Retribution
by Knightshadowwrtr

Natalie had the night off. Unfortunately, Nick was working so she
decided just to stay in for the night and relax. It was a warm summer
evening and she had the door to her balcony unlocked and open. A
gentle breeze caressed her. She was propped on some pillows against
the bedstead and had a good book in hand. 

Suddenly a cold breeze blew over her and she shivered. She glanced
at the door and realized a figure stood behind the billowing sheer
curtains. "Nick." She called wondering why he didn't just come in.

Long white fingers pushed the curtain away.

The book dropped unheeded to the floor and Natalie crawled back up
against the headboard of the bed until it pressed against her back.
Recognizing her intruder she yelled, "Get out of here, LaCroix." Fear
struck her to her very core.

He slipped into the room and turned to close and lock the glass
door. "Is this any way to greet your guest?" he said sarcastically.

"You are not my guest. You have no right to be here, get out!" Oh
Good Nick, she thought.

Natalie saw his eyes rake over her body and she pulled the sides of
her thin robe over her breasts. Neither the gown nor the robe would
provide her much coverage. She flipped herself suddenly from the bed
and rushed for the bathroom door a few feet away. She slammed it shut
and pushed the lock around and sighed against it.

Instantly the door tore open and she was flung back against the
wall. LaCroix was pressed against her and her hands where captured in
one of his and pinned to the wall. His strength was incredible. His
eyes were amber and his fangs elongated.

"You can not escape me," he hissed. 

"Why?" she begged.

"Nicholas owes me. I am tired of waiting. I will take my retribution
from you. I will not kill you, Natalie, but I will make you wish you
were dead. I will destroy the love he has for you."

"Your wrong, LaCroix, nothing can stop Nick from loving me. He will
destroy you!" She said defiantly.

"He can try." He whispered. He leaned forward and ran the tip of his
fangs along her cheek. He felt her tremble against his body. He
laughed. He ran a rough hand over her body fondling a soft warm
breast.

"Please don't do this LaCroix, please!" She begged again.

He ignored her, "You are beautiful. I can make you want me." His
face came closer to hers again and he let his lips trail against her
jaw line. 

Natalie turned away and pressed herself into the wall behind her.
His hand was still roughly kneading her breast.

He nuzzled further along her jaw and suddenly she felt a sharp pain.
She realized he had cut her when she felt warmth trickle over the
jawbone. LaCroix cool tongue came out to lick it away. His lips
sucked against her jaw. "Ah, you taste like nectar, no wonder
Nicholas adores you."

"He has never tasted my blood." She cried.

"No, then he is a fool." He sliced her again a little lower for the
blood had already stopped flowing.

"No!" she cried out loudly.

He grabbed a washcloth from the shower door and stuffed it in her
mouth, "You alert anyone and they die." He dragged her back into the
bedroom. He searched a drawer of the vanity and found a scarf and
tied her wrists together then picked her up and placed her not to
gently on the bed and tied her hands to the bedstead, above and over
her head.

Natalie stared at him and her body trembled with fear. She knew
there was no way to escape him. He could do what he willed and there
wasn't anything she could do to stop him. Would Nick love her after
she was ravished by this monster. Would he ever be able to look at
her again?

LaCroix reached for her and she kicked at him.

He easily subdued her and struck her hard across the face. It
stunned her and knocked the rag from her mouth. She felt blood
trickle from her mouth. His face came close again and she closed her
eyes and turned away unable to face his amber eyes. His mouth
suddenly covered hers and she felt his suck the blood from the corner
of her mouth. Tears streaked her face and he sucked the tears away as
well. "Do not struggle so." He told her.

She kicked against him again and he grabbed her foot and snapped her
big toe breaking it sending waves of pain up her leg.

"Continue to struggle and I will break each one of them, one at a
time," he threatened.

She felt the clothing being ripped away from her body leaving her
naked and vulnerable. She opened her eyes as she drew her legs up
crossing her feet against her buttocks to try to maintain some sort
of dignity.

LaCroix was standing, staring smugly down at her. He started to
unbutton his shirt. She watched in fascinated horror as he slowly
undressed. He carefully folded his cloths and laid them over the
chair.

He was exquisite, hard muscled to perfection. He looked as if he
were a Roman statue carved from the finest white marble.

"You approve." He said, returning her gaze. "I will make you enjoy
this."

"Please don't do this, LaCroix, Please!"

"Nicholas will never forgive YOU, my dear, never. You will be soiled
and used."

"It's you he will never forgive, LaCroix. Never!" she cried.
Struggling against the cloth that bound her hands.

"Never is a long time. He will, and I can wait. I have the time."

"Why." She begged again wanting to delay him distract him even for a
moment more.

"He robbed me of the love of my existence and I will rob him of his.
He will live with this forever." He climbed onto the bed, forced her
legs down and covered her body with his. His heavy erect manhood slid
along her leg and stomach stunning her and she cried out against his
mouth as he covered her lips. He forced her lips apart and tasted the
inside of her mouth deepening the kiss.

Natalie tried to turn away, but he twisted her breast with one hand
until she stopped fighting him and lay still. He became more gentle
and he expertly stroked her breasts causing her body to arch
involuntarily against his hand.

"You are starting to enjoy this, my dear. Give yourself to me and
you will experience what you never thought possible," His tongue
toyed with the artery at her neck.

'No, please, no." she whispered.

His head moved lower and she cried out as his fangs made another cut
over her clavicle. His cool lips sucked at her and his hands explored
her breasts, stomach and lower.

He lowered his mouth and captured one of her nipples with his lips
and tongue. She cried and moaned against him struggling more against
the scarf's feeling it tighten and bite into the flesh of her wrists.

Again her body betrayed her and she thrust her breast deeper into
his mouth. He drew back and smiled that evil thin smile, "You are
starved for love aren't you." He returned to sucking on her breasts.

"Oh God no, please LaCroix please release me.' One of his hands slid
around behind her and under her drawing her up against him sliding
his hand down to cup her buttocks. He pulled her up hard against him.

Her eyes flew open as she felt his hard erect member against her
thighs. His fangs suddenly dug into her breast and she stifled a
scream not wanting any of her good neighbors killed. She did not
doubt his word. His hands slid lower and caressed the soft furry
mound at the apex of her legs. She tried to detach herself from the
feelings but her body was so long starved for sex that it betrayed
her over and over. She became wet with desire and his fingers slid
gently into the folds toward her inner core. Two fingers suddenly
thrust into her and she struggled to pull away. His fingers became
harsh and painful. "I can make this torture Natalie, or I can make
this the best experience you have ever had. It's your choice."

He slipped a hand down her leg and pressed against another toe
snapping it. "Do not struggle again. Her scream was drowned out as
his mouth covered hers. His fingers returned to reawaken long dead
passion in her body. She stopped struggling and let him take her. His
fingers worked her body like a fine tuned instrument and she cried
with shame and revulsion as her body orgasmed against his fingers.

"That's my girl." He whispered against her lips. "This is much more
pleasant if you to not struggle now isn't it.

Natalie tried to conjure Nick's face in her mind. She forced herself
into a place where Nick was touching her. Nick was bringing her body
to fulfillment, she saw him and felt him and cried out to him as she
orgasmed again.

LaCroix snarled and struck her. "See me, feel me," he demanded. He
moved to enter her and thrust roughly and deeply into her. He was
huge and she feared that he would hurt her. He pulled nearly free and
then thrust deeply again. Feeling his body invade hers freaked her
out and she screamed and screamed but it was muffled by his mouth.
His hand went to her breast again and he twisted it so painfully she
was forced to stop screaming and sobbed against him. He suddenly
buried his fangs into her shoulder and then he came spilling his
bloody seed into her. Horrendous visions swam across her mind for a
second or two.

Her body orgasmed again and she cried out in her mind, "Nick!"
Afraid if she said his name aloud LaCroix would kill her.

Suddenly he was gone. She drew up her legs and rolled to her side.
Her arms still trapped above her head made it hard but she curled up
into herself.

She heard the shower and then muffled clothing then he was there his
lips pressed to her face, "Thank you my dear." He ran his cool tongue
along her jaw and she shrunk back away from him. Then is a soft
dangerous voice he said, "Tell Nicholas, his debt is paid in full."

"He will kill you." She hissed.

"He can try." With those as parting words, he unlocked the sliding
glass door stepped onto the balcony and took to the sky.

Natalie struggled against the scarf that held her hands so tight but
it was useless the scarf dug into her wrists and made them bleed.

"Nick!" she cried out sobbing into the pillow.

Elsewhere: 

Nick came off duty with a sigh; he shuddered a bit feeling strange
as if he could crawl out of his skin. Something was wrong and he
couldn't figure out what it was. The link he had with LaCroix was
oddly closed off. LaCroix did that occasionally when he wanted to
keep his deeds secret from Nick. This made Nick wander what he was up
to tonight.

Nick had missed Natalie tonight. He knew she had hoped he would come
for a movie and had been disappointed when he'd been called in to
work unexpectedly. He decided to drive by on his way home and see if
there were any lights on at her place. Maybe they could talk a few
minutes. He still had an hour before sunrise.

Nick parked near the rear of her building. It was still pretty dark.
He let himself float up and land on Natalie's balcony. The moment he
landed on the balcony his nostrils flared and fear gripped his heart
and made it beat. He smelled blood and HIM. Nick knew LaCroix had
been there. He realized that the curtains to the bedroom were
billowing inward. The glass doors where open. He stretched out his
senses and heard Natalie's muffled cries. Terror and relief washed
over him. She was alive and LaCroix was gone.

He flung the drapes aside and strode into the room. There was a lamp
bedside that was on. What he saw shocked him to the core.

Natalie's back was too him. He could see bruises on her body, blood
still dripped from numerous cuts and bite marks. Drying bloody semen
was smeared over the backs of her legs. Her hands were tried above
her head, scarves biting into her bruised wrists. He forced himself
to move. He first pulled the scarf and it tore like tissue paper.

Natalie groaned and cried out," NO, NO!!"

He went on his knees before her. There he discovered the comforter
on the floor and drew it over her nakedness. He gently brushed the
hair away from her face. He was seething inside and wanted only to go
tear LaCroix apart but Natalie needed him right now.

"Natalie," he called gently to her, "Natalie it's me Nick, your
safe. He's gone."

"Nick?" her eyes opened, she launched herself at him. Surprised he
fell back against the wall of the bedroom and slid with her to the
floor holding her close in his lap. She clung to him sobbing curled
up against him.

Nick trembled with rage and pain. The vampire begged to be
unleashed. The blood on Natalie called to him. He struggled to his
feet lifting her with him and set her on the bed. She sat staring at
the wall whimpering. It tore at his heart. He closed and locked the
glass doors and pulled the curtains against the first signs of
morning light.

He went back and picked her up and she clung to him. He took her
into the bathroom. He set her down on the toilet and reached to turn
the shower on.

"Nat please take a shower, I'll wait outside in the bed room.

"No," she cried clutching at him. She looked wildly around." "Please
don't leave me Nick. He said you would leave me. That you wouldn't
love me anymore."

Blood tears rolled down Nick's cheeks. He was so stunned by this
all. He couldn't believe that LaCroix was capable of this atrocity.

He tried to convince her he wouldn't leave but she wouldn't let him
leave the room. He finally sighed and stripped down to his boxers,
picked her up and held her under the water in the shower as it washed
away the blood. She could only cling to him, her lips pressed against
his neck to stop the sobs of pain and humiliation from the attack. He
set her on her feet and washed her carefully, horrified at he
horrendous bruises on her beautiful, ravished body. He was unable to
fathom his father doing this.

"Why would he do this, Nat.? Why?"

She looked at him, "He said to tell you your debt was paid in full."
She saw that Nick knew instantly what she was talking about.

"Oh God, Nat...I never meant for you to suffer because of me. I
would have left a long time ago to prevent this."

She laid her cheek against his shoulder, "Just don't leave me, now,
Nick."

"I won't, Nat." How would he get her through this? He would have to
call in sick for both of them. No one would believe they were sick.
He was aware of the rumors about them and the office pool. But as he
held her against him he realized none of it mattered anymore. The
job, his life here it was nothing compared to his love for Natalie.
Whatever he had to do, he would do. This was his fault. No one must
see Natalie with all the cuts and bruises. They would want to file a
report and there would be an investigation. He couldn't risk that. No
one must even notice when LaCroix vanished.

He would plan this carefully and when he was ready, LaCroix would
die. The water was cold now and he guided Natalie to sit on the
toilet on a soft white towel and he wrapped another one around her.
As he was drying her leg, he realized her toes on one foot were
black. "Nat what happened to your foot?"

"He broke them so I wouldn't struggle." She said with no emotion.

She'd given in to him. He felt his eyes flare amber and he fought
the Beast down as it raged inside of him. This woman was his! LaCroix
had no right to hurt her. He fought the beast down until his eyes
returned to normal and he held Nat to him as she cried against his
shoulder. In his heart, he knew she had done the right thing.
Fighting LaCroix would have gotten her killed. He would have his own
demons to fight over this but he was determined to prove to LaCroix
that what he'd done would only make his love for Nat stronger.

"Maybe I should take you to the hospital, Nat, he may have hurt you
inside. Your toes are broken."

"No Nick, I can't go. They would have to examine me take samples.
You know they might still find something." She pleaded with him until
he relented.

"Alright Nat." He took her to a chair in her room and then using his
supper Vampire speed, he replaced the sheets and blankets on the bed.
Then brought her a soft gown and she slipped gratefully into it
letting the towels fall to the floor. He helped her to the bed and
she crawled in. Do you have some sort of pain pill you can take? Do
you want to eat something?"

"Just bring me some juice and the ibuprofen from the cabinet in the
bathroom. After she had taken the pills and drank the juice down he
tucked her into the bed and turned to find his clothes, "Nick please
hold me," she begged. 

"Ok, Nat, but first I need dry clothes." He said indicating his wet
boxers. He saw her smile a ghost of a smile when she looked at him.
He'd never been so undressed before her. He had the courtesy to blush.

"There are sweats in the bottom drawer of the dresser," she said. 

He went to the dresser and rifled through the sweatpants, there were
pink ones and baby blue ones, finally he found a dark wine colored
one. He didn't look back but slipped the wet boxers off and was into
the sweats in a second. He turned to find Natalie watching him. Fresh
tears on her face. 

He crawled into the bed and pulled her against him, spooning himself
against her.

"Your beautiful, Nick." She whispered. She turned over a bit
carefully and painfully, "Make love to me Nick, Please make love to
me."

Nick opened his mouth to protest but saw she needed him to accept
her. "I will Nat. I want to more than anything, but you have to heal."

"Please Nick, " She covered his mouth with hers kissing him hungrily
and roughly. Her body trembling against his.

He held her gently, kissing her back, tasting her mouth. Gently
probing it with his tongue. He then placed light gentle kisses on her
face and eyes. "Nat, sleep. When you wake we will talk about this
some more, I promise."

The fear and adrenalin rush she had been through, were catching up
to her. Bathed, warm and safe with Nick she nodded sleepily and laid
her check against his chest and taking one of his hands she laid it
against her breast.

Nick was surprised but gently caressed the bruised hot flesh and the
bite marks. Anger flared in him but he did not let Natalie see it. He
gently held her and lulled her to sleep.

He would never sleep again until LaCroix was dead. Despite all the
things that had happened to them and between them over the centuries
Nick still had loved LaCroix as a brother, father, mentor. But now
he'd hurt Natalie. There was and would never be forgiveness for this
deed.

He cried for her and for the loss of his father and friend. He was
betrayed in the worst possible way. Worse than he could have ever
imagined.

His beautiful Natalie ravaged and raped, abused physically. He would
never have imagined LaCroix would stoop this low. He held Natalie and
began to plot his revenge.

A Scream jarred him from his thoughts. Natalie was thrashing and
screaming in his arms, 'No, oh God No!! Please let me Go Please, Nick
! Nick!" He fought her even as he fought his own Beast down."

"Natalie! It's Nick Please stop, your safe. I'm here." He kissed her
face gently and called to her "Natalie, I'm here."

She woke and clung to him, "Nick oh Nick." She collapsed against him
trembling against his chest. He held her close stroking her hair. Her
hand roamed and stroked his back and she pressed kisses against his
chest. Nick held her stroking her hair

"Nat, huh, Nat...please..." he tried to gently pushed her away. He
found he was suddenly ravenous. "I need to feed."

She sighed and stopped..."Kitchen, back of fridge."

She felt a swish and found herself alone in the bed. She trembled
and slowly looked around her room. She would never feel safe here
again. Never.

She climbed stiffly from the bed and hobbled to the bathroom. She
relieved herself and then took a warm shower. It helped to relieve
some of the stiffness and she scrubbed at her already clean skin,
still feeling dirty. She was shocked when she looked into the mirror.
One eye was swollen half shut. Her face was bruised, her lips torn;
she had numerous bites and cuts. She looked at her body and found her
breast purple, blackened and bite. How could Nick stand to look at
her. Yet she remembered his gentleness and his kisses. He did love
her. He wouldn't leave. LaCroix had lost. That realization gave her a
feeling of power.

Yet she understood now why Nick did not want to touch her, she was a
sight and she knew he would never do anything to hurt her. But he was
here and she was barely dressed and he'd held her close. She grabbed
a clean gown and slipped into it. Nick was sitting on the bed when
she opened the door still dressed only in the sweat bottoms.

She felt tears burn her eyes, she was so grateful to see him there.

He held out his arms to her smiling at her as if she was the most
beautiful woman in the world. She hobbled painfully forward and he
enveloped her, gathering her close and she sobbed against his chest.
Crying out in pain and horror at what had happened to her.

Nick held her, stroked her hair and kissed her face, and after
nearly an hour, she stopped crying and just breathed against his
shoulder. After a time he went to get her a breakfast of eggs and
juice and coaxed her to eat about half of it. He then put her back to
bed holding her close as she slept.

There was no rest for Nick. His thoughts were tortured by images of
Natalie with LaCroix. Finally, he slipped in to a restless sleep
about high noon. His vampire body was unable to stay awake any longer
with the sun high outside the curtains. He woke a few hours later and
call work, he explained to Reese that Natalie has a serious case of
the flu and he had to stay with her. He could hear the skepticism in
Reese's voice. Yet he also heard Reese encourage him to take all the
time they needed. There was a satisfaction there. Nick knew Reese had
a stake in the office pool.

Nick also checked and found out Grace was off. He made sure that
Natalie would sleep the rest of the night and then he had Grace come
sit in the apartment. He used hypnotism to convince Grace not to look
in on Natalie and if she did, not to see anything other than the flu.
He moved onto the balcony and took to the sky. He flew swiftly to the
loft. There he gathered some weapons, things he had conditioned
himself to be resistant too, but he knew LaCroix would have no
tolerance for. He was grateful that LaCroix had not killed Natalie
but he still had to be destroyed.

He showered and changed into his normal clothing and was busy
working on his cufflink as he came down the stairs, he had felt
LaCroix arrive a few minutes earlier.

LaCroix was impeccable dressed in black as always. He had a smug
look on his face. "Oh Nicholas, your home. I am a bit surprised to
see you here."

"Why," Nick asked still fidgeting with the sleeve, "I live here."
Nick walked past him as if nothing was wrong.

LaCroix taunted him, "She was good Nicholas, so good. She was
starved for love." His voice was low and dangerous.

Nick held control of his anger by an iron will. "Father," he said,
slightly disarming LaCroix, "She is but one woman in a thousand. I
told you I did not love her." He gave LaCroix a look, "I seem to
remember I owe you one."

He saw LaCroix's eyes flare amber and his face came close, "Your
lying to me, that woman is your life."

Nick turned with tears in his eyes, "No father, you are my life."

LaCroix was over whelmed with doubt and pain. Had he made a mistake?
Did his son actually not love Natalie? Secondly did he really love
him? He found Nick was suddenly close reaching for him. "Father
nothing you do will change my love for you. I am part of you. No
mortal woman can take that from us."

Nick reached up a hand and placed it on his shoulder sliding it up
toward his neck and then he brought his other arm around LaCroix and
drew him close. He felt LaCroix relax and lean against him. He had so
disarmed his father that LaCroix never saw or suspected that Nick had
a weapon. A slim very sharp knife slid from his sleeve and landed in
his hand. Nick held LaCroix close blood tears stinging his eyes. He
sliced deeply into LaCroix's back cutting his spinal cord in two.
LaCroix sagged in Nick's arms. His eyes were wide with shock.

Nick lowered him to the floor, "I know this will not kill you
father, yet it will incapacitate you long enough for me to destroy
you once and for all." Tears stung his eyes. His voice was cold and
unemotional. "I knew you were capable of a lot but never of such
cruelty. He went to a side cabinet and brought out a box.

With a rag to hold the object dangerous to him, he took a large
cross from the box and placed it on LaCroix chest. It wouldn't burn
him through his clothing but it should help to immobilize him longer.

"Nicholas, I demand you stop this and let me go,' LaCroix managed to
whisper.

Nick saw the real fear in his eyes. "Did you stop when Natalie
begged you to stop?" Nick pulled LaCroix's hands over his head and
cuffed them together with titanium cuffs. He then pulled one of
LaCroix's shoes off. He took wooden toothpicks from the box and
shoved them under two of LaCroix's toenails.

The vampire raged and his fangs were barred, but he couldn't even
scream or move his neck. "Did you stop when she begged you not to
break her toes?"

"She's a mere mortal. You can have any woman you desire. You're so
afraid of her and what you are capable you have denied yourself
passion all these years. She was nothing to me. A means to an end
Nicholas.

Nick came close to him, "She is the woman I love. You have stolen
something very precious from her and from me. You think that you have
driven me away from her." His voice was low and dangerous, "You think
wrong." He hissed into LaCroix's face. "I will care for her and love
her the rest of her life. Free from your meddling. We may have lost
the first innocence of new love, but we will make up for it. I am not
afraid to love her anymore." Nick turned and took a mallet and stake
from the box.

LaCroix's eyes became wide but he still could not use his body to
move. "She was sooo good Nicholas. Her blood so pure. The taste of
her so fresh.' He taunted his son. I have plucked her un-ripened
fruit. She was exquisite," he taunted trying to delay Nicholas's
course and make him angry enough to make a mistake.

"She was so good, her body responded to me willingly. She came three
times. She cried out my name."

Nick slammed his fist into LaCroix's face breaking some of his
teeth. "Shut up!" He took the stake and placed it over LaCroix's
heart. "You are a lying filthy monster." He growled low. "Not even
you should have been capable of that atrocity."

"She was so soft, so willing." LaCroix continued to bate him.
Feeling a tingling in his arms. "Her eyes told me how much she wanted
me."

Nick threw the mallet down and raised the stake preparing to plunge
in into LaCroix himself.

"Nicholas, stop." LaCroix shouted again, his voice was stronger and
more demanding.

Nick hesitated feeling his masters mind trying to take over his will.

LaCroix suddenly realized that his legs worked and he kicked
Nicholas in the back hard, knocking him away. The stake flew from
Nick's hand and clattered across the floor skidding away. He pulled
himself shakily to his feet. He turned toward Nick.

"You hesitated to long. You will die tonight Nicholas and I will
have Natalie over and over again until she dies."

Nick was stunned that the cross seemed to have had no effect in
stopping him from regaining his feet. He glanced to see the stake
laying a few feet away. He lunged for it but LaCroix beat him to it.
He moved back But LaCroix pursued him, but was hampered by new raw
nerves that weren't quite healed he made a movement to plunge the
stake into Nicholas but his body didn't move quite fast enough and it
only pierced Nick's shoulder. The younger Vampire pulled the stake
away. 

"No son betrays a father this way and lives, Nicholas." LaCroix
screamed, the vampire in full rage.

They fought, Nick was thrown away but managed to swing a foot up. It
caught LaCroix in the neck and shocking the newly healed nerves and
LaCroix went down. Nick, vampire raging, plunged the stake into
LaCroix's body. The elder vampire screamed his horror and pain and
lay dying." You are not my father, you never have been. You are only
a monster." Nick felt the tears that burned his eyes and slipped
unleashed down his cheeks.

LaCroix his hands still cuffed tried to claw at the offending object
protruding from his chest. Blood bubbled out around the stake. It
felt like liquid fire. "Nicholas, you are going to remove this aren't
you?" he asked a bit fearful. 

"No, father, I'm not. Not this time. I could have forgiven anything
but not what you made Natalie endure. I have loved you with a part of
my heart that nothing and no one could have changed until now. You
ceased to be my friend and mentor, and most of all my father when you
took her so brutally. She will be scared by this the rest of her life.

He sat down on the floor to watch his master slowly die. It might
take hours but he wanted to watch every minute of the torture. His
heart seethed with such hate for this man.

LaCroix's face became gray and he gasped for breath. LaCroix's cries
for Nick to help him got to him and he moved away covering his ears
for a time. Despite what LaCroix had done Nick was no longer a cold-
blooded killer and this was tearing him up inside but he would not
and could not relent. Letting LaCroix go would mean his and Natalie's
death and he would not risk her life. He was an exterminator not a
murderer. He had to believe that or he might have lost his mind.

The sun would be up soon and Nick decided he would end this one way
or another. He moved back to LaCroix who opened his eyes as his son
neared. "Nicholas, please, I will go away and leave you to her. I
made an error a grievous mistake....'

"That's right you did." He bent slipped his hands under LaCroix's
shoulder and slowly drug him across the floor until he had him before
the windows. LaCroix's eyes became clouded with pain.

"I will grant you more Mercy than you gave Natalie. I will stop the
pain, once and for all time."

LaCroix looked at his son hopefully, not realizing the dangers he'd
been put in. "I will leave Toronto I promise Nicholas."

Nick went to raise the shades.

LaCroix watched him realizing then what was happening.... "You mean
to finish this then."

"Yes." Nick said firmly.

LaCroix cried, "I am sorry, Nicholas."

"Are you really?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, it was and atrocity, I do not know why I did it. I hurt so
much over the centuries from losing Fleur, I snapped last night. I
wanted to end the pain, to forget for a few hours. Retribution seemed
the way."

"I do not believe that you are sorry. You know that her blood can
save me...don't you. True love can destroy the vampire like it did in
Janette. You hoped to spoil my love for Natalie so that it wouldn't
work."

LaCroix's eyes sharpened a moment," Yes," he smiled, evilly, "She
was taking you from me; you were my property, my son. I could not let
her take you from me."

The sun was coming up a warm glow started to enter into the loft.

LaCroix looked at it, fear plain on his face. "Nicholas, I demand
you close the shutters and release me."

Nick hardened his mind to LaCroix's please. "No, LaCroix this must
be done to insure Natalie will be safe."

"Nicholas," he screamed as the first rays of light touched him.

Nick crawled back into a corner out of the light.

LaCroix snarled at him, "You are an ungrateful brat. I should have
drained you that first night. You have been nothing but a thorn in my
side…arrrgh…she was so good Nicholas…she responded to me…she wanted
me…" his voice faded with each word.

Smoke rose from the ancient vampire in a thick cloud. "I will always
be…there…with…her…she wanted…meeee." He screamed as the flames took
him.

Nick felt such overwhelming pain from the broken bond that he pulled
his knees up and clutched his body to himself. He looked back at the
place LaCroix was, saw the ancient shimmer in the light, and
fade...until there was just a stinking pile of smoking clothes.

Blood tears fell un-headed down Nick's cheeks. He let his forehead
come to rest on his knees and sobbed. He sat for as long as he could
stand the light of the sun and then pushed the controls on the
shutters and they slowly slid shut taking the pain of the light with
them. He sat staring at the pile of clothing for a long time...unable
to believe he had been able to do that...it was for Natalie. He was a
destroyer of evil...but he did not believe it. He had killed his
father and his one time friend...somehow, he would have to live with
that. He finally crawled to the refrigerator, took a bottle, and
drank it. His strength started to return. His injuries healed.

He made himself move. He had to get back to Natalie. He dressed in
the dark black clothing he wore when he needed to drive in the sun.
He knew he looked strange so he took all the back roads so he could
to get back to Natalie's apartment house. Finally, he drove into the
parking garage and heaved a sigh of relief.

He found Grace sitting in a chair watching TV. She greeted him with
a smile, "Nick, I haven't heard a peep out of Natalie. She's sleeping
quite soundly."

"Did you look in on her?"

"Yes, but she was sleeping and I didn't want to disturb her."

Nick smiled, "Thanks Grace, you go home and sleep. I'll take over."

Grace nodded, put on her hat and headed out the door. 

Nick smiled slightly, "At least she's not a resistor." He went into
the bedroom and undressed, showered, put on the sweat pants and
slipped into the bed with Natalie.

She didn't wake but snuggled up to him and whimpered.

"Shhhh, Nat. I'm here."

She turned toward him and buried her face in his chest, pulled her
knees up and cried.

Nick let his own tears fall. She was so traumatized he wondered if
they would ever get through this. He was feeling free and hopeful for
Nat and himself. At the same time tremendously guilty for destroying
LaCroix's life. His father was gone, by his own hand. He'd know for
centuries now that one day he would destroy LaCroix or LaCroix would
have to destroy him. It didn't make this any easier. LaCroix had been
a monster yet Nick had loved him. If only they had been able to get
past Fleur. Nick forcing LaCroix's to walk away from his sister had
started the spiral to destruction that had ended today. Had he been
wrong? Would Fleur have saved LaCroix with her blood? Since Fleur's
death so few years after they'd left her that fateful night Nick had
regretted making LaCroix leave her. He'd seen the pain and loneliness
LaCroix had faced. After Fleur's death, LaCroix had become bitter and
angry. Possessive to a fault.

Nick caressed Natalie's face, the bruises were a bit paler and the
swelling was down. He kissed her eyelids and mouth and felt her
respond, and her sobs stopped. Her arms slid around him and she
responded eagerly. "Nick, you're here. I thought it was a dream."

"Natalie, I am here. I will never leave you again."

Her eyes opened and she searched his face, "What did you do?"

"I destroyed a monster." He admitted.

Her eyes widened, "How?"

"We fought, I staked him and then dragged him into the sun."

She looked over his chest and saw a slight redness where the stake
had pierced his shoulder. She ran her fingers gently over the spot.
"You were hurt?"

"Yes," he rolled on his back pulling her with him. Holding her
close, "It's over Nat. He can't hurt either one of us again."

"You're wrong Nick," she said with tears running down her face.
"Every time I close my eyes I feel him here with me." 

He held her tightly, "I know Nat, I know, but we will make his image
fade with our own memories and one day he will be gone."

"How did he die, Nick? How?"

"You don't really want to know?" His body shuddered, as he
remembered LaCroix slipping down into his arms, of the look of
bewilderment and betrayal on his face.

Natalie caressed his face and kissed him, then she held him close
and they cried together. They finally fell asleep in each other's
arms. Natalie had now slept a good part of two days and was starving
when she woke up. She went and relieved herself and took a quick warm
shower to help relieve the pain and stiffness in her body. She
scrubbed herself hard and still felt him with her. The swelling on
her face was nearly gone and the bruises on her breasts were green
now. Natalie could bear to look at herself now. 

She dressed and went into the bedroom and looked down at Nick. The
pillowcase had dried blood tears on it. Yet his face was flawless the
blood must have reabsorbed into his skin. They both had scars from
that monster. She went to the kitchen, fed Sidney, and got herself
some food. She held the large cat close after they'd eaten enjoying
his warmth.

She was so amazed and thankful to have Nick with her, to share her
bed with him. She was glad LaCroix was gone for good, but would
knowing that help her? She could still feel his hands and his tongue
taking the blood from her face. She put Sydney down and went back to
bed. She snuggled up next to Nick and he drew her close. She was
content to stay there for right now. This was the only place in the
world right now that she could feel safe. Sleep took her again.

The next two weeks they stayed in the apartment. They slept and ate
and just held each other and cried. Some time they talked about how
they felt deep into the night. Nick had supplies sent over and he
kept well feed so that Natalie's constant companionship wouldn't stir
up the beast inside him. Many Nights or days Natalie would wake
screaming for Nick, screaming out the pain and rage she had against
LaCroix. On this particular night, it was so real...

Natalie tried to move her hands and found them tied rough hands
needed and twisted her flesh, she tried to get away and couldn't. She
thrashed against the cords that bound her, against the weight that
held her down and the hands and body that violated her...She woke
screaming "Nick, oh God, Nick help me...!!!!"

"Nat, Nat, I'm here, your safe. You're okay. He held her close and
she clung to him.

"Nick, Oh God, Nick, I feel his hands, his body pressing against
mine...please Nick, Please make love to me. Please give me new
memories of love and gentleness, please Nick." She pleaded with him. 

She curled up against his chest and he held her very close. He found
he wanted her as much as she wanted him. He tilted her face up toward
him and kissed her gently. His arms slid around her neck and body and
he drew her close to him. He knew no matter how much he wanted to
just take her that he would have to go slow and be very gentle. He
was determined to make this a wonderful experience to dull the pain
of her last physical encounter. He turned his attention to her gently
probing her lips with his tongue and she opened her mouth eagerly,
their tongues explored and caressed each other. She tasted sweet and
spicy. He drew her gown off with his hands and caressed her newly
healed flesh, gently touching her breasts and smoothing the recently
injured skin. She was so beautiful.

"Nat, I will have to take your blood. I will see what happened to
you and you will see how LaCroix died. What I did to him." He
caressed her lips in between his words.

"I need to see how that Bastard died. I need to see it, Nick." With
trembling hands, they took his sweat pants off and their bodies
entwined.

Natalie gasped with the pleasure of feeling Nick's desire hard
against her stomach. She arched her back a bit so Nick could suckle
at her breasts. He was so gentle so tender. They carefully explored
each other, caressing and tasting each other's flesh.

Nat said, "No matter what Nick, please know I love you. He made my
body respond but he could not make my heart respond. Please Nick,
remember if I fight you, it's not you Nick, but him and the vision of
him. You must take my blood Nick, you must show me." She said
breathlessly between kisses.

"Alright, Nat."

Nick rolled her on her back and she readied herself to join with
him. She took his large erect member in her hand and caressed its
length. Nick groaned with pleasure. "Natalie," he moaned.

"Take me Nick, please take me." She guided him toward her inner
warmth. Very carefully, he pressed himself into her.

He moaned with pleasure as he buried himself deeply into her. He
stayed there a moment to see if she would stop him. He was amazed at
his control. He knew it was because he was more concerned for her
well being than he was about his pleasure of her. He gently withdrew
and thrust. She smiled up into his face and he gained strength and
desire from her pleasure. He began to increase his thrusting and got
into a rhythm. He felt her hands on his buttocks.

She cried out, "Faster, Nick, harder." She urged him.

Nick didn't let himself become mindless with pleasure but he was
only too glad to accommodate her needs. They thrust at each other.
Nick plunged into her inner core. Natalie clung to him feeling such
pleasure and desire. She urged him to go faster.

He increased his rhythm and she wrapped her legs around him crying
out with pleasure. Her body building toward orgasm. One so amazing
and so powerful it made all other experiences pale. She was where she
was meant to be. Here in Nick's arms, here sheathing him inside her.
She saw his eyes go amber and she turned her neck and cried out his
name, "Nick, take me!"

He struck burying his fangs into the soft flesh at her neck. She
felt him orgasm inside her even as her body reached its climax.
Suddenly she froze and images of LaCroix's death assaulted her. She
saw Nick seeing the torture the monster had put her through. She
screamed as the images came back to her. His hands, his mouth, his
body possessing her.

The filthy words he'd spoken to Nick as he'd died. They both
screamed their pain and the enormous pleasure their bodies were
taking together overrode the pain and washed it away. There was only
their love for each other, their devotion and the incredible pleasure.

Nick pulled his fangs from Natalie's neck licking the wounds closed.
He covered her mouth with his kissing her deeply even as the last of
his seed pumped into her.

They kissed deeply holding each other tightly, gasping for breath
between kisses. Natalie's heart pounded against Nick's chest.

Nick started to move away but Natalie held him tightly to her not
wanting to break that precious connection they had. Nick caressed her
face with his nose, "Are you okay?" he asked huskily.

"Oh yes...better than okay..." she snuggled against him smiling her
eyes filled with love. 

He laid his cheek against hers. "That was amazing, Natalie. I was in
control the whole time. Even when the vampire appeared."

"I know," she laughed out her joy at his triumph. She let him go now
and he rolled to the side drawing her with him so she could lean
against his chest looking down into his face.

"Thank you, Nick. Thank you for loving me...and for showing me what
happened."

She saw a cloud pass over his eyes at his mention of what happened.

"I was right to destroy him Nat, after what he did to you."

She stopped him with a kiss, "Let's talk about it tomorrow. Right
now I just want you to hold me."

Nick pulled her closer, "Alright, whatever my lady wants." He knew
now no matter what they had to work out, they would get through it
together and eventually Natalie's love would change him. They would
be able to walk in the sun and have children. He knew finally that he
had the faith in the universal God and love. He had them all. He
kissed Natalie's forehead and felt her smile against his chest, "I
love you Natalie."

"I love you, Nick," she whispered as sleep over took them.

The end