Poisoned
Summery : Lacroix is dying..., and the only person who could help him is Nick..., as for Nick's partner Donald Schanke, he is alive and well...
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One day, Lucian Lacroix was in the woods, enjoying a hike. Of course it was after the sun had gone down. If he hadn't, he could have turned into ashes. You know the story. Cannot have sunlight, definitely no sunlight for this old fellow.
Suddenly, he heard something rustling behind him. He quickly turned around and saw nothing. 'It's probably some wild animal passing by', he thought. Boy, was he wrong.
Then, he heard another rustling in front of him. He was a little curious. With a keen sense, he was able to track the thing, which was moving in the woods. From the moonlight, he could make out a shape, which was shaped like a man. However, this wasn't ordinary man, because, he was moving way quickly than a typical man. So, he decided to follow him to see where this individual was headed. Lacroix was able to catch up to him, since he is a vampire. He hid behind a tree to see where this thing is going.
The creature went into a cave. He looked to be about over six feet tall and was very hairy. It was definitely not an animal. Lacroix was pretty sure that it was a human. He had once read a story about a wild child beast found in the woods in France. And this creature fit the criteria. He also thought about the possibility of an evolution.
By now, Lacroix was getting a bit crankier than usual. He used up all his energy trying to follow the creature. He was getting hungry. His stomach started to growl. And he really hated that feeling, the feeling of hunger. Back in the past, he could easily get himself and the others meal in the woods. However, now, it is difficult, I mean, quite impossible.
Back then, it was easy, because there were travelers always traveling somewhere. People would travel by themselves in the woods riding horses or on carriages or coaches. Also, back then, there were plenty to eat at the woods. There were hunters out hunting the animals. Lacroix and his creations loved the thrill of hunting. "Hunting the hunter," Nicholas used to say, before he acquired a soul.
However now, in the modern times, it was quite impossible. Since the first time Lacroix came across this thing, he wanted it. He wanted it so badly. Something about it seemed so familiar, however he couln't put his finger on it. He wanted to hunt it down and draw his blood with his sharp teeth and fill his hunger.
He was getting closer to him. When he got closer and closer to the creature, he was getting restless. When he got to the point where he could grab him, he reached for it instead, the creature turned around and grabbed hold of Lacroix's reaching hand and flipped him over. Lacroix fell down hard with a 'thump'. Something seemed so familiar about this situation as well, however he couldn't put his finger on it as well. He groaned slightly and jumped up with a blink of an eye.
The creature tried to charge at him, however Lacroix was too quick. The hunter became the hunted. With a swift of an arm, Lacroix tilt the creature head to the side and released the vampire. He sank his fangs in its neck and drew his blood and fed himself. It tasted so good. The more he drank, the more he wanted.
He became more and more intoxicated by this creature's sweet blood. And something happened when he was about to drink one last time. He felt as if he drank a poison. Oh, God, now he remembered it. The barber he couldn't finish. The barber later, more than a century became the most notorious and most deadly killer known as Jack the Ripper. He choked on the last bite and spat out the blood. He felt nauseous, and he fell to the ground by fainting.
THE NEXT DAY, AT THE DOWNTOWN TORONTO POLICE STATION...
"Did you heard?" asked detective Donald Schanke when his partner Nick Knight came into the station. "If it's about the two murders that happened this afternoon, I did," said he. "Do you have any idea what caused it?" asked Schanke. "Haven't got the clue." answered Knight. "I'm on my way to the Coroner's office." Knight said. "All righty, let me join you." Schanke said.
"Not so fast, detective." Captain Reese called out from his office. "Schanke, did you ever finished that report which was due on my desk few weeks ago?" he said sternly. "No, I haven't sir." he answered, scratching his head. "Then I suggest that you do that, now." barked the captain. "But, captain." Schanke pleaded. "No buts, detective." the captain was determinded. "I'm his partner, am I not supposed to look after him? Go wherever he goes?" he pleaded, again. "In other cases, yeah, but, I'm pretty sure that he can handle himself." and added, "Am I not right, Knight?" "Yes sir. You are perfectly right, cap." answered Nick. "Knight!" Schanke protested. "I'll keep you posted, Schank." Knight said as he headed for the door. "All right, I'm counting on you!" called Schanke. "Did I ever let you down, buddy?" asked Knight. "Yeah, you're right, buddy-o!" he said. "Thought so. See you later." He waved as he went out. "Ciao." Schanke called out.
AT THE TORONTO CITY CORONER'S OFFICE LATER THAT NIGHT...
Doctor Natalie Lambert was cleaning her hands when detective Nick Knight rushed through her lab door. "Well? Did I miss anything?" he asked as he walked over to her and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "Well, I was wondering when you would show up?" she said and added, "I was about to perform the autopsy without you." She informed him as she wiped her hands with a paper towel and tossed it into the trashcan. "Really?" he asked as he put one of his arms around her waist, smiling. "No, Captain Reese told me that you were on your way." she said. "Oh, did he?" he said, teasingly. "Yes, he did." she said and added, "Shall we?" as she put on the rubber gloves. Nick also put on the rubber gloves, which Natalie handed to him.
Nick and Natalie went over to the table, which held two bodies covered with white sheets. When she uncovered the sheets, it revealed a body of a male and a female. She grabbed hold of the micro cassette recorder that was on top of the operating table. With the other hand she grabbed hold of a scalpel.
"Today is Thursday, May 5th 1995." she said, holding the recorder close to her mouth. Then she pressed the pause button. She was checking for a sign of a struggle, however, she couldn't find one on either of the bodies.
"That's strange." she said half to herself. "What is it, Nat?" he asked. "I couldn't find any sign of a struggle on the bodies." she said. "Yes, you're right." He confirmed as he took a closer look at the bodies.
"Oh, wait a minute, I've forgotten the most important thing, Nick." she said, as she walked over to the head area. "Just as I have suspected it!" she exclaimed. "What is it?" he asked. "Do you notice that there is not even a single drop of blood left on the bodies?" she asked. "Yes, I noticed, but you're not suggesting that one of us?" he asked her. "I know, but look at these marks on their necks, Nick." she said, pointing at the bases of their necks, which had two identical punture marks. "I know. When I first heard about it, I assumed that it was a doing of a vampire, but when I heard the time of the day." said he.
Nick did not heard about this crime until he got to the station for his graveyard shift. "It was done in the daylight." he said matter of factly. "If it was a vampire, the bodies must have been moved." Natalie said. "No way. We have witnesses that say that they heard screams but when they got near it, they discovered the bodies." said Nick. "Then who could have done it?" she asked, and added "A copy cat?" "Nat, there is not anybody who know of our existence. Expect you and Tracy." Nick said. "I know." said Ntalie, knowing he is right as always.
"The most peculiar thing about this is that the bodies were warm when we got to the scene and that the witnesses actually saw the couple half an hour ago at the near by park." he told her. "Anything else?" She asked. "No, I'm afraid that there isn't anything else." he said.
The two of them tried to determine the cause of death, however, they could not find any that could hold up. All the fingers pointed to the doing of a vampire, however that could not be impossible, since they were killed during daytime. There was no point of wrecking their brains out trying to figure out another suitable answer, so they decided to head back to the station.
BACK AT THE STATION...
Detective Don Schanke was still at his desk, typing the report, which was due many weeks ago. He had tried to avoid it every time he arrived at the station, by rushing out of the station whenever a crime was report in. The captain's patience was getting really low by this time and he caught Schanke before he could slip out.
Schanke looked up from his desk when the station door flew open. "Hey, Schank! I see that you haven't finished the report?" asked Knight as he came to Schanke's desk. "Almost done, typing the last sentence, there." He yanked the paper out from the type writer, and added, "All done!" "That's good. In the future, try not to do it the last minute, okay?" Nick reminded Schanke. "Yep! Phew! I've learned my lesson!" exclaimed Schanke.
"Oh, by the way, what happened to the examination of the two bodies?" asked Schanke. "We haven't got a clue." Nick answered him. "Not even one?" asked Schanke. "Nope, not one." Natalie and Nick answered at the same time.
The next few hours went on smoothly. There was one incident where three teenagers were brought in due to playing musical instruments too loud, and the neighbors complained. Apparently, they did this every night. Other than that, it was a quiet night.
THE NEXT DAY, AT THE TORONTO CITY CORONER'S OFFICE...
There were papers and medical logs scattered everywhere. Nick and Nat were sitting on the armed chairs trying to figure out who caused these murders. The ringing of Nat's telephone broke their train of thoughts. "I got it." she called out. "Hello? Hi, Schanke? Nick? Yeah, he's right here. Nick, it's for you." she said as she handed the phone to Nick. "Yeah, Schak? What is it?" he said. "Nick, we've found another body." Schanke said on the other end of the line.
Schanke went on not giving Nick to respond. "Man, oh man, Nick." he said, definitely troubled by something. "What is the matter, Schanke?" he asked. "This creature, what ever it was. Well, tell Natalie that we are bringing in the body as we speak. It should be there in ten to fifteen minutes." answered Schanke. "Schanke, could you calm down?" asked Nick. "I think that, no, hell, this is the most bizarre case that we've ever came across." he said.
"Hem, the creature that you're talking about, is it an animal?" asked Nick. "To me, it looked like a caveman." answered Schanke. "A what? A caveman did you say?" asked a stunned Nick. "Yep, you heard it right, a caveman. Or was it that swamp thing guy?" said he. The latter part of detective Don Schanke's comment was more of a question than an answer, because he himself did not have any idea whatsoever about the nature of the creature, which was definitely killed not so long ago.
"Are you absolutely positively sure about this, Schanke?" asked Nick. "Well, I don't want to be the judge, but, see for it yourselves, because, you are in for a quite a ride." Schanke said. "Okay, we will." said Nick. "Was the body decomposed?" asked Nick. "No, I think that the snow and the coldness of the mountain helped." answered the detective. "Oh, I see." Nick said.
"Oh, and you will be interested to know that this thing whatever it was, had a big struggle with whomever was its killer." said Schanke. "What could have killed him, you think?" asked Nick, getting more and more interested. "A man, definitely a man." Schanke concluded.
"You sure?" Asked Nick. "Yep, we found a trace of foot prints on the snow." said Schanke. "Oh yeah? Did you make out the origin and size?" asked Nick. "This is another funny thing. Okay, the creature we've found, he's about six eight, and determining the size of the killer's shoes, the killer is no more than six feet tall, maybe shorter." answered Schanke. "Well, maybe he has small feet, who knows." suggested Nick. "Yeah, maybe. And the shoes he was wearing, well, determining from the print, it was brand new and oh boy, expensive, very, very expensive." Schanke said. "How expensive?" asked Nick. "Well, it costs around what we make in a month, does it answer your question, buddy?" answered Schanke. "A little." Nick said. "It was Armani." Schanke informed Nick. "Really?" asked Nick. "Yep, however the material of the shoes, haven't got a clue." he said and added, "Well, we are sending the crime scene photos. Maybe our good doctor could determine the cause of death, the material of the shoes, you know, all the usual good stuff." "Yeah, that she could do. Are you coming here Don?" asked Nick. "No, not yet, I haven't finished my report, but I'll be there as soon as I can." said Don Schanke.
"Well, just for my curiosity, if that the creature we found was as you say 'a caveman', did you found a cave where he could have lived, before he was killed?" asked Nick. "Yeah, matter of fact, we did." answered Schanke. "Was he killed near or away from his cave?" Nick asked. "Right in front of it." Answered he, and added, "And there is something else, Knight." "Yeah? What is it?" Asked Nick. "The killer, we did not find any traces of his foot prints anywhere else, except by the body." Schanke informed.
AT THE TORONTO CITY CORONER'S OFFICE, THE FOLLOWING DAY...
Natalie was coaching a rookie homicide cop named Tracy Vetter how to deal with encountering dead bodies and told her that she was sick to her stomach when she encountered a dead body for the first time. And it was nothing to be ashamed of.
When they were all done, Natalie made some coffee for the two of them. "Natalie?" Called Tracy. "Yeah?" She answered while sipping her coffee. "Can I ask you something? It's kinda personal." Tracy said, looking at her for approval. "Yeah, sure. Go ahead." She encouraged.
"You love Nick, don't you?" Tracy asked Natalie. "Em?" she said, looking up at Tracy, then quickly added, "I, I yes, I do. I love him more than anything." "I also know that he loves you too, however I have no idea why you guys don't get together? To me, there's nothing in the world that could stop you two. You both are single. You love each other... What more can there be? I asked him once." she told Natalie. "What did he say?" she asked, curiously. "He said that you guys are friends, but I could see it in his eyes that it's much more than that and I also could see that he's hurting. He's always been worrying about you, and I could tell that you are the most important person in his life." "Yeah?" Natalie said exicitedly, and added, "You wouldn't understand if I tell you." "Try me." However, their conversation was cut short by someone storming into the lab.
"Nat!" yelled Nick as he rushed into the lab. "Nick, what's wrong?" she asked running to meet herfriend, who was in some sort of agony. "Nat, I need your help. He's dying!" he cried. "Who, Nick?" Panic strucked her at hearing that someone could die. "Oh, Tracy..." he hesistated for a second, but he said, "Lacroix." "Lacroix? What's the matter?" she asked, puzzled to why he could be dying. "I don't know." he answered Nick. "Could you come with me to find out what's wrong with him, Nat?" Asked distraught Nick. "Sure, I will. You know that you don't even need to ask." answered Natalie. "Can I come too?" Asked Tracy. "Nick?" asked Natalie, not knowing what to say. "Why not, I mean, we need every help we can get. Hurry. We don't have a much time."
LACROIX'S PLACE...
"Nicholas? Is that you? I am dying, Nicholas... I can feel it... Where's Jeanette?" Lacroix said in a barely audible voice. "Don't worry, Lacxroix... I've contacted her... She will be here very soon, just relax." he soothed. Lacroix turned his head to the opposite direction and saw Natalie, working on something. "Ah, doctor... I don't know what you can do to help me. Usually, I mean our kinds never get sick, you know that. However, I sure do hope you can muster some cure for this body o'mine." he said to her.
"How long did you have the symtoms, Lacroix?" asked Natalie. "Oh, about a week now." he answered. "What? A week? Why didn't you tell us?" Nick demanded to know why Lacroix didn't inform them of his codition. "I didn't want you to worry about me and besides, I thought that it was just one of my indigestions." "Indigestion?" "It's that, if he drinks something that is not suited for him, he gets indisgestions, Nat." "Oh, did you drink something that could upset your stomach, Lacroix?" she asked. "No, I don't think so. Then again, I don't know. It could be." Lacroix said. "Which is?" asked Nick.
However, their conversation was cut short by foot steps coming from the stairs. In about few minutes, a huntingly beautiful woman stood at the bottom of the stairs. "Nicola?" She called as she came near. "Jeannette." He said, looking at her sadly. She rushed over to where Lacroix laid. "Oh, Lacroix. are you all right?" Jeanette asked. "Oui, Jeanette. Mon enfant, merci beaucoup." he answered her.
'So, that's Jeanette.' Tracy thought. "And who are you?" asked Jeanette, a little agitated because of Lacroix's condition. "Oh, she is Tracy. My helper." said Natalie. "Doctor, you and I know very well that we can't have other people involved." Jeanette said in anger. "I know. But, this is different. She's okay." said Natalie.
"Jeanette, did you contact Vouchon?" Nick asked Jeanette. "Yes, of course. He will be here soon. The sun's still up. You know very well what happens if he..." "Yes, of course." He acknowledged. "Were you able to contact the others?" he asked. "Only the ones that I could get in touch with." she informed him. "Good, thank you." Nick said. "You don't need to thank me Nicola, he's our father." she said as she wiped some sweat from Lacroix's forehead with a damp cloth.
"To you maybe, but not with me." he said. "Nicola... This isn't time too..." "No. This is a good a time as any. He was never my father and never will be. All my blood kin are dead a long time ago, and they will and always will be my one and only family, the people who gave birth to me. They loved me and I loved them as life itself, however he took that away from me." he said getting a little upset.
"Nicola, remember that you are here because of him." Jeanette reminded Nick. "Oh, I remember and will never forget how I came to be, he made sure of it. But, you see Jeanette, it's different for you and me. I didn't ask him to, you know, help me. I was happy theway I was. However, he took that from me. I've been trying to get back the way I was before I metLacroix. I hate what he's done. And I would never stop until I become the way I was before. How many times did you and Lacroix tried to stop me? You can never stop me from achieving my life's goal." lectured Nick, about his road to salvation.
"I always understood, Nicola. It's just that he cannot, I mean, will not accept it, because he does not want to be failure." explained Jeanette on why Lacroix is trying to keep Nick as he is. "I know. But, this is my life. I would do as I see fits." concluded Nick.
Tracy didn't understand what they were talking about, however the mentioning of Vouchon's name that, she heard. "Wait a minute, do you guys know Vouchon?" asked Tracy. "What about him?" asked Jeanette. "Oh, that he's allergic to the sun?" she asked, because she knew that Vouchon was a Vampire, however what Tracy didn't know was that Nick and his friends were too vampires. So, she automatically thought that Vouchon might've told them that he can't be in the sun, because of his allergic to the sun. "Yes, we all did." answered Nick.
"Natalie?" Tracy asked looking at the doctor. "Yes, for a long time." she answered, and added, "And Tracy, why do you think that Nick works only the graveyard shifts and he has allergic reaction to the sun? Now, do you get it?" "Oh my God. I had no idea. So, you're a vampire too?" asked Tracy, intrigued. "Yes, Tracy. I am, and Lacroix's the one who brought me and Jeanette over." answered Nick. "Vouchon once said that there is one of you guys who wants to be mortal again, and from your conversation earlier, Nick, you're the one." she said. "Yes, I am. I vowed never to feed again. And I believe that Vouchon feels the same way as well." he said looking at Tracy. "Yes, he does." she answered.
They heard someone coming down the stairs, and all looked to see who it was. It was Vouchon. "Nicholas." he said as he walked over to them. "Vouchon, you're here." Nick said, as they hugged. Vouchon turned around and his eyes grew wide as he noticed someone he dreamt about the night before. "Tracy?" he said looking at her face. "Yeah, it's me, Vouchon." she said. "What are you doing here?" he asked, however happy to see her. "It's a long story." she answered.
"Nick, we have to..." Natalie said, tugging his arm. "Yeah, of course." he acknowledged. Natalie went up to check up on Lacroix, while Nick went to the kitchen to bring more stuff she asked him to get it for her. Lacroix appeared to be sleeping. Suddenly something was happening to Lacroix, to Natalie's astonishment. "Em..., this is strange..." she whispered to herself, and checked his forehead, which was burning hot from the fever about twenty minutes ago.
"Nick! Nick!" she cried for Nick. "Nat? What is it, Nat?" he cried, as he came rushing to Lacroix's bedside. "I can't believe it!" she exclaimed. "What is it?" he asked her anxiously. "This is amazing! His fever's gone. It seems like he wasn't even sick at all. Not a trace." she exclaimed exitedly. "Are you sure? Last time something like this happened, we had to drain all his blood and tranfuse him with clean blood." he told about the last time he was poisoned with blood. "The poison, what ever it was, it's gone." she answered him as she double checked to be sure. "So, it means that he's going to make it?" he asked her hopefully. "I believe so." she confirmed. "Oh, Nat. How could I ever repay you?" He said while giving her a bear hug. "I didn't do anything, Nick." said she. "No, you were wonderful." he said, beaming.
THE NEXT DAY...
Lucien Lacroix opened his eyes expecting the worst. He dreaded opening his eyes because he believed that he was probably in that world of darkness, Hades' lair. However, he found it lit brightly, something he hadn't expected. 'That's odd' he thought. The surroundings looked very familiar. He couldn't believe his eyes! "W-where am I?" he asked to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "You're awake, how do you feel?" asked a woman in a doctor's coat. Lacroix opened his eyes wider and saw that the doctor was none other than Nicholas' doctor friend, Natalie Lambert.
"Am I dead? That came out kind of wrong, didn't it? Since I am officially dead in Pompei, don't you think?" said Lacroix with a chuckled. "Well, I know what you've meant. You're not dust yet. It is some kind of miracle if I may say so myself." Said Natalie, and added "If you'll excuse me, there's someone who has been waiting for you to come back to living." With that last remark, she disappeared around the corner.
"Nick, Lacroix's awake." Natalie informed Nick. "Thank you Natalie, for all you've done." he said gratefully. "Lacroix, how are you feeling?" she asked. "A little groggy, other than that I feel pretty good." He said to Nick. "We were so worried, Lacroix. We thought that you won't live through the night. However, some kind of a miracle happened." Said Nick.
"Where is the good doctor?" he asked. "I'm right here, Lacroix. Do you want me to get something for you?" asked Natalie "Just wanted to ask you something, doctor. What did you give me last night before I fell asleep?" He asked. "Well, the last thing I gave you was a sample of Nick's blood which I had at the lab's fridge." she informed him. He told her that when she gave the shot to him, he immediately felt it working against the poison. And he also told her that the last time something like this happened, it was Nick's blood which had saved him. Last time, it was much worse. That was probably why only a little amount of Nick's blood had helped him this time around.
This experience with death had taught Lacroix something that he should've done a long time ago. Accept certain someone's choice of path he was taking and decided with a sound mind that he would support this person no matter what, because after all, he was his creation, his child. "Nicholas, I know that you hate me. And I'm so sorry about everything. I always thought that you would change your mind and accept and be what you really are, however I know now, that my foolish dream will never come true. Therefore, I decided to help you in your quest, my child."
"Lacroix? Are you telling me the truth?" asked Nick, stunned. "Yes, of course. It is not worth losing you, my son." answered Lacroix. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." she said astonished by Lacroix's sudden change. "I guess I've always known." answered Lacroix. Nick supposed that being in the verge of death can make even a cold hearted Vampire like Lacroix to appreciate life a little more.
AT NICK'S LOFT LATER THAT NIGHT...
Since Natalie was too tired to drive home, Nick took her to his place to cook her something to eat. She hadn't eaten anything at Lacroix's place, since she was too busy trying to save his life. Even though he doesn't eat human food, he could cook. Actually, he was an amazing cook. He made some pasta and some salad for Natalie to eat. After all the dishes were washed and put away, Nick sat down next to her on the couch.
"Nat." Nick said, while stroking her hair. "Hem..." she answered, looking up at him. "Nat, you are the most important person in my life. I just wanted you to know that." "I know, Nick, and you are in mine." She said, smiling up at him. Nick put his arms around her and embraced her. "I love you, Nat." he said, kissing her forehead gently. "I love you too, Nick." she said, placing her head on his chest. She fell asleep on his chest.
The next morning, she woke up and found herself in Nick's bed. She had never slept in his bed before. It was a four poster bed, which looked to be antique. Beautiful... She put on his robe and went down stairs and found Nick asleep on the couch. She sat down at the adjoining couch, looking at down at Nick's peaceful sleeping face. Beautiful...
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Hope you liked it so far...