Natalie spent days tearing Nick's loft apart, looking for the flyer. She searched everywhere. Nothing. It was driving her crazy. The more time it took, the more trouble Nick could be in. Furthermore, she had to constantly cover for him when Reese called, complaining that both of his top detectives were gone. Tracy vacationing and Nick "ill." What were the odds?
After four days, she could not take it anymore. She had to find Nick, and now. There was no way she would find the flyer here. She had to take a long shot and try to find another one on the streets.
======================
Her search paid off. After about five hours of searching, Natalie found another flyer. Cherry Street. It took her no time to speed-demon it over to the warehouse. To her dismay, every door was locked. She looked at her watch. Ten o'clock. They would open the doors in two hours, but she could not wait. Each hour could mean Nick's death. Instead, she looked around for an alternate way to get in.
She spotted an open window, so she pulled over a trash can to stand on so she could reach it. For not the first time, she wished that she had some of Nick's powers so she could just fly through the window. She managed to pull herself up and inside the warehouse.
When she pulled herself in, she lost her balance and fell to the floor. Right to the feet of a very tall man. From underneath the man's black hood, Natalie noticed a pair of vibrant red glowing eyes.
Nat suddenly though of the cartoon character of Homer Simpson and the perfect phrase for a moment like this.
"Doh!"
======================
"I caught her trying to sneak in, and I sent others to get rid of her car."
Santino was addressing Andre, and the elder of the two looked less than pleased.
"I was looking for a friend of mine." Santino's grip was forcing Natalie to the floor, so she had to look up to face Andre.
"Nicholas Knight, no doubt," Andre scowled at her. "Too bad. He can't see anyone right--" He stopped and a creepy smile appeared on his face, showing just a small bit of fang. "On second thought, he's been such a good boy. He deserves some company. Bring here to go visit, Santino."
======================
Natalie was carried down the stairs and held before a large cell. Barely any light was shining except that from a low wattage bulb. Nat looked at the cell. The metal bars were bent slightly, as if someone had tried to get out. She noticed two heaps in the far corners, but in the bad light she could not tell what they were.
Santino opened the cell and threw Natalie in. She fell to the floor and watched as Santino slammed the door shut and started back up the stairs.
As the sound of his footsteps faded away, Natalie stood up and quickly glanced around. Out of the corner of her eye, she detected movement in the far corner to her left. To her horror, the heap stood up and started walking toward her. As it grew closer, her eyes focused, and she recognized the "thing" walking to her. Vachon looked horrible. His long black hair hung limp around his face. His clothes were torn and ratted, as if they had been clawed. The worst was his eyes. Normal brown substituted with bright yellow, they were blank like animal eyes. No emotion appeared in them. Only extreme hunger. He glared at her with anticipation, knowing that she was unable to stop him if he decided to attack her.
"Vachon, stop!" growled the heap in the other corner. Natalie watched as Nick rose from his crouched position on the floor. He quickly ran over to Vachon and slammed the younger vampire into the bars.
"Don't you dare touch her!" he yelled as Vachon fell to the ground. "You stay away from her!"
Nick turned toward Natalie. She gasped as she saw the same hungry look in his eyes as she had seen in Vachon's.
"'Cause she's mine."
After four days, she could not take it anymore. She had to find Nick, and now. There was no way she would find the flyer here. She had to take a long shot and try to find another one on the streets.
======================
Her search paid off. After about five hours of searching, Natalie found another flyer. Cherry Street. It took her no time to speed-demon it over to the warehouse. To her dismay, every door was locked. She looked at her watch. Ten o'clock. They would open the doors in two hours, but she could not wait. Each hour could mean Nick's death. Instead, she looked around for an alternate way to get in.
She spotted an open window, so she pulled over a trash can to stand on so she could reach it. For not the first time, she wished that she had some of Nick's powers so she could just fly through the window. She managed to pull herself up and inside the warehouse.
When she pulled herself in, she lost her balance and fell to the floor. Right to the feet of a very tall man. From underneath the man's black hood, Natalie noticed a pair of vibrant red glowing eyes.
Nat suddenly though of the cartoon character of Homer Simpson and the perfect phrase for a moment like this.
"Doh!"
======================
"I caught her trying to sneak in, and I sent others to get rid of her car."
Santino was addressing Andre, and the elder of the two looked less than pleased.
"I was looking for a friend of mine." Santino's grip was forcing Natalie to the floor, so she had to look up to face Andre.
"Nicholas Knight, no doubt," Andre scowled at her. "Too bad. He can't see anyone right--" He stopped and a creepy smile appeared on his face, showing just a small bit of fang. "On second thought, he's been such a good boy. He deserves some company. Bring here to go visit, Santino."
======================
Natalie was carried down the stairs and held before a large cell. Barely any light was shining except that from a low wattage bulb. Nat looked at the cell. The metal bars were bent slightly, as if someone had tried to get out. She noticed two heaps in the far corners, but in the bad light she could not tell what they were.
Santino opened the cell and threw Natalie in. She fell to the floor and watched as Santino slammed the door shut and started back up the stairs.
As the sound of his footsteps faded away, Natalie stood up and quickly glanced around. Out of the corner of her eye, she detected movement in the far corner to her left. To her horror, the heap stood up and started walking toward her. As it grew closer, her eyes focused, and she recognized the "thing" walking to her. Vachon looked horrible. His long black hair hung limp around his face. His clothes were torn and ratted, as if they had been clawed. The worst was his eyes. Normal brown substituted with bright yellow, they were blank like animal eyes. No emotion appeared in them. Only extreme hunger. He glared at her with anticipation, knowing that she was unable to stop him if he decided to attack her.
"Vachon, stop!" growled the heap in the other corner. Natalie watched as Nick rose from his crouched position on the floor. He quickly ran over to Vachon and slammed the younger vampire into the bars.
"Don't you dare touch her!" he yelled as Vachon fell to the ground. "You stay away from her!"
Nick turned toward Natalie. She gasped as she saw the same hungry look in his eyes as she had seen in Vachon's.
"'Cause she's mine."
