Story belongs to me. These characters do not belong to me. I only borrowed them for a while. On the Road Again, by Shak8spere After she left Nick's loft, Natalie got into her car and began driving. The sun was coming up over the horizon. Toronto was a beautiful city when the sun slowly woke from its nighttime slumber. The skyline was not complete, but this only added to the city's beauty as far as Natalie was concerned. She was tired in her body and in her spirit after an evening spent with Nick and his weak attempt at reconciliation. Natalie drove around the city and stopped at a diner to order breakfast. As she sipped her industrial strength coffee, she reviewed the evening in her mind. Nick had believed that a simple movie night would bring things back together for them. Something had happened when she thought she was going to die during the comet scare. She had practically begged Nick to bring her across, but he had made the decision without even considering what she wanted. She knew at that moment that nothing was going to change in their "relationship" or whatever it was they had. She never knew what was going on in that area with him until that moment. She knew beyond a doubt that they would never have a future together. Her heart ached as she sipped her coffee and waited for the banks to open. Everything that she wanted to take with her had been packed and stuffed into her car. Sidney was sedated with traveling medicine to make the move easier for him, and he slept inside the pet carrier. She had checked on him while she waited for her breakfast. She pondered her decision to move on. Natalie had given five years to Nick's quest for a cure. How much more could she be expected to give, especially when he made no effort to follow her program. She simply did not need the aggravation, she decided as she shook her head as if to clear him from her mind. Natalie dug into her breakfast with the appetite of a lumberjack. After wiping her mouth daintily, she checked her watch: 8:50 AM. She had been up for over twenty-four hours, but she did not feel exhausted any longer. Nat drove to her bank and closed out all of her accounts. The bank manager was a little concerned that she was taking all of her money out at one time and asked her why. She assured him that it was nothing the bank had done. She informed him that she was moving and needed her money. She took her money and walked out to her car. Her last stop was a convenience store to fill up on gas and munchies for the trip. Jacksonville, FL was as good a place to start over as any. She had picked a southern city because of the long days, which made it perfect for avoiding unwanted guests of the nocturnal kind. She planned on beginning a new life somewhere safe and where she could live again. Natalie left Toronto behind and was in the States before she was too tired to continue. Meanwhile, Nick was satisfied that his attempt to get things back on an even keel with Nat had succeeded so well. They had enjoyed a great movie and some quality time together. He had had no trouble sleeping the day away. He woke up a little before sunset and got ready for work. Nick absently sipped bovine as his mind wandered again to last night. Natalie had seemed a little cold now that he thought it over. He picked up the phone and dialed her number. "The number you have dialed is no longer in service. If you feel you have reached this message in error, please hang up and dial again. Message fourteen." Nick raised an eyebrow as he hung up the phone and redialed Nat's number. After the fourteenth time of getting the same message, he viciously threw the phone across the room. Finally, he took a deep breath and calmed himself. He chugged the bottle of bovine and took out his cell phone. "Grace, hi. It's Nick. Yeah, I'm trying to reach Natalie. Is she there yet? Grace? Are you there? She's what? She's done what?" The room was deathly silent as his phone dropped from his hands. The connection was broken when the phone clattered to the floor and shattered. Nick could not believe it. Everything had gone so well last night. He absently went to the fireplace and took out the bottle that was hidden inside. He did not know how long it had been there, but he needed it right now. It was blood wine that LaCroix had given him to tempt him. He didn't know why he had kept it, but it soothed his mind as he tipped the bottle for a long draught. The lift's motor sounded, but he paid it no heed. A small part of his mind reminded him that he had to work tonight. Schanke found him sitting on the sofa in the dark. Schanke had always thought that there was more to Nat and Nick's relationship than they wanted the public to know. He must have heard about Nat's quitting, Schanke thought as he gingerly stepped into the dark loft. Walking cautiously to the sofa, Schanke was struck by how scary the place could be at night. "Hey, Nick," he said quietly was he came up behind Nick. "I guess you know that Nat's gone." Nick glanced up at his partner and the look he gave Schanke made Schanke want to run for cover. For a brief second, Schanke feared for his safety. Then as if Nick was seeing Schanke for the first time tonight, he let his features dissolve into anguish. "Why did she leave? Did she give a reason? She was just here last night. She didn't say anything about this to me. We sat here on this sofa and watched movies until it was almost light outside. She never said a word." His head was shaking in confusion. Schanke's heart went out to him. "Listen, Nick, I know that you two were more than friends. Maybe things weren't working out for her and this comet business made her take a look at her life." Schanke sat down next to Nick on the sofa. He noticed the bottle on the table and made a mental note to talk to Nick about AA. The guy had a drinking problem-he kept his refrigerator better stocked with bottles than with food. "Say, uh. Why don't you stay home tonight, okay? I'll tell the captain that you're sick or something. She probably won't be expecting you tonight anyway." Schanke stood and headed for the door before Nick could answer. Nick slumped back down into the soft sofa and began to try to think of reasons that would have made Natalie make such a drastic change in her life. He knew that he could not let her just disappear from his life. He was not ready for such a change. Nick called the station and talked to Cohen about getting a leave of absence. Considering that he had not had a vacation in years, Cohen agreed to his request although she was a little upset about the shortness of notice. She did give him a little unwanted advice. "Knight, Natalie made her choice. It's better to just go on with your life." The first place he went was to Natalie's apartment building to check her apartment. The door was locked, but he still had the key she had given him. Her apartment had come furnished so all of the furniture was still in it. Everything that had made this place hers was gone. She had taken everything she valued with her. He began to go through the drawers in the desk looking for any sign or clue as to where she had gone. He was soon going through every drawer in the apartment. It looked like she had gotten everything, but when he got to the nightstand by the bed he found something. It was a picture he had never seen before. He was trying to remember when it was taken, and who had caught him looking at her like that. The image showed a man in love and caught in an unguarded moment admiring the woman he loved. He could have smacked his forehead when he remembered where it had been taken. The Commissioner's Ball last year had been a formal affair. She had shown up in the most stunning strapless red dress. It had certainly been a dramatic change for her. Her hair had been swept up exposing the tantalizing flesh of her long slender neck. He remembered having to collect himself before going over to greet her. He never made it over to her because as soon as she had walked in detectives from the day shift surrounded her. He had stood off to one side and had gazed hungrily at her as she glided across the dance floor. She had danced with almost everyone before he had had the courage to go over to her. Someone must have taken the picture while he had crossed the floor to reach her. He remembered how right she felt in his arms as they danced across the floor. Her shoulders had been covered by a drape of red velvet and had made him think of the sweet nectar that flowed through her veins. He had left very abruptly before the dance had ended. The following evening he had avoided her with no attempt to explain his abrupt behavior. Nick shook the memories from his mind and clutched the picture in a tight fist. "Why would she leave this?" he asked no one in particular. This was the only thing that he was able to discover in her apartment. His next stop was the morgue. Grace would surely know where Natalie was going. He found her in the lab working on some slides. Grace did not hear a sound, as Nick seemed to appear behind her. She gasped as he touched her shoulder, "Hi, Grace." "Detective, you scared me! I didn't think I'd be seeing you so soon. What can I do for you?" she asked as she turned back to the test tubes. Nick let the power flood him. It was a simple thing to capture her heartbeat. His voice took on a dreamlike quality as he commanded, "Grace, look at me. Tell me exactly what Natalie said when she called in. Tell me where she is going." Grace felt like she was suddenly sleepy. She did not want to stay awake. She mumbled, "I didn't take the phone call. Dr. Morgan did. He came in and told us that Nat had quit suddenly, and we would be shorthanded until her replacement arrived. Nat called me later and said that she needed a change. She needed a life, and she said she'd let me know where she settles when she gets there. She mentioned being warm for a change. This is all I know." Nick told Grace to forget he was ever there and left the morgue as silently as he had arrived. His final stop of the night was the Raven. Janette was reclining at the bar sipping from a champagne flute. The liquid glistened in the half-light of the club. She immediately sensed Nick's arrival and the mood that possessed him. When he came to her, he found a glass of his vintage on the bar in front of him. He debated with himself whether to drink this or something stronger. "Good evening, Nichola. Is it business or pleasure that brings you here? Pleasure I hope." He gulped his drink and ordered another. "Natalie's gone." He felt the weight of the words as he said them. The more he was faced with her absence, the more he knew he had to find her. He didn't notice the reaction his words gave to Janette. Her smile grew at the thought of the missing doctor. "Did something untoward happen to your mortal?" she asked hoping that this was indeed the case. Nick glanced over at Janette and saw the smile she was making no attempt to hide. "She left me," he whispered with such anguish in his voice that Janette's heart ached for him in spite of the circumstances. "She was just a mortal, Nichola. She would have died and left you, or you would have had to move on without her. It just happened sooner rather than later. Let me help you forget her, mon amour." She gently ran her hand through his tussled blond hair. He shrugged off her hand and said, "I was not ready! She just left with no notice. Janette, it's not what I wanted. We still had a few years before I would have had to move on. Why did she leave?" "Nichola, are you listening to yourself? She is mortal. Her life is not endless, so she moved on to live the rest of it as best she can. Maybe she did not like the idea of sharing you, mon couer." Janette arched her eyebrow at Nick suggestively. He knew exactly what she meant. Many times, especially after Valentine's Day, Nick had been coming to Janette when his need was the greatest. Could it be that Nat had found out about his trysts with Janette? Nick looked at Janette and said, "Natalie doesn't know about our evenings, Janette. There's no way she could have found out unless someone told her." "Nichola, I do not understand why you waste your time with mortals. We have been together for nearly eight centuries. You always come back to me in the end. I am always here," she ended by gently kissing his lips. He tasted the blood she had finished drinking. Nick considered this for a few moments. He took her hands in his and kissed them softly. "Do you remember the night we first met? Do you remember later telling me how much you wanted me that night?" He looked into her eyes. They were dark brown, almost black. So different from the eyes of the mortal he had taken for granted. The absence of this particular mortal was almost more than he could bear. "I have to find her for the same reason, Janette. I want her as you wanted me. I need her." Janette's heart beat in her chest as she remembered the feelings that she had felt when Nichola had become hers that night so long ago. She felt sorrow, for she knew that he would never belong to her like that again. "What do you want me to do?" she asked as she signaled for another glass. Nick looked at the dark lady he had shared eight centuries of night with and smiled quietly. He took her glass and drained it. The rush of human emotion took him by surprise. It had been so long since he had indulged. "I need supplies. I'm going to be traveling light." "When do you plan to leave?" "Tomorrow at dusk." "How much can you comfortably carry?" "Sixty pounds. I'll be bringing a change of clothes and traveling essentials. I need a list of establishments like yours in North America. The only thing I was able to discover is that she's headed south." He signaled the bar tender for the bottle. "What will you do when you find her?" Janette asked as she watched Nichola pour them both a glass. "I will do what she asked me to do earlier, what I should done when she asked me. It's the only way for us to be together." "What if this is not what she wants anymore? What will you do then?" "I'll deal with that when and I have to if I have to. I just know I have to see her again." Janette took Nick's chin in her hand and made him look her in the eye. "Nichola, I am going to give you a piece of advice. If she lets you bring her across, do not let her feel the hatred you have for what you are. It will only make her hate you and drive her from you. Your track record with your fledglings is not exactly a stellar one. Let her feel what you have just told me. Let her feel the passion that she evokes in you and the love that you feel for her. This will make the difference. I'll have the list for you before you leave tomorrow. Until then, stay with me and rest." Natalie was on the road again bright and early just as Nick settled himself at the Raven for the day. She traveled south accompanied by memories of the life she was leaving behind. It was a sudden move, and she had no timetable to keep. There was no one and nothing waiting for her when she arrived at her destination. She was quite sure she would have no problem getting a job, and she knew that there were always places she could stay. Natalie was hoping that he would not bother with her. After all he had Janette. What would he want with her compared to the dark beauty of Janette? She examined herself in the mirror and again tried to do something with her unruly mane of hair. As she was fussing about her hair, she happened to notice a sign advertising a shopping center. Why not? She mused as she pulled off the highway. Sidney was meowing quietly from the back seat as she followed the signs to the shopping center. He weaved unsteadily into the front seat and made himself comfortable in her lap. "I really should put you back in the carrier, Sid. You just looked so miserable in there." She absently stroked his back as he purred contentedly. Half an hour later, she emerged from the Fantastic Sam's with a new hairstyle and felt at least two pounds lighter. Her once long unruly mane was now a manageable bob. She was still amazed at the change in her whole character. Her eyes showed more dramatically and her face was given a youthful look by the curls that framed her face. On the way to her car, she was whistled at by a couple of young men of the type who seemed to hang out in malls. It was strange to feel the air on her neck as she drove back out onto the highway. She tried to remember the last time her hair had been this short. Natalie knew that this would help disguise her from him if he were looking for her. When she thought of him, she briefly wondered what he would think of her new hairstyle. Nat shook her head and said, "I don't care what he thinks about anything anymore." Nick woke the following evening wondering how much of a head start Natalie had by now. His work was cut out for him in trying to find her. Janette had said that she would have his things packed and put in storage for him. He did not intend to return to Toronto for quite awhile. He would miss being a policeman and would definitely miss Schanke, but some things were just more important. Finding Natalie was all that mattered to him now. The list of bars that served his kind of clientele was on the nightstand next to the bed. Janette was nowhere to be seen. It was easier this way. He found some of his favorite clothes in a light carryall by the door. This was what he would be traveling with; a few bottles of Janette's special reserve were tucked into the bottom. He was ready to leave. The night wind contained a hint of winter as he took to the air. This was one aspect of his existence he had always enjoyed. Here he was free to see the beauty of the earth and all its inhabitants without the worry or care of daily living. He remembered stalking his prey from the air so many centuries ago. This left a bitter taste in his mouth. He had started to drink human vintage again to prepare himself for when he did find Natalie. He did not want anything fatal to happen to her. He needed the control. He again let his mind wander to where she might be. He concentrated on the heartbeats that he heard below him. She was nowhere to be found. He was making good time by the time he had crossed over into the States. He kept his senses tuned for the familiar rhythm of her heart. When he found it, he was sure he would find his happiness. Natalie had stopped for the night. This Best Western allowed pets so she didn't have to sneak Sid in like she did last night. She was in the bed eating some Chinese take- out when Sidney jumped onto the bed. He meowed and moved a bit closer to her dinner. "Sid, I fed you. Let me eat." She bit into another helping of moo goo guy pan. This place was almost as good as Chi's Family Restaurant back in Toronto. The thought of settling here briefly entered her mind, but she pushed it away. Settling in a place just for the Chinese food was ridiculous. There was nothing on television, so she settled herself into a more comfortable position and fell asleep. Nick barely made it to the tavern as the first rays of the sun broke over the horizon. He projected his power as he calmly entered the establishment. The younger ones backed away from him as he made his way to the bar. The owner of the tavern appeared as if from nowhere. "What do you want?" he asked in a quietly threatening tone. He was the oldest in this community and did not like to have his authority questioned. Nick glanced casually over the glass that had been poured for him. "I want nothing of a permanent nature. Just supplies and a place to rest today. Of course, I will pay you for your hospitality." Nick sipped from the glass and was filled with peace from the substance. A well-meaning life giver who donated to the blood services in the area donated the precious nectar that filled him. Little did this person know that the life giving substance gave life to those of Nick's kind. He glanced over at the proprietor of the establishment. Nick decided that the owner could not have been more than three hundred years old. He reined his power in and settled himself comfortably on the barstool. "Is this arrangement convenient for you? Janette did say that this was a reputable establishment." The mention of Janette's name eased the owner's discomfort immensely. "How well do you know Ms. DuCharme, sir?" The owner of the club looked the elder over very carefully. Power radiated from this one despite the attempt to be civil. This one could be very volatile if pushed. "Very well. Now if you would be so kind as to show me a place to rest, Monsieur? What was your name?" Nick asked as he took the bottle and poured more of the blood wine into his glass. "Pietro is my name. You may call me Peter. And you are?" "Nicholas." "Come with me, and I'll take you to a room for the day." Nick grabbed the bottle and took it upstairs with him. "Do you have any more of this kind? I'll need some when I leave at dusk." He entered the room warily and looked behind the door. The room was small but very well protected against the daylight sun by heavy black velvet drapes. "Pietro, I am in need of a special service. Do you have any mortals that you trust?" Pietro considered the elder with a furrowed brow. Was this one an enforcer? How could he be certain that this one wouldn't turn him in? Nick caught this stray thought and said, "Turn you in for what? I am not associated with the Enforcers. I do what I want, but I am very careful not to attract attention. I am just looking for someone." Nick got up from the bed and pulled a picture of Natalie from his wallet. "This mortal is mine. She is in danger, and I have to find her." "What happened? How did she leave you?" "She's a resister. I was planning the perfect time to take her. It got out of hand. She left. I don't want to lose her to the Enforcers, especially after all of the time and effort I have put into her." "It is definitely disappointing when something like that happens. I do have an acquaintance; he's very good. If she's in the area, he can find her." "Discreetly, Pietro." "Certainly, Nicholas. He is very discreet. May I have the photograph?" Nick handed the photo of Natalie to Pietro. He hated to sound so pompous. It was just not his way. Unfortunately, the young ones always had the impression that the elders were pompous and looked at mortals in the same way-things to be used and used up. Nick lay back down on the bed and concentrated on the surrounding area. He just knew that she had to close. His last conscious thought was something about hair. As Nick was settling in for the day, Natalie was checking out of the Best Western. Sidney did not like being drugged and put back into the carrier. He meowed pitifully as she settled the carrier in the back seat in the seatbelt. Nat got in the car and looked at the map. She was gaining ground in her road trip. Virginia was the next state to pass through. If the weather was with her, and she really pushed herself she could make Alabama tonight. It was only a fifteen-hour road trip. She was actually enjoying herself when she did not think of why she had left. Nick had not really crossed her mind for the past two days; maybe that was a good sign. She started her car and got out onto the highway. Natalie was driving with windows down and began to idly run her fingers through her short curls. It certainly was easier to take care of, she thought as she tried to twist a curl around a finger. The radio station that she was tuned to played one sappy love song after another for thirty straight minutes. Natalie changed it to an all news station. The American political system was always something that was of interest to her. So she listened as the local station dissected a new highway bill. The countryside seemed to whiz by as she traveled along the highway. She stopped at a rest stop just after she crossed the Virginia state line. Sidney was put on a leash and taken for a walk. He seemed to like the leash. Sid walked along next to Natalie as she examined the maps near the vending machines. She had this incredible craving for Chili Cheese Fritos. The machine was uncooperative in giving the munchies to her. It got stuck, and she had practically given up getting her Fritos until a man came up to her. He shoved the machine back against the wall and leaned it forward. Her Fritos popped down into the bin. She warily stepped forward to claim her food. He moved back and examined the lady. She certainly looked like the woman in the photo. The hair was shorter. He extended his hand and said, "My name's Fred. Fred Shandling." Natalie took his hand warily and said, "Thanks for the help. I really needed these." She turned and headed for her car. Fred watched as she got in the car and noticed the license plate was Canadian. He wrote it down and headed for the phone booths. "I think I may have found the woman. She's currently traveling on I-95 south. Do you want me to follow her?" "Yes. Be discreet." "Always." Shandling hung the phone up and made like a bat out of hell driving out of the rest area. Once her car was in sight, he pulled back to a respectable distance. Natalie drove through North Carolina and South Carolina before she got too tired to drive anymore. The Best Western also accepted pets so she carried the carrier to her room along with her suitcase. Sidney immediately jumped on the bed and began to meow in a disgruntled manner. As he was telling her about being in the carrier, she called a local Chinese place for take out. She showered and changed just in time for dinner. Like last night, she ate in bed with Sidney on knees. She was thinking about the encounter at the rest area. There had been something strange about that man. Ever since then, she had felt like she was being followed. She shook her head at that thought. She hadn't told him her name, and no one knew where she was. She turned on the television and ate her food while watching "When Harry Met Sally." Nick spent but a short time at the tavern. He had showered and changed, and then he fed. His bag had been filled with supplies of the liquid kind. Pietro had given him the cell phone number of the mortal. Fred told Nick that Natalie was at a Best Western off I- 49 south just after the South Carolina border. He thanked Pietro for all his hospitality and took to the air. He covered a good distance before he had stopped in the rest area that Fred had mentioned. Nick landed in a forested area just short of the rest stop that Shandling had mentioned. His sharp senses picked up a lingering scent of apples and cinnamon. Nick threw his head back and inhaled the sweet scent that was Natalie. She had been this way earlier in the day. He quickly fed and resumed his flight. Before sunup, he reached his destination. From the air, he spotted her car in the parking lot. Fred Shandling was asleep in his car, which was parked across the road. He almost went into shock when Nick settled himself in passenger seat. "You found her?" Fred took a deep breath and adjusted his cap on his head. After getting collected, he turned to Nick. "The woman I've been following looks like the lady from the photo. The license plate on her car is Canadian. I assume it's her. Do you want to pay me now or later?" Nick smiled coldly and said, "Mr. Shandling, I'll pay you later. I want you to continue to follow her. Tomorrow night when she stops, I will pay you handsomely. Now," Nick's voice took on a dreamy quality as he locked onto Shandling's heartbeat, "I want you to open the trunk of your car." "Open the trunk." Fred got out of the car and opened the trunk. Nick moved swiftly inside and made himself as comfortable as he could. It wasn't long before the car was in motion. If he concentrated hard enough, he could catch Natalie's rhythm. Her heartbeat was relaxed and strong as she drove along. He began to wonder if this search was such a good idea. From her rhythm, she seemed much more relaxed than he could remember her being while they had been in Toronto. He pushed all doubt out of his mind and tried to sleep. Natalie noticed the blue sedan when she got off the highway for the night. She couldn't swear to it, but it seemed as if that car had been behind her ever since the morning. She had decided to stop for the night early because she was exhausted. The Red Roof Inn in Mobile, Alabama accepted pets so she and Sidney were comfortably ensconced in a second floor room that overlooked the courtyard. From her window she could see her car in the parking lot beyond the courtyard. At the moment, Natalie sat at the window watching the sun go down. For some reason, this was the first sun down that she dreaded since leaving Toronto. "Natalie, stop living in the past," she chided herself. "Sid, let's see what we're having for dinner tonight." Sidney looked up at his mistress and seemed to sense her fear. His fur was fuzzed out as he jumped onto the bed next to her. No matter how many times she stroked his back, the fur stayed straight up. "Freaky night, uh, boy? Well, no scary movies tonight. I think we'll lay off the Chinese food, too. I'll call room service and order something sensible, and we'll make an early night of it, okay?" Sidney meowed and watched the window as the sun went completely below the horizon. He jumped down from the bed and stalked to the window. It seemed to Natalie as if he was settling himself into position to guard her for the night. The food arrived and with it a sense of security invaded the room. Natalie lay on the bed and called Sidney to her side. "Here, soldier, enjoy a piece of chicken. Relax, Sidney. We're far away from things that go bump in the night. What we both need is a good night's sleep. We'll have a fresh start tomorrow morning, okay?" Sidney munched on the chicken bit that Natalie gave him. He went back to the window. "Suit yourself. Goodnight, G.I. Sid," she said with a huge yawn. Down in the parking lot, Nick emerged from the trunk of Fred Shandling's blue sedan. He again cursed compact cars and moved to the front seat. "Good evening, Fred," he said as he casually got into the passenger seat. Fred's heart skipped a beat and again, he had to take a minute or two to calm down. "Where did you come from? How did you get here?" "Don't worry about it. Now," again Nick caught his heartbeat, "I am going to pay you for your help. You won't remember the woman or me, do you understand?" He placed several hundred dollars into Fred's hand. "Go home and forget." Nick got out of the car and watched it take off in the opposite direction. He found a restroom in the service station across the road and made himself more presentable. The Red Roof Inn was a decent establishment with only a skeletal staff this night. He walked up to the desk toting his shoulder bag as if he had just driven a great distance. In truth, he was tired, but he was also more than a little excited at the prospect of seeing Natalie after so long. He pasted a warm smile on his face and greeted the night desk personnel. "Good evening, Rita," he said as he read her nametag. "Good evening, sir. Would you like a room?" she asked with a distracted smile. He caught her heartbeat and asked quietly, "Which room is Natalie Lambert staying in?" Rita didn't know why she had to look up that information, but her body moved to the computer and typed in the name. "She's in room 4112, overlooking the courtyard." "Now, forget this." He paused and drew a deep breath. "You were giving me my room key," he said in his normal tenor. "Oh, I'm so sorry, sir," Rita said as she yawned uncontrollably. "I usually work days. May I have your information again?" Nick gave her his new driver's license number and credit card number. He was given a room on the same floor as Natalie. He smiled as he went up to his room and for the first time that day was able to stretch out on a soft bed. After a catnap, he went to the shower and treated himself to a luxuriously hot and long shower. After this, he fed well and headed out for the bar in this small town. It was only a twenty-minute flight from the Inn. He mentioned Janette and was treated like a long lost relative. He left the tavern well before sunrise and landed on the balcony of Natalie's room. The crate he carried was enough for both of them. He silently moved to the door, but once inside found his way blocked by Sidney who was quietly growling a warning to back off. Nick had always tried to get along with Sidney, but the cat had never taken a liking to him. He really didn't want to hurt him so Nick let his eyes go red and bared his own fangs. He hissed quietly at Sidney. Sidney backed up against the bed and ducked under it. His growling began to get louder, and Nick quickly changed his countenance so as not to frighten Natalie should she wake before he was ready. He set the crate on the carpet and went to the bed. Natalie thought she heard something and muttered, "Sid, go to sleep." She turned over and it was then that Nick noticed her hair. He gasped as if the air had been punched out of his lungs. Her hair! Why had she cut her glorious hair? He looked at the curls that framed her face in her sleep. He had to admit the change was not all that unpleasant. She looked absolutely exquisite with the curls framing her face. Her cheekbones were more pronounced, and her mouth was slightly open in sleep. He was studying her face when he felt claws rake his ankles. "Sidney! Stop it," he angrily said out loud without thinking. Natalie sat up and nearly jumped out of the bed. Sheer fright kept her rooted to her place under the covers. Nick was still seated next to her on the bed. He tentatively reached across and touched her hair. She jerked back at the coolness of his touch. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?" she asked as she closed her eyes. She rubbed them s if to wipe his image from her mind. He moved closer and gently cupped her chin. "Nat, why did you leave? Don't you know the danger of leaving like that?" "Go away, Nick. Please, just leave me alone. I left because it was the right thing to do. It was the only thing to do," she said as she turned away. He moved closer still. He was practically sitting in her lap. "You didn't have to leave, Nat. I was wrong." He brought his lips closer to hers. This first kiss was tentative. She did not know what to make of this so she pulled back. She got out of bed and angrily went to the other side of the room. "What do you think you are doing?" He shrugged and looked into his hands. "Nat, I've been searching for you ever since you left. It took the absence of you to wake me from my self-absorbed stupor. I need you, Nat. I want you." He looked at her as she stood on the other side of the room with her hands on hips. Her eyes practically glowed with emotion. "I love you." Her head slumped to her chest, and she began to cry. It seemed that she was overcome by his admission so he quietly moved to her, but he stepped back when he heard her mumbling. "Why me?" she was whispering to herself. With accusing eyes, she looked into his face and said, "You didn't love me enough to come to me when you needed-no wanted female companionship. You went to Janette! You didn't love me enough to bring me across during the comet scare. You left me in a morgue with dead people coming in every minute. I was scared and almost insane by the time that thing was over. Let me tell you something. I cannot always be the strong one. I am mortal, and I do not have as many life times as you. I cannot spend anymore time living for something that is never going to happen. This is why I left." She moved closer to the bathroom with the unconscious thought of retreating behind the door. Nick shook his head in silent agreement. He moved to her and gently led her back to the bed. "Sit down," he gently suggested in a voice that told her it was more than a suggestion. "Natalie, everything you have just said is true. I have taken you for granted for so long I don't blame you for anything. I valued our friendship more than anything, and I was scared that something would happen to you should we try to take things farther. I've never had a relationship that's lasted this long except for Janette, but I have told Janette goodbye. I've cut all of the strings to the past. I want a future with you. I want to bring you across so we can be together." Her face blanched white as all the blood raced to her heart. She unconsciously began to shake her head no. "No. Not now. It's too late. I left to start a new life. One that didn't include you or your kind. Please go. Let me live." He steadily gazed at her and bowed his head. "Nat," he whispered. "It's not that easy. You know of our existence. I can't just let you go as if I never saw you. There are certain laws that govern our community. Nat, I don't want the Enforcers to find you. They wouldn't give you any consideration." He leaned forward and took her hands gently into his, "I love you, Natalie. I won't hurt you. I want to love you." His mouth covered hers as he kissed her deeply. His hands held hers as he moved closer to her. Still holding her hands in one of his hands, he slipped his other hand around her back. His mouth seemed to devour hers as she fought to get loose. "Please…" she managed to gasp. He began to nibble on her ears and massage her back as she took a deep breath. "Nick, this is not…" He kissed her lightly and let go of her hands. "Let me love you," he murmured against her lips as he began to nuzzle her exposed neck. "So smooth, so soft," he murmured as he kissed her jaw line. His arms loosely held her in an embrace. His lips brushed against hers in a gentle touch. "Please, Nat. I do love you. Believe this and let me love you." His kisses deepened and again the breath was taken from her as he delved the sweetness of her kiss. He gently began to move them to a prone position on the bed. She was caught in his embrace, and her fleeting thoughts of self-preservation told her if she was covered by him she would not walk out of this room alive. She had to think for a moment. "Nick," she managed as he removed his mouth from her lips to begin to nuzzle her neck. "Nick, I need time. Please." His eyes were gold when he looked at her. "Nat." He saw the fear in her eyes and fought to control himself. He wanted this to be a good start for them both. He had vowed that there would be no past baggage. His eyes were azure blue when he opened them again. "How much time do you need, my love?" he asked as he held her hand gently. She stared at him in complete surprise at the sudden change in his demeanor. There was something very different about Nick. She got up from the bed and moved to the table by the window. She wanted nothing more than to open the curtains he had closed when he came in earlier. She wanted to feel the sun as it rose on her skin. "I don't know," she whispered in a defeated voice. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Nat, we'll be together; finally together after five years. Nothing and no one will ever come between us. There is so much we can do together. There is so much to see and to do. I will never regret being with you, my love. Say yes. Let me love you today. I want to make love to you all day and all night, Cherie," he murmured as he kissed the back of her neck. "I love you." She leaned against him and nodded. She was more prepared this time when he kissed her gently on the back of her neck. He was murmuring endearments in French as he gently brushed his lips against her back. Nick turned a pliant, unresponsive Natalie in his arms and met her eyes. She quickly closed them, not wanting to see his golden gaze. His arms encircled her waist as he picked her up into them. He lay her gently upon the bed and then lay down next to her. Nick spooned himself closer to her. "Sleep with me today. Rest in my arms, my love." Natalie was caught in his gentle embrace as he slowly drifted off to sleep. Sidney, who had been hiding under the bed this whole time, jumped tentatively onto the bed and stared at his mistress. Natalie tried to squirm her way out of the embrace, but it was no use. Nick sleeps like the dead, she thought as she somehow managed to free an arm. She had no idea as to why he had stopped when he did. She only hoped that it was a good sign. Sidney tried to cuddle close to Natalie as if to give her comfort. Natalie was struck by the irony of the situation. Not even two weeks ago she would have considered her present situation enjoyable. Now, she just wanted to leave as soon as possible. While she was considering the ironies of life, the phone began ringing. Nick stirred ever so slightly. She took advantage of the situation and said urgently, "The phone is ringing. It's probably the front desk. I need to get the phone, Nick." He opened one sleepy eye and smiled. "Okay." He relaxed his embrace and let her sit up. "Don't be long, love," he murmured sleepily. The long flight and the car ride had taken more out him than he had at first thought. Already his dreams were coming into play. He vaguely felt the sensation of Natalie getting out of the bed. Why would she do that when the phone was on the table next to the bed? He tried to open his eyes and focus on her, but all he could do was listen to her conversation with the front desk. "I'll be staying an extra day. Yes, just add it to my bill. Breakfast? Might as well. Thank you." He thought her voice held a note of defeat. Why would that be the case? Maybe she didn't want him anymore, he thought as he came back to full consciousness. He sat up, looked around, and found her sitting at the table staring at the closed curtain. She was hugging her shoulders as if in deep despair. He wanted so much to go to her and hold her. What did she want? Then it struck him. He had not even considered the fact that she might not want him anymore. Had he pushed her away one too many times for them to be able to make it? "Nat," he said as he sat up on the bed. "What do you want to do? I mean what do you really want for yourself? I just want you to be happy. I pray that I can be in your life somehow." He had moved to the table and stood behind her. His hands caressed her shoulders. Her skin jumped at the cool touch of his hands so he bent down in front of her to look her in the eyes. "Do you really want me to go away?" He was quietly hoping that her answer would be no, and she would fall into his arms. He waited as she sat with her eyes closed. When a few minutes passed without a response, he gently took her hands into his. Her warmth was like a balm to his aching soul. He was no longer sure of anything except of his love for this woman and the desire to do whatever it took to make her happy. "Nat, I know I've been the most self-centered person these last five years, but when you left, it woke me up to the fact of how much of my life was spent with you. Our movie nights, working cases together, and all the time you put into finding a cure for me are times I took for granted. I don't really want to lose you to anything, but if you decide you want me to leave, I will." He swallowed as he continued. "If this is what you want, I will leave; but you most agree to submit your will to mine so I can make you forget about the existence of my kind. It's the only way a resistor can be made to forget." Natalie took a deep breath and shook her head. "N.O. No." "Nat, the Enforcers are nothing to mess with. If you think LaCroix is evil, you don't know what evil is. They have no emotion at all. They merely exist to enforce the Code. Please, Nat. You must decide. Take today and think about us. Imagine the things we can do together. We can be so good together. You don't have to kill anymore to be one of us. In fact, it's discouraged in this day and time for obvious reasons. Think of the love we could share." He stroked her palms and ended, "In you, I found my soul mate and my best friend. I don't want to loose either." Nick got up from the floor and went back to the bed where Sidney regarded him with hooded eyes. He lay on the bed with his back facing her as if to give her privacy. His heart shrank when he heard the door close. He turned and found the table area empty. "Looks like it's just you and me for the day, Sid," he said as he curled into the fetal position. Sidney did not know what to make of this creature that had so upset the mistress. He seemed to debate with himself as to whether or not he should try to console this man or not. Humans can be such complicated creatures. Sidney cautiously moved closer to Nick and gently rubbed against his knees. Nick responded to Sidney's kindness. "Maybe you can put in a good word for me with Nat, uh, Sid?" Nick began to stroke the cat's back, and in a short while Sidney had made himself comfortable on Nick's side. Natalie went down to the restaurant and ordered a big breakfast that she did not feel like eating. She had to decide. She knew she couldn't just leave things the way they were. Besides, Sid was still in the room. She couldn't just leave him behind. How did she feel about Nick? Did he really mean what he said? He had hurt her so many times in the past. Yet when she thought about it, he had also been there for her when she had broken down. Her goddaughter's murder was about the worst time in her life until this comet scare. It never ceased to amaze her the atrocities man could perpetrate against his fellow man for the almighty dollar. She took a sip of her coffee and thought about this thing he suggested. Submitting her will to his. Did that mean that the entire past five years would be erased? She didn't know how that would affect her personality. Natalie had grown in the past five years. She did not like the thought of anyone having access to her thoughts, even Nick. Her past was what made her the person she saw in the mirror every morning. She shook her head no. This option was not an option. She nibbled on her toast and sipped more coffee. How do I feel towards Nick? This morning was the first time he had ever shown how he felt about her. She stopped in mid-gulp. Fleeting images of him kissing her and almost bringing her across flashed through her mind. She choked when she remembered LaCroix sending her roses. The option that had seemed far-fetched a few minutes ago took on a new meaning. He had already used this "well-meaning" technique. The harder she tried to remember the more her head ached, but she was determined that she would remember everything he had wiped out. "That bastard," she muttered as she paid her bill. "I outta fry him!" She remembered every beautiful thing they had said to each other the night before Valentine's Day. Then she remembered the way he had acted towards her the months following: the standoffish attitude and impersonal way he acted when they were together. She did not think; she simply reacted. The door to her room flew open, and she was inside like hell on wheels. She was greeted by the sight of Sidney curled next to Nick who was curled into a fetal position. "Traitor," she muttered to Sidney as he stretched. She went into the bathroom and filled that bucket with cold tap water. SPLASH! She dumped the bucket of water on Nick. When the water hit him, the first thing he thought was that he had been doused with holy water. His eyes flashed red as he leaped up from the bed. Natalie stepped back and crossed her arms across her chest. When he realized it was not holy water, he calmed down a little. "Why did you do that?" he asked as he picked at the silk shirt that was currently sticking to his chest like a second skin. "You bastard," she said with quiet rage. "You erased everything. You've kept me guessing about our relationship for the last year and half. Valentine's Day. Ring a bell?" He took a deep breath and hung his head. "Nat, you don't understand. LaCroix was going to kill you. I had to do it." He looked up and saw the hurt plainly written on her face. "How much do you remember?" Her voice was dull, absent of feeling as she replied tonelessly, "I remember the evening before. I remember meeting LaCroix. I remember everything. 'I do not love this woman. It's a matter of survival, LaCroix. She knows what I am. She's working on a cure for me. It's in my best interests to humor her.'" She stood in the doorway waiting for him to make any wrong moves. "That was said in order to make LaCroix believe that I didn't love you. Do you remember how I held you for an hour after he had gone? Do you remember the words of love I whispered to you before I made you forget?" He began to move closer to her. "Nat, close the door, and come inside. I won't hurt you." Her steel-eyed gaze pierced him to the heart. "You all ready have." She moved away from the door and closed it. Natalie moved to the window just to be on the safe side. "How did you make me forget if I'm a resistor?" "LaCroix had drugged the champagne. I took advantage of the situation and made you think nothing had happened." He unbuttoned the dripping silk shirt and walked into the bathroom. When he came out he had on the complimentary bathrobe and nothing else. Natalie's heart was beating faster as she analyzed this situation. He moved over to the table and sat down. As he looked up to her at the window, he motioned for her to come to the table. "No," she said as she gripped the curtain cord. "You have my permission to do now what you no right to do then. I want every memory of you and your kind wiped. Then I want you to leave." Her knuckles were white as she gripped the cord. His eyes glistened with unshed tears. He had so hoped to show her how much he really wanted to be with her and now this had to happen. Nothing was going as he had hoped. "Are you sure this is what you want?" he whispered hoarsely. "Very." She dug her fingernails into her palms to keep from going to him. He looked so defeated and lost. She huffed angrily. How did he do that? She was the one who had been hurt, and now she was feeling sorry for HIM! "Just do it," she growled quietly. His head came up when he heard her growl. Something in him started to stir in arousal. "Nat," he said in a voice tight with emotion, "I have to bite you. I haven't fed yet. I need my supplies. There's a crate in the corner. Hurry." She looked at him and saw that his eyes were golden with arousal. She knew his control was tenuous. Natalie moved to the crate. A crate? She put two bottles on the table and then stepped back to the curtains. He smelled the blood, and it awakened the hunger that he had suppressed. He took the cork out of the first bottle with his teeth and consumed it in minutes. The second was empty shortly thereafter. The bottles had taken the edge of his hunger for sustenance, but his hunger for her was just as strong. How could he prove his love for her especially after her total recall of the events of Valentine's Day? "Why do you have to bite me? You didn't do it last time." She snarled sarcastically biting back her anger with him and with herself for feeling sorry for him. He took a deep breath and rose from the chair. "Nat! Close the curtains!" he snarled as he dashed to the window next to her. She had inadvertently opened the curtain for the afternoon light to peak through. His swiftness frightened her into instant obedience. The curtains were closed, and Nick retreated to the other side of the room. Smoke drifted lazily from his face and the area of his chest the robe had not covered. They sat in total silence for a while. After a few minutes, Nick stood and went to the crate. He opened another bottle and sipped from it in silence. Natalie was in the corner sitting in the window on the curtain. Her stomach growled audibly and Nick chuckled slightly when he saw her flush with embarrassment. "Nat, go and eat. Calm down and take the day to think about what it is that you really want me to do. Please, I beg you." Natalie sidestepped him and closed the door with a slam. For a wild second, he worried that she might try to leave. He shook his head. Her cash and her cat were all she had left in this world. She wouldn't leave these things behind. "She just needs to calm down," he said to no one in particular. He finished off the third bottle of the day and lay back on the bed. It a little after noon, so he called the front desk to tell them he would need his room for another night. The clerk was very nice and wished him a pleasant day. "It can't get any worse," he muttered. Before he hung up, a brilliant idea hit him like a Mack truck. "Is there any place that delivers flowers, chocolate, and things like this?" The clerk noticed the call was coming from room 4112, which was registered to a lady. Probably lovers, he thought absently. "Yes, sir. There's a phone book in the drawer of the table. Check under flowers. You'll find a place called Mario's Flower Shoppe. I get my wife's flowers there. For a little extra he doesn't mind picking up specialty items like chocolate." "Thanks." Nick was busy for the next hour or two. By the time he got through, the hotel room had been transformed into a veritable mini flower shop, and Mario was hundreds of dollars richer. There were soft candles lit in the bathroom and on the table by the bed. The table by the window was covered in red, white, and pink roses. He had managed to make it to his room for a change of clothes and a shower. The Godiva chocolate was white and dark and smelled bitter sweet. He hoped the evening would not be bitter but rather sweet for both of them. The sun had set finally so he opened the window and looked out over the courtyard to the parking lot. Her car was nowhere to be seen. He sat on the bed to begin the wait. Sidney had been hiding through all of the comings and goings of the day and peeked out from under the bed. He meowed loudly letting whoever was listening know that he was hungry. Nick looked at the foot of the bed after Sidney jumped onto its silky surface. Nick shooed Sidney off the bed and followed him to Natalie's suitcase. He hated to rummage through her things, but the cat would not stop his noisy protest of starvation. "I hope there's some food for you in here." Nick opened the travel bag and found three or four cans of cat food. He managed to get the lid off two of them without spilling any of the noxious smelling food on his red silk shirt. "How can you eat this stuff, Sid?" Nick asked as he held his nose. Sidney looked up from his chow with a look that said, "Look who is talking, blood sucker." He went back to his feast and finished it shortly thereafter. After stuffing himself on salmon and chicken, Sidney licked his paws clean and again tried to make himself comfortable on the bed. "Sid, NO is NO. Sleep in the window," Nick said as he shooed the cat off the clean satin silk sheets he had made her bed with earlier in the afternoon. Nick paced around the room for the third time and finally went to the television. Maybe there was something to watch on the tube, he thought as he made himself comfortable in a chair from the table. He fiddled with the stations and saw that there was also a radio on the television. Cool, he thought as he began to fiddle with the dials. He stumbled upon a soft rock station. "Good evening, you're spending time with Diana. Hope everything's going well for you tonight. We're here to help you relax after a hard day in the rat race, so kick back in your favorite chair, have a nice cup of tea or whatever. Enjoy." The woman's voice was a rich alto and immediately soothed Nick's mind. She's good, he thought. She began to play a song by Sara McLachland. I will remember you, Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Waiting up for a memory. I'm so tired, but I can't sleep. I'm standing on the edge of something much too deep. It's funny how we feel so much, But cannot say word. Though we are screaming inside, We can't be heard. I will remember you, Will you remember me? Don't let your life pass you by Waiting up for a memory. I'm so afraid to love you more afraid to lose. Clinging to a past that doesn't let me chose. Once there was a darkness, a deep and endless night, You gave everything had; oh, you gave light. And I will remember you, Will you remember me? Don't let you life pass you by Waiting up for a memory. Waiting up for a memory. Nick sat on the bed thinking about this song. Some of verses certainly fit how he viewed his relationship with Natalie. He had been enveloped in a dark and endless night that had seemed hopeless. Then he had met Natalie. She gave him everything she had, and he gladly took it. She came to personify light to him. This was why he had been reluctant to be with her in the only way he could be with a mortal. She meant so much to him, but he didn't want to let anymore of his life pass him by living on memories. He wanted to leave the past behind him and make new memories with her. He was beginning to get worried. Natalie had yet to return from her excursion into the daylight. He was beginning to think that she just might have left all her belongings behind. Just as he was about to leave to try to find her, he caught her heartbeat in the hallway. If her heartbeat could be read as a sign, she was calmer then when she had left. He felt like a young man about to meet his wife for the first time. In his day, he would have been married into a rich family without even meeting his bride until the day of the nuptials. His palms were sweaty. He shook his head and absently wiped his hands on his trousers as she opened the door. Natalie stood in the doorway looking at her hotel room. "What is all this?" she asked as she stared in astonishment at the roses and candles that took up every available surface. The chocolates called to her, but she ignored their decadent cadence. She stepped inside and closed the door. "No wonder the desk clerks were whispering and gesturing at me when I came in." If Nick were capable of blushing, he would have done so. He had hoped for a better response to his efforts. "You don't like it?" he asked cautiously. He was seated on the windowsill. She moved to the middle of the room and surveyed the many roses. Their heady scent was almost overpowering. She wandered around the room and saw the scented candles in the bathroom. Not a single lamp was on. The whole room glowed with candlelight. "Flowers and chocolate, Nick?" she asked softly. She looked over at him. Then she looked at the bed. "Silk sheets?" "Natalie," he softly said as he moved closer to her. "Stop. I had a lot of time to think." She turned her back to him and again looked at the roses. "If I let you remove the knowledge of your kind, would it be permanent? The little fix you did on Valentine's wasn't." Her question was like a stake in his heart. She had made her mind up to leave him behind. His breath was short and ragged. He had promised he would do what she wanted in order to make her happy, and he vowed to keep his word this time. Nick took a deep breath and said shortly, "Yes. It would be permanent. No one has ever remembered anything that is wiped out by this means." He paused. "Is this what you want, Nat?" She sat down in one of the chairs by the table and sneaked a chocolate. It's bitter sweet, she thought as it melted in her mouth, just like our relationship. "Nick, after all of the things you've done, how can you expect me to believe you this time? How do I know that you won't just kill me? You've taken too much from women you supposedly loved. What makes this time any different?" He winced and came over to her. Natalie moved her chair away from the table. "Nat, I don't know what to do or say to convince you. If you truly want to leave, I won't stop you. I love you, my soul." He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. Moving as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, he picked up the crate and quietly left the room. In his room down the hall, he lay on the bed. His mind was a tabla rosa. No conscious thought existed except that she was no longer his. The night wore on in dead silence. He did not move from his position on the bed. The curtains in his room were still open from this morning's visit from the cleaning staff, and he made no effort to close them. He had nothing to live for anymore. Natalie sat in the chair looking at all of the roses. How dare he think flowers and chocolate would make for up for everything he had done! A part of her was still so mad with him that she could spit nails. Another part, the part that was strongest, remembered the kiss he had given her before he had gone. It contained a finality that she found scary. It would be just like him to commit suicide for this. She knew that his hearing was more acute than normal humans so she said loudly, "Nick, come back! We need to talk. Now." After repeating this five or six times, she heard a knock on the door. Natalie went to the door and opened it. When she did, he swept her up into his arms and gave her the deepest kiss she had ever had. She tried to push him away and finally managed to get her breath when he broke the kiss. His arms embraced her as if he would never let her go. He had been so close, and then he had heard her call for him. Salvation. His love wanted him. "Nick, cool it. Please," she said as she pried his arms from around her. He let her step away from him and looked at her quixotically. "You did change your mind, didn't you?" "I said we needed to talk. Knowing you, you were laying on the bed planning your death." He chuckled quietly and grinned sheepishly. "You do know me well, Nat." He cautiously came closer to her. "Whatever you want me to do, I will do. Wherever you go, I want to go with you. Say the word, my heart, you have but to ask." His hand slipped lightly around her waist. She walked to the bed and sat down. Natalie patted the area next to her. "No lies. We have to be totally honest with each other from now on. I will not be second string to anyone. Understand? If you promise me forever, you had better mean forever, Nick. Another thing, do not ever again make promises you cannot keep. Treat me like you actually say you feel for me. This is what I want. If you don't think you can do this, then we say goodbye now, and I head on down the highway. Got it?" Nick had been sitting next to her not touching her but listening intently to every word she said. She found it a bit disconcerting. Usually, she thought he listened with only half an ear. After her speech, he gently took her hands in his and began to kiss them. "I vow my undying love and friendship to you this night and every night for as long as we live, my love. You are truly my heart and soul. Without you, my life is dark and empty. We will be so good together." His hand gently moved her head closer to his. His mouth covered hers in a simple kiss that grew in intensity as she responded to his gentle lips. His hands moved through her short curls to massage her neck and shoulders. Soon their hands were exploring and clothes were shed in haste. Finally, he was going to know this woman who was all to him. He would know everything about her and she he. They would have an intimacy that was unrivaled by anything mortals could understand. As he moved gently inside her, his canines descended. He moved his mouth away from her mouth and onto her neck. He was overcome by her emotions and her very essence. It filled every part of him. He felt so full and peaceful when he withdrew from her. Her heart was fluttering. He opened a gash in his neck and gently lifted her mouth to it. "Drink, my heart. You belong with me, and I with you. Come to me and share my life with me, Natalie." She muttered something as she felt the warm liquid in her mouth. It tasted like honey to her tongue, and she greedily sucked more into her mouth. Her hands moved of their own accord to wrap around his neck. "Yes," he murmured in pleasure. "Yes, my love." He enfolded her in his embrace and again entered her. She groaned in pleasure as he filled her completely. He murmured endearments to her and again she felt his teeth at her neck. They came together on waves of pleasurable peacefulness. Afterwards, they lay together quietly. "Wow," she murmured as she caressed his chest. He lazily stroked a hand across her breast, sighed, and said, "Yeah, you are amazing." He gently took her hand from his chest and kissed the back of it. "Forever, my love." She smiled and asked playfully, "So you don't like my hair?" He cocked his head and grinned his boyish grin. "It's just different. I love the way it frames your face in curls. It just takes some getting used to that's all." "Will it grow out?" "Yes, if that's what you want, my love." He gently stroked her arm and smiled when she sucked in her breath at his touch. She rolled on top of him and grinned mischievously. He raised an eyebrow in response. She started to tickle him. In the midst of their play, she began to feel a terrible cramping in her stomach. She knew what this was. His hands held her and he quietly and urgently said, "Nat, this is first hunger. I need to go to my room and get the crate. Do not go anywhere and do not answer the door unless you sense me." He was out of the bed and dressed in a heartbeat. In another heartbeat, he was back with the life giving fluid that they both needed. She was in the fetal position, and he marveled at her control in not attacking him upon his entrance to the room. He moved to the bed with the crate and opened a bottle. Her eyes snapped open, and she reached for it quickly. She was quickly sated after three bottles. She fell into a deep sleep. He undressed and climbed into the bed next to her. He sipped a second bottle as he stroked the side of her body as she slept. He knew that she would be all right. They would both be all right, and they would be together. As if to give credence to this thought, Sidney jumped onto the bed and made himself comfortable between Nick's feet and fell asleep. Finis