Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1999 00:07:44 -0500 From: "Alanna J. Patrick" Subject: STORY: CAPITULATION (1/1) To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Hello all, I wrote this piece about three years ago. With McLisa's kindest permission . I'm reposting it. Permission is given to Mel to archive it, all others please ask first. Comments, critiques, Earl Grey, or Uncle in a Toga are all welcomed! CAPITULATION (1/1) By: Alanna J. Patrick aatrick@ocean.otr.usm.edu She quietly walked toward his living room, trying to summon up the courage to open the door. Of course he had felt her presence from the moment she had pulled up outside. He had even entertained the notion to greet her 'vamped out' but changed his mind the moment he sensed her emotions. She was in the middle of a war between pride and need, and it seemed that need was about to win. When she opened the door, he stood before her with the air of a man who had just won the great war, and in truth, he had. "I give up," she quietly stated. "Give what up?" he asked, not willing to let her off that easy. "I can't bring him across and I'm tired of his fear making him hold me at arm's length." "And what do you want me to do about it?" he asked, baiting her on. He was going to enjoy making the unflappable doctor admit her folly. "Bring me across." "Why don't you get him to do it?" he asked, barely able to contain his venom. "He's afraid I'll hate him." "He's afraid you will feel the same way about him that he does for me, no?" "Yes," she quietly nodded. "And so you think that if I bring you over you'll kill the proverbial 'two birds with one stone.' Is that it?" "Meaning?" He sighed, beginning to tire of this little game."I bring you across I get my revenge for Fleur and you can be with Nicolas." "Fleur?" she asked, trying to feign ignorance. "Come now doctor. You may have fooled Nicolas into believing that you don't remember Azure, but we both know better, don't we?" he smiled. She was growing impatient, she wanted to be over and done with this as soon as possible so she could go to Nick, be with him. "Will you do it or not?" she asked, trying unsuccessfully hide her uneasiness. "Before I do, there are a few things that you must be made aware of," he stated, motioning her to sit on the overstuffed leather sofa. Sitting down next to her, he began to run his fingers through her hair, taking in the scent of her perfume and her blood. He had to admit that for all of his son's faults, he did have excellent taste, this one would make a very fine vampire, one worthy of his blood. Seeing her flinch as he touched her, he attempted to quell her fears. "My dear Dr. Lambert, if I truly wanted to harm you, I would have done so a long time ago," he whispered, tracing the path of the vein in her neck. She closed her eyes, marveling at his touch. She had never pictured LaCroix to be capable of this kind of gentleness, but here he was, caressing her as softly as Nick had even dared to. The thought of Nick not being here, not being the one to be touching her so tenderly, made her weep. Lucien pulled her into his lap, holding her close, hoping to calm her fears, and cursing his son for not having a backbone. Maybe this one could help his son accept his own nature, the ancient vampire mused as he nibbled a path down her neck, savoring the smell of her perfume and the sweet ambrosia just under the surface. He would enjoy this, it had been to long since he properly fed. She gasped as he slowly, methodically nibbled her neck, his kisses growing more intense with each second. It shocked her that his touch relaxed her, to the point she felt her body grow heavy with the weight of oncoming sleep. His soft breath on her earlobe gently coaxed her away from the edge of the abyss of slumber. "I will bring you across, if that is what you truly want," he murmured, massaging her nape in a slow, methodical rhythm "Yes," she breathed. With that final consent, he began to impart all of the knowledge she would need to survive, how to kill, if she chose, how to cover her tracks, what to avoid and what and whom to look for. When he had finished his lesson, he brought her out of the trance. "Natalie?" he whispered. Natalie shook herself, trying to shake off the deep sleep that had mysteriously fallen over her. Temporarily forgetting where she was, she almost feel onto the floor when Lucien caressed her cheek. LaCroix pulled her close to him, to steady her, and gently kissed her on the temple. "Do you remember what I've told you?" he whispered, turning her face to meet his. She nodded, leaning wearily back against his chest, fancying for a moment that she was in Nick's strong, safe arms. Lucien cradled his soon to be child gently in his arms, stroking her hair, cursing his son the entire time and somewhere in the back of his mind, wishing he was the one the doctor really wanted. The scent of her hair mingled with the scent of her blood and skin, made him forget everything except the sweet elixir flowing just underneath her soft, scented flesh. He pulled her hair away from her neck and began to follow the vein with his lips and then tracing the edge of her jaw. He lightly kissed her lips and whispered something against them that she would never forget. "I would be honored to be your father," he whispered, leaning in and kissing her full and passionately on the mouth, his tongue playing tag with hers. She still couldn't believe this man was capable of such passion; simple, uncomplicated passion, passion that took her breath away. His mouth moved slowly back down her jaw, stopping at her neck to delicately slip his fangs into the river of life that flowed under her pristine flesh. He had experienced the sensation more times than he could count, yet this one was different. As much as this one had seen and experienced, she still had an innocence in her blood that was intoxicating. Everything she'd seen and felt flowed over his tongue and into his veins. Her feelings for him and his wayward son became a din that roared every bit as loudly as her heart beat. She feared him and loved his son, she did this for Nicolas and Nicolas alone. Those two realizations roared in his brain, forcing him to break the intimate hold. He raised his head, gasping for air as her limp body settled against his chest. Blinking back the blood tears that had formed in the corners of his eyes, he raised his wrist to his mouth and slit it open with a single fang, pressing the wound to his child's lips, lips that his son would soon touch. The dark liquid touched her lips, awakening a strange hunger in her soul. She began to suck, forcing the liquid out of its' ancient host and into her body. With each sip, every part of her body ached with the hunger for more, more to feed the new strength now growing in her muscles. Strange thoughts, feelings flashed in every corner of her mind. Thoughts of Nick and Janette, of a fair, evil child, his child, and of her. He cared for her, the realization brought tears to her eyes as he pulled his wrist from her, running his fingers through her thick curls. and bade her to sleep. /He cares for me,/ she thought, as she was coaxed into oblivion by his soft caress. ****************************** "You will need to feed again soon. Preferably human, not that swill that Nicolas insists on keeping in his refrigerator," he stated quietly, fighting to remain still, fighting the urge to take her in his arms and ask her to stay. She nodded at her father's instructions, wanting to say so much, but not able to say anything. She wanted to tell him she no longer feared him, that she cared for him, but, in the end, all she could manage were two words, two words that came from her heart, a heart he now had a place in for all eternity. "Thank you," she whispered, turning away from him to hide the tears in the corners of her eyes. He leaned against the door jam and watched as she walked across the deserted dance floor and out the door. Watched as she left his arms for his son's. /Some day, you will tire of him, and I'll be waiting,/ he thought, a single blood tear running down his cheek as the door softly shut behind her. END?