Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 21:27:19 -0500 X-Sender: ecker@idirect.com (Unverified) To: fkarchiver@fkfanfic.com From: Michelle Ecker Hi. Here is my story. I will be sending it over the next few days as I am still in the process of writing it.It will have two different endings. Anyway, here it is: This story takes place after Ashes to Ashes. It is my version of Last Knight. Knight of Destiny "Damn you Nicholas",said Lacroix as he drove the wooden stake through his beloved son's body. Nick screamed... ...The alarm clock bell rang, rousing Nick from his slumber. He awoke to what was becoming a daily occurrence - bloodsweat on his forehead. He'd had that dream again. Nick had been plagued by nightmares since the night he had brought Janette back across. They had become even more frequent since Tracy died. It was always the same - Natalie begging him to make love and ending with their deaths. Nick went downstairs and took a bottle of cow's blood out of the refrigerator. He stared at for a few seconds and took a sip. He winced at the bitterness. Since he had brought Janette across his need for human blood had become almost unbearable. He put the bottle back in the fridge and went to the fireplace where he had hidden a bottle of human blood. Natalie would never forgive him if she knew he had been ingesting a small quantity of that blood every day. Nick sighed. He had to get ready. Natalie was coming over that night. Later, at her apartment Natalie was staring at herself at the mirror trying to decide what to wear for her date with Nick. "What do you think Sydney?", she asked the cat nestled at her feet. "How about a turtleneck?" She laughed to herself. Lately she had caught Nick staring at her with more intensity than ever. It was exciting but somewhat unnerving. She had often tried to return his gaze but he always looked away when she caught him staring at her. "Hi Nick",said Natalie happily as she walked into the dim light of Nick's loft. Surprisingly, he was setting the candlelit table. "I don't believe it! You cooked dinner. Will you be joining me?" "Yeah, I did. It's steak. As for joining you, I'll be joining you at the table", he laughed. "You look beautiful" "Thanks" Natalie had opted not to wear the turtleneck and had chosen instead to wear a simple black dress. He stared at her for a few moments until she laughed nervously. "Oh, I'm sorry. Please sit down." He placed the steak on her plate. Natalie raised her glass of wine. "To us. And to finding your mortality." They clinked glasses. Natalie began to eat. The steak was rather tough and needed seasoning. "Nick, this is absolutely delicious." After dinner, they sat together on Nick's leather couch. Natalie hesitated and then asked "You're kind of quiet tonight Nick. Is anything wrong?" She almost dreaded the answer. Something was always bothering Nick. She often wondered how someone could waste almost 800 years being depressed. "No" he said without much conviction is his voice. "Oh come on Nick. Remember who you're talking to." He took a deep breath and told her about his dream. She was quiet for a few moments and said "I think we should try it." "What? Weren't you listening? You know what would happen if we did." He was beginning to feel sorry he had told her about the dream. "It doesn't have to happen Nick. Don't you see what your dream means. You want to be mortal again. You're just afraid. If Tracy's death taught me anything, it was that you have to make the most of life." She held his hands and drew him up to a standing position. He breathed in sharply. He could feel his vampiric urges starting to emerge. "I love you Nick. I want us to make love. I promise it won't be like your dream." Nick looked at her amazed. She was so beautiful. He wanted to taste her blood right then and there. Her heartbeat was almost deafening. "Nat...I don't know. What if I..." "Shhh. It can happen for us if you let it." She caressed his neck with the back of her hand. He moaned. Finally he couldn't stand it anymore. He sank his fangs into her neck. "Nick, I...",sputtered Natalie. She realized he couldn't hear her. Her pain was intense but she mustered the strength to try and push him away from her. Instead, she fell backward and landed on the floor. "Nat are you all right?" When Nick realized what had happened, he was at her side in an instant. "Is that your idea of making love?",Natalie asked with frustration filling her voice. "I'm sorry. I...your scent, your blood, is exquisite...it's like roses..." Nick's voice trailed off. He went to refrigerator and drank a whole bottle of cow's blood. It did not succeed in fulfilling him. Only one thing would and he knew it was impossible. Natalie put her head in her hands. She was determined not to cry. Why did this have to happen? She knew they could be happy if Nick would only try. "Nick come here." He sat down beside her but could not meet her eyes. "Look at me." He did and she was startled to see his eyes still in vampiric form. "Nick it's okay. I'm all right. Calm down. It can still happen for us." "Natalie, I am so sorry. I knew this would happen. How can you still want to do this?" "Because I love you and I have faith in you. In us." He hugged her tightly which was a mistake because it brought him in close proximity to her neck. He was about to drink from her again when the phone rang. "Nick the phone",said Natalie when Nick showed no signs of answering it. "What? Oh. Knight" ,answered Nick in an exasperated tone. "Knight, it's Reese. There's been a murder. Get over here on the double. No excuses." He gave him the address. Nick told Natalie about the call. Secretly she was glad the call had interrupted them. It may have saved her life. They arrived in separate cars. Nick was glad for the distraction. He was having a hard time meeting Natalie's eyes. She busied herself examing the forensic evidence. "Knight over here",said Reese. "Some kind of domestic situation. Apparently the husband had been having an affair with the housekeeper. The wife found out and when the husband tried to break it off, the housekeeper shot him. That's about all we can get out of the wife. She's pretty upset." "Where's the housekeeper now?" Nick asked. "We don't know. We've got an APB out on her." Reese sighed. After all these years on the force he could never get used to the violence human beings were capable of. "Imagine living that close to someone and not knowing what they're capable of." Nick smiled to himself. He could only imagine what Reese would think if he knew he had a serial killer on the force. Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 13:30:56 -0500 X-Sender: ecker@idirect.com (Unverified) To: FKarchiver@fkfanfic.com From: Michelle Ecker Hi. Here is the second installment of my Forever Knight story. The title should read Knight of Destiny. Sorry about that. Anyway here is the next part. Knight of Destiny "Mrs Hill, This is Detective Knight." Nick looked at the grieving woman. The sadness in her eyes mirrored his own. "I'll be putting you in his protective custody." Nick and Natalie exchanged glances. She raised her eyebrows but said nothing. Nick took Reese aside. "Cap, I..." "Nick, I know what you're going to say. Look, no arguments. You've got a state-of-the-art security system in that place of yours. It's safer than a hotel room." Reese studied Nick. He had seen his share of odd criminals but Nick was the strangest cop he had ever encountered. He kept to himself, never socialized with the other officers; the only one he seemed to actually like was Natalie. Still, despite his idiosyncrasies Reese liked Nick and was grateful to him. He had saved his life on more than one occasion. "People, let's clear out of here. Mrs. Hill, you'll be safe with Detective Knight." Nick walked over to where Natalie stood making notes on her clipboard. "Nick, are you sure about this?",she asked, unsure whether she was worried about the woman's safety or upset that she wouldn't be able to spend the rest of the night with him. "I guess I have no choice." He kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow. Mrs. Hill, would you like to come with me?" "It's Marie.",she said in a quiet voice. Natalie sighed as she watched the man she loved walk away. Marie turned out to be Nick's favourite type of car passenger - silent. He had made an attempt at small talk but she preferred to be alone in her grief. Nick turned on the radio. Lacroix's dulcet tones filled the Caddy: "Good evening, fellow children of the night. Tonight let us talk about women. They are so much to all of us: Creator, wife, lover, daughter." Nick noticed a change in Lacroix's inflection when he said the word "daughter." Lacroix would never admit it but Nick knew he regretted Divia's death. He had also seemed weary but Nick attributed that to his grief. He had caught him staring at Divia's cameo on more than one occasion. "Yet women are just as capable of violence as the rest of us. They maim, even kill. They are beautiful, but what lies beneath that facade? And yet, perhaps they have a right to this power." Marie gasped. "Do you mind if we listen to some music?",she whispered. Nick turned the station quickly. He'd forgotten Lacroix was not exactly everyone's taste. He turned the dial and "Someone to Watch Over Me" began to play. Marie sighed. "We danced to this song at our wedding." Nick made a move to turn the station but she stopped him. "No, don't." They arrived at Nick's loft shortly before dawn. Nick let Marie in and made a beeline for the fridge. "Would you like anything to drink?",he asked. "No, I'm fine." He drank from a bottle surreptitiously while Marie stood in front of the window. "Do you mind if we keep the blinds closed? I'm allergic to sunlight." "Oh, okay Detective Knight." "It's Nick." "Nick." She smiled for the first time but there was still sadness in her eyes. "It must be hard to be in the dark all the time." "You get used to it." "I guess." She turned to the window and looked up. "How could he betray me like that?" "How could you betray me like that Janette?" Nick had caught Janette with another male vampire in the most intimate way. "Nicola, we have been together 80 years. We have gotten used to the taste of each other's blood. I cannot do the same thing day in and day out. I must have change." "But I love you. I'll die if you leave me." "Don't worry Nicola. I'll never leave you.",Janette whispered. She kissed him on the neck. She led him to their bed and let him drink from her. When Janette fell asleep, Nick set out to confront Lacroix. He had witnessed him saying goodbye to the other vampire. Obviously, he had arranged this. "Why must you persist in causing my unhappiness?" "Because it's fun." "Do you ever wish you could be young forever?" "What?",asked Nick, snapping out of his reverie. "Sometimes I wish I could go back in time.",Marie began. "I don't know. Change things, correct past mistakes, get back lost time. Have you ever been in love Nick?" "Yes." Nick thought of the women he had loved and lost. Alyssa, lost in her prime because of him; the beautiful ballerina who had lost her life due to Nick's impetuousness; and Janette, beautiful Janette whom he had not seen since that fateful night. He thought of Natalie, precious Natalie who had brought so much into his life. "It's difficult, isn't it?" Nick nodded and thought to himself "More than you'll ever know." "Maybe you should get some rest." "I guess I am a little tired." Marie started to move towards the couch. "Actually, I'll make up my room for you. I'll be taking the couch." "I'm sorry. This must be such an imposition." "Don't worry about it. We have to keep you safe." Marie's face darkened at this remark. She followed Nick up to his room. When he had finished preparing the room, he said "The blinds block out the sunlight, so you'll be able to get some rest." She didn't answer. He followed her gaze towards a painting on the wall. It was separated into two different sections. One was of a solitary figure in a dark room. The only light came from a ray of sunlight shining through a window. The other side was the antithesis. It seemed full of hope and life. The sun was shining, children were playing and there was a couple holding hands. "It's beautiful. It's you, isn't it?",she asked, pointing to the lone figure. "Yes." Nick was reluctant to discuss his paintings. "Um, I'll leave you alone now." "Thank you for everything, Nick." He smiled and closed the door. That night, after Marie had gone to sleep Nick took a dog-eared copy of Great Expectations from his bookshelf and was about to read it for the 400th time when he sensed Lacroix's presence. He set the book down. Something was wrong. Lacroix was having a hard time keeping his balance. Nick was at his side in an instant and caught him before he fell. "Nicholas...help me...Divia...her poison...inside me." Nick took Lacroix in his arms and flew out of the loft. (to be continued) Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1997 13:06:28 -0500 X-Sender: ecker@idirect.com (Unverified) To: FKarchiver@fkfanfic.com From: Michelle Ecker Hi. Here is the third installment of Knight of Destiny. Knight of Destiny (cont'd) "Nat, I need your help.",Nick said as he burst into the lab. Natalie looked up from her microscope, started to see Lacroix cradled in Nick's arms. "What happened!" "He needs blood, a tranfusion.",Nick said frantically, as he laid Lacroix on the table. "Nick, I..." "Just do it!",Nick snarled with eyes glowing and fangs bared. Unfazed, Natalie took a bag of blood out of the freezer and began preparing it. She knew Nick's frustration came out of his concern. She had always suspected that despite his protestations to the contrary, Nick loved Lacroix. "I'm sorry, Nat." "Nick, how did this happen?" Natalie looked down at the pale figure, who once so imposing, now seemed as frail as a child. "I don't know. At the loft he was incoherent but he managed to tell me he thought Divia had poisoned him." "Divia! But she's dead. That was months ago." Natalie pondered this for a moment and then looked at Nick. "Well, are you all right?" "What? Me? I'm fine. I think when she attacked Lacroix, she must have done something different. Or maybe, no that's crazy..." "What, tell me." "Well, I left before he cremated her. He was the only one there. Do you think he inhaled some of her ashes or maybe there was something in the smoke after?" Nick stared down at his master. "Oh God. We have to help him. We can't let him die!" "Nick, this transfusion doesn't seem to be helping. He's not waking up." Natalie had often thought she would be glad to see the end of Lacroix but she found herself worried about him. Strangely, she felt a sense of gratitude to him. If he hadn't brought Nick across, they never would have met. "I have to find Janette." Nick stood on the roof of the medical building. He closed his eyes and concentrated, using the technique he had learned as a vampire fledgling so long ago. His senses had become sharper lately due to the resumption of drinking human blood. He willed himself to find Janette. Janette was about to partake of her evening meal when she stopped, sensing Nick's urgent call. Five minutes later they were on the roof together. The moment Nick saw her, all his memories of their time together rushed over him. From the time he had first succumbed to her seduction, sealing his fate forever to that winter night he wished so much he could take back. "Janette, I...",Nick began. There was so much he wanted to say but words could not express the regret he felt. He wanted to take her in his arms, kiss her, hold her but he could do nothing. "Hello, Nicola." Ah, the way she said his name. He had always loved the way she pronounced it. If he had to choose what he loved most about her, aside from the sweet taste of her blood, that would be it. He had often found ways to give her reason to say it during their marriage. "Nicola, please don't be sorry. I know you did what you had to do." Janette looked up at him. He was looking at her with those pleading eyes of his. Robert had reminded her so much of Nick but there was one glaring difference. Robert's eyes were always so full of life and love whereas Nick's eyes held almost 800 years of torment and regret. "Now take me to Lacroix." Natalie felt a pang of jealousy as she watched Nick and Janette walk hand-in-hand into the lab. "Hello, Natalie." "Janette. I'm sorry about...everything." Janette smiled sadly. Nick winced and asked "Is there any change?" "No, he's still unconscious." Nick and Janette exchanged looks. "Um Nat...could you...well, I don't think you'll want to see this." Natalie nodded. Before she left the room she took his hand in hers and said "I hope he'll be all right." Nick took one of Natalie's scalpels and cut the skin on Lacroix's neck. They had to cleanse his system of Divia's blood. He let the blood pour out into a pail, careful not to let it touch him or Janette. When he had almost drained Lacroix of his total lifeforce, Nick bit his wrist and put it over Lacroix's mouth. Sensing the blood, Lacroix's eyes opened. "Lacroix, you're going to be all right. Janette is here." Janette drew Lacroix to her neck and he drank from her. He began to feel stronger as her blood flowed into him. He felt her love for him and her gratitude to him for saving her all those years ago. Janetted had mastered the art of shielding the secrets in her blood and so she was able to hide her regret over her short-lived mortality. When Lacroix had had his fill of Janette, Nick offered himself to Lacroix. Lacroix intended to savour this moment as he didn't know when this wonderful opportunity would arise again. Nicholas' blood was delicious, as good as it had been when he had first brought him across. Nick had never been as successful at shielding the secrets of his blood as Janette, perhaps because Lacroix had not spent much time on that particular lesson. Ah, so he did love Natalie and had not been pretending as he had claimed years ago. And what's this? He did not hate Lacroix as he repeatedly claimed but rather considered him his closest friend. Lacroix also learned the extent of Nick's regret at having brought Janette back across and was also interested to know his feelings for Janette had not dissipated. Lacroix looked with fondness at his two beloved children. And so, this triumvirate of vampires who had shared nearly eight centuries of joys and sorrows began the final part of the blood cleansing ritual. They joined hands, closed their eyes and concentrated on willing their strength into each other. When Lacroix felt strong enough, he drew his children close to him. Janette rested her head on his shoulder. "It's nice to be back with the family again." "I owe you both my life. My beautiful Janette. Dear, sweet Nicholas." Nick smiled. They were interrupted by Natalie. "Nick",she began. "Reese just called. It's Marie. She was found dead in you apartment." "What?! Let's go." He looked at Lacroix. "I'll be fine, Nicholas. Do what you must." Nick hestitated and looked at Janette "Please don't leave without saying goodbye." "He hasn't changed a bit.", Janette remarked after Nick and Natalie had left. Lacroix answered, "Oh, but he has, Janette. Everyday, I see more evidence that he is turning his back on his quest for mortality." (to be continued) Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 22:30:10 -0500 X-Sender: ecker@idirect.com (Unverified) To: FKarchiver@fkfanfic.com From: Michelle Ecker Hi. Here is the next installment of my story. Knight of Destiny (cont'd) Nick and Natalie arrived at the loft which was surrounded by a phalanx of police cruisers. Nick was about to open the door when he stopped and put his hand against it to steady himself. "Nick, are you all right?" "Yeah.",he answered in a raspy voice. "I'm just hungry. I should have fed before I left." Reese approached them as soon as they entered. "Knight, where the hell have you been? I've been trying to reach you for hours." "I-",Nick began, only to be interrupted by Natalie "He was with me." Nick chose that moment to collapse. Natalie didn't want to think about what was running through Reese's mind at that moment. "Is he all right?",Reese asked. "Help me get him to the couch. He'll be fine. It's part of his condition. I'll just go get his medicine." Reese watched as Natalie took what looked like a bottle of red wine out of the fridge. Nick woke up as soon as she brought it near him. Well, thought Reese, that certainly explained Nick's odd behaviour. Reese had seen his share of cops turn to the bottle. He had seen many things in his career that he would like to forget but his wife and daughter always reminded him of what mattered. "Nick, maybe you should try a 12-step program." Nick and Natalie exchanged knowing looks. "Uh, I tried it Cap. It didn't work for me. About Marie?" "Well apparently, she was sleeping. The housekeeper turned out to be a real computer whiz. She broke your alarm code. She dragged Mrs. Hill from your bedroom into the bathroom. We found an empty syringe near the body. A witness saw someone running from the scene and called the police. We caught her trying to hitchhike and we've got her in custody now." Natalie looked at Nick and thought "She got closer to his bed than I ever will." Nick had that "If only I had been here" expression on his face. "Nick, why don't we go take a look." Reese began to talk to another officer while Nick and Natalie neared the Marie's sheet covered body. Instinctively, Natalie touched Marie's neck and looked for any tell-tale marks. "Damn it, Nat!",Nick whispered. Why do you always check there first? Vampires aren't responsible for every murder in this city, you know." Natalie hadn't even realized what she had done. She looked down at Marie and wondered just when she had begun to care more about protecting the vampire community than her own mortal world. (to be continued) Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 23:03:34 -0500 X-Sender: ecker@idirect.com (Unverified) To: FKarchiver@fkfanfic.com From: Michelle Ecker Hi. Here is the next part of my story. Knight of Destiny (cont'd) After Reese and the others had left, Natalie made sure the blinds were closed while Nick stood staring at the fridge. He looked at Natalie, whose back was turned and took out the bottle of human blood. He took a sip and closed his eyes in order to savor the taste. He put back the bottle. He walked over to the leather couch, sat down and sighed. "I should have been here Nat." "It's not your fault, Nick." How many times had she had to say this to him, she wondered. When would he learn? "Isnt it? I could have saved her." "Nick, Lacroix would have died without you." Natalie sat beside him and was about to take his hand when he pulled away and walked over to the window. "Death and destruction follow me wherever I go. And you want to be a part of that?" "That's not true, Nick." She walked over to where he stood. "Oh it's not? Janette, Cohen, Schanke, Tracy and now Marie. I failed all of them." "Nick-" He looked up. "I'm just so tired of it all. The poking and prodding, the tests, pills that have no effect, the crime, of being a cop, of-" "Of me?",Natalie whispered. Nick turned towards her. He had said too much. "No, not you, never you." A thin ray of sunlight broke through a crack in the blinds and glinted off her hair, giving her an ethereal glow. "You look like an angel." Natalie looked up at him and felt as if she would drown in his beautiful blue eyes. He returned her gaze and surprised them both by kissing her passionately. "I love you Nick." He let her go. "You shouldn't" "But I do." He walked over to the mantle and traced the outline of the gargoyle carving. "Nat, you don't want the kind of love I have to give. It's evil." Natalie was aghast. "What? Come on Nick. Don't be an idiot." "I'm serious, Nat. Don't make light of this. We're talking about your life here." "Nick, I refuse to believe that. If you were truly evil, would you be a cop? Would you want to save lives?" He didn't answer. She came closer. "Nick, don't you know by now that when you woke up in the lab that night, you changed my life forever? I thank God everyday that I was working that night." "You thank God for me?" "Yes." She reached out and touched his hair. "Before I met you my life was empty. It was work, work and more work. The only men I ever went out with were doctors who pawed at me and medical technicians whose idea of scintillating dinner conversation was the proper way to insert a scalpel." Nick laughed despite himself. Natalie smiled. It had been so long since she had heard him laugh. Not that he'd had much reason to lately. "Don't you see when we met, you taught me look beneath the surface, that anything is possible. You gave me my life back, Nick, and I want to do the same for you." He caressed her cheek. "You are an incredible woman, Natalie Lambert." "And you, Nick Knight, are a remarkable human being." He kissed her again. His lips grazed her neck but she pulled away. "Tonight Nick. I want to make this special for you." He looked at her. "Are you sure about this?" "I'm sure." She walked towards the door. "Who knows? Maybe tomorrow we can watch the sunrise together." He smiled but didn't say anything. She opened the door. "Tonight." She closed the door between them. "Goodbye, Natalie." (to be continued) Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 21:17:48 -0500 X-Sender: ecker@idirect.com (Unverified) To: FKarchiver@fkfanfic.com From: Michelle Ecker Hi. Here is the final part of my story as well as the alternate ending. Knight of Destiny (cont'd) That night, Nick stood in front of his window contemplating what Natalie had said. She had called to say she would be over in three hours. He had wanted to tell her not to come but he couldn't. He pointed the remote at the blinds, parting them to reveal the nighttime sky. There was a full moon, surrounded by what seemed like an eternity of stars. "I'm glad you are well, Lacroix.",Nick said, sensing his master's presence. "I don't know what I would have done without you." "Thanks to you and Janette, we won't have to find out, will we?" Lacroix had sensed Nicholas' pain all day and had come as soon as he was able. "What's troubling you, Nicholas?" Nick was tired of hiding and concealing everything. He had to talk to someone. "It's Natalie.", he sighed. "She wants to...well...do what Janette did to become mortal again." Lacroix smiled to himself. Even after nearly 800 years, Nicholas still couldn't discuss sex with him. "And you don't want to." "I don't know what I want.",Nick said, his voice breaking. Lacroix came toward him and put his arm around Nick's shoulder. To his surprise, Nick didn't flinch or pull away. Instead he burst into tears. Nicholas had always been the most sensitive of Lacroix's children but he had never seen him this emotional. Lacroix led him to the couch. Nick laid his head on Lacroix's shoulder and his words spilled forth. "Oh Lacroix. I'm just so tired. She wants so much from me. So much that I can't give. I love her but what I can do? I'll just end up hurting her. I can't take away her goodness. I can't condemn her to the darkness that is my life. I'm just so tired of this place, of this city. I'm a vampire and I can't change that. I know that now." "Nicholas, my son, look at me. If this is truly the way you feel, then you know what you must do." Hours later, Natalie arrived at Nick's loft and felt an instant sense of panic. It was quiet, too quiet. She stood in the doorway, unable to move, until her gaze fell on the dining room table. There was a letter on it with a single red rose atop of it. She forced herself to pick it up and read it. "My dearest Natalie.",it began in Nick's refined handwriting. "I've loved you from the moment we first met and I always will. Drinking from you was like drinking from a garden of roses. Please forgive me for leaving you, but I cannot ask you to risk your mortality in exchange for my own. I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. I must move on. Find someone who can give you what I can't. Someone who can give you the family I know you've always dreamed of, someone with whom you can watch the sunrise. Remember me." Forever, Nick. Natalie sank to her knees and began to sob. "Damn you, Nick." On the roof above the loft, Nick watched through the skylight as Natalie's body racked with sobs. He wanted desperately to go to her and comfort her. "Nicholas, it's time. We must go." He nodded and the two vampires disappeared into the night. Epilogue April 20, 2004. Nick's birthday. Natalie wondered if he was still out there somewhere. Time had dulled the pain of his abandonment and now she remembered him fondly. "Mommy, Mommy. Daddy's home, Daddy's home!" Natalie smiled. "I'm coming Nicholas." The End. (Or is it? Look below for an alternate ending.) Knight of Destiny (alternate ending) Nick spent the time leading up to Natalie's arrival experiencing a myriad of emotions. He went from apprehension to excitement. Most of all, he was frightened. He sensed the door open. "Hi Nick." You look beautiful, Nat." She smiled and took his hands. "It will be all right, Nick. You trust me right?" He nodded. "Then I promise you, you won't regret this." She led him upstairs. When they reached his bedroom, he stopped at the doorway and looked at her. She had a beautiful smile which warmed his cold heart. He took a deep breath. "I love you, Natalie." She led him to the bed. They sat down on the edge of the bed. He kissed her. Her heartbeat was so enticing. He brushed her hair away from her neck and leaned towards it. She stopped him. "No, Nick, not yet. Let me show you how much I love you." Natalie kissed his cheek. She looked at him and was aroused to see his fangs bared and his eyes in their vampire form. She knew she had to keep him calm. She kissed his neck and he moaned. They made love. When Natalie reached the heights of passion, Nick took her neck in his hands and sank his fangs into her as gently as he could. This time, he involved her. They clasped hands. She felt a bit of pain, but found the whole experience strangely erotic. She whispered "I love you Nick." And then the room dissolved into nothingness. Later, after Natalie had ingested the orange juice she had brought to replenish her strength, they sat together on the couch. She was wearing his robe. "Nick you are an amazing creature." He laughed. "So, I've been told." He gazed at her. "You are as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside." They kissed. "As beautiful as Joan of Arc?",she whispered. "Yes." "As beautiful as Josephine?" "More." Nick caressed her cheek. "As beautiful as Catherine the Great?" "Well..." They both laughed and she punched him lightly on the shoulder. He was about to kiss her again when her cellular phone rang. "I'm sorry, Nick. I have to get this." She took the call. She hung up and sighed. "It was Grace. There was a mix-up at the lab with some samples. I have to go." She kissed him on the cheek. "I guess the sunrise will have to wait." After she had changed back into her clothes, Nick walked her to the door. "I wasn't kidding before, Nick. You are the most amazing man I have ever known." He smiled sadly as a tear formed in his eye. He gave her one last, lingering kiss. He remained at the door after she had left. "Did you enjoy your little rendezvous?" Nick whirled around. "Damn you, Lacroix. Were you watching? Don't make me regret saving your life." "Don't be absurd, Nicholas." Actually, the thought of Nick and Natalie together disturbed Lacroix greatly. "I saw the good doctor's car parked outside." "Oh." "Are you ready?" "Yes." Epilogue Nine months later, Natalie was lying in her hospital bed when the doctor came in. "Don't worry, Natalie. Babies are often born like that." After the doctor left Natalie smiled down at her newborn son. He smiled back, revealing two sharp, protruding teeth. The End. I hope you all liked this story. Any comments, good or bad, can be sent to ecker@idirect.com.