Well I'm back again.  This time it's a birthday piece for my 
friend Katherine Robert who waits patiently for me to get it done 
and it's never on time.  At least I'm closer than last year.  Only 
a day late this time!  Needless to say I don't own the Forever 
Knight characters and I only intend to abuse them for a little 
while for the sake of entertainment.  This is a 3rd season piece 
after 'Night in Question' and 'Fever' for those that follow the 
time line.  It has Nick, Nat, Tracy and of course our incredibly 
unpredictable Lucien LaCroix.  

Too Close for Comfort----June 2001
By StormyNite
In Honor of Katherine Robert's Birthday
Happy Birthday, Kath!!!!!

Chapter 1

"I don't care how many hours you have to put in.  Make everything 
perfect.  Dot your I's and cross your T's...No mistakes and no 
questions.  Got it?"  Harrison Goethe stared at his staff leaving 
no room for doubt.  "We are the night shift and IA will look 
harder at us because we're supposed to be half asleep.  Don't let 
them be right.  Get back to work and have your prelim's on my desk 
by midnight tonight."

Natalie and Jill walked down the hall in silence until John 
Florence walked up beside them.  "Is that usual for him?  I mean 
I'm new and everything, but I thought the night shift was a whole 
lot looser than this."  His big brown eyes reminded Natalie of a 
helpless puppy.

"It's more than a little strange, John.  I've been with the 
department for 7 years and I've never once seen Harry that 
uptight.  Something's going on.  The fact that Internal Affairs is 
doing an in-depth check into our files says something's up.  Wish 
I knew more, but if you keep your records up to date there 
shouldn't be any problems."  She smiled as she brushed his sleeve 
in comfort.  She couldn't help it.  There was something about the 
man that made you just want to help him.  He nodded and headed 
back down the hall in the opposite direction.

"You know he has a super crush on you, don't you?"  Jill stated 
flatly.  "I'm not sure Nick is going to feel the empathy for the 
man that you do."

"There is just something about him that makes you feel like a 
mother or something.  I know he's got a crush, but I just couldn't 
stop myself and as far as Nick is concerned...who knows where his 
head is at any minute.  He's been so strange lately.  Not 
necessarily bad strange, but unpredictable at best."  Nat pushed 
open the door to the morgue and stared at the body still waiting.  
"You pick up the slides for me while I go back to work on Mr. 
Arnold here and see if I can get him done before midnight as the 
boss ordered."  Jill headed for the refrigerator and was gone 
moments later.

-------------

"Knight...Vetter...in my office now!"  Reese bellowed from his 
office door.  Nick and Tracy stared at each other in puzzlement 
then headed for his office. 

"What have we done now, Nick? Our paperwork is even up-to-date," 
Tracy asked more confused than before.  Nick just shrugged 
mystified himself and opened the door for her.

"Sit down...both of you,"  Reese ordered as he sat down in his 
less than comfortable chair behind his desk.

"What's up, Cap?"  Nick asked trying to be less bewildered than he 
was.  Usually he had a clue as to why he was in trouble.

"There's an investigation of the O'Reiley case by Internal 
Affairs.  Apparently, Sweet Old Mom thinks her baby boy was 
shafted and killed without cause.  You both need to go over your 
stories and make sure they match.  Don't lie.  Just make sure 
you're both on the same page with this one.  O'Reiley's mother has 
big ties to the Solicitor General's Office and even though we 
found drugs at the scene, an eyewitness who swears he had a gun 
and a positive drug test...I don't want any problems.  It was a 
clean shoot, Nick.  I know that, you know that and the eyewitness 
testified to it.  We just want to make sure IA knows it as well.  
So both of you pull up all your files and go over them.  Touch 
base with Natalie on it as well.  I hear IA is doing an up-close 
and personal look at their files, too.  Stay on the same page," 
Reese stated, more frustrated than he should have been.  There was 
something about this case from the beginning that didn't feel 
right.  Not that he thought Nick did anything he shouldn't have, 
and the young woman being raped would have been dead without 
Nick's intervention.  It just had a bad feeling to it.

Nick and Tracy headed back to their desks.  "I thought that was 
over and done with.  Why didn't IA do an investigation up-front?  
We should have known something was up when they let us off with 
just a quick look and a 'justifiable shooting'." Tracy glared at 
her computer screen.  She then looked at her partner and watched 
him relive the shooting in his mind.  She knew that's what he was 
doing.  It's what she'd have been doing if she'd pulled the 
trigger.

****** flashback*****

"Freeze, Police!"  Nick yelled as he pulled his gun on the young 
man standing over the woman on the ground.  He turned angry drug-
crazed eyes at Nick and turned his gun toward the voice screaming 
at him.

"No way...She's mine!  She's going to be mine forever!"  Her 
pointed the gun back at the woman on the ground and squeezed the 
trigger. Nick fired first.  Nick's bullet struck the man directly 
in the heart, but his finger finished pulling the trigger as his 
muscles twitched.

Using vampire speed, Nick threw himself between the dying man and 
the young woman.  The gun discharged into his leg as they tumbled 
to the ground, but the girl was safe.

"Nick!"  Tracy screamed as she ran to her partner, not certain how 
he'd managed to get there so fast.  One minute Nick was there, the 
next he was in front of O'Reiley.  Nick rolled off the body with 
his shirt and pantleg saturated in blood. He tried not to grimace 
in pain as the bullet lodged next to the bone in his thigh.

"I'm okay, Trace."  He panted as he tried to control his body and 
let it heal.

"You're hit!" Panic registered on her face as she pulled out her 
cell phone and called for an ambulance.

"I'm okay, Trace.  It's his blood...not mine."  He knelt down by 
the body and checked to see if he was alive.  Blood covered the 
entire front of the victim's shirt and Nick had matching stains 
>from where he'd tackled him.

Still doubtful, Tracy started to check Nick.  "It's okay, Trace.  
I'm okay.  Really!"  Nick stopped her hand on his shirtfront.  She 
realized her familiarity and blushed.

"Sorry, Nick.  I just..."

"It's okay, Trace, I appreciate the concern. Let's check on the 
girl."  They both turned to see very frightened eyes watching them 
closely.  Nick moved to help her and she scooted away in fear.

"He shot you.  He was going to shoot me, but...but...he shot you.  
I saw him pull the trigger and the bullet was meant for me."  She 
stared at the blood on Nick's clothing.

"It was a muscle reaction that caused him to fire."  Nick's voice 
had a soft consoling cadence to it and it seemed to calm her.  
"I'm not hurt.  The bullet must have gone into the ground.  I'm 
fine, really."  He moved beside her and she didn't pull away, but 
her eyes still remained doubtful.

"Really, I'm fine...see."  Nick unbuttoned the first couple of 
buttons of his shirt and bared his chest for her to see undamaged 
skin as he smiled.

"Thank, God!"  She exhaled and fell into his arms sobbing.  Sirens 
could be heard in a distance when 2 marked cars screamed to the 
curb unloading back-up.

----------

Natalie's car was the last to arrive.  She'd seen the green caddy 
at the curb and knew Nick was already there.  She'd heard on the 
radio it was a police involved shooting so that meant extra 
precautions and meticulous sight containment.  "Hi, Dr. Lambert. 
Nick and Tracy are over there." He pointed across the yellow line 
toward the paramedic's van.

"Are they okay?"  she asked, immediately nervous.  Surely someone 
would have said something if they'd been injured.

"Nick looks worse than he is.  Only the shooter is down."  Natalie 
didn't bother to listen to the rest, but sprinted toward the 
paramedic's van.

"Nick?"  Natalie saw the blood and panicked.  When his eyes met 
hers, she could see the pain and his fight for control. She 
noticed Tracy and the young girl the paramedic was busy working 
on.  Tracy stared at her partner waiting.  When Natalie arrived, 
Tracy grabbed her arm.

"I know he's injured, Nat, and he won't admit it.  I think it's 
his leg, but he won't let the paramedic check him out.  Talk to 
him, make him go get checked out.  It's that macho-man thing you 
know they all do."  Nat nodded and approached slowly.

"You okay?"  She said softly filled with concern.

"I'm fine, Nat.  I just need to get home and get out of these 
clothes."  He pulled the blood-soaked shirt away from his chest.  
He glanced at his thigh and she noticed the hole in his pants. 

Nat moved in front of the paramedic and Tracy then laid a hand on 
his thigh.  He grimaced in pain and fought the beast trying to 
surface. "It's still in there?"  He nodded and took a deep breath.

"I need to get out of here soon."  He stood and forced himself to 
put weight on the leg.  Even though it was healing, the bullet was 
lodged next to the bone and caused him pain with every step.  It 
wouldn't disappear until it was removed.  "Let's take a look at 
the body and then I'm going to go change before I file a report."  
Bravely he walked with only a slight limp toward the body.  Nat 
wrapped her arm around his waist for support.  Understanding 
immediately what she was doing, he placed an arm across her 
shoulder as if they were in pleasant conversation as they walked 
across the corded-off area.

"How bad is it?"  She asked quietly as they walked.

"It's healing over the injury site, but the bullet is next to the 
bone.  I need you to get it out or I'm going to be limping for 
eternity."  He smiled boyishly which gave her hope.  "Stakes and 
sunlight remember?  Metal is only an irritant, but it's never hurt 
like this before."  He stopped at the body, confused more by his 
body's reactions than the event.  "You think that means I'm 
changing?"  He turned hopeful eyes toward hers.  

"I think you're changing more than you're willing to admit, Nick."  
She knelt down by the body and bagged the assailant's hands 
quickly. "Where were you when you fired the shot?"

"The other side of the sidewalk."  He pointed about 15 feet away."

"You used your vampire skills to protect the woman from the muscle 
spasm."  She stated emphatically not expecting an answer.  "How 
are you going to cover this up?" She looked more than a little 
worried when her eyes met his.

"I'll figure it out with Trace.  Maybe it's time we had a talk 
anyway.  As far as the girl is concerned, she's in shock.  I don't 
think it will matter, but they need to find the bullet in my leg 
for evidence and until they find it, I'm going to be watched 
closely."

"I'll do the prelims on the body and come over to your place.  
They'll do a massive search for the round and I'll find an excuse 
to come back to the scene before I go back to the morgue.  Just 
get out of here before you lose control."  She stood and headed 
for the coroner's wagon for her other bag and stopped. "And, 
Nick...eat something before I get there!"


Part 2


-------------
  
Nick limped into the loft and tore off his white, silk shirt in an 
effort to escape the smell of the blood that permeated the air 
around him.  The pain was bearable only if he didn't put his full 
weight on his leg.  He pulled open the fridge and grabbed the 
first bottle he saw.  In two gulps it was gone and he grabbed 
another before he headed for the shower upstairs.  He stripped off 
his pants as he hit the stairs and downed the second bottle before 
he looked at his leg.  The tissue around the entry sight was 
healing quickly with the infusion of blood, but the bullet on the 
bone was not going away without some help.  He'd been shot dozens 
of times and eventually the bullet worked its way out of his body 
without help, but in the past year his metabolism was slowing, 
hence the pain and the loss of blood at the injury sight.  He 
headed for the shower and hoped Nat would make it soon.

Stepping out of the shower, he threw on the blue silk shirt he 
knew was Nat's favorite.  Maybe she'd be less angry at him for 
taking so many chances lately.  His mind drifted back to the night 
after he'd been shot and lost his memory.  She'd been his body and 
soul and he had only one regret...it couldn't last forever.  He 
sighed heavily.  She'd backed away a little bit since the vampire 
had returned and he couldn't blame her, as the original problem 
still existed, not to mention LaCroix's intimate knowledge of his 
personal feelings.  The vampire demanded blood in an intimate 
relationship and that could cost Natalie her life.  He couldn't 
risk it, even if it meant never touching her again.  The images of 
them together and what he felt from her without taking her blood 
took his breath away.  She loved him and he loved her.  His body 
knew it even when his mind couldn't remember her name.  What was 
between them was stronger than anything physical.

"We have to have faith, Nick."  Her sweet voice whispered in his 
ear and the vampire surfaced once more.  

Nick laid down on the bed and pushed into the warmth she always 
created within him.  He would have faith.  They would find a way 
to be together.  As if thinking about her made her appear, Natalie 
stepped through the bedroom door and stared at him lying half 
naked on the sheets.  

"Not that I object to the view, but we'd better work fast on this 
one.  The Captain sent over the cleaners.  They will be sifting 
the dirt before the night is over."  She sat down on the bed and 
gently probed the healing wound on his bare leg. 

"Tell me where it hurts and maybe I can find a shorter path to the 
bullet."  Her eyes trailed to his briefs then she noticed the blue 
silk shirt.  "Trying to keep me distracted?"  She smirked.

Nick pulled her hand over his chest and let the silk slide gently 
under her touch.  "Is it working?"  He stopped with his lips only 
inches from hers and she groaned.

"I know somewhere else I'd like to put this hand."  She eyed him 
mischievously, but still didn't kiss him.

"You do try my reserve, don't you?"  He brought her lips to his 
and gently kissed her.  She opened her mouth and he plunged his 
tongue inside to taste every inch of her and wanted more.  She 
craved his touch as well, and they both knew it.  He molded her 
body onto his and lost all thought of the bullet in his leg.  He 
wanted her here and now and she wanted him.  How could this be 
wrong?  His fingertips traced her face then her neck as her hands 
kneaded the flat, tight muscles of his chest making him hard 
instantly.  He groaned inside her mouth when she moved slowly over 
his already aroused body and the vampire bolted forth.  He broke 
the kiss and made her stare into his eyes.

"We have to stop, Nat."  He gasped between breaths as he watched 
the disappointment touch her delicate features.

"I know." She said softly with regret.  "I'd better get that 
bullet out now or it's going to be like a hot poker in your leg."  
She sat back and gently cleansed the area over the entry wound. 
She probed carefully until he winced then marked the spot.  "Your 
nerve endings are starting to regenerate.  Do you want me to give 
you something for the pain?"  He shook his head.

"Just do it.  We're going to have to hurry."

She lanced his leg and the blood began to flow freely once more.  
He groaned, but remained still.  Quickly, she sliced the muscle 
and he winced at her effort.  "Just hang on."  She pulled out the 
probe and began to work her way toward the bullet lodged near the 
bone.

Immense pain shot through his leg when she sliced the muscle.  
This had never happened before.  Although he wanted to believe it 
was a positive step forward in his return to humanity, he was now 
regretting his refusal of her offer of painkillers. Another groan 
passed his lips as he gripped the side of the bed in an effort to 
remain still as she probed the wound.  The metal probe hit the 
bullet and he screamed in pain.

"Nick?"  Natalie stopped, afraid to go on.  This hadn't happened 
before.  She watched his face turn whiter than normal as he 
collapsed back on the bed in agony.

"Just finish it, Nat."  He panted as he gripped the bed tighter 
and refused to look at her.

"Let me..."

"Just finish it before I pass out.  I can take it, just do it 
quickly," his voice was weak as he ground his teeth together in an 
effort to keep from screaming once more.  

She probed again and the darkness beckoned, but he refused to give 
into it.  Finally, she grabbed the bullet and pulled in one quick 
movement.  The tissue in his thigh made a sucking sound as his leg 
burned in angry retaliation for the invasion.  Blood poured from 
the wound and she applied pressure to stop the bleeding with one 
hand and grabbed a pressure bandage with another.  She watched him 
fight for control as the beast surge forward.  Her heart broke 
when his fangs descended and he fought for control.  

"Deep breaths, Nick."  She placed the pressure bandage over his 
thigh and wrapped it tightly, then reached for the bottle she'd 
brought with her from the fridge.  She shoved it in his hands and 
he downed it quickly.  It seemed to bring relief to both the 
vampire and the pain the raged within his body.  When he opened 
his eyes, they were blue once more.

He watched her closely noticing only the regret in her features.  
She still loved him.  It both relieved and frightened him at the 
same time.  "I'll be okay, Nat."  He touched her face and she 
leaned into the palm of his hand, as a single tear slid silently 
down her cheek.  He wiped it away and pulled her into his arms.  
"Don't lose faith, Nat.  I haven't."  He kissed her forehead and 
held her close until the tears stopped.

"I'm sorry, Nick.  I just..."

He kissed her lips softly then smiled.  "There will be a time and 
a place for us.  I believe that and I hope you do, too.  I don't 
deserve you, but I know I love you.  I think I have for a long 
time.  I just need time to figure out a way for us to be 
together."  He looked in her eyes for understanding.

"I love you too, Nick, and I'll be patient."  She smiled sadly 
then rose from the bed.  "I'm going to wash this bullet and remove 
my fingerprints then make a stop on the way to the morgue."  She 
leaned over and kissed him on the lips quickly.  "You rest for 
awhile, drink another bottle of blood, then show up at the 
precinct before Reese has a coronary."  She smiled and headed for 
the bathroom.  Within minutes, she was gone.  Fifteen minutes 
later she dropped the round at the scene unnoticed, using the 
pretense of a lost instrument from earlier in the evening.

********end flashback*******

"Anything come to mind?"  Tracy asked as she watched him blink and 
return to the proper time zone.

Startled, Nick stared at Tracy forgetting how he must have looked.  
"Sorry, Trace.  I just couldn't help the time-warp."  He smiled 
sadly.

"It was a justifiable shooting, Nick.  We have nothing to hide, so 
let IA come at us.  I saw the whole thing and so did the witness, 
remember?"  Nick nodded his appreciation of her support. 

"I'm going to check with Nat and see what is going on down there.  
If we're getting hit by IA this hard, so are they."  He switched 
off his computer and headed for the door.

-----------
"Dr. Lambert, could I speak with you about something?"  John asked 
in a soft voice over the intercom between rooms.

"Sure, John.  Just let me finish this incision and I'll be right 
in."  Natalie sliced the abdominal wall cleanly, then laid her 
scalpel down and stripped her gloves.  John was in autopsy room 3 
down the hall.  She pushed open the door to find him straddling 
the victim on the table as he tried to crack the chest cavity of a 
300 lb man.  She smiled at the sight, knowing full well she'd done 
the same thing on several occasions with victims who outweighed 
her substantially.

He noticed her almost instantly and caught the smile on her face.  
"Don't laugh.  I've tried everything else."  He let go and jumped 
nimbly down to the floor.  "I thought with you being so small that 
you might have some idea on how to crack the chest."  He realized 
what he'd implied and blushed accordingly.  "I didn't mean you 
couldn't do your job or anything.  I just thought..."

"It's okay, John.  I understand and I'm very aware I'm not a 6'2" 
man with bulging muscles...but a girl learns to find other ways."  
She smiled.  I was only smiling because I've done the same thing 
many times and sometimes that won't even work.  Why don't you wait 
right here and I'll be back in a second."  Natalie disappeared out 
the door and returned a minute later carrying a large set of bolt 
cutters with a spring-loaded spreader.  She handed it to him.  
"Try these!  Compliments of a lady coroner who is less than 6' 
tall.  They may not be standard issue, but they'll get the job 
done.  Let me know what you think when you're done and make sure I 
get them back." She headed for the door.

"Natalie?"  John was a bit shy, but very taken with this young 
woman's attitude and ability to function in a man's world.  She 
turned and smiled.

"Could I take you out to dinner or breakfast some morning as a 
thank-you."

Nat was flattered and smiled.  She walked back inside the autopsy 
room and closed the door.  "I appreciate the offer, John, but I'm 
seeing someone and I'm not sure he'd take it the right way if we 
had dinner."

John's eyes saddened.  "Fair enough and I appreciate you being 
honest with me, but I'd still like to be friends.  I'm rather new 
in town and I don't know many people.  I could use a friendly ear 
now and then and I'm serious about the thank-you.  If dinner will 
make your boyfriend jealous, then how about lunch between shifts 
or maybe breakfast?  Carrying on a conversation with a corpse all 
night is starting to get old.  I could use some old fashion, real 
life conversation.  If you know what I mean?"  He looked boyish 
and very much in need.  The honesty within him was visible in his 
eyes and his body language.  It was the truth and he wanted her to 
know it.

"Okay, lunch break in 20 minutes it is.  We'll go to the small 
Italian place around the corner.  They are used to the eau-de-
formaldehyde."  She smiled and headed for the door.  It might have 
been a mistake, but John was so pathetic with those big brown 
eyes.  She just couldn't refuse.  She walked in the door and Nick 
sat quietly at her desk.

"What's up, Nick?  I don't have Mr. Arnold finished yet.  She 
walked over and sat down on the edge of her desk and watched him 
closely.

"IA's all over us on the O'Reiley case.  They're looking for 
improprieties because the mother is claiming excess police 
violence on her poor little boy.  How are they down here?"  He 
looked worried.

"We got the 'cross your T's and dot your I's' lecture before we 
started the shift.  We have to go over our reports with a fine-
tooth comb, but nothing beyond that.  The boss is upset they are 
questioning our records, but it's not just the O'Reiley case.  
It's the past 2 years.  I have to finish Mr. Arnold here and get 
the report out before midnight.  I probably won't get off before 
dawn for the next month if I have to go over every report for 2 
years.  Guess we won't be having popcorn night anytime soon."  She 
sighed sadly and he placed her hand in his.

"Just be careful, Nat.  I don't want you getting into hot water 
over me."  He kissed the back of her hand gently with a sigh and 
meant it.

She smiled and placed her other hand over his.  "I love hot water.  
It makes a girl more relaxed.  It will be fine, Nick.  Don't 
worry."  A light tap at the door and John walked through the door 
carrying his coat.

"Oh, sorry, Natalie."  He blushed, then went forward and offered 
his hand to Nick.  "I'm John Florence.  I work down the hall.  You 
must be Nick Knight."  Nick looked at him skeptically and the man 
blushed again.  "I'm sorry.  You're exactly how everyone describes 
you.  I mean everyone told me you and your partner were frequent 
visitors down here and close friends of Dr. Lambert."

Nick raised a questioning eye toward him, then Natalie.  He wasn't 
even going to guess where this conversation was going and the guy 
seemed perfectly harmless.  He noticed the coat and John watched 
Nick's eyes.

"John and I are going for Italian around the corner, Nick.  Want 
to join us?"  Natalie volunteered before Nick asked.  Nick stared 
at her, then John before he responded as if he were listening for 
something to be said that wasn't there.  

"I'll pass, Nat.  Tracy and I have a great deal of paper to go 
over before we call it a night.  We need to get a few things 
ironed out between us as well."  He let the implication hang heavy 
in the air and Natalie seemed surprised.  Nick leaned over and 
kissed her forehead quickly in a possessive manner then headed for 
the door.  He stopped at the door when she smiled and waved him 
out.  She chuckled as the door shut, then turned back to John.

"I'm really sorry, Nat.  I hope I didn't cause any problems with 
him."  He waited for her to deny or affirm the relationship, but 
she simply smiled instead and ignored the statement.

"I'll get my coat.  I think I can smell the garlic calling me from 
here."  She grabbed her coat and headed for the door.



Part 3



"Well, Nick must really trust you."  John smiled as he hung up 
Natalie's coat for her.  She still didn't respond.  "You're not 
going to say anything about that little scene back there, are 
you?"

Natalie chuckled.  "Oh, I think you're talking enough for both of 
us.  I told you I was involved with someone and you said you only 
needed a friend.  Friendship I can offer you, John, but Nick and I 
are trying to work things out.  It's very complicated."  She sat 
down and pulled open her menu.

"Some of the guys told me I didn't have a chance because you were 
already taken, but I didn't believe them.  Guess it's the 'never 
say quit' syndrome in me.  Girls have always liked me for some 
reason. There hasn't been one I couldn't sway my way...until now.  
They said you were different and I thought if I used my boyish 
charms on you, you'd at least give me a shot.  Guess I was wrong."  
He smiled and she couldn't help but feel attracted to him. The 
desire to help him overwhelmed her again.  What was it about John 
Florence that made you believe him and want to help?

"You're doing it again.  How do you do that?  Is it something 
intentional or do you just naturally ooze that feeling of  'I need 
you' without trying?"  Natalie eyed him closely and wondered.  
"Want to play lab rat?  I could run some tests on you to find 
out."  She raised a knowing eye as she watched him sit back 
startled. 

"Okay, okay...friends it is.  But understand this...if Knight ever 
doesn't give you the attention you need...I'm your man.  You will 
never want for attention or understanding from me."  He smiled and 
offered her his hand.  "Deal?"

Nat reached across the table and chuckled as she shook his hand.  
"Deal!" The thought pleased her even now.  Nick giving her all the 
attention she needed.  Was that possible?  Would it ever be 
possible?  At least he was willing to try now.  That was a step in 
the right direction, now all they had to do was find some time to 
figure out how. She and John finished the meal in friendly 
conversation.  Natalie hadn't felt this comfortable in a long, 
long time.  John Florence was not only handsome, but attentive, 
witty and a bright doctor doing research in genetic mutation.  She 
had to get a look at some of his research.  Maybe it would help 
with Nick's condition.

------------

Natalie was finishing the last set of the reports on William 
Arnold.  It was an apparent suicide.  The man was being eaten 
alive with cancer and his system was filled with drugs for the 
pain.  The gunshot wound was self-inflicted, without a doubt.  
She'd covered the body earlier when she finished and sighed with 
regret.  No one should have to suffer like that before they die. 
The door opened quietly and Harrison Goethe stepped in.

"Harry, this is a surprise.  Didn't you get the prelims I sent 
over earlier?  I'm just finishing up the final report now."  She 
stared at his grim face.

"It's not the Arnold case I'm here about, Natalie.  It's the 
O'Reiley case."  Goethe sat down at her desk in front of her.  "IA 
found your fingerprints on the slug they discovered at the sight.  
They've sent the slug over to another division to verify it and 
match it to O'Reiley's gun."  He watched her closely for her 
reaction and saw surprise and disbelief.

"I find that hard to believe, Harry.  You know as well as I do 
that I didn't touch that bullet until after forensics dusted it 
and brought it down to the autopsy room for my input.  I couldn't 
have contaminated the bullet with my fingerprints before they 
received it and you know it."  Anger crept into her voice.

"There's more, Natalie.  They're saying there are bone fragments 
embedded in the soft flat lead face.  They're saying the bullet 
was in human tissue and bone before it ever hit the dirt it was 
found in.  They are saying you're covering for someone.  Someone 
who was shot by O'Reiley's gun and the bullet planted at the scene 
to build a case against O'Reiley for the police.  They're saying 
the other bullets they found don't match O'Reiley's gun and you 
planted the evidence to clear Detective Knight" He waited for her 
to reply and saw the anger building behind her eyes.  He hated 
doing this.

"There is going to be an in-depth investigation into all your 
reports because of this.  They want to see the last 7 years of 
case reports.  They will be looking into your bank accounts, your 
personal life and all your habits, Natalie.  I hope for your sake 
everything is in order."  He watched the anger in her eyes build, 
causing him to rethink his position for a moment.

"I won't even dignify that with an answer, MR. GOETHE, and I'm 
certainly glad to see that you support your people without 
question!"  She stood and went to the door and opened it wide.  
"Since it's obvious I have to spend a great deal of time in 
records, then I'll assume you have someone else to take over my 
duties down here while I do YOUR job and back up my findings.  
Have a nice night, Harry!  There's been a train wreck and the body 
count was at 10 the last I heard.  They should be here in about 10 
minutes.  Welcome to the REAL night shift!"  She closed the door 
and walked out.

--------------- 

Nick had gone over every detail in the report and Tracy had 
checked it twice.  There were no holes, no reason for doubt.  It 
was a justifiable homicide from top to bottom. There were bullets 
found in the tree and in the dirt, all from O'Reiley's gun.  The 
one was smashed and unexplained as to why it's condition included 
a flat head as if it had hit a solid object.  Aside from that, 
there were no anomalies in the case.  Eyewitness testimony stated 
O'Reiley had beaten and raped her, threaten to kill her for trying 
to leave him and had been using drugs for over 12 hours in front 
of her.  His body was filled with cocaine and a new street drug 
called 'heaven'.  The man was so wacked on drugs, he was not 
rational at the time of the shooting.  Could Nick have shot to 
wound him?  Possibly, but the backlash would most certainly got 
the young woman killed.  It was a clean shoot from start to 
finish.  They just couldn't see IA's interest.  Tracy and Nick 
headed for Reese's office. 

---------

"There's nothing in here, Cap, that is off.  Witness testimony, 
Tracy's report, forensics on the drugs and the slug from the gun 
that matched O'Reiley's.  I don't know what else you want us to 
say or do?"  Nick stood by Tracy and waited for the Captain to 
look over the report once more.

"There's a problem, Nick, with the slug.  IA is saying there is 
human tissue embedded in the surface of the slug and Natalie's 
prints are on it.  They're saying Natalie planted the slug to 
clear you.  If they can prove it, you both are in trouble and then 
there's the question Natalie is going to have to answer about 
where she got the slug from O'Reiley's gun.  It's now a question 
of whether Natalie is an accomplice to O'Reiley or not.  I think 
the eyewitness testimony will clear you along with Tracy, but 
Natalie is under close scrutiny right now.  They are going back 
over all her cases.  I've been instructed to tell you to not see 
her until this is over.  IA doesn't want to have to suspend you 
during this time, but they will if you try and help her."  Reese 
looked disgusted and upset at the same time.

"You actually believe I would let them hang her out to dry without 
helping?" Nick stared at him amazed.  "What upsets me most is the 
fact that you're willing to let her go this alone as well."  Gold 
flashed in his eyes before he could control it.  He walked over to 
the desk and handed Reese his badge and gun.  "Consider that my 
resignation or suspension, which ever suits your needs.  Some of 
us don't let our friends be hung out to dry without a lifeline."  
He turned and stormed out the door.

"Nick!"  Tracy started after him.

"Don't, Tracy!"  Reese's authoritarian voice boomed across the 
room as she headed for the door.  She turned at him shocked.

"You can't let him..."

"We are no good to them suspended or fired, Detective.  They need 
an inside link and we're it.  I've not known Nick long, but I know 
I wouldn't let the woman I love go it alone.  This had to be done.  
Let's just help them from the inside and let them do the outside 
work."  He sat down with a sigh.  "Now call him in about 5 minutes 
and tell him I'm not a complete ass."  He looked disgusted with 
himself and sad for the first time since this began.

-----------

Natalie sat at the computer pulling up all her files and 
forwarding them to her home address.  It wouldn't take long before 
they cut her off completely and she'd need a full copy.  Mentally 
she retraced her steps and was certain she'd made no mistakes with 
the bullet.  She cleansed the bullet with soap and water, then 
peroxide wearing rubber gloves from her bag.  There were no 
fragments on the slug.  She would swear to it as well as no 
fingerprints, but she had to make sure everything else in her 
files was clean and they weren't fabricating something else.  This 
wasn't like Harrison Goethe.  He'd been a good boss and very 
supportive.  What had changed and why so rapidly?  This whole mess 
would require a closer look.  She finished the last group of files 
just as the door opened and John Florence walked in.

"What's up, John?"  She noticed the look of sadness in his big 
brown eyes.

"I'm the new guy, so I'm the one they thought could get away with 
telling you."  He stared at his feet and felt the blush rush up 
his cheeks.  Why was this happening?  Natalie was a great coroner 
and a better human being.  She didn't deserve this.  He'd read her 
file from top to bottom...first woman coroner for the city, first 
class reports, abilities far beyond the norm for finding answers 
where no one else could. Why would someone try pushing her out?  
He'd been around enough big political machines to know the signs.  
Someone wanted her gone and this was the only way.  

"They are suspending you until further notice.  You are to turn in 
your ID's and case files to me.  I'm to pick up where you left 
off.  I'm really sorry about this and you know it has nothing to 
do with me."  He was looking for understanding and found it 
instantly.

"I understand, John.  Sorry they laid it on you but Harry didn't 
get the response he wanted earlier, so he's taking the coward's 
way out."  She reached over, pulled her ID off her jacket, then 
dug into her purse beside her and pulled out her ME card and 
handed them both to him. 

"The Arnold case is finished.  If you have any questions, call me 
at home.  I'm sorry you got dragged into this.  You don't need it 
right now, but then neither do I."  She peeled off her lab jacket 
and tossed it across the chair she'd just vacated.  "Maybe it's 
time for a change anyway.  Seven years is a long time."  She 
headed for the door.

John brushed her sleeve in comfort.  "Know I'm going to look into 
this.  You may not know me well, but neither do they.  I'll get to 
the bottom of this.  You can count on it."  She smiled and closed 
the door.


Part 4


---------

"Well, what is your opinion, Johann?"  The Royal Elder, Phoenix, 
asked calmly.  

"She is a strong woman, my master.  She is worthy of your 
consideration and our trust.  She is bright, beautiful and full of 
energy I've never possessed myself.  It makes you want to touch 
it, be part of it for all eternity. It would be a great honor to 
have her among us."  Johann bowed in respect to his master for 
over 600 years.

"And what of the vampire?"  Skepticism laced Phoenix's tone.

"I am not sure about him at this point.  I will watch him closer 
now that the situation has gotten tense."  Johann smiled and 
thought about his brief encounter.  "He is different than the 
others.  There is some energy about him that I've not felt before. 
Much like the energy that surrounds you."  Johann looked at his 
master and waited for an explosion, but found only confusion on 
his master's face.  This was a good sign as he watched the colors 
around his master change rapidly.  "I will leave now and report 
back to you later."  He quickly disappeared out the door before 
his comments had the wrong effect.  He had much work to do.

--------

Natalie paced the floor of her apartment for only 5 minutes before 
she called the precinct.  Tracy answered on the second ring.

"Trace, where's Nick?"  She tried to sound calmer than she felt.

"He's gone, Nat.  IA left orders he was to stay away from you 
during this investigation or be suspended.  He quit right on the 
spot, turned in his badge and gun and walked out the door.  Hasn't 
he called you yet?"  Tracy began to worry.

"I just walked in the door and they made me turn in my cell phone.  
Hopefully he'll call me here soon."  A part of her was relieved 
she wouldn't have to fight this alone, but the fact that Nick 
wasn't here meant he had an idea where the problem originated.  If 
she were guessing, it was a very old relationship that was not yet 
mended.  LaCroix's image flashed before her and she groaned.  

"Are you okay, Nat?"  Tracy concern could be heard over the phone 
line and Nat was touched.

"Thanks for worrying about me, Trace, and Nick too for that 
matter.  You're a good partner to Nick and a good friend if he 
hasn't told you lately.  I'll call you if I learn anything."  

"I'm checking out the IA guys as we speak, Nat.  The Captain and I 
are you ears in here.  Tell Nick that when you see him.  We'll get 
to the bottom of this."  Tracy hung up and dialed her man in 
records.

---------

Nick walked into the Raven just a little past midnight.  The music 
was loud and the patrons seemed oblivious to anything unusual in 
the air.  Nick, however, was not immune to the feeling of age that 
overwhelmed him as he drove closer to the Raven.  He'd felt it 
several times before and asked LaCroix for an explanation, but 
none ever came forth.  He walked toward the sound booth to find a 
tape playing and no LaCroix.  When Nick listened to the 
description given by the Captain of what Natalie was supposed to 
have done, it fit way too closely to the truth.  That could have 
come from only 3 sources and he was positive he and Natalie had 
not volunteered the information about digging the slug out of his 
thigh.  That left only one other source.  

Only one other person possessed that knowledge and it hadn't been 
given freely.  LaCroix's so-called benevolent behavior of sharing 
blood with him in the hospital had not only helped heal Nick, but 
it also gave him personal knowledge of all that Nick felt and 
experienced since their last exchange of blood some 200 years 
earlier.  He'd been very careful, but in the hospital, the 
situation was out of his control and once again his master used it 
to his advantage.  It's what Nick had feared most since the return 
of his memory.

LaCroix stood staring out the window gazing at the skyline in 
pensive thought.  A half-empty bottle of blood sat on the table 
next to him.  The feeling of age overwhelmed Nick until he gasped 
for breath.  Someone very old and very powerful had been in this 
room very recently.  Nick waited and pushed out with his senses, 
but the wall of power crushed him to the wall holding him in 
place.

"Let go, Nicholas!"  LaCroix demanded in a stern voice.  "You are 
not prepared for the power.  Walk away from it or it will crush 
you and what sanity you possess."  Fear edged his voice while he 
watched his son struggle to understand what he felt.  Without 
hesitation, he walked to the table and smashed it in one blow.  
Reaching down, he grabbed a table leg and slammed it into Nick's 
stomach.  

Nick groaned in pain when the stake edged upward toward his heart 
and touched it.  Fire shot through his body and the vampire 
responded in a fight for his life.  He hissed in anger and pain 
then let go of the feeling of power that had so intrigued him.  
His body responded to the threat of the stake.  He slammed his 
wrist downward in an effort to free his body of the instrument of 
death, but LaCroix pushed upward further until Nick screamed in 
agony as the white hot fire burned brighter and burst into flames 
within his very veins.  Natalie's face appeared before him and he 
reached out to her for comfort before he collapsed in his father's 
arms.  Only then did LaCroix jerk the stake free from his body.

LaCroix picked up his son and carried him to his bed and placed 
him gently on the silk sheets.  Immediately, he grabbed the bottle 
of blood by his nightstand and forced it to Nicholas' lips.  Nick 
sucked greedily as his body needed it to survive and the vampire 
roared to life once more.  Golden eyes greeted LaCroix.  LaCroix 
stepped back and shoved another bottle of the house's finest into 
his hands as Nick glared angrily at him.  The bleeding slowed when 
his metabolism took over and began to heal the wound in his 
stomach.  It would take longer for the injury to the heart and 
they both knew it.  LaCroix sliced his wrist and let it bleed 
freely, then offered it to his son to speed up the healing 
process.

Nick shoved it away in anger and struggled to his feet.  "I don't 
think so.  First you betray me, then you stake me...and NOW you 
expect me to drink your blood.  Is there some purpose for all this 
or are you just entertaining yourself again at my expense?"  He 
tried to walk, but watched the floor come to meet him as LaCroix 
caught him once more.

"You would have been destroyed if you'd touched the power of the 
ancients.  Your mind is not ready to accept what they are or what 
they have been.  You will heal."  LaCroix checked his son's 
healing wound and noticed how slowly the skin regenerated.  He was 
making progress in his quest.  No doubt more of the Good Doctor's 
handiwork.  This had to stop no matter what the cost.  Nick 
watched him closely and read his thoughts as if he spoke them 
aloud.

"Yes, I'm making progress and trying to force Natalie out of my 
life will only make me try harder."  He ground out between heavy 
breaths then pulled away with the help of the post supporting the 
bed.

"Don't be foolish, Nicholas.  If I wanted the Good Doctor out of 
your life, I would have killed her years ago."  He turned and 
walked back to the mini-bar at the back of the room and poured 
himself another glass of the house specialty and stared at his 
son.  "Go home, Nicholas.  Go help your little pet out of her 
little problem.  Maybe then you'll see how tedious these mortals 
can be and move on with your life."

"I thought we'd come to an understanding and become friends, but I 
see I was wrong again.  You will never be happy until you control 
me and possess 100 percent of my attention.  You need help, 
LaCroix.  I have become an obsession you can't have and you're 
willing to throw away everything to possess it."  Nick took a slow 
tentative step toward the door clutching his abdomen to control 
the pain still burning in his chest.  Each step was a trial, but 
he refused to give in to it.  When he reached the door, he turned 
to his father.  "Know that if you hurt Natalie, I will kill you.  
You know what is in my blood and how I feel about her.  I won't 
deny that to you, but you owe me your life because of Divia and I 
claim my debt to you for my sister paid.  Hurt Natalie and I will 
see you burn in the morning sun if it's the last living thing I 
do."  He tore the door off the hinges and walked slowly out into 
the blaring noise of the bar.

"You did not misunderstand, my son.  This is not my choice."  Deep 
regret laced his voice and he pushed it away only to have it 
return of it's own accord as he watched his son stumble twice and 
fight to stay on his feet.  Moments later Nick was gone and 
reality once again made him evaluate his own situation. 


Part 5



John searched the files earnestly looking for something that might 
be helpful to Natalie.  He had to find something.  Over the past 7 
years, he found her work to be detailed, explicitly clear and very 
concise. Every case was documented, complete and without question.  
Only twice had he noticed vague entries unable to describe the 
cause.  Each time she presented the possibility of animal attacks 
or maybe cult followers who desired large quantities of blood.  
Both times the victims in her opinion were dead prior to the 
draining of the bodies.  At this late date, even with the 
exhumation of the body, cause of death would be undeterminable 
unless they'd been shot or mutilated with a sharp instrument of 
some kind or maybe poisoned.

One victim supposedly was dying of cancer and was documented by 
prior reports found in the file, while the other had a broken neck 
as the cause of the death.  Both cases remained open and unsolved, 
but he could find nothing to indicate there was anything 
misrepresented in her findings.  He closed the file frustrated.  
Flipping open his phone he dialed Natalie's home number.

"Natalie, it's John Florence. Pick up if you're there."  He 
listened to her answering machine kick on and play the recording.  
Where could she be?  He hung up the phone, more confused than 
before.  Then he realized where she'd gone.

------------

Natalie paced the floor of the loft back and forth in front of the 
fireplace.  It had been over 2 hours since Nick had walked out of 
the precinct after quitting.  This whole situation was mushrooming 
out of control and she had no idea where to start except at the 
Raven.  She reached for her coat and headed for the lift.  It 
kicked on and started to rise.  When the lift stopped, she reached 
for the door-latch and pulled it open.  Nick leaned up against the 
wall, still as death, eyes closed.  Blood cover his white shirt 
and his chest rose ever so slowly. "Nick?"

She raced into the elevator and touched him gently.  He groaned at 
her efforts.  "What has happened, Nick?"  She touched his face in 
an effort to make him open his eyes and look at her.  When he did, 
the vampire greeted her.

"You need to go, Nat.  I'm not really safe right at the moment."  
He fought the beast within himself as he watched the pulsing vein 
in her neck and felt the lust crush his will even further.

"Not likely, Nick Knight.  Just get control of it and let me help 
you."  She didn't hesitate but wrapped her arm around his waist.  
He growled in pain when she touched the healing wound.  "It 
appears your nerve ending are getting more and more active all the 
time."

"Nat...you need to get out of here for awhile...just until..."  He 
labored to breathe and talk at the same time.  The wound over his 
stomach was healed, but the burning sensation in his veins from 
the injury to his heart continued, and the loss of blood was not 
doing his balance any good.  She helped prop him against the wall 
and ran to the refrigerator.  She returned with two bottles and 
shoved them into his hands.  After he finished the second bottle, 
he finally looked at her again.  Gold still danced brightly around 
the edges of his eyes, but he began to breathe easier and slower.  
When she touched him again, he didn't grimace and wrapped his arm 
around her for support.  They headed for the couch and she helped 
him lay down.  She tore his shirt away without hesitation.  The 
wound was almost healed on the outside.

"Do you want to tell me what I'm looking for?"  She asked worried, 
as she gently probed the healing wound.  "Metal or wood?"  She 
asked expecting a quick answer.  He simply pulled her hand into 
his and took a deep breath. 

"I know you are in pain, because you're breathing.  You only 
breathe where I can see it when you're out of control or in pain.  
In this case, I think it's both.  Tell me how to help you."  Fear 
was etched into her face and it wasn't about her present 
circumstances.

"LaCroix staked me to keep me from finding out something.  
Something that's important to both of us."  He reached to touch 
her face gently and watch her eyes.  "He knows how I feel about 
you.  He shared his blood with me in the hospital to help me heal 
and in the process he learned a great deal of information I've 
kept from him for a long time. Eight hundred years ago I bartered 
the life of my sister for the first mortal I ever truly fell in 
love with to LaCroix.  He was in love with my sister or at least I 
thought he was, and I couldn't stand the idea of her becoming the 
evil monster that I'd become.  I was certain I would never fall in 
love with a mortal since all I'd ever felt for them since becoming 
a creature of the night was lust. I should have known if I could 
still love my family that it was possible.  He knew it and used it 
to his advantage.  Up until now it hadn't happened, but now I'm 
terrified of what he will do to you."  He stared into her eyes 
frightened.

"Say it."  She said softly.  "Please, say it.  I need to hear you 
say it."

"I love you, Natalie Lambert.  If I don't kill you in a fit of 
passion, LaCroix will.  I wish I could stop myself..." She placed 
a finger to his lips to silence him.

"I love you too, Nick Knight, and no matter what happens in the 
future as long as I know you love me, we'll make it through."  She 
kissed him and he pulled her full body over his and gave into the 
warmth and love she offered.  He deepened the kiss when she gave 
him free reign of her body with both his hands and tongue.  This 
was right and nothing could convince her otherwise.

He broke the kiss when they both began gasping for air.  "We have 
to stop now.  I want you too badly and my body is in dire need of 
human blood.  That's not a good combination."  He made her look at 
him as he placed both hands around her face and traced his thumbs 
down her soft cheeks.  "I promise you we'll find a way to be 
together without me hurting you.  Just promise me you won't run 
screaming when you see all that I've done."  He waited for her to 
understand.

"I know what you are, Nick.  What you have been.  I love the man 
you are now, the man you've become in the past 100 years.  I have 
no illusions about what you're capable of and I promise to love 
you now and forever.  I've never said that to anyone before.  I've 
never let anyone have my heart completely, because I was afraid I 
wouldn't be me any longer.  I don't want to be just me any more.  
I want to be us.  Do you understand that?"  She hoped she was 
making sense, because what she felt inside she couldn't describe.

He smiled and pulled her lips only inches from his.  "Forever is a 
long time, Natalie Lambert."

"I hope so." She whispered as her lips found his once more.

----------

"It is going as planned, Royal Elder."  The tall blonde man 
reported as he bowed in front of his superior.  "If Knight follows 
the profile of the past, we shall have our answer soon."

"Very good.  You may return.  Push him to the limits and do it 
quickly.  LaCroix's powers have grown over the centuries and he 
may cause us problems.  His obsession with de Brabant may 
overshadow his reason.  They are more alike than I had realized.  
There are still some human traits left in LaCroix and they are 
beginning to surface."  He waved his minon away with a twitch of 
his finger.  His age sucked the oxygen out of the room and if the 
man had been human it would have created a problem.  Raymash left 
without any problem to continue his task.

---------

Tracy sat staring at the computer screen in front of her, 
tediously comparing to the printed copy she'd run off earlier that 
evening.  Someone was changing Natalie's reports.  She picked up 
the phone and dialed.  "Heh, Allen."  She chirped more cheerful 
than she felt.  "I need a favor.  Can you trace who is on the 
system at anytime and tell me who is entering data?"  She asked 
calmly trying to not to appear anxious.  He responded positively.  
"Could you trace one online right now?"  When he answered, she 
continued to give him the information she needed.  With the 
promise of a date and 2 free basketball tickets he agreed.  Five 
minutes later her phone rang and she had the answer.  Anger 
flashed in her bright blue eyes as she picked up her coat and keys 
and headed for the door.  The phone lines weren't safe.

----------- 

As Nick deepened the kiss, his fangs extended and he nicked her 
tongue. He sucked her essence into his very soul and was lost.  
Love surrounded him, cradled him in a feeling of safety and 
passion he'd never known existed.  She loved him without question 
and his soul was free at last.  He broke the kiss and stared into 
her trusting eyes.  "How can you trust me that much?  You can't 
even imagine what I could do to you."

She placed a finger over his lips to silence him.  "You tasted my 
blood and you stopped, Nick.  That tells me more than your words 
could ever say.  Push into what you feel in my blood and don't be 
afraid.  I'm not.  What is between us is stronger than the 
vampire.  I know that now."  The buzzer rang and Tracy's voice 
echoed over the intercom.

"Nick, I need to see you and Natalie...NOW!"  She sounded nervous.  
They both turned their heads at the same time.

"You get a clean shirt and drink another bottle of blood.  I'll 
buzz her in."  Natalie was the first to rise off the couch when he 
nodded in agreement.  Minutes later, Tracy sat in the living room 
wringing her hands.


Part 6


"You're being set up," Tracy stated calmly when she looked at Nat.  
"Someone in the IA department is changing your files as we speak, 
but what's more mysterious is the fact that someone in the morgue 
is changing Nick's reports as well.  The terminals from which they 
are making the changes are different each time.  I printed out 
reports of yours and ours on the O'Reiley case and a few others of 
yours, Nat.  They are different from what is in the system now."  
She looked at Nick then Nat.  

"I know you aren't going to like this, but I called my dad.  The 
guys in IA show up in the computer, but no one really knows who 
they are.  I mean, it's like their background is fabricated to 
meet the job requirements, but no one remembers them from their 
previous job references.  Dad checked and now he's suspicious 
about the whole deal.  Someone wants you out of the ME office 
badly, Nat, and someone wants Nick to take the fall for this 
shooting.  There's a new piece of evidence in the file today that 
wasn't there yesterday when I printed off our copies.  Another gun 
was now found at O'Reiley's place during the search and the serial 
numbers off the first gun taken at the scene are different than 
they were yesterday.  If I understand what's going on, they are 
going to try and say you switched the guns and Natalie planted the 
bullet at the scene to match the one you dropped by O'Reiley at 
the scene.  They are saying the other bullets at the scene match 
this new gun and O'Reiley fired wild and never meant to kill 
anyone.  They are going to say Nick shot O'Reiley to shut him up 
about the mysterious money that has shown up in his bank account."

She tried to make light of the situation as she stared at her 
partner.  "By the way...make me a loan before they take all this 
money back.  I'm in need of a new set of wheels."

"I haven't a clue about the morgue scenario, but this is a 
choreographed set-up for the both of you."  Tracy waited for a 
reaction.

"Someone is trying to get rid of Natalie and force her out of the 
department in disgrace.  Our connection and the shooting makes me 
the likely target.  The question is who is behind it in the 
Solicitor General's office and why?"  Nick sat down in the chair 
beside the couch and thought for a minute.  "Who is the most 
political and has the power to place people in IA without 
questions?  Who can manipulate the records well enough for them 
not to be questioned until it's too late."  Nick tossed the paper 
at Tracy.  "We also have a leak to the media."  
The headline read:  'Metro Night Shift dirty from the ME's office 
to homicide!'

"If you read the whole article it does everything but call Nat by 
name and describes me as the dirty cop on the take."  Tracy 
scanned the article.  

"They did everything but give your badge number, Nick.  Who is 
leaking this?"  She stared at them confused.

Natalie read the article and cursed in anger.  "It's the new guy 
John Florence!"  She tossed the paper on the table and headed for 
her coat.

"Where are you going?"  Nick grabbed her before she reached the 
table."

"Only one person knows I sent those files to my home computer 
beside the 3 of us in this room.  The article implies the files 
were manipulated from another site and sent in as legitimate 
reports from out of the police department.  John walked in on me 
when I was sending all me files to my home computer.  I'm guessing 
my place is trashed by now as well.  Care to find out?"  She 
stared at him, already knowing the answer.

Nick glanced at his watch and knew dawn was only an hour away.  
"Let's go!"

Natalie touched his clean silk shirt over his heart.  "You sure 
you're up to it?"  He kissed her lips softly and smiled.

"Absolutely...in for penny...in for a pound."  He smiled and they 
headed for the lift.  Tracy ran to catch up.

--------

Natalie stared at the mess of her apartment.  Her computer was in 
pieces on the floor and every couch and chair slashed until the 
guts trailed over the floor in little cotton strings.  "We'll they 
were thorough," she sighed with regret.

"You didn't want to stay here anyway."  Nick looked at her 
knowingly as he remembered the desire in her blood.  Another 
thought caught his attention and he turned to his partner.  "Did 
anyone else know you printed off copies of our reports?"  He 
looked at her hopefully.

"I don't think so, Nick, and I have them in my car at your place 
in my small satchel.  We'd better get back there before they do 
the same to your place."  It was near dawn and Nick knew he was in 
trouble.

"Nat, you go get the car and bring it as close to the door as 
possible.  Trace and I need to have a little chat."  He sighed and 
glanced at Nat for a moment, hoping for some support.

"It's about time," she said and headed for the door.

Tracy stood before Nick, more confused than before.  "You want to 
tell me what's going on with all the looks and innuendo's.  I'm 
part of this, too, you know."  

"I've started to tell you this a dozen times in the last year, but 
chickened out every time.  Well, there is no getting around it now 
and you should know what you're dealing with in case what I 
suspect is true.  Natalie will need your help if things go badly."  
He waited and took a step backwards and watched her eyes.  "I'm an 
800 year old creature of the night."  

Tracy dropped her keys in shock and stared at him.  "Yeah, 
right...and I'm Wonder Woman!"  She snorted in disbelief.  She 
bent to pick up her keys, then looked at her partner again.  His 
eyes glowed and fangs were a prominent feature on his face.  She 
dropped the keys once more and stared in shock.  "This isn't 
possible.  I would have felt the evil.  I felt it every time I was 
around Vachon.  It's a palpable feeling when I'm in the Raven.  
It's not possible." She repeated and stepped forward to touch him.  
He let down his guard and the evil within him flooded the room and 
caused her to gasp.

"Is that what you wanted to feel?"  Nick said sadly and drew it 
back within him.  "I'm old, Tracy...very old...only those over the 
age of 500 can control the evil that surrounds them constantly."  
He took a deep breath, and when he looked up, the Nick she'd known 
for almost 2 years reappeared. 

"I didn't tell you because you were seeing vampires everywhere 
after Vachon.  When he died and you were so distraught, I just 
didn't have the heart to remind you of the other reality that 
exists.  I thought it was better if you forgot about the community 
and our world, but I was wrong.  Because you're my partner, you're 
going to be dragged into this mess whether you want to be or not."  
He stepped forward to touch her arm and she jerked back 
automatically.

"You had no right to keep it from me, Nick!  You knew I knew about 
your kind and what kind of danger that put me in...but you didn't 
trust me!"  Sadness joined the anger in her eyes.  "I thought we 
were building a relationship...a partnership...This tells me you 
don't trust me or respect me."  She turned and ran down the steps 
out into the dawn.

Natalie popped open the trunk and walked back inside the alcove 
where Nick had stopped.  "She'll calm down, Nick, then you can 
really talk."  She saw the regret in his eyes.

"She was right, Nat.  I didn't trust her.  How do I explain that?  
How do I justify not telling her something that could get her 
killed or ruin her career?  What right do I have to keep that from 
her?  What right do I have to put you through this?"  He looked at 
her and felt so guilty.  "I should have left a long time ago and 
none of this would have happened.  They want me destroyed in my 
present life, so I will move on.  This is LaCroix's doing and he 
is trying to destroy you to get you out of my life."  Anger danced 
in his eyes, but his voice was filled with guilt.

Natalie walked over and wrapped her arms around him.  "Anything 
worth having is worth fighting for, Nick."  She laid her face on 
his chest and he embraced her slowly giving into the comfort she 
always brought.  She raised her cheek from he silk shirt and 
stared into his eyes before she asked.  "Tell me we're worth 
fighting for and I'll know I've made the right decision."

He could destroy her with one word and he saw it instantly in her 
eyes.  She was giving him an out.  Would he take it for the sake 
of protecting her or could he destroy her emotionally and live 
with himself.  Instinct told him to protect her, but his heart 
wouldn't let him destroy the only woman he'd ever truly loved.

"You are the only thing in my life worth fighting for, Natalie.  I 
love you and it's the worse thing that could happen to you, but I 
can't change how I feel."  He brushed away a tear trickling down 
her soft cheek. I'll find out who is at the bottom of this.  I 
won't let them destroy your life.  I swear it." He kissed her 
cheek then her lips.  "Now let's take a ride and make a plan.  I'm 
betting the IA guys are plants from the Solicitor's office."  He 
squeezed her hand, then ran for the trunk of the car and slammed 
the lid.  Less than a half hour later they were at the loft and 
Tracy's car was gone.

----------

Raymond and Arnold stood totally still in the Solicitor General's 
office.  It was well past dawn and they weren't going anywhere 
until they had the answers they needed.  "You will cooperate 
Solicitor or certain information will be made public about your 
midnight encounters."  Arnold eyed him closely.  "You will push 
through the paperwork and force Knight to admit the truth or walk 
away.  Either way, our boss gets the information he needs.  No one 
will be harmed and your debt will be obliterated.  It's quite 
simple."

The Solicitor signed the form and handed it back to them.  Knight 
was a good man.  He couldn't imagine what these people wanted with 
him behind bars for a shooting that was more than justified, but 
he had politics to play and a debt he couldn't make public at any 
cost.  Knight will either admit to the preposterous idea of being 
a vampire to clear Lambert or walk away and claim his innocence.  
Either way he would be of no use to the police department, because 
no one would trust him once he'd turned on one of his own.  The 
fact that Knight had already resigned made him pause for thought.  
Was he getting ready to run or had he resigned to protect her?  It 
was unexpected.  He sat back down and sighed with regret.

"Your boss knows Knight is the best we have on the force and what 
this is going to cost me in the end."  He stared at the two men 
before him and felt their indifference.  Why was he even talking?  
When he looked up again, they were gone.

--------

Natalie walked into the morgue to find John hard at work on the 
computer.  "Am I to assume you are working on my files?"  She 
stated calmly even though the anger burned brightly in her eyes.

He looked up and finally noticed her after she spoke.  Someone was 
altering the files even as they spoke.  She was so beautiful 
standing there in the morning light of a new day.  Her eyes 
bespoke the anger she felt and John could feel it instantly.  
Everything about her bespoke fire and passion and he only wished 
it could be partly his.  He sighed with regret as he stared at her 
petite form before him.   She was almost as good as Knight in 
hiding her emotions, but the anger sparked behind her blue eyes 
and no one could miss it.  "I could lie and say no.  The question 
is would you believe me?"  He looked at her through puppy, brown 
eyes meant to melt her resolve...only she wasn't buying.

"Cut the 'I'm only your friend' crap and let's get down to what it 
is you want, John."  She walked over and sat down in the chair in 
front of him.  "You joined this department to get close enough to 
me and Harry Goethe to get into the computer and change things the 
way you wanted.  The question I still want to know is why?  You 
want to elaborate on that one?"  She raised a questioning eye.  It 
made no sense to her.  What did this man have to gain by 
disgracing her and pushing her out of the department?  She wasn't 
the Chief ME and she wouldn't even take the job if it were 
offered.  John was already at the same level she was, except for 
seniority.  So why?

John thought he'd been careful, but then he couldn't blame her for 
distrusting him.  Her whole life was being turned upside down and 
she was being pulled from every direction except one.  Knight had 
resigned to back her.  They were as close as he'd been told.  A 
man doesn't quit his job to back just anyone.  Maybe he should 
tell her the truth, but would he pay the price for doing so?  He 
thought for a moment.  He had to know the answer and maybe the 
best way was just to ask.  He turned the computer screen around 
for her to view it.

"I'm not changing the reports, Natalie.  Someone else is and I'm 
trying to trace who is doing it.  That's all.  If you don't 
believe me, just look."  He sounded so sincere, so she forced 
herself to believe in her gut reaction to him once more.

She looked at the screen and watched the lines change as she 
spoke.  It was a case where the victim was found minus a great 
deal of blood.  She knew very well it had been a vampire attack, 
but her report stated it to be an animal attack or some sort of 
cult ritual where they drained the blood from the body at a 
different location.  It was the truth in a bizarre sort of way.  
The report now stated the victim was attacked by a crazed human 
being that obviously believed himself to be a vampire.  She read 
further and watched the words on the screen change to read that 
one Detective Nick Knight was the first to find the body.  She 
turned bewildered eyes back to John's.

I don't understand any of this.  They are trying to imply Nick is 
a vampire.  She noticed the trace mode at the bottom of the 
screen.  John was telling the truth.  He was trying to trace the 
culprit.  "They are trying to frame Nick and claiming I buried the 
real report to cover for him.  The question is why a vampire?"  
She stared at him to see if he had any doubts or the same 
question.  She wouldn't put words into his mouth.

"Is he?"  John stated simply and watched her closely.  Could she 
pull it off?  He had to know.

"Is he what, John?"  She wouldn't fall into a trap.  There was too 
much at stake.

"Is he a creature of the night?"

"It's the allergy to sunlight again, isn't it?  The man has a 
condition that forces him to work nights, which no one else wants 
in the first place.  He goes out of his way to help and save 
people, sacrificing his own personal desires, and he gets called a 
vampire for his efforts.  Now someone wants to create some sort of 
shadow over all that he's done to destroy him and claim I'm 
helping.  The question is why and why do they want my reports to 
blame him?"  She thought for a minute and watched John's blank 
face.  

Odd, she thought his face was expressionless for the first time.  
He was waiting and didn't want her to know his thoughts.  For the 
first time since she'd met him, he looked older...much older.  She 
pushed into the feeling and felt an overwhelming sense of age.  
She stared at him confused.  What was it he wanted from her?  It 
didn't matter anymore.  She'd committed her secrecy to Nick after 
the first night and she'd committed her heart sometime shortly 
thereafter.  That would never change.

"You want me to say I believe in vampires.  You want me to say I 
think Nick Knight is a killer.  You're barking up the wrong tree, 
John, and I'd never admit to believing in fairies, ghosts and 
werewolves either.  I think there is a place for fantasy and then 
there is real life."  She walked over to the body on the table and 
pulled the sheet back and stared at the cold corpse on the slab.  

"This is a real as it gets.  There's no mystery, no voodoo magic 
that killed this man, only the insanity in the mind of the 
killer."  She looked at the body closely and smiled.  "...and I'd 
say this one owned an unusual knife collection and likes to play 
with it.  If you're asking me if I think Nick has killed, the 
answer is yes.  He is a cop and he's used his gun.  I think he 
cherishes life above all else and he would kill to protect it, no 
matter what the cost to him personally.  Does that make him a 
vampire?  Would you kill to protect your child or your father or 
me for that matter?  Does that make you a vampire?  Last time I 
checked vampires were a myth...a fantasy...dreamed up by those who 
thought real life was too short and they needed something to 
believe in.  I, for one, don't believe living forever and watching 
the ones you love die would be much fun.  So I think I'll keep my 
fantasies on the more realistic side until they can figure that 
one out."  She tossed the sheet back over the body and walked back 
to John's side.

"So if you didn't tell anyone I downloaded the files, then who 
ransacked my apartment looking for my computer and files?"  She 
stared at him expecting an answer.

John tapped the screen where the trace was almost complete.  "I 
think we are just about to find out."  The screen blinked twice 
and the computer location appeared on screen.  Natalie stared in 
disbelief, then got angry and stormed out the door.



Part 7



Reese buzzed the intercom once more, but Nick still didn't answer.  
Tracy pulled up in her car and stepped out.  "What's up, Cap?"  
She asked calmer than she felt.  Her anger had cooled and she 
could see some logic in what Nick had done, but it didn't make it 
hurt any less.  How could she have been so blind?

"I've got an arrest warrant for Nick, Tracy."  He looked unhappy 
and angry at the same time.  "IA is claiming Nick is responsible 
for 3 unexplained murders plus a wrongful shoot in the O'Reiley 
case.  They're trying to imply Nick is a vampire and Natalie is 
covering for him.  I'm supposed to bring him in and interrogate 
him in the daylight to convince them otherwise.  Now I know Nick 
has an allergy to sunlight, but this is getting insane."  He shook 
his head in disgust.

Tracy took one look at the bright sun and made a decision.  "You 
might try Nat's place, Captain.  I saw them there earlier in the 
day.  They were talking about trying to clean it up after it was 
destroyed.  I just came back to drop off the reports Nick asked me 
to copy."  She waited to see if the Captain was interested in the 
real truth.

"What reports, Vetter, and what happened to Dr. Lambert's place?"  
Tracy sighed with relief and smiled.

"Let's go get a cup of coffee and I'll explain."  She opened her 
car door and waited.

"This better be good, Vetter, or my butt is in a sling."

---------

Johann paced the floor as he waited for his master.  Royal Elder 
Phoenix appeared suddenly behind him.  Johann sensed him 
immediately.  Their connection was undeniable and the peace it 
brought him made Johann sigh in pleasure.  

"It is good too see what is between us is still strong, my friend.  
The changes we have seen together only make our bond stronger."  
Phoenix smiled and touched his human servant with love and 
compassion.  "What is between us is a rare thing and it will be 
good to share it, don't you think?"  He waited patiently and 
reached out to what he felt, then smiled.  "She is worthy then?"

Johann bowed in deep respect.  "Yes, my master, she is worthy to 
be among us and the bond between them is strong.  She protects him 
as well as our kind without fear and she is good at it.  I would 
be honored to have her join the ranks of my kind, but it will 
depend on his strength and reaction to this.  Knight does not take 
well to slavery and he will see this as such as his master has not 
taught him all that is known of our kind.  Monsieur LaCroix has 
taught him only the subservient status of child to master and 
nothing more."  Johann stood before his master and waited for his 
decision.

"Raymash will give us the answers we need.  We shall wait, as one 
cannot co-exist without the other.  It may be the only way for me 
to repay our debt and still keep LaCroix in his place.  His powers 
grow even now and this will not sit lightly with him.  Leave me 
now and keep watch on the woman.  She is your responsibility until 
the decision is made."  Johann bowed in respect and his master was 
gone.

----------

"What do you mean she had copies of the files?"  Reese scanned the 
reports in front of him.

"Natalie sent copies of all her files to her home computer.  
Someone trashed her place while she was gone looking for them.  
They, of course, got everything she had that proved the files were 
altered.  What they didn't know was I did the same thing.  When 
Nick and I noticed the differences in the O'Reiley report from our 
hard copies, which hadn't been tossed, we began checking.  Someone 
is altering all the reports in an effort to make Nick out to be a 
killer and Natalie his accomplice.  This business about the 
vampire stuff is obviously bogus since we both know vampires don't 
exist.  They are playing on Nick's allergy in hopes the press will 
pick it up.  The problem is these files are being manipulated high 
up.  The question is why?"

Reese scanned the rest of the copies and got angrier than before. 
"I am going to have answers on this one before this goes any 
further."  Reese picked up his phone and dialed the Solicitor's 
office.  His secretary answered on the second ring.

--------

Nick hadn't slept all day.  He'd placed a call to Felix and set 
the wheels in motion if things played out badly, but he was 
certain LaCroix was behind it all.  He'd refused to acknowledge 
Reese on the intercom, only because he sensed the tenseness in the 
man two stories below even before he pressed the buzzer.  Better 
off to let things lie until nightfall when he had the ability to 
move around.  It was near dusk and Natalie called earlier, but 
refused to give him all the details.  She said it was better he 
didn't know and hung up.  This inability to move around during the 
daylight all of a sudden was a huge handicap.

Tracy rang the buzzer and Nick released the lock.  Moments later, 
she stood eye to eye with her mysterious partner.  All of a sudden 
everything seemed to fit.  Nick's and Natalie's relationship, 
Nick's gung-ho attitude about going in first, the not eating, and 
the kindness over the past few months after Vachon's death.  She 
realized he'd started to tell her a couple of times, but something 
had stopped him.  When she replayed the night after she found 
Vachon alive and cured of the fever, as well as the night Urs was 
killed and Vachon's refusal to talk about it, she realized Nick 
had started to tell her.  Something changed his mind each time and 
she needed to know if she was right.

"Well, should I hand you a stake or just wait and see if you're 
going to push me out into the sunlight at the first chance you 
get?"  Nick watched her closely.

"Just answer me one question, Nick.  Do you love Natalie enough to 
bring her across?"  She waited anxiously.  She had to know who was 
in control, the man or the vampire.

"If you're asking me if I love Natalie, then the answer is yes.  
The fact that I do love her means I could never condemn her to 
this type of existence.  She is filled with love and a passion for 
life.  I could never deny her that if I truly love her.  That's 
why we've had such problems lately.  We want to be together, but 
mortals and vampires don't play house without a pricetag.  The 
pricetag is too high and I won't sacrifice Natalie's life for my 
physical need."  He turned and walked into the kitchen and pulled 
out a bottle of blood.

"Until I met Natalie my life revolved around this."  He poured the 
blood into a glass.  "Everyday of my life I get up and say, 'I'm 
not going to kill today' and I try to make it happen.  Everyday of 
my life, my body craves the blood that runs in your veins to keep 
me alive and I fight the desire to kill you to obtain it.  
Everyday of my life disgusts me with my own weakness and inability 
to commit and feel the passion for life that you so easily take 
for granted.  To become a vampire means you give up your soul to 
the lust for the blood so you can live forever.  This isn't 
living...this is Hell.  Why would I ever condemn the only woman 
who has ever loved the man inside the beast more than the power of 
eternal life...to an existence I hate.  That isn't love...it is 
greed!"  He walked to the kitchen table and sat down to stare at 
the blood in the glass.

"I've done so many things in my lifetime that I'm ashamed of.  I 
wanted to try and make it right."  He turned and stared at his 
partner.  "I never let people get close to me because it hurts too 
much when you have to move on.  Being a cop just seemed like a way 
that I could pay back society for some of the wrongs I'd done.  I 
hadn't planned on becoming friends with Schanke or you...and least 
of all falling in love with Natalie.  It just happened and I am a 
gutless wonder for staying too long."  He held his head in his 
hands and ran his fingers through his long blonde hair in 
frustration.  "I should have left when Nat and I started getting 
close, but I couldn't.  For the first time in my life I felt 
whole.  For the first time in my life I felt someone loved me for 
me instead of my power…and I just couldn't let go."  A great 
sadness washed across his face and he tried to push it away, but 
didn't succeed.

Tracy sat down across from him.  "To love makes you human, Nick.  
All those things you described just make you the man I've known 
for over a year and come to trust.  Whatever is inside you makes 
you different than Vachon, than Urs and all the rest.  It isn't 
greed and lust the guides you, it's the man inside.  The one with 
the heart who blames himself for all the mistakes, whether they 
are his or others, the one who tried to protect me from myself.  A 
part of me loved Vachon, but another part loved the idea of the 
power and the ability the vampire possesses.  There was something 
that scared me as well...and now I know what it is.  Vachon had no 
regrets for what he was and the evil within him surrounded him 
like a glove.  I don't feel that around you.  There is evil within 
us all.  I know that, but it's what we do with it that makes us 
who we are."  She stood and offered him her hand.  

"So vampire or just plan mortal I'm proud to call you my partner.  
I'm proud to know the real you, the one you hide so well.  Let him 
out more often.  Women love vulnerability."  She smiled as Nick 
clasped her hand and breathed a sigh of relief.  "Just don't keep 
secrets from me again.  Deal?"

Nick shook her hand.  "Deal!"

The skylight burst open and glass rained over their heads.  Nick 
stepped in front of Tracy to protect her automatically.

LaCroix landed before them.  "You never cease to amaze me, 
Nicholas.  What is it with you and your mortal pets?  One isn't 
enough?"  He started to reach for Tracy, but Nick stopped his hand 
in mid-air.

"What is it you want, LaCroix?  Wasn't our last encounter enough 
for you?  Or did you come back to stake me again to keep me from 
learning who possesses the great power I feel?  The power that 
obviously scares you and has been here for some time now."

"I've come to warn you.  The police are going to arrest you and 
place you in a cage.  Knowing how you feel about confinement, I 
thought you'd like to know in advance so you could pack a few 
things."  He stared at Tracy.  "I can dispose of her or make her 
admit to killing a few people.  That will confuse them for a short 
period of time and you can disappear once more while I clean up 
your mess."  He looked smugly at his son.

"First of all, it isn't my mess.  This is your doing!  Only three 
people knew that Natalie took that slug out of my leg and I know 
neither Natalie nor I bothered to let that little detail become 
public knowledge.  You shared blood with me in the hospital to 
help save my life, but you got the benefit of ALL my memories, but 
then again...you knew that in the first place.  Did I really need 
your blood for my memory to return or was that a convenience for 
you?  You wanted Natalie out of my life, so you told someone and 
leaked it to IA, then you had someone doctor the files to make it 
look like I was the killer and Natalie covered it up."  Nick's 
eyes flecked with gold.

"You couldn't kill her because I'd walk into the sun.  You 
couldn't just do something to set her up and make her leave, 
because I'd follow her and you knew it.  No, you had to make it so 
we both would have to move on.  We were too close for comfort, 
weren't we?  What were you going to do?  Make sure Felix sent me 
to the opposite end of the globe from Natalie and then kill her 
when she least expected it?"

Nick lunged at LaCroix and knocked him to the floor.  In the blink 
of an eye Nick was straddle LaCroix's prone body in full vampire 
form ready to put an end to the nightmare he'd lived for 800 
years.

"Go ahead, Nicholas.  Stake me and eliminate only part of your 
problem, but the problem will still remain."  He stared at his son 
unafraid.

Tracy pulled on Nick's arm to get his attention.  "He's right, 
Nick.  It's more than setting you up as a killer and Natalie as 
your accomplice.  Someone is trying to make it public you're a 
vampire.  They're trying to expose the community and you're the 
scapegoat.  Natalie is just the icing on the cake for LaCroix.  I 
think this goes deeper than your sire here.  

"She's right, Nick."  Natalie tossed her jacket on the table.  
"This goes to the Solicitor's Office.  Harry Goethe has been 
doctoring my files for the past 24 hours, but he claims he was 
told to by the Solicitor himself."  She walked up beside Nick as 
he got up and wrapped her arm around his waist.  She stared at 
LaCroix still lying on the floor.  "You may have originated the 
plan, but someone took it out of your control and I think you know 
who it is."  She waited for him to deny it.

Nick squatted at eye level to his father and glared at him in 
anger.  "You want to explain or shall I go higher up?"  Nick 
watched a touch of fear cross LaCroix's face and quickly disappear 
behind his stoic façade.  "Very well, I'll seek out an Enforcer."  

LaCroix picked himself up off the floor, dusted the dirt from his 
coat sleeve and glared back at his son.  "You do as you wish, 
Nicholas.  You always have, but don't say I didn't warn you."  In 
the time it takes to breathe, he was gone.


Part 8



Natalie wrapped her arms around Nick and buried her face in his 
chest.  "I'm so scared, Nick.  I really thought it was John 
Florence changing the files, but it wasn't.  He's been trying to 
help us.  He traced the person who has been changing the files and 
it was Harry.  I was livid so I went to confront him and he caved 
when I threatened to expose him.  He claims the Solicitor told him 
to make the changes and he hated doing it.  He didn't know why and 
then IA showed up.  I told them we had documented proof that 
someone changed the files.  They are planning on locking you up 
until we bring them the proof.  They're downstairs now.  I didn't 
know what to do.  If we run, it's over and we look guilty."  She 
held him closer and he snuggled her tighter into his embrace.

"I've been in jail before, Nat, and Trace has the original files."  
He turned and smiled at Tracy.  She nodded and pulled them out of 
her back pocket.

"It's not my only copy either!"  She smiled broadly.

"That's my partner!"  Nick kissed Nat's forehead.  "I made you a 
promise and I intend to keep it.  We'll get this mess straightened 
out and get onto the important things in our lives, okay?"  She 
took a deep breath and finally agreed.

-------

Nick and Natalie walked hand in hand toward the IA detectives 
waiting at the car.  Nick had a brief overwhelming sense of age 
and then it disappeared.  He stared at them intently then listened 
with his inner senses and something was amiss, but he couldn't 
place it.  "I understand you gentlemen wish to speak with me."

"You'll accompany us down to the precinct and we'll have you make 
a statement, Detective.  You are in a great deal of trouble and I 
would suggest you call a lawyer as soon as possible. "  Detective 
Raymond's blond hair caught under the street lamp and his skin 
seemed almost translucent.  Nick hesitated and pushed outward with 
his senses and the feeling of age once more overwhelmed him.  
Raymond caught it instantly and pushed Nick into the car roughly.  
Nick went willingly and Natalie scooted in beside him without any 
fuss.  Fifteen minutes later they were at the station.

"I hope you like small rooms, Knight."  Raymond chuckled as he 
locked the cell door behind Nick.  "Your girlfriend is checking 
out her new digs in the girls section.  I'm sure she'll find them 
lots more accommodating since they have a toilet in every cell.  
Make yourself comfortable and don't get any ideas of splitting.  
The sun will be up in a couple of hours and we're going to see if 
you're a vampire or not."  He turned and left the room, whistling 
as he turned the corner.  Reese and Tracy showed up a few minutes 
later.

"How are you?"  Trace asked, worried as she looked at the eastern 
exposure of the window.

"I've got Tracy's copies of the files.  This is going to the top, 
Nick.  We'll get you out of here a soon as we can."  Reese stated 
emphatically.

"Just make sure Nat's okay, will you, Captain?  Make them take her 
statement first, so she can get out here."  Nick's worried eyes 
expressed more than he knew and Reese nodded and headed for the 
door.

"Nick, when the sun hits that window, you'll fry."  Tracy 
whispered.  "I'm going to Daddy."  She turned and headed for the 
door.

"Tracy, no!" but it was too late.  She was gone.

----------

Raymond stood outside the door and listened.  The easiest thing 
for Knight to have done was overpower them and split, but he'd 
chosen to stay and prove his innocence and protect the woman.  
Would he be willing to die to protect the secret of the community?  
If so, how was he going to do it in a cell in broad daylight?  
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.  He picked up his 
phone and dialed.

----------

It was near dawn and Nick sat calmly awaiting his fate.  Maybe 
this was as it was supposed to be.  At least Natalie would be free 
to live her life without a stain on her career.  Tracy's documents 
would clear her and as long as no one was present at sunrise, only 
his ashes would remain.  He'd toss his clothes out the window and 
some street bum would claim them before daybreak. There would be 
no proof of anything and the community would be safe once more, as 
would Natalie.  He'd done a great deal of things he wasn't proud 
of, but he would not take his friends down with him.  The door 
opened and two guards came in with a breakfast tray.  One scooted 
it through the opening in the cell bars and apologized.  

"Sorry, Nick.  We're supposed to stay and watch you eat the food 
and see if you burst into flames."  Anderson looked apologetic.  
Nick simply nodded and took the tray.

He pushed the food around a bit and took a couple of bites.  Oddly 
enough the eggs weren't that bad.  He took another mouthful and 
swallowed with no problems.  They were much sweeter than he 
remembered.  Thrilled that they didn't make him sick, he ate the 
entire serving, then belched loudly and downed a glass of water.  
He smiled sadly as he recognized all Natalie's work seemed to be 
paying off and she'd never see the final success.  He walked over 
and handed the tray back to Anderson.  "Tell the cook to go easier 
on the salt next time."  Anderson laughed.

As their eyes met, he locked onto his heartbeat.  When he was 
caught in the trance, Nick told him what to remember.  His partner 
Jacobs finally looked up from his magazine and approached 
Anderson.  Nick locked onto his heartbeat and repeated the 
process.  Both men stood silently by the cell as Nick undressed 
and handed them his clothes.  Jacobs went immediately to the 
backdoor and tossed the clothes out without a second thought.  
Nick stood stark naked and waited for the sunrise.

"Interesting solution, de Brabant."  Royal Elder Phoenix appeared 
inside his cell.  Only your ashes would remain and two 
eyewitnesses swearing you ate solid food and escaped in the 
sunlight unharmed.  Very inventive! Raymash was correct, or should 
I say Raymond?"  He waited for Nick's reaction, but the sun began 
to crest the horizon. Phoenix reacted quickly by wrapping his 
cloak around Nick and they both disappeared.

----------

Natalie paced the floor as she waited for Detective Raymond to 
return.  He opened the door and smiled.  "It would appear your 
story is true, Doctor.  The document Detective Vetter gave us was 
verified and Harry Goethe admitted to tampering with the files.  
Apparently, he was afraid you were after his job.  We apologize 
for any inconvenience."  Natalie didn't bother to answer, but 
bolted for the door.  

"If you're looking for Detective Knight, he escaped about 20 
minutes ago.  If you see him, let him know he's cleared as well.  
Anderson and Jacobs watched him eat breakfast and felt guilty 
about locking up one of their own, so they sprung him just after 
sunrise.  They just wanted to make sure the rumors weren't true 
and he wouldn't burst into flames.  He complained about the eggs 
being salty, but ate the whole thing anyway.  They were convinced 
and so are we.  Why anyone would believe such a preposterous story 
about vampires anyway is beyond us."  Raymond laughed as he 
disappeared out the door.

John Florence met Natalie in the hallway and grabbed her elbow.  
"Come with me and I'll take you to Nick."  There was an urgency in 
his eyes she couldn't understand.  They headed for the door and 
jumped into John's car.

---------

Nick was transported at speeds faster than he'd ever flown.  In 
the blink of an eye, both he and the Royal Elder were standing in 
the middle of the Raven.  The first rays of the sun blasted the 
darkened windows and Nick realized just how close to dust he'd 
become.  Phoenix walked over to the pile of clothes on the bar and 
tossed them to Nick.  "I had these recovered for you.  I think our 
conversation will be much easier if you manage to cover up a few 
of the unmentionables.  I'm told the nude look is only acceptable 
on certain beaches."  He smiled and waited as Nick slipped his 
clothes on quickly.

A slight ache began to form in the pit of his stomach and seemed 
to grow with every movement of his body.  A small flame began to 
burn inside his veins and grew with every tick of the clock.  Nick 
stared at the oldest vampire he'd ever met as the flame became 
painful.  He tried valiantly to control his body's reaction to it.  
Now was not the time to show weakness.  Phoenix's age overwhelmed 
him and he recognized it instantly as the power LaCroix refused to 
let him touch.  "Who are you?"  Nick asked softly and grabbed his 
stomach as a wave of pain washed over him.  Whatever was happening 
was happening rapidly.

"Do not fight it, Nicholas.  It is my gift to you in repayment of 
our debt.  You must forgive our subterfuge, but we had to be 
certain you were both worthy of the gift that is about to befall 
you and your mortal friend, Dr. Lambert.  

Nick screamed as the fire burst into an inferno within his veins 
causing him to collapse to his knees in agony.  The ancient 
vampire knelt down beside him. Give into the fire within you and 
all will be well.  You are being rewarded."

"Nick!"  Natalie screamed.  She watched him collapse to his knees 
as she walked in the door.  She ran to his side and wrapped her 
arms around him and glared at the Royal Elder.  "What have you 
done?"  Her anger barely contained.

"I am giving you the opportunity to unite with the man you love 
for all eternity without sacrificing your humanity."  He stared at 
her.  "Is that not what you both want?"  He asked, already knowing 
the answer.

She stared at him totally baffled.  "Yes, we want to be together, 
but it's not possible without me becoming a vampire.  He hates 
what he is."

"Does he?" He walked regally across the room.  "Nicholas has been 
denied a great deal of knowledge over the years about our kind 
because his sire is a selfish, egocentric bastard."  Phoenix 
smiled evilly.  "I guess that's why I like LaCroix so much, but 
then I again I know what it's like to lose a child."  He stared at 
her and watched her intently.

"LaCroix has tried to keep you two apart because he knows how 
strong you can become together over time.  You see, Doctor, only a 
few of our kind have the ability to feel real emotion and 
passion...and in doing so there is great power.  Only those who 
retain their humanity in the process of becoming a creature of the 
night came bring human servants into our fold.  When that happens, 
their powers are stretched into the daylight and grow immensely 
because of it.  The mortal in the process gains immortality as 
long as their master lives.  They gain an unbreakable bond that 
grows stronger as the year progress.  Together their powers can be 
used for great evil," he smiled and hesitated, "or great good. The 
decision as to which is up to the vampire and his servant."  He 
walked back to her side and brought her hand to his lips.

"For your service in saving our kind during the fever epidemic, we 
are beholden to you.  For your loyalty in keeping our secret and 
protecting our world from the mortals who are not yet ready to 
accept yet another inconsistency in their tedious little lives...I 
now offer you a chance at immortality without the cost of your 
soul."  He waited patiently for a response.

"What are you not telling me?"  She eyed him closely.  

He chuckled.  "You are as bright as Johann says you are."  He 
nodded and John Florence entered the room from the back.  "Meet my 
human servant of 600 years, Johann Florencen.  I believe you know 
him as John Florence.  He has a tendency to change his name to 
blend in.  I will let him tell you."  Phoenix returned to his 
chair on the opposite side of the room.

Natalie stared at John.  "You're 600 years old?"  She said in awe 
causing him to smile.

"I was made into Royal Elder's Phoenix human servant 601 years 
ago, last week."  He smiled and knelt down on the floor beside she 
and Nick.  Nick groaned in pain and fought to retain 
consciousness, but the fire burned even brighter when Natalie 
touched him.  The thought of her leaving tortured him more as he 
tried to listen.  Human servants were a myth.  He'd read about 
them in the ancient archives and some of the scrolls, but there 
was never anything truly documented in the past 1000 years.

John pulled Natalie's hand into his.  "Only a close bond in the 
first place will allow the transformation to happen.  You will be 
bound to Nick for all eternity just as you are now until he dies.  
If something happens to him, it will happen to you and only the 
sharing of your blood will heal the other.  It is a relationship 
much stronger and closer than marriage.  It should not be taken 
lightly.  Only the sharing of power by another master and human 
servant can create yet another bonded pair.  It is a exceptional 
honor to be chosen and only a few rare vampires can take on a 
human servant.  You both have been chosen because of what is 
between you and your loyalty to each other in the face of 
insurmountable odds.  Neither one of you were willing to sacrifice 
the other for your own needs nor that of the community."  He 
stared at Nick and smiled.

"The decision has to be made by both of you.  The fire that burns 
within your veins was started by the treated food you ingested 
earlier today.  The fact that you kept it down and the flames grow 
within you deems you worthy of this gift.  You must know one thing 
before you decide.  If at any time one or other of you are killed, 
the other will die."  He stared at Nick.  "That means if you 
become human and begin to age again, you both will die."

He turned back to Natalie.  "This means you will no longer age and 
if you're injured you will recover at a much faster pace as long 
as Nick is near to complete the connection that will be between 
you.  You will no longer be two but one and Nick will be in 
control.  If you trust each other enough and have faith in each 
other, then join us."

"I don't want a slave.  I want a partner."  Nick said through 
clenched teeth and stared at Natalie.  "I will not make you 
subject to my will.  That's not what we want, Natalie.  I love you 
and want to spend my life with you, but not with you as my slave."  
He panted as the pain grew worse.

"That decision on how you treat your human servant is totally 
governed by who you are, Nick.  Whether she becomes your human 
servant is her choice and will not be forced upon either of you.  
The pain you feel now will go away.  You must decide soon."  John 
stepped back and waited with his master of 600 years at his side.

Natalie stared at Nick as she watched him writhe in pain.  "I 
trust you, Nick, and I will always love you.  If you have faith in 
us, share it with me.  You are my heart and soul and I cannot be 
whole without you.  If you feel the same then this is the right 
thing to do." 

Nick was confused about many things in his lifetime, but his love 
for Natalie was the only certainty in his long life.  If she 
trusted him enough to be bound to him for eternity, then he would 
not question her judgment and faith. "Someone told me life is what 
you make it." He pulled her lips to his and whispered.  "I believe 
she was right and we'll make it together…forever."  He deepened 
the kiss even as the flames engulfed him and crashed into her.  
Without hesitation, she pushed into the fire and joined him in his 
pain.  Together a serene peace enveloped them and they began to 
breathe as one.

Johann and Royal Elder Phoenix sliced their own wrists and walked 
into the circle of light Nick and Natalie created around them.  
Johann sliced Natalie's wrist and Phoenix sliced Nick's until the 
blood flowed freely between them all.  Creating a circle on the 
floor mixing all four of their blood, Johann and Phoenix reached 
into their own light and shared it with Nick and Natalie.  The 
light around them sparkled, then glowed as each heartbeat grew 
louder and blended into one steady throbbing mass of light.  Nick 
screamed in agony and Natalie passed out from the pain until the 
light exploded into a thousand pieces and the darkness claimed 
them all.



Part 9



LaCroix walked into the room and found Nick and Natalie 
unconscious on the floor.  Seriously considering chaining his son 
inside a crate and shipping him to Alaska and killing the Good 
Doctor, he walked slowly around them entwined in each other's 
embrace on the floor.  Nicholas' life force was stronger now than 
it had ever been before and the Good Doctor's blood called to him 
just as Nicholas' had done so many centuries ago.  Her heart beat 
strong and regular and she seemed not to be distressed but asleep, 
just as his son was.  What had happened?  He reached out and felt 
the ancient touch of great power.  He turned and searched the room 
looking for Phoenix.  It was his spirit that touched him now.  It 
was as familiar as his own.  After searching the entire Raven, he 
was more perplexed than ever.  He picked Nick up and carried him 
to his own bed, then reluctantly placed Natalie by his side.  He 
wasn't certain why he did it, but for some reason he felt 
compelled to keep them together.  

Staring at the couple on the bed, he shook his head to clear the 
hazy image he had of his son by himself.  When he looked at Nick, 
the Good Doctor's soul clouded the image.  Anger instantly 
overwhelmed him.

"Phoenix!"  He howled at the top of his lungs as he grabbed the 
nearest bottle and tossed it against the wall in a rage.

"Such temper, Lucien."  Phoenix said softly as he appeared behind 
him.

"You did it!  You made her a part of him, didn't you?"  He growled 
in anger and lunged at the ancient.  As if brushing away a gnat, 
Phoenix knocked LaCroix to the floor and crushed the oxygen from 
his lungs.

"He will no longer deny what he is, Lucien. Is that not what you 
wanted most of all...a son who accepts his true self.  Isn't that 
why you were so willing to betray him with the knowledge you 
possessed?  The fact that the passion within him is now coupled 
with hers for eternity will make him a very powerful vampire.  
Whether he will use his powers for good or evil is yet to be 
determined...but the decision will be theirs together not yours."  
Phoenix walked to the bar and poured a glass of the house special 
and tasted it before taking a good drink.  Finishing the glass, he 
let LaCroix seethe in silence.  

He turned back to one of his oldest members of the community and 
smiled.  "It is good to see you still know your place, Lucien.  I 
would hate to have to send the Enforcers here to clean up your 
mess."  He walked forward and let the red cloud his eyes in anger.  
"I tolerated your lack of vision toward you son for too long, but 
his soul survived even with your best efforts.  It will not happen 
again.  A debt was owed by the community and yourself.  I just 
made certain it was paid in full to both Doctor Lambert and 
Nicholas.  It is as it was meant to be and if they are too close 
for your comfort...You WILL learn to live with it!"  

It was a command as the power washed over the room and the 
glassware began to shatter.  When the glass over the bar exploded, 
LaCroix stood in place and let the glass slice his skin in a 
thousand places.  Phoenix stared at him and smirked.  "I thought 
so!  I will be watching you, Lucien.  Of that you may be certain."  
He began to shimmer then disappeared.

Blood poured down LaCroix's snow-white skin from the glass shards, 
but he remained still as his body repaired itself.  Less than 5 
minutes later, he walked out of the door and into the night.  The 
battle was lost, but not the war.




Epilogue: Several Hours Later


Nick awoke to the familiar heartbeat that had given him comfort 
for over 7 years.  Natalie's familiar scent permeated the air.  He 
relaxed and let her warmth wash over him.  When he did, she awoke.

"Do that again."  She whispered as she touched his face in awe.  
"It feels wonderful."

Nick traced her face with his fingertips and pushed into the 
feeling once more.  Suddenly the loneliness he'd felt all his life 
was gone, replaced with a feeling of peace and love he'd never 
known. She became a part of him and her love overwhelmed him with 
sheer joy.  She had no regrets and he wouldn't either.  He smiled 
at her as she stared into his eyes.  "I think I'm going to like 
this."  He kissed her softly and she opened like a flower in the 
springtime.  Power rushed through him and he was filled with the 
energy that was her life's force combined with his.  

She broke off the kiss and stared into his eyes.  "This is 
amazing!  I feel what you feel and the power within you.  I can't 
even begin to describe this."  She searched for the right words 
and traced his face with her fingertips.  "To love and be loved 
for eternity...it's what every woman dreams of.  How can I have 
been so lucky?  Thank you for having faith in us."

"Thank you for being there for me," he kissed the palm of her hand 
and smiled,  "and thank you for never doubting my love for you.  
You make me whole.  If giving up the idea of becoming mortal again 
to be with you for all eternity is the price, then I gladly pay it 
with no regrets."  His lips met hers as his arms pulled her 
tighter into his embrace.  She sighed in contentment and gave into 
his warmth.  For the first time in her life, she looked forward to 
tomorrow.

The End

Okay, it got kind of mushy, sappy at the end but it's a disease 
and I had to cure myself for awhile.  Anyway Happy-Happy Birthday, 
Katherine!!!!  I hope it was to your liking.       

All comments to:
            **StormyNite at: nitewind@plantnet.com**     
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