Date:         Sun, 3 Jan 1999 05:07:44 -0500 
From: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM 
Subject:      Eternal Duplicity 1/1 
To: FKFIC-L@lists.psu.edu 

usual disclaimers.  permission to mel moser to archive.  comments to author
at vampwrtr@aol.com

FOREVER KNIGHT

"Eternal Duplicity"

He walked angrily into the lift, and engaged it.  As it neared the entrance
to his loft, he sensed a presence.  He opened the door to find LaCroix
sitting comfortably in a chair in the living room, sipping a glass of
blood.

LaCroix did not turn when Nick entered, and his voice was laced with
sarcasm, "Well Nicholas, still brooding.  What a surprise."

Nick glared at LaCroix, "Why are you here?"

LaCroix smiled, "I brought you a little something...."  He held out a
picture frame, holding a recent snapshot of the two of them, "I thought you
might like to have it."  Nick made no attempt to take the picture.  LaCroix
studied the frown on Nick's face and he smiled again, "You had quite a
little row with her, didn't you?"

The Ancient was not really attempting to hide his glee, which added fuel to
Nick's anger.

"Since you've already had your amusement for the night, do you think you
could be someplace else?"

LaCroix stood, setting the frame down on the coffee table, "Tired of my
company already?"

Nick turned away from LaCroix and stalked into the kitchen, "Many centuries
ago, but why let it bother you now...."

LaCroix crossed his arms, "Really Nicholas, there's no need to sling verbal
arrows at me.  I only came here to see if you were all right.  You cannot
hide your inner turmoil from me, you know."  He paused as Nick turned to
look at him, "The good doctor gave you quite an earful didn't she?"

Nick didn't answer as he opened the fridge, extracting a bottle of cow's
blood.  He yanked the cork out and swallowed right from the bottle.
LaCroix merely raised an eyebrow at his son.  Nick glared at the Ancient,
daring him to say something.  LaCroix remained silent, assessing the
situation.

Calmly, he walked over to his son and stood next to him, "If you need some
advice, Nicholas--"

"--I require no advice from you."

LaCroix frowned.  It had been some time since Nick had radiated such
hostility toward him.  The ancient vampire concentrated on the link which
eternally connected him to his progeny.  Nick was trying to block LaCroix
out, but in his emotional state, he was not entirely successful.

Embarrassment, shock and......jealousy?  LaCroix turned his icy gaze onto
his son.  Jealous of whom?  Nick glared back at LaCroix, and the nickel
dropped.  If LaCroix had not been so practiced in his stony exterior, he
would have started.  Nicholas was jealous of him.  For a moment the two
beings simply stared at one another.  Finally, LaCroix broke the stifling
silence.

"Well, well, this *is* a surprise."

Nick glared, "I doubt that, LaCroix.  I really do."

"Surely you don't think that I knew Dr. Lambert had developed
an.....attraction for me?"

Anger overtaking him, Nick whirled into LaCroix' face, "I know what you
did."  LaCroix continued to stare at Nick, so the latter pressed on, "She
told me she remembered that you hypnotised her and forced her to drink your
blood.  How could you?  You had no right--"

LaCroix snarled, "--How dare you presume to judge me, or my actions.  Dr.
Lambert is only guessing at what happened that night.  She doesn't really
remember."

Nick looked into the icy blue eyes, trying to see behind their veiled
mystery.  Even after 800 years, his master, his closest friend, his worst
enemy, had remained mostly an enigma.  Nick couldn't help but feel
outraged; it was unthinkable to him, not to mention, unforgivable.

The younger vampire stared into the endless blue orbs before him, "Is there
nothing left of your humanity in you?  No, never mind that...how about just
common decency?"

Suddenly uncomfortable, LaCroix turned away.  Nick grabbed for LaCroix'
sleeve and was rewarded with a snarl.

"Let go of me, Nicholas," LaCroix hissed.

Nick let go of the sleeve, but not the subject, "Tell me why."

"That is between Dr. Lambert and--"

"--You only did it to get at me--"

"--Oh, it's always about you, isn't it Nicholas?"

"You gave her your blood, knowing what would happen--"

"--Enough!  This is not open for debate.  What's done, is done."

LaCroix turned to go, and before Nick fully realised what he was doing, he
slammed into his mentor with all his might.  LaCroix' body flew into the
mantle, his head smashing into the corner of the strong wood, with a
sickening crunch.  As he heard the sound of bone splitting, Nick felt ill.
LaCroix crumpled into a heap upon the floor.

For a moment, there was nothing but a surreal stillness in the air of the
loft.  Nick was paralyzed by his own anger, and what it had caused him to
do.  Still frozen, he stared at the body of the one constant of his life,
but it wasn't until LaCroix moaned in pain, that Nick moved to him.

Kneeling beside him, Nick gently pulled LaCroix up, into his lap, cradling
the Ancient's head.  There was a wound on LaCroix' forehead that easily
would have killed a mortal.  Blood was gushing from it at an alarming rate.
Nick removed his own jacket and used it to stop the blood flow.  LaCroix
moaned again.

"Easy, LaCroix.  You'll be all right."

Nick lifted LaCroix into his arms, and carefully laid him down on the
couch.  He put a pillow under his mentor's head, then went into the kitchen
to get some towels.  When he returned, the wound didn't look quite as bad,
though LaCroix was still out cold.  Nick dabbed at the closing wound, and
stared into his mentor's face, trying to will him to consciousness.
LaCroix suddenly groaned in pain.

Nick gently touched the Ancient's arm, "I'm here...."

At the sound of Nick's voice, LaCroix tried to pull away, his arms flying
about wildly.  Nick grabbed the flailing arms, gently restraining them.

"LaCroix, it's okay."

The wound on the Ancient's forehead was almost closed, and LaCroix' eyes
suddenly popped open.  His pupils were glowing a shade of red that made
Nick's skin crawl.  LaCroix' fangs flashed at Nick, and a fierce roar
emanated from him.  Nick quickly bit into his own wrist and held it to the
ancient vampire's mouth.  LaCroix sank his fangs deeply into his son's
flesh, drinking the blood that would heal him quickly.

After a minute or so, Nick pulled his wrist away, and his father's eyes
reverted to blue.  LaCroix looked a little worse for the wear, but not
permanently damaged.  They stared at one another for a few minutes, neither
knowing what to say.  Finally Nick broke the awkward silence.

"I didn't mean to hurt you like that...."

"I know."

LaCroix tried to get up, but Nick held him down, "Just relax."

They held another long look.  Nick tried to take his father's hand in his
own, but LaCroix jerked it away.

"Don't, Nicholas."

Another uncomfortable silence held the two of them in its grip.  Nick could
sense that LaCroix was hurting, and also desperately trying to push away
the pain and the emotions which were threatening to overwhelm him.  Nick
wanted to comfort him, but sensed that LaCroix wasn't going to allow him
through the wall he was quickly putting up.

The Ancient felt Nick reaching out to him, but he couldn't let him in.  He
wouldn't let him in.  What LaCroix had done for Dr. Lambert, had been done
for his son.  But it wouldn't do for Nicholas to know of any act of
altruism on his part; especially not one involving a mortal.

Nick put a gentle hand on his mentor's shoulder, "Don't shut me out, LaCroix."

LaCroix looked away; he couldn't stand for Nick to be kind to him; not like
this, not out of guilt.  Another long silence weighted the room.

"Mon pere...."

LaCroix looked sharply at his son; Nick hadn't used those words in
centuries.  He looked unsettled; Nick needed to know the truth.  Though
there was no sign of it upon his face, the sight of his son's distress tore
at LaCroix' heart.

He filled his voice with mock irritation, "Oh, Nicholas....why must you
always complicate matters?"

With a little effort, LaCroix sat up.  Nick stood next to his father,
carefully watching him.  He couldn't bring himself to say anything, yet his
eyes silently pleaded for LaCroix to explain himself.

LaCroix sighed deeply, "She was ill, Nicholas."

Nick's brows furrowed, "What are you talking about?"

"Dr. Lambert contracted a rather nasty little virus, nothing fatal really,
but you know how fragile mortals are--"

"--A virus?  How could you know that?"

"Really Nicholas, how could you not have known?  You had merely to look at
her to know that she was not well."

"So you just decided to 'fix' it?"

LaCroix glared, "You would rather I let her suffer at the hands of modern
medicine?"

"I would rather you have given her the choice."

LaCroix looked away, "I did what I thought best in the moment.  You are
only upset because the good doctor has discovered some type of passing
fascination with me.  I assure you, it is not mutual."  LaCroix paused and
glared at Nick, "I will not justify my actions any further to you."

The Ancient stood up, swaying.  Nick gently steadied him, and LaCroix
pulled away.

"I need no further assistance from you."

Nick said nothing.  There was nothing he could have said.  LaCroix took a
few unsure steps, his head spinning.  As he moved a little too fast, he
stumbled.  Nick caught him.

"Okay, I think you'd better just sit back down."

LaCroix couldn't argue, he knew it was either sit down or fall down.  He
allowed his son to guide him back down onto the couch.  LaCroix gingerly
leaned his head on his hands.  Nick felt the guilt rising in his throat.

He gently touched his father's shoulder, "Still that bad?  How do you feel?"

LaCroix snorted derisively, "As though I have been run over by a very
stubborn bull."

Nick let the insinuation of bovine intricacy pass, "Is there anything I can do?"

"I think you've done quite enough for one evening, Nicholas."  LaCroix
immediately regretted his comment when he saw the hurt in Nick's eyes, "I
didn't mean it quite that way....."

Nick looked away, "Yes, I know.  You never do."

LaCroix said nothing; Nicholas was quite right.  After a few moments of
silence, LaCroix managed to stand.  Once again, the two vampires stared at
one another.  Nick finally plunged across the chasm between them.

"I'll have to tell her the truth, you know."

LaCroix sneered, "Yes, I'm sure you feel you must.  Your loyalty has been
to mortals for many centuries, Nicholas," an ironic laugh escaped his lips,
"don't let it bother you now."

LaCroix turned toward the skylight and before Nick could utter a sound, the
Ancient was gone.  He turned to look out the window at the starless night
sky.  He believed that LaCroix had intended to help Natalie:  But he also
knew the reason why.  In the final analysis, LaCroix did a selfless thing
for a selfish reason; but Natalie had gained from it, with no faction lost.


Nick moved to the coffee table, and picked up the small frame which held
the picture LaCroix had given him.  He studied it for a long time.  Perhaps
self indulgence had always been the driving force of their eternal
duplicity.  Perhaps, but Nick doubted it.

fin

3 January 1999


end part 1/1
vampwrtr@innocent.com
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