A Question of Trust By StormyNite Written in 1998 for the NN Pack Zine/Posted to this Page only in 1999 No Copies allowed without authors permission Timeline: Post Last Knight "Hey, Nick!" Jacobs sauntered into the squad room with a snide smile on his face. He'd always wanted to goad Knight. He just hated always coming in second to the man. "I see the Doc has found your replacement and she's not too secretive about it either." Jacobs slapped Nick on the shoulder and feigned concern. "Guess maybe you weren't man enough for her, but cheer up. It looks like she's in capable hands now." Nick removed Jacobs hand from his shoulder with a little more force than necessary, then glared into his eyes. "Your opinion, Jacobs, as usual, is of no concern to me...now...or ever." Jacobs snorted, but backed off when he felt the anger slap him in the face. "Just pointing out the obvious, Knight. It looked like the liplock that Dr. Lambert had on the guy in the parking lot was a bit more than friendly." He watched the surprise flit across Knight's face before Nick put the infamous stone mask of indifference back in place. It pleased Jacobs immensely. It wasn't exactly how he'd planned it, but it was satisfying. Nick glared at his back as Jacobs meandered across the squad room chuckling to himself. Tracy watched Nick closely out of the corner of her eye while trying to busy herself in the dreaded paperwork she'd put off too long. Nick turned and watched Tracy purposely hide her face from his. She knew something. "Okay, Trace, out with it!" Nick sat back down in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest and waited. Ever since that night in the locker room when the bullet had passed through him into her, she'd been unable to hide anything from him. Every time he looked at her, he gave thanks to the miracle that made her heart start beating again after it had stopped. That whole night had been such a nightmare, so he pushed it out of his mind once more. Now was not the time to deal with it...maybe not ever. "Out with what, Nick?" Tracy feigned innocence to no avail. She didn't want to be the one to tell him about the other man. Damn! She should have gone home early. She knew there were problems between Nick and Nat, but when she saw Nat eating breakfast with that hunk yesterday, Tracy almost lost it. Nat had already left by the time she'd gotten across the street. "Enough with the wide-eyed innocent look, Trace. You passed that up a long time ago. So come clean and fill me in on what it would appear everyone in the precinct knows but me." Tracy took a deep breath and blurted it out. "Nat's seeing another guy. I saw them yesterday morning eating breakfast at the sidewalk cafe over by the coroner's building. Several of the other guys saw her with two men the other day and I told them they were nuts, but I saw her with my own eyes yesterday." She watched her partner's face closely and saw the pain flash in his eyes, only to be quickly tamped back behind his normal mask of indifference. If she'd not been watching closely, she'd have missed it. "Nat's a big girl, Trace. We are just close friends. I'm glad to see she's found someone interesting...." He stared at the windows and the up and coming dawn. "...and someone who can appreciate the daylight hours." A great sadness washed over him and he didn't try to hide it. He pulled open the desk drawer, grabbed his sunglasses, stood up, then grabbed his coat from the back of his chair. "I've gotta run, it's almost dawn." Quietly he walked out of the room. ---------------- The drive home only made him regret more the sad state in which he existed as he watched the sun edge over the horizon. He couldn't give her what she needed. He knew that...She knew that. She loved him, it was in her blood that fateful night 6 months ago, but she had needs. When LaCroix threw the stake on the floor and refused to release him from his own personal hell, Nick wept over Nat's body only to find her still barely alive. He vowed that night never to hurt her again and give her back her life. Let her find someone to love her the way she deserved. So why did it have to hurt so bad. She'd been putting distance between them lately and now he understood why. She'd found someone else. His brain saw the logic in it, but his heart had other ideas. He rode the lift up in a silence that seemed oppressive to him now. He stepped into the loft and felt lonely, bereft, adrift in a black void filled with despair. He walked over to the fridge, reached for a green bottle and spied the protein shakes neatly lined up on the top shelf. She'd been here and left. No note, no hanging around till he made it home like the old days. He stared at the shakes and should have felt anger, but instead he felt a great sadness that overwhelmed him. He closed the door and leaned back resting his head against the cool steel machinery purring softy behind him. A single blood-red tear slid silently down his cheek and stained the front of his white shirt. He didn't bother to brush away the others that followed but let them fall to the floor, alone and desolate, just as he was. "I should have left. I should have let her get on with her life a long time ago." His words echoed into the dark confines of the loft. Without thinking he went to the couch and pulled the picture of himself and Nat at the Christmas party 2 years ago into his hands. Reverently, he touched her smile and lips, reliving the warmth and love she possessed that night. It was for him. It was one of the few times he'd let himself indulge in it. He'd felt human that night, worthy of being around her because he made her happy. So many times he'd brought her nothing but pain and regret, but that night they were both happy...happy to be alive and together. After some time, fatigue caught up with him and he stretched out on the couch with the photograph clutched in his arms and drifted off to sleep. -------------- It was almost noon when Natalie finished and put up her equipment. Nick would surely be asleep by now, but she needed to see him. She'd been so evasive lately, and she knew he felt it. At first it was because she thought that's what he wanted, but now she had no choice. She'd only wished she could explain, but she couldn't, at least not now. Maybe when she figured it out herself she'd be able to explain it to him, but this was important to her. She rode the lift up listening for any signs of movement. When she stepped into the loft, the fire still crackled in the fireplace but a great sadness overwhelmed her. It was almost palpable. She walked to the fridge and noticed none of the bottles or shakes had been touched. Her shoe touched something wet on the floor and she leaned over to touch the sticky substance. In the low light of the refrigerator she recognized the substance as blood. "Nick?" She gasped and headed for the couch. She leaned over to find him fast asleep, clutching a photograph tightly to his chest. No bottles or glasses littered the table as was usual when Nick gave into his anguish. This was different. He looked so peaceful sleeping there, and she noticed the red stains on the white material covering his chest. Traces of blood smeared his cheeks. Only then did she realize where the blood came from by the fridge. Slowly she pulled the picture from his grasp and turned it over. It was the same picture of them she kept on her desk when she was alone. It sat silently in the drawer when others were around, but on the late nights when she was the only one there, she let the warmth and love they felt that night keep her hopes up for a future. Apparently, Nick needed comfort tonight and her heart lurched at the idea. It was her he wanted to be with, not any of his own kind. That pleased her more than she was willing to admit, but the fact that it brought tears to his eyes meant only one thing. He'd decided to move on. She gasped and stuffed her fist in her mouth to keep from breaking down on the spot. That's why he clutched the picture. He was leaving and that's all he could take with him. Pain tore at her heart as the tears started to flow freely from her eyes. Ever since that night, when he'd let her see glimpses of what he had been, he'd backed off. He was certain it had terrified her, but it hadn't. It was the love she remembered. The warmth, the caring, the love in his heart for her that kept her alive that night. Couldn't he see that? "Nick?" She walked around and sat down on the edge of the couch beside his prone body. She touched his chest hesitantly, afraid he'd pull away as he had so many times before. Cool fingers wrapped around her hand and blue eyes met hers filled with a great sadness that took her breath away. He reached up to brush the tears away that streamed down her cheeks. "I never wanted to hurt you. I promised myself I'd never make you cry again, and I can't even manage that. You'd have been so much better off if you had never met me. You'd have the life you deserve, the love you deserve, the..." A sob tore from her lips, and he pulled her into his arms burying her face into his shoulder. Lovingly he ran his hands through her hair and breathed the fresh scent of her into his soul as she wept. "Don't leave, Nick. Please don't leave." She whispered into his shoulder. "I know it's hard for you to be around me since you took my blood, but I can't live without you. I don't want to live without you...I..." Nick silenced her with a kiss. The soft warmth of her lips begged the man to love her, but the hot blood coursing through her veins called to the beast and he knew what she tasted like. He pulled away and placed both hands gently around her face. "Look at me, Natalie!" Gold shown brightly in his eyes and his fangs glistened in the low light of the fire "This is what I am...and believe me when I say you can live without it. In fact, that's the only way you can live. You deserve better. You deserve a man who loves you totally, a house, kids, a home. It's what you want. It's in your blood, your heart. It's part of what makes you who you are. I won't take that away from you. I'm an animal...but not that much of one. I won't do that. I love you too much!" He pushed them both to their feet. Such pain was written on his face it brought more tears to her eyes. She reached to touch him but he pushed her away. "Go home, Natalie! Go back to your life the way it was." She stared at him across the room and could feel the pain inside him. The fear, the rejection, the hurt that he always carried with him for what he'd done in his lifetime. Tonight it was strong, stronger than it had been in 6 months and her heart ached to ease it, to give him hope, then his words echoed through her mind. "You just said you loved me, Nick." She whispered in awe. Never before had he put into words what was in his heart and he expected her to walk away. "Deny it, Nick! Tell me you don't love me and I'll go. Tell me you just want my blood and nothing more and I'll walk through that door and never come back." She walked over to where he stood and waited. His mind told him to deny it all. If he did, she would walk away and go on with her life. It was the right thing to do, but could he live with it for eternity? Could he make her forget all about him, hate him for all that he'd done to her? Could he survive without her in his life? If he truly loved her, he had to let her go. His blue eyes were etched in grief. "I don't love...." She pressed her finger to his lips, to stop him, then pressed her lips to his. The passion between them exploded and he pulled her hard up against him caressing every inch of her body with his hands and plundering her mouth with his tongue. Her warmth and love caressed him and he was lost to the feel of her under his hands and mouth. How could he live without her? She broke the kiss. "Liar!" Lust-filled eyes met hers. "Trust me, Nick! Don't quit on me now. Give us a chance!" "Loving me will only get you killed. If not by me, by LaCroix. That's not what you want. It's not what I want." She silenced him with a kiss once more. "Loving you is all that I want, Nick, and that is worth any price I have to pay. I learned that 6 months ago. I'm in love with the whole package, good and evil, cop and vampire. I know I've been evasive the last couple of months, but I have my reasons. I'm asking you to trust me. Trust me and trust yourself. Give us a chance. That's all I ask." He pulled her tight against him and ran his fingers through her hair. "I have always trusted you, Nat. From the first time you touched me and never pulled away. Trusting myself is a lot harder to do." She pulled away slightly to see his eyes, then smiled when she saw the love shining behind them. "Then we'll have to work on that." She kissed him gently again. "Promise me one thing." "What?" "You'll talk to me before you make any decisions. You'll tell me what's going on in here...'' She pointed to his heart. "...before you do anything rash." Nick took a deep breath, pulled her back into his embrace and kissed her neck softly. "I promise to try. Old habits are hard to break." She wrapped her arms around him tightly. "We'll work on that, too." Part 2 ------------------ Early next morning: Tracy pulled her car into the curb, and grabbed her purse from the back seat. It was her own fault for not having had the good sense to buy all her groceries at once. She hated grocery shopping, so why did she always rush through the job and forget something? It never failed. She rounded the corner to a loud verbal argument. Before her stood Natalie yelling at a tall, dark gentlemen who looked more than slightly perturbed. "I don't care what you want. You will do as I say or I will kill you!" She shoved her finger into his chest. "Just do it!" Rage radiated from the small auburn-haired form in front of her. Tracy couldn't believe her eyes or her ears. "Nat?" The woman turned and stared at Tracy, then she abruptly turned and walked rapidly down the street to her car. The man stood speechless but angry, as he watched the petite form jump into her car and speed away. Finally, he turned to Tracy who was now less than 3 feet from him. He too glared at her, then turned and fled down the street. "What is going on?" Tracy said more to herself than anyone around her. That wasn't the same guy she'd seen Nat with a couple of days ago. She was sure of it. Tracy continued to stare at the retreating back of the man now who almost ran to get away from her scrutiny. ---------------- later that night: Tracy threw her coat over the back of her chair and headed for the coffee machine. She hadn't gotten much sleep between her little trip to the grocery, three phone calls, paying the bills and letting the plumber in to fix the leaking faucet. Some days are just not meant to be. She should have learned that by now. No one ever took into consideration she worked the night shift. "Vetter! Into my office, now!" Reese shouted, causing her to almost spill hot coffee down the front of her clean blouse. "What now?" She mumbled to herself and headed for his office. "What's up, Cap?" Tracy said as she closed the door. "There's been a stabbing down by the ROM. They picked up the body a couple of hours ago on day shift, weapon included." Reese took a deep breath and sat down in disbelief, then stared into his detective's bright blue eyes. "The fingerprints on the knife belong to Dr. Lambert." He didn't have to wait long for a reaction when Tracy let the hot coffee cup slide out of her hand onto the floor. "What?" Tracy stared in disbelief. "That's not possible!" "Needless to say I wanted you to know before I told Nick. Now I know he and Natalie are close and something has been going on since that mess 6 months ago, but I need your support before I tell him. I don't want to believe it myself, but it's her prints and an eyewitness said they saw a short auburn-haired woman with him less than an hour before they found his body. The woman fits Nat's description. With her fingerprints on the weapon, the Crown has more than reasonable cause. Unless she's got an alibi that's iron clad, we are going to have to arrest her. I want you to go down to the morgue and take a look at the body, pick up the file and talk with Natalie before..." "You wanted to see me, Cap!" Nick stuck his head in the door. "Arlene said you wanted to see me first thing. Am I interrupting?" Nick studied Tracy and the Captain and listened to both their hearts lurch, then beat faster. He stepped into the room and eyed them both closely. The captain was the first to gain control of his emotions. "Sit down, Nick." He motioned to the chair Tracy stood by. "I'd rather not, if you don't mind, Cap. If it's bad enough for me to sit down, then I'm probably better standing to start with." His own heart beat twice and he braced himself for bad news. Only one thing could upset them both this much. "There's a body in the morgue with a knife in it." Reese rushed on as Nick tensed, then he sat down in the chair in spite of himself. Reese realized what Nick thought. "No, Nick! The body is of a white male about 35 years old with dark hair and a tattoo on his neck." Nick's blue eyes met the Captain's more confused than before. "The knife has Doctor Lambert's fingerprints on it. The man has been identified as one Ray Larson from Boston, Massachusetts." Reese watched Nick for any recognition, then plunged on. "He's also the man two people saw Natalie kissing in the parking lot 4 days ago around 6 a.m. before shift change. There's an eyewitness that places a woman fitting Natalie's description with this man less than an hour before the body was found." Reese watched Nick visibly relax and rise gracefully from the chair. "I'll go talk with her, Cap. I'm sure there's no need to be concerned. It's just a case of mistaken identity. I'll get to the bottom of it." "Nick, it's worse than that." Nick and Reese both turned to Tracy with questioning eyes. "I..I...saw Nat arguing with a man in front of the market this morning. This guy had a tattoo on his neck. I saw him from less than 3 feet." Sad blue eyes met Nick's. "She told him she'd kill him if he didn't do what she wanted." Tracy looked at the floor, then at the Captain. "There has to be an explanation." Reese turned to Nick to find him calm and in control. He was taking this much more calmly than he'd expected. "It's okay, Cap. I'm sure there's an explanation and we'll get to the bottom of it. Let's go, Trace." Nick headed for the door and Tracy had to run to keep up. Minutes later they were at the morgue. Jerry, from South, was busy working on the body while Nat stood by her desk reading the file. Relief flooded her eyes when Nick stepped through the door. She'd been fighting the terror building in the pit of her stomach for over an hour since she'd been pulled off the case. Her boss refused to give any details, but flatly told her to stand down while Jerry did the autopsy. She was to touch nothing...no explanation, no innuendoes, no accusations...nothing. Jerry had felt sorry for her and slipped the file nonchalantly out of his briefcase and laid it on top of her desk before he went to work. The preliminaries were sketchy at best, but the description of the would-be assailant matched the description of herself, then she found the fingerprint report. It wasn't possible. She looked at the estimated time of death and froze. It was early this morning. She would have no alibi. Well, at least not one that she could use. This did not look good. She was in trouble. Nick could feel the fear within her and watched her fight bravely for control. Without hesitation, he enfolded her into his arms. Tiny tremors coursed through her and she gave into his strong arms and support, finally laying her head on his shoulder. "It'll be okay, Nat. We'll find out what's going on." He whispered into her ear as he held her close. Tracy walked over to Jerry as he worked methodically over the body. "Anything yet, Jerry?" Her bright blue eyes met Jerry's flat brown ones filled with dread. "Afraid not, Tracy. Looks like the knife killed him so far. TOD is about 8 a.m. this morning near as I can tell. No abnormalities, no disease, no traces of drugs, small amounts of alcohol and of course this tattoo. Tracy moved to the head and gasped in recognition, then turned troubled eyes to Nat now safely ensconced in Nick's arms. Nick caught it and turned worried blues to hers. "What is it, Trace?" Tracy stared at Nat, then Nick. "It's the same guy I saw Nat arguing with this morning at the grocery." Doubt crept into Tracy's eyes as she spoke. It wasn't possible, was it? Natalie a murderer? Her mind began to replay the scene in her subconscious from earlier in the day. "What are you saying, Trace?" Nat pulled away from Nick slightly. "I wasn't anywhere near the grocery today and I've never seen this guy. I was with..." She stopped in mid-sentence and looked guiltily at Nick. "Never mind..." She turned her attention back to Tracy. "Let's just say I was occupied elsewhere and leave it at that." Tracy moved away from the body and came toward them both. "Nat, I saw you this morning. I called to you while you were arguing with this man. He's also the same guy 3 witnesses saw you kissing in the parking lot earlier this week. Jacobs, Arnold, and Miller already identified him. It's in the report. He's not the same guy I saw you with earlier this week at the cafe around the corner, but he is the guy I saw you with this morning. You threatened to kill him. I heard you." Tracy waited for her to deny it. She wanted her to deny it. She prayed she'd have an iron-clad alibi that would make this all a case of mistaken identity. "Tell me I'm wrong, Nat. Tell me you were with someone who will prove you weren't anywhere near the ROM this morning." Tracy waited and watched Nick stand by Nat without a doubt. She admired him for that. She wasn't sure she'd have that kind of trust under the circumstances. "I don't have an alibi, Trace, at least not one I can use." She turned to Nick to gauge his reaction and locked eyes with his. She needed his trust and his strength if she were to survive this, but she couldn't give him all the information. She'd made a promise and she wouldn't break it. "I don't know this man, I didn't go anywhere near the ROM this morning...and I didn't kill him. I wasn't kissing him in the parking lot and I don't have an alibi." She held her breath waiting for him to respond. She totally blocked Tracy out of the conversation. It was totally irrelevant if Tracy believed her or not, but Nick had to believe her. Nick listened with the man and the vampire and she'd told him the truth, but she was hiding something. Whatever it was, it was worth sacrificing her life for and a part of him was jealous. A murderer she wasn't. It wasn't in her make-up. It wasn't possible and he knew it down to his very soul. He reached over and gently ran his finger down her face. "I believe you, Nat." He leaned over and kissed her forehead, then released her. "You go home and get some rest, we'll look into this mess and get it straightened out." Natalie finally remembered to breathe again and sighed with relief. If no one else believed her at least Nick did. Part 3 It was almost dawn and Nick refused to leave the precinct. He wasn't going anywhere until the Captain gave him the Crown's final decision. It didn't look good. Everything they'd uncovered pointed to Natalie. Even the Captain and Tracy were having doubts. The evidence was substantial. An eyewitness placed her with the deceased less than an hour before death, her fingerprints on the knife, her lack of alibi, Tracy's eyewitness testimony about an argument and threats, and the well decorated vets of the police department swearing they'd seen Nat kissing the dead man in the parking lot earlier in the week. There was more than enough evidence for indictment and Nick knew the Captain had been throwing his weight around to stave off Natalie's arrest this long. Under normal circumstances she'd have already been in jail. Nick had spent the last hour transferring funds to help bail Nat out of jail. She'd asked him to trust her and he did. He'd trusted her from the beginning and he wouldn't change now. He just needed time to maneuver and get some answers, but he wouldn't let Nat sit one day in jail...not now... not ever. Reese hung up the phone as sat down in his chair. Nick watched through the window and knew what was about to happen. Finally, Nick opened the door and walked into the Captain's office. Sad brown eyes greeted his. "How long before they issue the warrant?" Nick asked softly. "It's being drawn up now. I'll send a squad car over to pick her up." He watched Nick closely for any reaction, but that famous mask of indifference was tightly in place. He had to admire Knight for that. He wasn't sure he could handle them arresting Denise in similar circumstances. "No, Cap! I'll bring her in. I don't want any young rookie reading something wrong and Nat getting hurt." The mask slipped out of place and fear registered in Nick's eyes. Reese read it instantly and understood. "Nick, I'm sorry. I wish I could find another answer, but the evidence..." True regret was laced in his voice but Nick stopped him. "I know, Cap. Can you just give me until tonight to bring her in. I'll guarantee she'll be here. I just need some time to get enough money together for bail. You know what it's like down in lock-up. I don't want her subjected to that. I don't think I could stand..." Nick hesitated and got control of his emotions. He'd never done that before in front of a mortal. It was a new experience and that, too, frightened him. Blue eyes filled with fear greeted the Captain's. "Just until tonight. I can have it all arranged by then and maybe some answers as well." Reese watched the young detective in front of him. He'd always known Knight and Lambert were closer than they ever admitted, but he hadn't realized how close until now. Knight just let him see inside the enigma. Inside that stone cold facade Knight so cautiously portrayed to the world beat the heart of a man who loved a woman unconditionally...no doubts, no uncertainty, no second thoughts about her innocence, only loyalty and a desire to protect her. Reese was relieved. At least Natalie would have one person on her side no matter what happened. That pleased him and it made him admire Nick even more. "I'll see what I can do, Nick, but make sure she's in here as soon as the sun sets. I won't be able to hold them off any longer. I'll try and get the judge out of bed to work on bail as soon as the warrant is cut." Reese walked around his desk and offered his hand to Nick. Nick accepted it a bit confused. "I'm proud of you, Nick. I'm not sure many men would stand by a woman under similar circumstances." He smiled, then ran his hand across his head in frustration. "I don't want to believe any of this, just as you don't, but I have to follow the law and you do too. Don't do anything rash and we'll get to the bottom of this. Just give it time, okay?" The last thing he needed was his best detective going off the deep end and people getting killed. "Understood, Captain. Nat and I will be here at dusk. You have my word on it." Nick offered his hand to the Captain again. "Thanks, Cap." Nick headed for the door, then stopped before he stepped through it. "The evidence is wrong, Cap, and I'm going to prove it!" He walked out the office and headed directly for the car. ------------ The sun had just crested the horizon when Nick pulled into the garage. He'd been forced to roll up the windows with their extra tinting to protect him from the early rays. He hadn't bothered to swing by Nat's place because somehow he knew she'd be at the loft. When he stepped out of the caddy, he could feel her presence. He'd told her to go home, but instead she'd come here. He wanted to believe that she'd gotten past that night, and felt safe here again. The man inside felt great joy at the knowledge she depended on him and felt safe. The mind fought the logic in her decision, but today he would be here for her any way she needed him. Today he would protect her at all costs. He walked into the loft via the stairwell instead of the lift. Natalie stood in front of the window with the soft light of a new day caressing her features like a lover. Her bright auburn curls reflected the golden hue of the sun, giving it a life all unto itself. Guilt overwhelmed him as he watched her standing there staring out the window. How could he ever expect her to not feel that again. She was so beautiful in the sunlight. She belonged there. A creature of light and love who deserved a life filled with happiness and laughter. How anyone could ever think she could murder anyone was beyond his comprehension. He wanted so much to touch her curls of fire as they danced in the warmth of the morning sun...but that was not to be. He had to accept that and give her what she needed. He had to let her get on with her life and he would start by clearing up this mess. It's the one thing he could do for her. "You are what I need, Nick." Nat whispered. She hit the button on the remote in her hand to close the electronic shutters, then turned to face him. "In the light or in the darkness, I am not whole without you." She walked toward him, wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder. "I can feel you more each day." She raised her head to stare into his blue eyes. "I know this wasn't what we intended, but I'm not scared of it anymore. I backed away from you out of confusion and was hurt that you didn't bring me across. Only as I let myself go to what I felt from you did I understand how much it hurt you to have to choose for me...How much it had cost you and how much you hated what you were. I finally understood that you felt it would have been the ultimate betrayal to me and to yourself to bring me across." She touched his face gently and traced his lips with her fingertips. "And I love you more for it. I've done some things over the past month that I've kept from you because I had to. I knew I couldn't be too close to you or I would break a promise to someone I owe a great deal and risk losing everything we've worked for. I ask for your forgiveness and trust just a little longer." Her eyes spoke volumes as she waited. Slowly he caressed her face with his fingertips, memorizing every curve, every line that made her so beautiful in his eyes. "I will be there for you, Nat, no matter what happens, today or tomorrow. I'm not sure it's the best thing for you, but I'll be here as long as you need me..." He leaned over and kissed her lips gently, then released them. "...and there is nothing to forgive. I give thanks for every day I have with you." "How long before they issue the warrant?" She watched the sadness flash across his face and she knew. "We've got until tonight. The Captain has bought us some time. I should have everything arranged by then. I won't let you stay locked up. In the meantime we have to find some answers as to what is going on. I've got Felix working on a new ..." She silenced him with a kiss. It began gently and became more passionate as they both gave into the feel of each other's bodies. She ran her hands over the hard planes of his back and up into his silky blond hair. His tongue sought hers and sucked gently, making him want all of her. A soft moan escaped her lips as he pressed her body hard against his and the passion they'd kept at bay exploded between them. Each touch was magic, each kiss fueled the fire that burned brightly between them and they both wanted more. Nick groaned in pleasure as she ground her pelvis into his hard manhood straining against the rough cotton in his jeans. Physical desire coursed through his veins and he wanted nothing more than to bury himself deep within her and make her one with him. Her blood called to him and he knew what she tasted like. The vampire knew what the sweet nectar running hot within her veins could do for his soul and he wanted it. His fangs dropped and the bloodlust he'd fought for 6 months possessed him full force, but somehow he pushed it back just a little longer. The feel of her in his arms, the sweet taste of her mouth on his, had more strength than the vampire. He craved it like an addict, beyond all rational thought. He ran his hands through her tangled mass of curls, and stroked the inside of her warm wet mouth with his tongue, then released her as they both panted in need, filled with lust. He held her head between his hands and caressed her face with his thumbs and tried to slow them down. "I want to be with you so badly, Natalie." His voice broke and he found her lips once more, but the beast was fast becoming the master now and he broke the kiss, then placed his forehead on hers in desperation. "I'm so sorry." He gasped as he tried to gain control with her so close. "I know, Nick. I know." She whispered while she tried to gain control of her own emotions that bombarded her entire being. A single tear slid down her cheek and touched his finger. He pulled her back into his arms and buried his head in her hair. "Nat, please don't cry...please. I'm such a selfish bastard. I should have left. I never meant to hurt you like this. I want to be with you so badly. I want to bury myself within you, make love to you until you scream my name for release but we can't...not without me killing you....not without me taking away all your hopes and dreams." He pushed her away from him to arm's length and watched her fight for her own control. "Believe me when I say I love you, Natalie Lambert, but..." "Then share yourself with me, Nick. Let me feel what you are, let me make sense of some of the images that play in my head both day and night. If I can't be with you physically, then share your blood with me." She reached down and sliced her wrist with her fingernail until it bled freely. She picked up his wrist and scratched it as well. They weren't deep cuts but the blood pooled, and she waited. "Nat, I don't know what.." "Share with me, Nick. I need to feel your love. Tonight of all nights, I need to feel you...all of you." Her eyes pleaded with his. He clasped their wrists together, then held onto her hand. As their blood mingled a great sense of peace overcame her and she gave into it. Such warmth, coupled with pure pleasure, overwhelmed her just as it had that night 6 months ago when he planted his fangs into her neck. The images of his life began to slowly filter through their blood link. He pulled her back into his arms and sought her lips. The sensations were so enhanced she almost gasped for air, but she refused to pull away. Images of them together, images of his struggle with LaCroix , his relationship with Janette, guilt, anguish, pain, love all rolled into one crashed across their link. His desire to be mortal to be with her, to have a family, to love her until they turned old and gray made her weep with joy and pain for what they didn't have. The torment he put himself through each day to protect her from himself. Only then did she understand how much he loved her, but there was more. She could feel his fear. He would not give into it even as it tried to overwhelm him, then he started pulling away. He was not ready to share that fear, or let her be a part of it...not yet. Nick released her lips and just held her in his arms with their wrists clasped together and gave into the bond. His fear of rejection after he'd let her feel so much terrified him, but he owed her more. He had no idea what this would do to them. Would she become as he was, or remain mortal? All he knew was they couldn't go on the way they were. They had reached a crossroads and they either moved forward or he moved on. Neither of them could tolerate the pain of denial any longer. They were no longer friends, but more...much more. The wound on his wrist and hers began to seal themselves and she looked up into his eyes. "Take me upstairs and hold me in your arms all night. Let me fall asleep in your arms and wake up with you at my side. Trust yourself, Nick, as I trust you and we'll make it through this together." She awaited his acceptance of the inevitable. He leaned over, picked her up and flew them upstairs. Part 4 They'd spent most of the day sleeping peacefully. When they awoke, Nat got first dibs on the shower and borrowed one of Nick's shirts to replace her blouse. When she came down the stairs wearing his favorite blue silk shirt tucked into her jeans, he smiled. "That shirt never looked that good on me." He smirked and downed the glass of blood before she reached the bottom of the steps. She took the glass from his hands, then kissed him soundly. "I needed to have you with me tonight. It's always been my favorite on you. I always wondered what it would feel like on my bare skin and I couldn't resist. If you'd rather I didn't wear it, I'll put my other..." He touched her lips gently with his finger, then replaced it with his lips. "I would be honored if you wore it." He ran his fingers over the collar and then down the front to her breast. "Silk on bare skin can be very erotic...very sensual...and if this shirt makes you think of me, then I want you to live in it." He caressed her breast through the material until her nipples hardened under his touch and she moaned in pleasure as his mouth ravaged hers. The phone rang breaking them apart. It was 2 hours till sunset and he wanted nothing more than to go back to bed and try to make love to her, but it wasn't possible. Even now the beast fought for control and he pushed it back forcefully before he answered the phone. "Knight!" He growled in frustration into the phone. "Nick, tell me you're coming in with Natalie within the hour. The Captain has been doing a fine job of shuffling papers to stave off the arrest warrant, but it just hit the bench 20 minutes ago. Tell me Natalie's with you, and you're coming in." Tracy's nervousness and fear echoed in her voice even though she tried to control it. "Nat's with me, Trace. Tell the Captain not to worry. We'll be there just after sunset." He hung up the phone, then dialed Felix. "Felix, it's Nick. I need you to transfer that money like I asked in the next half hour. I'll need a bank draft within the next 2 hours and it has to be in cash....No, I don't know for how much yet, but I'll let you know as soon as I can." Natalie listened and said a silent prayer for having had to work that night 7 years ago on her birthday. They had a long way to go, but together they would find a way. She was certain of that now. Today all her fears about how Nick felt were gone. He was still hiding things from her, but they weren't going to change anything. He just had to convince himself of that before he would let her feel them as well. She too, would have to let go of all her secrets, but the rewards would be worth the price. She admired his firm backside as he stood talking on the phone and let her mind drift back to last night when he let her finally touch him without pulling away. He'd hung up the phone and stood staring at her while she undressed him completely with her eyes. When she finally reached his eyes, he smiled. "Well, did I pass inspection or do I need to work on my 'abs of glass'?" He chuckled when she turned red, then bundled her up into his arms and kissed her once more. He released her and she caressed his face lovingly with her fingertips. "I like the package just the way it is." "Good thing, because I couldn't change it much anyway. You are stuck with what you have when you're brought across. Aside from growing hair, everything else pretty much stays the same." She rubbed his ass as he spoke, then smiled. "We'd better a get a move on before they send over the squad car and find us in an unprofessional state of dress." Nick chuckled when she pouted. ---------- Just after sunset, Nick and Natalie arrived at the precinct. All noise stopped when they stepped through the door. Nat held her head up high and smiled as she passed by the desk of her co-workers. It was irrelevant what they thought. Nick believed her and that's all that mattered. Natalie and Nick stepped into the Captain's office just as the prosecutor finished screaming about having his job for insubordination and dereliction of duty to the Crown. Relief flooded Reese's face when Natalie walked into the room and closed the door. "I'm here, Captain." She walked over to the prosecutor and glared into his eyes. "I hereby turn myself into the Crown in accordance with the arrest warrant I'm told has been issued in my name. I do so voluntarily, but with the statement that I am not guilty of any violations of the law. My lawyer will be here shortly and I will speak with no one except Nick or the Captain for a statement. Do I make myself clear?" She waited as the Prosecutor sputtered in anger. "That is not acceptable, and you will be turned over to whomever I decide will handle this case. You, young woman, are in a lot of trouble." He turned and glared at Reese. "You will see to it that she is locked up while I speak with the judge. It's embarrassing to the Crown to have one of its chief medical examiners involved in a murder. This is unacceptable!" He stormed out of the room. Reese smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Natalie. I'm afraid the press has gotten wind of all this mess and there's a lot of pressure from upstairs. I'm afraid I'm going to have to put you in lock up until the arraignment. That shouldn't take too long. I've pulled some strings to get your case in front of the judge in about an hour. You think you can manage to handle the women down there that long?" Reese was genuinely worried about her and he believed in her in spite of the evidence. She sighed in relief. There was hope if the Captain believed in her. Maybe there were others. "I'll be fine, Captain. I survived medical school with all the guys. I can survive this." She turned frightened but determined eyes to Nick. "Just don't let me learn to play with the girls, will you? I don't look good in prison blues. I much prefer blue silk." She ran her hand down Nick's shirt that she wore, took a deep breath, then headed for the door. ------------ Jeremiah Lockford, Nick's lawyer, and now Nat's, stood before the judge and used all his pull to get the judge to set bail. It was a capital murder case with multiple witnesses, but the defendant had a clean record and was an upstanding citizen of the Crown. The judge tried to be fair but was put in a legal bind. So in an effort to appear fair, he granted bail, but set it so high he was certain the good doctor would be unable to attain any bondsman to cover it. Bail was set at 2 million and the trial date set for 2 months from Monday. Jeremiah thanked the judge and the prosecutor smirked in victory. Twenty minutes after returning to her cell, a bondsman appeared with a cashier's check for 2 million. The clerk stared in amazement and asked for the name of the person posting the bond. The bondsman gave the name of Natalie's lawyer, Jeremiah Lockford, and asked for a receipt. Nick waited patiently outside for her release. Nat shakily walked out of holding and fell into Nick's arms as soon as the door shut behind her. He wrapped his arms around her until she stopped shaking and the tears began to slow. Tenderly he wiped them off her face. She sniffed, then straightened up. Her frightened blue eyes met his. "I have never been so scared in my life. I never realized how much I hated bars until now." She smiled bravely. "We are going to make sure you don't have to find out again." He kissed her forehead. "Now lets get to work. I'm going to take you back to my place and you can do the computer leg work for Trace and me from there. Maybe then we can get to the bottom of this whole mess." The door opened behind them and Tracy followed by Reese rushed into the room. "Nat, take a look at this picture." Tracy shoved a black and white photo of a young man in his thirties in front of her. She shook her head in ignorance. "It looks like multiple stab wounds, followed by someone slicing his throat. What am I looking for, Trace?" Nat questioned. "He doesn't look familiar to you?" Natalie looked closer at the face, but still shook her head in denial. "I haven't a clue, Trace. Am I suppose to know him?" "Tell me where you were today around 1 p.m., Natalie." Reese's authoritarian voice boomed a little loudly in the near empty room. "I was at Nick's...Why?" Her blues eyes looked to Nick for confirmation as did Reese and Tracy. "That's right, Captain. Natalie was with me from 6 a.m. this morning until 7 p.m. tonight when we put her in the cooler. Why?" Nick was more than a little confused. "There was no way she could have slipped out and come back without you knowing it, Nick. I mean you two weren't together all the time?" Reese questioned his star detective closely. "Nat and I were together the whole time. I can assure you that with the exception of the 20 minutes when she took a shower, I was with her the whole time." "You have to be certain about this, Nick. I mean, if Nat slept on the couch and you were upstairs, she could have slipped out during the ..." "Captain, Natalie slept in my arms...in my bed...all day long. We didn't get up until almost 4 p.m. this afternoon. Trust me when I say, I would have known if she'd left." Anger began to simmer behind Nick's eyes and Reese read it instantly. Reese smiled and so did Trace. "Thank God!" Trace exhaled, expressing both their thoughts. "This is the other guy who was identified with Nat in the parking lot several nights ago. He was found dead this afternoon with a TOD of about 1 p.m. He was stabbed by a petite auburn-haired woman and filmed by the local camera at the auto-teller machine over by Jilly's." Tracy handed the black and white photo to Nick. The woman would pass for a dead ringer to Natalie. Nat leaned over, stared at the photograph and gasped. This small woman had just shoved a knife in the man's stomach and turned to face the camera unknowingly. Her own face stared back at her. If she hadn't known exactly where she'd been all day, she'd have questioned her own sanity. How was this possible? "I can't believe it. Was this the same woman you saw the other night?" She questioned Trace. "Nat, I would have sworn it was you. She's a dead ringer for you. Her speech, her mannerism, her walk....they are all you. You can see why I thought ..." Tracy turned red and felt guilty for having believed Nat capable of such violence. Natalie walked over and put her arm on the young blonde's shoulder. "It's okay, Trace. If I didn't know better I would have sworn it was me too." She turned bright blue eyes filled with happiness now. "But at least I have friends who have faith in me." She immediately went to Nick and hugged him fiercely, then turned back to the Captain. "Does this mean I'm off the hook since I have an iron clad alibi this time and you have the photo?" Reese smiled with relief. "I should have you cleared with the Crown by midnight, but until then I want you to stay with Nick and Tracy. Maybe you can be of some help in the forensic department. Jerry's not the greatest in figuring out the obvious. We'd appreciate your opinion." Reese's brown eyes radiated warmth, but worry. "We still have to figure out who this woman is and why she keeps showing up places where she can be seen committing murder. It almost appears she is trying to set you up and she almost managed it. Word was out on the street that you had disappeared all day. The Prosecutor sent a squad car to your house and to Nick's, but you weren't at home and they couldn't get into Nick's place. They had no way of knowing where you were all day. That's where she messed up. I think this woman is killing these men to frame you. When you get done looking over the forensic report, I want you to look at the list of names Tracy has pulled up on your old case files. There's a connection." Reese's phone rang and he grabbed it immediately. "Reese! Understood...I'll send my people over immediately." He flipped the mobile phone closed and stared at the three in front of them. "There's another one over by that nightclub, the Raven. All three of you get over there. There's an eyewitness to the murder this time.. Wanna bet she fingers you, Nat?" "We're on it, Cap!" Nick grabbed Nat's elbow and they all headed for the caddy. --------- "That's her!" The young girl screamed when Natalie stepped out of the car. "She's the one who killed him. She tried picking up Joey in the bar and when he wouldn't leave with her, she knifed him." Angry green eyes glared at Natalie. Nick walked up to her and shoved the photograph into the young woman's hands. "Is that the woman you saw?" The young girl looked at the photo and nodded her head yes. "That photo was taken this afternoon while Doctor Lambert was with me. Doctor Lambert was detained until 30 minutes ago under close supervision, and I can guarantee you...she is not the woman you saw." The young woman stared at the photo, then back at Natalie. "They could be twins. I mean...I believe you, Detective, but I swear to you the woman who killed Joey looks exactly like Doctor Lambert." Natalie walked over to the young woman and let her study her closely. "You're sure she looks exactly like me. I mean the hair, eyes, nose...everything?" The young girl nodded the affirmative again. "I know everyone has a twin somewhere, but they're never exactly alike. It's not genetically possible." Natalie was becoming more confused as the whole thing continued. "Nat you go back with the body and see if you can come up with anything. Trace, you take this young lady downtown and take her statement. I'm going to nose around here and see if I can come up with anything. This place usually doesn't quiet down until after 2 a.m. I'll see if I can find anyone who knows anything. Call me if you find something." Everyone headed off and Nick let his extra senses take over. As the uniforms cleared the bystanders, Nick searched the area methodically using smell, sight and gut instinct to look for clues. After an hour, the scene was clear and only Nick remained, talking with some of the clientele. Each time, he verified it was Natalie they'd seen earlier in the club when they were shown the picture. He'd yet to find LaCroix, and the lack of his own kind sent his senses reeling. Something was wrong, and he was certain LaCroix was at the bottom of it. Nothing short of a hunter would keep LaCroix away from a murder scene so close to home with this much blood...and where was the rest of the community? One last trip into the alley while the bar cleared out, then he'd find his mysterious sire and what he was up to. Part 5 ----------- She paced the floor incessantly. Where was he? That was entirely too close. She hadn't meant for it to happen. The boy was just too easy. She loved the feel of the steel blade in her hand. She stared at her fingers, still savoring the feeling of the warm blood pouring over them. She loved it. What a rush! And to think she was getting paid for it as well. It was just too perfect. She began to laugh hysterically. The air changed and she turned. He stood before her, once more dressed all in black, just as he had each time before. She'd done as he'd asked. It was so easy and he loved listening to the stories. He lived for the thrill of the blood. Each time she'd let him lick the blood off her fingers. It was strangely erotic and his eyes did strange things to her stomach. If she'd not known her own sexual patterns, she'd have sworn she was attracted to him. Maybe they were just kindred spirits. After all, he'd paid for all the surgical repairs after her accident. There had to be something between them. "It would appear, little one, you have made a grave error." One moment he was across the room, the next he was standing beside her. Strong fingers wrapped around her arms. "You didn't follow directions very well. It would appear my plan has been compromised. Pity...I was beginning to like you. You have the same look as the good doctor but none of the tedious little tendencies that make her such an annoyance." He ran his fingers down her smooth skin, then trailed it back to her ear where the only visible scar of her transformation still existed. He stared at it in fascination and locked onto her heartbeat. Medical techniques had come so far in the past century. It never ceased to amaze him. If only she'd not had to wear that wig, the tiny woman before him would have passed for a perfect twin of the good doctor. Her short curly hair floated around her face as she stared motionless into his eyes. Pity, he could have used her for entertainment and satisfied his own fantasies, but she'd eliminated that possibility now by killing so close to home. Nicholas was already here. He sources already told him the good doctor had been cleared by the Crown of any wrong doing and it wouldn't take Nicholas long to figure out who was behind this little frame. It had such class. If she'd just been a little more reliable, everything would have been different. The good doctor would be in jail, Nicholas' high ideals about killing would have been smashed and with a little luck, he would have had his son back. Alas, it was time to regroup and fight another day. His fangs descended and he savored the anticipation before plunging his fangs into the sweet neck of his victim. "LaCroix!" Nick's voice echoed through the almost vacant building. Only the clean up crew remained and soon vanished when they felt, rather than heard, the rage in Nick's voice. ---------- Something drew him to the dumpster. The killing had been nowhere close to it, but it sat so close to the back door to LaCroix's chambers it drew him like a magnet. Moments later, he pulled a long auburn curly- haired wig from the far corner. He stared at it in amazement and locked on to the scent. He followed it to the door and the pieces finally fell into place. Once again, his so called father was trying to manipulate the future to his own benefit. Anger coursed through Nick and he gave into it. He would kill LaCroix for this. "That's what I get for thinking you actually cared about me!" Nick growled as he wrenched the door off the hinges and stormed in. -------------- "LaCroix! Show yourself! I know you are here...I can feel it!" Nick crashed into the door that separated LaCroix's private chambers from the rest of the Raven. First, he ripped the Monet off the wall into shreds, then started for LaCroix's precious rebec sitting silently on the nightstand. He reached for it, but a strong hand crushed his wrist. Nick reacted instantly and pushed backward sending them sprawling across the floor. Both men rolled and stood facing each other in full vampire mode, filled with rage. Nick growled, then lunged at LaCroix ripping into his side with a broken bottle he'd picked up off the floor. LaCroix howled in pain and tossed Nick across the room. "It's so nice to see you in your true state, Nicholas. It has been centuries since I've seen you enraged." LaCroix smirked as he caught his breath and rubbed his bleeding side. "I see you haven't lost your touch for being able to draw first blood, but you'll have to do better than that." In the time it takes to breathe, he was across the room slamming Nick hard up against the wall and ripping his now elongated sharp nails through his son's abdominal wall. Nick screamed in pain as LaCroix's immense age and power coursed through his entire body from the gaping wound, but he refused to give into it. A quick knee to the groin doubled LaCroix over and stopped the onslaught of the power he pushed into Nick's body through the wound in his side. Nick followed with a slicing motion across LaCroix's face and throat, opening his neck to the bone with the glass shard in his hand. LaCroix screamed in agony and responded immediately. He threw Nick through the wall crashing into the main room of the dance floor. "I see I have underestimated you again, Nicholas. I had forgotten how powerful you are when you are angry. I shall not forget that again." LaCroix launched himself at his son, once more lost to the feeling of rage running rampant through him. Each blow was retaliated by the other as they continued to destroy the Raven. The sirens could be heard from the distance, but both refused to give in. Blood poured freely from them both as they waged the 800 year old war once more. LaCroix marveled at Nick's strength and persistence and was thrilled to see his son at his best. Each blow was worth the pain, just to see his son give into his true nature. Maybe now Nicholas would see what the power had to offer. Through the haze of pain, Nick felt his father's pleasure. Confused, he pushed into the link only to be horrified at what he felt. He had let LaCroix unleash his beast...and it disgusted him. All his efforts and desires would be wasted if he gave in totally to the animal within himself. Wasn't this what he detested most? The power of the beast over the man, for the sake of pleasure, no matter what the cost. Was this what he wanted? Is this what he'd become? He stopped, looked deep within himself, and felt something stronger. It was there, just hiding and waiting to be sought out. He pushed into it and Natalie's face swam before his eyes. Anger and rage was not the answer. LaCroix sensed the change in Nick and attacked. Slamming Nick to the floor, he straddled his son and rammed a wooden table leg through his right shoulder. A scream of pain tore from Nick's lips as the wooden stake effectively pinned him to the floor. He pulled forward in an effort to free himself, tearing bone and tissue. LaCroix slammed him back hard into the floor. "Enough, Nicholas, or I shall stake your other shoulder as well!" Finally gaining control of his anger, LaCroix removed himself from on top of his son. Blood poured freely from his side and neck, but his metabolism worked to heal it. It was taking longer than usual and that bothered LaCroix. Never before had it taken this long. Nicholas' power had increased and the question was why? He stared at his son, who labored to breathe from the severity of the wounds in his side and shoulder. Large pools of blood were forming beside Nick and a tinge of regret edged LaCroix's cold heart. What had he done? He started toward his son, only to see Nick lunge forward off the stake, ripping it clear through his shoulder and freeing himself. Nick screamed in agony when the wood tore through his body, but he continued none-the-less. LaCroix stepped forward to steady him but Nick shoved his arm away. "Don't touch me!" He growled as he gasped for breath. "Let me help you, Nicholas. Your body will not be able to heal itself from the power I used." LaCroix caught Nick as he stumbled and almost fell to the floor. "You can be so stubborn, Nicholas. Why do you insist on provoking me. You know you can't win." LaCroix raked a fang across his wrist and let it bleed freely, then offered it to Nick. Nick eyed the blood and the scent of his father. The bond between them called to him to take what was offered and heal his battered body, but the man inside refused. He would never be free of LaCroix if he accepted. With all the strength he possessed, he pushed his father's arm aside. "I've already won, LaCroix. I've conquered my beast. I've found something stronger than your blood. Something even the vampire can't destroy, so you decided to eliminate it. Well it didn't work. Natalie still lives in the light guided by good...not evil. She did not give into the fear or the evil you wanted to control her. Instead, her love for me and for life has made us both stronger." Nick pushed himself slowly to his feet. He grabbed the chair closest to him to keep from falling, then grasped his side as a wave of pain washed through him. The intensity took his breath away, but he pushed into it in spite of the pain. The pain would purge the evil within him. Good was stronger than evil, and for the first time in 800 years...he believed it. A strange peace overcame him, then he felt Natalie reaching out to him. For the first time in centuries he said a small prayer of thanks to God for letting him find her. He turned pain- filled blue eyes to his father. "Thank you, LaCroix. I never have said that to you, because I've always felt the gift you gave me was a curse...but I was wrong." LaCroix stared in disbelief at his son. "Without this gift, I would have never met Natalie. I regret a great many things I have done in my life and I have much to atone for...but now I see that good is stronger than evil. Tonight the power of evil within me is gone. Tonight I start over letting the good in the man and the vampire control my destiny...and I have you to thank for that." A great sadness passed over Nick's face when he stared at his father. "I only wish you could see that, too." The sirens came to a screaming halt outside the bar. A loud crash announced the arrival of the police. Part 6 ------------- Tracy preceded the uniformed policemen into the Raven. Someone had called it in. Somehow, she knew Nick was here and in trouble. She should have known Nick wouldn't let it lie and LaCroix had something to do with all of this. She only hoped Nick didn't try taking him on alone. The man was evil, pure unadulterated evil. Although Vachon had never said so, she was certain he was a vampire. It oozed from LaCroix and the cold feeling of death surrounded him like a cloud. She could feel it. She was surprised Nick couldn't as well. She shook her head to clear the feeling of rage and anger she felt within the room. Maybe she was gifted as well as a resistor. She hoped not. The uniforms poured over the demolished tavern and found nothing but destroyed furniture and blood...lots of blood. They'd started the search of the private chambers in back, only to find more blood and more destruction. "I don't see anyone, Detective Vetter." Officer Monroe stated a little nervously. This place gave him the creeps. He'd heard rumors about the Raven, but he'd not given them much credence until now. The place had a feeling of death about it. A cold shiver ran down his spine and he fought to control his body's reaction. He had to give Vetter high marks for control because she was cool and calm as she methodically went through the building. Several of the men tried to open a heavy wooden door to the cellar to no avail, then finally gave up. "The building is deserted. There's only one door we can't get open and it looks like it hasn't been used in a couple of decades. I doubt there's anything down there if we could get it open." He watched Tracy closely and hoped she'd agree. He really wasn't crazy about the idea of going down into a deep dark hole anywhere, let alone the Raven. "But we can get someone over here to pry it open if you think it's necessary." Tracy could feel the unease in the rest of the men and how bravely they fought it. "Try again, Monroe." "Detective Vetter, Sargent Maxwell said to tell you they found your partner's car a block from here. They said you'd want to know. Maybe Detective Knight knows something about what's been going on here." The young officer offered quickly. "Thanks, Officer Clark. I'll find Nick. The rest of you finish checking the whole building again and if you can't get the cellar door open, call in the bomb squad. I want to make sure there are no surprises. Okay?" She didn't wait for an answer, but headed for the back door and the alley where they'd found the body earlier. Nick was here, she could feel it. She stopped suddenly with that thought and gasped. She could feel him, why? Tracy checked the alley, then expanded her search another block. Turning the second corner she saw the blood. It was bright red and heavy, running down the side alley between the two buildings across the street from the Raven. She turned the corner and saw the shadow move slowly up against the wall. Every nerve in her body tensed, then she rushed forward. "Nick?" Tracy ran to his side as he leaned heavily against the brick wall and the dumpster that nestled close against the coarse surface. She gasped when she saw the blood covered shirt and sleeves that surrounded his waist. "Nick!!!" Tracy reached to help him. He used his left arm to hold his side and stomach to staunch the flow of blood, while his right tried to help maintain him upright. Pain-filled blue eyes met hers when she reached to steady him. "No, Trace...don't." Nick's voice was strained and weak. "I'm alright. Just go home." He tried to move away from the wall and fell forward instead, causing her to catch him before he hit the ground. He groaned in pain when she touched his side. Tracy reached inside her jacket pocket for her cell phone and dialed the precinct. "This is Detective Vetter, I have an..." Nick snapped the phone closed, disconnecting her. "No, Trace! I can't go to the hospital. I'll be alright." Nick's bloody fingers encompassed hers while she held the phone between them. "Nick, you're bleeding to death. I've got to get you to a hospital." True fear etched her face as she watched him labor to breathe. He struggled valiantly against the pain ravaging his body. "This is not up for discussion." She flipped open the phone and started to dial again. "Tracy!" Nick grabbed the phone and tossed it across the alley. "Look at me, Trace! Look at me and tell me why I can't go to the hospital." Golden eyes met hers as he wrapped fingers of iron around her wrist. "I'm sorry, Trace...but if I go to the hospital there will be more questions than answers and I..." Nick faltered as a wave of pain gripped him and sent him to his knees. Tracy once more stopped his downward descent to the ground. Pain- filled blue eyes met hers once more. "Please, Trace. Take me back to the loft. Take me to Natalie...I need Nat." He gasped for breath and fought the scream that wanted to tear from his throat. Something was wrong. He wasn't healing. The wound in his shoulder was healed, but his gut was on fire and he still bled freely into his hand. His body needed something. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind the answer floated, teasing him to remember, but for the life of him he couldn't make it surface. "Okay, Nick, okay!" Tracy supported him. "I should stake you myself, but I think I'll just wait and let Natalie do it...or maybe I'll just stake you both." She helped him to his feet and they made their way slowly to the caddy around the corner. She slid him into the passenger seat. He screamed in agony when she twisted his legs to get him into the car. "Give me your keys, Nick." She searched his jacket pocket, finding them quickly. He was past the point of resistance. Finally, he gave into the black void that beckoned as the wall of torture continued to cascade through his body. "Great, the first time I get to drive the caddy and you're not even awake for me to cause you grief. There is no justice in this life." She turned over the engine and headed for the loft. -------------- Alma sealed the entrance to the cellar, and listened to the frightened heartbeat echo through the chamber. Most of the vampires had fled the Raven when Nick crashed through the back door. LaCroix's and Nick's fights were legendary. Several of them had seen them get into it centuries ago and cared not to be involved. LaCroix's temperament of late was not good to begin with and Nick's insistent 'I'm Unhappy with What I Am' syndrome was not helping. The last thing anyone wanted to do was get between them. Nick had a reputation of being totally lethal when pissed off. He wasn't going to take it kindly when he found out LaCroix had been trying to have his beloved Natalie framed for murder. Alma wasn't too keen on getting near LaCroix if he found out what she'd been up to either. If he even suspected she, or some of the others, were having similar thoughts as Nick...they'd all be staked. Nick would probably pay the price for it, either with his own life or Nat's. From the sound of things upstairs, she wasn't certain Nick wouldn't suffer for it anyway. In the meantime she had to repay a debt, and the woman below was the price of that debt. Alma concentrated and went in search of her quarry. Part 7 --------- Nick awoke to the strong heartbeat pounding into his blood starved brain. It throbbed in his mind, causing the beast within him to pay attention. It called to him like a voice on the breeze, promising sweet pleasure wrapped in something beyond description. His body craved it like a man seeking water on the desert. It was the cure to the pain ravaging his body, and both the man and the vampire knew it instantly. It was so familiar, a part of him that his body required if he were to survive, but his mind fought the idea. His heart ached with something worse than the pain that burned within his gut. He would not give into the beast. He would not sacrifice that which he treasured above all else. Natalie's life would not be the price of his redemption, not tonight...not ever. Nick coughed , which caused the blood to flow even faster out of the gashes torn through his stomach. "Nick?" Tracy raced around the side of the caddy and helped him to stand. "Stay with me now. Just remember only stakes and sunlight kill vampires." She tried to smile, but the pain on her partner's face and the gray color caused her to doubt everything she thought she knew. "Come on, Nick. Nat's upstairs. She'll know what to do." Tracy threw his arm around her neck, and all but carried Nick to the lift. "I should be pissed about this you know, Partner. You could have trusted me." She hesitated, and her memory flashed to the locker room once more. She'd said those words to him before. She stared at him as the lift stopped. He was bleeding to death. How was this possible? What happened at the Raven? What was going on? How long had Nick been a vampire? Why weren't his wounds healing? The door flew open and Natalie stood before them. Nat's blue eyes locked on Nick's limp form and she gasped. Without hesitation, she grabbed his other arm to help them out of the lift. "Help me get him to the couch, Trace." Nat's professional mode kicked in and Tracy had to admire her for that. She wasn't sure she could have handled seeing Vachon like this if he had lived. All of a sudden thousands of little pieces began to fall into place. Nick and Natalie were a whole lot closer than friends. Natalie knew all about Nick's condition, and Nick trusted only her. He'd asked her to take him to only one person. Trust is what bound them together. Nick never once doubted Nat's innocence, and Tracy had lost count of the number of times Nat had stood by Nick without anything substantial. She watched Nat strip the cloth away from the wound and tenderly assess the damage. Tears formed behind her lovely blue eyes and she brushed them away silently when they slid down her cheeks. No, it was more than trust that held them together. It was something stronger. "Tell me what to do, Nat." Tracy touched Nat's sleeve as she worked. Blue eyes met hers filled with fear. "Get the blood out of the refrigerator. Bring me the green bottles, quickly. Something is wrong...very wrong." Nat held pressure over Nick's abdomen as she spoke. He groaned in pain fighting for consciousness. "Nat?" Nick's voice was barely a whisper. "I need blood..." He gasped as a wave of torment tore through him and he clutched his hand over hers still pressed into his wound. Tracy returned carrying the green bottles. She shoved one into Nat's hand. She quickly brought it to his lips. With the first taste of the precious fluid, he grabbed the bottle and drained it. The bitter taste of the steer did little to ease the pain continuing to assault his body. It wasn't enough, the throbbing in his head from Nat's heartbeat only continued to increase. This was a mistake. He wouldn't be able to control himself. Golden eyes greeted Nat's. "You have to get out of here, Nat. I need human blood...I need..." A scream tore from his lips with the next wave of pain. He dropped the bottle and clutched his abdomen to ride it through. Nat grabbed Tracy's hand and pressed it into Nick's bleeding wound. "Hold your hand here, Trace." She bolted to the freezer and popped the emergency stash of human blood into the microwave. Minutes later, she brought the fresh blood back to Nick. The smell intoxicated him, out of control, his fangs dropped. Tracy stared in fascination as her partner, an all around boy-scout, turned into a full fledged vampire. Within seconds, he'd drained the first bag and started on the second. Nat returned to his side and pulled Tracy's hand free to watch the wound close. Nick had finished the 3rd unit of blood and still the wound bled freely. "I don't understand. Why isn't it healing, Nick?" Everything she'd learned in 7 years about vampires said human blood would heal them, but Nick wasn't healing. Nick almost passed out when she probed the wound to look for wood pieces. The human blood soothed the throbbing in his head, but it was not what his body needed to heal. "Nick?" Panic edged Nat's voice, but not out of fear of the beast. She was losing him and she knew it. One hand reached for her face to wipe the tears away. "It's okay, Nat. I just need time to..." He stopped in mid-sentence using all his strength to keep from screaming. "He's poisoned the wound." Alma appeared beside them, unnerved and visibly frightened. "Tell her, Nick. Tell her that your so-called father poisoned the wounds to make you pay for your lack of vision. Tell her that only the blood of someone who is a part of you will heal the wound. " Alma turned sad eyes to Nat. "LaCroix wants Nick to beg him for his blood. He wants Nick to realize he can't live without him, that he is a part of him for all eternity. That it's his blood that made him and his blood that will keep him alive, not anything you can do for Nick." Alma knelt down beside Natalie. "But something is wrong, Natalie. Nick should never have been able to hurt LaCroix the way he did. LaCroix flew out in a rage, bleeding severely and healing slowly. Something has changed in Nick and I'm betting it's you. When we were together yesterday you said something was different in his blood versus mine. Tell me what happened. Did you exchange blood with him? I know he almost drained you 6 months ago, but recently has anything happened between you?" Alma searched Natalie's face and realized immediately when Nat remembered. "I wanted to feel him. I begged him to let me feel what was in his blood and we..." "You shared blood with him? His blood mixed with yours?" Alma whispered in disbelief, then turned unbelieving eyes to Nick barely in control. "You've drunk from her, shared blood with her and not killed her or brought her across? That's not possible!" She turned to Nat and listened to her heartbeat. She stood up quickly and stepped back. "What kind of strength do you possess, Nick? I've only heard of it in the legends. No one in over a millennium has had the will power to resist the beast and share their blood with a mortal after they've tasted their blood. The ancients say it's not possible anymore, that human servants are myths dreamed of by those who wish to rule all mankind." She stared at Nick in disgust. "Tell me I'm wrong, Nick. Tell me all my efforts to help Natalie find a cure for you was not in vain. Tell me all those mornings these past few months I've spent with Natalie to compare the differences in our blood were for the right reasons. Tell me I hid everything I was doing from LaCroix for good...not evil." Alma locked onto Nick's vampire presence and waited. Nick struggled to a sitting position fighting the siren call of Natalie's blood. The urge to ease his pain overwhelmed him and he gasped with the enormity of it. "Natalie is not my servant, Alma." Nick hesitated between waves of torment. "I shared blood with her because I...we...needed to be a part of each other. I should have left. I should have made her forget, but I couldn't. I'm a low-life bastard and I should have never come into her life. I know that, but I..." Nick's eyes went to Nat's and he reached out to her in pain even though he knew he shouldn't. It only made it worse. Being near her without taking her blood in his condition was sheer torture, but he paid the price for it willingly just to touch her delicate skin one last time. "I love her...I know I shouldn't. I know it's the worst thing I could do for her, but I'm not sorry. Every minute I have spent with her is worth any price I have to pay, but I won't ever drag her into the darkness with me. I'll die first." Nick coughed blood and the pain racked his body until he screamed in agony from the hot knives slashing through his gut. Fire burned within him, but he refused to give into the beast. He lunged to his feet to escape the torment. . "Nick!" Nat screamed in anguish as he collapsed. He doubled over on the floor, holding himself and fighting the incessant need for her blood. She cradled him in her arms and wept openly. "I'm not letting you go, Nick Knight. If you die, so do I. If you won't bring me into the darkness with you, I'll follow you into the light." Nat caressed his face with one hand while she held him in her arms. He wanted to hold her, be with her. Make her one with him totally...but not like this. This wasn't what they wanted and he couldn't give her what she needed. "No, Nat, not like this. You have to let me go for both our sakes." Alma stared at the two of them on the floor and could feel the love between them. Nick wasn't evil. He and Natalie belonged together and she was the answer to his pain. "Give him your blood, Natalie. It's the love in your blood that will ease the pain and heal his body. You are a part of him and his body knows it. The love in your blood will cure him. Whether mortal or vampire, you are bound together for all eternity. Give him your blood." Alma came to their side and knelt down on the floor. "Take her blood, Nick. Show us that there are things stronger than the evil within us. Give those of us out there that aren't happy with what we are hope for something else." "Nick, take my blood." Nat pulled him toward her throat. "No!" He fought her weakly. "I...I won't stop...I know what you taste like...Please, Nat, let me go." He tried to push away, but she wouldn't let him. Her lips found his. First gently, then with more force, she deepened the kiss until he responded. Desire washed through him and he sought the warmth she had to offer, but still he resisted. She wrapped her tongue around his sensitive fangs and sliced it open. Blood poured into his mouth and he was lost to the love and warmth she possessed. Each drop tasted sweet and fresh, filled with hope and trust that they would be together. Her love flooded his senses and the pain eased within him. Her blood was filled with no fear, no regret, no doubts about his ability to stop before he killed her." He tore his mouth away from hers in awe and gently ran his fingertips down her tear- stained face. "How can you trust me that much? How can you have that kind of faith?" "I love you, Nick, now and always. Trust in yourself and your love for me and we can have an eternity together." Love and faith shown brightly in her eyes, then she turned and offered him her neck. Slowly and gently he slid his fangs into her soft flesh and drank. Part 8 Her blood cooled the fire within him and the pain ceased. Each mouthful of her sweet essence filled him with love and hope and he was lost to it. Her trust in him, her desire to find the cure using Alma's blood, filled in all the gaps of where she'd been for the last several months. Her agreement to keep their work secret to protect Alma and Nick all made sense now. LaCroix would have become enraged if he'd found that Nick's desire for mortality was sought by others as well. Never once had she blamed him for what happened on that night 6 months ago. It had only served as a catalyst in driving her to finding a cure sooner. Her fear of living without him outweighed any emotion, cost or price she had to pay. She loved him body and soul and would follow him wherever it led them. Pure trust and faith in him, wrapped in love, had guided her to this point...and she had no regrets. Peace and pleasure flooded his senses. He released her neck, then sighed, completely filled with her love. Her bright blue eyes filled with relief met his. He caressed her cheek gently, then kissed her softly. "I will love you for eternity and beyond, Natalie Lambert. Together, we start over tonight. Nothing shall ever keep us apart. You are my light and my heart, and I give it to you freely...but you have to see the whole package. You have to understand what I have been, if we are to move forward." He brought his wrist to his fangs and sliced it open. He looked into her eyes for understanding of what he was offering to her. She offered him her wrist without hesitation. He hesitated momentarily and looked deep into her eyes. "We shall be bound together by blood through life and death and you won't be able to change your mind. They say a vampire who lets a mortal see his soul is chained to them for eternity. That only together are they whole." Nick didn't move as he searched her eyes for the answer he sought. Nat placed her wrist to his mouth and he sliced it open, letting the blood flow freely down her arm. She placed her bleeding wrist to his and clasped his hand in hers. "Show me your soul, Nick. Let me see what you were...and why. I won't run away because I knew a long time ago I wasn't complete without you. Let me see all that you are, and I will gladly bind myself to you for now and always. You are my heart and my light, even in the darkness." She leaned in to kiss him, and he let the images flow between them. Nick's past swam before her eyes, but his love and faith in them together stayed constant. His fear of her leaving was banished with the first taste of her blood. They were finally as they were meant to be...together. ---------- Alma sat quietly beside the bed after she'd carried both Nick and Natalie upstairs. Physical exhaustion claimed them both, and they slept. She'd placed Natalie in Nick's arms, then covered them both with a blanket. Pure contentment was written on their faces and it caused Alma to smile. She'd been right after all. Nick was not evil. Natalie could never love anything that was evil. Alma stared at the petite woman nestled snugly in Nick's embrace. She'd never known anyone in her life who could rival the purity and love that Natalie possessed. She was the only truly kind person Alma had ever met. She both admired and respected her for that. "They look right together." Tracy's voiced floated softly across the room from where she stood watching. Alma looked at the young woman, almost forgetting Tracy had been there through the whole event. "I've never seen anything like that." Tracy said in awe. "I've never felt anything so strong." She turned questioning eyes to Alma. "Neither have I, Tracy." Alma pulled up a chair and motioned for her to sit. Tracy came to her side and sat down quietly. "I'm sorry you are upset with Nick, but you have to understand he went to great lengths to protect you from the community. It was Nick who managed to make Vachon finally grow up and take his responsibilities about you seriously. He's changed the way many of our kind look at life and death by the way he lives his life. He's been ridiculed, ostracized, chastised and beaten over the centuries, but his faith in what was right never faltered. Only LaCroix's constant threats and manipulation of Natalie caused Nick to go over the edge tonight..." Alma turned back to Nick with respect in her eyes. "...but he won. Nick never lost trust in Natalie, and Nat never once wavered in the faith that Nick would find the answer. Everyone is terrified of LaCroix, because of his age and the power within him, but Nick refused to give in. Even tonight, Nick managed to conquer his beast and claim the man within himself." Alma smiled at Tracy sitting beside her. Trace stared at Nick filled with an uncertainty. "Will he ever trust me, Alma?" She turned sad eyes to the young vampire. "I mean, I know he was trying to protect me, but I'm a big girl now. Vachon is gone, dead by my own hand, and I have to live with that. I need a partner who will trust me." Awakened by the soft voices, Nick reached over and laid his hand on top of Tracy's. "I'm still trying to master this trust thing, Trace. I've had centuries filled with deceit and treacherous lies bent on controlling me. You just have to give me some time...One step at a time...One person at a time." He smiled at her hoping for the best. Tracy clasped her hand over his. "You are the only person who has treated me as an equal, Nick. I guess I can give you a break in return. Maybe in another decade or so, you'll tell me how you managed to keep me in the dark so long about your strange feeding habits. I always thought of myself as being astute and keeping an open mind, but you are the last person I would ever have guessed to be a..." She made the biting sound with her mouth, causing him to laugh. "You mean a blood sucking creature of the night...or is that your rendition of a squirrel in need of a dentist?" Tracy broke into laughter. "I see you are recovering and that dry sense of humor of yours has returned." Tracy stood, then pushed the chair back into place under the desk. "By the way, just how old are you anyway?" She eyed him closely and waited. Nick smiled mischievously. "Why, Trace, I'm only 35. Isn't that what my file says? You did check it when you signed on, didn't you?" A wicked gleam shown in his bright blue eyes. He truly loved to tease her. "Right, and Vachon was 26. I believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and marriage without sex, too." She glared at him, secretly relieved to have him feeling better, but he still refused to answer the question. "You aren't going to tell me, are you?" She groaned in exasperation, then looked to Alma for help. She lifted her shoulder in a shrug. "All I know, Trace, is he's the second oldest member of the community in Toronto ever since Janette left." "Thanks, Alma. I needed to be reminded of that. Nothing like kicking a guy when he's down." Nick chastised her lightly. "Right! You're telling me that the only member of the community older than you is LaCroix? You see, Vachon implied LaCroix was much older than he looked." She stared at Nick in disbelief. "Well, he is my father and he is past the kinder side of 2000." He turned twinkling blue eyes back to hers as he teased. "You would expect him to be older...at least a little." He laughed when her mouth dropped open. "Okay, I give up. I'll just get Nat to tell me. After all, I still have to go find her impersonator to totally clear her. That's got to be worth something." Tracy headed for the door. "She's in the cellar of the Raven." Alma stated calmly. "I locked her in the wine room. I mean the real wine room, not LaCroix's special reserve wine cellar. He'll never look for her there. She's completely insane. After she watched part of the fight between Nick and LaCroix, she lost it. I tried to wash her memory away, but her mind was too fragile. LaCroix started to kill her, but you interrupted him, Nick. LaCroix is gone. No one knows where, so I locked her up." Alma stared at Nat's sleeping form on Nick's shoulder before she continued. "I'm sorry, Nick. I came to Natalie and offered her a deal. The use of my blood to compare to yours in exchange for the cure if she found it. I made her promise not to tell anyone that we were spending time together. I was afraid LaCroix would take it out on you, or her, along with me. I wanted her to know there were others who supported you even though we couldn't come forth." She turned soft brown eyes to Nick's. "I didn't realize LaCroix was using me to keep Nat away from you, to let his little double do her dirty work. I would have come to testify if it had come to that, Nick. You have to believe that. I would never let anything happen to Natalie if I could help it...or you either." Alma almost blushed when she realized what she'd admitted. She turned away quickly. "It's okay, Alma. I'm flattered you care." Nick placed his hand over hers. "It's okay to care about people, Alma. There's nothing wrong with that. That's what you're suppose to feel. That cold dead feeling inside of you can be replaced with something wonderful, if you let it. Trust yourself and it will get better." Alma smiled in relief. "Thanks, Nick, and tell Nat thanks when she wakes up. Alma stood, then walked to the door to join Tracy. "I think I'll go help Tracy round up our little look alike." She smiled and the beauty held behind the mask of the vampire started to shine through. "By the way, make sure Nat shows you the painting she's been doing. She's very talented. I've been giving her lessons." She waved, then she and Tracy disappeared out the door. ----------- Nat walked into the loft carrying a large canvas covered frame. Her look alike had been arrested and confined to the mental institution for evaluation, as she babbled about vampires, blood, and evil creatures of the night. Nick helped Nat out of the lift and sat the painting on his easel in the corner. She stepped in front of it, a bit insecure. "Now don't expect too much. I was doing it for your birthday. Alma was giving me lessons." Nat fidgeted with her hands, then stared at her feet, feeling really awkward. This was stupid. She'd shared her blood and her body with the man before her. He knew everything there was to know about her, but still she felt awkward and shy about this. "Nat, I'm sure it's wonderful and you don't have to show it to me before my birthday...but since you have gone to the effort to bring it, don't you want me to peek at it? You don't honestly think I could let it sit here for a month and not look, do you?" His bright blue eyes searched hers. "Okay, but don't laugh!" She hesitated again, then snatched the cover off the painting and stepped away. Nick smiled when he saw the painting. It was a self portrait of the two of them together. She'd taken his profile and shadowed it behind hers. The depth of the portrait created warmth and a feeling of peace that few artists ever attained. The light of love shown from her eyes as she stared into the shadow of his profile. He stepped forward and touched the canvas reverently as the image she created cried out to him, "It's magnificent, Natalie," then he read the inscription. 'Without trust, all hope is gone...Without hope, there can be no faith...Without faith, there is no love....I will trust and love you forever! ---Natalie Nick turned to stare at her, then pulled her into his arms. "I have no idea what I did to deserve you, but I thank God for every day since I met you." He kissed the top of her head, then pushed her away only far enough to find her lips. The sweet passion she evoked brought a peace he'd never known, until now. "I want you to know that I will love you for all eternity, Natalie...because I have faith," He kissed her forehead, "...hope" then her eyelids "...and trust," He kissed her nose and started for her lips as he finished. "...in us...together." The End All comments to: StormyNite**nitewind@www.plantnet.com** **NN Packer to the End ** Hopelessly Hopeful Romantic** **Light Cousin***MadNatter*** X-File DieHard***Xenite**GWDFC** ******Only Love is Forever and Death Shall Have No Dominion******* >http://ns.plantnet.com/~nitewind/Main.html FK SciFi Window >http://ns.plantnet.com/~nitewind/Fiction2.html StormyNite Fiction