For the rest of his stay at Crepuscule Nick lived the life of a true vampire.

LaCroix saw to it that his son only consumed the finest vintages of human blood and frequently took him into the nearby city to brush up on both his hypnotism and moving through the mass of mortals as if he were invisible.

It was on one of those trips that LaCroix and Magdalena discovered just how invisible their son could become.

It was after three in the morning when LaCroix, Magdalena, and Nick landed on the roof of the local art museum. The lone guard on the building's roof was sleeping soundly following a suggestion from Nick.

"What are we doing here?" Nick demanded as he and his parents peered down through the decorative skylight.

"Putting your skills to the test, Nicholas. It's quite simple really. There is an item in the museum that you will need to retrieve as only a vampire can." LaCroix answered bluntly.

Nick glared at his sire, "I'm not stealing anything, LaCroix." he growled.

"Technically you are not stealing, mon bebe, merely reclaiming what belongs to you." Magdalena replied.

The blood Nick had fed on earlier drained from his face, "What is it?" he demanded.

LaCroix smiled brightly, "Oh nothing of great importance. Just your badge."

"You bastard!!!" Nick cried as he lunged for LaCroix.

The elder vampire easily dodged his son's attack and pinned him to the floor.

"Temper, temper, Nicholas." LaCroix scolded as Nick struggled against his hold.

Magdalena sighed, "I would expect such tantrums from a toddler, Nicholas. It was I who suggested using your badge not your father. We needed something that was so valuable to you that you would do anything to get it back even breaking into a guarded building. Now act like you're eight hundred years old and don't attack your father when he lets you go." she said sternly.

Nick nodded and LaCroix released him.

"Where is my badge?" Nick demanded as he brushed the dust off his clothes.

"One of the museum guards is wearing it as his own. Your task is to find him, and recover the badge without his knowledge. You have only one hour to do so." Magdalena explained.

Nick nodded as he processed the instructions. The time limit would be a bit of a problem but he could do it.

"What if I fail?" Nick just had to ask.

"We alert the guards to your presence and you have a lot of explaining to do." LaCroix said smugly.

"Bonne chance, mon bebe." Magdalena said sweetly.

"Try not to break anything." LaCroix added.

"Yes, Papa." Nick said with an exasperated sigh followed by an impish grin as he darted inside leaving an amused LaCroix behind.

Though the Roman would never allow it to show his heart was temporarily warmed by the sound of the term that both his children had called him by before they grew too old.

Images of a joyous three-year-old girl leaping into her father's arms as he returned from a conquest and an equally happy six-year-old boy as he was hoisted onto his father's shoulders would've thrown the vampire into a nostalgic stupor had he not been so well rehearsed in hiding his emotions.

Magdalena was not so easily fooled.

Well aware of her husband's sudden nostalgia, Magdalena merely smiled and kissed LaCroix on the cheek, "Come on, General. Let's see how our boy does." she said excitedly before gliding after Nicholas.