"Forever" By Vickiann Adams The phone began to ring, startling Nick. He wasn't expecting any calls so he let the machine get it. When he heard it was Schanke, he had to jump for it. Captain Cohen had called an assembly of all the detectives in her squad. Schanke didn't know the subject of the meeting, he just knew Nick had better get there soon. Unmoved by Schanke's news, Nick went back to his television. He had half an hour to kill before the sun was gone. Flipping through the channels, a news story caught his attention. It seemed that throughout areas of Canada there have been several suspicious deaths. In several unrelated cases, bodies have been found completely drained of blood. Reporters have dubbed the deaths "Dracula Slayings". Nick didn't need to hear anymore. He decided to stop at the Raven before heading to the station. Maybe Janette knew something. ****[at the raven]**** Janette was caught off guard. Twenty dead mortals all drained of blood, and worse than that-- ten dead vampires all trapped in the sun and destroyed. It was the later deaths that were troubling her. Dead vampires and the deaths getting closer every night. As Nick walked into the Raven, Janette was ready to collapse. Before he was able to speak, she began talking. "Nicholas, did you hear about the deaths?" "Do you mean the dead mortals?" "No, Nicholas! I mean the dead vampires. Our whole community is in turmoil. You really haven't heard!" Nick didn't have to reply, Janette could tell by his face these deaths were a surprise. "You're so bent on saving the world, what are you going to do to save our community?" "Me? What can I do? I don't even want to be part of the community." "Nicholas! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! " ****[at the station]**** Nick left the Raven in shock. Vampire murders? Mortals being killed by vampires are one thing, but vampires dying are a whole other ball game. Captain Cohen was waiting to begin when Nick came through the door. He went and sat next to Schanke as Cohen began slowly. "This Friday will be my last night as your captain. I'm moving to the states next week. I didn't want to mention my leaving until they had picked my successor. I am pleased to announce that Friday night, at the end of my shift, I will be handing my command over to Captain Don Schanke!" At this moment, Schanke fell out of his chair. Nick was now doubly shocked -- Schanke as captain? Cohen continued. "The crown wanted to promote someone from within and Schanke was the unanimous choice. Schanke, You will be taking over Friday night. Until then, you and Knight have been called to investigate the Dracula Slayings." This time it was Nick's turn to fall out of his chair. He had to investigate the Dracula Slayings? No thank you, he'd pass. "Captain, are you sure Schanke and I are the best choice to investigate these murders?" "No arguments Nick, you have four days to come up with some lead." Nick knew this wasn't the time to argue. He and Schanke would investigate the murders and then his partner would become captain. What would become of him? ****[at the raven]**** Lacroix licked the blood off his chin, he had just finished his most recent mortal. This time it was a Toronto resident. Janette looked at him and shook her head. It was quite a shock that he was Dracula. This revalation brought Janette to another conclusion. "Lacroix, you're responsible for the deaths of the ten neophytes, aren't you? What game are you playing?" "My dear, I'm offering our Nicholas a choice -- rejoin us or watch all of his mortal friends die and then he can join them. I'm operating on the theory that if I can't have him no one will." Janette couldn't believe her ears. Lacroix had never before taken such drastic measures to get Nick back into the fold. ****[back at the station]**** Nick was not interested in finding the Dracula killer. A vampire who wants to be mortal hunting a vampire who kills mortals is a bad idea. Thinking about his dilemma, Schanke brought bad news. Three more bodies had been found, this time all in Toronto. Nick knew the killer was getting close. Once at the first scene, Nick was horrified. The victim was pale and cold. He didn't need anyone to tell him the body was dry. Worse than all of that was his own feeling. It was somewhere between total disgust and hunger -- somewhere deep inside a part of him wanted his own victim. This feeling frightened Nick. He hadn't felt like this in a hundred years. He was lost! There was no one he could turn to. If he went to Nat, she would feel like she'd failed and if he went to Janette, she'd help him indulge. This was going to be one hell of a night. Lacroix stood back and watched Nick at the scene. He recognized the look on Nick's face. It was then he had his brilliant idea. ****[in Nat's morgue]**** Nick finally decided to see Nat about his feelings. After investigating at the scenes of five more related murders, Nick had begun to seriously crave human blood. He hadn't given in yet, but he was definitely starting to find it hard to resist. He needed Nat's help Nat was broken up by all of the bodies she'd seen recently. She could live with the ideas of vampires until they started to become real. As soon as she saw Nick, She knew something was wrong, he looked liked death warmed over. "What's wrong, Nick? You look like hell." "Nat, I'm in trouble. Ever since I went to the first Dracula site two days ago I've been craving human blood. I haven't given in yet but its getting very hard to say no." Natalie was shocked. Nick hadn't had a drop of human blood for more than a hundred years. Why suddenly was his need so strong? She decided to run some tests on him. The results were even more horrifying, Nick's vampire virus had never been stronger. There was almost nothing human left. "So Nat, what's wrong with me? I've got a cold or something right?" Nat didn't know what to say. How could she tell him he was moving closer to being vampire than human? All her attempts were starting to fail. She didn't want to admit it but he may have to start drinking human blood before his thirst triggered the urge to hunt. "Nick, I've got bad news. The Litovuterine-B may have done more harm than we thought. Your vampire virus is getting stronger. The longer you resist your need to feed, the more likely you will find the urge to hunt overwhelming." "No, Nat! I won't give up now. I refuse to believe this. Maybe it's the last test. If I don't give in maybe I'll come back across." Nat admired his optimism but had to fear the worst. Nick left and headed for the Raven. He refused to believe he was destined to be a vampire, but he hoped Janette knew something about the Dracula slayings. ****[at the Raven]***** Janette was shocked by Lacroix's mean streak. She could feel Nick's pain and knew he was going through hell. Lacroix, on the other hand, didn't see the harm in his actions. The only ones getting hurt were mortals and they're already destined to die -- why should he care about the details? As Nick approached the club, Lacroix decided to sneak out of sight. Nick seeing him would just ruin everything. Nick was fighting his urges like he'd never done before. He had all he could do to keep his blood teeth from poking through. Out of kindness, Janette offered him a drink but he refused and proceeded to ask his questions. Lying she told him she had no idea about the killer. He didn't believe her but didn't have the will power to pursue her farther. Getting away from everything before he lost his fight was the only thought in his mind. Each and every mortal began to seem appealing, he ran to the safety of his own house. ****[in Nick's apartment]**** Empty bottles littered the floor and the table tops. Nick had drunk every drop in his house and he was still thirsty. As he lapped the last few drops of blood from the bottom of his glass he realized he wasn't alone. Lacroix appeared in the center of the room like an apparition. Nick wasn't in the mood for whatever game came next. "What's this, Nicholas? Some kind of new cure? I must say you look like hell." "What do you want, Lacroix? As if I didn't already know." "You misjudge me, Nicholas, I had hoped we could spend the day together.' "Not now, Lacroix! LEAVE ME ALONE!" "I'll forgive you your lack of hospitality, you seem to be troubled by something. Maybe your diet? When will you realize this quest of yours is foolish? You are what you are and this starvation diet of yours will change nothing." "I will not remain a vampire! It's wrong! Killing for pleasure is evil." "Nicholas, you delude yourself. Being something other than what you are is wrong and killing to survive is not evil -- it's MANDATORY. Don't be so philosophical." "I will not believe this is what I was meant to be." "Wake up! If you weren't this you'd be dust! You definitely wouldn't be eight hundred years old, and what good could you do from a cemetery. It's a bitter irony. If you weren't a vampire, you wouldn't be able to save the world and if you were able to go back across the world would still be doomed in the long run. You are meaningless. You might as well be a successful vampire because your other choices aren't as remarkable." Nick couldn't listen any longer. He wandered into his room very confused. Strangely, Lacroix made sense. For all the good he'd done trying to repay society for his mistakes he wouldn't have been able to do any of it if he weren't a vampire. Thirsty and confused, Nick tried to sleep. ****[at the Raven]**** Lacroix wasn't in the mood to stay with Nick any longer. He planted enough confusion to leave Nick thinking. Instead, he decided to return to Janette's where there was at least something worth drinking. Janette was waiting for his return, she was worried about Nick. She wanted him back as much as he did but didn't want to see him hurt in the process. As soon as acroix appeared in the bar, she confronted him. "How is Nicholas?" "He's sleeping, Janette. Like you should be. Why are you so worried?" "I'm worried because he's in pain. I am staring to feel the pain myself." "Don't worry, the pain won't last much longer. I think he'll make his choice very soon." "I'm still worried." Janette didn't want Lacroix to sense her distrust. However, she was alarmed by what he had said. She wanted to comfort Nick's pain. His pain had gotten so bad and so strong it would only go away one way. No matter how this ended, Nick was going to be in pain for a long time. ****[at the station]**** Schanke was waiting for his partner's arrival. Two more bodies had been discovered, one of which was found remarkably close to Nick's apartment. As soon as he saw Nick's car pulling towards the building, Schanke headed to meet him. Getting to the car, he realized something was wrong. Nick looked like he was trapped somewhere between hung-over and dead. "Hey Nick, What'ya do -- trade your mattress in for a bed of nails? You look half dead." "I"d say more than half." Nick was starting to feel it already, his thirst was getting stronger. Instinctually, he knew he couldn't resist much longer. As he stood in the shadows trying to investigate without doing anything drastic, he realized he wasn't alone. He could feel Lacroix's presence behind him. Suddenly he thought he heard a voice. ~~~"How long do you plan to continue torturing yourself? Aren't you miserable enough? DO WHAT YOU MUST! "~~~ As quickly as he heard the voice, it and Lacroix were gone. Suddenly, he looked over at Natalie. He could literally taste the smooth, cream colored skin of her neck. These were not his thoughts. Much to his relief, Schanke interrupted his private hell. "Nick, man, where are you? You should have stayed in the car, you look like you've seen a ghost. Maybe you'll feel better at the next scene. It's only a block from your place." "Yeah, fine." " Listen, I'm going to drive. You look like you've lost your mind." ****[at the raven]**** "Janette, be ready. I think Nicholas is coming back to us tonight. Even with his will power he won't last mush longer. There's going to be a victim, too. He's too far gone for a glass." As happy as she was to think about Nick's return, she didn't want to think about the price. What Lacroix had said about the victim was true and when Nick realizes what he's letting himself do it's going to hurt. His foolish quest will cost him everything. Janette didn't want to think anymore. Refilling her glass, she decided to mingle with her customers. Lacroix, on the other hand, decided to go and watch Nick's moment of weakness. ****[Nick's apartment]**** Nick passed out on the way to the second site, so Schanke decided to take him home and call Nat. Once inside Nick's apartment, Schanke decided Nick's illness was due to the presence of nothing in his fridge. All he had were a few bottles of spoiled wine, not a piece of pizza with extra garlic anywhere. No wonder he was sick. Nat arrived to find Nick still unconscious. She knew the real cause for his illness, and knew it was her fault. All of her fake cures and treatments had failed, he was a vampire and would stay one forever. Without allowing Schanke to hear, she called Janette. This whole problem was beyond her help, what Nick needed was Janette's support. When Janette got the call, she knew what was coming. Racing to Nick's, she only hoped she could save him from himself. Schanke was confused, why wasn't Nat helping Nick? All she had done so far was talk on the phone. His concern was interrupted as Lacroix descended the stairs. His presence alone brought Nick out of his stupor. "Give in to it, Nicholas. Even your mortal doctor admits it is what you need. Just tell me which it will be -- the good doctor or the detective?" Nick could feel his fangs and didn't want to stop. This was more than Lacroix's mind control, he actually wanted this. He rose from the couch and headed for Natalie. Lacroix smiled assuming he would get Nick back and revenge for Fleur with the same act. Schanke stood in shock watching his partner turn into a monster. Kissing Natalie's neck, Nick made his decision. With the strength of ten mortals, he grabbed Schanke. Just as his teeth pierced the surface, Janette appeared in the doorway. She and Natalie stood helplessly by watching as Nick finally dropped the limp body from his arms. Lacroix stepped towards Nick and used his finger to catch the trickle of blood running down his chin. Licking the drop he looked lovingly at his son. "Forever, Nicholas. You will be mine forever." It was at that point Nick realized the scene. He looked at the faces still standing. Lacroix's smile was something he hadn't seen in a hundred years. Janette offered all the love they had shared in the past. Nick didn't meet Natalie's eyes until he looked over at the limp body on the floor. Her vacant expression a pale synonym for the shock and dread she was feeling. Nick's choice was instinctual, he couldn't have things both ways. He was a vampire with all the sins that carried. His quest cost him his friend. Although Natalie needed him, he walked over to accept the pocket watch Lacroix was dangling. He didn't need to look inside to understand -- FOREVER. Natalie couldn't watch any longer, she understood completely. ******** The autopsy of Detective Donald Schanke proved he was another victim of the infamous Dracula killer. Because of his partner's murder and apparent illness, Nick was given an extended leave of absence. Natalie was still numb after a week, she hadn't heard from Nick since the night in his apartment. She was beginning to worry that Nick wasn't planning to return to the force at all. ****[at the raven]**** Nick looked at Lacroix, he knew what he had to do. "I have to go back, I can't let it all end like this." Lacroix looked back at him, "Which do you mean, your masquerade as a mortal or your relationship with Doctor Lambert?" Nick looked regretfully happy as he smirked and said "both." As he got up from the bar and kissed Janette on his way out the door, she understood everything. He was back and ready to admit who he was but he wasn't going to lose what he had been. She only wondered how long it would be before he left again, forever is no guarantee. THE END