From: Patty Costantino [psmoot43@hotmail.com] Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2001 7:23 PM To: AKBlake@lock-net.com Subject: re: Games Coroners Play Hi Anita, Here's one of my stories for archiving. I'll send the others, too if you don't mind. Thanks again for doing this. Patty Games Coroners Play May 2001 By: Patty Costantino Notes to reader: This story has been inspired by the characters from the Forever Knight T.V. series and it takes place immediately following Games Vampire's Play. Characters: Nick, Natalie and others don't belong to me. I am just borrowing them. Adult Content Warning: Must be 18 or over. N/N explicit 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 This story has been archived at my site at http:/www.expage.com/patty43. Games Coroners Play by: Patty Costantino/psmoot43@hotmail.com Chapter 1 Natalie was driving to her apartment as tears sprung to her eyes at the memory and mood of the conversation in Nick's loft moment's ago. She'd gone over to his place to inquire about the case and found Nick with that virtual reality game. As soon as she'd entered the loft, she'd known that he'd been playing it again as his eyes had revealed his actions. When she'd studied them, golden amber had flashed in his pupils. She'd also noted the kitchen had an array of empty Raven-labeled bottles strewn across the counter, making it clear to her that Nick wasn't consuming his normal bovine stock. He was drinking down human blood and, by the looks of things, he was gulping down great quantities of the stuff. He'd seen where her eyes had wandered as she'd stared at the accumulation of bottles on the counter. "This is just a temporary setback, Nat. I can control what I'm doing," he'd said, trying to assure her that everything was fine. Still livid at him for his earlier guarantee at the precinct that he could control his cravings anytime he wanted, despite the game, she'd shaken her head and taken the toy from him. "No, Nick. You are killing again in this game, aren't you? I don't like what it's doing to you, but it's up to you to decide what to do with it." They'd been standing by the fireplace as Natalie had voiced her concerns; the heat from the crackling fire had felt comforting on her back although the warmth could not quell her fears. She was becoming increasingly afraid that Nick's continuous backsliding would cause him to give up hope for a cure; that he would soon move on, seeing the futility of it all. She couldn't allow him to give up without a fight. As she'd regarded him, hoping for any sign of acceptance, he'd nodded and stated with a sense of conviction to his voice, "Do with it what you think is best." She'd proceeded to toss the game into the fireplace, watching the metal melt in the brilliant flames. Grasping her hand and giving at her a steady look as if to say, 'we can cross this hurdle, too, like all the rest,' Nick had walked away with his glass of bloodwine. She'd sensed his melancholy mood, deciding to stay a bit longer, trying to console him. However, after a while, she'd become as depressed as he about their situation, needing to leave. As she continued to drive home, an overwhelming sadness seized her as more tears cascaded down her cheeks. She pulled over to the side of the road as all the bent up emotions of the last two months roiled to the surface. Leaning forward on the steering wheel, she cried unheedingly against the cool metal, her chest heaving. Nick had endured one setback after another in these last eight weeks, more than at any time since she'd known him. On top of that, she was becoming frustrated at the possibility of no cure in sight. Ever since the Litovuterine-B. episode last year, Natalie hadn't been able to come up with any other viable cure. She lifted her head from the steering column, wiping the tears from her face as she removed a tissue from her pocket, blowing her nose. Looking out the window into the darkness, Natalie's mind wandered back to the night of Nick's amnesia; the one night that if she'd allowed things to progress, they'd have consummated their love for one another, but she'd been apprehensive of the emergence of the vampire. What if the vampire had surfaced during their lovemaking? Would Nick have been able to control himself? Would he have remembered how to bring her across if he took too much? These questions had circulated through her mind as he'd showered her with tender kisses and moved his hands to her blouse, opening the buttons and caressing the soft peaks of her breasts under her lacey bra. At the time, she wasn't sure how she'd found the willpower to push him away, but she had, suggesting again that they should take things slowly. She'd insisted on sleeping on the couch since he needed plenty of rest in the comfort of his bed to recover from his head injury. It had been a flimsy excuse, but he had reluctantly agreed. As she reflected back to that night, Natalie wondered if she'd done the right thing, pushing Nick away. Yes! She believed that she had! In her mind, the pain would have been unbearable for her if they'd been together that one night, learning that the promise of Nick's mortality would be shattered the next morning; that the vampire would emerge again. And not only had the vampire emerged again; it had consumed Nick. All the events which had occurred after his gunshot wound; the demonic possession, the anti-aids viral infection, and this recent turn of events with the virtual reality game had triggered the beast within, causing a large consumption of human blood to keep the vampire at bay. She also sensed that Nick was distancing himself more from her to keep her safe from his beast. Natalie understood why he was doing this to them, but she couldn't help feeling hurt by the separation; they didn't even have that easy-going friendship anymore. Everything between them seemed awkward and stiff. A black wave came back and swept over her as another lump formed in her throat, when all of a sudden, she saw flashing lights behind her. Oh great! The police! A tall, thin, lanky officer with dark brown hair approached Natalie's car. He tipped his hat to her as she rolled down the window. "Sorry ma'am. But you can't pull over here. The next exit is less than 1 km if you want to pull off there." Thank goodness the darkness hid her swollen, puffy eyes to the officer as she tried to suppress her grief. She replied with a slight shakiness to her voice, "I'm sorry officer. It won't happen again." He could sense that this woman was upset and was trying to contain her emotions. A feeling of empathy went out to her. "Are you all right, ma'am?" he asked, his voice denoting kindness. Loathsome to discuss her pathetic lovelife with this young fellow, she reined in her feelings. "No, I'm fine. Thank you officer," she voiced in a clear, strong tone which even surprised her. Unsure of her frame of mind, but taking the hint of her brush off, he said goodnight, proceeding to his car. Natalie rolled up the window and started up the car, merging into the traffic. Thank goodness, she was unknown to the officer since he worked in another jurisdiction. She wouldn't want her shaky state of mind to get around the precinct, especially to one blond detective. She had always been adept at hiding her feelings and she wanted to keep it that way. 'What to do now?' she thought as she drove to her apartment..... ************************* Natalie pulled into the small shopping center next to her apartment, getting out of the car. The encounter with the officer had suppressed her gloomy state for the time being as she thought of a list of groceries. Driving over to her apartment, she'd remembered that she needed cat food and some other staples. An unhappy cat would not be a welcome sight; Sydney could decide to seek revenge on her drapes if he wasn't well feed. Shreaded curtains would be an intolerable mess. After she purchased the groceries, she walked down to Sam's video at the end of the shopping center. 'Maybe, a comedy would lighten the mood' she reflected as she entered the store. Sam, the proprietor, was busy with a customer, so Natalie ventured over to the comedy section, browsing through the assortment. After a while, she felt a presence behind her. It was Sam, smiling warmly at her. He was a kind-hearted, gentle soul, who had reached his 60's. Tall, thin with graying hair at the temples, he could always bring a smile to Natalie's face. Sam had owned the shop for years now and knew both she and Nick. She suspected that he felt there was more to their relationship than met the eye, as every once in a while when they'd pour over a selection of tapes, Natalie would glance up, noticing Sam's examination of them. It was almost like he could see through their pretense at a friendship. If he felt caught in the act, he'd look down at the counter, feigning an occupation with paperwork. She'd chorkled to herself, thinking at those times, if Sam only knew the truth about their unique relationship. Well, that unique relationship was going nowhere. 'Lambert, don't go there again tonight.' she reminded herself as Sam reached around her to grab a video off the shelf. "Have you seen 'Sleepless in Seattle'," he asked as she spun around to regard him. "No, Sam, but I don't think a romantic comedy is something I want to see tonight," she answered, sighing in a forlorn way. 'A certain someone with blond hair must be getting this sweet, dear woman in a defunct tonight,' he ascertained. He'd known as soon as she'd entered the store that something was amiss. Her attempt at hiding the swollen, red eyes with makeup had not worked as he'd seen right through her disguise. When the other customer had left the shop, Sam had walked over to see if he could help his favorite customer. He'd sensed her sadness as he drew near to her. She was trying bravely to put up that steel wall of her's in front of him, but she wasn't fooling him. "Okay, Natalie, my dear. Instead of a video, I want to show you something special in the backroom that I've been working on. Perhaps you would like to try it out," he offered in a sincere tone, figuring that Plan B needed to be implemented. Anyone else, who would have intimated what he just implied, would have caused Natalie to race out of the store, never to return again. But she knew that Sam was a harmless man, who wasn't going to show her pornography. She looked at him with a warm smile that seemed to light up her entire countenance. "Lead the way," she said, making a sweeping movement with her hand. She followed him to a large, dimly lit room in the back of the store. Her initial impression of the place was the enormity of computer equipment that encompassed the small space. There were large and small, compact computers everywhere; monitors, keyboards, speakers were lined up around the room on tables and the floor. The computer center reminded Natalie of similiar surroundings a few days ago; the crime scene at the virtual reality center. Noting the surroundings, she asked in a curious tone, "Sam, this equipment isn't for virtual reality purposes, is it?" Surprised at her quick perception, he replied, "Why, yes, Natalie," then asking, "You're familiar with this game?" "Yes, I know about this silly toy," she acknowledged, irritated. "It's not a toy, Natalie," he stated in a serious manner. "Yeah, maybe for some it is a *safe* outlet to use, but for other's it can be dangerous," she exclaimed with such bitterness. Sam scrutinized her face, wondering what had caused this sudden animosity to a game. He responded, in a cautious way, "For some people, I suppose it could become an unhealthy obsession." Natalie snickered, rolling her eyes at his remark. "That's an understatement," she said with an edge of sarcasm to her voice. "Then you know someone, who has played these games, Natalie?" he queried, his voice filled with kindness. "Yes, a friend of mine. I think it was becoming an obsession with him and I told him so. He gave it up, but I'm afraid that the game may have taken him over the edge, so to speak," she said, her eyes brimming with tears. Noticing her immediate unsteadiness, Sam put his arm around her shoulder as he said in a comforting way, "There...there..Natalie. I'm sure your *friend* will be fine. Don't worry yourself. If he gave it up for you, then it's a step in the right direction." "I suppose so," Natalie agreed in an half-hearted way. "My game can be compulsive, but in a good way," he stated, trying to sound optimistic as he added, "I think of my virtual reality game as a *gift* to the person who receives it." Natalie gazed at him, intrigued by this mysterious game. "What does your's provide that other's don't?" "A sense of wholeness and peace of mind," he explained with an ethereal smile. "How?" she asked, surprised and unsure of his meaning. "Unlike any other virtual reality game, mine is *very* realistic and a person can go *anywhere* and do *anything* they desire," he said as he took the game off a table and laid it in her hand. Natalie studied the piece of equipment in the palm of her hand. It was unbelievably small, resembling a Walkman CD player. The top of the game reflected a monitor screen and a miniscule keyboard. There was a red, activate button to the right of the keyboard. A visor and finger sensors were attached to a long cord which was inserted into two holes on the side of the console. She peered Sam in amazement. "Would you like to try it out?" he inquired. "Sure, why not!" she agreed, surmising that this game was probably like all the others: pointless and childish, but she would humor him all the same. He helped her on with the sensors, wrapping each finger on her right hand with a black, velcro fitted cloth, and demonstrated how to use the monitor and keyboard to select a place, people, clothes, food, supplies and any other items she'd wish to have on her adventure. She stared in wonder as he selected a beach for her, a picnic basket filled with an assortment of delectible delights and a blue bikini. On the last choice, Natalie modestly declined the suggestion of a bikini, selecting a blue one piece bathing suit. After all the choices were established, Sam helped her on with the visors. "Are you ready, my dear?" he asked. "Yes. Ready when you are," she replied, giving a thumbs up motion. "Okay, Natalie. And one more thing. Don't be too disturbed by the sudden brightness you will experience when I activate the game as you will be going to the beach at midday. Let me also state that you will be able to touch, taste, smell, see and hear everything around you," he explained. "Okay, Sam, I understand. Let's go for it!" she said, excitement building in her voice. 'Maybe this game would be different,' she thought as she felt butterflies swimming in her stomach. "I'll count to three and activate the game. One...two...*three*!" he said. On the final count, he pushed the red button ..... **************************** and....suddenly Natalie found herself on a secluded beach where the whiteness of the sand, the brightness of the sun and the blueness of the water assaulted her senses. It was breathtaking! She could actually smell and taste the salt in the air, feel the warmth of the sun on her face, and hear seagulls flapping their wings and screeching overhead as they looked around for food. She looked down at the ground, seeing a brown, wicker basket as it lay at her feet. Picking through the items in the container, she found what she was looking for: bread. As she broke apart the pieces into bite size morsels, the birds flocked closer to her. Extending her hand outwards, they started to eat the food. She could feel their sharp beaks, grazing her palm as they continued to eat up the bread. Once the crumbs of bread were eaten, Natalie reached into the basket, removing a crispy drumstick from the interior. She examined the chicken for a second, sniffing it with her nose. 'Yep! It sure smelled like chicken,' she noted. She leaned over and took a tentative bit, unsure of what to expect. She was rewarded with a satisfied flavor of a superbly prepared fried chicken. The taste was sensational; it almost melted on her mouth. When she finished the drumstick, she tried the strawberries next, savoring the juiceness of the sweet fruit. After a while, having finally had her fill, she closed the basket. Natalie looked down at herself for the first time. She was wearing a royal blue bathing suit with a scooped neck. The sides of the suit were hiked up on each leg, revealing ample skin. Rolling her eyes, she thought, 'Sam couldn't resist making this suit as sexy as possible, now could he!' After examining her attire, she looked around the beach, gazing at the sparkling sea. 'I wonder what the ocean feels like,' she thought. Natalie walked up to the edge, stepping into the cool, refreshing saltwater. It felt so delightful. She wanted to feel the water all over her body, so inviting, so fresh and cool against the heat of the sun. It had been so long since she'd been at the beach. She dove under the waves, tasting the saltiness of the seawater in her mouth. As she dove under again, fish were weaving their way through coral in an array of colors: blues, reds, yellows and oranges seemed to come together beautifully against the rich blue-green background of the sea. Rising from the depths, she waded through the waves, running up the beach. She couldn't seem to get enough of this fantastic place. Suddenly, she heard a voice calling to her from a distance. Natalie tried to ignore the infuriating person, knowing it was Sam. He wanted her to come back.....she didn't want to come back. This world was so peaceful, so beautiful; it evoked such an exuberant feeling in her...she didn't want it to end. The voice was becoming stronger, more persistent. She sighed and reluctantly removed the visor..... *************************** ....and suddenly she found herself back in the video store with Sam. Natalie started to pat herself. She was dry as a bone. Amazing! She'd felt the wetness on her skin in the virtual reality world, but in actuality, she wasn't even damp. She laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Sam, it was indescribable! I could barely force myself to leave that paradise. I felt so alive," she exclaimed. He chuckled at her enthusiasm. 'It was so good to see the old Natalie, springing to the surface again, with her infectious laughter,' he thought, then he offered out loud, "You can have the game, Natalie. I'll let you borrow it for one week, if you would like to?" She couldn't believe her ears. Did he say that he would loan the game to her for a whole week! She must have been imagining things! "Are you serious, Sam?" "Yes, Natalie. You may use it whenever you like for the entire week." He grinned at her. She was speechless! "I can't thank you enough, Sam. You are too kind. At least tell me how much I owe you for the rental of this game?" "Nothing," he replied. "Nothing?" she said, stupefied. "I only ask one thing of you Natalie." "What is that Sam?" she asked in a curious tone. "That you find that inner peace; that happiness you have been striving so long to find," he said, fixing her with a knowing look of understanding. Natalie smiled, trying to agree with him. "I'll do my best, Sam." One other important note about the game, my dear," he said. "What is that?" "If you decide to insert familiar people into your game, it is essential that you know they will *act* and have *feelings* for you as they would in real life," he said, giving her a penetrating stare. "So, let me get this straight. If a person feels friendship towards me, their emotions will reflect these feelings, right?" "Yes, you will not be able to *change* any relationships unless they desire it," he said, sternly. Natalie nodded her head in understanding, and replied, "Okay, Sam. I'll remember what you've told me. Thank you so much for everything." She embraced him in a warm hug. "See you at the end of the week," she said, releasing him, as she walked away, exiting from the shop. Sam watched her leave. When she was out of earshot, he murmured, "That request of finding peace and happiness goes for your stubborn, virtual reality obsessed, blond haired, blue eyed, Detective Knight, too." As he walked back to the front of the store, he acknowledged to himself. 'By the end of the week, those two should be closer than ever!' Smiling at the thought, Sam dove into his mountain of paperwork.... Games Coroners Play by: Patty Costantino/psmoot43@hotmail.com Chapter 2 When Natalie opened the door to her apartment, she found a very hungry Sydney, who clung to her legs, moewing in a louder than normal way. "Sorry, Syd. I know that you must be starving. I got kinda sidetracked this evening," she said in an apologetic manner. Sydney moewed even louder, not caring whether she had been to the moon and back. He just wanted his food! Taking the hint, Natalie quickly laid out a can of tuna and water in his double bowl. As he devoured his food, she made herself a hot chocolate. Sipping on the warm drink triggered her memory of the virtual reality beach as she considered the experience. The food had been so real; she could taste every morsel, not just the flavors, but the textures as well. It had been unbelievable! She walked back to the sofa, carrying her drink as she plopped down into the soft cushions. The game was resting where she'd left it: on the coffee table. As she picked up the object, she became lost in thought. Sam had said that she could go anywhere with *anyone* in this magical world. Could it mean that she and Nick....could they finally find a way to be together? Suddenly a shiver of delight radiated through her body at the possibilities! 'No, Lambert, you must take this slowly. Don't get yourself all worked up,' she reflected in her level-headed way. 'What I need is a bath to think this situation through!' Natalie pulled herself up from the couch, walking down the hall to her bedroom. She placed the mug of chocolate on her bureau, retrieving a red flannel nightgown from a draw. Picking up her slippers from the closet, she strode into the bathroom, leaning over to turn on the faucet. She proceeded to add some bath salts to the hot water as she removed her clothes, stepping into the tub. She sighed as the warmth of the bathwater and the piney scent of the salts worked their magic on her aching body. As she leaned her head against the back of the tub, Natalie considered Sam's words from earlier. "If you decide to insert familiar people into your game, it is essential that you know they will *act* and have *feelings* for you as they would in real life." Thinking of Nick again and what Sam had warned her about, if she were to play this game, what type of feelings would flow from Nick to her? Would he love her as deeply as she loved him? Or would he only show friendship? In the last five years, he'd only once professed his love to her: last Valentine's Day. Oh yes! Even though Nick had attempted to wipe those few days from her mind, she'd slowly regained her memory. In her loneliest moments, she'd reflect on that delightful event in her apartment; the tender kisses, the soft murmurings of love in her ear. However, with those memories of last Valentine's Day, she'd also recalled the events at L'Azure where Nick had admitted to LaCroix that he was simply humoring her to motivate her to find a cure. A part of her had understood what he was doing. Nick was trying to protect her from Lacroix. She knew that he wasn't a hypocrite and yet.... The other painful words came to her mind. "I don't love this woman." Had he really meant it? Had he actually been pretending to love her? No, she didn't think so. She knew Nick better than that. He wouldn't play games with her heart. Another thought had occurred to her, though. Perhaps Nick had seen the futility of loving her and had simply moved on. After all, he hadn't exactly been that attentive recently, except the night of his amnesia. Perhaps, even that night, being apprehensive and overwhelmed by the trauma, he would feel the need for female comforts; that any woman would do. She just happened to be in close proximity. 'No, Lambert, stop thinking those thoughts! Of course, he thinks you're special.' He'd even said that he'd felt something special between them at the hospital before he knew anything about her. She'd always hung onto that thought. Sighing, Natalie leaned forward in the tub, releasing the now tepid water as she stood up. Reaching over for a soft, white towel on the bar, she stepped out of the bath as she dried herself, then she donned the nightgown, slipping on the bedroom slippers. She stood before the mirror, brushing her thick, auburn hair as she came to a conclusion about Nick. She could continue to debate these issues with herself until she was blue in the face, always wondering about Nick's possible love, or she could do something about it now! She had the means to find out about Nick's true heart: the game. It was time, long past time, for her to find out; to take the risk.... and she would! Tonight! ******************************* Once she settled in bed with another cup of hot chocolate; Sydney comfortably curled up next to her side, she analyzed the game again. More questions forced their way to the surface of her mind. Would Nick become mortal or would he remain a vampire in this virtual reality? Since she couldn't ask Sam about a person's physiological makeup in this game, she had to go with her own instincts. Her instincts were telling her that Nick would be mortal because Sam would have programmed the game that way. There was no reason to expect him to do otherwise. After all, Natalie figured he wouldn't know about the existence of vampires! Now would he! "What do you think, Syd?" she asked aloud to her sleeping feline as she scratched behind his ears, the way he liked it. Sydney looked up briefly at his mistress, yawned, then he rested his furry head on the bedcovers, falling into a deep sleep. "Well! I guess that I can take the hint!" she teased, petting the top of his head one more time before she ceased her ministrations on him. "Well, Sydney. I'll just have to see for myself whether Nick implodes in my sunny virtual world or not, won't I?" Taking a deep breath, Natalie started to punch in her desired wish, running her fingers along the keyboard: the place, persons, clothes, items and anything else which she wanted in her magical spot. She placed the velcro sensors around her fingers, then studied the small monitor again, ensuring that she'd plugged in the correct data. Drinking down one more gulp of hot chocolate for good measure, she glanced down at her feline friend, snoozing on the bed and said, "Wish me luck, Syd." Next, she placed the visor on her face and pushed the button....... Games Coroners Play by: Patty Costantino/psmoot43@hotmail.com Chapter 3 There was a flash of light, then.......suddenly, Natalie found herself atop a chestnut mare, trotting through a lush, green forest. Glancing up, she could ascertain flashes of light as the sun's rays flickered through the thick foliage of the trees. She observed that she was on a smooth, dirt path, riding astride a young horse in an English saddle. A feeling of joy seized her. She hadn't been on a horse for years; it was so exhilarating! She started to laugh, allowing the euphoric moment to claim her. Suddenly, she heard hoovebeats behind her. Turning in the saddle, she gasped at the sight. Nick, dressed in tight, light-blue jeans, a dark-blue button down shirt, black belt and boots, was cantering towards her, his blond locks blowing wildly around him as his large, black steed was gaining on her. He looked so handsome, sitting on the magnificant animal; the sight made her shiver with delight. Realizing that Nick was approaching quickly, she recovered her composure enough to bring her stirrups down into her mare, encouraging her to speed up. The animal broke into a canter, moving its powerful legs at a fast clip. Natalie swung in her saddle to see that Nick was still closing the distance between them. She pressed her heel firmly into the mare's side as the horse broke into a gallop. A sudden laugh erupted behind her. "A challenge, Nat?" he yelled, noting the sudden acceleration of her horse. "A competition, Nick!" she cried over her shoulder, chorkling to herself. By the sound of his voice, she determined that he'd narrowed the distance between them even more. Without looking back, Natalie leaned forward in the saddle, allowing the horse to move in a more continuous motion, widening the distance between them. The challenge of the race and the knowledge that Nick was the competition were making her dizzy with excitement. The path was narrowing; the foliage thickening as Natalie turned a curve. She adjusted swiftly, leaning down next to the horse's mane as she avoided looming branches. After a while, the path widened again, the trees becoming sparser. Here, the sun's beams were casting lines of light like a zebra's stripes onto the smooth surface of the path. Peering behind her again, she noted that Nick was closer; about 10 yds away. The rays of sunlight were hitting his body every 5 yds or so. 'Well, that answers the big question, Lambert,' she thought as she raced on. 'He must be mortal!' The idea of Nick regaining his mortality produced another wave of exhilaration through her body. Natalie turned back, seeing that she was approaching a large tree which had fallen over the path. Adjusting for a jump, she hurdled the log in one graceful leap, holding her seat nicely. 'Wow, I haven't done that for a while,' she thought, amazed, grinning. After the jump, she dug her heels into the horse's muscular side as the mare increased its speed. Behind her, Natalie could hear the continuous thump...thump... of hoovebeats as Nick must have agilely cleared the obstacle in the path, staying close behind. She was becoming completely acclimated to her horse as they raced along at top speed through the forest. Suddenly, though, a flock of birds sprung from a nearby tree, making a swooshing noise and flying straight at Natalie and her mare. She reacted by overcompensating for the possible collison with the flock, pulling too tightly on the reins. The motion caused the horse, not only to stop in mid-gallop, but the animal reared up into the air, practically sending Natalie off the saddle. She maintained her seat as the mare settled back to the ground. 'Geez..that was close!' she thought, her breaths coming in bursts, as she reached up to pat her chest. Sensing a presense next to her, Natalie looked up. Nick, concern written all over his face, had reined in his horse beside her's, reaching his hand over and placing it on her's. "Are you okay, Nat?" he asked, worry lines creasing his forward. "I'm fine, Nick. I guess that I got carried away back there," she responded, the shakiness inside ebbing away. He regarded her for a long moment, maintaining hand contact. She could feel the warmth of his hand, caressing her knuckles. The warmth! My God! He really was human! Natalie looked up at Nick, smiling as tears of joy sprang to her eyes. "I suppose that I was overconfident about my riding abilities; I'm still a bit rusty!" she commented, wiping a few tears from her eyes. Nick studied her face, noting the wetness. "Why are you crying, Nat?" he queried, anxious. "Must have gotten some dust in my eyes, Nick," she said, covering up the real reason for the floodgates. He leaned into her face, cupping her chin in his hand. "Are you sure that's the only reason?" he asked, again, uncertain of her answer. "Are you really okay, Nat?" he added, reaching in his pocket to retrieve a handkerchief and passing it to her. "Really, Nick. It was only some dust. I'm fine," she stated in a strong, clear voice, taking the handkerchief and blowing her nose. To lighten the mood, she added in a facetious way, " Maybe I should be crying over my horseback riding performance. Pretty awful, huh?" He smiled in that irresistible way of his. "Nat, you impressed me with your horsemanship skills back there. I never knew you could handle a horse the way you did," he commented, surprised and proud of her accomplishments. 'Oh Nick! I have many skills that I would love to show you right now,' she considered to herself, blushing at the thought as she looked at him. Instead, she said aloud, "Thanks, I guess that I surprised myself. It felt so good to ride again after all these years of not being on a horse." "Well, 'on a horse' rather than *off* a horse is where I prefer to see you," he stated, patting her hand one more time, then releasing it, he gathered the reins and began to walk his horse. Natalie took his cue, tapping her heel into her mare's side and walking as well. A moment of silence followed as they observed the beauty of the forest. After a while, Nick turned in his saddle and began, "Natalie, I was so glad that you wanted to spent my first complete day as a mortal out here in the country." 'So, he'd been mortal for a day,' she thought as she smiled at him, happy that he was voicing all this vital information to her. Aloud, Natalie blurted out, "What are friends for anyway, Nick," as she tried to establish their relationship and Nick's feelings for her right away. He gave her an affectionate look, leaning over and squeezing her hand again. ""Friends are great for support, Nat, but I hope that "friends" like us are *more* than a support network; that we can cross previous barriers, changing and improving the relationship," he said, his voice carrying a seductive, low tone. She gazed into his blue eyes, giving him a steady look. What was that she saw in his stare? Possible love? And the tone of his voice....was sooo... suggestive. It gave her goosebumps! 'Steady on Lambert. Don't get your hopes up too much! Just take it slow...take it slow,' she repeated to herself. Removing her hand and composing herself, she changed the subject. "I think....ummm....I see a clearing up ahead, Nick," she commented, stammering slightly, her voice betraying nervousness. "Why don't we go check it out?" she added. Before Nick could say another word, Natalie had pressed her heel down, breaking the mare into a trot. He grinned to himself, a pleasureable feeling shooting through him at the thought of being the cause of her unsteadyness, as he followed her down the path. They came to an opening in the forest. Natalie and Nick's eyes widened; their breaths becoming shallow at the vision before them. The wooded area stretched to a meadow, filled with a multitude of wildflowers: poppies, cosmos, lupines and most of all sunflowers graced the landscape. The enamel blue sky contained white, puffy clouds, tumbling along at a fast clip with the billowing wind. The sun peered through a cloud, shooting sparkling lights onto the meadow in a bright yellowish orange glow. It was an incredible sight like a scene from an artist's drawing! Natalie sighed aloud as Nick turned in his saddle, his heart caught in his throat as he noticed the breathless wonder on her face. She looked so lovely in her emerald green, cotton, button down shirt, light brown riding pants which accentuated her curves, and knee-high, black riding boots. Her long auburn curls swirled around her face from the breeze as she continued to stare at the open field before them. 'She was so beautiful and she didn't even know it,' he thought, smiling in awe at her. "Isn't it beautiful, Nick?" she remarked, looking straight ahead, oblivious to his attentions. "Yes...ravishing, Nat," he murmured, lost in thought as he continued to stare at her. "Ravishing?" she asked, her eyesbrows arched in surprise, baffled by his strange description for the landscape before them. "Beautiful, maybe or...," fishing for other words, "perhaps, breathtaking, glorious...It reminds me of an Impressionist painting...like Monet or Manet. But...ravishing, Nick?" "I suppose that I was thinking of someone...ummm...something else, Nat," he replied, sheepishly, his voice betraying a huskiness again which caused her heart to pound, her knees to weaken. Trying to ignore his compliment as a blush crept up her face, she added, "You should have brought your art supplies with you. This landscape would look marvelous on canvas. A desire to shower her with more praise, yet unwilling to embarrass her further, he concentrated on the subject at hand. "Yes, Nat. I haven't painted a daytime landscape in a while...which means...we'll have to return here another time with my stuff." "It sounds great to me!" she agreed, dismounting from her horse. Nick alighted from his steed too, strolling next to her with his horse to a nearby stream, which flowed parallel to the path. They tied the horses to trees, and provided feed and water to them. Nick removed the satchels and blankets from the saddles as they made their way back to the clearing. The tall, green grass hit their nostrils, smelling so sweet as they walked carefully through, mindful of possible, looming holes. They reached a plateau at the bottom of the bank as Nick asked, "Is this spot okay?" "Sure," she agreed. Nick set everything down, unfolding the blankets and spreading them out onto the soft ground. Natalie opened the satchels, curious about the goodies. She pulled out some chicken salad sandwiches, an assortment of fruit, potato salad, chocolate cake and a bottle of fine champagne. Her month started to water at the sight. 'Boy! The afternoon was turning out to be wonderful,' she reflected. Carrying the food over to the blankets, she set them down carefully. Nick had already made himself comfortable, spreading out on his side. God, was he handsome with his shirt open in a *V*, the top two buttons unbuttoned, exposing his fine, blond chest hairs...oh! To feel those soft hairs and his taut chest muscles against her skin....To run her hands over those pectorals...It made her wet with desire! Shaking her head as she came out of her reverie, she reminded herself, 'First things first, Lambert! Eat, drink, talk and be merry! Wasn't that the appropriate saying.' She looked down at Nick as she caught him staring at her with a gleam in his eye. Could he read her mind? He patted the spot of the blanket next to him as he spoke in a gentle tone, "Nat, care to join me?" "Sure," she said. A sense of reticence overcame her as she sat down with her legs out in front of her, a safe distance from Nick. He chuckled to himself at the deliberate separation; enough distance had been laid between them to prevent any touching. 'What had suddenly accounted for this reluctance at closeness?' he wondered. Shyness? Nervousness? 'Probably,' he surmised, grinning at her. This new side to Natalie, this sudden bashfulness touched his heart, endearing her to him even more. "How about some food, Nat? Or have you forgotten that I'm mortal and I need food," he said. "Oh.....sorry Nick..," she apologized, slightly dazed, then recovering, she continued. "I was just admiring the view...ummmm...the valley," she corrected, handing him a plate filled with a sandwich, potato salad and fruit. They ate in silence, then Natalie passed the bottle of champagne to Nick. "Would you do the honors?" "Certainly, Nat," he said, popping the cork like a pro as he poured each of them a glass, passing one to Natalie. Nick sat up, raising his glass. "What should we toast to?" he asked, knowing what he would like to toast, but afraid to appear too bold in his proclamations. "Here's to a lovely, memorable afternoon, Nick," she stated simply as she tapped his glass with her's, her eyes never wavering from his, the meaning behind her words quite clear to both of them. Currents of electricity seemed to flow between them. Hesitant to succumb to the moment of surrender just yet, Natalie started a conversation going. "Nick, you certainly possess great equestrian skills," she remarked. "How old were you when you first learned to ride?" He smiled at her, knowing that she was delaying the inevitable, but willing to wait, to take things slow. "I was five years old when I had my first horse...he was a black stallion like that one," he said, pointing over his shoulder to the horses grazing in the woods. "I named him Midnight, Noir de Minuit in French....he was a magnificant animal...," he commented, grinning at the memory, then warming to the subject, he regaled her in tales of his childhood; his antics, his mischievous adventures, his recklessness as a boy. As he talked, he became so animated, his spirits reaching a high that Natalie had never seen before. Nick's guilt had always consumed him, but here and now, he was so much more at ease, so content and serene. Maybe mortality had finally provided him with some peace of mind. She hoped so for his sake. Nick continued to talk as she listened attentively, savoring every word, every syllable. He'd been so unwilling to open up to her in the past, now, having finally gotten him to talk, she didn't want the moment to end. Finally, he stopped talking and turned to her. "Your turn, Nat. You obviously learned to ride at an early age, too. Tell me about it." She chuckled as she sipped her champagne. "Well, I had a chestnut mare also like that one up there on the hill. Her name was Buttercup." He laughed. "Buttercup? I would expect Tracy to have a horse named Buttercup, Nat, but not you. Maybe, Spirit or Fiesty." "Very funny, Nick," she laughed. "I had no choice in the name. My grandmother gave me the horse on my sixth birthday. She knew a farmer down the road from us, who owned the mare. When I got her, she was already ten years old and answered to Buttercup. Believe me! I would have chosen a different name," she said, smiling. Like Nick, Natalie started to warm to her subject and opened up as well, telling him about her childhood. After a while, she paused in her tale, reaching for a strawberry and biting into the juicy morsel. The delectible fruit distracted her from her story as she took a sip of champagne with the palatable sweet, flavor still on her tongue. She groaned with delight. " Oooh...Nick! You *have* to try these with champagne. It's absolute ecstasy!" Suddenly, she stopped talking, a flush surging through her cheeks, realizing what she had said...... Games Coroners Play by: Patty Costantino/psmoot43@hotmail.com Chapter 4 After her seductive comment, Natalie felt a pair of warm hands extend up under her arms, lifting her gently as Nick pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his left arm around her waist in a tight grip; afraid of her possible escape. She looked up into his dark, blue eyes, filled with love as he cupped her face with his right hand. "Now, having you close to me, Nat. *That* is ecstasy," he whispered in her ear. "I don't need anything else. You're my treat!" he added as he caressed her cheek, rubbing his thumb along her soft skin. At the sound of Nick's seductive words, Natalie swallowed the lump in her throat as anticipation mounted inside her body, a burning sensation seemed to flow from the pit of her stomach out to her limbs, making her quiver. "I guess I could be dessert if you want me to be, Nick," she said, raising her eyebrows in a suggestive way, winking and lowering her voice in an exaggerated, sexy tone. He smiled at her *little act* as he squeezed her waist with his hand; she was so irresistible! "The thought had crossed my mind, Nat. You are good enough to eat...," he murmured as he captured her lips tenderly, sending chills down her spine. He dusted gentle kisses over her eyelids, nose, cheeks, jawline, as his lips moved down to nuzzle her neck, his warm breath tickling the satiny, smooth skin. She groaned at the sheer pleasure of his touch as he returned to her lips, planting delicate kisses around her mouth. He uttered between kisses, "You....are....good...enough....to....eat, Nat!" "Juicy?" she whispered against his mouth as she parted her lips, allowing Nick to deepen the kiss as he swung her around to face him, straddling her legs, and wrapping his arms around her waist. The kiss seemed to go on indefinitely, their tongues meeting in a fiery dance as Natalie encircled her arms around his neck, entwining her fingers through his thick, wavey curls. Breaking off the passionate kiss, Nick's lips traveled over to her earlobe, nibbling, licking, sucking, and kissing the outside of her ear, as his hands slid up and down the curve of her back. She could feel the bulge in his pants as he pressed her close to him, and she rubbed herself up against him in a circular motion. Rubbing his cheeks against her's, he murmured in her ear, "Ohhh... yes, Nat! You are definitely juicy!" He continued to play havoc on her earlobe as he said in a raspy voice, "You are so succulent, so sweet, ever so sweet." The combination of his hot breath on her ear, his seductive words and the pressure in his groin were sending her over the edge, making her wet with desire. She moaned as his hands traveled to her breasts, tracing a delicate pattern over her nubs, forming sharp points underneath the cotton fabric of her shirt. Soon, he had his hands on her shift, as he started to unbutton it, then like an instant chill, a sudden anxiety overwhelmed Natalie as she stopped his ministrations, pressing her hands to his chest. He regarded her curiously. "What's wrong, Nat?, he asked, in a gentle voice. "Nothing!" she voiced, in a shaky tone, too embarrassed to state the true reason, as she looked down at the blanket, studying the fascinating pattern on the material. He cradled her chin in his hand as he brought her face up to meet his. "Nat, don't avert your eyes from me. Tell me what's wrong!" he pleaded in a loving tone. Natalie looked at him, her fair skin flushed with a reddish contrast. "It's just that....I haven't done this ..you know...much and certainly not for a long time and I'm afraid that you will be disappointed," she admitted, stammering. He was touched beyond words. Never had anyone put him before themselves like she did, only concerned about his happiness and well-being. She was a treasure to cherish for all eternity. "Listen to me, Nat!" he said, brushing stray curls from her face. "I love you with my whole heart and soul." He pressed her hand to his chest for effect. "You give me pleasure beyond my wildest dreams, just by being who you are." he said, emphatically. "Besides.." he smiled sheepishly, "I haven't exactly *done this* in a mortal fashion for a long time myself, so I guess we are both amateurs!" He stated, as he tapped the end of her nose. Stirred by his words, she confessed, in a trembling voice, "I love you, too Nick. You make me *so* happy," as tears cascaded down her face, then smiling she said in a joking manner, "I guess it's like riding a bicycle, one never forgets, except my gears may be a little rusty." Nick laughed at her amazing ability to find humor in what must have been an embarrassing moment for her, to admit her inexperience in affairs of the heart. "Hey Nat! I'm 800 years old. My gears should certainly be rustier than yours." "Well...let's find out, shall we." she suggested, snaking her arms around his neck as she entwined her fingers in his hair. "Now where were we when I so rudely interrupted us." He bent down, finding her lips as he gathered her in a warm embrace. The flames consumed them quickly as they starting kissing tenderly at first, then with more passion, probing and deepening the kiss as Nick's hands drifted down to her waist, pulling the soft cotton shirt from her pants and moving to unbutton the buttons. Unlike before, Natalie made no move to discourage him from his quest. In fact, her hands were traveling down to the front of his shirt where they brushed along the fine, blond hairs on his chest as her fingers started to work their way down the buttons, releasing them as she went. Still in a kiss that seemed to go on forever, their tongues dueling in a neverending dance, they swept their shirts off, wrapping their arms around each other in another tight embrace. Nick wandered up her back, finding the clasp to her bra and unhooking it deftly with his hand as he removed it from her body in one quick motion. Breaking apart from the kiss, he regarded her for a moment with adoration, his eyes taking in the beauty of her face, then roaming down to her full breasts and lily white skin. "You are like a goddess, Nat. You are so beautiful," he murmured as he pressed her closer to him, smothering her with more kisses on her face; then tracing a path down her jawline to her shoulder blade, he spread searing kisses along her collarbone, swirling his tongue around the sensative center. Erotic sensations were flowing through Natalie like molten lava as Nick continued to play havoc on this one spot, licking, sucking, kissing and nuzzling this area. His hands drifted to her breasts, tracing gentle circles around her nubs, bringing them to instant points. She moaned with delight, pressing down on his groin and feeling his arousal through his pants as she dusted his bare back with her delicate fingers. Nick's lips found their way to her breasts, tracing circles around her nubs with his tongue as his hands kneaded and massaged them. Natalie pressed his head down to her skin, desiring more closeness as he kissed and suckled her nipples. The clothes were becoming a nuisance as their hunger for one another continued to grow, a burning desire to feel skin against skin was becoming evident. Nick worked his way down to her womanhood, cupping his hand over her mound through the coarse, wool fabric of her riding pants. A sigh escaped from her as he traveled lower, pressing his finger into her core, and rubbing gently through the cloth as her juices flowed freely. "aaahh Nat, you feel so good, but we need to get these heavy pants off you," he said, ceasing his ministrations briefly to roll them onto the blanket as he placed Natalie on her back. Kneeling in front of her, he quickly removed her boots, then unsnapping her pants, he discarded them as well. Next came her panties. Now she was completely naked to his eyes, her dark, auburn curls were spread like flames against the white blanket as the sun's rays shone on her smooth white skin, casting a orangy glow on her glorious body. She was magnificent as he bent over her, placing one hand on her face as he traced a pattern down her body; first stopping at her breasts, then over to her navel and finally resting his hand on the auburn triangle of her mound. He glanced up at her with wonder. "Nat, I've wanted to see you like this for so long." "Well...I hope it was worth the wait, Nick," she said, feeling breathless at his loving attentions. Having a desire to see him unclothed too, she commented, "I've also wanted to see *you* like this for a long time....hint hint," she smiled. Getting the message, Nick started to remove his belt as Natalie stopped him. "No, Nick. Let me do that. I've always wanted to undress you." "I wouldn't want to stand in the way of secret desires, Nat." He smiled as his eyebrows arched in a leering way, exaggerating the act as he lowered himself onto the blanket, rolling over on his back. "Have your way with me." She giggled at his humor, removing his boots, black belt and jeans. Now he was exposed to her, only wearing black, silk boxers which tented in the front. Natalie's eyes wandered from his angelic face down to his fine, broad shoulders, his muscular biceps and pectorals, his firm, flat stomach and finally rested on his boxers. Nick placed one of her hands on his shorts as she massaged his arousal through the silk material. "Oooh, Nat. Take my shorts off so I can feel you completely." "I'm here to oblige, Nick. Anything you say," she said as she slipped off the boxers. Gasping inwardly, she took in the sight before her: he was naturally uncircumcised, and larger than she'd expected, a triangle of blond hair grew like a halo around his manhood. He was spectacular as she cradled his penis in her hand, then leaning forward she ran her tongue languidly along the underside while her hand stroked up and down. She could hear his moans as she continued her ministrations. Raising her head and bending over further, she began to rub her breasts over the tip of his penis as she continued to pump him, sending him practically over the edge. "What are you doing to me?" he asked, in a very husky voice. Natalie looked up briefly, smiling wickedly at him. "I'm doing what you suggested, Nick. I'm allowing you to feel me completely." Reaching down with his hands, he pulled her up, sliding her body over the top of his own. The sensual contact was unbelievable as she felt his firmness being pressed up against her soft body, he was so warm and alive, making her moist with desire. "I can feel you totally now, Nat and this is the way I want to make love to you, with the sunlight shining on your beautiful body." A warmth flooded her soul at his endearing words; her heart felt like bursting. Just when she thought that she loved him as deeply as she could, she found that she loved him even more. "I love you so much, Nick," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion as a few tears slid down her face. Brushing the tears aside, he repeated, "I love you, too, Nat." Cupping her face in his hands, he rolled her over on her back and kissed her in a demanding way, hungrily parting her lips to access her moist, inviting mouth. Nick's hands moved slowly down her sides, wrapping one around her waist and cupping the other one around her breast, kneading, and massaging as Natalie entwined her hands in his unruly, soft hair. After a while, Nick pulled back from kissing her lips as he showered her with kisses along her throat, down to her shoulder-blade, finally reaching her breasts. Running his lips across her nubs, he suckled and kissed each one, giving them tender loving care as his hands worked their way down to the softness of her inner thighs, caressing this delicate skin. Separating her legs slightly, one hand traveled up to her folds as it penetrated her warmness, seeking her sensative core, the other hand wandered up to the curve of her back, brushing feather touches along the way, then across again to cup her breasts. Nick moved his finger inside her as he massaged and rubbed her core, carrying Natalie away on a tidal wave of exquisite pleasure. She began to move in a fluid rhythm as he intensified the pressure, moving his finger in and out of her, then rubbing and touching her center of desire again, all the while, raining kisses all over her body. Suddenly a shower of stars descended before her eyes as she catapulted over into a wave of orgasms. It was incredible; the warm sensations seemed to go on forever, flowing out to everywhere in her body. Afterwards, her breaths came in short bursts, then she started to calm down, her body floating back down to the ground. Natalie opened her eyes as she came slowly back to earth. She was startled to see Nick positioned over her as he pried her legs apart with his knee. "Nick, what about you? I wanted to touch you all over before we...," she said, without finishing the sentence, her voice denoting a touch of disappointment. "Nat, I would love for you to touch me, but I need to be inside you," he said in a barely controlled voice, as she nodded in understanding. He gazed on her with complete adoration as he lowered himself onto her, encircling his arms around her back, the tip of his penis at her entranceway. He leaned over her, kissing her tenderly on the cheek. "I won't hurt you, Nat," he promised. Then, he kissed her deeply and passionately as he slowly entered her sleek, moistness, allowing her to adjust to his size, as she encircled her arms around his back and wrapped her legs lovingly around him; her warmness and closeness enveloping him in a tight cocoon. It was like coming home to a hot blazing fire, where Natalie represented the fire. He hesitated for a moment, savoring the feel of his Natalie; the feel of her damp, soft body under him was like a warm snuggly blanket. He sighed, then unable to maintain the stillness between them, he started to move slowly and deliberately inside of her as she pushed up her hips to meet his thrusts. The erotic sensations caused by the warm, wet, contact were incredible as they were carried into the next realm. Nick continued to move in and out in a fluid rhythm as he rained kisses on her skin, taking them higher and higher into the universe. Natalie brushed her hands down his back to his firm buttocks, pressing him close to her as he penetrated further, resulting in exquisite pleasure for both of them. He slowed the pace for a moment as he lifted her hips higher, and began withdrawing completely, then plunging back into her moist core, rocketing them into the clouds. He kept this pace up for a while, withdrawing, then plunging inside her again as he worshiped every crevice of her body that he could reach with tender kisses and touches. Never before had Natalie felt such an all consuming desire and passion as she did now as he continued to pump within her, in and out, faster and faster, taking them towards that point of no return. Her hands continued to stroke up and down Nick's sleek, sweat-laden back as her hips pushed up higher and higher to meet his thrusts. Suddenly, Nick plunged as deep as he could into her, touching her G-spot and sending her spiraling over into a continuous orgasm. Natalie screamed his name out as waves of brilliant colors assaulted her mind; her body going into spasms of ecstasy. The orgasm seemed to go on forever, flooding her body with warmth as it spread out to her limbs, all the way down to her toes. Descending on her mouth in a very deep, explosive kiss, Nick reached his orgasm as well, feeling like he'd gone to heaven as he shuttered, releasing his seed deep within her womb as he collapsed on top of her. Initially, they laid there, totally exhausted, their breaths coming in short, rapid bursts as they came back down from the clouds. When they could talk again, Nick raised his head from her shoulder, grinning at her with his boyish smile. "Are you okay, Nat?" "Never been better! On a scale of 1 to 10, I give you a 20! That was spectacular!" she smiled back, pulling him down in another deep kiss as she continued to stroke his damp, heat-filled back. Coming up for air, he leaned his forehead against hers as he began to roll off of her body, his penis still inside her. She moved her hands down to his buttocks, pressing him further into her. "Please Nick, let's stay like this for a moment longer," she pleaded. Smiling, he rolled them over so that she was on top of him as he remained inside of her. His hand reached over to gather up the other blanket, covering both of them. She rested her head on his chest, falling into a deep slumber as he stroked her long, dark hair. "Sleep, my love," he said, then closing his eyes, he fell asleep, too. Games Coroners Play by: Patty Costantino/psmoot43@hotmail.com Chapter 5 With all the willpower she could muster, Natalie reluctantly removed the visors from her eyes. "Wow!" she said aloud, the first words coming to her mind as the afterglow of their lovemaking remained fresh in her memory. 'This is one helluva game,' she thought. Looking around her bedroom, she could see how the game had affected her room and attire. Her bedcovers were scattered all over the ground, her sheets bunched in a ball and her red flannel nightgown pushed half way down her body. To make matters worse, poor Sydney was cowering in the corner of the room, looking at her through green eyes, clearly shaken by whatever she'd done while playing the game. Leaning over the bed, Natalie tried to coax Syd back onto the bed, but he wouldn't have anything to do with her, retreating even more into the corner. "Sorry Syd. Your mistress had one fantastic dream." Was it a dream? It seemed so real, all of it: the beauty of the meadow and forest, the smells of the pine in the woods and the flowers in the field, the delectable foods and most of all, Nick's touches and caresses, the mind-blowing lovemaking! It was incredible. She was getting hot with desire just thinking about it. Suddenly, she had an idea! Picking up the phone, she called over to the morgue. On the fifth ring, Grace picked up. "Hello, the County Morgue, Grace speaking." "Hey, Grace. It's Natalie." "Hi Natalie. What's up?" "I need to talk to Kerry," she said, trying to sound professional in her aroused state. "Okay, Natalie. Are you okay?" Grace asked as she detected a shaky voice on the other end of the line. "I'm fine, Grace. Just put Kerry on, would ya?" she said, in as calm a tone as she could muster. "Okay, see ya later." Grace put her on hold as Natalie waited a few minutes for Kerry, her boss to pick up. There was a clicking sound as he came on the line. "Hey, Natalie. What's going on?" "Well...I think I'm coming down with this terrible flu that's been going around," she said, coughing into the receiver for effect. "I'll need to take a few days off," she stated, thinking to herself that a whole month off would be even better. "All right, Natalie...Get well soon...you sound really sick," he said, concern in his voice. "Sure, I'll be back on my feet in no time. Bye, Kerry and thanks!" she said. "Take care. Bye!" Placing the phone down on the bedside table, she gave a victory 'thumbs up' signal. "Yes, Syd!" she exclaimed. "I get three whole days off to bask in the sun at the beach, or anywhere my heart desires with the love of my life." She rubbed her hands together in anticipation of the next place of passion with one blond detective, then gathering up the game, she plugged in the next world, putting on the visors and pushing the red button..... ****************************** Natalie sat at her desk, catching up on paperwork. She'd been away for three days, three days of ecstasy, of erotic lovemaking. She'd made love to Nick ten times on a beach, five times in a field, three times on sailboat, once underwater; having to come up for air several times, and once in an elevator. And finally, she'd had him big time in the interrogation room at the precinct where he was handcuffed to a table leg, confessing his love to her over and over again while she'd tormented him with her alluring outfit: her black silk teddy which she revealed to him as she slowly removed his black duster coat from her body. Also, she'd noted that each experience they'd shared in this virtual realm had started up where they'd left off in the previous one, so they were building a very close, loving relationship each step of the way. By the last day when she'd needed to get back to work, she'd been surprised ,though, that she wasn't exhausted from all her trysts with Nick. Instead, she felt fantastic. "Glowing" was the word Grace used when she'd walked into the morgue this evening. With a smile on her face, Natalie recalled the conversation. She'd practically floated into the morgue, carrying a hugh grin on her face. Grace had glanced up from her DNA work to capture Natalie's radiant countenance. "Flu, huh?" she eyed her suspiciously as she stood up from the table, placing the specimens on the surface. "Looks like you bounced back quickly from your sickness. In fact, I would say that you are positively glowing, honey." "I guess it was all the rest and relaxation I got while away from this place," she commented, in a casual tone. Grace sniggered. "It wouldn't have been a certain blond haired, blue eyed detective, who would have provided this 'rest and relaxation', huh?" she questioned, smiling in a knowing fashion. "I don't know what you are talking about, Grace," she stated, feigning shock. "Nick and I are just good friends." "Sure!" she voiced, skeptical. "And I'm Santa Clause." On that note, Grace had departed for the autopsy room, leaving a surprised Natalie. Now, upon reflection, she wondered how 'glowing' she did look to everyone. If Nick showed up in the morgue tonight, she didn't want to act so radiant around him. He might start asking her questions: he might consider another man in Natalie's life as a possible reason for her effervescence. 'Yeah, right Lambert! As if Nick would ever consider that possibility.' she thought. Actually, part of her wanted to see Nick in the worst way after experiencing everything she'd done in the virtual world with him. She already missed him terribly even though she'd not seen him technically for three days. Another part of her was afraid to see him, to see that possible brooding side to him. In the virtual world, Nick had truly been happy for the first time in centuries. It had done her heart good to see such serenity, such peace envelope him like the golden sun. He'd been so depressed over his backsliding three nights ago, she didn't know if she'd be strong enough to endure his further pain, his angsting... Suddenly there was a murmur of voices in the hall, coming closer to her office. 'Oh my! It's Nick and Tracy,' she thought, a sudden nervousness and breathlessness consuming her. 'I guess I'm going to find out soon enough! Hope I can keep my wits about me,' she reflected, glancing at the ceiling in prayer and .....suddenly feeling aroused! 'Stop that, Lambert. Calm down.' she told herself as the door opened to her office.... ********************************* "Hi, Nat." Tracy saundered in first with Nick behind her. Natalie pretended to be buried in her paperwork as Tracy continued. "Nat, do you have that report completed on the Mark's case for us? We need it like yesterday." "Sure, Trace," she said, pulling a report from her outbox and handing it to her as she met Nick's eyes for one split second. His face was immobile, indescribable, but he did give her a brief smile. 'He's allowing Tracy to do all the talking which is unlike him. Still depressed, moody? Hard to say,' she considered. Natalie smiled back at him, composing herself enough to elaborate on the case. "Daniel Marks! Shot once through the left temporal lobe at close range. Died instantly. Look's like suicide to me. Any possible motives for homicide, guys?" she questioned, trying to keep the hot burning sensations she felt in her body at bay as she maintained a professional air about her. "No motives yet, Nat. We'll keep you posted," she volunteered. "Come on Nick, let's get going, shall we?" she said, turning to leave. "Aaaah..Trace give me a moment with Nat. Here are the keys to the caddy. I'll be with you in a second," he said in a quiet manner. 'So the man can speak after all,' Natalie noticed, suddenly having a irresistible urge to study her paperwork again as she couldn't bring herself to look at Nick. Tracy nodded, thinking 'what's with these two?' as she exited the office. Looking over his shoulder to ensure no one was listening, Nick turned back to Natalie. "Nat...we need to talk," he said, in a soft, calm voice. 'He sounded almost happy, not angsy at all,' she thought. 'What if he knows, ....if somehow, the game ..bonded us?' she wondered. Natalie continued to stare at the interesting report on Mr. Hayne's autopsy as an overwhelming shyness descended on her at the thought. "Nat, look at me," he pleaded in a gentle fashion. Natalie finally looked up, gasping at the sight before her. Nick was standing in front of her desk with the biggest smile she'd ever seen him have on his face; he was grinning from ear to ear, sending chills of excitement through her body. 'He must know,' she surmised. "What do we need to talk about, Nick?" she asked, in a trembling voice. He came immediately around her desk, kneeling down on the balls of his feet to meet her at eye level as he took her hand in his own. "What's going on, Nick?" she queried, trying to maintain some steadiness to her voice. Examining him closely, he almost looked 'glowing', too. His hand actually felt slightly warm! 'Could it be? Was he becoming mortal from this game?' "Nat, I can't explain it, but when you left me Thursday night, I still felt depressed...you know...over all my backsliding. Well, suddenly during the next three days, I had these *wonderful* dreams," he admitted, closing his eyes as if to conjure up the images. "Dreams?" she asked innocently, feigning ignorance. "What kind of dreams, Nick?" "Dreams of you and I, Nat," he said, with a spark of desire in his voice. His eyes searched her's for understanding as he continued to grasp her hand. "I see, Nick...and what did these ...ummm...dreams do to you? Did you have any cravings for ...you know... human blood?" she asked, trying to remain calm and analytical, but feeling overwhelmingly excited. "No! Nat...that's just it! I only craved you,...and not your blood, either!" he exclaimed, passionately, then in a tender voice, he continued, " I wanted you in a mortal way. Those dreams seemed to *help* me in that regard, if you know what I mean." 'Yes I do, Nick,' she thought, smiling, 'yes, I sure..do!' Then, she reflected back to what Sam had said about the game's potential gift: "A sense of wholeness and peace of mind will come to the person who uses the game." 'And to the other players in the game? Perhaps, it offered the same peace to that person, too? So maybe the game did tie them together somehow after all,' she thought to herself. Natalie asked aloud, "Do you feel a sense of peace, Nick?" She regarded him as he gazed at her with love and affection. It took her breath away. "Yes, I've never felt such serenity as I feel with you, Nat," he said, then leaning forward, he brushed a tender kiss across her lips. "I know that I don't say it Nat, but I love you so very much." Tears brimmed in her eyes at the loving words.... Words finally uttered in the real world.... For a moment, she didn't know what to say, then looking him straight in the eye with all the devotion she could muster, she said softly, "I love you, too, Nick with my whole heart and soul." Nick pulled her up into a tight embrace, capturing her lips in a more passionate kiss. The vampire seemed to lie dormant as they continued to kiss long and deeply. Coming up for air, Nick leaned his forehead against her's as he asked, in a suggestive way. "Want to come by the loft after work, Nat? We can stop at Sam's Video for some movies." She grinned at him. "I have a better idea. I have something better than Sam's videos to show you, Nick. Something Sam gave me this week that you will *really* enjoy," she smiled wickedly at him as she leaned in for another kiss. The End Will Nick regain his mortality through this magical game? Will Nick buy Sam's game for a price? Will Natalie receive a little surprise? Stay tuned for the sequel: Games Detectives and Coroners Play. I hope you enjoyed this story. Any comments are welcome as you can email me at psmoot43@hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com