Return-Path: Date: Fri, 5 Jun 1998 23:23:26 -0500 Reply-To: Christina Wadsworth Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: Christina Wadsworth Subject: Luau! 01/?? X-To: "MDNTRS@aol.com" , "mtq1@cornell.edu" To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Yes, It's Luau! time. Considered this hereby disclaimed. Permission to archive on fanfic page. For this one we jump ahead a bit. Tash and LaCroix are home, well, they just got back to the Loft a half an hour ago. For this, I have to diddle with Schank's kids' ages. Jen is seventeen, and Brent (their son) is eight. Yes, I know this messes with some time frames a bit, but TPTB do it all the time. There will be instructions at the end for anyone who wants to participate in this one as has been done before. And without more ado, here is: Luau! Part 1 Nick's stereo was up good and loud. Hey, he owned the warehouse, why couldn't he have a little fun? "Nick! Can't you pick something besides 'YMCA'?" "How about 'Dancing Queen'?" "Why not just let the dumb thing play?" "Because, well, just because." "Gimme that stupid remote!" Tasha jumped over and snatched the remote from Nick's hand. She tried to figure how to work the thing while bouncing on the huge trampoline Nick had put up, pointed the infrared thingee towards the stereo, and hit play. She tossed the remote on the couch and resumed her bouncing. Everyone was getting into it. Even LaCroix was laughing and joking with everyone else, which was a real rarity. Of course, it helped that Tasha had spiked his blood with vodka (being odourless and tasteless) and was now higher than a hippie on the third day of an open-air festival. "Hey Tash!" called Tracy. "Yeah?" "I think I'm gonna be sick." Tash bounded over, wrapped her arms around the blonde woman's waist, and flew her to the bathroom. (She had since been told about Nick and Nat's 'condition'.) Tracy managed a quick "Thanks!" and ran to evict her triple-fudge brownie delight (with a chocolate-covered cherry) into the toilet. "Hey, Jav!" "Que?!" "Baby Jane's sick!" "Okay!!" Tash bounded on the bouncing disk as Javier got off to help Trace. She bounded over and knocked Nick to his knees. "No fair! You flew!" "Did not!" "Did too!" "Did not!!" Nat stepped in (well, actually she *bounced* in) and handed Tasha a letter, which pretty much got her off the hook. Then, Nat took over Tasha's side of the argument. "I did not!" "Did so!" Nick grinned like a maniac, knowing where this would eventually lead. "Did not, burro-sphincter!" "Did too, preppie!" "Brainless jerk!" "Corpse-kisser!" "You wish!" "Too late!" Tasha, getting annoyed with her aunt and uncle's (or was that now brother and sister's? Darn, but it got confusing!) little . . . tiff, she shouted for quiet. Well, as quiet as it could get while trying to get everyone to stop laughing as LaCroix and Screed danced drunkenly to 'Shake Your Booty'. She finally deciding a flying tackle would get him to sit down and shut up for the time being. "Hey, it's from Jenny Schanke!" "Jen *Schanke*?" asked Nick. "Yeah. I guess it's her seventeenth birthday and Donny told her to invite as many people as she wanted. She's asking me to come and bring everyone that'll come. Even the faction members." "Whoa, hold on! Donny?!?!?!?!" "Yeah. Donny Schanke. Jen and Brent's Dad. I spent a lot of time with them when we were in Hawaii. Mother never seemed to mind." Nick let out a whoop, then turned up the music even louder. He jumped back on the trampoline and did an impromptu dance to 'I Will Survive' with Nat. "He's *alive*?!" shouted Nat. LaCroix bounced limply on the other side of the trampoline. "Ey, Screedo! Whatsa matter wit him?" "Dunno, Tashanator! Think maybe 'e gots too much vodka in 'im." "Bloody perfect, he's passed out!" thought Tash. She went over, picked him up, and set him on the couch. By this time, Trace and Vachon had emerged, Trace looking 100% better. Tash went to the fridge and got out some unspiked blood. She downed it, then, almost overfull, went to help LaCroix, who had surely burned up much of the alcohol-laced sangria he had drunk. She ripped open her wrist and held it to his mouth. She was gratified when this revived him, and he began to pull it out on his own. He reopened her wrist with his own teeth when it began to heal over. When it was enough, he let go, clutching his head in the momentary pain of a vampire hangover. He glared at Tasha as the memories began to come back. "Well, I had to do *something* to loosen you up!" "I expect you wish payback." "Be certain of it." He looked up at Nicholas, sober. "Nicholas!" "Wha--?" "We need to talk." Nicholas gulped. He moved to sit where Tasha had, and Tasha went to join her aunt, who was burning to know how Tasha had taught LaCroix to be 'normal'. LaCroix looked deep into his son's eyes. "Hide and seek, Nicholas?" Nicholas blushed as much as his recent feeding would allow. "Nicholas . . .?" "Well . . ." he waffled. "I see." An evilish grin flitted across LaCroix's face. "Well, I can understand now why you did not want me near her. Thinking of picking up where you left off?" Nick looked at his master quizzically. Lucien glanced meaningfully over at Tasha, who was talking to Natalie as they danced to 'I Love The Nightlife' on the trampoline. "LaCroix!" "Nicholas?" he asked slowly. "I don't know. Maybe. . . Nat would have a fit." "I think she would consider it a fair . . . exchange." Nick's eyes widened. "Lucien?" he probed, using his master's given name for the first time in centuries. Lucien arched an eyebrow. "Perhaps." Then he broke down into a fit of giggles, mirroring Nat's, and went to collect Tash. Meanwhile, Tasha had been filling Nat in on Lucien's 'training'. "I made sure I drove him nuts. Every time I'd move one of his limbs, I'd find a nearby sensitive area and 'accidentally' breathe on it. It took him forever just to say 'dude' correctly!" Nat helplessly dissolved into giggles trying to imagine Lucien speaking 'valley', and fell down on the trampoline, her bones turned to jelly. Lucien took Tasha by the arm and led her to Nick's room. "What?" she asked. "Payback time." Lucien produced a can of whipped cream. "Now hold still . . ." "Ohhh, no!!!" she cried, and took off, zipping around the room. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````````````` You heard her!! Who wants to come to Hawaii? Fictionally, of course. I hope I can count on my regular Addicts (you know who you are) but I will gladly accept permission from anyone! Besides, the more fans, the better the luau!! Like it, hate it, torch it, let me know! Christina socrates@ncn.net Is caring for nonexistent folk foolish? Then leave me to my foolishness! -- Piers Anthony Ya gotta love livin', baby, 'cause dyin' is a pain! -- Frank Sinatra Return-Path: Date: Sun, 7 Jun 1998 23:13:50 -0500 Reply-To: Christina Wadsworth Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: Christina Wadsworth Subject: Luau! 02/?? X-To: "MDNTRS@aol.com" , "mtq1@cornell.edu" To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Okay, this has been disclaimed. I stop taking parts on Tuesday, meaning I begin writing that installment on Wed. Permission to archive on fanfic page. For any of you who may I have missed it, Hell froze over in the last set. Why else would LaCroix use whipped cream for payback? Without more ado, here is: Luau! Part 2 Nick looked up from the metal joint he was dismantling. He could hear odd noises coming from his room. Puzzled, he looked to Nat. She just shrugged her shoulders. They finished dismantling the trampoline and stowed it away in its box. Nick then changed the CD in his player from 'Disco Fever' to one of his Michael Crawford CD's. Then he went up to discover the source of the noises. He burst into the room to find LaCroix looking down at Tash, who was re-tying the laces to her boots. "Hi, Nick." Tasha finished tying her final lace, then looked up at her brother/uncle and brushed her longish hair out of her face. "D'you know you have a mouse in here?" "A mouse?" "Yeah. I was chasing him. Couldn't let Screedo get ahold of it! He'd chomp it, and mice're so cute!" "Hmm." Nick crossed his arms in a very LaCroix-like expression, looking at his master skeptically. "Don't look at me, Nicholas. She's the one who chased the mouse. I was merely making reservations for the flight. I have secured first-class seats for those that are going." "And how do you know who all's going?" "Put it this way, I'm a good guesser." Nick uncrossed his arms. "If you say so." LaCroix put his hand down to touch Tash's head, but she wasn't there. They began to hear the music from the CD player increase in volume. LaCroix and Nick looked out the door to find the three femmes huddled together on the floor in front of the stereo, sobbing. Vachon and Screed were giving each other quizzical glances, and quickly turned to shoot them at the two men upstairs. LaCroix and Nick jumped the rail and floated to the main floor. Nick stood behind the femmes, helpless, but LaCroix had a plan. "In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came. That voice which calls to me, and speaks my name. And do I dream again for now I find the Phantom of the Opera is there, inside my mind." Tasha's voice was sweet and low. LaCroix took on the persona of the Phantom. "Sing once again with me a strange duet. My power over you grows stronger yet. And though you turn from me to glance behind . . . The Phantom of the Opera is there inside your mind." Tasha rose and came to face her master. Tears streaked her face, tears of her own, the crimson tears of Natalie's, and Tracy's salty human tears. They played the song out, causing Screed to gape in astonishment. "Oi dinnow Tasha 'ad poipes loik tha'!" he whispered to Vachon. "Her voice has grown since the last time you heard it." Vachon reminded him. "Yeah, bu' she couldna sing loike tha' in Spain! She had a real 'igh voice. Loike a sore-priano." "Looks like she's gone a bit alto. She's almost between ranges." Vachon's eyes widened as she hit the high notes without squawking. "Okay, so she has command of two ranges." After the song's termination, he his the 'off' button for the stereo, effectively neutralising the tears. He hoped. All turning the music off did was propel each femme to her preferred shoulder to cry on. After a minute or so, the emotions had run their course and the tears stopped. The sun would be rising soon, and they all needed to get home. As Tash and LaCroix stepped into the elevator, he turned to her, arms akimbo. "A *mouse*?" "What was I supposed to tell him?" (Incidentally, later on that day, Nick tripped over an empty can of whipped cream on the way to bed and began to have serious doubts as to whether there were any mice at all.) Lucien reclined on his bed, wishing the sun would hurry up and rise. He worried about her being out in the daytime so long, and she hadn't fed since she sobered him up. He shivered slightly as he felt a wash of emotion over the link. It must be happening. Ten minutes later she walked into the room, happy. She came over tot he bed, sat down, and tilted her head. "Tash?" "The sunrise." He reached for her and sank his fangs into her neck. He saw every colour, smelled every scent, felt every faint breeze caress his face. He hadn't seen a sunrise in two millennia, and this opportunity was too much to pass up. He saw the complete sunrise, then felt Tash slumped against him; he had drained all her fluid. He opened his wrist with his teeth and held it to her mouth as she had done to him hours before. After she had taken enough to regain consciousness, he went to the fridge and pulled out two bottles of vintage. He handed one to Tash, and sat down on the bed beside her. Tasha began to bring the bottle to her mouth to pull the cork out with her teeth when she heard Lucien clear his throat quietly and gave her a tiny shake of his head when she looked his way. She brought the bottle down and pulled the cork out with her fingers. She brought it to her lips and tried to chug it as she was accustomed. She was surprised when it foamed and began to fizz out of her nose. Lucien looked at her dribbling fizzy brown-red from her nostrils. "Oh, I forgot to mention. It's mixed wit rootbeer." "It's good. I wasn't expecting carbonation, but I can handle that." She tipped the bottle up again and proceeded to chug it, eliciting a look of surprise from LaCroix. "But it came out your nose last time." "Rootbeer is no fizzier than wine coolers. Trust me, one learns how to chug when one finds herself out with teenagers." "I thought you got stuck with the Nanny most of the time." "I did. But, well, when we were in Hawaii Jen and I got into some of Donny's wine coolers, mistaking them for mineral waters and contented ourselves with getting sillier than heck and chugging as many as we could." "You got drunk? At fifteen?" "Well, we thought they were carbonated mineral waters. When Donny found out, he just shook his head, got out the real mineral waters, and held our head when the coolers made us sick. I'm just lucky Mother never found out. She would have had my hide. Donny and Myra never let me live it down, though. He would always ask me if I wanted any 'mineral water' whenever I was there." LaCroix smiled. "Oh, don't give me that 'unholier than thou' look. You did a lot worse when you were my age." "I beg your pardon!" he protested in mock innocence. "Do I have to mention Agustus' wife?" Lucien paled as much as he could. "No. We don't need to go there." "Oh, but I think we do. Maybe I should start with the Commendation by the Emperor, and then go into the houseguest phase, and then into the--" Lucien clapped his hand over her mouth. "Enough." Tasha got a wicked gleam in her eye. It reminded Lucien strongly of the one Divia had just before he-- "I'd just as soon *my* head stayed on." She whooshed behind him and started kneading the stiff muscles in his neck. "But I do have an idea . . ." "Lucien shook his head. "I've created a monster." he whispered. "Don't you ever get enough?" "Not yet. "Ohhhhh . . . . . . . ." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Like it, hate it, torch it, let me know. Christina socrates@ncn.net Return-Path: Date: Wed, 10 Jun 1998 01:50:43 -0500 Reply-To: Christina Wadsworth Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: Christina Wadsworth Subject: Luau! 03/?? Repost To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU That one had all those awful doohickeys in it. Here it is without them The majority of these characters don't belong to me, they belong to the FK TPTB. Tasha is mine, however, and I can use her any way I wish. Thanx to all those who came along to Hawaii, I promise everyone will look gorgeous whilst dancing the hula. Permission to archive at fanfic site. This begins right before the luau. Everyone has gotten through a first-class seated flight, checked into their rooms at the 5-star hotel, been on a 2000 $ shopping spree (courtesy of LaCroix's and Nick's credit cards) and is getting ready for the luau. (I have no idea whether my 'Legend of Pele [pronounced pay-lay]' bears any resemblance to the real legend or not, it was just something I felt Tash and Nat had to do) Without more ado, here is: Luau! Part 3 It was just before dusk. The femmes were clustered in Jen's basement, trying to get into costume. Tasha was nowhere to be found, and when anyone asked Jen, she just got a far-away look in her eye and professed ignorance. "Jen?" called Mids. "Yeah?" "Could you help me into this thing?" Mids was staring at the grass skirt, which was fashioned into an impossibly tiny ring. "Mids, you have to untie it. Here, let me . . ." Jen took the skirt and deftly unknotted the hidden ties. She wrapped it around Mids' waist and secured it. It swished around her legs, offering occasional flashes of her black bikini bottoms that had silver moons printed on them. She flipped her dark, curly hair over her shoulders, offsetting the matching bikini top. At sixteen, she was a figure to turn any vampire's head. "Maybe you can help me entice my . . . reticent father into dancing with us." Jen giggled. Allyson reached over the giggling pair to scoop up an amber necklace that went with her leotard. She wound the grass skirt around her hips, tying it well. She slipped on the flexible- soled dancing shoes that she had bought to match her outfit. She missed Shadow, her dog, but knew that he would be well taken care of in the luxury kennel provided by LaCroix. Glennis was admiring herself in the mirror. She wore a gold lame bodysuit that showed off her figure to the fullest. She had matching nail polish and dancing shoes, and even went so far as to buy gold lipstick. "Come on, Glennis! Let someone else have a turn! Just because you're at your all-time perfect weight doesn't mean you can hog the mirror!" called Beth, who matched Glennis but in silver. "I'll be done in a moment. I just have to get this skirt on . . ." Meanwhile, Valideh was putting up her long, jet-black hair (specially dyed the deepest black she could find for the luau) into a ponytail. She wore a blue bikini top and matching harem pants under the skirt. Her skin glowed, and the overall effect was of an Arab princess. Liz, unlike the others, refused to trade her cutoff shorts and 'If you can't stand the heat, hire a Merc to do your cooking' T- shirt for a more . . . evocative costume. She did, however, drape leis around her neck in the spirit of Hawaii. Emily was resplendent in a bright, sunny-orange outfit she hoped would please Nick. And, last but not least, Anthea was bedecked in multi- colour sequins. What glitter wasn't on her one-piece was sprinkled liberally over her exposed skin. When everyone had finished changing, Jen led them up and out to the luau grounds. They formed a line with Jen and Mids in the middle. "Okay, please try not to forget the steps. Above all, though, have fun." Jen instructed them. "Who are going to play the parts of the Pele goddesses?" asked Emily. "You'll see." With that, the music started. Jen led them out past the bonfire, keeping in time with the music. The first dance was the traditional one. Donny, Myra, Nick, and LaCroix were sitting in front on some picnic tables. Some of the young men who were helping out, and even some of the guests began to stare, completely ensnared by these foreign beauties who were performing the dance so well. About three-quarters of the way through the dance, Jen and Mids stepped out, and convinced a deeply blushing Don Schanke to join in. At the end, Donny went to sit down, and Jen climbed a small tower to make the announcements. "Thank you all for coming. As you know, it is my seventeenth birthday today, and I am of age to be the narrator of the Legend of Pele. I accept this honour with pride, for I know that only those who are pure of heart and noble of spirit are deemed worthy by the priest to narrate such a tale. And it is with great pleasure that I present to you my voice for the narration of the Legend of Pele." With that, the hula-ers took their places to either side of a monstrous cone that rested on the other side of the bonfire, positioned so everyone could see it. A light began to emanate from the cone, giving it a fiery look. "In the time before Hawaii was in contact with the cultures beyond the sea, she was ruled by the goddess Pele, She of Fire." With this, a red-clad figure rose from the cone. She was dressed in a red leotard, with red flowers in her hair, a red veil over her face, a red grass-skirt, red shoes, and reddened lips and nails. She rose as if awakening, shaking first her hands, which were covered in miniature red skirts, and finally ending up with moves that made her torso seem to turn to liquid. "But Pele was unable to rule all of the islands at once so she split herself into two halves, each incomplete without the other." Another figure, this one a bit shorter, but similarly attired came from behind to stand beside the first. "But the priests could not have half-goddesses ruling, for they lacked the abilities of the other. The Holiest of holy men, who was the oldest and the wisest of them all, decreed that they should have mates. But, Pele could not take Hawaiian men, for they were all her children. The only thing to do was to find men from across the sea." The hulaing factioners turned to the cone as if taking instructions from Pele. "So, Pele sent out her priestesses to search for suitable men." The factioners went out, seeming to search the crowd for suitable mates. They ended up splitting into two camps, one who 'found' Nick, and one who 'found' LaCroix. They took them back to the cone, as if 'offering' them to Pele. "When the women brought back the two finest men they could find, Pele was shocked. She had never before seen men of fair colour. She descended from her cone to inspect them more closely." The Peles gently floated down to 'inspect' the men. "Each Pele decided on the one she wanted, and ordered the priest to declare them married." Here the priest performed the wedding ceremonies, one time for each Pele. "When they had mated, they merged their minds, creating two new people that lived in four bodies. Pele took them to her mountain, intent on fostering a new race of Hawaiians." The four flew up to the cone. Jen stood up a bit straighter on her tower. "Now I call for the Peles to unmask themselves, show us their true faces." The Peles drew down their veils. They were Tasha and Nat. "I call upon all assembled to witness the marriages of my best friend Natasha to Lucien LaCroix, and her aunt Natalie to Nicholas Knight!" There was a murmur from among the crowd. "Now, perhaps Pele and her priestesses will bestow the blessings of the Fire Dance upon us all!!" TBC . Return-Path: Date: Wed, 10 Jun 1998 01:39:49 -0500 Reply-To: Christina Wadsworth Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: Christina Wadsworth Subject: Luau! 04/?? X-To: "MDNTRS@aol.com" , "mtq1@cornell.edu" To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU See part three for disclaimer/archival Natasha and Nat partnered with their respective preferred vampires, Mids paired up with a well-scrubbed Screed, Tracy took up with Vachon (Tracy having arrived too late for the storytelling), and the rest paired off with some of the afore-mentioned buff-looking Hawaiian men. They danced around the bonfire, leaping like flames and doing more elaborate steps of the brief dance Pele showed at first, and ending with a resounding leap away from the flames. Everyone applauded, and the factioners were clustering around their preferred vampires, eliciting promises of 'rewards' for a dance well done. After that was done, everyone gathered around Jen for her birthday celebration. She blew out the candles on her possum-shaped cake (Jen was about as big a fan of Red Green as Tasha) and opened her presents. Tasha's gift was a locking notebook. Jen looked at her quizzically, then opened it. Inside were the autographs of all Jen's favourite stars. Jen nearly knocked Tash over with a bear hug. Anthea gave Jen a Toronto Maple Leafs T-shirt, Liz gave a collection of bath oils, and the rest had pooled their resources (along with the help of a few well-placed whammies, not to mention credit-cards) and wheeled out a brand-new purple-and- chrome Harley for they young motorcycle enthusiast. Jen jumped up and down repeatedly, in the manner of a normal teen, and went around giving everyone enormous hugs. The piece de resistance, though, was the gift from her parents. A brand new shiny-purple Jag two-seater. Jen was about to pass out from happiness. Everyone ate except the vampires for obvious reasons, but Tasha had to push her luck and pig out. Donny sidled up beside her at the buffet, holding a bottle of clear liquid. "Mineral water, Tasha?" His attempt to purr the words was almost as funny as the meta-message. She busted out laughing, joined by Donny and Jen. "Well, only if you hold my head again when I get sick." "Deal." His smile lit up his whole face. Tasha set her plate down and hugged her teddy-bearish friend. "I've missed you, Donny." "Hey, hey, Myra's gonna get jealous." Tasha accepted the bottle and proceeded on the buffet line. She sat with them as the others stayed with the factioners. She porked out, in the manner of a teenager, and it actually seemed the food would stay down. But it didn't. After about fifteen minutes, she was heading for the bushes, Donny following to make good on his promise. Nick saw the two running off together and pointed it out to LaCroix. He just waved it off, remembering what Tash had said about holding her head if she got sick. "Are you okay?" "Yeah. I'm fine, Donny. I just can't eat the way I used to." "You're like them, aren't you. Nat is, too." "Like who?" "Like Nick, and that nutty guy you married. You're a chomper." "Chomper?" Tash was worried. Those were her first words to describe Nick and LaCroix when she learned. "You know, a bloodsucker. Vampire." "How did you . . ." "He tried to whammy me into washing his car before I had to leave." Tasha was finally putting a two and another two together. "Not Rick Wright, Nick Knight!! You knew Nick and Anat! That's why they were so happy to see you!" "Yeah. You can't be a cop for as long as I have and not notice things like that. Here." He drew a small, red pouch from his pocket. "Drink this." Tash looked up at him gratefully, extended her fangs, and pierced the bag. She quickly finished it with her eyes closed, and looked up at him again. "Now you know." "It was you!" "Yeah." "You knew! You wanted it to happen!! You, aaugh!" she scolded him playfully. "Hey, I couldn't pass it up!" "Cretin." "You've been hanging around Nick too long." Suddenly, four tanned hands parted the bushes. Myra and Jen stepped through them. Myra looked down at them. "Are you trying to take him away from me?" "No. I just got sick." "Mom, she's a married . . . female." "And your father is a married . . ." she playfully mocked her daughter's hesitant pause, "male." "Aww, Mom . . ." Donny helped Tasha up, and they went to enjoy the rest of the luau. All too soon, it was over, leaving everyone in a state of virtual exhaustion. Since LaCroix and Nick were working their fans over for the day, Tasha and Nat rounded up Screed and Marcus (whom Tasha insisted LaCroix let come to Hawaii) and settled in for a nice sleep. They planned to annoy their respective males, but not let anything actually happen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yes, Nick and Nat really did get married. Like it, hate it, torch it, let me know. Christina socrates@ncn.net Return-Path: Date: Wed, 10 Jun 1998 22:44:06 -0500 Reply-To: Christina Wadsworth Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: Christina Wadsworth Subject: Luau! 05/?? X-To: "MDNTRS@aol.com" , "mtq1@cornell.edu" To: FKFIC-L@lists.psu.edu See earlier parts for disclaimer/archival. In case you were wondering what Schanke does that he's so well off, he owns the hotel where they're all staying and has a huge homestead behind it. Luau! Part 5 Lucien arrived at his room to find it empty. Grateful for a respite from his reward rounds, he flopped on the bed. Not that he was complaining. On the contrary, it was one of his most favourite pastimes. He closed his eyes and rapidly fell into a deep sleep. He dreamed of his childhood, of his mother, and of . . . Lucius woke from his nap under the grapevines. He looked up into the setting sun. He saw the outline figure of a girl, silhouetted against the sun. He saw her startle in surprise, then run fleetly away. He awoke fully and looked into the vineyard, but he could see nobody. He heard his mother's voice in the distance. He ran back to the villa, not wanting to arouse his father's ready ire at not responding, for wherever his mother was, his father was not far away. Young Lucius was fleet of foot thanks to his military training, and quickly made it to the veranda where his mother stood. "Yes, Mother?" "Lucius, it's almost time for cena. Where have you been?" "Sorry, Mother. I was laying under the grapevines whilst studying, and I fell asleep." He looked into his mother's blue eyes, so like his own. Cera looked down at her son. She tousled his fair hair, one of the many traits inherited from his northern-born mother. "Come on. General Marcius is here for cena tonight. You don't want to disappoint him, now, do you?" "No, Mother." "Go get washed up and change your tunic." She patted him on the shoulder and sent him off to wash for supper. Lucien, asleep, smiled at the memory of that supper and flipped over onto his side. He loved his mother so much, and it seemed that she was really there, in Pompeii, at home on the villa. The dishes were cleared, and they retired to the veranda to watch the stars. Lucius was attended by his slave, a northborn like his mother. It was her job to ensure he wanted for nothing whilst the General was present. Lucius cupped her chin in his hand to get her to look at him. Pale of skin and deep blue of eye, she was the envy of his friends at camp. "Divia, go get me a cup of tea, would you?" "Of course, Master Lucius." (When it would become clear later on in his life that his daughter would resemble his slave closely, he named that daughter Divia in memory.) She quickly returned with his favourite cup and filled it with tea. "Refreshment, Master Lucius." "Young Lucius, why do you drink that swill?" called General Marcius. "Surely a strapping lad like yourself would be eager to partake of such fine wine!" "I have discovered that wine is not to my taste, General. I simply haven't the stomach for it." The rest of cena passed uneventfully. Young Lucius counted the days until he had to return to his training camp. Twelve days. The only things that made his young life bearable were Divia and his mother. Lucius hated both camp and his father. He hoped that his mother would free Divia from his service soon so they could be married. He dreamed of the day, or, rather, night, where he would be able to call Divia his own. Until then, she worked for him, not letting him get too seriously into his military training. Lucius awoke to screams. He would recognise Divia's voice anywhere. He rushed out to see Divia and her older sister, Latanni chained to the floor in the atrium. His father, in a drunken stupor, was lashing at them with a long whip. Latanni lay limply on the floor, obviously dead, but Divia was still screaming, clinging tenaciously to life. "Father, no!!" he shouted, running to grab the whip. His father only lashed at him with the whip, nearly putting out his left eye. Blood pooled everywhere, pouring from Divia's paling form. Her skin, once glowing like the moon, now was coloured cerise from the welts and the blood pouring from them. "Lucius!" she cried. "Quiet, $%^&*!" his father snapped. Lucius watched as his father teetered, stumbled, and crashed to the floor, passed out. Lucius ran to Divia, who was quaking as she tried to remain on her feet. "Divia, no!" She merely shook her head. She raised her hand, slick with blood, and touched two fingers to his lips. "Lucien, hush." "Divia, it's Lucius, Lucius . . ." "Quiet! You are Lucien. I will come back for you. Even if it takes millennia." Her body was racked with coughs; traces of red foam showed upon her lips. "Lucien, do not let him hurt you. Never forget me, Lucien. My light. My bearer of the light . . ." She slumped against him, the life almost out of her. "Lucien, I will love you forever." The she was gone. Lucius' slight frame shook with silent sobs, tears that no fifteen-year-old should have to choke back. In that moment, Lucius' whole future changed. In one moment he was diverted from his destiny to become the Emperor of Rome onto a new path, a path that was only for those who had no tears to shed. Lucius' heart grew cold. All the things he had come to cherish died with his love that night. Lucien sat up in bed, choking back sobs. He felt a cool, damp cloth on his head, wiping away the bloodsweat. He grabbed onto the hand, drawing whoever it was roughly onto the mattress with him. His fangs were down and his eyes burned red. He saw two gently-glowing green orbs in front of him and calmed slightly. "Lucius, my bearer of the light. You're going to be all right. Shh, it's okay. Calm down." her voice murmured. "How? How could you be her and Seline at the same time?" "She had rheumatic fever at age three. Seline died on her third birthday. I told you I'd come back. You'd grown so cold. so heartless. I couldn't let you know . . . And when you named our daughter Divia, I knew I could never tell you." "Oh, Jupiter, if I had known!" "It wasn't your fault." "How can you remember?" "Your dream triggered it. I was lecturing Donny about the evils of leaving wine coolers out where one's daughter and her best friend could get into them and make utter fools of themselves when I felt you. I came in here, knowing that you were not having a pleasant time of it. Then you woke up." Both their eyes returned to normal. "Natasha, how old are you?" She cocked her head to one side. "Eighteen . . ." she said slowly. He shook his head and then tapped her temple. "How *old* are you, Tasha?" "I don't know. Pretty old, I should think. But, Lucien, how old are *you*?" "I don't know either." Lucien, we have a week to spend here. Did you bring your *special* credit card, 'cause I think the femmes are gonna wanna go sightseeing and such." "Yes, I'll give it to Glennis to take with them. She is the most responsible one I can think of." "Good. Now shower and change, 'cause we have to go in Donny's boat." "Boat?" "It's HUGE! You absolutely must see it. Now go clean that up before anybody finds out and gets suspicious." She hustled him off to the bathroom. "I'm going back downstairs. Donny's in the pool hall, and he's teaching Emily how to estimate her shots! Hurry up!!" She left him to his shower. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Like it, hate it, torch it, let me know!! Christina socrates@ncn.net Keeper of Brent Spiner's Holy Ice-Cream Spoon, and Lucien's favourite wineglass! Is caring for nonexistent folk foolish? Then leave me to my foolishness! -- Piers Anthony Ya gotta love livin', baby, 'cause dyin' is a pain! -- Frank Sinatra Return-Path: Date: Fri, 12 Jun 1998 00:43:58 -0500 Reply-To: Christina Wadsworth Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: Christina Wadsworth Subject: Luau! 6 The final shopping spree X-To: "MDNTRS@aol.com" , "mtq1@cornell.edu" To: FKFIC-L@lists.psu.edu See earlier parts for disclaimers/archival. Thanx again to all = participants!! "You see, Emily, it's all simple maths. You aim for the diamond that = will give you the correct proportion." "If you say so, Mr. Schanke." "Don. Call me Don." Emily just shrugged, taking aim with the pool cue. Valideh broke in = just as she shot, muffing the ball. "Emily, c'mon." Valideh called, black hair swishing behind her. "We've = got Nick's *and* LaCroix's credit cards. It's time to SHOP!" "Don't spend it all in one place!" called Nick. Emily looked questioningly at Nick. "Your credit card? With them? = They'll max it out." Nick reached out to run his finger along her jaw. "It'll be fine. = Don't worry." Emily shivered a bit, the went to join the raven-haired beauty in the = Land Rover. After she was gone, Nat turned to Nick. "Are you always gonna be like = this?" "Like what?" he smiled. "Hitting on women, *all* women, no matter what race, age, creed, or = nationality? Heck, I'd rather take my chances with Marcus. At least he = can keep his hands to himself in bed!" "Natalie!" Nat just cocked her head and looked at him enigmatically. "Don't worry, nothing happened. Well, nothing major, anyway . . ." "Anat, don't . . ." Tasha warned. "Don't what? Hey, what's going on here?" queried Schanke. "It's just that while LaCroix and someone who shall remain nameless but = rhymes with brick, and a few other choice words--" here Nat glared at = Nick "--was out giving their groupies one heck of a ride, Marcus, Tasha, = Screed and I all went up to the big room for a . . . nap." "A nap." intoned Nick. "Yes, a nap." retorted Nat. Here Lucien walked into the room, bedecked in his usual black, but with = a splash of butterscotch for flair. "What is all this racket?" "Oh, Anat's just getting Nick all worked up over nothing." "Really. And how is it supposed to look when two married women take = two men not their husbands to bed?" "Aw, c'mon. Nothing happened. We spooned. Screedo on the outside, = then me, Marcus, and Anat. It was kinda fun, dreamlinking." "Hmm." Lucien turned to the pool table, picked up a cue, and spun it = around in his fingers. "Who fancies a game?" ####################################################### Here I have to break in, 'cause I don't have commercials to do it for = me. The rest was uneventful. The pool game was a tie between Donny and = Lucien. It went for twenty rounds, then Myra and Tash forced them to = stop. The credit cards did not nearly max out, and every factioner went = home satisfied (take that to mean anything you want it to) and stocked = to the gills with souvenirs from Hawaii. Everyone returned home safely. = Mids and Jen continued to correspond via snail and e-mail, Tash and Jen = did the same, and Nat came to the conclusion that one cannot keep a = vampire all to onesself, and decided to allow herself to have a little = fun, vampire-style. (They're a lusty bunch, aren't they?) Also, Vachon = made an extremely important decision that affected all their lives, and = Tasha got into a snit. We join them now at the snit, already in = progress . . . ####################################################### "Lucien, I want him!" "No. We have enough around here as it is." "Lucien, if you don't do it, I shall do it myself!" "Try. You won't be able to stop." he snarled. Seeing as this was not working, Tasha tried another tactic. "But why, = Lucien? You know he wants to. He's told me." "He doesn't have enough education yet." "Then educate him, for Jupiter's sake!" That got Lucien off-balance. "What did you say?" "Then educate him for Jupiter's sake!" Lucien began to flashback. He once thought it was just one of = Nicholas' affectations, but now he realised that his son could not = control his any more than he could control this one. "Lucius, I shouldn't be here." She looked nervously around the room, = terrified of being caught. "Come on, Divia. Latanni will cover for us." "Lucius, I think this whole thing might be a mistake--" She was cut off = by something warm and soft pressing against her mouth. She tried to = turn away, but he held her head still. He finally broke away, and = leaned back only enough to look deep within her eyes. "Was that a mistake?" "Lucius, if your father was to know . . ." "To Hades with my father! He is a drunken lout, not fit to run this = vineyard." "Shh! If he were to hear . . ." "He's in another drunken stupor. He is too fond of Dionysius' drink. = He wouldn't here a chariot race if he were being run over by the = horses!" "But I'm bractae, and you're Roman!" "You do not seem a barbarian to me. Anyway, my mother is foreign-born. = The Emperor made an exception for his favourite wine-maker, and he will = do so again for the wine-maker's son." "But I'm not educated--" "Then we'll educate you for Jupiter's sake! Divia, why are you turning = away? We've been friends for ten years, more than friends for two . . = ." "Because I want what's best for you! And if that means keeping me as a = scullery maid while you marry a Roman-born, so be it." He snared her in a crushing embrace. "You're what's best for me, = Divia. I know you can read and write, you just have no head for = numbers, or advanced writing. We can work it out." "Lucien!! Anybody home? I've been yelling at you for five minutes." "Hmm? Oh, sorry, Tasha. I kind of spaced out. Funny, it's Nick who = usually does that." He looked down at her and remembered why they had = been arguing. "Oh, very well. We'll educate him fully and then I'll = change him. Quite a stroke of luck for someone who used to own a = stripclub." "Well, he doesn't do that anymore." she protested, liking her reformed = bartender/bouncer/ostensible bodyguard. "He's ours." "Yes." sighed Lucien. Tasha rubbed her neck, noticing the kink in it now that she had won the = argument. "Look, I'm going to start up the Jacuzzi. You're welcome to = join me . . ." "Your hair's not long enough, and you don't have an Irish accent." "Stay out of my books!!" "Well, can you blame me? I really do think you like him, that = Lancelot. He seems to be quite familiar . . ." "Right, then, off with ye! I'll not be takin' such flak from someone = in your position!" "Oho! You can speak Irish. Tell me, exactly what position am I in = that you cannot accept 'flak' from me?" "We'll work that out when we get in the tub, now, come on!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Herein concludes Luau. Like it, hate it, torch it, let me know. Christina socrates@ncn.net Keeper of the Brent Spiner Holy Ice-Cream Spoon. Is caring for nonexistent folk foolish? Then leave me to my = foolishness! -- Piers Anthony Ya gotta love livin', baby, 'cause dyin' is a pain! -- Frank Sinatra