An ADULT Virtual Fourth Season Forever Knight Story This follows Presumed Dead Parts 1 and 2 (Episodes 13 & 14) by Stephanie Babbitt after Javier Vachon rises from the dead due to Divia's virus and Natalie 'cures" him. This is my first attempt at writing 4th season, but not FK fiction. I don't belong to any particular faction--I've only been on the web since March and I've been busy trying to catch up on what has been happening in FK after an absence from fandom for about five years.
And the usual disclaimers of not infringing but only borrowing the characters from Parriott, Cohen and Sony, and also from the FKV4 writers of borrowing their characters., but Lilith is my own creation for good or bad. Any and all comments should be sent to BrdOFire@aol.com

Ancient Curses
Vickey Brickle-Macky

Part 1/

         The bulldozers were excavating the site for the new highrise along the lake front when one of them suddenly began sputtering and making weird grinding sounds as it tried to pull its shovel out of the ground. The operator cursed and tried shifting gears but to no avail and the sounds from the shovel increased becoming wailing moans and high pitched shierks of protesting machinery. It felt like it had gotten stuck or hung up. But that was impossible-- there was no rock only layers of dirt. The bedrock was at least twenty to thirty feet beneath this layer according to the surveyor maps. The operator shook his head and tried to get the shovel unhooked from whatever it was tangled into to no avail it was jammed solid into something. That meant he had to get out and see what the problem was. He was not pleased. His boss wanted this hill dug out before quitting time--that didn't look like it was going to happen.
         Finally in disgust he shut down his machine and climbed down to see what the problem was. The shovel was jammed into a rock formation that shouldn't have been there. The teeth were caught between two slabs of enormous granite like a pry bar. He walked closer to get a better look and then stood stock still as it dawned on him what he was looking at.
         "Oh shit!" he exclaimed, not believing what he was looking at. It was tomb, a tomb out of solid rock. The big bosses were just going to love this, he thought disgustedly. They were already a month behind schedule and if the university people got wind of this then they could shut down the site indefinitely until they got their research done all thanks to all the new preservations laws about ancient Indian sites. But this didn't look like any Indian burial site he had ever seen or heard of. Not with all that weird figure carving and what looking like some kind of writing all over the rock. Viking maybe? Yeah that had to be it. They went it for fancy burials sometime. Hell, there might even be treasure in there. He wouldn't mind a little added bonus for this job. In his own mind he wasn't getting paid enough as it was.
         All of a sudden the man felt a coldness like he had been dropped into a deep freezer or suddenly transported to the arctic. He shivered, partly from the cold, and partly from a creeping sense of dread like nothing he had ever felt before. He looked around nervously, seeing nothing, but still he felt like he was being watched,and with a hatred so intense he could feel it almost as if it were a living thing. Something, someone wanted him, and wanted him bad. He also felt their fury of not being able to get to him. He intuitively knew why and took a couple of steps backward feeling better as he did, but the fury directed him only increased. It was the sunlight. He was safe in the sunlight. Whatever was there didn't like it. The tomb itself was in deep shadows dozer had been digging into a hillside and the sun was behind the hill going down, but it did angle into the pit he was working in making a safety zone of bright light. He stood sweating in the hot afternoon summer sun fully in its rays and was somehow unconsciously grateful for its protection.
         The hell with any treasure, he thought as he quickly backed away. He wasn't going near that place. Let the big bosses deal with this. He wasn't going to put his neck and possibly his life in danger. He turned on heels and went to see his boss feeling eyes full of hatred and much more following his retreating form. But by the time he got to the top of the pit he had forgotten why he had left in such a hurry, but it was close to quitting time so he clocked out without telling anyone about what he had uncovered.
         Sunset came and the shadows in the pit deepened. The workers had all left except for a few supervisors and the night watchmen coming on duty. There was no one to hear the scrapping of rock on rock as the heavy half ton lid to the tomb was slowly pushed forward inch by inch to create an opening for the being inside to crawl out of. Painfully, the woman crawled out, feeling the cool fresh air on her dried wrinkled skin. The first air she had felt and tasted in four thousand years. FREEDOM! she yelled in her mind.
         She slid down the sides of the rock walls and collapsed in a heap at the base, slowly taking in her surroundings. All she had known was gone. Her city, her people, everything vanished only her tomb had survived. But that had been the point--to make sure she never escaped, never harmed anyone again, never turned another into whatever she was. Monster, god, demon, even she wasn't sure what she was but she still alive after all this time, a pale shell of what she had been, but alive nevertheless. She had slept when the air ran out and kept sleeping, her body shutting down, her senses, leaving her only the void that was death and not yet death as she understood it. She would have kept sleeping had it not been for the seal on her tomb being broken and the air rushing in reviving her, awakening her to ''ife' once again.
         It was night now, and night was safety. The pale man dressed in strange clothes had climbed out of his strange contraption but had not neared her tomb. Some sense had warned him to stay in the sun and not come into the shadows. When he began to leave she clouded his mind and made him forget what he had done and seen. Better that than he tell others and warn them before she had gotten her full strength back and she could defend herself. She knew a long time had passed, what dangers this world held she did not know. She had been a prisoner too long to have her freedom taken away before she could enjoy it. Caution was the keyword, that and patience.
         She looked down at the remains of her clothing. Her fine cloth of gold robes were in tatters as was her burial shroud, and crumbling to shreds around her with every movement she made. At this rate she would be naked in no time, but that was something she would take care of as soon as she fed. But first she had to move and find food. Painfully, she pulled herself up with her skeletal hands hanging onto the side of the tomb for support. Tentatively, she took her first steps, grimacing at each painful movement, but in triumph she stood and began walking slowly across the packed down dirt to where she saw a way out of the pit and climbed. Slipping and sliding on the loose rocks and dirt until she reached the top and staggered out to look into the blazing lights of the twentieth century.
         After millenniums of darkness she was overwhelmed by this unnatural brightness, this blazing glory like the sun, yet not the real sun. Had mankind progressed so much that they could control the sun and all the other elements? Were they all wizards now? What kind of world had she awaken into, her fear grew as did her hunger . Instinctively, she clung to the shadows of the construction buildings wide eyed, wondering,as she waited to catch someone unawares. In her weaken state it was not going to be easy. Until she had regained her full strength she would have to knock her prey out if she stood any chance of overpowering them. Looking around on the ground she spied a scrap of wood, and picked it up but even that simple act was taxing and she leaned against the wall breathing heavily. At the sound of footsteps approaching she froze, her senses all on alert. She could scent them now, it was male, young, full of life, his heavy sweat like the finest nectar arousing her hunger. The man walked past her, unaware of his danger, carrying an armful of electric equipment. Before he could react to her presence she struck, swinging her heavy board with all her might, she hit the construction worker in the back of the head. He staggered and dropped his load noisily on the ground. He fell forward heavily, and before he hit the ground she caught him and was sinking her now descended fangs into his neck.
         It was nectar, it was wine, and much more as she drank greedily almost choking as her dry parched throat reacted to the rich wetness of the man's life blood. Already she could feel the blood surging through her. Her previously contracted and collapsed blood vessels and organs began expanding, she could feel her skin softening, expanding, filling out, the wrinkles and creases disappearing. Her hair was again becoming silky and smooth, losing the white, brittleness of old age and becoming the red gold of her youth again. The man was now nothing but a lifeless husk that she threw to the ground when she had drank every drop. In her heart there was no remorse, no sadness. It was survival, her own plain and simple.
         She turned at the sound of more footsteps approaching, it was at least two possibly three people approaching. She was not yet fully recovered and not up to taking on that many, so she jumped up and fled. This time she could flee as she had before, like the wind on the air, feeling the ever growing strength of the fresh blood coursing through her veins. But she was still hungry, that had only been an appetizer, now she needed to find the main course.
         Flying up higher, the whole city was laid out before her, she gasped in awe and in wonder. It was like a jeweled dream, so strange, so huge, stretching further than her eyes could see, a mass of glowing lights everywhere. and where there were lights there were people, and there was blood, more than she could even begin to drink. For all that she had endured she thanked the fates for awakening her now in this unknown time. Here in this time she would be safe from the hunters. They were long dead. And she did not dare dream that there were others like her, there had been none in her time, so why should there be any now, she thought triumphantly, A smile played across her now full lips--a whole new world was hers--this time she would not make the mistakes she had made that had caused her worshipers to turn on her--this time it would be very, very different.

<

Part 2/
Ancient Curses

         The pager in the pocket of her lab coat started buzzing. Nat pulled it out and looked at it disgusted. She had just gotten back from another call an half hour before and was trying to eat the now cold take out Chinese she had picked up. She could tell it was not going a nice quiet night so she could get caught up on her paperwork and get those autopsy reports to the Captain as he wanted before the end of shift.
         She called the dispatcher and she wrote down the address and a description of the body. A construction worker had been found dead at the Lyle Brothers Construction site. That's where they are going to be putting in the new highrise mall, she thought to herself as she got directions. Then she got a description of the the body--she took it down matter of fact until it came to the two puncture wounds on the neck and no blood, then she got alarmed. She had a more than sinking feeling what the real cause of death was--but who in the Community would be that stupid, especially now? Hadn't they learned to keep a low profile after all the slasher cases. It couldn't be Vachon having a relapse, could it? And this new killing was far from anyone's usual haunts. Was it someone new in town or some fledgling without a master on a rampage? The questions were endless--but why did it always end up in her lap to do damage control? Why her? Unfortunately, she knew the answer--because she gave a damn about them and would protect them even when they didn't protect themselves.
         "Dr. Lambert? Are you still there?" asked the voice on the other end, pulling her back from her thoughts.
         "Yes, sorry, I was just thinking about another case. Who are the detectives on this case?" she inquired, half hoping and not hoping it would be Nick.
         "It looks like Knight and Sakai," said the dispatcher.
         She sighed, well it was better having Nick there than some of the others and though their relationship was still strained it was tolerable for the moment. "Okay. I'm on my way have the rest of the staff on call meet me there," Nat said, and then hung up the phone.
         She hung up her lab coat and put her jacket on. Grabbing her bag she went down the hall and told Grace she had a call and to finish up with the Macmillan case while she was gone. Then she was out of there and making her way to the crime scene. She hoped that Thomas wouldn't be there. She did not need to be sidestepping him or having to think of excuses or explanations constantly. He had gotten too close for comfort during Vachon's problems. And if this was Vachon's doing she'd kill the little shit herself. Her patience was running thin on having to damage control for sloppy vampires. Nor did she want to deal with any Enforcers asking her questions. What ever happened to having a normal job, a normal life, live friends, and everything--just one word--vampires. They sure had a way of turning her life upside down. Even if she packed up and left today she knew she would never be free of them. They were stuck like glue to her, and she just had to accept it whether she liked it or not.
         By the time she arrived at the crime scene she was not in a good mood. Too many bad memories, too much blood, and not enough normalcy in her life. She really needed a vacation soon before she did go over the deep end or say the wrong thing in the wrong persons ears. Maybe that was what was wrong--that there was no one she could talk to about anything her life--except vampires. She almost laughed, maybe she needed a vampire psychologist, she sure couldn't talk to a mortal one. She'd get a vacation all right, a real long one and not the one she wanted. Actually, what she wanted was a friend, and she wasn't sure there was such a person on the mortal side of her life she could trust. And that filled her with a deep sadness that she knew wasn't going to go away not for a very long time.          She felt Nick before she even saw him. He and his partner were talking to some of the workmen gathered around. When he saw her, he made excuses to Adam and then followed her to the victim. "Hi, Nat, are you doing okay?" he asked concerned as he got a good look at her troubled expression.
         "I'll survive," she said quickly, cutting him off from further inquires as to her state of health mental or otherwise. "Have you had a chance to look at the victim yet?" she inquired carefully.
         He shook his head puzzled. "No, just got here and we were met by the foreman who wanted to talk to us first. Why?" he asked frowning, as he looked at her then looked at the body that was laying face down on the packed dirt.
         "I think 'we' may have a problem. Dispatch didn't tell you about the puncture wounds and no blood around the body?" she asked in a quiet voice.
         He looked startled. "No, just a homicide and the address. You suspect something?"
         "Suspect, yes. Know, no. Let me look at the body and I'll tell you real quick," she said bending down and putting on her gloves to make her initial examination.
         It was obvious the man had been hit from behind with a blunt object. There was a deep gash at the base of his skull. The angle suggested that the blow had come from someone smaller than the victim, that had maybe waiting for the victim to approach and when they had gone by had leaped out and struck the victim across the back of the head, stunning them. The depth of the wound did not suggest super strength, just normal average strength, possibly a woman. Looking up Nat surveyed the area. They were between two buildings with heavy shadows, a good place to lie in wait for someone. Nat wasn't even sure the victim and perpetrator had even known one another, it was possible, but this had all the eye marks of the victim being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A large piece of wood, a two by two was laying on the ground near the corner of the building. One end gleamed with blood, not the murder weapon but a weapon. From the angle it had landed it was clear it been tossed away after it had no longer been needed.
         "There's the weapon," Nat told Nick pointing it out. "But it's not what killed him. The blow was to knock him down or knock him out. Not enough force to kill him. The person who did this was average or below average strength, maybe a woman," she told him.
         "Yes, there's footprints. Bare feet," he said studying the dirt around the victim careful not to mess up the forensic evidence before the lab could do casts. "There's a woman's footprints and then heavy workboots over the top of most of them. The footprints go off that way," he said pointing eastward, "then they just vanish--like she just flew off," he said, getting worried.
         "Yeah, the lab boys are going to love that," she commented, worried herself.
         She bent back down to the examination of the body. Carefully, she turned it over on it's back, on the left side of the neck close to the shoulder bone she saw what she had been dreading to find--puncture wounds. Puncture wounds that could only be made by one type of teeth--vampire teeth. Inwardly she groaned for a variety of reasons. The primary one being how was she going to cover this one up. This one had been neat, no torn throat, no mess, just neat puncture wounds--it was real obvious what had happened. She might not be able to get out this one.
         Nick saw what she was looking at and became gravely concerned. "There's no doubt is there?" he asked hopefully.
         "No, whoever did this was too neat, if you get my point. They didn't even try to do damage control. But why did they have to knock their victim unconscious before they did it?" she asked. On the weak or the infirmed stunned their victims first. That was not a good situation, not that any of this was a good situation.
         He just struggled his shoulders. "I'm not sure, inexperience or infirmity are they only things I can come up with. At present, the Community is keeping a tight lid on everyone, after Vachon and the poor sick girl who had hunted them thinking vampires had killed her parents, the Community has become very nervous, and afraid. New ones are being watched more closely than they have ever been, and I don't know of any one weak enough to do this, not when they don't have to," he said quietly, as he saw his partner approaching.
         "You check it out," she said in a deadly tone, making it clear that this was 'his' problem--not 'hers', and he backed away looking confused and hurt.
         "Nat?" he questioned.
         "No, not this time. No arguments, Nick. It's your mess, not mine. I can only do so much--I'm only human--you know!" she exclaimed, feeling the tears starting to fall as she got up hurriedly. She tried to walk past him but he reached out and tried to stop her, but she just shrugged him off and glared at him mad and hurt, and very pissed at the whole Community for leaving it to her to do their cleaning.
         "Nat, it's not my fault!" he protested.
         Isn't it? Isn't it all 'your' fault that I am in the position I am in right now, huh NIck?" she asked not mincing words and not caring if Adam overheard them. "It never is 'your' fault. Just once I'd like to see one of you besides LaCroix take some responsibility for what happens"          "But I do, Nat, everyday," he protested.
         "Not enough, Nick. It just isn't enough," she said disgustedly, and shook her head as she almost ran from the scene with tearing eyes, not caring anymore, who saw her or what they thought.
         Nick started to follow her but thought better of it, and just stood numbly where he was watching as she got in and slammed her door, and then gunned the engine and took off like a bat out of hell with squealing tires.
         What the hell started that, Nick?" Adam asked as he too watched in disbelief as Natalie drove off.
         "I'm not really sure," he said truthfully. "She's had a lot on her mind, and I had hoped she was feeling better, but I guess not,' he added, shaking his head. It was the truth, though not the whole truth. He knew exactly what was bothering Natalie, but he couldn't tell anyone either, at least anyone mortal. But he would find out who was doing this and this was something he had to do alone which meant he had to ditch his partner, despite Reese's standing orders that neither one was to go anywhere alone.
         He really liked his partner, but he still didn't want to get too close, not after loosing both Scanke and Tracy in the span of a year. And it had been almost a year with Adam, time had really flown in someways, in others it had crawled to a dead stop and refused to move.
         Nat, . . . he sighed to himself with regret. It was clear that they were at a dead stop. She was still blaming him, for what he had done to her, almost killing her, draining her, then abandoning her when she had needed him the most--not killing her outright--not bringing her over--just leaving her alone, dying on his living room floor--alone. All else she could forgive him, but not just leaving her alone to die which she hadn't--instead she had been found and sent to a hospital. After many pints of blood pumped into her she had recovered in an unexpected way. Now she had become some strange creature that was mortal still, but also a vampire in some weird ways that neither of them understood. She had the V virus in her system, but it wasn't doing anything to her. It was like she was in stasis, almost. Not truly mortal anymore, but not vampire either. When she got mad, he could see the glint of gold and red in her eyes, but she never grew fangs and did not have problems with sunlight that he knew of. But blood bothered her a lot--unexpected blood, or too much blood at a crime scene tested her self control. She now had vampiric reflexes and reactions, hearing,and even vision at times, not to mention her sense of other vampires had been heightened and their link--the connection was stronger than it had ever been to where he could not only sense her emotions but also her thoughts.
         It was not an easy situation for either of them. In one sense he had her, he was responsible for her, but she wouldn't let him be, nor would she let him help her through this. She would rather go ask LaCroix, or now, Vachon for answers to her questions of what she was and what she should do about it. Now he could freely admit to himself he was jealous of other vampires as well as other mortals--in particular Dr. Thomas Westfall, the visiting 'who never seemed to leave', forensic psychologist that had managed to get a staff position at his station house. What he would like do to him if he could. Even if Nat hadn't shown an interest in the man, Nick disliked him and distrusted him because he was a 'hunter', a vampire hunter. He had seen too much, knew too much, and was a potential danger to the Community, but his hands were tied--he couldn't do the right thing and make him vanish, not without Nat's undying wraith. The man had to leave town on his own, under his own power, the mortal, traceable way--nothing less would satisfy Nat. Even if she found the man annoying at times, as well as dangerous. At least Westfall wasn't here to annoy him, but he had a sinking he'd get wind of this case and he'd stick his nose in--the circumstances of the case were too tempting for the forensic psychologist not to stick his nose in.
         "Nick? Nick, are you in there?" Adam asked, looking at his partner concerned.
         "Yeah, I guess. I can't seem to say anything right to Nat anymore. The wrong word and he takes my head off, but I can't corner her to really talk to me--she runs. It's getting to be a real no win situation," he said, and Adam just nodded in agreement and understanding.
         Adam and his fiancee weren't communicating too well either and Adam felt like he was in the same boat as Nick. If only Nick had Adam's simple relationship problems, that he might be able to handle, but his and Nat's situation was too complex and confusing to explain to anyone. In all his 800 years he had never had such a relationship with a mortal, there was no handy past experience to draw on, and even LaCroix couldn't help him either--Nat mystified him as well.
         "Well partner, you are just going to have to find some way to corner her. You can't let this go on for your sake and for hers. That lady is exploding inside and everyone is noticing it," Adam commented, lifting his eyes to meet Nick's startled ones.
         "'Everyone?'" Nick asked surprised. Had he been in that much of a daze lately?
         Yeah, Reese is at the point where he's willing let you take time off to talk to her just so you will stop mopping and start working," Adam told him seriously, watching Nick's reaction of disbelief.
         "He said that?" he questioned, running his hand through his hair, a nervous gesture.
         "Not in so many words, but that was the gist of it," Adam said truthfully. "Just ask him, he'll let you off if you want to talk to the lady doctor without interruptions," he added.
         "I might just do that," Nick replied thoughtfully, but only if Nat would cooperate and really talk to him as well, he thought to himself.
         "Did Dr. Lambert have any ideas about the cause of death?" Adam asked switching to business. That was what they were there for, to check out this murder, wasn't it, and not just an excuse for Nick to run into the lady doctor?
         Switching mental gears real fast, Nick replied,"No, she's going to run some tests on the body when it comes in. She did say that the blow to the back of head contributed to the victim's death but was not the main cause."
         "Not much blood around the victim," Adam commented as he stooped down for a closer look. He put on gloves and examined the neck wounds. His eyebrows raised in surprise at the two neat puncture wounds that glaring stood out against the now pale skin. "Bite marks?" he questioned.
         "Maybe. Too early to tell. Could be anything, ice pick, needles, just have to wait until forensics gives us something to work with," Nick said trying to divert his partner.
         "Yeah, I guess you're right," Adam said agreeing with him as he straightened up and took off his gloves. "But it still looks familiar, like I've seen that kind of wound before, but I just can't recall where," he said shaking his head, and Nick could see him trying to remember and that worried Nick."It'll come to me," he added. "About ready to go?" he asked.
         "Yeah, let's let the lab boys do their thing," Nick said, relived that his partner wanted to leave, but his partner's suspicions worried him as did who was responsible for this. On that he was on his own and he had to find out who it was and quickly before the victims started piling up and the Community would be in real danger. "Adam, do you mind if I go check on some personal things before we get back to the station?" Nick asked as they walked back to the car.
         Why did I just know that you were going to ask that?" Adam said sighing. He had had himself already braced for the question, it was just a question of 'when' Nick was going to ask it, not 'if.'
         Nick looked sheepish. "That obvious?"
         "Yeah, there are certain circumstances that I can predict that you are going vanish on me," Adam commented, with a grin.
         Nick raised his eyebrow, "I am predictable?"
         "You could say that. A fight with the lady doctor for one and an unusual murder scene for another. Either will cause you to take off, but given the two at the same time it's a guaranteed certainty," Adam said causally watching his partner squirm and enjoying it.
         "Ohh," Nick said, not seeing a way out of that one. "But you don't mind?" he asked.
         "Yes, and no. Reese isn't going to be happy and I'm going to hear about it. But I can handle that. You chafing at the bit to go, instead of focusing on the job is less easy to handle, so go, but don't take too long. I can only cover for so long," Adam warned his partner truthfully as he headed for his car.
         "Yeah, I know, thanks," Nick said sincerely as he climbed into the caddie, "I owe you," Nick added.
         "Yeah, and one of these days I'll collect," Adam said to himself as he climbed in his car and watched Nick drive away.

Part 3/

         Nat drove back to the coroner's office with tears in her eyes She couldn't stop crying. Everything in her life was hitting her at once and she just couldn't hold it back anymore, didn't even want to try anymore. She swiped at the tears with her hand, then fumbled around trying to find a tissue in her purse with no luck and that just frustrated her even more, and made her cry harder. Finally, she pulled over and parked the car just letting everything wash over her. She jumped at foot and let out a scream when a tissue was thrust at her out of nowhere. She spin around, cussing and looked in her back seat--Vachon--who else would have the nerve to crawl into her back seat uninvited.
         "YOU!" she yelled angrily, grabbing the tissue from his startled hand. "What the hell are you doing in my car?" she asked furious at this invasion of her privacy. Not that she had any privacy to speak of with vampires as friends who showed up and left whenever they felt like dropping in on her.
         "Aaah, sitting?" he said meekly, looking very embarrassed, his large brown eyes regarding her worriedly.
         "Why my car?" she asked, trying to get a straight answer out of him, which wasn't easy at the best of times.
         "It was there, it was open, and I didn't want Knight to see me. Something said you needed help. I can't explain it, but I felt 'called'," he explained, worry still on his face as he sat up and looked at her tear stained face.
         You were called, huh? Some kind of vampiric sense that I was having problems?" she questioned calming down, but still not happy about his invading her car.
         "Something like that. Most of the time I tune it out but tonight it was real strong like there is something majority wrong going on," he said cautiously, trying pick up clues to what was happening with her.
         "There is something definitely wrong. Someone was not too careful about their kill and left it for mortals to find. Luckily, it was me and Nick that were called in on the case. But I still have to do damage control on this and I'm getting damn tired of doing damage control for the Community. That's your people's job not mine," she said angrily.
         He cringed back from her anger, and got even more worried, "someone's killing openly? Not possible! The word from above is to lay low,--real low. No one's hassling the street people or even thinking of it since my escapades," he said truthfully. "What makes you think it's a vampire?" he asked.
         "Two nice neat tooth marks on the victim's neck. It's obvious that an animal didn't attack the victim, or it was an accident. No signs of tearing, and they didn't try to cover their tracks, but there's definitely clear tooth marks and no blood in the body or on the ground or surrounding area. So that leaves a vampire as the main suspect for cause of death. The only discrepancy was the vamp hit the victim in the back of the head to stun them before they fed," she told him clinically, watching his reaction.
         He had been listening dispassionately and only nodded his head in agreement. "It sure sounds like a vamp, but it isn't one of the locals doing it they're just too scared of retaliation from mortals or worse from the Enforcers who aren't too happy at the local group including myself for being too noticeable," he added. "That leaves someone new in town who definitely needs the rules explained to them."
         "You haven't heard anything?"
         "No, no out of towners unless they came in tonight and generally everyone knows to check in at the Raven or a couple of other safe houses to get the scoop on what is happening in the area," he told her.
         "I had wondered what you guys did when you went somewhere new. This holds true for other cities as well?" she asked always eager to know more about them.
         "Usually, some bypass the system but generally we all know when someone new has come to town and someone checks them out to see whether or not its cool for them to stay or whether it'd be better for them to move on."
         She digested this information. It made sense. A local group didn't want a potential trouble maker settling in their territory. Blood feuds, hunter problems, mental problems were not things a community would want on their vulnerable doorsteps. Vachon, himself, was on vampiric probation as was Nick. Even LaCroix was on their "to be watched list", but his age and standing made him feared and he had Nick and Vachon under his protective wing, so the community just could kick their butts out of town as much as some of them would want to.
         "Do you think LaCroix would know of any newcomers?" she asked hopefully.
         "Maybe, it'd worth a shot. Want me to check with him?" Vachon asked, trying to be useful.
         "If you would. I have a feeling Nick might be going there even as we speak. I don't particularly want to talk to him at this moment," she said with a bitter edge in her voice.
         He looked at her knowingly with his dark sad eyes, just nodding in sympathy. The tears, the anger--yeah, she'd had another fight with Knight which was and wasn't his business. Although, he was getting rather attached to Natalie. It wasn't quite not love, but it was getting real close. She'd saved his sorry ass twice--once during the plague and the other since his resurrection and psychotic rampage. She had found a way to get him back to normal vampire status of health after he had been bitten by Divia, but he was far from completely cured.
         And if Nat's suspicions were correct, she had Divia's virus and so did Nick. Nick had infected her because he was still infected by Divia's toxins, but he didn't seem to show all the signs of psychosis that Vachon had had. Nick was of Divia's blood line--he wasn't. Though with Nat it explained why she was still alive even after Nick had drained her and left her for dead and why she had vampire traits but was still mortal. Nick had made her, yet not made her. She was still essentially mortal, but the vampire in her was increasing little by little and that had her scared because she couldn't find anything to completely eliminate the virus she carried. Even with the ancient Indian mind control exercises he had been showing her to control the blood lust she was finding it increasingly difficult not to give in to the blood lust whenever she was confronted with a particularly bad crime scene.
         The whole situation was making her a nervous wreck and he felt helpless to do anything to help her, though he did try. In fact that was why he had been waiting in her car to see how she was doing and to see if she'd like some company after work. With Tracy, Urs, and Screed deaths he didn't have anybody left he wanted to hang out with, Nat was about the only friend that he had --Knight and LaCroix definitely did not count.
         "Yeah, I can see that," he carefully commented. "I won't ask about what you two were fighting about. It's none of my business, but I am concerned. You cry alot. And it's been a while since you smiled or were really happy about anything," he added carefully, instinctively pulling back from where he had been leaning his chin on the back of the seat in case she wanted to slug him for throwing his two cents in.
         She looked stunned for a moment as she digested his words and realized he was right. It was her turn to look embarrassed and flustered. "Yeah, . . . you're right, Javier, it has been awhile. I hadn't noticed. I just let my work become everything, that is when you guys didn't distract me with crises. Though Thomas tries to get me to take breaks and get me to go out with him, I've been begging off. He's okay, but he's not Nick or even you. Guess I'm too used to hanging around with vampires to trust myself with normal humans under my current circumstances," she said managing a weak smile.
         "We're additive, huh?" he teased.
         "Maybe," she teased back, feeling better already.
         Javier did have a knack for lightening her dark moods that Nick had never been able to do. There was a deep bond between them now, a connection and sometimes a link almost like she had had with Nick. It could have been because of Diva's virus in their blood, and the the danger and stuff they had had to go through to get him 'cured", but she didn't think it was entirely that--she really liked him. Once she got past the 'kid' facade he wore, he was a fairly decent guy--even for a vampire. Was she in love with him she didn't know it? And on a lot of levels she was afraid to find out if she was. She was still in love with Nick, wasn't she? Though she had began to seriously question that.
         "What are you doing after work?" he asked suddenly, breaking her thoughts which was a good thing considering the dark direction they had been going.
         "The usual-- going home and collapsing. You had something in mind?" she asked looking at him speculatively.
         "Nothing in particular. I just thought if you didn't mind me coming over we could hang out, maybe talk, watch movies--something," he said with a smile and a shrug which dislodged his hair into his eyes and he brushed it back.
         "Okay, that sounds good," she replied, thinking he always looked so cute when he did that. He was good company. She kind of missed him underfoot. The two of them had spent a lot of time in her apartment together when he was sick and she was hiding him from the Community who had him under a death sentence. She had gotten used to him being there as had Sidney. She had been slightly disappointed that he had moved out and back to the old church he called home after they got back from their trip to cure him. The apartment was real lonely feeling now without him, but those feelings she kept to herself.
         "Great, I'll show up around sunrise. It'll mean I'll have to stay put all day. Is that okay?" he asked seriously, still not sure about the perimeters of their relationship now that he wasn't sick.
         "Yeah, no problem as long as I can get some sleep sometime," she said with a smile, which he wasn't sure how to take.
         Vachon smiled back, his eyes alight with mischief. Though inside, he was beginning to worry if this wasn't a bad idea. Nick was extremely territorial when it came to the lady doctor. Even if he didn't do a thing about his feelings, he still claimed Natalie as 'his'. He tolerated Vachon hanging around 'his woman' because Nat was still monitoring Vachon for signs of any reinfection of the virus but so far it was under control. But if he crossed the line from friend/patient to something else he had no illusions the older vampire would gladly stake him in a heart beat. Then there was also the unknown factor of LaCroix would he stay neutral or aid Knight? No, nothing was going to happen, nor would he let it. He had almost crossed the line with Tracy, he wasn't going to even try with Nat no matter what. It was just too damn dangerous--despite the vampire/mortal complications he didn't want to think about either.
         "Cool," he replied keeping his thoughts from her. "I'll check around and I'll see what I can find out about the rouge. Then meet you at your place," he added, getting out of the back seat.
         "Okay, I'll see you then," she said watching him crawl out and come around to her side of the car.
         "And Nat, just try to relax. We'll find out who's stupid enough to be pulling such a stunt after all the shit that's gone down. You just try to concentrate on work and try to relax," he said touching her cheek and wiping off her tear tracks with his fingers.
         She shivered, but didn't flinch away from his cool touch as she regarded him with calm, speculative eyes. "I'll try, Javier," she said seriously as he withdrew his hand. "I better get going. They're probably trying to figure out where I disappeared to. See you later," she said as she started the car and drove off.
         Vachon watched Nat safely leave before he flew away heading for the Raven and a couple of other spots he wanted to check out. He didn't see or feel the presence of the woman in the shadows who had been watching as well as listening to his and Nat's conversation, nor was he aware of her presence as she leaped up into the sky following him at a respectful distance.

Part 4/

         Nick's dark mood had not improved on the drive from the crime scene. His fight with Nat was tearing him up inside. He was total bewildered at his anger and hers. He thought she had put all that behind her. What had gotten her on her high horse this time? He knew what she had said, but there was a lot smoldering nasty stuff in her head just beneath the surface of what she did say to him. Didn't she realize that every day he had regrets about what he had done wrong in their relationship? Maybe he should have brought her over, and maybe he should have stayed with her and not abandoned her like the coward he was to let her die alone ---those were the bottom lines. The two things that she consistently kept throwing in his face. She still couldn't accept he hadn't brought her over out of love. It was love and fear of himself and how much he could lose control that kept him now at a distance when her anger didn't.
         He fully admitted to himself he was a coward, that his control where she was concerned was weak. It was his fears of himself that was keeping them and pushing them further and further apart. But now would she even let him touch her, try to make amends? He was afraid it had gone past the point when she would let him make amends. Everyday all he wished for was to undo what had been done and be able to just feel her in his arms, have her unafraid of him, not angry at him. She had stood up to him when he had come to kill Vachon. She had dared him to kill her and he had backed down, despite his misgivings. And she had been right, her 'cure' had worked and Vachon was no longer a threat to the Community or the larger world of mortals.
         But Vachon was still hanging around--that irritated him. It had been bad enough when he had been 'protecting' Tracy under his orders--he was always there, but now Vachon was always hanging around with Nat. Nick admitted to himself that he was growing increasingly jealous and uneasy. He didn't want to think of Nat with anyone but him. Westfall was bad enough, but--Vachon? He shuddered inwardly at the mental pictures that provoked. He'd personally stake the little Spaniard in the sun if he even dared make advances to Natalie. But how was he going to stop him if Nat didn't want him to? He groaned out loud as the thoughts of her and Vachon kept filling his mind and he was truly scared of losing her forever to another--younger vampire.
         His head snapped around angrily as the car behind him loudly laid on their horn finally getting his attention. He then became aware that he was sitting at a green light and moved the car forward quickly. He shook his head to clear and saw that he was at the Raven. He hadn't even been conscious of driving there, he had been on autopilot all the way. With the club closed down, at least from mortals, there were plenty of parking spaces in front of the former club. He had his choice and pulled in.
         Getting out of the caddie, he was aware that he had been noticed by the young ones that now used the club as their safe house. He felt a few hostile vibes but nothing out of ordinary. He could tell that Mikos was there. Good, the former bartender might know if there were newcomers in the area or would find out for him quickly. He needed to get a lid on this before there were more killings and Capt. Reese started putting things together.
         Nick went around the side down the trash littered alley to the side door The old main entrance was now boarded up. There was another entrance, a back door for emergency escapes as well as roof exits and a basement exit that went down into the sewer system. After being siting ducks in the club when the hunter came after them the residents had decided to make sure there was always several ways out either by day or night. He looked around cautiously to make sure there were no prying eyes and then knocked on the steel door. A small panel slid open and then the door was opened for him by a attractive young female vampire wearing a cut off shirt and jeans and having very cold, hard dark eyes as she regarded him suspiciously.
         "You want something, Detective?" she asked in a still colder voice. He was not popular among the younger crowd.
         "Yes, Tina. Is Mikos in?" he asked.
         "Maybe. Why?" she asked suspiciously, not admitting him.
         "Official business. There's been a murder," he said trying to be pleasant even if she wasn't.
         She shrugged, "when is there not. So?"
         "This involves the Community. Someone isn't being careful and I need to find out who," he said trying to go past her, but she blocked his way. His patience was wearing thin already. He didn't need these kind of fun and games. He picked her up by her pretty neck and moved her out of his way. She hissed and started to vamp out but he beat her too it. "Look, little girl, I'm in no mood for this. Either Mikos is here or he's not. Don't mess with me or you'll .. .," Nick started to say before a heavy, strong hand was clamped on his arm and he was flung away from the girl who fell to the ground in a tangled heap.
         "What the. . .," Nick said shaking his head and getting up to face his attacker after he had collided with the brick wall across the alley. "YOU!" he growled, his eyes still bright gold.
         "Yeah, it's me. Where's your manner's Knight? She's only a kid. You could have hurt her," Vachon said helping the young vampire to her feet and motioning her to go get help.
         "I didn't have time for her games, nor do I have time for yours, Vachon," he growled angrily stalking towards him, but the Spaniard held his ground.
         He had fed tonight. He doubted that Knight had other than on his cow's blood. Plus he heard reinforcements coming as did Knight and he backed down and Knight's eyes turned back to their usual blue, but the red fires still remained.
         It was a standoff and Knight wasn't happy at all by being bested by a younger vampire, especially him.
         "I'm not playing games either, Knight. I'm here for the same reason you are--to find out who is leaving their kills out in the open," he replied carefully and was inwardly amused by Nick's shocked expression.
         "You know? How the hell do you know? Unless you're the one doing it," Nick said angrily taking quick steps toward him and grabbing the front of his Rolling Stones t-shirt and lifting him up off the ground as he barred his fangs.
         Vachon looked down at him disgustedly. "Cool it, man. It ain't me. Nat told me what happened. She asked me to check around. She said you might be here, and she didn't want to run into you," he said truthfully and Nick reluctantly lowered him to the ground.
         "You saw Nat?" Nick questioned sharply, "when?"
         "After she left the construction site. I hitched a ride," he answered, enjoying watching Knight's warring expressions. Prudently, he decided not to add that he had already been in the car when Nat left.
         "Ohh," was the only thing Nick could think of to retort back, but he was still mad and having it out with Vachon over Nat in front of witnesses was not a good thing if he wanted cooperation from the Community. He let go of the front of the t-shirt and the Spaniard started smoothing down his imagined wrinkles. It was a tour shirt after all.
         "Nat sent you?" Nick asked in a more civilized tone, barely.
         "Yeah. She went back to the morgue. She had to finish up some other cases before she dealt with this new one," Vachon replied, keeping a wary eyes on Knight in case he got violent again. He slandered over to where Mikos and a few others had gathered to watch and referee if necessary.
         Mikos stepped forward and stood between Knight and Vachon further cutting off any possible problems between the two. "Knight, Tina said you were here on business/ What's up?" he asking wanting to get this over and Knight off his doorstep.
         "Someone left their kill out in the open at a construction site. They were neat, too neat and they stunned the victim before they fed. Any body new in town. Anyone having problems?" Nick asked, watching Mikos reactions.
         The ex-bartender was concerned, but it was clear he didn't know anything. He shook his head as he crossed his arms across his powerful chest. "Haven't heard of any new arrivals in the last three weeks. Lots of departures, though. Toronto is getting a bad rep as a place it's not safe to be in. Someone might have come in that I haven't heard about, but it's doubtful. I take it Dr. Lambert is on the case?" he asked politely. He liked the mortal coroner. She had done a lot for everyone during the plague and kept their secrets, even though it could cost her her mortal life.
         "Yes, but she's not pleased at having to do damage control again," Nick said.
         "I can understand that. I'm not pleased to hear the Community has PR problems again and you are on my doorstep," the dark haired vampire retorted. "I'll check around anyway and if I hear anything I'll call you--immediately," he added, emphasizing he wanted a lid put on this as much as Nick did before the Enforcers got wind of it and everyone had major problems.
         Thanks, Mikos, I'd appreciate that," Nick said sincerely. "I'm going to go check with LaCroix and see what he knows then head back to the station. I'll see you later," he said, and started walking away ignoring Vachon as best he could.
         Vachon for his part was not ignoring Nick. He was watching him very carefully as he continued to lean causally against the brick outer wall of the Raven. He could sense the two of them were still going to have it out, but not here in front of everyone. When Knight did decide to "talk" to him it was going to be private and he wasn't going to like it. Knight was on the verge of a major eruption and given that Knight had not only inches but weight and age as well as experience on his side did not comfort Vachon. It wasn't like fighting with the Inca because they were of a similar size and build.
         Knight had a rep for being a nasty fighter, even if he wasn't at full strength due to his diet. And he was pissed at Vachon because of his being able to see Nat without getting his head bitten off, something Knight couldn't do. This was becoming a real bad scene but he couldn't just vanish on Natalie and leave her alone. She needed someone and it looked like he was elected for the moment.
         "Vachon," Nick called to him when he was half way down the alley, "a word with you," he added, his meaning clear.
         Vachon obeyed and went to where Nick waited. "Okay, what?" he asked, knowing full well what was up but he decided that playing dumb was the better part of valor.
         Nick pinned him with a disgusted look. "You know what. What are your intentions towards Nat?" he asked bluntly, hoping to see the smaller man squirm under his intense scrutiny, but Vachon didn't bat an eye.
         "We're just friends. Is that a problem, Knight?" he asked looking up at him, daring him to make something out of that simple statement.
         Knight looked taken aback. "No, no problem, unless it starts becoming more than just friends," he warned.
         "I think that's kind of up to the lady, isn't it?" Vachon told him bluntly.
         Nick just glared at him, his anger and jealousy just barely contained. "Only if she's not pushed."          Inwardly, Nick had to agree with Vachon, but still his male ego wouldn't the younger vampire completely off the hook. And Vachon's remarks about his being Nat's house guest sick or not reminded him that the Spaniard had had Nat to himself and she had survived while contact with himself had almost proved fatal.
         "Just see that she's not 'budged'," he warned him, barely keeping his temper and jealousy under control.
         Vachon's eyes narrowed at that remark and he thought to say something snappy back, but decided to keep cool and intact. Nat didn't need to patch him up after a fight with Nick over her. She really didn't need that, or to get into another fight with Nick.
         "I'll try my best," he shot back, maybe a little too forceable and was rewarded with Knight's eyes glowing gold and he realized he should have handled this better. He had overloaded his mouth again, and Knight was not the forgiving kind. He braced himself, but nothing happened, Knight stood there with clinched fists, his nail's digging into his skin to the point to where blood was beginning to flow from between his fingers to drip on the concrete of the alley.
         "Vachon! Get out of here NOW!" Nick yelled at him, barely keeping his tamper under control.
         Vachon, for his part did not have to be told twice. He quickly took of and headed for some other places on his mental list of people to talk to.

Part 5/

         The woman in the shadows hesitated for a moment, torn between staying and observing the blonde vampire who was glaring up in the night sky his eyes tracking the other until he vanished, or to follow the one she had been following. She chose to stay and watch the one still fighting his anger.
         She was fascinated. She had found others like herself. In her time, there had only been herself and those she had made, but the 'normal' ones had all destroyed her children, at least she had believed that to be the case. When she had been entombed she had been the last and only one of her kind, so how had these 'children come into being, she wondered?
         The man was not aware of her. She was good at blocking her presence. She had had untold centuries of freedom to perfect her skills before she had spent four thousand years in dreamless sleep. This one had age of a kin to her, but she sensed he was flawed. There was something dangerously wrong with his blood. The other too had the same flaw and they were, and were not of the same blood line, she was very confused. The others in the strange building were not flawed and of many different blood lines, but in none of these did she detect her own marker. So there had been others after her time. That made her smile. The gods and goddesses still walked the earth--but they were afraid of the 'normals'. They lived in fear and hid instead of being masters of the world as she had been.
         Maybe she would show them what it meant to be firstborns. But first she must learn about this time, how people lived, thought, and especially their language. She had not understood a thing of what they had said to one another, nor what anyone had spoken since her awakening. Their language was not related to anything she had known. A few root words but that was it. If she could not read thoughts she would be hopelessly lost, but thought did not necessarily mean the same as what one spoke out loud. Until she learned about this new strange world she was vulnerable, a position she did not want to be in ever again, she thought bitterly. She needed a protector and the sad one from his thoughts looked a likely candidate. He too was vulnerable. He lived among the 'mortals', loved a mortal, and wanted to be one but could not be. He was not a very young one, he had many present centuries of experience. He would understand what it was to carry the memories, the faces, the sensations, the emotions, and experiences of lifetimes, yet be a stranger out of time in the now of when they were. Yes, he would do very well indeed.
         The man was calm now and she let him feel her before she stepped out of the deep shadows. His head snapped around searching for her. She came out of the darkness, slowly, cautiously, her red golden hair that flowed to her knees flying in the slight cool night breeze like a cape behind her. Her once regal robes were reduced to tatters and barely concealed her voluptuous form as she strode barefooted across the littered glass and pebbles of the alley to where the man stood dumfounded staring at her. She smiled inwardly at the effect she had on him. Yes, he would do nicely, she smiled inside. Mortal or other they all reacted that way to her. She was pleased.
         "Who are you?" Nick asked, finding it difficult to speak as he took in the strange women, not he corrected--vampire. But like no vampire he had ever met or sensed in all his long years. He sensed immense age, older than LaCroix, older than the most ancient ones he had met. Was he looking at a "first one", he wondered in awe?
         "Lilith," she answered, her voice musical and compelling.
         "Lilith. . .?" he repeated, still stunned. "From where?" he asked, knowing with all certainty he had found the construction worker's killer.
         She shook her head and pointed to her ears and mouth and spoke a few words in her language that Nick had never heard before. He understood she couldn't understand his language or speak it, nor could he understand her. Before he could react she quickly crossed the distance between them and grabbed his arm and placed her hand on his forehead. He tried to get away but she held him firmly in her grasp as she raised her green eyes to his blue ones and suddenly she was in his mind talking to him without words.
         He tried to jerk away but she wouldn't let him even though he towered over her by at least a foot. She smiled, even white perfect teeth set against full rose red lips. "Do not struggle young one," she said into his mind. "I am not here to harm you. This way we can talk until I learn to speak your tongue," she said easily, her mental voice purring, dropping his defenses until he relaxed in her grasp.
         "What are you? Where did you come from," he asked out loud, still frightened but intrigued as well.
         "I am like you are--immortal, ageless. My people called me 'other', in your time I see I am called a 'vampire'. Is that the correct word?" she asked him, her eyes still locked on his.
"Yes, that is what the modern world calls us. 'Your time', you are from another time?" Nick asked incredulously, trying to dismiss what he saw before him.
         She smiled, "Yes, I have just awaken. I was entombed for at least four thousand of your years maybe longer, and before that I had lived almost a thousand real years, maybe more. I lost track. People were nomads with skins on their backs, living in caves, fleeing from the great cold that covered our world when I was born," she told him truthfully, and saw him reel with that knowledge of what age that must make her.
         She was a first born or close to it. He was overwhelmed. "You remember the ice age?" he asked.
         "That came after I was born. I was born into the warm time before. It was beautiful, full of life and beauty there, but lonely. I do not know how I came into being. I had no parents. Then I found others, mortals, but none like me. In all the world I wandered I was unique, until many years later I found that I could make others like me, but none were born like me until very much later," she told him seeing that for once she was understood and not feared. In fact he was almost worshiping her with relevance like she had known and had missed. She sighed inwardly with pleasure, it had been too long since she had been worshipped.
         Nick didn't know what to say he was beyond stunned. She had to be the Lilith of legend of both of his people and of the mortal world. The first woman in Eden, predating Eve. The dark one that was cast out, the first vampire. He told himself that, no, it was impossible. Legends and myths didn't exist as real people to walk the earth. But if she was being truthful and somehow he knew she was, she was what she claimed to be--she was the first vampire of record. His mind reeled at that and he was more than a little awed and terrified--he was a lot awed and terrified by this ageless and unearthly beautiful woman.
         ". . .how is this possible? he asked, finding it hard to find his voice.
         "That has never been revealed to me," she shrugged. "I just know I am. I exist and have existed for the beginning of our kind and their's. It is like they cannot exist without us. They called me evil because I took mortal life and replaced it with immortally. Do mortals still feel that way? Are we still 'evil' in their eyes? We honor our chosen with the greatest gift of endless life but they reject it and kill us for our good intentions. Is that still so?" she asked, seeing confirmation in his startled eyes before she heard the answer from his lips.
         "Yes, it still hold true. Mankind still fears us even in this 'enlightened age'. Though now a days they don't believe that we exist. We are only legends or worse something out of some horror writer's imagination., she said with a grim smile.
         "Horror writer?"she questioned, not being able to grasp the concept from his mind.
         "That is something that will take a lot of explaining as will this world, Lilith," he said, realizing that if she had been asleep for as many centuries she had told him, she had no idea of 'when' she was or anything about this world she had woke up to. He was going to have to take care of her before she posed a danger to not only the Community, but to the mortal world as well as to herself. He began by explaining the simple facts of when," You are now in the last years of what the mortals reckon as the 20th century. In two more years a new century for them will dawn. Many things have changed," he said carefully.
         "I have noticed. Not in my wildest imagination could I have envisioned such wonders and miracles. Flying things, enclosed chariots without horses, the light of the sun without heat or pain, . . there are so many strange things and people. I am more out of time than I have ever been, Nicholas," she said, startling with the use of his name. But then he realized she was in his mind and could easily get his name as well as every secret he had. He had no defenses against her.
         Yes, you are. And this world is more dangerous than you can even begin to imagine. Do you have any place to go?" he asked, worried for her safety.
         She shook her head, her hair catching the reflected gleam of the street lights. "No, I awoke from my prison and escaped. I have nothing, no one in this world. I am alone,"she told him truthfully. her liquid green eyes regarded him hopefully, waiting for him to say what she was compelling him to do.
         "No, you're not. Will you come with me to my home? You will be safe there. No one will bother you. You need a safe haven until you learn about this new world and can move freely in it without danger. It will be unlike anything you have been used to. It not a palace and I have no servants. I live alone but I have room for guests," she said as he showed her in his mind what his apartment was like, as well as trying to filter the other images of things that had recently taken place there.
         "I see your home very well, Nicholas, It will be more than acceptable I do not wish for servants. They can be quite troublesome at times," she told him, trying not to think of treacherous mortals who had captured her and placed her into her tomb.
         "Good," he said relieved. He wasn't quite sure what he would have done if she had said no, but he knew that she wouldn't have. She needed him, needed someone of her own kind to protect her until she could survive on her own. He shuddered to think if she had chosen Vachon instead of him--the mental pictures of what kind of dangers the irresponsible vampire could have placed her in.
         "I see you do not like the young one--Vachon, is that his name?" she asked, very amused at the pictures of the dark haired vampires escapades.
         "No. He is a dangerous fool," Nick said firmly.
         "And, I also sense he is a rival. . . for a mortal's? affections?" she questioned, fascinated with his strong feelings for this mortal woman he called Natalie. Lilith thought the woman pretty but not any serious competition to herself. Still this mortal was a force she would have to reckon with. She knew their secrets well. She was a physician to these present day vampires, a doctor of the dead. A strange career for a woman, she thought, but useful.
         I'd rather not discuss that right now," Nick said defensively, trying to pull back from her but she held firm.
         "I apologize," she told him. "I should not have intruded. I will not without permission in the future. You wanted me to go to your home?" she asked, waiting expectantly. She wanted to get away from here. She felt very exposed and vulnerable out her in the open. They were being watched very intensely from the place he had gone to talk to the other 'vampires'. She was definitely going to have to find out how that word for her people had come into being. It conjures such strange images in her mind.
         "Yes, we should leave. Can you fly?" he asked.
         She smiled, like sunlight to a dying man, "oh yes, like the wind."
         "Take my hand and go with me," he told her.
         She removed her hands from his head and placed her small right hand in his in complete trust. The took off together and flew off into the moonless sky towards Nick's apartment.

"         Who's the strange chick with the long hair and ragged clothes, Mikos?" asked Tina as they watched Nick and the stranger fly off.
         "Damned if I know. Never seen her before. But I'll lay odds she did the killing tonight. And she feels way strange. She's old--older than LaCroix or maybe some of the ancients. In fact she's damn scary. Steer clear of her girl if you ever see her again. I'm afraid she's bad news and I have a suspicion she's bad news for both us and the mortals," Mikos said, a chill running through him for unknown reasons "I'm beginning to think staying in Toronto is not a good idea any more," he said sensing the beginning of something bad coming down, but where any of them could go to be safe he did not know, because it wasn't just going to be Toronto having major problems, but the whole world and Knight was right in the middle of it again.
         "Is she like Divia was?" she asked very afraid now.
         "Maybe, and maybe she is something worse. At least Knight will find out first for good or bad," Mikos replied with a smirk, that thought making him feel better as he took the very young vampire by the arm and dragged her back inside. She was more then happy to be dragged in. Then they locked the door to the Raven from any further uninvited visitors.

End of Part I Ancient Curses Part 1-5