I do not own these characters (except for Detective Kenneth James) and so forth 
and so on.  Thanks go to Portia, Mama Nay, GersGal1, Debbie, Teri, the "Other 
Teri", and Stephni for all the help, ego boosting, and pushing.   Permission is 
given to archive.  Just let me know where.  Please send all commentary to 
ejdeal@sga.quik.com.

In the Dark, Part 1 of 9
By Elise
     Nick Knight flew home in a rage.  Of late, all his efforts at work had gone 
wrong.  A mob hit man that he and Tracy had spent months trying to catch had 
been let go scot-free on a technicality.  Because of it, Reese was taking a lot 
of heat from higher up, and the Captain was making sure to pass some of it their 
way.  Two new cases, a drowning and a burn victim, had just crossed their desks 
as well.
     To make matters worse, Metro homicide was understaffed, which meant lots of 
extra hours for everyone.  Reese was in the process of hiring another homicide 
detective for the night shift.  Some hot-shot from New York.  He and Tracy had 
drawn the lucky straw and would be responsible for training the newbie.  
Although Tracy seemed happy about the whole thing, Nick was less than thrilled 
at the prospect.
     His personal life wasn't much better.   His biggest problem these days 
seemed to be his sex life.  As always Janette was there to satisfy his needs, 
and though it bothered him to use her, he did so with her knowledge and consent.  
She always laughed at his hesitation and assured him that she didn't mind at 
all.  In fact, she made no secret of the fact that she was using him as well, a 
fact that did nothing for his ego. 
     Nick and Janette had settled their relationship issues long ago and had 
ceased to pretend to have any deeper, gentler emotions.  Centuries ago they had 
acknowledged the fact that friendship, familial love, and mutual need were the 
only things they had together.  They were just too different now and had been 
for many, many years.
     Oh, Nick could have gone to one of the other female vampires in Toronto.  
Several of them, in fact, had approached him.  He had been flattered, but 
honestly, he just wasn't interested.  And he couldn't bring himself to use 
someone else for his own selfish gratification.  It was different with Janette. 
     The problem with his sex life was not that it was lacking, but that it 
wasn't with the right woman.  His one and only desire was for Natalie.  She was 
the source of Nick's sexual frustration.  Nick loved her and wanted her more 
than he ever imagined he could, but he simply couldn't risk dragging her into 
his dark world.  For years, the two of them had danced around the feelings they 
had for each other.  Both of them knew how the other felt.  No words had ever 
been needed to be spoken.
     At least Nick didn't have to worry any more about LaCroix finding out about 
their love.  His father already knew of Nick's feelings for Natalie.  Last week, 
the master vampire had laughed at his son, called him a fool, and had told him 
outright to stop whining and take her.  Another argument ensued and the best 
that could be said of that evening was that LaCroix had offered not to enforce 
their agreement over Fleur until Nick had made a decision concerning the good 
doctor.
     Eyes burning amber, Nick increased his speed and zoomed full circle around 
his warehouse loft, marking his territory vampire style as it were.  In the 
silent pre-dawn light, Nick could see Nat's car.  His heart skipped once in his 
cool chest, and he smiled as he alighted in the alley.  She'd waited for him.  
Oh, how he loved her.
     "Nick," she cried out as he opened the door, "where have you been?  It's 
nearly sunrise.  I've been worried."
     Stepping out of the shadows and into the cool puddle of electric light, 
Nick reached for the remote control, closing the shutters to keep the loft in 
the dark, away from the deadly sunrise.  He sighed and replaced the remote back 
on the table.  "No need to worry.  We're just short-handed down at the station, 
and I had to fill out reams of paperwork," he explained.
     "I know what you mean," Nat sighed.  "Margie is on maternity leave, and I 
have no one to help with my paperwork either."
     "Margie Cobert?" Nick asked.  "She finally had her baby?"
     "A fine, healthy boy," Natalie answered with a wistful smile.  "Jean Michel 
Cobert, Junior." 
     Nick noted the half-sad smile that played about her lips.  He knew Nat 
wanted children.  There was no mistaking the maternal gleam in her soft eyes.  
Natalie would make a wonderful mother some day.  He wished like hell that it 
could be his children she had.  
     Intentionally changing the subject, he asked, "Have you eaten?  Are you 
hungry?"
     "No and yes," Natalie told him.  The corners of her mouth quirked up at 
him.
     Nick loved her lips, always so soft and warm whenever he'd dared to kiss 
them.  He grinned at her.  "Get anything you'd like," he said with a smile in 
his voice.  Pulling out his wallet, he tossed it to her.
     Deftly, Natalie caught it.  She lifted an eyebrow as she waved the wallet 
at him.  "How do you know I'll come back?" she teased.
      Allowing his eyes to drift to amber and his fangs to elongate, he intoned 
in the guttural vampire growl, "If you don't, I'll hunt you down and punish 
you."
     "Oooh," she returned his banter.  "Promises, promises."
*     *     *
     A short time later Nat returned with a take-out bag.  Handing Nick his 
wallet with a pointed grin, she set the bag on the table and began her meal.  
Nick, his breakfast in a glass, joined her.  Together they sat in companionable 
silence while she finished her meal.
     "Want to watch some television?" Nick asked.
     "Sure," Natalie agreed.  Soon the two were cuddled up together on the 
leather couch to watch a late night movie.
     The movie was a standard, made-for-television tear-jerker.  A young girl 
who becomes pregnant suddenly has to deal with all the emotional issues 
surrounding the event.  The film included many good historical details 
concerning the Morgantaler clinic. 
     Surprisingly, Nick watched intently.  The girl, teen-aged by today's 
standards, would have been called a woman in his day.  He shook his head at the 
changes he had seen in this world.  He couldn't help but say so.  "You know, 
Nat, this movie is pretty good, but if it had taken place in my day, things 
would have been much different."
     Natalie grunted a reply.  She didn't seem too interested in the movie, but 
he'd sat through King Kong enough times not to feel guilty about making her 
watch this one.
     "In my day, fifteen years old would have qualified her as a woman," he told 
her.  "Though, if she weren't married, the man responsible would have been 
forced to marry her."
     Quietly, Natalie asked, "What if he refuses?  What if he just runs off, 
leaving her all alone and pregnant?"  
     Nick shrugged.  "Her father would have married her off to the first man who 
was willing to have her.  If no one would take her, the girl would be condemned 
to work as a prostitute to support herself and her child.  Of course, she'd be 
excommunicated as well."
     Natalie gave him an odd, pained expression.  "Why not simply get rid of 
it?" she asked coldly.
     Nick turned a horrified expression to her.  "Nat," he whispered, "that 
would be murder."
     Slipping on her professional doctor's mask, Natalie shrugged and turned 
back to the screen.  "Nick, let's not debate that issue now.  I'm in no mood for 
a philosophical, semi-religious debate on the evils of murder and abortion with 
an eight hundred year old vampire, okay?"  Though her tone was mild, the words 
seemed harsh and angry.
     "All right, Nat," Nick responded meekly.  She was right, he thought.  Here 
he was protesting the idea of abortion.  How hypocritical it must sound coming 
from a murderer of thousands upon thousands!  Just how many lives had he snuffed 
out for his very survival?  And how many of those killings had he committed for 
the sheer pleasure of it?
     Nick got up and refilled his glass as well as replaced Nat's cola.  Then he 
sat back down on the couch beside her, pulling her into his arms.  Together they 
watched the rest of the movie in silence.
    When the movie was over, Nick turned off the set.  Quickly, he gulped down 
the rest of the glass and turned to stare at the dark television screen.  He had 
hurt her again.  Natalie hadn't said a single word to him since their 
disagreement about abortion.  How could she stand to be near him, a judgmental, 
hypocritical beast?  
     No matter how much he loved her, he always seemed to hurt her.  Although it 
was unintentional, Natalie always seemed to be punished for loving him.  It 
wasn't fair to her at all.
     Maybe hurting her, driving her away was what he should do. Wouldn't it be 
better for her to leave him of her own choice?  Sometimes you have to be cruel 
to be kind, he thought.  Wouldn't it be for the best if Nat could move on and 
have a normal, mortal life?  A life without him since he could offer her 
nothing?  
     It would be the best for her, yes, but not for him.  But his needs and 
desires didn't matter.  Natalie was the important one.  In that instant, Nick 
came to a decision.  He would drive her away to save her from him and his love.
     Oh, he didn't want her to leave.  It wasn't that at all.  Nick wanted 
nothing more than to return to mortality, marry Natalie, and have a home filled 
with children.  He loved her more than anything.  So much, in fact, that he 
would rather lose her than risk harming her.  It was time he cut her loose, 
pushed her away, for her own good.  But how?
     The telephone rang.  It always seemed to interrupt them.  
     Natalie sighed loudly and sat back away from Nick.  With a snap, he reached 
around and hit the speaker switch on the phone.  "Knight here," he called out 
with exasperation.
     "Nicolas?" Janette's silky voice floated through the loft.  "Where are 
you?"
     Looking decidedly uncomfortable, Nick answered her.  "I'm right here, 
Janette.  Didn't I just answer the phone?"  Abruptly, he stood and walked around 
to pick up the receiver.  He was fairly sure Janette would want to discuss some 
things that Nat didn't need to hear.
    He wasn't fast enough.  "I had thought you were coming over here," she 
replied, " so we could continue our sexual games.  I distinctly remember that it 
is my turn to."
    Nick caught up the phone in time to prevent the rest of her sentence from 
being broadcast about the loft, but he didn't catch it in time to prevent the 
pain that lanced through Natalie's heart.  The pain was mirrored across her 
face.
     "Janette," Nick said into the phone.  He shook his head.  "No, I'm not 
coming over tonight."   There was a pause while he listened.  Slowly, Nick 
licked his lips.   His golden colored eyes flickered up to Natalie's.   "Yes, 
that's sounds very, uh, interesting, but I'm not coming over tonight."  
     There was a longer pause while Nick listened.  "Yes, she is here."
     Natalie stood to walk over to the widow.  Carefully, she peeked behind the 
shutters to see a gorgeous, blue day in early June.  How she wished she and Nick 
could be out there today.   If she had to fall in love with a vampire, why 
couldn't she have fallen in love with a vampire who wasn't already involved?  
Natalie tried to concentrate on the beautiful day outside, but she could still 
hear Nick whispering into the phone.
     "Yes, yes," Nick was agreeing.  "I'll see you later this week."   Quickly, 
he replaced the receiver into the cradle and looked up to see Natalie watching 
him.  "Uh, that was Janette," he muttered.
     "So I gathered," Natalie snipped.  She couldn't help it.  The thought that 
Nick spent his days with Janette made her furiously jealous.  "I'm sorry I was 
here when you got in.  You should have told me you had other plans."
     Suddenly, an idea hit Nick.  The very thing he had been considering had 
fallen right into his lap.  He needed a means of pushing Natalie away for her 
own good.  Here was the perfect answer.  If she were to think that he and 
Janette were still in love, maybe she would leave him.
     Natalie was terribly upset.  Jealousy and anger were written in every tense 
line of her body because she knew exactly why his eyes were amber and the tips 
of his fangs were showing.  Nat had heard Janette's little opening comment and 
now knew that they had been together yesterday.
     Inhaling deeply, Nick pushed his fangs out the rest of the way and used his 
best lord-of-the-manner voice.  "I am sorry you had to hear that, but a man has 
his needs, Natalie." 
     "And a woman doesn't?" she argued back.  Oh, it was quite clear how Mr. 
Nicholas B. Knight satisfied his needs.
     He grinned, looking positively demonic.  "I suppose a woman has her needs, 
too."  Janette's little speech and his relaxation of the hold he normally kept 
on his beast had combined to push him to the limit of his control. Casually, he 
moved towards the kitchen.  He needed more space between him and Natalie.
      "Yes, I do, Nick," she said softly.
     Her words were like a knife twisting in his heart.  Nick hadn't even 
considered the idea that Natalie had needs like that.  She was his angel, pure 
and untouchable.  Though he longed to hold her, he couldn't, wouldn't.  It would 
mean staining her innocence. He had told her countless times of what would 
happen if they were to try more than a simple kiss.  Had she not heard him?  Did 
she not believe him?  Maybe it was time to show her, to scare the truth into 
her.  "Your needs?" he whispered.  
     The vampire turned to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of one of 
the Raven's finest vintages.  The gold foil label caught the light and flashed 
from across the room.  Bottle in hand, Nick moved towards her, stalking his 
prey.  His whiskey colored eyes held hers hostage.
     Swallowing hard, Nat tried to push down the lump that had formed in her 
throat.  She watched with both a growing desire and a sense of apprehension 
while he made his slow advance.  She wasn't afraid of him, but she had never 
confronted this side of him before.  Nat licked her lips nervously.
     Nick said nothing.  He wanted to frighten her; he had to do it.  It was the 
only way to save her from him.  All he did was continue moving towards her, 
threatening her, stalking her.  If he could frighten her, she might run away 
from him on her own.
     Natalie's face was flushed with heat, and Nick could hear her heart 
thundering.  He moved closer, within arm's reach, but he would not touch her.  
Both the man and the vampire desired her, and to touch her now would be risking 
too much.  "Are your needs so strong? he asked.  His words were soft, the tone 
seductive.  It was his "hunting" voice.  "It has been a long time since I've 
satisfied the needs of a mortal.  I crave your blood, Natalie.  I hunger for 
that closeness."
     Nick moved closer to her until his chest brushed against her back.  He 
stuffed his left hand deep into his pocket.  The other clenched tightly about 
the bottle.  Leaning forward against her, he rested his chin lightly on her 
shoulder.  His next words were cool breaths on her skin.  "The blood," he 
whispered, before turning up the bottle and taking a long, long drink.  "The 
blood is taken for two reasons, Natalie.  For sustenance and for sex."
      It was then he leaned in closely and kissed her neck.  His lips felt cool 
and sticky, and his tongue darted out to lick the soft spot just over the 
jugular.  One fang lightly grazed her.  "I need both, Natalie."  His whispered 
words sizzled liked coals beneath a roasting spit.
      Natalie shivered, but she didn't move.  She couldn't.  Oh, how she wanted 
Nick's hands, is mouth on her.  Willingly, she would surrender it all to him.  
Her body ached for him.  "Nick," she whispered.
      When she leaned back against him, Nick came to his senses.  His plan to 
frighten her had backfired.  Instead of running from him, Natalie was falling 
for the seduction.  He could smell her arousal, and he was close to falling 
himself.  In a flash, he bolted from her nearly causing her to fall.  
      Once safely across the room, he downed the remainder of the bottle, then 
pulled open the refrigerator and grabbed another.  This, too, was not his usual 
bovine beverage.  This was the good stuff, one of LaCroix's best vintages.  
Ripping the cork from the bottle with his teeth, Nick spit the cork in the 
general direction of the sink and gulped down mouthful after sweet mouthful of 
the crimson fluid.
     Natalie, having been so rudely brought back to reality, watched him in 
horrified awe.  Silent tears slipped down her cheeks.  "I guess I should leave," 
she whispered.
     Nick didn't answer.  His eyes were closed as he continued to guzzle the 
bright liquid from the bottle. 
     Not even bothering to put say goodbye, Natalie simply gathered it and her 
purse into her arms and left.  The sound of her engine starting up coincided 
with that of an empty bottle shattering against a brick wall.
End of Part 1



In the Dark, Part 2 of  9
By Elise
     Nick Knight had called in sick that night.  He was in no mood for police 
work, for dealing with mortals, for anything at all.  All he felt like doing, 
aside from feeling very sorry for himself was to paint.  He'd been at it since 
Nat had left.
     There was no hope for him, for them.  He knew it.  Natalie knew it.  And 
now she knew all about him and Janette, too.  There was only one decision left 
to make.  Should he leave Toronto now or stay a while longer. 
     He loaded his brush with iron gray and wiped it across the canvas.  The 
painting was completely gray.   No white.  No black.  Just gray and bleak.  He 
felt the same way.  Rinsing off the brush, he reloaded it with black this time 
and made a series of vivid, black, jagged lines across the gray.  
      He was reapplying more black pigment when the door buzzer sounded.  
Cocking his head to the right, Nick listened carefully.  It was Tracy.  Nick 
sighed loudly and answered her buzz.
     "Yeah, what is it?"  His tone was surly, but he didn't care.
     "Nick?" Tracy called out hesitantly, "Can I come up?"
     He answered her gruffly, "What is it?"
     "Look," Tracy began, "I know you called in sick, and I've got a good idea 
of why."
     Nick snorted with anger.
     "But we are seriously short-handed here," Tracy continued, "and Captain 
Reese said that unless you were dead, you needed to come.  That new detective, a 
Kenneth James, formerly of the New York police department, is here working full 
time on the nightshift.  We're supposed to pick him up."
     Cursing in several languages under his breath, Nick buzzed Tracy into the 
loft.  His back to the door, Nick was still cleaning up his painting materials 
when the lift opened.  
     Tracy stepped into the room and headed straight toward her partner.  She 
stopped short, though, when he turned around.  Nick was still wearing the same 
suit he had worn last night.  His hair was tousled; he hadn't shaved, and his 
eyes were bloodshot as if he hadn't slept either.  There was an angry, haunted 
look in his eyes that would have scared her to death if she didn't know him.   
      Tracy had an inkling of why Nick looked so bad.  Both Nick and Dr. Lambert 
had called in sick at the same time.  Since Nick never called in sick and 
Natalie only rarely did, it just couldn't be a coincidence.  The current 
scuttlebutt was that the two of them were spending the day together, and the 
bets were flying fast and furious on whether Natalie would return to work 
sporting an engagement ring.  Tracy knew that wasn't true now.  From the look of 
her partner, Tracy could tell that he and Nat must have had one major fight.
     "Gee, Nick, you look like hell," she blurted out.
     "It's a pleasure to see you again, too," he replied sarcastically.
     Tracy blushed.  "Uh, sorry, that was rude."  She pressed her lips together 
tightly. 
     Nick hung the rag across the back of the easel.  "Let me get cleaned up," 
he muttered as he stalked sullenly towards the stairs.
     "Oh, take your time, Nick.  We don't have anything new on either the 
burning or the drowning," Tracy called out.  "Nat called in sick, too, and Dr. 
Davis was sending Grace to go get her."  
     Nick jerked his head around to face Tracy.  With studied nonchalance, he 
asked, "Dr. Lambert called in sick?"  He emphasized the words "Doctor Lambert."
      His icy manner irritated Tracy.  "Yes, she did," she shot back.  "You 
wouldn't happen to know what's wrong with her, would you?"
     With a non-committal grunt, Nick trudged up the staircase.
     "Fine," shouted Tracy.  "I'll pick up Detective James alone and meet you 
over at the precinct."  She slammed the door on her way out.
*     *     *
     Tracy sat in her car outside the expensive home and checked the address 
against the slip of paper Reese had given her.  It was a large home set well 
back from the street with an unblemished lawn and gay Christmas decorations.  As 
she got out of the car and approached the front door with a cool, business-like 
manner, Tracy noted the large picture windows, the wide veranda, and the 
decorative brick work of the elegant home.  Although the addresses matched, she 
was sure this couldn't be the home of Detective Kenneth James.  How could a 
homicide detective afford a palatial home like this?  Unless New York cops were 
in a whole other galaxy on the pay scale.
     Knocking on the door, she stepped back and waited.  A tall man -so tall he 
dwarfed her, making her feel dainty and very feminine - answered her knock.  He 
had to be around six feet seven inches tall.  "Yes?" he asked.  His voice was 
deep and rich.  Dark blue eyes peered out from a rugged face, a face with 
handsome, even features.  His black hair was liberally laced with silver, and he 
was drop-dead gorgeous.
     Tracy smiled prettily at him, wishing she'd spent a little more time with 
her hair and make-up before she had left for work this evening.  "Are you 
Detective Kenneth James?"
     "I am."  That chocolatey smooth voice sent shivers up Tracy's spine.
     She smiled again, wider this time, as she held out her hand.  "I'm Tracy 
Vetter, Metro Homicide.  We'll be working together until Captain Reese decides 
to let you go solo or finds you a partner."
     His large, warm hands engulfed Tracy's as they shook hands.  "Nice to meet 
you," he told her.  "Would you care to step in while I get my coat?"
     Grinning uncontrollably, Tracy stepped inside the marbled foyer.  She could 
glimpse the hardwood floors, expensive furnishings, and field stone fireplace 
beyond.  Her astonishment must have shown on her face.
     "It was my parent's place," James explained as he shrugged on his coat.  
     "It's beautiful," Tracy told him sincerely.
     He nodded.  "Yeah, mom always had great taste, and Pop knew how to invest."  
He was quiet as he opened the door for her.  "My dad is why I'm back in Toronto.  
Mom passed away two years ago, and Pop passed last month."
     "I'm sorry," Tracy mumbled.
     They were quiet while they got into Tracy's car.  Seemingly neither could 
think of a thing to say.  After a few minutes drive, Kenneth James brightened 
up.  "Well, it helps no one to dwell on the `what ifs' of life."  He turned in 
the seat to face her.  "So, what are we up against tonight?" the handsome 
detective inquired.
     "Oh, the usual," she quipped, "murder, mayhem, bloodshed."
     Kenneth James laughed.  "Okay, so it's you and me against the world, is 
it?"
     "Well, actually, it's you and me and my partner, Nick, against the world.  
I told him that we'd meet him at the office so we can get a head start on one of 
the newest two cases," Tracy explained.
     "Two new cases?" he asked.  "Tell me."
     "We have a drowning and a burn victim." 
     A harsh frown creased James' brow.  "Drownings are always bad, but burns 
are worse."  He shook his head.  "Back in high school, my girlfriend and I 
witnessed a crash.  The car exploded, and everyone inside burned.  It was 
horrific.  I still have nightmares from that one."
     Tracy gave a grunt of agreement.  "I know what you mean, but the drowning 
comes first, some big-time politician's son."
     An understanding nod accompanied Detective James' reply.  "I see Toronto 
hasn't changed one bit.  It's not what you know, it's who you know."  He shook 
his head in disappointment.
     "You're from Toronto?"  Tracy squeaked out.
     "Surprise," James laughed.  "Yeah, I grew up here.  Almost graduated class 
of 1978." 
     "Almost?"  Tracy had to ask.
     Detective James shrugged and grinned wickedly.  "I couldn't seem to keep my 
mind on my studies."
     "Let me guess," Tracy teased. "Girls."
     James laughed aloud.  "Almost.  One girl.  I'm a one woman man.  In fact, 
I've been looking for her for years."   He smiled unashamedly.  "Never have 
gotten over her."
     "Really?" Tracy asked.  Her romantic nature came bubbling to the surface.  
"You've been looking for her all this time?"
     "Ever since high school," James confided with a wink.  "I wanted to marry 
her, but my dad sent me to New York during my senior year, and I lost track of 
her."  He shrugged, but there was obvious pain in his voice and on his face.
     Tracy couldn't help but smile.  This guy was too good to be true.  Good-
looking, charming, responsible, faithful.  Why couldn't Vachon be more like him?
     Detective James returned their conversation to something less personal.  
"Still, it's relatively easy to track down the killer if your coroner's a good 
one."
     "Oh, she's good.  She's the best in Toronto if not in Canada," Tracy 
boasted.  "In fact, she had called in sick earlier tonight, but when Dr. Davis 
heard she was sick, - He's the head coroner for the entire province. -  he 
insisted she come in, sick or not."
     "Is she really that good?" James asked, his voice rising in surprise.
     "You bet!" Tracy replied.  "Dr. Natalie Lambert is the youngest ME on 
record.  She zipped through college on a scholarship, finished medical school on 
that same scholarship, and was working for the city by the time she was twenty-
seven."
     "Did you say Natalie Lambert?" Detective James asked.  His deep blue eyes 
were sparkling with excitement.  A hopeful smile showed straight, white teeth.  
"I knew a Natasha Lambert in high school.  I wonder if it could be the same 
one."
     "Could be," Tracy said aloud.  "I don't know about the name, but I do know 
that Nat is from Toronto.  Do you know her well?" 
     Detective Kenneth James grinned wickedly from ear to ear.  "You might say 
that."
*     *     *
      "Nick, this is Detective Kenneth James."  Tracy turned and introduced her 
companion.
     A tall, handsome man stepped forward.  "Call me, Ken, both of you, please," 
he commented, holding out his hand.
     Nick had to look up to meet the eyes of his newest partner.  Detective 
Kenneth James was all of 6 ft. 7, and he must have weighed somewhere around 
300lbs.  But there wasn't an ounce of fat on the man.  He carried his hard, 
athletic body lithely and gracefully, but he seemed quite capable of breaking 
Nick in half.  Or at least of giving the vampire a good run for his money.
     Something stirred deep within the masculine depths of Nick's psyche, 
something far more ancient and undeniable than the vampire.  A dark glint of 
male envy surged through Knight, making him, for no apparent reason, dislike 
this new detective.  A scowl broke over his features as he clasped the other's 
hand.  "Nick Knight," he growled at the newcomer.
     James' smile deepened.  He recognized the instant dislike and jealousy on 
Knight's face.    He'd seen it often enough before.  With a little patience and 
good-natured humor, they would soon be friends.  He was sure of it.  Returning 
the handshake, James was surprised at the smaller man's grip.    "Quite a grip 
you've got there, Knight."
     Abruptly, Nick let the hand go and made some odd, masculine grunt in 
return.
     James returned the nondescript noise.
     Tracy threw up her hands in disgust. "Would you guys like to start on the 
Randolph kid's drowning or what?"
    "Of course," Nick said quickly.  He was feeling slightly ashamed of himself.  
"So what do we have on it?"
      "Not a lot," Tracy replied.  "We're waiting on the coroner's office."
      "Good," a loud voice added to the conversation.  "Because Dr. Lambert just 
called, and the report is ready and waiting."  Reese stepped up to the trio.  
"Councilman Randolph has been calling me every hour on the hour.  The last time 
he called I told him I had assigned the case to Knight and Vetter and that if he 
wanted to know the current status of the case he should call either of you."
      As if on cue, Nick's desk phone started ringing.  Reese checked his watch.  
"That should be Councilman Randolph right on schedule."  The captain looked up 
expectantly at his three detectives.  "So, are you gonna answer it?"
      Nick looked at his two partners.  Tracy shrugged, and Kenneth shook his 
head `no.'  "Sorry, Captain," Nick answered with a grin.  "No time for phone 
calls.  We're on our way to the lab."  Then the trio scooted out of the door as 
quickly as possible.
*     *     *
      "Nat?" Tracy called out as she and her two partners entered the room.  For 
some reason, both of the men seemed to be lagging behind.  "We're here for the 
report."
      Dr. Natalie Lambert was sitting at her desk on the far side of the room, 
filling in another set of papers.  Looking up, she heaved a sigh, blowing a 
wayward lock of hair out of her still bloodshot eyes.  Thank goodness it was 
Tracy and not Nick.  She wasn't sure she could face him.  "Sure," she called 
out.  "Got it ready and waiting."  
       "Great," Tracy answered.  "Oh, and Nick and I have a new partner."
       "He'll be working with us just until he learns the ropes," added Nick 
stiffly.  He held himself almost at attention. 
      Natalie plastered on her best doctor face when she saw Nick.  
Straightening her back, she nodded to acknowledge his statement.  "Where is he?"  
For all her efforts she still wasn't able to keep the slight quiver out of her 
voice.
      "Right here, Tasha," James' deep voice rumbled through the room.  He 
smiled warmly at her.  "Been a while, hasn't it?"
       Natalie's face registered pure shock.
       "Detective Kenneth James formerly of New York, now of Toronto, at your 
service milady."  James bowed gracefully, his long fingers sweeping the ground.  
     When he stood again, Natalie had mastered her initial shock.  Her doctor's 
mask was firmly back in place, and this time she had mastery of her voice as 
well.  "I'm sure you'll do well here," she told him.  Then she turned her full 
attention back to the case.  "Dwayne Randolph, white male, late teens.  Cause of 
death, drowning."
       Handing the file to Tracy, Natalie began explaining.  She did her dead 
level best to ignore the hurt and bewildered expression coming from Detective 
James and the cold arrogance of Nick.  "I found nothing on the Randolph kid that 
would indicate a homicide."  She flipped the top paper over.  "However, I did 
find large amounts of alcohol in the blood.  My official statement is that he 
apparently consumed vast amounts of alcohol and, while in a state of 
intoxication, fell into the family pool."
      As she spoke, Nick stepped closer to Natalie.  He was suspicious of her 
reaction to James.  Something wasn't right, and he wanted to know what it was.  
"You found no signs of foul play?" Nick asked softly.
      Natalie jumped.  She wasn't expecting Nick to be standing so close to her.  
"No, uh, nothing," she stuttered.  "All indications were that young Randolph was 
very drunk and just fell into the pool.  He probably passed out."
      "A tragic accident then?" Nick asked the obvious.  He wanted to keep her 
talking.
      "Poor kid," James said softly.  "He was just young and stupid.  We all 
were once.  Weren't we, Tasha?"
       "I'd rather we kept this discussion on a professional basis, Detective 
James," Natalie informed him.
      Simultaneously, Nick and Tracy shot suspicious glances at their new 
partner.  What was going on between these two? 
       "Detective James?" he asked incredulously.  "Detective James?  And I 
suppose you want me to address you as `Dr. Lambert'?"
     "That would be preferable," she replied coolly.
     "Excuse me, Dr. Lambert," he rumbled sarcastically, stressing her name.
     Natalie smiled coldly.  "You are certainly excused, Detective.  In fact, 
you are dismissed.   I have work."  With that, Natalie turned her back on them 
all and began preparing for another exam.
     Nick and Tracy stared open-mouthed at her.  Natalie had never, ever been 
anything but polite, but James threw back his head and laughed.  The sound 
reverberated around the room.  Jerking back around, Natalie gave him a look of 
haughty disdain.
     "I'll call you later," he told her with an impish grin.
     "I won't answer," she retorted.
     James smirked at her.  "Yes, you will," he responded confidently.  "Come 
on," he added to his astonished partners.  "We've got work to do."
End of Part 2
In the Dark, Part 3 of 9
By Elise
     Natalie burned with cold fury after the detectives left, but she contained 
her anger, pushing it aside in order to deal with her next assignment.  There 
was no question of a homicide with this case.  The deceased has been the cause 
of a multi-car pile-up, in which several people had been killed.  It was 
Natalie's task to determine whether he had been under the influence of drugs or 
alcohol.
     "A burn victim.  Oh, joy," she muttered as she wheeled the exam table into 
place.  Natalie tied on her surgical gown and proceeded to prepare herself for 
the autopsy.  Then she liberally applied some wintergreen gel before tying on 
her face mask.
     Steeling herself, she pulled back the sheet, and began the exam.  Burn 
victims were always bad.  This one was no worse than any other, and no better 
either.  She had a special problem with burns ever since that night she'd seen a 
man and woman burn inside their own car.  Natalie shuddered with horror and 
tried valiantly to push that memory back.
     With a sigh, she began her initial incision.  Determining whether or not 
someone had been intoxicated, was a fairly easy procedure even when the body was 
burned.  It should have been a simple task, but her mind was in a hopeless 
turmoil that made concentration impossible.  
     "Why did I have to get a burn victim and Kenny James on the same night?"  
She tried to shift her attention back to the corpse, but thoughts of that 
fateful night kept rising.

     The car, a black 1976 Trans Am with tinted windows and red interior, sped 
down the highway in the dark.
     "Hurry, Kenny," Natalie urged as she pressed against him.  "Nana gets up at 
five, and if she finds I'm not there, she'll kill me."
     "Relax, it's only a little after 2:00.  We'll make it in plenty of time," 
Kenny James drawled.  "If you hadn't gotten so horny and made me pull off the 
highway for a little R&R, we'd both be home right now."  He reached over to 
finger her red velour top.  Laughing, he told her, "By the way, you put your top 
on backwards."
     Natalie hissed.  "Damn, Kenny!"  Furiously, she began pulling off her 
blouse to turn it around.  "The next time you decide to take advantage of me, 
the least you could do is make sure I'm properly dressed afterwards," she teased 
him.
     "Me?" he laughed out.  "Take advantage of you?  It was all I could do to 
keep you from jumping me at the concert."
     Setting her blouse back in order, Natalie turned sideways in the seat.  
"Didn't hear you complaining," she whispered seductively.  Her hand trailed 
along his leg until it rested atop his right thigh.  "Don't hear you complaining 
now, either," she pointed out softly, as she began kissing his neck.  Her hand 
continued probing his jeans.
     "Geez," he cried.  "If you're this hot at fifteen, what will you be like at 
twenty-one?"
     Natalie bit his earlobe before replying, "Guess you'll just have to stick 
around and find out, huh?"
     "Look out!" Kenny screamed.  He jerked the wheel sharply to the left, 
running the car off the highway and slinging Natalie against the passenger side 
door.  Natalie screamed and braced herself as best she could, but she hit the 
door with a bruising thud.  
     A station wagon had suddenly careened wildly across their lane of traffic.  
The vehicle, roaring as if it were possessed, crashed head on into a pole 
marking an off-ramp. Instantly, the car caught fire.
     Kenny slammed on the brakes and bolted from his car, intent on trying to 
help whoever was in the car.  Natalie followed him, and they both raced forward.  
If they could hurry, they might be able to pull the passengers out before the 
flames reached the gas tank.
      The man and woman inside the car pounded on the glass and screamed 
soundless words at Kenny and Natalie.  Kenny grasped the door handle and pulled 
with all his might, while Natalie flew around the car and tried tugging open the 
passenger door.  Neither door would budge, and the frantic cries of the couple 
inside became utter panic.
     "Gotta get a tire iron," Kenny yelled.  "We'll have to break the window!"  
     The man inside nodded in desperation as Kenny ran back to his car.  Knowing 
they would never make it in time, he tenderly folded his arms around the woman 
and began rocking her back and forth.  He looked into Natalie's eyes and 
mouthed, "Stand back."
     Mouth gaping open, Natalie nodded and obeyed.  Just as she took her third 
step backwards, the car exploded, and she was thrown to the ground.  The flames 
roared hellishly in the dark sky.
     "Tasha!" Kenny screamed.  He'd seen the explosion even as his hand grasped 
the tire iron, and he flew towards the car.  "Tasha!" he roared again.  Dropping 
the tire iron on the grass as he ran, Kenny found her and snatched her up into 
his arms.
     Natalie was whiter than any sheet.  She shivered and cried, mumbling 
incoherently.  Kenny held her close and comforted her as best he could.  He 
didn't even want to imagine what she had seen.  As the ambulance and police were 
arriving, she began to vomit.  He held her all the while.
     Quietly, Kenny gave his statement to the officers.  Fortunately, no one 
asked Natalie for hers.  Everyone could see how traumatized the young girl was.  
Kenny thanked his lucky stars no one thought to ask her age or what the two of 
them were doing out so late at night together either.
     It was dawn by the time Kenny pulled up in front of the Lambert house.  
Nana was standing on the front porch, her face drawn up in a hard scowl.  Still 
white-faced, Natalie climbed out of the car, not waiting for Kenny to come 
around and open the door for her.
     Ignoring Kenny entirely, Nana asked in a quiet, cold voice, "Where have you 
been, Natasha?"
     "It was all my fault, Mrs. Lambert," Kenny stated boldly.  "I talked Tasha 
into going to a Kiss concert with me."  He stood remorsefully in front of the 
old woman.
     Nana flickered a glance up at the tall, young man.  "Did I not tell you I 
did not want you to go to such a concert?"  Again, her voice was icy and hard.  
"I do not approve of that devilish music."
     Natalie dragged herself onto the porch and stood facing her grandmother.  
"It's just rock and roll, Nana, not devil music," she said with an exaggerated 
sigh.
     Nana backhanded the girl.  "You will not contradict me," she spoke angrily.  
"I will not have this disrespect under my roof.  I will be obeyed."  
     The unexpected blow sent Natalie to her knees.  Kenny moved forward to help 
her up, but Nana's next words, directed at him, stopped him.  "Young man, you 
are of legal age.  Natasha is not.  She is barely fifteen while you are nearly 
twenty.  It would be wise if you stayed away." 
     "Nana!" Natalie cried out.
     Nana raised her hand as if to strike again.  "Into the house with you, 
girl!" she ordered.
     Natalie obeyed, but not before she gave Kenny a sad, solemn backward 
glance.  Kenny swallowed hard and nodded to the old woman.  Then he turned and 
left.

     Nana had been beyond furious.  Natalie blinked back the tears of anger as 
she remembered the beating she had gotten that morning.  This was no good, 
crying over a memory that was long past.  "Get a grip, Lambert," she told 
herself.  "You don't cry over spilled milk.  You clean it up and go on with your 
life."
       Taking a deep breath and releasing a cleansing sigh, Natalie brushed away 
the tears and finished the job at hand. 
*     *     *
     "So," Nick asked as conversationally as he could.  "What was that all 
about?"  
     Tracy, sitting beside him on the front seat of the Caddy, coughed into her 
fist to hide a laugh.  Yep, her partner had it bad for Nat.  He was jealous as 
hell.
     Kenneth James blinked.  "Huh?  Oh!  You mean with Natasha."  He nodded.
     "Natalie," Nick corrected him.  He glanced up into the rearview mirror at 
James.
     Tracy coughed louder and leaned against the door so she could see them 
both.  Nick was so tensed up, he practically had a death grip on the steering 
wheel.  James seemed tense, too.  He was staring hard at the back of Nick's 
head.
     Kenneth raised an eyebrow and grinned at Nick's reflection in the mirror.  
"I knew Tasha in high school," he explained.  "In fact, the two of us were quite 
a hot item my senior year."  He leaned back against the seat and scrutinized his 
new partner for a reaction.  So, this is my competition, he thought.  That's why 
Tasha was so cool earlier.
     Nick clenched his teeth.  His sudden unreasonable anger caused his fangs to 
elongate and cut into his gums.  "And you hope to rekindle old feelings?  Is 
that it?" he growled out, being careful to conceal the fangs.  
     Tracy's previous humor suddenly fizzled out.  "Nick," Tracy hissed.  
"That's a bit personal."  She definitely did not like the direction this 
conversation was heading.  If these two turned into neo-neanderthals over 
Natalie, she'd be the one left to referee.
     "Maybe," James drawled.  "What's it to ya?  You got the hots for Tasha, 
too?"
     Oh, great, thought Tracy, here goes round one.  "Ken!  That is totally 
inappropriate!"  
     Red flashed in Nick's eyes.  Only by concentrating on the road was he able 
to keep Tracy from noticing.  "Dr. Lambert and I are just friends," Nick stated 
coldly.  Each word, each syllable was like ground glass as it left his mouth.
     "Good," James drawled.  He nodded his head once before jerking his chin 
upwards.  
     Nick could say nothing to answer that.  Anger flared through him, 
threatening to release the vampire.  By repeating this old, stand-by formula, 
he'd basically given away his rights to Nat.  But he knew he'd already done that 
when he pushed her away that morning.  
     Fine, he thought angrily.  I got what I wanted, but this James had better 
be good to her, or I'll rip his heart out.
*     *     *
     It was nearly four in the morning when Nick drove up to the Raven.  Parking 
on the street, he entered the club.  At this time of the morning, there were 
only vampires left.  
     He trudged forward, collapsed onto a stool at the bar, and signaled the 
bartender for a house special.  He had been sitting there drinking and brooding 
for hours when LaCroix joined him.
     "Fancy meeting you here," the elder vampire quipped.  LaCroix took a sip of 
his own ever-present drink and settled himself on the stool next to his son.
     Nick looked up from his drink, giving his master a hard glare.  Then, he 
returned to his own drink.
     Undaunted, LaCroix continued.  "I am heartened to see you are having a more 
`nutritious meal' than your normal swill."  He smiled pleasantly.
     "Leave me alone, LaCroix," Nick grumbled.  He tossed back the remaining 
drink in his glass and promptly refilled it, leaving the half-full bottle on the 
bar.
     "Ah!"  LaCroix cried.  He, too, tossed back his drink and refilled it.  
"There must be trouble in paradise, your mortal world.  A fool's paradise."
     "I said," growled Nick, "leave me alone."  He took another gulp of his 
drink.
     LaCroix smirked.  "And what has the good doctor done now?"
     "Go to hell," Nick muttered.  He pushed back his stool, ready to leave.
     "Nicholas, the sun has risen.  Come back.  Sit down," LaCroix said softly.  
Reluctantly, Nick sat back down.  "My poor Nicholas," LaCroix said with a sad 
shake of his head.  "Do you wish me to take care of your little problem?  
Whatever it is." 
     "Leave Natalie alone, LaCroix.  I'm warning you."  Nick's eyes were red 
with anger.
     LaCroix lifted an elegant brow.  "Warning me?  Oh, you do have it bad, as 
they say in the vernacular."  Nick refused to answer.  "It is not my intention 
to vex you, my son.  You seem quite well capable of that yourself," he said 
sincerely.  "I only wish to help.  You look as though you could use a friend 
with whom to talk."
     Nick twirled his wineglass by the stem and stared into the thick, sticky 
substance.  He did need someone to talk to.  Would it be so bad if that someone 
were LaCroix?  For all his faults, LaCroix had always been there for him.  His 
father had saved him more times than he'd like to admit.  Even the brutal, 
hurtful things LaCroix had done to him had been, in LaCroix's eyes, for his own 
good.  Perhaps it was time for father and son to talk.
*     *     *
     LaCroix laughed with merriment.  "Janette will laugh so when she hears of 
this."
     "I did not come here for you to laugh at me, LaCroix, or to tell others of 
my troubles," Nick growled angrily.  He stood up and glared down at the older 
man.
     "Sit down, Nicholas," LaCroix said mildly.  "I am not laughing at you, my 
son, but at fate."
     Nick, after having bared his soul to the old man only to be answered with 
peals of laughter, eyed his sire with skeptical eyes.  He jerked his chin upward 
a notch.  "Explain," he ordered.
      With narrowed eyes alight with a non-too-subtle warning, the master 
vampire smiled politely.  "I am referring to the old adage. `Be careful of what 
you wish for.  You just may get it.'  Is that not what has happened here?"
     Shame burned Nick's cheeks, and he sat down quietly beside the older man.  
LaCroix continued.  "Nicholas, you have told me time and again how precious and 
pure your Natalie is.  You have cursed yourself as not good enough for her.  You 
have insisted over and over that you love her far too much to condemn her soul 
to this eternal, living hell."
      Eyes downcast, Nick nodded mutely at the table, acknowledging and agreeing 
with his master's words.
     LaCroix placed an alabaster hand on his son's shoulder.  "You wish her to 
have everything good and mortal and normal.  Things you cannot give her.  A 
home, children.  You have fervently wished for Natalie to find some strong man, 
who loves her, cherishes her, and will give her that home and those children.  
You have admitted that only yesterday you purposely attempted to drive her away 
by allowing her to believe that you and Janette are still in love.  Is this not 
true?"
     Nick looked up at his sire, pure misery in his blue eyes.  It was all true, 
every last word.  Natalie, who was too unpolluted and unstained for his dark 
world, deserved so much more than he was able to give her.  Kenneth James seemed 
perfect for the job.  Nick was finally getting just what he had been hoping for, 
and now that he was getting just what he wanted, he was terribly unhappy about 
it.  Crimson tears pooled at the corners of his eyes.
     With a silent grimace, LaCroix handed Nick a handkerchief.  The younger man 
dabbed furiously at his eyes as his father continued speaking to him softly.  
"Nicholas, you now have exactly what you wanted for her.  If you truly love her, 
then feel happy for her, step aside, and let her go."  His face became a cold, 
impassive mask.  "It is, after all, what you bade me do for your own sister."
     Swallowing hard, Nick looked into LaCroix's eyes, and for the first time, 
recognized the pain there.  "You're right, LaCroix," Nick muttered softly.  
"I'll stay here long enough to see that James is properly trained as a police 
officer and to make sure he will treat Nat right.  Then, I'll leave."
     Solemnly, LaCroix nodded.  "I shall join you when you are ready."
End of Part 3

In the Dark, Part 4 of  9
By Elise
     Another bad night was in the making.  As soon as it became dark enough for 
him to leave the Raven, where he'd spent the day sleeping in a booth, Nick 
rushed home to the loft.  He hadn't slept much, and the shower and change of 
clothing did nothing to improve his mood.  Arriving a half hour late at the 
precinct, Nick walked in to catch a lethal glare from Tracy and to see Kenneth 
James sitting at his desk with his big, booted feet propped up on his desk.
     "It's about time, Detective Knight," Tracy informed him.  "I've been 
working on our" - She stressed the word- "paperwork for over a half hour with no 
help."
     Nick pushed James' feet off his desk before answering.  "I'm sorry I'm 
late, and I'm sorry you had no help."  He stared pointedly down at James.
     Detective Kenneth James waved a hand at Nick.  "Well, Tasha," he said into 
the phone, "all I'm asking for is a chance to talk.  No romance, unless you want 
it to go there."  Silently, he listened and flickered his eyes insolently over 
Knight.  "Of course, I know you haven't been alone since high school, and, yeah, 
I know you're probably seeing someone else."  He switched the phone to his other 
ear.  "But, honey, I've missed you every day that I've been gone, and I just 
want a chance. That's all I'm asking.  A chance to talk isn't so much to ask, 
now is it?"
     Nick felt his body burn.  He balled his hands into fists and stared down at 
the big man sitting at his desk talking to his Natalie.  By sheer force of will 
he kept the vampire at bay and his eyes from glowing.
     Tracy carefully put her pen down on the desk and slowly eased her chair 
back.  If there were going to be a fight, she was going to be ready.  No matter 
how many times Nick and Nat said they were "just friends," she and everyone else 
knew that it just wasn't true.  Now with Detective James in the picture and 
actively pursuing Nat, Nick would have to make a stand.  Nervously, she glanced 
around the room, hoping there would be someone to help her pull them apart.
     "Great," James said with a huge grin splitting his handsome face.  "I'll 
pick you up when shift is over, and we'll go for breakfast.  Bye."  The new 
detective hung up the phone and slowly rose from Nick's chair to tower over the 
smaller man.
     Head tilted back, Nick glowered up at the huge man, who dared to vie for 
Natalie in front of him.  Neither man said a word as they stood toe to toe in a 
show of strength, each trying to intimidate the other.  
     A hush fell as the intensity of the two men moved like ocean waves across 
the room.  Every man and woman in the department tensed as well, hoping to see 
an epic battle between the Knightmare and the Iron Giant, as Detective James was 
now being called.  And, of course, if the two actually fell to fighting, it was 
going to take a hell of a lot to pull them apart.
     "Do we have a problem here, gentlemen?" a soft voice asked, effectively 
instilling a stalemate between the two would-be combatants.  Captain Reese moved 
purposefully towards the two men.
     "No problem, Cap."
     "None at all, Sir."
     Both men spoke in unison.  James draped his arm across Nick's shoulders, 
and Knight wrapped an arm around Kenneth's waist.  They both grinned insanely at 
their captain.  Tracy rolled her eyes, let out an exaggerated sighed, and sank 
back into her chair in exasperation. 
     Captain Joe Reese eyed the two men as well as Detective Vetter.  He wasn't 
born yesterday, and the show wasn't fooling him one bit.  "Uh huh," he muttered.  
"It's wonderful that you two are so buddy-buddy because we just got in a call.  
The body of a young woman has been discovered in an alley behind the Raven."
     Tracy was the first to react.  She stood up, grabbing her coat.  "Come on, 
boys," she said sarcastically.  "Let's go to work."  Happily, Nick and Kenneth 
let go of each other and moved quickly to follow Tracy.
     "Oh, and, boys," Reese copied Tracy's tone of voice, "the ME unit, uh, I 
mean Dr. Lambert should already be there so play nice and don't embarrass me."
*     *     *
     On the way to the crime scene, Tracy rode in the back seat of the Caddy.  
Without a word of explanation, James had claimed the passenger side, forcing her 
to take the back.  She wasn't upset at having to ride in the back, but the 
continued high level of testosterone was about to drive her nuts.  The truce 
Reese had instilled earlier was still holding, but Tracy knew it wouldn't last.  
Both men wanted Natalie, and it wasn't going to take much for either hot-head to 
snap.
     Leaving Tracy in the back seat, both men left the car and headed towards 
the first uniform they saw.  It was as if they were in some asinine masculine 
contest to see who could be the first on the crime scene.  Tracy shook her head 
and tagged along behind.
     Nick was the first to thunder on the scene.  "Who found the body?" he 
demanded of the first officer he saw.  He was beginning to feel real fear that 
the cause of death might well be vampire related.  After all, the body was found 
right here behind the club. 
     "A Javier Vachon."   The young female officer pointed to a tall man with 
long, dark hair standing beside one of the patrol cars.
     Nick calmed considerable with the officer's words.  He knew Vachon and knew 
the younger vampire would never have reported a vampire killing.  It must be a 
purely mortal matter.  Scanning the young man's badge, Nick replied, "Thank you, 
Officer Himura.  James, you will interview Mr. Vachon.  Tracy and I will 
investigate the scene." 
     "Why don't you interview this Vachon guy while Tracy and I investigate the 
scene," James suggested hotly.  "Why do you get to give out orders like some 
feudal lord?"
     "In case you've forgotten, I'm senior detective on the scene," retorted 
Nick angrily.  "Covering the crime scene is my responsibility, and I have the 
authority to designate assignments as I see fit."
     Tracy knew where this budding argument was going.  She sighed loudly.  "For 
heavens sake!  I'll do the interview."   Detective Vetter threw her hands in the 
air and huffed off towards the patrol car.  "Men!" she declared.
    Officer Abra Himura looked at the two detectives.  "What's with her?" she 
asked.
    Both men, pretending to ignorance, shrugged and donned twin, innocent 
expressions. "Women," they answered simultaneously.  The two men stared at each 
other for a split second in mutual amusement.
     Then the moment of camaraderie was shattered as the young officer's radio 
crackled to life.  Himura reached to turn up the volume.  "Dr. Bennett is on the 
scene to stand in for the downed Dr. Lambert."
     "Tasha!" James cried out.  He bolted towards the alley, but Nick had 
somehow managed to get there before him.
     Knight was kneeling in the alley, holding Natalie as she vomited.  She was 
ashen and looked very close to collapsing.  Several officers, having already 
been apprised of the near battle earlier, were standing by eagerly anticipating 
the coming fireworks.  Before the night was over the precinct pool would have 
been amended.  Not only was the pool taking bets on when Knight and Lambert 
would finally get together, it was also taking votes on whether or not Detective 
James would catch her first.
     James knelt beside them.  "Tasha, honey, are you all right?" he asked 
softly.
     Natalie nodded and turned her watery eyes towards him.  "Yeah," she 
whispered tremulously.  "I just can't do that one."  Her voice trailed off.  "I 
just can't."  She began weeping softly.
     Tracy had seen the men bolt for the alley entrance.  She watched with 
growing fear as Natalie was sick in front of everyone.  "Geez," Tracy muttered 
softly to Vachon.  "It must be bad to make Natalie lose it like that.  I've 
never seen her get sick before."
     Vachon shook his head and wrapped his arms around himself.  "No, it's not 
that bad really," he whispered back.
     Tracy looked curiously at him.  She frowned and cocked her head in silent 
question.
     Nodding his head, Vachon wet his lips before replying.  "As best I could 
tell, the girl had a miscarriage or something.  Looks like she bled to death.  
All I know is that there's a lot of blood."  He shrugged.  
     "I'll take Dr. Lambert back to the morgue," Nick's voice, louder than he 
intended, carried across the scene.  Detective Knight rose slowly, helping a 
weak Natalie to her feet.
      "No," James responded in kind, "I'll take her back to the morgue."  He 
reached an arm between Nick and Natalie.
      "I said," Nick spoke through clenched teeth, "I will take her back to the 
morgue."
      "In case you've forgotten," James said with a thin smile, "You're senior 
detective on the scene.  Covering the crime scene is your responsibility."  With 
that, James stepped forward and scooped Natalie up in his arms.  "Besides," he 
whispered, pitching his voice so low only Nick could hear him, "Nat and I have a 
date for breakfast."
     "Put me down, Kenny," Natalie ordered.  "I'm fine, or I will be.  I just 
need to get out of here."
     In the midst of their concern over Natalie, neither detective noticed the 
Raven's owner.  Janette Du Charme had slipped out of the back door and moved 
quickly through the crowd.  She had been informed of the arrival of the 
detective unit and was making her way to Nick.  Although this incident did not 
involve the vampire community or her directly, Janette had an interest in this 
particular crime, and she meant to avenge the dead girl.
     Slowly, Kenneth set Natalie back on her feet, but when she wobbled 
unsteadily, he clamped onto her arm and refused to let go.  Natalie tried to 
pull her arm away.   When she saw that Janette was holding onto Nick's arm in a 
similar manner, she gave in and relaxed into Kenneth.
     "Nicolas, we must talk about this poor girl," she whispered softly into his 
ear.
     Immediately, Nick turned his attention to Janette.  "Do you know something 
about this?" he whispered back.
     "Oui," she told him.  "I know all but the man's name.  Come inside."
     Their words, pitched only to vampire hearing, were lost to the mortals 
around them.  Natalie, seeing the two of them whispering so fervently together, 
felt her heart break utterly in two.  How could she even think of competing with 
Janette?  She dropped her head as the hot tears returned and the nausea 
threatened to rise again.  With her face lowered, she missed the look of 
unadulterated love that shown on Nick's face as he stared at her.
     Nick looked at Natalie, standing there crying, and he felt his heart break.  
Oh, what he wouldn't give to have her!  "One moment, Janette," he said roughly.  
"I'll meet you inside."  He had to make sure Natalie was okay first.  
     "Natalie," he called as he moved closer to her, "are you okay?"
     "She will be," James replied.  "I'll take care of her.  You and Tracy 
finish up here."
*     *     *
     Once James and Natalie had left in her car, the Knightmare handled the rest 
of the investigation with brusque efficiency.   Everyone there, save Dr. 
Bennett, caught the sharpened edge of Nick's ill temper as he ordered everyone 
around.  Tracy knew her partner was more than earning the new nickname of  
"Feudal Lord" with which James had unwittingly labeled him. 
     Before she could run afoul of her partner's hostile mood, Tracy briskly 
returned to her interview with Vachon.  She smiled to herself and chuckled 
slightly.
     Vachon back smiled at her.  Tracy was so beautiful.  He hugged his jacket 
tighter, needing to keep his hands away from that silky blonde hair that he 
wanted so badly to touch.  "What's so funny?" he asked. 
     "Nick sent me to interview you.   `Interview with a Vampire.'  Get it?" she 
explained with a dimpled smile.
     Vachon sighed and glanced nervously around.  "Yeah, I get it, and so will 
you if you don't keep quiet."
     That thought sobered her instantly.  Returning to her official tone of 
voice, Tracy asked, "Okay, so how did you happen to find the body?"  She pulled 
out her notebook and pen, ready to write down his answers.
    Vachon told her, "As soon as it was dark, I came out back to the alley."
     "What for?" she interrupted him.
     Looking a bit miffed, Vachon stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets.  
"Well, someone" - He stressed the word- "told me that I needed to get a `real' 
job so she could show her daddy that she's dating a responsible man and not some 
lowly musician," he retorted in a terse tone.
     "Don't snip at me, Javier," Tracy argued back.  "I did not tell you to get 
a `real' job; I said if you had a more responsible job, daddy wouldn't be on my 
back so much about dating a musician."
     "Well, you can go and tell daddy that I have a `more responsible' job now," 
he shot back.  "I tend bar at the Raven five nights a week."
     Tracy beamed a beautiful, cherubic smile.  "Really?  You got a job just for 
me?"
     How could he stay angry when she was smiling at him like that?  How could 
this mere mortal melt his cold heart so fast?  "Yeah, I did," he grumbled.  
Returning her smile, he added, "Isn't that why you asked?"
     "No, it's standard procedure to ask that."  She grinned at him.
     Vachon snorted and stared up at the starry sky in frustration.  "Okay, 
okay, around dark, I came out back to carry in some cases of, uh, wine, and 
there she was in a pool of blood."
     "Had you seen her here before?  Do you know her name or anything about 
her?" Tracy persisted in her questioning.
     Javier grimaced.  "Her name was Cia."
      "Cia what?"  
      "Cia.  That's it.  That's all I know."
     "Okay, what else?"
     "She's about fifteen or so, another runaway turned prostitute, and she 
comes to sleep at the Raven whenever her pimp beats her.  Really, Tracy, that's 
all I know."
     Tracy nodded as she hastily jotted down his words.  She looked nervously 
around and lowered her voice before she asked the next question.  "You don't 
think it was vampire who killed her do you?"
     "And waste all that blood?  Not a chance," he stated with conviction.
     That made sense.  Tracy pocketed the notebook and pen.  She seemed 
satisfied. "Okay, no more questions for now.  Standard procedure states that I'm 
supposed to give you my card and ask you to call me if you think of anything 
else."  She produced a small business card, which she handed to him.
     "Is that your way of asking me to call?" he grinned.
     "Could be," she returned.
*     *     *
     Janette pulled Nick along behind her into the club, past the bar, and on 
into her private office.  She pointed unceremoniously to a chair.  "Nicolas."  
Her voice was low pitched, and she seemed terribly agitated as she began to pace 
the small office.  "Nicolas, that girl was coming here to me."
     Moving towards the offered seat, Nick froze, and he stared at his sister.  
"Are you saying you are responsible for her death?" he quizzed her. 
     Janette stopped in mid-pace, giving her brother and look of incredible 
disgust.  Anger was evident in her voice as she spoke.  "Nicolas, how dare you 
even think much less suggest that I would make such a mess, waste so much blood, 
and then leave the body to be found?"
     "I'm sorry, Janette," Nick answered.  He settled into the chair, knowing 
that now he would have to wait longer than before for the information she had.  
Janette always punished him for his mistakes.
     "Yes, Nicolas," she purred acidly, "you are sorry, and of late you seem to 
be doing a great deal of apologizing for it." 
     Nick chose to ignore this comment.  "What do you know of the girl, 
Janette?"
     "I do not know her name.  I never ask names of those who seek shelter 
here."  Janette resumed her pacing.  "She first came during the summer, sometime 
in July, I think it was." She punctuated her speech with feminine, graceful 
gestures.  "She was a runaway.  Her pimp had beaten her severely. I offered to 
give her bus fare to return to her parents.  I had hoped she would go home, but 
she did not."
     Standing abruptly, Nick moved to wrap his arms her.  Janette rarely allowed 
herself to be upset over a mere mortal.  "There is more to it than that, 
Janette," he charged hergently.  "What is it about this one mortal girl that has 
upset you so?"  His voice was quiet and soothing.
     He had tried to comfort her, but she pushed him away.  Janette had learned 
long ago that it was best to take comfort from no man.  When she again had 
control of her voice, she answered him.  "She reminded me much of another friend 
I had long ago when I was mortal."
     Nick nodded in understanding.  Janette had spent her last mortal years 
being forced to prostitute herself.  That was why, no matter where she went, 
Janette played a mothering role to such girls -both mortal and immortal- that 
society had cast off.  He would not press her to explain, to remember such 
unhappy times.
     "I know she was coming here to me, seeking my help."  Janette's face was 
one of pure hatred, and her voice was a deadly calm.  "Nicolas, if this man beat 
her again causing her to lose her baby, I will find him and kill him."
     Nick knew she wasn't bluffing, and there was nothing he could do but find 
the man before Janette did.  Even protective custody wouldn't be able to save 
the man if Janette learned of his whereabouts.  "Do you know the man's name?  
His location?"
     A wicked smile curled around her full, sensuous lips.  "If I did, do you 
think I would be telling you this?  Hmm?"  She laughed, an icy sound.  "You will 
find him for me, and I will make him pay."
End of Part 4


In the Dark, Part 5 of  9
By Elise
     Nick's nerves were stretched to the breaking point.  Janette would give him 
no peace until she had revenged the death of the young girl.  Natalie was 
irrevocably lost to him.  Part of him wanted to give up, to move on and not 
return.  If the girl's pimp had indeed her, he certainly deserved the death that 
Janette was planning.  Natalie would be better off with a man like James, who 
could give her a home and children.  But pride forbade him to give up.  He could 
not allow Janette to kill again, even if it did seem just.  As for Natalie, he 
could at least make sure James would treat her right.
     As they climbed into the Caddy and roared off, Tracy shook her head.  Even 
the Caddy was on the receiving end of Nick's anger as he slung corners, drove 
too fast, and punched on the breaks.  "Uh, Nick," Tracy uttered carefully, "I 
know you're really pissed, but could you slow down a bit?"
     Nick ground his teeth, but he obliged her by slowing down.  He heaved a 
sigh and tried to release the tension that had been growing behind his eyes.  
"Sorry," he muttered. 
     "That's okay," Tracy responded.  "I understand."  Silence reigned in the 
car until Tracy couldn't hold it in any longer.  "Nick, I know it's none of my 
business, but-"
     "You're right.  It is none of your business," he retorted, quickly 
interrupting her.
     Tracy was undaunted.  "But Kenneth loves Natalie.  I mean, really loves 
her, as in the "happily ever after' kind of love."
     "And just how would you know that?" he snapped.
     "Because he told me so," she returned just as sharply.  "We've talked.  I'm 
telling you, Nick, if you love Nat, if you want her, you're going to have to let 
her know."
     Nick stared through the windshield, apparently ignoring his partner.  A few 
silent moments ticked by.  Then, so very softly that Tracy barely heard him, he 
answered her, "Maybe he's the best thing for Nat.  I could never give her all 
that she deserves."
     "What is that supposed to mean?" Tracy burst out.  
     But before she could wrangle an answer out of him, they were parking at the 
coroner's office.  Nick stepped out and moved forward without so much as a 
backward glance.  Tracy barely managed to catch up with him as they entered the 
lab of Dr. Bennett.  Tracy hoped no one had seen her undignified run down the 
hallway, chasing after Nick.  For a brief moment she wished Kenneth James would 
knock his block off.
     Nick entered the lab without knocking in time to witness the medical 
examiner pushing a body into the cooler.  He assumed it to be the girl from 
their latest case.  "Dr. Bennett, do you have a report available on our Jane 
Doe?" he asked bluntly.
     Scrutinizing the detective with a shrewd eye, the round, little woman 
nodded.  "Good evening to you too, Detective Knight," she said lightly. "And 
good evening to you, too, Detective Vetter."
     "Good evening, Dr. Bennett," Nick responded.  He would have blushed with 
embarrassment if it were possible.  As if were, he stood politely but not 
patiently.  Tracy pushed her windblown hair out of her face and with her eyes 
shot daggers at her partner.  Nick was well aware of her anger, but he chose to 
ignore it.
     Bennett moved to stand in front of the now empty examination table.  She 
removed her gloves, tossing them onto the stainless steel surface.  "There's the 
report you wanted," she told him, pointing to the edge of her desk.  "I don't 
have a name yet, but I have sent photos and fingerprints to the runaway 
clearinghouse."
     Nick picked up the report and began thumbing through it.
     "The girl's name was Cia," Tracy put in.  "I don't have a last name though.  
The man who found the body said she was a young runaway turned prostitute, who 
came to the Raven from time to time whenever her pimp beats her."
     Nodding sagely, the doctor pointed to the report Nick still held.  "That 
would explain some of my findings.  There was past history of broken limbs, 
scars, a whole host of things that would have suggested physical abuse."
     "Would you consider the death to be a homicide?" Nick asked.
     Dr. Bennett grimaced.  "It was most definitely an unnecessary death, but I 
don't know if it could be counted as a homicide or not.  That would have to be a 
decision for the court, I suppose."  She settled herself  into a chair.  "The 
girl had an abortion.  The job was correctly performed, but apparently she began 
to bleed afterward.  Cause of death was massive loss of blood due to 
hemorrhaging following an abortion, a most horrific way and agonizing way to 
die."    
      Thoughtfully, Tracy said, "If it were that horrific that would explain why 
Nat lost it."  Secretly, she was glad she hadn't seen the body.
     Bennett cocked her head to one side, a puzzled frown on her face.  "When I 
said horrific, I meant it was a terrible way to die.  The girl bleed to death, 
and she suffered in terrible agony."  She paused.  "I don't know why Lambert 
reacted the way she did.  She's dealt with much worse before.  It doesn't make 
sense.  I just know she's bound to take some heat for this. She's sure to get a 
written reprimand in the personnel folder for this."    
     Tracy defended Natalie.  "Why should Nat get written up for losing it at 
one crime scene?  Doctors are human, too."
     Cocking her head to the side, Bennett drew her lips up into a thin line.  
"Yes, even medical professionals lose it from time to time, but Lambert didn't 
report back to work."
     "She what?" Nick asked almost rudely.
     "Well, she came by, grabbed her purse, and took off.  Didn't book out or 
anything."  The doctor sighed.
     Nick was angry now.  "Did she say where she was going?"  His voice sounded 
strange to his own ears.
     "Nope," Bennett told him.  "Not a word."  She gave Tracy a knowing look.  
"She just grabbed her purse and took off with Detective James.  Not that I blame 
her.  I'd love to take off with him myself."
End of Part 5

In the Dark, Part 6 of 9
By Elise
Part Six is rather long, but I could not break up this scene.

     Nick stood on Natalie's balcony, peering into her apartment.  Silently, he 
watched and listened to the couple inside.  Nick wanted to deny what had driven 
him to become a Peeping Tom.  He wanted to pretend that he was there merely to 
protect Natalie, even though he was the very one who had pushed her away.  He 
tried to convince himself that he was only making sure this James fellow was 
right for her, but he knew exactly why he was watching them.  Pure jealousy was 
gnawing at him, slowly turning the man into as much of a beast as the vampire.
     When he and Tracy had left Dr. Bennett' lab, he had booked off.  Nick had 
used all of his vampiric abilities to track the couple down.  Good as his word, 
Detective James had merely taken Natalie out to eat.  The two had lingered over 
their meal, softly talking all night.  Because of the hum of the other patrons, 
Nick couldn't make out what they had been saying to each other, but his heart 
broke with mixed emotions as he realized Natalie was warming up to James. 
     Detective Kenneth James caught Natalie by the arm as she walked past him 
towards her couch.  "Come here," he whispered as he pulled her close.  Then, he 
kissed her.  It was a soft, gentle kiss, and Nick, standing on the cold balcony, 
burned with jealousy.
     When the kiss broke, Detective James whispered huskily, "I have missed you, 
Natasha." 
     Natalie smiled half-heartedly at him.  An odd tick quirked the corner of 
her mouth.  "It's been fifteen years, Kenny," she told him as she reached up to 
wipe her lipstick off his mouth.
     His forehead puckered in a frown, but he didn't let her go.  "That long?"
     Trying to maintain her emotional distance, Natalie pushed him away.  "Yes, 
it has," she told him.  "I was fifteen, a sophomore, and you," Nat reminded him, 
"were a senior and had just turned twenty."
     Detective James laughed and rubbed his jaw.  "Guess I did spend more than 
the usual number of years in high school."
     Taking a step backward, Natalie looked up at him.  "You were a bad boy, 
Kenny," she teased him.
      Suddenly, she was pulled towards him, crushed tightly against the giant 
man's chest.  "As I recall, Natasha," he growled hungrily, "you liked the bad 
boys."  He kissed her again, a hard and demanding kiss. 
     Natalie pushed against him, struggling against this sudden forced intimacy, 
but James held her more tightly, refusing to let her go.  
    Watching from the shadows, Nick angrily pressed against the glass door.  If 
that man didn't let Natalie go, he'd break the glass and the other man's neck as 
well.  
     But it was Nick's heart that looked likely to break for Natalie soon wilted 
submissively into James' embrace.  Her hands, once desperately trying to break 
his hold, were now caressing him.  Nick could hear her soft moans.
     Only when she relaxed against him, did James end the kiss.  "Why didn't you 
answer my letters, Tasha?" he asked hoarsely, his throat nearly closing around 
the words.
     A bewildered and angry Natalie cried, "Answer your letters?  You didn't 
send any!"  She shoved him away.
      Nick's heart lightened.  A fight was coming, and perversely, it made him 
happy.  He slipped back into the shadows, a smirk on his face.  Guilt 
immediately followed.  He should be happy that Nat had found her high school 
sweetheart again.  He should be glad the man still loved her.  That's what 
Natalie deserved, wasn't it?  A man who loved her, one who could offer her a 
stable home and children.
     "I did!" James defended himself.
     Natalie gave him a skeptical glare.  "Right," she said, "I'm supposed to 
take the word of a man who abandoned me when I needed him the most."  
    She was shaking with emotion as she stormed to the couch and plopped down on 
it.  Nick couldn't tell whether she was angry or hurt.   He seriously thought of 
dashing around and ringing the doorbell to interrupt them.  This James fellow, 
just as he thought, wasn't good enough for Nat.  What kind of man would abandon 
a woman who needed him?
     "Abandoned you?" he asked, his voice quivering with anger.  Slowly, he 
circled the couch until he faced her, his back to the balcony.  "I wrote you 
every week for six months, and you never answered a single one!  Do you have any 
idea how much that hurt?"
     Natalie's voice was low and strained when she answered.  "I never got one 
single letter from you.  No letter, no phone call, no nothing.  All I know is 
you got me pregnant and left town."
     "Pregnant?" the tall man whispered.  There was an echoing whisper from the 
balcony.  Kenneth James sank onto the couch next to Natalie.  His handsome face 
was ashen; he was obviously in shock. "You were pregnant?  With my child?"
     "Yes."  Natalie forced the hateful word out.  "Nana told me you'd left 
town.  She said she didn't expect any better from me, but she had expected more 
from you."  The words were bitter, and hot tears came with them.  "Nana wanted 
us to get married so you could make me a respectable woman."
     Natasha," he whispered her name tenderly.  "I had no idea."  
     Gently, he took her hands into his large ones, caressing them.  Natalie was 
suddenly struck by the hard warmth of his hands, so different from Nick's soft, 
cool ones.  "Yes, you did, Kenny," she contradicted him coolly.  "Nana called 
your dad from the doctor's office.  I heard her."
     Kenneth shook his head in negation.  "Uh, uh, Natasha, that's not right."  
He looked down at their hands and shook his head again.  He was trying to puzzle 
things out, and he didn't like the way the facts were shaping up. 
     Nick pressed his ear to the frame of the sliding glass door, wanting to 
make sure he heard every word.  He would not allow this man to hurt Natalie 
again.  He'd kill him first.
    "Natasha, listen to me."  When Natalie, face streaked with tears, dared look 
at him, he spoke slowly and softly.  "The day I left Toronto my dad picked me up 
from school."  He paused remembering.  "He had two suitcases packed for me and 
an airline ticket to New York."  Anger set in on his features as he slowly 
realized how he had been manipulated, but he kept it from his voice as he 
continued speaking.  "Dad told me that Uncle Tommy needed help with his computer 
business.  He said it was an opportunity that someone with my poor academic 
record couldn't afford to pass up."
     Natalie's face took on an odd expression of curiosity mixed with horror.  
"Your dad didn't tell you?  He sent you away?"
     Kenneth let go of her hands and rubbed his palms across his face.  He 
clearly didn't like the truth that now lay before him.  "No, he didn't tell me a 
thing about you being pregnant."  He heaved a sigh and stood up, pacing the tiny 
apartment in two quick strides.  "Dammit!" he suddenly shouted.  The sound rang 
throughout the room, and nearly burst Nick's sensitive ears.  "Why didn't he 
tell me?"
     Suddenly, Natalie understood.  "Oh, Kenny, your dad probably thought he was 
protecting you.  Nana was spiteful.  If she thought you weren't going to do the 
noble thing by me, she would have had you arrested for statutory rape.  I was 
underage at the time, and you were twenty."
     "Oh, Natasha," he cried.  "You know I would have married you."  He dropped 
to one knee before her.
     This is it, thought Nick.  He's going to propose.  I'm not ready for this.  
He thumped his head against the cold bricks in silent protest.
     Natalie nodded but didn't reply.  An odd silence filled the apartment.  The 
awkward moment was broken by Sydney's none so subtle reminder that his mistress 
had yet to feed him.  "Mreorw," the cat cried as he leaped upon Natalie's lap.
     Kenneth laughed softly.  "I might have known you'd have another blasted 
cat," he teased her.  
     Natalie brushed away the tears and smiled tremulously at the cat.  Sydney 
had certainly given them a much needed break from the tenseness of the 
conversation.  She scooped up the furry creature as she stood up and headed 
towards the kitchen.  "Aw, Sydney, baby, did mama forget to feed you?"  She 
continued the string of baby-talk all the way to the kitchen.  
      When she returned without the cat, she found Kenneth seated on her couch.  
He was staring at her with painfully curious eyes.  She didn't realize that 
another pair of eyes, golden ones, were focused on her, too.  Both men had 
followed similar thought patterns and now needed answers.
     "Natasha," Kenneth called out to her, "where's the baby?"  His words were 
painful, and tears swam in his dark blue eyes.
     Swallowing hard, Natalie took another step towards the couch and sank down 
beside him.  Carefully blanking her face of any trace of emotions, she looked 
straight into his eyes.  "There isn't any baby, Kenny."  Her voice was soft and 
not quite steady.
     "Well, I know he can't be a baby anymore.  It's been fifteen years.  He'd 
be a teenager by now."  His eyes pleaded with her.  "Where is he, Natasha?"
     He didn't understand.  She had to explain.  Natalie answered him again, 
making sure to keep her voice as close to neutral as she could.  "There is no 
he, Kenny."
     "We have a daughter?" he asked.  The hopeful tone of his voice belied the 
fear in his eyes.
     Was he purposefully misunderstanding?  Was he trying to make this even more 
difficult for her?  "I had an abortion, Kenny."  Her voice was hard, harder than 
she had intended it to be.  Natalie had battled that question a long time ago.  
It had hurt like hell, and she had cried for months.  There was no way she 
wanted to relive that again.  Time had not lessened the pain.
      A look of sheer, unadulterated horror crossed his face and he jumped up 
from the couch.  "You killed our unborn child?" he cried.
     On the balcony, Nick reeled in horror.  The sheer magnitude of what he'd 
just learned floored him, literally, and he sank to his knees, ear still firmly 
pressed against the cold glass.  His Natalie, his precious, good, kind, loving 
Natalie!  How could she ever have destroyed an unborn life?  How could she live 
with herself and the guilt she must surely face?  Even in all his most depraved 
moods, Nick had never done anything so reprehensible as to murder an unborn 
innocent.  Suddenly his mouth went dry and the urge to vomit assailed him. 
     Natalie jerked back as if she had been slapped.  Then the cold mask she 
wore at work while performing an autopsy settled over her features.  She jerked 
her chin at Kenneth James and braced her shoulders as a sudden and vivid memory 
hit her.
 
    "Well, it is time you started to think for a change, Natasha," Nana cried 
angrily.  She stared at the weeping girl sitting at the kitchen table.  Her 
granddaughter, ever a disappointment to her, was pregnant.  "That boy," she 
spat, "is gone!" 
     "I know, Nana," the girl said softly.  It had been a month since Nana had 
called to tell Kenny's dad about their "accident", and in all that time she had 
heard nothing from Kenny.   He wasn't at school, and no one knew where he was.  
All his dad would say was that he was sorry.  She wasn't yet beginning to show, 
but she was one month closer to having a baby.
     "Child, listen to me.  It's time to start thinking, planning," Nana spoke 
softly.  "I ask you this.  If you bear this bastard child in disgrace, how will 
you support it?"  Nana shook her head.  "You know how money is with us just now.  
There is barely enough to make ends meet."
     Miserably, the young girl shook her head.  "I hadn't thought of that," she 
said softly. 
     "Or of keeping your legs together," the old woman added.
     Natalie took a deep sigh and rolled her eyes.  "That's not very helpful, 
Nana," she dared answer and then added sarcastically, "Besides it's a bit too 
late for that now."
     Nana looked towards heaven and held out her hands appealingly.  "You see 
this disrespect?"  Then she leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table.  
"Tasha, what of your plans for the future?  You want to be a doctor, you say.  
How do you think to become a doctor if you're saddled with an unwanted child?  A 
bastard child?"
     Natalie's anger flared.  "Stop calling it a bastard!"
     Nana shrugged her shoulders and sat back in her chair.  "You don't want my 
advice?  I'll be quiet.  I'll say nothing more.  I'm only trying to help you."  
     Taking a deep breath, Natalie let go of her anger.  In her own way, Nana 
was only trying to help.  And deep inside, Natalie knew she had never been 
exactly a model child, had never made things easy for the old woman.  
     It wasn't Nana's fault that Nat's parents had been killed by a drunk driver 
and the job of raising two small children had fallen upon an old woman unsuited 
to the task.  It wasn't Nana's fault that, as most grandmothers, she was 
hopelessly old-fashioned.  And it surely wasn't Nana's fault that Natalie was 
fifteen and pregnant, abandoned by her boyfriend.
     "I'm sorry, Nana.  I know you're only trying to help," Natalie spoke softly 
but firmly. "And I know I haven't made things easy for you."
     Pulling her wrinkled lips into a tight line, Nana nodded.  It took heart 
for her to admit that.   Perhaps there was some hope for the girl yet.  "It will 
be all right, Natasha," she assured her granddaughter.  "But you will have to 
start behaving more prudently."
      Miserably, Natalie nodded.  "How?"
     "First, end the tears.  They serve no purpose.  You do not cry over spilled 
milk, Natasha.  You can clean up the mess, and you move on with your life.  But 
you must decide now.  Do you want to keep the bast-"  
     Nana stopped herself when she saw the pain flicker across her 
granddaughter's face.  She took a deep breath, cleared her throat, and returned 
to ticking off Natalie's choices on her fingers.  "You can keep the child, but 
you would have to leave school now, get a job, support the baby, give up forever 
your dreams of medical school.  You can have the baby and give it up for 
adoption, but that would still mean you would have to quit school for this 
year."
      "Why?" Natalie blurted out.  "Why would I have to quit school if I planned 
to give it up for adoption?"
     Well, at least the tears are gone, Nana thought to herself.  She smiled 
grimly.  "Do you care what people think of this family?  Of you?  You do not 
seem to care much for the word `bastard.'   What of the names they will call 
you?  They will be much worse; I can assure you.  And what of your brother?  
Richie will have to go to that school, too.  Do you want him to know of this?  
To know the names they will call his sister?"
      Natalie pushed out her bottom lip.  She didn't give a rip what the others 
said about her.  No, that wasn't true.  She did care, and she hadn't even 
considered how this would affect Richie.
     "Or you can rid yourself of it now, douschka," Nana said softly.  "Take a 
few weeks from school, then return with your mind on your work this time.  You 
can still graduate, still have a chance at that scholarship, still have your 
dreams of becoming a doctor.  And no one need ever know the truth."
     A look of utter horror crossed Natalie's face as the meaning of Nana's 
words penetrated.  "Oh, no!" she cried out, clutching her belly.  "No, Nana!  I 
can't do that!  Abortion is murder."
     Nana didn't move a muscle.  Her face was a stony mask, and her voice was 
like cold granite.  "Those are your options," she said firmly.  Although the old 
woman felt sorrow and pity for her granddaughter, she dare not let it show.  
Only the strong survive.  The weak perish from within long before the outside 
world had a chance at them.  To hide her own weakness, Nana gathered herself and 
stood up.  Quietly, she pushed the chair back under the table and moved away 
towards the sink full of unwashed breakfast dishes.
     How could Nana be so cold?  How could she stand there, calmly washing the 
dishes?  So unemotional?   "What should I do?"  Natalie begged.  The tears were 
threatening to fall again. 
     Nana didn't look back as she began washing the silverware first.  "Only you 
can decide that, and you haven't much time to make your decision.  Wait another 
month and your belly will begin to show the child you carry.  Wait yet another 
and it will be too late to get rid of it." 
     Choking back the tears, Natalie silently reviewed her options.  None of 
them were happy ones.  "Nana," she asked softly, "if it were you, what would you 
decide?"
     Being careful to keep her voice toneless and her face neutral, Nana turned 
slightly to present her profile to her granddaughter.  "If it were me, I would 
rid myself of it as quickly as possible."  
      It didn't take Natalie long to make her decision.  Really, she had only 
one choice.  She'd been thinking of little else since Kenny had abandoned her.  
Hardening her heart and schooling her face into a cold, hard look, a look which 
later would serve as her professional mask, Natalie Lambert rose from her seat.  
With a firm step, she walked across the small kitchen until she stood beside her 
grandmother.  Taking the dishrag from the older woman's hands, Natalie began 
washing.  "Would you make me an appointment?" she asked softly.
     "You're making the right decision, Natasha," Nana told her quietly.  The 
old woman wiped her hands on her apron before picking up the telephone.

     "Don't you dare judge me, Kenny!" Natalie whispered hoarsely.  Her face was 
ashen.  She wanted to rage at him, scream, defend herself against his 
accusation, but she couldn't.  And she knew if she tried, her legs wouldn't 
support her.  "I was fifteen," she explained with much more calmness than she 
felt.  The hard professional doctor's mask settled on her face.  "For all I 
knew, you'd abandoned me.  Nana could barely support us on her retirement check.  
How would we ever have been able to support a baby, too?"  Her eyes began to 
water again, but she angrily brushed the tears way.
     The quiet pathos in her voice touched Kenny and Nick, too.  Slowly and with 
lessening horror, Kenneth James settled on the couch beside her.  But he did not 
touch her.  He couldn't bring himself to do it.  Outside in the darkness, Nick 
lolled against the glass, turning his body towards the apartment.  Desperately 
he waited to hear her explanation.
     "After you disappeared, Nana told me she didn't blame you.  No man would 
want to marry a slut who slept around."  Her voice choked on these words, but 
she didn't stop.  Something deep inside her soul compelled her to continue, to 
push out the raw words, to finally cleanse the wounds in her soul.  "You know I 
had plans, Kenny.  I've always wanted to be a doctor.  I had the grades, I had 
the desire, and I already had a shot at a scholarship.  How could I ever achieve 
my dreams if I had a baby?  Where would I be now?   What chance would a child 
have?"
     "He'd have been alive," retorted Kenneth harshly.  "What chance did you 
give him?"
     The same words, the same thoughts came to Nick's mind.  If he had been in 
James' place, he would have demanded of her the same answers.  But the words 
sounded ugly and vicious, and he winced at their sharpness.
     "Fine," Natalie said coldly.  She stood up and pushed herself away from the 
couch.  "You sit right there and judge me through fifteen years of perfect 
hindsight.  Go ahead, Kenny.  Maybe it will make you feel better to lay all the 
blame on me."  She pointed to the door.  "And when you're done, you can take 
your self-righteous ass out the door and out of my life!"
     Kenneth James stood.  Gently, he reached out to take Natalie by the 
shoulders.  As if in slow motion, he swung his head from side to side.  "Tasha, 
you've got to give me time," he begged.  "In less that ten minutes, I found out 
that I got you pregnant, that my dad, who just passed away, lied to me and kept 
this from me, and that my child was aborted.  How am I supposed to feel?  How am 
I supposed to react?"
     Natalie's face thawed a bit at his words, and Kenneth pressed his luck.  
"Honey, I'm sure once I've had the time to think it over, I'll agree with you.  
You always did make the right decisions," he told her.  Then added ruefully, 
"Except when it came to me."
    "I went through sheer hell, Kenny," she told him tearfully.  "I won't relive 
that.  I can't."
     Pulling her trembling body into his, Kenneth rubbed her back as she clung 
to him weeping.  Tears swam in the big man's eyes.  "I am so sorry, Tasha, so 
sorry."
     Nick had seen and heard far more than he had bargained for.  Now he had to 
deal with not only the knowledge that Kenneth James was likely to take Natalie 
away from him permanently but also that his beloved angel had killed her unborn 
child.  
     The first rosy fingers of dawn were grabbing at the horizon as Nick Knight 
flew towards the Raven.  He had no desire to go home.  The loft was far too cold 
for this coming day, and Nick knew he needed someone to talk to.
End of Part 6

In the Dark, Part 7 of 9
By Elise
      Nick arrived at the Raven just as the sun was rising.  With vampiric speed 
he unlocked the door and stepped inside.  A swirl of smoke followed him, proving 
that he had not moved as fast as he should have.  
     Nick pulled off his coat in disgust and began to inspect it.  Yep, it was 
charred all across the back.  He'd have to trash it and buy another.  His back 
still ached from his close call.  Worse, though, was the pain in his heart.
      The door to the back rooms suddenly opened and Janette stood there in 
silhouette.  "Nicolas?" she called out as she moved quickly into the room.  
"What is wrong, ma cher?  
     Nick did not respond to her.  He threw his singed coat onto the bar, leaped 
over it, and began digging around for a bottle.
     Black, silk robes aflutter, Janette strode to his side.  "Here, ma frere, 
let me." She found a good, hearty vintage and began pouring him a full glass.  
With one swift motion, Nick downed the whole glass and indicated that he wanted 
another.  Silently, Janette refilled his glass.
     This silent activity went on until the bottle was half gone.  Only then did 
Nick set the glass down atop the bar.  "Janette, I need to talk," Nick began 
lamely.
     "I thought as much," she said with a smile.  "It is the good doctor who 
vexes you so, is it not?"
     Startled, Nick turned to stare at his sibling.  How did she always know 
what he was thinking?
     "Because, my dear brother," she told him, "you are as transparent as 
glass."  Janette tapped the tip of his nose with the nail of her index finger.   
"And," she admonished, "blood doesn't lie.  I know how you feel about her.  I 
know how desperately you love her.  I know that you are losing her, and I know 
that it is killing you."  She attempted to smooth his ruffled hair.
     "Janette," he started, then faltered.  Swiftly, he stood and began pacing 
the floor.
     Janette took over his seat.  She had never seen him like this before.  His 
heartache was nearly tangible.  "If you want her so badly, why not take her?" 
she asked softly.  "Or is it that you have asked her already, and she has turned 
you down?"
     Nick shook his head, again disturbing the curls Janette had so recently 
tried to set to rights.  "I did not want to see her in the dark," he muttered.  
"She was my light, my angel.  All I ever wanted was for her to have sunshine, a 
home, children."  His voice broke on the last word.  His pacing stopped, he 
returned to the bar, grabbed up the bottle, and downed another swallow.
     Janette grimaced at his lack of manners in drinking straight from the 
bottle.  "Did not?" she asked.  "Has that changed?"
     Nick stopped with the bottle in mid air.  His eyes were red as much from 
tears as from the beast.  "Maybe," he growled.  He turned up the bottle again 
and drained it.  Janette sat silently, waiting patiently for him to explain.  "I 
thought of Natalie as an angel, unsullied, untouched by evil."  He paced some 
more.  "I thought to deny myself, deny what we feel, in order to save her from 
this darkness."  
     "Nicholas, I do not understand," Janette stated.  A small frown furrowed 
her smooth, white brow.  "Are you now considering bringing her across?"  
Personally, she thought it high time he brought the doctor across, but she knew 
better than to say so.
     "Janette," he cried suddenly.  He hurried to her and took her by the arms.  
"I found out tonight that Natalie is not at all what she seems."  His words 
rushed out on their own.  "Natalie has committed murder!  The very reason I 
would not risk being with her was to shield her from killing.  I wanted her soul 
to remain unblemished, unstained.  And now?"  He shook his head and grabbed at 
his hair.
     "Murder?" Janette questioned him.  "That does not sound at all like Natalie 
to me."  She shook her head.
     "Oh, it's true," he blurted out angrily.  "I overheard her confessing it 
tonight."
     "Oh."  Janette shrugged, making so common a gesture seem elegant.  "So 
what?  It is not like you have not done the same," she pointed out.  "So, she is 
not so pure as you thought.  Are you angry with her or at yourself?  Perhaps it 
is a good thing to learn.  Now there is no reason why you and she cannot be 
together."
     A horrified expression was her answer.  "You do not understand, Janette.  
It was a child that she murdered."
      Janette raised her eyebrows.  Her initial assessment of the doctor was 
changing by leaps and bounds.  "Nicolas, I'll admit that child killing in a 
heinous crime to one which neither of us has ever stooped."  She shifted 
uneasily on the barstool.  "But you have done your fair share of killing, and, 
at one time, you enjoyed it." 
     Nick wheeled away from her only to swing back around, pointing his finger 
at his sister.  "But never a child and never my own child!"
     A sudden glimmering of understanding came to Janette.  Quickly, she got 
down from the stool and moved forward to confront her brother.  "What do you 
mean, ma frere?  Natalie gave birth to a child and killed it, or Natalie aborted 
an unwanted pregnancy?"
     "What's the difference?" he retorted.
      Janette threw her arms in the air in exasperation.  "All the difference in 
the world!" she argued.  "The first is murder, but the second is not necessarily 
so."
     Nick stopped to stare at his sibling as if he were seeing her for the first 
time. "How can you say that abortion is not murder?" he gasped.
     "Nicolas," she told him coldly, "do you forget my past?"  Her past wasn't 
something she was eager to recall, but it was nothing she was particularly 
ashamed of either.  "In the brothel, I saw many women rid themselves of an 
unwanted child.  It was commonplace."
     "Janette, are you saying you could have done this?" he croaked out.  "Have 
you done this?"
      "No," she answered softly.  "Had I been able to bear children, my husband 
would never have cast me out.  Besides, you would surely have seen it in my 
blood." 
     "Then you can not know of what you speak," he told her as if that ended the 
conversation.
     "And you, a man, does know?" she retorted.  "Should a woman not have 
control over her own body?" 
     Nick knew he was on thin ice with Janette now.  He knew all about her past.  
She had never thought to hide it from him, and as she had just pointed out, 
there were never any secrets between those who exchanged blood.
     Janette had been forced to serve in the brothel for several years before 
LaCroix had rescued her.  During those years, she had been allowed no control 
over her own life, her own choices, or even her own body.  
     When he had learned of the many horrors she had been forced to endure, he 
had staunchly defended her, allowing that every woman as well as every man 
should have the right to make their own choices.  There was no way he could go 
back on his words now.
     Nick clenched his teeth together, grinding his molars.  Then he heaved a 
sigh, releasing some of his tension.  "I see your point, Janette," he conceded.  
"I just expected more from Natalie than.."  His words tapered off.
     Anger gone, Janette moved forward and wrapped her arms around him, pulling 
him to her.  "Truly, Nicolas," she whispered, "are you upset that your Natalie 
has had an abortion or that she has been sleeping with another man?"
     Nick reeled.  "Another man?" he growled in anger as he threw himself away 
from her.  "What do you mean?"
     A tiny frown of puzzlement creased Janette's forehead.  "Of course she must 
have been seeing another man.  How else could she have gotten pregnant?"  Her 
puzzlement quickly turned to reproach as she continued to chide him.  "And do 
you really blame her, ma frere?   Is it any wonder that she sought elsewhere 
when you would not satisfy her needs?  Is that what is really bothering you?  It 
should not since you have come to me often enough for-"
      "She has not gone elsewhere!" he shouted, interrupting her.  Even at the 
thought of her being with another man, he was suddenly, furiously jealous. 
     Exasperated, Janette huffed, "But what of this Detective James fellow?   
Isn't he her lover?"
     Nick felt his eyes go red.  It was a lucky thing this morning that he was a 
vampire because this day's events would surely throw a mortal man into an 
apoplectic fit.  "The abortion happened when she was fifteen!" he yelled.  There 
was no reason she needed to know that James had been the father.
     "Stop yelling at me, Nicolas!" she returned angrily.
     Inhaling loudly through his nose, Nick slowly released the air and the 
anger.  It was wrong to take this out on Janette.  "I'm sorry," he told her 
politely.
     Janette sniffed daintily.  "I accept you apology.  I understand."  She said 
nothing further about this.  They both knew why Nick was so angry.  She softened 
her expression before returning to their conversation.  "Nicolas, fifteen years 
is a long time in mortal years.  Natalie did not even know you then.  She was a 
mere child.  Surely you can forgive her for keeping you in the dark about this."  
She dared to add, "Now that you know she is not perfect, perhaps you can remove 
her from the pedestal on which you've placed her and bring her across."
     "I will hear no more of this, Janette," Nick cried out.  He held his head 
in his hands.
     Janette moved swiftly forwards and wrapped her arms around him.  "It is all 
right, ma cher," she murmured. "You need rest and time to think.  Come, stay 
here today and rest, hmm?"
     Nick nodded.  He would stay with her for the day and rest.  What he would 
do when night fell, he did not know. 
*     *     *
     Even by the next evening Nick was still unsettled in his emotions.  He and 
Janette had talked far into he day, and she had helped him clarify his confusing 
thought.  She told Nick that he should bring Natalie across, a choice he dare 
not take.  "Either take her or leave her, Nicolas.  You must not make her life 
miserable, wanting something she will never have."  LaCroix had only reiterated 
what Janette had said, except that his master had berated him as a fool for not 
bringing the "good doctor" across.  It all only made him realize that his only 
choice was to leave as soon as possible.  Nick intended to pack up, move on, and 
live the rest of his life mourning the loss of Nat.  Yet, he also knew he could 
leave content with the knowledge that what he was doing was the best for her.
     He hadn't told Tracy and didn't plan to do so.  Reese had received his 
resignation first thing.  As for Natalie, he'd decided not to tell her at all.  
A momentary pang of regret hit him at that thought.  He knew she's be hurt, 
terribly so, but he also knew that James would be there to pickup the pieces for 
her.
     "Wow!" Tracy exclaimed softly.  It was a miraculous sight to see her 
partner, not only at work early, but also busy on their backlog of paperwork.  
She let out a low whistle.  "So, what brings you to work so early?"
     Nick smiled sadly.  "Just thought I'd try to sift through some of these 
papers."
     "I'm impressed," she replied, "but we've got a killer to catch."  Tracy 
clapped him on the shoulder.
     "So," a rich, dark voice boomed out, "we've got a lead on the young girl's 
killer?"  Detective Kenneth James asked as he joined them.
     The two partners looked up to see the tall man.  He was still wearing the 
same clothes from last night, and his hair was wet.  A smile a mile wide was 
plastered all over this face.  It was obvious he hadn't been home all day, and 
it didn't take a detective to figure out where he had been.
     Tracy raised an eyebrow and fingered the wrinkled fabric of his coat.  
"Looks like you haven't been home," she remarked.
     "A gentleman never tells," James replied.  His deep green eyes sparkled.  
"But I did get a shower and shave."  The tall man rocked back on his heels with 
good humor.
     "Well, that's something to be thankful for," Tracy teased him.  She eyed 
Nick carefully, hoping to see a flare of temper.  If her partner was going to 
succeed in catching Dr. Lambert, he was going to have to make a stand and soon.
     Nick winced at her intentionally cruel comment.  Tracy sure knew which 
button to push.  Swallowing his jealously, Nick pushed back his anger and forced 
his voice to sound bland.  "Technically," he told them, "we don't have a case."
     "A fifteen year old girl bleeds to death, and we don't have a case?"  Tracy 
was outraged.  "Of course, we have a case!"
     "No, we don't," he answered slowly.  "Dr. Bennett said the abortion was 
properly performed.  It was later on that she began to hemorrhage.  It was an 
unnecessary death and a tragic one, but it was most likely accidental."
     "Nick," Tracy argued, "the girl was only fifteen.  She was a minor.  
Someone had to be legally responsible for her."
     "Yes," Nick said.  He nodded solemnly.  "I agree with you, but the girl was 
a runaway."
     "What does that have to do with anything?" she demanded.
      Sighing deeply, Nick handed her a file.  "We got this in.  Subject, one 
Cia Lombardo: female; age 15.  Subject has substantial history of unruliness, 
petty shoplifting, running away.  Grandparents, with whom she lived, petitioned 
the court on numerous occasions for help.  While being remanded to authorities 
last June, said juvenile escaped and eluded police.  Until now, that is when her 
body was picked up last night."
     Tracy flipped through the report as Nick spoke, then she passed it off to 
James.  "So, she didn't sing in the church choir," she snarled.  "Still, the 
someone should have."
     "No," James finally spoke up.  "Vetter, the best we could get would be a 
charge manslaughter or third degree due to negligence."  He tossed the file back 
to Nick.
     "That is if we could locate her pimp," Nick added.  "And with her past 
history, the guy could just say they'd had an argument, and she ran away again."
     Tracy could see the unpalatable truth in their statements.  Still, she was 
angry, and she left no doubt in anyone's mind about it as she threw herself into 
her chair.  "Fine, just peachy keen fine," she muttered. 
     The trio had been hard at the paperwork for nearly two hours when Reese 
stepped out of his office.  "Knight, Vetter, James!" he called out.  "You've got 
another body back of the Raven."  The large man stopped in front of the three 
detectives. 
     Three pairs of eyes looked up at the captain.  Joe Reese rarely seemed 
uncomfortable about facing up to anything, but tonight he was hesitant.  The big 
man stood with his hands stuffed deeply into his coat pockets.
     "Uh, Knight, since tonight is going to be your last with us, why don't you 
just book off and go on home?" he suggested.  "It's not like you haven't earned 
your pay tonight.  Vetter and James can handle this one."
     Tracy shot Nick a look of suspicion.  James lifted his eyebrows in 
surprise.
     "Thank you, Cap," Nick murmured, "but I think I'll take this one."  He had 
a bad feeling about this.  Janette had told him she would revenge the poor girl.  
He had to be there to cover up for her.  Quickly, he stood up and reached for 
his keys.  
     Reese reached out and gripped Nick by the shoulder. "It's been good having 
you here.  I just wished like hell you didn't have to leave us."
     Detective Kenneth James stood up as well.  "You're leaving the force?" he 
asked.  He tried unsuccessfully to hide the hopefulness in his voice.  Both 
Tasha and Knight claimed to be "just friends," but he wasn't born yesterday.  He 
knew Knight felt far more than friendship for her.  As for Tasha, she'd admitted 
to him just yesterday that she cared a lot for the other detective.  She'd also 
let him know that any potential relationship between them was impossible.  He'd 
taken encouragement in that.  Now if Knight were to be totally out of the 
picture, he was sure he would be able to win her heart.
     "Yeah,' Nick admitted.  Changing the subject, he asked, "You coming, 
Tracy?"  Tracy was still sitting at her desk.  He could tell that Tracy was very 
angry and hurt.  
     "Got a new job lined up here in Toronto?" James asked.
     Nick knew what the other man was hinting about.  "No, Kenneth," he answered 
softly.  "I'm leaving town."
     "You're just quitting!" Tracy accused him.  "And you were going to keep us 
all in the dark about it too, weren't you?"
     Nick stopped and looked her square in the eyes.  He knew what she meant as 
well.  He was quitting in what Tracy perceived as the fight for Natalie.  With a 
shuddering sigh, Nick nodded.  "Yes, Tracy," he responded.
     Tracy didn't respond with words.  She slammed her hands down on the top of 
her desk, pushed herself up, and stormed out of the room.
     "Guess she'll catch up with us," Nick muttered to James.
End of Part 7

In the Dark, Part 8 of 9
By Elise
     Nick shook his head.  He knew that somehow Janette had found her revenge.   
With slow steps, he joined Tracy and James.  He wondered if Nat would be at this 
crime scene.  If so, he'd get to see her one last time before he left. 
     As he suspected Janette was at the alley's entrance way in deep 
conversation with Officer Himura.  To the mortal world, she appeared distraught, 
but Nick knew her better.  He approached her quietly while James made a bee-line 
for Natalie as she leaned over the body.  
     Nick dismissed Himura, sending her to help James.  Pitching his voice for 
her ears only, Nick asked what he had to.  "Janette," he said softly, "is he the 
one?  The girl's pimp."
     Janette smiled, showing a dimple.  "He very well could be, Detective," she 
purred coquetteishly.  "I was told that a pimp had recently lost a girl and that 
he was looking for her.  Do you think they could be the same?"
     Nick pulled his lips into a tight grimace.  "Janette, you know the code," 
he told her angrily.  "Besides you should not be hunting in the city let alone 
so near the Raven.  You promised me."
     She swatted him on the chest playfully.  "You do not think I drained him, 
do you?  Ma cher, I am far more intelligent than that!"  She lowered her 
eyelids, but Nick could still see the cold killer behind her eyes.  "Oh, no, 
Nicolas," she whispered more quietly, "I made sure his punishment fit his 
crime."  Then she drifted away back into the Raven, leaving him unhappy and 
confused.
     As Janette departed, Nick could see Natalie, bending over the body.  Her 
eyes were locked on his face.  She must have witnessed the whole scene with 
Janette, and there was only one conclusion she could have drawn.  Nick ground 
his teeth in frustration.  How he hated having to hurt her.  
     James spoke up when Nick moved to inspect the body.  "The two deaths aren't 
related," he told Nick.  "Except for location."
     Nick nodded briefly, but he kept his eyes on Nat.  "Nat?" he asked softly.
     Natalie cleared her throat.  When she answered, her voice sounded rough as 
if she were trying very hard not to cry.  Nick winced at the sound, knowing he 
was causing her more pain.  "Kenny's right," she said.  "Location seems to be 
the only common factor." 
     "What was the cause of death?" Nick persisted.
     "Extreme loss of blood," she answered.  Natalie saw the question in his 
eyes.  She shook her head.  
     James added smugly, "If you look closely, Knight, you'll see that there is 
a substantial puddle of blood here beneath the body.  It's hard to see here in 
the dark."
     "He has multiple stab wounds to the heart.  Poor guy bled to death," she 
explained.  "I could match up the blade to the wound if you guys can get me a 
possible weapon."
     James took her by the elbow.  "Can I see you later today?" he asked.  
     Natalie nodded tiredly.  "I'll stop by your place around four tomorrow 
afternoon, okay?  I've got this one to do and three others waiting for me at the 
lab, and I probably need to help the guys out here a while longer to make up for 
leaving last night."  
     "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow at four," James agreed.  He clapped Nick on 
the shoulder.  "Well, good buddy, ready to get back to the shop?"  He was 
grinning happily.  "Yo, Tracy, you coming with us?" he yelled across in the dark 
alley.
     "No," Tracy yelled back.  "I just got here.  I'm gonna stay awhile and try 
to locate a weapon.  You guys head on back and start the paperwork."     
     With a thumbs-up signal aimed at his new partner, Detective Kenny James 
climbed into the Caddy.
*     *     *
     Tracy skulked up and down the alley, thinking about the scene she'd just 
witnessed between Nick and the owner of the bar.  The woman was absolutely 
beautiful.  There was no denying that.  Tracy hadn't missed their flirtatious, 
playful manner with each other.  Neither had Natalie.  Damn her partner!  Her 
ex-partner.  
     Nick hadn't told her a thing.  He wasn't even planning to tell her.  They 
were partners.  They were supposed to be able to trust each other.  Well, if 
that was the way Mr. Nicholas B. Knight was going treated her, then she was glad 
he was leaving.  She never would have suspected Nick of having such a cavalier 
attitude.
     And what about Nat?   He hadn't told her either.  He'd just led her on, 
letting her think he was in love with her.  Poor Nat had swallowed it, too, 
hook, line, and sinker.  When Tracy had left the precinct earlier, she'd made a 
bee-line to the morgue and told Natalie everything.  Nat had tried to play it 
off, but Tracy could tell that she was devastated.  
     Thinking again of the beautiful woman Nick had been talking to earlier, 
Tracy snorted angrily.  "I'll bet he's playing her, too," she muttered half-
aloud to herself.
     "I beg your pardon?"   A tall, blond man smiled easily at Tracy.  He was 
staring at her in a most peculiar manner, as if he knew exactly what she'd been 
thinking.  Holding out a soft, white hand, the man introduced himself.  "Lucien 
LaCroix," he murmured soothingly.
     The guy gave her the creeps.  What was he doing out here?  With polite 
distaste, Tracy shook the man's hand.  "Detective Tracy Vetter," she said 
brusquely.  "This is a crime scene, buster.  You have no business here.  Now 
move along."  
     "Ah, I was mistaken, then," he told her.  "I am searching for the medical 
examiner.  Someone told me our lady doctor was most beautiful and quite upset.  
You seemed to fit the bill on both accounts."  He smiled serenely at her.  
      Tracy sighed.  "Dr. Natalie Lambert is our medical examiner.  Yes, she's 
pretty.  Yes, she's upset tonight.  Now, if you'll excuse me?"
     When she started to move away, the odd man took hold of her arm, detaining 
her.  "Could you?  Would you perhaps tell me where she is?" he asked so sweetly.
     Tracy looked down at his hand on her arm.  Then she looked pointedly at 
him.  With two fingers she carefully removed his arm. "She's over there," Tracy 
answered none too politely.  With that, she continued her fruitless task.
*     *     *
     The rest of the shift was miserable for Nick.  There was nothing for him to 
do. Tracy hadn't returned yet, and James had insisted on filling out the 
paperwork alone.  There really wasn't a lot of paperwork to do anyway.  The 
coroner's report was needed for that.  He knew Tracy wouldn't find a weapon.  
This case would go down as unsolved.
     All that was left for him to do was the cleaning out of his desk and 
locker, both of which were to be immediately usurped by Kenneth James.  Not only 
was the man taking over his desk and his locker, but it looked as if he were 
going to take over his Natalie as well.  Nick held his temper as best he could, 
but when James began helping him clean out the desk, Nick lost it.
     It was juvenile, he knew.  It was petty.  But Nick had shown the taller man 
just how he had earned the nickname "the Knightmare."  It began with yelling and 
ended with the bigger man being pushed.  James had hit the floor with a loud 
thump with a look of utter surprise on his face.
     To his credit, James didn't lose his temper.  The man seemed to understand.  
He had pushed his luck where Knight was concerned.  Getting slowly to his feet, 
James dusted off the seat of his jeans.  "I'm sorry, Knight," he apologized 
softly.  "I've been pushing you tonight.  It's only fair you pushed back."
      A crowd of on-lookers had gathered.  Many of them were spoiling for a good 
fight, and several had already placed wagers on the combatants.  Captain Joe 
Reese bolted from his office with the first shouts.  He, too, was standing 
coolly by, waiting to see what would happen next.  He hoped feverishly that 
there were enough officers present to part the two men if open warfare broke 
out.
     Noting the crowd, James kicked the desk chair with vehemence.  "Damn 
chair!" he shouted.  "Threw me out!"  Turning to face Captain Reese, he added, 
"Look, Cap, you've got to get me a bigger chair.  That tiny thing might have 
been alright for Knight's scrawny ass, but a big guy like me needs a real man-
sized chair."  With that, Detective Kenneth James ambled of to the men's room.
     Reese snorted and hrrmphed loudly.  Slowly, the crowd dispersed, and Nick 
was left to finish the task of cleaning out his desk in solitude.
*     *     *
     When Natalie left the crime scene at the Raven, her mind was not on her job 
or on her driving.  All she could think about was Nick.  How could he just leave 
without telling her?  She loved him more that she had ever loved anyone, and she 
had thought he felt the same.  But he didn't.  He had never said the words. 
     "Damn," she swore to herself, "all along you've been in love with an idea.  
He never loved you, never even pretended to.  Lambert, you're a fool."
     "On the contrary, Doctor, I find you a highly sensitive and intelligent 
woman."
     Natalie nearly jumped out of her skin.  She slammed on the brakes and 
skidded to the curb.  Throwing the vehicle into park, she jerked open the door 
and bolted from the vehicle. She was half-way across the street before LaCroix 
caught up with her.  
     The General took a gentle but firm grip on her upper arm.  "I am so sorry, 
Doctor," he murmured softly.  "I did not intend to frighten you."
     Natalie doubted that were the case, but she knew there was nothing she 
could do about it.  Swallowing hard, she tossed back her head defiantly.  With 
his vampiric senses, he might well know she was terrified, but Natalie was 
determined he not see it directly.  Pulling her arm from his grip, she played 
the scene of indignant anger quite well.  "LaCroix," she sighed with 
exasperation.  "I would have thought that jumping out from the back seat like a 
PopTart was a little beneath you."
     Lucien LaCroix laughed.  The girl was spirited.  Indicating her car, which 
now sat abandoned  but still running with the doors ajar, he lead her back 
across the road.  "Natalie, I believe it is time you and I talked.  Has Nicholas 
ever told you of an agreement he and I made years ago?"  He paused while he 
studied her face.  "Ah, I see that he has not.  Well, to simplify the matter let 
me say that together he and I agreed that should Nicholas ever fall in love with 
a mortal, that I would take her away from him."
     Natalie, unable to resist, allowed herself to be lead back to the car.  
LaCroix's words were alarming her, more so than his earlier appearance in the 
back of her car.  The ancient vampire carefully handed her into the passenger 
side and got behind the wheel.  "Where are you taking me, LaCroix?" she asked 
simply.
     "No where at the moment," he replied congenially.  "We've yet to finish our 
discussion."  He tapped a long, bloodless finger against his lips.  "Now where 
were we?  Yes, we were discussing the fact that your life, you, belong to me." 
      She fought back a surge of pure panic and continued her show of bravery.  
"LaCroix, this has nothing to do with me."
   "Oh, it has everything to do with you, my dear.  You see, Nicholas is very 
much in love with you, more so than with any woman he has ever known."
     She smiled thinly, returning a show of mock friendliness.  "I believe you 
have mistaken me for Janette," she answered snidely.  "Now, if you'll just exit 
my car, I can return to work and you can go about your usual business of 
annoying Nick or whatever the hell it is you do."
     "My dear, you are completely mistaken where Nicholas is concerned."   
LaCroix's voice was deadly serious.  "And as you are now officially my property, 
I would remind you to watch your tone of voice as well as your vocabulary.  I 
tolerate no disrespect."  When Natalie blanched, he knew he had her attention.  
"Good," he purred.  "Nicholas loves you beyond measure.  Never doubt it.  He has 
lead you to believe he loves Janette in a misguided effort to push you away from 
him and the darkness in which he believes he exists."
     "What?" Natalie asked with anger.  "He's been putting on a show of loving 
Janette just to push me away?"
     LaCroix nodded and steepled his fingers beneath his chin.  His tone was 
sarcastic as he explained Nicholas' silly thoughts to her.  "My son believes you 
deserve a mortal husband who loves you, a stable home, and children.  Those are 
things that he cannot give you.  Indeed, I believe he has even picked out a 
certain Detective Kenneth James as just the right man for you."
     Natalie exploded.  "What?  How dare he plan out my life for me?  How dare 
he just decide what is best for me without even asking me?"  She sat in outraged 
silence for a moment.  "The big lug," she muttered softly.  Her eyes moist, she 
asked LaCroix, "He really loves me?"
     The master vampire nodded.  Solemnly, he told her, "I have never, in over 
eight hundred years, seen him love so deeply."  Clearing his throat, LaCroix 
changed the subject.  "Natalie, as I stated before, you are now my property."  
He saw her bristle at that, but he let it go without comment.  Such pride was 
admirable.  He continued. "I must confess my first thought was to kill you; 
however, this ridiculous plan of Nicholas' has made him so miserable I can 
barely stand to be around him."  LaCroix put the car in gear.  "As much as I 
would prefer not to admit it, it is true that Nicholas needs you, and it is most 
obvious that you are lost without him.  Therefore, I have decided it would be 
best for all concerned to simply bring you across."  He pulled away from the 
curb.
     Natalie's mouth went dry.  "LaCroix," she argued, "you can't bring me 
across if I chose not to come."
     LaCroix drove sedately onward.  "You are correct.  When I drain you and 
offer my blood back to you, you will have a choice.  You may respond to my voice 
and return, or you may step into the light.  The choice will be yours."  He 
maneuvered the car around and swung it back towards the lake.  The last 
statement hung in the air between them, and LaCroix drove onward.
     "I don't suppose there is any chance of talking you out of this," Natalie 
said hopefully.  She sat facing forward, watching the darkened streets pass by.
     "If I were to allow you to return to your mortal life," LaCroix answered 
softly, "what would you do?"
     Turning towards the master vampire, Natalie eyed him with wary surprise.  
"I don't know," she told him truthfully.
     LaCroix never took his eyes off the road before him.  "It would be a life 
without your beloved Nicholas," he reminded her.  "And it would leave Nicholas 
in a state of eternal regret."
     Turning her face back towards the windshield, Natalie thought hard.  What 
choice would she have as a mortal?  Thinking aloud, more to herself than to 
answer LaCroix, she spoke with resigned anger.  "I guess the only choice I would 
have is the one Nick has apparently laid out for me."  Then her doctor's 
professional mask slipped down over her features and her voice became hard and 
detached.  "I will miss Nick."  She glanced at LaCroix.  "I don't suppose it 
would reveal any secrets if I tell you that I'll never love anyone the way I 
love him."  She sighed and turned back to face forward.  "But you don't cry over 
spilled milk.  You wipe it up, and you move on."
     LaCroix spared her a sidelong glance.  He had not expected the doctor to 
take such a hardened attitude.  It surprised him.  He had thought she'd throw 
all caution to the wind and accept any offer to be with his son.  "And what of 
Nicholas?" he asked her.  "My son will never get over loving you.  Or is it that 
you do not love my son as much as he loves you?"
     "Of course, I love him, LaCroix," she whispered, "but Nick would never 
accept me as a vampire.  If he could, then he wouldn't have pushed me away.  
He'd have offered to bring me across himself."
     Again, he was surprised at her logic.  She would make a fine daughter, a 
grand addition to his family.  He hoped she would choose to join them.  "Then 
what difference should it make if I bring you across?"
     "What?" she asked sharply.  "I don't understand."
     "If Nicholas proves unable to accept you as a vampire, you could simply do 
the same.  Wipe up the spill that was Nicolas and move on with your life."  He 
glanced at her.  "I can assure you that there will be no end to the long line of 
gentlemen who would be honored to spend time with you."   
     Silence again enveloped the car while LaCroix parked the car.  They had 
arrived at a secluded spot near the lake.  Putting the vehicle in park, LaCroix 
eased the seat back and turned to face his intended daughter.
      "I take it you haven't changed your mind about bringing me across."  It 
was a statement that sounded more like a question.  
     LaCroix smiled, changing his eyes to a golden color, and dropping his 
fangs.  He reached out and pulled her towards him, sweeping her hair back.  "As 
your have already ascertained," he growled, "the choice is yours."  Then he 
descended upon her.
End of Part 8

In the Dark, Part 9 of 9
By Elise
     Tracy had returned, and she was making a fine show of ignoring Nick.  
James, on the other hand, was finding excuses to stay out of Knight's way.  Nick 
was sealing the last box containing his things when the call came in.
     Reese charged out of his office.  "Tracy, want you in charge on this one," 
he ordered.  All three detectives stared at their sweating captain with 
perplexed frowns.  
     "Okay," Tracy answered slowly.  "Cap, what's wrong?"
     "Dr. Lambert's car was just seen plunging into the lake," he said slowly.  
"Emergency crews are at the scene now.  No body has been recovered."
     No one heard his last statements.  The three detectives were gone.
*     *     *
      Nat's car was being towed ashore as they drove up.  Leaping from the car 
before it even came to a complete stop, Nick kicked off his shoes as he ran.  He 
dove into the icy water, praying that he could get to her in time.  He heard a 
similar splash, and he knew that Kenneth James was beside him in the water.  The 
other man loved Natalie, too.  At least he could be sure of that.
     "Nick!  Kenny!" Tracy shouted.  "Damn it!  Get out of the water!"  But the 
two men ignored her and continued their frantic efforts.  "Hey, Reese put me in 
charge," she wailed.  
     "Ma'am?" young Officer Himura asked politely.  "Are you in charge?"  At 
Tracy's half-hearted nod, the young woman continued.  "We have witnesses who saw 
the doctor's car race off the road, down the hill, and right into the water."
     Tracy grimaced.  She knew that Nat had been shattered by Nick's decision to 
leave without telling her.  Natalie had covered up well, but Tracy could see the 
pain in the other woman's eyes.  Still, Natalie was strong, definitely not the 
type to commit suicide over some man.  Especially when the Kenny James was 
standing in the wings waiting.  
     Rubbing a hand over her face, Tracy stared first at the empty, dripping car 
and then at the two men in the water.  Her voice was hard as she asked, "Was the 
doctor driving?"
     Himura shook her head.  "No, Ma'am," she answered.  "Witnesses describe 
seeing a man at the wheel."  The officer flipped open her notebook, reading what 
she had written earlier.  "Caucasian male, mid-forties, short hair.  That's all 
on t