Make a Wish By StormyNite Written in March 2000 Part 1 Natalie sat behind the steering wheel and gazed at the third floor. His lights were on. He'd been more than just a little upset tonight. Schanke's cajoling and happy mood did nothing to make Nick lighten up. Something was bothering him, but he wasn't talking. Should she or shouldn't she use her key and go on up? He wasn't answering the phone and they hadn't made plans. Natalie sat with the motor running and finally decided. Maybe they both would be better off if she waited. She replayed the last scene in her mind and still couldn't decide what had set him off. She turned to glance at the window once more and saw the silhouette move slowly by the first window. The long wild hair and the perfect body left no doubt as to her identity. The dull ache she'd felt in her chest for the last few weeks now became painful enough to take her breath away. A single tear slipped from her eye, followed by another, as she checked the traffic, then pulled back onto the street and headed for home. She could feel the pain within him tonight, but he'd flatly refused to say anything. Now hers matched his, but he wasn't lacking for consolation. Why was she letting this get to her? Nat pulled into the vacant spot and parallel parked with ease. She stared at her dark window and sighed. This wasn't where she wanted to be, but Nick didn't want her. She'd been a fool. They were just friends and that's all they ever could be just as he'd proclaimed. Unless he regained his mortality, he would seek his own kind for comfort as he always had. It didn't make the pain in her heart any less when she thought about how his lips felt on hers. How right it felt to have his strong arms wrapped around her and how safe she felt. He'd tried to erase her memory that night after Valentine's day. She thought she knew why as her memory returned, but now she was no longer certain. Which words did he mean? He backed away and reverted to the friendship position...only the constant ache in her chest never seemed to diminish. It had to stop...for both of them. Apparently, he had made his choice this evening and once again beauty won over brains. Natalie wiped the errant tear from her cheek, took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. Reaching into her purse for her keys, she headed for the door trying simply to put one foot in front of the other and not think about anything. "Now that's not acceptable, little man." A gruff voice echoed around the corner. A grunt, accompanied by a scuffling sound and moan, quickly followed Natalie peered around the corner of her building. A tall, thin man wearing a black leather jacket smashed his fist into the face of his victim whom he held by the collar. The smaller man grunted in pain and struggled to free himself. The size difference was just too great. His feet dangled freely in the air as his assailant held his small body easily by the neck. Nat grabbed the mace can attached to her keyring and yelled. "Stop that!" The tall man with the dark eyes glared at her, but didn't release the other man's collar. "What's it to you, little missy?" He chuckled as if she were no threat. He glanced back at the struggling man in his grip, then turned back to Nat. "Tell you what, sweet thing, when I finish with him, you and I can have some fun." He smashed his fist into the little man's stomach and Nat launched herself at the hateful creature before her. With one hand, she sprayed the mace, with the second she shoved a needle into his back. As he howled in rage, she pushed the plunger. He released his victim and turned on the petite woman who had the audacity to attack him. She stepped back, but it wasn't enough. The mace had barely caught one eye. Although, it burned like the fires of hell, he could still see. He reached for her and she sprayed him directly in the face. He screamed in pain and swung out with heavy fists in anger. Natalie stepped back as he began to stagger. Rubbing his eyes, he screamed in rage. "YOU BITCH!" Natalie stepped further away and let the sedative take affect. Ever since her little problem at the greenhouse, she'd started carrying mace and a needle injection system with knock out serum. He stumbled to the ground and passed out. Nat raced to the little man crumpled on the ground. He moaned as she touched him. "Come on. We have to get you out of here." She helped him stand and they shuffled into her building. She helped balance him and inserted her key into the lift. When they reached her door, she leaned him against the wall for support and he began to cough. Quickly she got him inside, locked the door and laid him on the couch. She dialed 911 for an ambulance and the police, then began to check him over. She could see nothing but the cuts on his face, so she began to feel for broken bones. "Be gone with you, woman!" He slapped her hand as she pushed on his abdomen. "I'm a doctor. Let me help you." Nat turned to face the greenest eyes she'd ever seen. She hadn't really looked at his features before, but they were almost childlike, yet the wrinkles around his eyes denoted wisdom and the knowledge in his eyes made her question his age. "I won't be needin' a doctor, little miss." He sat up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "It will be takin' more than the likes of that one to break Patrick O'Shannon." He stood a little too quickly and began to waiver. Nat steadied him, then forced him to sit back on the couch. "Well I think someone should at least check you over. You aren't too steady at this point. I've called 911. The ambulance and police will be here in a few minutes. "And I'm supposin' you are expecting a big reward for saving the likes of me, aren't you?" His green eyes darkened as he raised an eyebrow. Nat smiled at his bravado. Unable to control herself, she finally chuckled. "And just what be so funny? You think I can't take care of myself and me gold? I know what you are, lass." He pointed his finger at her. "You're another one of them gold diggers, trying to get your hands on me pot of gold. You're just a bit more cunning." He stood and jumped on top of her coffee table to make himself taller. "Well, it ain't workin'." He placed his hands on his hips in defiance. Natalie laughed whole-heartedly now. He was another leprechaun wannabe. Why was she not surprised? After all, it was close to St. Patrick's Day. She had to admit, he was the right size for the fantasy, which made him appear harmless. "Well, I hate to bust your bubble, Mr. O'Shannon, but I don't believe in the 'wee people' and I'm not interested in your money. So if you are okay, then I suggest you go downtown and fill out a complaint on that lowlife in the street below." Nat walked to the door and opened it for him. "That is, of course, if you're sure he won't be waiting for you when you come out?" She smiled knowingly when he gasped. He ran to the door and slammed it quickly. She looked at him skeptically. "I guess you didn't get any magical powers for defending yourself against hooligans and thieves then?" She mimicked his eye expression from earlier. "Maybe we should just wait for the police and you should let me look at that eye of yours." She walked over to the floor and picked up her bag. "I really am a doctor. I usually deal with dead people, but hey I'm really good at stitching up things." She pointed to the couch and he returned grudgingly. Natalie checked him over as he sat silently watching her through those bright green eyes. After putting two stitches in his eyebrow without him flinching, she placed a bandage over the wound. The ambulance could be heard in the distance as well as the police sirens. She glanced at the window and her thoughts drifted to Nick. The sadness she'd felt earlier returned. He'd made his choice and now it was time for her to move on. "What makes you sad? You're too pretty to be sad." His voice sounded soft and compassionate for the first time. She gasped when she saw his eyes. They were no longer fiery green, but the tranquil blue-green of the ocean on a summer day. He touched her arm and the warmth from his fingertips spread throughout her body. It was pleasant and peaceful, but the ache in her heart was still there. "Thank you, Mr. O'Shannon, for your concern, but my life is complicated." She listened to the police knock at her door. "Natalie!" Schanke's voice boomed through the door. Nat rose and went to the door. "Nat, are you okay?" Schanke checked her over quickly. Nick would kill him if something happened to Nat and he didn't catch it. "I'm fine, Schank, but Mr. O'Shannon here needs a quick trip to the hospital to be checked out and there's a guy in my alley that should still be sleeping it off. He was trying to rob Mr. O'Shannon. I just happened to have a few girl toys that slowed him down. " Nat smiled at Schanke's concern and scanned the empty area behind him hoping Nick might be with him, even though she knew better. "I'll be going downtown with you, Officer." Patrick O'Shannon pulled up his pants in an effort to appear braver than he actually was. "I'll be wantin' the likes of that fellow downstairs put behind bars for good keepin'." Schanke stared at the little man as he walked passed him and headed for the door where Natalie stood. "I be owing you one, Miss Natalie." He bowed to her in respect. "And Patrick O'Shannon always repays his debts." Part 2 Nick sat on the ledge and gave into the depression that had been overwhelming him lately. Watching Natalie flirt with Ballard from South made him take a hard look at reality. He couldn't give her what she needed. He knew that, but his heart just wouldn't go along with it. He'd made her forget, but he couldn't. The feel of her lips, the warmth of her body in his arms made him wake up repeatedly in blood sweats. Each night they were becoming more vivid and the need to consume what she had to offer was growing stronger each day. He stood and paced the rooftop and let his perfect memory replay the scene tonight. Ballard's simple attention made her smile. When he touched her shoulder, rage overwhelmed Nick to the point his eyes flared red. He had to walk away to protect them all. He heard the happiness in her laughter at something Ballard said. He hadn't heard her laugh in months, not since that night. It only made him angrier. She was his... but she wasn't. Now he couldn't even give her the simple contact they'd shared before. His need was becoming out of control. He hadn't shared blood in over a year and his body was paying the price, but he wouldn't use Janette again. He needed relief before something happened they would all regret. When the car engine stopped, her heartbeat echoed through his very soul. The vampire flared immediately and he said a silent prayer. Images of her naked in his arms, pleading with him for release flashed vividly in his mind. He groaned in need. What was happening to him? He'd gone longer than this without contact with his own kind, without sharing blood. Why was Natalie affecting him so much? He walked to the edge of the roof and stared down at her sitting quietly in her car. The familiar echo of her heartbeat touched his heart and he gave into the loneliness he felt. He could feel her indecision, the sadness that surrounded her. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and make it all disappear, but it wouldn't stop there and he knew it. She aroused both the man and the vampire; both could be fatal to her. It was time he left. Time to leave quietly and let her move on with her life. Let her flirt, fall in love and have the family she deserved. He couldn't deny her that. They had no future together as long as he was this amoral creature that thirsted for blood. It was time he accepted that. Time to accept that if he were ever to regain his mortality, it had to be done by him, not something Natalie created. He stared at the stars. "Protect her from me, God. Give me the strength to walk away and let her live the life she deserves. Punish me for my mistakes not her." Blood tears streaked his face as he collapsed to his knees in despair. Natalie started the engine and drove off. Nick curled up in a ball and wept with relief. "Thank you, God. Thank you." He whispered in agony as he wrapped his arms around himself. She walked through the loft slowly, reaching out with her senses. What she'd felt for the last several days was so painful, so intense at times she wanted to walk into the sun to make it stop. Something was terribly wrong and no matter what had passed between them, she owed him her sanity. It was LaCroix who gave her a chance at life, but it was Nicola who taught her how to trust. In return, she'd thrown what he'd offered back into his face, yet he no longer hated her. Maybe the hands of time could be turned back. Maybe there was a chance for them again. She felt the pain engulf her and she knew it was never to be. Only one person could heal him now. She headed for the roof. "Nicola?" Janette knelt in front of him. "You must stop this." She ran her hands through his blond curls in comfort. Finally, she pulled him into her arms and let him weep. The despair and pain washed over her as if it were her own. Never had she felt this kind of emotion or need within someone, let alone Nicola. Regret touched her soul for the first time in centuries. It had been wrong to bring Nicola across. She had played on the attraction between them and his doubts about God after the crusades. A single tear slid down her porcelain skin and dripped onto his face, but his own pain and need crushed her very soul. She let her fangs drop, sliced her wrist and then his. As she had for so many centuries she pushed into the connection between them in an effort to make him feel a part of what they once had. As her blood mingled with his, the pain of denial, the love he felt for Natalie flooded the link between them. Both his body and soul craved this mortal beyond anything else. The vampire was on the edge of control with bloodlust for one person, guided by the man who loved her beyond life. The beast within Nicola would devour the only thing standing between victory and death. He had changed. The man controlled the beast instead of the other way around, and the vampire was taking his revenge. At this rate, Nicola would lose all sanity and have to be destroyed. The Enforcers did not take kindly to mindless bloodshed that drew attention to their kind. "Nicola." She sliced her throat over the throbbing vein in her neck. Blood pooled quickly, then began to run down her breast. The scent that was only hers flooded the air. A growl emanated from his chest with the first whiff of her scent. Bright red eyes greeted her and the Nicola she'd shared a 100 years of her life with stared into her now golden eyes. Across the endless drift of time they were bound by blood. His heart belonged to another, but his body was always hers to command. "Take it, Nicola. It will ease the pain. My blood and my body are yours as they have always been." She pulled his lips to her neck awaiting the pleasure his touch had always brought. "Give into what you are...what we are and the pain will go away." Images filtered between their connection. Her soft hands giving him comfort as she had for so many centuries, but the ache in his chest only grew worse. What kind of animal had he become? Disgust and loathing crushed him into a tight ball of pain. Her words barely touched his mind as her scent flooded the air. His fangs dropped immediately and he wanted nothing more than to suck the sweet essence of what she was into his soul to savor and relish for a lifetime. She offered it freely, so why did he hesitate? They were as they had always been...bound by blood. Her desire for him washed over him like the rolling waves of the ocean on the shore. More images, memories of her life, and his, their lives together all played at the edges of his heart, but it did not warm his soul. It was not her blood, not a union with her that his heart craved beyond life itself. For the first time in 800 years he understood what his body and soul needed. "No" He pulled away and forced himself to stand, then stared at her in disbelief. "You swore never to let another man use you, Janette. You swore never to let me use you again...and I have used you...but not now. I will not make matters worse and give into my animal lust to appease this despicable creature inside me." His blue eyes stared into her tear-filled face. He pushed into the memories of her blood and let them tell the story she would never accept. He walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. Burying his head in her dark raven curls, he let her weep in his arms now. "You were right the first time, Janette. What was between us was meant for then...not now. We are as we are meant to be and I love you for that, but I will not hurt you or Natalie for my own selfish needs." He rubbed her shoulders and held her tight in his embrace until she regained the dignity she'd always prided herself with. She stared into his bright blue eyes and saw the finality of his decision. She'd seen it centuries before, but refused to believe he would never return to her side. As the last vestige of the night began to give way to the early rays of the coming dawn, she finally understood she had never possessed his heart. His destiny and his heart lie with Natalie as it was always meant to be. She sighed with regret, but accepted the truth. She only hoped he would too. "I must go." She turned to look at the coming dawn trying to crest the horizon. "You must find a way to be happy, Nicola." She smiled bravely. "Do not let your doubt and guilt of the past rule the man before me now." Nick glanced at the coming dawn, then back...but she was gone. ------------------- Schanke hung up the phone after leaving the message. Strange Nick hadn't at least called in. He'd tried his cell phone, then the loft phone and the mobile unit in his car. Where was he? He stared through the glass as the recorder typed furiously as Nat spoke. O'Shannon sat so quietly at times, Schanke had to check and see if he was breathing. Those bright green eyes never left Natalie. Periodically, Nat would glance at the window, knowing full well that Schanke was behind it. The sadness in her eyes and Nick's absence gave credence to his earlier supposition. Something was radically wrong between Nick and Nat and this was only going to make it worse. He decided maybe he should sit in and try to soothe Nick's soon to be bumpy ride when he returned to his sanity. Schanke sat down quietly and listened as Natalie finished her statement. Her eyes were puffy and she was doing well to keep her emotions under control. She was on the edge and he was betting his blond partner had a lot to do with it, not this little incident. She was tough. He would give her that, but Natalie wasn't the normal girl. She'd fought long and hard to earn the respect of everyone in her department and the whole Toronto Police Department. She was the youngest ME ever to be on staff and the first woman, let alone the prettiest female in their precinct. Men flirted with her all the time, but she paid no interest to them except Nick. What was between the two of them was more than friendship, more than partners. It was something far deeper than either one of them knew. Complicated...they'd both used that term on repeated occasions. It was just hardheaded stupidity if you asked him, but then no one had. He'd better do some quick covering or Nick was in for a long hard time if he read women right. She finished and closed her briefcase sitting beside her as the transcription secretary put the final touches to the statement and handed it to her to sign. "I left a message at Nick's, Nat. I'm sure he's just zoned out and got distracted again. Probably turned off his phone or maybe he's sound asleep. He looked pretty awful tonight and he left in a hurry." Schanke made excuses. Natalie sighed heavily, then tried to smile, but failed. "It's okay, Schank. I'm sure he's got someone to bring him back to reality and take care of his needs." She stood quickly, grabbed her briefcase and headed for the door. As she turned her back on the room, she wiped an errant tear from her cheek. "Nat?" Schanke sprang from his chair concerned. "Let me drive you home." Never turning to display her pain, she opened the door. "Thanks for the offer, Schank, but I'm not going home. I've got to go back to work. See you later." She closed the door softly behind her, trying to salvage what dignity she had left. "She be way to pretty to be that sad." O'Shannon's soft mellow voice drifted across the room. Schanke turned, forgetting the small man had been in the room at all. "That partner of yours must be blind and daft." "I'd have to agree with you, Mr. O'Shannon, but I wouldn't say that to his face if I were you. He's not big into criticism of his personal life." Schanke's cell phone rang. ---------- It was dawn and the automatic shutters had just closed. All except the far window, which was programmed to let small bits of light flood the far corner of the loft. It was his only way of enjoying the light of day, even if it was from a distance. The warm rays of the sun stretched into the dark confines of the corner and flooded the tall green ficus Natalie had placed there. "It will give you hope in your future as it grows. A touch of the sun captured just for you!" Nat's voice echoed in his mind as he stared at the plant soaking up the morning light. He noticed the blinking light on his answering machine and the 'new voice message' icon on his portable phone lying next to it. He hit play. "Nick! If you're there, pick up. There's been a 911 at Nat's place. I'm headed over there now. I'll call your mobile and see if you're there." The machine beeped and the second message started. "Nick! Where the hell are you, man? Some perp tried to take out a little guy in Nat's alley and she stopped him. She's okay, so don't sweat it. Remind me not to piss her off anytime soon. She's upset, but holding her own. She's finishing her statement now. I'll try and get her to let me drive her home, but it wasn't me she was looking for at her apartment, if you catch my drift. Get your butt down here!" The resounding click followed by silence clutched his heart in a death grip. Nick picked up the phone and dialed Nat's apartment first, then Schanke's mobile phone. "Schank, is Nat there?" Nick waited hoping for the best. "Well it's about time, Pard! No, she's not here. Where the hell have you been? Did you get my messages? Man, I left you messages everywhere. Don't you take your damn cell phone with you to bed or something?" "Schank, just shut up and tell me where Nat is. I tried her apartment and got no answer. Where is she?" Anxiety laced his voice and Schanke smiled in response. "She's on her way to the morgue. They called her in to work. She was upset. What is going on with you two anyway? Call her over there. She should be there in a few minutes...and Nick...send her flowers or something. You are in deep do-do here." ------------- Natalie walked into the morgue and hung her coat up on the peg by the door. "Hi, Nat!" Grace piped cheerfully. "I see they are double shifting you to cover for Larry. Nick called a few minutes ago. He asked if you'd call him at the loft when you got in." "Thanks, Grace." Natalie finished putting on her lab jacket and reached for her clipboard and goggles. "Let's get to work. I want to get a couple hours sleep before I have to come back tonight." She walked over to the corpse lying silently on the cold slab and pulled back the sheet. "You not going to call Nick first? He seemed upset." Natalie made the first incision and simply ignored the question. Grace stood transfixed for a moment, then set to work beside her. ------------- Nick paced the floor. He was on his 5th bottle of cow's blood and the hunger still gnawed at his belly. Images of Nat lying in the street covered in blood flashed in his mind. What was she thinking? Why would she risk her life like that? Periodically, he would stop and check on the phone. By 10 am he called the morgue again. Grace told him Nat was knee deep in corpses and she'd pass along a message for him. Obviously, his behavior last night hadn't gone unnoticed and she was ticked. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration and lay down on the couch. She had every reason to be ticked. Hell, he hadn't been good company lately. He'd avoided her like the plague because he didn't trust himself around her, and tonight he'd almost let the beast free in a fit of jealousy, which he had no right to claim. Who was he kidding? He'd tried his best to put distance between them to protect her, but she didn't know why. She would see it as him pulling away, and in fact it was exactly what he'd done. They'd gotten way too close and the vampire wanted her as much as the man now. This was insane. Why didn't he leave? He would only hurt her if he stayed. It would only hurt him more, if that were possible. He reached for the half empty bottle on the table beside him and drank its contents in two swallows. The blood coursed through his veins and inflamed the vampire. He stared at the bulge in his pants and knew the man craved her too. He smashed the bottle into the fireplace and screamed in rage. He would not destroy her. No matter what the cost, her life would not be forfeited to his weakness. He flew upstairs and slammed the door in frustration. Crawling between the satin sheets, he let his mind drift back to the exact moment they'd met and the emotions she'd always brought forth in him. ------------- Grace left with the lab samples just as soon as she started closing. She'd been kind enough not to ask about Nick, but her eyes told Natalie she was aware. She finished stitching up Mr. Phillips. She'd dictate the report and then head home for a few hours of sleep. She was due back at 8 tonight. It was near noon now. It would be a short nap if she were lucky. This new day crew needed some work. They were off more than on and Natalie was the one who picked up the slack. She sighed with exhaustion and felt relieved. At least she was so tired she wouldn't have to think. Maybe working to exhaustion was the only way to get her through this. She loved Nick, but it was obvious his feelings for her were only platonic. It was time she faced the facts. Nick was a very sexual man and had needs to be fulfilled...and he'd chosen his roommate. "Well Lambert, once again you let yourself fantasize about something that can never be. Just face facts, you are meant to be alone in this world so just make the best of it." She stood, walked over to the mirror and pinched her pale cheeks, then looked at her body underneath her drab labcoat. "You are what you are and men obviously don't care for it. Not that I can blame them." Tears began to slide down her cheek and the loneliness she'd felt most of her life smothered her until she gasped for air. She sniffed, then wiped the offending tears away. "Guess I should just be thankful for the fantasy." She pulled her hair up, away from her face and smiled bravely. Finally, she let it fall back into place on her shoulders and gave a heavy sigh. "Now back to reality!" She turned and found Patrick O'Shannon sitting on her desk. "Fantasies are a beautiful thing, lass, but reality is much better." His bright green eyes softened with compassion. "Your reality might be just fine, Mr. O'Shannon, but mine has a few kinks in it." She sat down at her desk, but he didn't move except to face her. "Can I help you, Mr. O'Shannon?" "I be here to repay my debt, Miss Natalie." His smile filled with pride. "You don't owe me anything, Mr. O'Shannon. I'm just happy you are all right. I wouldn't want a visitor to our country to go home with a bad taste in his mouth." She smiled bravely, only it didn't reach her eyes. Patrick picked up the picture from her desk corner. It was a picture of her and Nick at the Christmas party last year with Schanke hanging over their shoulders. "This be him?" He pointed at Nick in the picture. Natalie removed the picture from his hands and placed it in her desk drawer without saying a word. Finally she looked at the little man sitting on her desk. "I really have to get back to work, Mr. O'Shannon or I may never get any sleep." "You work too hard and he makes you sad. A pretty woman like yourself should always be filled with laughter with the light of happiness in your eyes. So tell old Patrick what you wish and I'll make it right as rain for ye." He oozed with confidence and puffed out his chest. "It be my honor to cast the cad into the lake for you if you wish it. I could turn him into a toad or maybe a turtle, so he'd be so slow enough you could squash him yourself." He waited for her reaction. Natalie sat back in her chair and eyed him closely. "You really do believe you're a leprechaun, don't you?" "Well, of course I'm a leprechaun and you saved me and me pot of gold. I be indebted to you and I always repay my debts, at least to those who aren't trying to steal from me. I checked you out, Dr. Natalie Lambert. You are just what you seem to be and I be proud to know you. You're a kind sweet woman who deserves the world handed to her on a silver platter, but instead you lock yourself away and work harder than any man I've ever seen. You sacrifice everything for your friends and take nothing for yourself except their friendship. You have fallen in love with a man who is breaking your heart for reasons unknown and yet you don't blame him, but yourself." Patrick jumped down on the floor and sat cross-legged in front of her. "I be giving you one wish, Miss Natalie. Anything you be wantin' is yours...exceptin', of course me pot of gold." He waited anxiously before her, hoping she would be thrilled. "Well Mr. Patrick O'Shannon, leprechaun or Irish madman, I have only one wish and that is for you to go home and get some rest and let me finish my work. I be giving your wish back to you for you to keep." She mimicked his speech pattern and smiled. This time it made it to her eyes and somehow she felt better. "Thank you...you have brightened my day and made me feel appreciated. I think that's the best I'm going to get for a long time." She reached out her hand and helped him to his feet. She saw a great sadness in his eyes that hadn't been there before, even when he had been in pain. "I be back when I get some answers, Miss Natalie." He kissed her hand. "Never doubt your fantasy nor your beauty, lass. You are the answer to any man's prayers and I be finding out why your beau is daft in the head." She smiled and sighed. "Be gone now, Mr. O'Shannon. I have work to do." She reached to pick up her pen. When she turned, he was gone. --------------- Part 3 Natalie walked into her apartment and tossed her keys on the countertop. She walked by the blinking light on the answering machine and ignored it. "Well, Sydney, did you miss me?" She reached down to pick up the huge cat wrapping himself around her legs. She nuzzled his nose and scratched his ears, getting a loud purring sound from his chest. She smiled. "Glad someone likes my attention." She stared at the machine, but still refused to hit play. She was too tired to deal with it and she was certain his voice would only upset her more. She placed a dish of catfood on the floor and headed for the shower. Ten minutes later she was sound asleep. When the alarm sounded at 6pm, she forced her weary body out of bed. Another shower to wake her up and she headed for the coffeepot. It was just shortly after dusk as she noticed the last vestiges of the sun disappear over the horizon. She took a deep breath and braced herself for the emotion she knew would follow. Amazing how in such a short period of time she'd learned to gage her life by sunrise and sunset. She sat down in the large stuffed chair and watched the sun slip silently into the distant horizon and the cool darkness wash over the city. She sipped her coffee, munched on a poppy seed muffin and let her mind wander back to years earlier when her life changed. Nick's image flashed in her mind. The first night in the morgue, his first attempt at trying to make her forget him, the Christmas Party, the precinct picnic, the numerous times she'd watched him fight the vampire within him and win. She smiled at the memories. He had come so far, yet he couldn't see it. So many times he'd given in to the temptations of the vampire, but so many others he'd won the battle. He just needed faith in himself, faith in the strength of the man, instead of the power of the beast within. She sighed heavily. He could be the most frustrating person she'd ever known and the most loving at the same time, but it was obvious the feelings weren't mutual. She was his friend, just as he'd always proclaimed. It was time she accepted that. That night at the Azure, he'd spoken more truth than fiction. He was getting ready to leave. She could see it now. Maybe she'd known it all along, but needed a hard slap in the face to make her accept it. She relived the image of the night before and the silhouette in his window. A light mist began to fall and it fit her mood. She rose, ignoring the tears that slid effortlessly from her eyes. The ache inside her would get worse shortly. That much was a certainty and she'd better get used to it. She sighed heavily, then wiped the telltale signs of her emotions from her face. Maybe it was better if you had no heart. A slight breeze moved the flowers on the table before her. Totally unprepared, she gazed into the dark brown eyes of Janette Ducharme. In her usual perfection, the exotic Janette eyed her closely. "He is leaving." Her sultry voiced floated across the distance between them filled with something Natalie couldn't place. Natalie's deep breath was the only indication she'd heard what she'd said. Trying to present a braver front than she actually felt in front of her rival, she found her voice. "I know." She said softly as her voice cracked with emotion that she fought valiantly to control. "Just answer one question for me." Her eyes sought emotion in the beautiful vampiress' eyes, but found none. How could she do that? How was it possible to make your heart as cold as ice? Is that part of the vampire? Is that what Nick was really like underneath the warmth she'd felt so often...or was that another fantasy she'd created about him? "Ask your question, chere." Janette stepped back to analyze the woman before her. So much strength, so much passion wrapped up in such a fragile package. It was no wonder Nicola had fallen in love with her...and this pitiful creature wasn't even aware of it. The emotions and fear were evident on her face and she did nothing to hide it. This mortal was worthy of LaCroix's fear; worthy of her own jealousy and Janette suddenly realized she admired her. Natalie was unafraid to love and lose, unafraid to risk her heart totally. She could feel the woman's pain, the doubt about herself and Nicola's feelings for her. But of course, she would doubt. As a mortal, she wasn't privy to what was in his blood. She would only have words and actions to guide her and Nicholas was not open with either of them. She immediately felt empathy for Natalie's situation. "Were you with him last night?" The need for the truth was laced in Nat's voice. Pain was etched in her eyes because she already knew the answer. "We cannot make others feel about us as we do them, Natalie. You must accept that or be crushed by the emotion that will tear you apart. Blood is a powerful bond that cannot be broken even if we wish it." She headed for the door. Natalie's voice stopped her. "You didn't answer the question, Janette." Janette turned to face the young mortal who held Nicola's heart and saw the same pain she'd seen in him. She was his destiny, not herself. "I was with him, mon chere." She watched another tear slip from the young mortal's eye. Natalie's scent, filled with the pain those words caused, affected her more than she thought possible. Natalie nodded in acceptance and headed back to the window. Her shoulders slumped as she resigned herself to the sadness that crushed her. Janette appeared beside her immediately. She tilted Natalie's chin until their eyes met. "Nicola and I are of the same blood. I offered to ease his pain, but he refused. I am his past...You are his future. I shall always love him and regret not letting him share what is in his heart even for a short period of time. I was a fool. He is not like the rest of us. He is like you, filled with a passion for life and a strength I could never have. Do not let him walk away from it. Do not waste what is between you because of fear and doubt. We cannot make others love us nor can we walk away from the part of us that makes us whole." Janette smiled and stepped back into the moonlight that flooded the window. The soft light enhanced her beauty and gave her an ethereal quality that hadn't been there before. "Make him see that one night in the darkness with the one you love is worth a lifetime in the sun alone. Only you can ease his pain now. He will accept no other and if you will not walk with him in the darkness, he will be lost to us forever. Do not let him sacrifice what you have in the name of protecting you. I prefer a sister to a dead brother. Make him see that." Her words faded and she disappeared. ------------ Patrick O'Shannon had spent the better part of the day gleaning information on one Nicholas Knight. He'd called in every favor owed to him. Nick's record with the police department was beyond exemplary. He was a first class hero who had been cited numerous times for valor and courage in the line of duty. He had the highest conviction rate in the city, considered the interrogator of choice, a man not to be crossed if angry and a complete mystery with his personal life. Prior to coming to Toronto, his work history showed similar commendations in Montreal and Edinburgh. He worked only nights and had replaced almost everyone on his shift at one time or another for a holiday. He claimed no family and few friends except one, Dr. Natalie Lambert. His fellow workers claimed him to be the best man as back up, but rather a hot shot for going in first. Numerous fellow officers claimed they were certain Nick had taken a bullet for them only to find out later they were mistaken. His nickname, "The Knightmare" was well deserved. Most of his fellow officers considered Nick fair and just, but on the edge of control most of the time. They felt it gave him the edge...that and the fact that he didn't care whether he lived or died. Patrick stared at Nick's photo. According to what he'd learned, rumors had Nick and Natalie much closer than friends. In fact, several pools were floating around 3 precincts on when the relationship would be finalized. One pool was well over $500. Patrick continued to jot down notes in his little pad. This was getting more interesting by the minute, but he still didn't see what the problem could be. Perfectly formed hot-blooded male meets vivacious, bright beautiful woman filled with enough passion for ten. Why were they not together? He watched the entrance and noticed the green caddie parked in the lot. He checked the license plate number against what he'd found out that afternoon. Of course there couldn't be that many old green Cadillacs in Toronto, especially in the police parking lot. He would just wait and watch. Patience was a virtue he'd learned many years ago. ------------ Nick walked into the building, brooding more than usual. Natalie had not returned his phone calls, she wouldn't answer her pager, and she'd refused to come to the phone in the morgue. It was obvious she'd had enough. Not that he felt he deserved a chance to explain his behavior. After all, he was the one that erased her memory on Valentine's Day. It was his decision to take the memories of what they had together away from her. He could only expect so much tolerance from a friend. Apparently, his fit of jealousy hadn't gone unnoticed and his putting distance between them had made her evaluate their friendship even closer. She'd apparently made a decision. He sighed heavily. It was all for the best and he knew it, but he couldn't leave without telling her goodbye...not this time. He stared at the white sheet of paper in his hand, then glanced at the squad room buzzing with electricity and chaos. He would miss this. He would miss all of them, but it was time to move on. He'd stayed too long already. He could already feel the loss of the friendships he'd made here, the pain of walking away from Natalie and letting her get on with her life. He had to do this now. She'd come to a decision about the reality of being around him...and it was the right one. It would be easier on them both if he left as soon as possible. The vampire was close to the surface all the time now, craving her both mentally and physically. Each night was becoming more difficult; each day was filled with fantasies of a life that could never be without her sacrificing everything for him. He couldn't let her do that. He wouldn't let her do that. That was why he'd erased her memory. Now he would treasure those precious moments between them for eternity and let her build the life she deserved. He headed for the Captain's office with his resignation in hand. He closed the door behind him and handed it solemnly to Captain Cohen. "What is this?" She asked scanning it briefly. "It's time I moved on, Captain. I ..." "Nice try, Knight, but I'm not accepting." She stood and shoved the paper back in his hand. "I don't care what your personal problems are. We need you here. You are my best detective and I'm not letting you throw away your career because of some problem with Dr. Lambert." Her stern expression left little room for doubt as she read the surprise in his face. "Yes I, as well as everyone else in this precinct, know that there is something going on between you two. Whatever the problem, work it out. I need both of you on my team with clear heads. Now get out of here and over to 4th and Wallace. There's been a stabbing and you and Schanke are on it." She sat down and pointed to the door. "Captain, I..." "Not open for discussion, Knight. Fix it with Lambert and do your job. It's what we pay you for. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, and get me a report back here within the hour. I'm getting heat from upstairs on this one. Supposedly the victim is the magistrate's nephew." Her phone rang and she picked it up as she pointed at the door. "This discussion is over." He was dismissed as she answered the call. ---------- Schanke grabbed the paper out of Nick's hand as he stepped out of Cohen's office. "What is this? The Captain giving you inside info or what?" He quickly scanned the paper and stared at Nick in disbelief. "You're kidding, right? This is about you and Nat? I knew it!" Schanke tore the paper into shreds right in front of him. "You just forget it, Partner. I haven't spent the better part of a year getting you broken in to have you take a hike on me. We're a team, Nick. How can you even think of quitting? We have the best record in the whole city. You may be a hot shot and a pain in the ass, but you're a damn good cop." Schanke waited for Nick to see the truth, but saw doubt and something else behind his stoic partner's sad eyes. Schanke did a double take, realizing it was the first time Nick had let him see anything but the confident, unflappable Nick Knight. There was pain and regret in Nick's face. Whatever was happening, Nick wasn't doing this easily. This wasn't what he really wanted. It meant Nick was protecting someone and if Schanke were guessing, she was 5 foot 2 with auburn hair. "Nick, you can't do this." He tossed the paper in the trash, then stared at Nick in disbelief. "Nothing that has happened is worth throwing your career away. Find another way...work it out..." "There is no other way, Schank. It's not what has happened, but will happen if I don't do this. Let it be, Schank! This is best for everyone involved. This is not the way I wanted it to go down, but the Captain won't let me do it the right way." Nick took a deep breath and pushed the emotion behind that stone wall of indifference he was famous for. "Take care of yourself, Schank." He smiled sadly and offered him his hand. Schanke took it. "Thanks for being my friend. It's meant a lot to me." Nick placed his hand over Schanke's and savored the friendship he felt in his partner's grip. He would miss him. Afraid to trust himself much longer, Nick turned and walked out the door. ------------ Patrick watched closely as the officers came in an out of the precinct. Something had happened as several marked cars flipped on their lights as soon as the officers hopped into the car. Minutes later a tall blond man appeared at the side door. The electricity around him washed over Patrick causing him to stumble and gasp for breath. The aura was distinct, but the sadness and guilt he felt confused him. He knew immediately what the problem between Nick Knight and Natalie Lambert was. He pushed into the electricity and let the connection between them flow. Knight turned immediately in his direction and Patrick O'Shannon stepped further back into the shadows, then disappeared. -------------- Natalie examined the body closely. The victim had been stabbed repeatedly with a large knife, ending with a killing blow to the heart. There were signs of a struggle and large volumes of blood underneath the body. She scanned the cruisers as they pulled in, searching for the caddie. A part of her wanted him to show up, the other little voice in her head told her it would only make matters worse. She stared at the blood and knew they both would be better off if he wasn't there. Too bad her heart didn't feel the same way. She sighed heavily. "He's not comin', lass." Natalie started at the familiar voice. "What are you doing here, Mr. O'Shannon?" "It be Patrick, Miss Natalie. Me given name is Patrick and I'd be obliged if ye'd call me that." He smiled letting the twinkle return to his eyes. "Well, Patrick, in case you hadn't noticed. This is a police homicide investigation and civilians aren't allowed beyond the yellow tape." She pointed toward the yellow police barrier put up for crowd control. "Oh, I won't be interferin' with your work, Miss Natalie. I be here to grant your one wish. You be wantin' me to tell you what that be." He asked hopefully. "Mr. O'Sha...Patrick! We've been through this." She scolded as if he were a child. "You be wantin' me to make your Nick into a mortal or do you be wantin' me to turn you into a creature of the night?" He asked calmly. Part 4 Nat's breath caught. She scanned the area quickly and stood. She peeled her gloves off and grabbed his arm. Slowly she led him to the edge of the barricade, away from prying ears. "Who are you, Patrick O'Shannon?" She whispered as she continually scanned the area. He laughed. "I see I be gettin' your attention, lass. As far as who I am...I already told ye. I am Patrick O'Shannon from Cork County, Ireland. You saved me and me pot of gold, so I be grantin' you one wish. I just want to make sure I get it right." He scoured the area closely before he continued. "He be different than the rest of them. That is to be sure! I never been able to be that close to one before that didn't hurt me head. Your Nick be different. Leprechauns and vampires cause this kind of electrical charge between em. We usually get the short end of the mug, if you catch me drift. Him being so old an everythin', I expected to have a headache for a week, but it was almost pleasant. That never happened before." He looked at her hoping she'd understand. Me father said he met one like that a long time ago. He saved his life, so maybe your Nick not be all bad neither. "Mr. O'Sh...Patrick. I don't know who you've been talking to or what type of ale you've been drinking but...." Patrick placed a finger to her lips and smiled. The green in his eyes twinkled with mischief. "You be needin' proof, don't ya?" He said with certainty, then disappeared right before her eyes. Nat squeaked in surprise and searched the area around her quickly. His voice echoed on the wind. "You be decidin' which it is you want, lass. All you have to do is make a wish and it will be yours." His voice faded into the darkness. "Nat?" Schanke's voice echoed across the distance between them as he stared at her intently. "Is everything okay?" He hated to be the bearer of bad news, but then again maybe she already knew about Nick leaving. Natalie looked behind another bush, then the nearby tree with more questions than answers running through her mind. The baffled look on her face caught his attention. "You know then." Schanke was certain her odd behavior was related to Nick's departure. "Know what, Schank?" "About Nick resigning. You got to talk him out of it. Whatever is up between the two of you has got to be worked out." He blurted out before he met her eyes. Raw pain flooded her face and she dropped the notebook from her hand. He groaned when he saw her face. "Oh, damn! I thought you knew. I thought you two had a fight or something." He reached to pull her into his embrace and she pulled away. "Don't, Schank!" She whispered as she tried to pull herself together. She knew it was coming, but the reality hurt so badly she couldn't breathe. A tear slipped from her eye and she brushed it away defiantly as she stared at him trying to come to terms with the hole in her heart. Janette had been right. He was leaving for good. That's why she'd come. Her words echoed in Natalie's mind. "Do not let him sacrifice what you have together in the name of protecting you." Natalie gasped as it all made sense. He had put distance between them because his body craved hers. He was protecting her from himself, the need to make her one with him. He did love her and she loved him. Taking a deep breath she tossed the pen in her other hand on the ground in anger. "Where is he, Schank?" Her eyes glared into his. She needed answers. "I...I don't know, Nat. He just got in that green bomb and left. I called the loft on my way here, but he wasn't answering. I tried his mobile phone, but..." She pulled her rubber gloves off and shoved them in Schanke's hand. "Book me off, Schank. There's a long overdue conversation I need to have." She ran up the hill to her car without looking back. ----------- Nick had driven to Felix's place. Thirty minutes after he'd arrived; he sat back in the caddie. Felix would have his new identity and location by midnight. He would be gone by morning. He caressed the steering wheel of his treasured car and sighed in regret. He would leave it behind this time as well. Too many memories were tied to it. Too many voices would speak to him and tear him apart inside. He stared at the passenger's seat and could hear her voice even now. He turned on the engine and headed for the loft one more time. ------------ Patrick paced the alley in front of the 101 Gateway Lane. Blast it all...where was Knight. Surely, he wouldn't leave without saying goodbye to the lass. He stared at his watch. If only she'd have made a wish. Then he could have been done with this and gone from this horrid cold country. He heard the noise only seconds before the attack. "Well, who do we have here?" The gruff voice ground out. The tall man who had followed Patrick earlier stepped into view and grabbed his shoulder. Fear ran cold in Patrick's veins as he stared into the cold heartless eyes of Darrin Kirkpatrick. "How did you get..." "...out, Patrick?" Darrin laughed. "Did you think me father would let me rot in that cold cell? Not likely, when we be this close." He jerked Patrick off the ground. "Now you will tell me where the gold is, little man!" Patrick refused to give in to his fear and pulled the gun from his pocket. "Put me down, ye bastard!" He shoved the gun into Darrin's stomach. Darrin froze and turned to look at the little weapon now pressed against his stomach. "I said down, Kirkpatrick!" Patrick pulled the hammer back on the little gun. Kirkpatrick placed him on the ground and stepped back. Patrick smiled with pride. No low-life hooligan from the bad side of town was claiming his gold and his powers...not now...not ever. He shifted slightly, feeling proud of himself, only to have the gun kicked free from his grasp. When he looked up, Darrin Kirkpatrick held his gun in a death grip. "Now I repeat myself, O'Shannon. Where is the gold?" He grabbed him by the throat this time and pushed him hard against the wall of the building. "Put him down!" The low commanding voice filled the alley. Darrin turned to see a figure step out of the shadows. Raw power filled with something that terrified him instantly washed over him. He dropped the little Irishman in his grip without a second thought. "Who are you?" Fear crept into his voice as the blond man in the dark leather trenchcoat stepped into the light. He gasped as the eyes of the devil greeted him. Anger filled with some uncontrollable need crushed him until he couldn't breath. He began to panic. "What are you?" "Someone you don't want to get angry!" Nick's hypnotic voice increased as he pushed out with the power within him. "NO!" Darrin screamed in fear and fired the gun point blank at Nick's chest only to find him not there. Seconds later, Nick tore the gun from his grasp and locked his head in a killing grasp from behind. Terror surged through Darrin's veins as he felt the strength in the creature who held him captive. None the less, he struggled against it. Nick held him with little effort. "Be still!" Nick growled low in his ear. "Know that I could kill you instantly." He released him and Darrin stumbled. Nick clasped his head between his hands and locked on to his heartbeat. "You will remember none of this. You saw nothing, you never found the little man. You will go to the police station and tell them you are a criminal. You will tell them you tried to steal a man's wallet and you want to turn yourself in." Nick increased the hypnotic tone in his voice and repeated the sequence again. On the third time, Darrin finished the commands. Nick released him and he collapsed to his knees on the hard pavement and passed out. Nick walked to Patrick's side and picked him up. "Are you hurt?" Patrick stared back into the blue eyes of Detective Nick Knight. The electricity sparked between them. Nick let him go instantly and stepped back. Only then did he feel the pain in his chest. Nick stared at the blood pooling on his white shirt in dismay and stared at the little man before him in disbelief. "Why would a leprechaun carry a gun?" Nausea overwhelmed him. He dropped to his knees and vomited blood. The pain increased, as did the blood flow from his chest. "I be regretin' my action, Detective Knight, but you being a creature of the night and all, I had to take precautions in case you weren't having peaceful intentions, if you catch me meanin'." He walked to Nick's side and the electricity sparked again. "You be different than the rest of them. Normally I can't stand the pain your kind causes." He touched Nick's shoulder. Warmth flooded Nick's body and he looked at the little man in shock. Leprechauns were rare to begin with and they avoided vampires like the plague, but Nick recognized who he was as if he'd drunk his blood. "You're Patrick, son of Shawn O'Shannon of Cork." Nick said between waves of nausea and pain. "That be the truth of it and you must be Nicholas de Brabant. It be a pleasure to finally meet you. Me father talked highly of you." He stuck his hand out and Nick stared at him in disbelief. The little man had just lost a gun filled with garlic-laced wood bullets to a thief and madman. It was obvious he'd brought the weapon with the intention of shooting Nick in his own backyard. What would possess him to think Nick would have any friendly feelings for him? Yet, the little man expected his acceptance and understanding. "I think you are as daft as your father, Patrick. Tell me…does insanity run in the leprechaun line or is it just a family curse or something?" Nick groaned and began to heave once more. "Now there be no need of bad mouthin' me family, Detective. How was I to know you was the same Nicholas that saved me father so many centuries ago. I came because of the lass. You being a creature of the night and all, I had to take precautions if I was to get the answers I needed. You be breakin' her heart, you know." He stared at the vampire at his feet and felt pity for him. He knew exactly what was to come and it wasn't going to be pretty. He was filled with regret, but it hadn't been his doing. Knight had taken the bullet to protect him, then refrained from killing his victim and brainwashed him into forgetting Patrick O'Shannon ever existed. He, like his father before him, was now in debt to Nicholas de Brabant. "We better be gettin' you inside as you ain't going to be getting' better anytime soon." Patrick tried to help Nick to his feet. With a little maneuvering and a lot of magic, he helped Nick stumble and crawl into the lift. Panting now as the pain began to burn throughout his body, Nick braced himself against the wall in the lift as he whispered in confusion. "What did you put in the bullets besides garlic?" Bloodsweat covered his face as he gasped for breath. "I hate to be tellin' you, Mr. Nick, but it was garlic and holy water. I thought if you were capable of hurting Miss Natalie the way ye have, I had better come prepared." "Hurt Natalie?" Nick stared at him as the nausea overcame him. He dry heaved on the floor of the lift, causing the wound in his chest to bleed heavily. "I would never hurt Natalie. I love her." He said weakly letting the emotion and pain he felt show in his bloodshot eyes. "I'm leaving so she will be safe. I ..." He coughed. "Your leavin' because you love her. Well, that don't make no sense at all. Are you daft, man, or what? Can't you see the lass loves you, too. It's the leaving that's breakin' her heart." Nick pushed to his feet in anger. "You think this is what I want? I will not let her pay for my mistakes. I will not make her into what I detest. That isn't love, that is greed and vanity. The vampire will only take what she has to offer and toss her aside. I can't give her what she needs. She deserves a life filled with happiness and sunshine. She deserves to be loved body and soul without doubt by someone who can treasure her for eternity." The lift stopped and he pushed open the door and fell into the room as the pain tore through his now weakened body. "She deserves a happiness I can't give her. All I can give her is death, bloodlust and guilt." He crawled into the room leaving a trail of blood on the floor behind him. Valiantly he tried to make it to the refrigerator, but collapsed as the knives of pain ripped his chest open. Was it the holy water or the thought of living without Natalie that hurt so bad? He screamed in agony and crumpled to the floor. Patrick ran for the refrigerator and pulled several bottles from the shelf. Quickly, he shoved one to Nick's now burning lips. Nick gulped the precious fluid and his body reacted immediately. He smashed the bottle into a thousand pieces and vomited violently. Finally, his body began to go into convulsions. "Tell me what to do, Mr. Nick. Make a wish or something and I can let the magic heal you. I owe you me life, so the magic will work." Patrick twisted his hands in frustration. He knew nothing about vampires except how to avoid them. "I'll call the lass. She'll know what to do." He jumped up from the floor and headed for the phone. Nick tripped him in route. "NO! It's better this way. I won't have to live with the memories. She'll be free of me. There will be no doubts. It will be final and she can live the life she deserves." He groaned and twitched as the holy water burned inside his body. "You wanted me to make a wish...I wish for Natalie to have a happy life filled with no regret. That is what I wish for, little man. Now you have to make it happen." Nick coughed blood as his body slowly lost the battle. She stood at the lift door, listening in disbelief. "I can't be happy without you, Nick!" Natalie ran to his side and wrapped him in her arms. "Don't you understand? No one else can make me happy. I would compare them all to you and they would come up lacking. Love me, Nick, as much as I love you and fight for us. Find a way for us to be together whether in the darkness or the light. I don't care." His body convulsed in her arms and the blood flowed freely from his chest, nose and ears. He was losing the battle within. Tears streaked her face. "I love you, Nick. Please don't leave me." She kissed his lips tenderly tasting his blood in the process. Images flashed in her mind. Doubts filled with pain and need enveloped her senses and she knew it was all that consumed him now. As his blue eyes stared into hers, he reached to caress her face one last time. "I shall love you forever, Natalie. You taught me to feel alive again and I thank you. Be happy for both of us." His body convulsed harder as the fire burned within his veins. "No!" She screamed as the tears flooded her face. "I will not lose you now, Nick. Not after all we have been through." She grabbed a piece of glass from the broken bottle and sliced the palm of her hand. Without hesitation, she grasped his hand and placed a matching deep gash. As their blood began to flow freely, she clutched his hand in hers and stared at Patrick. "You asked what I wanted, Patrick. I wish for Nick to regain his faith. His faith in the good within him, faith in something stronger than the vampire, faith in us together." Tears ran down her cheeks unchecked and she sobbed openly. Pain flooded the tiny link between them. He was so tired and the need for her to be happy enveloped her like a warm cocoon floating in the breeze. She needed to make him see. "That's it, lass. Make him see what's in your heart. Make him accept the love in his heart for you. It is the only way back for you both." Patrick knelt down beside them and laid his hand over the wound in Nick's chest. The slow sucking sound of the tissue releasing the bullet deep in Nick's chest was followed by a scream of agony torn from his lips. White-hot fire burned in her veins followed by the cold ice of a frozen lake breaking apart. Confusion flooded her mind, then the images began to clear. Fear, need, regret, pain all wrapped into one tight ball of light. She reached out to it and welcomed it into her heart. She let the happy peaceful images of their times together envelope them both. Soon the warmth she'd always thought buried deep inside him flared to life. He moaned in response and she lay down beside him. As her blood mixed with his, their souls became one for eternity. Their love for each other had brought them to the edge of the abyss and they chose to face it together. For the first time in her life she was complete. This was where she belonged...this time, this place in Nick's arms and now he knew it too. Fatigue crushed her until she gave into the welcome darkness and slept. Patrick stepped back and smiled at the sleeping couple on the floor. "Everything has it's own place and time. Yours is now, Nicholas de Brabant. You will make her happy and in turn she will help you regain your faith. It is as it was always meant to be. Me father said you were missing a part of your soul. I think you have finally found it." Patrick laughed and the mischief danced in his eyes. "It would appear magic wasn't necessary in the first place, just the right opportunity." Patrick sighed with contentment and sat back to wait. Part 5 ADULT -------------- He could feel the sunshine on his face and there was no fear. He reached out to it and let the warm rays caress his pale skin. He stared at it in amazement. There was no pain, no burning…only peace and contentment. He stood on the shores of a lake. The sand was white as snow dancing with the light of the sun in his eyes and for the first time in 800 years...he felt happy. He saw a shadow on the horizon and he knew instantly it was her. A smile graced his face and he gave into the warmth he felt from her, even at this distance. The sun danced in her hair, giving it a lustrous beauty filled with a magic of its own and then he met her eyes. Without a word, she held out her hand to him. No fear, no hesitation only love shown in the bright blue eyes of his beloved. Her skin was warm to the touch and her lips were an invitation to something he'd dreamt about for centuries. Emotions he'd thought long dead flooded his senses. He loved her beyond life, beyond the darkness. He brought his lips to hers and the sweet moan of surrender caressed his slowly beating heart. Her tongue tasted every corner of his mouth and teased the vampire into appearing, but she was unafraid. His fangs dropped and he broke the kiss. Ashamed, he tried to pull away, but she refused to let him. Slowly, she brought her hand to his face. She trailed her fingertips down his stubbled cheek and let them rest on his lips and fangs. "I love all of you, Nick! Have faith in what we have." Her voice floated in his mind as she brought her lips back to his. Gently at first, he kissed her. Finally giving into the need he felt within her, he deepened the kiss. She sliced her tongue on his fangs and all that she was became a part of him. They were no longer two but one…destined to be together for all eternity. He would never doubt it again. He broke the kiss and stared into her loving eyes and saw more than love. He saw acceptance and faith in him. He reached to his neck and sliced the vein pulsing heavily at the base of his throat. The scent of his blood permeated the air. She smiled with happiness and brought her lips to the open wound. Sucking gently, she pulled all that he was into her very soul. He moaned with pleasure and she was lost to the feel of him. He tried to slow the images; to help her make sense of it all, but the sweet pull of her lips on his neck aroused both the man and the vampire. His hands clasped her hard into his body now reacting to the blood exchange. She sighed in pleasure and the connection became stronger. Each mouthful was like a feather touch on his body and she let her hands have free roam. Pleasure coursed through his body and he wanted her to feel it too. Pulling her free from his neck, she growled in protest. He found her lips instantly and let his hands disrobe her. When she stood before him gloriously naked, he let his eyes feast on the treasure. Her riotous mane of hair blew in the wind as the sun kissed her skin with a radiant glow. She was breathtaking and she wanted him. She held out one hand to him. He pulled her back into his arms and buried his head in her hair to breathe all that she was into him for eternity. "I want to feel all of you, Nick." She whispered into his ear. She tore his shirt open and ran her hands across the hard planes of his chest. His fangs began to ache as his groin responded and his manhood strained against its constraints. How many centuries since he'd felt the need to consummate a union physically? She ran her hands down the front of his pants and stroked the hard bulge begging for attention. Her lips trailed kisses down his chest and sucked each of his nipples into her mouth until they hardened in need. Her skillful hands undid his pants and shoved them over his hips as her mouth worked its magic. The need to be inside her overwhelmed him, while he panted in need and watched her work her way lower. Each touch was followed by a kiss; each kiss was followed by further exploration as she licked every inch of his body. She removed his silk boxers and let them fall to his ankles with his jeans. At last his hard cock was free. Soft fingers engulfed him and pulled long and slow making him growl in response. She stared at the glistening drop of precum now tempting her from the end of his hard manhood. "Natalie?" His voice sounded broken and needy even to himself. He pulled her head toward his shaft and she didn't hesitate. In one swift movement, she sucked him into her mouth. He cried out in pleasure and held her still for a moment to regain control. Trying to catch his breath and regain some control, he held her still, but her tongue refused to obey. Even now, she was driving him mad. Her tongue caressed and swirled around the base of his shaft and he knew he was lost. The warm heat from her mouth made him grow larger until she pulled back and sucked hard once more. Sweet torture sliced through his body and he never wanted it to end, but the vampire cried out for a taste of the same as the man enjoyed her ministrations. She worked him slowly at first, then more rapidly until the low groan from his chest became a constant growl filled with need. He jerked her to her feet and impaled her in one stroke. She arched back as he held her, and pummeled her body with his hard cock. She met him stroke for stroke and whined in protest when he withdrew. It wasn't enough. He turned her around and drove himself deeper into her from the rear. Holding one breast in his left hand, he kneaded it into a hard nub. With his right he massaged her clit until she panted with the same need that tortured him. Pushing deep inside her, he ground the head of his penis into her willing body. They moved as one now, responding to each other's touch as the passion between exploded into a kaleidoscope of color pushing them closer to the edge. She matched each motion until she could stand no more and gave into the sweet call of pleasure. Her body began to contract around his shaft and she could stand the isolation no more. "Come with me, Nick! Make me one with you!" She turned her neck to him and offered it freely. Unafraid, he planted his fangs into her neck and exploded deep inside her. They would never be apart again. ------------- Nick awoke with a start. Natalie lay sleeping in his arms. Terror ripped through him as he listened for her heartbeat. A steady rhythm graced his ears and he checked her neck for puncture marks. Tears of joy flooded his face when he found none. She moaned his name in deep slumber and he could feel her fatigue and pleasure. Was it a dream? "Nat?" He caressed the soft skin of her cheek as she lay sleeping in his arms. "It was the magic, Mr. Nick." Patrick O'Shannon Irish lilt floated across the room. Nick stared across the room at the little man sitting on the edge of his kitchen table. He and Natalie lay arm in arm in the middle of the loft floor covered in his blood. The pain was gone, replaced by a feeling of love and contentment that he'd never imagined existed. He stared in disbelief at the little leprechaun. "You wished for her happiness and she wished for you to have faith. It was the magic showin' you how it can be. What you saw and what you feel from her is reality if you want it to be. Only together can you make both your wishes come true." Patrick jumped down off the table and walked to their side. "I never met a vampire like you, Nicholas de Brabant Knight, but then again none of the others have ever had the true love of a mortal who expected nothin' in return. She be a treasure, Detective, don't let her get away." He chuckled and the twinkle in his eyes returned. "Should I be tellin' me father that his debt has been paid?" Natalie snuggled closer to Nick and he smiled with pleasure. He caressed her hair, then pulled her closer and stood up in one fluid motion. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed with contentment. It felt right. The link between them was filled with love and he would never again willingly walk away from it. Fantasy or reality, it made no difference. Together they could defeat anything. He kissed her cheek, then her forehead and turned back to the little Irishman. "I could not ask for any greater gift, Patrick. You've given me a chance to see what can be, and Natalie has given me her heart. Together we shall make our own dreams. Tell your father...his debt is paid." Patrick smiled from ear to ear. "You be takin' good care of the lass, lad. If I be hearin' your breakin' her heart again, you'll be havin' to deal with me!" He stood on top of the table and hiked his pants up with bravado once more. Nick chuckled. "I be rememberin' it always!" Nick mimicked the Irish accent with ease. Patrick tossed a sparkling powder up into the air and was gone before it reached the floor. Nick smiled and headed for the bedroom. The End. Author's Note: If you enjoyed the story, why not read some more? Come join the fun and visit my Fiction page at: >http:www.plantnet.com/~nitewind/Fiction2.html Better yet go UNDERCOVER & enjoy the ride with my new novel! Available NOW in paperback, pdf & CD versions: See my webpage above! Or go direct to the sources at: >http://www.virtualbookworm.com/undercover >http://www.amazon.com Type in B.W. Starmer or UNDERCOVER >http://www.barnesandnoble.com Type in B.W. Starmer All comments to: ****StormyNite at: nitewind@plantnet.com**** ***The Truth is out there!*I just can't find it!*** **NNPacker*BlackHatWatcher*XFileTruthSeeker** *Andromedans*CroweFan*SorboDrooler*GWDFC*