From mcombs@erols.com Mon Mar 16 08:53:46 1998 Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 19:15:37 -0500 From: Mary Combs To: fkfanfic@merlin.darkmage.net Subject: Archiving Infection Please archive Infection at the new FTP site. Mary This vignette is a small addendum to "Last Knight." It just won't grow any bigger, so I might as well set it free. The title was inspired by Janette's second conversation with Nick in the loft in "Human Factor." I've put the relevant dialogue at the end. Nick, Natalie and LaCroix are the property of Sony, Tristar and TPTB, and I am borrowing them for just a minute or two. Comments and virtual chocolate (no flames please) to mcombs@erols.com. Infection (01/01) "Damn you, Nicholas!" It was a clean blow, straight through the heart, but death did not come instantly. He was too old. He had flung out his right arm, in reflex, to break the fall, and now Nick used the last of his strength to gather Natalie close, easing his head onto her breast. LaCroix stood motionless above them, hands clenched at his sides. "She's gone Nicholas. But it's not too late for you." His icy control, perfected through centuries of practice, threatened to fail him. "No." The ragged gasp was filled with absolute conviction. "You couldn't stop me..." It was the arrogant voice of the disdainful master. "You won't do it ...." He knelt then, as he had not knelt by Divia. There was no one here to restrain him. "And you won't come back if I do..." "No." And then, in a whisper so faint no human ear could have heard it, "LaCroix...." "Yes ..." He reached out, ready to take the stake in his hands.... "I hear.... trumpets." A faint smile, a sigh, a wisp of smoke.... Nicholas de Brabant was gone. Lucien LaCroix stood and surveyed the ruin at his feet. There was no mark of agony on his son's face. The only sign of violence there was a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. LaCroix bent and wiped it gently away with his fingertip, held it up in front of him, gleaming like a dark ruby in the firelight..... and put it to his lips. He regretted it for a long, long time. But not forever. Finis ________________ "A vampire's heart must be cold. Immortality makes this so. Death is always around us, but we cannot allow it to touch us. So we cannot allow the emotion of loss to infect us..... 800 years is a long time to live with a cold heart, only for yourself."