Reflections (10/98)
Part 1


In the center of the dance floor, under muted lights, Javier and Katherine
moved rhythmically to the slow, sensual sounds of the music drifting from
the speakers. It was rare that such music played at the Raven, but no one
seemed to mind.  Javier had generously bribed the deejay to play the song
one more time, with the hope of rekindling the embers of romance that had
started to glow only a few weeks ago.


He had blown it in a major way the first time they had danced to this song
and he fervently hoped it hadn’t ruined things between them.  From all
appearances, it seemed to him that she was giving him one more chance.  A
chance he probably didn’t deserve.


- - - -
Two weeks ago, Javier talked the deejay into playing Katherine’s favorite
song.  Their relationship had shown signs of progressing and he wanted their
first dance together to be special.  And special it was, but not quite the
way he planned.


Taking her into his arms that night on the dance floor, Katherine stirred
feelings of warmth and excitement that he had not felt in a long time.
Then, without warning, he was jolted by the vision of Tracy’s bright and
cheerful smile.  He closed his eyes and shook his head slightly to clear the
vision only to have Tracy’s face return to him with even more clarity.


At that moment, Javier wordlessly pushed Katherine away from him, leaving
her standing in the middle of the dance floor alone and very confused. He
had only one thought on his mind as he distanced himself from the confusing
feelings the dance with Katherine had endangered in him. He pushed open the
Raven’s door with that goal in mind: escape. After making sure no one was
watching, he took flight in the cold Toronto night, and tried to put the
last few minutes behind him.  Way behind.


Vachon floated on the air currents high above the city, barely noticing the
sparkle of lights below.  Before long, it occurred to him he reached the
destination he subconsciously sought; a tiny dark spot lying quietly on the
outskirts of the city.  The remnant patches of snow glistening in the
moonlight were the only source of light.


Silently, he settled to the ground, and looked around trying to understand
what it was that had brought him here. Then he saw it.  The full moon shone
brightly on the simple rose-colored marble headstone as if to beckon him.
In a second, he was there silently studying the marker that announced to the
world that Tracy Vetter, beloved daughter of Richard and Barbara Vetter,
rested in this lonely spot forever.  1967-1995.  Such a short time for her.
Hardly a blink of an eye for him.


He had once told Tracy that he had mourned many mortal friends during his
lifetime, and on the surface, she was just one more.  But Tracy was not just
another mortal friend that he had lost. In their short time together she had
become very special to him.  She was a reminder of how fleeting mortal life
was.  How one minute it could be bright and beautiful and full of wonder and
excitement and the very next be cold, dark and empty.


A profound sense of loneliness washed over him as he stood there trying to
collect his thoughts.  He understood then what had brought him here this
night. He had to thank her for what she did so bravely in the church not so
many months ago.  To apologize for not being there when she was shot.  To
say good-bye.


Javier lowered himself to the ground and leaned against her headstone.  He
spent hours in the cold, quiet cemetery talking to her as Tracy lay still in
the defrosting Toronto ground.  Saying things to her in death that he couldn
’t bring himself to say to her in life.


Finally, the hint of sunrise gave the eastern horizon a soft glow.
“Good-bye Tracy,” he told the marker, his voice dripping with emotion.  He
lifted his gaze to the sky.  “I hope you found happiness, wherever you are.
“  Javier leaned over, ran his hand against the cold headstone one last
time, then straightened up and took to the sky.


- - - - - - - - - -


Since his visit with Tracy, Javier’s feelings of guilt when he held
Katherine in his arms began to wane.  He was able to relax with her and
concentrate more on the relationship he knew they were building.  For some
reason he could not explain, he needed that relationship.  And he was
finding he needed her more and more each day.


The song continued.  Unconsciously, he pulled her nearer, almost as if
trying to protect her.  He smiled to himself as she responded with a soft
moan in his ear.



- - - - -
<This is the same song they were playing the last time we danced. >
Katherine thought as she moved in step with her vampire partner, thoroughly
enjoying the moment. The mix of his cologne with a hint of blood almost made
her dizzy. As the softness of his jet-black hair mingled with his rough
beard against her cheek, her heart started to race.
Her body tingled in response to his cold touch. He felt “right” in her arms.


Her thoughts darted back to the first time they’d danced. It ended abruptly
with his leaving without a word.  She didn’t see him for several days after
that and she was surprised as to how much it bothered her. It was during his
absence that she realized how much she’d grown accustomed to his being
around everyday.  And it was then that she finally admitted to herself how
deeply she cared for him.  It had been a long several days.


When Vachon returned, he seemed more settled, more at peace with himself.
Katherine was relieved when he didn’t stiffen in response to her embrace,
and actually brought her just a little closer to him, holding on to her a
little longer.  She wanted the moment to last forever.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


The music continued and Katherine snuggled more closely into his embrace,
thoroughly enjoying his arms around her body, melting into the closeness
they were feeling. She considered giving him what she knew he wanted.  What
he had been wanting for some time now.  It wouldn’t be difficult.  She could
almost feel his sharp fangs break the skin on her neck, releasing he blood
he desired so intensely.   A disjointed feeling washed over her as she
imagined her blood flowing into him, his into her.


As she lifted her head to whisper in his ear, both she and Vachon became
acutely aware that something very dark and evil was approaching. With
animalistic alertness, they pulled away from each other, scanning the room
for the intruder.


>From out of nowhere, Lacroix appeared next to them.  “We have guests, ” he
announced in a husky whisper.  “Get her out of here.  I will hold them off
as long as I can.  GO!”  He was halfway to the front door before they even
started to leave.


Javier held Katherine's hand tightly. "Come," he commanded and turned
without waiting for an answer. They headed for the rear door. It was
concealed in such a way that very few knew of its existence. He was glad he
had taken the time to explore the Raven before it was set up again or he
might have never found it.


"Javier, it's ok," Katherine tried to tell him as she fairly ran to keep up
with him. He ignored her, making their way through the crates and furniture
of the last room before the last door.


"Gentlemen, welcome to the Raven." Lacroix put on his most engaging front.
"To what do I owe the honour of your visit?"


"You can dispense with the niceties, Lucien Lacroix," the taller of the two,
who was obviously the leader, growled.  "Where is she?" His flagrant attempt
to be menacing failed miserably.  Lacroix was unimpressed.


Coolly, Lacroix gestured around the room. "As you can see, we have many of
the female gender here tonight. Perhaps if you could be more specific?"


"You know who we mean. We know she is here. Where are you hiding her?" The
Enforcer stepped in closer to Lacroix. They were nose to nose. He was
disappointed that Lacroix didn’t even flinch.


Characteristically in control, he replied with slight impatience, "I am
hiding no one. If there is someone you have lost, by all means, take a look
around. But please, do not disturb my guests." Lacroix backed away to allow
the two men dressed in dark suits to pass.


The taller Enforcer hissed at Lacroix as the two started down the steps
leading to the dance floor. They split up and combed every inch of the room.
Those of the vampire persuasion recognized the two and backed away in
respect, or perhaps it was fear, when they approached. The mortals were
aware something evil had passed by them. All denied seeing the subject of
their pursuit.


Lacroix remained at the head of the stairs to observe the scene unfold. He
knew that these Enforcers were young and would never consider a back way
out. "Did you find someone to your liking?" Lacroix asked as they returned.


"She is not here, as you said," the would-be leader responded, unable to
conceal his frustration and disappointment.  "We apologize for the
imposition." He was once again nose to nose with Lacroix. "If you are aiding
her, Lucien Lacroix, we highly recommend that you reconsider. He will not
deal kindly with those who protect ***that one.***"


Lacroix didn't bat an eye.  <Who was this little one to threaten me? >


"We will see you later,” the taller one hissed.


Lacroix watched silently as the two returned to the street. <Yes, I imagine
you will. >


- - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Together, Katherine and Vachon stepped into the alley, fully alert. "They're
looking for you, aren't they?" Vachon half-whispered, half-sent the
question. In the darkness, he could see her nod.


Vachon thought about the last few moments.  Lacroix had been visibly
apprehensive about the Enforcers’ arrival. <Even they can demand respect
from the elders.> The electricity in the air of the club at that moment had
run high. Yet, being the prey of these Enforcers, Katherine stood calmly
next to him, silently nodding in affirmation. He shook his head, confused.
"Shouldn’t you be getting out of here?"


"Shh,” she held up her hand, “they're here."


"Katherine Collins," a deep voice echoed from the shadows of the alley. "We
know you are here. It would be so much easier for you if you came out and
joined us. We promise we won't hurt you."


Vachon was surprised to see her step out into the middle of the alley in
plain sight of the Enforcers. He remained in the shadows, ready to join in
the fight that he was sure that was about to happen. Their presence agitated
him. There was something intangible in the air he couldn't identify, but he
knew he didn't like it.


Acutely aware of her surroundings, she walked in a circle looking around
her, above her and around her once more. "I'm here," she declared, almost
taunted. "Your promises don't mean a damn thing and you know it. Now, it's
time for you to show yourselves.”
She circled once more, waiting for an answer.


"Show yourselves, I said." Her command broke the silence. She stood in the
middle of the alley, poised for the assault she knew was coming. Her only
question was from which angle.


The two Enforcers approached her from both sides. She eyed them warily. "So,
He sent two children after me, did He?" She taunted them, punching the right
buttons. "He sent two little boys to do a man's work. I bet both of you
think this is going to be a piece of cake, don't you?" She laughed. They
were on either side of her now, about ten feet away.


Annoyed by her words, the tall one took a step closer. "You are coming with
us, Katherine. You have no choice. He wants to see you and speak with you
Himself, He told us we weren’t to harm you."


<A little closer, now. That's it, keep coming. >   "Then let Him come for
me, not send two lackeys to round me up." They were each about five feet
from her now, and Katherine braced herself for the inevitable attack. She
was churning with emotion inside, but determined not to let them see it.


Weapons appeared in their hands almost as soon as she finished speaking. Not
the expected stakes, but syringes meant to subdue her.  Grabbing the smaller
one by his lapels, Katherine deftly swung him onto the syringe yielded by
his partner. He screamed in pain and terror as the drug flowed into his
body.


Startled by this change of expected events, the taller Enforcer looked at
Katherine, unsure of what to do.  Before he could process anything, he was
airborne; aiming toward a wrought iron fence that sinisterly gleamed in the
alley light.


It was over before Vachon could reach her. She turned, ready to defend
herself at the sound of his approach. Holding up both hands in front of him,
he called out, "Whoa, Katerina, it's me, Javier.”


The light from the alley fell across her face, allowing Vachon to catch her
glowing eyes fade to her normal green and watch her fangs retreat. Eyes
bright with apprehension and defense traded their way for recognition and
relief. "Javier?" A child's voice came from the female warrior before him.
He put his arm around her waist, and she rested her head on his shoulder for
a minute, composing herself. Then she stood back to survey the damage.


A look of satisfaction covered Lacroix’s face as he silently watched from
the shadows.  <So, she ***is *** one of us. She can’t deny it now. >
Quietly, he stepped out of the darkness, joining Vachon and Katherine in the
alley.


"Michael sent two boys after me. Two rookies. He'll not make that mistake
again." She bent down and picked up a long, sharp piece of wood, broke it
across her knee, then crossed over to where the smaller Enforcer lay under
the influence of the poison she should have received. Replacing the syringe
with the stake, Katherine studied her attacker.  ”So we’re using curare and
garlic, now, are we?” She looked up from the body, her questioning gaze
meeting Lacroix’s.  Inwardly she wondered how much he knew of the use of
this mixture and desperately tried to remember when he had joined them.


At the mention of curare and garlic, Vachon looked at Lacroix with surprise.
He had heard of such a mixture used on rare occasions to subdue renegade
vampires.  <Why would they feel the need to use that on her? >


Lacroix avoided both their questioning gazes, instead concentrating on the
Enforcer who lay before them and was apparently coming around.


Rising from the Enforcer’s side, she put ever so much pressure on the stake
resting just above his heart.  Patiently, she watched and waited for him to
become more aware of his surroundings.


His vision was still cloudy, but he was very much aware of the position he
was in when she addressed him. "So, He knows where I am now, does He?”
Katherine put more pressure on the stake with each “He”.  “Tell Him if He
wants me, He must find me Himself. Tell Him He's not the leader He thinks He
is if He doesn't. You can tell Him I told you to say that. Let Him know what
I think of these little games He has to play."


The crumpled vampire tried in vain to push the stake off his chest. She met
the movement with more pressure. "Look at me," she ordered and leaned even
harder into he stake. "Tell Him what happened here tonight. Tell Him if I
haven’t heard form Him by Monday, we have nothing more to talk about. " She
pulled the stake off his chest and gave him a swift kick in the ribs. "GO,
NOW!"


Lacroix stood at Vachon's side as they watched the scene unfold. The young
Enforcer lay quaking on the ground beneath her. The effects of the drug had
given way to fear. Once again, she seemed to have grown in size and
certainly exhibited a surprising amount of strength. She had the upper hand
and was using it to its utmost. When she was finished, the poor thing had
barely enough strength and presence of mind to get up and run away.


She threw the wooden stake in disgust as she watched him escape. "Damn!"
She swore under her breath. In a rare moment of uncertainty, Lacroix held
back and let Vachon approach her.


"What's wrong?” He asked softly.


She could see the concern on his face. She looked up at him, her annoyance
with the Enforcer fading. "I broke a nail!" She smiled and laughed at the
absurdity of her statement.


Vachon was unsure if he should approach her. Sensing this hesitance, she
held out her arms to him "It's ok, I won't bite." She immediately melted
into his embrace, seeking much needed comfort. Vachon's surprised and
confused gaze met with the equally astonished Lacroix's.


"Let's go inside," Javier spoke into her ear. " We've got a lot to talk
about."


Part 2 (10/98)


Physically and emotionally spent, Katherine let Javier lead her to a private
room in the Raven. Sinking deep into the large leather chair, she closed her
eyes, largely to avoid looking at the two vampires who she knew were
watching her intently from across the candlelit room.


After giving some thought as to how to deal with the inevitable, she opened
her eyes, and looked at both men whose own eyes were filled with questions,
apprehension and respect.


"I take it you saw what happened out there?" She always lost touch with her
surroundings during these encounters, and usually only remembered snippets
of things that happened.   She had been vaguely aware of Javier in the
shadows of the alley, but had no idea when Lacroix had joined him.


Intrigued and excited by the confirmation of what he had been suspecting for
awhile, Lacroix spoke first. “You defeated an Enforcer out there, Katherine.
Not one, but two. You are not going to deny the power you have? You revealed
yourself and your true nature back there in the alley. I,” he glanced at
Vachon, “* we* both saw what you are."


"I did what I had to do, Lacroix,” she said evenly. "I defended myself. As
for my true nature, I revealed nothing. There is nothing to reveal. I only
did what I needed to do."


Vachon leaned against the wall, arms crossed in front of his chest, watching
her response to the elder vampire.  It was becoming apparent to him she had
no idea of what she became at that moment of strength. She had reacted
instinctively, unaware of who or what she transformed into when challenged.


Smiling with the deep satisfaction of knowing her secret, Lacroix egged her
once more. "My dear Katherine," he began with slight irritation, "no mortal
has the strength you showed out there tonight. We both watched you toss two
men much bigger than you across the alley like ragdolls. And as you found
solace in Vachon’s arms, here, your eyes glowed green.  We both saw it. You
can’t deny it. “  He turned away from her with impatience.


Confusion and frustration spread over her face as she tried to recollect the
scene Lacroix described. She vaguely remembered the encounter as no more
unusual than the martial arts lessons she had taken. She could remember the
fear emanating from the enforcer she just sent off to his leader.  That was
all.  There was nothing else.


She tried to read the expressions on the faces of the two vampires before
her. Both faces told her Lacroix was telling the truth.  The sinking feeling
of being played for a fool by those who had guided her since her father's
death slowly enveloped her.


She crossed her arms and hugged her shoulders, in an unconscious attempt to
run away. Vachon stood up and crossed the room. He knelt on the floor in
front of her, placing his hands on her knees. "He's right, Katherine. We saw
it happen. We saw what you became."


Silently, her mind screamed "NO!” yet Vachon and Lacroix both heard it.
Katherine hung her head with exhaustion and cried.  Vachon reached out and
stroked her hair.


"What a touching scene," Lacroix jeered and began to move around the room.
"We need to deal with what just went on here, Katherine. Those Enforcers
will be coming back. Michael won’t be too happy that you killed one of his
messengers.  Not to mention that I just got this place up and running again,
and I don't intend to lose the customers who have just returned.”


"Your precious little bar won't be destroyed, Lacroix, I promise you * *
that* *. You are right, though, an Enforcer will be back by Monday. After
that, I don't know what will happen." She raised her eyes slowly, too tired
to shoot a dark look at him. She looked at Vachon, then Lacroix. "As for
what happened here..." She looked as if the weight of the world dropped on
her shoulders.


Involuntarily, tears filled her eyes. "I…I have to go.”  She gently touched
Vachon's shoulder, tried to smile, and got up and ran out.


"Cinderella running away from the ball," Lacroix commented dryly to Vachon
as they watched her go.


"She's exhausted." Vachon observed.


"She's more than that, I can assure you." Lacroix retorted as one of the
bartenders came to the door requesting his attention.


Part 3   (10/98)


Trying very hard to maintain her composure, Katherine made her way through
the dance floor of the Raven. It was getting late and the crowd was thinning
out. No one paid attention to her as she stumbled through the nightclub.


She fumbled for her keys when she exited the building, pausing outside the
door just long enough to scan the street for her car. Only after she turned
the ignition on did she look back at the Raven to see if she had been
followed, there was no one to be found. In a way, she was glad Vachon hadn’t
followed her.  All she really wanted there and then was to be alone.  The
engine roared in response to the pressure from her foot. She put the car
into gear and sped off, with no particular destination in mind.


Vachon quietly followed her out into the main room of the Raven, watched her
make her way through the remaining guests and out the door. He stared at the
door from the bar for quite some time, half expecting her to return.


The familiar voice of Miklos, the bartender, brought him back to the
present. "Can I get you something?" Vachon stared at him trying to
comprehend what he was asked. Recovering, he ordered a glass of the house
special. As he slowly sipped the red liquid from his glass, a silent
argument ensued in his head.


<Where would she go? >


<It's late. >


<Maybe I should follow her. >


<She's a big girl and doesn't need your interference. >


<She needs to think this out. >


<What if an Enforcer follows her and she can't defend herself? >


<She can handle herself. >


<She needs someone to talk to. >


<She needs time alone. >


<She's afraid. >


< She knows what she's doing. >


<STOP! >  He told the voices in his head and put down the empty glass. "I
NEED to know what she's doing." He said aloud to no one and got up and left
the bar.


In the very alley they had stood earlier, Vachon made sure no one was
watching and took to the air and began his search. After checking her condo,
he flew over the city. It was nearly 5 a.m. and the streets were pretty
clear. A delivery truck from the farmer's market wound its way down a
street. He saw a few cars making their way home, or work. They were too
large to be hers. A patrol car was making its rounds. He headed toward the
docks. She was not to be found.


Then he remembered her telling him about a park overlooking Lake Ontario.
She had told him how she would go there after work to watch the sun rise. It
was his last chance. The black night sky was melting into a faint deep
purple as he set down in the parking lot, not too far from the familiar
black Mustang. He could see her silhouette in the steamed drivers' side
window. She was blowing her nose.


- - - - - -


Katherine parked the car so she could watch the day begin as she had dozens
of times since coming to Toronto.  She had found this particular spot on one
of her first days off.  She spent many mornings with a mug of hot coffee in
her hands watching the night give way to the daylight before going home to
bed.


Watching the sunrise was a habit she had gotten into ever since discovering
the truth about her father. At first, she started out making the gesture for
her absent father, watching the soft glow of the early morning become bright
sunlight, soaking in the warmth of its rays. It made her sad, then, to know
he was not able to be there with her. After his destruction, it became more
of a tribute to him. Sometimes she thought she felt his presence, watching
with her. It was at the least, a comforting thought.


In this early morning, however, with the promise of the dawn revealing
itself to her, she found no comfort. Indeed, she could not even remember her
father's face, much less feel his presence. She felt lost and betrayed. She
felt as if it had all been lies. Her entire existence was a lie. Or was it?


---


She had made a difference in a number of lives, mortal and not. The portrait
of George Washington would not have been saved if she had not helped Dolly
extricate it from its frame. She had housed a group of young vampires in the
belly of the burned out White House while repairs were made. No one was the
wiser.


She walked the battlefields of the Civil War with Clara Barton and saved
countless men from death. She protected the vampires that spent time in the
field hospitals, caring for the wounded and the dead.


Melissa, Christine, James and Daniel would have surely died in the orphanage
in London in the bombing raids if she hadn't been there. She kept the
vampires and the children separate in the abandoned building. The children
and the authorities never knew of the vampire's existence. Despite her
anguish, she smiled at the memory of those children, now grown and with
families of their own in the States and England. She had lost track of
Daniel, but had heard he had found a good family.


---


<Yes, I * * did * * make a difference. >  Katherine beat her fists on the
steering wheel half out of frustration and half to make a point to herself.
<I kept the mortals from discovering the creatures of the night, from facing
their worst nightmares. And I never went back on my promise to keep the
vampires safe, either. > She mentally fought with no one.


Tears of pain and frustration flowed down her cheeks as she sat in her car
that cold Toronto morning. They had told her this would be her last
"assignment". They had told her she would be free to experience life for a
while. They would call her back when they needed her, as they always did,
but they gave their word to give her more time, this time. She just had to
finish this project in Toronto.


A loud rap on the window by her left ear made her jump. She grabbed the
wheel and started the car to leave in a hurry. "Wait, Katherine, it’s me,”
his familiar voice called out.


With her gloved hand, she cleared the fogged window, to find Vachon’s face
looking back at her.


"Let me in," he told her, partly afraid she’d drive off.


But, she turned the ignition off and unlocked the passenger door. A blast of
cold air ripped through the car as Javier opened the door and sat down. She
shivered, sniffled and asked, "How did you find me?" Her eyes were swollen
and nose was red from crying.


He reached for the last tissue, dabbed her cheek and smiled at her. "You
told me about this place, remember?"


She didn't, but nodded anyway. She clutched his hand at her cheek and
pressed it closer to her face, and then brought it to her lips and kissed
it.


"It's been a long night." He said as he watched her kiss his hand. "Look at
you, you're exhausted. I think it's time you go home and get some sleep."
His manner was gentle, caring.


Vachon looked at the lightening sky. "Besides, it will be daylight soon."
<Just how big IS that trunk? > He wondered.


"Ok." She murmured into his hand.


He sat staring at her a moment more.  "I'll drive,” he said. "You are in no
shape right now."


She nodded once more and moved to get out of the car. It seemed to her as
if she was in a dream. Maybe she'd wake up and things would be as they were
yesterday.


Vachon quickly dove into the driver's seat, “This is going to be close, “ he
muttered to himself as he started the car and punched the accelerator. He
had once heard that the police force is at its minimum on the street at the
change of shift. He assumed this morning that theory to be correct, because
he saw no patrol car as he whizzed through the streets of Toronto. He broke
all speed limits, and ran stoplights and stop signs without a cop in sight.
The sun crested the skyline as he pulled into her parking space. <Great
invention, covered parking garages. >


He moved swiftly to her door, helped her out and the both of them raced to
her condo. He didn't bother with the locks, pausing long enough to kick the
door open.  Quickly entering the house, he stepped to the side, out of the
stream of light flowing through the opened door.


Instinctively conscious of his needs, Katherine slammed the door shut. She
tried to make sense as to why she couldn't activate the lock, but gave up.
Her head hurt too much to think. His movement in the shadows to her left
reminded her Javier brought her home. Now the lock made sense. She detected
a faint odor of singed flesh in the air. "Oh, oh, I'm sorry." She flipped on
the light switch and went over to him.


Faint puffs of smoke wafted from his exposed skin. "I'll be alright. It's
ok." He tried to pass it off as nothing.


Once more tears welled up in her green eyes. "It's all my fault." She broke
down into sobs again.


"Hey, it's not that bad. See?" He held up both hands. They were still
steaming, but the skin was intact. "I've had closer calls, believe me." He
gently pulled upward on her chin to look at her tear-stained face. "I'll
live," he smiled.


This started heavy sobs again, but this time into his shoulder as they held
each other in the hallway. This was the vulnerability he had been sensing,
out in the open in sharp contrast with the strength he had witnessed
earlier. "Shh, it will be all right" He felt her tiring as he continued to
hold her while she cried. "You need to go wash your face off and get some
sleep."


"No, I don't want to go to sleep. I can't. I’ve got too much to do…" She
tried to protest.


Ignoring her, he led her down the hall to the bathroom. He switched on the
fluorescent light causing thousands of fireworks to explode in her head. She
covered her eyes with her hands.


"Here." He pulled her in front of the big mirror. "You look like hell. Wash
off you face and then, young lady, you are going to bed. Whatever you need
to do, whomever you need to speak to can wait until later in the day. You
can't think clearly like this." He threw her a washcloth and turned on the
faucet. Then he stood back and watched her do as she was told.


She rinsed her face with cold water. It felt good. Her head seemed to stop
throbbing.
She turned the water off, folded the washcloth over the towel rack and
turned to Vachon. "OK?"


He nodded in silent approval.


"Can I have some time alone?" She asked.


He gave her a puzzled look, realized where they were and left her in the
bathroom. While she was finishing, he took down the blanket on the bed and
fluffed her pillows.


"You'll make someone a good wife someday." She stood in the doorway watching
him. Her green eyes were accentuated by the puffy redness and even more
emphasized by the green pajamas she'd changed into.


"We'll discuss that later." He patted the pillow. "Time to get in"


"No, Javier, I couldn't sleep, really. There's too much going on in my
mind."


"Get in and get some sleep, now." He knew he wouldn't be effective, but
tried his hypnotic voice on her anyway. It was worth the try.


She knew he was right. All of her ached and she suddenly felt very, very
tired. "You win." She told him and climbed into the bed.


He sat on the edge of the bed next to her and tucked the comforter around
her shoulders. She started to speak, but he stopped her. "Don't talk. I'll
sleep in the other room. Get some rest. Wake me when you get up." He bent
over and kissed her softly on the lips. She was asleep by the time he turned
the light out.


Part 4 (10/98)


"I want to know the truth, Charles. Everything."


"You're in no condition to deal with this appropriately, Katherine. We will
talk later." He tried to leave, but she blocked his way.


"You’re, not leaving Charles. I want to talk NOW." Her voice dripped with
venom.


She had summoned her "mentor" after rising from several hours of fitful
sleep. "I want to know all about me. What have you and the others done to
me? What exactly am I? And you ARE going to tell me, today." There was no
hint of the frustration and exhaustion from the night before. Instead, she
was a picture of strength and determination. She had grown accustomed to
commanding respect, and she was going to get it this afternoon. She was
going to get answers.


"Katherine, you were there. You know what happened to you. We sheltered you
from the Enforcers since the day your parents were killed. They would have
surely destroyed you that day, but we took you in and taught you our ways
and gave you a purpose. We taught you everything you needed to know."


"What I needed to know? You decided what I should know, what I should do.
You've planned every moment of my life since my parents died. I've been
watched the entire time- why? For what? To make sure I didn't go off and do
the * * wrong thing * * ?


She continued, "And just what IS the wrong thing, Charles? What are they
afraid of? That I’ll fall in love with a vampire again?" He winced and she
knew she'd struck a nerve. " That’s it, isn't it? You want me to protect
vampires, but not get involved with them? How dare you put me in that
position!”


He tried to avoid her eyes. They all knew the day would come when she'd find
out the truth. He had hoped it would have been under more "friendly"
circumstances. "Jonathon was a mistake," he said quietly and tried to change
the subject. " You've got a job to do here, Katherine. Are you or aren't you
going to finish it?"


"How was he a mistake? Your mistake? Mine? What was the mistake?" she
demanded.


Still trying to avoid looking at her, Charles replied, "You should have
never met him. You were too young, too impressionable. He was a good talker,
swept you off your feet."


"I was 150 years old, Charles! I was, no, I am not impressionable. He didn't
‘sweet talk' me into anything. He was different than the others, kind and
loving. He didn't want to kill anymore."


"But he did kill, didn't he? Like the rest of them, those disgusting
creatures. He drained the blood of those he loved. You were going to be
next, Katherine. He would have killed you too."


"No, Charles, he would not have killed me. I would have survived, you know
that..."


"Survived? Perhaps. And then what would you have become? Another one of
them?" He spoke as if the word tasted bitter.


"I would not have become a vampire, Charles. My father drank from me and I
never did. Jonathon drank from me." Charles looked surprised. "Yes, he did,
and I didn't go across. I would have survived, Charles, because that's what
I do," she finished sadly.


Charles stared at her. "You survive because of the old ones, Katherine. It
is our intervention that keeps you from harm."


“Is that what happened with Jonathon?  The Old Ones were protecting me from
harm?” Katherine became agitated and paced in front of Charles. “From who?
The Enforcers?  How * * did * * they find out, Charles?  How did they know
about us?”


“Your beloved Jonathon came from a long line of vampires.  We were aware of
this when we gave you the assignment.  You had been so successful with older
vampires in the past that we felt you would be able to handle that one.  And
you did very well, as I recall.  The vampire’s desires were diverted and the
young lady in question was able to continue her work.” Charles reached out a
hand and held on to Katherine’s arm to get her to stop her pacing.


“What we didn’t count on was that this particular vampire was tired.  We
know now that he’d been looking for someway to get away from his master’s
influence.  Perhaps he thought you were his way out, I don’t know. In any
case, the two of you were already deeply involved before the Enforcers or we
realized what was happening.”


“But why would they have been interested?”


“Because, my dear Katherine, this tired vampire you became so attached to
was the brother of the head of the Enforcers for that area.”  Charles waited
a few minutes for his words to sink in.


Katherine slowly sank into the stool at the breakfast bar.   <It just couldn
’t be possible. >


“At first, we considered the possibility that he knew who you were and was
using you.  But, then we became convinced that Jonathon really wanted to get
away from his brother and he was not aware of who you were.”


Warm tears forced their way over her eyelashes and flowed freely down her
cheeks. <Jonathon. > Katherine could feel his strong arms around her, his
soft kiss on her lips.  She could hear his last words to her,  “My Katerina,
always remember how much I love you.”   She closed her eyes, spilling even
more tears down her face as the night she’d tried so hard to forget replayed
once more in her mind.


Charles concentrated on Katherine, silently breaking into her thoughts.


- - - - -
Katherine watched him clean the corners of his mouth, still fresh with her
blood. “Jon, what’s wrong? You aren’t yourself tonight.”


He almost crushed her as he drew her into his arms. Forcing a smile that he
knew she’d see through, he told her, “Nothing, my love.  There’s nothing for
you to worry about.”


This caused Katherine to become even more concerned.  “What is it?” She
became alarmed at the look in his eyes.


Jonathon started to speak, but the door to the loft burst open.
Instinctively, he pushed her behind him, pleading with the intruders.  “I’ll
go with you as I promised. Just don’t hurt her. “  In a flash, he was tossed
across the room leaving her to defend herself against the two very large
attackers. It was very clear that it was she who was their prey.  To their
surprise, she fought them off with strength that equaled their own.


As Jonathon slowly recovered, she held them at bay.  Now completely
vampire, he joined her in the battle against the first line of Enforcers.
He continued to beg for her safety. “ I told you I would go with you.  Leave
her alone.”


Katherine could remember more Enforcers rushing into the room, torches in
the hands of some and stakes in the others. Clearly, they did not intend for
her to leave.


At some point, Geoffrey appeared and joined in the battle.  The three fought
valiantly.


The next thing she could remember clearly was a weakened Jonathon, shirt
torn away, pinned to the floor by two of the larger assailants. The others
had fled. The only other one left held a wooden stake menacingly at Jonathon
’s midchest, its tip just breaking the skin. Terror stricken, Jonathon
searched the faces of his captors.  “You promised,” he begged once more.


“We lied,” came the cold reply, along with more pressure against the
defeated vampire’s chest.


Geoffrey caught a frantic Katherine by the arms, who was struggling to run
to her lover’s aid.   “No, Katherine, don’t!”  He pled with her.  “Leave him
alone!”


Understanding that this was the end, Jonathon whispered huskily to
Katherine, “My Katerina, always remember how much I love you.”


At that moment, she pulled free.  The momentum of the struggle caused her to
fly forward, trip on the corner of the carpeting and onto the Enforcer with
the stake.  The force of her fall was enough to drive the stake through
Jonathon’s heart.


“NO!” Her anguished cry echoed throughout the room. The events had shocked
Katherine so that she never considered removing the stake from his chest.
Tears flowing uncontrollably, she slumped next to Jonathon, reaching out her
hand to caress his face one last time.


“No, no,” she cried.


Taken by surprise by the unexpected turn of events, the Enforcer stood
motionless, watching the scene progress in slow motion.  The death of one of
his kind reminded him of his mission, and he moved to capture the hysterical
Katherine.


But it was Geoffrey who reached her first. He grabbed her arm and pulled her
away from where Jonathon had lain. As he did so, a doorway of pure white
light appeared.  He nearly tossed her into it, shouting, “Go! Now!”


Without thinking, she stumbled through the portal.  As she turned to
Geoffrey, whom she expected to be behind her, she heard him cry out with
intense pain.  The Enforcer had rammed a flaming torch into Geoffrey’s back,
killing him instantly.


- - - - - - - - -


Sobbing heavily, Katherine attempted to look at Charles through her tears.
He handed her a box of tissue.  “Here, blow your nose,” he told her
compassionately.


“Jonathon was Michael’s brother?”  she asked incredulously.


Charles nodded.  “Michael was his master.  He had brought Jonathon across
centuries ago.  The two were at odds with each other even as mortals.
Jonathon had always been the renegade and parted ways with his group about
two hundred years ago. That was right around the time Michael had taken over
as the chief Enforcer of this area.”


“You sent me after the brother of an Enforcer?”  Katherine tried to make
sense out of what Charles was saying.


“Yes.” Charles nodded.  “Again, Katherine, we felt that you were up to this
assignment, and we watched you every step of the way.  Things got out of
hand.


“What we think happened in your case, was that Michael traced you through
Jonathon. He would have the Enforcers visit Jonathon from time to time to
keep him in line.  Jonathon was becoming more of an irritant and
embarrassment to Michael everyday. He was tiring of the games Jonathon would
play to irritate him. Although Jonathon had more or less broken ties with
his master, he was still accountable to him.   It had been awhile since
Michael summoned Jonathon and we had no inkling that they would meet at that
point.  At some time they did. Michael somehow must have been able to
determine that you were with Jonathon. Imagine his surprise when he found
both of you together.  Two for the effort of getting one. We think that
Jonathon had agreed to return to his community in exchange for your safety.”


He paused and put a comforting arm around Katherine’s shoulders.  “Only now
do I understand that he really did love you. He tried to protect you and
gave his life doing so.”


“No, Charles, I took his life. I should have removed the stake from his
chest. I had the time. I could have done it,”  Katherine murmured quietly
and hung her head.


He squeezed her shoulders once more.  “No, Katherine.  I believe he
sacrificed himself to give Geoffrey enough time to get you to safety.  You
fell on the Enforcer, that’s true, but things you weren’t aware of took
place so that you were able to get back to us.”


She looked at him sharply.  “You saw what I was just remembering?”


“Of course, my dear,” he said gently.  “You really didn’t see all of what
was going on that night in the room.  Jonathon really did save your life.
He bought Geoffrey the time needed to activate the portal. Once he saw it
forming, he knew your would be safe.  And now, for Geoffrey’s sake, and
Jonathon’s too, you must go on.”


“It seems that’s what I do best, isn’t it?” Her voice echoed with sarcasm
and exhaustion.


He stepped back as if she reached out and slapped him. “If that’s all, I’ll
be going,” he told her.


“No, that isn’t all. You still haven’t explained what happened to me last
night.  That wasn’t one of your interventions, I know that. So don’t lie to
me. Tell me who I am Charles.  Tell me what I am.”


Part 5


He stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. Then he nodded in
resignation. "I will tell you what I know." <Thank goodness they didn't tell
me much. > "But you must promise me that you will let me finish and you will
give yourself some time to think over what I am about to tell you before you
react. Remember, the old ones have grown to love you very much and in many
ways you are their daughter. They wish no harm to come to you."


Now that the moment of truth had come, she almost wished she hadn't pushed
so hard. Only the movement of her repositioning herself on the barstool
betrayed her apprehension.


“Your father recognized that you were special when you were young,” Charles
told her  gently and once again started pacing. “He knew it would be only a
matter of time before your mother figured out what you were and he was most
concerned for your safety and welfare. Through certain parties, he came into
contact with us and made arrangements for us to care for you should
something happen to him. He understood that only through us would you have a
chance of survival.


“When your mother arranged for your fiancée’s death, we knew it was time for
us to step in.  It was our intent to save both you and your father, but
unfortunately, we came in too late to save him. Ultimately, it was you that
we were after. We knew your potential needed to be expanded. If we got to
you before the Enforcers, then at least you'd have a chance to do some good
and not die in that house." Charles stopped his pacing and turned to her.


Katherine listened to Charles’ story in silence, unable to shake the feeling
that her father was there in the room with her.  “What am I, Charles?”


"Just before your parents were destroyed, your father had taken your blood."
Katherine nodded slowly, remembering that awful night so long ago. "That was
when your mother came into the room and discovered the two of you. She was
shocked and furious. Finally the last seven years made sense to her, your
father had no longer fought with her, his cravings for blood settled down,
and the attacks in the village had almost disappeared. She realized at that
moment what their union had borne. You could withstand the attack of a
vampire and walk in the daylight. She knew also you had her blood in your
veins. The combination of the two of them in you made you stronger than her.
She understood this immediately. She hated you more then than she had in all
your years.” Charles paused.


“And that makes me?” Katherine held her breath, not sure she really wanted
to hear his answer.


Drawing in a deep breath Charles told her flatly, "You are a mutation of
nature, my child, a combination of your mother, a witch,” he saw her grimace
"it's ok, don't deny it, her abilities have helped you already." He studied
the young face he had come to love as a daughter. " And your father, the
vampire.”


The words echoed throughout the room. The sun had gone down at the very
moment he uttered them. Vachon involuntarily sat straight up in the bed.
Charles braced himself for her reaction, but Katherine sat there, staring at
him, absorbing all he had told her. Confirmation of what Lacroix had
suspected. Numb to the affirmation of her existence.


"And?' she asked.


"And what?" He didn't know what she was talking about.


"And, why is it I can walk in the sunlight, Charles? Why is it I can wolf
down a hamburger and fries with the best of them?"


<Good questions, > he thought. "We aren't quite sure ourselves. It took us a
long time to try to figure out how to handle you. There aren’t many around
like you and certainly you are the only one with us." He smiled, as if in
response to a private joke. " From what we've been able to determine, the
powers you inherited from your mother have kept the vampire in check. It is
only when you need to draw upon all your strength that you convert into your
father's child. We are not sure how much blood you can give before crossing
over, but we know it must be a considerable amount, because of the time you
had with your father.  On the other hand, we don't know what your limits
are. Jonathon was a surprise to us. We haven't explored all your abilities
yet. Just as you are discovering yourself, so are we.”


“So, the Enforcers know about me, “ Katherine said quietly as she played
with a tissue in her hand.


"They had been hunting you down since the day we brought you into our fold.
You represent everything they are not. They are afraid of you, yet at the
same time they seem to think they can corrupt you and mold you to their
purposes.  You would have been quite a feather in Michael’s’ cap."


Another long pause.  “For what it’s worth, Katherine, there is too much good
in your basic nature that I don’t think they could ever be successful.”


She gave him a queer look.


“Yes, you do what is necessary to carry out an assignment, but you’ve never
gone over the edge to accomplish them. You know what your boundaries are and
you work within them. You don’t kill without purpose.  It’s just not you.”


This brought a smile to Katherine’s lips.   Her father knew what he was
doing those many years ago, seeking these people to protect her, to nurture
her.


Charles had circled around the counter to the kitchen and poured a glass of
water.  As he handed it to her, he asked the next question with a twinge of
apprehension.  “In light of all this, Katherine, I need to know.  What are
your intentions with this current assignment?”


She knew the thing he feared most was her running out and leaving them
behind. Even after all these years of the truth being held from her, of
being watched and trained, she couldn't abandon her responsibility. They
were her family. They gave her a sense of identity, however skewed it might
be. "Charles, I asked you for answers to questions I deserved long ago. I
know how difficult this must have been for you. You have stood there and
told me that all of you have known what I was for a long time  You all have
known me a long time, and I think  you already  know the answer to that
question. You have taught me to accept responsibility, to follow through on
my promises. To care. In spite of and maybe because of what I am, I won't
walk away. I gave my word to watch over Nick and Natalie, and of course, I
will do that."


He sighed with relief. She once more lived up to his expectations. "You are
more understanding than we deserve. I hope we can make it up to you
someday."


"Maybe you already can. My agreement with the old ones was that this was to
be the last "assignment" for awhile. And then I was to have some time off,
so to speak."


He nodded.


"Here's my offer. From what I can see, this assignment is going to be a
rather long one and my time off is very far in the future." She could tell
from his expression that she was right, this wasn't going to be the
short-term deal they had described. "So, if I agree to stay on here in
Toronto, for as long as it takes, then let me live a somewhat normal life. I
want to be free to make my own life, to make my own choices about who I see
and what I do as long as I continue to adhere to the rest of the
assignment."


He understood where she was heading. She was right, it was going to be a
very long assignment. A lifetime by anyone else's standards. Why should she
be shackled by the limitations of watching over Knight and his mortal wife?
She could and should have a taste of the world out there. Besides, it would
be far easier for her to blend in than even fifty years ago.


"All right. I'll let them know. But if you need anything, anything let me
know. There are still dangers out there that you don't know about. We won't
abandon you." He moved to give her a fatherly hug.  "It was time you found
out, I realize this now. Is there anything else?”


Katherine nodded, as she tried to find the right words.  “I said that I
wanted to choose who I see, Charles. And I want to * * see * * Vachon.”


Charles pulled away form her just far enough so he could look deep into her
eyes.  From her look, he could tell she expected him to object. And his
every instinct told him to do so, but a tiny voice from within restrained
him. <This could be a passing thing. He’s bound to leave soon anyway. >


He summoned an encouraging smile and questioned, “the Spaniard vampire?”


Katherine nodded slowly, preparing for another argument.


“Very well, if that is what you wish.  He may actually teach you something.”
He gave her another fatherly hug, then got up as if to leave.


“I know that you have more questions, Katherine.  I think you’ll find the
answers you need in time.  You are a very special person, not at all like
the ones who seek to corrupt you.  Don’t let their darkness taint you.” This
time he flashed a genuine smile. “I’ll be here whenever you need me.”


“I’ll holler, I promise.”  Katherine watched him fade into nothingness,
suddenly feeling very alone.


The guest bedroom door slid open quietly, but she’d heard it.  She looked up
to see “that spaniard vampire” standing in the entry. He was dressed only in
his jeans, his face conveying concern and anticipation.


“You heard?” she asked.


Vachon nodded, “all of it.”


Part 6  (10/98)


They stared at each other in silence. Voices of those she loved spoke to her
once more. <”Go with your instincts.”  “I will always love you.”  “ A
mutation of nature…a witch, like your mother, you are a vampire…” > She
rubbed her throbbing forehead.  The pain seemed to touch her very soul.  She
wanted answers.  She had gotten them.  Now what?


“Are you ok?”   Vachon asked as he slowly approached her.


“Javier, I don’t know, “ she said slowly. Already in front of her, he placed
two fingers under her chin and tipped her face to him.  Impulsively, he
kissed her.


“Javier,” she tried to speak between breaths.


“Sh…” he continued kissing her. The pain in her head dissolved with each
kiss.  She wrapped her arms around his cold pale back.  He stopped kissing
her and just held her in his arms.  <Not now, V-man, > a voice told him <but
soon.  Soon. >


He pulled away from her and stared deeply into her green eyes.  Eyes that
through dried tears reflected fear, strength, and trust.   “You look as if
you could use a drink,” he told her as he started to head for the kitchen.
“You got any wine in here?”


“I have to go to work in an hour.”


“Not tonight.  You are in no shape to go out and protect anyone, Katerina.”
He diverted his path to the phone on the far end of the counter, picked it
up and handed it to her.  “You are booking yourself off.”  His look told her
he wasn’t going to accept an argument.


While she made the call, he looked through her cupboards, trying to find a
wine goblet.  He set one before her on the counter as she hung up the phone.
“About the wine,” he started to ask.


“In the fridge.”


He made a face at her.


“I like my wine cold,”  she told him.


Vachon shrugged his shoulders and opened the refrigerator door.  What he saw
surprised him. “You were expecting someone?”  He asked as he bent down and
took out a familiar green bottle with the Raven’s label on it. He held it up
for Katherine to see.


She blushed lightly.  “I just thought I should have something here, just in
case the need arose,” she told him sliding off the stool. She walked over to
him, and wrapped an arm around his waist. The movement seemed natural.


Vachon glanced at her with faint amusement. “Is this is a just in case
moment?” He uncorked the bottle and took a whiff.  She had gotten him the
real stuff, not blood substitute.


She smiled. “Sure looks like it.”


He kissed her forehead and cradled her in his arms for a moment.


Katherine felt the vampire in him stir.  “Looks like we need another glass.”
She reached for a second goblet as he uncorked her bottle.


He picked up the green bottle.  “You don’t mind?”


“No, Vachon.”  She shook her head and smiled. “It’s what you are.” She
waited as he poured her glass, then his.  She lifted her glass toward him.
“To new beginnings.”


He clicked his against hers and repeated,  “To new beginnings.”




Part 7 (10/98)


“Your partner’s booked off for the night,”  Joe Reese informed Nick as he
walked into the station.  “Spoke with her myself.  She sounded terrible.
Probably has that flu that everyone else has got.  God, it’s been an awful
winter. Can’t wait till it’s over.”


Nick couldn’t agree more.   He too was looking forward to be finally out of
winter, into spring and summer and then…He couldn’t help but grin to
himself.  The baby was due in September.  His baby.  Even to one who has
seen countless Septembers, this one seemed terribly far away.  “Thanks,
captain. I think maybe I’ll call on her later. See how she’s doing. “


He knew that it was something other than the flu that prompted Katherine to
book off.  Lacroix had already given him the newsflash about last night.  In
fact, after speaking with his more than usual self-righteous master this
morning, he really didn’t think she’d show up this evening for work.


Nick sat down at his desk and began the tedious task of reviewing notes from
their latest case.  He was not surprised to find them neatly typed and in
chronological order.  Katherine was meticulous with her organization.  He
frowned. They seemed to be at a standstill, waiting for lab reports and
other forensic reports to make their way through the system.  Katherine had
made a note that some of the results were due today.  <Good as any reason to
give Nat a call. >  He picked up the receiver and was soon hearing, “Medical
examiner’s office, Lambert.”


“How’s my favorite ME feeling this evening?”  He spoke quietly into the
phone.


Natalie grinned broadly when she recognized his voice.  “Nick!  I’m just
fine, thank-you very much.  I have my club soda and saltine crackers right
here in my desk just in case.  But so far, tonight, I’m feeling pretty good.
To what do I owe this call?”


Nick explained what he was looking for, and Natalie put him on hold so she
could locate the information he wanted.   “So far, Nick, the results are
inconclusive.  The rest of the tox reports should be back Monday, but right
now, he looks clean. Anything else I can do for you?”


“Have you spoken with Katherine today?  She booked off tonight.  Reese said
she sounded sick.  It doesn’t sound right to me.”


“No, I haven’t.  We were supposed to meet for dinner and go shopping before
work, but she never called to confirm. I figured she’d call later tonight.
The medical assistant came in with her next case.  “Well, detective, duty
calls, I’ve got to run.  Tell her I hope she feels better.  See ya later.”


Nick sighed as he hung up the phone.  Someone like Katherine should not be
calling in sick.  Or at least actually be sick.   The nagging feeling that
something was wrong ate at him.  He signed a few reports and decided to call
it a night.



“Tonight’s topic is chameleons.  The most versatile lizard to roam this
planet.  It seems this unique reptile is able to change its color in
response to its environment.  Changes from green to gold and back at a
moment’s notice.  One wonders if this curious creature is even aware of the
confusion it causes to others.   The question is this, my gentle listeners:
how many chameleons do we meet everyday, work with everyday, and use
everyday without our knowledge?”


The hypnotic tones of Lacroix’s voice flowed from the radio.  His master
sometimes had the annoying habit of addressing Nick’s innermost thoughts.
The channel between them ran deep.  It apparently had not been destroyed by
the stake.


<Chameleons, > Nick mused as he made his way to Katherine’s condo.  <What do
lizards and Katherine have in common? >


---
Vachon and Katherine moved from the kitchen to the oversized sofa in the
living room. The soft strains of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata floated softly
from the stereo, something he had chosen from Katherine’s collection with
the hope it would sooth frayed nerves.   The wine appeared to be having the
same effect.


Katherine snuggled up next to him on the sofa, her head resting on his
chest.  The coolness of his skin against her face somehow comforted her.
She lay in that position for quite some time.


“What are you going to do now?”  he asked.


Awkwardly, she raised her head to answer him. “I don’t know.  I really hadn’
t thought that far.  It’s all so much.”


“You didn’t expect any of it?”


She sat up a bit.  “In a way, I guess I’d already known some of what Charles
told me.  The scene in Lacroix’s office last night sort of prepared me for
most of what he said. I guess I just needed to hear it from him to make it
real.  There’s just so much to think about.”


Vachon leaned over and kissed her head after she settled it back on his
chest.  He was at a loss for words.


Absentmindedly, she began to play with the scattered tufts of hair that ran
down his chest.  Slowly, her fingers drifted over to the tiny reddened flesh
of his left nipple.  She adjusted her position to allow her to taste the
tiny nubbins of flesh that raised in response to her touch.  As she savored
the taste of iron from his skin, he moaned softly and cradled her head to
his chest.


The rhythm of his breathing changed as she continued to playfully explore
his chest with her tongue.  Reflexively, he growled quietly and began to
direct her face up to his.  She knew his brown eyes would now be vampire
gold and his teeth bared to reveal his fangs.  She steeled herself for the
sting of his bite into her neck.


It never happened.  The doorbell rang at that very moment, destroying the
mood.  “Damn!” she whispered to Javier and indulged herself in a quick kiss.
The doorbell rang once more.


“Shouldn’t you answer that?” he asked breathlessly, and kissed her again.


Katherine gave him an apologetic look.  “I suppose so.“ Clearly
disappointed, she untangled herself from him and headed to the door. “Don’t
go away.”


Vachon threw his head back with a heavy sigh.  Then, feeling hunger from
deep inside, he reached for his half empty glass and drained it.


“Coming,” Katherine called out to the door as the bell rang one more time.


Nick had almost decided to turn and go after this last attempt when he heard
her call out.  He listened to the door unlatch and watched the door slowly
open, revealing his partner wrapped in a green terry cloth bathrobe. Her
eyes were red and swollen, and she looked awful.  “Do you always open the
door to strangers?  He asked sternly.


“Nick!”  She exclaimed, completely taken by surprise.  “What are you doing
here?”


“You never showed up for your date with Natalie and when you called in sick,
I thought I’d check things out.



They were still standing at the door. Nick became aware of movement behind
her shoulder and had the vaguest sensation it belonged to someone he knew.
“Is everything all right?”


Vachon recognized the familiar imprint just as Katherine began to open the
door.
<Knight! > Hanging his head in frustration, he remembered he was shirtless.
<Oh, great, I can hear him now. >  In a flash, he was returning from the
guest bedroom, pulling his shirt over his upper body.


Katherine held the door partially open and leaned on it.  Seeing Nick here
made her feel dreadfully tired.  “I’m ok.  Just a rough night off.”  She
couldn’t lie to Nick, but she wasn’t ready to tell him the entire truth,
either.  He already knew what she was, or at least thought she was, and in
either case, the flu was something she should not be succumbing to.


“It can get that way sometimes.”  He said with understanding.  “I’ve had to
take some nights off too.” In the far corner of the room, he caught sight of
the familiar dark haired vampire.  “You have company.”  Lacroix had
mentioned something about Vachon spending time with his partner.  It never
sunk in until now.


She looked at him with surprise, and he nodded in Vachon’s direction.
Momentarily, she’d forgotten about Javier.  “What? Oh, yeah,” she stammered.
“Do you want to come in?”


“Are you sure?  I don’t want to interrupt.”  Nick started to turn to leave.


“No, Nick. You made the effort to come here.  The least you could do is stay
for a moment.” Katherine opened the door wider, and Nick entered.


Vachon was standing in the living room, uncertain of Knight’s reaction.


“I assume you two know each other?”  she asked both simultaneously.


Javier nodded. “Knight.”  Their paths had not crossed since the night in the
loft when Katherine became a part of both their lives.


Nick returned the nod.  “Vachon.  I had no idea you were here.”


Katherine sensed tension in the room, but was at a loss to understand it.
Nick and Javier were clearly uncomfortable.   She attempted to ignore it.
“So… is Reese upset?  I really needed tonight off.”


“No, he wasn’t upset. He said you sounded ill and figured you have the flu
everyone else has gotten. “  Nick looked at her more closely.  She appeared
to have been crying not too long ago.  <And the gallant Vachon is hovering
at her side. >  Nick thought cynically.  “It gave me the chance to finish
the backlog of paperwork that’s piled up.”  He shot her a teasing look.
“You owe me.”


“Aw, it’s good for you, you know, builds character.” She teased him back and
noted that Javier had disappeared into another room.


“Seriously, I just thought I’d drop by and make sure you were ok.  When
Natalie said you didn’t call to go shopping as planned, I was worried.”


“Natalie! Tell her I’m sorry.  No, I’ll give her a call.  With everything
that’s happened since last night, I completely forgot.



“She’ll understand, I’m sure,” Nick told her and turned to leave. “You’ll be
at work tomorrow? “


Katherine nodded and gave him a tired smile.  “Yes, boss.  I just needed
some time to sort some things out.”


“And Vachon is giving you the assistance you need?” he asked her, half
sarcastically, half jokingly.  He instantly regretted the implication.


She was confused by his tone.  Nick obviously had issues with Javier.  “I’ll
be ok.  He’s helping me talk things through.  Hey, thanks for stopping by.”


“If you need anything, Katherine, * * anything,* * let me know, ok?”


With a grateful smile, she told him, “Ok, Nick.  Don’t worry, I’ll be ok.”


---


Javier returned to the living room in time to watch Katherine walk into the
room.  Lines of fatigue etched her face.  < Definitely not tonight, V-man. >
The little voice inside his head told him.  “That was pleasant.”


“What is it between you two? “ She sat wearily on the couch.


Although their first encounter had not been exactly friendly, Vachon had to
admit to himself that Knight really wasn’t that bad. He just had this
annoying set of values that he expected everyone to live up to.


Finally, he told her, “It’s not that we don’t like each other.  It’s just
that we come from different time frames and have different views on some
subjects.  He wasn’t too excited that Tracy showed an interest in me.  He
was sure I was going to take off for parts unknown and hurt her, or
something like that.”  He had sat down on the other end of the couch and
fidgeted with the throw pillow.


Katherine was well aware of Vachon’s reputation for being a “bad boy”.
Maybe it was that character flaw she found attractive.  It was more than
likely the very thing that her very straight-laced partner disliked.  And
besides, Nick’s overly protective nature was probably working overtime with
Tracy Vetter.


Tracy Vetter.  That’s a subject they both avoided for a long time.  She
watched him play with a stray thread hanging from the pillow.  <He looks so
sad. >  Her heart went out to him.  <He still loves her. >  She wished she
could make his pain go away. Time.  She knew that only time would lessen the
emptiness he felt.


“Well, he needn’t worry about that now.  I don’t need protection.”  She told
him and leaned her head, which suddenly felt very heavy, against the couch.


Javier gave her one of his patented blank stares.  She thought he was
ignoring her. He actually was thinking back to the night before in the alley
when she had single handedly dispatched the two Enforcers.  “No, you don’t
need protection, Katerina.  Maybe it’s me who needs protection from you!”


She flung a pillow at him.  “Yeah, right.”  She giggled at the thought.
“Shoot!  Monday!  I told that guy in the alley that I’d see him Monday.  Oh,
great and after what Charles just told me, just great.  Talk about putting
my foot in my mouth!”


“What’s the deal between you two?  Are you his ex-girlfriend or something?”


“Very funny.  Michael is the head enforcer for this area.   According to
Charles, he’s been after me for a long time. Apparently, I’d be his prized
possession or something. Our paths have crossed once or twice, but I’ve
always managed to get away.  He’s been even more determined since Jonathon.
They were brothers, you know.”


“Michael wants you because?”


“Because of what I am, according to Charles. You heard that.  And I slightly
suspect he blames me for the destruction of his brother.”  Tears welled up
in her green eyes.
“I don’t believe I was put here to destroy Jonathon, or any other vampire
for that matter.  I don’t think I could really do it.  It would be like
killing my own father.”


“Tell me more about Jonathon. “ This dead vampire seemed to be his rival and
he wanted to know how to deal with him.


Katherine shook her head as if to clear the cob webs.  “You heard most of it
this afternoon.  He and I became involved during an assignment I had in the
forties.  “  Her expression turned wistful.  “I told you before that I’d
been involved in a vampire’s death. It was his. The Enforcers set a trap to
get me.  Instead, they got Jonathon. He was the first person I allowed
myself to care about since David.  I was devastated. I really loved him.  He
was the kindest, most gentle person I’d ever known. I still can’t believe he
and Michael were related.“


“Hey, ” he reached for her, “Come here. “  She snuggled once more against
his chest. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing here, or saying, but if you
want some help, just ask. You don’t have to do this alone.”  He gave her a
squeeze and kissed her forehead.


“I told you before, I won’t be the instrument of your destruction, Javier.
Then, it was because of what you are.  Now, it’s more. “


“Shh.  I know. “  He whispered softly.  “I know.”




Reflections


Part 8 (10/98)


The weekend passed quickly.  It was Sunday night, or it was early Monday
morning, depending on how one looked at it.  Nick and Katherine had signed
off hours ago and went their separate ways. Or so she thought.  Now, she was
sitting at her usual spot at the Raven, sipping on a soft drink.  Vachon
hadn’t shown up yet, the bartender told her. She was disappointed.


Nick kept a discreet distance from where his partner was seated in the
nightclub.  He knew that she still hadn’t developed her sixth sense well
enough to reveal his presence to her, so he sat in the dark corner and kept
an eye on her.


Lacroix had brought Nicholas up to date as far as Katherine was concerned.
He was most pleased to tell him that his suspicions of her true being had
been confirmed in the alley behind the Raven earlier in the week.  Part of
Nick did not want to believe Lacroix’s story.   Most of him knew it was
true.  Mother a witch, father a vampire, Nick was almost certain Lacroix had
told him the truth.


After learning that Katherine had given Monday as the deadline for Michael
to respond to her offer, Nicholas agreed with Lacroix that she was in need
of some serious surveillance.  Some of the reason behind his request of
Nicholas was simply Lacroix’s desire to keep the Raven in one piece, the
other was out of concern for this woman of many faces.  Nick began to wonder
about his master’s intentions toward his partner.


So Nick had sat and watched her every night since Thursday.  Vachon usually
made an appearance at some point during the night.  The times varied, but he
showed up, nonetheless.  Nick had to give him some credit for his change of
character. It might have something to do with his recent experience of being
buried in the ground for several weeks, or that the young Spaniard might
actually have some real feelings for Katherine.  Either way, the change was
noticeable, especially this week.  Vachon simply seemed more attentive to
her than expected.


Nick checked his watch.  It was nearly four a.m. and Vachon still hadn’t
shown up.  The kind thoughts he was beginning to have for the vampire were
dissipating quickly.


Katherine checked her watch for the millionth time.  She had a strong need
to talk to Javier, especially with Monday already upon her.  A tiny seed of
anxiety was taking root in the pit of her stomach.  She sipped on her straw
to drown it.


<Ok, Javier, I’m tired.  Today is going to be a big day, no matter how I
look at it.  I guess I’d better get some sleep so I can be ready for it. I
just wish I knew where you were.  >  She started to look for her bag to pay
her tab.


Miklos took pity on her,  “Don’t worry about it, Katherine.  It’s on the
house tonight.”


“Thanks.”  She said with a smile.


Lacroix had been aware that she was there, but had been unable to free
himself to speak with her until he saw her getting ready to leave.  He
hurried across the room to intercept her.


“I see that none of your friends have shown up yet, my dear Katherine.  It’s
a pity, I suppose.  I should have enjoyed the entertainment.”  He smiled
ingratiatingly at her.


She looked at him crossly. “Lacroix, I am in no mood for your silly games. I
wouldn’t feel so smug, if I were you.  My * *friends * * still have tonight
to keep their appointment. “


“Do you really think that if they haven’t shown up by now, they will?”


“It could happen.   I wouldn’t put it past Michael to string it out as long
as possible. “


“So, you are on a first name basis with the head of the illustrious
Enforcers.  Anything else you care to share tonight?”


Her patience for Lacroix’s goading was wearing thin.  If it had been the
Enforcers, she could have dealt with them. Lacroix was entirely another
matter.  “I’m going home, Lacroix.  I’m tired and I just want to lie down
and relax until tonight.  After that, hopefully we’ll both be off the hook.”


“It wasn’t me who told the Enforcers to meet me here. ‘To finish the matter,
’ is what I recall your saying.  My only interest in this is that the Raven
stay intact and the clientele is affected as little as possible.”


“I told you before that your beloved nightclub will be spared any harm.  I
keep my promises, Lacroix. “  Very irritated by this point, she told him, “I
’ll see you tonight.”  Then she marched up the stairs and headed home.


As soon as the door was closed, Nicholas was at his master’s side.  “What
was that all about?”


“Some nonsense about being off the hook tonight. “  Lacroix paused and gave
the situation some thought.  “Time will tell, my dear Nicholas. Time will
tell.”  He gave his son a sideways look.  “Something is bothering you. “


Nick nodded as he surveyed the group that remained at this late hour.
“Javier Vachon.”


Lacroix rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Really, Nicholas.  You need to leave
the boy alone.  He’s doing a fine job here at the Raven and your partner
thinks rather highly of him. “


“That’s exactly my point, Lacroix.  If he’s doing so nicely here and he’s
been so attentive to Katherine, where was he tonight?  The heat is on.  Has
he fled the kitchen?”


Lacroix started to calm Nicholas’s fears, but in all honesty, he too was
concerned that Vachon had not been there tonight.  It was very surprising in
light of his relationship with Katherine.  “I can not answer that question,
I’m afraid.   That is something you’ll have to ask him yourself.”





Part 9 (10/98)


In less than ten minutes, she was home.  She half hoped that Javier would be
sitting in the living room, and her heart felt as empty as the room when she
looked around.  A quick look at the answering machine told her he hadn’t
tried to call her either.  The seed in her stomach took root and grew into
mounting anxiety.  Was that feeling actually telling her something was
wrong?


She sighed and turned on the TV for some company. The weatherman was droning
on about the highs and lows for the day.  “You want to find out about lows?
Come on over, and I’ll tell you,” she told the TV.  “Oh great, I’m talking
to myself now.”


Fifteen minutes later, she was sitting on the sofa eating a bowl of cereal
and watching an old movie on the movie channel. In hopes that she'd feel
less antsy, Katherine decided to change out of her jeans and into some
sweats. The soft warm material made her feel sleepy, and she dozed off into
a fitful sleep.


---
She dreamt of Javier. He was standing in the bathroom of her hotel room,
smiling at her after she discovered him watching her in the bathroom. Then
she saw him again in the hotel room, this time he was telling her she was
not responsible for him.


Flash forward to last week and they were entwined in each other’s arms at
the Raven with her strongly considering crossing the lines with him. Her
dream turned to darkness and a young, thin blonde woman with frightened blue
eyes called her name.


“Katherine, listen to me.  Listen to me, Katherine,” the voice insisted.
“Vachon is in danger.  The Enforcers have taken him.  They will use him as a
bargaining chip against you.  They will hurt him to get to you.  He told me
to tell you to do what you have to do. He told me that he trusts you, no
matter what happens.”


“What?”  Katherine heard herself say.  “Who are you?”


“That doesn’t matter,” the young woman said sadly, “I loved him once,
though I couldn’t bring myself to tell him.  Don’t make the same mistake.
Be careful tonight, Katherine.  Be careful for the both of you.”  And with
those words, the young blonde was gone.


---
She sprang up from her slumber in a cold sweat.  Yes, that feeling of dread
she had all night did concern Javier.  He had somehow managed to alert her
in her dreams.  “Javier.  I won’t let them hurt you.  I promised.”  She held
her head in her hands and cried.


“You really shouldn’t allow yourself to get this upset before you meet the
Enforcers, Katherine.”  Charles’ familiar voice echoed throughout the room
and her head.


“Charles!  I was just about to call you. I have a slight problem.”  She
dried her tears with the bottom of her sweatshirt.


“That’s a real tacky habit you have, my dear, “ he told her as he settled
next to her on the sofa.  “I know all about your ‘slight’ problem.  I think
we need to talk.”


Part 10 (10/98)


Vachon woke up early that afternoon in his room at the Raven.  Katherine had
been on his mind the entire time.  It was Sunday, and the Enforcers still
had not returned with an answer.  She  was getting down to the wire, and he
wondered if she’d have the strength to face Michael.  The waiting was the
hard part.  A good enemy always made you wait, forcing you to make mistakes.
He hoped that this time it wouldn’t be the case.


Katherine worked tonight.  She’d be at the Raven after her shift.  Knight
too.  Vachon knew Lacroix had asked Nick to keep watch over his partner.
<Looks as if Lacroix is concerned too.  Well, the more the merrier. >


He stood up and stretched.  The room felt very close.  He needed to get out
and roam for awhile.  Before leaving, he stopped for a refresher at the bar.
Miklos hadn’t come in yet, so he helped himself.  Then, checking his pockets
for the Triumph’s keys he headed out the door.


Once outside, he had the strangest feeling that someone was watching him.
It wasn’t one of the normal impressions he got when one of his kind was
around. This sensation was stronger and possessed of more evil, similar to
the one he had in the alley the other day.   He shrugged it off and headed
around back to his bike.


Immediately, upon turning the corner, the sensation of evil surrounded him,
and two very large and very dangerous looking Enforcers overtook him. Before
he could get his bearings to swing around and defend himself, he felt a
sharp stab in his side. It burned as if hot oil had been poured into him.
“Hey, man, what’s this all about?” he asked just before his consciousness
faded into darkness.


- - - - - - - - - -


Javier awoke for the second time that day, this time chained to a large
mahogany table.  Large heavy chains lay across his chest.  His arms and legs
were secured to the sides of the table.  He struggled weakly to free himself
from their grip.


“I wouldn’t bother if I were you,” a voice dripping with evil spewed from
the opposite side of the great room.  “You are going to need all of what
remains of your strength before this is over, I’m afraid.” The disembodied
voice came from an enormous and ornate throne prominently placed in the
room.
With unusually great effort, Vachon lifted his head and looked around. The
room appeared to be an abandoned mine.  Numerous candles of various sizes
gave the room a surrealistic touch.


“Where am I?”  The movement made him dizzy, and he rested his head back on
the hard table.  “What did you do to me?” His rib cage burned and ached. It
was difficult to take a breath to speak.


The body that was attached to the voice floated over to Vachon’s side.
Vachon tried to focus on his captor, but his vision was blurred by whatever
they had given him outside the Raven.  His sense of smell was not affected
however.  He detected the heavy odor of fresh human blood as the being spoke
to him.


“Welcome to my side of the world, Javier Vachon.  My name is Michael, and I
will be your host during your stay with me, however long or short that might
be.”


<This is not good. > Javier closed his eyes to clear his vision.  “What do
you want from me?”


“You and I have a mutual acquaintance, I’ve been told, a very beautiful and
very strong, young woman.  I understand that she possesses many of our
powers and abilities. She is very much one of us, yet she walks by day.
My sources tell me you’ve been spending a lot of time with this creature.
They hint that you have feelings for her.” Michael paused and played with
the chains that bound Vachon’s chest.  He pulled them just a tiny bit
tighter. “Tell me, do you have feelings for this mutant?”


Vachon remained still, not opening his eyes.


The silence angered Michael.  “Answer me when I ask you a question!  Do you
care about her?  Have you drunk from her?  Have you taken her?” He tightened
the chains a bit more.


Vachon cried out in pain.  He thought the chains would cut right through
him.  Still, he remained silent.


“My own dear brother had feelings for her.  She cast a spell on him and told
him she loved him, made promises to him. Told him he didn’t have to answer
to me.  ME! “  He released the chains and walked away in anger.  “ME!
Everyone of our kind answers to me.  My own brother turned from me for a
woman.  A half breed. “  He came back to Vachon’s side and took up the
chains once more, giving them a violent twist.  “Once she was sure he was
under her power, she destroyed him, you know.  Right in front of my men!”


Another twist in anger and Vachon cried out in pain.  “See, see what she’s
doing to you right now?  She’s the reason for your pain.  She’s the one
hurting you.”


Michael clearly enjoyed inflicting pain on those who should normally be
impervious to it.  The action gave him pleasure in his otherwise dull and
dreary existence. He smiled with satisfaction as he watched the effort with
which it took Vachon to regain control over the pressure in his chest.


Vachon closed his eyes and concentrated on releasing the vice like grip in
his chest.  The agony was worse than the stake he took last winter. “Ugh,”
he cried out involuntarily as he finally doused the fire in his chest.  He
opened his eyes to reveal the telltale green-gold eyes that belied his
hunger.


“So you hunger, do you?”  Michael taunted. A glass of ruby red liquid
appeared in the withered hand.  He dangled it in front of the helpless
Vachon.  “Do you want this?”


He moaned and once more struggled with the chains that bound him to the
table.  The smell of the blood was maddening.  It would not be the only time
that evening he would wish he had drunk more than the one glass of blood
substitute at the Raven.


“Do you want this?”  Michael’s voice demanded an answer.


“Yes!”  Vachon cried out in frustration, pain and anger.


“Then tell me, tell me about her. Tell me about your feelings for her.”


Once more he found the strength to avoid the answer. He collapsed back onto
the table, silently staring into the corner, the vision of the blood-filled
glass off in the periphery.


Michael moved so that his prisoner could watch him drain the goblet dry.
Every part of Vachon ached to take even one sip of the liquid.  Once more, a
dizzy feeling swept over him, and he stared again into the corner.


“Why can’t you see that she weaves her magic through you already?  You are
gone, my friend.  There will be no hope for you if you continue to protect
her.” He paused to consider his next move.  Michael looked up at one of the
attendants and motioned to the door.


A black-robed figure quietly opened the heavy metal barrier and allowed a
smaller figure in a white lab coat to enter. In his hands, he carried a
silver tray with several syringes and a large plastic bag with tubing
attached.


“This is Rubio.  He has developed quite a talent with needles and chemicals
and such.  I’ve seen the most tight-lipped and resolute vampire succumb to
his potions. It isn’t a very pretty sight. ” He looked from Vachon, to the
tray and back to Vachon again.  “Are you sure you won’t reconsider?”


Rubio stopped strategically in front of Vachon, the tray at his eye level.
There was nothing on the tray that looked very comforting.  He was hungry
and hurting and figured that it was about to get worse.  Vachon also
concluded that telling Michael anything wouldn’t prevent Rubio from
displaying his talents.  He chose to remain silent.


Michael gave his assistant a go-ahead nod.   Rubio was only too happy to
comply.  He had spent a long time experimenting with the chemicals to attain
the desired affect.  Michael was always pleased with the result. The
victims, unfortunately, never appreciated his efforts.


Vachon swallowed hard as he watched the mad scientist prepare the equipment
on the tray. He could have sworn he heard a menacing chuckle as Rubio spun
around gleefully with one of the syringes in hand.


“I hope those things are sterile,” Vachon commented dryly as Rubio
approached him.


“Now, just hold still and this won’t hurt a bit,”  Rubio told Vachon, who
struggled in vain.  In short order, he expertly found a vein and inserted
the needle. Dark red blood filled the syringe, confirming placement in a
vessel.


In silence, Vachon watched him hook the empty plastic bag to the tube that
was now secured to his arm.  As it occurred to him what it was they were
going to do, he looked into the wild eyes of his phlebotomist who wordlessly
confirmed Vachon’s thoughts.


“Yes, Vachon, he is going to drain you.” Michael’s voice broke the eerie
silence in the room.  “He’s going to drain the little bit of blood you do
have in your veins. There will be nothing to replace it.  It’s a strange
feeling, isn’t it? Complete and absolute emptiness.”


Panic took over as Vachon fought weakly to get away from the needle. Never
had he felt so helpless as his blood flowed into the bag beside him. The
room began to swirl and spin. There was nothing he could do but submit to
the empty feeling that washed over him.


Michael was pleased. “I could destroy you this moment if I liked but, I need
to keep you around just a bit more.  You see, our friend needs to know there
are consequences for her actions.  She will not taint any more of my people.
She will pay for what she’s done to you. And Jonathon.”


Before long, Vachon felt vaguely disjointed. From outside himself, he
watched Rubio remove the bag from the tube in his arm and attach the other
syringe with the fluid to it.  Slowly, Rubio infused the red liquid into
Vachon’s body.


At first, there was no effect.  In a matter of seconds, Vachon felt a
burning sensation throughout his entire being.  Once more he struggled in
his chains to escape the awful feeling. The empty feeling that had overtaken
him before was replaced by fire in his veins.  It was the first time in his
immortal life that he remembered being so scared.  Within a minute, he let
out a deafening scream and collapsed.  The last thing he saw was Katherine’s
face, smiling up to him.


“You gave him too much!”  Michael screamed, tossing the glistening metallic
tray across the room in frustration.


Rubio cowered at his master’s anger.  “He hadn’t fed well before we started.
Maybe I took too much,” he retorted nervously, reaching over and pulling up
one of Vachon’s eyelids, revealed his vampiric state.  “Maybe I should give
him some blood back.  He’ll come around.”


“Do that.” Michael was practically shouting. “Give him just enough to bring
him around, but not enough to give him strength.”  Michael called for one of
his soldiers.  “ When the good doctor is finished, put this waste of a
vampire in a cell and let him sleep it off.  Make sure he is chained to the
wall, just for good measure.”


Part 11 (10/98)


“They’ve got him, Charles.”  Katherine gritted her teeth to keep herself
from crying again.  <He’s right, I need to get myself together.  >


He nodded sympathetically. “I know.  They took him last night. “


“What will they do to him?  He’s one of their own.” Katherine could still
hear the echo of the voice in her dream, ”They will hurt him to get to you.”


He leaned back in the couch, worried.  “That can not be a concern right now,
Katherine.  Your meeting with Michael later should be your focus.  The
vampire can take care of himself.”


“But he was taken because of me.  Do you understand how that makes me feel?”
She paced back and forth in front of the sofa.


“I wish I could tell you I understand.  I wish I could tell you everything
would be all right. I won’t lie to you Katherine. Your vampire friend is in
Michael’s hands. There’s no predicting what he’ll do to him.  But you can’t
let that rule your head.  This perhaps will be the most dangerous meeting of
your life.  Once you are in his domain, we will be unable to help you.  You’
ve got to get yourself together and not be bound by affairs of the heart.”


She shrank back and stared at him.  Charles was telling her to forget that
the man she loved was in danger because of her.  It was a difficult concept
to digest. Yet, she knew he was right.  The best thing she could do now was
go ahead with the meeting and come out alive.  “Ok.  You’re right.  What can
I expect?” she asked reluctantly.


Charles proceeded to describe details of the home base of the Enforcers in
Toronto.  It was an abandoned mine about 40 miles outside of the city.
There would be many arteries of tunnels that had been an integral part of
the facility years ago.  This could work to her advantage as far as escape
routes were concerned. A map of the area and a detailed map of the mine
appeared on the coffee table.  Together they studied it until she was sure
she knew every nook and cranny in the old mine.


Tired of the tiny print of the map, she sat back in the couch and closed her
eyes.  An image of Vachon in agony flashed in her mind.  Startled, she
bolted upright.


“What’s wrong?”  Seeing her fear, Charles grabbed her arm to calm her.


“I just flashed on his face, Charles.  Michael is torturing him.”  Katherine
worked hard to maintain her composure.


“He’ll be ok for now, Michael needs him alive as bait.  Come, you mustn’t
dwell on it.  You can’t do anything until sundown.”


She glanced at the clock on the VCR.  It was only 2 p.m.   She was certain
it was the longest day of her life.  “I won’t be able to live with myself if
something happens to him.  I can’t take another death like that.”


Charles regarded her thoughtfully.  Here stood his strong protégé nearly in
pieces because she dared to love.   So many lives end tragically because of
that thing the mortals call love.  The Old Ones had hoped that she would
have lost this emotion over time.  Unfortunately, she did not.  <Well, she’d
better pull herself together or there won’t be a next time. > “Katherine,
look at me,” he commanded in a voice she’d never heard before.


Blindly, she obeyed and came eye to eye with him.  “This is going to be a
very trying day.  You must get some rest.  Put Jonathon and Vachon out of
your mind.  They would want you to be prepared for what you must face.  Go
lay down and dream of pleasant things.  Prepare your body and your mind for
the challenge that lies before you.”


Slowly, Katherine turned and headed toward her room.  “I’m tired, “ she told
him.  “I think I’ll go lie down now.”


Charles watched her with satisfaction and concern.  He wished they had more
time.  While she slept, Charles consulted with his cohorts.  They gave him
the information he felt she would need to successfully defeat the chief
Enforcer.  It was only hearsay, they had little working knowledge about him,
or anything else for that matter, but it was the best they could offer.
Each one vowed to watch over her as long as circumstances could allow.  Once
she was in the mine tunnels, she would be on her own. Each hoped that her
training would be enough.


The alarm clock at her bedside rattled loudly promptly at six p.m. It was
routinely set for that hour for work.  Tonight, she had the night off.  She
lay in the bed trying to figure out what day it was.  She sprung up out from
under the blankets when her brain cleared and she realized that Charles had
given her a suggestion to sleep.  She was grateful he did. She felt rested
and ready.


The bedroom door opened slowly as she tied her tennis shoes.  “When was the
last time you ate? “ Charles asked her from the doorway.


“I don’t remember.  I’m not hungry.”  She stood up and stretched.


“Doesn’t matter.  I want you to eat something before you go.  You don’t know
when you’ll be able to again.”  Something about the look on his face
bothered her.


“Oh, so you don’t think I’m coming back, do you?”


“That’s not it.  You need to have all the strength you can get. Come sit
down. I made something for you, and we need to talk a bit.”


Reluctantly, she followed him out of the room and took a chair at the dining
room table.  He brought a plate of food out and placed it before her. In
spite of her lack of appetite, she had to admit it smelled and looked
delicious.  It had been a long time since she had eaten one of Charles’
meals.  She finished the plate and washed it down with a glass of milk.


“Thank-you.” Katherine looked at Charles.  “Thank-you for everything.  I
mean it.  I’ll never forget it.”


He hugged her.  “Child, we have given you everything we could think of to
prepare you for this moment.  Please be careful.”


She smiled at him.  “I will, Charles.   I promise.”


He walked her to the door.  “We’ll be watching you for as long as we can.
You won’t be alone.  Good luck.”  He brushed her cheek with his hand.  “Oh,
and by the way, I do think you’ll be back.”


She headed for her car. The plan was to go to the Raven and then play it by
ear.  “Ok, dad.  I’m going to need you on this one, “ she spoke to the cold
night air as she got in the driver’s seat, “Jonathon too, if you’re around.”




Part 12


“She’s here.”  Lacroix stiffened with the first tingle of her presence.
Nick turned in the direction of the Raven’s door. They both watched her walk
into the great room. She somehow looked different, taller, and confident.
Lacroix noted that she didn’t pause at the head of the stairs in search of
Vachon, as was her custom.


“Good evening, Katherine.”  Lacroix greeted her with a forced smile.  There
was a look of determination in her eyes that surprised him.  It made her
seem stronger, formidable.


“Lacroix. Have I had any visitors?”  She asked as she sat down and took the
glass of water offered by Miklos.


“No, not yet.  But the night is still young.”  Lacroix answered delighted he
had the chance to torment her.  He really didn’t think that her summons
would be honored.


“Hey, partner,” Nick tried to be upbeat.  She looked so solemn.


“Javier?”  She asked, already sure of the answer.


Nick’s face darkened as he shook his head.  “No one has seen him since the
night before last.   His bike is still in the alley.  Someone turned in his
keys a few minutes ago. Said they found them near the motorcycle.”


She nodded in silence, as if she had expected the news.   “Do you guys know
anything about an abandoned mine 40 miles southwest of here? “


Lacroix and his son exchange glances.  It was well known in the community
just what that place was.  “Why would you be interested in that place?”
Lacroix tried to make light of the subject.


“Because I thought I’d go spelunking by the light of the full moon.”  She
told him irritably.


His face became serious.  “I’ve heard that many bats call that old mine
home.  It’s a dangerous place for anyone, full moon or not.  I’d advise you
to find something else to do tonight.”


Nick stared at her.  “You’re serious, aren’t you? Why on earth would you
want to go to a place like that?  You could get killed.”


“It’s my night off and if I want to spend it searching old mines, then I’ll
go ahead and do just that.  Besides, I’m not afraid of bats.”  She drank
from the glass.


“Let me go with you then.”  He offered.


“Nicholas, you heard your partner.  She wants to go hunting alone.  If she’s
so interested in the night habits of bats, then that’s her decision.”


At that moment, it felt as if a vacuum had sucked all the air out of the
room.  All the vampires in the place reacted to it.  Lacroix calmly looked
up in the direction of the head of the stairs and immediately recognized the
two men in black trench coats. They were definitely not the two lackeys that
had been dispatched the week before.    “Looks as if your friends are here.”


Katherine did not move.   Instead, she took her time finishing her drink as
the Enforcers quickly made their way to the bar.  They reached her as she
finished the last drop.  She turned around to face them.  “It took you long
enough.



“Michael has sent us to extend his invitation to join him at his residence.
He asked that we escort you safely to his home.” The one on the left was the
messenger.  He looked from Nick to Lacroix, then Katherine.  “He wants you
to come alone.”


She nodded.  “Anything else?”


“He wants you to know that he has something that is very precious to you and
that if either one of us is harmed in any way, he will destroy it. “


<Vachon. > Nick and Lacroix exchanged glances.


Lacroix walked over to the leader and asked. “How will she get back from
wherever you’re taking her?”


The leader knew only too well the identity of the vampire before him.  He
was an elder. Even his leader, Michael, watched his steps around the elders.
They could be very cruel and dangerous.


“We will return her when we are done.”  He avoided Lacroix’s eyes.


<In one piece?  > Nick wondered, with worry.


The leader stepped back to open a path for Katherine.  “Shall we?”


“Kath, “ Nick called after her.


She turned to him “It’s okay, Nick. I’ll be back, I promise.”


Moments later, the atmosphere returned to the Raven and people danced and
mingled as if nothing happened.


Part 13


He came to consciousness an hour after the blood was infused into him.  His
head throbbed terribly and every inch of him burned.  He felt hot and
hungry.  The hunger gnawed at him as never before. Even the thought of a rat
or roach right now appealed to him pain in his abdomen caused him to double
over.  He began to vomit.  Blood.  Bright, red, his.  His blood.


The pain subsided and he rested against the wall of his prison.  It was dark
and dingy.  The sides of his prison were one of the parts of the mineshafts,
that were scattered throughout.  He was at the bottom, the ceiling continued
forever.


“Agh!” The pain seized him once more, but this time only enough to make him
clutch himself and fold over. The movement rattled the chain attached to his
leg and he realized he was going nowhere.  Not that he knew of anywhere to
go.


He lay down on the earthen floor.  The coolness against his head gave him
some comfort. He dozed off into a listless sleep.  When he had first
awakened in Michael’s chambers, he had resolved not to even so much as think
about her. He knew that doing so would not only jeopardize him, but more
than likely her.  But his dreams would not be so resolute. She floated in
and out of them like a bird on a wind current.  He regretted he never did
have her. Never did taste the sweetness of her being. Never called her his.
In the dreams, she was smiling at him, her green eyes were telling him how
deeply she cared for him.  During one dream, her green-eyes segued into
faded blue. Innocent, wide blue eyes that were very frightened.  Blue eyes
from which large drops of tears flowed. Tracy. He moaned in his sleep and
grabbed his stomach.


“Vachon.” Her voice caressed him, easing the pain.  “You’ve got yourself
into one fine mess this time, haven’t you?”  Tracy sighed.  “How am I going
to help you?  What can I do to make it easier?”  She was near him, but far
away.


“Tracy.”  He somehow managed to speak.  “Warn her to be careful.   Tell her
to do whatever she needs to do.   Tell her I trust her.”  He collapsed from
the sheer effort.  This time he didn’t dream.  There weren’t any dreams
left.


-----------------------


Michael had his prisoner removed from the mineshaft and placed in a cell of
bars that was hidden the dark corner of his great room.   The young vampire
was clearly suffering from the effects of the drug Rubio had pumped into
him.   He had vomited blood twice in his sleep and moaned continuously.  Now
he lay silently, trying to make sense out of where he was.


“Ah, good.  You’re awake.”  Michael taunted him.  “You’ve had plenty of time
to think about my request. Are you going to tell me about her?”


Vachon couldn’t have answered if he wanted to. His captor’s voice rang
through his head, accentuating his pounding headache.  He had a feeling of
detachment from his body, from the room.   Words no longer made any sense.
Nothing about him made sense.  The feeling was similar to the one he had in
the church not very long ago, only much, much stronger.


Picking up a stick he found in a corner, Michael poked at him. Vachon
moaned.  “Don’t lay there like a dead animal, talk to me!”


Silence.


Michael absolutely hated being ignored.  It infuriated him.  At the same
time, he realized his pleading was useless.  There were still a few other
options.  Besides, she should be here shortly. He walked over to a table on
which a glass and pewter decanter rested. He picked up the ewer and
flamboyantly poured himself a glass of thick red liquid.


The sweet aroma of iron-tinged peaches slowly filled the room, eventually
reaching Vachon.  To him, it was as if someone had used ammonia under his
nose.  He awoke and weakly crawled to the side nearer the table and stared
longingly at the glass.


“Oh, this isn’t for you,” Michael mocked him.  “But it sure smells good,
doesn’t it?”


Vachon made a feeble swipe at the Enforcer through the bars and wailed with
frustration when he missed.  He rested his head against the bars, his golden
eyes glaring at the vessel.  “Please, “he begged. “Please…” He could almost
taste it.


<This is more fun than I should be allowed to have. > Michael was delighted
with the entertainment his prisoner was providing.  “No, only if I get what
I want.”


Another wave of pain, followed by bloody emesis pitched Vachon to the floor.
After it subsided, he tried to sit up, but was too weak.  The combination of
the blood donation earlier and the intermittent loss of blood now were
taking their toll.   He didn’t have  much left.


“I’d rest if I were you, my good fellow.”  Michael tormented him again. “And
find some way to clean yourself up.  We should be having company shortly.”


With empty eyes, Vachon stared at him.  He understood what his keeper was
telling him.  And right now, he didn’t have the strength to care.


Part 14


The Enforcer, who had remained silent for the entire trip, set her down on
the ground in front of the mine she asked about earlier.  It had taken a
tremendous amount of self-control to not fight the Enforcer off when he had
reached for her and set off to fly.  Heights made her nauseated and very
dizzy.  Back on the ground, she quickly composed herself.  Anything that
could be construed as a sign of weakness would be used against her.


“This way.”  The leader took her by the arm and escorted her through a maze
of tunnels.  They had gone about 3 stories down into the earth when they
came upon an elaborate wooden door decorated with gold inlay.


As they paused in front of it, a tingle of familiarity stirred in her head.
<Javier. > It was a weak signal, but his signature nonetheless.   He hadn’t
been destroyed.


The doors parted without assistance, revealing a large room bathed in
candlelight. An ornate throne of wood and gold had its place conspicuously
in the middle of the room.  In the flickering light she could tell it was
occupied.  Katherine glanced around the room, noting the nooks and corners,
and looked for an alternative exit.  It was difficult to see in the dim
light.


“Welcome to my most humble abode, Katherine.” Michael greeted her kindly,
then he growled to her escorts,  “Leave us alone.” They disappeared without
a sound. Movement and the rustle of material indicated that the body the
voice belonged to rose and started to approach. When he finally reached her,
he spoke. “It’s been a long time.”


Katherine watched the head of the Enforcers make his way to her.  Years of
living down in the mines, marinating in evil had twisted the features of his
once handsome face.  If she looked deeply, she could see the resemblance to
his brother.  “Michael,” she responded coldly.


“Too long.  Much too long.  If I only had known when I first met you that we
’d end up like this, I would have never let you go.”  He reached his bony
fingers out to stroke her hair. She backed away.


“I wouldn’t have stayed. “


“No, maybe not willingly, at first. But I bet you would have come around.”
He savored every inch of her with his eyes and unconsciously licked his
lips.  “You will now.”


“I don’t think so, Michael. We are from two different molds, you and I.  We
could never be together.” She persisted with her defiance.


The conversation not only started to bore him, but he was finding her
attitude very irritating as well.  “Oh, but you and Jonathon, now that was
another story, was it not?”


A sound from the darkened corner of the room interrupted his thoughts.  It
was a low moan. Almost like a whimper from an injured animal.


Michael walked to a table in the general direction of the sound and lit a
lantern. A yellow-gray light radiated over the corner, revealing a cage with
something in it.  He smiled malevolently at Katherine.


“Do you have a pet, Katherine?” He waited for an answer.  She gave him none.


“I like pets.   I have one myself.  I keep him over here.”  He indicated the
cage in the corner.  “I find them very entertaining, myself. “  He walked
over to the side of the cage, picked up a glass of blood and drank it.  The
creature in the caged howled as if in pain and moved to the far side of its
prison, whimpering.


The sound tore at Katherine’s heart.  Tingles of familiarity ran down her
spine again.  <Oh my god! > She thought with a start.  <Get a grip on
yourself.  This is what he wants.  Don’t lose it now.  >


She forced herself to give her host an apathetic look.  “Personally, I
prefer mine free, untethered.  * * Uncaged. * *  “ With much effort, she
walked toward Michael, who was pouring more red liquid into the just emptied
glass.   The room was permeated with the aroma of blood.  Another cry of
anguish rose from the barred area.  “You really should feed them, once in
awhile, Michael.”


The mournful sounds of his whimpering increased in volume.  They were still
low, but to Katherine, they were screams of agony.  As she got closer, she
realized they were also the moans of a starving animal.  A dying one.


To Michael, her indifference was infuriating.  <Don’t you realize who this
is?  >


She picked up an antique picture frame and studied it.  The cage that kept
Javier captive reflected in it, and she could see him crouched in the
corner. Her stomach tied itself into knots at the sight. His moans echoed
through her ears, but she was unable to tell whether or not he was
conscious. “Your tacky little servants said you have something that belongs
to me.  I haven’t lost anything recently that I know of. Care to let me in
on the little secret?”


Michael chortled with glee and floated over to his ‘pet’.  “I understand you
have been associating with vampires again.  After what happened to my poor
dear brother, I would have thought you would have sworn us off for awhile.”
He picked up the stick again and playfully poked at the limp body before
him.


Vachon moaned once more in pain. The sound of his voice twisted like a knife
inside her.


The Enforcer looked at her with consternation.  “You say you don’t keep
pets, my dear.  I challenge that.  I would say you keep them, us, as pets
and then when you tire of them you cast them off and walk away.”


Katherine kept her composure.  His words were meant to incite her, push her
into making a mistake.  That would not happen this time.


Michael continued.  “What do you see in us?  Do you see an image of what you
can only dream of being?  Do you desire the power we have? The immortality?”


Katherine watched him rant.  <If you only knew, > she thought.  “What have I
lost, Michael?  What do you have that you think is mine?” she demanded with
impatience.


He poked the long stick violently into Vachon’s ribs, forcing him to roll
over and face her. What she saw shocked her.  In less than twenty-four
hours, he had aged tremendously. He was a ghostly gray, accentuated by the
small trail of blood tinged drool that trickled down his chin.  His black
hair was matted with blood and his beautiful brown eyes were an empty gold.
He stared at her without a sign of recognition.  The feeling down her spine
told her he knew she was there.


“Wake up.  Our guest is here!”  Michael shoved him once more.  “And look at
you, you didn’t even clean yourself up!”  Another violent probe and Vachon
cried in pain.


The lover in her cried for his pain.  The cop in her took control.  “I’m
afraid you’ve made a mistake, Michael.  This one is not mine.   I do not
know who he is.”


In a flash he was next to her and with one sweeping movement slapped her
across the face.  The force flung her across the room into the cage. “I am
not an idiot, Katherine!  I know what’s been going on here.  I’ve seen you
with this thing who calls himself one of my kind.”


The impact of her body against the bars jolted Javier awake enough to check
that she wasn’t injured.  Their eyes met as she peeled herself off the bars.
His were no longer gold, but the familiar chocolate brown. He used all his
strength to give her a tiny smile of encouragement.  His eyes twinkled
momentarily, and then he succumbed to the pain once again. Her own eyes told
him more than words could ever say in a split second. He passed out with
that image of her etched in his mind.


“Michael.  I am not the one playing you for a fool here.  You are doing very
nicely on your own.  All right, I’ll admit I know this vampire.”  She
gestured behind her.  “I am acquainted with a lot of vampires, but that
doesn’t mean I fall in love with every one of them.”


He snorted.  “Like you did with my brother?  You told him you loved him and
then you ran a stake in his heart?” He was wild with fury.


“I * * did not * * destroy Jonathon.  I fell in love with him, yes, and he
did with me, but I did not put the stake to his chest.”


He wasn’t listening to her.  “You not only took the life of one of my
people, you took the life of my brother, my flesh and blood.  I created him,
you know.  He was mine for 800 years.  I loved him.  And you destroyed him.
“   Michael wept for the loss of Jonathon.  It was very theatrical.


Katherine saw right through it.  “Very impressive, Michael.   I’m sure you
shed tears like this fifty years ago too.    The truth is that one of your
own people plunged the stake into Jonathon.  It was one of * *your*  *
people who did the final act. “  She stopped for a breath. “All the time you
were seducing Jonathon back to your group, you were after me.”   He started
to interrupt, but she continued. “Don’t try and deny it. We both know your
plan was to use him to get to me.   Your plan failed and with it you
destroyed your own brother. You know it and I know it.”


The expression on Michael’s face changed from denial to pure evil.   “I
wanted you then, Katherine.  I want you now.  And you are here!”




Part 15


Nicholas and Lacroix watched Katherine leave the Raven with the Enforcers.
There was not a whole lot they could do. They gained a lot of respect for
her in the five minutes she was with them.  Facing the Enforcers was a
trying ordeal for anyone.  Going with them to meet their leader would have
brought some of the strongest vampires to their knees.  And yet, she marched
out willingly with them, head held high.


Remembering his own experiences with the Enforcers, Nick was more than
impressed with his partner.  He glanced over at Lacroix, who beamed like a
father.  “This is what happened the other night?”


“Yes,” Lacroix replied with pride.  “Did you hear how she spoke to them?
And they backed away to let her through too.  Quite a lady.”


Nick shot him an impatient look. “They moved so she’d get going, Lacroix.”


“You saw what you saw.  I know what I saw.”  A heavy curtain of silence fell
upon them.  Both worried about her, each thinking that he should be there
for her should she need help.


Lacroix gestured to Miklos.  “I am going out for the evening.  Make sure you
put in a tape of one of my old shows when the time comes.  The one about
love and responsibility will do nicely.”  He gave him a curt nod. “You’re in
charge.” Then he turned to his son.  “I think it’s about time we paid
Michael a visit.”


Together they left the Raven and soared through the skies of Toronto.
Lacroix had recently visited Michael and was familiar with the route.  Even
more helpful, was Katherine’s scent, which hung in the air, as the Enforcers
whisked her to their lair.


---
The Old Ones watched the flight to the mine with deep concern. She was
alone. They had secretly hoped her new vampire family would avail themselves
to her assistance.  The sight of Lacroix and Knight in tandem behind her
brought smiles of relief to each. She would not be alone.
---
>From a distance, Nick caught sight of the Enforcers setting down in front of
the darkened mine.  There were no lights to indicate any type of activity.
As far as the rest of the world was concerned it was unused, empty.


Nick tapped Lacroix on the shoulder and pointed.  “I see,” Nick could see
Lacroix nod.


Quietly, they landed not far from the trio and trailed them through the dark
maze unnoticed. They hid in the shadows and watched Katherine enter the
great room, waiting for the right time to intervene.


“I just visited Michael not too long ago,” Lacroix told Nicholas.


“You actually visit these people?”


“It is always helpful to get to know your enemy, Nicholas.  You should know
that.” Lacroix walked through the tunnels as if he’d memorized them.


“So you consider them enemies, Lacroix?”


“In a way, yes.  They serve a useful purpose, I suppose, but at the same
time, they tend to poke their noses into matters that don’t need their
attention.  It can become quite inconvenient.”


Vachon’s anguished screams interrupted the conversation.  Nick shuddered at
the sound.  Lacroix attempted to disregard it.


“What are we waiting for?”  Nick began to move for the door. Lacroix put out
a hand to hold him back.


“Not yet, Nicholas.  Patience.   We will go when the time is right.”
Already, he was mentally putting finishing touches on his plan.


Nicholas stared at him with disbelief as another groan echoed throughout the
halls.


Lacroix glanced around to make sure they were alone.  “Come, Nicholas, I
have an idea.”



Part 16


The candlelight played off Katherine’s face, giving her features a soft
glow.  Michael could not tell what she was thinking.


“Yes, I am here, Michael.  But I have no intention of staying.   I had hoped
we could arrange some type of truce.  Make some sort of peace between us so
we can go on and do what we have to do.  Your constant pursuit of me has
caused you to lose control of your group.  Let’s work things out so you can
go on and enforce what needs to be done, and I can do what I have to do.”


He snickered.  “That almost sounds like a threat, Katherine.  Are you trying
to take my group away from me?”


She laughed at the thought.  “Me?  No.  I wouldn’t think of it.   But the
word’s out that you’re losing control.  The leaders in the other cities have
their eye on you, Michael. I personally think your days are numbered.”


A cloak of silence fell upon the room while he considered her words.  Even
Vachon had ceased moaning.  After some consideration, Michael spoke.  “You
have a point, my dear.  I have been letting things go around here.   I
suppose I should start working on a few details.”  His eyes lit up as a
sinister smile crossed his face.  “I’ve decided that I will start with you!”
In a blink of an eye, his hands were at her throat,  fangs bared and ready
to plunge into her neck.


Swiftly, Katherine brought her knee in an upward motion, causing him to
release her.  She took advantage of his doubling over and flung him headlong
into the bars of the cage.   At the same time, she searched the room for
something to use as a weapon.  The stake he’d been tormenting Javier seemed
appropriate.


“I was right about you,”  Michael hissed as he recovered and caught sight of
the wooden pole in her hands.  “You * * are * *out to destroy us.”


“Not all of you, Michael. Just one.” She twirled the pole playfully.


He flew at her again and again.  She repeatedly fought him off.   He
whispered heavily with frustration.  “I wanted you to be my queen,
Katherine.   To sit at my side and lead the Enforcers.   With your talent we
could have spread out and taken over more and more cities.  The entire
country could have been ours.   You could have had anything you wanted.”


Michael had maneuvered himself over toward the pen that imprisoned Vachon.
With little effort, he broke the lock and reached in, dragging the lethargic
vampire unceremoniously out with one hand.   The movement initiated another
violent spasm of pain and dry heaves.


Reflexively, Katherine winced. She hoped Michael didn’t notice.
Unfortunately, his quick and keen eyes didn’t miss a thing.  He pulled
Vachon roughly up by the hair and held him in front of his chest, using him
as a shield.  Vachon floated in and out of consciousness. He prayed to
anyone who might hear him that this would be the end.


“Your eyes betray you, Katherine Collins.   You do have feelings for * *
this * *.” He jerked Vachon’s head back with derision. “I’ll make peace with
you alright.  I’ll give him back his immortality if you agree to stay with
me.”


“As what, your pet?”  She scoffed as she twirled the long piece of wood in
her hand.


Vachon began to wretch again.  Michael let his body slump forward to allow
him to throw up.   Katherine was shocked at the sight of the pool of bright
red blood at his feet.  After he finished, Michael forced him back into a
standing position, causing him to pass out again, and falling limp against
Michael’s body.


The leader of the Enforcers looked with disgust at the shell of a vampire in
his hands.  Then he looked at Katherine, who obviously was trying to contain
herself.  He was pleased with what he saw.  “It’s almost over.  I can
prevent it. It’s not too late.  What do you say, Katherine?  His life for
yours?


The decision was never made.  At that very moment, Lacroix made a grand
entrance through the door.   “Michael!”  Lacroix greeted him cheerfully.
“It’s so good to see you again!”  He noted Katherine’s place in the room and
then realized the flaccid individual in Michael’s grasp was Vachon.  From
the looks of things, he feared they were too late.
“Oh,  I’m interrupting.  Please forgive me.”


Nicholas guarded the door to ward off additional interruptions.  He too had
a look at Vachon and wondered about their timing.


“Lucien Lacroix,” Michael hissed with contempt.  “You have the worst case of
bad timing of anyone I know.”


Lacroix smiled.   “We will go if you wish, but it appears that you are
having some sort of party, and I haven’t had any kind of fun in a long
time.”  As he spoke, he gestured around the room, which had been splattered
with blood spilt during the fight.


Pretending to just notice Katherine, he walked in her direction.   “You are
Katherine Collins, I assume.  I have seen you in the Raven once or twice.
Permit me to introduce myself.  I am Lucien Lacroix, proprietor of the
Raven, and friend of Michael.”  He bowed elegantly and reached for her hand
to kiss it.  As their eyes met, he projected to her, <Trust me. >


“It’s nice to meet you, Lucien Lacroix.”


Michael was unhappy with the interruption.  His suspicious nature told him
that Lacroix was up to something.   The body in his grasp became
oppressively heavy, and he let Vachon drop to the floor in a bloody heap.


Lacroix watched the movement with disdain.   “Is that how you treat your
guests?  Why, you didn’t even introduce us.” He retained his hold on
Katherine’s hand to keep her from running to Vachon’s aid.   He knew her
instinct would make her go to him.  Now was not the time.


“He’s having a bad day.” Michael scowled, stepping over the body as he
headed over towards his newest guest.   “You never show up here unless you
want something, Lacroix.  What is it this time?”


The elder vampire became a picture of all his years, strength and importance
as he changed his stance.  The maneuver startled and frightened Michael.  “I
do want something, Michael.  It’s not a big thing by comparison to what you’
ve asked of me in the past, and I of you.  A rather small matter, actually.
I think you’ll be most agreeable when you hear my terms.”


Michael sat down ceremoniously on his throne.   Doing so reassured him of
his stature in the community.   “Get on with it! What do you want?”


“As I said, I think you will like the terms of my proposal, Michael.  They
suit your purposes so nicely.’


Michael struck the arm of his chair with his fist in anger.  “Lacroix!  Get
on with it!”


“To get to the point, the word amongst us is that Ms. Collins here is one of
us.   My suspicions were confirmed the other night.”


Katherine gave him a startled look. <What are you up to, Lacroix? >


Michael bolted to his feet.  “She’s not!  I would have sensed it.  I would
know!”


“Oh, but she is, my friend.  I saw her transformation myself.   Didn’t your
messenger relay the story?  No?    Well it’s hard to find good help
nowadays.  I propose that I take this fledgling under my wing and instruct
her in the proper etiquette of her kind in these times.   I’m sure you’ll
agree that we can’t have her running around without proper instruction, can
we Michael?”


Michael misinterpreted her look as one of fear. “What about her master?  Who
created her? “


Lacroix flashed a disarming smile.  “The circumstances around her creation
are unimportant at this point, wouldn’t you say?   As for her master, she is
without one and that, we all know is a very dangerous thing for a novice
vampire.”


Michael redirected his attention to Katherine.  “When were you going to tell
me, Katherine?  How long did you think you could have hidden your secret?”
He stood before her now, his mind greedily considering plans for her.


A look of contempt was her answer as she caressed the stick in her free
hand.


“You are correct, Lacroix, in your assumption that your news suits my
purposes.  In fact, this suits me just fine.”  He gave Katherine another
long, thoughtful look.    “You see, my dear, by virtue of the fact that you
are a part of our community, you are answerable to me.  You have no choice
but to do my bidding!”  He floated around the room with glee.


“There are always choices, Michael,”  Katherine told him impatiently.  She
wanted this to be over and done with.


“Let’s not argue here,” Lacroix interrupted diplomatically.  “What do you
think?  You know I can give her a more complete education than anyone here.
I might even get her to learn to respect you.”


---


“Can I help you?” Nick asked casually.


“You have no business being here,” the leader hissed.  “Step aside.”


Michael paid no attention to the conversation at the door.  Several of his
men, sensing the unwanted intruders, had come to investigate. They were
quite surprised to find Nick appearing to guard the entrance of their master
’s room.


Nick held his ground.  “I don’t think so.  Your master and mine are engaged
in some serious business.  I have been instructed to allow no one inside.”
He growled, eyes glowing red.


Confused by the unexpected show of aggression, the men in black paused,
turning their heads as if listening to instruction, then departed.


Nick smiled with satisfaction and returned to his previous position, leaning
against the wall.  He waited for his cue from Lacroix.  One that he hoped
wouldn’t happen.
---
“Come, now, Lucien, do you really think after all I’ve gone through because
of this vixen, I will be willing to give her up so easily? “  Suspicious
again, he wanted to know, “Why are you so interested in her?  What has she
done to you?”


Lacroix laughed with amusement. “Really, Michael, do you honestly think that
this child could have any affect over me?  You are losing it, I’m afraid.
Your hatred of her has blinded you to the possibilities of her usefulness.
Give her to me.  Let me mold her and shape her to our purposes.”


“NO!  You ARE in league with her.  I know it.  You are plotting against me,
all of you.  She’s mine.  She’s always been mine, that was the agreement.”
Michael made a successful grab for Katherine, and catching her off guard,
pulled her to him.


<Now what, Lacroix? >  Katherine glared at him.  She struggled to loosen the
grip around her chest.  He was crushing her.


“I will no longer tolerate your interference, Lacroix. Your offer is
unacceptable.  Guards!”  Michael yelled.


There was no answer.


“Guards!”  He ordered again.


That was the cue.  Nicholas entered the room, locking the doors behind him.


“They won’t appear, Michael.   They don’t hear you any longer,”  Lacroix
told the crazed vampire.  “It’s over.  We both know it.  Your second in
command has been told that you no longer are in charge.  He was awarded the
dubious honor of taking your place amongst the leaders. “


Michael stared at him with disbelief. “You lie!  They would never replace
me!  I built this area to what it is.  I mean too much to them.    I told
them I would bring her down.   She is my prize.  I will not give her up.”
He closed his eyes, breathing in her scent.  It was disorienting.  He wanted
her all these years, and now he had her, and no one was going to take her
away.  He arched his head back, baring sharp-yellowed fangs poised to sink
into her flesh.


The Enforcers that Nicholas had chased away returned, tripled in number.
They were the few remaining loyal to Michael.  The rest had been told of the
change of command and were only too glad to heed it.


Katherine twisted out of Michael’s grip at the sound of the doors being
forced open. The Enforcers immediately went for Nick and Lacroix.  Together
master and son fought the group effortlessly, leaving Katherine to deal with
Michael.


“Come with me, my precious.  Let me teach you the ways of the night,”
Michael implored her.   “I have searched for you for so long.  Leave these
peasants and join me.”


“Sorry, Michael, I have other plans.” Katherine lunged toward him with the
wooden stake.


She missed.  He took hold of his end and swung her to him, causing her to
trip on Vachon’s body and crash to the floor beside him.  He could barely
cry out in response to the horrible pain that wracked his body.


Michael laughed menacingly and threw the stick to the floor.  “See, you are
the one causing him pain. He is on the edge now. In a few minutes, he won’t
return.  Come with me, leave all this behind.  Give him back his life!”


She lay next to him on the floor, her hand in the pool of his blood.  < If
he dies, if he dies…> she couldn’t bear the thought.  Anger welled up inside
her. “No, Michael.  I won’t go with you, ever.” Rising to her feet, she
squared her shoulders, ready for the final fight.


Michael froze in horror as Katherine righted herself. She nearly glowed with
menace and determination.  She reached in the direction of the stake and it
appeared in her hands.  Gold eyes flashed with hatred as she snapped the
stake in two over her knee.  “This is the end, Michael!” she growled and
leapt at him.


The stake found its mark.  Michael clutched at it without comprehension.
She twisted the weapon and plunged it in further, feeling his heart muscle
give way to the pressure.  It was then that the blood-curdling howl of his
death filled the room as he fell to his knees and then the floor at her
feet.


Katherine stood motionless over the remains of the chief Enforcer.  The air
tingled around her as his essence departed his body, making one final sweep
of his chamber.  A sorrowful wail faded in the distance.  It was over.


She hung her head with relief, her eyes retreating to their normal green.
Katherine slowly looked around, not comprehending where she was. Reality set
in as she met the gaze of Lacroix and Nicholas, who were staring at her,
shocked by what had transpired.  The bodies of the remaining Enforcers were
scattered throughout the room defeated by the elder vampire and his son.  No
one moved for some time.


Once again, terrible pain gripped Vachon who barely had enough strength to
react to it.  His muffled whimper brought Katherine out from her stupor.
“Javier!” She cried out and ran to his side.


Part 17


Lacroix and Nicholas reached them seconds later.  Neither held any hope for
their beaten comrade.  “It’s too late, Katherine,” Lacroix told her.


Nicholas stooped next to her, arm around her shoulder in a display of
sympathy and comfort.


Katherine rolled Vachon into her lap and brushed a blood soaked strand of
hair from his deathly pale face.  Her touch gave him the momentary strength
to open his eyes.  It was difficult for him to focus, but he knew it was
her, holding him.  A wave of tranquility swept over him. He smiled briefly
and yielded to its summons.


“Javier!” Katherine begged him to return to her. In spite of her grief, she
understood what it was that she must do next.  She reached for a shard of
broken glass and held it out to Lacroix.


His eyes met with hers, as he instantly understood what she was asking.
Taking the sharp object from her he turned her hand, exposing her wrist.
“It must be deep and quick to catch the artery,” he told her.  He held her
gaze as he swiftly slashed the skin. She didn’t flinch.  Bright red fluid
flowed from the wound confirming an artery.


Nicholas turned his head away from the site, but retained his brotherly hug.
Soon she would be in need of support.


“Hold it to his lips,” Lacroix directed gently. “Let it flow.  Concentrate
on him, Katherine.”


Mechanically, she pressed her wrist to Javier’s mouth and willed her blood
to flow into him. Each heartbeat ejected more sustenance to him.


A bright, white light beckoned him.  He was torn by the desire to follow it
or stay in the loving arms that held him.  Reflexively, he swallowed.  In
his delirium, he thought he swallowed his own blood, but his mouth filled
again with liquid and he allowed it to trickle down his throat. <It’s not
mine. > He swallowed again.  A hint of coconut and pineapple drifted him
back to his time in the islands.  It was all so confusing.


Her warm blood continued to flow.  She leaned into Nick’s embrace as she
watched Javier nurse her wrist. The fingers of her hand became numb.  “Let
it flow, Katherine.  It’s working,” Nick whispered in awe.  Her strength of
character was astonishing.


The sound of explosion racked the chamber.  Nick and Lacroix exchanged
looks.
“We’ve got to get out of here. “  Lacroix broke Vachon’s attachment to
Katherine’s wrist.


“It’s not enough,” she protested and tried to give it back to Javier.


“If we don’t leave now, it won’t matter,” Lacroix told her with urgency.  He
looked at Nick.  “You take her, I’ll take him.”  He flung Vachon over his
shoulder and headed for the tunnels.


Nick took Katherine by the hand and followed closely behind.  The structure
shook again, bringing Katherine out of her blood-loss daze.  “What’s
happening?” she yelled at Nick.


“Lacroix and I had some of the Enforcers plant some explosives.  They weren’
t very loyal to Michael and only too happy to do it.  We gave them time to
get most of their clan out. “


Another tremor brought down the walls behind them. One more shaft and they
would be free of the mine.  “Nicholas! Hurry!”  Lacroix called back to them
as one support beam after another gave way. The acrid smell of smoke filled
the air and stung Katherine’s lungs.


They burst out of the entrance as a billow of smoke rose behind them.  The
clear cold night air refreshed Katherine.  She felt dizzy, but otherwise she
was ok.


Juggling Vachon on his shoulder, who felt disturbingly light, Lacroix paused
to scan the sky.  “It’s getting light, if we hurry we just might make it.”


“We could go to my place, it’s closer.”  Katherine offered.


“No, the Raven would be the safest.”  Lacroix told her, adjusting Vachon in
his arms.


Nick agreed with Katherine. “We won’t make it to the Raven, Lacroix.
Katherine’s place is closer.”


Lacroix scanned the horizon and gave in.  “Very well. Come, Nicholas!” In a
blink, the vampire was a speck in the graying sky.


Nick looked at her and smiled.  “Ready?”  He held out his arms to her.


She rolled her eyes and shook her head.  “No,” but walked into his embrace
anyway.


As he lifted off the ground she buried her head into his shoulder and closed
her eyes. He could feel her clutching at his shirt with fear.  “Make it
fast,” she told him.


He chuckled with amusement.  This woman who had just taken on the most
feared of their kind and won, was afraid of flying.  He gripped her tighter.
“I’ll do the best I can.”


Part 18


The sun crested the horizon as Lacroix set down in front of Katherine’s
door. They would have never made it to the Raven.  With a swift kick, he
opened the door and rushed into the sanctuary of darkness with his load.


Nick was seconds behind.  A sensation of tiny glass shards prickled his
naked skin as the growing sunlight washed over him. “That was close, “ he
panted as he released Katherine.


“Where?”  Lacroix asked her.


“In here.” She led them down the hall towards her bedroom.  “Put him down
there.” She pointed to the bed.  “I’ll be right back.”


“Nicholas,” Lacroix said, motioning for him as he settled Vachon onto the
bed.
“It
would appear that we have a slight problem.”


“And that would be?”


“The Raven is well stocked with the only chance our young friend here might
have, but if you haven’t noticed, the sun is shining quite brightly this
morning, and we can’t get it.”


Nick stared at him thoughtfully. < That’s a problem. >  “What do you
suggest? “


“Here.”  Katherine entered the room with 2 glasses filled with red liquid.
“Both of you look as if you could use this.”


“What about him?”  Nick gestured to the bed as he gratefully accepted the
glass she handed him.


“How much time do you think he has, Lacroix?”  Katherine sat down next to
the bloodied Vachon and held his hand. She’d been around her share of
vampires in various states of health in two hundred years and not one of
them had ever looked this bad.


Lacroix thoughtfully regarded the figure in the bed as he casually sipped
his drink.  He knew Vachon was clinging to existence on the meager dose of
blood Katherine had unselfishly relinquished.  If he was to survive at all,
he needed more than what had been given.  Much more.


Absentmindedly, he played with the rim of the glass in his hand.  “Do you
have any more of this?”  He held the glass in the air.


Katherine nodded solemnly.  “Only one more.  That’s all.”


“It won’t be enough.”


“I know,” she replied sadly as she pulled the sleeve of her sweatshirt
upward.


“No, Katherine,”  Lacroix admonished her gently.  “He needs more than you
can give.”  Her devotion and determination impressed him.  A lot about her
impressed him tonight.


“There must be something I can do.”  Frustrated, she pulled her sleeve down.
She hadn’t lost hope yet.


“We need to get to the Raven, but under the circumstances, “ Lacroix’s voice
trailed off.


The lost look on Katherine’s face brightened.  “I can go.”  She rose from
the bed. “Just tell me what and where.”


“But it’s daylight,” Nick interjected, but stopped when it occurred to him
that she wasn’t a vampire.


“No problem,” Katherine replied as she hunted her dresser for her car keys.
“Just don’t let him…” she looked from Vachon to father and son.


“We’ll try not to,” Lacroix promised. “Let me tell you where things are.” He
put an arm around her waist and led her to the front door.



The sun seemed cruelly bright that morning as she made her way to and from
the Raven.  It stung her eyes and made her skin tingle.  She ignored the
implication and concentrated on her mission.


---
“Here it is.” Nick handed the familiar green bottle to his master. “The last
one.”


“No!” Vachon protested weakly to the movement of the bed and clutched his
stomach as Nick sat on the foot of the bed.  With a heart full of pity, Nick
watched Lacroix pour the liquid into Vachon’s mouth. <To suffer in pain like
that must be truly devastating. Better to be staked or burned and be done
with it. >


“Take a drink, my boy,”  Lacroix commanded gently.  Vachon gave no further
response, save a barely perceptible attempt to swallow.


Nick left Lacroix’s side to see if Katherine needed assistance when he heard
the front door open.


“Wait!”  Katherine called out when she heard him coming down the hall.  She
grunted quietly as she shuffled the crates into the living room.  The
bottles jingled in protest.  “OK!” she told Nick as soon as she shut the
door.


“That was fast,” Nick remarked as he set about opening the wooden box on the
top of the heap and pulled out two bottles.


“I actually considered using my siren.” Katherine stood back and watched him
drain one of the bottles. “How is he?”


Nick let the fluid bathe his throat before he swallowed.  It wasn’t until
that moment he realized how hungry he actually was. “No change. Lacroix’s
been stretching out the last bottle.”  He looked at her sympathetically.
“Kath, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize how close you two had become.”


She managed a smile. “Thanks, Nick.  Thanks for your help today.  You risked
your life and you didn’t have to. This was my fight.  I want you to know how
much I appreciate that.”  She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.


“We’re partners, remember?”  Nick smiled.


Katherine picked up two bottles from the open carton and walked to her room.
She reached Lacroix’s side.  “Any change?” she asked, already knowing the
answer.


Lacroix uncorked the green vessel and leaned over to feed Vachon.  Katherine
interrupted him.  “No, I meant it was for you.”  He looked at her with
surprise and saw that she was pulling up her sleeve once more.


“Do you really think you can afford this, Katherine?” Lacroix asked her as
she offered him her wrist once more.


“I’ve given this a lot of thought. Do it, Lacroix,” she said with
determination.


He knew she would not change her mind and brought the vampire to the
surface. Quickly and easily, he sunk his teeth into her tender flesh.  After
making sure there was adequate blood flow from the radial artery, he
released her hand.   It took all his control not to continue drinking. The
blood was so sweet and warm, so full of life.  Reluctantly, he guided her
arm to the vampire on the bed.


Vaguely aware of Lacroix at her wrist, Katherine stared at Vachon,
struggling with the strong sense of despair that was welling up inside. He
looked even worse.  Her sixth sense was not very consoling.  <It can’t be
too late, It just can’t. >


Motioning to Katherine to sit down, Lacroix lifted Vachon’s upper body and
then settled him back into her lap.  He stood next to the bed, watching her
feed him and wondered what it was that compelled her to perform such an
unselfish act.  Lacroix had long since lost whatever capacity he had to
understand such devotion.  Perhaps that is what he could not comprehend with
Nicholas.


Katherine stroked Javier’s face with her free hand. “Please let this work.
Please,” she whispered quietly. She could feel her life’s blood oozing into
him.


Once again, Vachon responded to the taste of her blood, this time moaning
softly as he found the strength to suckle her wrist. A feeling of warmth and
security flowed over him once more.  It seemed as if the scent of pineapple
and coconut permeated the air around him. Island breezes caressed him. He
never wanted this feeling to go away again.


Nick settled a large crate on the floor next to the bed.  He looked up to
see his partner oblivious to everything except the body in her lap.  “Are
you sure she’s up to this?” He gave Lacroix a worried look.


Lacroix watched her a few moments before answering.  “No. She’s going to
pass out any time now.”  Katherine’s head began to bob as she fought to keep
conscious.


“He’s in no condition to give anything back. And she won’t be able to give
him enough.” No sooner had Lacroix finished his statement when Katherine
leaned her
head back on the headboard, embracing the darkness.  He turned to Nicholas.
“You feed him, I’ll take care of her.”


Lacroix was instantly at the side of the bed, disengaging her wrist from
Vachon’s mouth. “Katherine.” His voice floated to her out of a fog.”  You’ve
given enough for one day.  You need to stop now.”


“No, he needs more!”  She mumbled in her dazed state.  The feeling she had
was nothing like any she had experienced before. It was all so very
disjointed.  She wasn’t feeling any part of Javier in return for her blood.
She fought to give more.


“Listen to me.” Lacroix insisted.  “You’re done, Katherine.  There won’t be
more of you to give soon.” He pulled her into his arms when Nick brought
Vachon forward.


She didn’t resist.  Her head felt heavy, and she didn’t quite know where she
was.  It was difficult to see, and she was queasy.


“There, there, my dear.”  Lacroix consoled her as he stood from the bed.
“Come with me. You’ve had a big day.”  He nodded at Nicholas to continue
Vachon’s feedings.


Deciding it would be terribly inconvenient to run from room to room to keep
an eye on the two of them; Lacroix carried Katherine to the other side of
the bed and laid her down.  She settled comfortably into the pillow as he
drew a blanket up around her.  It reminded Nicholas of a loving parent
putting his child to bed.


“What do we do with her now?”  Nick asked as it occurred to him they couldn’
t replenish her with the blood they were giving Vachon.  “She needs blood,
Lacroix.”


None of them had thought that far.  “I don’t know, she didn’t tell me.”  He
stepped back from the bed deep in thought.  “She obviously is in need of a
transfusion.  We could take her to a hospital, I suppose.”


“And when she comes to, how is she going to explain the blood loss, yet
alone stay there?  She’ll fight tooth and nail to get back here to him.  Not
to mention it’s still daylight out there.”


Silently, the two considered their options.  There weren’t many.


“Why didn’t I think of this before! Natalie!  She’ll do it.” Nick poured the
rest of the bottle into Vachon’s mouth before going to the phone.


Lacroix took Nick’s place at Vachon’s side and examined the Spaniard who was
not responding as quickly as he had hoped.  Shaking his head at the thought
of this wasted life, he feared that even Janette’s best would not be the
answer.


Part 19


It was the realization that it was Katherine’s blood flowing into him that
deflected his desire to follow the strange light. Even the small amount he
had taken before she was rudely torn from him began to counteract the
effects of the chemicals that attacked his being. He moaned in protest
against her being taken from him again. Not the anguished, dying moan he
heard himself cry out most of the day, but a stronger one laced with
frustration and disappointment that he was losing his lifeline to her.


Moments later, he felt the small round hard coolness of a bottle offered to
his lips. Although his benefactors were not aware, he accepted it with
appreciation and hunger. This liquid, too, had a familiar taste, and
brought confusing thoughts of dirt and a blonde woman to his memory. He
settled back into the softness and let the fluid restore his strength.
Something in his core told him he was safe. Now all that was left was for
him to get better.


All too quickly, she was being torn from him again. He moaned in protest.
Not the anguished, near-death
moan he had heard himself cry out for the last several hours, but a
stronger one, laced more of frustration and disappointment at losing her.


The teetering feeling returned, this time faintly.  A hard round object
pressed against his lips and liquid flowed into his mouth.  His psyche still
sought her out, but yielded to the sustenance of the fluid now coursing into
his body.  Inadvertently, he moaned again, this time with appreciation and
hunger.  The fence disappeared and he began to make his way toward his old
self.
  ---
“Nat, it’s me,” Nick replied tersely when she answered the phone.


“Nick! Where are you?  Are you okay?” The undertone of worry in her voice
instantly brought pangs of guilt at not having called her earlier.


“I’m okay.  I’m at Katherine’s. I need a favor Nat.  He smiled to himself as
he listened to her moan and groan. He knew the answer would eventually be
yes, but  she just needed to go through her ritual.


“Are you sure you’re all right?”  The combination of his being at Katherine’
s and needing a favor unsettled her.


“Yes, Nat, I’m all in one piece. Now, about the favor.”  He quickly told her
what he needed, giving only sketchy answers to her questions.  “I’ll fill
you in when you get here, but hurry.  There isn’t a lot of time.”


Natalie rested the receiver in it’s place, feeling very confused.  <Why
would Nick be in such need of blood?  He didn’t sound injured.  More like
tired.  And why Katherine’s place? >  Then she understood.  <Something’s
happened to Katherine.  It’s she who needs the blood. >


Thirty minutes and a few phone calls later, Natalie knocked on the door of
her former residence.  “Nick, it’s me!”


“It’s open!”  Nick’s familiar voice replied from the other side of the door.
He stepped back and waited in the living to avoid the stream of daylight
that flooded the hallway as Natalie entered.


Nick took the bag of supplies she had gathered once the door was securely
shut behind her.  Together they hurried to Katherine’s room.  “What’s going
on?”


“It’s a long story, I’ll tell you later, but Katherine’s lost a lot of
blood, and we can’t take her to the hospital.  She’s in here.”  Nick paused
to let Natalie enter the room first.


Her next question was answered as she stepped across the threshold.  The
sight of Vachon and Katherine lying side by side took her by surprise.
Lacroix was playing nurse to the vampire, encouraging him to drink more from
the bottle being held to his pale lips. Katherine paled by comparison to the
dark figure next to her.   At first glance, neither of them looked very
well.


Natalie rushed to Katherine’s side and lifted her limp wrist to take a
pulse.  It was dressed with a makeshift bandage.  She searched for the other
hand under the blankets, only to discover it too, was dressed in the same
manner. Natalie held it up. “Care to explain this?”


“Later,”  Nick told her, avoiding her eyes.


Sighing in frustration, she gave Nick a “you’ve-
got-a-lot-of-explaining-to-do” look and searched Katherine’s neck for a
pulse. It was weak, but steady. Her pale neck was free of puncture wounds.
It appeared the only source of blood loss was from her wrists.


“Did he do this to her?” Natalie glanced at Vachon.


“In a way, yes, good doctor.  But I think Nicholas told you he’d fill you in
on the details later, “ Lacroix answered curtly. “
Please attend to Ms. Collins.  She is very much in need of your assistance.”


Natalie gritted her teeth to keep from arguing with Lacroix.  He had the
most irritating way of speaking to her.  And she had to admit he was right,
Katherine did need her.
She set about to find a vein to deliver the blood she brought and hoped two
units would be enough. At least they were type-O.


Katherine’s general color improved before the first bag emptied.  She
started dreaming during the second, and her vital signs were nearing normal
when Natalie removed the tiny plastic catheter from her arm.


Reacting to the tape being pulled from her skin, Katherine squinted at
Natalie.  In a haze, she recognized her visitor. “Hi,” she whispered, smiled
and went back to her dream.  In it, she and Javier were dancing in the
Raven, and she was weighing the pros and cons of letting him drink from her.
She smiled and moaned softly as she turned over in her sleep, placing her
arm across the chest of the man who filled her dreams.


As Natalie disconnected the tubing from Katherine, Lacroix decided Vachon
had enough blood also.  The young vampire had actually tried to hold the
last bottle himself, and his color was now that of a mildly healthy vampire.
It was time to let them both rest.


“OK, Nick,” Natalie said in a low voice as she watched Katherine snuggle
contentedly next to Vachon, “tell me what happened.”


Nick glanced at Lacroix as he rose from the bed, strode to the doorway,
and nodded his permission to his son.  “She deserves that much, Nicholas.”
He smiled at Natalie. “It would appear that once again, I am in your debt.”
Then he disappeared.


“That’s a good of a thank-you as you’ll ever get,” Nick said.  “Let’s go
into the other room.”


He held the dining room chair out for her to sit. “You look tired,” Nick
commented.


“Not any more than you.  What went on last night?”


Before sitting down with her, he procured a green bottle from the crate
stacked against the wall.   Then he proceeded to tell Natalie in as much
detail as he wanted her to know, about the last few days.


“So, is she or isn’t she?” she asked when he finished.


“A vampire?” Natalie nodded.  “I don’t know.   She *is * different.  Her
eyes did glow when she went after Michael and she was very strong.  But,
Lacroix had to start her blood flow, and somehow we both knew she couldn’t
handle drinking from a bottle.   I’m not sure we’ll ever know.”


The blood substitute did not revive him as he hoped, he felt very drained.
He needed sleep.   “I guess I’m here for the rest of the day,” he told
Natalie.


She smiled at him. “Me too.”


He looked at her, not understanding.


“I’ve got a patient to tend to, in there. You take the couch and I’ll keep
an eye on the both of them. I’ll get you a blanket.” Natalie got up and went
to the linen closet.


“Come and get me if Vachon shows signs of waking up more. I don’t want him
to hurt you.”  Nick took her in his arms in the living room and just held
her for a while.


Natalie eagerly clung to him. “Oh Nick, I’m so glad you’re safe.”


“Me too, Nat.  Me too.”


Part 20


Natalie took short naps throughout the day, waking periodically to check on
her patient.
Katherine’s blood pressure and pulse started to stabilize, but it seemed to
Natalie that her patient was actually becoming more pale than earlier. She
looked over at Vachon, who had seemingly been in a deep sleep the entire
time.  Even he looked better than Katherine.  She wished she knew what else
to do.
---
Nick and Natalie woke up to the sound of a strange voice coming from the
bedroom.  “Who’s that?”  Nick asked Natalie from the couch, as he swiftly
swung his legs over to the floor.


Natalie had fallen asleep with a book in her hand while sitting in the
recliner next to Nick. She struggled to get her bearings as she strained to
hear the voice. It didn’t sound like Lacroix. “I’m not sure. I didn’t let
anyone in.”


Quietly, together, they tiptoed to the bedroom door and saw a man sitting at
Katherine’s side of the bed.  He was talking to her like a parent.


“Katherine.  Drink some of this.”  He held a vial to her lips in one hand
and supported her head with the other.


Weakly, she tried to brush the cold bottle away. “No!” she protested.


“Hush now and drink,” the man insisted, tipping the vial more steeply and
pouring its contents into her mouth.  “Swallow it, “ he ordered.


She surrendered and let the rest of the bottle’s contents slide down her
throat.


The man sat back and held Katherine’s hand, waiting for a reaction.


Natalie took her cue from Nick and the both of them entered the room.  “Who
are you? How did you get in?” Nick demanded.


Showing no surprise at the intrusion, the man at the bed placed Katherine’s
hand on the bed, then turned his attention to the visitors.  “My name is
Charles. I’m here to help Katherine.”  He glanced down at her.  “She *is *
in need of assistance, you know.”


Neither of them could shake the feeling they knew him somehow.  His last
statement irked Natalie.  “I’ve given her two units of blood already and she
was stable a half hour ago.” Her blue eyes flashed with irritation. “What
were you just giving her?”


“How did you get in here?” Nick slowly neared the bed.  “What are you doing
with her?”


“It’s all right, Detective Knight and Dr. Lambert. I assure you I mean
Katherine no harm.  Instead, I’m here to take care of her.”  Charles bent
over the nightstand and took out another vial similar to the one from which
Katherine had just drunk.   He set it on the countertop and took his place
next to Katherine.  He smiled lovingly at her and ran his hand across her
cheek.


“How do you know who we are? And how did you know she needed help?” Nick was
at the foot of the bed now.


“Of course, I know who you two are.  I know about everything that Katherine
is involved with. I know about everything that happens to her.”  He smiled
reassuringly at Natalie. “This shouldn’t take long.”


“She’s lost a lot of blood,” Natalie offered. His gentle manner with
Katherine allowed her to relax a bit.  He reminded her of the stranger in
the light that night not so long ago.


“Yes, I know.” He glanced at Vachon. “To him.”


Natalie and Nick both felt the atmosphere in the room change from nurturing
to one of contempt.  It was very clear in his manner that Charles had
Katherine’s best interests in mind and he held Vachon responsible for her
present condition.


In spite of his attitude toward Vachon, Nick felt strangely comfortable with
this intruder.  He did not find it difficult to accept that Charles did
indeed know all about them.  “She gave him her blood, but she didn’t take
any of his.  There wasn’t time.”



Charles nodded. “I know that too.  She generously gave of herself so that he
might have a chance to continue his existence.  Of all the human emotions,
love is so difficult to understand.”  He shook his head sadly as he looked
at his beloved protégé. “Katherine hangs on to that part of her humanity, of
her mortality, fiercely. It is her capacity to love that defines her, makes
her complete. This has been an issue before and has been the hardest for us
to deal with.”


“This has happened before?” Natalie asked.


“Regrettably, yes.  Several times since she’s come to us.”  Charles placed
his fingers on Katherine’s neck to check her pulse.  He wrinkled his brow
with concern.


“What’s wrong?” Natalie stepped forward.


“It’s never taken this long for her to respond before.  Usually one vial is
enough.”


“She did feed him twice.  Once in the mine for a short time, and then when
we came here. She let him feed until she passed out,”  Nick told Charles.
“Was it too much?”


Charles contemplated his knowledge of what occurred during the night.  “She
had time to regenerate only part of what she gave him the first time.  She
probably thought she replenished enough to give him more the second time.
Maybe she did cross that line this time.” He sighed again.


“Do you mean she’ll become a…?”  Natalie’s eyes were wide with disbelief?
“But he didn’t…”


“He didn’t initiate the transition,” Nick interrupted, tersely. “Vachon wasn
’t in any shape to bring anyone across.  She’s in…”


“Limbo,” Lacroix said in unison with Nick from the doorway.  “I believe that
is the current term for it, Nicholas.  Isn’t it, Charles?”


“Yes, Lucien.  That is the correct term.” Charles grunted with frustration
and irritation. He had hoped to be in and out of here before encountering
Lacroix.  Although few, their past interactions had never been pleasant.


“You say he didn’t actively initiate either of the feedings?” Charles looked
hopefully at Nick.


Lacroix still shadowed the doorway.  “He was barely in shape to swallow, let
alone act out his nature.  I started her blood flowing both times.  The
first time, I cut her wrist. The second time, I bit her.”  He taunted
Charles.


“You may stand there feeling very smug about what you did, Lacroix, but the
fact of the matter is while you might have gotten a few drops of her blood,
you certainly didn’t get enough to make you her master.” He gave Lacroix a
triumphant look.  “If anyone here could and should make that claim, it’s
that young one next to her.  But I won’t give her up that easily.  There are
still a few things I can do.”


Nick wasn’t sure if Lacroix was at a loss for words or fuming. <More than
likely the latter, >Nick decided. Several times in the last few weeks he had
an inkling that Lacroix was unusually protective of Katherine.  He had even
challenged Michael for her last night.  <How did he put it?  “Take this
fledgling under my wing and instruct her.” So, he wanted to be her master,
but now, here was someone more influential in Katherine’s life.  Someone who
would not relinquish his position too readily. > Nick glared at Lacroix. <
She doesn’t need this right now. >


Charles had stalled for the time he needed in between doses of the liquid
that he had given Katherine.  They had never needed a second dose before,
but he knew he had to wait at least fifteen minutes in between should one
become necessary.  He reached over and slowly poured the purple liquid into
her mouth.  Silently he prayed it would work.


“Blah!” Reacting to the last drops, she sat up, fully awake and renewed.
“Charles! Why can’t they make that taste any better?” Grimacing, she
searched the bedside table for something to rinse her mouth with.


Charles handed her a glass of water.  “Remember, tiny sips.  Let the elixir
do its work.”


Katherine’s hands trembled as she took the glass from him.  “I know, I
know.”  She took a tiny sip, swished it around in her mouth to clear the
remaining taste and swallowed.  Feelings of warmth and wholeness embraced
her. Her color almost immediately improved.


“Feel better?” Charles asked.
Closing her eyes, she leaned against the pillows as she let the potion take
effect.  She nodded.  “Yes, I feel much better.” Her green eyes sparkled
with life when she looked at him.  “Thanks.”


“I did it, Charles.”  She told him eagerly, like a child seeking parental
approval.  “I finally defeated Michael.”


He nodded.  “Yes you did, “ he said slowly. “You did a good job.  I never
had any doubt you could do it.  We are all proud of you.”


The words of approval sang in Katherine’s heart.   They came so few and far
between and they meant so much.


Lacroix watched the scene before him unfold without emotion.  Yet something
gnawed at his gut as Katherine and Charles conversed.  In his mind, he had
taken on the part of mentor and tutor with Katherine and it galled him to
hear Charles speak to her in the same way.  He felt compelled to speak.
“Yes, Katherine, my dear. We are all proud of the way you handled yourself
last night.”


Startled at the sound of his voice, Katherine looked in his direction.
“Lacroix! Nick! Natalie!” She looked confused.  “What are you doing here?”


“If you remember, it was daylight by the time we got here. You went to the
Raven to procure some nourishment for our friend here.  You let him feed
from you until you passed out.  Nicholas and I had no choice but to spend
the rest of the day here in your humble abode.”  Lacroix smiled
ingratiatingly at her.


Katherine stared at him, remembering what happened as he described the
morning. It was all coming back to her.  “But what are you doing here,
Natalie?”


“I called Natalie to give you some blood,” Nick told her. “You gave Vachon
an awful lot of yourself and we couldn’t take you to the hospital.”


“That’s what partners are for,” Katherine smiled at Nick. “Thanks again.”


Then she turned her attention to Vachon.  She studied his bloodstained
face, as he peacefully lay on the pillow next to her, grateful to see that
his color had improved from when she last saw him. As she sat wishing there
were some way to detect life of a sort from him, Vachon smiled ever so
slightly and shifted his position in the bed.


She hung her head and silently thanked whoever or what ever it was that made
him move.  Katherine brushed a strand of hair that had affixed itself to his
bloodied cheek and looked up with glistening eyes at Charles. “Is there
anything you can do?”


“Now, Katherine, you know there is nothing that we can do about him.  It’s
out of our spectrum.” Charles stood up as if to leave. He still had
misgivings about her relationship with the vampire who nearly took her life.
He hoped he was being supportive. “I am sorry, Katherine.”


“I know,” she whispered, fighting back tears. “I just wish there was
something else.”


“No, I’m afraid there’s not.  I must go.  I want you to promise me you’ll
get some rest. There will be more, Katherine.  Not any time soon, but they
will come again.  You must be prepared. “


“She’ll get her rest, Charles, believe me,” Natalie told him.  “I’ll see to
it personally.  Is there anything else I can do for her?”


Charles looked at the trio standing at the end of the bed. It was very clear
that Knight and the good doctor were genuinely concerned about Katherine.
But it was also apparent, at least to Charles, that Lacroix was working on a
different agenda.  That was worrisome. <I’ll be back again soon, I’m sure. >


“Thank-you Doctor.   You don’t know how much I appreciate that. The second
dose should hold her and let her regenerate.”  He turned his attention once
more to Katherine. “No more donations for awhile, do you understand?”


“I hear you,” she told him, only now comprehending that she was given two
shots of that “stuff.”  She pushed the thought out of her mind for now.


Charles reached for his bag on the table.  “Well, I’d best be going.  I see
my Katherine is in good hands. Thank-you, all of you, very much.”


As he left, he passed Lacroix at the door.   “Leave her alone, Lacroix.  Don
’t interfere with her mission here.  You’ll regret it, I assure you.”


“Good evening, Charles.” Lacroix dismissed him.



Part 21


For what seemed the millionth time, Nick went over instructions regarding
feeding intervals for Vachon with Katherine. Then she had to swear to
Natalie that she would rest and not be a blood donor that evening.


Lacroix had left soon after Charles. Their final words had rendered him
moody, and it being the evening, he could safely leave for the Raven. Now,
she was finally alone with him.


He had not moved since that time when Charles had been there, but in her
heart, she knew he was sleeping and would awaken soon. She sat on the bed
next to him, watching him sleep, wondering what was going through his mind.
Waiting…


- - - - - - - -


<So weak. I’ve never felt this weak. Not since that first night before I
learned how to take what I needed so badly. Even then, I had control over
my arms, my legs, and my body. I need blood. I can smell it so strongly, I
think I can taste it.


Coconuts. The hint of pineapple and the light, warm breezes of the islands
I visited long ago. I can almost taste it. I remember I found comfort
there once. I think I feel it now, but it too fades all so quickly. I hate
this.


I hear voices. One, two, no, more. I should know them, but it almost
hurts to think. The voices fade away. I am alone once more.


At least the pain is gone. I never want to go through that agony again. I
hated feeling… so helpless. And the fire that ran through me is gone now,
too. That’s a good thing, but I feel empty. Maybe I am truly dead. The
pain let me know I still existed. But now, there is nothing.


Someone is touching me. It feels *so * good. Don’t stop, please. I’m not
dead. Trapped, but not dead. This feeling will go. It * * must. * * Touch
me again, please. Let me feel the warmth of your fingers, hear your voice
once more. I hear your voice. It sounds so sad. I know it. I know that
voice. I know who you are. Katerina! Don’t cry. Don’t cry… Someone get
me out of this shell wake me up!


Okay, V-man, this is it. All or nothing. Wake up, man! You’ve got to get
out of this yourself. >
---
Katherine sat at his side, watching for the slightest hint of his waking.
His pale eyelids fluttered ever so slightly as if dreaming. It was
encouraging. “Javier.” She whispered. “Javier. Time to wake up. Come
back to me. Come back to me, please.”


Small beads of tears rolled down her cheeks as she pled with him to respond
to her. Impulsively, she leaned over him and brushed his cool lips with
hers. She felt his lips form a smile beneath hers.


“I should wake up like this more often.” His voice sounded like trumpets
announcing the arrival of kings and queens. She pulled away far enough to
look at his face. His chocolate brown eyes were no longer lifeless, but
trying very hard to twinkle with amusement at her.


“Hi.” It was all she could say as she unsuccessfully fought back happy
tears. She balanced herself over him on one elbow to get a better look at
him. “My god, Javier. I’m so sorry.”


His arms felt as if they weighed tons, but he managed to get them up around
her back to pull her on top of him. There was that scent of the islands
again. He cradled her body against his. It felt so warm and comforting, he
never wanted to let her go. He tried to hide his reaction to the added
weight on him, but she picked up on it too quickly and pulled back.


“You’re still hurting, aren’t you? “ Katherine’s face was a picture of
concern and worry. “Here, let me take a look.” She pulled up his bloodied
shirt to reveal his stark white skin accentuated by a purplish-red bruised
area about the size of her hand where he had been originally stabbed
several
nights before. The impression of the chains that Michael had twisted so
viciously around his chest still remained. He moaned when she gently
touched
the injured area.


“You’re not healing, Javier, “ she told him, worried. <This is wrong, all
wrong. >


“I’ll get better.” He tried to pass it off. The crate of green bottles
sitting next to the bed caught his eye. “I could use something to drink.”


“Oh. Of course, here, let me get it for you.” Rising gently off the bed,
she went over to the crate and took out two bottles. “You want this in a
glass or something?”


Javier struggled to sit up against the headboard. “No, I’ll drink it as it
is, if you don’t mind.” He smiled, reached for the bottle and put it to his
lips. Nothing had ever felt so satisfying. He could feel it course
through
him, and, although it didn’t taste of pineapples and coconuts, it
would do.


Katherine watched him begin to gain strength with each swallow. He looked
so worn, so tired. Each drop of the red liquid visibly renewed him. It made
her feel good to see it happen so quickly. She brushed away tears of
happiness that started to flow once more.


He caught her bandaged wrist in his hand. “What’s this?” he asked, his
face
clouded with worry. “Did he do this to you?”


Katherine winced in pain. “No, he didn’t do it.” Only then did she realize
that he might not remember what happened last night. Now she had to decide
how much of it she wanted to
tell him?


“Tell me, Katerina, tell me what happened.” From the very beginning she
never could resist those words and that tone of voice from him. It was
very
effective, but she never let him know how much. To him, she was a
resistor.
It had to always remain that way.


“At the end, after Michael was destroyed, you needed blood.”


“I did this? It’s not my usual style.” He fingered the bandage around her
wrist.


Katherine shook her head. “No, Lacroix cut my wrist so I could give you the
blood you needed. We had to get out of there quickly and there was no other
way.” She paused, wondering what he was thinking. “I
would do it again if I had to.”


He looked at her with stunned amazement and lifted her wrist to his nose.
“It *was * you! Coconuts and pineapples. The hint of rum and island
breezes. Twice. I remember twice I felt your presence. It felt so good.”
He paused and smiled. “It felt…wonderful.”


Katherine held up the other wrist. Vachon put his bottle down and took
both
of her hands in his. “I drank from you?” he asked incredulously. “You
did
this for me?”


“I had to. You were dying. I couldn’t stand by and let that happen. I
promised you a long time ago I wouldn’t do it. I couldn’t, Javier. I
couldn’t.”


She caressed his face with her fingers as he kissed her wrist. Her fingers
became entangled in his hair, matted with his blood as he started to put
her
hands down. They laughed. “I think we could both use a shower,” he told her.
“I must look awful.”


“You look absolutely wonderful to me.” She leaned in and kissed him. “I
don’t want to go through this ever again.” They kissed again. “Ever.”


“Only if I can wake up with you in my arms.” He whispered, hugging her
again. “Look, I really think we’d both feel a whole lot better if we were
cleaner.
I think my clothes are cracking each time we move. I’ll even let you get the
shower first. If you hurry.”


“I don’t want to let you go. I keep seeing you in that room.” Her voice
caught. “Holding you chases the memory away.”


He smiled with all the reassurance he could muster. “It’s over, Kath.
You’re here and I’m here and we are both in one piece.” He even tried to
chuckle.
“A little worse for the wear, perhaps, but we made it. Now, get up and get
in that bathroom or I will beat you to it.”


“You win.” She grinned at him. “I do feel grungy. I won’t take too long,
I promise.”


He leaned his head back and took another slug from the bottle as he watched
her gather clean clothes. “I’ll be out in a minute,” she called,
disappearing into the bathroom.


With her out of the room, he closed his eyes, desperately trying to summon
any strength he might still have. Intuitively, he finished the bottle in his
hand. He didn’t feel as strong as he was trying to make her think.


Less than five minutes later, Katherine was out of the shower, wrapped in
her green terrycloth bathrobe and towel-drying her hair. She looked fresh
and ready to take on anything. “Your turn,” she said without looking at
him when she entered the bedroom.


Javier tried to get out of the bed but found he still didn’t quite have the
energy to carry out the movement. “I think I could use a little help here.”
He grinned at her apologetically.


Katherine was at his side in a flash. “Are you sure this is a good idea? How
about the tub?”


He shook his head as he swung an arm around her shoulder. “No. I can get
in and out of the shower easier. And besides, I don’t want to soak in what
I’ve been stewing in any longer than I have to.”


“Ok”, she said reluctantly and helped him to the bathroom. “There’s a
towel
over the shower door. You know where the shampoo and soap is. Call me if
you need something.” Katherine turned to walk out after she turned the
water on.


Javier leaned against the sink, trying to steady himself. “Katherine!” He
called.


She turned, smiling. “What?”


“I need help.” He grinned.


“You need help.” She waited for a second wondering what sort of help he
thought he needed. “What kind of help?” She hung onto the door, staring
at him trying to keep upright.


“I’m serious. I don’t think I can do this by myself.” He balanced on one
hand and motioned for her to come closer. “Really. Just get me started and
I think I can do the rest myself.” <I hope. >


“OK.” She kept her gaze even with his. “What do you want me to do?”


“The shirt. Let’s start with the shirt.” He steadied himself as she
struggled with the button of the once black Henley. “Why don’t you just cut
it off? I’m not going to keep it anyway.”


“You sure?” She looked up at him and he nodded.


“I’m sure.” Javier was beginning to get dizzy. He wasn’t sure if it was that
he needed more blood or that pineapples and coconuts were
overpowering him.


Katherine quickly cut his shirt off. The sight of the bruise once again
caught her by surprise. It simply shouldn’t be there, a little voice inside
her head told her. “Sit down,” she told him.


“What?”


“Sit down. I need to get your shoes off, unless, of course you wish to
shower those too.”


Very slowly he lowered himself down onto the seat of the commode. She bent
down and removed his shoes and socks. They also were soaked in blood. The
dried scent was familiar, he couldn’t place it. Finally, he had to ask, “Who
’s blood?”


She looked up from her kneeling position. “You don’t remember, do you? It’s
yours. I’ll explain later. Let’s get this over with. Undo your buckle.”


“I can’t.”


Katherine looked at him. “Javier. If you can’t get your buckle undone and
your jeans off, *by yourself *, just how do you think you’re going to get
into that shower?”


All he could think of was getting into that shower and washing off this
blood and dirt that clung to him. It really didn’t matter how or who was
getting him there. “Just help me out here, Katherine. I’m not going to
try anything, believe me. I’m in no shape. Just give me a hand okay?”



It didn’t occur to him until that moment what he was asking of her. He
nodded with understanding and ran his finger down her face, his voice
softened. “This isn’t how I seduce my women, Katerina. I promise I won’t try
anything. I just need your help. You have seen naked men before, haven ’t
you?”


<Yes, Javier, I *have * seen naked men before. Just not you, not like this.
> She drew in a deep breath. “All right. I’ll help. Hold still.” She reached
for the buckle at his waist. Her hand brushed against the cool
skin of his chest as she slid the buckle out of its attachment. With a
smooth move, the metal button of his jeans was freed, and the zipper gave
way. Hoping she wasn’t beet-red by now, she instructed, “Stand up.”


He leaned on her shoulders for support. She could tell he was not as strong
as he had led her to believe. Slowly, she eased his jeans down around his
hips and thighs, “Hold still,” she barely whispered and turned to grab a
towel to place it on the seat below. “OK, sit down. “


Every male cell in his body was shouting at him as he weakly did as he was
told. They all demanded to know why he wasn’t doing anything about this
woman in front of him, helping him undress. The rest of his tortured being
fought frantically to remain conscious and shouted down his need to hold
her, to love her.


It was probably the most difficult thing Katherine had ever done, pulling
his jeans down off his pale legs. <Destroying Michael was a piece of cake
compared to this. > She concentrated on the task at hand, not daring to let
her eyes wander, to explore, to love. At least he’s alive and here so I can
be doing this, she told herself.


Finally, the jeans were off. The tension in the air ran high as both
Katherine and the very naked Javier paused trying to figure out what to do
next, and just how to accomplish it.


“Can you get up?” Katherine asked innocently . Vachon stared at her.


Realizing what she’d just said, Katherine did blush and flustered. “I meant.
Oh, come on, you know what I meant.”


With a devilish grin on his face, he chuckled at the ridiculousness of the
situation. “I know. And the answer is yes, usually, and I think so.”


Katherine glared at him as she straightened herself to a standing position.
“Javier Vachon, if this is some trick to get me…”


He reached for her hand and looked at her as sincerely as possible. “I swear
to
you. I promise I won’t do anything, Katherine. This is neither the time nor
the place. I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t want you. But I
can’t do a damn thing about it right now. “ His brown eyes danced with
anticipation. “I will someday, soon.”


She sighed. The blood substitute he had drunk was losing its youthful
effect, making Javier appear more drawn and more tired. This entire idea was
looking less and less intelligent. “Let’s get you in the water.” She
reached for his hand to help pull him up. His legs gave way a little in the
few short steps to the shower stall. “Javier. I still don’t think this is a
good idea.”


“Just get me in there and I’ll be fine.” He almost didn’t believe himself.


Somehow, he managed to get himself under the water. The tiny pulsation of
the droplets massaged his sore muscles and cleaned his skin. He was sure
this was the closest to heaven he’d ever get.


Katherine waited outside the closed glass door. She had visions of him
crashing through it.


“Where’s the shampoo?” She barely could hear him ask.


“In the corner, where it always is.” She told him.


“I…I can’t…” He responded weakly.


Katherine tore open the door so quickly, the entire piece shivered as if it
would break. She found Vachon leaning against the far wall to prop himself
up. His back was to her, his head resting in the corner. Damn! She thought
to herself as she caught sight of him. <This isn’t fair. > “OK, you’re
out.
“ She told him firmly.


“No, do my hair. It’s the last thing and it’s already wet. Please,
Katherine.” She hated to hear him beg. It was so pitiful.


She rolled her eyes. “You owe me, Javier. Big time. “ Katherine let her
bathrobe  fall from her shoulders to the floor and stepped into the shower.
“It’s not completely wet, lean over and get your head under the water.”


As he complied, he caught full sight of her naked wet body. He let his eyes
wander for a second before he looked up at her questioningly.


“Don’t say a word. Not one word,” she warned him. “Let’s get this done.”
She rinsed his hair and proceeded to lather it. It took several rinses
before the soap and water stopped becoming red. For a minute, Katherine let
her fingers run through his long brown hair, as if she were trying to clear
the tangles. Smiling, she let her mind wander along with her fingers.


“Hey, you want to take it easy?” Vachon’s voice broke her image of them
together.


“Sorry. It’s just so matted. I know it hurts. I’ll be more careful.”  She
finished with a healthy dose of conditioner, figuring it would be easier to
get the rest of the knots out later.


“Turn around,” she told him, forgetting or ignoring the state they were
both in. “I want to make sure you’re not all soapy.” She caught her breath
short as he turned to face her. <What the hell was I thinking? > The water
ran down his chest and abdomen, following a path that flowed over his
manhood and finally down his legs. She traced the lines of injury with her
fingers once more and noted they were starting to fade. He caught her hands
and held them to his chest. The water poured over them as they stood
together in silence.


- - - -


“Turn around,” her voice echoed in his head. The dizziness had subsided a
little and the last thing he wanted to do was turn around. Those male
hormones were making one last stand, and he wasn’t sure if he could be as
gallant as he promised he’d be.


Slowly, he turned to face her, the stream of water cascading gently over her
shoulders around her neck and down her chest, sliding over her soft white
breasts and the tiny tips of her erect nipples. How he wanted to take each
of the supple mounds of flesh in his hands and hold them, caress them. He
struggled against the urge as he watched the water work its way over her
flat abdomen, over her round hips and down her legs. The brown tufts of her
pubic hair glistened with water droplets. He swallowed hard and looked into
her green eyes.


It was then he took hold of her hands and brought them to his chest. Before
either of them knew it, they were locked into a passionate embrace, their
tongues feverishly exploring the other’s mouth. In the next instant,
Katherine felt the force of Javier’s weight in her arms. He was starting to
pass out.


“Javier, don’t,” she called to him as she desperately tried not to slip and
fall in the water and keep him from sliding out of her arms.


He forced himself back from the darkness that had sucked him from the
present. He heard her voice from a fog and struggled to stand himself up.
Somehow they managed to get out of the shower. Katherine threw a towel
around him and wrapped herself in her robe once more. He leaned on her for
support as they made their way to the bed. Grateful that he made it that
far, he flung himself on to the waiting mattress and melted into it.


Part 22



“That wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done,” Katherine muttered, pulling
another bottle from the box at the side of the bed.  “Here, drink this.”
She helped him sit up and held the bottle to his mouth.  He started to doze
off.  She shook him. “Javier.”


He opened his eyes to her voice. They were not the brown she expected, but
rather the gold of his vampire.  His fangs had dropped, and he snarled as he
grabbed for her, eyes focused on her neck.


Reflexively, Katherine pushed him away and had the presence of mind enough
to shove the bottle she was holding into his mouth and pour the liquid in.
He swallowed then snarled again, finding the strength to grab for her once
more.


“No!” Katherine shouted at him and tipped the bottle more.  “Javier, please,
no!”


Driven by the scent of pineapple and coconut, he pushed the bottle from his
mouth and this time captured her neck, pulling her to him.


She heard Charles’ voice resounding in her head: “two vials, no more blood
donations for awhile.”  She knew she could not afford this.  In desperation,
she placed her free hand on the wound over his ribs and shoved.  Hard.


Shocked by the pain she recreated, Javier threw her across the bed and
doubled over.  He screamed in agony.  The same screams that tore at her core
the night before.


“Javier!” Katherine cried out once more as she climbed back on to the bed.
“I’m sorry.”  She kept her distance, not sure if he wanted her near.


Afraid to move, Vachon remained on his side, clutching his ribs, trying to
center himself. No longer did he desire her blood. Now more than ever he
just wanted the pain to go away.


“Ugh!” He groaned and writhed on the bed.  Every muscle was wracked with
pain.  It seemed to last forever.  Then, suddenly, without warning, it was
gone.  He still hurt, but it wasn’t the searing pain that sent firecrackers
off in his head. Now, he was hungry again.


“Stay away from me!” Javier warned her.  He saw fear in her eyes.  Not fear
of him, but for him.  <I can’t lose you, Javier, > she had told him.  The
look in her eyes and on her face clearly spoke that fear.


She disregarded the warning and reached out for him, placing her warm hand
on his cold shoulder.  His muscles tensed as if expecting another round of
pain.  “I’m not afraid, Javier.  I’m sorry I hurt you, but you gave me no
choice. Charles told me that I can’t give you any more blood for awhile.”
She gingerly inched her way closer to him.  “I really am sorry, please
believe me.”


Coconuts and pineapples, her scent seemed to clear his head.  “What did you
do?”   He searched her face.  “Why did it hurt me so?” his voice was weak.


“Let’s try this again,” Katherine told him, getting off the bed to get
another bottle. She got a whiff of its contents as she uncorked the green
bottle labeled with Janette’s name.  It wasn’t the substitute she had seen
served in the Raven, but the real thing.


Katherine sat on the bed alongside Vachon’s shirtless back. She resisted the
urge to run her fingers up and down the white skin.  Instead, she reached
around him to hand him the bottle. “I’ll get you some clothes, if you can do
this yourself.” Her robe had fallen open allowing her skin to meet with his
back. Tiny goosebumps erupted all over her. Her heart rate rose in response
to the sensation.


“I’ll try.” Acutely aware of the warmth of her body against him, he
whispered his answer. He took the bottle from her and rolled back into her
so that he might sit up to drink.  She didn’t move and waited for him to
settle on his back. She was positioned slightly above him, so that his head
rested on her arm.  Apprehensively, he looked into her eyes. He wasn’t sure
what to expect, and didn’t want a repeat of the pain he’d just experienced.


What he found was loving green eyes looking down at him.


“I knew we shouldn’t have left you alone,” Nick’s voice sliced through the
room.


Startled, Katherine pushed Vachon off her lap and hopped out of bed.  “It’s
not what you think, Nick, “ she told him, readjusting her bathrobe around
her.


His eyes moved from Katherine, to Vachon, and back to Katherine again.  “You
can explain it to me some other time, “ he said with a slight edge to his
voice.


“I’ll get you those clothes,” Katherine mumbled, making a hasty exit.


“You’re looking better since the last time I saw you,” Nick commented,
eyeing Vachon suspiciously. He held up two bottles.  “Katherine thought to
bring some of the good stuff from the Raven, but Lacroix and I didn’t think
it was enough.  Here.”


Vachon reached for them.  “Thanks.”  He uncorked one and drank from it.  “It
really wasn’t what you think. I needed a shower.” <Why the hell am I
explaining this to you? > he thought and took a long swallow.


Nick decided Vachon’s comment didn’t need an answer.


Katherine came back into the room, handing Vachon a shirt and jeans.  “This
was all I could find.”


Nick raised a questioning eyebrow, but refrained from saying a word.  The
look on both Vachon and Katherine’s faces said more than enough.


“It’ll do,” Vachon told her and slowly rolled over to the other side of the
bed to dress.


Nick turned his attention to his partner. “He’s looking much better than
when I left him.  And you, how are you feeling?”  He didn’t wait for her
answer. “Do I need to call Natalie?”


“That’s not necessary, Nick.  I haven’t lost any blood since this morning,”
she told him irritably.


>From behind her, Vachon, now dressed, sighed contently, setting the empty
bottle on the bedside table.  “That felt good. “ He smiled.


“Is there anything else on your mind, Nick?”  Katherine asked, hoping to get
him to leave.


“Um, there is one thing. I’ve been thinking about your friend Charles said,
and I don’t think that Vachon should stay here the rest of the night.”


Katherine and Vachon exchanged glances. <You don’t know the half of it, >
Katherine thought.


“And what would you suggest?” her voice was cold. < I thought I was here to
protect * * you * *, Nick. >


He smiled once more.  “Why don’t I drive him over to the Raven and let him
finish out the night there.” < I’m only thinking of you, Kath. >


Vachon started to walk over to Katherine as she opened her mouth to protest.
“He may be right, Katherine.” He was next to her now, and the vampire
stirred once more in reaction to her scent. “We both could probably use some
time alone.”


“I’ll be ok, “ she started to protest.


He brought two fingers to her lips and smiled again. “I can’t promise that I
will be, do you understand?”


Their eyes locked and she saw the effort he was making to keep the vampire
in check.  She nodded and whispered, “I do.”


“Good girl. It’s only be one night.” He kissed her forehead. “Get some
rest.”


Part 23


Reluctantly, Katherine showed up for work the following night.   Nick made
no mention of Vachon or the Raven, for which she was grateful.  Talking
about him would only make her want him more.


The night sped by quickly, thanks to several breaks in two of the cases she
and Nick had been working on and a new homicide to which they were assigned.


She signed out at the desk and headed out the station door.  Katherine made
her way down the quieting streets of Toronto to the Raven.  As she expected,
the crowd was thinning, it was mostly vampires that remained.


Lacroix felt her presence before she came through the door.  He watched her
walk slowly to her usual spot at the bar and sit down.  From the dejected
look on her face, he knew she hadn’t sensed Vachon’s presence.


He joined her shortly after Miklos served her order.  “Good evening,
Katherine.  I trust you had an uneventful night at work?”


“It was work.  That’s all.” She lifted her glass to her mouth, took a sip
then slowly placed the glass on the table.


“I’ve been told by Nicholas that your job is not as ordinary as you are
trying to make it sound.  People getting murdered and that sort of thing.”
He prodded.


“Well, Lacroix, sorry to disappoint you. It was just an ordinary shift.”
The last thing she wanted to do was to have this stupid conversation.  She
just wanted to be left alone. She could go home, she thought, but then, he
wouldn’t be there, either.


Not knowing what compelled her to ask, she looked at Lacroix and asked,  “Is
he…?”


Lacroix flashed his usual “I just love playing games with you,” smile and
nodded to a booth in the far corner.  “Over there.  He’s been waiting for
you.”


She couldn’t contain the smile that lit her face.  Her heart beating
rapidly, she started across the room, forcing herself not to run.


Vachon was seated facing her in the dark booth on the far side of the main
room. It was a good vantage point, he could watch just about anyone,
anywhere. His head began to throb ever so slightly when he saw her enter the
Raven.  As she approached, a faint scent of pineapples and coconuts filled
the air.


He looked up at her as she stopped by the table. “Long night?”


She nodded. “Very long.”


He stood and faced her.  Silently he reached down and took her hands into
his, bringing them to his lips, kissing each gently.  “Katerina,” he
whispered passionately.


They stood motionless for a moment, looking into each other’s eyes.  “I
missed you,” Vachon told her.


“I missed you too.” She kissed him.


Music started softly playing in the background.  He led her to the dance
floor and wrapped his arm around her. They began to move rhythmically to the
slow sensual sounds that drifted from the speakers. It was a song that was
becoming less rare to hear at the Raven…



The End!!