From Don.Durham@smsc.com Mon Mar 2 15:08:11 1998 Date: Mon, 2 Mar 1998 17:23:53 -0500 From: Don.Durham@smsc.com To: fkfanfic@merlin.darkmage.net Subject: Truth Amongst Lies by D.M Durham _Truth Amongst Lies_ DISCLAIMER: The characters and situations of Forever Knight are the property of James D. Parriot, the various studios, et al. No Copyright infringement is intended. However, the characters and situations introduced in _Truth Amongst Lies_ are mine and may be used only with my express written permission. c 1998 D.M. Durham. All rights reserved. Only reasonable distribution (i.e., forwarding it to a friend, printing it out for private use or saving it to a private file) is permitted. _Truth Amongst Lies_ is not to be posted elsewhere without my permission. This story was beta-read and critiqued by my very supportive and insightful wife. Without her help and patience, it would not have been possible. E-mail: CousinDon@innocent.com _Truth Amongst Lies_ is a 'Valentine' story. It is also adult in nature, with strong language, and graphic depictions of sex. Please exercise your judgement in reading. -------------------------------------------------------------- "Damn it! How could he do this to me again? Does he think I enjoy this? If he doesn't want to be with me why does he keep playing with me this way?" Natalie Lambert finished this last question with a sob and dropped her head into her pillow, weeping. Sydney looked up inquisitively. Accustomed to being queried on affairs of the heart, he knew the question required no answer, even if he could respond. He fulfilled his duties by curling around Natalie's head and purring softly. Slowly, by degrees, the tears ebbed. She fell into a fitful sleep. Her dreams were occupied with dark images of entrapment, capture; of being held prisoner in a stuffy dungeon, the chains rattling in the distance. Natalie woke with a start, gasping for breath with Sydney gleefully wrapped around her throat purring noisily. Still groggy with the terrors of the night, she pried her tormentor from her neck and stumbled to the bathroom. She was still dressed in the gown she had worn last night, a seafoam-green silk wraparound that had put her way over her clothing budget for the month. She almost tripped on one of her heels, scattered where she had thrown it off; the other tangled in her hose wadded on the floor. Great, she mused, this'll have to go the cleaners, unworn, and I'll bet the hose are ruined. What else could go wrong? Well, I might as well get cleaned up. Stripping off the dress and its supporting cast, Natalie began to clean off her makeup and get into the shower. Feeling a bit less strained, and much less morose; Natalie considered the day ahead. Not much reason to stay home is there, girl? Well, there was always more work to do at the morgue, and it would keep her from thinking too much. I might as well head in to my other home. "You know you're turning out just like your father. You work all the time. It's no wonder you're alone at 30." From five hundred miles, her mother's voice knifed into her consciousness. She knew that she spent too much time at the office, but it was the only constant in her life, and she was not about to give that up. Besides, it wasn't like she was neglecting anyone by taking pride in her position. One thing she could say was that her life was her own. Unfortunately, you couldn't get away from thinking while driving. Natalie momentarily considered driving with her right eye closed, or maybe doubling the speed limit to give herself something else to think of, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to trick herself so easily. Like most horror movies it had started innocently enough, Natalie thought. Nick came in to the lab on Wednesday evening? -------------------- "Hi Nat." Startled, she looked up, "Oh ?, hi Nick." Damn, why does he have to sneak up like that, and why does my heart have to start every time I see him? You'd think I'd get over blushing when I saw him after all this time. Nick Knight smiled and waited for Nat to recover. It wasn't that he tried to glide into the room and scare Nat, but after 800 years of being a vampire, he had a hard time remembering to make noise so that humans would sense his approach. He'd been coming to see Nat for several years now, subjecting himself to the latest in a long series of experiments in regaining his lost humanity. Nat did seem to be the best bet he'd ever had. He had spent the past few decades in breathless anticipation. As science and technology advanced beyond what would have passed for magic in 13th century France, he knew that his search would soon be over. He wished he could afford the risk of walking into Johns Hopkins or UCLA and announcing "Hello, ladies and gentlemen, I'm a vampire, and I'd like to be mortal again.", but he knew that he wouldn't get past the first few seconds of either grounds before the enforcers would take care of his quest in a more permanent manner. "Nat, I was?wondering?if you were free this Friday night?" "I really didn't have anything planned. What'd you have in mind?" "I don't know, it's just that we've been friends for so long, and we really didn't have a real Valentine's dinner." What with LaCroix spiriting you away to Azure and almost killing you. "So I thought we might have a night out. You now, dinner, dancing, a walk in the moonlight ? a real evening together." "Uh, I don't know what to say ? Sure! I'd love to!" "OK. I've got to get back to the station. Pick you at your apartment about 7:30? We'll go to Chrystall; dancing afterwards. Sound good?" "Great." From that point on, Natalie was on cloud nine. Of course she got almost no work done the rest of the week. She spent the next day shopping, dragging Grace along as an advisor. It took most of the afternoon, but she finally found the perfect thing. Of course, there was still the stress of waiting, getting her hair done Friday, finding out she didn't have hose, buying makeup ? she'd had friends that went to less trouble getting married. When Friday came, Natalie was ready at seven. She refused to be cliched and late when Nick picked her up. At 7:15, Natalie poured herself a glass of Merlot, too nervous to sit and wait. Maybe I should change this lipstick? At 8:00, Natalie began to worry. Although she didn't expect Nick to be precise, she didn't expect him to be this late. First call: the cell phone ? no answer. Now try his house ? answering machine (four rings ? no messages). "Hi Nick, this is Nat. It's about eight, and I was getting a bit worried, so I thought I'd call and make sure you're all right. See ya' soon." Maybe the station ? "No, Detective Knight, isn't here. I saw him leave with Schanke about an hour ago." That's it, Nick got called away on a case. He'll be here soon. Natalie Lambert, you will not make another phone call until 8:30. You know Nick is on the way, and you don't need to be checking up on him. The next half an hour passed with deliberate speed. Nothing on TV could keep her attention. She got up every few minutes and look outside for his car, then check outside the door to see if he was coming up the hall. The wine quickly began tasting vile, but she poured herself another glass anyway, at least it was something to do. Why was he so late? Eventually 8:30 came. At last she would let herself call him again. Cell phone ? "I'm sorry but the party you are calling." Home ? Answering machine again, and he hasn't picked up his messages. Try the station once more ? "Yeah Nat, Knight and Schanke left here about 20 minutes ago. No, I'm not sure where Nick was going, but Schanke was heading home." At last, he should be here any minute. He'd head home first to change, but still he would be there soon. Nervously, Nat went in to her bathroom to check her makeup and hair. She wanted to be just so when Nick picked her up. Relieved to have something to do, Natalie lost track of time. Coming out of her bedroom, she realized that she'd been in there for 15 minutes. It was 9:15, and Nick had not called or come to the door. Quickly she checked the street and hallway again. Both were empty. Another round of calls: cell phone - off; home - not there and messages on the machine; work (She hoped Myers didn't answer again) - "Left with Schanke over an hour ago." Maybe his beeper. Natalie didn't want to beep him, it seemed too desperate, too frantic, but at this point, she was frantic. It wasn't like Nick to do this to her. She could count on him. Natalie called Nick's beeper number, "Nick's Beeper, punch in your number and I'll call you." Now, Natalie eyed the phone. She knew that she couldn't will it to ring, but she still looked at it demanding satisfaction from it. Ring. Ring. Her phone trilled its electronic imitation of a bell. "Hi. Nick?" "No, dear, it's mom. Were you expecting someone else?" I _can't_ let her know how stressed I am. Calm down, breathe easy. OK? "I was expecting a call. A friend from work was supposed to let me know the results of a case." "Natalie." The disapproval wrapping around her name made Natalie wince. "It's Friday night. Can't you leave the work alone for just one night? Why aren't you out with someone? You're a pretty girl, you shouldn't be working so much." "Mom, let's not go over this again." Abruptly, Natalie was no longer upset over Nick's tardiness; the stress, and accumulated heartache of her mother's litany against her profession welled up inside her and drowned Nick's fire completely. "You know that I can't just work nine-to-five and be done with it. I am responsible. I am the coroner. People depend on me." Natalie knew that her mom wasn't going to let this drop, and she was not up to spending the next 30-minutes in another useless argument. "Mom, I really can't talk now. I'm waiting for a phone call." "Alright dear." The hurt in her voice more palatable than the disapproval of before. "I'll call you tomorrow, OK?" "Sure, hon. You have a good night." Natalie sagged into her couch, drained by the near-collision with her mom. How long was it? Five minutes. Nick should have gotten the page by now. She had call waiting, but what if he'd called while the phone was ringing. She could try to call him, but now that she'd paged him, he might get a busy signal when he called her. Quickly, she grabbed her cell and called his house, no answer and the messages were unchecked. His cell-phone was still off. She pondered calling Schanke - no, there was no reason to get him involved. Natalie resumed her pacing, checking, and waiting. Flipping thorough the television channels, nothing would hold her attention for more than a few seconds. Seventy-five channels without a single thing to watch. Each cycle of watching, listening, and waiting for him to call took a little less time. Each time she looked out the window at the empty street, strained to hear footsteps in the hallway, or checked her phone to make sure it was working she got a little more upset. About 10:15, Natalie began to believe she had been stood up. Her lower lip trembled slightly, then she gave up control. "Why would he do this to me?" she wailed. Didn't he know how much this evening had meant to her? Natalie started sobbing, her head slumped against her couch, her carefully applied makeup washing down her face and onto the cushion beneath her. Bit by bit Nat's distress changed to anger. After all, he had stood her up. She had planned for the night, gotten ready, and waited by the phone. The least he could do is show up. "Just who in the hell does he think he is?", Natalie stormed. "Does he think I have nothing better to do than to wait around for him to bother to call me?" As her anger ran its course, the despair came back in spades. She knew that Nick had stood her up. Probably to be with Janette. Why would he do that to me? Can't he see how much I love him? Doesn't he care? Opening the phone book, she quickly turned to the Raven's number. Staring at it, she fought with the idea. Was it better to wonder whether he was with Janette, or was it better to know? Steeling herself against certain heartbreak, she dialed the number. "Good evening, Raven." Miklos, the Raven's bartender, part-time bouncer, and 25% investor, shouted over the club's din. "Yes, I would like to speak to Detective Nick Knight; tell him its Natalie Lambert." Miklos needed no introduction to Nick's human dalliance, but he pretended not to know her anyway. There was no reason for her to feel threatened by him. "?I'm sorry, but N? Detective Knight has not been in here this evening." Natalie came a fraction from asking for Janette, but bit back the request. "Thank you." "Would you like to leave a message in case he comes in?" "No, but thank you anyway." Natalie hung up the phone, and stifled a sob. She _was_ being stood up. The Raven was her last hope. At least he wasn't standing her up for Janette. Why did Nick continue to see her? Didn't he know it hurt her for him to run to Janette whenever anything went wrong? She knew Nick loved her, and she knew that he wouldn't cheat on her with Janette, but it still tore into her when she found out he had been there and seen his old love. Natalie sank back into her couch sobbing. At some point, without realizing it, she stumbled into her bedroom and collapsed onto her bed. -------------------- Going to work this morning was probably one of the more spectacular mistakes Natalie had made of late. She was miserable. Not only was she heartsick at Nick's cruelty of the previous night, but she was a more than a bit hung-over as well. How much wine had she drunk? Gasping she realized that she had finished the first bottle and been well into the second when she had finally fallen asleep. "Morning, Grace.", Natalie monotoned. "Natalie! "How was last night? Tell me everything!" Grace was rushing to her friend, eager to absorb the excitement of her friend's all-too-rare evening with Nick. "Grace?" The one syllable, was all Natalie uttered, before the tears flooded back. "What. Did. He. Do?" Grace's voice rose in volume with each word, ending on a note as strained as Natalie appeared. Natalie shook her head, unable to speak, unwilling to think about the previous night. With her head on Grace's shoulder, she brought her breathing and her tears under control. "He?never?showed?up." Saying it to someone else made it real. The sobs began again in earnest. For the moment, Grace was too angry to speak. An unusual situation for her, she rarely lacked a comeback, and could always hold her own in a conversation. "You mean that little weasel stood you up?" "I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable excuse. A case came up; he got lost in his work. Maybe he fell asleep. He could be lying hurt somewhere for all I know?" Grace shuddered at the thoughts running through her mind. She knew that Natalie needed her right now, but it took a great deal of willpower not to pick up the phone and find the jerk. She had never been too fond of Nick. He always took advantage of Natalie as far as she was concerned. Sometimes he acted as if Natalie was required to love him, and whatever he did was of no consequence. However, this was not the time to get even with Nicholas Knight. "Honey, why don't we go get some breakfast? You look like you haven't eaten a thing." Natalie wasn't sure that breakfast was what she wanted right now, but being out of there sure sounded good. She was afraid that Schanke would walk in and she really didn't want to face him right now. "I don't know, Grace. I don't feel too well. Maybe I could sit with you while you ate." Grace steered Natalie to a cafe across the street, constantly on the lookout for Detective Knight. She knew he only worked the evening shift, but she was taking no chances with her friend. -------------------- Once Natalie got into the cafe, she realized she was hungry. Eating, and talking with Grace, made the pains of last night abate. "I'm sure Nick didn't stand me up last night. Something came up and he couldn't get away. He was just too busy to call." "I'm sure that's it.", Grace lied. She couldn't see how anyone could stand someone up when he saw her almost every night. How could she just slip his mind? Besides, the alternative was even worse - Nick had stood Natalie up on purpose. The next time I have a chance to talk to _Detective Nicholas Knight_, he is going to rue every tear that Natalie has shed over him, Grace thought. "Did you check with Schanke? Maybe he knows what happened to Nick last night." Even if his partner will lie for him, I know that he'll get shit over it. "That's a good idea. I'll call Schanke when he gets in this afternoon." Natalie would prefer to call him at home right now, but thought she'd better not seem too eager. Grace was angrier with Nick than she was. And after all, Grace didn't know Nick like she did. The afternoon passed uneventfully, the less desirable of Toronto's denizen's being unusually quiet this week. There were a couple of routine autopsies to be done, but none of the violence and vivisection that she had come to expect. At 4:00, Natalie readied herself to call Schanke. She knew he would be in early, since he was on Cohen's bad side, and hoped that by getting caught up with his paperwork, he might get on with her better. Actually, Natalie did not think that was possible. Schanke just didn't seem to have it in him to get along with management. He just always ended up rubbing them the wrong way. Natalie dialed the precinct, and asked to be connected to Schanke. Hoping she could sound normal and conversational, she waited for Schanke to pick up. At the moment Don Schanke was trying to make sense out of last week's arrest records, and come up with some sort of logic as to why he and Nick had done some of the things they had done. Well, put something down, he thought. She can't shoot you for trying. His concentration was burst by the phone. "Schanke." "Schanke, its Nat." "Hey, Nat, why are you in on a Saturday? I thought you were taking this weekend off." "Well, I was, but I thought I would come in anyway and get some of the overload off my desk." "Yeah, I'm in here trying to get off Cohen's list." "Schanke, did Nick say where he was going last night?" "Why? Is he missing?" "No. I was expecting him to drop by last night, and he didn't make it. No big deal." That last statement took almost all of Natalie's resolve to complete without a break in her voice. "I think he was going over to the Raven to see Janette about something. Said he 'had enough of police work for one night' and was turning everything off - beeper, cell phone, all of it'." "OK. Thanks. Don't tell him I called, OK? I wouldn't want him to think I was checking up on him." "Sure, Nat. You have a good afternoon." Natalie rang off without saying good-bye. AT THE RAVEN? With JANETTE? Now she knew Nick had stood her up. Not only stood her up, but also left word that he was not to be disturbed while he was with - _her_. Angrily, she snatched the phone, and dialed Nick's number. I will tell him what I think this time. I will not let him do this to me without a fight. The phone went to the answering machine after two rings. Messages still unplayed upon it. "Hi, this is Nick?" "Nick, it's Nat. Remember? Natalie Lambert, the person whom you stood up last night! Nick, if you're there pick up! I want to talk to you NOW!" Natalie held the line for a few seconds alternately praying that he would and would not pick up the phone. Slamming the phone into the cradle, she collapsed with frustration, anger, and defeat. Grace walked in, just as the handset hit the phone. She jumped at the crack it made when it impacted. "Natalie, did you find out what happened to Nick? "Yeah. I found out. For all the good it did me. Schanke told me that Nick left work last night and went out drinking." She couldn't begin to explain about Janette. And she certainly didn't want to have to face the facts of Nick's faithlessness with another woman. "Girl. You *do not* need him. Why don't you and I go out tonight and do the town?" Natalie sat for a moment considering the prospect. "I don't know?" "Don't know? I am not going to let you mope around here for the next week. We are going out!" "Grace?" Natalie saw the determination in her friend's eyes, and knew that she had already lost this argument. "Sure. Why don't I head home and get ready?" "Want to leave about seven?" "See you then." Natalie kept most of the resignation out of her voice. But Grace could hear the unuttered sigh in her voice." "Don't eat, we can get a bite downtown." Once Grace had a project in mind, she felt much better about Nick and Natalie. Maybe this will be just the thing, she thought. Get Natalie away from Nick and with guys who'll appreciate her. Grace spent the rest of the day setting up Natalie's night on the town. Natalie had no idea that she had become Grace's project. Nor did she realize that it was Grace's intention to eradicate Nick from her life. She was just happy that she wouldn't be spending tonight in her apartment hiding from the phone. -------------------- Promptly at 7 p.m., Natalie's bell rang. "Hi, Grace," she called, "come on in. I've got more thing to do and we can get going." While Natalie went back into the bedroom to continue dressing, Grace sat down on the couch next to Natalie's purse. "You doing OK?" Grace called into the bedroom. She wanted to ask if that cretin Nick had called, but she knew better than to open that wound right now. "Fine." The tone left some questions as to whether or not she was anywhere near fine. Grace was seized by an inspiration. Continuing to converse with Natalie, she quietly opened Natalie's purse, set the cell-phone and beeper on the couch beside her, and moved the cushion on top of it. Now let Nick try to ruin this evening. "I thought we'd get dinner at The Yangtzee River, and then head over to Scandal for some fun." Grace was trying to the talk light, and away from anything to do with either work or the Toronto PD. "OK." "Have you been to either of them?" "I've heard of The Yangtzee River. Isn't Scandal close to it?" "Yeah, within walking distance." "So. What d'ya think?" Natalie called from the bedroom. Grace was startled by Natalie's call. Quickly moving away from the couch and its cache of electronics, she looked toward the bedroom. Natalie's back was to Grace, but the effect was stunning. Natalie was wearing a short, black, leather sheath, which just came past mid-thigh. Grace had never seen Natalie in anything this racy. To top it off, she'd put on black stockings, and pumps that bore no resemblance to the practical shoes of a county coroner. It was certain that Natalie would turn more than a few heads this evening. As Natalie turned to face her, Grace's jaw dropped. On top of the skin-tight fit, the neckline plunged in a 'V' to just past her sternum. "Girl, you look incredible. If you were dressing to kill, you certainly met your goal." "Thanks. Grace?" This just isn't going to work Natalie thought. I am not going to be able to do this tonight. Maybe I can get Grace to go on without me. "I know what you're thinking. And if you think that I'm going to let you off and go out by myself, you're crazy. An evening out is what I planned, and an evening out is what you're going to get. Besides, I have a craving for Chinese food, and it's no fun to eat it alone. You can't try enough stuff." Grace continued on about the restaurant, and the clubs that she had heard of, but Natalie's attention had wandered. What was Nick doing tonight? Why hadn't he called? Suppose he called to apologize while she was out? I really should stay home in case he calls. Knowing Natalie for several years, Grace knew exactly what was going through her mind. She's probably considering staying here in case Nick calls to apologize. Well, he is not going to get the chance this time. "Natalie come on, or we'll be late and won't get in to Scandal later." Natalie let herself be dragged out the door, careful to lock it behind her. -------------------- When Nick strolled in, just after 7:30, Schanke was working at his desk, attempting to look the professional that he was, not the dolt that Cohen believed him to be. "Hey Schanke.", Nick called from across the room. "Hey Nick. You have a nice evening?" Schanke noticed that his partner's attire was a bit more rumpled than usual, and if he had not known better, he would have sworn that he was wearing the same shirt as yesterday. "Yeah. Fine. How 'bout you?" "Good enough. I had to come in early to get some of these reports done. Hey, isn't that the same shirt you wore yesterday? Is the paragon of fine dress slipping? The great Nick Knight wearing the same clothes two days in a row?" "Lay off, Schanke. I didn't have time to change." "Oooooo. So we did have a _fine_ evening." "Yeah. We _did_. Now let's drop it and get out to that grocer who saw the shooting." "What? Aren't you even going to let me take my turn? Man. Coming from the guy who made fun of my favourite tie?" "Look, Schanke. You know I went over to the Raven last night to make up with Janette. We couldn't talk until the club closed, and it took much longer than I expected, so I ended up sleeping in Janette's spare room. I must've overslept, and I just came straight here." Nick hated lying to Schanke, but how would he explain _that_ relationship. He wasn't sure exactly how he felt about Janette, or why he continued to run back to her time and again. Besides, the "Schanke, I'm a vampire, and Janette was my wife for almost a hundred years in 16th century Italy" conversation was not one he ever intended to have. "Fine. Nick, don't you realize that I live for these few vicarious thrills you give me? I mean, life with Myra is great, but I still want to enjoy at least the thoughts of bachelor life." "Sorry, Schanke, you'll have to get your jollies elsewhere." "Say. Have you talked to Nat today? She make any headway on that shooting yesterday?" Schanke decided to play detective. There was something that just wasn't adding up here. He wasn't sure, but thought Nick had mentioned taking Nat out last night. Maybe that was why she'd called. Being first on the gossip lines with something like this would be worth a week of the cold shoulder from Nick. At that instant, Nick realized that he was supposed to have taken Nat out to dinner and dancing last night, that she had probably spent all last night waiting for him, and that she was probably sitting home right now still awaiting his call. He knew he had to get in touch with Natalie and quickly. "Uh? Schanke, I need to check on something. I'll be back in a few minutes." "Sure, Nick. Take your time." Man, is he upset. I'll bet he was supposed to meet Nat last night. She is going to be pissed. I'd hate to be in his shoes when she gets finished with him. Who should I call first about this? Myra? Sharon in booking? No, Bill at the front desk would love to hear about this. "Nick, before you go, I've got a confession to make. Nat called here looking for you about four, and said that you were supposed to drop by her house last night. I kinda told her you had went straight to the Raven after we finished here." "Schanke, you didn't!" "'Fraid so partner." "That's just great. I've gotta' go." "Should I tell Cohen you'll be out for the evening?" "No, this won't take too long. I'll be back in a couple of hours." Nick hurried out of the station and started calling Nat on his cell-phone. The morgue - no answer. Her house - no answer, just the machine, "Nat. It's Nick. Look, I'm _sorry_. Please pick up." Her cell - no answer. Maybe she's sitting home not answering her phone. Glancing about for observers, Nick launched himself into the air, and streaked toward Nat's apartment. It took only a few minutes, but it seemed like hours to him. Arriving at Nat's door he knocked briskly. No answer. His vampire-enhanced hearing could only discern the random murmurs of the neighbours and Sydney, Nat's cat. She did not seem to be inside. But maybe he should check. Nick extracted a spare key she had made for him for emergency use, decided that this was just such an emergency, and opened the door. Nat's apartment was usually immaculate. This time it looked like a trio of sorority girls had camped there for a week. The bedroom had clothes strewn from one end to the other. There are three separate glasses of half-drunk wine around the rooms. Two empty bottles of Russian Valley Merlot - well maybe not quite college kids; they didn't usually go for the good stuff. The kitchen had the uneaten portion of a meal on the counter. And it appeared to Nick, who had never owned a cat in his eight hundred years, that Sydney hadn't been fed for a couple of days. Well, he could take care of Sydney, but where the heck was Nat? He called her cell-phone again, and heard the echo of the ring on the couch. Pushing the cushions aside, he found both Nat's beeper and cell-phone carefully set upon the couch. "Well, wherever she is, she won't be answering either of these," Nick observed wryly. OK. Not at home. Not at work. Maybe she left me a message at home telling me where she would be. Nick called his house, getting the machine on the second ring. Using his access code, he retrieved his messages. The first message from Nat was at 8 p.m., by the clock on the machine. "Hi, Nick, this is Nat. It's about eight, and I was getting a bit worried, so I thought I'd call and make sure you're all right. See ya' soon." That settled it. If there was any doubt in his mind that he had left Nat at home while he was at the Raven with Janette, that answered it. Gritting his teeth, he selected the next message. "Nick, it's Nat. Remember? Natalie Lambert, the person whom you stood up last night! Nick, if you're there pick up! I want to talk to you NOW!" There were a couple of seconds of silence, her breathing being evident to his hearing, and then the crack of the receiver being slammed into the cradle. Nick winced at the sound. Not that the phone translated it into a painful noise, but at finality of it. Not knowing where to go or what to do, Nick grabbed a piece of paper from the notepad near the phone, and left Nat a note on her answering machine apologizing for his actions, and left, locking the door behind him. Too disturbed to sit at home, and too chastised to see Janette, Nick went back in to work. -------------------- The Yangtzee River was crowded. The restaurant's parking lot was packed, and they had to settle for a parking garage a couple of blocks over. There was a line of people loitering in front of the restaurant when they walked up. It was going to be at least an hour-and-a-half wait before they could be seated, and Grace was antsy about getting to Scandal too late to get a table. "Natalie, let's just go. We can get something to eat at the bar." "Grace, I'm already hungry. By the time we get there I'll be starving." "Natalie?" "Oh, Alright. I'm sure they'll have something to eat there." The walk to Scandal was worth it. The late spring air was full of flowers, and just cool enough to be comfortable without being chill. They walked along the sidewalk, the crowds heavy without impeding their pace, chatting about work, life, and anything but Nick Knight. Natalie had consciously chosen to submerge last night's turmoil, and by the time she arrived at Scandal, she was relaxed and comfortable. Inside Scandal, it was just starting to get crowded. They ended up seated a bit nearer to the dance floor than Natalie would have preferred. Grace noticed the appreciative gaze the bouncer provided Natalie as they made their way through the crowd. Service was slow, and their drinks arrived long before their food. After last night, Natalie was not interested in wine, but it was her preferred drink. Beer was too filling, so she settled on the first thing that came to mind. "Vodka and tonic, please." They had finished their first drinks and were well into their second before the food came. It was good, but salty, so before the dinner was over, they were both on their fourth round. By this time, the bar was filling up, and the music had started. The standard group of sharks were circling the bar, looking for prey, but they weren't interested in two women. Single prey is easier to tackle. Eventually, the more confident people started arriving. Two men, obviously professionals, walked up to the table. "Hi. Could we buy you two a drink?" "Sure. Why don't you sit down." Grace replied before Natalie could silence her. Grace smiled at Natalie while Nat considered kicking her under the table. "Hi. I'm Mike. I'm an engineer at Corobel." Mike reached over the table and shook both of their hands. He was fairly tall, maybe 6'2", with dark hair and eyes. As he grasped Natalie's hand, he gave it a firm squeeze and smiled brightly. "I'm Harve. That's H A R V E. I'm an attorney with the public defender's office." Although a reasonably good looking man in his own right, Harve paled next to Mike. His light hair and eyes seemed washed out when compared to Mike, and his desk-jockey physique was exacerbated by Mike's athletic build. He quickly shook both their hands and seated himself next to Grace at the table. Grace stole the initiative. "I'm Grace and I work in the coroner's office, and this is Natalie. She's the county coroner." "It's nice to meet you both." Mike said. "How?" "I thought you looked familiar." Harve pushed Mike aside in the conversation. "I saw you giving testimony at the Isenberg trial last month. I don't do many capital cases. I was just sitting in on that one. You did quite well." "Thank you." Natalie replied coolly. Great. An attorney. It wasn't that Natalie hated attorneys, but that they had a knack for making her job twice as difficult and half as rewarding as it should be. It was inevitable that whenever she spent several days preparing information for a trial: charts, graphs, overheads, etc., one or the other of the lawyers would somehow screw up the case so as to make her work useless. And besides, she certainly wasn't in the mood to fraternize with one. At the word 'attorney', Grace's alarm bells had started ringing. They went into overdrive at the mention of the Isenberg case. Natalie had spent a week preparing for the capital murder case, only to have the prosecution commit a procedural error and have it dismissed. "Mike, what do you do at Corobel? I'm not sure I've ever heard of them." Please help me shut Harve up and get this conversation away from work, her eyes pleaded. "Well, I have to admit to mis-speaking a bit, when I said that I was an engineer at Corobel. I just hate to lose my engineer status, and be labeled a know-nothing, do-nothing member of management." Mike smiled, hoping that the joke would be well taken. "Actually, I'm in charge of design, development and manufacturing of the company's latest line of ISDN modems." Grace was desperate to get the conversation away from attorneys and trials. "Maybe I have heard of Corobel. Natalie showed me an article in the _Sun_ about how Corobel's new product line would revolutionize the Internet for the common person. Say, you aren't the Mike Alvarez that they were interviewing are you?" "Guilty as charged." Grin. "But I'm afraid that the interview made me seem personally responsible for everything good and fine that Corobel has ever done. I'm lucky to have a great group of people that work very hard for me. They've hit on a nice niche." He turned his attention back to Natalie. "I'm curious about the coroner position. I had a great-uncle who, back in the dark ages, was a coroner in the states. That was an elected position ? no degree required. Did you specialize in pathology after medical school?" Mike could tell from Natalie's, 'Thank you.' that she wanted nothing to do with Harve, and it seemed obvious to him that Grace was trying to get he and Natalie talking. Grace took her cue, and started chatting with Harve about the PD's office. His case load. How many times he had dealt with the coroner's office. Anything to keep him on her side of the table. Natalie turned to face Mike more fully. She could tell from his tone that he was genuinely interested in her job, not in how he could manipulate it to his advantage. "Yeah. I did my residency in Forensic Pathology at St. Bertram's in Montreal. After that I headed back to Toronto, and ended up as coroner." Natalie's conversation with Mike continued. He was originally from the states, so they talked about that, and the differences between it and Canada. Grace did her best to keep Harve occupied, and realized that he was not nearly so bad as she'd originally thought. Grace glanced at Natalie. She was enjoying herself. This was excellent. She wished that she could have videotaped the conversation. It would be a good teaching tool for the "Let's Wean Natalie From Nick Class" she intended to start on Monday. She also noticed that either Harve or Mike had ordered two more rounds, and Natalie had finished both of her drinks. I guess 'time flies.' she thought. Abruptly both Harve and Mike stopped talking. They glanced at each other nervously, and chimed, in unison, "I'm sorry, but we have to go now. We'll be seeing you." Natalie and Grace were shocked. Natalie was a bit less shocked for having her sixth vodka and tonic. They said their good-byes and watched the two men recede into the club. As the gentlemen left their field of vision, another man stepped up to their table. Tall, with pale blue eyes and light brown hair cropped close to his scalp. He was dressed entirely in black. Denim, or more likely linen, slacks and a collarless black silk shirt. This newcomer exuded confidence and power. Maybe this was why Harve and Mike left with so quickly, Grace mused. This was definitely an alpha male. Maybe the rest of the pack scattered at his approach. The alpha, as Grace now tagged him, stopped in front of their table. "Well. Miss Lambert. What a pleasant suprise. I had not expected to see you at Scandal this evening." On top of being tall and imposing, his voice was low and melodious; there was an almost-but-not-quite French lilt to his accent. Natalie started. She knew who this was, but she didn't know how she knew. Her heart started racing. Why in the world would HE be here? She and Grace were in the most terrible danger. Her mind raced, but couldn't think of a way out of the situation. She saw no choice but civility. "Grace Thomas, this is?" "Lucien LaCroix. Your servant, Mademoiselle Thomas." LaCroix stepped to Grace and inclined toward her and Grace rose to meet him. LaCroix took her hand and gently kissed it. Grace nearly swooned, her knees weak. After entrancing Grace, LaCroix stepped to Natalie's seat. Natalie nervously met his eyes. Taking her hand and kissing it, he said as he gazed at her, "You look captivating this evening, Natalie. I do not know when I have seen you look more beautiful." He added, _sotto voce_, "Neither you nor your friend is in any danger. I promise you that no harm will come to either of you. You are both perfectly safe with me." LaCroix smiled to emphasize his point. LaCroix could hear Natalie's heart racing. From her first glance he realized she recognized him. The hypnotism at Azure had not been so complete as to eliminate him from her mind. But from her level of fear, he knew she couldn't recall that particular evening. So much the better. She was out without her protector, and fair game. Since Nicholas did not love her, she was not part of any bargain that they had made. Although he had promised not to interfere in Nicholas' life, it didn't technically mean he could not meddle in the affairs of his _acquaintances_. Natalie smiled in return. She kept thinking about tigers smiling over their prey. Keeping your eyes averted when approaching a gorilla. And that staring at an animal meant that you were deciding whether or not to eat it. She MUST be calm. As long as they were in public they were perfectly safe. Safe? What was she thinking - safe with LaCroix? This was definitely a new definition of that word. This is just great, Natalie thought. Nick's off somewhere with Janette, and I have LaCroix at my throat. This will certainly be a night to remember. "From where do you know Natalie, Mr. LaCroix?" "Lucien, please. Natalie and I have friends in common. I was pleasantly suprised to see you here this evening, and I came to pay my respects to the two most beautiful ladies in the club." On any other's lips, the compliments would have played false, but the dark resonances in LaCroix's voice quelled their fears, and they were willing to believe his sincerity. "Well? Lucien. I don't know when I've met so charming a gentleman during an evening out. Have you and Natalie known each other long?" LaCroix smiled again. An image that would have chilled Natalie's blood a few minutes ago. However, this LaCroix was not the monster that Nick had harped about for the past four years. Lucien was charming. He certainly didn't appear the incarnation of evil who had plagued Nick for more than eight centuries. "Natalie and I have only met in passing previously. I know her more by her reputation for being beautiful, intelligent, and charming than for the pleasure of her company. Until now, I have only enjoyed her presence vicariously, a privation that I am most grateful to you both for rectifying." A waitress appeared out of the melee in front of them. Grace waived her off, but LaCroix beckoned her back. "Natalie, would you like another drink? Grace?" Both of them declined. LaCroix motioned the waitress closer, and whispered something in her ear. She smiled and leapt away to get his order. The remaining tables in her were area left wanting. "So, Lucien, what do you do?" Grace desperately wanted to know something about the enchanting figure that had appeared at their table, and who seemed to be so taken with Natalie. "Well, my dear, at this time I host a radio call-in show on CERK under the _nom de plume_ 'The Nightcrawler'. But I must confess it is somewhat more of an avocation than a profession. "_You're_ 'The Nightcrawler'? Somehow, I didn't expect you to look so distinguished, er normal?" Grace was terribly flustered, and she could not see how she was going to extract herself from the hole which she had dug. LaCroix politely extricated her. Holding up his hand, LaCroix implored, "Please don't be upset. The show _is_ a bit outr?. You have spoken openly and honestly, as friends should. You intended no offense with your observations, and none was taken. I am much more taken by the fact that you have listened to my show." Natalie watched this exchange with amazement. Again, Lucien LaCroix belied the countless stories Nick had spun. Shouldn't he have spat venom at Grace for this insult? Wasn't he supposed to be insufferably arrogant, and discourteous? This man was pleasant beyond belief, and the way he went out of his way to put Grace at her ease somewhat endeared him to Natalie. "Thank you, Lucien." Grace blushed. Just as he finished easing Grace, the waitress returned with a glass of a dark red _wine_. LaCroix thanked her, but no money changed hands. As she left, she stared at Natalie ? she probably thinks I'm a vampire, too, Natalie thought. Taking this drink in his hand, LaCroix returned his attention to Natalie. Raising his glass, he silently toasted her as he drank, never taking his eyes from hers. After taking several deep swallows, he pushed the glass to the edge of the table where a waitress quickly retrieved it. "Grace, would you mind if I spirited your friend away to dance? I promise to return her no worse for the experience." "Certainly not, Lucien." "Natalie, would you care to dance?" "Well. I really don't dance that well." "Nonsense, my dear. I have watched you move. All you lack is the right partner. With the correct lead, you would float across the floor." LaCroix stood and bowed slightly to Grace in appreciation. He offered his arm to Natalie and began leading her to the dance floor. "We'll be back in a few minutes, Grace." "Natalie, please. I'm a big girl, and I can entertain myself. Go have a little fun for once. Lucien, don't you dare let her come back until she's enjoyed herself out there." She watched as Lucien and Natalie made their way to the dance floor. Although he was charming and blindingly appealing, she sensed that Natalie was a bit on edge with him. Well, she'd watch closely while they were out there. She and Natalie could always leave as soon as they returned if he proved unacceptable. Just after they left, the waitress returned with another drink for Lucien, but seeing that he was absent, she kept walking. Grace tried to get her to leave the beverage until LaCroix's return, but she deferred stating the management forbid her leaving drinks for patrons that were not present. -------------------- Out of Grace's earshot at last, Natalie could talk freely with LaCroix. She wasn't sure what she should or shouldn't say, and she still wasn't completely convinced that they were in no danger. Who should she believe? Nick had told her time and again of LaCroix's self-serving malevolence. How he had tricked him into becoming a vampire, and how LaCroix had tormented Nick throughout the centuries. This just did not seem to be the same monster. As she continued to ponder this dilemma, LaCroix finished leading her to the dance floor. "LaCroix, why-" "Later, Natalie, after the dance." The DJ was playing a modern dance mix, with a recognizably Latin beat. LaCroix took Natalie's hand and pulled her into dance position. "Natalie, do you know how to Rhumba?" Natalie stepped back, her eyes opened in amazement. She'd presumed he was merely making small talk when he had talked about _dancing_ earlier, but obviously she was wrong. "Well, I did a few times in a college class, but that was some time ago." "Excellent." LaCroix purred. "This is an ideal Rhumba." LaCroix held her again, and started moving. At first it seemed that she kept swaying to the wrong beat of the music, and her every move was counter to what LaCroix led. Lucien leaned toward her. "Relax." He whispered. "Just flow with the music. You will instinctively follow where I lead if you let yourself relax in my arms." The thought disturbed her. 'Relax in LaCroix's arms?' However, his gaze was calm, and she didn't sense any malice in him. Maybe he wasn't who he had been made out to be after all. Natalie consciously relaxed herself, and as she did, LaCroix began to take control and direct her about the dance floor. Couples near them started moving away to give them room. Several just stopped in awe as Lucien and Natalie picked up the pace and began to electrify the room. The DJ noticed them, and chose another Latin beat to follow this one. The sensuous rhythm accentuated their feline grace. They were panthers on the floor, not people - panthers preparing to mate. Natalie could not believe how arousing this was. She'd always heard the line about 'Dancing was making love standing up.', but she had never held much faith in it. But here, now, every turn, every step, every move was an invitation to love. Lucien would cast her out and away from him, only to draw her back into his embrace. Not only was his fluid grace intoxicating, but his strength was amazing. She could feel the steel of his arms across her breasts and back; the marble of his thighs against her hips. And his eyes never left her own. All too soon, the DJ began to tire of the spectacle, and started playing less danceable tunes. LaCroix refused to warp their art to meet the new selections and motioned her toward edge of the floor. Leaving the floor, Natalie realized she had no idea how long they had danced. She knew that there had been at least four songs, but as far as the time? "LaCroix.", she whispered, "I really should get back to Grace. She's probably been alone all this time." As Natalie broke the spell, she realized how spent she was. The lovemaking analogy seemed all too accurate. Her knees were weak, her breath erratic, and there was a delicious languor that suffused her arms and legs. Sensing her fatigue, LaCroix stopped walking, and turned her to face him, keeping his arm firmly around his waist. "Of course, Natalie. I'm sure we both could use something to drink as well. You were extraordinary out on the dance floor. I told you that all you lacked was the right partner. I have not enjoyed myself so in _many_ years. Thank you." LaCroix's voice was low and sincere as he said this. As LaCroix mentioned 'drink', Natalie remembered that this was not a charming mortal man that had just seared her nerves on the dance floor, but a vampire, and Nick's sire as well. What was she doing? Why was she doing it? As she asked herself the question, she heard LaCroix say, 'I have not enjoyed myself so in many years.', and she realized this was her reason as well. "Thank you, Lucien. I have never danced with anyone so exhilarating. This is turning out to be one of the best evenings I have had in quite some time." Natalie's voice trembled as she made her admission. It was true. She had loved every second on the floor with LaCroix, and as soon as she could rehydrate herself, she was going to drag him back out there. As they walked away, several people made appreciative comments on their dancing. LaCroix answered each one, and graciously made it clear to all that Natalie was the reason for their performance. Somehow he also made it explicit to all the men that she was his partner, and not for public consumption. The waitress must have seen LaCroix returning through the crowd since she was waiting for him at their table as he and Natalie returned. Grace was not alone as Natalie had feared. As they approached, her companion stood up. "You must be Natalie. It's nice to meet you. I'm Kerr Avon, short for Kerry. Grace has told me a great deal about you." Kerr was taller than LaCroix, with dark, moss-green eyes. His curly black hair was just starting to pepper with grey, but his figure was trim and athletic. Kerr took her hand and shook it firmly. "It's nice to meet you, Kerr. May I introduce Lucien LaCroix, a friend of mine. Lucien, this is Kerr Avon." Natalie felt slightly awkward at introducing LaCroix as her friend, but she could hardly introduce his as anything else. 'May I introduce the infamous vampire Lucien LaCroix?' - Nah. She'd stick with this until another came available. LaCroix stepped forward, "I am honored to make your acquaintance Mr. Avon." He shook Kerr's hand, and they all returned to their seats. The waitress stepped up with LaCroix's drink, and placed it in front of him. LaCroix smiled warmly at her, "Thank you." Then to Natalie, "Did you desire another, my dear?" "Yes, please, LaCroix." "Natalie, _please_ call me Lucien. Grace does." He added, pitched for her ears alone, "LaCroix sounds so stilted on your lips." "Natalie? Do you mind if we leave you two alone? Kerr has been after me to outdo you two since I pointed you out twenty minutes ago." Grace beamed at Natalie, she was obviously proud of how she and Lucien had torched the dance floor. "No problem." Natalie could see that Grace was a little jealous of Natalie's time out there, and wanted to make up for it. Kerr finished his wine, and pushed the glass to the edge of the table where the waitress retrieved it quickly. He stood and offered his arm to Grace. Lucien stood as Grace left, and then moved in next to Natalie. -------------------- "They certainly make a lovely couple, don't you think?" Lucien asked as they left. "I guess I shouldn't have worried about Grace. She seems to have done just fine for herself." Natalie smiled at her friend's back as she retreated to the dance floor. Lucien raised his glass of _wine_ to Natalie. Glancing down, she realized her drink must have been replaced without her knowledge. She raised her glass in response. "To a truly enchanting evening." Lucien intoned. "Yes, an enchanting evening." Natalie echoed, drinking in time with him. "Lucien, what are you drinking? I thought you only drank-" Lucien cut her off before she completed the sentence. "You are correct. However, this establishment procures some of their supplies from the same source as the Raven. Certain members of the community are known here, and our requirements are met if the proper arrangements are made at the door." "I thought the Raven was the only place in town. Nick never mentioned there was another _bar_ here." Natalie was getting scared. Was this a counterpart to the Raven? Had she and Grace stumbled upon another vampire bar? Were she and Grace the only mortals in here? Lucien stretched his hand against Natalie's face, stroking it. "Calm yourself, Natalie. The Raven is unique in its particular attributes. This locale is merely friendly to alternative lifestyles - to use a common term. It is considered neutral territory." At first, Natalie struggled against his touch, but it was so cool, so smooth. Natalie luxuriated against his hand, drinking in his scent. God, am I getting aroused by him? He is incredibly handsome, almost beautiful. As Lucien continued to stroke her, moving down to her neck, Natalie leaned into his shoulder and pulled his arm around her. So strong. So powerful. She thought. Again, she could feel the steel strength of his hands and arms against her back and shoulders, and she was tingling at the touch. "Lucien. Stop. This isn't right. I really shouldn't be here." Natalie whispered. "And why not? Are you not your own woman? Can you not choose for yourself? I have given you my word no harm will come to you. I will not break it. Tell me that you did not enjoy yourself out there, and I will leave right now. Tell me you are not burning from my touch, and I will stop." LaCroix's voice was all Natalie heard. His touch all she felt. She knew she wasn't about to let him leave. "No. Dancing with you was like floating in the clouds. The only thing I could say about it would be, 'I want more!'." Natalie's voice dropped to a throaty whisper as she finished. She fought to keep herself under control. She was not going to kiss him! Lucien had finished his glass, and received another while he sat there. He quickly downed it and returned to Natalie's eyes. "Yes. It _is_ a rare and wonderful experience when two can move as one. Has Nicholas not moved you so? Has he not twined with you upon the dance floor? You and he have not sailed that oaken ship into the night?" Lucien frowned as he finished the sentence. He hesitated briefly, and continued. "Natalie, I fear my son has rudely used you if he has not given you even this small portion of himself. I apologize in his stead for his ill treatment of one so fair." As Lucien finished the statement, he turned to face her more fully. Natalie noticed how full his lips were, the strength of his chin, and the brightness of his eyes. Lucien moved closer, parted his lips, and began to press toward her. "Lucien, no. Please-" Natalie's breath caught as his lips touched hers. Just like his hand, his lips were cool and smooth, but she could feel the strength within them. Chocolate, orange, wine, spices? Lucien's kiss tasted wonderful. She could feel his cool tongue pressing against her lips for access, insistent, probing. Losing the last of her resolve she opened her mouth to him. His tongue pressed onward, stroking her own. His touch was cool fire on her face. She could feel his hand pressing against her shoulder caressing her, but not forcing her to him. At last, he broke the kiss, she looked up, expecting his eyes to be glowing, but unsure if she could or even wanted to escape. His eyes were clear. The same ice blue that they were when he walked up. "Lucien, your eyes.", she gasped in amazement. She knew that any kiss she had shared with Nick, however chaste, inevitably wakened the vampire within him. "My eyes?? Of course, you expected me to change, to let that which is within have full reign over me. My child, you know so very little of our kind. So little of what we can and cannot do. There is nothing forbidden to one who is strong of mind and spirit. You have not been shown all that we are, only the palest shadow. I am constrained by none of those weaknesses you have seen before. There is little that a mortal can do that I cannot." "But Nicholas, has told me -" "Many lies, and fallacies. No, that is too cruel. To say they are lies in the truest sense would be to imply that he knowingly purported them upon you. My Nicholas believes all he has told you about our kind. Often directly in the face of the facts in evidence. Natalie, there is much I could prove to you if you were willing to face it." He paused. "Would you care to taste the fruit of this knowledge?" Natalie wanted to believe him. She really did. But she'd heard so many terrible things about this man's cruelty and lies. So many tales of his depravity. But she couldn't say these things to him. He must have read the conflict in here eyes for he continued. "My dear. Have I not already disproven the first of those falsehoods? I am sure you have been told we could not even kiss properly. That we could not restrain the beast within to do so. And yet, you and I have just kissed. Did you see the beast?" As he finished the question, he drank deeply from the glass on the table, set down the empty glass, and pulled her close again. This time, Natalie did not resist, she threw herself into Lucien's arms with abandon. His arms wrapped around her, crushing her breasts against his chest. She could feel the strength of his body through the leather, he felt like some pliant marble statue, engulfing her with chiseled arms. Natalie moaned into his throat, her body tingling with desire. She could feel herself dampening with passion. The kiss seemed to last for hours, she didn't want to stop to breath, and Lucien didn't have to. At length, they parted again. Natalie's eyes were unfocussed at first, her breath ragged from the exertion. Gazing into Lucien's eyes, she saw something strange. Was that hunger? Tenderness? Maybe longing? She broke his gaze with a concerted effort. "Lucien, I must apologize. You probably think I'm horribly wanton." Natalie's cheeks glowed with her embarrassment. Swallowing, she said, "I'm not in the habit of carrying on like that in public. Soothingly, his voice like warm butter, Lucien answered her. "There is no reason to be embarrassed, Natalie. In the first case, I am sure that no one gave us a second glance. In the second," he chuckled, "I am certainly old enough to control myself if I desired. I wanted to kiss you as much as you wanted to kiss me. Come with me to my house. There we can explore our desires to their fullest, with no concern for public impropriety, or prying eyes." "But, what about Grace?" Natalie's last hope for salvation was coming back from the dance floor just now. "Natalie.", Grace called. "I hope you weren't too bored while we were gone." Natalie, could hear the sarcasm in her voice - imperceptible to anyone who hadn't worked with her day in and day out for years. "Kerr is the most marvelous dancer. I hope we've haven't been away too long." At Grace's voice, Natalie sat up straight - dragging her eyes from Lucien's. "No, not at all, Grace." Natalie strained to keep her voice steady. It took great control not to sink back into Lucien's arms. She could feel his body pulling at her. Forcibly, Natalie stood up. Smiling warmly at Lucien, she said, "Lucien? Kerr? Please excuse us for a moment, Grace and I will be right back." Lucien stood up and moved out of the Natalie's way as she announced her intentions. As Natalie moved past him, she reached up and around his neck, pressing her lips firmly to his. "I'll only be gone a moment." She whispered huskily. As the ladies left, Kerr and Lucien seated themselves. LaCroix motioned to a waitress and she returned with two glasses of red wine. -------------------- The trip to the restroom was short and the club loud, and neither Natalie nor Grace tried to talk over the din. The restroom was crowded, but not packed, they picked an unoccupied corner for their conference. "So what was so important that you had to drag me in here?" Grace asked. "This is kinda strange for me." Natalie was trying, unsuccessfully to think of a way to ask Grace if she'd mind finishing out the evening alone. "Let's see. You're planning to run away with Lucien, and you want me to take Sydney for you. No problem. Jut give me a key to your apartment and I'll help myself." Grace smirked at Natalie. "Grace." Natalie whined. "It's not funny. Lucien has asked me to go back to his house, and I don't know what to do!" "Here's a thought: go, and don't look back!" "It's not that easy. I've never done _anything_ like this before, ever. I mean I've spent the night with a guy, but never after meeting him in a bar." "But you kinda knew him already, didn't you?" "Yeah, I did. But suppose?" Natalie was back into whine mode, and Grace saw her friend's chance at an evening of fun evaporating. "Suppose nothing. He's not going to do anything. It's not like he's a serial killer. He runs a radio show. You'd better go with him. I refuse to listen to you whimper all next week about 'how you should have gone to his house'." Yeah, he's not a serial killer Natalie thought. He's a vampire. I suppose there is a difference. But he says that Nick is wrong about him, and he seems to be able to prove it. And he's gorgeous, sexy, and strong. Why not? "Grace, I'm going to do it. I'll call you when I get home tonight. OK?" "Sure. Actually this will work out for me too. Kerr knows this great club across town, and I really wanted to go, but I couldn't leave you in the cold. I'll have my beeper with me if you need anything." "Good enough." Natalie replied. -------------------- Back at the table, Kerr saw Grace and Natalie approach. He stood, quickly followed by Lucien. Natalie slid past Lucien, again reaching up for a kiss before sitting. If possible, her absence from Lucien had increased his effect on her. His kiss was intoxicating, and she had to sit quickly to keep from collapsing. Grace looked over at Natalie. "Kerr says he knows another place in town that's a lot of fun. Do you and Lucien want to come with us?" "No, thanks. I think Lucien and I have other plans." The next few minutes were filled with the obligatory good-byes, and nice-to-have-met-you's of polite conversation. Natalie assured Grace that she could provide her own way home, and Lucien seconded the affirmation with promises that he would see Natalie safely back to her apartment. As Grace and Kerr walked to the door, Natalie turned to LaCroix and kissed him hungrily. "I believe we left off somewhere near here." "Actually, we were interrupted during your decision whether or not to accompany me to my home." Natalie shivered. It was easy enough to discuss this with Grace, especially with her cheering the decision to go to Lucien's with such abandon, but to sit here with him and face the decision still scared her. "My dear, I am not going to force you." As he finished, he began stroking her cheek and neck with his fingertips. Again, she was amazed at the pure pleasure she gathered from his touch. Each finger drew a separate line of ice-fire down her cheek onto her neck. Please keep going, she thought, move those hands onto my breasts. She wanted to be pinned beneath those thighs, his hands gripping her breasts, pinching the nipples. "Natalie?" She started as her reverie was broken by his voice. "I'm sorry, Lucien. I was lost in thought. I'd love to come to your house." Her voice was unsteady, but her gaze met Lucien's without flinching. Well, that settles it. You're going into the lion's den now. Natalie knew she should be terrified, but she wasn't. She also knew Nick would have a cow, she smiled at the pun, if he knew where she was going. She also knew that once-and-for-all she was going to get some truth about vampires, from someone who should definitely know. Lucien stood and offered her his arm at they walked toward the entrance. They stopped before leaving and picked up their coats. Lucien tipped the coat check clerk a twenty, Natalie noted. As they walked to the door, Lucien extracted a cellular phone from his coat, and punched in a number. "I will have to get Henri to bring the car around. He usually waits for me in a cafe around the corner." The bouncer smiled and inclined his head to Lucien as they exited. Standing there on the sidewalk, Natalie realized she was in awe of Lucien LaCroix. He had shared worlds that she had only read of. She wasn't sure how old he was, but she knew that he was significantly older than Nick. "Lucien." "Yes?" "Could I ask you some questions about what it's like?" "You mean to be a vampire?" He answered, his voice low and controlled. "Yes." "Certainly. But first, here is Henri with the car." A vintage, black, Mercedes limousine pulled up to the curb, and a small but apparently powerful man quickly swept around to the passenger side and opened the rear door for them. Natalie's eyes widened in amazement. She had presumed that Lucien, and indeed most vampires, was well off, but this was incredible. Lucien swept his hand to indicate she precede him into the interior, and then held her hand to assist her entry. Once inside the black cocoon, Lucien leaned forward and whispered a location to Henri. Natalie could just make it out, Lake St. Clair, a _very_ nice section of town. Lucien adjusted a CD control, and a Bach concerto played softly in the background. "Would you like something to drink? Wine? Why do we not open a bottle of champagne?" He reached into the bar and retrieved a chilled bottle, expertly opened it, and poured Natalie a glass. He filled a glass with what appeared to be red wine, but she knew it was the standard blood-wine blend. "To the pursuit of knowledge," he toasted. "Knowledge." She replied, and sipped with him. The champagne was wonderful. It seemed to evaporate on her tongue as soon as it entered her mouth. Smiling at him, Natalie said, "Lucien, this champagne is wonderful. I've never tasted anything like it." "Probably not," he answered. "The vineyard is extremely small, and they only export to a select collection of aficionados. I regularly purchase a case or two a year, and have been since the reign of Louis XIV. I endeavor to retain a few bottles for special occasions and people. Please, enjoy it to the fullest." Natalie took another swallow of the heady elixir. Closing her eyes while she tasted it, the flavors seemed to come alive in her mouth. It was if the taste made her experience the lives of those who had made the wine so long ago. "I still cannot get over how this makes me feel. When I close my eyes and taste this, I can almost see the fields where this was made." This brought a dark smile to Lucien's lips. "Yes, I have had the pleasure of that experience with other drinks. The sharing of the blood brings me the very essence of the person. The solution carries more than sustenance, it carries the very life itself." Somehow Natalie was not frightened by this admission. He was not talking about taking her life in specific, but about how the blood affected him. How it flowed in his veins after it was taken. The idea gave her a cold thrill. Somehow the idea of sharing something so deeply personal as her very soul with Lucien caused her heart to race. Settling back into the seat next to her and taking her hand into hers, he asked, "Now. What did you wish to ask me?" Again, he was staring deeply into her eyes, and again she could feel the heat rising in her body. She was torn between satisfying her body and her mind. This time her lust was going to bend to her will. She demanded it. "You've lived for so long and seen so many changes. How do you deal with it? I mean, this is nothing like the world to which you were born." Natalie's voice was none too steady as she asked, and Lucien could hear the racing of her heart, and feel the heat in her loins. Impressive; she had controlled her lust in order to ask those questions. Admirable, he thought, she has excellent self-control. Still holding her hand, but now gently stroking the palm with his fingers, Lucien answered, "You would be amazed at how little has truly changed over the millennia. Certainly, you now have technology that would have had you burned as a witch in times past, but people have changed very little. The actual world in which we live is much the same." Natalie, stared into Lucien's eyes. She quickly realized that she had asked the wrong question. She had thought she'd wanted to know how the world had changed, but she was wrong. What she wanted to know was how it was to be immortal - to have the kind of power that others only dreamed of. LaCroix could see the question in her eyes. The quest for that knowledge had cost many their lives. She craved a taste of it. Not just what was it like to be a vampire, but what was the vampire like? She was fascinated by the predator in front of her, too fascinated to acknowledge her danger. "Lucien." Natalie whispered, the alarm evident in her voice. "You said I have not seen the truth. You implied you weren't limited by anything. What did you mean?" LaCroix smiled, and in a flash he was beside her, his hands cradling her head, his lips pressed against hers, his mouth and body insistent with his desire. Natalie first stiffened with the shock of his movement, then unbent as Lucien's hands and lips caressed her. "Natalie." He breathed into her ear. "I can take you to the very zenith of ecstasy. Let me show you the truth behind the legends of the vampire's erotic endowments. We need not take the life of those with whom we share pleasure. Indeed, given the correct preparation, you and I could make love for hours on end and your life would be in no danger for it." Lucien's words sent shivers down her body. She had not been with anyone since meeting Nick and she would not have considered herself overly experienced before that. This evening had been the most erotic she had known in years. Again, her mind was filled with the image of him pinning her down and wresting his pleasure from her. She had already felt his strength, and the hardness of his body, could the complete effect be any more incredible? She struggled against her desire to get out a few words. "Lucien. Please. Not here in the car. Take me? Take me to your house." Natalie's voice was hoarse, and her breath ragged with the need for him. Am I really going to do this, she thought? Lucien continued his caresses and strokes, bringing her to the brink of orgasm at least a dozen times during the remainder of the trip. The ride took another fifteen minutes, but she counted the time in heartbeats, not seconds - it took hours to get out of the car. -------------------- Henri pulled the Benz into the garage and closed the door. He'd worked for LaCroix long enough to know when he was supposed to vanish and this was definitely one of those times. He quickly stepped through the kitchen door and prepared the house. Henri knew the routine. He turned, reset the alarm so it would automatically arm after the door to the garage was closed, activated the control to shutter all the windows, set another bottle of champagne chilling in the master suite, selected some of LaCroix's favorite music on the CD-player, and made sure there were several bottles of the Raven's vintage in the bedroom's refrigerator. Making his preparations and double-checking the house's security, he retired to his rooms in the back of the house. Lucien continued his arousal of Natalie for the few moments Henri would take to prepare the house. He knew his ghoul would make things perfect - he had not failed him in a hundred years. Carefully disengaging himself from Natalie, he drew up above her. Natalie eyes were still unfocused, but her face started to frown as the stimulation was withdrawn from her. "Shhhhh." He whispered. Reaching down, he placed his arms behind and underneath her, effortlessly picked her up and carried her out of the car. Moving more lightly than an unburdened human, he flowed into the house and up the stairs to the master suite. As he passed through the entry, he released the door to close behind him. There would be no uninvited intrusions this time, he mused, thinking of Nicholas' interruption at Azure. Once upstairs, Lucien gently placed Natalie upon his bed. Turning away, he gathered his ever-present glass of wine, and opened another bottle of champagne for Natalie. As Natalie lay on Lucien's bed, she slowly took in the room. Other than what appeared to be the same remote control shutters on the windows, this was nothing like Nick's place. The room was cozy, and elegantly furnished. The bed of dark wood, cherry perhaps, was large and comfortable, a classic design with sturdy posts at each corner. There was a dresser nearby of the same design, and a simple armoire on the same wall. A large, walk-in closet led off the wall opposite the bed. She could see an entrance to the bathroom area near the head of the bed on an adjacent wall. Opposite the bathroom entrance there was a bay window inset with a small sitting area and table. Lucien was busy at the wet bar near the bathroom door. He returned with another glass of champagne for her and wine for himself. Handing her the champagne and setting his own glass down on the nightstand, he gathered the champagne bucket and two bottles of wine and set them down nearby. Lucien moved closer, his mouth at her neck - breathing into her ear. Well, this is it. Now or never, Natalie thought. "Lucien? Are you sure this is safe?" "Safe? My dear Natalie; you, of all people, should know that nothing is truly safe." Natalie shivered at this thought. He'd said she was in no danger from him. Would he break his word just to get her here? "Everything," he continued, "is fraught with some risk. What could possibly be stimulating if there were no peril associated with it? You are, however, as safe as you can be with a vampire. You will come to no harm by my hand this evening." As his breath poured into her ear, Natalie's last bit of resolve dissolved away. With her free hand, she grabbed Lucien's head and pressed her lips against his. Her body was on fire, and it seemed that only his cool touch could quench it. She pushed her glass toward the nightstand, and Lucien quickly put it away. Both her hands were free now, and she tried to undress Lucien, but he firmly gripped her hands. "No. You first. I will watch." Natalie's hands trembled as she complied. Lucien was watching intently, taking in every motion of her hands, every bit of flesh revealed. As she bent to remove her shoes, Lucien roughly caressed her through her dress. She shivered at his touch, luxuriating in the feel of his hands on her. She reached behind herself to pull down the zipper to the dress, she struggled a bit, but Lucien didn't offer assistance. At length she was able to grasp it; slowly she pulled it down. She reveled in the release of her flesh, knowing that his gaze would soon be upon her. She was not disappointed. As she removed the dress from her breasts and dropped it on the floor, Lucien stared at her. She could feel the strength of his eyes on her like a physical presence, and she wanted more. She wanted his hands on her, tearing way the last bit of cloth that screened her from him. Urgently, she started to grab at her bra, but Lucien slowed her with a glance. Standing there in her bra and garters, she trembled with anticipation. She wasn't sure where to go from there, and Lucien gave her no indication. As she reached behind to loosen her bra, he stopped her with his hand on her shoulder. Lucien pulled Natalie to him by her wrist. Stretching his hand behind her head, he yanked her close, and forced his mouth on hers. At last, Natalie thought. She almost climaxed at his touch. Her body quivered as it came in contact with his. Lucien roughly lifted her up and carried her to his bed. Laying her down, he removed his shirt while standing above her. Natalie's breath caught. She hadn't expected that he would have such a well-defined chest, and flat stomach. She was used to thinking of him as some ancient vampire, not as a powerful man who had stopped aging in his middle years. Lucien flowed onto the bed and astride her. His legs on either side of her hips. God! It's like I had imagined, she thought. He leaned forward and started kissing and nibbling the side of her neck and throat. She could feel his teeth against her. She knew the danger she must be in, but the excitement of his body on hers drove the consideration out of her mind. The kisses were moving down her neck to her breasts. He paused. Natalie had been anticipating Lucien's hands and mouth on her for what seemed to be hours. She arched her chest up to him in desire, moaning, "Lucien. Please." Lucien's hands moved back to her chest, and stroked her through her bra, but it wasn't enough. She wanted his hands on her. Writhing and arching against his hands, she moaned again. "Lucien. I need your hands on me." Natalie felt his fingers tighten on her bra for a moment, heard a quick 'snap', and felt her breasts free in the air. Dimly, she realized he had torn the bra off her like paper, and the thought inflamed her - his strength only served to fuel her desire to be possessed by him. Now his hands were on her breasts. His touch was cool, but it burned. His tongue teased her nipples. They rose into his mouth as they hardened, and she felt the sharpness of his teeth against them as his lips closed around them. The intensity of his needlelike canines against her nipples brought her to her first orgasm. It was as if her nerves were flaming. Her hips bucked against Lucien's but he pinned her firmly down. Her body was tingling now. As she drifted in the warm aftermath, Lucien moved away. She glanced up to see him draining two glasses of wine in quick succession. "Proper preparations," he said smiling. "It is what keeps you safe." Natalie understood, but she didn't care. She needed him inside her, and he was delaying. "Please." She whispered. "I need you here." Lucien flashed back to the bed, and stood looking down at her. He moved back to his position on her hips. "Are you ready for the next step?" He spoke softly, but urgently. "Yes!" Natalie pushed her hips against Lucien's again, desperately trying to get some relief from the ache inside her. Lucien moved his hips down her legs a bit, opening access to her pelvis. Reaching down between her legs, Lucien stripped her panties from her hips without removing the garter above them. Natalie gasped as he touched her. His hands were feather light on her, but she felt the strength probing her. He teased her clitoris over and over. Each time she rose to the brink of orgasm before falling away as he stopped. Her need was growing by the second. She thrust herself at his hand, and was rewarded by his finger entering her heat. Natalie exploded. She could feel that marble coolness inside her, and she wanted more. She bucked into his hand again and again, coming with more violence each time. Eventually, Lucien stopped, letting Natalie catch her breath. Her body was tingling all over. Once more Lucien moved to the nightstand and finished several glasses. Coming back to the bed, he asked, "Do you want me? Now?" "Oh, God! Yes! Please, I don't care what you have to do. I need you in me." Natalie was almost sobbing with frustration. She had come over and over, but it wasn't enough. She wanted Lucien inside her. That was the only way she could attain satisfaction. Lucien reached down to remove his belt, but she stopped him with a touch. "Let me." She pleaded. Lucien removed his hand and stepped closer. Natalie grabbed the belt and, in her excitement, fumbled slightly. Unbuckling the belt, she unbuttoned Lucien's pants and slowly opened the fly. She could hear his intake of breath as she slid her hands inside his pants onto his hips. Again, his skin was cool, and his muscles firm against her touch. The heat of her need made him seem ice-cold against her. She pushed his pants down to his ankles, and focused her attention on the boxer shorts in front of her. She barely noticed as Lucien stepped out of his pants and freed his legs. Natalie was transfixed. Through the shorts, she could tell that Lucien was larger than average, and almost bursting through them to her. Natalie's hands trembled as she slipped her hands into the waistband and tugged the shorts down. His erection rushed out at her as she freed it. Facing the object of her desire, Natalie's first thought was to get it inside her to soothe her burning need. As she looked at him, she realized that she wanted to prolong this pleasure. Getting him inside her would end this too soon. Natalie grasped Lucien's member with both hands, and pulled him into her mouth. When her hands touched him, she realized that part of him, like the rest of him, was cool to the touch, but when he entered her lips, she thrilled to the sensation of his icy hardness inside her scorching mouth. Licking and sucking for all her worth, Natalie tried to bring as much pleasure to Lucien as he had given her. Reaching underneath him, she gently squeezed and kneaded him. Lucien grabbed her hair and began thrusting himself into her mouth. At first, the sensation of his hardness at the back of her throat and the inability to breathe easily was terrifying. Lucien had taken complete control of the situation. His iron grip held her firm to his groin, and his thrusts were completely disorienting her. The fear faded quickly as the thrill of being under his control took over. Giving herself over to the act, and trusting in Lucien to meet her needs sent Natalie over the edge again. She almost fainted with the intensity of her orgasm. She needed to breathe, but Lucien was firmly in her mouth, and thrusting deeper. At last, he backed off. "Lucien." She gasped. "Please come inside me. I need you there." As she asked, she saw a bit of the glow in his eyes. She knew desire was inflaming him as well. "Please hurry." He pulled away from her, and she drug her hands against him as he moved away. She wanted him to go so he could return, but her body couldn't bear to be apart from him. Lucien grabbed a bottle from the nightstand and downed it in one long swallow. Returning, he pulled her from the floor and pushed her onto the bed. Natalie's eyes widened. She knew this was the final moment, and she was more than ready. Whimpering, she grasped at him, trying to bring him into her. He moved forward, and planted those chilly hands on her thighs, prying them further apart. As he positioned himself at her entry, she grew more frantic for him to complete the act. She tried to buck her hips and force his access to her, but his grip held strong - she could not break it. Slowly, he began to take her. His hips moved with feline grace as he slid himself into her. Natalie was stunned. He was even bigger than she had thought and the chill of him inside her sent shivers up and down her skin. As he pushed his way into her, Natalie began to come yet again. He moved his hands away from her thighs and took her breasts in his hands. He pinched and rolled her nipples, and the electric shocks that resulted went straight to her clitoris. She quite literally could not stop climaxing. She could feel Lucien pushing deeply into her; his thrusts filling her completely. Still she wanted more. She kept bucking her hips up into him, trying to get more out of him, trying to fill her need. Lucien's hands left her breasts and moved to her legs. Grasping her by the ankles, he pulled her legs over his shoulders, and pulled her body even closer to him. Natalie began to scream in pleasure as this new position plunged him further into her. He kept his hands on her legs and used them to piston her on him. He was slamming into her over and over. As his hips rasped against her buttocks Natalie ground herself against them - the pull and sting as he passed thrilled her. Just as she thought she could stand no more, Lucien pulled his hands away from her legs, and began to slow his pace. Lucien reached to the side of the bed and brought a bottle to his lips. He drank deeply, and moved his hands back to Natalie thighs. "Lucien." Natalie breathed. "I don't know if I can take much more. You're the most incredible lover I've ever known." Lucien smiled. "Thank you, but I have yet to finish. There is still much for you and I to experience." As he finished, he emphasized the word experience by starting to rub his thumb up and down her clitoris. Natalie was convinced she could not come any more, but as his chilling touch once more met her flesh, she started to spiral upward once more. The intensity of her spasms might have ejected a mortal lover, but Lucien's strength held him firmly inside her. Her whole body convulsing about him, Natalie looked into Lucien's eyes. As she stared, Lucien's face took on more of the vampire, his eyes glowing slightly. He groaned, and gripped her hips in a painful clench. His breathing was irregular and hoarse. His strokes violent and deep. He tensed and was still. After a couple of seconds, Lucien quickly reached for the bottle at the side of the bed and emptied it. Natalie reached for LaCroix, and he allowed himself to be pulled to the bed beside her. "Lucien. I?" Natalie started to speak, but her body decided sleep was a better idea. She settled against his chest and breathed softly. Lucien LaCroix smiled to himself. In all his wildest imaginings, he could not have thought up anything so perfect. To have found Nicholas' Dr. Lambert alone and ripe for the plucking was too good to be true. And then to have her respond with such ferocity - ah, the irony was priceless. Did Nicholas compass the consequences of his actions? LaCroix could not read the thoughts of any other than his childer, but he was certain that this evening's activities were the direct result of Nicholas's actions or inactions, as the case may be. Carefully easing himself out of bed, LaCroix went downstairs. There were a few hours until morning, and he would need them. -------------------- Natalie slumbered peacefully. The stresses of the past week were worn away, and her frustration at the years of abstinence expunged in a single night. True to her own internal clock, Natalie began to stir about dawn. Hearing her motions upstairs, Lucien quickly returned to his bed. He wanted Natalie to wake in his arms. As she opened her eyes in the dim room, Natalie started with fear. This was not her room, where was she? Just as quickly as the thought came, the memories returned. The evening at Scandal, meeting LaCroix, no Lucien, and the ensuing night's passion. She could still feel him between her legs. His cool strength was engulfing her. Her body still tingled from the force of his lovemaking. Turning her head, she saw Lucien's eyes looking down on her, and the full force of the evening hit her. She had slept with Nick's sire, and loved it. She had woken unharmed, though not unaffected, from the experience. The night had proven to her the falsehood of Nick's constant litany of incapability. Abruptly, a different chorus of worries besieged her. How could she face Nick again after this? He would believe she had betrayed him! "Lucien. I really must go. It's late, and I need to get home." Natalie was suddenly embarrassed in front of him. She remembered just how wild she had been, and his gaze reminded her of her unfaithfulness to Nick. "Natalie. You need not be discomfited with me. You and I have done nothing immoral here. We have merely enjoyed each other company and pleasures. Come stay with me a while. It is still early yet, and there is still much we could do." Lucien's voice was soothing, and low, and Natalie found herself agreeing with his logic. Nick *had* been with Janette. She certainly couldn't claim she had an exclusive relationship with him. For that matter, did she have any relationship? No, Natalie Lambert, you and Nick have a professional association. You're looking for the Holy Grail of medicine, and he's looking for someone to remove his curse. You know you're only the last in a long line of cures, don't you? Natalie's resolve broke. Stifling a sob, Natalie broke Lucien's gaze. "I'd like to stay for while, if you don't mind." "Stay as long as you desire, my dear. Henri can drive you where ever you need when you are ready to leave." Again, Lucien's voice was pure honey. It was if he had all the time in the world, and he was happy to take these moments with her. Natalie found herself basking in that voice once more. The melodious tone and the indefinable accent seemed to wash all concerns from her mind. Natalie felt her desire start to flame again. The memory of last night's passion was reigniting the embers in her soul. She started to rub against Lucien and felt him stiffen in response. Even after those hours of contact last night, she was still taken aback by the coolness of his skin. It was like stroking silk, not skin. His muscles were bunching underneath and stroking her back as she moved. Lucien spun her around and on her back before him. Staring up at him she realized just how powerful he must be. His shoulders were at least three inches wider than Nick's. His neck was strong, and the trapezius stood out as they sloped to his collarbones. He was gorgeous. He was huge. How had she not noticed before? Not weightlifter huge, but built like a man who had lived a hard and physical life. Her professional eye could see that those muscles had been made by physical labor, not some high-tech gizmo. They had been inscribed on his body by years in the Roman Army, and the subsequent millennia had only served to accent them. Lucien lowered his face to her breasts and nipped them. Natalie almost lost consciousness; she came immediately, and with such force that she trembled as he moved further down her body. When his mouth touched her sex Natalie started whimpering. She tried to stop, but the reaction was involuntary. His mouth was on her. His tongue was trilling on the center of her pleasure, and he would not stop. She arched her back to force herself onto his tongue, to make him enter with it, but it was of no use. He was much too strong to allow that. Natalie could feel the climax building in her. Each time she rode to a crest a little closer to release, only to slide down the trough and to the start of the next wave. Closer. Closer. Closer. Just as she thought Lucien had come up with some new sort of torture, she reached the final peak. Natalie had never in her wildest fantasy thought it could be this way. There were fireworks going off in her body, blood rushing in her ears, and it wasn't stopping. It kept going on and on. So this is _the little death_. Maybe that name's more apt than I thought. Lucien began to slow his tongue, and the explosions subsided. Spent, she sagged back to the pillow. It was wonderful. She'd never believed the stories of her friends. Now, she wanted him inside her. She wanted him to burst within her and fulfill the act. Reaching down to him, she pulled at his arms. He moved to her face with a fluid grace that belied his power. "Lucien. Make love to me. I want you to come in me." Her voice was full of the longing that her ecstasy had awakened. "I regret, I cannot. I would have to replenish my provisions to do that again, and I dread that we have consumed most of my supply in last night's celebrations." "Is there nothing you can do? I want you to make love to me again!" The need in her voice was obvious to LaCroix's ears. He knew the hunger he had aroused in her. "If there was a way to supplant my supplies with additional blood, then we could continue?" "You could?" Natalie breathed deeply. "Drink from me." Lucien paused. "Yes. Given the blood that I have available, I would only need to taste of your bounty. I would not need to feed upon you. " Natalie shivered with the thought. Was she going to willingly give herself to this vampire? Give him her life to drink? Her soul to share? "Please, Lucien, take what you need from me, and make love to me again." Bringing the last two bottles in the room to the bedside, Lucien quickly drank half of the first bottle. With deliberate slowness, Lucien moved between Natalie's thighs, and positioned himself. "Now, Lucien. Take me now!" He reached forward and gripped Natalie's waist with both hands. Then, with a quick motion, he pulled her down upon him. She gasped as his pelvis slid home to hers. As he started to move inside her, she saw his eyes begin to glow slightly. He's beginning to change, she thought. She stared transfixed as his fangs began to extend. Her heart began to beat faster from fear than with the excitement of sex. She saw him bending toward her neck, but she was powerless to do anything. She was paralyzed by his eyes. Natalie could feel Lucien's cold breath on her throat as he moved into place to bite her. As his teeth pierced her skin, Natalie's body erupted again in ecstasy. She could feel her blood flowing into his mouth, and it was being replaced with the most incredible pleasure she'd ever known. Natalie thrust herself against Lucien, trying desperately to draw him further into her. At the same time she was pushing her throat to his mouth, she knew that his bite could take her life, but it was giving her too much delight to care. She could hear herself saying, "Drink from me, Lucien. Take me into you." The rapture of his drinking was somehow linked to the intensity of her pleasure. She knew that she would not stop him even if it meant her life. "Enough!" Lucien moved away from her jugular. Natalie felt his lips leave her vein and her climax end. She lay there under him lightheaded and gasping for breath. How much had he taken? Could this lethargy be the preliminary to death? She saw him leaning forward to her neck again, and knew this was it - he was going to finish her off. She only hoped the second time would be as pleasurable. Natalie was shocked. Instead of plunging his fangs into her, and sending her out in a blaze of orgasmic bliss, Lucien lightly licked the wound in her neck. Good to the last drop? "Lucien? Natalie murmured. "Wha? why are you doing that? "To seal the wound and promote healing of course." Lucien's tone was completely matter of fact. This new piece of vampire knowledge jolted Natalie back to consciousness. "Seal the wound? How?" "My dear, I am not a physician, and I would not presume to postulate upon the mechanism used. Applying saliva to the bite of a living victim causes the wound to clot and seal almost immediately. In a few hours it will appear to be several days old. It will more resemble?, what is the word, _love bite_ this afternoon. In three days there will be no remaining mark at all. This is the method often used when one wishes to partake without the knowledge of the quarry." Natalie stared at Lucien in amazement. In less than twelve hours with him she had learned more than she had in all her years with Nick. It made sense. She knew vampires didn't always kill their prey, but if they left visible proof of their attack, the victims could quickly become aware of their presence. Lucien could see the confusion and amazement in Natalie's eyes. Another omission by Nicholas? For one so intent on becoming mortal, he was not very forthcoming with his chosen savior. "So Nicholas has not revealed this attribute to you? I'm sure it must have slipped his mind. It is quite common practice among our kind to use this facility to preserve and protect those who serve us. Between it and our blood, we can restore almost any non-fatal wound." Lucien was a bit amused. This was a discussion to be having with a fledgling, not a human. How long had it been? There was Daniel, but before that it had been years upon years. "I must apologize, my dear doctor. I fear that I have been much too loquacious for your own good. If you were to acknowledge this information, you would be in great danger." Natalie realized that Lucien was talkative. Was this a byproduct of sex? She must keep this going. "Of course, Lucien. I know that none of my _research_ is publishable. That's not why I've been helping Nick all these years. "Yes, your research. You know that you are not the first to help him in this endeavor, do you not? He has spent many years in this quest, and gone through many doctors. However, I must say that you are the first that I would deem capable of completing the task. Your skills and resources are commendable." Was this praise from the master of sarcasm and cruelty? She needed to talk to someone, but whom? Nick was definitely out. Grace could not fathom what was going on here. Janette? How would she broach it? How could she keep Nick from knowing? "?Thank you, Lucien." "You are most welcome." They kept talking. She found he had a strange but wonderful sense of humor. He seemed to be able to converse on any subject under the sun, make that moon, and he never tired of questions or side subjects. All the while, he kept his eyes closely on hers, never wavering, never closing in annoyance, always interested in what she was saying and what she thought. Eventually, the conversation took a serious turn. "Lucien, what did I taste like? You said that each time you partake of someone, you could taste their very lives. What did I taste of?" For the first time in the evening, Lucien seemed to be at a loss for words. "Ah? honey, jasmine, the air after a storm?" He paused. "Quite wonderful." "Thank you. Would you like some more?" "Certainly." He began to make love to her again. Keeping the wine nearby, but seeming to ignore it for the most part. He timed his first bit to coincide his entry of her. For Natalie, the effect was incredible. The moment he parted her lips, his teeth broke the skin. His pelvis kept stroking hers, and for each touch of that flesh, he drew a little more of her blood. And each time he pulled her blood into him, she would surge. As he stiffened and thrust deeply into her, he took one last deep draught, and stars exploded in her eyes. As he pulled away, and began to apply his healing _salve_, she leaned back and tried to collect her thoughts. She was so dizzy, that she was convinced that she must have lost a great deal of blood. She looked woozily at Lucien who was finishing off the last bottle on the floor. "How much did you take? I can hardly sit up." "It is not blood loss making you dizzy, my dear. Hunger, perhaps. Or perchance it is the fact that you and I have been making love for the past seven hours?" Seven hours? No it couldn't be. She remembered waking up about dawn. She glanced at the clock. 2:30 p.m.? "Lucien. I really must go. I'm supposed to be at work this evening." Where had the time gone? "Certainly. Could I have Henri bring up the lunch he has prepared? You _must_ eat before you leave." Lucien walked to the head of the bed, lifted the telephone receiver, and spoke into it. Natalie couldn't quite hear it, but she knew he was speaking rapid French. "He will be up in a few minutes." Walking to the bathroom, he returned wearing a knee length, embroidered black silk robe. It was obviously handmade, probably Chinese, and the design was a multicolored garden lit in morning sunlight. Producing its twin from over his arm he said. "I think that _this_ will look quite nice on you," he said. Handing her the robe. Natalie put it on. She cool silk made her shiver at first. "Thank you. It's beautiful." "You are most welcome. I do believe that the garment is made more lovely by the woman it frames." She blushed at his compliment. "Where-" Just as she was about to ask where he had obtained it, Henri knocked at the door. Henri walked in pushing a service cart. The odors coming off it were heavenly. Natalie suddenly realized she was famished. Henri pushed to cart to the sitting area opposite the bathroom, bowed to both of them, careful to keep his eyes off Natalie, and left, closing the door behind him. Lucien motioned her to one of the chairs at the small table, and pulled it out for her. After seating her, he opened the covers to the serving dishes. There was a extraordinary array of food. Poached trout, fresh-baked breads, fruit, pasta with a cream sauce, and that was on the top level. "Lucien. You didn't have to go to all this trouble for me. I could just as easily have picked something up on the way home." "Natalie, that is utter nonsense. Do you really think that I would relegate you to such gastronomic travesties, after an evening of such sensual delights? Just because I do not partake of these luxuries does not mean I cannot enjoy them through you. Please, eat. Henri will be quite disappointed if you do not." "Henri made all this?" "Yes, I have had him in my employ for quite some time. He knows my requirements, can take care of my business arrangements that necessitate daylight activity, and set a table fit for royalty. I think he feels a bit underutilized now that I do not entertain as I once did. This is a treat for him." The food was incredible, and Natalie ravenous. She quickly had her fill, and then some. "Lucien, I really must be going. It's getting late." "Of course. Would you like a bath before you depart? The bathroom is what drew me to this place originally. The whirlpool is one of my true pleasures." Natalie was convinced she was going to walk out right then, but a bath would feel wonderful. She hadn't been through such a thorough workout in some time. "I should go? But that does sound good." She glanced about, but Lucien was gone. When she heard the water filling in the tub next door, her resolve evaporated. -------------------- Lucien looked in. Natalie was asleep - good. He knew that fed and warm she would sleep for hours. He would bring her out in a few minutes, gently towel her dry, and spirit her into the bed. She'd not be going into work this night. After slipping her into bed, Lucien moved into bed next to her, and drifted into his own dreamless sleep. -------------------- By Sunday evening, Nick felt he'd better head to the morgue and take his medicine. He knew Natalie would be mad at him, but she'd get over it. She always did. Stopping by a grocery on the way, Nick picked up a small bouquet of flowers. This will make a good peace offering, he thought. The morgue was unusually quiet. Although it was rarely bustling with people, there were always a few around to stir things up. Great, Grace was at her post, guarding the morgue from the unwelcome masses - namely one Detective Nicholas Knight. He had hoped to avoid her. He was sure Grace would know about his failure to appear, so he better try to get on her good side. "Good evening, Grace." He said in his most charming voice. "Ah? Detective Knight, isn't it? What could possibly bring you to this dark cavern?" Yep, she knows. Nick winced inwardly at her sarcastic venom. "Grace, I'm looking for Nat. Have you seen her?" Nick tried to keep his tone light and ignore Grace's anger. "She's not been in today, Nick. I don't suppose she's coming in." Nick noticed that Grace was idly fingering a pack of matches on her desk while she talked to him. Looking closer he noticed they were from the Raven. Why would Grace have matches from the Raven? "She hasn't called?" Where could Nat be? It wasn't like her to skip work, and she would certainly call him if she was going to be out. Why does Grace have those matches? "Nope. Hasn't called." Grace was not going to give Knight one bit of information on Nat, or her love life. If he'd wanted in on that, he should've treated her better to start with. Time to change tacks. "Grace, where'd you get those matches?" "At a club I went to last night. Why?" "Just curious. I thought I knew all the clubs in Toronto - but I don't know that one." You're a detective, Knight, get her talking. "It's in mid-town. Nice place, but a bit loud." No, Detective Knight, I am not going to tell you if I went there alone, with Natalie, or anything else for that matter. Nick could hear from her tone that this interview was over as far as she was concerned. Well, why be a vampire if you can't use the skills. He upped his concentration. "_Grace. When did you get those matches?_" "Last night." Grace monotoned. "_Who were you with when you picked them up?_" "Kerr Avon." "_Was Natalie with you at the Raven?_" Damn, the one problem with using this was you had to be very careful with your questions. People rarely volunteered information under hypnosis. "No.' "_Were you with Natalie at all last night?_" "Yes." "_Where did you and Natalie go last night?_" "We went to Scandal." "_Did you leave Natalie at Scandal?_" "Yes." "_Was she with anyone when you left?_" "Yes." This was maddening. Grace didn't resist, but she was extremely literal in her responses. "_Who was she with when you left?_" "Lucien." "_What was Lucien's last name?_" Nick knew what this answer would be, but he had to hear it for himself. "LaCroix." Nick stood there in shock. Grace had left Natalie with Lucien? Did she know she had put her friend's life in danger leaving him with that monster? He started to tremble. He had to find Natalie and fast. LaCroix would kill her. He knew it. Why would Natalie do this to him? Hadn't he told her about LaCroix time and again? Didn't she know how dangerous he was? "_Grace, I will leave here. You will not remember me coming in tonight._" "I will not remember." Nick flashed out of the morgue. How would he find LaCroix? Janette? He reached for his cell-phone. No, he'd better do this face-to-face. Moving into an alley, he glanced around for observers and leapt into the sky. A few minutes later, he was at the Raven. It was early, and the crowd was thin, but the night promised to be as raucous as usual. He headed to the bar, and Miklos greeted him. "Good evening, Nicholas. Your usual?" "Yeah, sure. Where's Janette tonight?" Nick didn't even hear Miklos' question. "It's early. She's probably still in her apartment. I'll call-" Nick stalked away. Glass in hand toward Janette's apartment. "_Mon Dieu_, he's in a mood." Miklos muttered. I had better call Janette and warn her. No sense in her dealing with him cold. He picked up the phone, selected the intercom, and rang Janette. "Janette? Nicholas is heading your way, and he's acting rather strange, even for him." With his mistress warned, Miklos returned to his customers. -------------------- Nick shoved Janette's door open without knocking and walked in. Janette, knowing he was coming, had arrayed herself seductively on a settee in the living area. "Nicholas, I did not expect to see you again so soon. Have you come to spend another evening?" Janette could tell from his stance that he was not on a social visit, but she wasn't going to let him get away with storming in here unannounced. "Janette. Where's LaCroix? What do you know about his taking Natalie?" Nick was obviously agitated, and couldn't control the edge of hysteria in his voice. So, he was upset about his human again. She wished he really would get over this fixation with mortality. He was positively nauseating during these periods. And what was this about LaCroix and Dr. Lambert? She had heard from Nicholas and LaCroix about the scene at Azure, and though she knew LaCroix to be duplicitous, he wouldn't go back on his word. "Nicholas." She said in her most soothing tones. "Are you sure that LaCroix has taken Natalie?" She moved next to him and reached her hand to his cheek. "She and another woman, Grace Thomas, went to Scandal last night. Grace told me that when she left, Natalie was with a man named with Lucien LaCroix." "How do you know it was LaCroix? She was with a man who claimed to be one Lucien LaCroix. Did you get a description?" Janette knew this was a slim chance, but she did not want Nicholas to take off after LaCroix without thinking things through. LaCroix always pulled his punches with Nicholas, but she knew that he would not restrain himself against his _son_ forever. "No. Wait. She was here last night. She had a pack of your matches. I should go ask Miklos about her." "Cherie, we get so many people on a Saturday night. Miklos may not remember one human." "She said she was with someone when she was here. Do you know a Kerr Avon?" Janette froze. Kerr was one of LaCroix's friends that he had picked up in Europe last year. LaCroix denied making him. He said they met at a club in France. He was not as old as she or Nicholas, but he was at least five hundred. "Yes, I know him. He is a friend of LaCroix's. Tall, cultured, beautiful mahogany skin, and wonderful green eyes." "Is he? one of us?" This clinched it. LaCroix had used one of his fledglings to cut Natalie out of the herd. "Yes, but he is not LaCroix's. I have talked to him some. He said he is from northern Africa." "But is he LaCroix's tool?" "Tool? Is that what we all are to you Nicholas? Tools of LaCroix?" Once again, you pit yourself against your kind, Nicholas. "I'm sorry, Janette. I didn't mean to insult you." Good one, Nick, let's see who else you can alienate today. "It just sometimes seems that no matter where I go, LaCroix was there ahead of me." "It seems to me that we need to find Kerr Avon. He has become somewhat of a regular here. I will call Miklos and have him notify us when he comes in. In the mean time, my sweet, let us retire to a more comfortable arena." She paused and then punctuated her recommendation with a stroke of Nick's chin, and a sultry kiss. "No, Janette. I must find Nat." Nick's voice wavered as he argued with himself. He knew he ought to be out looking for Nat, but LaCroix could be anywhere. He presumed LaCroix had a house somewhere in the city, but beyond that he could have taken Nat anywhere. He knew she hadn't gone willingly, so he must have used force. Maybe he should get the department involved. "Nicholas, you cannot do anything more until Monsieur Avon arrives. Come. Share my bed with me. It will make the time pass more pleasantly." Nick knew he could not fight the inevitable. He made his way to Janette's bedroom and closed the door behind him. -------------------- Natalie slowly woke in confusion surrounded by the darkened room. Where was she? Stretching, her arm brushed against a cold shape in the bed next to her. Her pulse began to race. Not one for screaming in terror, she looked more closely. It appeared to be a body. It was cold and unmoving. Dead? She was in bed with a dead body? Just as she was about to scream, she heard Lucien's resonant voice, "Good evening, my dear. I trust you had a pleasant repose." With his voice the memories returned. Yes, she was at Lucien's house. She'd eaten, and then he had run a bath in that incredible tub. She remembered getting in, and starting the jets, but nothing more. She realized, in embarrassment, that she must have fallen asleep in the tub and Lucien had brought her to bed. "Lucien." Her voice quavered with her discomfort. "Did I fall asleep in your tub?" "You did, my dear. You seemed most fatigued from our diversions, and I did not have the heart to wake you." His voice, as always, soothed away her agitation. She could feel her racing pulse return to normal. "Thank you. I still must apologize for falling asleep like that, and taking advantage of your hospitality." Now how do I get out of here? Do I want to? How do I find out if he's free this evening? Suppose he just sends me home? "Rubbish. I enjoyed letting you relax. You did so seem to need it. As for taxing my hospitality, you have no concern. I rarely have any need to stir during the daytime, a bit of an occupational hazard, you see." Lucien smiled at his joke. "Are you hungry? I am certain Henri would delight in preparing you another meal. What would you like?" "Lucien, I couldn't presume on your kindness any more. I really should be going. Grace is going to be worried sick about me." Please ask me to stay. I don't want to leave yet. "Natalie. Henri would take it as a great insult if you declined his cuisine, and I would be similarly insulted if you deprived me of your most pleasurable company for another evening. Would you be so gracious as to accept my invitation to spend another evening with me? "I? I? Sure, I would love to." Way to go ,girl. He gives you what you want, almost begs you to take it, and you can barely answer the question. "Wonderful. Would you allow Henri the opportunity to suprise you with dinner? I have found he will deliver the most amazing creations when given a free hand." "That sounds wonderful. Tell Henri I can't wait to see what he comes up with." Natalie paused. "May I use your telephone? I need to let Grace know that I won't be in tonight." "Be my guest. I need to talk with Henri. I will return shortly." Lucien rose, bowed slightly, took her hand in his, kissed it, and left. Natalie saw her robe neatly furled over one of the chairs in the sitting area. Putting it on, she picked up Lucien's phone, and dialed the morgue. "Morgue, Grace Thomas." "Hi, Grace. It's Natalie." "Natalie! Where are you? I figured you were going to get lucky, but I didn't think you were getting kidnapped." "Grace. It's not like that at all. I just? well? got up, and I don't think I'll be in tonight." Natalie winced at the admission that she'd been in bed all day. She knew that Grace's imagination would be working overtime to fill in the gaps. "Sure Natalie. You only just got out of bed after sleeping all day. Was he as good as he looked?" "Grace, not now! I'm still at his house. I'll fill you in tomorrow evening. Can you cover for me?" "Sure. This place is pretty dead right now anyway." "Cute, Grace. I'll remember the bad puns in your next review." "Hey, you have fun. OK?" "I'm sure I will. See you tomorrow. Grace?" "Yeah, Nat." "Can you do me a big favor?" "What, forward your mail?" "No." Natalie snickered. "Drop by my place and feed Sydney for me. You've got a spare key right?" "No problem. I'll even spoil him for you." "Thanks, make him regret my coming home." "Bye Nat." Grace's voice said, 'Don't you have other things to do?' "Bye. Oh, and Grace?" "Yeah?" "Thanks for everything." Natalie hung up. Grace sat there staring at the phone. She had hoped that Natalie would have some fun, but she hadn't expected a "whisk you off into the sunset" type thing. She would have to trust that Natalie knew what she was doing. She hated to think this was some kind of rebound type thing. But she was pleased. Natalie didn't even once mention Nick. -------------------- I didn't ask if Nick had come by, Natalie thought. Not that it matters Let him wonder and worry for once. He's certainly due some. Natalie lay back in bed and relaxed for the first time in what seemed years. Lucien walked in a few minutes later carrying a pair of black silk pants and a pair of slippers. He leaned down to her and kissed her deeply, stroking her hair and neck as he did so. Natalie's body began to respond immediately, she could feel herself moistening just at his touch. He slowly, almost reluctantly, broke off the kiss. "Henri will be finished in a few minutes. Would you care to see the house while he finishes? I took the liberty of picking up the matching slacks to that robe. I thought you might feel more comfortable eating downstairs in them." Natalie could not believe his thoughtfulness. She'd been to several men's houses, and none had ever thought to ensure her own comfort, only their own. "Thank you. I'd love to see your house." Lucien's house, like his bedroom, was cozy, elegant, and exquisitely furnished. He had quite a number of antiques about the place. Original oils hung on the walls. There were the standard settings every house had. There was a music room with a Steinway piano, music stand, and sound system. She noticed a violin case on a table. "Do you play?" she asked, indicating the violin. "Yes. It is an old passion of mine. I find it soothes me when little else will. Do you enjoy music?" "I love it. When I was little, I planned on being an singer, but when I got older, I realized I wasn't going to be that lucky." To a mortal's ear, the comment would have sounded like normal light conversation, but Lucien could detect the regret in her voice. "Do you still sing?" "On occasion. Any more, I've had to satisfy myself with vicarious thrills. I never miss a chance at the opera. I usually see everything the Toronto Met does at least twice." Natalie could see Lucien listening intently to her voice as she spoke. "Contralto, correct?" "Yes, but how did you know?" Natalie's eye's shone with wonder as she asked. "Most mortals cannot hear the subtle resonances within a voice. On the other hand, a vampire can detect every nuance of the vocal tone. All it takes is a trained ear. I daresay you have an extraordinary voice Natalie - dark and smoky, full of earth and moonlight. Could I persuade you to sing for me?" "Only if you will play for me." "Done." "To break the ice, I will go first." He walked over to the table, carefully extracted the instrument, and expertly tuned it. "This is a piece I learned from Haydn." Natalie stood rooted to the floor. It was beautiful, haunting, and Lucien's technique was awesome. When he finished, there were tears in her eyes. "Lucien, I'm speechless. That was wonderful." "Thank you. So few of my kind appreciate the ethereal arts. And now most prefer movies to a live performance. I have always maintained that a recorded effort can never rival the original work. The recording will always sound the same, day after day, it never grows or changes. But now, it is your turn. Do you desire accompaniment?" "No. Just let me verify my pitch." Natalie walked to the piano and stood immobile, marshaling her thoughts. She felt more than a little inadequate after his breathtaking offering. What could she do? Ah, that's it. I hope he won't be offended by religious music. She stroked the B-flat key, drew in her breath, and began to sing. "Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum?" Natalie was too engrossed in the flow of the music to see Lucien staring at her. As she came to the close, Lucien was beside her, holding her hand. "Natalie, I am humbled. That was the most beautiful rendition of da Vittoria's work I have ever heard." His voice was quiet and measured, but the admiration was patent in his tone. "You _know_ it?" Natalie was amazed. It was a fairly obscure renaissance piece. Everyone knew the Schubert version, but she'd never known anyone, outside of her high school choir, who had even heard of the composer, much less the individual piece. "Yes." He smiled. "Just because I am a member of the undead does not mean that I do not appreciate liturgical music. I must admit, I have little use for the churches themselves, but they do have wonderful music." "I was afraid that I would offend you by the selection, but it was the only thing I could think of on short notice. Besides, I've always loved that piece." Natalie giggled slightly as she finished. Somehow the thought of singing _Ave Maria_ to a Lucien seemed a bit absurd. "I'm very glad you liked it." Lucien smiled. "I always loved the renaissance vocal works. It was the instrumental pieces of the era that left me flat. It seems that composing for mechanical instruments instead of those of the flesh took a bit more skill. As for da Vittoria, he was one of the best of his era. I always made it a point to attend the midnight masses if I knew his works were to be performed." Just then, Henri arrived, and announced dinner. "Thank you, Henri." Lucien said, and they went to the dining room for Natalie's meal. -------------------- Janette's phone chimed. Nick started, pulled away from her abruptly, and reached for the phone. "Nicholas!" Janette admonished. "How could you have lived eight-hundred years and not developed any manners? You do not break a woman's embrace to answer a phone on the first ring. Especially when the phone is not yours!" Nick hung his head slightly, gave her a quick smile, and answered Janette's phone. "Knight." "Nicholas, may I speak to Janette." Miklos' voice was tight as he spoke to Nick. Chagrined, Nick handed the phone to Janette. "Janette?" Miklos' voice unwound as he asked. "Yes?" "Kerr Avon just walked into the bar. Would you like me to direct him to one of the back rooms?" "Yes. Thank you, Miklos. Send Alma to entertain him." Janette hung up the phone and turned back to Nick. "Where were we?" She started pulling him back to the bed. "Janette? What did Miklos want?" Nick knew that the bartender would not call when she was with him unless it was important. "It will keep, Cherie. This will not." Janette's voice was low and throaty. Her hands roaming across his chest as she spoke. Again, Nick succumbed to Janette's ministrations. After fulfilling her desire, Janette released Nick from her grasp. "Cherie, Miklos has sent Kerr Avon to one of the back rooms. You might want to get dressed and see him soon." "What? Kerr has been here all this time, and you didn't tell me?" Nick's voice was shrill with exasperation. "Janette! How could you?" "He will keep." She said with a frown. "I sent Alma in to make sure he was comfortable. Besides, you interrupted my pleasure earlier, and it was only fair that you paid for it." "Fine!" Nick snapped. "I have to go. Nat is still in danger." Nick threw on his clothes and stalked out of her apartment. -------------------- "Lucien, please tell Henri this is incredible. Where did he find fresh shrimp in Toronto at this time of the year?" Natalie was beyond sated. Dinner had been wonderful - from the roast quail appetizer, to the shrimp creole, to the chocolate mousse. "I shall tell him, Natalie. But if you keep complimenting him like this, he shall whine until I bring you to my house every night, just to make new and different things for you." "Careful, I might just take you up on that." Natalie, stop flirting with the vampire. "Would you care to go to Montreal this evening?" Lucien asked. His tone was completely conversational. As he'd asked her whether or not she would like cream in her coffee. "I'd love to, but I'll have to go home and change first." Natalie's breath caught. Montreal? Lucien was going to take a shuttle to Montreal just for the evening? "One thing, Lucien. I must be in to work tomorrow, so I need to be back by mid-afternoon." "We will be back by morning, Natalie. I assure you of that. As far as clothing, I took the liberty of having Henri pick up a few things this afternoon while he was shopping. You should not need to go back to your house this evening." "L-l-Lucien. You shouldn't have gone to such trouble." He planned this! He was planning this from at least mid-day. Did he know that she'd fall asleep in the tub? Know that she'd only too willingly spend another evening with him? Know that she'd agree to go? She began to wonder just how much control she had in this relationship. She had a feeling, that the quantity was very, very, small. "I believe Henri brought the clothing upstairs while we toured. Are you ready to prepare for the trip?" Lucien smiled, rose, and offered her his hand. Taking Lucien's hand, Natalie followed him upstairs. Henri came and cleared away the remains. As she left, she saw Henri smiling at her. She returned the smile, and mouthed 'thank you'. Arrayed on the foot of Lucien's freshly made bed were a pair of black leather pants, a collarless black silk blouse, black pumps, and black leather jacket. There appeared to be the requisite undergarments discretely placed in a bag on the floor. Natalie gasped, on top of these clothes being outrageously expensive, she just didn't dress this racy. "Lucien, this is too much. This must have cost a fortune." I could get used to this, she thought. Maybe I've been home too much lately. "My dear Natalie, money is no object, when it comes to the pleasures of life. Why don't you try these on, and see how they look? I need to check with Henri on a few things. I'll be back in a few minutes." Lucien, grasped her hand and kissed it as he left. Natalie had to sit down quickly, her knees weak from his touch. After he left, Natalie closed the door and removed her robe and slacks. Naked, she stood before the mirrored closet doors, admiring herself. Yeah, not bad for an old woman she thought. Turning, she looked at her throat and neck. The bites had healed, but she was going to have one hell of a set of hickeys tomorrow, no matter how powerful this vampire curative was. As she completed the turn she noticed several narrow bruises forming on the backs of her thighs and buttocks. She looked closer, and saw they were from Lucien's fingers. His hands had marked her flesh as he had marked her soul. Natalie stared at the Lucien's brands on her skin and remembered his strong, icy fingers gripping her as he came. That, along with her throat, was his signature on her skin. Natalie had never wanted to be possessed by a man before, but as she gazed on Lucien's handiwork she thrilled at the prospect. Finished with her examinations, Natalie began dressing. She wondered if Henri had just presumed she'd conform to Lucien's standard color scheme, or if he had been given specific instructions. Everything was black. The bra and panties were silk, and a perfect fit. She paused to caress herself through the sumptuous fabric before covering herself with the camisole and blouse. Now comes the fun part; there's just no way these pants are going to fit right. Natalie gritted her tee