From: Darkangel this is part 4 of a series i'm writing, the first three parts being "blood and fire", "the taste of dreams", and "fall from grace". warning: if any of the following topics bother you, then don't read this story - bisexuality, polyamoury, slight amounts of bdsm (the whips-and-chains stuff), the occasional non-explicit sex scene, or an author shifting the gravitational constants of the forever knight universe. thanks to cousin james and jennifer lackey for all the help. copyright s. osborne 1995 DISCOVERY by darkangel Natalie Lambert opened one eye, still half-asleep, and looked at Janette, who was flinging clothes left and right from a trunk at the foot of the bed and cursing in French. Nat groaned and rolled over, trying to fall back asleep. She had been having a lovely dream in which she was Little Red Riding Hood and LaCroix was the Wolf... She sighed and sat up groggily. "What are you doing, Janette?" "Oh, cherie, you're awake." The dark-haired woman didn't look up as she threw yet another black dress over her shoulder. "Have you seen a small red box? Velvet-covered?" Suddenly she grinned and held up the box. "Aha! Found it!" "What's in it?" Natalie slid out of the canopy bed and wrapped one of Nick's silk robes around her. She picked up a hairbrush off Janette's dressing table and began to untangle her sleep-knotted locks, watching absently as Janette opened the box to reveal a beautifully masculine silver ring of Celtic knotwork. Janette smiled. "It's for Nick." "It's gorgeous. What's the occasion?" Natalie set the brush down and took the box Janette offered her, fingering the ring admiringly. "His name-day. I didn't give it to him last year because he was off sulking over the whole Halloween incident." Janette frowned for a moment, remembering, then brightened. "Ah well, I can't be angry at him for it. After all, it brought you and I together, ne c'est pas?" She stood up and kissed Natalie briefly. "You might want to pick him up a little something as well - after all, it's only a week away." "What is a 'name-day'? Some ancient tradition that nobody bothered to tell me about?" Nat picked black lace underwear and bra from the dresser and began dressing. "Well, in Nicholas' time, and my own as well, birthdays were not celebrated. Instead, you received presents on the day of the saint you were named for." "And you get him presents every year?" Nat whistled. That's a lot of gifts." She pulled black jeans and a black silk shirt from the wardrobe. "Well, not every year. Only when he's behaving himself." Janette finished putting the dresses back into the trunk and closed the lid. "This will be the first present I've given him in more than a hundred years." Natalie laughed, fastening around her neck the teardrop-shaped silver and onyx pendant that LaCroix had bought her in Rome a few months ago. She slid the silver ring that Nick had given her as a birthday present onto her left ring finger, and pulled a pair of soft black leather boots from under the edge of the bed. "Well, feel like going shopping? It's my night off." Janette looked at her with an appraising eye. "I knew burning your sweatshirts was a good idea." "Why, thank you." Natalie gave her lover a mock-gallant bow and grinned as she kissed Janette's hand. "And you didn't get all of them, my sweet. I just gave you the really old ones." Janette sniffed, trying not to grin. "You modern women have no taste." Nat arched an eyebrow. "Oh really? You said differently last night!" She ducked as her lover threw a pillow at her. "You know what I mean!" Janette bared fangs at her playfully. "You want to see taste? I'll show you taste!" She grabbed Natalie's arm and dragged her towards the door. "Now, where's that all-night mall?" Only Natalie's vampire strength kept her from dropping the packages in her arms. Janette was going through a rack of designer jeans, grinning. "You know, cherie, I never have owned a pair of these." Nat's expression was one of surprise. "Never?" "Never. After all," she teased, "real women wear dresses. Besides, I've been wearing dresses all my life. It's a bit hard to break old habits." She took a pair off the rack and held them up, looking at them and then at Natalie. "Of course, you look so cute in them, I may try a pair myself..." "Well, it would show off that great ass of yours." Nat grinned and set the packages down on the couch meant for tired customers. Janette pretended shock at her lover's comment and laughed. "Well, in that case--" She disappeared into the dressing room with the jeans. Natalie took the opportunity to pull her one purchase out of the pocket of her black trenchcoat - a CD of Gregorian chants. She wondered how Nick would feel about making love to religious hymns... Janette peered out of the dressing room. "Could you hand me that shirt over there?" Natalie went to pick up the blouse off the rack. "No, not that one, the other one!" Nat grabbed the black silk poet's blouse and handed it to Janette. A few minutes later she heard a squeak from the dressing room. "I take it you like it?" Nat smiled wryly to herself as Janette emerged from the fitting room. The brunette spun around, looking as if she'd been poured into the denim, and the ruffles of the poet's blouse accentuated her cleavage. Janette grinned, looking very young for a moment before giving Nat an irritated look. "Well, what do you think?" Natalie laughed. "You look beautiful, as always." "I think I want them. Let me go change..." Natalie had a terrible, horrible idea. "Darling?" "Yes?" Janette's voice was muffled through the dressing room door. "Feel like frightening Nick?" The next evening Natalie knocked on Captain Cohen's office door. "Come in." The Captain didn't sound too annoyed. Nat opened the door. "Hi, Dr. Lambert. What can I do for you?" "I wanted to ask if Nick can have next Thursday off. It's our anniversary," Nat lied, "and I--" "Done." Captain Cohen cut her off brusquely. "His case load isn't bad right now. Anything else?" "No. Thank you." Natalie was surprised at her acceptance. "Close the door on your way out." Captain Cohen was already absorbed in the paperwork on her desk. The coroner was halfway out the door when the Captain spoke again. "And Natalie?" "Yes, Captain?" The older woman smiled. "Happy anniversary." Nick parked his Caddy outside the Raven. This better be good, he thought to himself. He didn't enjoy the fact that his name-day began by waking up alone in the dusty loft where he rarely stayed, rather than next to the women he loved. They had thrown him out for the day, telling him he couldn't come back until tonight. The Raven was deserted, as the club didn't open until nine. "Nat? Janette?" No answer. He heard a noise coming from the back, private section of the club, and followed it. The sound was coming from the "wine" cellar. He went down the stairs. A ponytailed redhead was searching the racks of Janette's private stock. "Can I help you with something?" The red-haired woman turned around. She wore tight, stonewashed blue jeans, Keds, and a white T-shirt bearing an M.C. Escher print. She looked young, fresh-faced - and very, very familiar. "Bonjour, Nicholas." Janette smiled. "I'm just looking for a particular vintage...Aha! Found it!" She pulled a bottle from the shelf, ignoring the fact that Nick looked like someone had just decked him. "Turkish peasant, 1498. Perfect!" Nick shut his mouth to find that it just fell open again. He tried again, with the same effect. "Stop that, Nicholas, you look like a fish." Janette held up another bottle. "It's your name day. Would you prefer 1715 French aristocrat or 1643 German prince?" "Your hair..." "I think we'll have the French. It will make a sweeter dessert - Germanic blood is so coarse!" She put the bottle back, than faced Nick. "And what's wrong with a little self-expression? After all, I've looked the same for the last thousand years. Can't I change?" She sniffed. "Well? Do you like it?" "It's... different," Nick managed. "It looks," he paused, "nice." He eyed the clothes. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen you without anything black on?" "Oh, that. Well, I was in a good mood." She turned to go up the stairs, her ponytail swinging. Natalie was waiting at the top of the stairs. "How'd it go?" Janette snickered. "Beautifully. You should have seen the look on his face - it was well worth having to dress like this, though I think I like the hair... Too bad the dye will be gone by tomorrow night." "I must see this." Nat ran down the steps to see Nick looking rather dazed. "What's wrong, Nick?" Nick had managed to shut his jaw, but he still looked very, very floored. "What happened to Janette?" "We went shopping, and she discovered the joy of bluejeans. Cute, don't you think?" "Um, sure." Nick shook his head, trying to clear it. "It's just that when you've known someone eight hundred years..." "I understand, Nick." Nat swung an arm around his shoulder, trying not to laugh. "Come on, let's go have a drink and unwrap your presents." Janette was waiting at the bar, the Raven looking almost cheerful with all the lights on. She poured them each a glass of Turkish Peasant 1498, then one for herself. "Cheers!" She sipped the blood, smiling. "Come, Nicholas, open mine first." She pushed the brightly wrapped package towards him. He eyed the fuschia wrapping paper warily before ripping the package open. "It's beautiful, Janette." Nick slipped the ring onto his left ring finger and held his hand up to admire it. "Thank you." He kissed her slowly, deeply. Natalie grinned. "I hope you like my gift that much!" She reached into her coat pocket and handed Nick the unwrapped CD. Nick arched an eyebrow. "Gregorian chants?" "You see, Nick," she smiled, "I have this fantasy..." They all felt LaCroix before they saw him. "Having a fantasy without me, dear doctor?" He smiled and came down the steps to where they sat at the bar. "LaCroix." Nick looked at his master warily. "What do you want?" "Darling Nicholas. How presumptuous of you to assume that I would be callous enough to forget your name day! Do you not think I care?" LaCroix smiled, looking inherently wolfish. "I think you only care when it suits your ends." Nick's lip curled in disgust. "After all, you admit freely that you have no morals." LaCroix looked at Nick with a schoolteacher expression. "I have morals, Nicholas. They just happen to be my own and not the product of an antiquated, repressive religion." Nick turned his back and poured himself a glass of blood, staring stubbornly at the surface of the bar. LaCroix chuckled. "By the way, Janette, what have you done to yourself?" Janette looked at the floor and said nothing. "You look like a mortal teenager, my pet. I must say that you look very," he bared his fangs as she spoke, "edible." Janette involuntarily took a step backwards, and Natalie, unable to decide whether to defend her lover or step into LaCroix' arms, lit a cigarette as inconspicuously as possible, and looked at LaCroix suspiciously out of the corner of her eye. The ancient vampire put an arm around Janette, and tilted her head upwards with the crook of his index finger under her chin. He kissed her softly as she averted her eyes and pretended not to enjoy it. He drew back. "Are you done yet?" Janette sniffed, managing to look formidable despite her dress. LaCroix laughed softly. "That's my Janette, always the bitch." Janette's jaw tensed, as did Natalie's. "And Nicholas, it's such a pleasure to see you not berating yourself for intangible sins." He took Nick's glass from him and set it on the bar. "Have you no love for your maker?" "None," Nick breathed, caught in his master's gaze. "May I at least give the guest of honor a kiss? Or, if you'd rather, we can use that other tradition of a birthday spanking..." Nat made a gagging noise as she choked on the blood she was drinking, both from the thought of Nick over his master's knee and from the memory of herself in that same position. LaCroix glanced at her, amused at her blush, before returning his attention to Nick. "Well, Nicholas? You must choose - I'm not one to break with tradition." "Fine." Nick kissed LaCroix' cheek and turned away quickly. "Nicholas." LaCroix' power sang as he forced Nick to face him. Then the power was gone as the kiss became more intense, and the embrace continued, Nick so drawn in that LaCroix no longer needed to control him. "Fascinating, isn't it?" Janette's voice was in Natalie's ear, and the coroner nodded in response. Nick had stood to press himself against the older vampire, and his arms were around LaCroix' neck. Suddenly Nick pulled back. He and LaCroix looked at each other, eyes blazing and fangs bared. "No!" Nick turned away, trying to calm himself. LaCroix went to him, breathing just as heavily as Nick. "Nicholas, it's been too long." The older vampire's voice was ragged, and he pressed his fangs to his protege's neck. "You cannot deny it." Nick pulled away and turned to face him. "Just because I feel it doesn't mean I have to act on it." "Regardless of what the Church has taught you, lust is not an unnatural thing." LaCroix touched Nick's hair, feeling its softness between his fingers. He smiled, amused. "In fact, it's rather human, isn't it?" "I don't have to listen to this." Nick stormed toward the door which led to the back of the Raven. "Well, Nicholas, I hope you realize how much you're hurting the ones you love." Nick stopped and turned. "How many times must I tell you to leave me alone?" LaCroix clicked his tongue, drawing himself up to his full height. He looked at Natalie, who was still seated at the bar next to Janette. "You mean you haven't told him how you feel, Natalie?" Nat's eyes grew round as she realized what he was about to do. "LaCroix," she warned, "don't do this." "I don't believe you have much choice in the matter, cherie." He turned to face Nick, but continued speaking to Nat. "Tell them." "No." Natalie just barely kept herself from tearing a chunk out of the bar and throwing it at him. "Fine. Nicholas, remember the doctor's little 'vacation'?" At Nick's nod, he continued. "Did she tell you that she was with me the entire time?" He chuckled at Janette's gasp and Nick's sudden look towards Natalie, who was pale and staring at the floor. "She and I have become quite intimate in the last few months. Of course, ever since you caught her coming back from one of our little get-togethers, she won't even go out to lunch with me any more." He looked at Natalie with mock concern. "And you have missed me, haven't you?" The clock behind the bar struck eight. "Well, I must go. After all, Janette has customers to prepare for." The ancient vampire bowed mockingly. "I shall see you soon." He smiled. "Very soon." As soon as he was out the door, Nick and Janette turned to Natalie. "He wasn't telling the truth, was he?" Nick sounded eager to hear her discount his master's words. "Yes." Natalie whispered, still staring at the floor. Nick's fist flew up, as if he were searching for some piece of furniture to punch that Janette's wouldn't kill him over. He stayed that way for a few seconds before sighing and letting his hand fall back to his side. "Damn it, Nat, why didn't you tell us? We could've helped you get away from him." "Cherie, he cannot control you directly, you should know that." Janette looked at her lover worriedly. Natalie steeled herself. "I--" She stopped and took a deep breath. "I was with him because I wanted to be. He never made me do anything I didn't want to do, except that I had to promise to stay out of his fights with you." Nat suddenly was angry - what made them think that she couldn't make her own decisions? "I'm still going to see him. Now that you know, I won't have to lie about where I'm going anymore." Nick made a move to speak, but she cut him off. "Nick, you have no right to say anything. I love you, but I've had more common sense in my three decades of life than you've ever had in eight centuries!" She stood up and stuffed her cigarettes into her pocket. "I don't need a protector, Nick. I know what I'm doing." Natalie stormed out of the Raven, determined to work off some energy. Rage filled her - anger at LaCroix for telling their secret, anger at Nick and Janette for acting like parents. Damn them all! She cursed under her breath as she turned into a dark alleyway. She was walking at a furious pace, keeping her head down for she knew her eyes were blazing yellow. Suddenly she sensed a mortal behind her, and knew what the man wanted. She felt the knife at her throat. "Don't scream, bitch." She could feel his arousal through his pants. It was the last straw. She turned on him, fangs bared, and broke his neck in her rage. She tore open his neck, her anger fed by the images of his previous victims in his blood. His heart began to slow, then stopped. She held him for a moment, a parody of a lovers' embrace, then dropped him at the realization of what she'd just done. Her first kill. She stared at the corpse and licked her lips, tasting the would-be rapist's blood. She was faintly horrified that she'd enjoyed it so much, the feeling of him dying in her arms, and the objective part of her was thinking analytically about the chemistry that made blood taste so much better when it was freash and hot, full of death and fear. She backed up against the brick wall behind her, and slid to the ground, staring at the body. "I'm impressed, cherie." LaCroix landed lightly next to her. "Didn't it feel good?" "Yes." She looked up at him, not sure how to react. "Too good." He laughed. "There's no such thing." He held his hand out to her, and helped her stand. "In the old days, we could kill as many mortals as we liked. Now, though, it's so much more difficult to dispose of the bodies..." He shook his head sorrowfully. "It's infinitely easier to get the blood bottled these days. Unless, of course, you go to a less-developed part of the world." He smiled. "Feel like taking a trip?" "No, not yet." She leaned her head against his chest, relaxing against him. "I'm very angry with you." "But isn't it easier on you, now that they know?" He ran his fingers through her hair. "Yes. But you could've warned me." She tilted her head to kiss his neck, just above the vein. "You're a bastard, you know that?" "Giving compliments now, are we?" He showed his fangs. "For that, I may be a little more gentle with you." He tore open her throat, revelling in the feelings of pain, fear, and intense desire emanating from Natalie. "Then again, maybe not." It was three o'clock when Natalie landed in front of the Raven's back door. Miklos handed her a glass as soon as he saw her, and she tried not to drain it too quickly, the sanguine fluid replenishing that which LaCroix had taken. "You're back." Janette has changed into one of her black dresses, her red hair piled artfully onto her head. "Did you have fun?" The anger in her voice made Nat wince. "Yes, I did." Natalie looked at her lover calmly, immovably. Janette sighed. "I give up. You are stubborn, cherie." She put her arms around the coroner. "Can we dance?" They joined the throng of mortals, moving with the music. Janette laid her head on Nat's shoulder, kissing her neck. Nat winced. "What's wrong, cherie?" Natalie pulled her collar away from her neck to show the mostly-healed wounds she had received from LaCroix. Janette arched an eyebrow. "If I had known you were into that, I wouldn't have been so gentle with you all this time." Natalie smiled. "I should warn you, I enjoy giving as much as I like getting." Janette growled playfully in Nat's ear. "Sounds fun." They danced in silence for a few minutes before Janette spoke again. "Did LaCroix ever let you--" "Yes, quite often." Nat smiled. "However, it's quite scary when you torture someone and you're more tired from it than they are." "Really? I never tried to do anything to him - I was afraid he'd say no, as I was always the dutiful daughter. But yes, I can imagine... What's it like, having him at your mercy?" Janette grinned wolfishly at the thought. "Intense. And very, very arousing." Natalie's smile mirrored her lover's, as they each lost themselves in the music. LaCroix opened the door just before Nick could knock on the heavy wood. "Change your mind about something, Nicholas?" "I came about Natalie. I want you to leave her alone." LaCroix laughed. "But it was she who came to me, my son. I instigated nothing." Nick's expression was doubtful. "I find that hard to believe." "Do you find it so preposterous that someone would want to spend time with me?" Laughter again. "Not everyone feels the way you do. Your Dr. Lambert has proven that." "She doesn't know you well enough yet. But I'd prefer that she not learn the hard way." "Your sense of humour is outstanding, Nicholas." The older vampire moved towards his protege, who took a step back for each step LaCroix took in his direction. Suddenly Nick felt a wall against his back, and felt a small frisson of fear. He set his jaw and looked at his master. "Why must you always try to control me?" "Because you refuse to act like my equal. If you would stop behaving like a child, I might actually enjoy your company." LaCroix traced a finger along Nick's jawline. "Tell me, Nicholas, how many hundreds of years must I wait before you outgrow your adolescent behavior?" Nick was silent, watching LaCroix warily, unsure what the older vampire would do next. "It does hurt, you know, that you cannot accept me or yourself. Though I do have your doctor to thank for your return to our ways. She managed to do in two months what I attempted for one hundred years. Did she tell you about her first kill? She was attacked in an alleyway, and her response was quite satisfying. While she may only go after murderers and rapists, I think she'll make a lovely hunting partner." LaCroix smiled. "Life would be so much easier if you'd accept me, Nicholas. Picture it - the four of us, together for eternity, bound by blood and by the hunger. You would have your doctor to protect you from me," he laughed, " and I would have someone who behaved as an equal to occupy me. You could even continue your silly mortal occupation." Nick could imagine it, and let himself enjoy the thought before his hatred for his master returned. "Never!" He tried to pull away, but LaCroix pulled him close. "You need me, Nicholas. You can't deny it. Even now I can sense your hunger for me." LaCroix kissed Nick gently. "You don't have to hate yourself. Martyrdom is for fools, and I'd like to think that my offspring are too intelligent for that." He let his protege go suddenly, and Nick moved away towards the door. "I do wish you'd stay, my boy. But when you return to my bed, it will be of your own volition." "I won't be back." Nick slammed the door as his master laughed. LaCroix smiled to himself. He'd have preferred to make Nick remain with him, but captives only behaved for a short time before rebelling. Nick would come willingly soon enough, out of love for Janette and Dr. Lambert. All he had to do was wait. END