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Archibald's Revenge

Part 3/4

"Now remember what I told you, don't concentrate on anything but the sound of our voices." Nick reminded Nichole outside of the morgue. He waited until she nodded her head before going inside. They were lucky enough not to run into anyone in the hallway, he didn't think that she was ready to test her limits yet. He knew that Nat's heartbeat would be the first one Nichole has heard and been around since last night, but there was no other way around this. If Nichole lost control, at least he will be there to stop anything from happening.

Stopping at the door to Nat's lab, Nick looked down at Nichole to see her reaction to Nat's heartbeat. So far so good, and no sign of the hunger. Opening the door, he called out, "Nat? We're here. Nichole needs a physical."

"In here, Nick. Just place her on the table and tell me what happened." Natalie called back while emerging from the cold room. She walked over to the table and turned toward the duo waiting for someone to explain why she is looking over a fledgling. Which could be VERY dangerous for her health, she knew.

"Well, Nat. I found out this evening that Nichole was raped before being brought across. I want to know if everything is okay, before I do anything else." Nick replied seething with anger over the thought of such violence directed at his precious daughter. Natalie stood there with her mouth gapping open at the news for a few moments.

"Okay, Nick. I need you to step outside for a couple of minutes while I do a vaginal exam." Nat replied to Nick thinking of Nichole's privacy.

"No can do, Nat. I mean that wouldn't be the brightest thing to do at the moment. Granted she has fed, but she hasn't killed yet. I don't want her to attack you." Nick told Nat, who then paled as she remembered what happened to Richard. She nodded her understanding, and began the exam.

Once she was finished, Nick noticed that Nichole began to get antsy. "Everything looks fine, Nick. Where are you going next?"

"To the Raven. I think we better go, now." Nick answered just as Nichole's eyes turned golden-red and her fangs dropped. Before she could launch herself at Nat, Nick had her tightly in his grip. "Nichole, look at me! Look at ME!" He waited until his daughter complied. "Calm down. Get a hold of it, clear your mind. Listen to my voice." He saw her listening to him. He tried to whammy her into falling asleep. "Listen to me. You're tired. You want to take a nap."

"I'm tired. I want to take a nap." Nichole lisped before falling asleep against Nick. Nat looked on in awe.

"Now, you know why I didn't want to follow your advice earlier. That could have happened while I was outside of the room, if we did it your way." Nick did a 'I told you so' towards Nat.

"Nick, before you leave, I want to know what happened. She seemed fine." Nat requested.

"Your heartbeat, Nat. She listened to it for too long, and couldn't take it any more. It was like torture for her." Nick answered her. They said goodbye, and Nick let three important words slip out. I love you. Nat immediately said them back. Nick and Nichole left the building, and he walked to the Caddie.

Once the outside air hit them, Nichole awoke from Nick's suggestion. "Daddy, what happened?" She wanted to know why is her father carrying her to the car instead of her walking there on her own.

"You couldn't stand it any longer. You almost attacked Nat." Nick looked at Nichole and found he confused look. "You couldn't handle her heartbeat any more. I was torturing you unconsciously. I'm sorry, Princess. I didn't mean to do it."

"Its okay, Daddy. You had to do what was best for me. Don't you dare beat yourself up over this, because I won't let you. Understood?" Nichole told Nick sternly. He looked at her, knowing that was what her mother would have done. He smiled at the thought, and climbed into the Caddie. He reached over and buckled her up, and then himself. "You know, I just realized that you had human tonight instead of bovine. Why?" She asked as he pulled away from the curb.

"Because if I'm going to teach you everything you need to know in order to survive, I'll need to be at my full strength. Only human can do that for us." Nick answered his daughter's inquiry. They rode the rest of the way in silence.

Nick parked the car a block and a half down the street from the door of the Raven. They got out and began to walk toward the door. Halfway there, Nichole clamped both hands over her ears in effort to lower the noise volume coming from the club. He leaned closer to her and told her, "I know it is loud. Just try to listen to something else. Once we're inside, stay close to me." She managed to nod her head in understanding before they continued to make it the rest of the way to the door.

The vampire bouncer looked at Nick and nodded his 'go ahead' before looking at Nichole. He seemed unsure of what to do. She is underage, but yet is a vampire. The bouncer began to shake his head, but looked one last time at Nick. The look he gave him told the bouncer 'let her in or answer to me'. He waved her through.

Once inside, Nick took a moment to spot Janette at the bar in her usual spot. He began to move toward her and the crowd spilt to let him by. They immediately closed right back after him, separating Nichole from him. Halfway across the room, she lost sight of her father. After frantically trying to spot him, three boys just slightly older than she appeared. She could tell they were vampires, "What do you want?" She spat at them.

"To have some fun little one. Tell me are you lost?" The one in the center answered. He must be the head honcho, because the other two are standing slightly behind him.

"Maybe, maybe not. Depends on you." Nichole backed up into a corner. She wished she knew where her father was.

"Are you alone? Where is your master?"

"I don't have a master. I have a father."

"So, where is your father?" They all were grinning like the idiots they were.

"Right here." Nick replied from behind the trio, who must've jumped a mile high at the unexpected reply. They turned around and gaped at the elder vampire. "I suggest you leave my daughter alone." The trio nodded their heads in unison, and then took off. Turning his attention to his daughter, he sternly reprimanded, "Didn't I tell you to stay close? That was why I said that. Now come on, Janette is waiting."

"Daddy, slow down! I don't have long legs you know." Nichole shouted toward her father, who slowed his pace slightly. To keep from having a repeat, she slipped her hand into Nick's. He automatically closed his hand around her smaller one.

Once they approached the bar, Nick demanded, "Where is he, Janette?"

"LaCroix is at the studio doing his show. You should know that Nicola, if you were listening to the radio." Janette replied in her usual cool manner.

"Not LaCroix, although he might be interested in what happened to his granddaughter. I meant Archibald, where is he?" Nick replied.

Janette truly looked stunned. "Nicola, what did happen to my niece? What does our prodigal brother have to do with it?" She asked surprised.

"Archibald raped and turned Nichole. I want to know where that bastard is, so that I can stake him myself." Nick replied with anger.

"He what!" LaCroix bellowed from behind them, making Nichole jump into Nick's arms. LaCroix might be a sadistic tyrant, but he loves his children and grandchild. "Archibald is in this club at the moment, Nicholas. He won't be anywhere for long. I suggest you do a re-bonding with your daughter before the night is gone. I am about to dispatch my child to the afterlife for good. Take Nichole and leave the premises." He instructed his two favorite children and his only grandchild.

"LaCroix, I thought you were doing your show at CERK." Nick replied, wondering why his father was here.

"Nicholas, I couldn't ignore such a strong emotion from you. I had to see what made you so angry." LaCroix answered back. He reached over and took Nichole from Nick. She went willingly, their differences are in the past. "I'll watch her, and I'll let you handle Archibald the way you see fit." Nichole's reaction was to lay her head on her grandfather's aristocratic shoulder. Nick started to turn away before LaCroix called, "I suggest you don't let him live. I'm also happy to see you switched back to human, and I assume that will be her diet as well."

"You assumed correct, LaCroix. I will also take care of the body." Nick replied back, and then went in search of his VERY dead vampiric brother.

"I'm going to make sure he doesn't destroy my club." Janette stated and started off in Nick's wake.

"Grandfather, could Daddy just leave the body on the roof to combust to ash at first light?" Nichole asked the ancient vampire.

"Why yes he could, mon Coeur. Why don't you mention it when he come back." LaCroix answered his granddaughter's question.

There was a loud crash, stopped everyone in their tracks. Nichole looked toward the origin of the sound and saw her father fighting with another vampire. She couldn't see much due to the wood flying around the room. She screamed in pain as the pieces embedded themselves into her skin. Her grandfather rolled her over the bar and to the floor behind it. She stayed there until all was quiet and calm.

Nichole poked her head over the bar to watch Nick drag the other vampire by the ear toward LaCroix. She takes a closer look at the vampire and notices that her shoulder was on fire. The stake her father had wielded in his hand earlier is now in the other's shoulder, the one that is on fire. If this is how it is between 'master' and fledgling, she is afraid of what his death might bring for her. She shot from her hiding place and stood between her grandfather, who now is wielding a stake in hand, and the injured vampire. "Grandfather, please don't. When Daddy staked his shoulder, mine felt like fire. What would happen to me if he was killed?"

"Nicholas, take care of your daughter. She caught some wood in her back. Check her shoulder, I believe she caught a fairly large piece there." LaCroix instructed Nick, who did as he was told. As soon as he had moved his daughter, LaCroix swiftly lowered the stake into the vampire's heart. The pain was so unbearable, that Nichole has passed out where she stood.