Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 18:20:03 -0700 From: Stormer Subject: xover: Halloween Challenge: Nevermore Part 1/3 To: FKFIC-L@lists.psu.edu Forever Knight ~Nevermore~ By Rogue Cousin Tammy ---------'--------,--------<@ Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Sony, Paragon and JP own them all. I have only borrowed them and I promise to put them back where I found them. This is also a crossover... Sort of. I have borrowed a certain legend, from The Crow that is owned by Universal Studios and James O'Barr. However I didn't use any of their characters, except for a certain bird. The song at the end of the story is from The Crow soundtrack and belongs to Jane Siberry. If you are a Crow fan, please realize I am not an avid fan, and this is crossed over with the legend from the movie, with no mention of vipers or other rules for a Crow. Permission is granted for this to be archived in the FK FanFic Archive. Anyone else just drop me a line and let me know. This story contains strong language, but I didn't think enough to drop it under the adult header. Just as long as you are forwarned. It is set late third season, but LK won't happen (not to say this is a happy story though!). Thanks to my friend, Lisa (KnightOwl in IRC) for Beta-ing this for me! ---------'--------,-------<@ *He was brought across in 1228 Preyed on humans for their blood Now he wants to be mortal again To repay society for his sins To emerge from his world of darkness His endless=85 Forever Knight!* *Devil's Night - 1996* Nick sat alone in the darkness. His bitterest enemy was soon to win. Time. It was ironic that an immortal vampire's worst enemy was the one thing that could never touch him. However it could touch those he loved, and that is what separated him from them. And *would* separate him from them. Nick knew it was past time for him to move on. Well past time. Something=85 No, someone held him here. He smiled at the thought, while struggling to release himself from one master, he had found another. One who's yoke was not too hard to bear. Love. And the object of his affections, Natalie. Of course, this was why LaCroix hated her so. Nick could hear the gentle footsteps on the sidewalk outside. The distinctive cadence to her step, her gentle humming and the steady rhythm of her breathing. She had called and insisted on coming over. Nick had argued with her, he hadn't wanted her to come. Normally he would have welcomed his light into the dark vault that he called his home, but tonight was different. It was emptier than it had been before, and he didn't want her to see. Not yet. He needed one more night, then he would bring himself to tell her he was going. But Natalie would have none of it. She was coming over, whether he liked it or not. And if he had tried to keep her out, he wouldn't have put it past her to have some uniforms she knew break down his door. He tried not to think about *why* she'd insisted on coming. Not wanting to get his hopes up. Remembering her almost uncanny ability to sense when he was about to leave. Knowing she'd insist on coming with him, knowing his life was not one for a human, knowing he didn't want to condemn her to his darkness, and not trusting himself not to. The elevator gears ground steadily as it brought Natalie nearer. The doors creaked open to Nick's hearing and a cheerful... No, overly cheerful voice came from behind him, "To quote Dr. McCoy... 'I'm beginning to think I could cure the common cold'!" Nick braced himself for the barrage he knew was coming, and in that process had somehow not heard what she had said. In turn Natalie hadn't noticed that there were fewer items strewn about the loft. Where cherished items had once rested, there were conspicuously empty places. Natalie spoke expectantly, "Ask me what I've got Nick." Nick stood silent, stunned by what hadn't happened. Natalie stood watching Nick, her mood slowly being overtaken by a dark shadow as her consciousness began to register the emptiness around her. "You were leaving." It was a statement not a question. "It's time." Nick responded. "You were going to tell me?" Natalie questioned. "Yes" "When?" "Tomorrow, I'm sorry Nat... It's time." The shadow loomed for a moment, then she smiled. "Well I guess I really am Dr. McCoy!" Nick stood, wondering if Natalie had somehow lost her mind. "You know, Nick... McCoy always found the answer at the last possible second. Well..." Nick still stood, staring blankly. "The answer, Nick." Nick's brow furrowed as he cocked his head. "What answer, Nat? There is no answer unless..." "Unless..." Natalie prompted. Nick's eyes became wide and his voice cracked, "Unless...I become human." "Janette was right. You are a brick. Good thing I'll be the smart one in the family!" Natalie laughed. Nick stood silently... stunned at her words. Natalie walked up to Nick and pressed a small vial into his hand, "The answer, Nick... The cure." He looked at the vial in wonder not wanting to believe, but Natalie seemed so positive, so sure. He looked at her not quite willing to believe. "I haven't tested it. Not as thoroughly as I would like anyway. But there aren't that many test subjects to test it on, so I've done my best." Natalie wrapped her hands around his. "Somehow I just know Nick... This is it." "Do I swallow it or do you have to inject it?" He asked as he swirled the liquid in the vial allowing the glittering green liquid to mesmerize him. "Oral," Natalie answered in doctor mode; "You swallow it." Nick pulled Natalie into his arms and kissed her with all the emotion in his heart. Their bodies melted together, each knowing the risk that this liquid presented. Sometimes cures killed. Only the unwelcome emergence of the vampire forced them apart. Nick pulled away, his golden eyes glittering as he pulled the stopper from the vial, he looked into Natalie eyes, and spoke tenderly, "I love you Natalie Lambert, I have loved you from the moment you touched my face that first night in the morgue." Then he brought the vial to his lips and swallowed. The reaction was immediate and violent. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he collapsed on the floor. Natalie rushed to his side, but she could only watch as his heart and respiration rate skyrocketed. Tears flowed unbidden down her cheeks. Self-recrimination flooded her mind but she could not speak, not even to voice her apology for bringing Nick to this. His body started convulsing and expelling blood from every opening available to it. Natalie rolled Nick onto his side and into the recovery position as blood poured out over the floor from his mouth. Natalie had her doubts he would survive this but if he was going to make it, then she had to prevent him from choking to death on his own blood. Having accomplished moving him, she went mechanically into the kitchen for a basin of warm water and some face clothes. She had expected side effects or some reaction, but nothing on this magnitude. Returning to his side, she began gently wiping his brow to remove the excess blood, only to have it replaced by more. She rinsed and wrung out the cloth again, then went back to fighting the uphill battle. Then she started to sing anything she could remember to comfort the man she loved, if he could even hear her now. Hymns, folk songs and half-remembered nursery songs filled the air in Natalie's beautiful, sad voice. She sang until her throat hurt and her head was pounding from dehydration and need of sleep. With her constant persistence and care, Nick had finally quieted. His body no longer oozing his life's blood. Natalie, exhausted from her efforts and covered in blood, lay down beside him and drifted into unconsciousness. She was waken by the sound of someone coughing. Her mind refused to believe that she had killed Nick. But yet she knew there was no way he could have survived that amount of blood loss. She startled when the coughing was replaced by a hoarse voice, "Nat, help me... I am so thirsty." Natalie rolled up onto her knees and moved beside him. A random thought ran through her mind as she remembered how horrific she must have looked caked in blood, but all that mattered to her now was that Nick was alive. He reached out to her and she pulled him to a sitting position with his back against his couch. "I'll get you something Nick," she was crying again, "Just hang on..." She ran into the kitchen and pulled out one of Nick's many green bottles and a plastic carton of orange juice for herself. She returned to sit beside him and handed him the green bottle, "Here you go Nick." He uncorked the bottle and unceremoniously and let the cork land with a thud on the floor. He raised the bottle to his lips, but pulled away in revulsion as the smell overtook him. He put the bottle down on the floor and turned to Nat. He raised his arm weakly and he pointed to her orange juice, "I would prefer that." She was somewhat stunned but she brought the carton to his lips and tipped it. Nick sucked greedily at the contents, his body reclaiming the liquid that he had lost. Natalie broke out into gales of laughter punctuated by heavy sobs. As Nick finished the orange juice he pulled her to him weakly and whispered in her ear, "You did it. I'm mortal. We can do everything we've dreamed of." "There is a *we* then?" Natalie pulled away from him asking to re-affirm what he had said to her last night. "Didn't you believe me... I meant every word Natalie. When I regain my strength, I am going to make love to you over and over again. I'll prove my love to you time and time again with every child we have and every year we spend together." He pulled her closer crushing her lips to his. He deepened the kiss as he began to stroke her back. Their minds whirled with their passion for each other and of their possible future together. "How quaint." An unwelcome voice echoed through the emptiness of the loft, "You really thought she would be allowed to make you mortal again and there would be no consequences? How foolish, Nicholas." LaCroix stood before them fully vamped out, he knelt and held Natalie's chin in his hand. "I am afraid we will have to make an example of you doctor." He turned his attentions to Nick, "Then you will return to me, Nicholas." LaCroix released Natalie and stepped back. Two enforcers stepped forward and pulled Natalie from Nick's weak grasp. Nick tried to lift himself to go to Natalie's aid, but he fell weakly against the couch like a rag doll. He reached out toward his love as he pleaded with the enforcers. Nick spat at them angrily, "You owe her... The entire community owes her. She saved us all from the fever," One of them sneered and bent Natalie's neck to the side. LaCroix spoke up, "I am afraid the code is the code, Nicholas. That debt was paid by allowing her to survive so long." "Do this LaCroix and I will never return. You've already lost me." Nick had to try. LaCroix had to be bluffing. There was a flicker of something in the ancient's eyes that was quickly walled up behind LaCroix's mask. LaCroix turned away from him and barely spoke above a whisper, "So be it..." ---------'--------,-------<@ End Part One, continued in Part Two Comments to tabby_katt@technowizards.net Forever Knight *Nevermore* By Rogue Cousin Tammy ---------'--------,--------<@ Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Sony, Paragon and JP own them all. I have only borrowed them and I promise to put them back where I found them. This is also a crossover... Sort of. I have borrowed a certain legend, from The Crow that is owned by Universal Studios and James O'Barr. However I didn't use any of their characters, except for a certain bird. The song at the end of the story is from The Crow soundtrack and belongs to Jane Siberry. If you are a Crow fan, please realize I am not an avid fan, and this is crossed over with the legend from the movie, with no mention of vipers or other rules for a Crow. Permission is granted for this to be archived in the FK FanFic Archive. Anyone else just drop me a line and let me know. This story contains strong language, but I didn't think enough to drop it under the adult header. Just as long as you are forwarned. It is set late third season, but LK won't happen (not to say this is a happy story though!). Thanks to my friend, Lisa (KnightOwl in IRC) for Beta-ing this for me! ---------'--------,-------<@ *People once believed that when someone dies, A crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes, something so bad happens, That a terrible sadness is carried with it and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes, Just sometimes the crow could bring that soul back to put the wrong things right.* *Devil's Night - 1 year later* A woman dressed in black knelt in front of the double grave, and laid a dozen red and white roses on the perfectly manicured lawn. "So you could not be together in life, so you are in death. Rest easy Nichola. I hope you are at peace. " Janette stood and looked up through the mist to see a large black bird watching her perched on the arm of one of the huge wooden crosses that decorated the graveyard. "What do you want my friend?" She smiled when she recognized the crow, not a raven, but an omen none the less. She turned her attention back to the grave. "Natalie, you had to realize that it was a fool's errand you were on. LaCroix would never allow anyone to have Nichola but himself. Not even me. If he couldn't have him, then no one would. I wish you both would have had your chance. Now there is nothing. LaCroix wins. He always wins." Janette's voice was tinged with anger. The silence of the graveyard was pierced by the horrid screech of the crow. Janette turned her attention back to it, "Yes, my impatient friend, I am leaving now." She turned back to the grave, "Seems I am no longer welcome here, old friends. Good night. I will see you again next year." A shiver ran up Janette's spine as she turned from the gravesite 'If I can'. She gently wiped a ruby tear from her cheek and walked from the cemetery. The crow watched the vampiress leave, then started to beat its wings and scream it's cry to the heavens. The ground beneath the roses began to tremble, as though something was burrowing beneath. The earth shook as though unwilling to give up it's prize, then it broke upwards, a slender hand grasping at the air above. More ground was clawed away until another hand and a head emerged from its earthen tomb, then a torso. Finally the figure pulled itself from the ground and huddled in the dampness beside the tombstone trembling as fragments of scenes of death played through it's mind, memories of pain and glistening fangs. The pain echoed in its heart and the fleeting memories drove the person stumbling from the graveyard into the deserted streets of Toronto's night. Searching for something, somewhere. The only sound, the piercing screech of the crow from overhead. After what seemed like walking for hours through an almost deserted district of Toronto in a hazy nightmare of haunting memories, but not being able to make any sense of them, an old warehouse loomed in front of the creature's field of vision. For some reason this place struck a resonance within it's soul. A resonance that screamed for it to enter. Approaching the door and punching in the access code came as second nature, even though the figure had yet to put together who they were, or why they were here. The crow flew overhead as the person stepped into the lift just beyond the doors. The elevator cables squealed unhealthily as the car rose slowly upwards. The figure didn't even notice the mechanical screams of protest. Memories kept its mind in the past. Riding up in this elevator, expecting to see boxes packed, ready to fight, ready to plead. The elevator jolted heavily and the doors opened slowly. The lost soul stepped out, everything was familiar but distant. Everything was covered in sheets; pulling away one revealed a piano. Shocks of memories and piano music filled its ears and mind... "It's been easier this way in the past," heart thundering, pain inside, tears, "I am what I am and I don't think Betty Ford takes vampires," anger, frustration, longing. The memories continued their assault as the figure climbed the stairs. Every step was a challenge but it finally reached the top. Moving forward they found themselves in another room filled with more objects covered in dusty cloths. It moved to pull away another sheet revealing a dressing mirror. Wild chestnut hair filled with dirt, pale skin smudged with dust, sad blue eyes, and a ruined blue dress. "Who?" She asked to no one in particular. Then the crow's plaintive call echoed through the loft and another memory filled her mind. "I love you Natalie Lambert, I have loved you from the moment you touched my face that first night in the morgue." She screamed in anguish and collapsed to the floor as she relived that night. The ordeal of Nick's return to humanity and their short-lived joy as LaCroix and the Enforcers had come for their pound of flesh. They had fought so long, only to loose everything to the ancient bastard. She remembered LaCroix's cold words as Nick had pleaded, then the fangs, then nothingness, until now. "NICK!!! Oh god, Nick!" Natalie Lambert crumbled to the floor sobbing in anguish, while the crow watched from the broken skylight. Natalie spent what seemed like hours crying, trying to decipher what quirk of fate had dictated that she would return to the land of the living and be separated even in death from her true love. Then the sorrow passed and only the anger remained. She stood slowly, determinedly. "You wanted your pound of flesh, LaCroix. Now I take mine." Natalie picked herself up from the floor and found her way to the bathroom. She started the tap running, the water was like ice, but it didn't phase her. She stripped off the tattered remains of her dress and stepped into the tub closing the shower door. She yanked violently on the rod to bring the water to the shower and stood silently under the spray, allowing the water to beat away a year's worth of grime. Having gotten herself reasonably clean using the toiletries that had been left behind, she shut off the shower and padded her way, still dripping, to Nick's wardrobe. Pulling the sheet covering it away, she opened the door and began to assemble her ensemble. Her first choice was a black turtleneck sweater. She raised it to her face and breathed in deeply. Tears threatened to come; it still smelled of her love. "I have faith. When I am done here I will be with you, Nick." She pulled the sweater over her still wet body and started to rummage for a pair of black jeans that she had left here some time ago. These were followed by a pair of black leather biker boots that must have belonged to Janette or been a present for the vampiress. "You think you are death, all dressed in black, LaCroix. You are nothing compared to me..." Natalie hissed at the mirror. Something was missing. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She was deathly pale. Paler than most of the vampires she had ever known. Her hair was wet and would dry wild, like a wild animal on a hunt. She grinned as she realized what was missing, and it wasn't a pleasant grin. After some searching she found the bag she had left at the loft and within it the black kohl pencil. First she lined her eyes with the eyeliner, giving herself an almost wolf-like look. Her lips were next, "A black kiss... The kiss of death." Finally she drew a small ankh on her right cheek just below the corner of her eye, "For I am death LaCroix, and only death is eternal." Finally satisfied with her appearance. She stopped only to pick up Nick's black leather duster, a final affectation before she began her hunt then she walked up the rest of the stairs to the roof of the loft. She stood looking out at the night sky of Toronto. At one time it might have been good to be home, but now all she wanted to do was what needed to be done and to get the hell out of here. She leaned against the railing on the roof and the crow landed on her arm. She looked at it sullenly; "Cry havoc..." The crow launched itself into the air screaming its war cry to the skies. Natalie climbed to the top of the rail and jumped. ---------'--------,--------<@ Janette stood in the abandoned nightclub that had once been her Raven. Not having been rented since all the vampires had left Toronto, since the Enforcers had named this city anathema, since Natalie and Nick had succeeded in their quest, only to loose their life it was full of wreckage and paper from the original club. Wreckage like what was left of the vampiress' life. Now she was risking death to even be here. She resented LaCroix for this. Why had Nick been so damned important? He hadn't hunted her down when she found her mortality again. He hadn't cared. His beloved daughter, what a crock. Janette turned away from the bar angrily, only to find herself face to face with an Enforcer. "Does your entire family have a death wish? Or do you all just have a problem with authority?" When she had ventured into Toronto against the edicts of the council, she had expected to pay for it with her life. Janette now stood defiantly, awaiting the Enforcer's blow to end her existence. Instead, their attention was drawn to a figure that had somehow entered the club unnoticed. Janette and the Enforcer turned when they heard it clearing its throat rather loudly. Janette blinked as a familiar, yet unexpected voice asked calmly. "Am I interrupting something Janette?" Janette could barely believe her eyes. Standing before her in morbid, Goth splendor was... "Natalie?" "Knight's mortal?" The Enforcer looked harshly at the mortal woman. He could hear her heartbeat, but it just wasn't possible. His partner had drained her. He had watched her die. She smiled maliciously, arched her eyebrow and bowed mockingly at the Enforcer. The Enforcer felt his ire rise. How dare a *mortal* mock him like that. Then his mind started mulling the possibilities over. This could be an excellent opportunity to rise above his partner in the ranks of the Enforcers. If he could prove that he had botched the job... "I don't know how you survived my partner draining you, but I'm more thorough than he is!" The Enforcer focused his gaze on the ex-coroner. Natalie smiled, "Be my guest. I can't be with Nick until you're done with me." "Natalie, non!" Janette started forward to stop the mortal woman, but Natalie's eyes held her to her place. Even as the Enforcer pushed the high neck of Natalie's sweater down and forced her neck to arch, an unearthly glow in Natalie's eyes kept the vampire woman frozen. Janette watched in horror as the male vampire's fangs sliced into their target and Natalie fell limp in the other vampire's arms, her eyes closing. A strange look passed over the Enforcer's face and Natalie's eyes flashed open again. "Quite the special vintage, aren't I?" Natalie asked darkly. The vampire pulled away from her clutching his throat. Natalie stood and straightened her sweater. "Like nothing you've ever tasted before," she continued. The vampire stumbled and fell to his knees. Natalie stood glaring at him imperiously. Her leg flashed out like lightning, kicking the creature in the chest. This caused him to fall over against the littered floor, and Natalie planted her booted foot on his chest and rested her weight against it, bending her knee and grinding down her heal as he squirmed weakly. "You know why I am different from any of the humans you've slaughtered before? Why my blood is such a special vintage? It's death. I'm dead. I have been since your partner slaughtered Nicholas de Brabant and I that night. Are you enjoying it? I hope so, because it is the last you will ever sample." Natalie hissed and raised her foot from the now still form on the floor. The whites of its eyes showed as they had rolled back into the back of its head. Then like a film of a body decomposing running in fast forward, the skin became like paper until it was translucent, then it was dust scattered over the bones and finally even they turned to dust. Natalie kicked at the pile viscously, "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust..." Janette had spent the past few minutes watching in fascinated horror as Natalie had lured the Enforcer into her web like a spider luring a fly. Janette had never thought Natalie capable of it, but then perhaps it was not Natalie that was capable, but what she had become. Natalie's haunting eyes turned their attention to her again. "Hello Janette... Surprised to see me?" Janette could only nod slightly. Natalie smiled again, a smile that was meant to set the other woman at ease. "I spent a year dead for tax purposes." Natalie's voice was almost teasing and sounded more normal than it had been since she came in. In spite of her shock, Janette had to smile. Then from somewhere above, the screech of a crow made Natalie look sharply in the direction it came from. "How?" Janette asked, as she too looked skyward to the ceiling of the Raven. "I don't know. I'm sorry Janette, but there are too many things to do tonight and then..." Natalie straightened out her clothing and started to walk towards the stairs again. "Then you'll =85 be gone again." Janette finished. Natalie stopped and nodded solemnly without looking at the vampiress. "Toronto is off limits to the community, since what happened with you and Nicholas. My coming here is what has summoned them." "Thanks, Janette." Natalie spoke still looking out towards the stairs and the door. "And Natalie... LaCroix is here too. I sense him." Janette's voice seemed uncertain. As much as she hated what LaCroix did to her, to Nick, to all around him, he was still her master, after a fashion, and she knew what a confrontation between Natalie and the elder vampire would bring. "I know," Natalie stood still, knowing that Janette had one more thing to say. "When you see him=85 Tell Nicholas I miss him=85 And I forgive him for bringing me back." Janette's voice was near to breaking as was her cold heart. Natalie nodded again and climbed the stairs. As the last flicker of her black coat passed through the door, Janette continued, "Good hunting." ---------'--------,--------<@ End Part Two, Continued in Part Three Forever Knight ~Nevermore~ By Rogue Cousin Tammy ---------'--------,--------<@ Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Sony, Paragon and JP own them all. I have only borrowed them and I promise to put them back where I found them. This is also a crossover... Sort of. I have borrowed a certain legend, from The Crow that is owned by Universal Studios and James O'Barr. However I didn't use any of their characters, except for a certain bird. The song at the end of the story is from The Crow soundtrack and belongs to Jane Siberry. If you are a Crow fan, please realize I am not an avid fan, and this is crossed over with the legend from the movie, with no mention of vipers or other rules for a Crow. Permission is granted for this to be archived in the FK FanFic Archive. Anyone else just drop me a line and let me know. This story contains strong language, but I didn't think enough to drop it under the adult header. Just as long as you are forwarned. It is set late third season, but LK won't happen (not to say this is a happy story though!). Thanks to my friend, Lisa (KnightOwl in IRC) for Beta-ing this for me! ---------'--------,--------<@ Alexander settled lightly against the roof of the Coroner's Building. Where was his partner? They had been sent out to complete a simple job, bring back De Brabant's childe and present her to the elder. They hadn't been able to move against her until she had done something against the council, but coming to an interdicted city had been the opportunity their patron had been looking for. Now it was just a matter of picking her up, delivering her to the ancient and letting him re-exert his will on her. Simple. Which was why he had sent Maximillian. Max, was as one short lived mortal had put it, "Strong like bull, smart like anvil." The phrase had stuck in Alexander's head ever since. As seemingly simple as this assignment had seemed it was obvious now that even this was beyond the other enforcer's limited capacities. Perhaps if he could remedy the situation the Elder would approve a change in his working arrangements. A change that would eliminate Maximillian. Alexander stood quietly contemplating where to search for his quarry and his erstwhile compatriot. He looked out at the brightly-lit Toronto night with only the song of the city. A screech from a carrion bird shattered the normal 'calm' of the city and drew his attention behind him. A crow sat watching him from the rail opposite, silent black eyes assaying the scene. The vampire snarled menacingly at the pest, but it didn't move. He stalked forward, intent on wringing the thing's neck when a woman's voice came from behind him. "Ring around the rosie, pocket's full of posies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down=85" The vampire spun around to see a woman dressed in black, skipping in time to her chant slowly in a circle while watching her feet. Then her head snapped up and she looked him directly in the eye. "You never called after our first date... I mean you sweep me off my feet, steal me from my vampire lover, only for a quick bite and drain." Natalie shook her head in disgust as she advanced on the Enforcer. "Not even so much as a thank you." "This isn't All Hallows..." The vampire stammered, retreating in fear. "The night the dead walk. You're right it's not. It's the night before." Natalie affirmed slowly stalking her prey. "Then this isn't possible... I killed you." He stood up, trying to cast an imposing figure. Natalie stood directly in front of him now, "You're right... You did." She grabbed the creature by the lapels and flung him against the wall of the stairwell. He slammed against it with a sickening, bone shattering crunch. "There seems to be a small matter of a theft between you and I." The vampire was groggy as he staggered to his feet. Before he was fully standing, Natalie was in front of him again. He snarled and tried to fly as Natalie grabbed the front of his shirt and swung her weight under him, she caused him to skid against the gravel and tar roof on his face. "You have something of mine... I want it back." Alexander was starting to pull himself off the ground again, when the ... whatever this woman was, spoke. There was no way a mere mortal could throw him around as she had, and he knew he had killed her. He remembered the sweet nectar of her blood, her life, her love and faith from when he had taken it. He started laughing, almost hysterically. "Your life... I can't give that back. I don't even have a life to give. I'm dead..." Natalie had again stalked up behind him. "While I used to like to debate that point, I seem to have lost interest in it now." She looked down at the hysterical vampire in disgust and planted a booted foot squarely between his shoulders forcing him down again, as she turned her attention to filling a hypodermic from a small vial. "It's my blood I want," Natalie spoke as she bent, jabbing the needle into the vampire's neck and depressing the plunger. The vampire started to struggle but found that his limbs no longer seemed to respond to his mind's commands. "Curare." The mortal woman filled in the blank for him and he felt himself, rather abstractly, being towed towards the stairwell. "Your community is right. A mortal with this knowledge is quite dangerous, even more so once you've killed her and pissed her off." He could see the bright light of the open stairwell door and felt her boot connect with his ass as she kicked him down the stairs. Natalie played kickball with the vampire's prone body all the way down the stairs. A part of her was nervous that she would be detected, but the more ruthless part of her mind reminded her that there was normally only a skeleton staff on her shift. A part of her wilted as she remembered it wasn't 'her' shift anymore, she was dead. Another part of her translated that sorrow to anger as it reminded her that it was the sorry bastard beneath her foot that had taken her life. Having reached the morgue's floor she grabbed the creature by the pant leg and hauled it towards one of the storage rooms that were occasionally used for 'overflow'. As fate would have it, luck was with the avenging angel. She passed into the room undetected. She lifted the limp body of the drugged vampire onto a metal gurney stored in the room and proceeded to set up the equipment she would need. "You see my friend, mortals have devised far more efficient ways of exsanguinating a person than the old 'bite and suck' method. I mean, my goodness, you guys still depend on a heart beat to bring the blood to the wound." Natalie efficiently started putting the thick, needle into the vampire's neck. The enforcer flinched from the sting, "Oh, sorry, did that hurt? It's just got to be in a major artery otherwise it takes ~so~ long to finish." Natalie plugged in the pump and checked all the tubing. "You see, when you steal something, if you get caught... which you just were, you have to give back ...whatever you took..." With an angelic smile, Natalie looked down at him and switched on the pump. ---------'--------,--------<@ LaCroix snarled in disgust. He had felt the 'presence' of both the Enforcers extinguished tonight. Their assignment had been simple, to bring Janette back to him so he could bring her under his protective 'wing', so to speak. His one time daughter had obviously eliminated them. He had severely underestimated her. A mistake he would not make again. "Never send a childe to do an elder's job," LaCroix hissed as he landed in the cemetery. The cemetery where Nicholas and his thrice damned doctor rested in 'peace'. He could feel Janette's presence here. He walked through the mist and found her standing before his son's gravesite, one side had obviously been recently disturbed. LaCroix's heart almost soared, could it be his son had returned. "Janette, you should come willingly to my summons. I should not have to send someone to retrieve you." LaCroix jerked her around to face him, "And you should not destroy your own kind, especially not when it is you who have broken the rules." Janette stood silently, "I didn't destroy them LaCroix." Janette looked compulsively at the broken ground of the grave. She approached him and took him by the shoulders, "Go LaCroix, Mon pere. Leave Toronto at once. I do not know if it will save you but..." LaCroix pushed away from the vampiress and arched his eyebrow in distaste. "Afraid of ghosts are we now, Janette. How pathetic. It seems you inherited rather unfortunate traits from dear Nicholas. Well I am certain I can rid you of them." "Please... Father. For my love of you, go." Janette pleaded, knowing her cries fell on deaf ears. Then the piercing cry of the crow split the night and a lone figure strode through the mist. "Too late." Natalie's voice was monotone as her eyes pierced into LaCroix's soul. "I had to try," Janette kissed LaCroix on his cheek and stepped away from her doomed sire. "I know," Natalie's voice was kind as she regarded Janette. LaCroix looked oddly at Natalie, "Doctor? Those embassiles are greater fools than I thought. Dare I hope that Nicholas still exists as well..." Natalie snarled at the elder vampire, "I suppose not. If he did, you would not be here foolishly risking your life for revenge." LaCroix strode fearlessly up to his son's mortal. "Nicholas promised me your life for Fleur's. I think I shall take my payment now." The ancient slipped his hand underneath the mortal's chin, only to feel himself flung aside like a rag doll. He slammed into the great wooden cross that stood silent vigil over the lonely graveyard. It toppled backwards, crashing to the ground. Natalie smiled wickedly as she moved toward him again. Janette watched in silent horror as Natalie and LaCroix battled in the cemetery. After the initial round, Natalie seemed almost content to allow LaCroix to batter and bludgeon her, only to frustrate and enrage him by returning seemingly unharmed to challenge him again. He roared and flew at her again. She seemed to be goading him by simply surviving. That was the method to her madness. This time when she stood, Janette recognized the classic fencing maneuver 'Christ on A Cross', where the opponent stood arms stretched out, and head on to an onrushing opponent. LaCroix would have recognized it too, if his blood rage hadn't been so strong. As the ancient rushed at Natalie headlong, Janette nearly called out to warn him, but instead turned away as Natalie gracefully stepped to the side and lunged with a stake that appeared in her hand from out of nowhere. Janette heard a strange dragging noise and turned to find Natalie pulling LaCroix's body towards the fallen cross. "Natalie?" Janette moved towards her slowly. "Sorry, Janette. This has to be done. I've only immobilized him with the stake, but if you try to stop me... I... I'll have to kill you too." Janette could hear the terror in the Doctor's voice as she spoke, yet she had sounded so determined, even as though she had relished the deaths of the others. Janette stepped back and watched as Natalie positioned LaCroix's body on the cross, tying each of his wrists and then his ankles to it. Then Natalie tied another rope to the cross and slowly began to pull it into its upright position, until it sank into the softened mud of its original hole again. Natalie jumped unnaturally high and pulled the wooden stake from the vampire's side. LaCroix regained consciousness again with a livid howl. "Tonight my children, I want you to consider treachery." Natalie did an accurate imitation of the Nightcrawler, "Which is more treacherous, to continuously betray your family, to hurt and abuse them, to force them to dance to your tune. Or in fact is it to do this and tell them that you do it because you love them. To tell yourself you do it because you love them. Which is the greater act of treachery, the one you commit against them, or the one you commit against yourself, against your honour, against your very soul." "Nicholas was the traitor, Doctor." LaCroix hissed weakly, the pain from the holy symbol he was strapped to weakened him and his wounds ached horribly. "He betrayed his kind, he betrayed me by pursuing his mortality." "He did no such thing and you know it." Natalie spat, "He may have hated himself as a vampire, but he had no intention of betraying the community. He would never have called attention to you. He may have seen himself as evil, but he never treated the rest of the community as though he thought they were. You just had to take revenge on him for rejecting you. But he didn't reject you, he never did. But you can't see the difference between Lucien LaCroix anymore and the vampire that you host. He only rejected the beast, not the man behind the beast." LaCroix shifted uncomfortably as though some of the words stung too close to home, then glared at the woman. "Crucifixion was the Roman punishment for traitors of the state, wasn't it LaCroix?" Natalie asked. LaCroix didn't dain to answer, "And that is how you come by your name isn't it? Lucien LaCroix... LaCroix, the Cross? You were the General of the regiment that carried out the Crucifixions." LaCroix gazed straight out. "It seems rather ironic that you will die, as the many that you put to death as a mortal." "One short sleep past death, and we shall wake eternal." LaCroix's voice was calm. Dark ominous clouds rolled violently through the sky and a lightning bolt shot through the air. "Wrong LaCroix... Only death is eternal." Natalie corrected him. Suddenly a pulse of lightning that screamed through the air and struck the wooden cross lighted them both. Its effect was instantaneous. The wood blazed into a dance of flames that surrounded the elder vampire and consumed him. The rain started to fall. Natalie held open her arms and gazed heavenward as the rain poured over her. Heaven's tears for the loss that she had suffered for so long. Then a golden light shone beyond the smoldering cross and a familiar figure stood in it. "Come my beautiful, brave crusader." Nick's voice was gentle. "It is time to go home." Natalie's tears streamed down her face, joining the rain in washing away the black makeup, "Can you forgive me, Nick?" "No need. You did what had to be done. Let the sorrow leave your soul. We can be together now in peace." Nick held open his arms to her. Natalie turned to go into them, then stopped and turned her attention to Janette. "You know a year is a long time for Toronto to have been withou= t a protector. It's your destiny now, you have no master save yourself now Janette, you have to make the best you can with it. Then when everything is said and done, you'll be able to look yourself in the face and know yo= u were true to yourself. Your love will abide, he'll wait for you to be finished." Janette watched as Nick waved to her, then Natalie crossed into the light and into his tender embrace. Janette stood mesmerized as their figures faded from view. The crow broke her silent reverie with its harsh cry in= to the fading night. Janette turned to the black creature before her and held out her hand, "You are right my friend." Her arm fell to her side as she noticed the sun's rays approaching, "Dawn approaches. Let's go home." She turned and began to walk, her new-feathered friend flew ahead guiding her destiny. ---------'--------,--------<@ "My friends, I want you to consider this. Love, though it is the most fragile of emotions, is also the strongest, the fiercest and the most abiding. Some would have us believe that they can destroy love, that all it takes is for love to fade is to remove the person. But as long as the spirit remains... As long as we remember the loves in our life, and strive to do as they might, they are never truly gone. They live on in our hearts. " Janette pulled away from the microphone and started the next tune for her radio audience. Then she turned her attention back to the mirror. She smiled at her reflection as she finished drawing the black ankh that graced her cheek. ~We walked the narrow path, beneath the smoking skies. Sometimes you can barely tell the difference between darkness and light. Do you have faith in what we believe? The truest test is when we cannot, when we cannot see. I hear pounding feet in the, in the streets below, and the, and the women crying and the, and the children know that there, that there's something wrong, and it's hard to believe that love will prevail. Oh it won't rain all the time. The sky won't fall forever. And though the night seems long, your tears won't fall forever. Oh, when I'm lonely, I lie awake at night and I wish you were here. I miss you. Can you tell me is there something more to believe in? Or is this all there is? In the pounding feet, in the, In the streets below, and the, And the window breaks and, And a woman falls, there's, There's something wrong, it's, It's so hard to believe that love will prevail. Oh it won't rain all the time. The sky won't fall forever. And though the night seems long, your tears won't fall, your tears won't fall, your tears won't fall forever. Last night I had a dream. You came into my room, you took me into your arms. Whispering and kissing me, and telling me to still believe. But then the emptiness of a burning sea against which we see our darkest of sadness. Until I felt safe and warm. I fell asleep in your arms. When I awoke I cried again for you were gone. Oh, can you hear me? It won't rain all the time. The sky won't fall forever. And though the night seems long, your tears won't fall forever. It won't rain all the time The sky won't fall forever. And though the night seems long, your tears won't fall, your tears won't fall, your tears won't fall forever. ~ ---------'--------,--------<@ Finis. Comments to tabby_katt@technowizards.net