Disclaimer: I don't own 'Forever Knight' or any of its characters. I am making no money from this staory, just showing my love for a fabulous series. Authoress's Note: This story assumes that 'Last Knight' was a dream of Natalie Lambert's, and didn't really happen. Unexpected Change by Arianwen P.F. Everett Dr. Natalie Lambert stared in shock at the condition of 'her' morgue. The place was in shambles. The refrigerator was turned over, as was her autopsy table, her desk, and everything else. Whoever had done this was sick, and VERY strong, if they could knock over an industrial sized frig. Suddenly she notice, behind the frig, a pale white hand. As she approached it, the rest of the body, belonging to the day coroner, Dr. Michell Allanski, revieled itself. Instinct told her to run, particularly when she saw the fang marks and the gouges on the throat. All of a sudden, her head was pushed to the side, and the world went black, disappearing hard on the heels of images from over a century ago. When she began to regain consciousness again, her mind rested on one odd thing, a sound, the sound of someone vomiting. Though she was not strong enough to turn her head, the sound seemed to fall on her, pounding unaturally into her eardrums. As the sound intensified even more, it became unbareable. Completely unable to move, Natalie was silently greatful, when she slipped back oblivion. * * * Luckily for both Natalie's soul, and the fate of the vampire community, Nick was the one to next enter the corener's office, wanting to speak with Natalie about the progress he'd made today. He hadn't had one drop of blood in the past twenty four hours, having survived solely on her protien shakes, and not running amuck fangs bared and eyes aflame. Ofcourse in the choas of the Toronto PD squadroom, who would notice. He chuckled to himself. Then immediately stopped laughing the minute he smelled the blood. It was blood, that he knew, but it was somewhat acrid, almost repugnent. His features turned to a smile. Perhaps he really was improving, if he could no longer stand the smell of live blood. He looked around to confirm his solitude, then broke out into vampire speed, as he neared the fowl smell, and Natalie's lab. Nick felt his dead heart beat thrice in sucession, at the sight before him. He scooped Natalie's body into his arms, and held her close. She was asleep, but vampire sleep. She was now one of his kind, and since her color was still a bit too rosey for vampires, though already deathly pale for a mortal, he knew, when she woke she would go through first hunger and woa to any living creature around. He also noticed the thickened blood around him. Vampire, but definitely not normal, judging by the smell, the same smell that he had senced out in the hallway. He gently lay Nat's body aside for a second, and grabbed a specimen cup that he saw in the corner. He used the tip of his pen to scoop some into the cup, and capped it. Nat stirred gently, and Nick quickly put the small cup in his coat pocket, lifting her up. He hated to have to do this, but he had no choice. He'd have to take her to 'The Raven'. It was closer than his loft. There was still almost an hour before opening, so there wouldn't be any mortals about to witness anything. There was security at 'The Raven' and a big enough supply of blood to feed a newborn vampire. But LaCroix would get himself involved, something Nick didn't need. Still, they would not be turned away. * * * Nick could here the shuffling of vampire feet, light and quick, against against the floor of the Raven. He heard the odd heartbeats of the vampires inside. He focused on one in particular, the most powerful, and used his bond to convey urgency. He pushed open the window from the outside, entering in his master's bedroom on the second floor, in the back of the building, and away from the prying eyes of the mortals below, who were beginning to congregate at the club's entrance. As expected, LaCroix knew his son was here, and exactly where he was, and climbed back upstairs to his private chamber. After over 1900 years of existence, little suprised LaCroix. The sight of Nicholas holding the laborously sleeping fledgling Natalie Lambert and the instinctual knowledge that Nicholas nor any of his family was her master, piqued his interest. You couldn't tell it, as his features remained passive. "Nichalos, it is good to see you. I see you've brought a guest," LaCroix stated with sarchasm. "I found her on the floor of the morgue. I brought her here, as I don't have enough blood to satiate her first hunger. I think we need to dispense with the usual acerbic banter right now. We don't have much time till she... As if on cue, they both heard a deep hissing sound, followed by a low growl, coming from the bundle in Nick's arms. "Ah hell! Get me some of your special stock before we have an incident with the mortals outside!" Nick demanded of his master. LaCroix let it pass, well aware of the consequenses should Natalie wake up and fly madly out the window in search of blood, killing a few mortals in plain sight, right outside the Raven. The enforcers would have all of the vampires within a mile radius of the club staked and grilling in tomorrows sunlight. It was exstasy, the feeling of sheer life in her, diffusing into individual memories. She felt giddiness and sever sorrow, yet disconnected from herself. It was like the best novel ever, running throughout her entire being. Her mouth suckled and suckled as somehow Natalie knew that to be the source of this rapture. Then the rapture was replaced by a feeling of cold. It felt like she was standing naked in a blizzard, but even more intensely chilling. She couldn't hear or see a thing, there was only cold, and pain. It was like she was drowning in the cold, but it would not kill her. It terrified her, and she let out a scream. LaCroix instinctively jumped to his feet, when the semi-conscious Dr. Lambert started twitching in his sons arms, the following cry froze him for a moment, as his mind tried to make sence of what was happening. This was not right. She should have woken up, a healthy fledgling, feeding contentedly on bottle after bottle of human blood. This looked more like a seizure than coming across, and LaCroix had never seen anything like this before. It was only Nicholas's shout that brought him back to reality and the situation at hand. He pulled the bottle away, and tried to help Nicholas keep her still. Natalie Lambert's body stopped shivering, and fell back asleep, allowing LaCroix to get up again. "I think we need to call in Ariella. I know she's not your favorite one of our kind, but she's the closest thing to a doctor, we have, and she isn't quite fond of the Enforcers, so she won't start trouble," LaCroix finally said. "NO! I will not let that butcher near Nat!" Nick protested. "Do you want the Enforcers involved? Do you? They'll just stake her, dispose of the body! Problem solved! Do you want that Nicholas?!" Lacroix spat in anger. "Why do you care?" Nick asked calmly. "Because she is a vampire now. And whatever happened to Dr. Lambert that's causing this reaction is a danger to us all! I'm going to find out where Ariella is, contact her, and bring her here. Don't do anything foolish Nicholas,... just babysit," And with that said, LaCroix turned and left the room, heading downstairs. * * * Nick nuzzeled Nat's forehead with his cheek, and tried to pray. He doubted God wanted anything to do with him, but Nat didn't seemed to have had a choice in what she became. She had yet to kill, to truly realize the beast now within her, and it was that innocence that Nick prayed for. He loved her so much, that even knowing that it was her innocence that kept them apart, he didn't care if he was miserable for eternity, he wanted her safe. At that moment her eyes opened, and she looked up at him, or at least tryed to. Her eyes wouldn't focus completely. "Nick?" she asked weakly. "I'm here, Nat. I'm here. Things will be okay. I wish to God this hadn't happened, but we will work it out. We have to," he said, blood tears threatening to fall. "God, Nick. I feel so weak, like I'm drifting, I just want to go back to sleep," Nat said, her eyes drooping shut. Suddenly she was jolted back. "No, you need to tell me what happened? Who did this to you?" Nick demanded. He wasn't sure if she could die or not, and he wasn't going to take the chance that if she was still mortal enough to die that she would fall asleep and never wake up. "What?" Nat asked wearily. WIth great effort she moved her head higher on Nicks forearm to get herself out of a resting position. As a doctor, she knew she was hurt, and she needed to stay awake. "What happened to me?" she asked, needing to know how she was hurt. "Who brought you across, Natalie? Who attacked you in the morgue and brought you across?" Nick directly, his voice taking on an authoratative tone. Her eyes widened in shock, then switched to fear as she looked around herself. The dry smelly blood all over her, the paleness of the feminine hands, her hands, that rested on her stomache. Dear Lord, she was now a vampire! She felt nausious again, and turned over, wretching and heaving, trying to keep from puking on Nick's clothes. The blood pooled next to her, and once he was sure she had stoped vomiting, he lifted her into his arms, carrying her into LaCroix's bathroom. Gently he placed her in the ornate gold plated bathtub, and started to ajust the water temperature. He then stripped her messy and damp paintsuit from her body, trying not to stare too long. He lathered up a fresh wash cloth and began to gently bath Nat. She smiled up at him, and sighed at the soft feel of the cloth and his hands. Nick fought to hold back his desire for this women, but her pleasured sigh rocked him to his core. He had to get his mind off her body. He'd talk with her. "Nat," he wispered, getting her attention. She smiled weakly up at him. His 800 year old heart melted. One kiss, just one small kiss. She switched her neck's position, reaching for the kiss he was encroaching for. His hand slid down to her stomache, as their lips gently met. "Nicholas, can't you keep it in your pants till she's better!" an amused voice cracked the sultry warth in the room. Nick gritted his teeth, and stood up. "Ariella, thank you for coming," Nick said, his civility strained. "Nicholas, I didn't think you were a chubby chaser! She must have been a meal and a half," the tall lanky redhead commented, tossing her head back with laughter. "Ariella, please," Nick said, a hard edge to his voice. "What Nicholas, look at her, those thighs, that waist! Nice tits though!" "Ariella, would you please mind running your tests now please?" La Croix asked, seeing the golden flare in Nicholas's eyes. "Okay," she said, rummaging through her medical bag, taking out a butterfly needle, tubing, and a vial. "Okay, I'll need some blood, and a place to work," Ariella said. "What, no hot pokers, Ariella?" Nick asked. "Cute, but I really am not a sadist, as you have spread around the community. I'm a scientist. I have questions; I need answers, and I don't believe in indulging in convenient ethicism that changes every century or so anyway," Ariella explained, mostly to the half conscious Natalie Lambert. "You use mortals in your experiment, like lab rats! You deform them, paralyze them, murder in grotesque ways! And if that wasn't enough, you even use your own kind from time to time! You are a disgusting perversion!" Nick spat, his fangs having decended halfway into his tirade. "A few of your precious mortals, and a few personal fledglings..." "Enforcers..." Nat croaked, shocked that this woman was allowed to use other vampires in unsafe medical experiments, and on her own fledglings. "They do nothing. She brings them the concoctions she invents. They use them to bring down rogue vampires," LaCroix explained, scolding echoing in his voice. "Not to mention, keeping the community in line. And I, Dr. Lambert, am allowed to continue my work. Which is lucky for you. Now, this may take a while. I'll need some breakfast," Ariella said, withdrawing the needle from Natalie's arm. "I'll send up a waitress with some of my private stock," LaCroix said, trying to keep his tone civil, after having been dismissed like a servant. "Nicholas, if Ariella has finished with her, please remove Natalie from my bathtub, and burn her blood-soaked garments. I'll see if any of the feldglings downstairs have something for her to wear. For now there is a powder blue robe in my guest closet," he said, turning and heading downstairs. Nick eyed Ariella suspiciously, then carried Nat to the guest room. It too was modified for vampires, no windows anywhere. Nick didn't even turn on the light, his eyes so well adjusted to the dark. He found the closet and opened the door. Inside was female clothing. At first he assumed it had been Janette's, but soon gave up that idea. LaCroix would have disposed of anything Janette had left behind that he had no use for. Besides, Janette dressed more elequantly. This was spandex, jeans, tight sweaters, and a tan leather jacket. The label on the jeans read petite; Janette was tall. He considered it may belong to the homeless fledglings in the basement, but LaCroix never let them up here for anything. Perhaps LaCroix had a girlfriend, Nick mused. He found the robe, finally, and wrapped Natalie in it. Nick looked at the now unconscious Natalie, lying on the bed, and shook his head. How Ariella could call her fat? Nat was perfect in Nick's eyes, and for a moment he held out hope for them. Now that she was what he was, once she was healthy, perhaps they could share blood, and unify their souls, giving each other strenth against their internal killers. And having a little fun in the process. Nick smiled, Nat turned over in her sleep, revealing a smooth thigh. Definately a lot of fun. * * * "Aha! I got it!" Ariella shouted, stirring LaCroix in the room next door. A minute later, Lacroix stood at the door, impecable as always. "What have you found, exactly?" he accented the last word, wanting to limit any chatty tirades this particular vampiress was prone to. "Well, firstly, I discovered what's making the chubby one ill. Secondly, I know how to cure her, and finally, I have an idea on who might have done this to her. Exactly," Ariella recited lazily, as if discussing something of little importance, and being as vague as possible. "Let's start with your cure. What do we need?" LaCroix asked, his pacience growing short with this one. "She needs a complete blood transfusion, and an infusion of her master's own blood, being she is so new. Her master, however is the more important of the two, as I suspect, you haven't been able to locate him or her, or if you have, they're at the end of a stake, and Nicholas's little Jelly Belly is damned," Ariella explained, a slight giggle escaping her lips. She loved playing games with those who needed her help. They spat on her name in her absence, but when they needed help she made them eat humble pie, as payment. LaCroix gritted his fangs. For Nicholas, he'd bare this humiliation, but not forever. "No, we don't know who her master is, only that it is not one of my line," Lacroix answered. "No, it is not, but whoever he or she is, they were attacked by one of my line, one of my siblings. Which, I can't tell you. Why, I can't tell you, but only one of my dear deceased master's offspring could have done this. Only we know this poison," Ariella stated proudly. "You mentioned something about having to stake her master?" LaCroix asked in his most civil tone possible. "Correct. This poison has quite a little personality of its own. Firstly, it only does it's magic once in the bloodstream. So an attacker can coat their fangs or nails with it, and be safe themselves. Once in the bloodstream of a vampire, it causes violent delusions, and sometimes even a psychic bond between attacker and victim. And that's just the first stage. Should the victim survive stage one, without the Enforcers staking them for going on a killing spree, the poison then sends them into a form of hybernation so deep that even the rest of the community would think them dead. Wounds don't close. The body even begins to rot if not refrigerated. The victim, if preserved through this stage, which can last from three to nine months, wakes up delusional again, but this time, ravinously hungry, yet unable to hold the blood down, and the cycle begins again, until the victim's body purges the poison naturally, which takes close to twenty years, or a complete transfusion is performed," Ariella lectured confidently. "Do you have any idea, which relative of yours..." Suddenly, Nick came racing into the room. "I hope you're making progress Ariella!. I was just monitoring my police radio, and it seems my esteemed collgues have discovered the bodies of several homeless people in an alley adjacent to the morgue. The officers at the scene reported it as an animal attack, but I'll bet my badge that that explanation won't be taken at face value, especially when the day coroner is reported missing. I cleaned up the mess and disposed of the body, but there are still going to be unanswered questions. And I'd also bet good money that if I know about it already, so do the Enforcers! They'll be looking for Nat, and since your my master and Nat's my girlfriend, my guess is that we have fifteen to twenty minutes to get her out of here and figure out what to do, before they arrive!" Nick explained hurriedly. * * * Within five minutes, Nick, LaCroix, Ariella, and the still sedate Natalie Lambert, were on the move in Nick's Caddie, the top up to avoid airiel detection. Twenty minutes later, Ariella flipped Nick's cell phone closed, tossing it out the window. "What'd you do that for?" Nick shouted, watching his phone get torn to pieces, from the rear view mirror. "I had Aristotle find, dial, and patch me through to my three brothers and two sisters, one big conference call. I don't trust that little computer Geek not to triangulate the cell phone's signal and inform the Enforcers as to our last location," Ariella explained idley. "So what did your family say?" LaCroix asked impaciently. He was far too old to play fugitive. "They all deny using the poison withing the last two thousand years. Ofcourse they could be lying. I don't see how they'd benefit from it, though. Ofcourse there is one sibling unaccounted for. The last one Kahaha brought across, the one that killed him! If it is that one, I am even more eager to get my hands on him or her, then you three could possibly even imagine!" Ariella's voice turning to ice, barely controlled fury coursing through her at never being able to track down her great master's killer. LaCroix heaved a heavy sigh before speaking. "I'm afraid Nicholas and I took care of that little chore for you. The one you speak of was my daughter as a mortal. My master as a vampire. Six months ago, she rose from the tomb I had decapitated and buried her in, to seek vengence upon my house. She killed two of my... acquaintences, and nearly killed Nicholas and myself, before she was staked. I burned her body and left her ashes to the wind. She is quite dead," LaCroix finished numbly. "Wait a moment. You said she killed two friends of yours. Are you sure? What happened to the corpses?" Ariella asked. "Vachon through himself upon a stake, and was buried down by the lake with a friend of his, Screed, who died from the fever. Urs was torn to shreeds by Divia. She didn't regenerate, and she was dead by the time I found her body," Nick informed. "Dr. Lambert took care of the body," LaCroix added. "How? How did she 'take care of the body'?" Ariella insisted. She was onto something, and she needed to be certain before she exerted the energy on a wild goose chase. "Incineration is the standard method of disposing of unclaimed corpses in Canada, Ariella. Did that give you the little thrill you wanted?" Nick asked curtly. "No, I..." the half conscious Natalie Lambert forced out, as loud as she could. Once she knew she had gotten their attention, she spoke. "I listed her as a Jane Doe, cause of death, heroine overdose. The law requires that all unclaimed bodies be kept for a year, at the morgue before incineration. That's where the body is," Natalie explained, licking her parched lips. "Bingo! I think we've found who we're looking for!" Ariella chirped, this puzzel finally pulling itself together. "Where did this Urs go? Where did she live?" "Urs lived with me, at The Raven," LaCroix broke in, refusing to say anymore. He wasn't going to reignite the gossip mill on his relationship with Ursula, and he despirately wanted to take the wind out of Ariella's sails a bit. "Yes, but if she were in trouble, she'd go to her master. Or where her master used to live," Nick deducted. He sent the caddie into a 180, and started back towards the abandon church that had been Vachon's last residence. Ariella reached into the backpack she'd brought with her, and pulled out a gun. Nick rolled his eyes. "What's that for?" "Same old Nick the Brick. It's a tranquilizer, detective. You don't go after a rabid animal unprotected. Or at least, I don't. This dart has enought tranqu meds to put down a hundred mortal men, permanently. It should keep our prey asleep, three or four hours, at most," Ariella quipped, making sure the darts were properly loaded, then putting the gun in her belt. Nick had to admit, she had a point. Vachon had had terrible delisions before his death, and a delusional vampire could be very dangerous. "Okay, but keep the clip on. I don't want you shooting one of us, accidentally," Nick warned. "Whatever you say," Ariella responded, rolling her eyes. The male ego rears it's ugly head. They drove in silence four five more minutes, till they reached the church. Nick carried Natalie from the car, and they all went inside, cautious of each step. The church was deathly silent, and dark as pitch to mortal eyes. Nothing, sans a few mice moved, but the visitors knew another of their kind was near. Natalie seemed to perk up a bit, sensing her master's presence. "Ursula!" LaCroix finally shouted. He tried again. "Ursula!" Suddenly, with lightning speed, Nick was thrown to the ground. He managed to keep his hold on Natalie who shrieked. He felt sharp nails ripping into his face, nearly tearing the flesh completely off. He senced LaCroix behind him, as the clawing at his body ceased. "Shoot her, Damn it!" LaCroix ordered, struggling to hold on to the flailing and snarling beast he held, so radically different from the innocent goddess he knew. "So much for the floor show," Ariella said, after a short pause. She wasn't gonna make it too easy for them. A moment later though, the blond vampiress fell unconscious in LaCroix's arms, as the potion on the tip of a dart, quickly took effect. Getting up off the floor, the rapidly healing Nick Knight gently held his beloved Natalie Lambert in his arms. She was deathly still, when suddenly, her head moved ever so slightly against Nick's strong arm. Blood tears of joy and relief fell from his eyes. His was no longer alone, and though she had lost her mortality, she had not lost her life. * * * Lucien LaCroix walked the halls of The Raven's upper level, ever the lord of the manor, his mind deep in thought. Nicholas had incinerated the missing Doctor Allanski's body, insisting that they leave the skull to allow for dental records to give some closure to his grieving family, while leaving no trace of how the man had been killed or who had killed him. Nicholas had always been soft that way, but over the past couple of months, LaCroix had learned that he'd rather live with a soft and surly Nicholas than no Nicholas at all. Two out of the three incidents had been curtiousy of his demon daughter's rising from her graves to reak havoc. He could only wonder if he'd ever be free of Divia, or at least of her legacy. His memories he'd carry as long as he existed, but his memories he and his little family could live with. He came upon his own, bedroom, and looked in. Ursula still lay comatose, strung up to machines that were still purifying her blood. According to Ariella, she would wake up tomorrow feeling fresh and new. He wondered what she would make of the tale of her long ordeal and the fact that she now had a fledgling, while her own master lay staked and buried in the rocky soil off Lake Ontario. He knew her grief would be enormous, but he also knew she'd get through it. Despite her claims to the contrary, Ursula Compton was one of the strongest souls he'd ever encountered. Her strenth was gentle, gracefull, yet comparable to his own hard power. He held no doubt that one day, ions from now, she'd take her place as one of the communities most ancient and revered leaders, while most of her current contemporaries and elders would be dim memories. Finally, he passed the guest bedroom, spying Nicholas and Natalie, curled up together in sleep, through the crack in the doorway. That pairing should prove an interesting diversion over the next couple centuries. He wondered if their love would last forever, then scoffed at the notion. The only question was who would leave who first, and under what circumstances? Nothing lasted forever. What would be the point of existance if it did?