Usual Disclaimers, I don't own 'em, if I were rich I'd buy 'em, but I'm not <sigh>

Vetter's Vengeance (1/1)

Cousin Mary (Jenkins)

May 1998

Tracy stood in the doorway of the Raven looking for Vachon. Two nights ago they'd fought, over nothing really, but she was still really annoyed with him. She was hoping he'd be here, whether so they could make up or take up where they'd left off, she wasn't sure. But as she stood there, she realised that though almost all the club was vampires tonight, Vachon wasn't among them.

With a 'to hell with him' snort, Tracy descended the steps and entered the club. Part of it was just to tick Vachon off even more, hanging around his usual stomping grounds when he wasn't about was sure to annoy him to no end. But another part of her just wanted to blow off some steam.

She joined the pit of wriggling flesh that passed for a dance floor and spent about a half an hour working out some issues with a few of the rowdier moshers. After that, she'd worked up quite a thirst, so she headed to the bar.

"Gimme something with bite." She told the bartender. When the dark-haired Miklos just grinned at her for a full minute, Tracy somehow restrained herself from rolling her eyes. 'What is it, is everyone in the world a vampire or am I just lucky enough to run into them all?' She thought.

"Good evening," Yet another vampire intoned beside her.

Tracy glanced over at the new arrival, Lucien Lacroix, voice of the Nightcrawler. Well at least this one had some class. "Hello." She smiled, albeit dismissivly. She wasn't in the mood for male company, no matter how charming.

"If you don't mind me saying so," The ancient vampire continued, "You seem somewhat vicious this evening."

"Oh why would I mind a comment like that?" Tracy cracked wryly, "What do you want from me? I haven't started a bar brawl or anything," 'at least not yet.' The last was added under her breath.

About the time Lacroix was trying to figure out if he really wanted to try and charm the beguiling (if hostile) Tracy Vetter, Miklos returned with his new concoction. It was pink, dark pink.

"I call it, 'Vetter's Vengeance.' The bartender smiled proudly.

Tracy quirked an eyebrow at the beverage. A drink named for her? She wasn't to sure about that. Of course, the fact that everyone here seemed to know who she was, wasn't too pleasing either. "Gee, thanks." She smiled weakly and took a sip.

It felt like her severed head was being rolled down a street made of apricot schnapps. "Whoa." She pulled her lips away from the glass, yet the tingling sensation continued in her extremities.

"You asked for something with bite." Miklos grinned.

"Indeed?" Lacroix raised a curious eyebrow (obviously pleased by her wording as well.) "May I?" Without getting any indication of permission or anything, he plucked the glass from Tracy's hand and took a hearty swig. After a less than dignified gasping fit, Lacroix placed the glass back on the bar. "Indeed." He repeated.

Overwhelmed by this witty dialogue, Tracy decided to call in a night. She threw a few bucks (Canadian ones, so they looked like play money to some less-cultured eyes) on the bar. "'Night gents, it's been fun." She sent a mock salute to the teary-eyed general (boy, that drink -had- been strong!) and headed for the door.

She had made it about half way to her goal, when some overly-enthusiastic dancer grabbed her from behind, his hands going places they -really- shouldn't. Due to many years of training, Tracy did what came natural…she tried to beat him into a pulp.

The fight lasted only a few seconds (amazing how a few swift kicks to the head will dampen a guy's ardour.) Unfortunately, (but not surprisingly considering how her luck had been going lately) her admirer turned out to be a vampire. So instead of being a broken, bloody wreck on the floor, the guy was instead an irate vampire out for revenge, fangs bared, eyes glowing, the works.

"You -vill- be mine!" Fang-face hissed at her, (and in a Transylvanian accent to boot!)

"Oh lucky me." Tracy mumbled as she took off in a hard sprint and locked herself behind the nearest door, which turned out to be Lacroix's office.

"Yes?" Lacroix looked up from behind his desk (death and taxes you know <g>) and smiled. "Oh, Miss Vetter, changed your mind about leaving?"

Tracy growled and stalked over to a chair in the corner and mumbled, "Something like that." She then proceeded to break the delicate antique into small pointy weapons.

This action garnered her Lacroix's complete and full attention. In fact, the ancient vampire seemed to be at a complete loss for words as the young woman headed back to his door, apparently of a mind to do something which would probably severely damage the Raven's reputation as a haven for the undead.

"Ah, Miss Vetter?"

She didn't respond, that annoyed him. Using some vamp-speed, Lacroix headed her off en route to the door, "Stop right there young lady!" He said, quite appalled himself at how much he sounded like a '50's sitcom father.

Tracy glared at him. "Out of my way, if he wants to play rough, I think I can accommodate him." She held up one of several stakes now in her possession.

"I'm sure you could have." Lacroix smirked. "But you're not going to. Sit." He ordered.

She glared at him.

<thump, thump> "You will sit down," He repeated his order in a slow monotone.

"No, I won't." She replied stubbornly (also in monotone, just to tick him off.)

With a growl, he grabbed her by the shoulders and physically forced her to sit a chair behind his desk.

"As much as I -am- enjoying this," Tracy smirked, "I already have a boyfriend."

Lacroix glared down at her. "I take it you know about us," When Tracy just glared at him he added, "About vampires."

"Vampires?" Tracy opened her eyes as wide as they'd go. "Never heard of them." She -might- have got away with this, that is if Lacroix had been stupid and she hadn't been fiddling with one of her new stakes while she spoke.

As it was, Lacroix just stared at her, as if he couldn't believe how she was acting. He didn't know whether to be amused by her spunk or to just rip her throat out.

As he was making up his mind, Tracy peeled slivers of wood off her new toys to make them extra sharp.

"That was a very rare antique you destroyed." He said finally.

She looked up at him, eyes sparkling. "Oh? It certainly didn't -look- old."

Lacroix's eyes widened, again at a loss for words.

Just then Tracy's very drunk, very persistent vampire admirer decided he'd had enough of waiting for her to come out, so he broke down the door. To say he was surprised to see Lacroix with her would be a -slight- understatement.

"What do you want Squidula?" Lacroix quirked an eyebrow.

Under normal circumstances a look from Lacroix like that would have sent the 208 and a half-year-old vampire running for cover, but as it was, Squidula was very drunk and not thinking too clearly. "She is mine!" He yelled and lunged at them both.

Lacroix caught him in mid-air and snapped his neck. Squidula slumped to the floor at Tracy's feet.

"Won't he be able to fix that?" Tracy asked calmly.

"Of course, it will take a while though." Lacroix told her. Then abruptly his eyes widened as he realised she had really wanted to stake him! His son's partner was just full of surprises wasn't she?

Tracy looked down at the heap of undead flesh at her feet, she poked him a little with the toe of her boot, he gave a small pain-filled moan. It was then that she realised she missed Vachon! Maybe he was at the Church? Maybe she -should- be the one to apologise? "I should go." She mumbled quietly.

Lacroix's eyes snapped up, watching in stunned silence as Tracy returned to the corner (where the antique had previously sat) and carefully pilled up her stakes, then with a small wave, she left his office, then his club.

The ancient vampire looked around his office again, it seemed darker now that that woman had left. He let loose a sigh, she had been most entertaining. 'I'll have to make it a point to meet up with her again.' He thought, then his eyes settled on the pile of stakes in the corner. He looked back down at the heap of Squidula at his feet and said, "Well, maybe not."

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