Subject: My Dinner With LaCroix---Part 1/3
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 13:59:59 EST
From: SFryar@AOL.COM
To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU

And now for something completely different... a present day "Sara Louise"
story set in the weeks after the events of "In Another Life" and inspired by
talk of food on ForKni-L. Sara comes face-to-face with the General himself
<weg>, and you'll find hints of things to come in this tale...

The Usual Disclaimers apply, of course... and this story can be posted at
Mel's FK fic site, and Stephanie K.'s ftp site.  All others who wish to
archive this tale, please ask. Thanks!

My Dinner With LaCroix by StephiLyn Fryar---Part 1/?
---

It was a late spring evening when Sara McClendon left the Sherbourne Library
and headed home. Fierce-looking storm clouds were beginning to gather, and
she speeded up her pace as she walked down College Street. As she stood on
the corner of College and Yonge waiting for the light to change, she felt a
nip in the air and pulled her quilted blue jacket around her a little
tighter
to ward off the chill. Before she took another step, a bolt of lightning
streaked across the sky, followed by a rumble of thunder. The next thing she
knew, Sara was drenched in a downpour, and her umbrella decided not to open.

"Darn it!" she muttered while struggling to open her umbrella, oblivious to
a
whoosh of wind which came from behind her. "I hate it when this happens!"

"Perhaps you'd like to go somewhere and dry off, my dear Ms. McClendon?" a
voice said from behind.  Sara quickly whirled around and saw the imperious
figure of Lucien LaCroix, dressed in a black hooded raincoat, standing in
the
rain before her. Before she could utter a word in protest or defense,
LaCroix
gently took her by the arm and led her to a nearby restaurant on Yonge
Street. The wind had picked up, and the rain was falling in blinding sheets,
while lightning crackled and the thunder rolled.

LaCroix ushered her inside the elegantly furnished restaurant and they were
led to a table far away from the hustle and bustle of the early dinnertime
crowd. When they were seated, Sara looked at him very carefully, trying to
figure out what he wanted. Finally, she could stand it no longer and said,
"I'm surprised to see you this evening, LaCroix."

"I'm delighted to see you as well, Sara Louise." LaCroix replied politely as
he unbuttoned his black raincoat, slipped it off and relaxed in the chair.
"You look lovely in that sweater. Pink is such a flattering color for you."

"Thank you." Her reply was sweetly polite, but she continued to look upon
him
warily. "I'm curious. Why were you outside in the middle of a downpour?"

"I could ask you the same question." LaCroix's eyes twinkled with amusement,
as he took the measure of the woman who had enchanted his son so completely.
"What were you doing out in this dreadful weather?"

"I was on my way home from the library, and trying to get there before the
weather got any worse." Sara replied as a waiter arrived at their table and
placed the menus before them. "Unfortunately, my umbrella didn't want to
cooperate. Why were you being so helpful?"

"You were in distress, and I thought I'd lend you a hand, especially since
the storm was becoming more intense." His tone was cool and nonchalant, but
Sara still wasn't sure of his intentions toward her and her wariness
continued as she took a glance at the menu. "I also wanted to talk to you."

"I see." Sara's expression was calm as she placed the menu down on the
table,
and looked at him with clear dark eyes. "What did you want to talk to me
about, LaCroix?"

"Nicholas." was his reply.

Sara's heart plunged to her stomach, as she looked at LaCroix, while a
strong
rumble of thunder served to emphasize her nervousness. She had hoped to
avoid
a confrontation with him about Nick, and a feeling of fear crept into her
soul. "What about Nick?" she finally replied, her voice cracking a little.
"Is something wrong?"

"What makes you think anything's wrong?" he replied as the waiter approached
their table. "I simply wanted to have a chance to talk to you alone and find
out more about you."

"But - but..." she stammered, trying to get a handle on what LaCroix was up
to. "I don't understand..."

"My dear Sara... our waiter is patiently waiting on you to choose what you
wish to eat." he said, looking calm, unruffled and a little more human in
the
soft light that filled the room. "If we're going to have a pleasant
discussion, we should enjoy it in a pleasant atmosphere..."

"Are you ready to order, ma'am?" the waiter asked her.

"Uhm... yes. I'd like a roast beef sandwich on dark rye bread with
horseradish sauce and french fries," she said, "and a glass of cola,
please?"

"What would you like, sir?" the waiter asked LaCroix.

"Would you happen to have blood pudding on the menu?" he asked him, looking
into the waiter's eyes while Sara watched him.

"Yes, we do, sir..." the waiter replied politely. "It's freshly made, and I
believe you'll enjoy it."

"Very well, then... blood pudding it is." LaCroix gave the waiter a smile as
he picked up the menus from the table and left them. The storm had eased a
little, but Sara's mood hadn't. "I wish you wouldn't look at me with such
disapproval, my dear. Are you afraid I might bite you?"

"No, I'm not afraid of you, but I'm not sure of your intentions. You have a
reputation for being rather intimidating when it comes to your son."

"Who told you that?" A faint hint of amusement curled around his lips.

"Nick did." She placed her hands in her lap, clutching her purse in a
nervous
grip while the storm continued.

"My son tends to exaggerate a bit concerning me. I'm not that intimidating."

"Yes, you are." she replied simply. "You look like a man who doesn't
tolerate
fools gladly, and you seem to be rather 'protective' of Nick."

"You're obviously a good judge of character. I like that." LaCroix was a
little more at ease as he spoke, and the storm seemed to lessen in
intensity.
"Nicholas has chosen well. I didn't think he'd find someone who would be
worthy of him, but you've been able to keep him happy, and he seems to be
more accepting of his nature. For that, I thank you."

"You're welcome. I do my best." she said. Although LaCroix's tone of voice
indicated he was pleased with Nick's choice of her as his girlfriend, she
still wasn't sure how LaCroix felt about her being black and being involved
with his son, so she decided to ask him about it. "Tell me the truth,
LaCroix.... are you concerned about Nick becoming involved with me because
I'm black?"

"Your skin color has nothing to do with it." LaCroix's voice held a frosty
note and Sara immediately regretted asking him the question. "I see an
attractive, intelligent woman before me; the woman who captured my son's
heart. Nicholas wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't see something in you
which interested him."

Before Sara could reply, the waiter appeared, carefully balancing the tray
in
his hand. He approached the table, and placed the food before them. She
noticed the blood pudding was sitting on a plate, and as LaCroix looked at
it, she thought he'd gobble it up quickly, especially after he inhaled the
aroma and found it to his liking. Her sandwich and drink were placed before
her and she gave the waiter a smile.

After the waiter left the table, LaCroix picked up his fork and said, "Shall
we enjoy this lovely meal?"

"Of course..." Sara carefully picked up half of the sandwich and took a
bite.
The roast beef was moist and delicious, and she enjoyed the delightful tang
of the horseradish sauce. LaCroix took a bite of the blood pudding and
smiled
broadly. The texture of the pudding was smooth, and as he chewed it, the
could taste the sweet flavor of pig's blood which was heavily laced
throughout it. After he had taken a couple more bites of pudding, he looked
at Sara while she ate, carefully studying her in an attempt to see what was
it about her which had captivated his son.

So far, she had proven herself to be charming and intelligent; two virtues
which he secretly prized, but what else could she have which made Nicholas
want her as much as he did? He wanted to know, and if he played his cards
right, he'd have the answer.

---
End "My Dinner With LaCroix"---Part 1/3
Copyright, 2001, by StephiLyn Fryar
SFryar@aol.com

Subject: My Dinner With LaCroix---Part 2/3
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 14:23:57 EST
From: SFryar@AOL.COM
To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU

Reference to "Be My Valentine" here...

My Dinner With LaCroix by StephiLyn Fryar---Part 2/3
---

Sara took another bite of her sandwich and chewed it slowly, savoring the
flavor of the beef, horseradish and dark rye bread. She looked at LaCroix's
plate and noticed he had already eaten most of the blood pudding. As she
finished part of her sandwich,  LaCroix was looking at her, and his
expression was unreadable. After nibbling on a couple of french fries, she
said, "So... do you approve of me?"

"Of course I approve of you." LaCroix said, surprised that she would press
the matter further. "What makes you think that I dislike you?"

"A lot of things..." she replied after taking a sip of cola. "I'm not always
sure what you've got on your mind, LaCroix. You're a difficult man to read.
Difficult, but not impossible."

LaCroix chuckled softly as he placed his fork on the plate. "Ah, yes...
Nicholas told me you possess the ability to read minds, among other things.
How long have you been doing this?"

"Ever since I was a child." she replied. "I've also seen ghosts and talked
to
them."

"Do they answer you back?" LaCroix asked her, amused by her remark.

"Yes. They tell me some very interesting things." Sara took another bite of
her sandwich. After she finished eating, she continued, "Sometimes, they'll
tell me things I never thought about, or they'll tell me about something
which happened to them. Ghosts are everywhere; they're all around us... In
fact, I can see a couple of them standing next to you."

"Really?" LaCroix's calm exterior was ruffled briefly as he looked around
for
a moment, unsure of whether Sara was telling him the truth. "Are they
hostile?"

"No...  they're just passing through." she replied, giving LaCroix's unseen
companions a smile as they left his side to continue on their way. "Some of
them stay, while others move on. I think they get lonely sometimes, and they
prefer to be around people...  After all, isolation can be dangerous for any
individual..."

"Yes, it can." LaCroix took another bite of the blood pudding and attempted
to steer the conversation back to the original subject. "About Nicholas...
Have you been. . . intimate with him?"

Sara was briefly blindsided by his question, and she nearly choked on a
french fry, but she quickly recovered her composure and replied coolly,
"LaCroix...  a lady doesn't answer that question in polite company. I'm
wondering why you asked me that."

"I care about Nicholas, and even though our relationship has had its' ups
and
downs over the years, he's still my son and I'm concerned about his
well-being." LaCroix's voice was calm, and he glanced down at his plate
briefly before looking back at her. "I want to know what his intentions are
toward you.  Does he love you?"

"Yes, he loves me and I love him very much. As for his 'intentions' toward
me, I'm not quite sure what you mean."

"If he were to bring you across, would you freely accept the life he offered
you?" LaCroix's eyes gazed deeply into hers as he spoke. "Would you
willingly
become a creature of the night?  A drinker of blood for eternity?"

"Yes...  if it meant being with him." Sara replied quietly, the storm
outside
forgotten. "I love the vampire, LaCroix, and I want to be a part of his
world, no matter where it takes me."

LaCroix pondered her words carefully, then said, "You wouldn't look for a
'cure' for him? You wouldn't want him to become mortal again?"

"Nick has been a vampire for over seven hundred years. That is who he is and
what he is. To strip him of his nature seems a little bit... odd, in a way.
The vampire has helped him to survive, just like the vampire within you has
helped you to survive for over two thousand years." she replied after taking
another sip from her glass. "He can possess humanity while still being a
vampire... and so can you."  A faint smile curled around her lips as she
took
another bite of her sandwich.

LaCroix couldn't think of anything at that moment to counter what she had
said, so he took another forkful of blood pudding and ate it, chewing
slowly.

"Let me ask you something. . . were you ever in love, LaCroix?" she asked
him.

LaCroix nearly choked on his morsel of pudding when he heard her question,
and for a brief moment he wondered how she could have known. He quickly
recovered and replied brusqely, "I was in love once...  but it didn't work
out as I had hoped. She was a lovely woman, quite charming."  He was lost in
his thoughts, recalling the memories of her when Sara's voice came to his
ears.

"...Fleur..." she said, giving him a smile.

"What did you say?" LaCroix's composure was ruffled by the sudden sound of
her voice and he wasn't sure what Sara had just said.

"I said... was her name Fleur?" she asked him, looking at him curiously.

"Yes... it was." he replied, a little surprised she knew the name of his
long-lost lover. "She was my true love..."

"And you lost her to... Nick." Sara's voice was calm and quiet as she spoke
to him. "He didn't want you to become involved with her, and it hurt you
very
deeply. Perhaps he was afraid you might have brought her across, and he
didn't want his sister to become what he already was.''

LaCroix had no words to say, and he sighed deeply. Sara gave him a
sympathetic smile and said, "You will find someone who will love you for who
you are, LaCroix. Don't give up on love just yet."

"Do you think so?" he asked, still surprised by what she had told him
earlier.

"Yes." After a brief pause, she said, "So...  are you enjoying your meal?"

"I am..." he said, as he cut another forkful of blood pudding. "I'm also
enjoying your pleasant company, Sara."

"Thank you... I'm enjoying your company, too." She gave him a grin, and they
both finished their meals as the storm lessened and finally dissipated.

---
End "My Dinner With LaCroix"---Part 2/3
Copyright, 2001, by StephiLyn Fryar
SFryar@aol.com

Subject: My Dinner With LaCroix---Part 3/3
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 22:12:36 EST
From: SFryar@AOL.COM
To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU

Hope you enjoyed this story, because it was a pleasure for me to write it.
Remember... your positive feedback and constructive criticism are an
encouragement to me and I deeply appreciate hearing from you.

Coming soon... "A Cry From The Shadows" and "A Gathering Of Shadows", a
Poltergeist: the Legacy/Forever Knight crossover...

My Dinner With LaCroix by StephiLyn Fryar---Part 3/3
---

Sara and LaCroix finished their meal, and when it came time to pay for it,
she was pleasantly surprised when LaCroix graciously picked up the check.

"That was nice of you to pick up the check, LaCroix... I didn't expect you
to
do that." she said as she put on her jacket and got ready to leave. "How can
I ever repay you?"

"By allowing me to walk you home." he replied smoothly while he slipped on
his black raincoat. "I was wondering where you lived. Nicholas told me about
your apartment building, but I've never had the opportunity to see it for
myself."

"All right, then..." she replied as they made their way toward the exit.
"It'll be nice to have a gentleman walk me home."

"Thank you..." LaCroix opened the door for her and they emerged from the
restaurant into the cool crisp night air. The streets and sidewalks had a
light coating of moisture, and she took a deep breath.

"It's such a lovely night... Everything seems so much more alive at night."
she said as they walked down the street toward her apartment. "Did you
always
enjoy city life or were you more of a country person?"

"I prefer the city." he said, a smile on his lips. "There's always something
interesting to do, and I enjoy the cultural events which a large city
affords. The Dark Ages were so dull, because there was nothing interesting
going on."  Sara laughed and the sound of it was like music to his
world-weary ears. LaCroix looked at her, and he was beginning to understand
what Nick saw in her.

They continued to walk and chat as her apartment building loomed ever
closer,
and LaCroix was slowly beginning to warm up to Sara. She was intelligent,
charming, and she was more accepting of his son's nature than Doctor Lambert
had been. As far as he was concerned, Sara was definitely a good match for
Nicholas, and his mind had been put at ease. After they went through the
front gate, climbed up the steps and arrived at the front door, she turned
and asked him, "Would you like to come inside for a few minutes?"

"No, I can't, as much as I'd like to." he replied, glancing at his watch.
"It's seven-fifteen, and I must get to the Raven. I've got quite a bit to do
before I open the club."

"Of course..." Sara replied as she carefully opened the front door and
leaned
against the door jamb. "It was nice talking to you, LaCroix. I hope to see
you again."  She extended her hand to him and he clasped it gently.

"It was a pleasure to enjoy your company, Sara Louise." LaCroix kissed her
hand gently, his cool lips brushing against her skin. "Good night, my dear."

"Good night, LaCroix." She entered the building, and LaCroix watched her as
she went up a short flight of steps and disappeared from his sight. He
turned
around and went down the steps, and as he did, he became aware of the
presence of another vampire nearby. He knew it wasn't Nick; it would be a
little too early from him to be dropping by to visit Sara, and as he stood
on
the sidewalk in front of the building, the Caddy was nowhere to be found.

He moved swiftly toward the corner and looked down the street; the Caddy
wasn't there, and he could still feel the presence of the other vampire.
LaCroix quickly sprinted across the street toward the park, and he saw the
shadowy figure as it moved away from him toward the other side of the park.
LaCroix pounced upon the shadowy figure immediately, and he pulled the
figure
out from the shadows and toward a nearby streetlight.  When he looked at the
man, he wasn't sure who he was at first, but after a moment, he knew who he
was.

"James..." LaCroix said frostily, refusing to call the newest member of the
Community by his nickname. "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing..." he replied sharply as he adjusted the collar of his coat after
LaCroix released him. "I was out for a night's walk, and I was also looking
for something to eat. Is there any harm in that?"

"It is if you're planning on doing any mischief." LaCroix gazed upon James
coldly. He was able to read his thoughts and the elder vampire knew the
younger vampire was up something. "You know this isn't a good area for
hunting, James. If you plan on doing some hunting, I'd suggest you go
elsewhere."

"Maybe I can find something good here tonight..." James replied, choosing to
ignore LaCroix's veiled warning. "This is a nice quiet area and I thought I
could find someone suitable..."

"You will do no such thing..." LaCroix hissed, his eyes flashing with anger.
"I know what you're up to, James, and why you're here."

James looked at LaCroix, puzzled by the elder vampire's remark. "What do you
think I'm up to?" His tone was bold, bordering on cockiness. "I'm simply out
to find something delicious. I'm getting hungry."

"I know who you're after and I'm warning you not to do it."

"Do what?" James asked him. "Who do you think I'm after?"

"Sara Louise." LaCroix replied, his tone harsh and chilly. "If you plan on
going after her, I'm warning you...  if you choose to embark on this foolish
course, you won't have time to regret it."

James took a couple of steps back as LaCroix spoke, surprised by what he
heard, and he told him, "The fact she lives here in the area is merely a
coincidence. I'm not going after her."

"I doubt that. Sara belongs to Nicholas, and Nicholas loves her. He will do
everything in his power to make sure she's safe from harm." LaCroix gazed
upon James and continued, "If you interfere in their relationship, not only
will you have to deal with him... but you'll also have to deal with me. Do
you wish to tangle with me, James? If you do, I promise you won't live to
see
another sunset."

James was taken aback by LaCroix's remark, but he quickly recovered. "I have
no intention of going after Sara Louise, LaCroix. I know better than to
tangle with you."  He was upset because LaCroix refused to call him "Jamie",
and it bothered him just as much as the warning he'd been given about
interfering in his rival's romance of the woman he loved. This LaCroix
seemed
to be no different than the LaCroix he had known a lifetime ago, but there
was something in this man which gave him enough cause to be careful.

"I hope you do." LaCroix's imperious tone was still icy, and James knew
better than to press the matter further. "You've only been a vampire for
such
a short time, and I'd hate to see you waste eternity in pursuit of someone
who's already made her choice about who she wishes to be with. I'd suggest
you go now, and not return here. If Nicholas should see you loitering around
the building, he may arrest you, and I doubt you'd want to spend a day in
jail. Good night, James."

LaCroix immediately took to the air, leaving James standing underneath the
streetlight in the park. He glanced across the park toward Sara's apartment
and murmered softly, "I miss you, Sara... and I still love you. I've tried
so
hard to get you out of my mind and my heart, but I can't. I need you,
baby...
and I promise I'll find a way to get you back..." His thoughts were
interrupted by the sound of a car pulling up toward the building as he
watched.

The oddly colored car eased up toward the building and came to a stop. After
a couple of moments, a man emerged from the car... a blonde-haired man, and
for a instant, James's eyes flashed a brilliant shade of green and the
blonde-haired man hesitated as he stood near the wrought iron fence which
surrounded the apartment building. He wanted to stay and find out what was
happening inside Sara's apartment, but he couldn't do that; at least not
now.

"Well, Nick..." James murmered as Nick opened the gate and walked up the
flight of steps toward the front door, rang the buzzer and waited patiently
for the front door to open, "I hope you'll enjoy your pleasant nights with
Sara, because you won't be enjoying them too much longer. I'm going to get
her back, no matter what it costs me." He watched his rival enter the
building, then he closed his eyes for a moment, opened them, and took to the
air, sailing through the clear Toronto night, the melody of his music
floating within his mind... along with a plan to win back the woman he
loved...

---
End "My Dinner With LaCroix"---Part 3/3
Copyright, 2001, by StephiLyn Fryar
SFryar@aol.com