Disclaimer: I have received zero profits from the creation of this novel. All characters are property of Sony television. I have borrowed them for entertainment purposes only.

Prologue – one week earlier…

Nick's Loft, 101 Gateway Lane, Toronto - 1995

He enjoyed playing for her.

So, Nick Knight, a centuries-old vampire and detective for the city, stretched his time-honed musical muscles, sitting down at his piano and performing a ballad from the flick his human best friend, Natalie Lambert had picked. She'd found the piece in a music shop bargain bin beside the video store. He didn't love drippy show tunes, but he would survive if it made Nat happy. It was his first weekend off in forever, so they'd come together for a movie night on his big-screen TV.

Nick had suggested the classic Citizen Kane, but Natalie had picked up Oliver the Musical instead. He was fine with that, happy to watch anything just to be with her. Tonight, he'd had several litres of cow blood before she'd arrived, not leaving anything to chance. Since Valentine's Day, when he'd skimmed his tongue across her creamy neck, it was all he could do to keep Natalie off his mind.

Lacroix and his stupid bargains be damned, Nick thought. 800 years ago, to save his human sister from an undead fate and his master's oppressive affection, he'd agreed never to love a mortal or face losing her at Lacroix's hands. He'd never felt the need to work on the link with his vampire family before and had been practicing shutting it off entirely. If he had to live with his father-like sire in his life, then it didn't have to be every waking moment. This was going to be a nice night between Natalie and him. The crusty general would never know.

The movie wasn't bad. Nick was pleasantly surprised by the adaptation of Dickens. Although, he liked that Natalie was now snoozing lightly on his shoulder even more. His fluffy, dove grey blanket was pulled up to her chin. She looks like an angel, he said to himself, kissing her lightly underneath an earlobe. The heat of a vein there touched his tongue. They both moaned together.

Natalie's eyes fluttered open at the pleasant tingle under her left ear. She turned to see Nick's devilish smile and returned it. Finally, Nat thought, some sign he has feelings for me. She'd begun to think he was no longer interested after Valentine's Day, that whatever she'd done on their dinner date after all that wine must have been embarrassing for him.

Nick captured her chin with his fingers and placed a long kiss on her full, plump lips. I made you forget what we started. They'd begun to explore their mutual feelings, but he'd put a stop to it. On that fateful February 14th, at the Azure restaurant, Lacroix had threatened to kill Natalie, guessing correctly that his son had fallen for her. Nick had had to do some quick thinking, feinting indifference when his master challenged him to turn her instead. He'd licked her smooth, perfect skin, reared his head back and showed his fangs. Lacroix had been livid and shouted for him to stop, declaring that he mustn't be in love. He argued that Nicholas would never consider turning his beloved.

Lacroix was right; it was a ploy to shake him off. Nick hadn't been sure what he'd do if his master didn't buy the charade. But he did.

Sadly, Nick had erased Natalie's memory of it, so as to protect her from the entire ordeal. That Valentine's night, when he'd wanted nothing more than to express his heart's desire, had ended in disaster. He'd kept his love for her locked tightly inside ever since.

No more.

Nick could hear her heartbeat pick up. It excited him, pushing him further. He ran his lips gently across her cheek and chin, then down the concave area of her neck and over a teasing purple line.

As he struggled to put a mental clamp on his mind, the dark part of himself wriggled below the surface and weaved its will silently into his thought patterns. Nick didn't realize his fangs had dropped and his eyes glowed, so intent was he on blocking out his master's connection while enjoying the heat of Natalie's skin. He sucked in a long breath, inhaling cloves and cinnamon, then scraped her skin with his teeth and cherished it with his lips.

"N-Nick?" Natalie said. Is there something on my neck besides his mouth? She pulled away with a nervous laugh. "Uh—that kiss was a little sharp. Maybe we should slow it down?"

Nick snapped back to reality, his bliss bubble bursting, as it dawned on him what he was about to do. Instantly, his teeth retracted, and his eyes came back to their normal shade. The awfulness of it overwhelmed him, and he cradled Nat's chin in his hands. "Are you alright?" he gasped.

"Of course," she said with fake bravado. "Just the hazards of making out with a nightwalker." Natalie grinned for show. Why'd I panic like that? What a wimp! Gritting her teeth, she was determined to pick up where they'd left off. "It's O.K. Shocked me a bit. I'm good." Leaning in, she thought, I'll let him know how okay I really am.

Nick shot from the couch, railing at himself. What's wrong with me? Flashing fang the minute we start up? Janette would laugh if she knew how little control I'd had with a mortal. He felt the hungry, sinister part of himself lying in wait, feinting calm for the moment, waiting for its opportunity. He didn't know why he was so pathetic tonight, but it was dangerous. "Nat, you need to go," Nick told her, shifting further from her scent.

She was confused. "W-what's going on?" she said to the back of him.

How could he tell Nat he'd been about to drink from her and likely much worse? Vampires didn't do well with just a sip from the source. He'd always given the impression that he had his inner monster contained and was making strides towards humanity with her vomitus protein shakes. What would she think if she learned he still had all his killer instincts and struggled with them even on this night?

"It's been hours since sunrise. I'm tired. We'll talk later, hmm?" he said wearily.

"Nick? Talk to me."

"Please Nat, just go," he told her gruffly.

Natalie looked at him sideways, then frowned, dumping the cover on the floor and charging for the door. She slipped on her shoes as fast as she could, grabbed her jacket from the tiny partitioning wall between the entrance and the kitchen and balled it up in her arms. Yanking open the elevator, she sped inside, closing the door less than gently.

Nick winced at the grinding slam. Sighing, he went to the fridge to drown his sorrows. They could talk tomorrow (if he had the courage).