalie to the couch. He moved like a sleepwalker as he laid her tenderly down. Even this way she looked simply asleep with a slight smile on her once warm lips. He wiped her blood off of his mouth with the back of his sleeve as he sat down heavily next to her and stared dumbly down at her lifeless body. He heard Schanke approach but he didn't care. He knew he still had his gun out and it was leveled at his head, but he still didn't care. Nothing mattered any more, nothing.

     "What are you, Knight?" Schanke asked at last, breaking the heavy silence in the room.

     "What do you think? "

     "A vampire?" Schanke half-said in jest but all his certainties and beliefs were rapidly deserting him. "No! You can't be! . . . but it all makes sense now!" he said stunned as all the puzzle pieces about his strange partner fell into place. He collapsed into a nearby chair.

     There was no reason any more to keep up the lies. Schanke had seen it all. "I am a vampire, Schanke you're not mistaken. However, I was a reformed vampire until I was forced to do this to Nat by my mentor, LaCroix. It's kind of hard to fight four to one odds," Nick replied bitterly.

     "There wasn't anyone but you and Nat in here when I came through the door, Knight. You were alone, so your story doesn't hold up."

     "They arranged it that way, LaCroix and his companions. It's his revenge and theirs for my wanting to be mortal and for Nat helping me. She was succeeding, Schanke. I ate a whole hamburger with onions and garlic on it, and catsup. I haven't eaten solid food in over eight hundred years, but for her I did it. Nat believed in me, loved me enough to find a way for me to become normal. Now it's all undone because of LaCroix."

     "You're saying Nat knew you were a vampire all along?" he asked incredulously.

     "We met at the morgue, literally. I came in in pieces in a body bag but I recovered before she could do an autopsy on me. I could have killed her then, Schank, for discovering what I was, but I couldn't. I hated to kill unnecessarily. I always did. It shames me that I had to in the years past to survive."

     "You said you've been around for over eight-hundred years? You don't look a day over thirty."

     "That's the beauty of it. To never age, never grow old. But you do give up your soul when you have to kill to survive and look upon your once fellow men as only cattle put there for your use. The darkness of the pit descends and you are trapped in a never ending nightmare."

     "So you're sticking to the story that someone forced you to do this to Nat? This LaCroix character? What is he, another vampire? "

     "Yes, to all counts."

     "And is she going to wake up and be like you in a little while?"

     "No. . . I made sure of that. She has the mortal death she deserved. I could not bear to have her go through this waking nightmare, to see her warped, twisted because of the insatiable need for blood a vampire feels. Could you allow the one you love to go through hell if you could prevent it?"

     "Gee, Nick, I guess not," he answered still stunned by Nick's confession. "But that leaves the question of what to do with you. Are you responsible for the other murders?"

     "No, it was another of my kind. There will be no more. It was trap for me and for Nat."

     "A trap?"

     "Yes, I can't tell you the details. I have already put you in danger from the others. You will have to keep what I have told you to yourself--promise me, Schanke. If you value your life, promise me!"

     "Okay, I promise, already. No one will believe me anyway," Schanke shrugged. He could just see him trying to tell this to Stonetree or anyone else down at the station. He remembered the other times that he had tried to approach the captain about Nick's strange behavior. The captain didn't want to know there was anything "odd" about Nick, he just wanted the two of them to come in with results anyway they legally could and they did. They were the best team on the force so Stonetree didn't question and Schanke kept his mouth shut.

     "Probably not. As to what to do with me. . . . When the sun rises I will open the blinds and let it destroy me and her. Then there will be no trace left of either of us and we will both be free. It is a better death than I deserve but one that will make it look like I simply disappeared. Then too, I will destroy this place, burn every trace of my existence."

     "Isn't that a bit extreme?" Schanke asked in numbed horror.

     "Not for what I have done in the past and now. But before that happens I want you to give Janette some things. She will know what to do with them," Nick said reaching carefully into his inner jacket pocket under Schanke's watchful eyes and pulling out several bank books, and a notebook. He then handed them over to Schanke.

     "Janette's in on this too?"

     "More than you know," he smiled slightly to himself deciding Schanke wasn't ready to hear everything. Just tell her that I wanted her to have these. She'll take it from there."

     "Nick, I'm having a hard time accepting this conversation we are having. It's Twilight Zone time, you know what I mean? What am I going to tell the Captain? What am I going to do without you, partner?" he said realizing this was all very much for real and come the light of day his friend would be truly dead.

     "You'll manage, Schanke. I'm giving you the Caddie. It suits you. It's ironic, Nat and I were going to leave tonight, vanish because of the danger from LaCroix. It looks like we're still going to vanish but in a more permanent way."

     Nick reached into his outer coat pocket and pulled out a stack of letters. Schanke looked at them mystified. "I was going to mail these letters from the airport, but you can take them now. There's one for you, giving you the caddie and a nice little present for you, and Myra, and Jenny. Another for the Captain. One to the Department tending my resignation. Another is for Nat's resignation. There are also letters to her co-workers and one to her sister-in-law, Sarah, in Boston. Also here's the key to her apartment and find someone to look after Sidney, her cat." Nick said calmly. Schanke was blown away by his thoroughness.

     "Geezh, Nick, you've thought of everything," Schanke said as he looked them over.

     "Almost everything because I didn't want it to end this way for Nat. I wanted her to live. I wanted to become fully mortal again so that she and I could live out just plain, ordinary, normal lives. Grow old together, maybe even have children, if that were possible. That's what I wanted for her. It was a dream, just an impossible dream," Nick told him, close to tears once again.

     "You see, Schanke, I took your advice and we did talk and we loved. It was the most beautiful experience I had ever had. For it was pure love, not lust, not sex, just love and I fell in love with her all over again. Truly Nat was an angel and I have been honored by knowing her," Nick said reverently, with such awe and wonder in his voice that Schanke was touched to his very core.

     " Nick, I don't know what to say, You make it sound so. . ."

     "Lofty?" Nick finished for him, and he grinned.

     "Yeah, something like that. Nick, the cop in me says I shouldn't be doing this, but the man, and the friend says something different. That I should leave you to your mourning and to let you face what you have to face. You probably know what you're doing a lot better than I do. I'm sorry for you, and sorry for Nat. She was a wonderful person and a good friend. I'm going to miss both of you. But I can't bring you in, even if you did kill her. It is better all around if they think you just disappeared rather than see you as some kind of monster. Because that's not the Nick we knew. For a vampire, you did good, buddy and I'm really going to miss you." Schanke said as he got up and put his hand on Nick's shoulder.

     Nick's own hand closed on Schanke's briefly as he looked up at his friend from where he still sat with Nat. "And I will miss you. Take care, my friend, and in the years to come remember a lonely vampire who wanted what you have and knew it for one shining moment before he became truly dead." Then he turned his attention back to Nat and once again he became lost into his grief and depression once again.

     Schanke knew it was time for him to leave and to leave his friend to whatever fate awaited him. He was still having a hard time believing all this was happening but he had seen it with his own two eyes and Nick had not denied, in fact had confirmed it as being so. Though it was one thing for him to believe and know and quite another for the larger world to. There would be no understanding there and Schanke knew it.

     He did the only thing he could, he turned and walked away. "Good bye, partner, may you both find peace," Schanke said softly before he closed the heavy metal door behind him. and walked off into the heavy rain and deep blackness of the evening.

      

End of Forever Chapters 1-5

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