Here, finally, is the sequel to 'Meetings'. And yes Ren, there is a
Dalmatian. No apperances by Tracy, but ...


Disclaimers: Okay everyone repeat after me...Forever Knight and it's
characters belong to TIIC and not me.

Title: A Conversation
By Emma Lighton

  "Lacroix was looking for you last week."
  Those had been the first words out of Urs's mouth, when he'd
returned home to find her in the church. It had answered the question
of what she was doing there, but it hadn't given him much peace of
mind.
  Three days later, when he finally went to the Raven, Vachon was
still wondering why the ancient vampire would want to talk to him.
Lacroix only seemed to acknowledge his existence if Knight happened
to have him cornered at a time he wanted to bother his son.
  Nothing obvious had come to mind when he landed in the deserted
alley behind the Raven, sending a stray Dalmatian and a couple of
rats scurrying for cover. With a shrug, he entered the club and
headed for the bar.
  Vachon had settled at the bar with his usual drink, when he sensed
the presence of another vampire behind him. He looked over his
shoulder and found Lacroix standing behind him.
  "I've been looking for you." The older vampire gestured and started
to walk away. Vachon hesitated for half a second, then realized that
it would probably be better for his health not to cause trouble.
  Cautiously, he followed Lacroix into the Raven's office. "Close the
door." He settled behind the desk and motioned for Vachon to sit in
the chair across from him. With a casual attitude he was far from
feeling, Vachon dropped into the indicated chair.
  Lacroix studied the man sitting across from him. Vachon's
appearance seemed to fit with the reputation he'd acquired over the
years. Which told him Lacroix that he either deserved it, or he'd
spent a lot of time making people underestimate him. He regretted not
taking the time before this meeting to discover which it was.
  "It occurred to me recently, that in all the time you've been in
Toronto, we've never had a chance to really get to know each other."
He watched Vachon's eyes narrow suspiciously.
  "I don't think we really have all that much in common."
  "I think you'd be surprised. For instance, there's your friend
Urs..." He let the sentence trail off, watching Vachon's reaction. He
was surprised to see him relax somewhat noticeably.
  "What about her?" He asked with a shrug. "She's old enough to take
care of herself."
  "True and since she isn't the type to cause trouble, you're
unlikely to be held accountable for anything problematic." Lacroix
settled back more comfortably in his chair. "Then there's your human
friend, Tracy. I had the pleasure of making her acquaintance, while
you were out of town." He watched Vachon stiffen, lean slightly
forward in his chair, and his eyes start to take on a slightly golden
cast.
  "Surely, you've been back long enough to know that she's unharmed."
He watched the other vampire's posture relax somewhat, but Vachon
still gave the impression that he was about to leap over the desk and
attack. "Personally I found our conversation far too refreshing to
end it in that manner. Which brings me to the question, what are you
going to do about her?"
  "Do? Why would I want to do anything about her, she's just a
friend."
  "Surely you don't think her life expectancy will be that great,
when the enforcers learn of her existence. And they will find out.
All it takes is a poor choice of words to the wrong person and
then..." Lacroix watched as this information sunk in.
  "There isn't anything I can do about it, she's a resister. And if I
try anything else..." Vachon shrugged and one of his hands came up
unconsciously to rub his throat.
  "Ah yes, Nicholas. He does have a tendency to try to dictate his
choices on others. But you haven't known him that long, have you?"
  "No."
  "Then perhaps you haven't realized, Nicholas is far better about
making threats than he generally is about carrying them out."
  "That's not what I heard. Something about a vampire named Spark."
  "That is a somewhat different case. You aren't threatening Doctor
Lambert with a chance to survive a meteor strike. His partner, I
think you'll find, is a very different case."
  "And if you're wrong?"
  "That's unlikely." Lacroix told him in an insulted tone. "I've
known him for eight hundred years. I know how he thinks. His partner
is just another mortal to him. He may prefer that she doesn't die, in
a general sort of way, he may be disappointed if she decides she
wants to be brought across, but he really doesn't care about what
happens to most humans beyond that, unless it affects his
'redemption' in some way."
  Vachon sat silently for a while as he digested the whole
conversation, and compared it to what he knew about Knight. Finally
he stood up and headed for the door. "I'll keep what you said in
mind." Then he was gone.
  Lacroix sat for a while staring at the chair across from him, a
small smile touching his lips. His gaze lingered on the indentations
the Spaniard's fingers had made in the chair arms. "Just a friend
indeed."
The End

---
Emma (elighton@operamail.com or elighton@hotmail.com)
Vaquera * T+Vpack * DP * War 9 vet
"So this was how you died, in whispers that you did not hear."
--Hemingway
http://members.tripod.com/lostshadows/main.html My FanFic Page