By Maria Wiberg

Prologue

“How many of us can say we live exactly the life we want? There is always something nagging upon our happiness, something that makes our lives more hell than heaven. What then if you were to be granted true happiness, just how much would you be willing to sacrifice? How much would you be willing to change? Would you give up your life’s quest? Your love? Your very soul?”

Nick Knight ignored his father’s wisdom just as he usually did. He didn’t care to think of any sacrifices or consequences if he were to indeed find a cure to his vampirism. A cure for him meant to be human, mortal, nothing else. He was about to discover that a cure not necessarily meant just that…

Part One

Nick sat on his couch toying with an ancient looking bottle. The light from the fireplace made the dim yellow glass sparkle, and made the content look like liquid fire. He watched, smiling, as Natalie read the translation of the ancient Chinese inscription that was engraved into the rough surface of the bottle.

“It’s a cure, Nat. It clearly states it’s a cure for vampirism,” he was as usual, extremely enthusiastic.

“Where did you find this, Nick? Are you sure it’s authentic?” Nat asked, trying to put some kind of rational sense back into Nick’s head.

“An old friend of mine found it in a new archeological dig in the Canton province of China. It was found in an apothecary’s residence, completely untouched. When he got this translated, he immediately thought of me and my quest for humanity.”

“Do you trust this man, Nick?”

“Yea, as much as you can trust any of us. I saved his life a long time ago, he owes me.”

“Before you try this, let me analyze some of it. I don’t want you to go blindly into this. What if it does you harm?”

“Sure, you can analyze it, but I’ve already made up my mind. I’m going to try this; tonight.”

“Don’t be a fool, Nick. What’s the rush? Wait for me to find out what’s in it first,” Nat pleaded.

Nick hesitated, not able to face her. He stared into the flames. He just had to try it before he started to have doubts just like her. “Okay, I’ll wait,” he lied, still not looking at her. He knew the moment she was out the door with the sample, he’d down the rest of the contents of the bottle.

~~~

‘Finally, alone at last,’ Nick impatiently sighed when Natalie left an hour later. He didn’t want her to know she had failed to convince him not to drink the liquid.

Full of eager anticipation, eyes almost glowing, he sat down in front of the engraved bottle. His eyes had been drawn to that sparkling liquid all morning, the cure. No matter how sensible, how scientific, how logical Nat’s objections. He couldn’t wait any longer. With one swift movement he grabbed the bottle, opened it, and drained the contents in one large draft.

His stomach objected wildly to the foreign liquid, but with pure willpower he managed to keep it down. The nausea and pain ebbed out in a few minutes, but other than that; nothing happened, nothing at all. He felt just like before, the vampire remained.

“Damn!” he swore and in a fit of anger and disappointment he pushed the table over, shattering the bottle and the glasses still on it. It was yet another disappointment to add to the long line of broken hopes.

He was almost on the verge of tears as he went to bed.

~~~

When he woke up again, he could sense the sun had set and the moon was already high above the horizon. Immediately remembering what had happened that morning he wondered why he felt so good? The pain of the failure was gone, and it was with a sense of anticipation he thought of the night ahead.

Sighing he finally pushed himself out of the bed; he was already late for work. Mortal or not, he still had a job to do. No need to piss the captain off more than necessary.

Turning on the light in the bathroom he expected the red hue of his night vision to disappear, but it didn’t. The room was still tinted by the vampire vision. Instinctively he looked into the mirror. A pair of glowing red eyes stared back at him, and he didn’t need to open his mouth to know his fangs were elongated. Weird, he was vamped out. For the first time since he woke up he realized he was in full vampire mode.

Looking at himself in the mirror he wondered why the sight of the vampire felt so comfortable and right. He growled playfully at the image, before attempting to hide his vampiric features behind his usual human mask. He didn’t succeed. It was as if he didn’t have the ability. Somehow he couldn’t find the human inside him anymore. He found he didn’t care, but he needed to at least look human if he were to venture out among them.

Padding down to the refrigerator he wondered if a drink might solve the problem. Not even looking at the protein shakes he grabbed a bottle. He had barely opened the bottle before the sickening smell of Cow hit his sensitive nose. He must be imagining it, but it smelled worse than usual. Ignoring the nauseating odor he put the bottle to his lips and drank. “Gross!” he grimaced after only a few sips of the animal blood.

The vampire still wouldn’t let go. The cow’s blood did nothing to ease the now growing hunger, a hunger that started to become almost painful. He temporarily ignored the problem and returned to the bathroom.

After a shower and a shave, getting dressed, he decided to call in sick. He couldn’t go to work with glowing red eyes and fangs from out of hell. Besides, he was getting very hungry, and he wasn’t quite sure he could keep himself from snacking on his fellow officers. Just the thought of drinking human blood from the source made his fangs ache. No, the cow’s blood would definitely not be enough tonight.

Not even considering taking the Caddie, Nick took to the air the very second he’d called the precinct.

The Raven was just opening for the evening when he arrived. A quick scan through his sunglasses, and he knew that no mortals were around yet. Not even trying to hide his present state, he grinned coldly at the doorman as he stepped inside. With only one goal in mind, he didn’t even acknowledge the few patrons he passed on his way to the bar.

“House Special, leave the bottle!” he grouched to the surprised bartender.

Hungry beyond reason, Nick put the bottle to his mouth and let the wonderful liquid pour down his throat. The fact that it was human didn’t bother him for a second. He was hungry, very hungry; it was as if he had been starving for years.

Sighing with relief, he put the empty bottle down on the bar. Finally, the hunger was under some kind of control, and he could master the transformation again. Waving for another bottle, he smiled. Never had a bottle of blood tasted better. The blood still burned pleasantly in his throat and stomach. Pouring another glass he savored the vintage and let the alcohol of the wine warm him.

“Nicholas? Indeed an unexpected pleasure to find you here…indulging yourself,” a silken voice greeted from behind.

“LaCroix, good evening,” Nick greeted, turning towards his vampiric father, glass in hand, and still smiling ‘Odd,’ he thought, ‘it actually feels good to be here with him.’

LaCroix raised a surprised eyebrow at his son. “Nicholas, if I didn’t know you better, I might actually think you were happy to see me.”

Still smiling, Nick put his arm across the shoulders of his father. “I’m as surprised as you are, LaCroix. But it feels good to be here.”

In his surprise, LaCroix must have forgotten his aversion of showing affection in public, because he didn’t even try to break the affectionate half hug from his son. “Dare I ask what brought on this uncharacteristic state of mind, Nicholas?”

“I tried another cure,” Nick replied as he finally realized what must have happened. It was the cure. It had worked, but it had not given him mortality, it had given him peace of mind. And it had done that by removing his humanity. “And this time it actually worked.”

“Worked? If anything, you are even less human than usual tonight.”

Nick laughed casually. “I was cured of my wish to be human. It feels great!” It was as if all the years of trying to repent, trying to leave the darkness behind, never had existed. It felt good to be a vampire.

“It’s good to have you back, Nicholas,” LaCroix was actually smiling too. “We will continue this conversation later, I have a show to do.”

“No worries, I’ll be around,” Nick replied, his attention already traveling.

A group of young fledgling girls were on the dance floor, and he couldn’t help but get attracted to their fresh beauty. Putting down his glass he moved to join them.

Part Two

It was already morning when LaCroix started to wonder what exactly Nicholas was doing. The content joy he had met earlier had not only continued through the evening, it seemed to heighten as the night progressed. Entering the private rooms below the nightclub, he could hear muffled laughs and giggles, and he found a sight he might have dreamt of, but had never thought he’d see again. His son was lying comfortably in the arms of three young vampire girls.

Quietly he made sure they wouldn’t be interrupted, and left the room. Maybe, just maybe, his son was back to stay this time. And ironically, he had nothing to do with it. After all those years trying to manipulate or force his son to acknowledge his true nature, Nicholas had done it all by himself.

“Good day, my dear Nicholas,” he whispered.

~~~

“Hey, look what you did to my clothes!” Nick moaned, and tried to sound menacing when he held up his torn black shirt and slacks. “Shreds! How can I show myself out there like this, huh?”

“Then don’t,” one of the girls giggled.

“No?” Nick winked, knowing exactly what she meant.

“Why don’t you just stay here with us? We’ll take good care of you, Nickie!”

“Okay, slaves…bring on the feast then….”

Nick slumped comfortably against the headpiece of the comfortable king size bed they had occupied all day, and let them bring him the best vintages, and their willing bodies. In the bargain, he got something he had long forgotten about; fun and games. He wondered how he could have possibly forgotten how exciting it could be to revel in the vampire’s powers.

Exhausted, sated and still very much vamped out, Nick fell into the deep sleep of the undead. The boyish innocence that had marked his features for so long were now completely gone, even in sleep. The frozen smile revealed not only his state of mind, but also his long sharp fangs. The vampire was back in control.

~~~

A growing hunger stirred Nick early the next evening. He had drunk more blood the last 24 hours than he had done all year, yet he was already hungry for more. He reached for one of the bottles on the table next to the bed with no second thoughts about it. It wasn’t just that he needed it, that it was his food; he enjoyed the kick of power it induced into his long starved body. ‘Now if only I could get my hands on something fresh,’ he thought as he drank down the cold blood.

Almost instantly, the door flung open and crashed against the wall with such power the handle made an indent in the wall. LaCroix barged in with a struggling young woman in his arms. “Hold her,” he ordered the vampire girls as he pushed her down on her knees in front of the bed. “Breakfast is served,” he grinned at his son.

Nick’s eyes were already burning. “You read my mind…” his attention now completely focused on the mortal woman.

“Enjoy, my son,” LaCroix laughed evilly as he stood back to watch.

“Thanks, father,” Nick absently replied, only remotely aware that LaCroix was even in the room, he was unable to take his eyes off the feast in front of him.

The girls held the terrified woman easily by the arms. Nick watched as one of them ripped her shirt off before she grabbed hold of her kicking feet. The sound of her beating heart was like sweet music in his ears, he didn’t even hear the terrified screams and whimpers. Slowly, he rose from the bed, following the scent of flowers from her blood. Like a magnet he was drawn towards her.

“No, please, get away from me!” she begged frantically.

Nick didn’t listen; he was far beyond any reason. He growled from deep down his throat as his red eyes met the terrified woman’s. “You are mine,” he whispered, briefly meeting her eyes before he appreciatively circled her, taking in every inch of the warm pulsing body with his hungry eyes.

One of his vampire girls trailed her fingernail along the woman’s breast, making a bloody trail, releasing even more of her fruity flavor into the air. Nick leisurely bent down and licked off the dripping wound. “Mmmm, wonderful,” he mumbled as he let his razor sharp fangs trail even further over her skin, releasing more of the ambrosia into his eager mouth. She was so young, so innocent, so…so…he was at a loss of words when faced with such beauty. At that moment, nothing else existed to him, nothing else mattered, he had to completely possess this woman. He rose briefly; meeting her eyes, and saw a terror beyond every reason radiating from her eyes. He caressed her face almost tenderly before he moved her head to the side and savagely buried his fangs in her soft neck. Her scream faded almost instantly as her life flowed into him.

With every swallow of the hot blood he felt his long depleted power returning. When he let go of the woman, and the girls let her slump down like just another piece of garbage on the floor, he knew he was back in full power again. It was as if the many years trying to become mortal had never existed. He growled savagely, he was again free and comfortable in his vampiric state. He smiled at his father. “Thank you. It’s good to be back.”

“You are quite welcome, my son,” LaCroix replied, also smiling.

~~~

Several days passed before he even got out of that room. He could have stayed forever; time was of no importance. He had all he needed right there, in his arms. Down there, deep under the ground, far away from the burning light of the sun, he purged himself of the last remnants of his foolish quest. It was a lot easier without any reminders of the life he had built in this era. He allowed himself to rediscover just who and what he wanted and needed to be in the future. It was easy when he didn’t have to pretend or disguise himself.

When he finally left, he was a different man. Not only did he look completely different, inside he was once again in touch with his vampiric nature. He was more comfortable and content as a vampire, than he had ever been. He had only laughed when the girls playfully had transformed him into one of the gang. His hair was long, he wore only black leather and he was pierced beyond recognition. He didn’t mind, it was time for a change anyway, and this change somehow reflected his mood. He felt like he belonged in the dark.

He had no intention of going back to his life as Detective Nick Knight. He smiled evilly when he remembered the death of that particular incarnation. The last remnants of the hope and the dreams of Nick Knight had finally and definitely been erased from his mind when the ancient vampire Nicholas de Brabant was reborn with the warm pulsing blood of the young mortal girl. For the first time in a hundred years he had let himself thoroughly enjoy the kill. She had been exquisite, delicious, and perfect. His father knew just how to pick them.

It was about time he took his place in the community. He was the son of LaCroix, and proud of it.

~~~

By Friday, five days after Nick had abandoned his life, people started to wonder what had happened to him.

“Nat, have you heard from Nick the last few days?” Tracy wondered when she got her coroner friend on the phone.

“No, I haven’t seen or heard from him since early Monday morning. Is something wrong?”

“He called in sick on Monday night, and we haven’t heard from him since. It’s not like him not to call even if he is home sick.”

“He’s sick? I had no idea.” Nat started to sound worried. “I’ve been too busy this week to even think about going over there, and he’s usually the one calling me when something’s wrong.”

“I’ve tried calling the loft, but all I get is the machine. I must have left ten messages over the last few days. Let me know if you find something out, will you?” Tracy begged.

“I’ll go over there and check when I get off my shift.”

Puzzled, and more than a little worried, Natalie hung up the phone to finish the paperwork on her latest autopsy. What if he had drunk from that bottle anyway? What if it contained something dangerous for vampires? What if the only way out was death, and the bottle contained poison? ‘Damn,’ she thought ‘I should have analyzed it right away.’

Not able to concentrate on her paperwork she abandoned it, and went to get her sample of the ancient bottle from her bag.

Two hours later she was just as puzzled about the liquid. It was water, plain old water, or as ordinary as any water would be after being inside an airtight bottle for thousands of years. It had none of the contaminants that were present in water these days.

She sighed sadly. ‘Another disappointment.’

Part Three

“Nick? You in here?” Nat called out as she stepped out of the elevator into Nick’s loft.

No reply greeted her as she wandered over to the couch where she’d last seen him. What greeted her made her heart skip a beat. There it was, the bottle. It was not only empty; it was shattered all over the pieces of the turned over and broken table. “Oh my God, Nick,” she moaned. “What have you done?”

Fearing what she might find, she walked hesitantly up the stairs to his bedroom. All her tests had told her it was only water in that bottle, but what if it had been some kind of holy water? He’d called in sick, and that was five days ago. Was he up there? Hurt? Dying? Dead?

Mentally trying to shake off her bad feeling she stepped into his bedroom. It was empty. Relieved, she let out the breath she’d unconsciously been holding.

“Nick, where are you?” she asked the empty room and herself.

~~~

It was morning, the sun had just risen above the horizon, when she banged on the front door of the Raven.

“We’re closed,” a grouchy voice barked through the door without even opening.

“I know,” she shouted back, “I’m looking for Nick Knight. Is he there?”

“What if he is? What do you want with him?” said the voice, through a two-millimeter opening of the door.

“I’m Natalie Lambert, a friend and colleague, I need to see him!” she barked back. She was determined not to let this place and the people living there intimidate her.

“Ah, the famous Doctor, do come in,” the voice said and the door swung open.

Nat stepped inside, and almost before she had her feet inside, the door slammed shut against the intruding daylight.

She turned to ask where she could find Nick, but the man that had let her in was gone. Standing on the landing by the door, she looked out over the club. The music was still playing, and she saw a few couples still on the dance floor. Their bodies locked in a sensual game, the dancers moved seductively with the music, with eyes only for each other. With a sting of envy she wished she could have danced and played like that with Nick. She sighed, she couldn’t, she was a mere mortal and he was a vampire. It would have been suicide on her part to engage in such play.

Tearing her gaze away from a stunning pair in black leather and chains she aimed for the bar. Before she even had a chance to ask the bartender, she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. Jumping with her heart in her throat, she whirled around. “LaCroix!” she called out in surprise.

“Doctor Lambert, how nice to see you again,” he smiled coolly, not even letting a hint of surprise show.

“I’m here looking for Nick,” she said meeting his eyes, challenging him to tell her.

“Indeed, and what made you think he is here?”

“Isn’t he?”

LaCroix actually smiled genuinely back at her “Oh yeah!” He raised his crystal glass of blood wine and turned to look out over the dance floor as he sipped the ruby liquor, dismissing her.

Puzzled at his behavior she did the same, thinking Nick was approaching. He wasn’t, all she saw was the same dancers she’d noticed when she’d entered. “Where is he, then?” she demanded.

LaCroix looked back at her. “Have a drink, my dear Doctor, I am sure he will be over when he is good and ready,” he said and continued to ignore her.

She got a bottle of beer from the bartender and she climbed one of the bar stools to wait. She wasn’t very comfortable. Vampires all around her gave her the creeps, even though most of them started to drop off as the morning proceeded. Soon, all that was left was LaCroix, Natalie and one last pair of vampires dancing, nibbling each other’s necks right there on the floor.

Natalie watched the tall man, dressed in black leather move sensually with the woman. His long blond hair made her think of how Nick might have looked in some distant era. He’d said at some point that he’d had just as long a mane as Vachon, and Natalie had had trouble imagining it. But watching this man, she realized how good it might have looked on him.

Still in her own thoughts she didn’t notice the pair leaving the floor and she was alone. Alone, except for LaCroix. With a sting of fear she wondered why he was still there. His smug grin made her wonder what evil he had in mind for her?

She turned towards him to let him know she couldn’t wait any longer, that she’d be back later that evening instead. But before she had a chance to even open her mouth she was grabbed from behind by a passionate hug. She felt cool lips press against her neck, kissing her.

“Natalie, what are you doing here?” a husky voice whispered in her ear. “You shouldn’t be here.”

Nat yelped in surprise at the sudden unexpected touch. Turning in his grip she met golden eyes and a smiling mouth sporting sharp fangs. “Nick!?” she cried out.

“Yes…” he almost moaned as he ignored her indignant look and nuzzled her neck again.

“Stop this, Nick!” she cried out, and tried to twist out of his grip.

He laughed between the kisses as he moved closer to her cheek and her mouth. “But I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he silenced her protests with a kiss on her mouth. He temporarily let go again “Ever since I realized…” he paused “…I love you.”

Natalie was overwhelmed by his actions, by his sudden confession. “I love you too,” she whispered before she could even think. Then fear shot through her again as his fangs grazed her lips, drawing blood into the kiss. This was not her Nick; this was a Nick from hell, a Nick completely under the control of the Vampire. That thought finally gave her the power to break free from him.

Staggering she stepped backwards away from him, and right into the arms of a waiting LaCroix. “It’s about time she joined our family, don’t you think, Nicholas?” He said as coolly as ever, grabbing her arms to keep her from escaping again.

That was when Natalie saw the rest of Nick. He was the dancer she had been watching. He was the man in long blond hair, dressed all in leather. And now this close she saw the pierced nose and eyebrows, the long earrings and the heavy gold chains around his neck. He looked so different, dangerous. Who was she kidding? He *was* dangerous. He was a vampire. And for the first time she was afraid…no terrified of him.

“Yes, Lucien, it’s about time,” Nick said with a conspiratory smile. “I’m truly and irrevocably in love with this woman, and I will be happy to honor our bargain. I will bring her across.”

“Nick! NO! Don’t do this!” Natalie pleaded desperately as Nick grabbed her hand and started dragging her towards the back of the club and the private rooms below. “Whatever happened to you when you drank from that bottle, we can reverse it, we can still find a cure…”

He stopped suddenly and turned towards her again. His eyes were back to normal and his fangs were gone, but his words were not. “I AM cured, Natalie. I’m cured of the guilt and the obsession with regaining mortality. I’m back as I was intended to be, I’m back to being one hundred percent vampire again. And soon, very soon, you will be like me, and we can finally do what the both of us have wanted since we first met. We can make love.”

She gasped at his harsh, honest words. “Oh, Nick, I’m so sorry.”

He laughed cruelly. “Don’t be sorry, Nat. This is the best thing that could ever have happened to me. Don’t you see? I’m finally free. Free to enjoy the rest of my eternal life. No regrets, no angst, no futile longing for death.”

“My God, you’re really happy about this, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Natalie,” he replied and continued leading her towards the back room he’d made his home the last few nights.

She fought him, trying to twist out of his grip, trying to hang on to doorframes, handrails or anything that could slow down their descent downwards. Her terrified screams echoed through the building, but no one came to help. They all knew this was inevitable now that Nick had returned to truly be the son of LaCroix.

Nick pushed her down on the unmade bed before he leaned down on top of her now shivering body. The terror in her scream and the fear in her eyes didn’t register with him, all he could think about was drinking her blood…bringing her across…making love to her at last.

Her blood was so sweet and filled with love for him, he almost passed out from sheer bliss. He’d longed for this moment for so very long, and it was worth it. But with her blood came also the terror of this last hour, and the vision of his betrayal. That was when he stopped drinking and released her. Natalie was at the brink of death and only his vampire blood could bring her back. Slashing his wrist with his fangs he let the blood flood into her half open mouth. Now it was up to her. It would be her choice to see past his betrayal and return to him, and an eternal life as a vampire.

It didn’t take more than seconds before her lips started sucking eagerly and her hands pressed his wrist even closer to her mouth. Nick smiled. She would live. She had chosen life with him.

Soon, he had to break free from her strong grip before he, himself, passed out from the blood loss. “Enough!”

Smiling, with blood still on her lips, she turned on the bed and fell asleep.

The next time she woke up she would be a vampire, a hungry vampire. Nick laughed he would enjoy that moment. Oh yes, he would.

Part Four

Natalie woke to the sound of a heartbeat. It was beating hard and loudly in her ears. She stirred, wondering whose heartbeat it was she heard. Moving she realized she was lying in the warm embrace of a man. Her head was resting against his warm chest. “Nick,” she mumbled, “you’re warm,” and tilted her head to look up at him.

The sight that met her sent a chill down her spine. It was Nick, a Nick with gleaming yellow eyes and a smile sporting fangs. She gasped in surprise, how could it be? He was warm, and she could definitely hear a healthy heartbeat.

“I’m afraid it’s you, my love. You’ve become as cold as me,” he said as if he had read her mind.

“I’m what?” her temper flared and in an instant the world became red. “What are you …” she started saying before her tickling canine teeth suddenly burst out through her mouth and she couldn’t form an intelligible word. Panicking she clasped a hand over her mouth, her hand confirmed what she had just felt happening. She now sported inch long fangs.

Nick gently touched her cheek and let his hand caress her hair. “My love, don’t be afraid,” he said with a soft, comforting voice. “You’re a vampire like me now.”

She forced herself to look up, into his yellow eyes. And in doing so, she finally remembered what had happened the night before. He had forced her in here; he had taken her against her will. “Why Nick?” she lisped through fangs that seemed even longer than his.

“I love you, Nat.”

“Then why did you do this when you knew I did not want it?” she accused, disengaging from his arms to sit beside him on the bed.

His grin didn’t even waver at her accusation. “You could have fooled me the way you took to the blood when it was offered. It’s okay to admit you wanted this, Natalie. You don’t have to pretend you didn’t want it, I’m not sorry I did this.”

“But…you always said you didn’t want to condemn me to this existence.”

“That was before, Nat. Before the content of that bottle changed me into a happy vampire. All the regrets, all angst, all denial of what I am, are gone now.”

“I’m not sure I can accept this so easily, Nick. All the work over the years, all the tests, all the research; was it all for nothing?”

“No, Nat. It wasn’t all for nothing. At the time it was important to us. And don’t forget, it allowed us to fall in love. I’m not asking you to forget about it, but it’s in the past. We have a whole new future ahead of us now. Together.”

“I guess you’re right,” Nat surrendered. “It is in the past now, this can’t be undone.” For a moment she let herself once again marvel in the unexpected warmth of his embrace. To be able to be close to him without fear of the beast lurking beneath the surface was something she had dreamed of for a long time.

“I could have sworn I heard a heartbeat,” she mumbled with her face resting on his chest.

“You did, my love,” Nick chuckled. “Your hearing is a tad better than you’re used to.”

“Huh?” she said, raising her head to look at him through the comfortable red haze again.

“LaCroix brought you a welcome to the family present,” Nick smiled and nodded towards one of the dark corners of the room.

Nat turned and saw a young man, naked to the waist, gagged and bound to a chair in the corner of the room. He tried to scream through the gag when he noticed them looking at him. Nat could have sworn she could smell the fear. “A present?” she had time to ask before the sight, and the scent of blood, triggered a painful churning of hunger in her stomach.

“Yes, Nat. Your first meal.”

“Nick, I can’t…” she protested.

“Sure you can, Nat. He’s all yours.”

“No,” she insisted, turning away from the increasingly enticing sight of the naked man. It would be against everything she had ever believed in, everything she’d fought against in her entire life, it would be murder. “I can’t do it.”

“You will,” Nick smiled and drew her closer. “First hunger can’t be denied. Both LaCroix and I wanted you to have something better than what you can get from out of a bottle.”

Now more than ever Natalie realized this wasn’t the Nick she’d fallen in love with. This was the part of himself he had always tried to hide. The vampire. The evil monster he hated and wanted to get rid of.

Natalie was afraid, no terrified, she could feel that same monster lurking inside her now. It would only be too easy to let it free, to let herself drown in the pleasure which would be the reward.

“Don’t be afraid,” Nick whispered into her ear as he half kissed, half grazed it with his fangs, on his way down towards her neck. Every touch made her gasp with pleasure and desire.

It was as if time had stopped when he nuzzled her neck. Never before had she experienced such a powerful erotic shock, as when he playfully bit her and gently sucked blood from the wound. For a few moments she could forget the heartbeats and the blood calling out to her when she forced his head up and met his mouth in a demanding kiss. She wanted him. More than anything in the world, she wanted him.

‘It’s all in the blood.’ Nat realized when they parted hours later. She had seen his life in his blood. She had experienced his love for her through his blood. She had seen his joy and happiness to be there with her. He loved her. She knew of the change. The change the liquid in that bottle had instigated in him.

Nat also knew that by drinking his blood again, the poison spread even further into her own mind. She could feel her defenses weaken and wither away as she once again was reminded of the heartbeat so close to them in the room.

“I’m hungry,” she smiled down at her lover, “don’t move, I’ll be right back.”

Part Five

Nat looked at herself in the mirror. “I look so…so…normal, mortal,” she complained to the other girls. When she looked at them, they looked anything but normal. Leather, chains, outrageous hairstyles and makeup, everything made them something Natalie had never been. She was a vampire now, but she still saw the same boring, pale face she had always had in the mirror.

One of the girls giggled. “What you need is a major makeover.”

“Yea just like Nick did. He doesn’t look *normal* anymore, now does he?” another of them said.

Natalie smiled. “Go ahead girls, do your magic, hehe. It can’t get much worse than this, now can it?”

“When we’re done, you will not even recognize yourself!” the first girl promised. “Let us begin with the clothes. I do believe Janette left plenty of leather outfits to match Nick’s. Come.”

~~~

“How is your new daughter doing, Nicholas?” LaCroix wondered when Nick joined him for an early evening drink at the bar.

“She’s doing great, Lucien. She’ll make a great vampire. Only a day old, and she’s already managed to dive head first into the pleasures of the vampire world.”

“I told you she would, did I not? I gather the transformation went well?”

Nick smiled dreamily when he thought of his new fledgling and lover. “I’d say it went extremely well. All it took was an extra sip of my poisoned blood and the transformation was complete. Her days as a human doctor are now definitely over. You should have seen her. She sucked that gift of yours dry in seconds. It was a beautiful sight to see her that marvelously savage.” Nick got aroused at the mere thought of her as a vampire.

“Where is she now?”

“She went with the girls. They giggled something about a ‘makeover’.”

Now even LaCroix smiled. “You will hardly recognize her when they’re done. Look what happened to you.”

“Yea, I know,” Nick chuckled when he thought of his own transformation. “They won’t recognize me at the precinct now.”

“Have you decided what you want to do now?” LaCroix wondered.

Leaning against the bar Nick smiled at his master and best friend. “I’ll leave my so called mortal life of course. What I will do instead, I don’t know yet, but it will not be in the mortal realm, that I can promise you,” Nick added and sipped his drink.

“It is good to have you back, Nicholas,” LaCroix smiled.

“It’s good to be back, Lucien.”

~~~

“Lucien,” Natalie greeted, smiling, when she entered the still empty Raven.

“Natalie, you look fantastic,” he replied, letting his eyes take in the transformed coroner. She looked deadly in fiery red hair and black leather.

“Why, thank you, Lucien,” she smiled even brighter. Inside she marveled just as much. There she was with Lucien LaCroix, Nick’s ancient master, the vampire that had been her adversary and enemy ever since she had entered Nick’s life, and she wasn’t scared. He wasn’t intimidating her anymore. His cool and disapproving attitude was completely gone. The eyes and the demeanor that met her now were actually warm and friendly.

“Care for a drink?” LaCroix offered.

“Sure,” Natalie accepted. She really could use a drink, the transformation had taken more time than she had realized. She was actually starving. “ I could actually use a whole meal,” she winked.

“Here, have a small appetizer,” he said, handing her a goblet with blood wine. “I could take you hunting later, if you wish,” he offered, obviously testing her loyalties.

He must wonder how much of the old Doctor Lambert was still in her. Not much, she had left all her old human values behind when she accepted Nick’s blood. “You would? That would be wonderful. I’ll ask Nick if he wants to come too, we could make it a family party,” she replied, letting him know that she had no scruples about hunting. None whatsoever.

“You do that. It has been a long time since we hunted together.” ~~~

“Hi, Captain. It’s Nick. I heard you were looking for me.” Nick greeted when he got the Captain on the phone.

“Detective Knight! Where the …” he started.

“Don’t ask Captain,” Nick interrupted. “I just called to tell you I’m not coming back. You will have my resignation on your desk by tomorrow.”

“Knight, what happened? You’ve been gone all week, is something wrong? Do you need time off?” the Captain tried, concerned about his star detective. It was not like him to just ditch the job.

“Lets just say it’s a family thing. I’ve patched up my relationship with my father and decided to go into the family business.”

“Nick, please, think about if for a while. I’ll put you on a leave of absence.” Reese didn’t understand a thing, but he had to try.

“Look, this is a done deal. I’m not coming back. And that’s final!” Nick replied with a coolness that didn’t fit with his old image of detective at all.

“Okay, okay, but I’m not taking this by mail, Nick.”

“And why not?” Nick snapped. “There’s nothing in the regulations saying that a formal resignation has to be done in person.”

“No, but I need to see that you are indeed okay, and not under some kind of pressure to do this.”

Reese could hear Nick’s tired sigh at the other end. “I’m at the Raven, why don’t you come on down here later, after your shift, and we’ll talk.”

“Sure, I’ll be there,” Reese, agreed. Silently wondering what Nick was doing at a nightclub like that. And why meet there instead of at his loft?

Immediately after he’d disconnected, Reese dialed the coroner’s office, to talk to Dr. Lambert. If anybody knew what was up with Knight, she did.

“She what?” he almost shouted when he found out why he couldn’t get any answer on her extension.

“She quit. Called in and said she was quitting. I already have her resignation right here,” her superior said. “It’s the weirdest thing. One day we’re talking like nothing is out of the ordinary, and the next she’s calling in to quit. It’s not like her, I’m worried.”

“There is definitely something weird going on. Detective Knight just did the exact same thing. He called in to quit. He didn’t even want to see me to do it.”

Part Six

Nick hunched down on the narrow rooftop ledge. His blazing red eyes eagerly followed his unsuspecting prey far below. The evil beauty of the vampire enhanced his features, and none would have mistaken him for a human at that moment. Without hesitation, without a trace of regret or nagging guilt, he growled savagely as he let himself fall forward, off the ledge.

This night he embraced the hunt, that incredible rush of anticipation and excitement that sharpened every sense. That moment, right before he buried his sharp fangs into the soft neck of the prey, he felt more alive than he had done in centuries. ‘I should have returned a long time ago,’ he had time to think before he let himself drown in the pleasure of the blood.

Nick felt an uncontrollable laugh bubble up in his throat when he released the body of the young woman he had just consumed. Mouth still red with blood, fangs still elongated, he grinned towards the ledge above and his two companions watching him.

He pulled out his old hunting knife, and without hesitation he disguised the fang marks with multiple slashes that almost cut the head off. He’d done it so many times before he didn’t even have to think; it had become a self-preservation reflex after seven hundred years of daily hunting. It was as if the last hundred years of abstinence hadn’t existed.

He felt neither guilt, nor regrets when he, took off to join Nat and LaCroix on the roof above. “It’s as easy as that. Find prey, drink, and clean up. Your turn, Nat,” he said as he landed softly beside her and gave her a playful hug.

“Come, young Natalie,” LaCroix cut in when Nick got Nat distracted with teasing kisses down her neck. “I do believe I hear human activity on the next street to the south.”

“Nick!” Nat giggled. “Stop it!”

“Okay, okay, let’s go,” Nick reluctantly agreed. “Let’s see what we got down there.” He already felt the hunger stir again. He felt absolutely insatiable tonight and the thought of another drink sounded great. He had already forgotten about the life he had drained only minutes ago.

With his arm still around Nat’s waist, they both lifted off the roof to follow LaCroix. Nick already loved to fly with Nat. It had been too long since he had flown like that, not since he broke up with Janette. They had done it all the time when they were together; it had been their favorite way to travel. He snuggled Nat’s neck again, playfully. Janette was the past, and Nat very much the present and the future.

“Nick!” she groaned and half-heartedly tried to shake him off. “I’ll never learn how to fly properly if you keep distracting me like this.”

“This is the best way to fly, Nat,” Nick objected, but knew she was too hungry to actually enjoy his advances. ‘Patience,’ he chided himself. When she got back to the Raven with a good meal down her throat, she would be the more eager.

LaCroix was sitting leisurely on the edge of the next building as they touched down. Nick couldn’t help but notice the change in his vampiric master. The stern, intimidating expression he had worn for centuries was completely gone, replaced with an almost boyish enthusiasm and friendliness. That was something Nick had never seen for as long as he had known LaCroix. The bond between them hummed of joy and happiness. Nick was amazed; this was something he had never expected. But then again, he had never expected to return to his old ways either. Yet there the two of them were, happily sharing a little hunting expedition with Nick’s young daughter and lover. “What’ve you got, Lucien?”

“Two bullies raping a young woman,” LaCroix answered without taking his eyes off the prey below them.

Nat’s eyes instantly flashed red when she laid eyes on the scene. “Let’s finish off those bastards!” she cried out and stepped off the building without hesitation, her long red hair flying behind her as she let herself fall. She might be a vampire about to kill, but she obviously still empathized with the poor woman being raped.

Nick and LaCroix were right behind her when she landed in front of the two men. The hungry vampires grinned menacingly at the men, with bared fangs and blazing eyes, clearly showing their intent.

“You’ve raped your last woman, you scum!” Natalie whispered with her low growling vampire voice as she easily grabbed one of the men now trying to back away from the scene. “Now you die!”

Nick or LaCroix didn’t have to urge Nat forward, she was lunging herself at her victim, pushing him down so hard down onto the ground that she crushed his head against the pavement. So demanding, so furious was her hunger that she didn’t even notice he was already dying when she drained him.

LaCroix easily grabbed the other guy when he turned and tried to run off. “Where do you think you’re going? ” Where Nat was eager and furious, LaCroix was ice cold and in perfect control, but he drained the man equally fast before he threw him away with a grimace of disgust.

Nick bent down to the hysterically sobbing woman on the ground. For an instant his features were again human and he smiled at her. “Don’t be afraid, it will all be over in a minute, dear,” he soothed as he took her hand and helped her up from the ground.

Now fully crying, the girl fell into Nick’s comforting arms. He caressed her head and patted her comfortingly on the back “Hush, I’ll take the pain away,” he whispered right before he leaned down and carefully let his fangs slide into the woman. So skillful was his bite that she didn’t even notice it happening. Her heart wrenching sobs soon started to fade as her life force flowed into Nick. Slowly, Nick laid her now still body back down on the cold ground. She had seen him as her knight, her savior, and now she was just as dead as the two bullies raping her.

Nick looked at the three dead humans, and felt nothing but satisfaction. Now sated he smiled at Nat. She was grinning back at him, equally happy and sated, her previous rage completely gone now. “Oh Nick, how could you ever deny yourself this?” she wondered. “This is the most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced.”

“I don’t know, Nat. Right now it seems insane.”

“Children,” LaCroix interrupted, pointing at their prey. “Finish this, we need to get going before we are spotted.”

“Yes, Master,” Nick winked and brought out his knife again.

LaCroix looked at Nat. “You know what to do, right Doc?”

Natalie rolled her yellow eyes at him. “I was a coroner, Lucien. Of course I know how to disguise fang marks. I’ve done it for years; remember.”

LaCroix chuckled. “Point taken, Doc.”

Moments later the three of them flew back towards the Raven. There were still hours until dawn, plenty of time for some more nightly fun before Captain Reese came over for that personal resignation.

Part Seven

The sun was already up when Reese banged on the front door to the now closed nightclub. He had tried to get away early, but somehow he never succeeded. The more he tried getting off early, the longer he seemed to get tied up. This night it had been four dead bodies with slashed throats, and the rookie coroner hadn’t been of much help. He sighed; he could sure have used Knight and Dr. Lambert.

In search of his soon to be ex Detective and some answers to why he wanted to quit, he went in search for a backdoor to the place, the front door remained closed and bolted. Nick had said The Raven, but had he meant after closing time too?

The alley behind the club was still dark as night even though the sun was well above the horizon. Reese shuddered and closed his coat against the chilling wind as he rang the bell beside the door marked deliveries and off-hours visitors.

He had almost given up when the door was swiftly unlocked and opened. “Captain Reese?” a dark, Slavic looking man with dark cold eyes queried.

“Yes,” Reese replied. Obviously he was expected after all.

“This way, please,” the man said politely enough, and gestured for Reese to step inside.

Reese stepped into the dark. The guy closed and bolted the door behind him, and he couldn’t help feeling trapped. There was something about the atmosphere of the dark barren corridor that made him uneasy. The guy opened one of the doors and almost shoved Reese through it down the even darker flight of stairs beginning right inside the door.

Before he had time to turn around and complain about the brusque treatment, he heard the door slam shut. He was alone in the dark. When he tried the door it was locked. He took a deep breath. Trying not to panic he patted the wall right inside the door, and to his relief he found a light switch. Warm yellow light flooded the narrow passage downwards. It was dead quiet; the thick burgundy carpet and the blue velvet wallpaper effectively silenced every sound as he hesitantly walked down the stairs.

Every step only accented his uneasiness, he could clearly see that he wasn’t the only one either; the wood railing and the walls had deep scratches as if someone had desperately tried to stop the descent downwards. He tried to shrug it off, to no avail.

At the bottom of the stairs he found a comfortably, and rather expensively, furnished living room, complete with fireplace, TV and sound system. Reese gaped; this was not what he had expected at all. Hesitantly walking into the room he heard a soft giggle from the large couch facing the fireplace.

“Excuse me…,” Reese began when he realized he wasn’t alone.

“Captain!” two voices immediately replied, sitting up in the couch.

“Knight? Lambert?” It was, and yet it wasn’t them. What the hell had happened? They looked like they’ve gone to a weird costume party or something. Nick had long hair and Natalie had red hair. Both of them looked like they’ve had a date with too many needles, to judge by the jewelry attached to their faces.

Nick laughed at his Captain’s confusion. “It’s us, Cap,” he confirmed.

“What’s going on here?” Reese demanded. “What happened? Who did this to you? Someone keeping you here against your will?”

“Hi, Captain,” Natalie almost purred as she made herself comfortable in Nick’s arms.

“No Captain, we’re here because we want to be here. And we look like this because we thought it time for a change.”

Reese shook his head. This was just too weird. “Are you sure about that? You’re not under the influence of some drug or something?”

“Sometimes love changes everything, Captain,” Natalie said with a twinkle in her eyes and a smile.

“It’s true, Captain. All that’s going on here is that we decided to start a whole new life together.”

“And just what are you doing here, in the basement of a seedy nightclub?”

Nick chuckled. “I wouldn’t say that too loud if I were you. My father is rather proud of this place.”

Reese gaped again. “Your FATHER? I though he died years ago in Chicago.”

“I’m afraid I’ve lied ruthlessly to both you and the department. My father is very much alive.”

“You lied? Why?”

“It was necessary.”

“What are you talking about? Why would it be necessary to lie about your father?”

Nick sighed. “Because it’s not the only lie in my file. You might as well know it’s all a lie in there. All the way down to my name.”

Nick rose from the couch and approached Reese. Almost absentmindedly, Reese noted Nick’s leather outfit and the sheathed hunting knife in his belt. As with the whole place, it was something in Nick’s eyes and demeanor that made Reese very uneasy. He had never felt like that with Nick before, quite the contrary. Nick had been a good detective, and a good friend over the year they had known each other. “Wh…who are you then?” he involuntarily stammered.

Nick met Reese’s eyes, and suddenly he found himself unable to move or even think on his own. He was helpless, at the mercy of the man who had admitted to not being whom he had always claimed to be. Reese started to get really scared when the eyes meeting his suddenly had the color of a predator. “What’s going on here? What are you?”

“I’m Nicholas de Brabant, but what I am really doesn’t matter to you Captain, cause you will forget that anything unusual happened here tonight. You came for my resignation, here it is.” He suddenly produced a sheet of paper. “Now you will leave, and never come back. You will not talk about this meeting to anyone. Nick Knight is history, out of your life.”

“Yes,” Reese heard himself reply. “Nothing unusual happened. Talk to no one.”

“Good bye, Joe,” Nick said, shaking Reese’s hand, breaking the eye contact that kept Reese prisoner.

Reese shook himself awake as if he had been briefly asleep. “Good bye, Nick, Dr. Lambert.” He found he couldn’t say the things he had prepared to try and keep Nick on the force. One look at Nick and Natalie and he knew that this was final. They would never be back. Walking back up the stairs, he felt almost relieved they wouldn’t be back. He didn’t know why, but he was grateful he wouldn’t have to face them again.

The couple on the couch continued their exploration of just how much pleasure the vampire body and mind was capable of. More than anything, they looked forward to building a new life together, their old lives already rapidly fading in their minds.

Epilogue

“The Nightcrawler leaves you this morning with a question to ponder as we wait for the sun to set and give us another night. When the ultimate sacrifice is made, and you have your happiness, how can you tell if it was worth it? How do you know you made the right decision? Is the fact that you are happy enough?”

END POISON