Hey guys, so I haven't written anything in a very long time. Mostly because I know I have a horrible trait of not finishing stories, but believe it or not this is a story I've had on the burner for about 4 years... and I always wanted to publish is but I sucked at writing back then and I have gotten better. I think... _ Hehe I try anyways. So I have rewritten and revised this many times and I hope that everyone likes it. Also, I as I read this, I felt that I may have made Nick and LaCroix a tad bit OOC without meaning to. So if it's really bad, let me know I will try to curb it. :) So please, everyone let me know what you think, the next chapter will be up real soon! ^_^
Chapter 1 - Homecoming
"So, my lost lambs; does the light of the moon invite the thing that you fear the most? Or perhaps, you are the reason your heart races when you walk the dark, and empty streets. Do you feel as though you pose a threat to society; the one you so desperately want to be apart of? Are you… afraid, my tormented friend? Do you… fear?"
The radio waves transmitted to one of many radios' in the night of Toronto, one in particular a Nick Knight, who was regrettably listening to the Nightcrawler's twisted psychology. There were a lot of things that Nick regrets as it seemed, tuning into the CERK radio station was a small one he thought he could live with. It was going to be a long night, he could feel it. As Nick pulled into the precinct with his caddy, the sun had been down for a least an hour and he was now on duty, and the police station was hectic.
The boys had been working on another one of their 'special' cases, Nick had later decided that he would have to make a stop at The Raven.
"So things still haven't settled down yet, eh, Schanke?" Nicked asked as fat portfolio was slapped down on Nick's desk.
"No, of course not! What, you were expecting everyone here to be sipping tea and eating cakes?" Nick smirked and countered with a response of his own.
"Maybe?" Schanke stared at him with one brow arched.
"… What?"
Nick shook his head and smiled, "Nothing, forget about it."
Nick picked up the folder and looked at the head shot picture that was paper clipped to the woman's information. Her status: who she was, occupation, where she lived, eye color, hair color, just about everything.
"She's the sister of the victim. Her name is – "
"Elisia D'Aubigne" Nick interjected.
Schanke turned his head to find his partner leering into the suspect's file, flipping to the page with a photo of the long, dark haired woman and her name printed in bold next to it. Elisia was French on her father's side, which the last name spoke for its self. Her mother apparently was Roman.
"Nick to night shift! Are we home?" Nick's head snapped up, he looked at his partner like he was caught with his lips on the rim of a wine bottle.
"What? Love at first sight? Come on, Nick! She's a suspect. For all we know, she could have killed him herself!" Schanke once again compared live with some movie with some sick twist to it.
Nick's eyebrow rose in confusion, his partner's theories were more far fetched than usual, and he felt rather perturbed that he would accuse the vampire of something like that so quickly.
"Schanke, something tells me she didn't kill her own brother." He dropped the file on the desk and stood up. "Besides, she was in Florida for two weeks during the time he was killed. Also, I can't fall for a woman at the drop of a hat like you, my good friend."
Schanke scoffed at his partner's cuteness, as Nick walked out of the station and into his blue caddy. The body they had found was bereaved of all his blood with small little pinpricks on victim's neck, and he wanted answers.
The blaring music of the new age rock vibrated from outside the club: humans, vampires, and wannabe-vampires alike all gathered here. Though it was a master vampire he sought, his master LaCroix. Nick entered the club, dancing bodies swarmed around him, both perspiration and body heat filled the air among other things than just cigarette smoke. LaCroix was sitting on a bar chair sipping the substitute blood, watching the dance floor.
"Revolting stuff," He said to his approaching guest as he stared at the contents.
"You get used to it after awhile…" Nick remarked as he walked up to the vampire.
"Do you really?" He asked with a disgusted look.
Nick slouched beside the man, "LaCroix, there was a body today, with his blood completely drained. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that now would you, LaCroix?" he shrugged and put his glass down on the bar counter.
"Always so accusing, Nicolas..."
"LaCroix if there's something you're not telling me, now's the time to say it." Nick took on a more demanding tone.
LaCroix looked up exaggeratedly and clicked his tongue, "I had heard that a man who had stumbled upon evidence of our existence. I don't need to remind you of what becomes of those that can expose us, Nicholas."
Nick looked at LaCroix who seemed unfazed by the information while Nick was baffled as to how he didn't hear a word about a human who had concrete proof of their being. He could have found him, taken the tangible evidence of vampires, and then made him forget. Perhaps then the woman would still have had her brother.
"Oh Nicholas, stop your pathetic mopping, the mortal lost his life due to his dangerous knowledge of us. I must admit though, even for you, there seems to be far too much interest in a dead body…" LaCroix cocked his head sideways as a smirk appeared like a snake.
"I'm a cop. I'm supposed to have interest," Nick snapped.
A sadistic laughter came from LaCroix. "Of course," He took another swig from his drink.
"I just came here for a lead as to who killed him, that's all–"
"And now that you know, there is no possible way for you to bring the murders to human justice, this case is closed, I believe is the way you say it."
Nick looked hard at his master, furious that once again LaCroix was right, and there was nothing he could do about it. Not when he knew it was the Enforcers' doing. He stormed through the crowd and out the door of the Raven. He could hear the fading sound of someone's laughter.
"Curse you, LaCroix." He spate.
Nick slammed the car door to his caddy, he felt bad about what he would have to do. He couldn't tell her the truth without endangering his existence along with the rest of his kind, Nick would have to tell her the lie about what happened to her brother. That they have yet to find out what was the cause of death and that they don't know who the perpetrator was.
Elisia had finally set foot on Canadian soil once again, she breathed in deeply. Oh, how she loved the air of this country she's called home for the last ten years. Before, she lived with her mother in Rome. But things where different now. Now she lived in a city called Toronto, a place that she felt had it's own darkness hidden away in some little dark corner, in every quiet dank alley, just like every city or town. This place though, seemed to have a little more of that eeriness here, she didn't know what it was but the crime, the sirens of chasing cops, the lights shinning from the skyscrapers like earth bound stars. It was here that the darkness seemed to linger over Toronto, like an ominous cloud. Elisia smiled, she loved the sound of that. The place that she lived in wasn't perfect, but at least it never tried to be anymore than it was or could be. No, the streets of her home did not deny its treachery or its evil, or its misconduct. She closed her eyes and took another intake of the oxygen and smiled brightly, but it had many good points as well. Yes, that was what she enjoyed the most about this place, it wasn't afraid to show what really lied beneath the surface.
Breathing in deeply, Elisia went to the curb and flagged down a cab. "Where ya headed Miss?" She hopped into the back and threw her traveling bag on the other side. "482 36th Street please." The driver nodded and sped off.
As the cab raced down the highway, Elisia stared out the window and watching the streetlights go by. She couldn't wait to go home, the first thing she was going to do was make a nice cup of hot tea, sit back, and watch some TV. She then began to think about her brother Jacques, Elisa wondered how he was doing, probably out with his friends or at home having a few beers. Or both. Jacques had a bit of a drinking problem, he wasn't violent or anything, he was more of a sentimental drunk. A smile began to make it's way to her as she remembered one time he was so drunk that he got upset she still didn't have a man in her life and then said he was going to make her "purdy." Her brother then proceeded to search her whole house for an ounce of makeup, only to smear lipstick all over her lips, cheek, and chin.
Jacques was actually a very successful makeup artist and hair dresser when he wasn't intoxicated, he worked for a photography studio that catered to supermodels and the like. So he did pretty well for himself. He even had come up to on several occasions trying to get her to stop by the studio sometime, her brother was convinced she was a natural beauty and could make it as great model. But she declined, she was happy staying out of the spotlight. Elisia liked her simple life, and was content with her desk job at a nice advertising company she landed about 3 years ago, and she was good at it too! Sighing she ran her hand through her long midnight hair, she would have to call her brother when she got home to let him know she got back safely.
"Here we are!"
Elisia smiled at the driver, "thank you, here you go." She handed the man the fee plus a tip. "Have a goodnight!"
The man nodded and tipped his hat, "you too Miss."
She grabbed her stuff and headed across the street and towards a white painted house with blue shutters.
"Finally, hot tea here I come!"
"Do we have an address and street yet?"
The Captain handed Nick a piece of paper with a house address, street and district from which Elisia's house resided.
"Thanks, I'll run by there now." Nick placed it in his pocket and began to head out the door.
"Why in such a rush, partner?" Schanke called out as he snacked on a frosted doughnut.
Nick turned his head to him. "I'd like to get the job done before sunrise, Schank. You know that."
"Right, right, ok night-dweller. Well, I have to get home to Mira, she's been yapping about the Bahamas for months now." Skanke grumbled, while following his partner outside.
"I wonder Schanke, how in the world do you pay for all of these vacations you give her?"
Skanke began to sweat, "Please, don't ever ask that question again."
Nick smiled and chuckled a little while he sauntered out of the precinct for the second time that night.
Elisia unlocked the door to her home, she welcomed the familiarity. She took but a few steps and plopped down on her tan, leather sofa while swinging her forearm over he eyes.
"Lord, it's good to be home!"
That was until the knocking on the door shook her from her bliss, "Ahg, how do these people know I'm home the second I step into my living room?!"
"Please, if anyone's home, I'm a detective." Elisia got up and looked through the peep hole in her door.
"Yes, I can see that, but the question is: Why is a detective on my doorstep." Elisia opened the door and inquired with her brow raised and leaned against the door frame with sarcasm leaking from her lop-sided smile.
"I'm Nick Knight, a Homicide Detective, Miss D'Aubigne I presume?" He flashed his polished badge.
She nodded. "Yes, that's me. Can I ask as to why you're here?"
Nick looked down and then spoke, "Miss D'Aubigne, I'm sorry, but your brother Jacques, has been found dead."
Nick didn't see the color of his already pale knuckles grow whiter, he didn't realize how hard he was gripping his badge. The sight of Elisia's face loosing color as if she was nearing death made him physically sick. And there they were, the tears falling from the dark sky.
"I-I'm very sorry, Miss D'Aubigne. I too know what it's like to lose someone you love." Memories of repeated loves throughout his lifetime flashed through his mind and left just as quickly as they had came.
Elisia stared at the man, the detective, the very object of which she envisioned her hands encircling his thick neck. She felt cold, her blood at that very second had flowed like ice, and her eyes went dark.
"Liar…" a dark voice sounded, barely audible.
"You filthy, wretched liar!" Elisia's eyes blazed.
Nick felt as though they would take him to the depths of hell and back, had they the power. She clenched her fists
"LIAR!" Elisia hissed, her heart beat frantically; a cold shiver ran down the back of her neck as anxiety flooded her senses.
Elisia raced to a fashionable black, cordless phone. Waiting for the one person who could make everything right again. The one who can keep her from crying. He would answer her then, if he knew she was crying. Then he'd pick up, he would apologize, and play the brotherly role.
He would.
Listening for the ring tone, the receiver shook with the hand that held it to Elisia's ear. "Come on, Jacques, pick up your phone for once in your life!"
She waited for a voice responded from the other end, "Jacques-"
"Hey, this is Jacques D'Aubigne. I'm either drunk, away, or dead. But if you leave a message hopefully you'll be one of the lucky few who will get a call back."
The irony of it all was almost comical, but she didn't feel like laughing. That was an action reserved only for joyful moments, this was certainly not one of those moments. The phone slide from her hand and hit the maroon carpeted floor.
"No, no, this isn't happening. He isn't gone, he must be trying to sleep off another one of his hangovers. That has to be it, I don't want to believe it!" Elisia's voice cracked as she slumped to floor trembling.
Nick watched as the woman's security crumbled before his eyes, her sanity drain from her body. He speedily walked to her shaking form and in cased her shoulders with the hollow of his hands.
"Shhh, I know it hurts. Come here..." He brought her to his arms and held her, he knew she was vulnerable but he felt that she needed someone, anyone to just hold her.
Even if that person was just a stranger.
"Why?! Why did this have to happen? He can't just leave me like this!" She sobbed out, her body shook as tried to take in oxygen, but her throat felt tight. Elisia looked up at him through blurry eyes, "How... how did this happen?" Her voice cracked as she spoke.
Nick swallowed hard, he hated doing this, but until he could find some way of bring a plausible ending to this case that didn't threaten his existence, she had hear a lie. "We're not sure yet, we are still trying to find some leads as to who did it, it was some time before someone had found him and called the police." It was true at least how they found her brother, but the rest of it felt like it was weak at best.
Elisia buried her head in her hands and continued to cry, she didn't know what so say or do. All that she felt she could do was spill her heart. "What am I going to do without him, he was all I had."
Nick said nothing as he continued to hold her, what could he say? He wanted to help the woman, he didn't know her but something told him not to leave her alone tonight, and he knew he was going to get heat for it back at the station for it too...
"I'm supposed to bring you to the precinct for more information, but… how about I take you somewhere for a drink? I know somewhere we can go, it'll help, trust me." Nick offered.
Elisia's face was still in her trembling palms, vaguely aware that Nick was keeping her shaking, embodied spirit, afloat. She felt pathetic, but at that moment her pride was the last thing that mattered to her. Still sobbing, she shook her head and allowed the detective to help her up. Nick guided her to his car and helped her into the passenger seat, then closed the door and got in himself.
Elisia now stared out the window at the passing neon and streetlights of Toronto, the tear stains still remained on her perfectly shaped cheeks, her eyes looked dead.
"If I may, can I call you Elisia?" Elisia finally turned her eyes away from the window to Nick's as he went from her to the road every five seconds.
Finally, Elisia shook her head allowing the detective to know her on a first name bases. "It doesn't matter." She murmured softly, Nick nodded acknowledging.
"Elisia, I have only one request to my taking you to this place, that you promise me you will not ever go there without me. Do you understand?" He sounded sterner then he intended.
"I guess I'll bite. Why, may I ask, is the reason?" She pressed further.
"Because, The Raven tends to have its... dangers. I'd prefer if you didn't go there without someone with you, particularly me."
Now alarms started to go off, Elisia turned to him with a bit of a chip on her shoulder.
"Oh, is that so? Well not to be rude but, you may have not realized this detective, but I am twenty-seven years old. I'm old enough to take care of myself."
She reverted defending herself, it wasn't that she didn't like the man. On the contrary, the duel of sarcasm was amusing her greatly, but she didn't enjoy the fact that she was being belittled at the cost of her being a woman.
As he turned the corner, Nick relented."Look, I didn't mean anything by it Elisia I just know the owner of the club, and I know that there are problems from time to time. And it almost ensures that no one will bother you if I'm there with you, that's all I wanted to say. Also I thought you at least deserved to be drunk in peace." He let a little his humor filter through, to try and lighten the mood.
Elisia sighed softly, aside from his annoyingly obvious male showmanship, she realized he was trying to be nice. Ashamed at her outburst, she looked down.
"I'm sorry Detective I –"
"Please, call me Nick."
Elisia looked him, as if deciding weather she wanted to call him by his first name like she knew him or not, but she didn't and she wasn't quite sure she wanted to.
"Thank you, Detective, for taking me somewhere to let go of some… unwanted emotions, for now." As she tread lightly on the change of conversation. Nick nodded hesitantly, noting the almost painfully obvious choice of words she had used.
"Think nothing of it." He said a little too coldly.