---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 09:58:27 -0400
From: JEAN FREUND <gasteel@POP.EROLS.COM>
To: Multiple recipients of list FKFIC-L <FKFIC-L@PSUVM.PSU.EDU>
Subject: ADULT: "Renaissance" 1/?

This story is a continuation of "The Way You Do The Things You Do", a three
parter that was posted a short time ago.  If you didn't get this first story
you will be totally lost on this one, so e-mail me if you need a copy sent.
Special thanks to Jenn Nieboer for her help with this!  Usual disclaimers
apply.  As always, all comments, suggestions, etc. would be appreciated by
private e-mail at gasteel@erols.com.

"Renaissance" Part 1/?
by Jean Freund

The view of the city was spectacular.  Tracy gripped Vachon's neck,
snuggling in tight, relishing the feel of his strong arms around her waist
and thighs.  The events of the night were spinning through her head.  She
could still feel the ring he had placed on her hand.  The beautiful silver
ring with several small sapphires surrounding and highlighting the large
round diamond in the center.

//Boy this is going to cause some major questions on the homefront.  Mom,
Dad, I'm sort of engaged.  Who is he? Well, he's older than I am (by several
hundred years).   What does he do?  Well, he plays guitar, and he lives off
of investments (and he's managed to amass quite a fortune in the last couple
of centuries).//

She could see it all now, her parents on the "Jerry Show".  Her mother would
be crying into her handkerchief and asking the audience members if their
daughters ever disappoint them like hers has?  Her father would probably
have the producers put a black dot over his face and call him Mr. "X" to
hide his identity.  They would both spend their hour lamenting the good
things that Tracy could have done with her life instead of giving it to, as
her mother would put it, "a man you can only depend on when it's dark...."

//Get rid of the doubt right now, Vetter// her voice prodded her.  //Think
of Vachon, think of the amount of effort and trust it took for him to admit
that he cares for you so deeply.  And the ring, , he wouldn't be giving you
that unless he truly loved you.//

She felt them descending and shortly found herself back on her balcony.
Vachon released her legs allowing her to stand. She felt so giddy she could
hardly support her weight.  He continued to hold her for several seconds
making sure she could stand before steering them inside to the couch.

//This couch has gotten quite a workout lately// he thought as he pulled her
into his lap.

She sat on his lap and used the arm of the couch to support her upper body.
"This has been the most incredible night of my life.  I am so happy right
now, I can hardly focus." she sighed.   Tilting her head she asked him
shyly, "Would you tell me again how much you love me?"

Vachon released her from his lap and fell to one knee trying to remain
serious in light of Tracy's childlike enthusiasm.  "I love you Tracy Vetter,
more than life, or unlife, itself.  More than anyone or anything" he stated.
Taking her hand he looked deeply into her eyes and winked "Even more than my
guitar."  She slapped his arm in response to his last statement.

"Hey, I'm trying to profess my undying love and you're assaulting me.  Is
this what they mean when they say police brutality??"  he asked.

She shoved him back onto the floor and began tickling him all over his body.
"No, this is brutality" she laughed. Grabbing his wrists she pinned his arms
to the floor "Now say it like you mean it, Senor Vachon" she gloated.

Vachon could easily break her grasp, but he let her have her moment of
triumph.  "OK Tracy, you win. I give up, I'll be serious."

She let go of his wrists and allowed him to pull himself up to a seated
position.  He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes.  He tried to
remember the exact moment he had fallen in love with her.  It was when he
was sick, he had almost died.  Tracy had insisted on helping him to the
point of almost endangering her own life.  No one mortal had cared for him
like that in centuries.

"Tracy, I've found something with you I never thought I could ever have
again with a mortal.  I know that I have very little to offer you in the way
of normal mortal companionship, however, I know that I love you.  I know
that I want us to be exclusive to each other and to work at building a
relationship that we can both be happy with.  Knowing all of this I will ask
you again, is this something you want as well?''

She pulled herself in between his legs and hugged him tightly.  Letting go
and moving back to face him she could feel the tears of happiness welling
up.  "Javier, I don't care about a normal mortal relationship.  You and I
share things that I could never have with anyone else.  You're everything
that I could ever want in a man; you're my lover, my protector..but most of
all, you're my best friend.  Yes, Javier, yes.  I want us to be exclusive,
no matter what that word means for us in the future.  We can make this work,
I know it."

He drew her hands to his mouth and kissed them both.  "There's just one more
thing we need to settle," he said.

"What's that?'" she asked.

"It's something that you don't have to do right away, but I do want you to
do it soon," he said.

"OK.  Just tell me what it is and I'll do my best to have it done as soon as
possible," she said.

He pulled her off of the floor with him to a standing position, never
releasing her hands.  "This is a pretty serious request, so brace yourself.
It's going to require a big sacrifice on your part" he said, with a very
serious tone.

"It's about your car, we need to get you some new wheels" As he finished
this sentence he pulled away from her and started towards the bedroom at a
fast walk calling back to her "Or maybe a motorcycle, can you see us tooling
around the big "T" on matching Triumphs, Trace?  Wouldn't Knight get a kick
out of the new you! Maybe we could get you some black leather."  he laughed.

Realizing that she had once again been taken in, Tracy gave chase.  She
caught up with him and pushed him onto the bed.  By this time Vachon could
hardly control his laughter.

"I'm sorry" he apologized as she stared at him from the edge of the bed
feigning annoyance with his latest indiscretion.  "I just couldn't resist
diggin' you about that car of yours."  He stopped laughing and propped
himself up on his elbows "Besides, thinking about that car reminds me of
when we first met.  Remember Trace? "

A mental picture of that night flashed through her mind.  Vachon coming out
of the shower, reaching over and taking the barrette from her hair, kissing
her.  // If he had kept going there's no way I would have stopped him// she
thought.

Seeing that his comment had the desired effect on Tracy, Vachon reached up
and pulled her to him.  He scooted back on the bed and cradled Tracy on top
of his body.  She could feel his erection pressing into her stomach as she
lay on his chest.

Thinking of how she had lamented about not being able to make decisions just
for herself, she suddenly realized that this was her decision.  She made it,
she felt good about it and she didn't care what other people thought.  For
the first time in a long time she felt truly at peace with herself, truly
happy.  "I'm so glad I said yes tonight" she stated as she raised her head
to meet his eyes.

"This isn't going to be easy Trace" //for both of us// he thought as he
pondered Knight's reaction, as well as the community's, once it became
known.  "But we do know that we want to be together, just what together will
eventually mean to us, I don't know.  He took her head in his hands "I never
thought I would be dealing with this after all these years.  I thought when
I chose this life there would never be anything like this again.  But I was
wrong, I do love you Tracy Vetter, and that is something that will never
change." He pulled her to him smothering her lips with his, shutting out all
doubt of his feelings for her.

Pulling away from his lips she lowered her head to the zipper of his suit
pants and unzipped his pants with her teeth.  "I love you too, Javier" she
replied, dipping her head and taking him into her mouth.

As her tongue made contact with his erection Vachon lost himself in his
desire for her.  They spent the remainder of the night learning how to
please one another.  Just before dawn they slept, both exhausted from the
nights' activities.




---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 10:07:52 -0400
From: JEAN FREUND <gasteel@POP.EROLS.COM>
To: Multiple recipients of list FKFIC-L <FKFIC-L@PSUVM.PSU.EDU>
Subject: ADULT: "Renaissance" 2/?

Usual disclaimers, any comments, suggestions, etc. please e-mail me
privately, gasteel@pop.erols.com.  Enjoy!!

"Renaissance" Part 2/?
by Jean Freund


Tracy woke first, noting by the clock on her nightstand that it was almost
6:00 PM.  She would have to be at work in a few hours.  She looked over at
Vachon lying nude and tangled in the sheets on her bed.  //If this is what
it means to die and go to heaven, sign me up!// she thought.
She quietly made her way to the bathroom trying not to disturb his sleep.

"I'm awake Trace, you don't have to be quiet" he murmured.  "You don't get
to be my age by being a heavy sleeper."

She laughed at his remark and continued on to the bathroom.  She ran the
water and stepped into the shower, reveling in the warmth of the heated
water.  Several minutes later as she was rinsing the shampoo from her hair
she felt a rush of cold air on her back and turned to find Vachon standing
in the shower behind her.

"Sorry, but I just can't get enough" he said, as he pulled her toward him.

//I may never make it to work// she thought as he lifted her into his arms.

By the time they finished their shower, and Tracy had dressed it was time
for her to leave for the station.  Vachon told her he was going back to the
church for supplies and would be at her apartment when she returned from
work.  After he flew off she removed the ring from her finger and put it in
the box he had kept it in. She hated taking it off but she had no intention
of letting it get damaged at work. //Besides, I have to think about how and
what I'm going to tell Nick// she thought.

She exited her apartment and drove to the stationhouse.  She almost knocked
Natalie down as they both tried to use the same door to the squad room.

"Whoa there girl" Natalie called as she pulled up short to keep from
colliding with Tracy.

"Sorry Nat, I guess I just didn't see you" she said as she tried to breeze by.

"Oh no, you don't get off that easy.  Where are you going in such a hurry?"
Natalie asked.  It was then that she noticed how happy Tracy looked.
//Haven't seen her look this good in some time// she thought.  "And why do
you look like the cat that swallowed the canary?"

Tracy could hardly contain herself and pulled Natalie to a secluded part of
the squad room.  "If I don't tell someone I'm going to bust." she whispered
to Natalie.  "I'm engaged."

It took several seconds for all of this to register with Natalie.  She knew
that Tracy was seeing Vachon, she knew that they had started getting close
in the past several months. // Could this be who she's engaged to? Nah,
vampires just don't do those things.  Nick has told me that it can't work
between vampires and mortals, sexually speaking that is.  Or could it?//

She shook herself out of her momentary shock enough to congratulate Tracy.
"Is it anyone I know?" she asked, hoping it wasn't Vachon.

"No, you don't know him.  He's from out of town" Tracy said.

"Oh really, well I would love to meet him sometime." Natalie replied.  //I
have to try this, I need to know if it's Vachon or not//  "Maybe we could go
to lunch sometime and I could meet this mystery man of yours?''

"I don't think so, uh ... he works during the day so we would have to make
it at night." Tracy stammered, moving towards the squad room.  "I'll call
you, ok?"

//It IS Vachon.  I can't believe this is happening.  I've got to tell Nick
right away.//  "Well, bring him by some night, I'd love to meet him" Natalie
replied trying to hide her apprehension as she watched Tracy make her way to
her desk.  //This can't be possible, or can it?  Could Nick have been trying
to protect me when he said that this would never work?  Or is he just too
afraid to have a physical relationship with me?//  She made her way to her
office and immediately dialed the direct number to Nick's desk.

"Nick, I need you to come to my office right away.  No, I can't say what
it's about, just meet me here as soon as you can."  Hanging up the phone she
could see her hands trembling. She sat down to await his arrival.  //I need
some straight answers from you Mr. Knight, and you are going to give them to
me if I have to hold you here all night//

****************************************************************************

End of Part 2




---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 10:16:34 -0400
From: JEAN FREUND <gasteel@POP.EROLS.COM>
To: Multiple recipients of list FKFIC-L <FKFIC-L@PSUVM.PSU.EDU>
Subject: ADULT: "Renaissance" Part 3/?

Comments, suggestion, etc. e-mail me privately.  Thanks.

"Renaissance" Part 3/?
by Jean Freund
gasteel@erols.com


"What's wrong Nick?" Tracy asked as Nick hung up the phone.

"Oh, nothing.  Look, I have to go out for a while.  Can you hold down the
fort until I get back?" he asked as he got up from his desk.

"Sure, take your time.  I have to catch up on some paperwork anyhow."  She
watched as Nick exited the squad room.  //He's sure in a hurry, I wonder who
that was on the phone?//

Several minutes later Nick entered the Coroner's office.  He scanned for any
other heartbeats before making his way to Natalie's cubicle.  //No one else
here, everything looks ok//  He found Natalie sitting at her desk patiently
awaiting his arrival.  She said nothing as he approached "Nat, is there a
problem?''

"You tell me, Mr. Knight" she responded.  "Your partner told me tonight that
she is engaged."

"Tracy?  Well that's great!  Who's the guy? Another cop?" he asked.

//Could he really be this dense, or is it just that he's naive?// "No, it's
not a cop.  It's someone she says is from out of town, we don't know him and
we can't meet him during the day. Ring any bells?"

Realization dawned on Nick's face as he started putting two and two
together.  "Vachon?  No, it can't be.  He would never endanger Tracy like that."

"Come on Nick! She's been close to him for months.  Don't you remember when
they met?  She was in love with him then, or hadn't you noticed?"

Nick reached for a chair and sat down.  He felt as if the wind had been
knocked out of him.  He needed time to digest what was going on here.
//Tracy, engaged to Vachon?  Tracy in love with Vachon? // He had to get
some answers.  And where else should he get them but the source itself. "I
have to find Vachon" he said, pulling himself out of the chair.

"Oh no, you're going to answer some questions for me first" she said shoving
him back into the chair.

"Nat, there's no time for discussion between us, it will have to wait.  We
don't know what Vachon has planned.  He could be using this as a way to make
Tracy want to be brought across.  This could all be a clever ruse he's using
to lure her into this hellish existence, and I won't stand idly by and allow
that to happen to someone I care about!"

"Care about?  What about CARING for the two of us?  I thought it was too
dangerous for mortals and vampires to be intimate.  I thought the whole
reason for our celibacy was because vampires lose control and can't be
trusted in that type of situation.  Now I find out that not only is it
possible, but Tracy and Vachon have been doing it for months! How do you
think that makes me feel?" she shouted.

"You don't know for a fact that they've been intimate, Nat"  he said.

//Oh yeah, he's dense//  "You don't get that happy by just being engaged.
Believe me, they're intimate.  Oh boy are they intimate." She could feel all
of the pent up sexual tension coming to the surface.  Her eyes began to well
up as she turned her back to him.  "You never really loved me did you Nick?
she whispered.  "Why can they be so close and we can't?" she asked turning
on him to get his answer.  "Just answer that one question, can we be
together, sexually I mean?"

She looked so pitiful, so hurt.  He felt like a coward for lying to her all
of these years, but..he couldn't bring himself to trust his own judgment in
a close sexual situation.  He knew he would lose control.  But he owed her
the truth.  "Nat, I love you more than you could ever imagine."  He
hesitated slightly searching for the right words.  "Yes, it is possible for
some vampires to have sex with mortals, IF they are confident in their
ability to stay in control of their hunger.  Nat, I have never had that
control.  Do you know what I'm trying to say?  I'm...I'm afraid.  Afraid I
will lose control and hurt you, hurt us.  I don't want to risk any future we
may have together just to satisfy our carnal urges."

"Carnal urges?  Nick, I love you.  I want to be with you.  She moved to the
chair and brought his chin up to look into his eyes "I want to know what it
would be like to feel you inside of me, to be able to make love to you in
all of the ways I have fantasized about."

He too had fantasized, dreamed about being able to be fulfill both of their
needs and desires.  " I know Nat, I want that for us as well, but the risks.....

She cut him off in mid sentence.  "I'm willing to take any risk, Nick.  If
it will bring us closer together."

"And I'm willing to discuss the possibility with you, but, only after I get
this thing with Vachon and Tracy straightened out.  I can't think about
anything else right now but them."  Seeing the disappointment in her face he
continued.  "But I'll take care of this as quickly as I can so that you and
I can devote some much needed time to our own relationship.  Fair?"

Natalie nodded and allowed Nick to pull her into his lap for a kiss.

"I know you're angry with me for keeping this from you, but I thought I was
doing what was right, Natalie."  He took her face in his hands. "I couldn't
take losing you by my own hand."

He kissed her then hoping that this simple explanation would be enough until
they had some time alone together.  He stayed for several minutes longer
holding Natalie and rubbing her back.  "You're just like Sydney, you love to
have your back rubbed."  he said, knowing it would bring a smile to her face.

"OK, I know you're itching to get to Vachon.  Far be it from me to hold you
back from your appointed rounds, Detective.  Just remember, go easy.  Tracy
seems genuinely happy and you yourself don't think Vachon would ever hurt
her, do you?"

"No, but I need to find out what this is about."  he replied.  "I just have
to make sure that he has thought this through and realizes the risks that
they are both taking."

Natalie got up and allowed Nick to remove himself from the seat.

"I'll let you know what I find out, ok?"  Nick said as he walked to the
door.  "And if Tracy calls  can you cover for me?"

"Sure thing.  Just let me know where to send the wedding gift" she joked,
watching him cringe as he went out the door.

As soon as he was outside he allowed himself the freedom of flying to the
church.  He landed behind the building and made his way inside.  He found
Vachon upstairs in the process of tuning his guitar.  There were several
boxes strewn about and it looked as if Vachon had been packing.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Detective Knight?"  Vachon
asked.  He had sensed Nick the moment he landed.

"I hear congratulations are in order, Vachon."  he replied, as he made his
way to the makeshift couch where Vachon was reclining.

Vachon shook his head, //Thanks Trace, I was hoping to have at least a
little time to come up with some pearly words of wisdom for Toronto's
finest.  Well, here goes// "You heard about that did you?  I was going to
find you later and tell you.  I know you're concerned, but I'm handling it, ok?"

"Handling what?  Do you have any idea how much danger you're placing Tracy
in?  This will never work, you know yourself that she will eventually have
to be brought across.  The Enforcers won't stand for this."

"I said I'm handling it" Vachon replied.  "What are you really upset about?
The fact that you think I may be endangering Tracy, or is it something else?
Something like the good doctor?  That's why you're really here isn't it?
Because Tracy and I are close and you won't take that chance with Natalie."


Instantly Vachon found himself pinned to the far wall by Nick's forearm, his
feet dangling a good two feet above the floor.

"What Natalie and I have or don't have is none of your concern!" Nick
growled.  His eyes were a bright gold and his fangs in full view as he spoke
to Vachon.  "You have no reason to be involving Tracy in this.  Is this what
you want for her for all eternity? he asked, indicating his appearance.

"No, I don't want this for her.  Not unless she wants it.  But she won't be
able to make that decision unless we try."  Vachon replied. "I love her."
he whispered.

Seeing the sincerity in his eyes Nick slowly lowered him to the floor.

"I'll keep my promise to you, I will protect her.  But I'll do it first and
foremost because of my love for her.  If you can't accept that I'm sorry.
That's the way things are."

//How can I fault Vachon?  He's as much a victim of his emotions as I am//
He felt exhausted, drained. He moved to a chair and sank into it.  "All
right, I'll take you at your word."  he sighed.  "What do you have planned
with all of this?" Nick asked gesturing to the boxes on the floor.

"I thought I would move some things over to Tracy's.  It will make it much
easier for us both.  Less drive time, less fly time.  If you get my drift."

"I'll have to discuss this with LaCroix, you know. I have no idea how the
Enforcers may deal with this.  Maybe he can give us some ideas as to how to
proceed" Nick said.  //Asking LaCroix for advice on matters of love, very
scary//

"Whatever" Vachon said waving as Knight started toward the door.  "But
remember," he warned "I love her and I won't have you upsetting her, Knight.
She deserves to be happy.  All we want is the chance to see where this will
take us, ok?''

Nick turned and witnessed the concern in Vachon's face.

"All right, I'm with you.  But I want to know what's going on as this thing
progresses.  Some of our group are not as fond as we are of mortals.
//Except as a food source//  We may need to combine our efforts to protect
both of you."

"Fine, I can live with that."  Vachon said.  "Hey, Knight" he called as Nick
neared the door.
"I'm sorry about what I said earlier, you know, about you and Natalie.
Thanks for helping me out with this."

"You can thank me by keeping Tracy safe." he responded.  He turned and made
his way down the stairs and out into the night.

Once on the street he took flight, headed for the Raven and LaCroix.  He
never noticed the dark figure taking to the sky just behind him.
*********************************************************************

End of Part 3


This is part 4 of the above, I hope I'm not double sending this.  Any
comments, suggestions, etc. feel free to let me know.  Enjoy!!!

"Renaissance" Part 4/?
by Jean Freund

Nick entered the Raven and was immediately reminded of his many reasons for
swearing off the place.  LaCroix was running another of his specialty
nights, this one was a costume party.  He ran the gauntlet of pirates, belly
dancers and one guy doing a really bad Dracula impersonation to make his way
to the bar.

LaCroix was not on the floor so he asked the Werewolf behind the bar where
he could find him.

"He's in his office, but he left word that he doesn't want any company
tonight,"  he warned Nick.

"That's ok, he'll see me, I' m an old friend," Nick replied, not waiting for
the bartender's answer as he turned and walked back to the office.  He
knocked softly and entered, hoping that LaCroix would not mind the
interruption.

He found LaCroix seated behind his desk going over some financial journals.
"Nicholas, well, this is a surprise.  Are you here for the costume ball?"
LaCroix teased.  "You know, you wouldn't even have to purchase a costume.
You could come as a vampire masquerading as a mortal.  But then.....you do
that everyday don't you?" he said smiling as he closed the book on the desk.

//This is the way it's been lately, every time we speak.  He attacks from
the very start//  "LaCroix, I have something I need to speak with you about.
It's important and I would like your cooperation." Nick stated, hoping he
didn't sound as if he were begging for LaCroix's help.

"My cooperation, whatever for Nicholas? LaCroix asked.

"There's no easy way to approach this.  Vachon has gotten involved with a
mortal. She knows what he is and she is not willing to be brought across
right now.  She may never be willing to do this, but they are planning on
continuing this relationship despite the outcome.  I'm coming to you about
this because you've been around longer than I have.  You know how the
community operates, and the Enforcers.  I want to know what we can expect
from them." Nick asked.

LaCroix moved to place his steepled hands beneath his chin.  He waited
several seconds before answering. "Why would you want to protect Vachon,
Nicholas?  Could it be that this mortal, as you put it, is someone you
yourself are close to?  Someone like your partner?" he asked.

"How did you know who it was?  Who's been here talking to you about this?"
Nick demanded.

"Oh, Nicholas" LaCroix chuckled "You still haven't grasped the concept that
the community knows everything.  You  can't hide yourself and your
activities from them.  They have eyes and ears throughout the city.  Yes,
they already know about Vachon, and Tracy is it?  They've known for some time."

"All right, if they've known all along why haven't they moved against
Vachon?" Nick asked.

"It's really quite simple, Nicholas.  There was never any reason for them to
become involved." LaCroix hesitated. "Until now, that is."

"Assuming that you're telling the truth, LaCroix.  What's happened to change
their minds?"

"Not what, but who?  Specifically Dimitri.  You remember our friend Dimitri
don't you Nicholas?"LaCroix asked.

Nick was stunned.  //Dimitri.  I thought he had been killed long ago.  How
could he have survived?//  "LaCroix are you sure?  I thought he was killed
in a fire more than 300 years ago."

"Oh I'm quite sure, Nicholas.  He was here just last night."

"Last night?  What did he want?" Nick asked.

"He wanted to tell me that he is once again in a position of power within
the community.  It seems that many of our brothers and sisters agree with
Dimitri's philosophy of the way things should be."

"Meaning?" Nick inquired.

"The community is becoming divided, Nicholas.  Dimitri has managed to sway
many of our brethren to the side of isolationism.  In short, he is once
again preaching the gospel according to Dimitri:  thou shalt not consort
with mortals."

"So why would he come to you?  You weren't on his side then and I would hope
that you're not involved now."

LaCroix took a deep breath and exhaled.  "No Nicholas, he did not come to
enlist my support.  He came to give me an ultimatum, about you.  It seems he
is very disappointed in your choice of occupation, as well as your
involvement with Dr. Lambert.  He feels that it is just a matter of time
before the other mortals in your life discover what you really are.  If that
happens it will endanger the community.  And, as your maker, he wanted me to
deliver this warning to you: to  end your association with mortals and come
back to the community."

"He can go to hell!  I don't answer to him or to the community." Nick
challenged.

"I wouldn't discount his influence, Nicholas.  There are many within the
community that agree with Dimitri."

"I don't care, LaCroix.  Besides, you remember what happened before?  He
tried the same thing and eventually the others saw through his words and
turned on him."

"Yes, you're right.  But do you remember the devastation he caused before
that happened?"

Nick remembered.  Even after all of these centuries it was hard to forget
the horror perpetrated by Dimitri.  He had come to the community as a new
vampire full of ideas.  He had an almost finatical belief that vampires
should never involve themselves with the mortal world. One of his favorite
lines was that mortals were a necessary evil, used for survival only.  Given
the state of hysteria at that time in the mortal world, it was no wonder the
others flocked to his side.  He played on their fear that involvement with
mortals would lead to discovery.  And discovery would lead to death.

Many among the community who did not agree with Dimitri were seen as
traitors and put to death.  By the time Nick, LaCroix and a handful of
others were able to gain control of the situation, the community was in
shambles.  Dimitri was caught by the remaining members trying to make his
escape.  He was locked inside his home which was then set on fire.
//No wonder he's managed to gain control again, there are very few of us
left to remember his reign of terror.//

"I'm not going to allow him to dictate to me, LaCroix.  Or to Vachon.  Is
Dimitri going to make trouble for us?"

"I would say that that is a foregone conclusion, Nicholas." LaCroix replied.

"And you're just going to allow him to do this once again?" Nick asked.

"The choice is yours.  You know my feelings on your involvment with Dr.
Lambert.  I will not help to perpetuate your relationship, Nicholas."

"Then I guess we have nothing more to discuss."  Nick said as he turned to
leave the office.
"But just remember what happened the last time.  If you're not with Dimitri,
you're against him.  It will be interesting to see which side you come down
on then, my friend."

He left LaCroix's office and made his way to the exit.  Once outside he
walked to the alley beside the club and leaned against the wall to collect
his thoughts.  //Dimitri in Toronto is not a good sign.  This is going to be
even harder than I thought.  I've got to warn Vachon, we've got to come up
with a plan to protect Tracy, and Natalie.//

After several minutes of thought he came to at least one conclusion: he may
have to tell Tracy what he was in order to properly protect her.  He didn't
want to do this if he could help it, but it seemed the only way to bring the
four of them together.  There was just no way to protect everyone unless
they were a united front against Dimitri's influence.

He took to the air enroute to Vachon's.  //I'll have to run all of this by
him before I approach Tracy// he thought. //And then I'll have to tell Natalie//

The dark figure that had been following him took off as well.  In the
opposite direction.  Towards Dimitri and the community.

***************************************************************************

End Part 4

Comments, suggestions, etc. to me by private e-mail.  Thanks.

"Renaissance" Part 5/?
by Jean Freund

Nick found himself once again at the church.  He spent the next half hour
filling Vachon in on the conversation he had had with LaCroix.

"I guess it's you and me against this Dimitri, huh?" Vachon asked.

"It looks that way.  There may be some in the community that will want to
help but if Dimitri wields as much power as LaCroix thinks he does, they
probably won't come forward, "  Nick replied.

"You know this guy, how do you think we should do this?"

"I've given it a lot of thought, and I firmly believe that our only chance
to defeat any attempt on our lives is for the four of us to band together."

"Band together?  I thought you didn't want Tracy to know what you are?"
Vachon replied.

"I don't, but I don't want her death on my conscience either.  I think
Dimitri will go after Tracy or Natalie before he tries to take on you or me."

"All right, if that's the way you want it.  I'm supposed to meet Tracy after
her shift tonight at her place.  Plan on meeting us there.  And I guess you
should bring Natalie too,"  Vachon said.

Nick took a deep breath and stood up.  "I guess that's it then.  I just hope
Tracy understands why I kept this from her all these months."

"Well, if there's anything she's learned from our relationship it's how to
keep an open mind," Vachon quipped;  "Seriously though, she might be a
little upset at first but I think she'll let that go when she realizes the
seriousness of the situation.  How do you think Natalie will react when you
tell her this?

"Well, I've always been honest with her about the possibility of retribution
from our kind.  I think she'll be frightened but it will make her feel
better to know that we're not alone in this," Nick said meeting Vachon's gaze.

"I guess I should apologize, once again, for involving you in this.  It
never really occurred to me that things would get this out of  hand by just
loving someone," Vachon mused.

"It's not your fault, Vachon.  Dimitri would have come after me with or
without your involvement with Tracy.  Let's put it behind us and work on a
plan to protect the four of us," Nick said as he stood to leave.  "I'll see
you at Tracy's."

After Nick left Vachon gathered the remaining items he needed to move to
Tracy's.  //I sure hope this isn't the last time I see this place.//  He
went to the roof and took flight.  The coolness in the night air clearing
his head and giving him his first tinge of hope that this may all work out
for the four of them.

He made it to Tracy's without incident, landing on the balcony outside her
apartment.  He quickly scanned the area listening for any unusual sounds.
Once inside he checked the entire apartment before stowing his belongings.
Lastly, he removed a bottle from the two crates he had brought with him.  He
spent the remaining hours before Tracy came home draining two of the 24
bottles.  He wanted to be alert and ready should any trouble occur prior to
Tracy's arrival.  //I thought I was done with this when the Inca was killed.
Well, c'est la vie, as they say in the big "T".  Can't run away from this
one.  Besides, I don't want to go.//  The dark room was illuminated by the
golden glow of Vachon's eyes.  //No 300 year old punk is gonna tell me what
I can and can't do.  Bastard! Let him come for me, it will be a welcome he
can take straight to hell!//

Nick entered the squad room towards the end of shift.  Thankfully it had
been a quiet night and Tracy was still seated at her desk finishing the last
bit of paperwork for the evening.  She seemed in a hurry to leave so Nick
told her to go.  He then went down to Natalie's office.  She took it all
in and acted in typical Natalie fashion.

"Well, if that's the way you want to handle this I'm glad that I can be
there for Tracy.  I know how I've felt these past years with no one to
confide in," she said.

//Always the realist.//  "I know it's been hard for you Nat,"  Nick replied
carressing her face.  "If I could have made it easier for you I would have."

"I know that, Nick," she said, taking his hand in hers.  "We better be going
if we're going to get to Tracy's before sunrise."

They both left in Nick's caddy arriving just before sunrise.  Nick got out
first checking the parking lot to make sure they were alone.  //I don't
think Dimitri would plan an attack so close to sunrise, but you never
know.//  He helped Natalie from the car and they made their way to Tracy's
door.  Nick took a deep breath and knocked quietly.  He could feel Natalie
squeezing his hand.  Letting him know she was there for him.  He turned to
her and smiled.

After several seconds Tracy opened the door.  "Nick, Natalie, what a
surprise," she said.  //What are they doing here?  How am I gonna explain
Vachon?//  "Did I forget something at the station?" she asked using her knee
to hold the door closed so that they could'nt see the living room.  //Why
isn't Vachon moving back into my room! He had to have heard me.//  She felt
the door being pulled wide from the inside.

"You don't have to cover for me, Trace.  They're here to see both of us,"
Vachon said as he motioned for Nick and Natalie to enter.

"OK, someone has got to fill me in on what is going on here," she demanded.

Nick and Natalie removed their coats and sat down in silence.  Vachon went
to Tracy and led her to an overstuffed chair in the living room as her legs
had ceased to function witnessing this bizzare turn of events.  He sat down
and pulled her between his legs so that her back was to him and she was
facing Nick and Natalie on the couch.

Nick began, "Tracy I have something I have to tell you and it's not going to
be very pleasant for you to hear."  He began with his discovery by Natalie
years earlier and finished with the latest turn of events.  Although he was
honest with her about himself, he purposely left out any mention of LaCroix;
it was not his place to bring her in on that can of worms.

He had to give her credit, she didn't interupt him once.  But he couldn't be
be sure whether it was because she was concentrating on what he was saying,
or because she was in shock.

"And that's the whole story, Trace," Nick said in closing.  "I'm sorry if I
hurt you by not being honest with you, but I just couldn't risk it, until now."

Vachon had been holding Tracy the entire time, letting her lean into his
body for support and comfort.  She turned to face him now.  "And you've
known about Nick the entire time?" she asked.  Vachon nodded.

Tracy turned her back on him once again.  Taking a deep breath she addressed
Nick for the first time.  "So, this Dimitri, what does he want from us?" she
asked.

"Dimitri believes that if a mortal is unwilling to be brought across, then
they have to be dealt with before they can expose the community to any other
mortals.  He will probably order you and Natalie killed.  This will serve as
a warning to the others.  And I'm sure he feels that Vachon and I will have
no choice then but to come back to the community, and our own kind,"  he said.

Tracy automatically leaned furher into Vachon seeking the comfort of his
strong body, using it to reassure herself that she was, at least for now,
protected.  She needed time to think about all that she had been told.
//But there isn't any time.// Despite his lies and deception Tracy could
honestly say that she still trusted Nick.  It was obvious that he had done
the things he had done out of concern for her safety.  How could she fault
him knowing that if she were in his shoes she would probably have made the
same decisions.  Shaking herself she stood so that she could face the three
of them.

"First off, Nick, I want to thank you for being honest with me.  I guess the
saying "better late than never" would apply here but I doubt there's time
for us to get into that now.  Natalie, I know what I've been going through
the last several months with my secret.  I can't imagine how you've managed
for the past couple of years," Natalie smiled and shrugged at this remark,
tears coming to her eyes.

Tracy then turned to Vachon.  "You warned me about this possibility from the
beginning but I guess I just got lulled into thinking that it would be ok.
We had gotten this far with no one objecting, so....I thought no one ever
would."

She went to him, taking his hands in hers and pulling him to his feet.  "But
I don't regret loving you, I could never do that.  And I'm willing to take
the good with the bad," She kissed him then. "I guess the bad will come
first with us though," she laughed nervously.  She turned to Natalie and
Nick who were also holding each other, both with tears welling up in their
eyes.

"Is this the part where we all gather in the center of the room for a group
hug??" Vachon mugged.

They all laughed at Vachon's remark, wiping their eyes and enjoying the
release of  tension for the first time since they had come together.

//Leave it to him to break the ice// Tracy thought.  //He's got a smart
answer for everything.  Come to think of it, that's what attracted me to him
in the first place.//

Finally Nick took control of the group.  "Alright, now that we know what
we're facing, I think we need to come up with some ground rules for Natalie
and Tracy."

They spent the next couple of hours trying to cover every possibility of
ambush from Dimitri.  They ruled out the daylight hours and concentrated on
Tracy's and Natalie's evening schedules.  They also came up with several
code phrases and words to be used over the phone in case of emergency. All
four of them agreed that, for the time being, they would all be staying at
Nick's.  His was the most secure residence, and he had the room to
accomodate four people.  It was nearing noon by the time they finished.

"I don't know about you guys but I am beat." Tracy yawned. "If I don't get
some sleep I'll have to call in sick tonight."

Taking the cue Vachon pulled her up from the chair and lifted her into his
arms.  "I could use some sleep, too," he mimicked, feigning a yawn and
winking at Nick and Natalie.

As he started off toward the bedroom Tracy called back, "Make yourselves at
home, the couch folds out to a bed and the sheets are in the hall closet.
Stop that Javier!" she yelped as Vachon reached the door to the bedroom.

"I love it when you use my first name," Vachon said as he kicked the door
closed.  There was some laughter and then silence from the room.

"Well, I don't think there's any doubt about that romance," Natalie quipped,
as she got up to get the sheets from the closet.

Nick busied himself opening the bed and helping Natalie with the sheets.
They had slept together in the past but somehow this time felt different,
what with Vachon and Tracy obviously engaged in passionate sex in the other
room.  He felt self-conscious, and he was sure that Natalie felt the same
way.  She was just better at guarding her emotions.

Before going to bed he took a bottle from Vachon's stock and downed it in
only a couple of gulps.  He hadn't realized just how hungry he was.  He felt
better instantly, the blood reviving his flagging energy level.

They freed themselves from most of their clothing, at least enough to make
sleeping comfortable, and laid down on the bed.  Nick automatically rolled
to his side pulling Natalie into his body.  He kissed her head and stroked
her hair.  He could feel the tension ebbing from her body as she dropped off
to sleep.  //Someday every night we have together will be spent in each
other's arms.  I promise you that.  No one will ever harm you as long as I'm
here.//  He closed his eyes and slept.

****************************************************************************

End of Part 5

"Renaissance" Part 6/?
by Jean Freund

Nick woke with a start.  He could feel the blood sweat on his forehead,
dampening his shirt.  Checking his watch he saw it was 5:35 PM.  He rolled
over slowly, trying not to wake Natalie, and made his way to the bathroom in
the hall.

Closing the door quietly he flipped on the light.  //I look rode hard and
put away wet// he thought as he leaned against the sink.  He splashed some
water on his face and ran his fingers through his hair.  //That's better.
If it weren't for the pink hue to my shirt, no one would know anything was
wrong.// he thought sarcastically.

He left the bathroom and considered curling up once again next to Natalie.
He loved the way it felt to hold her and listen the rhythmic beating of her
heart, but he was hungry.  Going to Vachon's crates he took out two bottles
and went to the kitchen to find a glass.  As he hunted through Tracy's
cupboards he detected a presence behind him.

"Left side, top shelf," Tracy said, entering the kitchen and going to the
fridge.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Nick asked, as he retrieved his glass and began
to uncork the bottle.

"No, I couldn't sleep any longer.  I'm too keyed up about all of this," she
said.

"Tracy, I know it's a lot for you to handle.  Believe me, if there had been
another way for me to deal with this I would have done things differently,"
he told her.

She got a glass and poured herself a drink.  Facing each other they drank in
silence, each lost in their own thoughts of the last 24 hours.

Tracy broke the ice first.  "Nick, can I ask you something?"

"Just something?" he asked.  "I assumed you might have a whole slew of
questions you would need answered."

She laughed and placed her glass on the counter next to her. "Seriously,
what do you think our chances are of surviving this?  I mean me and Natalie
that is.  Not that I'm not worried about you and Vachon," she qualified,
"but you have to admit, you guys are a lot harder to hurt than we are."

//God I wish we didn't have to go through this//  "We'll do everything in
our power to make sure that you and Natalie are safe, Trace," he assured
her.  "I've dealt with Dimitri before and my plan is to find him before he
has a chance to harm either of you."

//He's just trying not to upset me// she thought.  Looking around her
apartment she was reminded f the day she moved in. //Funny, the things that
pop into your head when your life is in danger//  Both of her parents had
been there, at different times of course.  Mom came by to check up on her,
making sure she had enough food, blankets, etc.  Dad came by to install the
deadbolt and peep hole.   //Their little girl out on her own.  What would
they say if they knew what was going on now?//

"You know, when I joined the force my mother was so upset," she told him.
"She always blamed the job for the problems she and my father had.  When I
was little I used to think that my parents fought because they didn't love
each other," she remembered.  "Then one night, when I was about 7 or so, I
had a bad dream.  I got out of bed and started towards my parents bedroom
when I noticed a light coming from the living room.  I found my mother
asleep in a chair by the door,"  pausing briefly, she continued.  "It wasn't
until years later that I realized what she was doing,"  she said, as a
single tear rolled down her cheek.

Nick remained silent as Tracy gathered her thoughts to continue.

"They loved each other so much, and still they weren't strong enough to keep
out the pressures that eventually tore them apart," she said as she pushed
away from the counter.  "I know that my relationship with Vachon is unusual,
to say the least.  The problems seem almost insurmountable at times," she
sighed.  "But there is one thing that I'm certain of; I don't want the
choices in our relationship to be made by anyone or anything but the two of
us.  I can't end up like my parents, Nick, I won't let that happen to us,"
she vowed.

He reached across the small space separating their bodies and tried to draw
her into his arms.  She pulled back, not wanting to give in to the fear
enveloping her thoughts.

"I'm ok, Nick," she insisted.  "I'm a cop, I can't let this affect my
ability to function."

"Yes, but you're a human being first," he replied, holding her hands in his.

She lowered her eyes and used all of her resolve to push back the thoughts
of impending disaster.  //Focus on the task at hand, you can do this.//

They both remained silent.  Nick wishing Tracy would allow him to comfort
her, and Tracy wishing this whole situation were over.

"Well, I guess you better go back and wake Vachon.  And take this with you,
I'm sure he'll need it," Nick suggested, releasing Tracy's hands and handing
her the other bottle.

"Yeah, sure," she replied, taking the bottle.  She started towards the hall,
but changed her mind and turned to Nick once again.  "Nick?"

"Yes, Tracy," he replied.

"I just wanted to say...," she hesitated.  "Thanks.  I don't think I've ever
told you how much I appreciate your caring for me, and helping me."

"Yes you have," he replied.  "By allowing me to be a part of your life."

She smiled and placed a small kiss on his cheek, then turned and left the
kitchen.

Nick took his bottle and glass and moved to the small dinette in Tracy's
living room.  He drew back the heavy drapes and finished his drink while
watching the last vestiges of sunlight drop below the horizon.  //Enjoy your
power while it lasts, Dimitri.  I intend to make sure it's the last thing
you do.//


*****************************************************************************

End of Part 6/?

Comments, suggestions, etc. to me at the below,
gasteel@erols.com

"Renaissance" Part 7/?
By Jean Freund
Please direct all comments, suggestions, etc. to me by private e-mail at
gasteel@erols.com

"All right, it's agreed then.  Tracy, Natalie and I will go on to work.
Vachon, your job is to scout around the Raven and see what you can pick up.
Try to find out where Dimitri and his followers are meeting.  Let me know
the minute you come up with something.  And try to be discreet, we don't
want to arouse suspicion," Nick warned.

"You wound me with your distrust, Detective.  When have I ever been anything
but the picture of discretion?" Vachon replied, holding his hand over his
heart and feigning indignation.

They exited Tracy's building.  Once outside Vachon paused pulling Tracy into
his arms.

"Be careful, and stick close to your partner, OK?" he advised her.  He bent
and kissed her lips.  In the next second he was gone, enroute to the Raven.

Nick, Natalie and Tracy got into Nick's car and headed toward the station.

*********************
(Meanwhile, in an abandoned section of town.......)

The room was almost totally dark as Duncan entered.  The one candle left
burning only served to intensify the macabre atmosphere surrounding the
figure seated behind the large table in the center of the room.

Ah, Duncan.  And how is my little spy tonight?" Dimitri asked.

"I'm fine, Dimitri, " he answered,  "I'll be heading out again tonight, that
is, if you think it's necessary?"

"Necessary? Of course it's necessary you fool.  I am sure that Knight has
been informed of my miraculous resurrection from the dead, and of my
ultimatum.  I need you to follow him and ascertain the whereabouts of his
friends; his partner Tracy, Dr. Lambert and that Spaniard, Vachon," he
directed.

"All right, but I still don't understand why we're going after his friends,
after all..."

"Silence!" he thundered.  "My reasons are my own.  You are not here to pass
judgment, you are here to follow orders.  Is that quite clear?"

"Yes, Dimitri.  Forgive my impertinence, I was only curious as to what our
final plan for Knight and his friends would entail," Duncan replied.

"What they will entail?  Revenge.  They will entail revenge and all it's
sweetness," Dimitri boasted.

"Will they include harming Knight or this Vachon?" Dimitri asked.  "If you
will recall, when I offered my services to you I was assured that no harm
would come to any of our kind.  Do I still have your word on this?"

His question hung in the air unanswered, he could almost feel the tension
growing as the seconds ticked by.

"Yes.  I gave you my word didn't I?  And I am a man of my word, am I not?"
Dimitri countered.

"I couldn't say, having only known you for a few weeks," Duncan replied.

Hearing this Dimitri broke into laughter.  "I will give you this, Duncan,"
he chuckled.  "You are a man of great courage; and very little regard for
your own neck.  You remind me of myself."

//I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or a warning.//  "I'll
be off then.  Expect me back before dawn with the information you require."

Duncan turned and made his way out of the warehouse.  He walked to the
corner of the building, stopped and leaned against the cool brick facade.
He found himself remembering a time when things were much less complicated.
"I don't know if I can go on with this charade any longer," he said, wishing
the fresh air would alleviate his worries.

"You will go on.  At least until I tell you to stop," a voice advised from
the shadows.

Duncan jumped.  //I must be really out of it to let him sneak up on me like
that.//

"I thought you wanted me to come to you.  You're going to get us both in
trouble if anyone sees us together," Duncan warned, scanning the area for
others.

"Calm yourself, Duncan.  I am quite sure that we're alone," the figure
assured him.  "Now, what have you found out?"

"Nothing, yet.  He wants me to continue to follow Knight and let him know
where his friends are staying."

"He's told you nothing about what his plan will be?" the figure asked.

"No.  But I did get his assurance, once again, that Knight and this Vachon
will not be harmed."

"And you believe him, do you?" the figure chuckled.  "Really, Duncan, I
would have thought that you would be a much better judge of character than
that.  This is vintage Dimitri; tell them whatever they want to hear to get
them to do your bidding.  He has no intention of sparing Nicholas or Vachon."

Duncan was silent.  "What do you want me to do then?" he asked, feeling his
anger rising.  //I feel like everyone's personal yo-yo.  Believe this, don't
believe that.//

"I want you to give Dimitri the information he desires.  Once he has it he
will probably reveal his plan to you.  When he does, you will give me this
information at once," the figure advised.  "Then you may consider our
arrangement at an end."

"Fine, the sooner the better.  I'll come by your place tomorrow night,
early.  Make sure we're not interrupted."

"Agreed," the figure answered.  "I'll expect you then."

**************************************************************************


End of Part 7

Evidently I forgot to post this part to the FKFIC-L; sorry for the break in
continuity.

"Renaissance" Part 8/?
by Jean Freund

Part 8, we're almost there.  Comments, suggestions, etc. to
gasteel@erols.com.  Enjoy!
****************************************************************************
"So what do you think, Nat?" Tracy asked, bending closer.

"Yeah, I'd say that's a gunshot wound.  Probably a .38, " Natalie said,
pulling back the victim's shirt to ascertain the extent of the hole made by
the bullet.

"Nick, did you get that?" Tracy asked.

Nick had his back to them and appeared to be paying attention to everything
else but the man lying dead just a few feet from him.

"Earth to Nick, hell-oo," Natalie called sarcastically.  "I believe this is
the part where you interject some startling theory as to the how's and why's
of this particular crime."

Nick snapped back; he had been scanning the area to make sure that no
'unauthorized personnel' were hanging around.  "Sorry, guys, " he
apologized, turning to join them as they knelt by the body.

"You can't keep this up, Nick," Natalie whispered, meaning his constant
surveillance of any scene where the three of them were present.  "It's been
two days and nothing has happened.  Is it possible you could have been
mistaken about this Dimitri's intentions?"

"I wish I was mistaken, but I've had experience with him before," Nick
answered as he helped Natalie to her feet.  "He's not going to rush into
this, but he will move against us.  You can be sure of that."

"Well, I guess we're through here," Tracy said, standing to join Nick and
Natalie.  "You ready to go, Nick?"

"Sure, I just want to walk Natalie to her car before we leave."

"I'll hang out here and wait for you," Tracy replied, sensing that the two
of them might need some time alone.

"OK, but ......."

Tracy held up her hand and finished his sentence, "I know, I know; don't
wander around.  Wait for you to come back," she mimicked.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Nick said smiling.

"It's too bad Vachon hasn't been able to find out anything," Natalie said as
they approached the car, "I think we're all getting a little restless living
under this cloud."

"I didn't want to say anything in front of Tracy but Vachon thinks he may
have found out where Dimitri is hiding."

"How? When?" Natalie stammered.  "When he came in last night I thought he
said that no one at the Raven was talking."

"He didn't want Tracy to know what he found out, " Nick said as they stopped
in front of Natalie's car.

"And why would that be," she asked suspiciously.

"Because Vachon and I are planning on an impromptu visit to Dimitri's
alleged headquarters," he answered, "Tonight," he checked his watch,
"Actually, in about an hour."

Natalie lowered her head.  //I knew this was going to happen, the two of
them against the world.  Wouldn't even consider letting 'the women folk'
help.//  "Why do you have to do this with just Vachon?" she demanded.

He pulled her to him, "You know why.  If Dimitri is capable of killing both
Vachon and myself, what do you think he would do to you and Tracy?"

"That's not the point.  Vampires can be hurt just as easily by mortals who
know their weaknesses.  Mortals like Tracy and me, for instance," she
suggested.

"Oh no.  This is not up for discussion, Natalie," he said flatly as he
guided her towards the driver's side door and opened it.

"And just where will Tracy and I be while you're off doing your
impersonation of the Cisco Kid and Pancho with Vachon?"

"You'll be at work.  Or more specifically in the squad room with Tracy until
we get back." he directed.

"Oh, this is getting better and better," she laughed, "You expect me to sit
in your squad room with Tracy and pretend that I have no idea where you are
or what you're doing.  Is that it?"

"I know you'll think of something to tell her, Nat," he said closing the car
door.

She quickly started the car so she could get the window down and rebut his
last statement.  //Damn power windows, give me the old crank ones any day.//
But all she got was a clear view of Nick as he disappeared through the maze
of emergency vehicles headed back to Tracy.

//All right Detective Knight, you win this round.  But two can play at this
game.// she thought as she drove off toward her office.

Nick located Tracy and they both returned to the station.

"Do you have something you need to take care of?" Tracy asked after the
third time Nick checked his watch.  //Ever since we got back he's been
jumpy, looking at his watch and then at  the clock on the wall.  Something
is definitely up.//

"Actually, I do," he confirmed, "I need to speak with a witness from the
stabbing last night."

"Oh, which one?" she asked, sure he was keeping something from her.

"The waitress who works at the bar across the street from the scene.  She
works the night shift and sleeps all day so she told me to come by tonight
if I needed to talk to her," he lied.

"Oh, yeah.  I thought she said last night that she didn't see anything,"
Tracy replied suspiciously.

"Well, she didn't," he admitted.  "But you know how these things are, she
might have remembered something now that she's had some time to think about
it," he quickly added.

//Yeah, he's up to something.  I could keep him here and make him sweat over
these phony excuses, or, I could let him go and get it out of Natalie.//
"Well, you better go talk to her then.  This could be the thing that cracks
the case wide open," she replied sarcastically.

"You're right," he said, not even taking notice of the biting tone of
Tracy's response.  "I should only be a few hours at the most."

He was out of the room before she could think up another flippant remark to
make.

//That's it, I'm going to find out where he really went and why.//  She got
up from her desk and headed towards the squad room exit.  As she rounded the
corner she collided with Natalie who was coming in the opposite direction.

"Just the person I was coming to see," she said as they stepped back from
each other.  "Nick is up to something and I think you know what it is.  Are
you going to tell me what's going on or not?"

****************************************************************************

End Part 8


Jean
A Vaquera at heart
"Why do you do that? Because I can."

Sorry for the delay in getting this out!! Any questions, comments, please
e-mail me privately.  Thanks!!

Part 9
"Renaissance" by Jean Freund

***************************************************************************

"I've been warned against revealing the information that you want, Detective
Vetter," Natalie replied solemnly.  "However," she continued, "I do think
that as a duly sworn officer of the city of Toronto you could compel me to
tell all that I know," she said smiling at Tracy.  "In the car on the way to
Nick's."

"In that case, wait right here and I'll get my coat,"  Tracy replied happily.

"Are you sure this is the place?" Nick asked Vachon as they landed on Mill
Street.

"That's what the man said; Gooderham & Worts, the old brewery on Mill Street
by the railroad tracks," Vachon repeated //for the third time.//

They continued on foot trying to detect any signs of life among the assorted
buildings.  As they neared the second warehouse they picked up the presence
of others.  They could hear the unmistakable sound of voices coming from the
top floor of the warehouse.  They fell back, wanting to listen and attempt
to determine if any of the voices were familiar.

"I think that one of those voices is Dimitri," Nick whispered after several
minutes.

"What are we waiting for, then? He's in there, let's go," Vachon whispered
urgently.

Just as Nick was about to answer Vachon, the voices went silent and they
heard footsteps that sounded as if someone was heading towards the front
exit of the warehouse.

Nick quickly scanned their surroundings and located a large abandoned
Victorian style building with an unobstructed view of the front of the
warehouse.

"Quick, up there," he indicated to Vachon as he took flight.  In seconds
they were both lying prone on the roof top facing the warehouse door.

A dark figure exited the building and started walking across the street,
directly towards their previous location.

As he reached the curb on the opposite side of the street there was a
tremendous explosion.  The entire top floor of the warehouse was blown apart
and the remaining floors were immediately engulfed in flames.  From their
roof top perch Vachon and Nick were both propelled back by the concussion of
the explosion.


It was several minutes before Nick could pull himself from under the pieces
of debris littering the roof top.

"Vachon," he yelled, anxiously scanning the area.

"I'm over here," a voice replied.

Nick turned and saw a hand protruding from underneath a pile of bricks and
lumber.

"Vachon, is that you," he questioned, as he started towards the pile.

//No, it's Antonio Banderas.// "Of course it's me," he replied indignantly.
"I need some help gettin' out of here."

Nick began pulling bricks off of the pile and Vachon began pushing from the
inside.  Within a short time Vachon was free.

"Are you alright?" Nick asked him as he pulled him to his feet.

"Yeah, I think so.  And you?" Vachon asked.

"I'm fine, just a few bruises," Nick replied.

"Aren't we forgetting someone?" Vachon asked pointing to the street below.

"The guy in the street," they replied together.  Taking flight they landed
on the street below.

He wasn't in the area where they had seen him prior to the explosion. They
were drawn to the alleyway about 30 feet from where they were searching by
the faint sound of someone moaning.  Whoever it was sounded as if they were
in extreme pain.

Nick located the stranger they had seen lying face down in the alley.  There
were pieces of glass and wood all over the back of his jacket.

//If he were mortal I would never think of moving him.//  He thought as he
attempted to turn the man on his back.  Rolling him over he got a close look
at their mysterious stranger.
He looked to be about 25-30, //in his mortal years, that is.//  Short brown
hair, nicely dressed.

"I've never seen him before," Vachon said, surveying the man's face as he
bent over Nick's right shoulder.

"No, he must be new.  Possibly...."


Just then the man's hands clamped around Nick's wrists.  His eyes snapped
open.  They glowed blood red in the darkness of the alley as he let out a
low growl.

Nick felt himself instantly transform and match the man's appearance.
"We're not the ones who did this," he advised the stranger.  "We're here to
help you," he further assured him.

He had the look of a caged animal as he glanced from Vachon to Nick trying
to gauge their threat potential.  He closed his eyes and Nick could feel his
grip loosening.

"Can you stand?" Nick asked.

"Yes, I think I can," the stranger replied hoarsely.

"Good, then I think we should all be leaving here right away," Nick advised
hearing the wail of sirens coming closer.

Vachon and Nick pulled the man to his feet and placed him between them, each
supporting an arm as they took flight headed for Nick's loft.

******************************************************************************
End of Part 9


Jean
A Vaquera at heart
"Why do you do that? Because I can."

"Renaissance" part 10/?
by Jean Freund

**************************************************************************

"Where are they?" Tracy asked nervously as she paced past Natalie.  "They
should have been back by now."  //You just wait Vachon.  Boy are you gonna
get an earful when you get back.  That is, if you make it back.// she worried.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the elevator as it made it's
way to the loft.

Tracy quickly grabbed her weapon from the holster.  Natalie grabbed the
cross and small bottle of holy water she had been carrying with her.  Tracy
doused the living room light leaving only the small appliance light in the
kitchen on.  They both ran to the area adjacent to the elevator entrance and
flattened themselves against the wall.

"I'll step in front to divert their attention.  When they go for me you hit
them with from behind with the holy water," Tracy whispered hurriedly to
Natalie.  Natalie nodded.

The elevator reached the loft and the door slid slowly open.

Tracy launched herself in front of the figure as it exited the door, "Metro
PD, freeze!" she shouted.

"You really have to stop using that outdated cop lingo, Trace," the figure
reproved.

"Vachon.  You scared us half to death," Tracy sighed as she lowered her gun.

Natalie moved into the living room and switched the light on.

"You wouldn't have been scared at all if you were back at the station like
Knight said you would be," he admonished.

"Where is Nick?" Natalie asked.

"Right here Natalie," she heard as Nick entered the loft with a disheveled
young man on his arm.

"This isn't...." Natalie said.

"No, no.  We found him outside of a building," he answered.


Natalie stepped forward and helped Nick put the stranger on the couch.

"What happened to him?" she asked, her professional instincts taking over.
"Maybe I should have a look at him."

"He'll be all right," Nick answered.  "He has amazing recuperative powers if
you get my meaning."

"Alrighty then, I guess he doesn't need me," she said as she stepped back
from the couch.  "By the way, how did he get injured?" she asked.

"Oh that would have happened in the explosion," Vachon offered nonchalantly
as he dropped into a chair.

"Explosion?" Tracy and Natalie asked simultaneously.

"Yeah, you should have seen it," Vachon said, "Just like the fourth of July."

"That's it," Tracy said, turning on Vachon, "I thought we were all supposed
to be in this together?  What gives you and Nick the right to go off without
including or informing us?"

"It was a mutual decision that the two of us would go alone.  For your own
safety we...."

"Oh no, you're not going to get away with that mutual decision for your
safety excuse, Vachon,"  Natalie chimed in.  "We have just as much right....."

"If you will recall, I told you to stay in the squad room and keep Tracy
there with you," Nick corrected.

"Oh yeah, the little women huddled together waiting for their men to return.
Well if you think that Tracy and I are ......"

"Could you all please stop shouting?" the voice from the couch interrupted.
"My head is killing me and this discussion isn't helping the pain.  Perhaps
you could take it outside?"

They were so intent on making their own individual points that they had
forgotten he was even there.

"We're sorry," Nick apologized.  "We're not usually like this.  It's just
been a bad couple of days."

"I can relate to that," the stranger said,  "By the way, I don't think we've
been properly introduced," he said offering his hand while not moving from
his reclining position.  "I'm Duncan.  Duncan O'Neill."


Nick went to the couch and shook his hand as loosely as possible, trying not
to add to his pain.  "And I'm..."

"Nicholas Knight," Duncan finished, "And these are your friends; Natalie,
Tracy and Vachon."

"Yes, but how..?" Nick asked.

"I've been following you, Nick.  For a mutual acquaintance of ours."

"And who would that be?" Nick asked, hoping his suspicions were wrong.

"Dimitri," Duncan answered.

Nick remained next to the couch.  He could feel his anger rising at this
confession.

"I think you had better explain yourself," Nick warned.

"Look, it's not what you think," Duncan pleaded.  "I was only doing it to
find out what Dimitri had in mind for you.  I'm part of the faction that
wanted to see him out of the way once and for all."

"I think you should start from the beginning," Nick advised, trying to weigh
Duncan's sincerity.

"Fine.  But before I begin could I have a drink?  You know, something to
help this pain in my head?" Duncan hinted.

Vachon rose and took a bottle from his crate.  He went to the couch and
handed it to Duncan, who had managed to pull himself up.

"Thank you.  Could I have a glass as well?" Duncan asked.

"Just get on with it," Nick said impatiently.

"All right, it's just that I don't want to appear to be unseemly in front of
the ladies, drinking out of the bottle like a common street person." Duncan
said as he removed the cork.  He downed at least half of the bottle in one
gulp.  "Ah, much better now, thank you,"  Duncan placed the bottle on the
table next to the couch.

"To begin with,  I had a very personal reason for wanting to see Dimitri out
of the way. At the time of his last insurrection I was residing in my home
country of Ireland.  My maker was an ancient one, almost a thousand years
old by the time he made me.  He taught me to think of myself as one who was
gifted.  He used to tell me to use my eternal life to aid mankind," Duncan
smiled at the thought of this memory.

"I couldn't help wondering how a creature that survived on the blood of the
living was supposed to help them as well.  After all, we prey on humanity.
And aside from ridding the population of a stray incorrigible now and then
we really have no other purpose; at least that I could see at the time," he
mused.

"Ours was a peaceful existence.  We hunted sparingly as we did not want to
attract attention to our presence in the area.  My maker showed me many ways
to avoid the taking of human life; living off of the blood of animals,
taking from a victim without killing them and so on.  He was the closest
thing to a father I have ever known," Duncan said sadly.  "I was an orphan,
you know.  Never knew who my parents were.  I took my last name from a pub
in the town where I grew up,"  He paused, remembering the feelings of
isolation and abandonment.  "But, I'm straying, let me get back to my
reasons for wanting Dimitri out of the way."

"We lived like this for several decades until the late 1600's.  This is when
we first heard the stirrings of a movement to draw all of our kind together.
A movement who's foundation was to outlaw any contact with the mortal world,
except as a source of food.  A movement that instilled fear in the hearts of
our younger ones and warned them that the mortal world would hunt them down
if they knew of their existence," Duncan related.

"My maker scoffed at this as he had known many mortals in his life.  None of
these mortals had ever hunted him or tried to end his existence.  He said
that the ones that taught this dogma had forgotten what it was like to be
mortal.  Had forgotten that there is good and evil in all societies,
including the community.  He told me he thought that this idea would soon
die out."

Duncan paused and took a deep breath repositioning himself on the couch.  "I
often left my maker for several nights at a time and used my powers to
explore the island of my birth.  I had been on the coast for several nights
when I learned that Dimitri and his small group of followers were in
Ireland.  They were recruiting as many as they could before they headed to
Europe.  I had no idea how dangerous they were until it was too late," he
recalled.

"Upon my return I found our cottage empty.  I searched the area surrounding
our home for several hours before coming upon my master.  He had been tied
spread eagle to the ground.  His heart had been pierced with a wooden stake.
All that was left of him were his garments and a small pile of ashes that
were scattering to the wind even as I knelt and wept by the site of his
demise," Duncan remembered bitterly as the blood tears stained his face.

"Above the area where his head would have rested was a note with only one
word hastily scribbled on it; traitor.  I knew that Dimitri was responsible.
He had probably come to my maker hoping that his influence would help him
win over more of our kind.  When he refused Dimitri had him killed.  I was
mad with grief and determined to avenge his death.  I followed Dimtri to
Europe and eventually located him in a small town in France.  But, by the
time I reached him he had already been taken care of by some others of our
kind," he said, his gaze coming to rest on Nick.

"I thought that we would never have to be bothered by him again.  I guess I
was premature in my pronouncement, though," he said.

No one spoke for several seconds, each lost in their own thoughts of the
story they had just heard.

Nick finally spoke up, "So after all of these centuries you've finally
avenged your maker's death by killing Dimitri after all."

"You think I....that I planted that bomb?" Duncan asked incredulously.  "Oh
no, not me.  It's true,  I'm not sad that he's finally gone, but I'm no bomber."

"Well if not you then who was it?" Nick asked.

"It sounds like you'd need a scorecard to keep track of everyone that hated
the guy and wanted to see him gone," Vachon interjected.  "I think we should
all just look on the bright side; he's dead, end of story."

"That's right," Natalie agreed.  "We can relax now."

"Yeah, we can," Tracy seconded.

"I guess so.  But I can't help wondering who would have planted that bomb?"
Nick continued.

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Detective," Natalie warned.

"Yes, that's right.  I think this calls for a celebration," Duncan said
happily.  "Ladies, would you care to join us in a toast?"

"Only if we don't have to drink from the same bottle," Tracy laughed,
indicating the bottle of special brew on the table.

"Wait a minute, I think I have just the thing," Nick said as he went to his
refrigerator.  He rummaged around and eventually came out with an unopened
bottle of champagne.  //I knew if I kept this long enough I would eventually
find a use for it.//  He grabbed several glasses and headed back to the
living room.

When they had their glasses filled with their desired drinks Duncan proposed
his toast; "To new friends, and to those living and dead that we hold dear.
May we all have the happiness we desire."

"Here, here," they all chimed in.
***************************************************************************
End part 10/?
Jean
A Vaquera at heart
"Why do you do that? Because I can."

Part 11, thanks to Jenn for her tireless beta reading!! Janis, this one's
for you, enjoy!!  Comments, suggestions, etc. email me privately.

"Renaissance" Part 11/?
by Jean Freund

*****************************************************************************

"Vachon, give me back that remote," Tracy demanded.

"Oh no, 'Madame Flicker', I'd like to see at least one program tonight if
you don't mind," Vachon answered, holding the television remote far enough
away so that Tracy couldn't reach it.

//I didn't know how much I missed this.//  She thought warmly as she toyed
with Vachon's hair.  He was seated in front of her on the bed naked.  They
had just finished another several hours of their favorite past time and were
trying to find as much harmony in choosing something to watch on TV.
//These past three weeks have been fantastic.//  She was glad to be back at
her place, glad she was in familiar surroundings, and glad to be alone with
Vachon.

"OK, just let me check once more and see what's on," she begged, while
lunging towards the hand that held the remote.

He pulled back and defeated her again.  He turned to face her, holding it
just out of reach and taunting her with it, "What's it worth to you?" he
asked sensuosly.

"I think the bigger question is what's it worth to you?" she teased, leaning
forward and running her tongue up his neck.

Pushing him to his back she began kissing his neck and worked her way to his
bottom lip, which she pulled into her mouth.  At the same time she straddled
his hips and began rubbing herself against his already erect penis.

"I hope this burst of romance isn't directly related to the remote, " he
teased, kissing her back.

She grabbed the remote, turned off the TV and dropped it to the floor beside
the bed.  "There, does that answer your question?" she asked.

"Definitely," he responded, pulling her down to meet his lips.  He kissed
her, crushing her torso to his chest.  She could feel the coarse texture of
his chest hair rubbing against her nipples, making them instantly erect.

"Touch me, Javier," she pleaded.

He rolled them over so that he was on top of her.  She started to reach up
for him but he held her wrists, gently pushing her hands to her sides.
Closing her eyes she waited in raptured anticipation for the feel of his
hands on her body.

He began with her shoulders, kneading them gently until she could feel the
tension ebbing from her body.  He moved outward to her arms and then in
again, brushing over her already sensitive nipples, using just the palms of
his hands in a soft circular motion.

She arched into his hands, using her body to plead for his touch.  She loved
the way his hands felt against her skin; the contrast of her heated body and
his cool hands.

She could feel his hands moving to her waist, kneading her hips, pulling her
forward so that he could enter her.  Opening her eyes she saw him instead
reaching across the bed for a pillow.  He pulled her to him and placed the
pillow under her hips.  He surveyed her body as it lay open for him, her
legs spread wide.

She watched him as he used his hands to massage her inner thighs and labia.
Unconsciously she began moving to the rhythm of his hands, closing her eyes
and concentrating on the way he was making her feel.

She moaned audibly when he finally grabbed her hips and pushed himself into
her.  He lowered himself to the bed so that his arms were on either side of
her body, holding him up as he thrust into her.  She pulled his mouth to
hers and their tongues met inside his mouth.  She could see that his eyes
were changing from their soft brown to a golden hue.  She used her tongue to
probe his teeth and found that his fangs had started to descend as well.
She ran her tongue up and down his teeth in time with each thrust.

This was the part of their lovemaking that enthralled her.  To see him wild
with passion.  She knew that she should be frightened of him, but she
wasn't.  She trusted him not to lose control.  And she couldn't stop
herself, she wanted him, always.

She broke their kiss and went to his neck, biting and nipping the area below
his right earlobe.  Twice she actually broke the skin and she tasted his
blood mingling with the blood sweat on his neck.

He pulled her away from his neck.  She tried to return but he held her back.
He wanted to see the look on her face when she climaxed; to know that he and
he alone was the one giving her such joy.

"Please Javier, I want to....," she murmured, struggling against his grip.

He pounded into her knowing she was near.  He always waited until just that
moment, when they were both lost in their ecstasy before biting her.

"Tell me when, Tracy," he said, feeling his own climax starting.

She went rigid beneath him momentarily.  "Now," she breathed.  "Now, Javier!"

He bared his fangs and buried them deep within her neck, her scream echoing
in unison with his own guttural moan as they both found their release.

Sometime later, as their breathing returned to normal, he licked her neck to
close the two holes he had reopened.  He was still buried deep inside her
and was reluctant to break the close contact with her body.  He propped
himself up on his elbows and kissed her.  She kissed him back, snuggling
into the area between his neck and shoulder.

"I guess I should move, huh," he asked, withdrawing from the warmth of her body.

"Vachon, would you do something for me?" Tracy asked timidly.

"Sure, what is it?" he asked, repositioning himself beside her.

"Would you just hold me, for a little while?" she asked.

He moved to the head of the bed and held out his arms to her.  She crawled
into his embrace, laying her head against his chest.

"It's all right now, Trace," he reassured her, stroking her hair.
"Dimitri's gone, we have nothing to fear any longer."  He pulled her head up
to face him. "I would never let any harm come to you.  I love you, Tracy."

"I love you, too, Va......I mean, Javier," she corrected.

//OK, we love each other and all is right with the world.  So why do I feel
like this thing isn't over yet// she thought, hugging Vachon closer as a
chill ran up her spine.

*****************************************************************************

End of Part 11


Jean
A Vaquera at heart
"Why do you do that? Because I can."

Part 12/?
"Renaissance"
By Jean Freund (gasteel@erols.com)

******************************************************************************

Nick exited the bedroom pulling his coat on as he descended the stairs to
the living room.  He was just in time to catch Duncan snapping his suitcase
shut.

"I'm sorry you can't stay longer," Nick told him.

"I think I've worn out my welcome as well as anyone can," Duncan countered
smiling.  "These past few weeks have been very satisfying for me.  I can't
remember when I've felt more at ease."

"You know the door is always open if you need a place to stay," Nick assured
him.

"Yes, I know," Duncan replied, thinking back on all that he had experienced.
Nick and Natalie had gone out of their way, treating him as though he were a
long lost friend.  Nick had insisted he stay on and get a taste of Toronto
life.  They had gone to dinner, Chinese, as that was Natalie's favorite.
Well, at least Natalie had eaten.  Nick and Duncan spent the time swapping
stories of the 'old days' and regaling Natalie with first hand accounts of
history that she had only read about. They went to museums, the park (at
night of course) and spent countless hours watching  videos, another of
Natalie's favorites.

Vachon and Tracy had also treated him to their own form of fun.  Vachon was
playing guitar with a band by the name of "The Slimy Bastards" at what could
only be referred to as a dive down on the water front.  Just his kind of
place, Tracy had said.  The music was so loud it made the Raven sound almost
palpable.  Duncan was hesitant at first but by the end of the night he found
he was really enjoying himself.  Just witnessing the interaction between
Tracy and Vachon was worth the noise.

He could honestly say that he had not experienced such an outpouring of
acceptance and affection since the days when his maker was alive.  It
surprised him that he had found those feelings again after such a long time.

"Do you need a ride to the airport?" Nick asked.

"No, I've called a cab.  Don't want you to be late for work, Detective,"
Duncan teased.

"Then I'll be saying good-bye, and good luck," Nick said, clasping Duncan's
hand in his.

"Thank you for all of your generosity.  And make sure to convey that to
Natalie, Vachon and Tracy as well," Duncan said as he shook Nick's hand.

"Will do," Nick said.  He turned and left by the elevator.  The sound of the
door slamming shut echoed throughout the loft.

Duncan stood alone, lost in his thoughts for several seconds.  He picked up
his suitcase, went to the roof and took flight.

The sound of blaring music greeted him as he pulled the door open.  He made
his way to the bar.  No LaCroix.  He went to the office door and knocked.

"Enter," he heard the voice say as he turned the knob.

"Duncan.  What a surprise to see you here." LaCroix purred.  He looked down
and noticed the suitcase in Duncan's hand.  "Leaving so soon, are we? And I
thought you were having such a good time playing with your new friends."

"You can stop the jokes, LaCroix.  I only came by out of respect for your
relationship with Eamon."

There, he had said the name.  It felt so strange to hear it coming from his
own lips after all of these centuries.  The feeling of sadness almost
overwhelmed him.  He could tell that LaCroix was also momentarily taken back
remembering his old friend.

Yes, he was a fine man," LaCroix said as he cleared his throat.  "I was
truly sorry to hear of his death."

Duncan accepted his condolences with a curt nod.  He pulled up a chair and
lowered himself into it.  A silence fell between the two as they each
struggled with their memories of a man they had both admired, and loved.

"You know, LaCroix, I never did forgive you for taking my revenge away from
me," Duncan said, half jesting.  "I would have loved to have been there to
see him breathe his last."

"Yes, well, you've corrected that wrong, have you not?" LaCroix replied.

"What do you mean?"

"The bomb, Duncan," LaCroix prodded.

"Me? I thought you were the one...."

"Oh no, not me.  I do admit that I planned on taking care of Dimitri, but in
a much more subtle manner, I assure you."


"Well if it wasn't you, and it wasn't me, then who....?"

"That, as they say, is the $64,000 question," Lacroix mused.

Natalie passed through the double doors of the Coroner's lab reading a
report on her latest 'patient' and absently chewing on a pretzel.  Plunking
down at her desk she finished reading and had a couple of seconds to compose
herself before the end of her shift.  //God it feels good to have my life
back// she thought as she began straightening her desk top.  It was then
that she found the blue envelope with her name on it.

She picked it up and opened it.  Inside was a card with a picture of a
single rose against a backdrop of candlelight.  She opened it and noted that
the writing inside was done in the same intricate calligraphy as her name on
the envelope.  It read:

    "Your invited to a romantic dinner for two.  The limousine will pick you
up at
      7:00PM on Thursday."

                                         Love,
                                             Nick

She read the card again trying to convince herself that she wasn't
hallucinating. Hugging the card to her chest she pushed her chair back to a
reclining position.  //Nick planning a romantic dinner?  Well, never let it
be said that miracles don't happen.//

All at once she bolted upright, "Thursday! That's today, I mean tonight."

She checked her watch, a half hour to go.  //Well, no one will notice if I
slip out now.// she thought.  Grabbing her coat she headed for the door.

"Romantic dinner.  What do you wear to a 'romantic dinner'?  I'll have to go
shopping, I know I don't have anything that nice at home.  Oh, and then I'll
have to get my hair done and ....."

*****************************************************************************



Jean
A Vaquera at heart
"And what a screamin' fine ride it is, too"

"Renaissance" Part 13/?
by Jean Freund

***************************************************************************
Tracy could hardly contain herself as she dressed for her night out with
Vachon.  She glanced over at the card on her dresser.  The card with the
romantic picture of a single rose against a backdrop of candle light.  She
checked her watch, almost 7:30.

//I wonder why Vachon would want a limo?  He usually likes to fly to all of
our special occassions.  Oh well, I guess this is just his way of keeping me
on my toes.//

She finished her hair and completed her ensemble with the ring that he had
given her.  The blue in the stone complimented her eyes.  Besides which, she
loved wearing it.  And the fact that it had belonged to Vachon's mother made
it all the more special.

The blare of a car horn pulled her out of her daydream.  Looking out of her
bedroom window she saw a long, black, stretch limousine with a large man in
uniform standing by the door nearest the curb.

//He invites me out and he can't even come to the door and get me, huh?  I
think someone needs a refresher course on dating etiquette// she thought as
she left her apartment.

The man at the rear of the vehicle greeted her with a tip of his hat.  He
opened the door and took her hand as she entered the limo.

"Vachon, why didn't you come up and .......?"  Tracy stopped in mid
sentence.  There on the floor of the limo was Natalie; tied, gagged and
unconscious.

Her first thought was to back out as fast as she could, however, the man in
the uniform anticipated this move and easily shoved her back inside. She hit
the back seat face first with a tremendous force.

//He can't be human// she thought.  //He's too strong.//

She felt a stinging sensation in her shoulder and realized he was injecting
her with something.

The car pulled away from the curb.  It was then that she remembered how pale
the man had seemed when she had first seen him.  //No this can't be!  He's
one of them.  But why?//  Her last coherent thought before she blacked out
was to wonder why Vachon had ever told her she would be safe.

Nick tried Natalie's apartment again.  //Why doesn't she answer?//

He hung up the phone and was preparing to go over there when he heard the
sound of the elevator being activated.

Vachon stepped from the elevator, a look of concern on his face.  "Have you
seen Tracy?" he asked.

"No, not since this morning when we got off.  You haven't seen Natalie, have
you?"

"No, is she missing too?"

"I don't know that she's missing.  She left me a note this morning telling
me that she was going to be out tonight and wouldn't be back until after
eight.  The note said she wanted me to call her so we could get together and
do something, but there's no answer at her place."

"I got a note from Tracy, too.  Same thing; I'll be back after eight, call
me and we can get together.  Only thing is, I've been to her place, she's
not there." Vachon stated .  "Let me see your note."

Nick went to the counter and retrieved the note.  Vachon pulled out his note
and compared the two.  They were both type written on identical paper with
almost identical wording, but they were signed individually by Tracy and
Natalie.  //Or were they?//

Vachon had been in such a hurry when he picked up the note he hadn't thought
to check the signature.  It looked like Tracy's, but after closer inspection
he was convinced it was a forgery.

He handed Natalie's note to Nick.  "Double check the signature, I don't
think this is Tracy's handwriting."

Nick grabbed the note and took a good look at the signature.  It was close,
but it wasn't Natalie's.  A cold fear gripped his heart.

"It's not her signature," he confirmed.

Just then the phone rang.  "Knight," Nick answered.

"Ah, Nicholas.  How good to hear your voice after all this time.  I trust
you know who this is," the voice asked.

"Dimitri?  How could you have survived?  I saw the building explode....."

"Let's just say that the reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated," he
laughed.  "I'm glad I caught you at home, Nicholas.  I have something of
yours that I feel you may want returned to you."

"Natalie?  You have Natalie with you?"

"And a young blonde, I believe her name is Tracy. Do you think your friend
Vachon would want her returned as well?"

Vachon could hear Dimtri on the other end of the phone.  At the mention of
Tracy's name he almost ripped the phone from Nick's hand.

Nick tried to pull his thoughts together.  //This is a hostage situation.
What should you do first?  Try to keep him talking, maybe he'll say
something that will give us a clue as to where they are.//

"Dimitri, how do we know that you have both of them?" Nick asked.

"I was waiting for you to get around to the doubt, Nicholas."

"Go to the roof of your building.  There you will find a small package with
your name on it.  This will dispel any doubts you have about my sincerity,"
Dimitri fumed.  "I will call you back in fifteen minutes.  Be prepared for
my demands."  At that, the phone went dead.

Nick hung up the phone and he and Vachon bolted to the roof.

The package had been placed on the ledge of the building overlooking the
street below.  Nick ripped the box open and removed two small brown
envelopes.

Inside the envelope marked Nicholas, there was a lock of Natalie's hair and
the gold earrings that he had given to her on her last birthday.

Vachon opened his envelope and found the ring he had given to Tracy dangling
from a lock of blonde hair.  He touched the ring knowing that Tracy would
not have given it up without a fight.  //How could this have happened after
I promised her that I would protect her?//  Wild thoughts began to invade
his mind.  //She could be dead already, and here I stand not doing a thing
about it.//  Unconciously he started toward the edge of the building.  He
needed to do something, anything but stand there.

He took flight, but Nick was close behind him and pulled him down to the
roof of a neighboring building.  Vachon tried in vain to wrench himself from
Nick's arms, all the while raining curses on his head for having stopped him.

"Vachon! Think about what you're doing!" Nick yelled as he wrestled him to
the ground, pinning his shoulders to the roof top and forcing Vachon to face
him.  "If we're not there to take Dimitri's phone call what do you think
he'll do then?"

Vachon stopped struggling.  He released his grip on Nick's shirt.

"I know you're upset, so am I.  But we can't do anything right now.  Let's
see what Dimitri has to say and then we'll come up with a plan." Nick
continued, in a gentler tone of voice.

Vachon closed his eyes and took a deep breath, hoping to calm the rage that
was still gripping his heart.

"Fine, we'll do it your way.  But one thing," he snarled, his eyes glowing a
deep gold, "You promise me here and now.  When the time comes, he's mine."

"Vachon I......."

"Now Knight! Or I'll do things my way,"  Vachon yelled.

"Alright.  But in return I want your cooperation.  Agreed?"

Vachon grudgingly nodded and Nick allowed him to stand up.

They both made their way back to the roof of Nick's building and started
down the stairs from the roof.  As they reached the landing the phone began
to ring.

**************************************************************************

Jean
A Vaquera at heart
"And what a screamin' fine ride it is, too"

Here's part 14, if you e-mailed me about missing parts and you didn't get
them, please let me know. There are some people who have sent me private
e-mails and the parts I sent were bounced back, so contact me again if you
didn't get your part.  Thanks again to Jenn N. for endless beta-reading and
Heather K. for furnishing the authentic Toronto locations.

"Renaissance" Part 14/?
by Jean Freund (gasteel@erols.com)

****************************************************************************

Nick landed on the rooftop and proceeded down the steps to the loft.  It was
almost ten o'clock.  When Dimitri had phoned back he spent the better part
of the conversation railing against Nick and Vachon's involvement with Tracy
and Natalie.  Nick was convinced that Dimitri was truly insane.  He had let
his powers corrupt his mind.  He taunted Nick by giving him the exact
address of their whereabouts; 1 Austin Place at Spidina and Davonports
Roads.  The property in question, Casa Loma, was a large medieval style castle.

By now Nick was convinced that there would be no bartering with Dimitri.  He
intended to kill them all, he was just using Tracy and Natalie as bait to
lure Vachon and himself into his trap.  They would have one chance to end
this thing.  He didn't intend to lose this time.

"Where have you been?  You've been gone for over an hour." Vachon demanded.

"I had to see a friend about some blue prints," Nick replied as he laid the
tube of paper on the kitchen table.

He unrolled the paper and weighted the corners with various objects from the
kitchen.  Vachon moved over to the opposite end of the table and Nick began
his description of the property in question.

"Casa Loma, built around 1911.  As you can see it has over 90 rooms, perfect
for hiding two people from the prying eyes of fellow vampires.  There's also
an 800 foot tunnel that runs underground from several of the rooms to the
stables.  Looking at this I can see why Dimitri is using this particular
piece of property."

"What's this notation here?" Vachon asked pointing to a hastily scribbled
note on the corner of the plans.

"That's my handwriting.  According to my contact the property is closed for
repairs right now.  Convenient, huh?"

Vachon was silent for several seconds studying the plans.  "All right, we
know we can't possibly locate them in a building this large.  I would also
be willing to bet that Dimitri wouldn't put both of them together, that
would be too easy.  If we go in together and we both get caught, we're
history.  So......I think our best bet is to split up."

"Sort of divide and conquer," Nick said, contemplating Vachon's idea.

"Unless you've got a better idea, that is," Vachon replied.

"No, I think you're right.  We stand a much better chance apart," Nick
acknowledged.  "Now all we have left to decide is where we want to try to
get in."

"I'll take the tunnel and try to find the exit to the lower floors," Vachon
offered.  "Once I'm out I'll check the first floor and hopefully the second."

"OK, I guess that leaves me coming in from the roof and taking the top floor."

"Agreed," Vachon replied.  "There's just one other thing.  I know it's none
of my business but, since LaCroix helped you with this the last time, don't
you think we could use his help again?"

"No," Nick replied, a little too forcefully.  "Sorry, I didn't mean it that
way.  I've already asked for his help and he's refused.  He sees it as
perpetuating my relationship with Natalie."

"Well, we can't have that can we?" Vachon replied jokingly.

Nick removed the weights and rolled the paper up.  "No, that's the last
thing that LaCroix would want."

"You really do love her, don't you?"

"Yes, I do," Nick replied.

"Not to touch on an indelicate subject, but have you and Natalie
ever......."  Vachon gestured with his hands. "Done it?"

"No, we've never 'done it'," Nick mimicked.

"You say you love her, you're both willing, I don't see the problem."

Nick took a deep breath.  "Look, do we really have time for this discussion?
We do have something to take care of.  Something a bit more important than
whether Natalie and I have sex or not."

"You're embarrassed, aren't you?  This really makes you uncomfortable,
doesn't it?" Vachon teased.

"Yes, it does," Nick said, turning to face Vachon.  "You have no idea what
it's like to love someone so much and be terrified of losing control of
those emotions.  Knowing that the end result of your losing control could
mean that person's death."

"You're wrong, I do know what that's like," Vachon countered.  "But I also
know what it's like to lose someone you care about without ever telling
them, or showing them, the way you feel."

Nick turned from Vachon, knowing that what he was saying was right.  His
greatest fear was losing Natalie without ever having shared that closeness
and intimacy with her.  Without ever letting her know just what she truly
meant to him.  And now he may never get that chance.
//I do owe her that much.  If we get out of this...NO, when we get out of
this, our relationship will change, Natalie.  I promise you that.//

"I'm sorry for that," Vachon apologized.  "Look at me, the guy who's spent
the last 400 years of his existence running, giving out advice."

"No, it's all right," Nick replied.  "You're right.  I told you once that
eternity was a long time to continue running.  Well, I'm guilty of the same
thing with Natalie.  Running away from her emotionally instead of facing our
desire to be with one another.  She deserves better....and when this is all
over I'm going to give that to her.  But, for now, let's just be content
with getting them back, OK?"

Vachon nodded in agreement.  "I've packed the two bags with the stuff we
need.  Is there anything else we need to do before we leave?"

//Yeah, say a prayer.//  Nick thought facetiously.  "No, I guess that's it.
Let's go."

Minutes later they were at the property.  Nick continued on to reach the
roof.  Vachon landed outside the compound and began making his way to the
stables on foot.  As he rounded the corner of an outbuilding he spotted
three vampires several hundred feet away.  They were all armed, but he
couldn't make out what they were carrying.  Then one of them turned and he
got a good look at the weapon; a flame thrower.

//This Dimitri doesn't fool around, does he?  Well, we'll just see if we can
even up the odds.//  He crouched down placing his pack on the ground.
Slowly he removed one of the sharpened stakes  and waited for them to move
away from one another.

His patience was rewarded when several minutes later they broke up, each
going in a different direction.  One of them was headed directly towards his
position.

He would have to move quietly if he hoped to accomplish what he had in mind.
As soon as the sentry was close enough Vachon grabbed him.  With lightning
speed he clamped his hand over the man's mouth and took flight. When he felt
at a safe distance he drove the stake home.  The struggling vampire ceased
his activities.  Vachon deposited his body in an alley way and removed the
weapon from his back.  He then made his way back to Casa Loma.  The whole
process taking less than a minute.

He retrieved his bag and made his way to the stables.  He listened for
several seconds; no activity.  Peering in through a window he could see two
large double doors which he guessed was the entrance to the tunnel.  He
pushed the window open and lowered himself to the ground.


He stood still, straining to make out any noise or sounds of activity;
nothing.  //Strange that no one is in here.  I guess Dimitri didn't think we
would make it this far, so why bother.//  Vachon moved across the floor in
silence and entered the door to the tunnel.

//When do they take a break?//  Nick thought as he crouched behind a small
ledge on the roof.  He had been there for almost 15 minutes waiting for the
two vampires to move to another part of the building. He was sure that the
small window on the next peak would take him into the upper floor of the
building, but he couldn't move just yet.

Another couple of minutes went by.  Nick had just about decided to make his
move despite the consequences when he noticed the two men together looking
over the edge of the roof.  Then they both took flight and the roof was
empty, except for him.  He moved swiftly to the window hoping that the two
were not drawn away by the presence of Vachon on the ground.

//I can't think about that right now.  My job is to locate Natalie and Tracy
first.// He thought, as he opened the window and dropped into an upper
hallway.  He stopped and listened.  He could make out the sound of a faint
mortal heart beat somewhere close by.

Slowly he made his way down the hall, listening at every door.  Four doors
down the sound became unmistakable.  It was definitely a mortal heart beat,
and there were no other sounds coming from the room.  He took the knob in
his hand and twisted slowly.  As the door opened he could see faint light
being cast by a single candle burning on a small table in the room.

He approached the source of the sound, the bed, and gently peeled back the
sheet.  It was Natalie.  She was alive, but asleep.  //No, drugged.//  He
could not detect any signs of injury, or teeth marks.  Relief flooded his
senses.  //Now what to do?  I can leave with Natalie now and risk losing
Tracy and Vachon.  But then again, Vachon may already have located Tracy.
He may already be out and waiting for us.//

He looked down at Natalie and decided.  //I have to be sure.  We all go, or
none of us do.//  He bent, kissed her cheek and quietly left.

Vachon made his way through the tunnel slowly.  He was convinced that
Dimitri would have someone waiting somewhere in the tunnel so he was
stopping every few seconds to make sure he wasn't being followed.

It seemed as if the tunnel went on forever, or maybe it was his impatience
that was making it seem that way.  Eventually his feet detected a slight
rise in the tunnel path.  He was coming out to the exit at the main house.

//Finally, I thought I was gonna be stuck in here forever.//  The tunnel
seemed to be getting lighter, confirming his suspicion that he was getting
close to the house.  As the tunnel made it's next turn he felt it.  There
was someone else in the tunnel.  Definitely not mortal, a vampire.
He halted his movements and went immediately still for several seconds.
Slowly he reached into his bag and grasped another stake.

//Steady, wait until you know he's right there before you move.//  He could
now make out the soft tread of the feet.  They were much too quiet for any
mortal to hear, but to Vachon, frozen in time inside of an 800 foot tunnel,
the sound was almost deafening.

//He's right in front of me.//  Vachon raised his hand ready to strike, and
then he heard it.  It was behind him.  The sound was behind him now.

//How could I have been wrong?  It was in front of me.  But wait, what's
this.  It can't be.  It's two; two vampires.  One in front, one behind.//

Just as he realized his mistake a hand grabbed his upraised arm and he felt
himself being shoved up against the wall of the tunnel.  He struggled
against the arms holding him, but it was no use.  He wasn't going anywhere.

****************************************************************************


Jean
A Vaquera at heart
"And what a screamin' fine ride it is, too"

Sorry for the delay on this, I've been away.

*******************************

"Renaissance" Part 15/?
by Jean Freund

**************************************************************************

Nick moved slowly down the hallway.  He had checked most of the upper floor
and was now heading down to the next level.

//I hope Vachon was able to get in.//  Nick rounded the newel and slipped
down the stairs.



//If I go down, it's not going to be without a fight!//  Vachon lashed out
at the forces pinning him to the wall.  He connected with his feet and was
able to dislodge one set of hands. He heard the owner of the hands cursing
as he was pushed back.

"Vachon, stop!"

//I know that voice.// "LaCroix?"

"Yes.  Please stop struggling."

"Who's with you?"

"It's me, Duncan."

LaCroix lowered Vachon to the floor and activated a small flashlight he had
with him.  Duncan was holding his ribs in obvious discomfort.

"Don't you think you should douse the light, LaCroix?" Vachon warned.

"I don't think that will be necessary.  Duncan and I have seen to the
others,"  LaCroix assured him.

"Good. Uh, sorry about the ribs, Duncan," Vachon apologized.  "I guess I was
so excited I didn't realize it as you."

"No problem, they'll heal //eventually//" Duncan winced.

"Not to break up this happy little reunion, but where is Nicholas?" LaCroix
asked.

"By now he ought to be on the upper floors.  That was the plan; he took the
roof, I took the tunnel.  We're supposed to meet in the middle, that is if
we didn't get caught first."
"Come, gentlemen.  Time is of the essence," LaCroix warned, moving towards
the tunnel exit.  "If I know Dimitri he'll be making his move soon."



Nick moved into the hallway on the second floor.  Again he detected the
faint sound of another heartbeat; mortal.  He followed the sound and was
drawn to another door.  He opened the door and went to the bed.  Peeling
back the sheet, he found the source of the sound, a small tape recorder.

//What the .....?//  He thought as he straightened.

"So good of you to drop by, Nicholas," he heard from behind him.
Simultaneously several pair of arms grabbed him and he felt the sting of a
syringe as it was shoved roughly into his neck.



LaCroix, Duncan and Vachon broke from the tunnel.  "Duncan, you take the
basement," LaCroix ordered.  "Vachon, you go the third floor and I'll take
the second."

Duncan darted down the hallway to the basement door.  //Locked.//  He
grasped the door knob and twisted it, ripping the door from its hinges.
Plunging down the stairs he was confronted with several large storage crates
and cardboard boxes.  He pushed them to the side, eventually finding Tracy
in the far corner of the room wedged between a crate and the wall.

She was bound and gagged but seemed to be unharmed.  He freed her and helped
her to her feet.  She was still groggy from the injection.  Duncan swept her
into his arms and headed up the steps.

LaCroix reached the last door on the second floor.  He could sense the
presence of another vampire inside the room.  He pulled the door open.
There, sitting calmly in the center of the room was Dimitri.

"Lucien.  What a surprise," Dimitri said, standing.  "I was really only
expecting two, but, the more the merrier I always say."

"Where is Nicholas?" LaCroix demanded,  his eyes blazing, barely able to
quell his rising temper.

"That, as they say, is for me to know and you not to know.  Or is it, 'you
to find out'?" he chuckled.  "I'm always getting those two confused."

LaCroix launched himself at Dimitri, slamming him back into the wall.  "You
will tell me what I want to know or mark my words, I will kill you."

"And risk losing your precious Nicholas?" Dimitri hissed.  "I doubt it."

"What have you done with him?"

"It's very difficult to think with your arm digging into my neck; would you
mind?" Dimitri gestured, indicating his desire to be released.

LaCroix lowered him to the floor while maintaining his grip.  "There, I've
given you what you wanted," LaCroix impatiently responded.  "Now give me the
information."

"What I want?" Dimitri rejoined.  "What I want is to see you as you are now,
Lucien.  To see you begging for the return of your Nicholas.  How does it
feel to be powerless?  The great LaCroix finally bested."



Vachon had located Natalie and was moving down to the second floor with her
when he spotted Duncan carrying Tracy up the stairs from the main floor.

"Go ahead, I'm fine," Natalie assured him.

Vachon rushed to Duncan and took Tracy from his arms.  He dropped to one
knee and propped her up against the wall.

"Tracy, wake up.  It's me, Javier" he said, as he patted her cheek.

Tracy eyes fluttered open.  "It's really you," she said, falling forward
into his arms.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, visually checking her body.

"No, I don't think so. Just a little sore from the injection, and those
ropes," she replied, rubbing her arms.

"Do you think you can walk?" Duncan asked.

"Yeah, sure."

Duncan went to Natalie on the steps. "Can you make it?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm still a little dizzy, but it should pass," she assured him.

"Let's go then," Vachon directed, pulling Tracy to her feet.



"Now, you will tell me what you have done with Nicholas," LaCroix demanded.

"Not so fast, LaCroix.  There's still the small matter of what you'll do for
me first"

"Do for you?" A voice behind them asked incredulously.  "What we'll do for
you is maybe let you pick the way you'll die."

Dimitri turned to face Vachon and the others.

"I was wondering when the rescue party would show up," Dimitri joked.

"You really need to take another shot at death," Tracy challenged.  "Only
this time maybe you could manage to get it right."

Dimitri started across to the doorway, towards Tracy.  Vachon stepped in
front of her, daring him to try something.  He stopped several feet away
from the group.

"As you young people are so fond of saying, my dear; been there, done that,
got the T-shirt," he mimicked.  "I'm not interested in repeating past
performances."

"You know, Duncan, you really need to find a better circle of friends."

Duncan stared at him in response, unable to answer.  He was using all of his
energy to keep from killing Dimitri.

"Ah well, impetuous youth," he sighed.  "What do you think, LaCroix?"

"I think you should tell us what it is that you want so we can end this
charade."

"Yes, back to the business at hand," Dimitri agreed.  "Well, here it is.  I
want safe passage for myself, and any of the others who care to follow.  In
return I will tell you where you can find Nicholas."

"No, LaCroix.  No way," Vachon erupted.

LaCroix lifted his hand to silence Vachon.  "If we do this, what guarantee
do we have that you will not return?"

"None.  That's the beauty of it," Dimitri laughed.  "I have what you want,
so, you have no choice but to cooperate."

"How do we know that you haven't done anything to Nick already?" Natalie asked.

"LaCroix can answer that.  You still feel him, don't you?"

LaCroix nodded.

"He's in a familiar place, and safe.  For the moment.  But time is of the
essence.  What do you say, LaCroix?"
"He says no.  No deal," Duncan interjected.  "There is no way we can let you
leave here."

"Silence!" Dimitri yelled, wheeling to face Duncan.  "You will be silent or
I will see to it that you end up like your beloved master."

Duncan felt as though all the air had left his lungs.  This was the first
time that Dimitri had actually mentioned the killing.

"I never got the chance to tell you just how good it felt to rid the world
of that pathetic, weak creature," Dimitri taunted.  "You know he actually
had the nerve to tell me that I was wrong.  Me, the one person who cares
more for our kind than anyone."

He crossed to Duncan and put his arm around his shoulders.  "You know, I
felt bad after that little incident," he whispered in Duncan's ear.  "I felt
bad that I couldn't be there to hear his screams as the sun rose and
incinerated his flesh."

What happened next was like something out of a nightmare.  Duncan moved with
lightning speed, grabbing a stake from Vachon's bag.

"No!" LaCroix screamed, lunging towards the pair.

In the blink of an eye Duncan had impaled Dimitri to the wall, the stake
holding him as it protruded from his chest.

"Duncan, what have you done?" LaCroix demanded, as he grabbed Duncan by the
shirt, pulling him back from the wall.

Duncan felt detached from himself, as if someone else were responsible for
what had happened.

"I'm sorry," he stammered, realizing that they had not gotten Nick's
location before he had killed Dimitri.  "I just couldn't let him talk about
Eamon that way.  I don't know what came over me."

"You always did have that Irish temper," a voice whispered.

LaCroix and Duncan turned to see Dimitri barely clinging to life.

"I knew I could count on you to help me exact my revenge.  A little prodding
and you reacted  just as I knew you would," he laughed.  "Quid pro quo, eh
LaCroix?"

He dropped his head and began to laugh.  A laugh that echoed off the walls,
finally ending in a coughing spasm, and then silence as he breathed his last.

The others could only stare in disbelief.  The sun would be rising in less
than three hours.

*****************************************
End part 15/16





Jean
A Vaquera at Heart
"And what a screamin' fine ride it is, too!"

The end.  I thought it would never get finished!! I need to thank Jenn
Nieboer for her unfailing help beta reading this whole story! And Heather
for the location particulars in Toronto.  And everyone who e-mailed me on
this story with such kind and supportive comments.  (This is starting to
sound like an Oscar acceptance speech (Sally Fields where are you??)  Let me
know how you all like the end.  I am open to any and all comments on this.
Additionally, if anyone would like to post this and the prequel, "The Way
You Do The Things You Do", to a fiction web page I would be very flattered.

*****************************************************************************
"Renaissance"
Part 16/16
by Jean Freund
gasteel@erols.com
**************************************************************************
Tracy and Natalie sat in the kitchen of Casa Loma, each writing down their
own version of the 'Nick Knight most familiar places in Toronto' list.
Duncan, Vachon and LaCroix had taken Dimitri's body for disposal.  A hasty
disposal, they had said, as they were all anxious to get down to the
business of finding Nick.

"I still think he was giving us a clue when he said that Nick was in a
familiar place," Natalie said as she stood to stretch her legs.

"I agree, but there are so many familiar places," Tracy replied, looking
over her list.  "And we're running out of time."

//Tell me something I don't know.//  Natalie thought.  "Alright, let's have
your list.  We need to cross off any duplicates.  I want these things ready
to go the moment they return."


The light from the growing blaze illuminated the faces of the three vampires
as they stood watching the body being engulfed by the flames.  LaCroix had
been strangely quiet since their departure.  All three felt the same way;
they were relieved that Dimitri was finally gone. But it left them little
recourse where Nick was concerned.

Duncan turned from the flames and addressed LaCroix.  "I'm sorry.  I know it
will never be enough, just saying it, but I don't know what else I can do.
I shouldn't have let him bait me like that.  Hell, he wanted me to kill him
and I fell for it."

LaCroix showed no sign that he had heard Duncan.  He stared into the fire,
his jaw flinching every now and then.  It was obvious to Duncan that LaCroix
was trying valiantly to stave off his rage in favor of locating Nick.

"Well, I guess we should be heading back," Vachon offered, uneasy with the
silence surrounding the three.

LaCroix did not move from his place by the fire.

"Maybe I should head back alone," Vachon whispered to Duncan.  "You know,
give you a chance to talk."  Duncan nodded and Vachon flew off alone.

"LaCroix," Duncan started.  "I know you're angry with me, but we are wasting
precious time.  Please, come back with me so that we can start looking for
Nick."

After some hesitation LaCroix turned to Duncan.  "You're quite right.  After
all, what's done is done."

It wasn't exactly forgiveness, but it was a start, Duncan thought as they
took to the air.

Upon their return they found that Natalie and Tracy had put together a list
of places that Nick frequented. They divided the list by areas of the city,
each taking several locations.  In deference to the vampires of the group,
it was decided that they would meet back at the Raven when the search was
completed.

Natalie was searching the area surrounding the station.  She didn't think
that Nick would be anywhere around due to the amount of official traffic,
but they couldn't rule it out.  She searched the entire building starting
with her office and eventually worked her way up to the roof.

//Nick, where can you be?// she thought as she observed the lightening of
the sky from the rooftop.


Duncan was just leaving the last location on his list.  //Almost dawn, I'd
better be getting to the Raven.//  And yet, he didn't want to go just then.
He kept thinking that they were overlooking the obvious.  //Someplace
familiar.  Not his workplace, not the Raven.//  He thought back on the time
he had spent with Nick and Natalie.  The museums, the park, videos at Nick's
loft.  //The loft!//  He hurriedly checked his list.  //It's not there.
Could it be that simple?//  He took flight and was at the loft in a matter
of seconds, just beating the rising sun.

He took the elevator up to the loft.  As he exited the car he stopped,
hoping for some sign that Nick was there.  Nothing.  He activated the
blinds, closing out the strengthening light of dawn.
He went to the couch and sat down.  Running his hands through his hair he
looked around the loft trying put himself in Dimitri's shoes.

//If I were Dimitri where would I hide someone?//  He wished that Eamon were
there, he always seemed to know just what to do in times of crisis.  His
mind wandered back to the days when his master was alive.  //The happy
times, until Dimitri arrived.// He thought bitterly as he relived the death
of his mentor once again.  //Oh, Eamon.  Why did you have to die like that.//

"Die like that?  How did he die?" he said out loud to no one in particular.
Realization struck him as he jumped to his feet.  He went to the door
leading to the roof.  Pulling it open he rushed up the steps hoping he was
not too late.



Nick was dreaming again.  He found himself remembering an outing with Fleur
when they were both young.  They had gone to a meadow and had spent the day
playing in the sun.  He flinched remembering that the sun was something he
feared, and yet, it felt so warm and inviting. He relaxed and let the warmth
envelop his body.  He could feel himself beginning to sweat.  The warmth was
quickly turning to heat.  Too much heat.

//I have to wake up.// He thought as the heat intensified to an almost
intolerable level.  He tried to move, to get away from the heat, but his
hands and feet were so heavy.  No, they were not heavy they were tied down.

//What ...?// He thought opening his eyes.  The light was so bright it
momentarily blinded him. The heat was now beginning to burn his skin, he
could see little tendrils of smoke rising from his limbs.  He struggled
against the bonds holding him, to no avail.  The heat was now burning him
through his clothes.  He began to scream as it invaded every inch of his body.

And then he felt it.  Someone pulling at the ropes, trying to free him.  He
was yanked upwards into the stairwell and away from the heat.  He collapsed
as the cool air made contact with his body.



He woke with a start remembering the pain, the heat.  It was the bedroom.
He was bandaged and sore, but he was alive.

The door opened to reveal Natalie.  "Hey sleepyhead, I thought you were
going to be out for at least another couple of hours."

What happened?" he croaked, his voice cracking with the effort.  "The last
thing I remember is being at Casa Loma and hearing Dimitri's voice."  He
tried to lift his head from the pillow.  "Ah, my head, it's  killing me."

"Well, to make a long story short, he had a couple of his cronies bring you
to the building and stake you out on the roof.  Another couple of minutes
and it would have been 'bye-bye Nick'.
You've been asleep all day.  I'm sure a combination of the sun and whatever
they used to drug you."

He checked his clock radio, 8:15 PM.  "I don't remember getting loose, how...?"

"Duncan," she replied.

"Is he O.K.?"

"Yes, he's fine.  A few burns, but he's already healing nicely," she
confirmed.  "He wasn't out there as long as you were."

They were interrupted by a soft knock at the door, followed by Tracy's head.
"Mind if we come in?" she asked.

"No, not at all," Nick replied.

Tracy, Vachon and Duncan stepped into the room and made their way to Nick's
bedside.
"How are you feeling?" Tracy asked.

"Sore.  Now I remember what sunburn felt like," he joked.

They all laughed, "Well, don't think you're going to be using this as an
excuse to call in sick next week," Tracy joked.

"No, I should be fine by tomorrow," he said, wincing as he tried to sit up.

Natalie hurried forward and helped him prop himself up on the pillows and
find a comfortable position that did not aggravate his burns.

"Duncan, I can't thank you enough," he said.  "But I guess this still
doesn't solve our problems with Dimitri."

"Dimitri's dead, Nick," Duncan replied.  "Really dead this time, no doubt."

Nick closed his eyes feeling as though a tremendous weight had been lifted
from his mind.  "I'll wait to ask the how's until later.  Right now I just
want to relax and enjoy the feeling of peace," he sighed.

"Amen to that," Natalie seconded.

"There is one thing you should know," Vachon said.  "LaCroix was there, and
if it wasn't for his help we would never have been able to pull this off."

"LaCroix?  Where is he?"

"He was here earlier, but he left.  Something about having a club to run,"
Vachon offered.  "But if you ask me, I think he just doesn't like it known
that he helped you."

"Imagine that.  LaCroix helping us," Nick joked.  "Will wonders never cease."

"On that note, I think it's time we left and let you get some sleep," Vachon
said, shooing Tracy towards the door.

"And I have to leave as well," Duncan said, heading for the door with Vachon
and Tracy.  "They've promised to take me out for one last night on the town
before I leave tomorrow.  Sort of a going away party.  I can't wait to see
where we end up," he laughed.

Nick was left alone with Natalie.

"Are you hungry?  There are some bottles in the fridge.  It might help you
to heal a little faster," she offered.

"No, that's O.K  Come here," he told her, indicating that she should sit on
the bed next to him.

He took her hands in his as she sat.  "Natalie, I can't tell you how
frightened I was when you were missing.  There were so many things that I
thought about wanting to say to you, and never did.  I've missed so many
opportunities with you, I don't want to miss out on anymore."

"What are you saying, Nick?"

"I'm saying that I want us to try and have as close to a normal relationship
as possible.  To work at being able to fulfill those fantasies we both have.
That is, if you want to"

"If I want to?  It's all I've ever wanted, Nick," she confirmed.

"I want this to be a new beginning for us, a renaissance, for lack of a
better term," he said.

She held his hands in hers and believed that this would be a turning point
in their relationship.  Oh, it would take them a while to work up to it, but
at least he was willing to give it a try.

They spent the rest of the night talking and planning their future together.
Dawn found them asleep, wrapped in each others arms.

***************************************************************************

End



Jean
A Vaquera at Heart
"And what a screamin' fine ride it is, too!"