From: Patty Costantino [psmoot43@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2001 1:03 PM
To: AKBlake@lock-net.com
Subject: re: Could I Have this Kiss Forever

Here's another story for your archives.  Thanks!!

Patty


Could I have this Kiss Forever
2001 February

by: P. Costantino

Notes to reader: This story has been inspired by the characters from the 
Forever Knight T.V. series and it takes place shortly after Human Factor.

Characters: Nick, Natalie, LaCroix, others and Enrique Inglesias Album don't 
belong to me. I am just borrowing them.

Warning: Adult:  Must be 18 or over to read for N&N sexual situations.

Permission is granted to archive at FKfanfic.com, FK FTP archive and 
ravenawards site. This story has been archived at my site at 
www.expage.com/patty43.

Chapter 1

As the flight attendant walked down the aisle of the 747 plane which was 
headed for St Thomas in the Virgin Islands, she stopped at the attractive, 
auburn haired woman's seat. Natalie had paged her for another pillow, trying 
to find comfort and solace in sleep until the flight ended in two hours. She 
thanked the woman for her service and turned back to the window as she 
continued to gaze at the billowy white clouds and bright sunshine. As she 
smoothed out the pillow and propped it behind her head, she yawned, 
realizing that she needed to sleep and to forget him.

Yes, him! Nick! She had put her entire life on hold for him for almost six 
years. Natalie sighed, as she remembered everything that had transpired the 
last few months of those six years. Nick had been backsliding so much in 
these last months that Natalie wasn't sure anymore whether he was serious 
about finding the cure for vampirism. The setbacks weren't all his fault; 
the possession and head injury were out of his hands as they were incidents 
which just happened. The need for human blood was more pronounced ,though, 
since these occurrences. Natalie couldn't blame him for drinking more and 
more blood, but she didn't like the fact he wanted the human kind. He also 
had distanced himself from her which really hurt. He only came to the 
morgue, now, whenever there was a report to pick up or a body to discuss. He 
had even been sending Tracy over more frequently to take care of their 
cases, too.

Natalie also suspected that Nick was venturing over to the Raven more often 
to see LaCroix. 'Yes, that was rich! LaCroix!' She smiled bitterly, thinking 
of Nick's relationship with his master. He had always painted a picture of 
LaCroix as being so manipulative throughout the centuries. He had discussed 
with her some of their moments together in the 800 years, and they always 
seemed to end badly for Nick. LaCroix would invariably taunt and punish him 
for some foolish attempt at a cure or simply hold something over his son to 
enforce his power. She knew LaCroix had been allowing Nick more freedom 
recently to pursue his own path. She figured he was using reverse psychology 
on Nick where he would simply wait patiently for him to return to the fold. 
LaCroix probably thought he would eventually give into his true nature. 
'Boy! Was he ever right!' Nick was certainly heading in that direction! He 
wouldn't be needing her services much longer. Natalie gave the pillow a good 
punch, as she contemplated why she had been such a fool to think she could 
ever cure a vampire.

At first, her scientific nature had taken over when she had offered to help 
Nick find a cure. 'Solving a puzzle is its own reward.' She sniggered 
bitterly, recalling that remark. Who had she been fooling? She had really 
tried to suppress her feelings for the blond detective, but it was an 
impossible battle to fight. She couldn't hide her emotions any longer. And 
last Valentines Day! She smiled contently, thinking back to that one time 
when Nick had let his mask down to profess his love to her. Oh, she had been 
on cloud nine when they had finally divulged their true feelings to one 
another, but it hadn't lasted. LaCroix had seen to that. Nick, of course, 
thought she hadn't remembered a thing about L'Azure, but her memories of 
that evening slowly returned. They were now burned in her mind. When Natalie 
had moments of real emptiness and loneliness, she would unlock those 
memories of those days before Valentine's. She would recall the tender words 
of love from Nick, the loving gazes, as if he were memorizing her face, the 
light, soft caresses to her cheeks and neck as he moved his hands to her 
shoulders....

Natalie came out of her reverie suddenly as the pilot's voice came on the 
speaker, announcing their descent into St. Thomas. She was glad for the 
interruption of her thoughts as it would only lead to a melancholy mood. She 
needed to put Nick behind her and move on....

Chapter Two

Nick walked over to his desk at the precinct and had no sooner sat down than 
Tracy started in on him, "Nick, I have been carrying the load for both of us 
these last few weeks and I'm tired of covering your butt. You have to give 
me some slack here and help me with these reports. I have a life, too. Nick, 
are you listening to me?"

He glanced up from the papers on his desk, giving Tracy a puzzled look, 
"What did you say, Trace?"

Tracy shook her head, wondering what planet Nick came from, "Nick, I don't 
understand you sometimes. I just asked you to help me with these reports. 
Reese is getting on my back about OUR backload of work. He wants it done 
ASAP, meaning that we both need to complete the workload, not just me. 
Comprendez!"

Nick smiled knowingly at Tracy, "I'm sorry about not pitching in to do my 
share. It's just that my mind has been on other things, lately."

She thought, 'other things on your mind. Right! Like a certain Coroner.' 
Tracy had always wondered what was going on between her partner and the 
lovely Dr. Lambert, but she was afraid to broach the subject with him since 
he might just bite her head off. He could be so moody at times. He wasn't 
called Knightmare around the precinct for nothing. Instead, she said 
lightly, "Nick, that's O.K. Please, just help me now get all this work done. 
OK?

Nick was about to say all right when Reese bellowed from his office, 
"Knight, Vetter, in here ASAP!"

**********************

Nick and Tracy arrived at the crime scene down at the dock. It was a grisly 
affair. The body was found by a warehouse guard, who had been on duty and 
had been making his normal rounds. He had discovered the corpse face down on 
the pier. The dead person appeared to be a man, however, his body had been 
so mutilated that identification was going to be difficult. Tracy had 
removed herself to Nick's caddy while he had finished up the preliminary 
questioning with the guard.

Nick glanced around anxiously to see if Natalie had arrived yet to make her 
report. She had not been on the scene immediately which was unlike her. 
'Strange!', thought Nick, 'Where was she?' Not that he really wanted to see 
her after these past few weeks. He hadn't exactly been on the straight and 
narrow path in following Nat's loathsome liquid diet. His regimen had been 
consisting more of the human hemoglobin variety. In fact, he had been 
frequently visiting the Raven to indulge in LaCroix's private stock. Nick 
had felt so guilty about his backsliding that he had been ignoring Natalie 
when he could. He knew he had hurt her terribly, but he couldn't control it. 
Nick was also becoming more driven to taste Natalie's blood. Oh, how he 
wanted to have just one taste! He had tried so hard to keep their 
relationship on a friendly basis, but it wasn't working. Ever since he had 
expressed his feelings to her last Valentine's Day, his love for her had 
only deepened. Working in close proximity had heightened his need for her 
and he wanted her so! The desires he had for her had only increased his 
growing need for her blood as it was like a siren call to the vampire. He 
needed to put some distance between them whether she understood or not. Nick 
was doing it for her benefit and safety even if she didn't understand.

Nick felt a tapping on his shoulder as he came out of his reverie. Dr. 
Joseph Barnes was asking him something, "What did you say, Dr. Barnes?"

He peered curiously at Detective Knight, "I said that I have finished my 
preliminary analysis of the victim. TOD, anywhere around 6:00 pm until 2:00 
am when the body was discovered. I would say a blunt instrument like a 
mallet was used on the victim. He apparently attempted to ward off his 
attackers as you can see by the markings to his hands....

Nick had been half listening to the Coroner's report when he suddenly 
realized Dr. Barnes was doing the actual work on this body. Nick knew the 
doctor normally worked in another jurisdiction. He asked, interrupting, "Dr. 
Barnes, why are you here at this crime scene and where is Dr. Lambert?"

Barnes studied Nick closely for a moment. So the Detective hadn't heard the 
news yet. Well, this was interesting. He said, calmly, to Nick "Dr. Lambert 
needed to go out of town for a while. The precinct called me to run her 
cases until she returned. I have....

"Wait a second! You mean Nat...Dr. Lambert left without ...telling me...I 
mean....she did say where she was going?" Nick couldn't believe she would 
arbitrarily leave and not tell him where she would be.

Barnes studied the Detective closely and nodded to himself. Everyone was 
right when they said that there was more to Detective Knight's and Dr. 
Lambert's relationship than met the eye. For one brief moment, Barnes saw 
the immobile facade drop as raw pain was etched on Knight's face.

"Detective Knight, I wish I could help you, but I know about as much as you 
do now. Perhaps someone on her staff could be more informative than I." Nick 
nodded his head in agreement, "Yeh, perhaps I'll swing by the morgue on my 
way home." Thinking to himself that Grace might be able to shed some light 
on the situation.

**********************************

The morgue was silent as a tomb when Nick walked into Nat's office. His 
shift had just ended and he had a few moments to find Grace before going 
home. Where could she be? As soon as Nick pondered her whereabouts, Grace 
appeared in the doorway. "Well, look what the cat dragged in! If it isn't 
the mysterious and elusive detective! What do we owe the honor of your 
visit! It's not like you've been around much recently, now is it?"

Nick chuckled, nervously, at Nat's good-natured assistant, "And a hello to 
you, too, Grace. I would have come more often, but cases have been piling up 
and we've been swamped." He continued, nonchalantly, "I saw Dr. Barnes this 
evening at a crime scene down at the wharf and..."

Grace interrupted abruptly, "Nick, I'll be quite frank with you. You and 
Natalie are good friends; probably more than you'll ever let on to me."

"But...", Nick tried to interject as she peered at him sternly and 
continued, "Let me finish! Natalie has not been herself for a long time and 
I've known her for 8 years. When she started working at this place, she was 
a totally different person; effervescent, bubbling over with such 
enthusiasm. Her laughter was so contagious, too. She would have the entire 
staff in stitches over her witty remarks and she practically made you 
anticipate coming to work. Can you imagine? In a morgue? Anyway, those days 
are long gone. Now, don't get me wrong, Nick. Maybe you aren't to blame for 
her metamorphosis; maybe the job has depressed or burned her out as 
pathology isn't for everyone" She chuckled softly, "but she has acted 
strangely these last few months. Natalie has always tried so hard to put up 
a wall behind her feelings. She's a natural at letting you see only what she 
allows you to see. The last couple weeks have been the worst for her. She 
thinks I don't notice the swollen red eyes and she tries to brush it off 
with excuses; lack of sleep or something in her eye. I know better, but I 
don't pry because I know Natalie, Detective. She won't ever let those 
barriers down, but I can't help but wonder if a certain blond detective 
isn't partly responsible for her moodiness", Grace peered shrewdly at Nick.

He had been listening patiently to Grace's speech and he kept thinking, 
'Natalie has been crying?....his precious Natalie?' He was undoubtedly the 
cause of her tears. For a moment, Nick could hardly breathe. The thought of 
causing his Nat so much pain filled him with such unimaginable anguish. It 
felt like a stake piercing his heart. He had to find and tell her how sorry 
he was. Oh. Nat! Nick finally found his voice, "Grace, I know Nat and I have 
some problems to iron out. I also promise you this. You can count on me to 
at least try to patch things up with her. I care for her, too and I don't 
want her hurting, either. But, you've got to tell me where she has gone to?"

She stared at the Detective, closely, surmising, 'You think you are fooling 
everyone with your best friend's act, but it's not washing. You are totally 
smitten, Detective.' Instead, Grace replied, "Nick, I don't know where 
Natalie went as she wouldn't tell a soul. All I know is that she put in for 
a month's leave with her boss and Captain Reese."

Nick suddenly looked frantic as he grabbed her by the shoulders, and locked 
onto her heartbeat, forcing her to stare steadily into his eyes, "Grace, you 
need to tell me where Nat is?"

She responded, echoing his command, "..need to find Nat..."

Nick desperately tried again, "Grace, please tell me where Nat went off to?"

She repeated, in a trancelike state, "where is Nat..."

Nick stopped the hypnosis as it wasn't working. Grace obviously didn't know 
Natalie's whereabouts. What was he going to do?....

Chapter Three

Natalie had become acclimmated to the island life quickly. When she knew 
that she needed to get away, she called a friend from Med School, who was 
living in Pittsburgh. Jeffrey had a prosperous family practice, and one of 
his patients had a very isolated beachhouse in Virgin Gorda. He could rent 
it out to her for two months if she wanted to stay that long. Natalie said 
she would gladly take the house for at least a month and think about 
extending her stay once she was settled. She would also be provided a jeep 
for transportation. The owner explained that the island was quite small, 
only 3 miles wide and 4 miles lengthwise. She would have plenty of privacy 
which was exactly what Natalie wanted. She also didn't want a certain 
Detective Knight to find her easily, not that he would be looking or care 
whether she fell off the face of the earth!

When she had arrived on the small island in the British Virgin Islands, the 
first observation she had was of the topography. There were sizable cliffs 
on all sides of the island, so she had to be careful driving around. She 
also had to adapt to the left side of the road as this territory belonged to 
the British Commonwealth. In addition to adjusting to this experience, she 
had to use a stick shift with her left hand. It was quite a challenge. In 
fact, Natalie was afraid after the first day, she had burned out the 
transmission from shifting so roughly.

The beachhouse had turned out to be everything she would have desired. It 
had a kitchen/dining area, and a sitting room with a large bay window, 
looking out onto the water. She had a large bedroom with a kingsize bed and 
a fairly decent bathroom, equiped with a shower and lots of warm running 
water. There was also an deck in back of the house, off of the kitchen where 
Natalie could gaze upon the setting sun in the evenings as she sipped her 
white wine. This vacation was turning out to be just what the doctor 
ordered, except in this case she was the doctor, who had ordered it.

The first couple days, she spent, taking long walks down the beach, as she 
picked up unusual seashells along the way. She would collect them as she 
used to do as a child on family holidays, and take them back to the house to 
clean them. After a few days of retrieving the sea's treasures, the deck's 
railing was covered with her exotic collection. During her walks, she would 
lavish in the feel of the bright sunlight on her face again. It had been so 
long since she had enjoyed the sun's rays; the warmth like a baby's caress 
across her face.

Natalie also spent a lot of time cooking in the spacious kitchen. At one 
point in her life, she had truly immersed herself in preparing gourmet meals 
for friends and family. Her mother had been an exceptional cook and had 
taught her daughter well. One of the first foods Natalie tried was conch as 
she happened to find the shells waist deep in the water behind her house. 
The first time she picked up one, she couldn't believe her eyes when she 
observed a live animal actually embedded in the conch. Being curious about 
whether it was eatable or not, she asked the friendly shopkeeper at the 
local store down the road about it. He explained that it was quite a 
delicacy around the island and that she would never taste anything more 
scrumptious in her life. He also suggested she cut it up into small chunks 
and saute it in butter and garlic. It would melt on her mouth! So, she did. 
And, the shopkeeper had been absolutely right as she had never tasted 
anything so delectable. She made a habit of having conch at least once a 
day.

Since she was preoccupied with adjusting to island life, Natalie's thoughts 
of Nick were not as pronounced as before. She would have random thoughts of 
him, but she wouldn't let them consume her like they had in Toronto. 
However, by the fifth day, Natalie started thinking more frequently about 
the blond detective. One evening, at twilight, she had been strolling along 
the beach, picking up shells and reflecting on his numerous setbacks; his 
unwillingness to try to refrain from drinking human blood. He would try 
earnestly to hide it from her, but she knew all too well that he was 
reverting back to his old ways. What was the ultimate setback was bringing 
Janette back across. Oh, yes! He still thought she didn't know about her as 
she wasn't the least bit fooled when she examined those two arsonist' bodies 
at the crime scene. She figured immediately that Janette had sought revenge 
on Robert's killers and she also knew Nick wouldn't have done the deed. 
Besides he looked too surprised when she showed him the puncture marks.

Natalie picked up a shell from the sand, throwing it far out into the ocean 
and watching it skim across the rippling tide. Nick wouldn't even tell her 
about Janette's crossing. Secrets, always secrets with him. How could they 
ever hope to have a relationship if he wouldn't communicate to her? Maybe, 
he didn't want to open up. Perhaps, he didn't want a normal, mortal 
relationship with her. By crossing Janette, he had perhaps already moved on, 
embracing the vampire. After all, it was evident to her that he was 
consuming large quantities of human blood. When Janette returned from 
Montreal, crossing her had only reinforced the vampire in him. It had drawn 
him further away from his quest of mortality, in Natalie's opinion.

Nick probably still loved and desired Janette over her, anyway. He was 
certainly more than willing to bring her across, but not her. No, never her! 
'I guess, that's what really hurt the most!' She reflected, sadly. All this 
time, she had been fooling herself into believing he truly loved her when, 
in reality, he wanted Janette. A profound sadness suddenly overwhelmed her 
being as she sat down, abruptly, at the shore's edge, tears springing 
quickly to her eyes. Oh, how she had loved him so! 'But I need to forget 
him. It won't ever work and he doesn't want me!' She thought, as she rolled 
over in the sand, letting the tears fall freely. Her chest started to heave 
as her crying increased and the emotions of the last few weeks consumed her. 
She continued to cry unheedingly into the cool sand with only the crabs and 
seagulls to hear her desolation......

Chapter 4

Nick sat forlornly at the bar of the Raven, sipping his bloodwine while 
cacaphonic music reverberated off the walls, when Miklos came over to see if 
he needed a refill, "Can I get you another, Nick?"

He replied, morosely, "No thanks! I'll just wait here for LaCroix."

He shook his head, responding, "Whatever! I'll be around if you need me." as 
he moved to the other side of the bar.

Nick stared straight ahead at the large Venetian glass mirror over the bar, 
deep in thought. 'Where could she be?' He thought for about the hundredth 
time. For five days, after visiting Grace in the morgue, he had attempted 
other ways of tracing her whereabouts. He had gone by her apartment, 
inquiring of her neighbors as he figured that someone might be taking care 
of Sydney, her cat and would know where she was. It turned out that the cat 
was at Grace's and since Natalie worked the nightshift, her neighbors didn't 
know her terribly well, either, so she hadn't confided in anyone about her 
plans.

Nick had also thoroughly explored her place, sifting through draws, closets, 
anywhere that might provide him with a clue. He had even tried to download 
information on her computer, but he couldn't access her password.

Next, he had visited a private investigator, who told him flat out that 
unless Nick gave him more information, he wouldn't be able to track her 
down. Enticing the man with a generous amount of money from the DeBrabant 
Foundation didn't get him anywhere, either. So after five days of 
investigative work, he was no closer to finding Natalie as he was before.

Nick sighed, taking a sizable gulp from his drink as LaCroix suddenly 
appeared and sat down next to him on a barstool, "Nicholas, what do I owe 
the honor of your esteem presence this evening? A case that needs solving at 
the Raven, perhaps? Or a simple reprieve from your mortal co-workers? Be 
careful! I shall begin to surmise that you really do_like_me, coming here as 
often as you have recently."

He replied nonchalantly, "LaCroix, I simply had the night off. Tracy is 
covering for me."

He peered, knowingly at Nick, "Ah..The rising detective Vetter has certainly 
been occupied, doing your tedious paperwork." , smiling sardonically. "Why 
do you waste your time, Nicholas, with these mere mortals, when there is so 
much more out there for the taking?"

Nick glanced at him, having another pull on his drink, "Nothing would please 
you more than to have me under your command, again, isn't that right?"

LaCroix stared at him, steadily, "What would please me would be for you to 
stop this incessant quest of your's. Your desire for mortality. There is no 
cure, Nicholas and there never will be. Why must you constantly torment 
yourself with your relentness pursuit of something that doesn't exist?"

Nick looked at his master, saying uncertainly, "Natalie and I are still 
working on a cure. We haven't given up hope, yet."

He laughed outright, replying facetiously, "Oh...the good doctor continues 
to have hope as well, Nicholas? I have heard that your esteemed friend and 
colleague has taken a sabbatical of sorts. Is she examining other exotic 
places for this mysterious cure? Perhaps she went to the Rainforest. I hear 
that scientists are endeavoring to uncover discoveries with plant life to 
cure possible diseases. Just think, Nicholas, the tenacious Dr. Lambert 
might discover a microscopic organism to free you of your enslaved 
existence." He chuckled softly, sipping from his glass.

Nick glared at him, vehemently explaining, "Natalie has gone away on a much 
needed vacation. That is all, LaCroix. She was becoming overwhelmed by the 
workload."

He snickered again, "Oh, really, Nicholas! I think you are the workload that 
has consumed her. Can't say I do not blame her, though as you are quite a 
trial! I think what really distresses you is that she did not include you in 
her plans."

He averted his eyes away from LaCroix, staring again at the mirror, "I don't 
know what you are talking about. We are strictly friends and if she wants to 
go somewhere without telling me, that's her business."

LaCroix replied, rolling his eyes, "Come Nicholas! Do you really think you 
have fooled me into believing that your so-called friendship with the 
enchanting Dr. Lambert is purely of a platonic nature?"

Nick turned quickly, answering fervidly, "Yes, of course it is! It can't be 
anything other than platonic because of what I am." He returned sullenly to 
his bloodwine, downing the last reminants of the liquid.

He looked steadily at his son, probing, "Then you do not have feelings for 
her? Last Valentine's Day wasn't a farce, was it?"

Nick studied his glass, "I already told you I was simply humoring her to 
ensure her continuation in exploring a cure."

LaCroix shook his head, laughing, "Do you honestly believe you deceived me 
with your talk of hypocrisy. I was never fooled by your true feelings for 
the good doctor."

He stared at him, dumbfounded, "But you said...."

LaCroix interrupted, replying, "Let me finish. I've known for quite some 
time about your deep feelings for her, through our bond, mostly. But, I also 
have noted your reactions and responses whenever I mention Dr. Lambert. You 
think you are hiding your true emotions about her from me, but I see the way 
you light up when I utter her name. Don't think it pleases me that you have 
become attached to her. I thought at first I would cash in on our little 
bargain...

Nick started to interject something as LaCroix raised his finger in mid-air 
to stop him, "I know about love, how it toys with us and takes us beyond 
hope. Our kind is suppose to be immune to such mortal emotions. We should 
not allow the love to infect us as I know from experience that it does 
happen ." He smiled, bitterly and continued, "When you fell for the doctor, 
I wanted nothing more than to take something of value away from you. I 
suppose I was a little envious. But, I decided not to call in our little 
agreement because I thought you would suffer more having to let her go as I 
had to release Fleur. The punishment would be complete. You would eventually 
have to move on ,leaving the doctor behind to meet someone else. But, 
Nicholas, I see that I was wrong."

He peered curiously at him, "What do you mean?"

LaCroix uttered, sighing, "I let the anger of you convincing me to not bring 
Fleur across consume me through all these centuries. I have thought of 
nothing but the revenge I would inflict on you. Now, I want to release you 
>from this debt as I have learned in these last few months that revenge isn't 
so sweet. It won't bring back Fleur."

Nick couldn't believe his ears. Had he allowed him the freedom to pursue 
Natalie? He suddenly grabbed LaCroix's hand tightly and patted him on the 
back, "Thank you LaCroix."

He recovered hastily from Nick's outburst of affection, saying, "I hope this 
wave of altruism passes quickly."

Chapter 5

Natalie met Ethan Wallace the second week of her vacation. She had become 
acquainted with some locals, who gathered at a coffee shop near the grocery 
store. Anne and Denise had lived on the island for a few years since leaving 
their home in North Carolina. They enjoyed the slower pace of this tropical 
paradise, deciding to open their own beauty shop down the road from the 
town. Sometimes, their shop was a sight to behold as some goats belonging to 
a neighboring farmer, would take advantage of their sunny location and park 
themselves on the step of their small cottage. Goats were a very common 
sight on the island as they were allowed to roam freely everywhere. Natalie 
burst out laughing the first time she witnessed these whiskered critters, 
leisurely resting on the landing in the bright sunlight of the beauty shop. 
Anne and Denise would joke about their devoted "customers", saying, "Well if 
business slacks off, we could always trim their goatees."

She was immediately drawn to their infectious sense of humor and female 
companionship. Grace had always been a good friend, but there never seemed 
to be enough hours in the day to spend time with her after work. In 
addition, she had a family to attend to. Natalie had also lost contact with 
most of her single female friends after residency, so she was sorely lacking 
for this type of comraderie.

She didn't speak of Toronto much to them as she wanted to put it behind her 
for now. After that evening on the beach, she had come to an important 
decision. She would probably put in for a transfer to Vancouver as she had 
heard through the grapevine that a position was opening up in Pathology at 
the Coroner's Office. For the moment, though, Natalie remained resolved to 
enjoy the bungalow for the next three weeks and to soak up the tropical 
island life.

Denise and Anne had shown her around the island, especially their favorite 
beach cove called the Baths. This natural wonder was renowned for its 
cavelike structures where swirling pools formed from water cascading off 
smooth boulders. Lying in these warm baths, Natalie would savor the 
freshness of the saltwater, enveloping her like a warm blanket. Beyond the 
grotto lay the ocean where live coral weaved its magic through the 
bluish-green water, showering colors of soft pinks, beige or blue-grays 
around every turn. Every knob and branch of this wonder wavered a marvelous 
rainbow of color, like a visible aura. And the fish! They resembled living 
jewels as they darted around the coral like Chinese lanterns, raimenting in 
colors that glowed with life; scales of gold and scarlet, some cool and 
silvery blue and some gaudier than parrots. The sunlight also amazed her 
with its radiance, sparkling lights filtering through the rippling currents, 
were imparted on the sea life and coral as she would swim through the reef. 
She came as often as she could, this place becoming a peaceful haven where 
she could forget the outside world.

During the second week, her new found friends took her to a cricket match 
which she had previously witnessed only on T.V. Seeing it live, gave the 
game a whole new perspective. While sitting on the bleachers one afternoon, 
Ethan had strolled by, smiling warmly at her. He had been playing in the 
game earlier that day as he was still wearing his white cricket outfit. 
Making a striking pose in his uniform, he'd also possessed a rugged, 
well-tanned oblong face with deep-set blue eyes. His hair was brown with 
wavy highlights that shined in the sunlight and a smile that could melt 
one's heart as it lit up his entire face. To a person observing him for the 
first time, one could see he was quite athletically built as he had 
maintained a well-toned muscular physique. At the time, Natalie couldn't 
help notice that those white cricket shorts and shirt accentuated his 
biceps. He'd stood momentarily in front of the bleachers, hesitating as if 
to say something to her, but in a shy, reserved manner, unsure whether he 
ought to. When he'd made no move to speak, she'd returned to watching the 
match.

Natalie didn't see Ethan again for a few days until she accidently bumped 
into him at the magazine shop. He had purchased a New York Times and was 
leaving when she slammed into him as she was entering. Natalie quickly 
apologized, saying "I've really got to stop doing that to people. I always 
seem to collide right into them," laughing at her inside joke.

He quickly recovered, offering to buy her a drink , which she accepted. It 
turned out Ethan was a Cardiologist at Georgetown Hospital in Washington DC, 
who had been married and divorced with no children. He'd sailed down on his 
yacht every year for a month of rest and relaxation from his stressful job 
as a surgeon. He'd explained to Natalie that Virgin Gorda was comprised of 
two islands where the other offered a harbor to dock his yacht. He liked to 
spend time on this island at least twice a week to participate in cricket 
events or play tennis at the one resort, Little Dix Bay, which was located 
on the Northern end.

She saw the handsome doctor often after their first meeting as he would 
venture over several times a week to take her beachcombing for shells, 
snorkling and even some rock climbing near Little Dix Bay. Some days, he 
would stay at the resort for the night, meeting her for dinner and dancing. 
Although, Natalie continued intermittently to reflect about Nick, Ethan was 
slowly making her forget...

Chapter Six

Nick slid the door to the lift open as he walked into the loft, removing his 
duster and moving quickly to the refrigerator. He pulled a bottle of the 
house special out, popping the cork and gulping the liquid down his throat. 
Tonight, he had endured another gruesome crime where the victim had been 
butchered in the same fashion as the one found at the pier two weeks ago. 
The amount of blood at the scene had practically driven Nick over the edge. 
He had to fight to stay in control. Even Tracy had observed how pale he had 
become, suggesting that he return to the precinct. He had managed to make it 
through the rest of his shift without a glitch, but the sounds of mortal 
heartbeats reverberating through the station, were driving him mad with 
desire for blood.

Nick was finishing up his second bottle , feeling a bit more in control. Not 
only had the vampire started surfacing more frequently this week, he hadn't 
made any headway in discovering Natalie's whereabouts. It was probably just 
as well. The state that he was in at the moment, desiring human blood more 
than ever, would only put Natalie's life in jeopardy.

He sighed, taking another bottle out of the refrigerator and pouring the red 
liquid into a long stem glass. Natalie...Why couldn't he get her out of his 
mind? He had loved many women over the centuries, but no one compared to 
her. There was something very special about his Natalie. She was so full of 
life, so vivacious and spirited. She had brought such a light into his dark 
existence.

After LaCroix had released Nick from his agreement over a week ago, he had 
initially been overjoyed at the prospect of freely and openly pursuing a 
relationship with her when she returned. However, as the days slipped by and 
the hope of discovering where she went dissipated, Nick had started to 
believe she would never return, that she was gone forever. He had begun to 
drink heavily, wallowing in his misery.

Nick lifted himself slowly from the couch and turned on the radio, tuning it 
into CERK where LaCRoix's voice resounded in the loft. "What is 
companionship? Is it an association or fellowship with another, similar to a 
comrade. Is it a long-term relationship with another person of a more 
intimate nature? We, mortals thrive on companionship. Without it, we wither 
and die. It is the essence of our existence. Tell me, what companionship 
means to you, my gentle listeners?

Shaking his head, Nick clicked the remote to another station where a song by 
Enrique Inglesias called, Be With you, resounded clearly through the loft. 
Sitting back down on the couch, he reached for his glass as the lyrics to 
the song took hold of his mind ,allowing the moving rhythm, the soft, 
melodic beat to capture his soul.

Monday night I feel so low

Count the hours they go so slow

I know the sound of your voice

Can save my soul

The sound of her voice....God, how he missed her rich, lyrical voice. And 
that wonderful infectious laughter whenever she entered a room, filled him 
with such joy and euphoria. She was like a breath of fresh air in the new 
born springtime and her lilting sounds were like a musical symphony to his 
ears.

City lights, streets of gold

Look out my window to the world below

Moves so fast and it feels so cold

And I'm all alone

Alone...loneliness.. LaCroix's earlier monologue on companionship ran 
through his mind. In his moment of true loneiness, he suddenly realized the 
importance of sharing his thoughts, dreams, feelings, every conceivable part 
of his very being with someone...that someone being of course Natalie. She 
represented his essence for if he couldn't find her, he would truly shrivel 
up like a dry leaf, blowing away in the biting, cold wind and die.

Don't let me die

I'm losing my mind

Baby, just give me a sign

And now that you're gone

I just wanna be with you

And I can't go on

I wanna be with you

I can't sleep and I'm up all night

Through these tears I try to smile

I know the touch of your hand

Can save my life

The touch of her hand...Nick suddenly remembered with absolute clarity the 
first time she had gently touched his face in the morgue as her caress had 
felt like soft rose pedals cascading down his cheek. He sighed, dreamily as 
he thought of her feather-like touch, awakening a powerful need in him for 
her, a very normal, mortal kind of feeling.

Don't let me down

Come to me now

I got to be with you some how....

Somehow... he had to find her more than ever as she represented his other 
half, his soul. They would work things out; they just had to, or else, he 
couldn't go on without her. He suddenly had a brainstorm. Why hadn't he 
thought of it before? Picking up the phone, he started to dial....

Chapter Seven

Natalie sat at the oval table outside of a cafe under a colorful large 
umbrella, sipping her coffee. Ethan was lounging lazily across from her, 
peering out at the wide open sea 100 yds away. "Penny for your thoughts," he 
said, chuckling.

She looked at him mischieviously with those big blue doe-like eyes of hers, 
replying, "I was just thinking how wonderful this vacation has turned out to 
be. I haven't felt this relaxed and light-headed in years, and I have you 
partly to thank, Ethan. I have so enjoyed these last two weeks with you as 
the sailing has been fantastic. In fact, if it weren't for you showing me 
around the numerous islands, I would have been content with my own little 
haven on Virgin Gorda. You've made me realize there is so much more to see."

Ethan gazed at her steadily, "Natalie, I could show you so much more if we 
had the time. But I also wanted you to see this town before you left."

This town was actually the capital of the British Virgin Island; Road Town, 
which was situated on Tortola, the adjacent island to Virgin Gorda. Ethan 
had asked Natalie to join him for the day on a shopping spree. They had 
sailed out of Harbortown where Ethan's 25 ft schooner was docked, arriving 
in Road Town around noon when the shops were opening up. Natalie had 
proceeded to shop until she dropped. Her wardrobe had always seemed to lack 
bright, vibrant summer fashions which she'd quickly resolved with her credit 
card. Ethan had wanted to buy her many items, but she'd insisted on 
purchasing them herself. Their friendship had grown closer, but not that 
close, and she'd felt that it was more proper for her to pay for her own 
clothes. He had insisted on buying her a strapless, long, white gown that 
clung to her beautifully. She'd laughed, reluctantly allowing him to get it 
for her.

She commented in a facetious way, as she chuckled about her numerous 
purchases, "The shopkeepers must be ecstatic about a customer like me," 
eyeing the abundance of packages, "I certainly made a huge dent in my credit 
card. I might not be able to stay much longer if I keep spending money like 
I did today."

Ethan laughed, completely understanding, "Maybe Anne and Denise could take 
you on for a while as an employee to pay your debts." Changing the subject 
quickly, he asked hesitantly, "By the way, I know you were contemplating 
extending your stay, Natalie. Have you given it any more consideration?"

She replied, carefully, "Yes, as a matter of fact I have called the owner to 
request another month's use of his bungalow." Hesitating briefly, she added, 
sighing, "Ethan, I left Toronto in a quandrary. I needed time away from a 
problem that had developed in my life. By coming to Virgin Gorda, I thought 
I could iron out this dilemma."

He had wondered about her situation in Toronto, but sensing her rigidity for 
privacy, he had been reluctant to probe. He asked now tentatively, "Would 
this dilemma be work-related or something or someone else?"

Natalie inhaled deeply and proceeded to explain what she had wanted to tell 
him for a long time. "Someone...I mean it is a someone. He...We were trying 
to work a few things out..." She suddenly wanted to pour out to this 
trusting man everything, so without divulging Nick's true nature, she 
explained. She told him that she and Nick had been trying for years to find 
a cure for his medical condition, explaining how she was running out of 
possibilities and her suspicions about his reluctance to continue with the 
search. She also confessed to him her feelings for Nick, telling him that 
she suspected they were no longer reciprocated. Unloading part of her deeply 
held secret gave her a sense of peace. After all these years, to unburden 
herself to someone was an enormous relief. She finally concluded, "So I'm at 
a crossroads, so to speak, with my life. I need to figure out my plans, 
goals and move on. I'll have to make a decision soon, but as Scarlett O'Hara 
always said 'I'll think about that tomorrow.'"

Ethan smiled at her. Even in a tough moment as this was for Natalie, she 
always managed to find humor in almost everything. He replied, "Yes, you're 
right. Tomorrow is another day. And speaking of tomorrow, I was wondering if 
you would join me for dinner at the Palm Room at the resort...Say 7:00 PM.

Natalie grinned, responding, "I would love to..should I wear my new 
dress?....

Chapter Eight

Nick leaned over the balcony of his suite at Blackbeard's Castle, peering 
pensively at the enormous cruise liners which peppered the bay, surrounding 
St. Thomas. He had arrived as close to dawn as he would have liked, 
arranging ahead of time with Maurice, the proprietor, to have his room well 
stocked with plenty of bovine. Yes, he had made a decision when he started 
on his pursuit of Natalie to revert to cow's blood. The human blood had been 
too much of a temptation to try the actual warm source rather than the 
bottled kind. If he wanted to be around Natalie, he needed a certain amount 
of control. He did need to consume larger quantities of cow blood to satisfy 
his appetite and urges, but if it would keep her safe, so be it.

Nick breathed softly, thinking of her. What would she say when they finally 
saw one another? Would she be angry and send him packing? Or would she 
welcome him with open arms? Somehow he figured the latter situation was a 
foolhardy dream on his part. She would undoubtedly be mad. He would have to 
convince her otherwise. Without her support, guidance and most of all love, 
he wouldn't be able to overcome these setbacks. Who was he kidding? He 
wouldn't be able to go on without her in his life, period!

A tingle of pleasure moved through his body at the anticipation of seeing 
her by tomorrow night. He had finally hit the jackpot when he thought of 
obtaining her phone bill to analyze her calls. In order to obtain this piece 
of information, Nick had to whammy a woman, who was in charge of accounts at 
the phone company. Once he had the list, he examined and called mostly 
unusual numbers; ones that were out-of-state. He found the right person on 
the fifth call, a Jeffrey Maddox from Pittsburgh, who provided the details 
to him. Events happened rapidly after gaining the long awaited information. 
Nick put in for leave at the precinct for an indefinite time, as he wasn't 
quite sure what his plans would be after he finally saw Natalie. He arranged 
through the DeBrabant Foundation for a chartered flight directly to St. 
Thomas and reservations at Blackbeard's.

Nick returned to his suite, sitting casually in an overstuffed armchair. He 
must admit that he was nervous about seeing her after practically a month. A 
whole month....Oh, he missed her so...He was concerned, though, about the 
last argument...the biggest one they had ever had...over the cure, Janette's 
cure. She naturally was completely unafraid and wanted to take the risks and 
he had said emphatically no. He never got the chance to explain why because 
she had walked abruptly out of the loft, throwing a worthless vase at the 
mantle, missing him by inches. That was the last time they had had a private 
conversation together before she left. Nothing had ever been resolved. Well, 
he hoped upon hope that he could finally talk to her seriously about it 
although he wasn't quite sure what he was going to say.. He didn't want to 
risk her life..she meant too much to him...at the same time, he wanted so 
much to be granted mortality, not only for himself but for both of them.

Nick also suspected that Natalie left partly because of their argument, but 
mainly because of Janette. He had never spoken to her about bringing her 
back across. He had a feeling, though, she knew more than she let on to. 
'I'll find out soon enough, won't I?' He was thinking.....

**********************

The twelve-seater dual engine prop plane glided to a smooth landing on the 
dirt strip on the south side of the island. As Nick disembarked from the 
tiny plane, he surveyed the rough terrain. Looking behind him, he was 
mesmerized by the spectacular view of the sharp rocky cliffs dropping to the 
sparkling, moonlit sea. No wonder Natalie had chosen this ideal paradise. It 
was not only breathtaking, but offered some seclusion from the turbulent 
world out there. Of course, he thought, bitterly, 'I'm probably the 
turbulence she hid away from.'

He approached a small wood frame building which turned out to be the 
terminal. Retrieving his bags, he managed to persuade the lone desk clerk to 
upgrade his rental car from a VW bug to a Toyota four-door sedan as he 
required more leg room and more trunk space. Nick got directions to the west 
side of the island where he had rented a cottage for one week. As he got 
into the car, throwing his belongings into the back seat, he contemplated 
his next move...

Chapter Nine

Natalie sat in a red velvet armchair, sipping her wine and gazing at the 
wondrous moon shimmering on the ocean and the glittering stars reflecting on 
the pure, white sand. Ethan had gone momentarily to retrieve something in 
his room, leaving her to reflect on her next move. As the Jazz band played 
Cole Porter's, I've Got you Under my Skin in the elegant ballroom of the 
Little Dix Bay Resort, she thought about the evening. It had been absolutely 
perfect so far. They had eaten a sumptious dinner in the Palm Room, 
consisting of lobster, loads of champagne and a chocolate mousse which was 
out-of-this-world. Ethan had shared with her more of his experiences at 
Georgetown Hospital and had insisted on asking about her job in Toronto. 
Rarely had she gone out with anyone, who seemed more interested in learning 
about her than talking about themselves. In fact, he was different from many 
men she had known. She was becoming quite fond of the attractive doctor. 
What wasn't to like about him? He was kind, polite, intelligent and 
challenged her mind. Unlike most men, he was very considerate of her 
situation with Nick, never pushing her into more of a relationship than she 
was capable of.

She continued to reflect, lifting her glass to her lips. Yes! The more time 
she spent with Ethan, the less her thoughts were drawn to Nick. Did that 
mean she was truly over him? Could she honestly move on? She was beginning 
to think so. It was pointless,anyway, to dream of a man she could never have 
and Nick had probably moved on with Janette. It was time for her, too. If 
Ethan wanted her to stay the night, she would.

Ethan had returned, catching Natalie deep in thought and gazing at the sea. 
He studied her closely, thinking how enchanting she looked, wearing the long 
flowing white gown and accentuating her delicate neckline with a gold fleur 
de lis choker. Baby's breath was sprinkled intermittently through her long 
auburn tresses as her hair flowed around her lovely face. She was so 
breathtaking and she didn't know it. In fact, that was part of her charm; 
her total lack of vanity.

He sat down in an armchair next to her, taking her hand gently into his own 
and pulling it tightly against his chest, saying "Natalie please stay with 
me tonight. You shouldn't be driving home anyway after consuming all that 
champagne"

She giggled, briefly, "Ethan, you're absolutely right. It's hard enough 
driving sober on these wild roads, let alone when you're intoxicated. And I 
believe I am very tipsy!" Suddenly emitting a hiccup to validate her point, 
she continued, " So I think I will take you up on the offer." She lingered a 
moment on his face, studying his handsome rugginess, thinking, 'Great, 
Lambert, you have really made your decision now, haven't you?'

Music filtered through some speakers as the Jazz Band departed briefly. 
Listening to the faster tempo, Natalie suddenly had an impulse to dance, 
saying, "The dance floor looks mighty lonely out there with no one dancing 
on its polished floors. What say, you and me, see what it's made of, Ethan?"

He smiled, replying teasingly, "Why Ms. Lambert, is that your coy way of 
asking me to dance?" Pulling her into his arms, and leading her quickly to 
the floor, he began to move her agilely around the room. The rhymatic beat 
of Enrique Inglesias could be heard, resounding off the walls of the 
ballroom, as Ethan spun her around. The combination of the alcohol, and the 
way he held her tightly, moving gracefully around, made her light-headed and 
giddy.

Natalie allowed the music and lyrics of the song to take hold of her, as she 
danced.

>From the coast of Ipanema

To the island of Capri

All the way to Kuala Lumpur

I will follow you wherever you may be

She was euphoric, listening to the enticing sounds of the latin 
beat...generating a heat and passion in her soul.

>From the moment I first saw you

Knew my heart could not be free

Have to hold you in my arms now

There can never be another for me

She suddenly pulled back from Ethan as the words of the song took on a new 
meaning and in that moment, she realized her own deception. Ethan couldn't 
ever be the other man for her as Nick had stolen her heart years ago. Tears 
sprung to her eyes as she quickly recovered to wrap her arms more tightly 
around him.

All I need is a rhythm divine

Lost in the music, your heart will be mine

Natalie thought, 'Nick will never change and it was fruitless to believe he 
ever would.' She had a wonderful opportunity here with a man who obviously 
cared for and wanted her. She had to at least try and make this work.

All I need is to look in your eyes

Viva La Musica, say you'll be mine

She had closed her eyes, hearing a familiar voice over Ethan's shoulder as a 
different pair of arms engulfed her in his cooler embrace. She opened her 
eyes to an unbelievable sight. Nick! Was she that drunk? Nick? Was he really 
here? The arms pressed her closely to his chest, caressing her face.

Can you feel the heat of passion

Can you taste our loves sweet wine?

Join the dance and let it happen

Put tomorrow's cares right out of your mind

Natalie finally found her voice, asking, "What are you doing here, Nick?" He 
put his finger to her lips, saying calmly, "Natalie don't ask me any 
questions. Just let me hold you for once." Afraid she might escape, he 
tightened his hold.

As the music draws you closer

And you fall under my spell

I will catch you in my arms now

Where the night will take us no one can tell

refrain

Her body seemed to lose all its bones, becoming fluid in a warm melting 
darkness....as she felt his strong arms clamped around her waist, pressing 
her breasts up against his chest. She sighed, inhaling his wonderful 
aftershave. Nick was actually here or was he just an hallucination? 
Well...the hallucination was kissing her gently on the lips, relishing her 
warmth and softness.

Gotta have this feeling forever

Gotta live this moment together

Nothing else matters just you and the night

Natalie felt she had died and gone to heaven as Nick continued to rain 
feather-light kisses on her face, traveling down to nuzzle her neck with 
gentle, slow kisses.

Follow on the wings of desire

Now the rhythm's taking you higher

Nick had worked his way over to the spot in the middle of her collarbone, 
swirling his tongue languidly around this area as his hands roamed up and 
down her back. She sighed, softly. Couldn't he tell the effect he was having 
on her?

No one can stop us from having it all

Your are my heart you are my soul

Nick had moved back to within inches of her face as he whispered fermently 
in her ear. "You are my heart and my soul, Natalie." Looking up into those 
soulful blue eyes, she saw only raw passion and longing there.

refrain....All I need is to look in your eyes

Viva la musica, say you'll be mine

The music came to an end, and time seemed to stand still as they stood 
together, gazing intently into each other's eyes. Nick could see Natalie's 
chest rising, and falling erratically through her thin white dress, smelling 
and sensing her arousal. He smiled, warmly, overjoyed at being the cause of 
her heated state. Suddenly realizing her situation, Natalie broke the spell, 
becoming angry. She wiggled in his arms, pulling away from his embrace and 
walking away. Nick started to follow her, but he was quickly interrupted by 
Ethan. Angered by Nick's obvious attentions to Natalie, he came charging at 
him, landing a right cut to his cheekbone...

Chapter Ten

Natalie had stumbled away from Nick's arms, moving hurriedly to the table to 
retrieve a glass and the bottle of wine. She proceeded to walk out to the 
terrace, suddenly feeling a need for fresh air. Peering out at the inviting 
beach below, she decided impetuously to scamper down the steps to the cool 
sand, throwing off her white pumps as she ran down to the water's edge. A 
sudden dizziness enveloped her from the large consumption of alcohol, 
forcing her to sit down abruptly in the wet sand.

*****************

At first, Nick fell slightly backwards from Ethan's punch, however he 
recovered hastily. Grapping him by the scruff of his collar, Nick dragged 
him to a secluded dark spot on the terrace, slamming him up against the 
wall. He locked on his heartbeat, forcing Ethan to look at him, saying, 
"Ethan, Old Boy...You have a sudden urge to call it a night. You've had way 
too much to drink and I think it would be in everyone's best interests, if 
you retired. I'll make sure Ms. Lambert arrives home safely"

Ethan looked at Nick, replying groggly, "....need to go to sleep.."

Nick let him go as he started to stagger drunkenly towards the ballroom. 
Nick managed to catch him in mid-air before he fell forward on his face. 
Wrapping Ethan's left arm around his waist and putting his own arm around 
his shoulder, Nick sighed and helped him to his room......

*********************

Natalie sat on the beach, gulping down vast quantities of wine straight from 
the bottle. She still couldn't believe Nick had actually found her on this 
remote island and come looking for her. He must be a figment of my 
imagination. She thought idly, 'I wanted him to be here so badly that I 
conjured him up in my mind. That's it!' However when she started 
unconsciously to rub the spot under her collarbone where Nick had placed his 
tongue, she dreamily thought, 'No, it wasn't any fantasy. It was Nick, all 
right.' Through her clouded alcohol induced state, she suddenly got angry. 
Damn him! He has his nerve coming here. Why can't he just leave me alone? 
Natalie knew he would say later the same old story. He missed her terribly 
and wanted to protect her like the gallant knight he was....but it would end 
there...he would say he wanted more to their relationship, but he couldn't 
take a chance with her life....the dangers...yadda yadda yadda. She was so 
sick and tired of going around and around with him about their sorry 
relationship. She arbitrarily had an inspiration, peering out at the 
welcoming sea. 'I'll just wash that man right out of my hair!' She giggled, 
emitting another hiccup. 'Yes, I'll simply wash him out of my mind', 
thinking of the song from South Pacific. She sprung hastily to her feet, 
shedding her clothes quickly and running into the foaming dark sea.....

*********************

Nick stood on the terrace, searching desperately for Natalie. 'Where could 
she have disappeared to?' He thought as he ran his hands through his thick, 
wavy, blond hair. Staring out to the ocean beyond, he thought that he saw an 
object or person swimming just past the rippling waves. He focused his 
vampire sight on this sight which appeared to be moving effortlessly through 
the currents. All of a sudden, Nick's eyes got as big as saucers, and his 
mouth gaped open in astonishment as he beheld Natalie, gliding through the 
water on her back, stark naked. He leaned instinctively forward over the 
railing, not that he couldn't see with his type of vision. He simply needed 
to get every detail. He noticed immediately how her full breasts seemed to 
form sharp peaks above the surf, as her lovely, graceful arms propelled her 
through the saltwater. Her long, delicious legs separated and came together 
in a frog-like motion....up, out, together, up, out, and together...in long, 
delightful, fluid movements. Closing his eyes, he groaned, softly, imagining 
those wondrous legs being wrapped around his hips, enveloping him like a 
warm cocoon. She suddenly disappeared underwater; moments later, 
materializing on the crest of a wave as she proceeded to ride it into shore, 
rising from the tide like Neptune from the sea. Oh! What a glorious vision 
she was! Nick watched her walk over to her bundle of clothes. Suddenly a 
sound could be heard down the beach distracting him. With a tremendous 
willpower that he didn't know he possessed, Nick managed to drag his eyes 
away from her alluring curves to see some beachcombers, who were walking 
towards Natalie...

**********************

Natalie had just put on her underwear and was in the middle of sliding her 
dress over her head when a swooshing sound could be heard, and arms scooped 
her up, carrying her quickly to another spot and setting her gently down in 
the sand. She removed the gown from her head and looked up into Nick's face, 
asking, loudly, "What the hell is going on?" He quickly sat down, pulling 
her into his lap and covering her mouth as he whispered in her ear, "Shhhh, 
Nat. Please be quiet."

Skirming against his chest, she managed to remove his hand, replying 
noisily, "Don't tell me to be quiet and let me go, Nick."

He moved his hand back to her mouth, tightening his grip on her, "Nat, just 
listen to me. There are people close by."

Nick felt her relax as they listened to the distant laughter. The group 
seemed to be moving off to the clubhouse as Nick continued to apply pressure 
to Natalie's mouth. He was becoming keenly aware of her nakedness, as her 
heartbeat became elevated. His right arm was snuggly wrapped around her 
waist, unconsciously stroking her lower side in circular motions. Natalie 
suddenly shifted in his lap, causing his hand to brush lightly against her 
breast, sending a shiver of delight through her body. She moaned as she felt 
immediately aroused by his touch, and moved instinctively closer to him like 
a moth to a flame, cupping his face in her hands.

Without another thought, Nick removed his hand, descending on her lips, 
gently placing soft, feather-light kisses around her mouth. Shifting her 
around to face him as he straddled her legs around his waist, her arms 
encircled his neck as she tangled her hands through his soft, blond locks. 
He placed delicate, soft kisses on her face, and lips as his hands traveled 
down to touch the tips of her breasts, ever so lightly. Natalie gasped, 
softly as he nipped at her upper lip, deepening the kiss, and moving his 
hands around to the curve of her back, sliding down to caress her smooth 
buttocks.

Nick trailed a shower of kisses down her jawline to her neck, nuzzling the 
soft hollow between her neck and shoulder. He could sense and feel her 
arousal, as he smothered her neck with hot,languid, kisses, finding the 
pulsing vein. The smell and scent of her blood, running just beneath the 
surface of her silky white skin was enticing to him....drawing him to 
her....just one taste of the intoxiating flow...Nick reared his head back, 
ready to penetrate her delectable skin....Suddenly he pulled back from her 
neck, pushing her back into the sand.

At first Natalie didn't quite understand what was happening. She lay on the 
ground, completely exposed to Nick's eyes and trying unsuccessfully to 
steady her breathing from the passionate encounter between them. A moment 
passed in absolute silence as Nick could hear her heartrate slowly return to 
normal. She was suddenly conscious of her nakedness, quickly covering 
herself with her dress. Nick could see her blushing under her deep tan as he 
turned his back to her to give her privacy. As she got dressed, he said, 
regretfully, "Nat, I'm really sorry...your ...ummm..the moment just swept me 
away..." He stopped talking, turning around to see her stumbling towards the 
parking lot. She hadn't heard a word he said, shaking his head as he started 
to follow her.

Natalie had made it to the jeep when Nick ran up beside her, trying to grab 
her arm to spin her around. "Nat, listen to me. I really wanted it to work 
between us back there under the pier. You were so alluring..so enticing.. I 
couldn't control myself.

She shook her arm out of his grasp, fumbling for her keys in her purse, "I 
don't want to discuss it, Nick. It's always the same thing with you. You 
never want to take a chance. You are a big fat coward..." Clasping her keys 
in her hand, she opened the door to the jeep, saying, "I'm going home, now. 
Why don't you do the same. I'm sure Janette will welcome you with open 
arms."

Natalie leaned over to sit down in the driver's seat. Having a momentary 
dizzy spell, she fell forward across both seats, hitting her chest with the 
stick shift. Nick was immediately by her side, lifting her up and asking in 
a concerned voice, "Nat, are you OK?"

She replied, brushing his hands off her, "I'm fine. Leave me alone." She 
emitted another hiccup as she attempted again to slip into the seat. He 
quickly grabbed her around the waist, moving her to the other side of the 
jeep and gingerly sat her down in the passenger's seat. Nick swiped the keys 
>from her hand as he sat down next to her, starting the engine up. "You are 
in no condition to drive," he said, in a sincere tone.

He proceded to drive onto the open road towards Natalie's bungalow, glancing 
at her, occasionally to make sure she was all right. She seemed to be 
staring into space, focusing on nothing in particular. A silence ensued 
between them as he drove on. Natalie suddenly turned to him, saying, in a 
slurred voice, "Why do you always think you know what's best mor fe? You 
const....constantly inter..fere with ly mife."

Nick studied the road, looking briefly at her, "Nat, I don't purposely try 
to govern your life. You mean so much to me that I feel you need my 
protection. I was concerned about your disappearance...and..."

Natalie interrupted, shaking her head, "No..no...no..you wanted be mack to 
help with the sure...ummm..cure."

He responded, emphatically, "That's not true, Nat, and you know it. I missed 
you terribly and I wanted to patch things up between us."

She looked at Nick, trying to focus clearly, "Yeh. Right! How do you propose 
to thatch pings up? Oh, met le guess! I return to Toronto, like a good 
gittle lirl, yatching wou backslide some more and putting ly mife on hold. 
No way! I'm 33 years old. Time to met a mife, Mick...Nick." She continued, 
sarcastically, "Oh..that's right. I did try to move on...with Ethan. But 
nooo...you gave him the old mammy..whammy pammy and he's long gone."

Nick replied, contritely, "I only suggested that he retire to his room. You 
can see him tomorrow if you want. I didn't interfere with your status..your 
relationship."

They had arrived at her beachhouse where Nick was about to help Natalie out 
of the jeep, but she managed quickly to escape, staggering up the steps to 
the living room beyond. He found her lying across the sofa, one hand resting 
over her forehead with her eyes closed. He asked, tentatively, unsure 
whether she had fallen asleep, "Nat, are you awake?

She quickly uttered, "Yes, I'm still among the living, unfortunately." She 
suddenly giggled at her little joke. "I tried so hard to forget you, Nick. I 
even took a dip in the ocean this evening to put you behind me once and for 
all. You know what I mean. I tried to wash you right out of my hair."

For a moment, Nick thought she had lost her mind, saying, confusingly, "What 
are you talking about?"

She responded, "You know. The song from South Pacific. Mitzi Gaynor sang 
'I'm going to wash that man right out of my hair.' I figured I could wash 
you out of my hair, too. Soooo...I washed you out in the seawater." She 
laughed at the recollection, hiccuping again.

Nick shook his head, moving to the sofa to pick her up, "Nat, you're not 
making any sense. Why don't you go to bed?"

Natalie sat up as he approached the couch, swatting his outreached hand 
away, replying, "Yes. Good idea! I don't suppose you want to join me? No, of 
course not. What a ridiculous thought." She moved towards the bedroom, 
stumbling over the coffee table. Nick caught her in mid-air, scooping her up 
in his arms and carrying her to the bed. He laid her down gently as she 
preceded to roll over on her side. Covering her with a blanket, he could 
sense her slowing heartbeat as she fell quickly to sleep. He leaned over to 
plant a kiss softly on her cheek, realizing that she was going to be a tough 
nut to crack. Somehow, he would just have to convince her...

Chapter Eleven

Natalie was laying on a lounge chair on her deck the next morning, slowly 
drinking orange juice. The pounding sensation in her head had subsided 
signficantly in the last hour and she was beginning to feel hungry. She had 
awakened to the bright sunshine filtering through her bedroom window onto 
her face. Her body had seen better days as she rose gingerly from her bed, 
proceding to the bathroom. She decided to take a very long warm shower, 
letting the spray of the nozzle run completely down her aching body as she 
pondered last night's events. She had remembered everything quite clearly 
much to her embarrassment and she hoped that Nick had done what she 
suggested, and removed himself from the premises.

After she had dressed in some white shorts and a hawaiian shirt, she slowly 
opened the door to the living room to find that he had departed. She sighed 
with relief. 'At least she would not see him for the rest of the day', she 
thought. As she approached the kitchen table, she noticed a note from Nick 
had been placed there. Opening it tentatively, she read silently...

Dear Natalie,

I hope you are feeling better today.

I feel we need to talk more about last night.

Would you please do me the honor of having dinner with me tonight at 
L'Auberge Chez Francois around 8:00 pm.

Love,

Nick

She had shaken her head in disbelief. Hadn't she made herself clear last 
night that she wanted him to go back to Toronto and leave her be? 'I guess 
not', she thought as she made some very strong coffee....Now sitting on the 
deck, she comtemplated her next move. Should she give him one more chance to 
explain himself? Thinking back to their last argument about the cure in his 
loft, Natalie realized she really hadn't given him a chance to talk, 
storming out before he could explain anything. 'Maybe it was time to talk,' 
she thought, gazing at the note again.

****************************

Natalie had decided to go into town once she'd managed to eat some 
breakfast. She'd purchased a paper at the local magazine shop and gone to 
the coffee shop to relax. Denise and Anne had been sitting at a table when 
she'd arrived and she'd naturally joined them.

Denise commented immediately, smiling, "Natalie, what happened to you? You 
look kind of under the weather. Must have been one hell of a night."

Anne grinned, adding, "Yeah...or one heavenly night with a doctor blue 
eyes."

Natalie returned a smile, grudgingly as she ordered a very large cappuccino. 
She preceded to relay the previous nights escapades, initially omitting 
Nick's appearance.

Anne asked, curiously, "Will you be seeing Dr. Love again today?

She stared at a spot on the table cloth, responding, "No. I called Ethan's 
room this morning. The hotel clerk informed me that he had checked out 
unexpectedly. Said something about me picking up a package which he left for 
me at the front desk, so I'll head over there later." Natalie had wondered 
if Nick had suggested more than 'you're getting sleepy' routine during the 
hypnosis to Ethan to encourage him to leave. She continued, quickly, 
deciding to divulge Nick's arrival to them, "Anyway, I had a unexpected 
visiter last night. Remember the detective I told you about in Toronto? 
Well, he showed up."

Anne glanced at her, surprisingly, "Oh? I guess we have to give him credit 
ladies. He may be lousy at relationships, but he's a damn good detective!" 
They laughed as she continued more seriously, "So Nick came all the way from 
Toronto to see his doctor friend. Sounds like he's more serious than you 
have implied, Natalie."

She shook her head, stubbornly, "No, you don't know him like I do. There's 
always an underlying motive to his actions. He simply wants me back to 
continue a search for his medical condition...even though...

Denise asked, curiously, "Even though what?"

She responded, hesitantly, "He left me a note, saying that he wants to talk. 
I mean REALLY talk about everything. He would like to take me to dinner this 
evening at that lovely French restaurant.

Anne raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Honey, L'Auberge Chez Francois isn't 
the sort of place guys take you when they are shunning away from the big C 
word...committment. I would have to trim customer's hair for a solid month, 
eight hours a day, to afford one dinner in that place. Wow! You must be 
special to him!

Denise pointed out to Natalie, saying "If he's willing to open up like that 
to you, it is certainly a step in the right direction, isn't it? You told us 
once that Nick had this infuriating habit of being unresponsive or leaving 
you hanging to avoid confrontation on certain topics. Here's your big 
opportunity to pin him down. Besides, he did come a long distance to be with 
you. In my opinion, any guy, who goes to such lengths to find someone, must 
really be head over heels in love. At least, meet him and see what he says.

Anne reiterated, emphatically, "Yes! Natalie. Hear him out. No harm in that, 
now is there?"

She smiled, gratefully, "Thanks, guys. I'm so fortunate to have such great 
friends like you. I'll give it some thought." Drinking the rest of her 
cappuccino, she changed the subject, "So has business been good, ladies? Or 
have you resorted to clipping those goatees...

************************

Natalie strolled along the vacant, sun-drenched beach, pondering her 
situation with Ethan and Nick. Ethan had become a simple solution for the 
moment as she admired the beautiful object on her slender wrist. After 
seeing her friends at the cafe, she'd driven to Little Dix Bay where she'd 
retrieved his mysterious package from the clerk at the front desk. As she'd 
sat in her jeep, she'd tore open the brown box quickly, revealing inside a 
small velvet black jewelry box. She'd carefully lifted the soft lid, as her 
eyes filled with surprise. There had lain on the fuzzy surface a lovely 
fleur-de-lis bracelet to match the choker she'd worn the previous night. 
Natalie had sighed, thinking how thoughtful and generous Ethan could be; he 
was someone quite special, but could she truly love him like she loved Nick? 
No, she didn't think so. Anyway, Ethan had also left her a note with the 
jewelry, indicating that unforeseen family events had come up where he had 
to return to Washington DC. The note also mentioned that he would be in 
touch with her as soon as possible, so Natalie had time now to decide on 
both men in her life.

Putting an image of Ethan aside for the moment, her thoughts turned to Nick. 
Should she see him this evening for dinner? He had indicated in the note 
that he was finally willing to have a serious conversation. Would he be 
inclined to discuss everything or would he clam up when the topics became 
difficult? She knew one thing for sure; she couldn't ever go back to the old 
comraderie; the type of friendship they enjoyed before last year at 
Valentine's Day. In her mind, if they couldn't move ahead with better 
communcation and a committment to strive for a stronger relationship, she 
would take that transfer to Vancouver. She sighed resigningly again, as she 
knew her heart was winning out over her mind to see him again. Removing her 
phone from her pocket, she dialed his number.....

**************************

Natalie returned to her house in the early evening after snorkling out to 
the reef around Little Dix Bay. The aquatic life had been exceptional today 
as she'd weaved through the coral which had seemed to extend into the dark 
reaches of the sea. Depositing her equipment at the door, she entered 
cautiously as she could tell that someone had visited the place earlier. The 
screen hadn't been completely shut the way she'd closed it. Entering the 
room hesitantly, she surveyed the sitting area where nothing appeared to be 
disturbed. As she turned the corner, though, she could not believe her eyes. 
The kitchen table had been garnished with the most exotic tropical flowers 
that she had ever beheld. The aroma from the mixture of birds of paradise to 
the assortment of lilies was absolutely intoxicating, smelling like a 
greenhouse on a warm summer's day. A note had been laid in front of the 
arrangements which Natalie picked up slowly. As she removed the card 
carefully from the envelope, she detected Nick's elegant handwriting on the 
paper. She read aloud.

Dearest Natalie,

I thought I would leave you a garden of tropical delights.

I know how you love flowers!

See you tonight.

Love,

Nick

This assortment of flowers was more than she had ever dreamed Nick would 
send her. She was beginning to think she might have finally made the right 
decision for once in her life.....

Chapter Twelve

Natalie stood in front of her bed where a multitude of various dresses lay 
strewn across the covers as she had finally put on a long black silk dress 
which had long sleeves, a scooped neckline and was backless. She also chose 
a simple strand of pearls to wear around her neck to offset the elegant 
outfit nicely. As for her hair, she decided to leave it down, the way Nick 
always liked it. She peered before the mirror one more time to make sure she 
looked presentable, her fingers nervously running down her dress to remove 
any unflattering wrinkles. She studied her face in the glass to ensure that 
her makeup wasn't smudged as she thought, 'Gee, Get a grip Lambert. You're 
acting like a schoolgirl on a first date. It's only Nick.'

There was a knock at the door as she put the finishing touches on her face 
and hair. Natalie walked slowly over to the screen door, opening it for Nick 
as he stepped inside. "Hi, Natalie..." He looked at her from top to bottom, 
admiring the beauty and elegance of her entire presence. For a minute, he 
was at a loss for words, as he finally replied, "You look absolutely 
stunning!"

She blushed, uncomfortable with the compliment, responding, "You look great, 
too, Nick!" And he did! In fact, he looked fantastic with his dark, black 
suit, white shirt and tie. She remarked honestly, "In fact, I don't think 
I've seen you in a tie for a long time. Gosh, I feel honored!"

He laughed, as he opened the door for her to exit her house. "You might not 
see me wear another one after tonight. I don't like them very much, Nat." 
They got into his car and drove off to the restaurant...

*************************

The waiter approached their table for their drink order. After her 
overindulgence of champagne last night, Natalie chose a club soda with a 
spritz of lime and Nick decided on a red wine. Once they received their 
drinks and ordered dinner, Nick subtly removed a flask from the inside 
pocket of his dinner jacket, pouring the red liquid into his wine glass. 
Natalie leaned over and whispered to him, curiously, "Nick, have you 
completely reverted to the old variety of your diet?" as she eyed the flask 
in his hand.

He repocketed the container of blood, answering her honestly, "If you mean, 
do the contents contain the human variety? No, it doesn't! I made a decision 
before I came looking for you to go back to the bovine. I found I was 
frequently craving human blood directly from the source..in other words, I 
wanted it warm and flowing, Nat." He smiled that boyish grin that always 
left her weak at the knees as he continued, "I also knew how you felt about 
me drinking it." He looked at her tenderly as he spoke, "Even though you 
were 2000 miles away, I felt I was betraying you..us..when I indulged." He 
gazed at her, his voice taking on a sincere tone, "You see what kind of 
effect you have on me? There you were.. all that distance away and I could 
still hear you say 'Nick, don't drink it'."

Natalie smiled warmly at him as she replied, "I know I'm responsible for the 
guilt you feel when you drink any kind of blood. As a scientist, I've always 
thought your condition had manifested itself in a physical manner as we 
could eradicate the disease by changing your diet...with those intolerable 
shakes, blood substitutes and vitamin supplements." Knowing that she was at 
a crossroad with a major decision, she paused as she took a deep breath and 
proceeded, "I see now that I was wrong."

He had been drinking from his glass as he listened carefully to her talk. 
When she mentioned the part about the possible mistake, he looked up in 
surprise as he couldn't believe his ears. Had he heard her correctly? Had 
she said she was mistaken about the path they had taken to cure him? He 
replied outright, "Those substitutes would probably work if I strived 
consistently to stay on them and I...

She shook her head vehemently, her voice lowering to a gentle pitch, as she 
interrupted him, saying, "No. Nick. I don't believe adherence to my 
distasteful concoctions will provide you with the required nourishment." She 
took a sip from her drink as she sighed and elaborated, "This afternoon, I 
took a long walk on the beach where for the first time, since I met you that 
inevitable night in the morgue, I really REALLY thought long and hard about 
what you must endure everyday, Nick...what kind of incessant hunger you must 
possess. What unbelievable cravings you must deny yourself because of your 
rigid stand on atonement."

"I tried to put myself in your shoes, asking myself, 'What would it feel 
like?' It took me awhile to come up with an analogy, but I suddenly 
remembered a time when I was eight years old..my family and I went to this 
lake in Upstate New York where we were hiking on this trail one afternoon 
and I was naturally drawn to studying the plant life along the way."

She smiled briefly at the memory, "Even then, I was interested in the 
sciences...botany. Anyway, I got so sidetracked that I lost my family on 
that path and for two solid days, I was totally alone in the wilderness. 
Being as young as I was, the thought of eating wild berries frightened me as 
my mother had taught me never to touch them since they could be poisonous. I 
also didn't have any water because I must have ventured so far from the lake 
and I came upon no streams. By the time everyone found me, I was so 
dehydrated and famished that I had to be slowly fed intravenously for days 
in the hospital. The point being that I could vividly recall the 
extraordinary parched feeling I had...how desperately I craved food and 
especially water. By reliving those two days in the woods, I could almost 
relate to your problem, Nick.

He studied her face for a long moment as he reached across the table, 
grasping her hand tightly in his, "I'll confess it has been tough at times. 
It's SO good to hear you admit that you understand or, at least, are trying 
to understand my drives more than ever before."

Natalie replied decisively, "That is why you need to go back to the human 
stuff, Nick."

His face took on a look of astonishment as he responded, "Nat, do you know 
what you just said?"

She answered, laughing, "Yeah, I know. Unbelievable, isn't it?" She 
explained further, her voice taking on a more serious intonation, "The human 
blood is what you need, Nick, as mortals require food to survive. You once 
explained to me about the blood exchange...about knowing someone's thoughts, 
feelings.. everything about them...It must be so ecstatic..." She had taken 
on a dreamy look to her face as she thought about how erotic the feeling 
must be to take in someone's very soul. She suddenly realized where she was 
again as she cleared her throat and continued, "Well, I can't imagine that 
drinking cow's blood provides the same fantastic feeling." She chuckled as 
she spoke again, "Therefore, I think you should consider replacing the 
bovine with human."

Although Nick was initially euphoric over what she had said, he needed to 
reveal to her the problems he had been experiencing with the human blood as 
he confessed reluctantly, "I thought by being on the human stuff, my 
cravings would diminish, but I found I wanted more.." He gazed at her 
steadily as he whispered softly, "I especially wanted to taste YOUR blood, 
Natalie."

A sudden thrill of pleasure went through her body at the thought of Nick 
tasting her blood as her cheeks became flushed with desire. She suddenly 
couldn't look at him any longer as she stared at her lap, asking in a shaky 
voice, "Nick, do you crave my blood now as we sit here?"

He paused for a moment, considering the question, "No, when I'm sitting here 
with you..holding your hand.." His voice became low and husky. "I think I 
want you more in a ..mortal..ummm..human way." She looked up, staring warmly 
into his eyes as he grinned, bringing her hand to his lips as he kissed and 
slowly tasted each fingertip softly. His eyes never wavered from her face as 
he entwined their hands together in a loving seal.

Natalie blushed slightly as she snapped out of it and removed her hand from 
his grasp, replying in a professional way, "I get the picture Nick. So you 
probably have sated your appetite with bovine enough to control your urges 
around me?"

She suddenly felt a cool hand rubbing her knee gently, sliding up to touch 
her thigh delicately as Nick leaned over closer, and whispered ardently, 
"But I haven't sated those other appetites yet, Nat."

She swatted his hand away from her leg, trying to remain calm as she 
continued, clearing her throat, "As I WAS saying, the bovine controlled your 
desires; therefore, the human blood should actually satisfy your cravings 
even more. Why do you suppose you had those needs to drink from the actual 
source?"

Nick was trying with difficulty to recover from the effect she was having on 
him and, at the same time, to reflect back on those times in Toronto when he 
was experiencing those decents into taking any mortal's blood. He spoke 
carefully as he thought about the possible causes, "Well, I was awfully 
depressed about you leaving and about my backsliding...I thought about how 
hard a road it would be to climb back on that wagon again..without you 
there, it would be meaningless to try, so I would become more sullen and 
moody."

She finished, saying, "And so you could say that overwhelming emotions like 
depression might factor into the equation as to how much and what type of 
blood you want to consume. When you are not stressed out, you might need 
less blood."

He smiled at her, thinking how that analytical mind of hers always filled 
him with wonder. He answered, grinning in that charming way of his, "Nat, I 
believe you could have hit the nail right on the head."

Before they could continue with their discussion, the waiter arrived with 
their dinner...

***********************

Once the dinner arrived, Nick changed the subject for a while. As he moved 
the extremely rare steak around his plate, eating about half for Natalie's 
benefit, he elaborated on tales from Toronto, referring to Tracy, Reese, and 
Grace in passing. Natalie talked about her idle, care-free life on the 
island, highlighting some of the wonderful places her friends, Anne, Denise 
and Ethan had shown her. At the mention of Ethan, Nick had politely listened 
as she embellished on their many exploits, however, she sensed that he 
really abhored hearing about the competition.

Some time later, when they ordered dessert and coffee, Nick decided that the 
time was right to discuss their last argument. As he bent forward slightly, 
closing the gap between them, he asked carefully, "Nat, do you remember our 
last squabble in the loft?"

She looked up from the table as she nodded and smiled, "How could I forget? 
It's a good thing that my aim was off that night as I could have been 
picking shards of glass out of one angsting vampire." Her voice filled with 
seriousness as she added quietly, "Nick, I'm sorry about that night. I got 
myself so worked up that I never allowed you to explain...

He took hold of her hand, again, unconsciously moving his thumb and 
forefinger over her knuckles, as he thought deeply about what he wanted to 
say since his words could be the turning point to their relationship. Nick 
studied her lovely face as he replied tentatively, weighing each word 
spoken, "Nat, I've thought a lot about that night and I also believed I was 
doing the right thing; keeping you safe...not risking your life to gain 
mortality for myself." He took a deep breath and continued in a shaky voice, 
"For if I did achieve mortality and lost you, life would be meaningless and 
I don't know if I could go on without you." He pulled her hand gently to his 
lips, kissing her palm softly and moving it up to cup his face.

Natalie looked at him surprisingly and, for the first time, realized how 
selfish she had been as she had never considered the possible, negative 
outcome of Janette's cure and what effect that might have on Nick. She 
caressed his cheek as she responded ruefully, "I'm so sorry, Nick. How could 
I be so thoughtless! I guess that I figured you would bring me across if the 
restraint issue were a problem. I also believed that maybe I wouldn't have 
to die in order to bring you fully across to mortality; that you could 
become more human everytime we made love, taking just a little. I see now 
how complicated this whole process is. As a scientist, I should have 
understood that the formula also might not work for everyone." Tears of 
frustration sprang to her eyes as she quickly removed her hand from his face 
to retrieve a tissue from her purse, wiping her nose.

He hastily rose from his seat, sliding the chair over as he sat back down 
next to her and rested her head against his shoulder, gently stroking her 
back. He leaned closer, kissing her softly on the cheek as he ran his hand 
through her long, auburn tresses, saying soothingly, "Sssshh...Nat, it's 
going to be all right! Don't get upset. We can work this problem out 
together. I should have added that I USED to think that the cure was an 
impossibility between us because of the dangers to you."

Natalie suddenly stared at him, puzzled, her voice taking on a hopeful tone, 
"You mean you think the cure might work?"

He smiled, squeezing her hand gently, "Given the proper circumstances, yes, 
but I would need to be sated completely with the bottled human stock."

She stared at him for a long moment speechless, letting his words sink in. 
He was willing to try the cure. She suddenly grinned, jabbing him playfully 
in the ribs with her finger as she teasingly remarked, "Yes, I wouldn't want 
you to be a glutton." They both laughed outright, feeling the tension ebb 
away, as the waiter approached with their coffee and dessert.....

Chapter Thirteen

After dinner, Nick insisted on taking Natalie to a new, swanky piano bar 
called the Blue Moon which, aside from Little Dix Bay, was the only other 
dance spot on the island. They made one quick stop at Nick's cottage where 
he retrieved something mysteriously, throwing it in the small compact 
compartment of his trunk, then, he drove them back to town. He wouldn't say 
what the unknown object was as Natalie didn't probe, thinking he would tell 
her when he was good and ready.

They found a dark, secluded table in a corner of the dimly lit club, 
slightly away from the piano, as they still wanted to be able to converse. 
After six years of dodging important issues, and avoiding confrontational 
situations, they had finally closed that gap; discussing committment, 
compromise, understanding and building up a much needed trust and openness 
between them.

Nick helped Natalie with her chair as he leaned over quickly, saying he 
would be right back. As she waited, she thought that the only conflict 
remaining was Janette; they would have to discuss her otherwise, in her 
opinion, they wouldn't be able to move on.

She suddenly looked up to see a cold glass of champagne being handed to her 
as he sat next to her, sipping from his own drink of the bubbly. She noticed 
immediately that his concoction was more pink in tone than hers as she 
inquired, lowering her voice to a whisper, "Nick, are you going for Pink 
Lady's these days?"

He stared curiously at her, "What's a Pink Lady?"

She giggled briefly, "A Pink Lady is a type of ladies drink consisting of 
champagne and some kind of red liqueur like Grand Marnier...but I don't 
believe you're drinking one of those, are you?"

He grinned, tapping his finger on the tip of her nose, replying, "No, I'm 
drinking my own special version which a certain doctor recommended to me."

Natalie's eyes became as big as saucers, as understanding lit up her face, 
"So that little excursion to your place involved picking up a special 
vintage of....I hope...a very good year in ....someone's life?" She laughed 
suddenly at her own little joke as her eyes sparkled with merriment. Nick 
chuckled too, relieved at her obvious reconcilation with his need for human 
blood, as he was caught up in her infectious joyful mood.

She moved closer to hold his hand in her's, running her fingers lightly over 
the blond hairs as she said solemnly, "Are you sure this moment is a golden 
opportunity to experiment with my hypothsis?"

He studied her face, as he replied sincerely without concerns, "Don't worry. 
I'm fine, Nat." as he patted her hand for reassurance.

A comfortable silence engulfed them as they listened to the pianist play "As 
Time Goes By". As he finished his glorious rendition of the famous classic, 
Natalie decided that she needed to talk about Janette. As she took a deep 
breath, she said hesitantly, "Nick, before we move on with our relationship, 
we need to talk about Janette. I know you brought her back across. I need to 
hear from you why you did and why you wouldn't tell me?"

Nick draped his arm around Natalie's chair, stroking her upper arm with his 
hand as he reached over to clutch her hand in his other. He studied her for 
a long moment as he slowly explained, "Nat, I'm going to be perfectly frank 
with you. I'm not going to pretend that I don't love Janette. I can't help 
but love her as she represents a part of me; we were bonded through LaCroix 
and now we are bonded through each other. So naturally, when she lay dying, 
I could not release her into death without giving her a choice; to go 
through the light or to return as a vampire."

Natalie removed her hand from his grasp, replying coolly, "I see, Nick. You 
could easily give her a choice, but when it came to me, you wouldn't allow 
me the same courtesy. Why?"

He explained quickly, "Nat, I brought Janette back over without a second 
thought because she represented vampirism to me. I had only known her as a 
creature of darkness. Besides she loved what she had become."

He paused for effect, saying softly, "You, on the other hand, represent 
goodness and light, so it's difficult for me to consider bringing you across 
into my dark existence."

She reached for his hand, again, pulling it to her chest, responding gently, 
"Nick, I'm not some image you conjured up in your mind who is pure of soul 
like the Virgin Mary or your Joan of Arc."

He smiled, saying "I know that you aren't perfection, but you are closer to 
it than I am. To bring you into my darkness would draw you further away from 
a state of grace with God. I don't want to condemn you to that, Nat."

Natalie grinned, squeezing his hand, "You are definitely a crusader, aren't 
you Nicholas B. Knight? I appreciate your candor, but if the cure doesn't 
work, I think you should consider bringing me across as I can continue my 
research for centuries. Who knows? With the way technology is moving, in 100 
years, a cure may be a possibility for both of us."

Nick looked steadily into her eyes, saying softly, "I might take you up on 
it." , as he changed the subject back to Janette, expounding further, " Nat, 
I DO want to make something very clear to you. As I said before, I do love 
Janette, but I'm not IN LOVE with her. Do you understand what I'm trying to 
say? I'm only in love with one person and that individual is you." Holding 
her hand to his face, he looked intently at her eyes, saying, his voice 
filled with passion and longing, "Natalie, I love you more than you will 
ever know."

At first, she was completely speechless as she hadn't heard him say those 
three little words to her since Valentine's Day. A wave of absolute euphoria 
took hold of her as she leaned forward, whispering softly into his ear, "I 
love you, too, Nick."

They stared at one another for what seemed like an eternity, relishing in 
the glorious feeling of breaking down those final barriors between them. 
They had finally revealed their true feelings to each other. Nick leaned 
over to kiss Natalie gently on the lips, as she moved her hand up his face 
to touch his cheek softly. The pianist had stopped playing to take a break, 
but they barely noticed, as they were completely immersed in their own 
little world for a moment in time. As the music suddenly changed to an 
Enrique Iglesias/Whitney Houston song "Could I have this Kiss Forever", they 
came out of their reverie. Taking her hand, Nick pulled Natalie quickly to 
her feet, wrapping his arms around her, as he led her to the dance floor. 
The rhymatic melody of the song immediately captured them in a spell as the 
lyrics and music possessed them.

They seemed to glide around the floor tightly pressed against each other as 
their eyes never faltered from their faces.

Over and over I look in your eyes

You are all I desire You have captured me

I want to hold you I want to be close to you

I never want to let you go

Nick and Natalie swayed to the music, interlocking their hands in a loving 
hold as the song carried them to a different realm. He impulsively spun her 
around against his back, moving his hands slowly and deliberately down her 
arms, across her stomach and lightly around her hips, as she reached up and 
encircled her arms around his head, molding her body to him.

I wish that this night would never end

I need to know

Nick rubbed his cheek against her silky smooth hair, inhaling the sweet 
intoxicating scent of clementines and lavender from her shampoo and perfume 
as he savored the soft, warm closeness of her. Natalie started tangling her 
fingers in his thick blond mane as he brushed her hair aside, placing 
delicate kisses around her earlobe.

Could I hold you for a lifetime

Could I look into your eyes

Could I have this night to share, this night together

Nick slid his other hand from around her hip to her bare back, lightly 
stroking her satiny skin as he traced his tongue around the outer part to 
the inside of her earlobe. He felt her tremble under his touch as he 
continued to lick, taste, bite and nuzzle her ear.

Could I hold you close beside me

Could I hold you for all time

Could I could I have this kiss forever

Warm, sensual, erotic sensations were bombarding Natalie, their closeness 
bringing her to a fevered pitch as she pulled Nick's head down to her neck. 
He started raining soft gentle kisses from her neck to her shoulder as he 
snaked his hands around her waist.

Over and over I've dreamed of this night

Now you're here by my side You are next to me

I want to hold you and touch you and taste you

And make you want no one but me

I wish this kiss could never end Oh baby please

Natalie was floating as Nick stirred hot, intense feelings in her by playing 
havoc with her neck and hips, kissing, nibbling and massaging...She wanted 
him desperately to turn her around as she had a powerful longing to feel his 
lips on hers. As if he could read her mind, he suddenly swung her around, 
capturing her mouth in his, as his arms enfolded her in a loving embrace. 
Parting her warm, luscious lips, he deepened the kiss, as he cradled her 
head in his one hand, stroking her long dark curls as his other hand dusted 
her back with feather-soft caresses.

refrain

I don't want any night to go by

Without you by my side

I just want all my days spent being next to you

Lived for just loving you

And baby, oh by the way..

refrain....

As they whirled around the floor, Natalie moaned under his feverish kiss, 
running her tongue over his teeth until the sharp, elongated fangs appeared. 
He growled as she continued to travel over them with her tongue, finally 
impaling herself on his canines. The first drop of her blood sent him 
reeling as incredible feelings overwhelmed him. He couldn't bring himself to 
release her as he continued to taste her blood, sliding enticingly down his 
throat, as images of her desires, needs, thoughts, and most of all her love 
assaulted his senses.

Could I could I have this kiss forever, forever...

The song came to a close as they ended the kiss, both coming up gasping for 
air. Nick and Natalie gazed at one another longingly as their ragged 
breathing subsided. Seconds passed slowly until Nick suddenly clutched her 
hand to his chest as he said, hoarsely, "Nat, let's get out of here." She 
got the message loud and clear as she looked at the love, passion and 
hunger, glowing in his eyes....

Chapter Fourteen

As Nick sat across from Natalie in his car, drinking down one of his 
bottles, a silence ensued between them, as the melodic tempo of music still 
emanated from the club.

Nick broke the quietness as he turned to Natalie, reaching gingerly for her 
hand, asking softly, "Why did you do that in there, Nat?....allow me to 
taste your blood? Do you know what kind of danger you could have placed 
yourself in?"

She studied him for a minute before answering, her voice filled with 
kindness, "I wasn't thinking of the consequences. I was caught up in the 
moment, Nick." She turned slightly in her seat, looking at him intently as 
she said, lowering her voice to a soft pitch, "I wanted you to relish a part 
of me...to give you something tangible that represented me. I could only do 
that through my blood."

She squeezed his hand warmly, asking shyly, "Nick, did you enjoy 
it...ummmm...I mean.." She stammered, embarrassed by her boldness, and 
continued, "Was it everything you hoped for?"

He quickly shifted in his seat, bringing his other hand up to her cheek as 
he cupped her face, "Oh, Nat! Of course it was unbelievable!....your 
blood....was exquisite! I felt your love flowing through me like a warm 
summer's day." He shook himself out of his reverie as he proceeded, in a 
more sober tone, "but, the point is you shouldn't take those kind of risks 
with me. I could have lost control."

Natalie replied sternly, "but you didn't, did you? You see, Nick. I have 
always had faith in you that you would never harm me. You have that faith, 
too; buried deep within you. You simply have to believe again in yourself 
enough to rediscover that truth, too."

He patted her hand as he responded, "I wish I could be as sure as you are in 
myself."

She smiled at him, touching his chin lightly, "I am quite certain." She 
suddenly had a inspiration as she asked hesitantly, "Nick, would you like to 
see a special place on the island where the view is breathtaking? I'd like 
to share it with you. Could we go there, now?"

He was baffled by her sudden change in the subject, but he was quickly swept 
up in her enthusiasm. "Sure, do we need any supplies?"

Natalie gleamed wickedly at him, suggesting, "You might want to bring a 
blanket and some bottles of your best vintages..."

************************

After obtaining the appropriate supplies from Nick's cottage, Natalie 
directed him to the other side of the island where they parked the car and 
got out. Retrieving the blanket and bottles of wine and blood, Nick allowed 
Natalie to lead him down a narrow path filled with exotic plant life. 
Inhaling deeply, he could smell the lush tropical scents which surrounded 
them. In coming to the end of the walkway, Nick gasped at the overwhelming 
beauty of the sight before him. The luminous moon shimmered on the dark 
water and fine white sand, as he made out two large rock formations which 
rose from the sea on opposite sides. To the left of one of the smooth, fine 
giants, Nick could see a waterfall cascading down to a crystal-clear pool in 
a dark cave.

Natalie watched him closely take in the surroundings. "Isn't it a marvel to 
behold, Nick? When Denise and Anne initially brought me to the Baths, I 
couldn't get over the power of this place. I've been told by some of the 
local islanders that those two rocks are from the Paleolithic Age. Fossils 
and all sorts of stone, primitive tools, dating back 750,000 years ago, have 
been discovered around these caves by archealogists." She laughed 
unexpectedly as a thought occurred to her, "Imagine, Nick. You're a 
babe-in-arms compared to those landforms."

He smiled at her infectious laughter, saying breathlessly, "Nat, I've seen 
many places in this world in my time here on earth, but I've got to say this 
is one of the best spots I've been to. It is glorious!"

As she pulled him gently by the hand, guiding him closer to the water's 
edge, she said in a voice filled with hope, "Nick, I wish that you could see 
this beach during the day when the sun shimmers through the clear blue water 
onto the multi-colored coral reefs and exotic sea life. It would take your 
breath away as it is so beautiful." She smiled, as she squeezed his hand, 
blushing slightly, "Maybe you will see this spot in the daylight before this 
trip is over."

He pulled her gently to him, wrapping his arms around her, as he kissed her 
nose and lips, briefly. He chuckled at her optimism, saying, "Well, maybe 
the circumstances will allow me that opportunity, Nat. And perhaps the 
moment is now."

Having spoken those words, Nick suddenly started to shed his clothes as 
Natalie looked on in shock. After a moment's hesitation, she quickly turned 
away from him, embarrassed by his disrobing. She stammered slightly, 
responding, "Nick, what are you doing?"

He replied as he removed the last article of clothing, "What do you think 
I'm doing? I'm taking the advice of my doctor and I'm going to explore all 
this wonderful aquatic life and coral." He lowered his voice, seductively 
and continued, "Won't you come and join me?"

She turned back around to see him sprint into the ocean, catching a glimpse 
of a body that she had only envisioned in her dreams. She sighed to herself, 
thinking, 'Well Lambert, you certainly wanted this moment for a very long 
time. You better go with the flow.' She suddenly looked up to see Nick, 
treading water in the deep part of the water as he waved to her, saying 
"Nat, it's getting awfully lonely out here without you. Now don't be shy! 
After all, I have seen the whole package and I liked what I saw!"

If she could have turned a shade more red from head to toe, she would have 
in that instant. She paused before answering him, thinking 'Well, there's no 
backing out now, is there?' She called to him, reticently, "Just give me a 
minute, Nick. I'll be right in."....

Chapter Fifteen

Unlike the previous night, Natalie stepped hesitantly into the warm, 
inviting water as she peered around for Nick. The moon illuminated the 
glistening sea clearly as she searched in vain, wading through the light 
currents. She was standing waist deep just beyond the waves when she 
suddenly felt a pair of cool hands grab her ankles, and pull her down into 
the dark, murky water. After a brief spell, Natalie rose to the surface, 
sputtering and coughing as she wiped the moisture from her eyes, yelling, 
"That wasn't funny, Nick."

A chuckle erupted behind her, as she turned to see him, standing inches from 
her, saying, "But, Nat, didn't you tell me once that you like to be 
surprised?"

She regained her equilibrium as she stood with her hands on her hips, 
answering in a irritated voice, "Not like that, Nick. I could have drowned 
as I must have swallowed half the Caribbean Sea."

She suddenly looked down, remembering that she didn't have anything on, as 
she covered herself modestly with her arms. Aware of his nearness, too, she 
continued to scold him, in a more shaky voice, "Anyway, don't do that again 
as I might have Cardiac arrest." As she spoke, she lowered her head, 
avoiding his intense stare.

Nick replied, in a deep, gentle voice, "Nat, look at me."

She continued to study the many ripples in the water, as she felt him pry 
her arms apart to her sides, pleading kindly, "Please, look at me!" Natalie 
finally lifted her head, gasping as she looked up into the deepest blue 
eyes, shining their love and adoration for her.

Nick's eyes roamed down her bare body and returned to her face, making her 
tingle with anticipation as a hot, burning sensation extended from the pit 
of her stomach to her limbs. He gazed upon her lovely face, as he inched 
closer, running his hands up her arms, gently dusting his fingertips along 
her soft, wet skin, acknowledging sincerely, "Don't hide from me, Nat. You 
are so enchanting. You take my breath away with your natural beauty."

She stared at him intensely, touched by his stirring words filled with love. 
Pulling her towards him, he enveloped his arms around her, holding her 
against his cool, wet chest, as she entwined her arms around his neck. 
Cradling her head against his shoulder, Nick ran his hand through her hair 
as he caressed the curve in the small of her back, molding their bodies 
together in a tight embrace.

The sensations produced by their intimate contact and closeness, skin to 
skin, were beyond anything they had ever imagined, generating initially 
feelings of warmth, joy, and happiness. As Nick lifted her head though, her 
soft breasts rubbed against his taut, smooth chest, causing an unbelievable 
sensual friction between them. He tilted her face up to his as he pressed up 
even closer to her, sliding his hands up and down her back. He leaned in to 
plant soft,delicate kisses on her eyelids, nose and cheeks, finally 
capturing her lips in a slow, wet kiss which deepened quickly as he traveled 
down her back, stroking her buttocks.

Natalie was sailing above the clouds as Nick started trailing a blaze of 
kisses from her neck to her shoulder blade, moving down to trace each tip of 
her breasts with his tongue, licking and sucking them, ever so gently. As 
she moaned under his loving attentions, he abruptly picked her up, pressing 
her firmly to his chest as he smothered her with more kisses on her face and 
lips. How they got to shore so quickly, she couldn't say, as Nick was 
suddenly laying her gently on the blanket. As he stood over her, Natalie 
lifted her arms invitingly to coax him into a warm embrace, smiling 
seductively as she replied, "It's getting lonely down here without you, 
Nick. Come and join me."

He grinned as his eyes wandered down her tantalizing body, taking in every 
nuance. Allowing her to pull him down onto the blanket, he lay beside her, 
brushing his hand against her cheek. He responded, smiling "I can't resist 
the offer."

Nick grabbed her hand in his, becoming more serious as he said, "Nat, before 
we go any further, I want to make it clear that you can tell me to stop at 
any time. It's inevitable that I will change, but I don't want to frighten 
you."

She smiled as she lovingly caressed his cheek, answering, "Nick, I'm not 
afraid of you. How could I ever be fearful of the man, who I love with all 
my heart and soul."

Nick was overcome with a wave of emotions; love, admiration, and most of all 
tenderness for this woman, as he marveled at her unconditional love and 
faith in him. Despite what he had become, she could still love the person 
underneath the vampire; the beast, who would destroy her if he let it.. but 
for once in his life, he wasn't going to allow that part of him, the monster 
inside him, to consume him. Looking at Natalie as the moon shined on her 
dark tresses, he said with a sudden resolve, "I love you more than life 
itself, Natalie and I won't let any harm come to you as I have faith in us 
to make this work."

Having spoken his beliefs and feelings to her, he leaned over kissing her 
tenderly on the lips, nuzzling her nose against his, as his hand wandered 
along her side. Taking the hint, Natalie started to explore his body eagerly 
for the first time, running her hands across his broad shoulders, down to 
his hard, muscular chest, where she stroked his fine blond hairs, caressing 
with her fingers in light touches. He groaned inwardly at her soft, delicate 
explorations as he parted her lips, deepening the kiss quickly, as his hands 
traveled a path to her full breasts where he began tracing circles around 
her nipples, heightening her desires immediately. Working his way down her 
neck to her shoulder blade, planting light feathery kisses along the way, 
Nick began to touch her more demandingly, cupping, kneading and massaging 
both of her breasts, flooding her body with rapturous delight.

Rolling slightly on top of her, being careful not to put his full weight on 
her, he moved quickly from her shoulder to her breast, dropping delicious 
kisses along the way. When he reached her breasts, he started to trace his 
tongue gently around each nipple, as he wandered down to her inner thigh, 
lightly stroking the soft, pliable skin.

Natalie continued to be swept up in a tital wave of sensations that Nick was 
producing on her body. She entwined her arms around his head, tangling her 
fingers through his unruly, damp locks, as she proceeded to explore his 
backside, caressing and rubbing her hands lightly along his spine down to 
his buttocks. As she arrived at his firm rear, she wrapped her soft hands 
around him, kneading each cheek gently. He growled under her touch as the 
feeling of her satiny hands stirred the vampire. Surprisingly, he was easily 
able to suppress the beast into submission as he moved up to her face again, 
planting more demanding kisses on her lips, his tongue delving into her 
inviting mouth as his body pressed up against hers, his firmness sending 
ripples of intoxicating excitment through her. She snaked her arms around 
his neck, again, running her hands through his blond hair as he slid his 
hand between them to cup her breasts again. He continued to worship every 
crevice of her body that he could reach as he gently moved to part her legs 
slightly to access her moist, hot core, massaging and rubbing deftly this 
sensative spot, raining kisses over her face, neck and shoulder blade.

Flowing through her body was a river of surprise and exquisite delight as 
Nick intensified the pressure, moving his fingers inside her, then massaging 
and touching her again as he showered her breasts with tender kisses. As 
Natalie was carried away on a tide of intense feeling and pleasure, she 
reached down to touch and caress his side, slowly wandering down to grasp 
his arousal, stroking and kneading gently. The erotic sensations that she 
was creating as she continued to run her soft hand around him were 
heightening his longing and desire to be inside of her...The vampire 
continued unbelievably to lie dormant as he felt compelled to make love to 
her in a more human, mortal way. As Natalie felt Nick abruptly halt his 
ministrations, she groaned in disappointment, wanting completion. Observing 
quickly his intentions as he positioned himself over her, gently parting her 
legs further with his knee, she welcomed him as he lowered himself onto her. 
He entwined one pair of their hands together, stroking her face with the 
other. Natalie gasped as she looked deep into his blue eyes, seeing love and 
wonder there. Interlocking their other pair of hands together, he slowly 
entered her as he captured her mouth in a very deep kiss.

The slight friction caused by their union sent tremors of ecstasy through 
Nick as he felt her warm, sleek, moistness envelope him. Wrapping her legs 
tightly around him like living ropes which bound him to her, she moved 
briefly, causing him to penetrate further, igniting more heat and passion. 
The sensual feelings also unleashed the vampire.

The sensations were rocking Natalie to the very core as she pushed up in 
vain, trying to entice him to move. Nick lifted his face to hers, showing 
her his golden eyes, as he softly uttered, in a rough, husky voice, "Nat, 
just lie still for a moment. Let's savor the sensations." Leaning in, he 
kissed her lightly on the lips, careful of his fangs. "Don't be afraid, Nat. 
I promise I won't hurt you."

Gazing at him, her face filled with desire and love, she whispered in a 
breathless tone, "I know you won't, Nick. I love you."

He stared in amazement at this woman, who represented his other half, his 
heart and his love. "I love you, too, Nat.

Unable to continue the stillness between them, Nick began to move slowly 
inside her as she pushed up with her hips to meet his thrusts. The intensity 
of pleasure was unbearable as the sensations carried them to the next level. 
He continued to move, varying the degrees of thrusts and depth, keeping 
their hands twined together above Natalie's head. They continued to rock 
together in a fluid rhythm as he pressed their damp, heat-filled bodies 
closer together, brushing kisses along her skin, mindful of his fangs, 
taking them higher and higher into the clouds. All of a sudden, Natalie felt 
herself floating on air as a kaleidoscopic brilliance of colors assaulted 
her senses, catapulting her over into wave after wave of orgasms. Nick 
reached the pinnacle as well where, for one moment, he was within the sun, 
as he plunged as deeply as he could into her. She instinctively moved her 
neck to the side as he gently penetrated the supple skin, drinking deeply 
>from her; then she felt him shudder, releasing his seed deep within her.

Natalie gasped as new sensations consumed her mind, images flashing before 
her of Nick's thoughts and desires of mortality, his dreams of having a 
family with her and most importantly his undying love for her and his faith.

As Nick pulled away, licking and kissing her wounds, he was still 
overwhelmed by the images he saw in her blood...so sweet and 
intoxicating..but had he stopped in time. Looking over at her quickly, he 
saw her closed eyes as he frantically shook her. "Nat, are you ok?"

She didn't answer as her eyes remained shut. He shook her again more firmly, 
pleading, "Oh, Nat, please answer me."

Natalie's eyes fluttered open as she sighed, "Nick, I gotta say. That was 
the most sensational, mind-blowing experience I have ever had in my life.

Nick grinned as relief flooded his face. "Thank goodness, you are all right. 
For a moment, I thought I had taken too much.

She smiled warmly at him, touching his face, "I feel a little light-headed, 
but that could be from our love-making. Nick, don't worry! You did great!"

He kissed her hand affectionately, "By the way, Nat...your blood....it was 
indescribable...all the bright colors...How did you manage to focus in on 
all those images? I saw you walking on the beach in the sunlight, snorkling 
in the water with all the glorious colors of the sea around you. It was 
unbelievable. How did you do it?"

Natalie explained proudly, "I knew how much those pictures would mean to 
you, so I concentrated very hard on memorable moments on this island, 
transferring them to you through my blood." She paused for a moment before 
continuing with her own unanswered questions. Clearing her throat, she asked 
hesitantly, "aaah.. Nick? By the way, ...speaking of the blood link, are you 
really serious about wanting 11 kids?.....

Epilogue: one month later

Natalie lazily lounged in a beach chair under a huge umbrella, reading her 
book as the blond haired, fine muscled man approached. Peeking over her 
paperback, he leaned in to peck her on the nose, as he said pleadingly, 
"Nat, you said you would come in the water an hour ago."

She smiled as she replied resigningly, "OK, I get the hint. I'll be right 
in. But, Nick, ....you better put some sunscreen on as you're getting mighty 
pink in this strong sunlight."

He said in an agreeable manner, "I will, just as soon as I show you the 
beautiful school of pufferfish around the coral reef."

She laughed abruptly at his enthusiam, as she rested the book, 'What to 
Expect When you're Expecting' on the nearby blanket. "Just give me a second 
to find my mask and geer. I'll meet you out there."

Nick grinned in that charming way which made her heart skip a beat as he 
leaned in for another kiss. "You better! I'll get lonely out there without 
you!" He turned away from her, running back into the calm blue-green water. 
Moments later, with her equipment securely on, Natalie scampered into the 
cool crystal clear sea, swimming out to the dazzling lace on the edges of 
the reef......

The End

I hope you enjoyed this story. Any comments are welcome as you can email me 
at psmoot43@hotmail.com or sign my guestbook.



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