The Value of a Life

Chapter 10: Choices

Tracy/Vachon, post Ashes to Ashes, elements of Last Knight. Takes the story a whole new direction from there.

Usual Disclaimers: Not mine, blah blah blah. Like I would treat something of mine like they did!

Rated M

Vachon must choose between Tracy and possible mortality; Tracy promises to accept Vachon no matter what. Nick and Natalie take their relationship to the next step.

--

Natalie was surprised when Vachon showed up at the lab that night. When she heard Tracy had called off work, she assumed they'd be together. "What are you doing here?"

"I want you to check my blood again. It might be different now." Vachon was restless, manic. A chill went down Natalie's spine. Something was wrong.

"Why would that be, Vachon?" He paced the lab like a predator. He was definitely riding the edge tonight. Tonight, he was dangerous.

"Because I drank someone else's blood last night." Natalie's eyes grew huge, then she looked away.

"Tell me it was the bottled type," she joked, hoping to lighten the mood, but already knowing the answer. There was too much of the kill about Vachon tonight to be anything else.

"It wasn't Natalie. It was fresh and to the death. It's what I am, Natalie, no matter how much you and Tracy hate it." Vachon's words shook with his need to be accepted, and his pain nearly undid her.

"Tracy knows?" Natalie asked quietly, more concerned now for Vachon then his victim. His pain was so tangible she felt it beating at him like black wings.

"Yes, and at least you're not throwing up. Maybe you've just dealt with it longer." Vachon was so agitated it looked as if he would fly around the room. "God, Natalie, help me!" he pleaded, slumping into a chair and covering his face with his hand. "What is she doing to me?!"

Natalie went to Vachon and put her arm around him. "How can I help you, Vachon? Tell me."

"Natalie, this is killing me. She wants me to walk away from what I am, to be something I haven't been in five hundred years. Why can't she just come to me? We could be together forever. Why is the thing I want the most the thing that will ruin me?"

Natalie couldn't bear his pain. "Vachon, maybe it doesn't have to be either-or. I was going over everything I know about your case, and what I know about Janette and Robert. In that case, Janette's transformation didn't take place until an extreme crisis, her mortal lover's death. Until that point, she was still a vampire. I don't know if she had begun to lose some of her abilities, but it's a pretty safe guess."

She started to pace. "Don't you see, Vachon? There's a chance that you may only lose some of your abilities. You can still do most everything the same, right? What if the change only occurs in extreme crisis? Will you give up Tracy on a maybe?"

Vachon looked to Natalie, a small kernel of hope beginning to sprout in his heart. "Are you sure about this Nat?"

"No, I'm not sure about anything. But look at your tests." She grabbed her papers. "Even though you were continuing to drink from Tracy, the vampire agent decreased at a decreasing rate. One possible translation of that fact is that your blood was getting stronger to fight Tracy's blood. If your blood were going to change entirely, why would the rate of decrease decline?"

"Can we be sure?" Vachon didn't want to get his hopes up, but he couldn't deny that he wanted this just as much as he wanted Tracy.

"No, Vachon. But can you be sure you won't stumble near a picket fence tomorrow? You've almost died twice now. Haven't you realized that even you will die one day?" Natalie's voice soothed his heart and calmed him.

Vachon was quiet, but Natalie could feel hope replacing his despair. "Check my blood, okay? Then I've got to go. I've got a lot of making up to do."

While Natalie was drawing his blood, he asked her, "Why didn't you freak when I told you about last night? I know you hate killing."

"Maybe it's because I've seen vampire justice before. I dislike killing, but the times I've seen Nick kill, I had to admit there was justice involved." Finishing up the test, she continued, "I like you, Vachon. I doubt you attacked an innocent."

After Vachon left, Natalie hurried to test his blood and finish up the rest of her work. She and Nick were taking off tonight. He hadn't yet told her where they were going, but the kiss he gave her tonight when he came in to work told her he'd definitely been thinking about it.

"Ready to go?" a deep voice rumbled from behind her, thrilling her. It was her favorite voice in all the world. Nick brushed a kiss against her neck. Hearing her pulse quicken, he felt the vampire emerging already, and pulled away quickly. Natalie turned and saw the gold in his eyes.

Placing her hand against his cheek, she watched his eyes flare once more. "I'm not afraid of what you are, Nick. Everything's going to work out fine." She kissed him, and watched him battle the beast down. "Now tell me, sir. Where are you taking me to soil my virtue?"

His grin was absolutely devilish. "Do you like the mountains?"

"'Mountains' as in tents and roughing it, or 'mountains' as in a beautiful lodge with beds and running water and comfort?"

Nick hugged her and laughed. "Definitely a bed, Natalie. Soft pillows, satin covers." His voice grew soft and deep as he went for her neck again. "Nothing has ever smelled as good as you." He inhaled deeply, smelling her spiced wine blood.

Natalie wondered if they were going to make it out of the lab. Melting into him, she felt herself shiver as she anticipated the coming evening. She still feared the bite, knowing it was coming. But watching Tracy and Vachon had filled her with an insatiable need to share her blood with Nick, to feel him drinking from her, living off her blood.

"Let's go," she whispered, eager to start this weekend. She'd waited six years for tonight. It was time to step into her new life.

--

Vachon went to Tracy's apartment, wondering what he could say to set things right. Natalie had given him hope that perhaps there was a way they could have both worlds and still be together. He found the apartment empty, however, and left to walk the streets again tonight.

He had to find her, but he realized he knew so little about her life away from him. Could she have gone to visit her parents? He doubted it. He tried to imagine that conversation. "Hey Dad, listen, I know you're the police commissioner, but could you put that aside long enough to listen about my new boyfriend who killed someone last night?"

Picturing the look on old Commissioner Vetter's face brought the first smile of the evening to Vachon. Looking at the sky, he realized dawn was nearing, and he was hungry. Craving Tracy's blood, he knew he'd have to settle for the bottle again tonight.

The minute he entered the church, he smelled her. The unique smell of her blood, apricots and flowers, hung in the air, leading him like the Pied Piper. He followed the scent down the stairs. Lying in his bed, asleep once more, was his angel of light. Looking at her, he felt a deep shifting in his soul, and he realized he'd have to risk mortality for her. Walking away from Tracy was unthinkable.

He saw one beautiful leg sticking out from under the sheets. Pulling the sheet away, he looked at her body, resplendent and naked in his bed. He remembered the time he forbid her from ever wearing clothes in his bed again. He felt his body harden at the thought, and gloried in her decision to do as he asked. Coming to him, waiting for him like this, Tracy had granted him absolution without the words.

Removing his own clothes, he climbed into the bed and pulled the sheets up over them both. Tracy woke slowly, languidly, feeling Vachon's body sliding against her own. "I'm hungry," he growled in her ear. She turned to him to see the vampire already in his eyes, burning her, causing her body to stretch and prepare itself for him in a matter of moments.

"Then feed, Javier." Wrapping her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his gorgeous mane, she pulled him down to her neck. Rubbing herself against him, she felt his fangs scraping her neck, then piercing, stabbing. She felt him sucking, drawing her blood into him. She hoped all the words she couldn't bring herself to say would sing to him in her blood.

Pulling away, licking her wounds, Vachon kissed her deeply. Tasting her own blood in his mouth, she whispered her love to him over and over. Moving slowly down her body, he kissed, licked, tasted her. Driving her wild with his teasing, she tried to pull him up to her for the final taking, but he was determined to make her scream tonight. Drawing his fingertips down her body with the barest of touches, he teased her until she was lost, shivering, begging. Only then would he give himself to her. Only when she was sure she would die without him inside her would he give her what she so desperately needed. Only then would she know how much he needed her.

"Please, Javier, it hurts," she begged. He could see the need burning in her eyes. Positioning himself between her legs, he waited, waited, then drove himself deep inside her, not moving, feeling her body shiver around him.

"Do you feel your need, Tracy? That's what I live with every minute, every day, needing your blood in me like you need my body in yours. Take it, Tracy, take what you need from me." His words searing her, his body pounding her, Tracy cried out over and over, feeling she would never get enough of this man or his body. Finally coming back into herself, she heard him whisper, "Now you know, Tracy. Now you know."

--

Nick and Natalie arrived at the cabin just before dawn. "Cutting it a little close, wouldn't you say, Nick?" She'd been very quiet the last hour, worrying about the dawn. Nick laughed.

"Gee, Nat, I guess thoughts of your luscious body just drove the fear of dawn right out of me."

"Shut up, Nick," she blushed, feeling silly for worrying. The man is eight hundred years old, Natalie. I think he knows about dawn.

Sweeping her up in his arms, he carried her into the cabin. Not giving her a chance to look around, he carried her directly to the bedroom. Hitting a switch on the wall, a fire started in the fireplace. Handing her some matches, he told her, "You light the candles, I'll bring everything in."

Natalie just nodded, suddenly feeling shy. She had no doubts or second thoughts, but now the moment was just so...here. Feeling the warmth of the fire invade the chill of the room, she quickly lit the candles. Looking around, she had to admit Nick knew how to pick a romantic getaway setting. The candles set the wood of the walls glowing. The bed was covered in a deep ivory satin comforter, the light from the fire licking patterns on the bedding. The headboard was antique brass, intricate in design but not feminine. Over the bed and around the headboard were swaths of heavy embroidered cloth, giving the room a regal feel.

Nick walked in to see Natalie staring at the bed. He walked up behind her quietly, running his hands through her beautiful hair. In all his years, no woman ever called to him like Natalie. Kissing the back of her neck, he handed her things to her, whispering, "Go get dressed for me. I'll get things ready in here."

Not speaking, barely breathing, Natalie took her things into the bathroom to change. Nick brought out a special bag and placed it next to the bed. He wondered how Natalie was going to take it. He wasn't going to risk Natalie's life. She'd either have to agree to his conditions or tonight wasn't going to happen.

The door opened, and Natalie stood there wearing nothing but the simple length of red satin Nick had given her as his first present nearly a month ago. Wrapped around her, the satin glowed, turning her skin pearlescent. Her beautiful hair fell over her shoulders, and Nick lost the ability to think. The beast emerged, his eyes ablaze.

"Come here, Natalie." He held out his hand. She walked to him, slowly, and saw the bag next to the bed.

"What's that?"

Nick had already forgotten his conditions. One look at Natalie had driven all thoughts of caution from his mind. The mention of the bag brought him back to himself, and the vampire receded. Sitting on the bed, he lifted the bag. "This is for you, Natalie. Open it."

Thinking it was another gift, Natalie sat down next to Nick and opened the bag. Containing three small items, Natalie began to giggle. Then she began to laugh. Finally, unable to stop, she fell back on the bed, overcome with mirth. Nick just looked at her, torn between wanting to make sure she understood the importance of this, and wanting to jump on her as she lay against the satin covers, the red satin starting to reveal more of her beauty. "You think this is funny, Natalie?"

"Yes, Nick, I think this is funny. I mean, I know there are risks, but don't you think this is taking Safe Sex a little too far?" She sat up and dumped the contents of the bag onto the bed, looking at a crucifix, a bottle of holy water, and a stake. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Use them if necessary. Natalie, you know I'm afraid of killing you. I just thought that if I start taking too much, if this was in your reach you could stop me long enough to get control."

Natalie wanted to laugh some more, but Nick was so serious, so earnest, his vulnerability drove all mirth from her.

"We'll keep them next to the bed. We're not going to need, them, though, I promise you." She ran her hand down his back, stroking him lightly. Lying back down, she silently called to him, bringing him down with her. Lying on his side, leaning over her, he felt as nervous as a bridegroom.

"I don't want to hurt you," he repeated for the hundredth time.

"You won't. But Tracy told me Vachon drank from her before they made love. Do you think that would help things?"

Taking Natalie's hand in his, he began kissing her wrist, her arm, her shoulder. Breathing deeply, he nibbled his way back towards her wrist, whispering naughty little words that melted Natalie. Painting pictures of them with his words, he sought her fragile pulse point. Natalie felt his fangs descend and scrape lightly along her arm. Her breathing quickened, the flavor of fear entering her heart. Realizing Nick was going to bite her now, she couldn't help looking for the tools Nick had brought for her safety. Seeing them within reach, she closed her eyes and gave herself up to Nick's needs. Hearing a low growl in Nick's sexy whispers, her breathing faster and faster, she felt Nick's fangs penetrate her wrist, yet no pain came to her. Instead, she was flooded with heat as Nick drew her blood into him.

Feeling her blood flow into him, Natalie started to grow weak, and tried to pull her wrist out of his grasp. Feeling the tug, Nick pulled away immediately, the sheen of Natalie's blood still on his lips. "Natalie, are you okay?" Seeing her fast, deep breaths, Nick was overcome with relief. He hadn't taken too much. He hadn't killed his beautiful Natalie.

Licking off the last of her blood, the richest, hottest spiced wine he'd ever drunk, he leaned over her and kissed her softly. Opening her eyes, looking at him and in him, Natalie whispered, "I love you."

Lifting Natalie, he pulled back the covers of the bed, gently laying her down. Quickly removing his own clothes, he lay next to her, holding her soft soft body against his. Sensing a question in her stillness, he turned her face to his. "What is it?"

Natalie's eyes stared into his, knowing she would never be the same. "I want that again. I want more. I want everything."

Nick's eyes flared, then returned to normal. A smile started slowly, then spread over his face. There was nothing boyish about this smile, only hot, intent, and for Natalie.

Nick bent down to her, whispering, "Let's see how much everything is..."

--

Vachon slept, and Tracy watched him. She smoothed his forehead, where even in his sleep she saw his tension. She ran a fingertip over the long eyelashes she envied. Lightly tracing his lips, she breathed deep, loving the smell of him.

Vachon's eyes fluttered open, and finding Tracy smiling down at him, he felt a weight lift from him. "Hi, fancy meeting you here."

"Where else would I be, my love?" she whispered.

Vachon's smile faded. "I went to your apartment. You were gone. I thought I'd lost you." Tracy rested her head on his chest, playing with the layer of hair there.

"Let's just say this once, Javier, and get it over with. I'm sorry for my reaction before. I fell in love with you knowing what you are. I love you. Period. But I couldn't help feeling jealous that you drank someone else's blood. I want mine to be the only blood you drink from now on."

"Not very realistic, Trace, ever heard of anemia?" he asked.

"I know, but that's how I feel. So you do what you have to do, but don't expect me to like it." She tossed her head and her chin rose a bit in defiance.

Vachon kissed her, enjoying her possessiveness. "What changed your mind?"

"Vudu. I thought about the time you killed Vudu, and I realized I didn't mind that. What kind of hypocrite would I be if I didn't condemn you then but did now?" Bending down to kiss the hair on his stomach that kept distracting her, she continued. "Besides, I know that most evil goes unpunished. The kind you saw last night rarely even gets reported. It may not be right, but I'm glad that lady won't get hurt anymore." Her thoughts turned again to last night. "I'm sorry I made you drink my blood. I know you tried not to."

"Tracy, don't even worry about it. I realized tonight that I was going to have to risk mortality, because I'm not walking away from you. And let's face it, when I have your blood to drink, the bottled stuff is pretty thin beer."

Tracy was inexplicably pleased to think her blood tasted good to him. I must be sick, she thought. Normal people don't think like that.

"Besides," Vachon continued. "Natalie told me tonight that there's a chance that I might not lose all my vampire abilities. I guess I'm going to have to be more careful since I won't heal like before, but I'll live with that. But I can't live without you, Tracy."

Tracy kissed him with all the fire in her soul.

--

TBC