Date: Wed, 27 Jul 1994 16:48:54 EDT The First and Last Time Nick and LaCroix Agreed... Or The Demise of Daniel By January Tavel --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Damn that brat!" LaCroix cursed. "What has the boy done now?" Janette asked passively. "That _boy (?!!)_, who, mind you, is the son of Satan himself, has played another one of his what you call practical jokes!" LaCroix fumed, his eyes blazing yellow. Nick snickered behind his newspaper. "Oh, and what _is_ this practical joke, LaCroix?" he asked, an amused smile on his face. LaCroix stalked over to where Nick sat. "You see this, Nicholas?" he asked calmly, as he held up a colourful piece of material. Nick nodded. "It's your favourite scarf. The silk one you bought in China--1890, I believe it was?" he asked, looking over at Janette. She gave him an approving nod. "Well!" LaCroix huffed. "You are absolutely correct. It is my favourite, and the little hellion has soaked it in kerosine!" Janette choked, but Nick didn't dare. LaCroix was much closer to him. "Yes!" LaCroix nodded his head. "That is right! Had I lit a cigar anywhere remotely near this scarf..." he paused. "Well," his eyes narrowed, "I would expect one of you to avenge me!" He sat down and crossed his arms. "You two really need to do something about him!" "Us! Wait just a minute LaCroix..." Janette protested. "Yes, you two!" LaCroix snarled. "You both parade about as though you were his parents! Mark my words--if you don't do something about him, I will!" The conversation ended at that. Nick and Janette did not question LaCroix's sincerity. They both knew he'd follow through. If Daniel was going to stay with them any longer, they were sure of one thing: he would have to be disciplined. *** In the beginning, it was decided, by LaCroix, that as a punishment when Daniel disobeyed he would be locked in the basement. For three weeks. Unfortunately, this did not seem to work. Although being locked in a cold dark wet basement for three weeks wasn't his first choice, Daniel didn't find it so terrible that he stopped playing practical jokes. "Whose idea was it to bring that little snot over anyway?" LaCroix asked wearily. "Yours, LaCroix," Nick sneered, equally as tired. "I could have told you that something like this would happen, but..." LaCroix held up his hand, motioning for Nick to cease. Nick decided not to pursue it. He was much too exhausted. "What in the world is wrong with you two?" Janette asked as she set down three enormous shopping bags on the table in front of them. Janette had squirmed out of helping discipline Daniel from the very beginning. She had told Nick and LaCroix that it was "man's work" to discipline children, especially boys. "What is the matter?!" LaCroix raised his eyebrows in her direction. "That child is so damn resilient! That is what is the matter!" "Janette, you can not imagine what we have been through!" Nick whined. "That kid is the biggest pain..." "Oh really! I'm sure he's not that bad," she said, sure Nick and LaCroix were exaggerating. "Danieelll?" Janette called to the vampire boy. Daniel came trotting down the stairs and stopped in front of Janette. "Hullo, Princess," he smiled and kissed her hand. Janette did not notice, but as he did so, he glanced wickedly in Nick's and LaCroix's direction. Nick found it difficult to stop himself from hissing at the wretch. LaCroix did not even try. "Now, have you been behaving yourself?" she asked in the way only a mother can. "Yes Princess, I have," he answered, his smile now of pure innocence. "There now," Janette turned to face the two men. "You see?" LaCroix rolled his eyes and Nick snorted ruefully. "How can she be so naive?" Nick asked as Janette took Daniel, arm in arm, into the dining room. LaCroix, however, did not answer. His eyes were fixed on the pair leaving the room. On his face he wore a smile that was truly malicious. "LaCroix... what are you thinking?" said Nick, noticing the look. LaCroix snickered. "Nicholas," he answered, rising from his chair, "your father and brother has a plan." *** Janette and Daniel had been gone half the night and Nick and LaCroix had spent the entire time plotting. First they schemed of how they would lure the youth into their carefully laid trap. That was the easy part. Then came the harder but more "entertaining" aspect of their plans. What would they do to him when they had him? The conniving pair spent hours pondering this question. One suggestion put forth was to shove matches under his toe nails and light them, one by one. This idea was one of the more deranged, probably thought of by LaCroix. But all the ideas were equally cruel and all had the same end result. "Ah! What about this," Nick ventured, "we could feed him cloves of garlic--you know, make him sick--and then lock him in a coffin." "Mmmm... he _is_ claustrophobic..." LaCroix mused. Nick laughed with delight. "You know, LaCroix, I never thought I'd take pleasure in doing something this twisted." LaCroix smiled patiently. "Perhaps," he thought, "this is exactly the kind of 'bonding experience' Nicholas and I needed..." "Come," he said, patting Nick on the back, "I know the perfect punishment." "Perfect?" Nick asked hopefully. LaCroix nodded. "But you'll have to wait--it's going to be a surprise!" *** "I am going to a fitting at my dress maker's," Janette notified Nick and LaCroix. "I need you two to watch Daniel for me," she said cheerfully. She had no idea what she was saying. "Must we?" Nick sighed, playing his part in the elaborate game perfectly. "Nicola! I haven't time to argue. I'm already late." She looked to LaCroix for help. He just shrugged. "We'll stay with him." Janette nodded and quickly rushed out the door. "Daniel," called LaCroix in to the living room where the child sat playing with his toy trains. "Yes?" the boy asked as he poked his head around the corner. "Daniel," began LaCroix, "come sit on your Uncle's lap." His smile was supposed to be sweet and kind but LaCroix wasn't _that_ good of an actor. Daniel sat, even though he was a little suspicious. "Son," Nick said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, "we want to make amends." He smiled. Daniel nodded happily, triumphantly. He thought he had won. Children are so forgiving, so stupid. "Well," Daniel said, "Nicky, I think we can have a lot of fun together, don't you?" LaCroix and Nick both smiled nastily. "Yes Daniel, I do. We are going to have a lot of fun." *** Janette returned hours later to a quiet house. "Daniel!" she called. But he didn't come. She entered the living room where she found Nick, his feet propped on the coffee table, his nose in the newspaper, and LaCroix, puffing a cigar and playing with Daniel's train. "Nicola? Where is Daniel?" she asked. "Daniel?" Nick said, puzzled. Janette looked toward LaCroix. He rose his eyebrows and removed the cigar from his lips. "Daniel who?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE END