Captain Stoneobi sat at his desk flipping through a pile of papers
in a blue file folder. He glanced up as Nick approached the door.

"Captain Stoneobi!" Nick grinned as he stepped into the office. "I
understand you wanted to see me."

"Yes, Detective Nightwalker. Close the door and sit down."

Nick quietly shut the door and took a seat across from the Captain.
"What is it?," he asked nervously.

"I've been going through your personnel file, Nightwalker, and some
of your cases, and your expense account. There are a few things in
here that just don't add up."

Nick shifted uneasily in his chair and cleared his throat. "I'm
sure there's nothing I can't explain, Captain."

Stoneobi was unimpressed.

Nick locked eyes with him and repeated, "I ...am ...sure ...there
...is ...nothing ... I ...can't..."

Stoneobi glared at Nick. "Your simple mind tricks won't work on me,
boy. I know what you are. You are a vampire."

"Huh?," Nick muttered, wondering how the hell Stoneobi found out.

"I know you are dead, Night," Stoneobi continued, "but the
lifeforce is strong within you."

"You! You are Obi-Vamp Stoneobi! The vampire with the lifeforce!"
Nick shouted.

Stoneobi sighed. "I haven't heard that name for a long time, a very
long time. Yes, I was that vampire once, but I am mortal now."

"What tipped you off?," Nick asked with interest. "The fact that
I'm allergic to the sun? That I don't eat? That my clothes are
always full of bullet holes and I'm not?"

Stoneobi casually turned over another sheet of paper. "Actually,
Detective, it was your expense account. You use your personal car
for police business. According to your case files, just this past
month you travelled over a thousand kilometres, but your odometer
only registered sixty clicks."

Nick got a blank look on his face and shook his head.

Stoneobi continued. "There is a great disturbance in the lifeforce,
Nick. The Dark Invader is in town, and I fear the population of
Toronto is in jeopardy. His evil can only be destroyed by a vampire
with a good lifeforce, a strong lifeforce." Stoneobi leaned back in
his chair. "You must learn the ways of the lifeforce, if you are to
become a Medi and defeat the Dark Invader. Once he is defeated, you
will become a mortal, like your biological father before you."

Nick jumped up with excitement. "You knew my biological father!
What happened to him?!"

"He was betrayed and murdered by the Dark Invader, many centuries
ago," Obi-Vamp replied sadly.

"I want to learn the ways of the lifeforce! I want to defeat the
Dark Invader! I want to become a mortal, like my biological father
was before me!"

"Then you must go to the Coroner's Office," Stoneobi said. "There
you will find Natalie, the Medi-master who would have instructed
me, had I been younger and more attractive."

                          * * * * * 

Nick arrived at the Coroner's office twenty minutes later. After
asking directions from several people he finally found the corridor
that led to Natalie's office. He opened the door and walked into
the room. A beautiful woman with chestnut hair, wearing a low-cut
blue silk blouse sat behind the desk. She was eating take-out
Chinese food.

"Hello. I'm looking for the Medi-master," Nick said.

Natalie, startled, choked out a piece of beef.

'Yecch' Nick thought, 'if she wasn't so gorgeous that might look
gross'.

'God, he's the best looking one I've seen yet,' Natalie thought.
"You're looking for a Medi-master?," she asked. "Who are you?"

Nick rushed towards her excitedly. "I'm Nick! Nick Nightwalker!
Obi-Vamp Stoneobi sent me!

Natalie set her fork down. "What are you?"

"I am a vampire! I want to learn the ways of the lifeforce, defeat
Dark Invader, and become a mortal! Please take me to the Medi-
master!"

Natalie picked her fork up and took another bite of beef chow mein.
"First I must eat. Then I'll take you."

"But I need to see the Medi-master now!"

"Patience," Natalie whispered. "For the Medi-master, it is time to
eat too."

Nick sat down and watched Natalie eat. He started exploring the
expanse of creamy white skin her skimpy blouse revealed. His eyes
followed a pattern up to her neck. Then he watched her lips move as
she chewed and swallowed. He imagined kissing her, among other
things. Finally remembering why he was there he blurted out, "can't
you do that any faster? Why am I wasting my time..."

"Did you hear that," Natalie spoke into the intercom. "I cannot
teach him. He is not ready. This vampire has no patience."

Stoneobi's voice floated from the intercom, "he will learn
patience."

Nick gawked at Natalie. "You're Natalie, the Medi-Master!"

Natalie grinned slyly and shut off the intercom.

"I have patience!," Nick declared. "I am ready! I'm not afraid!"

Natalie stood up and walked around her desk until she stood beside
Nick. She whipped her hand out from behind her back and stuck a big
golden cross in his face. "Ahhh...you will be...you will be..."

                          * * * * * 

It was almost sunrise when Nick and Nat arrived at the loft. "This
is interesting," Natalie remarked as they stepped out of the
elevator. She carried her gym bag into the kitchen as Nick picked
up the remote control from the coffee table and shut the blinds.

"Are we going to start right away," Nick asked.

Natalie walked over to him. "No, first we sleep. We'll start the
training later, around sunset."

Nick went upstairs to bed and Natalie slept on the couch. Shortly
before sunset, Nick came downstairs dressed in loose fitting jeans
and a pale blue t-shirt.

"Come over here and sit down with me," Natalie piped up from the
sofa. Nick walked over and sat down.

"What do you know about the lifeforce, Nick?" Natalie asked.

"Nothing," he replied. "Except that it is strong within me, even
though I am dead."

Natalie picked up Nick's cool hand and gently caressed her own neck
with it. "Can you feel the energy emanating from me?"

"I do feel something," Nick answered.

She placed his hand on her breast. "Do you feel the slightly
elevated beating of my heart?"

"Now I really feel something," Nick mumbled as his eyes started to
glow.

Natalie slowly removed his hand. "That's good, but the vampire is
coming out. You have to practice. You have to keep caress...I mean
touching me, until you can do it without invoking the vampire. You
have to feel *your* lifeforce, not his. The vampire is full of
anger, fear, aggression. That can only lead to the dark side. You
must control it. Only then can you defeat Dark Invader and become
mortal."

"I understand," Nick said. "But what exactly *is* the lifeforce."

"It's energy, Nick. It surrounds us and binds the universe
together. Feel the lifeforce Nick, between you and the coffee
table, between you and the television, between you and the VCR."
Natalie paused for a minute. "Do you have a tape in the VCR, Nick?"

Nick nodded yes.

"Okay. Now close your eyes and concentrate on turning on the
television. Make sure it's on channel three."

"My TV always goes to channel three when I turn it on," Nick said,
suddenly wondering why it did that. "Okay, I'm going to try to turn
it on now."

"No!" Natalie shouted. "Do - or do not, there is no try!"

Nick concentrated on the television and much to his amazement it
flicked on.

"That's good!," Natalie beamed. "Now close your eyes again and
concentrate on the VCR, turn it on, and play the tape."

Nick concentrated but nothing happened. "I can't. It's too hard,"
he whined. He rose from the couch before glancing down to see
Natalie with her eyes closed, concentrating on the VCR. The VCR
clicked on and the video started to roll.

"That's incredible!", Nick gasped and plopped back down on the
couch. "I ...I don't believe it."

"That is why you fail," Natalie said as she discreetly slipped the
TV remote down the side of the couch. Natalie got up and went into
the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later with a protein shake.
"Here ..drink this."

"What is it?"

"It's a protein shake. You must drink it. You can't drink blood
anymore, that will only lead to the dark side. And until you meet
Dark Invader, you must not use your vampire powers."

Nick sipped from the glass. "Medi-master. Is the dark side
stronger?"

"No," Natalie replied. "Quicker, easier, more seductive. Which
reminds me, you must never again see Princess Janette."

"But she is my sister!," Nick exclaimed.

"Not any more," Natalie sighed. "She can only lead you down the
dark path. And once you start down the dark path, forever will it
guide your destiny."

Suddenly, Nick's telephone rang and he answered it. "Are you sure
it was him?," Nick said into the phone. "Okay". He hung up the
phone and quickly slipped on his jacket. "That was Obi-Vamp. Dark
Invader has been spotted at the CERK radio station. I have to go
and face him."

"Wait! You're not ready yet! We haven't finished the training!,"
Natalie implored.

"I have to go! The population of Toronto is in danger!," Nick
yelled back.

Natalie jumped up from the couch and ran for her gym bag. She
pulled out a short wooden stake and handed it to Nick. "Take this.
Save you it can!"

Nick bent over and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry. I'll be back to
complete the training."

Nick left the loft and started driving towards CERK. Unfortunately
his car broke down a block from the Raven. Hoping he could find
someone there to give him a ride he ran to the club. Once inside,
he saw Janette standing by the bar sipping from a glass, but
remembering the Medi-master's words, he totally ignored her.

Princess Janette noticed Nick's evasive action and followed him to
the far side of the room. "Nicola, what brings you here?"

"I have to go to CERK, and my car broke down," Nick said
sheepishly.

"Why don't you just fly there?," Janette asked. "It's easier,
quicker, more seductive."

Nick shook his head. "I can't use my vampire powers, Janette. You
know I want to become a mortal. That would be giving in ...to the
dark side."

At that moment a handsome, long haired vampire approached them.
"Did I hear someone is in need of a ride?" He smiled hopefully at
Princess Janette.

Janette smiled back at the handsome stranger. "I don't think we've
met before..."

"Han, Han Vachon," the stranger kissed Janette's gloved hand.

"Janette, Janette Duchette ...I mean DuCharme," Janette offered.

"Ahem, I'm the one looking for a ride," Nick announced. "I'm Nick,
Nick Nightwalker."

Vachon tore his eyes away from Janette's neck and looked at Nick.
"Where do you want to go?"

"I need a ride over to CERK, the radio station. I have to get there
fast and my car broke down a block away from here. Do you have a
fast car?"

Vachon grinned. "She's fast enough for you. I'll take you there for
twenty-five bucks."

"Twenty," Nick offered.

"Deal," Vachon replied.

The two left the Raven and walked halfway up the street. Vachon
slowed down when they arrived at an old rusted out car. The doors
were green, the rest of the car grey, and the bumper was attached
with metal coathangers. Nick stared down at it. "We're going in
that! What a piece of junk!"

"It's a '64 Falcon." Vachon grinned. "She may not look like much,
but she's got it where it counts. She can outrun a Metro Police
cruiser. Not those hot new Cameros, mind you, but the standard
cruisers."

                          * * * * * 

Vachon's Falcon *was* fast. They arrived at CERK seven minutes
later. Vachon stopped only long enough to let Nick get out. Then he
took off, tires squealing. He wanted no part of Dark Invader.

Nick crept around the building to the back door. It was
conveniently unlocked and he cautiously entered. He walked through
the building to the broadcasting booth and saw a dark figure
sitting behind a microphone. It was Dark Invader - dressed totally
in black, and wearing a black plastic mask over his head, with
holes sloppily cut out for the eyes and nose.

Dark Invader saw Nick, and stood up. He whooshed from the booth and
materialized behind Nick, a big meat cleaver in his hand. Nick spun
around brandishing the wooden stake.

Dark Invader tried to speak menacingly, but his voice was slightly
muffled. He wished he had cut another hole in the mask for his
mouth. "Obi-Vamp never told you what happened to your father, did
he?"

"He told me you betrayed and murdered my father!," Nick replied.

"That was your biological father, Nicholas. Mortals die. Does it
really matter how or when? I am your vampire father, Lucien
Nightwalker. And I have come back to reclaim you. Come back to the
dark side, and together we will rule this City as father and son.
It is your destiny!"

"No!" Nick screamed and ran forward with the stake. "I'll never
join you!"

"You are no match for me!," Dark Invader groaned. "The lifeforce is
strong in you, but you are not a Medi yet!" He swung the cleaver at
Nick, and Nick jumped into the air to avoid it. Unfortunately, he
dropped his wooden stake at the same time.

"Impressive," the dark figure crooned. "Very impressive."

Nick instantly materialized behind Dark Invader. "You'll find I'm
full of surprises!" He reached out and twisted Dark Invader's mask
around so the holes didn't line up. Dark Invader couldn't see a
thing and started flailing his cleaver in the air with one hand
while adjusting his mask with the other.

Nick held his arm out, willing the stake to come to him, but it
would not, so he bent down and picked it up. Dark Invader had just
got his mask straightened out and turned around to face Nick, but
he was too slow. Nick quickly staked Dark Invader through the
heart, and Dark Invader disintegrated.

                          * * * * * 

When Nick arrived back at the loft, Natalie was in her flimsiest
silk nightie waiting for him.

"Is Dark Invader destroyed?" she asked as she ran to Nick.

"Yes," Nick replied and hugged her. He was enjoying the feel of her
against him, and kissed her lips. She didn't resist. He felt her
heartrate increase as he kissed her more passionately. Nick stopped
for a breath, "He is destroyed, but I am not a mortal yet."

Natalie wondered whether she should just tell Nick that he would
automatically become mortal at sunrise, but decided not to. She ran
her fingers through his hair and kissed him softly on the lips. "We
have to make love first, then you will become mortal."

The End

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