Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 23:32:15 -0700 From: Becky G-berger Subject: The Innocent: Never Again 01/04 To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Authors notes: This is the beginning of a new series. It takes place after LK, it doesn't really do anything but it was fun writing it. Disclaimer: Most of these characters are mine, but most of them are FK based and I didn't create that. LaCroix and the FK universe belong to James Parriott. Terra is mine though, but don't use her. Anyway this is my first story so cut me a brake ok. Never Again ---------------------- Chapter 1 The sun was already making its way through the sky. LaCroix raised the stake above his sons head. He had made the decision... "Damn, you Nicholas!" LaCroix jerked awake. Three years later and his son's memory still haunted his dreams. Three years since Nicholas had died at his own hand. Janette and LaCroix had met up only once since it happened. Janette had looed at him with disgust. She despised Nicholas for bringing her back acrossed. But she understood it. Thats what the family was supposed to do, make sure the others in the family survived. But no where in her mind could she fathom LaCroix killing Nicholas. So she left, and broke all contact with him. That was two years ago. LaCroix's min wandered a bit and he ended up wondering what had possessed him to take on Nicholas. Janette, he had chosen for her beauty. Truly he hadn't wanted Nicholas. Janette had wanted him, and somehow she had convinced him to bring the crusader across. how ironic that he would become his favorite child. The ancient vampire turned his head to the digital clock beside his bed. 8:26. The sun wasn't going to set for at least a half-an-hour, and LaCroix had no desire to return to sleep.. LaCroix stood up, throwing the blankets to the side. He took a shower and got dressed then made his way to the kitchen. The refrigerator was black, like the rest of his furniture, and inside was a series of green wine bottles with various labels on them. He knew they all contained a single beverage. Bloodwine. It slid down his throat i a most pleasing manner. It brought extra focus to his thoughts. Whether it was the nightmares or the depressing memories, but he had decided to never again mak another vampire. He wasn't even aware of having made the decision,but he knew he needed solitude for awhile. "Bee-ba-be-ba-beep!" What a nuisance, the alarm had gone off. But Why? He hadn't set it. Very cautiously he walked back up to his room. With his vampire senses he could detect no one... but there was something sort of muffled, very confusing. He had felt it before. He knew who was behind the door. He opened the door, and the alarm stopped, a black vampire with frizzy red hair, and a black three-piece suit. "Gero." Flashback: 2000 yrs. ago -------------------------------- LaCroix had been flying for three nights. He didn't know where he was going, only that he was getting away fro her. Divia, his daughter, he had killedher and then buried her under the sun symbol with her maker. The young Lucien felt something... another vampire. He landed out in a moonlit field looking for the other of his kind. A black, red haired vampire landed on the ground a few feet in front of him. This vampire had been folowing him, but in his grief he didn't care. It absolutely didn't matter. "Greetings General Lucien of the roman empire," the black vampire waited for a response,he got none, so he continued, "I have been sent to ask a few questions about your maker." "Who are you?" LaCroix was confused, not to mention this was a very painful subject. "I am a enforcer of the code, will you answer my questions?"LaCroix knew what the code was but he'd never heard of an enforcer. Divia had never spoken of them. Never. But if there was one, then there was more, so he nodded. "Why did you kill her?" Lucienseperaed himself from his emotions, and answered. "She was insane." "What made you think so?" "She wanted something... something I was not wiling to give." LaCroix didn't want to say it. "What was that?" "Her exact words wer, 'mother, daughter, lover, why can't I be all three?' I saw somethig in her... something that sickened me in my own child, and I killed her." LaCroix's control was slipping. The enforcer did not ask any more questions, to LaCroux's surprise he explained himself. "Divia shouls not have been brought acrossed. She was too evil, but er maker, Teran, was facinated by her. However the unfortunate child was dying so he brought her acrossed. He believed he could control her," the vampire paused to see i LaCroix was listening,"Teran was wrong. Divia killed him one month after her creation. One month!! She made you five months after that! Do you know how hard it is to create a vampire if the creator is over 200?" LaCroix didnt know, he'd never tried, but he nodded. "She was strong enough to kll a 3000 year old vampire. Do you want to know how? She bit him and left her esscence in him. It was very slow and painful death. Ancients, evil ancients, have that power, not fledlings! If you had not kiled her she would have become unstoppable!" The enforcer stopped ther, letting LaCroix soak it all up, he waited to answer his questions. Lacroix had known Divia had killed her maker, but he'd never asked how. "So what? If her death was what you wanted why come after me?" "General, if you, at our young age could kill something like Divia then you will be very valuable to the community. You have the councils protection." The enforcer trned to leave. "Wait!" LaCroix shouted at the enfocer. It was a demand but the other vampire stopped. "Whats your name?" "Gero." End Flashback -------------------- "Hello Lacroix." Gero was pleased LaCroix remembered him, though he was sure he wouldn't forget. "May I inquire why I'm recieving a visit from the enforcers?" He didn't like Enforcers Gero's went from friendly to formal, he wasn't surprised at LaCroix's reaction. "General Lucien of the Roman Empire, the council requsts your prescence at tomorrow nights meeting, I'll come for you then." Gero left. LaCroix didn't see a thing. Damn he was good. Becky ------------------------------------------ Darkness, Light, Hate & Fear Far apart and so near Together forever And then a year It falls into sequence Brakes at the touch Unravels unwinds And turns into dust Authors Notes: Okay I forgot yesterday but here's my archive permission: Anyone who wants it including www.fkfanfic.com can archive it. In fact please do. Disclaimer: See part 01/04 Never Again ---------------------- Chapter 2 The rest of the evening took place without incident. If it were different circumstances it would have been peaceful. Instead it was that sort of fine tuned tension that plays with the back of your mind till you just want to explode. Around 11pm he grew tired of it, and left. He levitated into the air and flew above the city of Los Angelos. The city of angels was a well established vampire community, and it was perfect. Even despite the long days.There were literally hundreds of little safe spots for vampires during the day and three main night clubs. Midnight Hell, Dark Passion, and the Black Lightning. The Black Lightning was why LaCroix was here. A Master vampire had asked LaCroix to take it, and the seat of Master of the City. It was quite a peachy bit of luck. Perhaps Nicholas had seen the potential in this place at the beginning of the century... 1910 wasn't it? Damn Nicholas again! LaCroix felt a heavy wave of annoyance for his late son. LaCroix stopped, he'd seen what he was looking for. The Black Lightning. It was gray on the outside with double doors. The doors had windows and LaCroix walked up to them and looked in. The place was a wreck but he could tell there were other vampires there. He warily reached into his pocket and grabbed the key. When he walked in a young blonde came out of the shadows.. "Lucien LaCroix?" 'This must be Alise.' LaCroix thought and nodded. "My master left after the fight... he asked me too watch the place until you got here then find him... I thought you were going to be here two days ago though." "I was unaware you were still here or I would have made haste, I give you my apology." LaCroix said graciously. The girl nodded. She obviously didn't appreciate his tardiness. "I need to ask you something... can I stay here... I don't have anywhere to go and-" "Of course you may, I have no objection." Alise broke out in a huge smile. "Thank you! Thank you! Oh thank you-" LaCroix cut her off. "If there's anyone else, they may stay here as well, I'll be back in two nights." Alise nodded. LaCroix tuned to leave. He had decided it was time too return home. He rose back up into the air and found the first hint of life coming from the horizon. He took off. The rip back was longer than expected, the club was farther away than he had thought. He had been he for three nights and LA was welcoming him. He landed in his loft, went to the fridge and helped himself to a glass of bloodwine. It tasted very good but it was cold. 'It has been so long since I have had a fresh kill.' On that thought his feet walked him up to his room. The sun was up and he felt tired but he had no desire to go back to sleep. Instead he grabbed his violin case from the cupboard. The case was exquisitely made, and lined with silk. The instrument inside was very old. It was the same one he'd played for Nicholas when he'd first awaken. 'Damn him.' LaCroix thought. That boy had said exactly what he'd wanted to hear. He had called him friend. LaCroix's eyes became glossy with tears. Deep down he knew Nicholas had meant it. His child had spoken the truth. LaCroix brought his violin under his chin. He began to play. Eerie, calm, sad sounds came out of the instrument. It reminded him of the times when he and Nicholas would play for hours into the day. The vampire stopped playing. "Damn you Nicholas." Becky ------------------------------------------ Darkness, Light, Hate & Fear Far apart and so near Together forever And then a year It falls into sequence Brakes at the touch Unravels unwinds And turns into dust Authors Notes: Okay for anyone who's still reading this, here's part three. Sorry I've only been sending one part a day but I'mnot a very fast typer. In fact I think its boring as hell but I really want to send this. Just be patient. Disclaimer: LaCroix is the property of James Parriot. The rest of the charachters are mine but they are FK based. Any one who wants this for ther site, including Mel's site can have it. Never Again --------------------- Chapter 3 LaCroix had fallen into a very interesting dream. His dream was very vivid, and intense. One of those dreams that seem real, like a memory... Dream --------------------- He was in the black lightning, the club was aparently a it as the crowd was up, dancing and alive. The energy was so intense you could almost ride on top of it. LaCroix was watching the crowd. It was pleasing to watch them, then their movements became more secrenized but at the same time more insane... It reminded LaCroix of a fairy ring. Anyway in his dream he got up to go to the middle of the circle. He remembered wondering how he was going to get past allthe people but his fears were useless. There was a hole he could go through. He stepped in. The hole closed. In the middle there was five girls. four of them danced and chanted around the fifth. "We are strong but down we'll fall when she dies at next nightfall..." They chanted that twice and then they disappeard, as f they didn't exist, leaving only th fifth. She stood there still as a stone. Then her eyes opened, but he never saw them. But he heard her. "You have no power over me." Her voice was shakey but sure of itself as if she had had reason to doubt that statement but had found a resting of absolution in it. Then LaCroix became distracted by a tingling feeling. He studied it... It wasa link between himself and another vampire- LaCroix jerked himself awake. He didn't want to dream about Nicholas. He needed to give Nicholas the past and bury him with it. It was where Nicholas belonged. The vampire new he had to keep him there or he would go insane. LaCroix glanced at the clock beside him, though his insides told him that it wasn't sunset. 7:30 pm. Well he didn't have that long to wait. 'Gero.' The thought suddenly came to the top of his head. He had nearly forgotten.about the meeting. But then again he had woken up. LaCroix hopped out of bed, and began doing everything necesary to make himself presentable. He finished right at sundown. Right as Gero showed up The two ancients stared at each other. They were from two very different worlds but it hadn't always been that way. A week after their first meeting Gero returned. He was his protection. During the years they travelled together LaCroix was trained as an enforcer. But when push came to shove LaCroix refused to join them. He didn't like enforcers. The enforcers threatened to kill him, and he had agreed, but right at the ritual of entering, he asked for the right of challenge. The challenge was accepted, he was given a mind challenge. He had won, barely but he had. Then he left, without any of them. The councils protection revoked. He'd been 150. Gero broke the silence with his enforcer voice. "General Lucien of the Roman Empire, your prescence has been requested at tonights mmeting. Follow me," With that Gero levitated out the sy roof. LaCroix followed. He wished he had told someone he was going here, Alise perhaps but then the enforcers would probably kill her. So in the end it was better this way. It wasn't a very long flight, just barely to the outskirts of town. They landed in front of an old abandoned warehouse. 'So this is the enforcers secet meeting place.' Authors Notes: Well this is it. If anyones read it at all send feedback to Enchanress15@webtv.net Disclaimer: See part three Never Again ------------------------ Chapter 4 The outside of the warehouse had looked to be condemed, The inside of the building confirmed that it was. This was not the normal meeting place for the Enforcers, but outsiders were involved so they had made othr arrangements. The Place was't that bad though. The middle of the room was clean and swept. But the garbage had just been thrown to the sides. LaCroix imagined that they would put the garbage back, so no one would suspect anything. Maybe, it was all just theory after all. A line of eleven enforcers stood in a broken circle about an arms length apart. The broken part left room for one more. They were all wearing black three piece suits. Just like Gero's. The black vampire by this time was walking behind him to make sure LaCroix walked into the circle. LaCroix did so because he knew they wouldn't tolerate disobedience. It also wn't wise to questionthe situation when your outnumbered twelve to one. Gero took is place in the circle. The effect was to let him know he could be killed from all angles. It worked. Inside the circle the enforcers had a young mortal woman, under hypnosis. Her stare was lnk but she kept making small movements. She was a resistor, and a strong one, if she was able to keep moving. To keep her under they had a vampire in constant contact with her to keep her that way. LaCroix had considered all of this immediately. 'but whats she doing here?" he thought LaCroix looked away from the girl and came face to face with the apparent leader of the group. She was short, perhaps 5'4, with pale white skin, and a mane of silky black hair that fell to her waist. Her eyes sparkled with youth and happiness, but at the same time held the same heavy wait of age that LaCroix's had. "General Lucien of the Roman Empire, do you swear secrecy to this meeting." Her voice was nonchalant, noncaring, but LaCroix got the meaning. "Yes, why am I here?" "You owe the council a favor, you have been brought here to collect." LaCroix just stared at her, face unreadable. "For Nicholas?" She nodded. Damn that boy was an eternal nuisance. He put his feelings carefuly aside. "What kind of favor," he almost let her speak but said, "and whats a mortal doing here?" "She's the favor." The enforcer paused. LaCroix waited expectantly. "We want you to bring her acrossed." LaCoix didn't say anything he looked over at the girl, into her eyes. He had to look deep to see pat the blank stare... She was careless, naive, defiant, independant. "I don't think she would make a good member of the comunity." "We all agree but when you taste her blood you will understand." "May I take her home first?" He had a feeling they'd say no. "No, you cant mess this up." LaCroix was slightly offended,ather lack of faith in his abilities but chose to ignore it. "Then tell him to get out of her head." The woman merely looked in the mans direction. He nodded. LaCroix walked over beside the girl. He exposed her throat. He enhaled and his fangs came out. He bit her. Her blood squirt into his mouth, hot and thick. The frst swallow was dilicious, intoxicating. The second was the answer, innocent, true innocence. It all made sense now. He continued to drink... finally he released. He use hs bloody fang to tear the skin at his wrist. He offered it to her, sh made no move to take it. "Terra... Terra, come back." She still did not move. "You are being offered life! He sat there talking to her for quite a few moments and still she refused. Her mind knew that it didn't want this. "Please come back." She still did not move and Lacroix felt the cut heal. He retore it then opened her mouth. He allowed the blood to drip into her mouth. She grabbed the wrist, and began sucking viciosly. LaCroix knew she would do this, for while her mind was strong enough to refuse, her body wanted to live. Finally she released, and collasped. "Is she 'the' innocent?" He figured they'd let him leave now. "Yes she's the one who controls energy and the other five... Because her mind refused her powers may come out even though she's a vampire." LaCroix had been aware of this. He picked her up, he could feel the link between them. It would never be as strong as it was now. He kneww what his dream meant now, and he knew he wanted to go home. He began walking towards the exit, no one stopped him. He wished he could of talked to her first, it would have made it easier But this was certainly going to be interesting. To be continued in Unwanted Fate So wadya think? I know it took me awhile to get this ast one out and I'm sorry Hoped ya liked it. Send feedback to Enchantress15@webt.net. Bye. Becky