Just Like Old Times
Part 1
Kristen Fife, 12/2003

As Nick took a sip of his bloodwine, he looked around
the Raven. It was a light crowd, being that it was a
Tuesday night. He could see the usual assortment of
vampires and mortals mixing. He wondered, as always,
what the mortals would say if they knew that the very
epitome of the “gothic” ideal was mixing with them, in
the flesh as it were. He smiled grimly to himself.

At just that moment, he turned and saw LaCroix coming
through a door marked “private”. His master’s eyes met
his unerringly, and he casually walked over to his
prodigal son. LaCroix motioned imperiously for the
bartender to give him a drink, his outstretched hand
waiting. As he brought the goblet to his lips he
sidled over to Nick.

“Nicholas, what brings you here this evening? I
haven’t seen you in many weeks.” His casual
indifference didn’t fool Nick. He was focused on his
fledgling.

“I needed to get out. It’s my night off. I was
restless and wanted to see what crowd was out
tonight.” Nick looked at his master and shrugged,
taking another sip of his own drink.

“Hmmm, yes. Not a very exciting evening.” LaCroix
suddenly got a look of inspiration on his face. “Would
you like to come upstairs for a game of chess? It has
been so long since we pitted out wits against each
other.”

Nick glanced at him, trying to decide if there was
anything malicious about LaCroix’s invitation. But
nothing in either the elder vampire’s face or their
psychic link caused him concern. And, he really did
want some company. Finally, with a tight smile, he
nodded to his sire in acquiescence.

LaCroix grabbed a bottle from under the bar, and
gestured for the bartender to give Nick the entire
bottle of bovine bloodwine that he had been drinking.
Nick raised his eyebrows in surprise, but smiled his
thanks at the bartender.  LaCroix turned to the door
marked “Private” and invited Nick to follow him. As
they walked up the steep stairway to the living
quarters above, neither man said anything. The entered
the living room, lavishly paneled in dark wood. There
was a fire burning merrily in the hearth, and a
chessboard was set up under one window on a small
games table. LaCroix put his drink down and moved the
table in front of the fireplace, and then pulled two
large leather wingback chairs up on either side of it.

“I’ll assume you would prefer the white, as always.”
LaCroix baited Nick, but not too badly. He then sat
down behind the ornately carved ebony pieces, waiting
silently for Nick to take his seat. Nick did so,
studying the board and trying to guage his master’s
mood. It had been almost forty years since they had
played a convivial game. They were fairly evenly
matched, or had been in the past. Nick silently moved
one of his pawns, thus beginning the game.

As they continued playing for the next two hours,
neither man said anything, both concentrating on the
game. Finally, Nick looked at the board, moved his
bishop, and smiled. “Checkmate”.

LaCroix scowled, but after examining the board he
toppled his king.

“Well Nicholas, that was well played. I haven’t had
that stimulating a game in at least a century. Thank
you.” He raised his glass in salute and took a deep
drink.




Just Like Old Times
Part 2
Kristen Fife 12/2003

Continuing on, he said “It sometimes amazes me how far
you have come from the rude Crusader you were. Have I
told you my theory on our existence?”

Nick frowned and took another sip of his bloodwine.
“No, I don’t think so.”

LaCroix settled back into his chair. “You know that I
consider the vampire a superior species to the
pathetic mortals we share the world with. Well, I have
developed a theory that part of the reason the vampire
exists is as an evolutionary step up the Darwinic
ladder.  Fascinating man, Darwin. I had some
interesting conversations with him. But I digress.”
Taking a long drink from his goblet, draining it, he
poured himself another full glass.

“As I was saying, I have watched our kind over the
millennia. I have seen the changes wrought in us
individually. Take you, for example. When Janette
begged me to bring you into our fold, I was very
skeptical. You were uncouth, uncivilized and generally
not very appealing to me. But Janette insisted she saw
something in you. Her ‘golden treasure’ she called
you. She wore me down for two weeks before I finally
agreed just to have some PEACE.” He paused and stared
at Nick, boring into his soul.

“I must say, Nicholas, regardless of your recent
deviant behavior, you have far exceeded any
expectations I could have held for you. You are
intelligent, articulate, polished. Those first few
centuries you soaked up knowledge like a sponge soaks
water. When you discovered the music, I was truly
amazed. But, you have fulfilled not only the potential
that Janette sensed in you, but also gone beyond what
I would have thought possible for a creature of your
background.”

Nick looked at his sire, stunned. “I don’t know quite
what to say, LaCroix. Thank you.”

LaCroix waved his hand in the air. “Don’t get all
sentimental on me, Nicholas. It was only an
observation. You are not the only one I have observed.
Take that young Spaniard, Vachon. More of a ne’er do
well I have rarely met, but in the last two years he
seems to have settled down. I don’t know if you are
aware of the fact that he plays here several nights a
week. He has taken to writing and producing some truly
original music. And, believe it or not, he has been
attending Council meetings and his input has been very
thoughtful. There may be hope for him to yet become a
functioning member of our society.”

“The point is, over the millennia, I have seen several
examples of members of our race strive to become…more.
It seems to me that intellect and artistic endeavors
are stimulated in a certain way once a fledgling
passes the 300-400 year mark. I saw it with Janette as
well. With her it was a keen interest in fashion. Not
every vampire develops a winning sense of style, as
you know. But Janette can not only set a trend, she
can identify views of the population at large and
almost instinctively know how attitudes are going to
affect styles. Did you know that Janette was the first
woman in Paris to dress as a ‘flapper’ in 1924?
Uncanny. It didn’t hit the states until 1925. But our
dear Janette could sense the changing political and
social structure of the times and was one of the first
to actually capitalize on it.” He paused, taking
another sip.

Nick stared at his sire. He was stunned. And, he had
to admit, fascinated. He and LaCroix had not had a
civil conversation in almost 200 years, and these
observations of his were new to Nick.

“Well, Nicholas. What do you think of my theory? I
have dozens of examples, some of whom you know. As I
was saying, I believe that the vampire, apart from
being an obvious superior breed, is actually an
evolutionary step forward. Think on it. Mankind is a
warlike and contentious race to begin with. They kill
each other, millions at a time. Their religious wars
alone argue for their eventual extinction. But we, on
the other hand, have the ability and the natural
predatory drive to cull the human herds. To wisely
choose our prey.  And, to carefully choose our
offspring. We can elevate the best to the next
evolutionary plateau, and then continue to watch and
cultivate the best of the breed.” LaCroix looked at
his watch. It was nearing dawn.

“Well my son, you should probably head back to your
mundane existence. I must say, I have enjoyed this
evening. Think on what I said. If nothing else, it
will make for an interesting course of study if you
ever return to academia in the future.” He got up and
politely waited for Nick to get up.

As Nick got to his feet, he tossed off the last of the
bloodwine. He looked speculatively at his sire. “Yes,
this evening has been interesting. Thank you for the
game and the conversation.   I may not agree with
everything you have said, but it certainly does bear
thinking about.” He held out his hand to his sire.
“Good night LaCroix. Perhaps we can play again soon.”

LaCroix took his hand and shook it. As Nick left, he
smiled. “Ah Nicholas, I rest my case. The man you were
700 years ago would never even have CONSIDERED
thinking on a point of view that goes against so much
that you profess to believe in.” He chuckled as he put
out the fire, drew the blinds and readied himself for
slumber.

=====================================
Disclaimers: Nick, LaCroix, Vachon, Janette et al are
property of Sony Tristar.

I've been trying to writer "shorter" short stories.
Don't know WHERE this one came from, but it seemed an
interesting theory.

Permission to archive at Fanfic2, FTP site. Anyone
else please contact me directly.
KMF