DEATH AND LIFE - Jarvinia This story is a sequel to another story I wrote, 'Hunted.' In this time line, Last Knight does not happen. I want to thank David for all of his help beta-reading, particularly his wonderful suggestions. I give permission for the ftp site and the fanfic page to archive 'Death and Life.' The characters of Forever Knight do not belong to me, and are used without permission. Other characters not part of Forever Knight are mine. ~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~ Death and Life - (01/14) Flashing lights alerted the few bystanders to the crime scene, the mood more sullen than normal. Something unusual had happened. Something that unsettled even the hardened officers holding those curious at bay. The officers tensed as Nick and Tracy arrived. The murder itself was more gruesome than usual, enough that it would probably get a reaction from the detectives and they knew it. Even the medical examiner had looked pale at the sight of the body, having taken a break for a couple of minutes before starting the preliminary examination. Nick flashed his badge, and the two were silently allowed access. He quickly stopped a pale young officer and asked, "What happened here?" The rookie froze for a moment, but eventually managed to find his voice, "Um...I think you should ask the coroner for the details. All I know is that it's pretty bad, lots of blood. Most of everyone is avoiding the body. The coroner's even having trouble with this one. Well, uh... Good luck." Then, the young man scurried off before another question could be asked, leaving the two to walk toward the nearby alley. All they knew is that it was a homicide, and that was obvious. Otherwise, they wouldn't be there. They hadn't quite reached it's entrance when Nick stopped cold. There was a lot of blood, and it was fresh. He had to close his eyes briefly as the vampire suddenly flooded his senses. It only took a few seconds to get it back under control. The slight loss was enough that Tracy noticed his reaction. Since she'd known about his true nature, she noticed things that previously had been overlooked. Over the past nine months, she would see a little bit of a reaction from him as they approached a body, but this time was different.... He didn't just hesitate slightly, the action being almost unnoticeable, but instead, had flat out halted in his steps. Tracy watched as her partner got his nature under control. When he opened his eyes, he looked over at her. Her silent observation had been noticed, but that wasn't all. A hint of gold still remained in his eyes, a slight hue that didn't seem to be disappearing. This scene had to be pretty bad to cause such an extreme reaction from him. At the very least, there had to be a lot of blood. She mentally shivered at the thought. She didn't exactly like blood either. She patiently waited for her partner to collect himself. This was not an every day reaction from him, however, it was one that she had come to accept and even expect from him. In some ways he was grateful, but he still wasn't used to another having knowledge of his secret. It had taken him a while to open up to Natalie, and even now, he still kept a lot from her. He shielded Tracy from his vampire self as best he could. As a result, their relationship hadn't changed that much. At least he hadn't changed. Tracy seemed to notice more things about him, but never said anything about it. She became more tolerant of his idiosyncrasies. On a couple of occasions, she had tried to talk to him about his mortal life, and some of the things he'd seen and done. Each and every time he blocked her out, either by changing the subject or pretending that he wasn't listening. He would have to deal with her knowledge within the next three months if not sooner. If she wasn't brought across she would be killed. He hadn't really talked about the situation with either Natalie or Tracy. He already had a good guess as to what their choices were. He wasn't entirely pleased with their options, but he couldn't blame them. How could he? It was their knowledge of him, of what he was, that had placed them in their situation. He resumed walking once again with Tracy following closely behind him. As usual, not a whisper was heard of his reaction, but the understanding was clear in her eyes. Entering the alley, they could see it was long and fairly narrow. Judging from where the three investigators stood at its far end, they assumed that the body would be found there. Although Tracy couldn't identify their colleagues from that distance, Nick's enhanced senses clearly identified them to him. Natalie was the coroner. If this scene bothered her, that in itself spoke volumes since nothing, not even a corpse reviving itself on her examination table, seemed to phase her. At her side, an officer and a photographer looked green and queasy. A few seconds later, they rushed out of the alley, passing the two detectives with their green-tinged faces turned downward. By that point, they had gotten pretty close to the body. Once again, Nick stopped abruptly. This time, it was the sight of the blood rather than its aroma that bothered him. For her part, Tracy shared her partner's reaction. The whole end of the alley was drenched in blood. It was not just a splatter here and another a few feet away. The area was completely soaked with it. It looked as if a barrel of it had been tipped over, leaving a thin layer of blood spread over a large area. Nick knew that blood often appeared to be in greater quantities than there really was, but this was a lot. He could also sense differences in the blood, ones that wouldn't be noticed without being tested. Possibly more than one victim had been murdered, yet from what he could tell, there was only one body. Natalie was kneeling on the end of a board that had been lain across the red liquid looking at something, but they couldn't tell what it was. As he waited for the coroner to stand, he lost the opportunity to ask the first question. Ever the eager beaver, Tracy had snatched the initiative. "Isn't this an awful lot of blood for one person?" she inquired. Natalie turned, and they could see her paleness. Faintly nodding, she told them, "Yes, it is. I'm not sure, but I don't think it's all from the victim." Her attention shifted to Nick knowing that he'd know better than she would. He nodded slightly, agreeing with her observation. "So, how much do we know at this point?" Tracy asked once again for the pair. "Not much. Time of death was about an hour, hour and a half ago. The deceased's identity is unknown. There are no witnesses to the actual crime as of yet. The body was found by a homeless woman, and she was already taken to the precinct." Nick seemed a little annoyed at that, and with reason. "I know, usually the investigating officer speaks with them before they go down, but she was hysterical, and really didn't want to be here any longer. I think it was also allowed as an excuse to get away from here. I don't blame them." Once again, she had hinted at the victim's condition. However, Nick hadn't seen the body, or, heard an account of the events which had taken place. The corpse had been covered by a white sheet, its blood seeping into the sheet as the several growing crimson splotches could attest. "Nat, do we have a cause of death?" Nick probed. She hesitated slightly, before replying in a less than professional manner, "Well, that could be any number of things. It could have been when his heart was pulled out, and it literally looks like someone yanked it out. It might have been when his head was cut off, or it could be from fear. Whatever happened, he was alive for at least part of it. You can see the rest for yourself, but it's pretty bad, and watch out for the blood." She worked her way out to where they were along a board lain from dry ground to the victim. Then, the two detectives walked over to the body. Kneeling down, he pulled his coat up so that it wouldn't soak up the spilled blood. After lifting the sheet, Nick noticed that not only had the head been removed and that the heart was missing, but that his hands were also missing. The wounds were jagged, telling that the body parts were partially cut before being yanked off, or something to that effect. Lifting the other end of the sheet, he could see that the feet had also been cut off in the same manner. Except for the head, everything else was gone. From the face, the man was probably in his early twenties, although he might have still been in his teens. Pain and terror could be seen in the once youthful eyes and expression. He hadn't died painlessly. Nick could stand the spectacle no longer. Tossing the sheet back over the body, he hurried out of the alley. Tracy barely had enough time to back out of his way as he nearly flew past. Her mind was still digesting some of what happened. About a minute later, she followed him out of the area. Her complexion matched Nick's pallor almost perfectly. The two women found him at about the same time. Nat informed them, "I told them to go ahead and bag the body, or at least what's there. I'm assuming that you're done?" She looked at Nick first, but he seemed to almost be in a state of shock. He was still trying to regain control, and she turned to his partner. "Yeah, I think we're done." She looked over at Nick for a second, and he was mostly recovered, but paler than usual. Much paler. "I guess that you will need to go back to the precinct and question the woman who found it. In the meantime, I'll try to determine his identity from the dental impressions." As Natalie turned her full attention to Nick, she asked, "Nick, are you going to be all right?" At his faint nod, she hesitated momentarily before leaving. He'd said almost nothing tonight. Natalie could see that something else other than the murder was on his mind. She figured that it might have to do with it getting closer to a year since their adventure, but wasn't sure. He hadn't said much of anything about it, or anything else for that matter. He'd pulled away from her slightly. She didn't know if he still wanted the cure. On many occasions, he seemed to have a touch of colour. As a result, she knew that he had been drinking human blood. Nick watched her leave for a moment. Then, they walked back toward his car, Tracy following silently behind. Pausing momentarily, he turned the key in the ignition, and they headed back to the precinct. LaCroix' voice filled the vehicle during their trip, which was unusual given that his program didn't usually start until midnight. However, here it was, a little after ten. The Nightcrawler was in rare form already. "Good evening, Gentle Listeners. This is the Nightcrawler. Tonight's topic is procrastination. We are all guilty for this flaw...are we not?" he began. He allowed a brief silence, to allow his barb to sink in before continuing the lecture. "Remember, time is catching up and soon, it will pass those individuals on by who dwell overly much on the past. Change is coming, one for the better, and one that must be prepared for. Too much, too fast could mean disaster for those involved. And we don't want that...now would we?" Another pause. "Change of this kind needs to be discussed, My Children...." The words were cut off as Nick turned the dial. He already knew that. Yes, as much as he hated to admit it, the elder vampire was correct. He would have to discuss the situation with Natalie and Tracy. In addition, there was another edge to the radio talk. LaCroix wanted to see him. He was sure of it. They pulled into the parking lot. After entering the precinct, he told Tracy that he was leaving for a little while, and that she should interview the witness without him. Then, he was gone. Something about LaCroix' broadcast must be bothering him, and he was almost certainly going to the Raven. Although she'd only met LaCroix once, she wasn't sure if she wanted to again. Over the last several months, she'd adjusted to his disappearing acts. Accordingly, she passed it off as she walked over to her desk and then, the interview room. Death and Life - (02/14) Merely moments after leaving the precinct, Nick arrived at the Raven. Entering through the back, he walked directly to the broadcasting booth. LaCroix was indeed waiting for him and started another CD as the other vampire entered. "Good, you got my message," he stated placidly. The elder vampire's direct manner added to the annoyance Nick already had from the message. He'd only come to get the obligatory sermon over with rather than having LaCroix drop in later that evening. "What do you want, LaCroix?" LaCroix shook his head before staring at his son. "You know what I want, Nicholas. Time is beginning to run out. Just because you are given a year doesn't mean you should take it," he advised. "There are still three months left," he firmly countered. "Three months that are going to disappear very quickly. If you wait, are you going to be able to bring them both across without much difficulty?" Nick tried to intrude, but LaCroix already knew the question. "You don't think they'd rather choose death over eternal life now do you? Others do not hold the same opinion of our existence that you do, and many would gladly become one of us." He paused slightly, not expecting a response. "This time you should plan a little better. Your last attempt was a failure in case you hadn't noticed. I believe he wasn't able to control his instinct to kill. Unless you want something like that to happen again, I suggest you bring them across separately, and spend as much time as you can teaching them what they need to know. It will be better for both you and them." Despite his annoyance, Nick had to agree with the other vampire. However, he still hesitated. "Why now, why so early?" LaCroix didn't answer right away. Instead he swirled the half full glass a moment. Putting it down, watching the liquid slide back down, he told his son, "More Enforcers have moved here, and they're watching you. I don't know much about the one who is in charge, but I do know he doesn't always keep his word on time periods. Your three months could easily be cut down, especially if you are making no move to fulfill your end of the agreement. Right now, it looks like you've forgotten about it. Don't waste any more time than you already have. They've already begun planning what they will do to you and your precious mortal friends. I implore you, make sure that the deed is done before they finish these preparations." As Nick turned to leave, he continued, "You're still drinking Cow, aren't you? For your own sake, you should stop drinking that swill! Even a little bit makes you weaker. You need to start drinking all human blood. You will need all of your strength...for what is to come." "I know, LaCroix. I know." He turned and left, leaving LaCroix to the now silent room. He would have to talk to Natalie first, see what she thought although he already had a pretty good idea. Although they hadn't spoken, her answer had seemed clear on her expression. LaCroix smiled slightly. Nicholas would be his again whether he liked it or not. He wasn't exactly fond of the situation either, but at least it ran in his favour. Yet, that was only if the two mortals were brought across. If he had to, he would do the deed himself. However, knowing Nicholas as he did, he knew his son would object. No, better to let him do it. If Nicholas refused, his mere suggestion to finish the deed for him would solve the problem. Either way he won. Besides, in his opinion, the Doctor would make a wonderful vampire and a perfect addition to the family. He wasn't sure about Nicholas' partner, but that didn't really matter. He savoured the moment. Yes, the situation was certainly running in his favour. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Tracy had gone over to the morgue after the interview was over. The woman didn't know anything about what had happened. Although she'd been in the area, she didn't hear any screams, or anything unusual. But, that could have been a side effect of her poor hearing. Tracy had practically had to yell so that the witness could hear her questions. Even then, she repeated herself more times than she could count. As a result, the woman could have easily missed a scream, or anything else for that matter. Just as she finished the interview, Natalie called to tell her the victim's identity. However, before she could do so, Tracy told her that she would be over shortly. A short drive later, the young detective entered Natalie's 'office'. The latter was standing at the table making her observations, and she waited for her to finish before saying anything. After about a minute Natalie stopped the tape recorder, and turning around asked, "So why did you want to talk to me? I haven't even finished the autopsy yet. I was just calling to tell you his name." "I know, it's about Nick. The scene really bothered him, and then I think he went to the Raven when we got back to the precinct. That in itself isn't unusual, but he left a little more abruptly. LaCroix' broadcast started early tonight and he got to Nick worse than usual. I think that's why he went there. Also, he also still hasn't told us about what we're going to do. I mean, other than what he told us on the way back to Toronto." Natalie let Tracy's near-tirade sink in, then she nodded. Nick had been pushing the situation away, not wanting to deal with it. Personally, she would have rather taken care of it already. Her decision had already been made before they had even returned to Toronto. "I know, Tracy. I'll talk to him about it. If I have to, I'll go over to his place during the day. At least that way he wouldn't be able to leave until I'm finished." She paused, silently noting he hadn't been over for a while, months really. Then, she continued, "Well, anyway, John Doe is now Dustin Baker. He's twenty years old, and an honours student at the University of Toronto, but he's originally from Sacramento, California." "I'd like to be there about now," Tracy interjected thinking about the chilly weather outside. She thought about it a moment herself. Sacramento. She'd been there years ago, before entering medical school. Sacramento wasn't necessarily warm at that time of the year, but it was a far cry from the chill of Toronto. "Yes, other than that, I don't know much more, but decapitation was the cause of death, although blood loss would also be a possibility. It looks like he was held down while his hands and feet were cut off. Then, they decapitated him and took the heart. The weapon is possibly a hand held saw which would explain the jaggedness of the wounds. In addition, he appears to have been beaten before anything else happened, and has the internal injuries to show for it. By itself, that trauma could have easily killed him if he didn't make it to the hospital. As soon as I'm finished, I'll bring the report over to you." "And you'll talk to Nick?" she asked with a slight air of uncertainty. It really wasn't any of her business to bring it up, but.... "Yeah, I...." she stopped as the doors opened, and the topic of their conversation walked through the door. She didn't know how much he'd heard, but he didn't seem to care. This was the first time that he'd come by on his own for over a month, the first time she'd really seen him when they weren't talking about work. She could tell he didn't want to talk about the case, and that he was keeping his distance from the table. "Nat, I want to talk to you about something. Alone," he stated, sending Tracy a glance for added emphasis. She did her best to control her anger. LaCroix' broadcast had been about change and preparation. There was no doubt in her mind that he had to be talking about the very situation she had wanted to talk to Nick about. The darkness that she could see on her partner's face helped to confirm the topic. Whenever she asked him about it, a dark expression had appeared, and once again he wore that expression. Well, she wasn't about to let him off without an explanation. "Oh no, you don't. Nick, if this has something to do with the Enforcer's conditions, I want to hear it. After all, it does involve me as well." He looked at her for a while, faintly wondering how she knew, but she was right. They both should hear LaCroix' suggestion. Although he didn't want to bring either one of them across, he knew that it was inevitable, and that each passage would have to be conducted separately. Suddenly, he heard somebody walk by and realized that there was not the place for their discussion. Their conversation would have to take place where nobody would overhear them. "After work is over, meet at my place." Nick turned and left the room. Tracy pursued him. Luckily, he stopped just before leaving the building enabling her to catch him. Then, she asked how she was supposed to get there. She didn't know what his address was, and had never been there before. It would be a simple matter to find out, but she'd rather ask him. As they left the Coroner's building, he told her that he'd take her. Tracy asked if he wanted a ride back to the precinct. He didn't answer, his mind more on what he would say later than the present, and instead, Nick simply got into her car. The ride was spent in silence, and they had arrived at the precinct in no time. Death and Life - (03/14) They weren't able to make much headway on the case because their shift was nearly over. After deciding to postpone their efforts until the next evening, Tracy rode with Nick to his loft. She was nervous. Not only about seeing his place for the first time, but also about what they were going to be told. The car pulled into the garage of a warehouse, and after getting out, she followed him over to a door. A code was quickly punched in, and a short walk later they were on their way to the second floor in an elevator. Once the elevator car had stopped, she followed Nick out, allowing the door to close behind her. Once inside, however, she froze. The room was enormous, much larger than she had expected and all completely open. On the second floor, it looked like there were a couple of rooms, but because of the low light level, she couldn't quite tell. Nick had kept walking, placing his jacket on one of the chairs. His shoulder holster and wallet were left on the table. Huge windows were set into the walls, and a skylight in the ceiling. After a few minutes, the coming dawn cast more light into the room. With the additional light, Tracy could discern the remaining items surrounding her. Overcome with curiosity, she decided to look around a bit. He had a motorcycle and a grand piano, each taking up a good section of the floor. Yet, the room was so big that they didn't crowd the other pieces. The kitchen was fairly modern, but it was also bare. He wouldn't have much use for the kitchen. As a result, she was startled when he asked her if she wanted any coffee, stating that he was making some for Natalie. Accepting the unexpected offer, she walked over to the middle of the room and decided to sit on the couch. It was rich Italian leather. Further examination revealed a big screen television along with a complete entertainment centre costing a small fortune. Interspersed among the modern objects were older pieces. She could definitely tell that he had a lot of money. But, given his age, she wasn't really surprised. Abruptly, the elevator hummed to life. Tracy turned to see Natalie walk into the room. After placing her coat and purse on the table, the ME joined her friend on the couch. Nick poured coffee for them and placed the mugs on the table in front of them. He didn't sit down though, instead going to the refrigerator and getting himself something to drink. Finally sitting in the chair next to them, he put the wine glass on the table and focused on them. "What did you need to tell us?" Tracy inquired. "I guess that the Enforcers are in town and they are watching me. LaCroix also mentioned that the one in charge doesn't always keep his promises on time given." Enforcers. Natalie understood where he was going. "And because nothing has been done yet, they think you might not keep your end of the bargain." He nodded, and then, told them the real reason that they had to talk as he should have done months before. "We need to decide how we are going to do this. We're going to have to make our decision sooner than I had planned, probably within the next week or two." "Well, I've already made my decision, made it a long time ago," Natalie quickly told him. His eyes told her that he knew, and they pleaded with her to change her mind. She wouldn't though since she didn't think his existence was a curse, didn't see vampires as monsters, or at least, most of them. Divia had been a monster, and LaCroix was pretty close. Yet, Nick and Vachon had turned out different. Nick turned toward his partner. After a second, she firmly responded, "I've already made my choice as well." That's what he was afraid of. They'd both made their decisions, and from what he could tell, they both wanted to be brought across. They would soon realize that being a vampire definitely had its drawbacks. In addition to giving up the daily pleasures of human existence, the vampire was always there and famished. Hesitating faintly, he slowly began, "Very well. We now need to come up with a plan. If I bring you both over simultaneously, I will be too weak to give you the attention that you will need as fledglings. Basically, you'll need to learn how to do everything over again." Natalie figured that much and that the situation would create problems with her work. Having an ever present need for blood, and working up to her elbows in it wasn't going to go well together. She would need help with that, just as Tracy would need help when they went to crime scenes. Nick had trouble with these situations and, from what she could tell, he was able to control it better than most. Tracy didn't know much about the actual effects the vampire had on someone, but then, she hadn't been observing its effects for the past several years. She'd only even known about them for about a year and a half and her knowledge was almost entirely from observation. "Then I guess it's just a matter of choosing who's going to go first, when, and how." He nodded again. Natalie suggested, "I'll go first." Realizing some of the implications, she continued, "Then, I guess that I should arrange to take some time off or something. They will give it to me. They've already tried to get me to take a vacation a couple of times, and I'm sure Reese would let you off just like that." Reese would let him off. The issue was brought up about every two weeks, and the discussion happened nearly every week at that point. Pretty soon, he would end up with a mandatory vacation, and he didn't want that to happen again. The one time it had happened, he'd been utterly bored for two weeks straight. He seemed to accept Natalie's offer. In truth, it would be better if he brought Natalie over first. Not only would he have a fresh start, but it would be easier to deal with her lessons when they both had time off. With Tracy, this task would be easier since they worked together. He would be able to help her all of the time, and give her some of her lessons while they were working. He stopped with the realization of how soon he'd be bringing Natalie across. Considering that he didn't want to in the first place, he was going to have a lot to prepare himself for. The easiest achievement would be drinking solely human blood. As it was, he'd already almost gotten that far on his own. Silence seemed to fill the room as no one said anything. Eventually, Tracy broke the stalemate and hesitantly asked, "So is that all you wanted to talk to us about?" There had to be more. That couldn't be the end of it. Almost no time had been spent discussing what was to be done. "Basically. I'll talk to you more about this later. Natalie knows some things. I'll tell her about the rest once I have everything ready." Tracy's face lit up in surprise. If Natalie didn't know everything, and he was going to explain the rest later, then she'd get a similar, if not more complex, explanation. Natalie looked down at her watch. She needed to talk with him alone. However, given that she would need sleep before her early shift the following evening, that conversation would have to wait. "Well, I should probably go. I need to go in early tonight, and pulling a long shift before hand doesn't help. See you later." She grabbed her things and was out the door before the other two could object. Tracy remained sitting, and as the elevator began its descent, she noticed that she was stranded. Since Nick had driven her there, her car was still at the precinct. Noting the sunbeams pouring into the room through an open window, she realized that Nick couldn't get her back there. Hesitantly, she queried, "Umm...Nick? How am I going to get home? My car isn't here, and I know that you can't take me home." Glancing at her momentarily, he looked away with a blank facial expression. He hadn't thought of that contingency when he drove her over, as the sun rose, or after Natalie left. He'd been too preoccupied. After another second, he gave her his keys. "What are these for?" "You need a way home. Take the Caddy. I don't need it right now, and I can get to work without it." "But...." She stopped before her argument was out. It would be useless, she knew. As she looked at the keys, she was a little surprised that he let her have them, and how quickly he did so. Not only did it have his car keys on it, but several others which she didn't know what they went to. She figured one was for the door on the other side of the room, and that there was possibly one for the motorcycle, but she'd never seen him ride it. Looking back up, he'd gone over to the kitchen with Natalie's mug, and was washing it out. Standing up, she approached him cautiously, and asked, "So, you'll explain everything later? Do I need to take any time off, or anything?" He dried the mug, and then turned to her. "Yes, I'll explain everything later, in detail. You'll probably want to take some time off, a week or two, but I'm pretty sure Reese will let you off." He went back over to the couch and closed the shutters with the remote turning the room to almost complete darkness with only the kitchen's light illuminating the area. Tracy waited a moment before leaving, slowly walking to the elevator and taking it down. Once she got to the garage, she got in the Caddy, but didn't turn it on. Nick rarely allowed anyone behind the wheel of his car. There were a few rumours about Schanke crashing it on one occasion just after he became Nick's partner. And she knew Natalie had driven it a few times, but usually Nick was with her. Tracy felt weird about sitting in the driver's seat. It just didn't seem right. Oh, she'd driven the car before, but never alone. The one time was about a month after they had returned from their little excursion which had caused her present situation. The three had visited the Henderson's for a few days, and this time actually got a chance to enjoy themselves. The couple hadn't questioned when Nick didn't eat anything, and she asked him if they knew what he was. They didn't, and Nick shrugged their silence away as politeness. The Hendersons were very kind and generous, more than most people were. They had made the trio to promise to return soon. They hadn't fulfilled this second promise, and wouldn't be able to for another month at least. That was, if everything went to plans. She sat thinking for several minutes before eventually leaving. Now, in just a few weeks her life would be turned upside down, even less for Natalie. Death and Life - (04/14) Two weeks later, very little had actually changed. At least to Tracy. Nick hadn't said much of anything to her yet, hadn't even opened up a little. At the same time, Natalie had noticed him getting more sensitive to the lights in the precinct, and that he almost seemed to glide as he walked. He was getting ready. That night, he had left to talk to Natalie, and starting the next day, they would both be on leave. Earlier, Tracy had gone over to the morgue and found out what they were planning. Natalie confessed that she was nervous, much more than she expected. The uncertainty amplified her own nervousness, and she did her best to conceal it from her partner. Right now, she was following up on something for their unsolved case. While it was fortunate that there hadn't been any new murders, they hadn't uncovered any new leads either. They had no actual witnesses, no motive, no suspects, nothing. Now, Tracy would be on her own for the next week or so. Actually, since Nick was tied up in his preparations, she had already been solo for a couple of days. Time had passed so quickly, and she knew that in a few more weeks she wouldn't be able to be outside during the day. Not that she was spending a whole lot out in it as it was. She wasn't as sure about her decision as Natalie was. Becoming a vampire wasn't something she was completely thrilled about, but it was a whole lot better than death. Yes, death was not something that she really wanted to think about. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. As the elevator climbed toward the second floor, Natalie realized that the past couple of weeks had flown by. Now, Nick was waiting for her, and if all went well, she would be immortal by the end of the night. The anticipation made her heart pound, a fact that wouldn't escape his notice. Stepping out of the elevator, she entered to find the room empty and eerily quiet. After a few seconds, Nick came down silently, and put his hand on her shoulder startling her slightly. She spun around with an intake of breath, surprised at his sudden appearance. He was dressed and clearly awake. But, she could see fear in him and a slowly increasing nervousness. He really didn't want to bring her across, but knew that he had to. They both knew it. He sensed her nervousness as well, something that he'd expected. "Are you sure you're ready? We can wait a little longer if you want." She nodded, not trusting her voice to answer for her. He should be asking the question of himself, not her. From what she could tell, he was more uncertain of the decision than she was. His eyes locked with hers for what seemed like minutes, but in reality, it couldn't have been more than a couple of seconds. Breaking contact, he went upstairs. Leaving her things on the table, she followed several steps behind. Upon entering his room and seeing that it was already occupied, Natalie froze in her tracks. LaCroix was in the room, apparently waiting for them. Nick hadn't said anything about him being there, and after a moment, she realized why he was present. Nick didn't know if he'd be able to stop before draining her completely. LaCroix was there as a sort of safety net. That, and whatever other reasons he had. Her eyes met the ancient's for a moment, and she felt no fear. Other occasions that she'd met him, the fear had always been there. Perhaps not on the surface, but present none the less. It was something that his appearance induced in those around him - mortal and vampire alike. Yet, all that she felt was a strange sense of caring, something that before this moment she couldn't envision LaCroix being. But, he did have paternal feelings. She could see them just under the outwardly stoic surface. He stood silently as she thought on this issue. As she refocused on her surroundings, he nodded in acknowledgment. There was no malice, no intimidation. It was just a simple acknowledgment. Faintly, she nodded back, and saw Nick's eyes meet his father's as well. As she was told the night before, she laid down and waited. Nick stood near her for a minute, then, hesitantly he sat down next to her. He really didn't want this, and would give almost anything to postpone for even a day. Yet, in the end, it wouldn't make any difference. No difference at all. "Are you completely sure that you're ready?" he asked one last time, giving her another chance to wait. She nodded and that was it. There was no way to back out, not for either of them. He waited, and as the silence became uncomfortable, he knew he couldn't delay any longer. Allowing the vampire to reveal itself, he looked down at her in the dim light, his eyes shining like a cat's. A faint outline of his fangs could be seen, and as his lips parted, they shined in the darkness as well. He could feel Natalie's heart rate rise as he changed, and she quickly closed her eyes, preparing for his next action. He leaned over her, kissing her lightly on the forehead, and then, he moved to her neck. For a second, he did nothing but take in his sense of her. A sense that would be forever gone. As his fangs brushed her neck, her heart rate increased once more. Seconds later, she felt a piercing sensation. It quickly disappeared becoming the source of the most incredible sensation that she'd ever felt. She could feel her blood being pulled out, and her heart struggling to keep her alive. It began to fail, her mortal body nearly dead. Then, she seemed to be somewhere else. Hearing him call her, the bright desert immediately became a memory. Once again, she was back in reality. Then, Nick's essence flooded her senses. She could feel everything about him, his memories, his beliefs, everything that defined him as who he was. As she attempted to embrace the fleeting feelings and images, she felt herself getting drowsy, and quickly fell into a deep sleep. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Hunger consumed her. Within seconds of regaining her senses, she'd already begun to down a bottle of something. The liquid was cool, and sweet. It's texture was smooth. She reveled in the newly-discovered sensation. Suddenly, the bottle was empty, but another quickly replaced it. Once she had emptied that one as well, her surroundings became vaguely familiar once again. The room seemed brighter than usual and a strange hue enveloped it. As she looked down in her hands and saw the labeled green bottle, she realized what the sweet liquid was...blood. Human blood. The thought of her drinking it made her momentarily ill. However, the hunger already clamoured for more sustenance. Before she knew it, a wine glass full of the nourishing substance was placed in her hand. He told her to be careful, and not use to much of her strength handling the glass. It was difficult, and she could feel the glass strain under her grip as the thick nectar slid down her throat. She stopped about partway down the third bottle. Nick took the glass from her and watched her carefully as recent events replayed themselves. She could remember the bite, and everything fading away. Then the most incredible sensation had filled her. The light that Nick had described was there, reminding her of the feeling she had as a child when she and her brother, Richard, would run along the beach in the sunlight. Predictably, the guide had taken on the form of her brother. Not as he was before he died, but as a child. It almost seemed to have been done purposely. She knew it was. Whether it was by her doing or some other power's, she didn't know, but he was there. He wanted to remind her of that decision's implications and what she would be throwing away. When she had voiced her choice to return as a vampire, a nod of sad understanding had been given, and everything faded out first to whit and then to black. She had heard Nick calling to her, urging her back to him. She followed without hesitation. The Ancient vampire admired the fledgling before him. Her transition seemed to be going well, but there was much left to be done. As the child lay awake in her first real experience as a vampire, her eyes shone bright blue. Their life seemed to almost be amplified by her new nature. He watched as his son gently lifted her into a sitting position, and bathed in the beauty he saw before him. His son, and his granddaughter. Yes, Nicholas' friend would make a wonderful addition to his family. Now she was sitting up. Nick was next to her, and across the room she could see LaCroix. Neither man had any emotion showing, their stances stoic and identical. These expressions made her a little nervous. At that moment, she realized just how different, and at the same time, alike the two vampires were. This time, however, her heart rate did not increase, and the absence added to the silent nervousness. Within the silence, she could almost feel Nick, not just his presence, but through concentration, she could nearly tell his feelings. They were vague, but she could sense what they were. He was feeling a loss, and fear. Rejection - that's what he was expecting from her, but she didn't feel anything toward him along those lines. She was going to get up, but couldn't because Nick was there. Before she knew it he was standing up, and helping her up as well. He probably knew what she was feeling at the moment, and could anticipate her next thought. As she stood up, he held her hands. Everything was completely different. Her perceptions were off. Objects seemed closer and they were much more defined. Nick held her gaze, and through him, he seemed to tell her that everything would be fine. No words were used, but she could nearly feel them. Her attention shifted to LaCroix as he walked across the room. After he left, her attention turned back to Nick. Now she had no idea what was going to happen. Over the next several days, she would be getting used to everything. The biggest task would be attempting to build up a tolerance for blood and the mortals around her. Curiosity began to build at the feelings that she was getting through Nick. She silently wondered how she was able to sense it. That, and how he seemed to know her thoughts. "It is a part of our bond. You'll be able to do the same thing after some practice. Right now, your thoughts are visible. Until you learn to shield your mind, they will be so to all our kind. Eventually, you'll be able to project ideas through thought." At this comment, he could see her surprise as she pulled back slightly. He gripped her hands a little tighter and quickly tried to think of something she might be able to do easily. He sifted through the lessons LaCroix had tried to teach him as a fledgling, lessons he had never really learned. When a thought came, he nearly smiled, and knew if it worked, the smile would show itself. "Close your eyes. Concentrate on what chocolate tastes like. Don't try to tell me about it, just experience its taste." She knew nothing about what he did, and doubted her ability, yet still did what he told her. Closing her eyes, she tried to remember when the last time she had some. It was a little more than a week ago when she'd had pure chocolate, and she did her best to relive the moment. The experience seemed far away, longer than a week, almost like it was a few months ago. Blocking out everything else, she focused entirely on it and her reality was now a week before. Jolting back to the present, she could almost taste the chocolate, but she didn't have any. Nick was standing before her, still holding onto her hands, but more loosely. At first, she had no idea if it had worked or not. But then, as she looked closer, and her senses fully returned, she could tell it had. He was smiling, and looked kind of funny, but it had worked. Abruptly, she felt lightheaded and weak. Within seconds, she was sitting and sipping out of a wine glass. She drank half of it before stopping. Nick watched her, and when she only took what she needed he told her to finish it. Right now, she needed more than just enough to feel better, much more. He looked more closely at her, and she seemed all right. But, he was sure that there would be difficulties. For the next hour, he asked her several questions and discovered that her main problem was her perception being off. She could get used to the rest later. The sun slowly approached the horizon. About twenty minutes before dawn, she fell asleep. Nick covered her up and watched her sleep until midday. She slept soundly as young fledglings did. To him, she almost seemed mortal, but not quite. Her heartbeat was gone. In its place, was a tingling sensation indicating their developing link. He was worried. Not only about what she would think when she woke the next day or the next, but also due to her low blood intake. She'd had just over two bottles, and that was about a bottle less than minimal. It also didn't take much for her to recover from her first lesson, her eyes hadn't even changed at the weakness. Usually that indicated an extremely weak fledgling, but through his sense of her, he could tell that was not so. She was stronger than most, but she should still have needed more blood. Death and Life - (05/14) A week had passed. Natalie discovered that there were a lot of things that she had either forgotten about vampires, or that she never knew. His first lessons exhausted her. So, for the first couple of days, she was constantly needing rest. Nick had commented that she was learning very quickly and that she might not have too much trouble when she went back to work. She knew that there would be some difficulties, but it wasn't going to be as difficult as they had originally thought. He kept expressing his concern over how she was handling the differences. Every time that he did so, she told him she wasn't having any complications. She didn't really have a lot of trouble with the food, although chocolate was a whole other story. Ever since Nick had her think about it, she couldn't get it out of her head. She could still almost taste it, but unless they found a cure, she would never be able to have it again. Now, she didn't wonder how he could live without having chocolate, but envied him for not having to worry about it. The sun wasn't really too much of a problem either. She'd adjusted to the night over the past several years and rarely went out in the sun anyway. One thing really bugged her though. Mirrors. She'd forgotten about the reflection thing. Most of the time she'd seen Nick near them, he'd reflected. But, he'd once told her that he didn't always have one. Over the last month, she'd never seen him reflect. It was because he was drinking human blood, and that explained the absence of hers. She had no idea what she looked like, although Nick had told her she looked younger by a couple of years. On the fourth night, Tracy came over. She had called nearly every night, asking for a visit. Nick figured it would probably be safe for her, and Natalie would get a chance to test her self-control. She'd made it an hour and a half before she had to go for the fridge, and this time she didn't just drink a half of a glass. By the time she'd finished, half of a bottle was gone. But, Nick told her that was normal, especially for being around mortals for the first time. Tracy had also commented about her appearance and Nat could only take her at her word. Now, the only problem would be work. Her co-workers would surely notice the difference as well. After Tracy departed, she complained about not being able to last for her friend's entire visit. She still felt this way even after Nick advised her this weakness was normal. Later that night, he'd admitted he was surprised she hadn't tried to kill Tracy. That was the end of the subject. She wouldn't argue about that anymore. Over the next two nights, Nick had taken her to the Raven. The club wasn't really her taste, but discovered it seemed different as a vampire. There were only a few mortals, therefore she didn't have to work hard to keep her nature hidden. On the second night, they had flown there. Since it was her first flight longer than a few buildings, the trip took a lot of energy. LaCroix had watched them both nights, seemingly checking up on her progress. After about an hour she discovered she could feel the elder vampire as well. But, she guessed that sensation came more from her link with Nick than directly from LaCroix. Except for Nick and herself, he instilled fear in everyone around him. On the other hand, she didn't feel it. For Nick, the fear exuded on this night was not focused on him. Instead it was a warning for the club's patron's. Apparently, LaCroix had made it clear she was off limits. As they walked through the crowd, fear emanated from the others, and they practically parted for them. But, LaCroix wasn't the source this time. Now, Nick was the focal point of the dread. She couldn't tell if it was normal when he came or not. Suspecting it wasn't, she wondered what had caused the change. Aware that his age was more than most, perhaps that had to do with it. Or it could have been his survival from the Enforcers. From what she knew, his escape, even with the conditions was rare, if not unheard of. Eventually they made their way toward the bar, and found LaCroix observing them and his patrons. "Nicholas, I must say your daughter is absolutely magnificent." He stood, and slowly walked around the fledgling, looking closer and reaching out with his senses. She was stronger than most fledglings, even those twice her age. He attributed that mostly to her bloodline. Most fledglings' masters were still fledglings themselves, and as a result their bloodline had been diluted. As a mortal she was beautiful, but now, she was even more so. Placing his hands on Natalie's shoulders, he could feel a slight nervousness. But, that was to be expected. Still, the fear that should be there was absent. His son was now standing in front of Natalie, and the elder examined him as well. Nicholas' forced return had done wonders. His son was slowly taking his place, not only as his son, but as his age allowed. The Community, were treating his son as he should be treated. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see one of the Enforcer's lackeys. The vampire had took refuge in a dark corner when Nicholas had arrived. The Enforcer's fear proved Nicholas was being accepted. A pleased smile eventually reached his lips, and he was pleased indeed. He was extremely proud of his family, especially of its new member. Soon, yet another would join their family. Nick waited through his father's careful observation. Sensing approval, he started, "LaCroix, Natalie and I must be leaving, we..." "Of course, Nicholas. Tonight's visit was not social, and Natalie still has much to learn." Making sure LaCroix was finished, Nick nodded and led Natalie out the back entrance. Stopping for a moment, he reached out to his sire. Surprisingly, LaCroix was open to him, and even more surprising he was calm. Calm and satisfied. Turning back to Natalie, he asked if she was ready. Nodding, they took off into the night air. Back in the club, LaCroix' smile slowly turned into a grin. Nicholas was returning to him slowly, with no effort on his part. This situation had definitely run in his favour. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. The first night back at work finally arrived. Actually, she wasn't going to work, but rather, she wanted to readjust to the morgue. They had just pulled into the parking lot when Nick's cell phone rang. He answered it, expecting it to be Tracy. Instead, Reese's voice was on the other end of the line asking if Natalie was there with him. As it turned out, he'd called both of their numbers, and after getting no responses, had resorted to the cell phone. Next, he told them the purpose of his call. There had been another gruesome murder, just like the one a month earlier. He wanted both of them to come back to work early, and told them he expected to see them at the scene. They hadn't been given anytime to object before he'd hung up. Nick looked over to Natalie. He was concerned about this situation. They knew that this crime scene would be bad. She was a fledgling vampire who had never been around fresh blood. Not ever. Nick told her that they would stay at the scene only as long as they had to. But, that might not be enough. He hoped she wouldn't completely lose control, and that was a lot to hope for. Perhaps the crime scene itself would be relatively free of people, that way, no one would notice if she did, or if he did for that matter. Death and Life - (06/14) Arriving, Reese and Tracy met them almost immediately. Then, they heard a snicker from one of the officers who noticed they came together and their quick arrival. Their shared time off would only make their friendship seem even more like the relationship it could never be, at least until now. He pushed that thought away and tuned the other officers out, something Natalie seemed to be having trouble doing. Reese told them that it was exactly like the other one. The victim's body was found in the same state, again missing their hands, feet, and heart. There was no identification on the body and there had been no witnesses of any kind. Tracy went with them to the body, going over the rest of what they'd been told. Again, it was in an alley, and as soon as they reached its mouth, Natalie's eyes flared amber, going blood red for a few seconds. They returned to gold, and after a moment, she was able to make them mostly blue, enough that from a distance, the gold couldn't be seen. Luckily, there was no one in the alley, and no one would see the gold in her eyes. Nick's were relatively free of gold until they reached the body when they again changed for a moment. There was a lot more blood than the last time. Natalie froze at the smell and sight of the blood. She quietly told Nick to lift up the sheet, and when he did, what was left of the young woman was revealed. She had shoulder length dark red hair, and looked to be about the age of the young man they had found. Most likely, she attended the University of Toronto as well. He quickly recovered the body and pulled Natalie back as the allure of the blood became too much for her to handle. She had begun to shake and her eyes were flaming red. Nick turned her away from the blood and forced her to look at him. "Natalie, look at me," he told her several times until their eyes were completely locked. "Concentrate solely on you and me. Pretend everything else doesn't exist." She tried, but it wasn't working. "I can't.... The blood...it's...." "It doesn't exist, nothing but you and me exists." She tried once again, but still couldn't block it out, her attention once again being caught by the blood and it's sweet fresh scent. It was too much. She needed it. He gently tried to pull her away, but that only succeeded to bring the vampire even closer to the surface. The beast knew what it wanted, and would get it no matter what. Nick watched her struggle with it and knew he only had one option left. He would have to use his ability as the master vampire to control the child. It was something that he didn't really believe in doing, something that he'd never used before. He didn't even know if he could do it, but he had to, and it had to work. If it didn't, then she would reach the spilled blood no matter how hard he tried to prevent her from doing so. He could lose her to the new sensations, and he couldn't bare that though. Blood covered the ground and most of the brick wall's surface. The sweet red liquid drew her eyes in. It called on his beast as well, but he did his best to ignore it. Once again, Nick called for her attention. After a few tries, he finally received it. He took her face in his hands and forced her to look at him. Once her scarlet ones locked with his golden, he dropped his voice down, lower that he normally would if she'd been mortal. Making her thoughts become his, he commanded, "You do not notice the blood around you. It does not tempt you. Your hunger must wait. There is no blood. The alley is empty except for ourselves and Tracy. We are alone. There is nothing else here. We will exit the alley, and then, you will be fine. Do you understand?" She silently took in his command for nearly a minute. Her features became human-like once again, his quickly following. Then, she slowly repeated, "No blood. We are alone. I'll be fine...." Tracy watched in silence, and was amazed at what her partner had done. He had just hypnotized Natalie, or at the very least, persuaded her. Natalie was a resistor, and she figured it would be extremely difficult to control a vampire in the same way, but apparently she was wrong. As Nick led Natalie back toward the alley's entrance, Tracy followed them very closely, curious as to what they would tell the Captain. She also wondered how Natalie would be able to perform the autopsy. When they were clear of the blood scent, Nick released her from his control, thus allowing her to regain her bearings. She wasn't in the alley anymore, and the powerful pull of the blood no longer controlled her. Her eyes were already mostly blue, and within another few seconds, they were once again clear. She had no idea how she had reached her current location. At the moment, she could have cared less. A slight pain in her stomach told her she needed to feed, but she pushed it away. Now wasn't the time. Reese approached them, interrupting what few thoughts she had at the moment. "So, do you think it could be done by the same person?" Reese had addressed her and she hadn't really looked at the body much. She had to replay the sight in her mind and immediately, she recognized the jagged edges of the wounds on the wrists and ankles and the wound to the chest. "Uh.... Yes, I suppose they could be done by the same person, there are a lot of similarities, but if so, then it would be people. The other victim had been beaten before the other injuries, and if this is the case here as well, it is a very good possibility it is the same people. Baker had been restrained by at least three others." Tracy knew she was the only one that could find out from the university, at least during the daytime, and commented, "And by her appearance, she could easily be a student at the university. I guess that means I'll get to go back there again in the next couple of days. Perhaps this time, there will be something to help out this case." Reese seemed to agree with her synopsis. Nick followed suit, although he was paying more attention to Natalie. She was still slightly dazed, not really knowing what had happened. Reese would want a report from her as soon as he could get it, and in her current state, that feat would be difficult. "I want you three on this case starting now. I know that you two are on vacation, but as of now, it's officially canceled. You can have as much time off as you want later, but for now, I need you both on this. I don't care how you split it up, just work on it, and find out what's happening." The annoyance could easily be heard in his voice. As they started back toward the Caddy, he informed Tracy that he would have to go with Natalie. She understood his rationale as they quickly left the scene. Tracy headed back to the precinct, while her colleagues returned to the morgue. Natalie relaxed slightly as Nick handed her a bottle. She quickly drank from it until the hunger disappeared. Once satisfied, she placed the bottle under the seat. Nick was concerned about her not taking more nourishment. But, she assured him that it would suffice for the time being. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. They entered the dark morgue. Due to her newly-enhanced senses, Natalie nearly forgot to turn on the lights. As she explored the area, she felt a strange sensation, almost a calming effect. It was really strange, something that she'd never thought she would feel from the morgue. While it was true that working helped calm her, the room didn't have the same effect. In fact, it annoyed her. No, that wasn't it. It made her depressed. Now, it calmed her, made her more comfortable. Yet, what would happen when she did the autopsy? If her reaction at the crime scene was any indication, she wouldn't be able to perform it. Not without feeding on her 'patient.' "That was mostly the blood at the scene," he explained. The sudden answer to her question made her jump. She hadn't gotten used to him knowing her every thought, and didn't think she liked it. Privacy had been something that she'd been used to, and until now, didn't know how much she really needed it. No one had ever been close enough to her to know her thoughts. A couple had gotten close, although Nick was the closest she'd ever really gotten to a real relationship, if she could even call it that. "I'll help you as much as I can, either with control or doing something. I can't guarantee that I'll be able to do everything you ask, but I can try." She knew he would help her, but didn't know how this was going to work. She wouldn't be able to do a full autopsy. Not only did she think she wouldn't be able to handle it, but Nick probably wouldn't be able to either. The scene was just a little too fresh in their minds, although for Natalie things seemed a bit of a blur. In the end, she ended up doing a comparison of the cuts on the wrists and ankles. Then, noticing they were the same, she performed the same check on the chest wounds. Again the tell-tale signs appeared. She didn't think she had to do a full autopsy, at least not yet, to tell this woman had been killed by the same people who had murdered the young man a few weeks earlier. Now, they knew several people had been involved. The victim had been held down by the wrists and ankles before being beaten. That required three people, so they were looking for at least three suspects. An hour after they sent in the dental x-rays, they got matching records back. Their suspicion was correct. She was a student of the University of Toronto. Upon a closer examination of the records, they discovered that the two victims had not grown up in the same area. In this, at least one connection had been ruled out. Her name was Kimberly Warrington, originally from Edmonton, Alberta. Now, they just had to find out exactly who she was, and that would have to be done mostly during the day. Two - almost three in the morning wasn't the best time to ask for school records, or to talk to much of anyone. Tracy would have to go over alone at first, and that night Nick would go over with her. He was a little concerned about leaving Natalie alone. But while she was at the loft, everything would be fine. As they left for the precinct, he mentioned it to her and could see that she'd much rather be somewhere else, not because she didn't like staying at the loft. It was just too confining. Her brother had found it the same way, and he left believing he could control it. However, instead it controlled him. The vampire took Richard's beliefs, and twisted them to rationalize what he was doing. He had become one of the people he struggled to put behind bars. After a couple of minutes, he had to remind Natalie of those events. As much as he hated to do so, there was no other way to get his point across. She'd seen what happened to her brother, and he didn't want it to happen again. The words hurt, his death, both of them, being replayed before her. Originally her silence in return was a result of anger, but that changed. Nick was only telling her this because he wanted to prevent it happening a second time. The events were the best thing for her to relate to given the situation. That night, their bond had changed, beginning about the time they had arrived at the morgue. No longer was it mostly one way. Not only could he feel her emotions and thoughts, but she could feel him stronger, occasionally with part of a thought thrown in. She didn't know if he knew his emotions were being broadcast or not, but he didn't seem to notice. As they silently drove, she could feel his pain at having to remind her, and could almost hear his self-incrimination for her brother's death. Those thoughts were the only ones clear enough that she could really understand. She wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault, but in some ways, it was. Nick had been busy at the time, and wasn't able to teach Richard anything. He learned on his own after the boredom of the loft set in. When Nick went to work, Richard had been left alone at the loft, told not to leave, but he didn't see why he should stay cooped up in there. Nick wanted to make sure she wouldn't leave, so that the same thing wouldn't happen to her. They had pulled into the parking lot, and before getting out, he handed her a flask. He told her to drink it, that she would need its strength because of all of the mortals inside. She did, and as they walked up to the door, she began to get nervous. They hadn't planned to come here for several more days because of the amount of people and activity, not to mention the brightness of the lights. The morgue's weren't too bright for her eyes, but she also knew that there was a big difference between those and the precinct's lights. As they entered, she discovered that she was right, the lights nearly blinding her for the first few steps. After that, it was just really bright. She knew that she would have to get used to it sooner or later. As they came up to Tracy, she tried to screen out all of the noise in the room. Her newly-heightened senses could hear every rustle of paper, every whisper, every single teeny-tiny sound within the room. It was overwhelming, and she didn't know how Nick could stand it. After a minute, she gave up and just tried to ignore it. That partially worked, but she could clearly hear comments about her appearance, seeming like she had lost a few years. Nick had already started telling Tracy what they had found out. In an effort to better ignore the other distractions, Natalie concentrated on the detectives' conversation. "She's from Edmonton. So, unless they met before they went to the university, at a class, or some common event, they probably don't know each other." Tracy groaned. She really didn't want to go over to the university. "I guess that means I'll need to get her records probably sometime today and try to talk to some people. Then you can help me talk to her advisor and stuff. I don't know what they'll think of me. I could easily pass as a college student and I never did like teachers very much." Last time they had met Dustin's professor's and roommate at night, Nick had been there and had done the introductions. On her own it would take some explanations. Nat smiled at that, and for a moment, the entire room seemed normal. She could relate to Tracy's comment very easily. College and medical school had given her a pretty good idea what they would think of Tracy being a cop. They probably wouldn't believe her until she showed her badge. Even then they would be skeptical. Her first few years at college she'd gotten a lot of looks of disbelief, her age being a few years less than the rest of the students in the class. She started her first upper level classes almost before she was even seventeen, and entered medical school just after turning nineteen. Tracy didn't look that young, but she did blend in with the students. Natalie had zoned off, and they both noticed her absent expression. Tracy decided not to bother with any other comments and told her partner that she was going to go home so that she could get a little rest before going over to the university. Once she had left, he turned back to Natalie who was still lost in her thoughts. It took a few tries to get her attention, and then they had gone back to his place. The night hadn't been all that long, but it had been intense. The murder scene had nearly been too much for him, and she had nearly lost control. This situation was not proceeding he had planned it. Now, time would have to be spent dealing with the new sensations, particularly those which she had dealt with at the crime scene and then, the morgue. Death and Life - (07/14) As the sun's rays pierced her eyes through the dark sunglasses, Tracy hoped no one would tow her car or anything. It was late morning, and classes were in session. She hadn't been able to find a parking spot, and eventually took one reserved for the police. Although she could legally park there, her car showed no outward sign that it belonged there. Walking into the building, she easily found the Dean's office. Although she hadn't had to stop in when Dustin Baker was murdered, the records being sent to her, memory quickly told the detective where to go. While she was in the Academy, a friend of hers had been going to the university, and as a result she knew her way around the campus well. She quickly spoke with the secretary, and after a skeptical glance, was immediately admitted as he was not busy. Entering the office, she was given a confused look from the middle-aged man before her. "Pardon me, but I was told a detective was here to see me?" She continued to the desk, and responded, "Yes. I'm Detective Tracy Vetter, Metro Homicide." For once, she hoped that her name would connect her to her father, but the man didn't recognize it. "Could I see your badge?" Tracy was seething with anger, but, forcing herself to remain calm, she replied, "Of course." She slowly reached into her pocket, and passed her badge across the large, hardwood surface. He stared at the identification and the badge for several minutes. He took two glances up at her from his seat, before handing the badge back. He still wasn't completely sure of the young woman, but he would go along with it and see what she needed. "I'm sorry for doubting you, Detective. It's just that you don't look old enough to be an officer. I've also never seen you here before." He paused, then introduced himself, "Bernard Neuman, Dean of Students." Tracy shook the extended hand, and sitting back down, commented, "Yes, well that's true. My partner and I don't come over here very often." With the comment, he noticed that she was alone. Usually when a detective came, his or her partner was there as well. "Where is your partner?" he inquired. "And, who are they?" "Nick Knight. He'd be here, but he's...busy right now, and couldn't come." Knight. He recognized that name, but not well enough to put a face to it. The slight pause in her speech made him suspicious. Why would she do that? Shaking his head, he inquired, "What did you need, Detective Vetter?" Finally, she was able to get down to business. She'd already been there for ten minutes, and wondered how long this conversation would take. "Do you remember the murder of Dustin Baker about a month ago?" "How could I not? The tragedy caused a ruckus the likes of which I have not seen in my fifteen years as Dean. In fact, we're still in shock from it." "Well, another student, Kimberly Warrington was also murdered, and I would like to get a copy of her schedule as well as any other information which you have on her. A copy of Dustin Baker's classes would also be helpful. I'll need to talk to her roommate, I'll do that tonight. By then, I'll have a warrant to search Kimberly's room, so I'll talk to her then." Tracy waited for a moment, and added, "Oh, and if I could get a map and office hours of her professors, that would speed things up a bit." She might know where the buildings were, but professor's offices were foreign to her. The young woman finished her reply. Student records is what she needed. "I can get those as soon as I see the warrant," he stated, hoping she had one. He was still suspicious of the detective, but with the warrant and her needs, she seemed like the real thing. She pulled out a folded piece of paper and passed it over the desk. Opening it, he found a genuine warrant, and he felt better. It allowed her to search student records, specifically those of Kimberly Warrington, and Dustin Baker. The Dean slowly stood, and explained, "I'll be back with what you asked for in a few minutes. It'll take less time if I go personally. It's the least that I can do for doubting you." "Thanks," she replied, as he left the room. For a half hour, she sat in the sparse room. The only decoration was a frame on the corner of the desk. The picture within it was of a man, a woman, and three nearly grown children. The man was the Dean, the others probably being his wife and children. When the administrator had returned, he had brought several files with him, including the requested schedules, information on Kimberly's roommate, and her professors' office hours. Apparently, he had been able to retrieve everything in that time. "Detective, if you need any further assistance in your investigation, just call, and I'll see what I can do. The other staff members and I want this situation taken care of." He stood and extended his hand. She did likewise while assuring him, "Yes, I'll do that. My partner and I will do all that we can to solve this case." As she exited the office and then the building, she sat in a shaded area on a bench. She pulled out Kimberly's schedule, and then, her records. After she had gleaned what she could from the printed words, Tracy turned to the professors' office hours. She would talk to Kimberly's professors without Nick, would save time. As it turned out, the first one she would visit would be her biology professor. She'd hated biology, especially the dissections. Now, after having a couple of forced interns with Natalie at the morgue, it wasn't quite as bad. Glancing at her car, she saw a piece of paper stuck under her windshield wiper. She cringed, and reaching her car she gingerly removed it. It was a ticket, and a nasty one too. Today was definitely not her day. Looking around, the parking lot was just as full as before. There was no way she'd find another parking spot. Not at this time of the day. Tucking the ticket back under the wiper, she decided she would walk. After all, she had some time to kill before the professor's class was over. If they gave her another ticket, at least she could get rid of it. She already had to go in about the first one. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Despite her decidedly leisurely pace, Tracy arrived several minutes early. Dr. Pauline Marcus was on her way from class. One minute after her scheduled office hours had started, Dr. Marcus approached her office. She was a couple of inches shorter than Tracy, her deep auburn hair twisted into a bun. Unlocking the office, the woman asked, "Are you here about the offer that I made during class today?" Once again, Tracy was being mistaken for a student. She blushed slightly, and explained, "No, I'm not. I wanted to talk to you about one of your students." Dr. Marcus pondered the young woman's statement, and asked, "You're not one of my students, are you?" Her complexion brightened a bit more, and she replied, "No. I'm Detective Tracy Vetter, Metro Homicide." Tracy held out her badge for the older woman to examine. After a moment, the professor nodded sadly. "This is about Kim isn't it?" she realized. "Yes, it is. Dr. Marcus, I was wondering what you could tell me about Kimberly?" The professor sat at her desk, and offered a nearby chair to Tracy. After a moment, she began, "Kim was a very bright young woman. She excelled at Math and the Sciences. She was also a gifted musician. No one in the department matched her learning ability, and I'm sure she would have been very successful at whatever career path she chose for herself. But, she was different than my other students. Kim rarely went to social functions, or involved herself in student organizations. But what she did do, she put all of her energy into it, and was determined to succeed." The faculty member had painted a verbal portrait of a academically oriented student, one who could focus her energy on any one task, yet could also divide it between several tasks at once. If Tracy had gone to college, she wondered what kind of a student she would have been, and where she'd be working. Shaking off her thoughts, Tracy inquired, "Earlier this week, or last week, did you notice anything different about Kimberly? Anything at all?" The professor pondered this notion for several minutes, and Tracy watched as each day, each hour passed over her features. "No, I didn't notice anything different. Nothing at all. She arrived at her normal time every day, and did all of her work. Nothing was amiss." "Can you think of anyone who could harm her? Perhaps out of jealousy or hatred?" "No. Kim kept to herself most of the time, but she was well-liked. I never heard an ill word said either to her, or about her. As for jealousy, of course the others were envious of her accomplishments and abilities. That's natural. But again, I don't know anyone who would act on their feelings to any extent." The professor shook her head slightly, and apologized, "I wish I could have been more help to you Detective. Good luck." Tracy nodded politely. Handing the older woman her business card, she asked to be contacted if she could think of anything. This interview hadn't revealed much other than the fact that Kimberly was well-liked. As she gripped the door knob, she questioned, "Do you know who any of her friends are? Perhaps someone you saw her with?" After a moment of thinking, Dr. Marcus shook her head. "No. As I said, she kept to herself. Although, for a while, a young man would wait for her after class. I don't think that he was her boyfriend, and I haven't seen him for the last several weeks." "Thanks," the detective told the older woman as she opened the door. "You're welcome, and I hope you find who did this. Her parents were so proud of her. She was the first of her family to attend college, and being the youngest, would have been the only one in her generation. Now, they will have to wait for her nieces and nephews to do so." Tracy nodded, not knowing what to say, and left the office. Three hours later, it was early afternoon, and she'd spoken with four of Kim's professors. All had the same reaction to her occupation. One seemed to freeze at the realization he was wrong, the information not quite being able to sink in. She would wait to talk to Kim's advisor until Nick could go with her. First, she would go home to look over the young woman's records, and her own notes for an hour or so. Then, she'd have a better chance of getting a hold of her partner. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Noise, something was making noise. As he sat up on the couch, he reached back and grabbed the phone, muttering something unintelligible into the receiver. "Nick? Sorry if I woke you, but I needed to find out when and where we were going to meet." Her words were quick and only silence greeted her. "Nick?" Another break, but still no answer. "Are you awake?" Awake. It was . . . three in the afternoon, and she wanted to know if he was awake. Although he had heard her question, he wasn't quite ready to answer. "I guess," he told her, since now he wouldn't be going back to sleep. "I was able to get records on Kimberly Warrington. She wasn't an honours student, but her grades were fairly high. She was in the third year of a Botany major. It took me a while to convince them that I was a cop, and I wanted to wait to talk to her advisor until you could be here. I figured that we could go by and talk to her roommate afterwards." His response was the same, although this time she could tell he was a little more awake. "So, where do you want to meet?" "Where is her advisor's office? That would be a good place." "I'm not completely sure. It's somewhere in the Earth Sciences Centre off of Wilcocks Street." 'Somewhere in the Earth Sciences Centre.' That was really helpful. They would have to ask to find out where they needed to go. "Do you know the advisor's name?" "Yeah, a Dr. Ronald McClellan." "I'll be in the front of the centre about five minutes after sunset." "Thanks. I think it'll be smoother if you asked most of the questions as well. They really seem to think I'm a student here, not a cop." He heard a laugh with her comment and tried to smile, but didn't quite make it. Hanging up, he noticed there were several hours until sunset. He needed the sleep having been up most days at least until noon, today being no exception. Yet, if he did, he would probably oversleep his meeting. Death and Life - (08/14) The meeting with Dr. McClellan had been uninformative, and her roommate, Lori Turner, had never heard of Dustin Baker. Kimberly had kept to herself most of the time, and as a result, spoke to few people. Yet, Lori had commented she did get a lot of e-mails. With a warrant Tracy had just barely thought to get, they were able to access her computer and after a while, her campus e-mail account. Most of the messages were from the same person, and were at least a month old. Going by the system the campus used for granting e-mail addresses, the user name could easily be Dustin's. Clicking on the message, she found that it indeed was Dustin. The message was something about a meeting for an ecological group. Tracy asked about the group, and apparently Kimberly had been very active in it, but Lori hadn't heard anything about Dustin from her. The group provided a connection between the two murders, and now their next task was to find out more about this 'ecology' group. The latest message was also about an ecology meeting, one that was going to be that night wondering why she hadn't sent in her information about some project. It had just started in the same building about ten minutes ago, and they decided to stop by then instead of waiting for the meeting to end. Reaching the floor that the meeting was supposed to be on, they could hear voices as they approached the room and knocked on the door. A young oriental woman of about Tracy's age answered, clearly expecting someone else. "Are you here for the meeting?" she inquired of the strangers. Confusion filled her features not having expecting them, and not knowing who they were. Tracy wasn't sure what the best answer would be. So, Nick quickly took over. "Not exactly. We would like to speak with whomever is in charge." She looked back at the room of about twenty people, and stepping out and closing the door she told them, "I am Hai-ly Long, the Ecology and Preservation Club president. Before I answer any questions, I want to know who you are." Nick already had his badge ready and showed it to her. "I'm Detective Nick Knight, and this is my partner Tracy Vetter, Metro Homicide." She froze at the last word, then suddenly became animated. "Homicide? What is this about? Am I or one of the club members under investigation?" "No, you aren't under any kind of investigation. We are here on a case, and were wondering if we could ask you a few questions?" After giving Hai-ly a minute, and sensing no forthcoming objections, Tracy posed her first question, "Was a Dustin Baker a member of your club?" "Yes, but not for the last month. He'd been murdered, which I'm sure you know. It's been all over the news." "We know, it was our case." The woman tried to interrupt at that, but Tracy continued, "Was a Kimberly Warrington also a member?" Again she froze from shock. She'd just spoken to Kim the morning before. That was who she expected to see upon opening the door, not a couple of detectives. "Yes," she replied hesitantly. "What's this about? Has something happened?" She could see something had, and could feel her stomach churn at the thought. They were homicide, and that meant Kim had probably been murdered. At best, she was a witness to the crime, but she resigned herself to the fact that her friend was most likely the victim in this case. The two looked at each other, and Nick nodded to his partner. She paused a moment before telling them, "We found Kimberly murdered the same way Dustin was. When we discovered they knew each other, we came here." "When did this happen? I just spoke with her yesterday morning." "Last night. Did they know each other well?" She nodded. "Fairly. They were both activists in the group. Kim is, I mean, was the vice president." "Who else are activists?" "Well, now it's down to five others and myself." Hai-ly then read off the names as Tracy scribbled them down. "What do the activists do different in the group?" "We often do protests or demonstrations, and are a little higher profile than everyone else." After a moment of thought, Tracy continued her line of questioning, "Is there anyone that your protests angered? Perhaps a group that would consider your group an enemy, or at the very least, Dustin and Kim?" "Of course, that's why they're protests!" she snapped at them. It took her a few minutes to compose herself. Then, she continued, "I can't think of anyone that would really consider us an enemy. Most agree with at least some of our points, and as a result, we keep on relatively friendly terms. We don't bother them, they don't bother us." "Sounds like a good policy," Tracy half-mumbled. Regaining her attention, the detective asked, "So, as far as you know, you don't have any enemies?" "Don't think so." The short response ended her questions. Nick had been oddly silent since after introductions, and not knowing if he had any questions of his own, she turned to him. He simply handed a business card to Hai-ly, telling her, "If you think of anything that might be useful, or have any concerns, please call." She nodded silently, fingering the card lightly. Hopefully, she would be able to remember something to tell the detectives. Nick turned and started back down the hall with Tracy following behind by several metres. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Nick entered the morgue about three minutes after Natalie had. She'd requested it, thinking that it might help her get a little more used to the room. They were just about the only people in the building, and she knew that wasn't the problem. It was the blood. But, she had to finish the autopsy on Kimberly Warrington which she'd barely even started. While Nick had been gone at the university, Reese had called. He wanted her report before dawn, and had asked if any progress had been made. Nick hadn't called her, so he hadn't known that. But, of course she told Reese that the report would be ready. Right now, she wasn't quite sure if it was going to be or not. Without help, it wouldn't be done, and Nick was going to be her temporary assistant, either that, or she was going to be his advisor. She could feel his eyes on her as she got ready to do the autopsy. At first, he simply stood by and watched her. The blood bothered her, but it wasn't as fresh as at the scene. Her work went slower than usual, and looking up at the clock, she noticed it was just enough that now she would have to hurry. They were both surprised that she needed very little help. As she went, Nick compiled the report as she worked and held things when she needed a break. Yet, she did perform most of the autopsy without assistance. When she was ready to stitch the body back up, she looked over the report. The first thing she noticed was that it wasn't Nick's handwriting. It looked suspiciously like hers, and would easily pass as it. She didn't comment, not seeing the point. Why argue about something that actually fixed a problem, instead of creating one? Turning back to the body, all she could think of was the blood. Other times when the vampire asserted control, Nick had been able to help her. When she had become captivated by it, he had called her name, and after a few moments she slowly regained her senses. However, as with the crime scene, she needed more than a gentle guiding. There was blood on the table, her instruments, gloves, everything, and it looked so good. She focused on one hand, and her mind wanted to know what it tasted like. No, she didn't just want to know what it tasted like, but needed to know...to know it's exact flavour. Only a little further to go, just a few inches to the secrets it held.... She faintly felt herself being spun around. Her mind was still focused on the red liquid before her, and couldn't even feel the grip pulling her hand away. But, she did notice the blood which was being pulled away from her, and reacted on instinct. As her fangs descended, her eyes turned solid amber in an instant. She snarled at him and used all of her strength to pull away. Instead of breaking free, she'd only managed to throw them both a little off balance. Nick moved his grip from her wrists to her upper arms, gaining more control over her movement. Faintly she could hear a voice, but she ignored it. The being before her wasn't allowing her to do as she wished, as she needed, and she didn't like it. Amber slowly flooded with red until all was scarlet, and she hissed at him. He called her name several times as she struggled in his grip. Once again, he saw the only option, and for a second time changed roles. As he said her name again, he was no longer the teacher, but the master. It almost worked the first time, and with a second pronunciation, she was locked in his thrall. Her need for blood coursed through him, and he realized that he wasn't going to be able to get her under control in the morgue. Instead of keeping her in a dazed state as before, the distance they needed to travel much farther, he gently forced her asleep. She collapsed into him, and he carefully lowered her to the floor. For a little over a minute, he watched her, and her sleep wasn't the same as he'd observed before. He could feel her subdued emotions, her restrained desires, all suppressed by him. Taking her to the loft was his first priority, but then, he saw the body. She hadn't gotten the chance to stitch it back up. Worse still, the report still lacked her signature and the cause of death. Reese wanted it then, right then, and it wasn't completely done. Getting the report to Reese wouldn't be the problem. He could just give it to someone else to deliver. But before leaving, he would have to clean up, and dawn was approaching closer and closer. Abruptly his senses picked up the presence of another vampire. Before turning around, he already knew who it was. His creator, LaCroix. Facing the elder vampire, Nick still knelt next to Natalie's sleeping form. "You sensed me. That is very good." LaCroix approached his son gracefully from the door, approval clearly visible. Nick's mind noted that they hadn't locked the doors, but quickly filed it away. He would have to be more careful. Then confusion set in. "What are you doing here, LaCroix?" he demanded. The Ancient nearly laughed. "Why, Nicholas...I am merely checking in on my son and grandchild. What more reason do I need?" LaCroix continued toward his son, reaching down to the fledgling's still features. She was sleeping soundly, without dreams. After a moment, they both stood, the elder resting his hand on the other's shoulder. "You, my son, seem to be doing very well. I must say I couldn't have done better," he said, gesturing to Natalie. "The ability to control another is rare. No doubt it is a result of your heritage. With time she will become stronger. I would suggest she be introduced to the mortal world slowly, or even better, leave and teach her what she needs to know. These games can wait until your fledglings are in control of their nature. Your partner will have to be brought over soon as well." He removed his hand, lightly touching his son's face. Nick didn't move at first, allowing the action. Then, he noticed how close the sun was to the horizon. They had to leave. He pulled away, finding the report. "LaCroix, could you find a technician?" LaCroix stared at Nicholas with disbelief. His son was ordering him. He had no right! Nick could see the anger his question had caused. "Please. Dawn is coming. I have to get Natalie back to the loft. I also need to clean this up. The body needs to be stitched up and the report delivered." The look on the elder's face did not change. "Please, LaCroix. If you will not, I'll find one, and Natalie may not make it back to the loft. I need to leave. Please...father." LaCroix looked down at the last words. Nicholas rarely called him father. Now, he could not turn away from the request. "What do you need, my son?" "Someone to stitch the body back up, then deliver the autopsy report to Captain Reese." The vampire nodded, and exited the room. Nick quickly found Dustin Baker's autopsy report, and found the cause of death. After a few seconds of consideration, Nick wrote a similar cause on Kimberly's report. The handwriting matched Natalie's almost exactly, and it's forgery would never be noticed. Natalie would be mad later, but it had to be finished. Then, he signed the report just as LaCroix returned with a young man. Nick barely hesitated as he implanted Dr. Lambert's orders into his mind. Natalie had gone home sick, and had asked him to clean up and deliver the report. Handing the file to him, Nick sent him on his way, and a second later was carrying Natalie out the door. Dawn was coming. It wouldn't be a problem for himself or LaCroix for another half hour, but Natalie.... She would incinerate in seconds if he didn't get her home in the next few minutes. There was barely time. LaCroix watched his son run from the building, his feet leaving the ground with more speed than they had in centuries. The elder smiled, feeling the vampire in his son. With it came a connection that was stronger and more peaceful than it had ever been. He stood in the pre-dawn for several minutes, bathing in the link between father and son. Abruptly, he took off into the brightening sky, pleased the situation was bringing his Nicholas back to him. Death and Life - (09/14) Waking up with a start, her memories returned to her. She remembered losing control at the morgue, then for a while, she had a slight feeling of intoxication, as if she wasn't under her own control and those memories were vague. When that stopped, she remembered the loft, and that she had quickly gotten tired. The shutters had clicked on, and despite her hunger, she'd been out before they were closed. Yet now, she wasn't hungry, not even a tad bit. Her vision was clear, and her stomach satisfied. Focusing on her surroundings, she sat up. The room was Nick's, and she'd gotten used to that over the past week, but she wasn't the only one in the room. He hadn't slept on the couch, wasn't even awake yet. He was laying nearly right next to her on the bed, appearing exhausted. He'd covered her up, and had apparently fallen asleep. Watching him, she could see conflicting emotions, ones that she could feel faintly. She'd never been able to feel his emotions, not without having to concentrate at least a little, and even then they were only vague guesses as to his real feelings. This was not. She knew exactly how he felt. His guilt had seemed to be amplified, and he was ashamed of himself of something, something he'd done, but she didn't know what. He was on his side facing her. She looked closer at him and noticed his pushed up sleeve. A pocket knife was in his hand, and a bit of dried blood stained its extended blade. Now she knew why there was no hunger. He'd had to give her his blood, enough that eventually it forced him asleep. From him, she could feel pieces of his past. But, most of what she felt was from the last week, his present emotions being a continuation and amplification of those. Every day, he'd stayed up watching her, and gotten up before she did. He was going off of only a few hours of sleep if even that for at least the past week. That and giving her blood had been just too much. She moved her hand to touch his face, but decided against it. He was sleeping, and he needed it. If she woke him up, he would stay up despite his tiredness. Carefully slipping out from under the sheets, she covered him up and quietly left the room. Only a couple of minutes had passed before he came down. He wasn't fully awake yet as he passed by her, walking toward the refrigerator. She figured that he had noticed the change in their link and that's why he had awakened. As he drank, he didn't bother with the glass, nearly emptying the bottle by the time he stopped himself. He was going to finish it, but put it back slowly. By then, she'd reached his position, and now couldn't only feel his guilt, but could clearly see it as well. "What's wrong?" she asked, her hand nearly touching his face, but he'd pulled away first. "I've betrayed your trust," was all he could say, the words soft and even as he walked out of her reach. "How? How have you betrayed my trust?" She didn't know what he was talking about. Unless she knew what he'd done, as far as she knew, she'd been the one at fault. "I've used what I am against you." The words make no sense to her, and she asked, "How? We are both vampires. How can you use that against me?" He cringed when she stated what they were, then stood silently for several seconds before answering. "Not the vampire, but what I am. As your creator, your *master*, I used you." The emphasis and explanation helped, but he hadn't answered her question. "You still haven't told me how." Their eyes locked, and he slowly explained before looking away. "Basically, I hypnotized you. You were completely under my influence." Now this was news. She didn't even know that one vampire could hypnotize another, and she was shocked. But when had he done this, what had she done? "Why?" "When you lost control I couldn't get you to respond to me. I had to do something and it was the only thing I could do at the time." The intoxicating feeling, when she hadn't felt in control. The jumbled memories from the crime scene and the morgue. It made sense now. At least partially. "That's okay though, I mean you were just trying to help. It's not like you really wanted to, and did it on purpose." He was about to argue as his actions were on purpose, but the phone rang, startling them both. Nick quickly answered it, and found Reese on the other end of the line. Reese told him to come down to the station and quickly told him why. When he hung up, Natalie asked him what it was about. Although her hearing was better than before, she hadn't learned to focus it enough to hear the other side of the conversation. "Tracy was over at the university most of the day. She overheard something that might have to do with the murder. Your vacation has been reinstated, and I would like it if you didn't leave." She nodded as he went back up to his room. Moments later, he departed without another word. Staying at his place was getting tiring, and their relationship had changed. Instead of getting closer, they had moved further apart, further than even before she had been brought across. That wasn't really the problem though. She could feel her anger coming to the surface. What he'd done didn't thrill her, but she knew that it was his concern and the situation. Yet, he was treating her like a child, something she didn't like and couldn't put up with much longer. The night before she'd done almost as well as him with the blood until she lost control. In a few weeks, she might not have any problems with it at all. Keeping the anger controlled was difficult, but she could do it. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Once he arrived at the precinct, Nick got the details on what had been overheard. It wasn't enough to pull anyone in, at least not without a little more credibility. Two young women had been speaking about something that they'd done within a larger group. One was doubting her involvement, but had been reminded that the deed was done, that now it was too late to change their minds. She'd remembered a comment about bringing the girl back to life, that it would be impossible. Tracy had also been able to get both of the girl's names. They had been working, and their name tags gave them away. She had just begun looking up their records using a link to the campus system the Dean had provided, when her partner arrived. She made Nick take over, reminding him that it would take less time. Neither girl was overly remarkable. One, Julie Davis who seemed to be sure of her involvement was concentrating in business marketing, the other, Sara Powell, education. Both of their grades were average, their classes of average difficulty. Julie was in her third year, Sara her second. Going through their records detail by detail turned out to be challenging. There seemed to be a lot of unnecessary comments, but among them, he found a useful one. Useful and relevant. About a month after the academic year began, there were two violations in Julie's record. One was a result of her and an unidentified group beating up another student, the identities of whom they could only get with more detailed documentation. The second was vandalization of school property, specifically graffiti. Again, neither the specifics of the actual crime were mentioned, nor the names of the other students involved. Sara had the same two violations, dated on the same days, and containing the same lack of information. Those details wouldn't be available until the next morning, as they would need more detailed records, and the office had closed for the day. After getting the rest of the information, they might go talk to Sara, depending on what was in her record. Nick was just getting ready to leave when he felt a sudden tingle. Looking toward the door, he watched as Natalie entered, walking calmly to his position. Initially, he was too shocked to comment on her presence as she asked how everything was going. Then, his shock invisibly turned to anger. Tracy noticed both his shock, and his apparent lack of reaction, answering Natalie. Once he'd recovered, he pulled Natalie into the closest conference room. As soon as the door was shut, he demanded, "What are you doing here?! I told you to stay at the loft!" His tone finally triggered her own anger. "Nick, I can't stay there much longer! I need to see other things to get used to what I am! You may be content in your own little world, but I am still learning the differences between this one and the one that I was in a week ago. I am not a child and can do things on my own!" As she finished, there was a slight touch of gold in her eyes. In his desire to protect her, Nick had wrapped Natalie in a tight cocoon, and now she wanted to be free of its restrictions. For the most part, he agreed with her. But, as far as the last statement was concerned, he couldn't help but correct her, "Yet, you are a child. Not in the mortal sense, but in the vampiric sense, and you will be for a while yet." Her anger flared at the words, her eyes blazing gold, and she tried to strike him. Her hand never reached its target as its flight was arrested after traveling only a few inches. The anger remained, and even with the power of his grip, she didn't feel the pain it was causing her. His eyes also burned golden and just as his action was purely instinct, as his voice lowered and mind gripped hers, he didn't even notice. "You will return to the loft, and will not leave until I arrive." The words could not be disobeyed, but as his anger began to subside, so too did his power over her as he realized what he'd done. After releasing her arm, she stood slightly dazed, her mind regaining control of her actions. She was able to remember his command, and this time it was fear, not anger, that caused her eyes to glow. They slowly faded back to a deep blue, and she began to shake slightly, afraid of him. Backing up, she exited the room, and quickly left the building, taking off into the night air as soon as she could. Nick didn't react. He didn't go after her, it wouldn't do any good. The fear he'd seen was directed not at the vampire, but at him. Directly at him. She was afraid of who he was, and what he could do. It was mirrored in his own mind, and was a major deciding factor in not going after her. He'd noticed his teaching her was very similar to how LaCroix had taught him, but now, the similarity would end. When he'd rebelled, LaCroix had gone after him in anger. He would not do that to Natalie. By not pursuing her, he didn't give himself the opportunity to do so. He tried to push the image of her away, the fear so apparent anyone could see it, vampire or mortal. He wouldn't force her back to the loft, or him for that matter. She needed to come back to him of her own free will. Otherwise, she wouldn't trust him, but fear him. He silently hoped Natalie went back to the loft anyway, but somehow he didn't think that she did. She wanted to be as far away from him as she could, and her reason was valid. Tracy had silently entered the room, and cautiously walked over to him. He'd still made no move, didn't even notice as she approached him. As her hand touched his shoulder he jumped, turning in her direction. His face was pure white, not a pale white, but pure white. His eyes were a pale blue, lighter than she'd ever seen them, a touch of fear within them. "Nick? What happened? Why did Nat leave so quickly?" The words were slow in coming, but eventually he managed them, "Me, she left because of me, what I did." Focusing on her more intently, he continued, "Something that I won't let myself do to you." Quickly walking past her, he left the room. By the time that she'd followed him, he had vanished. Grabbing her things, she took off as well, hoping that he went to the loft. This time, he was going to tell her what really happened, not some lame, cryptic response. Death and Life - (10/14) Natalie arrived on the loft's roof in a matter of minutes. However, she did not open the skylight. Rather, she only stood there, confused as to why her instincts had guided her back to the loft. Nick would arrive sometime. Either within seconds, or after his shift was over. She didn't want to be around him. Looking down at her hands, they were shaking from fear. On her wrist was a bruise, which despite her healing abilities, was still there. She knew that it would fade within the hour, but it fueled both her anger and her fear. At the precinct, despite his apparent slip of his nature, she knew that he was in charge. If he lost it, he could easily kill her. How many of his children had he killed in the past for not obeying him? She didn't know, and didn't think she wanted to find out. He'd killed Richie without any hesitation. Yes, Richie had lost control of what he was and what he wanted, but Nick's last actions seemed to be practiced. There had been no emotion as her brother turned to ash. Later, emotion had appeared, but was it merely a show for her? He'd clearly killed other vampires before, possibly his own children. He'd killed Richie, Francesca, Divia, even LaCroix, plus several others. Some by his own hand, others by refusing to help. He had even brought Janette back across against her will, not allowing her to die as a mortal. Janette had achieved what Nick and herself had been working on for years, and he had taken it away without a thought. The fading flashes of his memories she held onto. They were everything she'd told him he wasn't. He had killed, and from what she had seen, at times he had been worse than LaCroix, his father barely able to get him back in control. She shivered. She didn't want to be the next victim. Accordingly, she couldn't stay there. Abruptly, she felt a breeze. Turning toward it, she saw him. She couldn't see any emotion on his face, couldn't feel him at all. It was as if he wasn't even there. She didn't move, fearing that any reaction would cause him to go after her. Yet, despite her thoughts, he still approached. Her shaking became visible to him, but she wouldn't run. As he took her arms in his hands, she first froze, then pulled away. The grip tightened, and she pulled even harder, determined to get free. "Natalie...." he pleaded, but she only pulled harder. She snarled at him, her eyes burning embers. The intensity of her action loosened his grip just enough for her to break free. "Stay away from me!" she hissed, momentarily halting his approach. He slowly came toward her again, and this time she reacted. Her nails raked across his face, releasing the previously controlled emotions. He spoke no words as his eyes turned to match hers, his fangs glinting in the moonlight, seeming longer than ever before. "Natalie...." he repeated, but it wasn't the soft pleading from earlier. The vampire was heavy in his words, commanding the young fledgling, demanding that she listen to his voice, his words. She was nearly pulled into the powerful voice. But, since he hadn't commanded her to do anything yet, breaking free was a simple matter. She backed from the creature before her, and hissed through crimson vision, "Get away from me! Leave me alone! I don't trust you! And I don't know why I ever did!" Retreating a few more steps back, she snarled at him again. Then, she took off into the night. He was shocked. Her anger was genuine, and she would not return to him. Not of her own free will, not now. Coming to the loft, he hadn't expected to find her. But, she was there, and now he had possibly made things worse by trying to talk to her. The vampire had worked its way to the surface. He still hadn't adjusted to the power of the beast within, and his control had both increased and decreased. His emotions were closer to the surface, and he was losing control of what he wanted. The vampire was acting instinctually. His control over her mind was greater than expected, and he didn't really know what he was doing. He fell to his knees on the cold roof. He hadn't expected her to go to the loft, but she was acting on instinct as well. Silently, he wondered where she would go, and if she would make it. As she took off, she had barely kept her balance, and landing would be even harder. Looking out across the night sky, he felt as if a part of him had been ripped away. Indeed, that is what happened. Natalie had torn herself from him, leaving behind nothing but an emptiness. He slowly stood and entered through the skylight, dropping heavily to the ground below. Natalie hated him, and he was afraid that he would push Tracy too far as well. At first, he didn't know how to avoid it from happening, but then he knew how. LaCroix. He would ask LaCroix to help him. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Flying through the night, Natalie eventually found herself at the Raven. She didn't know where else to go. The only places which she knew from the air were Nick's, the precinct, the morgue, and finally, the Raven. Once she made a rough, yet steady landing, she had to rest against the wall. She was exhausted from her flight. That was twice the distance she had ever flown before, and after confronting Nick, she was already taxing her energy supply. After a few minutes, she cautiously opened the door, and entered the club. LaCroix was in his sound booth, and not knowing what else to do, she approached the booth standing on the outside of the one-way glass. Almost immediately, he noticed her presence, and a few seconds later, he let her in. She only made it just inside the door before she froze, realizing where she was, and who she was with. LaCroix stood next to her, looking her over, and trying to determine her purpose for being here. He could not detect his son anywhere nearby. The fledgling before him seemed to be frightened, but of what, he could not guess. "My Dear Doctor, what brings you to me?" he asked, genuinely curious as to the reason. "I...can't go...go back to Nick's," she stammered after a moment. The elder vampire again looked her over, and watched as she trembled in fear. The reason was clear. She was scared to death of Nicholas. Well, scared enough to leave, and come to him at least. But why? "What has Nicholas done, my Dear?" he gently insisted. "I...I'm not sure. He is trying to control my mind, but not out of need. He's using it to his advantage. I...." she faded off, not sure what to say next. LaCroix slowly took her hand and led her to his chair. Seeing the bruises on her wrist, his anger flared under the surface. He quickly retrieved a glass of un-cut blood, and handed it to her. As he did so, he noted a slight bruise on her upper arms as well. Nicholas was not used to the vampire, and as a result, was having trouble controlling it. His son often acted on his emotions, something that did not mix well with their nature. Nicholas had gone too far. If this continued, not only might he lose a grandchild to her fear, but his son as well. Natalie held his son in the 'living' world. Natalie finished the glass, and stared at her wrist as the bruise healed, leaving no evidence it had ever been there. LaCroix refilled her glass, but she sat still. The glass didn't even tempt her. She was hungry, she could feel the pain in her stomach, but she didn't want the blood. What reason did she have to drink it? Right now, she needed the pain to control her emotions. The Ancient watched the fledgling for several minutes. Quickly, a half an hour had passed. Yet, she still hadn't moved. She was in shock, probably not even noticing his presence. If she would not go to Nicholas, she would not be pleased to be brought to him. No, that was possibly the worst thing he could do. Slipping out of the room, he told the bartender that he would be gone for the rest of the night, and might not be back for several days. An implied threat was left with him that nothing had better go wrong. Returning to his sound booth, he found her in the same place as before. It was rare for a fledgling to go into such a state. And, when they did, they usually went mad. The glass remained untouched. He saw no reason to let it go to waste, and finished it for her. Cautiously, he touched her arm first, then her cheek. He received no reaction until he gently tried to pick her up. Then, she snarled and eyes shown with a golden glint. She retreated into the back corner, trying to get as far away from the vampire before her as she could. As the elder approached, she started to panic, knowing there was no way out. LaCroix' hand neared her face, and when it lightly gripped her chin, she clamped her hands around his wrist out of fear. His hand moved back along her jaw, until he was holding the back of her neck. "Natalie, listen to me. I will not harm you. I will merely provide shelter, and will help you in anyway that I can." She released her grip, but wasn't sure if she should believe him. Yet, she remembered back to the night of death and rebirth. LaCroix had seemed to care then, and also when she and Nick had come to the Raven. LaCroix needed her to hold on to Nick. "I will not harm you. I have no reason to do so." She still wasn't sure what to do. Then, she made up her mind. She would take his offer, but did not trust him. Even though his motives in helping her were only his own, she didn't think he would harm her. Slowly, she began to relax, and within seconds, she was clutching to the older vampire for support. LaCroix held her for several minutes, then he carefully lifted her into his arms. Carrying her, he first left the club, then flew to his place. Along the way, she had fallen asleep, and he took her to one of the spare bedrooms. As he tucked her in, his anger mounted at his son. Death and Life - (11/14) The loft was dark when Tracy had arrived. When she'd gotten to the door, ready to enter the security code, she noticed it wasn't on. He always had it on whether he was there or not, something she'd both noticed and that Natalie had told her. As the elevator slowly completed its journey, she could feel her heart rate rise, and hoped that Nick was there. Reese had already called her on her cell phone, asking what she was doing. She'd simply told him it was something that she had to do, and didn't know if she'd be back that night. He hesitated before answering her, deciding it was okay because of all of the hours she'd been putting in during the day. Nothing had been said about Nick, and she knew Reese had seen both him and Natalie leave. Opening the door, she discovered that the lower level was completely in darkness, and the only light was coming from Nick's room. She could faintly hear movement, but couldn't tell what it was. Cautiously, she walked up the stairs as she had never been in that part of the loft. She followed the light and as she entered the room, Nick froze for a moment before walking by her and going back down the stairs. Following him, she stopped at the kitchen table where Nick set down a box he'd brought with him. She looked at it while he walked across the room getting something else, and when he came back, he put another box down, this one being much simpler than the first. A second later, an envelope and a piece of paper were placed in front of her, an address written on the paper. The envelope was addressed to LaCroix, and she was confused why he was giving it to her. "What's this for?" His eyes met hers, but he didn't make a reply. He couldn't bring himself to do so. "Nick, what's this for? Does it have something to do with your conversation with Natalie?" This time he nodded after a second's hesitation. She'd at least gotten an answer. "What happened? Please tell me. You can't just keep this to yourself." The answer was something she had a right to know, otherwise she wouldn't understand his actions. Even with the answer, she probably wouldn't agree to his idea. "Remember what I had done at the crime scene to control Natalie?" She nodded, recalling it seeming like he had hypnotized her. "The next night, when she did the autopsy, I had to do the same thing. Tonight, I almost did it again, not out of necessity, but on purpose...to control her. I don't want that to happen to you. I am going to have LaCroix bring you across." She immediately shook her head and tried to protest, but he continued, "He will do as I have instructed in the letter. He will treat you as I would, and you will survive." Tracy could tell that he trusted LaCroix enough that he was telling the truth, and now, she realized what he was trying to do. He was gathering his necessary possessions, so that he could leave. Because of the Enforcers' conditions, she still had to be brought across. He was making sure it would be done, but he was going to leave in any event. Now, she wasn't as sure about her decision. If she was brought across, she wouldn't have anyone to relate to, and she didn't trust LaCroix. Not at all. Looking down at the letter for a moment, she suddenly ripped it in half several times and let the pieces float back down to the table, some landing on the floor. Nick didn't seem all that surprised and appeared to wait for an explanation, his eyes staring at hers. "No, I can't believe you'd just leave. Natalie needs you more than either of you know. At least try to talk to her. I'll even go with you if you think you'll do that again." He seemed to think about her suggestion, and had thought about it himself, but discarded it because he didn't trust himself. He didn't want to leave. If he could, he'd spend the next decade in Toronto. But, he knew that at the most he could stay a couple of more years, and that would be pushing it. Nick was glad of her reaction. That's what he'd wanted to happen. If she'd opened the envelope, all she would have found was a blank sheet of paper. He needed reassurance both in himself and for Natalie, and Tracy's reaction had provided it. Nodding faintly, he decided that he would try talking to Natalie. Not only would Tracy be with him, but he knew where she went. LaCroix. The fear he'd seen wasn't going to dissipate very easily. But with others present, she might be able to trust him. Picking up his jacket and keys he started for the elevator silently, Tracy following quickly behind. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. It hadn't taken long to drive to their destination, and they walked up to the entrance of what appeared to be a penthouse. The address matched the one on the piece of paper, and she realized that they were at LaCroix' residence. Natalie had gone to him, probably not knowing what else to do. They were admitted almost immediately despite their host's displeasure at their presence. "She does not want to speak to you, or be anywhere near you. I suggest you leave." The words were spoken evenly, with a tightly controlled anger, and directed solely at Nick. "What about me? Can I speak to her?" Tracy inquired of the other vampire. LaCroix quickly focused on the mortal, and told her, "No. She is sleeping. Again, I suggest that you leave." Once again, the words were directed at Nick. She could hear the elder vampire losing his patience. "At least tell me how she is, LaCroix. Allow me the knowledge that she's okay." That was the last straw. Right now, he had no patience toward Nicholas, and would throw him out if he had to. Perhaps in a couple of days, but not now. At present, he had to calm down Natalie, and he with Nicholas there, he couldn't do that. LaCroix took his son by the shoulders and shoved him into the wall, hissing low, "Of course she isn't all right! She is frightened of you, and everything around her. Over the last week, she has lost everything. Not only her precious mortality, but it seems, you as well. You have alienated her from your life, and despite all that, she is still willing to wait. But no longer. Leave now. It can either be of your own free will, or not. I don't care, and I don't think she will either." Nick stood still as his sire released him, knowing every word was true. He had alienated her, their conversations becoming almost nonexistent, and then only when they were necessary. They hadn't really talked about anything since she'd been brought across, and certainly nothing about their feelings, either about what was happening, or each other. Abruptly, he could feel her mind brush against his, and he could see her across the room. Fear radiated through her very being, her attention solely focusing on him. She was pale, too pale especially for her young age, and he could tell she was using the wall for support. She was still stunned from earlier, but her anger was still present as well, concealed just below the surface. He stared at her as LaCroix again told him to leave. When he remained, the fear increased, and after what had seemed like minutes, she didn't think she could handle it any longer. "Leave," she told him, the tone not allowing for any discussion. That time he did, and softly told Tracy to do so as well. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. After spending all day at the university, Tracy drove over to Nick's place to share her findings. Thankfully, he was still there, and she quickly reported on what she'd learned. The two girls were both involved with the two violations, and were nearly expelled after the beating. Three others were involved in the group, and as it turned out, the student that they'd attacked was Dustin Baker. They had a connection after all. When she'd gone through the files of the other three students, Robert and Thomas Stevens, and Bryan Grant she'd found that the five called themselves 'The Terminators.' They had earned a reputation with the faculty. Their silent target seemed to be the ecology club and its active members. In Tracy's opinion they had gone a little too far. She hadn't spoken with Sara when she'd been at the university. The group seemed to be pretty serious, and it was probable they'd done the murders. Nick had agreed that they should wait, and they had gone over to the precinct to find out what would be the best way to go about this. Other than their names and the records of what they'd been caught doing, they knew nothing about the group. Reese ended up assigning two officers to 'spy' on them. Nick and Tracy were told that they would have to wait before they could do anything. They were told not to go back to the university, and they were both given the next week off. For Nick, that just meant he got his vacation back, for Tracy it was new. Once a decision of action was made, they would be called back in, possibly before the week was up. She'd gone back to Nick's place. After several minutes of deliberation, she suggested he bring her across either that night, or the next. At first, he was completely against it. But, after a few minutes, it seemed like a good idea. This way, he could get it over with, and Tracy could adjust before really getting into work. His real concern though was Nat. If she changed her mind he would have a lot to deal with. He also didn't know how she'd handle being around LaCroix. Thinking back to how she'd been the night before, he was worried. He hoped that with time her fear would disappear, but then again, it might not. Tracy asked again, and this time, he told her he would do it. She was surprised, but didn't object since it had originally been her decision. He spent the next couple of hours explaining what would happen. Since there was still an hour till sunrise, he'd asked if she wanted to wait or not. She'd chosen to go ahead and do it that night. "Trace, I have to ask. Are you completely sure you want to do it now, and not tomorrow night?" She could see his fear. Along with the explanation of being brought over, he had told her of some of his fears. He was afraid to drain her too much, and he was afraid he would lose her to her fear of him. Unvoiced, was his fear of having what happened to Natalie to happen to her. "Nick, yes, I want to go through it now. It will be fine. Nothing will go wrong," she assured him. Although the fear remained, it wasn't as strong or visible. He'd had her lay down just like Natalie. Tracy silently complied with every instruction. It was only moments later before she'd been drained, receiving Nick's life giving blood in return. Death and Life - (12/14) Her surprise vacation was half over, and Tracy had discovered that being a vampire had both good and bad sides. Being squeamish to blood as a mortal hadn't helped during the first day. She nearly threw up her first meal, and the next couple didn't go over much better. But now it wasn't as bad. Now she just had to get by the fact that what her nourishment once flowed through someone else's veins. However, sharing emotions with Nick was weird. That's the only way she could describe it. She couldn't tell if he knew he was broadcasting them or not, and she didn't know how to block it out. Nick was concerned for Natalie, and mad at himself for pushing her away. He'd shown her a few things, and although she'd been able to do them, was far from being a master. The easiest was controlling her nature, the hardest, flying. As long as she didn't go very far, very fast, she could land relatively well. As with Natalie, the mirrors had been a problem. On her fourth night as a vampire, he had remembered what they would have to do shortly. If all went to plan, they would be bringing in the group, and they would have to interview them. The interview room had one-way glass in it. A mirror to those inside the room. Vampires didn't reflect in mirrors, at least not ones as young as Tracy, not without help. He had spent two hours explaining, teaching, and showing Tracy how to make her reflection appear. The explanation was harder than the action, but she was getting the hang of it. Natalie hadn't been taught this, but he would have to whenever he found the chance, if he got the chance. With the next night came her first experience in public. It had been short, but she hadn't had a problem. It had been cut short by his phone ringing. LaCroix was at the loft with Natalie, and something was wrong. Nick couldn't tell what it was, from either the phone call, or his bond with her which was extremely weak. Nick had picked her up before she could protest. Minutes later, they were at the loft, coming in through the already open skylight. As he set her down, she had to recover from the speed of their flight, it being much faster than she could go on her own. Much, much faster. She watched as he walked toward LaCroix, who appeared to have not slept for several days. He was exhausted and a few shades paler than normal. A moment later, she could see Natalie laying on the couch. At first, she thought she was asleep. But, as Nick approached, Natalie moved faintly, and Tracy could tell she was awake. At the same time, she felt a strong fear, almost enough to make her afraid as well. It seemed to come from Natalie, then flow to Nick, and then finally to her. Nick silently watched Natalie. All he wanted to do was rush to her, comfort her, tell her that everything was all right. But, she didn't want him around, and LaCroix had kept him away. Then, he sharply turned to his father. "Why have you brought her here, LaCroix? Her opinion of me has not changed, and it is rare that you change your mind about anything." LaCroix was fully aware of that, but this was different. His only connection to the Doctor was through his son, but he also knew how much Nicholas cared for her. He'd known that long before she had been brought over, and the attraction had only been amplified. In her desperation, she'd come to him, but there was nothing he could do. In a way, he had been the cause of this, although not entirely. Nicholas knew nothing about his new ability. LaCroix had never mentioned how it worked to his son, and that had been a mistake. For the most part, Nicholas had been flying blind. But, he would not admit that, at least not now. Presently, he had to take care of his little problem. Later, there would be lessons to be learned. The elder vampire looked to Natalie, and turning back to his son, explained, "I cannot care for her. She will not allow me. Her fear has paralyzed her." He paused, then continued, "You are the only one that can dispel that fear." Even with the fear she had of his son, Nicholas was also the only one she would potentially trust. LaCroix knew she didn’t fear him, but neither did she hold any trust to him. LaCroix' attention turned to Tracy. She began to shake faintly, fear seeming to surround her. On the inside, he was pleased that this fledgling at least had the sense to fear him, a fear that was oddly absent in her sister. He held her gaze for only a moment before returning it to Natalie. Then, he watched his son, as Nicholas tried to approach her once again. She moved away, the fear strong enough that he could feel it clearly through Nicholas' bond. Over and over, Nick told her he wasn't going to harm her. He had no wish to do so. After a quarter of an hour she was calmer, Nick's fingers stroking her cheek lightly as she stared off into nothingness. Tracy watched her partner, and creator, as he did what he could to calm Natalie. Now, Nat was not only her friend and colleague, but her sister as well. This was the first time she'd seen her in the last several days. Now, there was a physical, a mental sense as well. Natalie looked thinner than she had before, and paler. Vampires were pale, she knew that, but Natalie's paleness just seemed a little more than it should be. She looked weak, and her weariness had helped Nick in his effort to calm her down. A few minutes later, he'd taken her upstairs, the fear sharply returning as he picked her up. Nick tucked her in, once again telling her that he would not harm her. Once she was calm, he waited, then tried to get her to drink something. He didn't care what it was. It could have been human, vampire or animal. He would've even been happy if she drank one of her protein shakes. At least it would be something. It would help. Nothing was working, and in her current state, he wasn't going to force anything down her. It would be taken as an attempt to harm her. By dawn, Tracy was exhausted and barely made it down to the couch before she fell asleep. LaCroix had seemed indifferent to her presence, his thoughts elsewhere. Her day had passed peacefully, and by nightfall, Tracy was once again well-rested. She was surprised that LaCroix was still asleep, or at least, she guessed he was as he sat in the chair only a few feet away. Silently getting up, she got herself a glass and filled it from the refrigerator. She had her breakfast quickly, and went to check on Natalie. Surprisingly, Nick was also still asleep, curled up on his side next to Natalie. She was sound asleep, probably not even aware of his presence. Sitting down, Tracy watched them. After a few minutes, she could see Nick stir slightly, but he didn't wake up. However, at the motion, Natalie did, and she was startled by his close presence. As she was turned away from Tracy, Natalie didn't notice her. Instead, Natalie's attention focused on Nick. At first she just looked at him, then tentatively, Natalie reached out to touch his face. He stirred slightly at the sensation. What she felt back from him was completely different than what she'd been telling herself she would feel. As he slept, his emotions seemed stronger than before, but not in a bad way. Instead of anger at her, or anything like that, all she could feel was how much he cared for her, how much he loved her, his fear for her, and how guilty he felt for his actions. Now, confusion had set in. If he cared for her so much, why didn't he show it? They no longer had to worry about showing their affection for one another for fear of death. For once, his guilt was deserved, but not at this intensity. He still felt guilty for bringing her over, and now, for something else. Abruptly, Natalie felt another presence in the room. Without turning around, she could feel who it was. Not LaCroix. She could feel him too, but he wasn't in the room. It was Tracy. Since she'd stormed off almost a week before, he'd brought Tracy over. From what she understood, he'd been planning on waiting nearly a month between bringing them across, but apparently that had been changed to a little less than a week. She didn't turn around, and as she drifted off again, the fear was gone, almost as if it had never existed. Tracy stood for a few minutes, and just as she was about to leave, she felt Nick begin to wake up. He could feel a change in Natalie, and suspected that's why he'd awakened, that along with the impending dusk. At his slight movement, she awoke as well. He could see that the fear really was gone. However, she was still weak. The hunger was clear in her still blue eyes. It shown brighter than it ever had. Even first hunger had been duller. She hadn't needed much to satisfy her need, not then, and not even when she'd lost control. His concern had never dissipated, and now it was stronger than ever. With Tracy, there had been a clear first hunger. Her eyes had glowed brilliant in the room, and she didn't even wait for the bottle to be passed to her as she nearly ripped it from his hands. She'd drank more than twice as much as Nat, and after that her metabolism had dropped. Her reaction was what he'd expected of Natalie. Natalie's eyes began to change. Slowly, gold flecks filtered into her eyes and coalesced until no blue remained. Then, it deepened to an amber colour, hinting on the scarlet that would eventually appear if nothing was done. He could see her fangs, slightly longer than they had been at first. Her need was becoming overwhelming, and he quickly extended his wrist to her, allowing her to take what she needed. As her fangs embedded themselves in his flesh, she felt a cool gush of liquid. The sensation was different than the bottled blood. It was thicker, smoother, fuller, stronger, and she became lost. Everything seemed more. The blood didn't just contain feelings she finally realized, but thoughts and everything else. One's blood was one's self. She hadn't remembered anything from the first time that she'd taken his blood, and the other time it was mostly faded, seeming slightly like an echo to the present. But this, this was pure. His blood comforted her, and filled her more than anything else could. He pulled his wrist away and she looked at him with need. She needed *his* blood, not anything else. Although she could see the understanding, he handed her a bottle. Drinking deeply, it paled in comparison to his blood. It still held life, probably more than Nick's blood, but it held a duller, less vibrant taste. Once she had stopped, the feeling faded, yet she could still taste Nick's blood over the other. Her eyes slowly faded to their blue colour, and as normal thoughts became possible, she abruptly realized what it was like for Nick, what he'd gone through over the last few years and the last century or so. His blood was the only thing that truly filled her, the bottled human blood just bearable in relation. She imagined that fresh blood would be better, but instinctively knew that it wouldn't be as good as Nick's. If his blood was ambrosia, human blood would be water. He'd been living off of a starvation diet of cow's blood, and now, she had an idea of what it just might taste like. Absolutely nothing. It would be like living off of cardboard. The taste, bland and nauseating. It would have been torture. Pure Hell. Then, came the protein shakes. They had to have been worse. Worse than hell...whatever that was. She couldn't think of anything worse from her mere decades spent among mortals, but was sure Nick could. Sitting watching him, she could feel the tangible link between them. She felt it a little right after being brought over, but now it was stronger, a lot stronger. It seemed to be an elastic band, pulling her in to him, something neither vampire could control. The same feelings she had now, she figured Nick also had, but they were possibly much stronger. Nick's first hunger was assuaged by a living being, and he was urged on by LaCroix and Janette, their bond pulling him in. She'd had none of that. He'd become the son and brother, the youngest in the trio. Fault had probably been lain on him often, sometimes with reason, other times not. LaCroix and Janette's links had kept him always a part of the trio. She now understood why he kept going back to them. Not for want, not entirely, but rather, out of necessity. Looking around the room, she wasn't alone with Nick. Tracy and LaCroix were there as well. Tracy was there out of concern for Nick and her. She wasn't so sure about LaCroix' motives. His attention wasn't focused on Nick. Instead, he watched solely her. A slight play of emotion flickered through his eyes as he looked her over. Gazing into her eyes, he seemed pleased at her apparent renewed health. It was only seconds before he left them. Then, a few moments later, Tracy left as well. Now, Natalie felt embarrassed at her reaction to Nick. The control he'd exuded was something she now understood, not from anything he'd said, but from observation. His blood had given her an insight, not only into him, but into what they were, into herself. She figured the reason behind his overall concern was her apparent low intake of blood. Now, that had been solved. First hunger had seemingly come late, and now, she felt fine once again. The hunger was still there, Nick had told her that it never went away, but it wasn't overwhelming. He'd gotten lost in his concern for her and had used his ability to influence her. An ability, that from his blood, she learned he'd never been taught to control. She had been thinking irrationally, letting her feeling of boredom take over, forgetting that not only did she need to control what she was, but she couldn't let her own opinions get in the way. At least, not yet. The sudden switch from her bright apartment to the loft had been a little much along with her sudden change in perception. They didn't speak a word, and didn't get the chance to, as the phone rang. After two rings however, it abruptly stopped, but not because the caller hung up. The phone had been picked up. Listening, he heard LaCroix' voice for a few seconds before Tracy took over the conversation. Both walked down, and concentrating, he could tell that it was the Captain, which would explain why Tracy had the phone. Faintly, he wondered what Reese had thought of when LaCroix had answered, curious as to whether he'd been recognized or not. As a result, he'd missed the conversation. He let Tracy talk to him, and could see her slightly annoyed expression as she hung up. "Reese wants us to both come in. There's enough evidence to bring the five in for questioning, and they want us to be present for the arrests. Then he wants us to do the interrogation. He apologizes for the second interruption in your vacation, but he feels if we don't act now, they might strike again. Turns out they were getting ready to target another student." The news was good and bad. They had to go in, bring in the suspects, and then, question them. Four days ago that wouldn't have been a problem. When he'd agreed to Tracy's suggestion, he'd believed that it would have been at least the next week before they tried to bring them in. But, they had been forced to move early, otherwise they might have another murder on the books. As they got ready to leave, he told Natalie that he preferred her to stay at the loft. He also requested that LaCroix accompany her should she need to go to the precinct. That way, she wouldn't be completely alone there if they hadn't returned by that point. This time she'd agreed, and watched as the two left, listening until she heard the Caddy faintly drive away. Death and Life - (13/14) The two detectives arrived about when Reese had expected them to. No sooner, no later. Nick had taken the Caddy so Tracy wouldn't be as tired, and in case they needed to bring some of the suspects down to the station. A meeting was being held in one of the student's rooms, and they could get all five at once. Four officers were on their way, and as soon as the pair arrived, they would proceed. It didn't seem like a long ride. In fact, it seemed much shorter than it had several days before. They quickly parked and met the other officers. Then, the six climbed the stairs to the correct floor of the dorm. Once to the door, Nick took control, and hearing the unknowing voices on the other side, knocked. Silence blanketed the room. After a few seconds, he could hear someone get up to answer the door. A young man answered. From what Nick could tell, he was the oldest of the five, but still younger than his partner by a few years. The student stood shocked in the doorway when he saw the officers. He looked caught, unbelievingly caught. "Are you Thomas Stevens?" Nick questioned the young man. "Yes, I am," he answered uncertainly. They weren't prepared for the visit, and seemed to have no clue that they'd been figured out. "Are the others present Robert Stevens, Bryan Grant, Sara Powell, and Julie Davis?" He froze. Nick didn't need an answer, and neither did Tracy. They could hear his, and the others', heart rates screaming at them. The other four stood up, and in a flash, the group bounded for the door. Thomas had managed to get past the officers, and, as the other four were easily apprehended, Nick ran down the hall after him. Thomas only made it about four rooms down before he'd been caught, being pinned up against the wall, and handcuffs slipped on before he knew what was happening. "What right do you...?" "You are under arrest in the investigation of the murders of Dustin Baker, and Kimberly Warrington." Then, he informed Thomas of his rights and led him back to the others. The two girls ended up riding with them on the way back. Steven and Bryan were in one squad car. Thomas was in the other one. The latter was the only one who'd been handcuffed. Even then, he was still trying to get away. Back at the precinct, Thomas had been the first to be interviewed. He hadn't co-operated up until that point, not at all. Out of the entire group, Thomas was the most responsible for the group's decisions, and there was also the most evidence against him. The most incriminating piece was a death threat signed 'The Terminators' in his handwriting, one to Kimberly, another to Dustin, and a third on his desk. It was to Hai-ly Long. Apparently, with a few more questions, and a more concentrated search of both their belongings, the notes had been found. As he sat before them, Thomas leaned back and stared at them, his arms crossed in front of him. The young man had refused a lawyer. Thomas exclaimed that he knew what he was doing, but, then he should have accepted the lawyer. Instead, he was going to defend himself against whatever evidence they had. He kept asserting that they had nothing on him, but they did. The two detectives knew that he wouldn't talk. Thomas seemed very childish in his behavior, using his 'innocence' to protect him. But it wouldn't. Thomas should have accepted a lawyer, accepted and listened. The notes were one piece of evidence, and they were waiting on others. After Reese stuck his head into the room, they exited, leaving Thomas alone with the officer. Entering the room, he had to suppress his surprise. The officers had found a manual saw caked with dried blood in Thomas' room. But, that wasn't the shock. Natalie had been the one to do the lab work, and she was now on her way to the precinct with the report. She hadn't only left the loft, but she'd gone to work to do some tests. They questioned Thomas about it, and once again, they were met with a glare. He didn't like this 'child,' for that's what he thought of him. There was no real purpose behind the group's activities. The ecology group appeared to be chosen because of the diversity and intelligence of its members. All were either honors students or had high grades, and no more than three were from the same country. In fact, their backgrounds were completely different. He could see that Thomas didn't like authority. From the university's records he knew that he wasn't doing well in his studies. He would just barely squeak through with his diploma. Tracy stood back, watching and feeling her partner's seething indignation beneath his professional exterior. Nick wasn't having any luck, but he also hadn't used anything to get the kid to talk yet either. He was close though, really close. She could feel her own anger grow, much faster and stronger than it normally did. Once again, they were summoned out, and they left the room to meet Natalie. LaCroix was standing next to her, looking very out of place in the room, at least to Reese. The Captain was annoyed and confused at his presence, but passed it off, noticing his officer's lack of reaction. He still thought that man was guilty of something, a lot of somethings. LaCroix turned his attention from the scrambling mortals to his son. "I have done as you asked. Now, if you will excuse me, I will depart. Otherwise, I might be a little tempted to dine a little better today." He silently left, and Natalie was glad. She'd gone with him to the morgue, and although it seemed to calm her, all he did was pace. He never commented, but she was sure that he didn't like the room at all. It probably didn't help that there was a fresh corpse on the table. She ignored it and as much of the blood scent as she could, but LaCroix didn't, he couldn't. He had stared at the table for five minutes straight before beginning to pace. A look of hunger was etched into his features, but not once did he complain. Nor would he. Once Nick had shown his concern for Natalie, he decided to get the interview over with one way or another. Tracy and Natalie stayed outside this time, and he went back in. He told the officer to leave, that he wanted to speak alone. Stopping across the table from him, Thomas didn't react, not until Nick's eyes seemed to change. They got darker, and he seemingly stared right through him. The young man shivered at that, and Nick suppressed a smile. Finally, he had gotten a reaction from him, but he still wasn't going to get a statement without some persuasion. The tape player turned in the center of the room, and once Thomas began to notice its annoying grinding, Nick began. "You are the leader of a group on campus called 'The Terminators,' correct?" Nick waited, and receiving no answer, repeated his question with a lower voice, his eyes locking with the mortal's. "Yes," came the lazy answer. Nick had him. It was simple. Those that believed themselves to be strong often weren't, and Thomas believed no one could touch him. "The murders of Dustin Baker and Kimberly Warrington were committed by your group." At the received nod, Nick told him, "Out loud, Mr. Stevens, out loud for the tape recorder." "Yes, we killed them." "Who decided to target the Ecology and Preservation Club?" "I did, but we also did a group vote." "Was it unanimous?" The question wasn't answered straight away. When he repeated his question, however, Nick got a response. "No, Sara declined." "Did everyone participate in both murders?" "Yes...we all participated in both." That made it a lot simpler, both in explanation and questioning. They should all have the same story. He got detailed descriptions about both murders, the location of the missing body parts, the source of all of the extra blood, and had put a slightly suggestive thought in his mind. He would confess fully to anyone that asked him anything. Letting the boy's mind go, he received another glare, but it disappeared quickly. It had taken him an hour to get the information, and both Natalie and Tracy seemed to be getting bored, and hungry. He couldn't forget that. He could feel each of their hunger, but it was normal. If he recalled correctly, neither really had much of a 'breakfast.' Although he could get away with it, they couldn't. They needed it. Death and Life - (14/14) Arriving back at his loft he found a visitor, and it wasn't LaCroix. It was an Enforcer, the same one they'd met nearly a year before. He didn't look happy, not at all. The Enforcer appeared to be alone, but all three could feel the others around. Nick estimated that there were about five of them altogether. "What do you want?" Nick asked, stepping slightly in front of Natalie and Tracy. "I have kept my side of the bargain, there is no need for your presence." "Yes, you have. They have both become one of us, but have they been taught anything about what they are? Do they know how to survive? How to control what they are?" This had caught the crusader off-guard as he'd intended. "How about a few little tests?" Nick didn't like the idea of what the Enforcer wanted, another addition to the terms. Something he didn't know if they would pass, especially Tracy, as she'd only been one of them for a few days. She hadn't had anytime to practice what little she'd learned. They had both been asked to do several simple tasks. Fly, control their appearance, and other simple things that they both learned enough to pass. The Enforcer wasn't surprised either, he had something else planned. Another vampire entered through the skylight with a container in his hands. After taking it from him, the chief Enforcer opened it, allowing the aroma of fresh blood to fill the room. Fresh, human blood. It was so warm that they could see it steaming in the slightly chilled room. Although the two fledglings could easily feel the blood, smell its enticing scent, neither made any move toward it. They could both nearly taste the sweet nectar flow in their veins, and feel the soul of the one who's blood was held in front of them. Nick watched, worried about their reactions. But, nothing happened, absolutely nothing. This was not what was supposed to happen. They shouldn't have been able to resist the pull of the blood, but they did. The Enforcer's gaze became cold, and the two fledglings backed up with fear. "You are foolish, Brabant. If you or your children draw any attention to the Community, you will not be tolerated any longer. Remember that, and you will live." With a swish of air, the vampire was gone, taking the sensation with him. Nick looked over at his two children, and was pleased with their tolerance of the surprise visit. This was something completely unexpected. As Natalie and Tracy were tired from their venture into the mortal world, they each had their fill of blood, and then fell asleep fairly quickly. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. The next week, they told Reese about Natalie and Tracy's newly-discovered disabilities. Reese had seemed suspicious at the news, knowing neither of them had a problem with sunlight before. They'd all been moved permanently to the night shift. What puzzled him the most, was that Tracy's father hadn't known anything about her new little problem. Her father didn't know anything about it, or recent events. For that matter, he hadn't even spoken with her much over the past month. Another week passed, and they all came back to work. For the most part, they'd all settled back into their regular routine. The two fledglings both had some trouble with the blood, but they could control it well enough that they didn't need too much help from Nick. Their control had only improved since the Enforcer's test, a test that few fledglings as young as themselves could pass. They'd gotten a lot of reactions from their co-workers, commenting on their younger appearance. And it wasn't just Nat and Tracy's features. From them, they noticed that Nick seemed to be aging well too. They had saved their lives from permanent death, only to need to move on. They would need to leave within the next year, possibly sooner if they were noticed too much. But for now, everything could almost be classified as normal. Almost, but not quite. The five university students had all been expelled immediately, no arguments allowed, and they would eventually go to trial for the deaths of Dustin and Kimberly. Thomas would take the brunt of the sentence. The three vampires would possibly have to go to court for the case, especially since Tracy had been the one to overhear the original two suspects which had led to the discovery of the rest. Without crippling the prosecution they couldn't leave until after the case was done, or if they did, they would need to return for it. Return when they no longer existed. Time would tell how they would live the rest of their lives. How, when, where, and if. As they were slowly put under suspicion, they would be forced to distance themselves from those around them. Eventually, the pulling away would become leaving the city, starting over, and then, beginning the process all over again. ~fin~ Please send all comments, questions, and suggestions to: jarvinia@gmx.com