Disclaimer: I don't own 'Forever Knight' or any of its characters. I am
making no money from this story, 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, revealed 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 unnaturally
into her eardrums. As the sound intensified even more, it became unbearable.
Completely unable to move, Natalie was silently grateful 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 coroner'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 protein shakes and
not running amuck fangs bared and eyes aflame. Of course in the chaos of the
Toronto PD squad room, 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 repugnant. 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 succession 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 rosy for vampires, though already deathly pale for a
mortal, he knew when she woke she would go through first hunger and woe 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 sensed 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 where he
was, and climbed back upstairs to his private chamber.
After over 1900 years of existence, little surprised LaCroix. The sight of
Nicholas holding the laboriously 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.
"Nicholas, it is good to see you. I see you've brought a guest," LaCroix
stated with sarcasm.
"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 consequences 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 ecstasy, 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 son's arms. The following cry froze him
for a moment, as his mind tried to make sense 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 and 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 baby sit," And with that said, LaCroix turned and
left the room, heading downstairs.
* * *
Nick nuzzled 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. Even knowing that it was her innocence that kept
them apart, he didn't care if he was miserable for eternity, he just
wanted her safe.
At that moment her eyes opened, and she looked up at him, or at
least tried 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
authoritative 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 stomach. Dear Lord, she
was now a vampire!
She felt nauseous again, and turned over, retching and heaving,
trying to keep from puking on Nick's clothes. The blood pooled next to
her, and once he was sure she had stopped 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 adjust the water temperature.
He then stripped her messy and damp pantsuit from her body, trying not to
stare too long.
He lathered up a fresh washcloth 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 whispered, 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 stomach, as their lips gently met.
"Nicholas, can't you keep it in your pants till she's better?" an
amused voice cracked the sultry warmth 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?" La Croix
asked, seeing the golden flare in Nicholas's eyes.
"Okay," she said, rummaging through her medical bag and 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 ethics that change 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 descended 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 fledglings 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.
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 elegantly. 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 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 strength against their internal killers. And having a little
fun in the process. Nick smiled. Nat turned over in her sleep, revealing
a smooth thigh. Definitely 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, impeccable 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
patience 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 hibernation 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
ravenously 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 collogues 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!"
* * *
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
aerial 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 idly.
"So what did your family say?" LaCroix asked impatiently. He was far
too old to play fugitive.
"They all deny using the poison within the last two thousand years.
Of course they could be lying. I don't see how they'd benefit from it,
though. Of course 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 vengeance upon
my house. She killed two of my... acquaintances, 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 shreds 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 puzzle 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 desperately 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 enough 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 delusions
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 its ugly head.
They drove in silence for 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 there
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 sensed
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. He 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 courteousy of his demon
daughter's rising from her graves to reek 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 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 strength was gentle, graceful, 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 existence if it
did?
making no money from this story, 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, revealed 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 unnaturally
into her eardrums. As the sound intensified even more, it became unbearable.
Completely unable to move, Natalie was silently grateful 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 coroner'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 protein shakes and
not running amuck fangs bared and eyes aflame. Of course in the chaos of the
Toronto PD squad room, 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 repugnant. 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 succession 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 rosy for vampires, though already deathly pale for a
mortal, he knew when she woke she would go through first hunger and woe 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 sensed 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 where he
was, and climbed back upstairs to his private chamber.
After over 1900 years of existence, little surprised LaCroix. The sight of
Nicholas holding the laboriously 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.
"Nicholas, it is good to see you. I see you've brought a guest," LaCroix
stated with sarcasm.
"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 consequences 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 ecstasy, 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 son's arms. The following cry froze him
for a moment, as his mind tried to make sense 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 and 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 baby sit," And with that said, LaCroix turned and
left the room, heading downstairs.
* * *
Nick nuzzled 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. Even knowing that it was her innocence that kept
them apart, he didn't care if he was miserable for eternity, he just
wanted her safe.
At that moment her eyes opened, and she looked up at him, or at
least tried 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
authoritative 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 stomach. Dear Lord, she
was now a vampire!
She felt nauseous again, and turned over, retching and heaving,
trying to keep from puking on Nick's clothes. The blood pooled next to
her, and once he was sure she had stopped 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 adjust the water temperature.
He then stripped her messy and damp pantsuit from her body, trying not to
stare too long.
He lathered up a fresh washcloth 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 whispered, 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 stomach, as their lips gently met.
"Nicholas, can't you keep it in your pants till she's better?" an
amused voice cracked the sultry warmth 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?" La Croix
asked, seeing the golden flare in Nicholas's eyes.
"Okay," she said, rummaging through her medical bag and 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 ethics that change 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 descended 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 fledglings 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.
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 elegantly. 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 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 strength against their internal killers. And having a little
fun in the process. Nick smiled. Nat turned over in her sleep, revealing
a smooth thigh. Definitely 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, impeccable 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
patience 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 hibernation 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
ravenously 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 collogues 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!"
* * *
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
aerial 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 idly.
"So what did your family say?" LaCroix asked impatiently. He was far
too old to play fugitive.
"They all deny using the poison within the last two thousand years.
Of course they could be lying. I don't see how they'd benefit from it,
though. Of course 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 vengeance upon
my house. She killed two of my... acquaintances, 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 shreds 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 puzzle 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 desperately 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 enough 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 delusions
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 its ugly head.
They drove in silence for 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 there
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 sensed
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. He 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 courteousy of his demon
daughter's rising from her graves to reek 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 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 strength was gentle, graceful, 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 existence if it
did?