Off into the sunset 1/2
 
Disclaimer
 
The usual disclaimers apply.  The characters and ideas of Forever Knight are
not mine.  They belong to Messrs Parriott and Cohen and Sony/Tristar.  No
infringement of their rights is intended.  This story is mine and I assert
copyright hereto.
 
Archive permission is given to Mel for the fkfanfic site, Anita for
fkfanfic2 and to Cousin Mary if she wants it.  Anyone else who wants it is
welcome, but please ask first, out of courtesy.  Constructive feedback is
welcome at blot30@hotmail.com but flames will be ignored.  I would rate this
one as PG-13 as there is some mild innuendo.
 
This is the final story in the series, which began with "Lucifer in
Starlight."  This follows on from "Wild for to hold." I intended the series
to have a tragic and plaintive ending, but I really don't do tragedy very
well.  Therefore it gets a little mushy and sweet.  If you don't like
Lacroix living happily ever after then look away now.
 
Off into the sunset 1/2
 
By Spike Shovelton
 
 
Tracy knocked on the office door.  Malcolm smiled at her for a moment.
"Tracy, what a pleasure.  Please come in."  The university lecturer looked
at her.  "Would you like a drink?"
 
"No thanks."  Tracy studied him, able to smell the warm berry scent of his
blood. It was difficult sometimes hanging around with mortals.  They were so
appealing, so attractive in their mortality.
 
Janette had brought her across.  Tracy had spent two weeks with her new
sire, studying and learning the ways of the vampire.  Now she had returned
to Toronto, trying to return to her life.  It was difficult being a vampire.
  She had never realised how hard it could be.  Yet it was the right
decision.  Tracy had decided that when she came across she would look
forward rather than back and accept the situation.
 
She had not seen Lacroix.  He had resolved to leave them alone, and had kept
his word.  Tracy had enjoyed the two weeks in the main.  Janette was quite
good company, intelligent, amusing and gifted with a warped sense of humour.
 
Spending time with Janette had helped.  She had started to understand the
consequences of her decision, and what it meant to be a vampire.  Plus the
fact that now she could be with Lacroix she wanted to be.  Not that she
could understand him.
 
"So what brings you around to me?  Problems with your essay?"  Malcolm asked
and she shook her head.
 
"I want some advice on books, for my own amusement."  Tracy said finally.
Malcolm looked at her and smiled suddenly.  "Is there a social history of
Rome?  Something about what people used to do, how they used to live, what
music they liked."
 
"I see."  Malcolm walked to his bookshelves and looked through.  "What have
you tried?"
 
"A few novels but I want something factual."  Tracy sighed.  "Suetonius of
course."
 
"Try something more plebian, Juvenal is good."  Malcolm pulled out a couple.
  "Is this for work?"
 
"No, it's a personal interest."  Tracy admitted.  She was glad she could no
longer blush.  Malcolm's smile seemed rather too aware.  She chatted a while
longer with the teacher but was unwilling to linger and soon slipped out
into the night
 
She had been able to think and try to work out her alarmingly mixed feelings
for Lucien Lacroix.  There were still parts of him that scared her.  She
didn't understand him, didn't always trust him, wanted him alarmingly and
was as confused as ever.
 
She had decided, though, that either they tried to have a relationship or
they stopped talking.  Vampires were good at love or hate but liking,
friendship, esteem, were all harder emotions for them to handle.  Perhaps
that was why her relationship with Vachon had been so uncomfortable.  She
sighed as she remembered the lost chance.  She and Vachon could never be
together now.  That opening was closed to her now.  There was only her
chance with Lacroix.  All or nothing and she wanted all.  Besides, the
alternative could make her evening classes very uncomfortable.
 
Lucien Lacroix sighed as he saw the figure sitting by the bar.  Tracy Vetter
made a beautiful vampire, all cream and gold.  She was a spot of colour in
the dark club, a pale green blouse and grey slacks catching the light.  For
a moment he wanted to run over and take her, ignore the audience and try to
deal with the array of mixed feelings he always had around her.
 
He wanted her, felt desire so strong he almost winced, not simply for her
body but for her devious, acute mind, her intelligence and spirit.  Then he
felt a rush of furious jealousy as she patted Miklos on the hand, and
favoured him with a brilliant smile.  For once Lacroix wished to take her
away, veil her so no other could see her, stop her smiling at anyone else,
blind any other man who looked upon her, like Diana bathing.  Such was the
punishment for seeing a goddess.
 
Then before he could say anything, take any action she was gone, moving
through the crowd with natural grace.  Miklos turned and ducked.  By the
time Lacroix was at the bar the bartender had vanished into the back.
 
Two nights later Lucien Lacroix sighed as he rubbed his head.  It was almost
dawn and he had been out all evening.  He was still angry.  He had been so
furious that Tracy would spend time with Miklos, not even talk to him, and
then leave without a word.  He had been unable to locate her at all and he
was not happy.  He was going to beat her black and blue for this.  She was
his now, and his people did not walk away like this.
 
Sighing he went into the Raven to see Miklos talking on the telephone.  The
bartender hung up and smiled at him.  "General."  He said softly.  "You're
late back.  There was a delivery for you earlier."
 
"A delivery?"  Lacroix queried.  Miklos nodded.  Intrigued Lacroix walked up
the stairs.  As he did so he heard a strange noise and winced at the sound
of it.
 
It sounded like a three-year-old had got hold of a lyre and was accompanying
the neighing of a goat.  He winced again as he opened his door.  Whoever had
recorded that racket had no idea about Roman music.
 
He studied the sight before him. The room looked like Rome crossed with
Hollywood.  A garishly bright poster showing a fresco was on one wall.  The
walls had been decked with rich hangings.  A bowl of grapes lay on one table
and beside it a bottle of what was unmistakably a form of mead or metheglin,
a honeyed drink that had been popular in Rome.
 
He sniffed lightly, inhaling the unmistakable scent of sweet almond oil
emanating from a burner.  The music may have been atrocious but the scent
was divine.  It reminded him of his childhood.  The choice of aromatic oil
was a very Roman thing.  He smiled at the memories it brought back to him.
 
His eyes returned to the sleeping figure on the settee.  It was undeniably
Tracy Vetter, obviously having gone to sleep waiting for him.  She was
dressed in a pale green costume, which served to accentuate her curves.  Her
hair had been curled a little and was stuck with an amber comb. A torque
decorated her pale, elegant throat.  She looked so delicious, all fire and
golden energy.  He was reminded of the myth of the phoenix, the bird of fire
and light that arose from its own ashes.
 
Here she was, from the ashes of mortality.  She had come to him and tried to
be Roman.  He looked down, feeling a surge of inexplicable fondness that she
had tried to replicate Rome, albeit rather imperfectly.  It was not what he
had expected from her and he rather liked the fact that after nearly 2000
years someone could still surprise him.
 
He winced as the scratching noise became louder.  Walking to the CD player
he turned the music off and picked up the CD case.  "Songs of Ancient Rome."
  He suppressed the urge to laugh.  For the first time in his life he wished
that Nero were still alive.  The emperor would have loved this attempt to
reproduce Rome.  Whatever else Nero had been, he had enjoyed laughing at bad
music, unless it was his own.  Nero would have laughed until he wept.  He
would then probably have executed the poor unfortunate musicians.  Lacroix
put the case down.
 
His gaze returned to Tracy.  Her short tunic had risen up a little,
revealing one leg.  The hair was tousled.  Lacroix could scarcely recall
anything so appealing as the vision of her.  Beside her hand was a piece of
paper.  Lacroix looked at the Latin words on it and chuckled as he read
them.  She had written down words in English and what appeared to be a
phonetic translation of them in Latin.  Unfortunately the Latin words didn't
quite mean what she thought they meant.  Whoever had translated her
sentences had amended the sentences and accordingly created an interesting
variety of phrases ranging from the obscene to the illegal, to the
anatomically impossible.  Lacroix was unable to prevent himself from
laughing again.
 
End Part One
 
 
 
 
 
Off into the sunset 2/2
 
By Spike Shovelton
 
See Part One for disclaimer
 
His laugh appeared to rouse his companion.  Tracy sat bolt upright and
looked at him.  "Sorry I must have dozed off."  She said quickly.  "I
expected you a while ago."
 
"I was detained."  Lacroix said quickly and looked at her.
 
Tracy wondered why things went wrong.  The plan was that she would be calm
and look like a Roman.  Instead she managed to nod off and was all untidy
and disoriented when he came in.  She ran a hand through her hair and
dislodged the comb.  Great now she looked worse.  "Sorry it was a stupid
idea."  He seemed to be amused by it all, a smirk playing over his
sculptured face.
 
"No."  Lacroix looked at her.  "Ma belle, you look exquisite, like something
from one of my youthful fantasies."  His eyes studied her make up, taking in
the kohl around her eyes and the very Roman makeup.  "You have done your
research too."
 
"I wanted to learn about you, try and understand."  Tracy said and looked at
him.  "If we are to make this us thing work, we need to understand one
another."
 
"Indeed."  Lacroix smiled.  "Tracy, much as I am touched that you would wish
to be Roman for me, it is not necessary.  You are not a Roman, and I do not
expect that you would behave as a Roman woman would.  Indeed I hope you will
not."
 
"Why not?"  Tracy asked.
 
"It would not be you.  Although I would not complain if you continued to
wear that outfit."  As she moved the fabric twisted and hinted at cleavage.
He looked at her.  "Actually I think I would prefer you did not wear that
outfit, or anything else right now."
 
Tracy smiled and moved towards him.  "I see."  Her voice was amused.  "I
hope you realise that we will have to discuss this relationship.  Then she
chuckled as he began stalking her.  He looked so completely predatory that
it made her shiver with desire.  "I suppose that can wait."  She ducked
around the table and watched as he moved to capture her.  "Hey mind the
outfit."  She was rewarded with ripping fabric.  "Okay but you have to pay
the hire shop and explain this."  She sighed and decided that it was really
not worth complaining at this stage.  Looking into gold flecked blue eyes
she smiled at him and he returned it.
 
Much later Tracy studied her lover as she stretched.  She was out of
practice and ached.  Still it was a comfortable ache, swiftly fading as
vampire healing kicked in.  "That was worth waiting for."  She murmured.
"Janette was right."
 
Lacroix studied her, enjoying the sight.  "What exactly did Janette tell
you?"
 
"That would be telling."  Tracy snuggled closer.  "Sorry about the music."
 
Lacroix realised that he had not quite hidden his reaction to the music as
well as he had thought.  She must have seen it in his blood.  "It was
different."
 
Tracy sighed.  "I just wanted it to be perfect."
 
"You were there."  He said and smiled.  "That was what I wanted."   His
voice was very gentle.  Tracy smiled suddenly.  "What?"
 
"I never thought this would happen when I started going to evening class."
Tracy curled into him, enjoying the feel of his muscular body against her
own.  He responded, drawing her closer.  She was surprised how well they fit
together.  "On the first evening all I wanted was something to amuse me, a
new challenge.  I got that in spades"
 
"Do you regret your decision?"  Lacroix wondered about the wisdom of asking
this question, but he did not want another eight hundred years with a
resentful and reluctant vampire.  One Nicholas was more than sufficient.
 
"Which one?"  Tracy asked him.
 
"Coming across."  Lacroix responded.
 
"No."  Tracy said.  "I decided a long time ago that if I came across I would
concentrate on the future and not regret what I gave up.  I am a vampire now
so I will give that 100% commitment."  She looked at him.  "Does that
surprise you?"
 
"You never cease to surprise me."  Lacroix said and looked at her.  "Most
people I can understand easily, after so many years human motivations are
easy to detect and manipulate.  You, Nicholas, a few others are
incomprehensible to me at times."  He paused.  "So I will have to ask you
what you want."
 
"What I want?  If you mean from this relationship thing, then I want to
trust you."  Tracy sighed.  "I'm not good at relationships.  I watched my
parents argue and then hide it.  I watched my mother drink and my father not
trouble to hide his women.  When I watched them I decided that there had to
be a better way.  My own relationships were not much better.  Those men my
father or my pedigree didn't scare away didn't last."  Tracy looked at him.
"I don't understand you either, and I don't know if this is a good idea,
but..."
 
"I see."  Lacroix looked at her.
 
"What do you want?"  Tracy decided to turn the question around and he
smiled, his gaze burning her and making her fangs itch to descend.  He
looked her over slowly and thoroughly.  "I mean apart from that."
 
"You.  I would have liked you for my childe.  I am not happy that I must
settle for less."  He looked at her and considered his bargain with Janette.
  "However I can accept the situation.  I will certainly enjoy spending the
next few centuries with you."
 
"We don't have to leave Toronto just yet, do we?"  Tracy asked quickly.  "I
mean I am just getting used to things."
 
"That sounds reasonable."  Lacroix liked the fact that she seemed to expect
that they would be together.  "We will stay until I come first in our end of
year evening exam in a couple of months, probably a little longer."
 
"You come first?"  Tracy looked at him.  "What makes you think you're coming
first?"
 
"I suppose you think you will win."  Lacroix looked at her.
 
"No I know who will win."  Tracy grinned.  "Cindy of course.  You mean you
don't think there is a brain in there?"
 
Lacroix laughed softly and wrapped one curl of hair around his finger.  "I
think I will enjoy this relationship."
 
"Me too."  Tracy kissed him sleepily and reached out a hand for her glass of
bloodwine.  "Lucius.  I don't know if I get the words right but I wanted to
tell you this."
 
"Tell me what?"  Lacroix asked gently.
 
"Te credo Lucius."  Tracy whispered and he smiled and kissed her soundly.
He felt like he had just won a tribute from the emperor. She was his now.
Even though not his childe she was his.  Odd how a passing amusement could
become so important.
 
He drew her closer and his voice dropped to a level that only a vampire
could hear as he leaned over and whispered in her ear.  "Tracy, may I
suggest that you invest in a Latin dictionary.  If you persist in talking
dirty in Latin I would prefer you understood what you said."
 
"Perhaps you could teach me some."  Tracy looked up at him.  "I did
understand that bit and I do mean it.  Te credo Lucius, at least a bit."
 
Lacroix graced her with one of his rare, beautiful smiles.  His face was
devoid of mockery and had an unearthly beauty.  "I know cherie."  He looked
at her.  "I am honoured by it."
 
Tracy waited, wondering what was going to come next.  A normal man would
have made some kind of reciprocal declaration, usually in an embarrassed
manner.  Then again Lacroix wasn't exactly the common run of things.  She
had known that from the beginning.  She could not judge him too much by the
standards of today.
 
"Tracy."  His voice turned her name to an endearment.  She looked up and
watched him run one fingernail over the veins in his wrist, cutting through
the skin and perfuming the air with the scent of his blood.  Tracy knew from
their lovemaking that his blood tasted even better than it smelt, a mixture
of oranges and cream and spices.  She had asked Janette how Lacroix tasted
but the Frenchwoman had explained that these things were subjective and
words failed.  She was right about the indescribable part of it.
 
Tracy watched as Lacroix brought the fingertips of his other hand down and
dipped them in the blood before bringing the red fingers to her lips.  Tracy
opened her mouth and licked his forefinger, running her tongue around it to
drink up the blood before it dripped away.  An idle part of her mind
reminded her that this was deeply corny and she was acting like a bimbo in a
cheap Dracula film.  The rest of her was too occupied with the scent of the
blood, the taste of it on her tongue and the sensations it was sending
through her veins.
 
Tracy sighed as he withdrew his fingers from her mouth.  "Do you
understand?"  His voice was a bare whisper now and his eyes seemed
incredibly blue.
 
"Yes."  Tracy said and it was the truth.  She knew now what he had been
unable to say.  Blood did not lie.  He could have told her whatever he
thought she would want to hear.  Yet he had not, he had showed her, had let
her share his feelings. She decided that it did not matter, for now, what
would happen next year or next century.  No she was going to make the most
of this and live in the present.  It was not going to be easy; nothing truly
worthwhile is ever easy.  She did not delude herself that she and Lacroix
would always get along well.  They were both strong characters, after all.
Then again she felt that she would easily enjoy the experience.  She touched
his face and he brought his lips down on hers in a deep kiss.  Whatever
happened in the future the present was more than sufficient.
 
 
The End
 
Yes, okay I'm a sucker for happy endings.  This concludes the series.  Thank
you for sticking with it, and all the kind comments.
 
Notes
 
1) Te credo almost means I trust you.  I don't think it's quite the right
word for "trust" but it isn't meant to be.
 
2) Suetonius was a Roman author best known for his descriptions of the lives
of the Caesars.  He had a vivid eye for detail and has hardly dated.
Juvenal was a Roman satirist, equally accurate but also coarse, bitter and
deeply critical of the excesses of the period.
 
3) In Greek mythology the punishment for seeing a goddess bathing was
blindness.