(Part 16/30) ADULT (Please don't flame me for not getting Nick'e history right. This was written in the summer of 1993 before 2nd season and before we knew his last name and about Fluer, and I have left my story unchanged from when I first wrote it.)

     Forever Is A Long, Long Time

     Vickey Brickle-Macky

      In a darkened silent lab far away in New York a dark haired middle aged man in a white lab coat looked up from his microscope in delighted surprise. "Found it! This has got to be the key! It was almost too simple to be seen!" he exclaimed excitedly to himself and settled his heavy glasses back on his broad nose. "She's got to hear this!" he added, pleased with his night's work.

      He stood up and stretched, moving to get the kinks out of his neck and back. He turned off his station light for the moment and went over to his piled up desk to use the phone. He sat down in his chair and dialed his friend's home number. He didn't expect her to be there and he wasn't sure about her working hours at the Coroner's office. She had told him that they were tending to be more irregular than regular since she had become head of the department and she was spending a lot of time over at her special friend's apartment.

      The phone rang on the other end about five times before the answering machine kicked on with her message to leave a message. Finally, he could leave his message: "Natalie, this is John McCoy. I think I've found the answer to your friend's problem. You were correct in thinking his problem was due to some unknown virus. It is and it's definitely alien as in alien The virus exists in a symbiotic relation to its host body and is constantly replicating itself so that as long as it lives your friend does and vice versa. Somehow the virus attacks its hosts DNA initially and changes it so it can continue to exist. Your friend's DNA shows that he is missing two enzymes and has three alien ones replacing the missing ones. The alien ones are what is giving him his unique problem. They are like nothing I have ever seen in either human or animal life forms on this planet," he said carefully, pausing for a moment to gather his thoughts.

      "One of the enzymes is extremely photosensitive and somehow necessary in maintaining his immunity against normal human illness and aids in his remarkable recovery abilities. The second one is what has enabled his body chemistry to change and to convert his liquid diet into a usable form that can be absorbed by the body. The third unknown enzyme aids in transforming his body and making it less dense, lighter and able to change and adapt when stressed or angry. Combined these three create a permanent protective stasis field that keeps him from aging, contracting disease, and helps him maintain integrity when he is damaged. Tonight for the first time, I was able to isolate these three enzymes and duplicate them here in the lab as well as create substitutes for the missing, original ones. That means the alien ones can be blocked and the original ones can be reinserted into the body which will then cause the subject to change back to normal in theory. However, due to the age of the subject I would recommend that this be a gradual process rather than all at once. The shock would be too great on the system and could produce disastrous effects such as intense and rapid aging all at once," he relayed meaningfully.

      "Comparing the samples you sent me of when your friend first came to you and now I was able to determine why some your treatments were working. I was also able to speculate as to what it will take to complete the conversion process and how soon it could be accomplished. It was also interesting to see how much of what was believed to be folklore was correct and why some things did effect the samples while other things did not. Though I do agree with your friend that many things that do effect him are due to psychological reasons rather than having any physical basis for why they do cause harm. In view of how this virus effects the brain cells and amplifies the latent psi abilities of the individual in many ways your friend and any others like him are far superior to normal humans. I can't say with any certainty though what will happen to these advanced abilities once he is reverted to normal. He may retain these abilities or he may lose them all together.

      This has been a fascinating project for me, Natalie, and I hope we can get together soon to compare notes. In the meantime expect a package from me in the next few days with a complete detailed report and the formulas for the conversion process. Thanks, Nat, again for giving me this opportunity and I'll catch you later," he said in closing and then hung up.

      He leaned back in his swivel chair completely satisfied by his night's work and his call to Natalie in Toronto. They had gone to medical school together. He had ended up doing medical research in virus and genetics while she had opted for forensics. Still they continued their friendship over the years, as they would never be more than friends. He was already married with one child and another on the way while it looked like Nat would never marry unless something happened with this special friend of hers. And he could tell just by the way she talked about her friend that her interest went far beyond the scientific.

      He began to clean his desk up in preparation for going home. As head of his department he could work these late private hours without too many questions being asked. He caught on quickly that this simple request from Nat to check her samples out was going to require a lot of secrecy and he was not going to be able to publish his findings in any medical or scientific journals. He sighed. This was the discovery of a lifetime but he had made a promise to Nat and he would not break it.

      "I'm sorry, Doctor, but there will be no later," announced a deep cultured voice. It came from behind him in the darkened lab.

      First he froze in alarm then he quickly spun around in his chair to confront the intruder in his lab. He peered hard into the shadows of the room trying to find the source of the voice. So far he could see nothing except the vague outlines of the equipment. Then one of the darker shadows moved and came closer into the light surrounding his cubicle. McCoy eyed the invader suspiciously. It was no one he knew or recognized. "Who are you? How did you get in here?" he asked nervously, feeling very threatened by his visitor.

      "Who I am and how I got in here. . . is irrelevant," replied the half-hidden man.

      Then he stepped closer and McCoy noticed the man's paler than pale skin and hair that contrasted against the blackness of his leather clothes. What drew his attention was the vivid red scar around the man's neck like a necklace made out of bright rubies whose edges were neither sewed or sutured together. The man regarded the scientist with cold, colorless eyes that blazed with malefic life. And sensing the doctor's growing terror his lips curled back in a baleful smile that revealed long, sharp white fangs.

      "What are you?" asked McCoy, not sure whether to believe what he was seeing as real or as an elaborate hoax.

      "Can't you make an "educated " guess, Doctor?' he laughed.

      "I'd be afraid to," McCoy replied with a gulp, gripping the arms of his chair tightly. "What do you want besides to terrify me?"

      "Ah, at last a question worth answering. I am here to collect your research."

      "My research?" he questioned, looking at the man blankly. "Why? What do I have that would be of interest to someone such as you?"

      "This is getting exceeding tedious, Doctor. I want every bit of your research for Dr. Lambert," the man demanded angrily as he stepped closer still.

      "I don't know who you're talking about or what you are talking about," he quickly lied, growing afraid now because no one in the lab knew of this private work for his friend, and he knew that Nat had not told anyone.

      "Then for who did you leave that telephone message for? I heard every word. And I have known for a very long time about your "private" work here. . . a cure for vampirism is what you believe you have found? I had no reason before to interfere, but now I must. I cannot allow such a cure to be found or used. I want every one of your findings, your notes, samples, everything--now!" he demanded.

      McCoy got angry then, starting to rise from his chair. "No! I don't know who the hell you are or what you think gives you the authority to come in and demand my work from me but it has taken me over a year to do this! And this was done for a friend to help her friend who suffers from this disease, I won't give you a thing!"

      The man moved more swiftly then McCoy could react as he suddenly found incredibly strong hands wrapped around his neck and himself lifted painfully up into the air. "Oh yes, . . . you will," the man smiled and squeezed. McCoy couldn't breath, and he tried to grab the man's hand and claw his way loose but couldn't as the man squeezed tighter and tighter. "No, Doctor, you will cooperate. I have neither the time or patience to search this entire room before I leave here," he added as he eased the pressure on McCoy's windpipe before he blacked out completely.

      "NO!" McCoy screamed in stubborn refusal. He knew with absolute certainty that he could not give in and besides that it was already too late the papers were already on their way to Nat. They had gone out with the evening messenger service.

      The man grew angrier and his eyes glowed impossibly red. "You had your chance to do it the easy way. Now suffer the consequences of your refusal," he said as he opened his mouth to reveal long, deadly, dripping fangs and before McCoy could scream the man had sunk them painfully into his neck.

      My God, it is true, all of it! was McCoy's last coherent thought before he fell unconscious as the evil vampire drank his life force.

      Disgusted, and frustrated the vampire threw the lifeless body of the scientist to the floor. With the back of his hand he wiped off the blood still dripping from his mouth as he looked around then growled in anger at all the possible places the information he sought might be hidden. He did not want this research destroyed quite yet. It was too useful, too interesting and vital to be just abruptly burned. Neither did he want it falling into the hands of Dr. Lambert and Nicholas, nor should anyone in the community be appraised of its existence either. The worse would be for it would be for it to fall into the hands of mere humans for it could prove that vampires did exist and that couldn't be allowed either.

      Carefully, he searched the human's desk, file cabinets, and workstation but he could find nothing that seemed to be related to the research. Finally, he gave up in disgust that the records were not there which meant that Dr. Lambert and Nicholas would either have them shortly or did have them now. There was only one thing left to do and that was to destroy the lab. That was the easy thing to do as he took a lighter out of his pocket and lit a stack of paper on the former doctor's desk. The papers flared up and caught the other papers and the fire quickly spread as the vampire torched some of the workstations. Satisfied that the fire was going well, he vanished the same way he had come and within minutes the entire lab as well as the larger building was an exploding, raging inferno that would take most of a day to control.

     (Part 17/30)

      "Nicholi, I don't understand," Janette was saying shaking her head. "I thought you were opposed to the old ways, and especially for Natalie," she added slightly amused as the three of them sat at her table at the Raven.

      "Normally I am. But Nat isn't stabilizing. I don't see any other choice to complete the change," he replied sadly, hating ask her help.

      Nat sat near him looking dejected and miserable. The throbbing music mixed with the scent of hot blood and human sweat were driving her up the wall and she could feel the blood lust begin to rise within her like an uncontrollable beast.

      "Darling, by now Natalie should have come completely over. I have never heard of it taking this long or being this painful before. It may be that because you had been becoming moral that your blood and then that awful stuff you drink has not been sufficient to change Nat completely and she is caught in between more than you have been with your "treatments"," Janette said speculatively.

      Nat looked at her startled. "You're saying the conversion didn't work. I'm still human?"

      "Not entirely as I would sense that and so would Nicholi, but you have not crossed completely over either. You are caught in the middle. If that is the case and you still wish to return to being human then drinking the house special would be the last thing you wanted to do," Janette told them and they looked at her incredulously.

      "God, Janette, if what you saying is right then there is hope more than we thought. Damn, I need to get into my lab or some lab and verify this," she said excitedly.

      Janette looked scared and shook her pretty head. "You can see the difference in us and humans in your lab?" she questioned, the worry and fear plain in her voice.

      Nat nodded. " Yes, it's very clear. That's why I believed Nick when we first met as there is such a striking difference in the blood cells. They are changed, mutated and in a vampire's body there exists an unknown virus that I have labeled virsus-V. This virus is responsible for all the physical changes, the conversion from human to vampire that is experienced. In fact it takes over the body like a cancer but instead of destroying its host it protects it and somehow puts the body into a state of walking suspended animation so that it doesn't age, change or get harmed. So you see that this condition is a physical one rather than a metaphysical one and can be cured with the proper therapy, etc., when I discover exactly what that it is," Nat carefully explained also being very careful not to let Janette know about her human biochemist friend who was also working on the problem and Nick following her lead kept quiet as well.

      Janette was sufficiently impressed with Natalie's explanation. A few of her friends working in the medical fields has also come up with theories similar to this to explain why they were they way they were. They had gotten interested when the AIDS issue had first arose, since no one was really sure if vampires were immune to AIDS or could inadvertently transfer the disease to humans. It was discovered after awhile that they were immune to this deadly human disease as they were to everything else. They could not be carriers unless they immediately bit an AIDS victim then bit a non-AIDS human. The deadly AIDS virus was attacked and was vanished after twenty-four hours within a vampire's system and could not be transferred to another after eighteen. They had also gone on to tell her about missing enzymes and other medical gobbygook relating to why vampires were different from humans. She had only listened with half an ear to their conversation because they had lost her after they had explained that AIDS wasn't catching. Now she wished she had listened closer.

      "So if Nat wants to become human, then human blood is the worse thing for her?" Nick questioned still puzzled.

      "In my opinion, yes. But I am not a medical person but I hear things occasionally from those that are. And I have a long experience in this world too. You are not the first to try to become human again, Nicholi. There have been many others over the centuries with fair degrees of success and failure. You, however, have been at lot more successful than most in obtaining your goal. There are some here in the community that could help you that have been looking like Natalie, here, for a scientific cure and have information that may be useful," Janette volunteered.

      "Why didn't you tell me before there were others working on this?" Nick asked angrily, feeling that Janette had somehow betrayed him.

      She dismissed his anger, knowing it was justified, but she defended by saying: "Oh, I thought about it, dear Nicholi, but I was curious too to see how far Natalie could go on her own, what she might discover independently. And her work has been most fascinating and appeared to be working so I decided not to complicate matters."

      "Thanks," Nick said disgustedly taking a sip of his drink and sitting it down heavily on the table as he glared at her. "At this point in time, Nat does not have access to her lab at Forensics and we are supposedly on our honeymoon and it would be rather awkward to contact them about running blood samples, etc., through there. Is there some one we can contact, who has been working on this, someone who does have access to a lab?" he queried impatiently.

      "I know of someone, yes," she replied carefully, "but let me contact them first to see if they will help and I will have them get in touch with you if they are interested. It is the best I can do for now."

      Before Nick could make an angry reply Nat broke in. "Anything, anything would be appreciated, Janette. I understand the need for secrecy and why your friends would want to keep their research quiet. I am a new convert and they may not trust me, nor do many know that I have crossed over. Unfortunately, I am well known in this town as is Nick. I understand the caution. But the sooner I can get access to a lab the better," Nat told her seriously and Janette inclined her head in understanding.

      "I will see what I can do, darlings. The hour is growing late and you must be going before the sun catches you. I will call you as soon as I have something," she promised.

      "Good enough," Nick replied grudgingly, still not happy that she had withheld this information from him all these years. But now was not the time to take her to task for it. He glanced at his watch. It was going to be close. The sun would be up in less than twenty minutes and Natalie had to be protected from it. "We'll be going, Janette. Take care," he wished her helping Nat up from her chair.

      "Thank you, Janette, for everything," Nat said politely to Janette, giving Nick a dirty look for his manners, as she stood up and let Nick help her on with her coat.

      Janette just nodded knowingly watching them leave, then she turned to her staff and began the process of closing the club for the day.

      * * *

      Outside Nick looked up at the lightening sky light with some worry as he ushered Nat into the Caddie and got in himself. Nat looked up too, hoping she wouldn't have to find out first hand what the sun could do to her.

      He was just about to pull out of his parking space in front of the club when a white compact car pulled in behind him and began honking its horn. Nick ignored it as he put the car in forward and took off. Behind him the car followed him and honked its horn more urgently and Nick was puzzled. He looked backward through his rearview mirror trying to see the driver who was also waving at him, hanging his hand out the car trying to get him to pull over and stop.

      "What is it Nick?" Nat asked worriedly, glancing out the back too at the car following them.

      "I'm not sure. I'm going to pull over and find out though," he said finding a spot on to do so and the other car pulled in behind.

      The driver got out, and Nick just shook his head. "Schanke," I should have guessed. What the hell does he want?" Nick said as Schanke slogged over to the car and leaned in causally through Nick's open window.

      "Hi Knight, hi Nat," Schanke greeted them. "Sorry to bother you guys but I've got an urgent message: The Captain wants to see both of you pronto, ASAP, and won't take no for an answer," he relayed apologetic.

      Nick frowned up at him and Nat leaned eagerly across the seat to listen. "Why? Aren't we supposed to be off on our honeymoon and unavailable?" Nick asked pointedly, wondering what was so urgent. It wasn't like the Captain. Nick glanced at Nat and she shrugged back confused as well.

      "It's about the vampire killings. He wants your input, both of yours so he can tie the whole thing up and the Mayor will get off his case. Said to tell you that neither of you get your vacation time until you report in for this. And it has to be in person not over the phone," Schanke explained with a shrug of his shoulders as to say it wasn't his idea, he was just the messenger boy.

      "So how did he know we were still in town, Schank?" Nat asked a bit miffed.

      Schanke flustered embarrassed under both Nick and Nat's angry glazes. " . . . Umm . . . I slipped. I really apologize guys but the Captain had me backed to the wall. I had to say something," he said very embarrassed.

      "Like how much something?" Nick questioned giving Schanke a hard look.

      His partner squirmed uncomfortably wishing he was elsewhere. He tried to smile as a prelude to trying to sweet talk his way out this but he gave up the attempt as useless. Nick and Nat were understandably pissed and weren't going to let him off the hook that easily. Taking a deep breath her tried to explain. "Only that you and Nat hadn't left town yet and were tying up some loose ends. Nothing about you know what . . . geez Nick, I ain't that stupid. Give me some credit! Though I am curious as to how we are going to tie all this up with out giving away any secrets? Got any ideas?" the man asked running a hand through what was left of his hair.

      "Not at this hour, Schank. If you hadn't noticed it's getting light real quick. We need to get home--soon!" Nick emphasized. "We'll come in and see the Captain tonight. There's no way right now and maybe by then I can come up with something that will get this all nailed down without having to tell the real truth of what was happening."

      Schanke looked up, "Yeah, it is getting brighter," he agreed. "Okay, I'll tell the Captain that you can't make it in until this evening. You want me to come over before you come to the station so we have everything straight?" he asked.

      "Yeah, we need to do that. Anything else, Schank?" Nick asked getting impatient to go.

      "No, that'll do it. Everything okay with you two?" He added conversationally, still leaning on the door of the Caddie.

      "Yeah, it will be once we get home. See you Schank," Nick told him, starting the car.

      Schanke moved back quickly. "See you later partner, Nat."

      "Bye Schank," Nat wished him anyway despite her annoyance and exasperation with him as they finally drove off and Schanke waved at them as he headed back to his car.

      "That was exceeding strange, even for Schanke," Nat commented as they drove off. She looked back watching the slow way Schanke was moving before he did finally get into his car . She shook her head, puzzling over his behavior. He was not acting normally. "I mean, why? A simple phone call would have been better."

      "Yeah, it bothers me too. It was like he was deliberately stalling us, but why? He knows what we are and how dangerous the sun is for us."

      "Do you think someone has gotten to him in some way? Maybe it isn't such a good idea to go back to your place after all. Something is telling me not to," Nat said looking at Nick. The whole strange incident with Schanke was making alarm bells go off in her head but she wasn't quite sure why. "But we can't stay out here either--what do we do?"

      "Well he's not following us. He turned around and went the down Park Street. We head back to the club and stay there. I'm sure Janette can put us up," Nick told her, making a quick U-turn on the almost deserted city street.

      A couple of minutes later they were back at the club, but instead of parking out front Nick went down the alley next to the club and found a parking space at the back of the building by the dumpsters which effectively hid the Caddie from detection from the street and casual drive by patrols if there was something really going on. They quickly got out at went to the back door by the loading dock. The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon and it was noticeable lighter all around them. Nick looked apprehensively upwards. The door was locked but Nick fumbled on his key chain and produced a key.

      "You have a key?" she asked giving him a sharp look.

      He smiled at Nat's incredulous look. "Only for emergencies like this," he reassured her. He had a good idea what she was thinking and he wanted to put that the rest very quickly that there really wasn't anything between him and Janette now. "Janette gave this to me two years ago for an emergency such as this. Just like you , Schanke and her had my key code. I told you we take care of one another," he said as he unlocked the door and they slipped quickly into the darkened club.

      "Well, that was close," Nat said with a sigh, grateful to be safe. She had definitely not been eager to see how much sun she could tolerate.

      "Too close," he agreed, locking the door behind him.

      The were in the far back of the club back by the kitchen. Contrary with what one might think the kitchen did get used to make and serve food for the human customers that came to the club because it was a trendy place to go to and the Raven had the reputation for fantastic food. One of the kitchen helpers washing pots and pans looked up in surprise as they walked by.

      "Don't mind us, we're just passing through," Nat said with a smile as they went past with the tall skinny man staring after them.

      "Where are Janette's rooms?" Nick asked, knowing she knew where they were. He had not been invited to her private quarters since he had been in town and was unfamiliar with non-public areas of the club.

      "Above, there's a staircase leading up there. If I can find it. I'm turned around," she apologized, looking around confused.

      From out of the shadows came one of the staff waiters looking at them very annoyed. "Are you lost?" he asked, not too pleasantly.

      "Sort of," Nick replied. "We need to see Janette. It's an urgent matter."

      The waiter was doubtful. The tall blond hunk looked them over carefully. Then he finally recognized Nick. "Oh, you are the Mistress's special friend, Nicholi, aren't you? Sorry, I didn't recognize you. She has already retired for the day and hates to be disturbed," he warned.

      "I know, but we have to see her," Nick insisted, and the waiter backed down recognizing Nick's power and age.

      The waiter shrugged. "All right but it's your neck. Follow me," he ordered, motioning them to go with him.

      Nick and Nat followed him down the dimly lit interior corridors until they reached the staircase that Nat had mentioned earlier. "We can find our way from here, thank you," Nick told the man, and he nodded and went back the way they had come. "Lead the way," he told Nat, with a gentlemanly sweep of his hand.

      Nat led the way up the narrow dark stairs to the next floor. The red Victorian wallpapered corridor lined with closed black painted doors stretched out on either side of the landing the width of the huge building at the end was a heavy shuttered window and globe lights lined the walls. The place was even gloomier and creepier in the day time than Nat remembered, prefect setting for a horror movie.

      They reached the top and Nick looked around. "Which way?"

      "I think we go left and about three doors down," she replied hoping she was remembering correctly. They walked down the thick red carpeted floor their footfalls were muffled and silent. Nat stopped before the door she hoped was the right one and knocked.

      From inside came a familiar feminine voice asking, "who is it?"

      Nick took over. "Janette, it's Nicholas and Natalie. We need to talk to you."

      The door flew open and Janette wearing a open blue silk Chinese robe and very little else looked at them both in horrified surprise. "Nicholi, you're here? Darling, it's after the sunrise. Why?"

      "May we come in? I hate talking in halls."

      "Oh, yes, of course," she said, grabbing her robe together and belting it quickly as she ushered them both into her rooms then she shut the door behind her. "What's wrong?" she asked motioning them to both sit down on her loveseat while she sat in a high backed chair.

      They sat down after Nat took off her coat. "We're not sure. After we left here Schanke followed us and finally we pulled over to find out what he wanted. He told us that Captain Stonetree wants to see us as soon as possible and until we do we don't get our vacation time. That's no big deal. It's to get our input on the killings so the case can be closed. I can understand the Captain wanting to get this out of the way as soon as possible, that's reasonable but it seemed to both of us that Schanke was acting strange. It's nothing I could put my finger on but something was decided off. And it was like he was deliberately stalling us. He knows how dangerous it is for us being out, but he kept talking and talking. There wasn't enough time to go to the warehouse so we came here," Nat explained.

      "I see. No, that doesn't sound like Detective Schanke. You suspect something?"

      "Yes, but nothing I can prove. And I think the warehouse was a trap," Nick said seriously.

      "But you said the Enforcers killed LaCroix's playmates and we saw you behead LaCroix and the sun burnt up his body. So who or what could it be?" Janette asked.

      "I don't know. Some of LaCroix's crowd could have escaped or they might not even have been there when the Enforcers came. Since there were humans present there may be a larger circle involved than we know."

      "I don't like the sound of that," Janette replied uncomfortably.

      "Nor do I. It may be that someone has gotten to Schanke and has him under their control. It would not be the first time," Nick said, thinking back to the past and remembering the times when he had used human servants to guard and keep him safe while he slept as well as run dangerous daylight errands.

      "Whoa, time out!" Nat flagged her arms to interrupt looking from one to the other confused. "You're saying someone might have gotten a hold of Schanke and is somehow controlling him? How?"

      "Very simple, my dear, hypnotize him. With humans it is very easy unless they have incredibly strong minds as you had and can't be, but Detective Schanke's will was never that strong. If someone has gotten to him then that is indeed a problem," she said thoughtfully leaning back in her chair, her hand stroking her chin. "It also means you are still in danger."

      "Great, just great!" Nat said angrily. "I was hoping it was over. You mean that we still have to watch over our shoulder? God, I hate that! We have enough problems right now."

      "I do sympathize, dear Natalie, I really do, but fretting about it will not help. As to your stabilizing, my friend will be here tonight after ten to met with you and Nicholi. I am sure he will have many ideas. As to Detective Schanke, since we are not sure whether he is under someone's control, it will be best to just observe him for awhile. LaCroix's people are another matter. I will make some discreet inquiries and see who holds loyalty to him still and if they harbor ill will to you. Then there is the meeting with your Captain Stonetree, I know you will do what you think best regarding the killings committed by Alyce and the others along with the Enforcers. Lastly, we need to find you somewhere to sleep. As luck would have it Brenda has just moved back to San Franscisco and her rooms are empty. You may stay there today. I know you would prefer them over some of my more unusual accommodations," she said with a smile.

      Nat had already heard about the coffin in the basement from Schanke, she didn't want to know what else might be considered ideal sleeping accommodations. She just hoped that there was a bedroom and it had a real bed.

      "That would be great, Janette," Nat said answering for both of them. "I am dead tired for all this running around. Now if you can point me in the direction of these rooms you were talking about," she added standing up and picking up her coat.

      "Certainly, you do look beat," Janette said looking at her. "You turn right as you leave here and go past the landing and it's the fourth door on the left. It should be unlocked. There are fresh linens and bedding in the closet and towels, etc., in the bathroom."

      "Thanks, Janette, I appreciate your hospitality. Coming Nick?" she asked as she turned to go.

      "In a minute. I want to make a couple of calls first. You go on ahead and I'll be there shortly," he said staying where he was.

      Nat was too tired to argue. "Okay, Nick, I'll leave the door unlocked. See you later Janette," Nat said as she opened the door and left.

      After Nat left Janette raised an inquiring eyebrow at Nick who was sitting back lost in thought. "What is it Nicholi? You looked worried."

      "I am. I thought we would finally have peace after the Enforcers cleaned house. I may have been premature."

      "I had thought it was over too. But I sense there is more, something you did not wish to discuss while Natalie was here."

      He nodded grimly, his hand under his chin. "Janette, what if LaCroix is not dead? What if somehow he managed to resurrect himself again?" he asked seriously, knowing what her reaction was going to be.

      She laughed as he knew she would. "Nicholi, you beheaded him, his body was destroyed. How much more dead could he be? Decapitation is the surest way to kill us. He can't be alive after all that."

      "But what if we were all mistaken. I thought him dead three years ago when I drove a wooden stake through his heart and the fire consumed him. He came back from that, why could he not come back from this?"

      "No, it's impossible, mon cheri. He couldn't come back. None of us can," Janette argued angrily.

      "Are you so sure? What if LaCroix is different from us and able to change his shape or form somehow so that it appears he was injured when we really wasn't. We've both seen him injured beyond the point anyone vampiric could recover and yet he did. His control of people, his abilities to do things far exceed what either of us can do. Then answer me this: what do you really know about LaCroix? Is that even his real name. I know he made you and you are considerably older than me. How old is he Janette and who made him? Do you know?"

      She shook her lovely dark head. "No, he would not discuss who he had been or how old he was. I crossed over in eight hundred and sixty-seven and he had been around a very long time when he and Lucas found me in France," she smiled remembering another of their companions long dead before she had met Nicholas. "Dear Lucas, I have not thought of him in a very long time, I do miss him., but I digress. LaCroix would not talk about his real past with anyone except to boast of the people he had known and events he had seen."

      "And what people and events had he witnessed can you remember?"

      "I think he said one time he was some Roman general before he was brought over," she said frowning trying to recall anything specific.

      "Roman? When or who? Can you think of anything?" Nick questioned carefully trying not to push.

      "Oh, there were lots of things. It's been such a long time ago when he was boasting to Lucas and I really wasn't listening. I had other interests at the time."

      "Try, Janette, try."

      She sighed, "I vaguely remember him saying something of how he had conquored all these barbarians. Destroyed their cities and towns and cultures by his merest command, let his men rape and plunder . . . how much he enjoyed those glory days. Then he talked once about how barbaric all mortal humans were, how he had watched the human race raise themselves out of caves to build shelters then to finally build cities and become almost civilized. Then he said something very strange,' she said her eyes lighting up as she remembered.

      "What? What was it?" Nick said leaning closer, very intrigued now.

      "He said that it would take man a very long time to reach the point where he was already at. He called us all ignorant infants that had no idea of the true nature of the universe and that we, his chosen, should be grateful to him for the opportunities he was granting us so we might live forever like him and see the rise and fall of poor pathetic mankind. He claimed that the stars in the heavens were our true home and a mistake had caused us to be earth bound and he was only biding his time until the end of his exile. I never believed him. I put it down to his usual boasting," she told Nick, and his eyes grew wide and then narrowed with thought.

      Nicholas didn't speak, rather he was shifting through what he had discovered on his own. He didn't want to believe either. It was too much coincidence that he couldn't verify--yet. Still it all was beginning to fit. And someone was determined that he didn't make the puzzle pieces fit, or find out things concerning both the origin of vampires and how they could cure themselves. There was more afoot than he had suspected.

      "Nicholi, you know something?" Janette questioned, trying to read his expression. She shifted her position in the chair, rearranging her robe to get more comfortable as she waited for him to answer.

      "Maybe, it's too early to say for certain. I need to check some things before I say any more. What concerns me now is that I think the security of my warehouse has been compromised. At least twice that I know of, LaCroix managed to get in and out of my place unseen. And if I had returned home today I am sure I would have walked into a trap, a deadly one designed to insure that Nat and I would be exposed both to the public and to the sun. Then there is what they did to Nat's apartment. Neither one of our places is safe anymore, nor is this club. I fear too that our being here puts you in danger as well."

      Janette laughed, "Nicholi, I am not worried. We have both been in far greater danger before and came out unscathed. So what are you going to do?"

      "I suppose I should try to find another place. In view of my changing circumstances I do need more room, some place that can be made into a home."

      "A home?" Janette inquired with a raised eyebrow. "You and Natalie? So you are still thinking of really marrying her. And it won't be just a front like before?"

      "No, no games," he said seriously. "That's why I need to find someplace other than the warehouse to live."

      She sighed. Nick never ceased to amaze her how much it wanted a normal moral life. But as his friend she had to bring him down to reality. "A place such as you want will be difficult to find. There are not many places suitable for us, ones that you could acquire without too many questions asked if you wish to remain in your moral jobs and lifestyles."

      "I know. I had a devil of a time explaining the warehouse to internal affairs. Though I could plead a sudden inheritance from a rich relative, but that's for later," he smiled thoughtfully and reached for the phone on her coffee table. "Need to check my messages."

      He dialed his number and the code to pick up his message from a remote station. Instead of it ringing and getting his message he got: "I'm sorry this number is temporary out of service. Please check if you are dialing correctly and try again."

      Nick looked at the phone puzzled and tried again, and then a third time with the same results. "It says it's out of service. I don't understand. Let me try the phone company and see what is going on," he told Janette who was mystified as well. He called the phone company and a look of shock and anger crossed his face. "I see. And when was this reported? All right, thank you. I'll be in touch," he told the person on the other end and then hung up looking visibly shaken.

      "What is it, darling?" Janette asked solicitously, reaching over to pat his leg.

      "The reason my phone is out of service is that currently my home is on fire according to the field technician. In fact the whole block is on fire. They told me to check with the fire department. It was reported in at 6:10 AM, roughly twenty minutes after we got here."

      "Arson?"

      "Most likely, with a timer bomb from the sound of it. It was set for when it was known I would be home and could not leave. Someone has just upped the ante," he told her in cold, flat tone, not trusting himself to say more but his mind was racing: Schanke delaying them, whether to insure they couldn't escape and would die a horrible fiery death, or to make them seek shelter elsewhere, or just ignorant of it all. The diaries, papers and books he still had in his trunk were another part of the puzzle as well. They could have been lost. As it was he was going to have to replace everything he owned. And some things like personal mentos were irreplaceable.

      "I'm sorry, Nicholi. It's a terrible thing to happen on top of everything else," Janette said genuinely sympathetic to his new problem. "You and Natalie can stay here until you can find another place. And to help I will start making some calls for you. Go, and talk to Natalie, she needs to know this as soon as possible," she told him, wanting to help.

      Still feeling numb, he got up and headed for the door, remembering to say good bye to Janette before he went down the hall to the room.

     (Part 18/30)

     Forever Is A Long, Long Time

     Vickey Brickle-Macky

      The door was unlocked as promised. It was dark inside the room except for some pale yellowish light coming from the bathroom through the half-closed door. Nat was already undressed and burrowed beneath the covers of the huge bed sound asleep. He debated whether to wake her after he quietly closed the door, but she woke up and sat up quickly looking around afraid. She relaxed when she saw it was him.

      "Nick, I must have dozed off. I tried to wait up," she apologized sleepily. Sitting up in the bed she pushed her hair out of her eyes with a hand then she stopped when she saw the numbed look on his face. "What's wrong?" she asked.

      He came over to the bed and sat down heavily on the edge. "I just called home to get my phone messages and was told my number was out of service."

      "Huh? Why?" she asked tucking a silky comforter around her as she sat up with her back against the pillows and the ornate Victorian headboard of the bed.

      "There's been a fire at the warehouse. If we had gone home we would be dead. According to reports it started twenty minutes after sunrise. The whole block is still on fire. It has to be arson. The only things on the block are my place, a furniture warehouse, a self-storage garage, and an electronics firm making computers. In a while I'll call the Fire Department and police and see what they have, but I know they'll tell me it's all gone," he told her and saw the shock on her face.

      She reacted strongly. The events of the last couple of days combined with this hitting her like a ton of bricks. "NOOO! No, not again!" she cried horrified looking at him. "Will it never end? Oh my God, . . poor Sidney!" she almost yelled remembering her cat and beginning to cry.

      He knew how attached she was to her cat and he hoped the cat had managed to get out. He hoped he could reassure her . "With luck Sidney escaped, Nat. At least I hope he did. I'm sorry. Things aren't seeming to get better in fact they just seem to get worse."

      "What are we going to do? Nick, you've lost everything. At least I can salvage a few things, but you . . . " she let that trail off, and reached out to hold him and to be held and he accepted her embrace.

      He held her tight kissing her hair and her face, needing the solid comfort of her arms around him and the feel of her next to him. "Nat, it's only things and things can be replaced," he told her, then laughed bitterly. "You didn't even get a chance to wear any of your new wardrobe."

      She laughed back with him. "Yeah, it sure looks that way now. But if we had gone home . . . geez, that's scary. We would have if Schanke hadn't shown up and stopped us. Do you think he's in on this?" Nat asked him worriedly, looking up at his thoughtful expression.

      "I don't know. I hope not. We'll find out tonight. We still have to go see the Captain, unless that is also a set up. I'm getting where I don't trust or believe anything."

      "Even me?" she questioned.

      He shook his head. "No, never you. You are the one thing I am certain of. Without you I wouldn't want to go on. You mean that much to me. I am just glad we didn't go home. You were right--it wasn't safe. You have good instincts"

      "They made me believe in you. . . . But we're not out of the woods yet are we? It's not over?"

      "No, and I'm not sure who is responsible for this. We will find out but for now we just have to go on and watch our backs even more until we can end it.," he told her lifting up her chin and kissing her gently on the lips. "I just hope you don't start hating me for all you are being put through."

      "Nick" she protested. "I could never hate you. Despite everything I still love you. That has not changed, nor will it. I don't scare off, and I won't leave you. I'm with you no matter what happens. I told you that and I meant every word. Just don't go all noble on me and try to protect me for my own good because I won't let you."

      He grinned at that and kissed her again. "I know you won't," he said kissing her again. "Now, we are both homeless it seems. Got any preferences on where and what we live in?"

      "I thought you said you had property?"

      "I do, but no where in town. I only had the warehouse here. I didn't need any place else. So my question stands: do you have any preferences?"

      She shook her head. "I'm drawing a blank right now. Something roomy, maybe old, big yard, trees, quiet. I'd say lot of windows, but that's a problem right now. I can just see us putting steel shutters on a house, the neighbors would freak. So where do vampires usually live besides old warehouses and old buildings?"

      "Actually, anywhere we want. It just takes a bit of creativity to make a normal house safe and a lot of explanations to the neighbors. Though, if we can revert back, we won't have to worry about it. I want us to have a home, Nat, a real home."

      "You do? I want that too. I hate apartments, but I didn't feel right about getting a big old house for just me and Sidney to wander around in. I had tried roommates back when I was going to medical school and I swore never again," she said and Nick looked at her questioningly.

      "I take it I don't count as a roommate?" he asked tracing a finger under her chin.

      She shook her head, knowing he was teasing her. "No, you kind of fall into a completely different category, still even you are taking some getting used to. It's been a very long time since I was so involved with anyone, allowed myself to get this close."

      "And the last time you did you got very, very hurt and it was a long time before you could even try again?"

      "Yeah, how did you know?" she asked curious, wondering if he was reading her mind again.

      "Just observing human nature and experience. Nothing specific. And even now you're still afraid of making any real commitments like a home together or marriage."

      She looked down not wanting to meet his eyes, embarrassed. "Am I that transparent? I don't want to hurt you, Nick, I never want to do that. But I'm scared and feel like everything is just happening too fast. Like I don't have any control over anything."

      That he understood as he was feeling that way himself right now. "I know, I feel that way too. That's why I wanted us both to find a home, together. Or even let you pick it out. Marriage can wait until you feel ready. I've waited this long for you, Nat, I can wait longer," he said gently, meaning it.

      "I know, Nick, I know. It's usually the guy that gets cold feet, while the woman is hell-bent on dragging him to the altar. I always pictured myself having a real wedding in a church some place, white gown, the works, with all my friends and family. I guess Catholic church weddings are kind of out for us. Even a civil one will be kind of tricky except at a justice at the peace or in some judge's chambers. We still have the problem that everyone at work thinks we are already married and we have to see Stonetree tonight and I hate lying to the Captain."

      "I do too. But I won't rush you into marrying me because of office gossips. However, I can do something to ease that," he smiled reaching into an inner pocket and drawing out a small ring box and opening it. Inside it was a gold ring, a very old gold ring in an elaborate Celtic knot pattern with animals and vines. "It was my mother's. It's the only thing I've saved from my life before. She gave it to me for good luck before I went on my first Crusade. I want you to have it, Natalie as a token of my pledge," he said as he took the ring out and slipped it on to her finger.

      It fit perfectly. She looked down at her hand in amazement, looking at this piece of Nick's past. "Nick, I don't feel worthy of this. . . this was your mother's?"

      "Yes, and now it will be yours as my wife. Before that it belonged to my grandmother, and before that my great-grandmother. It had been in our family five generations before it became my mother's. You will make the seventh generation of Du Longress women to wear it," Nick said proudly stroking the designs on the ring on her finger.

      "Du Longress? Is that your family name? Your real name?" Nat asked, knowing that Knight was not his real name.

      He nodded. "If I had not "died" I would have been Viscount Nicholas Alexander Xaviar Frances Du Longress, third in line to inherit my family estate in the province of Auvergne," he said with a sigh, the bittersweet memories flooding back. "And as a third son it fell upon me to me become either a cleric or a knight, I became both joining the Knight's Templar while I was in Jerusalem. That was why I was such a prize to LaCroix. I was a holy knight dedicated to god, and unlike my fellow knights had not forsaken my vows due to the temptations of the flesh, so I was ripe for my fall."

      "You were a . . . ." Nat started laughing in surprise.

      He grinned back, a little embarrassed. " A virgin, yes. I took my vows very seriously as I took everything in those days. There were temptations galore in those days, women and even men would throw themselves at me, but I was proud that I resisted and upheld my vows."

      "So what changed that? You never told me how LaCroix and Janette managed to seduce you. Can you tell me or is too personal?" she asked wondering how such a godly knight as he claimed to be could have been seduced.

      "No, you have the right to know how my fall from grace was accomplished. It was late summer of 1228 that I returned home from the Crusades in triumph. It took four months to just make the trip from the Holy Land. I was there only for a visit before I went on to Paris to serve the order at court. My family was overjoyed at my safe return and my appointment. They threw a huge celebration inviting people from all over. I got very, very drunk that night and my usual iron control slipped. Janette and LaCroix were visiting at a neighboring estate posing as a Duke and Duchess from the province of Guienne. Communications being what they were then no one questioned them closely because their manners, clothes, and belongings marked them as being one of the nobility. I was immediately taken with Janette as LaCroix was taken with me," Nick sighed in remembrance, his mouth was a grim taunt line.

      In his mind's eye he saw LaCroix and Janette as they had been on that fateful evening. LaCroix was dressed in black velvet robes with an odd high standup collar almost like a magician's robe. He had been elegant, graceful, and seductive like no man Nicholas had ever encountered in his travels, full of raw power and sensuality. Janette was beyond fair with her softly curled raven black hair, intense sky blue eyes, red ripe lips, and curvaceous body that even her loose, translucent, flowing gowns of shimmering pinks, lavenders, and gold could not disguise. She was woman personified and he wanted her with a hunger that he had never known.

      "They watched me all evening," he told Natalie as he leaned back against the pillows with her telling her his tale of that first meeting. "They talked in whispered tones until Janette broke away and sat near me to flirt with me and ply me with more wine. Under the table she was tormenting me with her touches, never had a woman been so bold with me and I found I could not resist her. The hall began to empty until there was only the two of us left, and then she led me to her rooms and seduced me."

      In his mind he saw Janette's smiling, laughing face as she led him like a lamb to slaughter. Between the wine and her passionate caresses she had so inflamed him with her attentions that he no longer cared about the consequences of his actions. All he saw was her, all he wanted was her and nothing but her. He saw himself lying on her bed amid the tosseled covers clad only in his long under shift. She came back into the flickering candlelight in her shift and stood before him teasing her with her eyes. He reached for her but she danced away with a giggle and shook her head no. "No, my love, be patient, the best things are savored slowly and the night is long," she had told him, her voice like silk.

      Janette had taken one pale hand and untied the ties holding it together. Her eyes never left his as she slid her gown off of first one white shoulder then the other, letting the gown trail slowly down her arms and full breasts, then with and impatient shake she shook the garment loose so that it fell in a heap around her ankles revealing her perfect body to his hungry eyes. Naked she stood before him offering every rounded curve to his eager worshipping eyes. He was transfixed by her glory.

      Slowly, she walked to the bed, her hips swaying gently and his hunger to touch her grew. He wanted to lose himself in her softness. Before he knew it she was climbing across the bed towards him on her hands and knees like a cat stalking him. Her hands sought the ties of his shirt and it fell open with a playful tug. She leaned forward sitting on her knees to reach for him. Her small, delicate hands slid across his chest, stroking the soft hair of his broad chest, and his breath caught in his throat. She pushed and pulled at his shirt until he was finally free of it and it was tossed high into the air to land somewhere.

      He could not stand the torment any longer and grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. She smiled bewitchingly and came to him willingly as he crushed her in his strong arms and ravished her with his kisses and she submitted willingly with moans and sighs. They went at each other like two hungry animals that could not get enough of one another. Flesh to burning flesh he crushed her to him with a frenzied intensity of desire.

     With racing hands, searing lips and probing tongues they explored one another's bodies until he was a mass of burning fire which only she could quench. Almost beyond the point of bearing, he took her finally and she surrendered all so willingly to be conquered by her brave crusader. They rode the waves of passion to seek release in a fiery maelstrom of mind, body, and soul, like nothing he had ever dreamed of being possible.

      He collapsed utterly spent and elated wanting to shout his joy at such a divine experience--for surely such a thing was born of God and not of the Devil as he had been taught all his life. How could such a thing be an evil sin designed to bring a man down, a fall from grace and glory of God? If it were evil, he'd take this evil over good any day.

      His companion smiled knowingly as of reading his thoughts and aroused his interest once again. If the first time had been the nearest thing to heaven he had ever known then the second, and then again third times brought him even higher to heavenly ecstasy. Finally he fell asleep with Janette wrapped tightly in his arms.

      The touch of Natalie's hand on his arm brought him back to the present. He blushed embarrassed at her inquiring look. "I was remembering," Nick apologized.

      "I could tell," she said forgiving him. "What happened then?" she asked curious to hear the rest of his tale as she snuggled under his arm and against his chest.

      He looked down at her with a smile and hugged her close, glad to see no jealousy within her hazel eyes as she talked about his bedding of Janette. If she were jealous she kept it well hid but he thought he more interested in how he became they way he was than what had occurred between him and Janette. Growing thoughtful, he took a deep breath before he spoke. "We made love and I broke my vow. That hit me the hardest as it had been a matter of highest honor with me--my purity, and that I had defiled my oath and with a supposedly married woman completed my guilt. When LaCroix came in I did not know what to think except he was not reacting as an enraged husband, rather he was very pleased. I had sobered up somewhat at this point but still I was confused. I tried to apologize but that was not what he wanted," he said remembering that fateful night.

      "No, he wanted you," Nat said touching his hand in sympathy.

      "Yes. . . , oh yes. He was obsessed with me from the beginning. Even if I had not been what I was he would have wanted me. I on the other hand feared him. I could sense the evil in him and was determined not to let him take my soul, but he wove his spell on me with his voice, his words, his eyes . . . I became his creature willingly," Nick told her remembering waking up and finding himself alone in the huge bed with a shadowy form standing by the bed looking down at him.

      He had quickly grabbed the sheets to cover himself. "Who are you? What do you want?" he had demanded of the silent, staring form.

      The form had chuckled at his panic, at his fear. Then the shadow had stepped forward into the light resolving itself into the man LaCroix. Instead of the enraged anger he had expected he saw a satisfied smile and something more in the way the man appreciatively regarded him. He had seen that look before but usually by a man looking at a woman--desire and obsession, tainted with the need to possess, own him both body and soul. It unnerved and sickened him. But beyond that in the depth of the man's cold, cold eyes he could see another wanting that he could not define, a lust far beyond anything normal or human, and it chilled him to his bone.

      LaCroix's eyes caught his and he felt the darkness of the man's soul that promised to suck up all the goodness and light in his. Nicholas grew very afraid. He had faced death in all it's many forms but there was black death beyond death that wanted to absorb the very essence of light and life with him and keep--forever.

      "Hello, my sweet Nicholi, do not be frightened. I am your friend and we are going to be friends for a very long time. . ," LaCroix had smiled then laughed at some secret joke as he came closer like snake paralyzing him with his intense gaze.

      Then sitting down on the bed the man had touched his face. His hands were like ice and he flinched at his touch both from the cold and the intimacy it implied. He could not tear his eyes away from the man, and he could not resist his will, the desire plain and clear, the wanting, the raw hunger, nor the touch of the man's lips on his cheek. Those cold, cold lips had then traveled along his bearded jaw to his neck and lingered there. He had jumped at the man's tongue on his neck but he had found his head held tightly and before he could fight and pull away he heard a growl like an animal. Suddenly there was burning sharp pain on his neck and he almost screamed both from the pain and the utter fear of what was happening as he felt sharp pointed teeth sink deeply into the soft flesh of his neck. Nicholas knew sheer terror then as he realized what LaCroix was and what was happening to him. He tried to struggle but he couldn't he was locked tight in the man's steel grasp. He felt his life's blood being sucked away, and LaCroix drank greedily of it, his pleasure evident.

      Blackness began to engulf Nicholas and as his conscious faded he saw Janette now dressed standing before him a smile upon her sweet lips and before the darkness claimed him he heard her say. "Do not fight, my love, you are blessed. You will die a mortal death to awake to eternal life everlasting. Now, my brave crusader, you will be with us for forever and forever will be a very long time."

      Then there was true darkness and loss of consciousness and he knew he had died. He awoke later with both Janette and LaCroix smiling down at him. He had been confused, disorientated, and very, very weak. He no longer felt like himself. Something undeniable was missing and something had been added. What it was he could not even begin to say the only thing he did know was that it was impossible for him to be alive--wasn't it? he asked himself as he looked from one to the other. He had remembered dying. He remembered LaCroix's fangs on his throat. He remembered . . . he remembered . . . and his eyes grew wide with shock and horror and he tried to back away from the two of them across the bed as reality set in and sheer terror overtook him as he recognized what they were. . . and what he had become. . . a thing out of whispered legend . . one of the undead . . . a vampire . . . . and he screamed NOOOOOO!!

      With a shake and shiver Nick came back to the present trying to block the images of dying then waking up reborn as something other than the human mortal he had been. Sensing how painful it was for him, Nat looked up at him in sympathy.

      "Sorry Nick, I shouldn't have asked."

      "No, you need to understand. No one outside of Janette and LaCroix themselves know how I came to be, what ties bind me to them."

      "Oh, I understand. I met LaCroix. I had your warning of him and had a good idea of what I was dealing with. He is evil incarnated, but so, so smooth that he has you hooked before you even know what hit you."

      "Yes. It was worse for me because of my "innocence" on many levels. He promised me that I would live forever, that I would never age, never have to fear disease or death, and I would remain as I was . . . and I was vain then, that too was part of my undoing. And he worked on that fear of dying, for death was all around us then. Plagues, a simple viral infection, a wound that would not heal, and a thousand other things that modern medicine can easily cure were unknown then. Then there was death from your neighbors, a cut of a sword, an arrow, fire, war. It was a miracle that anyone survived childhood, let alone adulthood or made it to middle age. I knew no one who made it past their sixtieth birthday," Nick explained to her, the fear of those times still clear and strong.

      "It doesn't sound too pleasant. I can understand why his offer was so tempting. It would be under those conditions."

      "It was," he sighed. "And I was still too much of a naive innocent to see past his gift, to see what ultimate price I would have to pay. He told me that I would have to kill. I had killed many times at that point, killing was no problem, but I thought I would be killing with honor, instead I found that I would be killing innocents that had done to harm to anyone, women, young men, whomever happened into my path. I didn't know, how could I even begin to understand the bloodlust, the thirst that would over take me once I came over. I was deaf, dumb and blind to everything except the terrible thirst that I had to satisfy. . . . And my first victim was my own younger sister. I didn't even recognize her until I had drained her and then saw her lifeless body in my arms. LaCroix did that deliberately, using my grief and my self loathing to bring me more under his control. We came up with a lie to cover up the real cause of death but I knew and that knowledge nearly drove me mad. I could not face my family, and I left the next night before she was even buried. For unlike me she was dead and could not be resurrected. I was grateful for that after the truth of what I was got through to my numbed mind. After I killed her I did not want her to be like me. I never wanted anyone to be like me," Nick told her coming close to tears. The pain as fresh as if it were happening now instead of eight hundred years ago.

      He held Nat tighter, as he tried to control the images flooding his mind, memories he had tried to purge, but they were still there to haunt his dreams and nightmares. He closed his eyes to block them out but he couldn't, nor would he be able to--and that too had been part of LaCroix's plan. He felt Nat's solid reality holding him as he held her, but it wasn't enough--it would never be enough. And he did cry-----.

      "I killed her, Nat! I killed sweet, innocent Justine! She was only sixteen, a baby," Nick sobbed into her shoulder. "I wanted to die, Nat, but LaCroix would not let me. . . and he took advantage of my pain, my grief, and he raped me, . . . sealing my faith . . . damning my soul beyond any hope of redemption," he cried hot angry tears, as the horror of those events eight hundred years in the past hit him full force.

      His confession shocked her, but she had suspected the truth long ago of why LaCroix was obsessed with him and what he wanted. The mental images of LaCroix's possession of Nick were almost too much for her to bear.

      "It's okay, Nick, let it go. Let it all go. It's okay," she told him as his sobs racked his body and shook them both. "Cry for her, . . . cry for yourself . . . let the pain go. . . it's time now. You're safe, my love," Nat crooned to him, stroking and kissing his hair, rocking him as she would a child.

      Natalie now understood the secret pain he held in his heart, the unbearable torment. His own sister! Then LaCroix taking him, and no doubt with Janette's help. All alone against such evil, that wanted to pervert and crush out everything that good and decent within him. How horrible it had been for him all these years. She still carried around the guilt for asking Nick to change Richard into a vampire and what had happened afterwards, the murders, and then he had tried to kill his wife and her. But to unknowingly kill your sister--- she didn't think she could have coped either. She held him tighter.

      How long had he held this in unable to talk about it to anyone? A long time, a very long time as she was sure that LaCroix, and even Janette would have told him to put it behind him, to accept it and had even justified it to him some way. But there wasn't any way to justify what had been done either by them or by himself and it had pushed him over the edge so that they could control him and pile murder upon murder on his soul to numb his feelings, drown his compassion, his gentleness, and those things which were decent and honorable in him.

      They had dogged his tracks to make sure he stayed corrupted, destroying every measure of happiness he managed to acquire until he forcibly broke away from them. Again and again they would find him and destroy what he had. This was a pattern that went on for centuries. That much she knew from what he had told her. He might be able to evade them for a couple of years but sooner or later they would catch up and it would start again. Like this time he had arrived first in Toronto then Janette, and finally LaCroix. They couldn't leave him alone. But if she and Nick were to have any peace or a life together whether as immortals or mortals they would have to get free of his past. . . which meant ditching Janette, somehow, but that would mean leaving town and Nat wasn't sure whether she was prepared to do so yet.

      Nick's tears soaked her shoulder as she held him, one hand stroked through his thick hair comforting him while the other rubbed the knotted muscles of his back. This was not the first time they had held each other this way nor did she think it would be the last. She turned her head and kissed his forehead and temple, then continued all over his face, telling him everything was all right as she held his head in her hands. He lifted up his head and opened his eyes to met hers. There was so much pain in them that she wanted to cry. She wanted to take it all into herself but she couldn't, no one could hold those endless lifetimes of pain and not go mad. She understood fully what it was to be him, what he lived with day after day and her heart bled with and for him. He expected her to turn away, instead she met his pain full on with her love.

      His pain turned to amazement, then awe as she held his face and he saw the love in her eyes like a beacon. It called him, called the man, the humanity he had denied and thought lost. His trembling hands rushed up to hold her face, to assure himself of her reality. Like a drowning man he leaned forward and kissed her with all of his being out of gratitude for her being there, for believing in him, and for daring to love him despite his unworthiness of being loved at all. She met his kiss eagerly, willing him to know how much she did love him and cared and that he was worthy of being loved and by her.

      He kissed her face in a frenzy losing himself in loving her. They fell back on the pillows together, kissing and touching on another, unwilling to be apart for a second. He raised himself up enough for Nat to unbutton his shirt and push it off his chest and shoulders, then he hurriedly removed the rest while she worked on his pants and felt him kick off his shoes and heard them hit the floor with a loud chunk. He rolled over taking her with him so that she ended up on top on him, her chest pressing against his, kissing his face, his bare shoulders and his neck. Their love making became more intense with their hands and their mouths, soft moans escaping from both their lips as their passion intensified.

      Nat kissing Nick's face and neck felt something else rising besides passion but she was too lost in loving Nick to care as the vamp began to rise to the surface and she could scent his blood under his skin. Her fangs began to grow and her eyes began to change and her playful nips with her human teeth took on a painful sharpness that didn't immediately register with Nick until the tip of one sharp fang broke the skin of his neck, a prelude to a full attack.

      He reacted quickly grabbing her wrists and rolling over to pin her down on the bed. She snarled, and growled at him, her fangs fully displayed and her eyes glowing green-gold balefully at him as she angrily tossed her head back and forth and trying to break free from his iron grip. The vamp in her was strong but he was still stronger and more experienced. He held her easily and his body pinned her to the bed.

      "Nat! Nat, snap out of it! It's me, Nick, control it!" he ordered trying to reach her, reason with her. "Nat, control it, fight it!" He told her, holding tightly on her wrists and her struggles began to diminish, and the vamp did slowly fade from her eyes and her fangs retracted until she was her normal self. She blinked and looked up at him puzzled, confused and embarrassed.

      "Oh, God, Nick . . . I'm sorry," she apologized in tears, her eyes holding horror at what she had done, what she had become for a brief time. "I vamped out . . . , I couldn't control it. . . one minute I was kissing you and the next . . . it just over took me . . . it was unreal the power of it blocking out all reason, all logic, everything except the hunger . . . and I wanted your blood," she said shivering, then shaking all over as her actions came home to her.

      "Nat, Natalie, it's okay," Nick told her releasing her wrists and then stroking her hair, looking at her with compassion and love.

      "What happened? How could I do that?" she questioned frantically.

      He sighed, "Nat, it happens when we get aroused, sometimes it enhances the experience but that is usually between experienced vampires and not serious. Except in your case it was different."

      "Different? How?" she questioned.

      "It was the bloodlust."

      "Great!" she said disgustedly, relaxing. "So now what?"

      "I'll go see if I can find something for you downstairs and bring it back," Nick said releasing her and sitting up.

      "I hate this, I hate this," she said angrily, hitting the bed with her fist as she too sat up and faced him.

      "I know you do, Nat.," he sympathized, "just as much as I hate it in myself and then watching you having to go through this," he stood up and picked up his crumbled shirt and put it on along with his pants and shoes, then ran a hand through his rumpled hair. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Stay put don't go anywhere until get back."

      She nodded dejectedly covering herself and threw herself back against the pillows.

      Nick left and went downstairs to the bar and public areas of the deserted club which looked decidedly gloomy and tacky without the protective covering of the night and colored blinking neon lights. The same waiter that had showed them the way to Janette's was there polishing glasses and restocking for the evening to come. He looked up curiously as Nick approached the bar and sat down on one of the stools.

      "Can I help you?" he asked.

      "I need a bottle of the house special, the unleaded kind?"

      The man's eyebrows rose amused. "Unleaded? Then it is true what I've heard about you."

      Nick regarded him impatiently, worrying about leaving Nat alone for too long. "And what is that?"

      "You don't kill and you think you want to be mortal again be like the sheep out there," he sneered not moving to look for the bottle Nick wanted.

      "So you have problem?" Nick glared at him.

      "Yeah, it bothers me why anyone would want to."

      "When you have lived as long as I have you'll understand," Nick answered, getting agitated. " The bottle, I need it now, not ten years from now."

      The waiter reached under the counter and brought out a bottle and handed it to Nick. Nick uncorked it and took a sniff. Human not cow. The waiter grinned at his joke. Nick, however, was not in any way amused and before the waiter could react he reached over with a growl, exposing his fangs and glowing eyes, and grabbed the guy's shirt front to pull him halfway over the bar and into his face. "That was not a nice thing to do," Nick told him in a deadly quiet voice, then snarled for effect before he released him with a strong push that staggered the huge man. "The right bottle now!" Nick demanded menacingly.

      The waiter quickly moved to do his bidding, making sure he did have the right one this time before he handed it to Nick.

      "Thank you," Nick said politely sarcastic, his features all back to normal, then he got off the stool and straightened up. Nick looked at the waiter meaningfully. "I'll let Janette know how helpful you have been," he said in passing before he left. and the waiter knew he had made a big mistake and that he'd be having to go look for a new job.

      Still worried about Natalie Nick went back upstairs.

     (Part 19/30)

     Forever Is Such A Long, Long, Time

     Vickey Brickle-Macky

      "They're sure it was arson, Schanke?" Stonetree asked the middle aged detective sloughed in a chair in the Captain's office.

      "Sure looks that way, Captain. It was a real expert job set to a timer. Except Knight wasn't home," he said relaying what he had heard from the fire chief at the scene on the phone.

      "He wasn't? Where was he? Where is he and Dr. Lambert? Do you know?"

      "Nope, I haven't got a clue. I haven't seen them for a couple of days. They were supposed to be going out of town." he told the Captain truthfully squirming under his glaze.

      "Well I want you to find Knight and Dr. Lambert. I don't care if they flew off to Hawaii--you find them--pronto and bring them in! I want some answers as I've got a gut feeling this has something to with the supposed vampire killings. I want that case and everything related to it all tied up--now," Stonetree demanded pacing in front of Schanke and he looked up nervously.

      "How Capt'n? I mean Nick and Nat could be anywhere and then we haven't gotten all the crime scene reports from that house where they found all the dead bodies. The killings have stopped but we still don't have a clue about the killer," Schanke said trying to defuse this.

      "I know that, but I think Detective Knight and Dr. Lambert do know that's why they have to be found. And this is what you are going to do: first off you go check out the fire at Nick's place and see what the arson squad has to say and then go track Nick down--got it? I mean you're his partner, you've got to have some idea of where he might be if he's still in town and go check out Dr. Lambert's place as well. Someone has to know something," he told him with a hard look giving Schanke his orders.

      "Right, Captain," he agreed rising from his chair. "I'll see what I can find. But if they've left town?"

      "Still find them, even if it is their honeymoon. We'll make it up to them if we can get this case nailed down. They'll understand that," he said his voice softening, then it grew hard again. "Now get out there!" he ordered and Schanke moved to comply.

      He hadn't planned on working a double shift but when he found himself in the parking lot of the station with no clue as to how he had got there he had gone in to check out and go home. Stonetree had seen him and nailed him with the news about the fire at Nick's. He had woke up quickly. He had tried to beg out of it but Stonetree wouldn't let him and had him call the fire chief to get a preliminary report of what was happening and what he heard scared the hell out of him.

      And he had been truthful with the Captain in his office because he didn't remember meeting Nick and Nat that morning on the street. In fact he didn't remember a thing until he got to the station and he suddenly woke up behind the wheel of his car looking around in shocked surprise as to how he got there. That he didn't mention to the Captain until he could figure out what happened. One minute he was leaving a crime scene out on Farley Rd. at about five A.M., the next thing he knew it was ten after six and daylight and he was parked in the parking lot laying back against the seat. Twilight Zone time again and it made him real nervous.

      He got into his car and went over to Nick's place. The fire was still going strong when he got there. It took the fire department three hours to get the blaze under control and out. Knight's place was toast. Everything was gone or so badly damaged as to be beyond hope. Hell of a thing to happen on top of all Nick and Nat's other problems, Schanke thought to himself as he surveyed the damage. He picked up a scorched bowl from what was left of the kitchen floor and wondered what had happened to Nat's cat. He hoped that somehow the fur ball had gotten out okay but looking around he wasn't going to make any bets. By what had been the sofa was a pile of charred boxes and bags with half-burnt clothes-- definitely women's- maybe for Nat? It looked like she hadn't even gotten a chance to wear any of it. He picked up a piece of rainbow sequined material and just shook his head before he dropped it to the floor.

      Then he looked at the tangled fused mass of metal and concrete from the collapsed second story. It was clear from the evidence that the fire had started in the bedroom that much had been determined and from the timing of it they would have been getting ready to go to bed. Someone knew Nick pretty well and his habits as well as that he wasn't alone now. It was clear that someone out to get rid of Knight and Nat permanently and they knew what he was, so that eliminated prior cases for the most part. And meant it had something to do with that character LaCroix and his pals. He didn't like this one bit. Give him a plain old ordinary criminal case, homicide, robbery--he didn't need this damn supernatural stuff with vampires and who knows what else. But Knight had killed LaCroix--he had seen him do it with his own eyes as Schanke saw the sword Nick had used lying on the floor charred, and partly melted by the intense heat of the blaze.

      But where Knight and Nat were he didn't have a clue. He left the scene of the fire and took some uniforms to check out Nat's apartment. There was no answer but he had her key and let himself and the uniforms in. He opened the door to find the place all torn up. Furniture, carpeting, personal stuff, clothes, torn and shredded. . That might explain the boxes of new clothes over at Nick's if they had come over here and found all her things destroyed, except why hadn't they reported this? Another thing to add to the growing list of things needing to be explained, he told himself shaking his head as he took one final look around.

      As they were leaving the mailman came by with a delivery for Nat so he signed for it and took it with him rather than leaving it at the apartment. He threw the large bulky package in the back seat of the car and told the uniforms to meet him at the station house later. There was one last place to check out and he had to go there alone.

      The Raven definitely did not look very glamorous in the sunlight. In fact it looked down right dark and menacing like a spider waiting to jump on you out of the shadows. Funny he had never noticed that before. It was surprising what total awareness of a situation did to your perception of a place or person. He now knew what Janette was and it gave him cold chills as did his memories of the woman he had met at the club that had almost made him into one of the waking dead. Janette had saved him only because he was Nick's partner, if he hadn't been--Geez, he didn't want to think of that. He looked up at the old two story warehouse like building with deep foreboding. He had stayed there almost two days when he had been hunted by that nut case from the academy.

      He had known there was something funny about the club the minute he had walked in but he had dismissed it as imagination, even after his encounter with the woman and then even after staying there he had dismissed everything that could have possibly pointed to the truth about Nick, the club and the who hung around there. How could he have been so deaf, dumb and blind? Because it was all so unbelievable. It had always been unbelievable from the minute Knight had showed up to work. And then there had been Stonetree's protective attitude about Nick, and surely the Captain had had to know there was something decided different about Nick, and had repeatedly told him to cool it whenever he confronted with any oddities about Nick. He didn't think the Captain was a vampire but he really began to wonder if the Captain wasn't in the know about the whole vampire scene. It could explain a lot. Thinking about who did and who didn't know was going to do nothing but drive him nuts and not get him any closer to answers.

      Schanke pulled up in front and parked. There were not many people on the streets. In fact it was noticeably quiet and deserted. Few people walked near the club, in fact he observed that the people that were around went out of their way to avoid being close to the building, like they had some kind of protective instinct kicking in telling them to stay the hell away. He got out and went to the door and began knocking. He knew that it would take a while to get anyone to answer the door and he knew there were a lot of someone's home here, including Janette. Even with the warm day and the sun shining brightly down on him he shivered with a sudden chill as if there were eyes on him, a lot of eyes and they were watching him very closely and were not happy he was here.

      It took almost ten minutes of pounding on the door to get a response and that was a very cautious inquiry from a deep male voice asking who it was and what they wanted. He knew whoever was on the other side of the black glass door could see him clearly. He flashed his badge. "Metro Police, official business. Open up," he ordered and the door was reluctantly unlocked and opened just wide enough for him to slip in then closed securely behind him.

      Schanke looked up at a long dark haired giant of a man in leather glaring down at him.

      "What is your business?" the man questioned, looking out the door behind Schanke to see if he had backup.

      "Look buddy, I don't know where you got your manners but this is official police business. I need to see Janette--pronto. I know she's here and I don't care if she is sleeping. Tell her Detective Don Schanke needs to see her. Tell it's about Nick. She'll understand," Schanke told the man trying not showing any fear.

      "Alright, I will go tell here. Wait here," he said indicating a table and a chair nearby.

      "Sure, no problem," Schanke replied and sat down and watched the man go off into the darkened depths of the building to go get the club's owner.

      Another ten minutes later he heard footsteps coming and looked up to see the giant, a none-too-happy Janette in a long blue robe, along with Nick and Natalie coming towards him. "Hi, folks," Schanke greeted pleasantly, staying where he was.

      "You wanted to see me Detective Schanke?" Janette asked in a chill voice.

      "Yeah, but actually it was to ask if you had seen Nick and Nat, which I see you have. Hi guys, sorry to wake you all. I was sent to find you by the Captain."

      Nick looked at him disgusted. "Schanke, I already told you that we'd be there this evening so why did you track us down to here? I mean I thought we had everything straightened out."

      "Huh?" Schanke said confused. "This morning? What about this morning? What the hell are you talking about, Knight? I didn't see you this morning," he protested angrily.

      "Oh yes you did, Schanke. You followed us from the club and we finally pulled over five blocks from here after you kept getting us to pull over."

      "I did?" he asked looking from one to the other of them, getting real confused.

      "You did Schanke, don't you remember?" Nat asked worriedly, seeing that he wasn't faking.

      "No, notta, nothing. I've got a big blank spot in my memory. I left a murder over on Farley about five then the next thing I know I'm waking up in my car in the parking lot at the station. It's been freaking me all day. So I saw you guys, talked to you?" he questioned seriously, getting real worried himself.

      The giant had left after they had started talking so that only Janette, Nick and Nat remained with Schanke and they looked at one another very concerned. Nick got them some chairs from one of the nearby tables and they all sat down.

      "Yeah, Schanke and you were acting real strange. You pulled us over just before sunrise. In fact you delayed us so much that we decide to come here as there wasn't time to get to the warehouse. You told us that the Captain wanted to see us immediately and we had to remind you that we couldn't until evening. You said he wanted to get the killings cleaned up and we didn't get our vacations until we did go see him, despite the fact we were supposed to be gone. We told you we would come in and then you kept talking like we had all the time in the world to talk. It was like you were in some sort of daze," Nick told him carefully watching his reaction.

      "Nick, it wasn't me, I swear it. At least I don't know anything. I haven't seen you guys since you killed LaCroix," he swore solemnly starting to cross his heart and then stopping himself when he saw everyone grimace in dismay.

      "Thank you Detective Schanke for not doing that," Janette said gratefully. "So you are saying you remember nothing that happened between five and a little after six this morning?"

      "Right--nothing. So what's up? You guys look a bit shook," he commented, getting more worried.

      "Do you know about the fire?" Nick asked.

      "Yeah, that's one of the reasons I came over here hoping this is where you were. The Captain heard the address from the arson squad and sent me to check it out. He figures it's related to the case, which I guess you do too."

      "Yeah, but who did it, I don't have a clue. I heard about it when I called to check my phone messages and found out from the fire department my place was on fire. I was going to check in a little bit with them for a full report. So you've been there. How bad is it?"

      "It's a total loss, Nick. It was high heat plastic explosives. Even the metal in the beams was melted and fused into little puddles. It started in your bedroom and on a timer set for twenty minutes after six. Someone knows you real well and that you'd be home and in bed by then. There's nothing left but burnt up scrap. Hope you had good insurance, Knight," he said apologetic.

      Nick nodded. It'll take care of it. I figured it would be a total loss from what the fire department told me earlier. They said the whole block went up."

      "Yeah, it did. Who ever did this also set bombs in all those businesses too. They wanted to make sure they got your place good. Then I went over to Nat's place to see if you guys were over there. Her place is all trashed too. But I suspect you guys knew that already. It looked like you had been there and left after you saw the damage. Then there were the burnt boxes and bags of new women's clothes with price tags on them that I found over at your place, Nick, which didn't make any sense. After seeing what they did to Nat's clothes I could understand why you had to go out buy new clothes. But what I don't get is why you guys didn't report it," he asked trying to put it together.

      "We were supposed to be gone, eloped. It would have been a bit awkward to report it in, then there was Nat. She wasn't up to being around people at that point in time. The only thing we took out of there was Sidney's food and litter. We discovered that her place had been trashed after we dropped you off at work. We were going to report it in tonight, but you've already taken care of that. In the case of Nat's apartment it was LaCroix's friends that did it, but my place, I'm not sure. LaCroix is dead, his friends are dead at least the ones we know of. The Enforcers took care of them. I saw what remained of their bodies out in Addlebury. So if it is more of LaCroix''s group then it is someone we don't know on sight," Nick told him.

      Schanke didn't want to hear that. He didn't want to hear that there was still a loose cannon out there. "That's great, Nick, just great. Really needed to hear that," he said sitting back disgustedly in the chair. "But what's got me bugged is this blanking out for an hour. That ain't me," he commented trying to see if he could recall anything but there was nothing.

      "No, it's not. I think someone got a hold of you and tried to use you to lure us into a trap or a series of traps. But it didn't work if the object was to make sure we were at the warehouse or to have us see the Captain.," Nick said thoughtfully. "Schank would you be willing to be hypnotized to see if you can recall what happened to you?" Nick asked.

      "Hypnotized? You know I don't believe in that stuff. It's all hooey, but sure, if you think you can hypnotize me--go to it," he told his partner, willing to trust him if it would help unravel this mystery.

      Nick nodded. "Okay, Schank, just relax, open your mind to me," Nick commanded him, staring at him, catching his eyes with his. Schanke felt a momentary catch of fear, but he found he could not resist Nick's eyes, he could not resist the vamp bearing down on him holding him like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car.

     "Don, do you hear me?" Nick asked gently while Nat and Janette looked on, staying quiet.

      "Yes."

      "Don, I need to ask you what happened after you left the murder scene on Farley Street. Did you see someone?"

      "Yeah, a woman. She came up to me as I was getting into my car. She was a real knock out, tight leather jump suit, long blond hair, a set of boobs that Dolly Parton would envy, and eyes --I'll never forget those eyes--green--then they got green-gold like miniature suns. I couldn't look away. She knew who I was called me by name, called me handsome. Then took my face in her hands and kissed me. Whoa, I almost lost it right there. She said she wanted me--hell, I wasn't about to argue. Then she kissed me again and again and I felt something on my neck for a moment then it was gone," he told Nick, his eyes transfixed of what he was seeing in his mind rather than on Nick.

      "Then what happened?" Nick pressed gently.

      "From out of nowhere this guy appeared. I knew I had seen him before but I just couldn't recall where. He scared the hell out me just appearing like that, and the guy gave me the heevy geevies anyway. It was like all the evil in the world was standing right in front of me," Schanke said with a real shiver.

      "What did he look like, Don? Can you describe him?"

      "Yeah, I'll never forget him. He wasn't any taller than me. He was dressed all in black, but his skin was real pale white and ghostly. His hair was white and cut short but it stuck up like a crewcut. Then there was his eyes: at first I didn't see any color but when he got closer they got darker and darker like looking in a bottomless pit from hell. Then he smiled at me, like he was real pleased to see me. He had fangs, long nasty looking things and I almost fainted when I saw that. He called me by name, and his voice sent chills down my back and I knew I had heard it before too."

      "Did he give you a name?"

      "No, he just said he was Angel of Death and I believed him. I thought I was going to die in that alley. But instead he told me he had a job for me to do."

      "Which was?"

      "I don't know--I can't remember it all. Part of it was to delay you from going home. He said something about not wanting you to die quite yet, only to bled a little then he changed that to a lot and that damned son-of-a-bitch laughed like it was all some sort of game. And he said something to that effect that the game was far from over and there was no way you were going to win."

      "He mentioned my name?" Nick asked very sure now who had confronted Schanke.

      "Yes. He called you his dear Nicholas."

      Nat and Janette looked at Nick worriedly knowing there was only one person who could answer that description--LaCroix. But he couldn't be still alive. Nick didn't want to get into that debate quite yet so he turned back to Schanke.

      "What else did he say or do, Don? Do you remember?" Nick asked.

      "No," he said truthfully, trying to concentrate and shaking his head. "Something is blocking me. All I remember is him coming closer and putting his hand on my neck and then him bending closer then I blacked out. I woke up siting in my car feeling like I needed to find you and to keep you from going home. I do remember talking to you and then we both left and I went to the station and fell asleep."

      "Is that all you can recall, Don? Nothing else?"

      He shook his head. "Nothing, notta,' he replied truthfully.

      "Okay, Don, you can wake up now. One, two, three. . . wake," Nick said snapping his fingers and Schanke snapped awake looking around confused.

      "What happened, did I fall asleep?"

      "No, I hypnotized you. Do you remember now?" Nick asked sitting back.

      Schanke sat back heavily in his chair staring at the three faces watching him. "Yeah, I remember, Knight. That's one hell of a talent you got there. So I did talk to you guys. But who's the guy and gal I saw? Do you know them? I have a strong impression you do."

      "The woman I'm not sure about. It could be Alexandra, but I thought the Enforcers killed her. There is no doubt the man was LaCroix. Even though that's impossible."

      "You're saying the guy I saw last night was the same one you beheaded in your living room the other night?" Schanke asked in disbelief.

      "I hope not, but it seems that way," Nick said neither confirming or denying the man's identity.

      Janette and Natalie had been noticeably quiet listening to both Nick and Schanke, afraid to interrupt while Schanke was under hypnosis. If what Schanke was saying was true then they were all in for major problems.

      "Nick if Schanke did see LaCroix and he asked him to delay us like he did then it means LaCroix didn't set the fire but he might have had had some one do it or else knows who did. The same with my apartment. Then there's the girl. Schanke, I hate to get personal but can I see your neck?" Nat asked standing up.

      "My neck?" he questioned his eyes getting big and looking horrified. "Why?

      "Don't worry, Schanke, it's not what you think. It's professional, not personal. I want to see if you did get bit," Nat tried to reassure him as she came over to his chair. "Honest," she added.

      "Are you sure?" he asked looking at her very skeptically.

      "Yes, Schank, I'm positive," Nat reassured him, standing there with arms folded.

      "Okay, if you insist," he reluctantly agreed, taking off his coat then lowering his shirt collar for Nat to look at his neck..

      And there on the right side were the marks of a bite which were slightly reddened around the edges. They were just deep enough to break the skin and infect him so that he could be put under the control of the woman and LaCroix combined with hypnotic suggestion. Nat just shook her head.

      "Nick take a look," she requested he came over and looked. He got very grim faced.

      "Well?" Janette asked very concerned, staying where she was at.

      "He's been bit. At least once, possibly twice which means he is under someone's control."

      Schanke was alarmed, in fact he was petrified with fear. "Whoa! Time out people!" he said, looking from one to the other, waving his hands in a time out gesture. "Explain this to me. I'm under someone's control?"

      "Yeah, Schank, from your description and then from the bite marks on your neck, I'd say someone has definitely gotten to you. Even under hypnosis you can't remember everything which means you've been given other commands to forget until it's time for those commands to be implemented. In other words you're a walking time bomb," Nick said not too gently, wondering what to do about this potentially dangerous situation.

      Schanke frowned angrily at Nick and at the two women. "Great, really great guys, I really need this. It's bad enough having my view of reality upset and finding out there really vampires and seeing a good friend turned into one, now you're telling me some vampire has bit me is making me into some sort of zombie under their control. I take it I haven't died like Nat, here, but I have been infected by whatever makes you guys the way you are? Am I going to turn into one of you or what?" he asked worried and angry.

      "No. It takes a lot more than a simple bite to bring you over and your blood has to be drained to kill you. But getting bit does make you susceptible to any suggestions or commands by the vampires that bit you," Nick explained.

      "For how long?" Schanke asked and Nick looked puzzled. "For how long, Nick? A day, a week, a month, how long does this last?"

      "Unfortunately, for as long as you and/or the vampires that did this live and before you ask--there isn't any cure short of making you one of us or death and you can't infect any humans or turn into a vampire suddenly in the middle of the night."

      "Well that's a relief with Myra and the kid. So you're saying I'm on call to this LaCroix guy and no one can do a thing about it?"

      "Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. Sorry Schanke," Nick apologized for being the bearer of bad news.

      Schanke sat at the table being very quiet, thinking and chewing on his knuckle. Then he got up and paced while Nat and Nick sat down and watched him. Finally he spoke after many long minutes. "So you're telling me I'm on my own with this, that you can't do anything?"

      "No, we're not. We'll help you any way we can, Schank. You're not alone. We'll protect you as much as we can." Nick told him, seriously. "You're still my partner, and it's my fault that you and Nat got mixed up in this damn mess with LaCroix. I never wanted any of this to happen," Nick said bitterly getting up from his chair looking apologetic to both Schanke and Natalie. "And it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't wanted to be mortal . . . ," he added angrily, awash with guilt as he walked off quickly into the shadows of the club needing to get away from everyone before he exploded.

      Nat started to bound up and follow him, but Janette put a restraining arm on her before she could move. "No, my dear, let Nicholi go. He needs to be alone right now. He is too angry, and dangerous to be near. I know this mood of his. Let him go. He'll be back," she reassured her.

      "Maybe you can let him off go off like that and not worry, but I can't," Nat told Janette as she looked down at the restraining hand on her arm.

      Janette shrugged at the determined look in Nat's eyes and let her go. "All right, my dear, but you were warned."

      Without a second glance Nat quickly left to follow after Nick. Nick had moved faster than she had thought it took awhile to finally home in on him using she new senses. The club was considerably larger than it looked on the outside. He was by a tightly shuttered window on the second floor. He did not turn at her approach but he knew she was there.

      "Nick?" she called worriedly as she approached him cautiously.

      He did not turn, but stayed with his hands braced on either side of the tall window frame waiting for her. He flinched when she touched him and she dropped her hand away embarrassed. "We're back to that, are we?" she asked. "Blaming yourself, the guilt, the remorse. It won't do you or anyone any good to keep kicking yourself in the head for what has happened. It won't change anything, make anything any different," she said with certainty.

      "It just keeps happening--over and over again. There's no end to it, Nat. There never will be until I'm gone--out of the picture--for good!" he said not looking at her, his fingernails digging painfully into the wood and leaving deep groves behind.

      "And where the hell does that leave me, Nick?" Nat asked angrily grabbing his shirt and trying to force him to face her. "If you've somehow conveniently forgotten, I think I've got something to say about that. Unless the last couple of days and night don't mean jack-shit to you. What was all that: "We in this together? Marry me? I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you whether we're vampires or mortals together? " Was that just talk?" she asked angry and hurt now.

      He stood silent and hung his head. "No, you know it wasn't."

      "Are you sure, because looking at you right now I'm not sure. I'm not sure about anything, Nick, us, life, seeing the next sunset," she told him truthfully, he still hadn't moved. Angrily, she looked at the stubborn set of his shoulders. It only made her more furious and she held her fists tightly balled to her sides not trusting herself. She felt like crying she was so mad. "Nick, I can't handle it when you pull this feeling sorry for yourself crap, and is that. It doesn't solve anything, doesn't help us find solutions, and we've got a whole lot of things to get done and maybe not that much time to do it."

      "That's just it, Nat, there aren't any solutions. LaCroix is dogging my every step. He made me bring you over, he is no doubt responsible for destroying both our places, and now he's gotten to Schanke--who or what is else. I mean I could hear Schanke's thoughts--he's worried about one of us attacking and killing his wife and child. He's afraid now, more afraid than he's ever been and that's not a good thing. . . I know," Nick said with a brittle hollow laugh as he finally turned his head to look at her.

      "I know he's afraid, Nick. You think I couldn't feel it too? And that someone has got to him could also mean that they could use his wife and child as hostages to make him do their bidding has not escaped me. Neither one of us ever wanted to get Schanke involved in our problems but he is and we have to find a way to make sure he his family stay safe," she said touching his arm.

      "Safe? How? How can any of us be safe? Before I thought I was dealing with an ordinary vampire one where there are set rules of behavior, now I don't have the slightest clue of what we are dealing with and neither does Janette. How do you kill the unkillable?" he asked his eyes searching hers, begging for an answer.

      "I don't Nick, I wish I did. But there has to be an answer some where either with modern medicine or in your ancient records. I won't give up hope. I'll never give up hope and don't you do either," she said stroking his arm and he finally moved and put his hand on hers.

      She smiled at his gesture. "I see you're calming down."

      "A little. So you think there is a way to defeat LaCroix if it is him?" he asked seriously.

      "He's got to have a weakness. We just have to find it and we will. We've got some calls to make and standing here won't get them done. Ready to go rejoin the world?" Nat asked brushing the hair back from his forehead.

      "Yeah, might as well. I still have to call and find out how bad the fire damage is, then get in touch with the insurance company, and after that I need to see about getting us housing. Janette will be patient under the circumstances but even she has limits. And it also looks like we'll have to go shopping again, since we're both in the same boat now," he smiled, moving to take her into his arms.

      "Nick," she protested halfheartedly. They didn't have time for this yet . . . how could she turn him down? Then he bent his head down and kissed her on her upturned unprotesting lips and she wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened their kiss.

      From behind them they heard deep throat clearing and a cough. They broke their kiss to look up and see Schanke leaning against the wall near by with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. "Sorry people, I got worried and came looking for you especially after Janette left me sitting there by myself. I think she went to bed or something. Then I didn't want to leave without saying bye."

      Nick and Nat broke apart. They were not sure why Janette had left. No doubt they would find out after Schanke left. They did, however, need to escort Schanke back to the front door.

      Nick turned to Schanke who had now straightened up and was waiting for them. "Well, Schank, we'll walk you out. You can tell the Captain that you found us and that we will be in tonight. I can't give you a definite time as we have some stops to make before the stores close and I want to see what's left of my place. I think the Captain will understand that. You on the other hand look beat. You need to go home and get some rest. You'll need it for tonight," Nick warned him.

      Schanke looked at him worriedly. "What? You're expecting something to come down?"

      "No, not necessarily, but it's better to be prepared under the circumstances."

      Schanke nodded slowly in agreement. "Yeah, yeah, you're right and I need to see how Myra and Jenny are doing," he said with a hint of worry in his voice as the trio walked back down the hall to the front of the club. "So what are you guys going to do?"

      "About what?" Nick asked. "We're kind of stuck here for the rest of the day and we've got calls to make if you were wondering what our plans were."

      "No, not that. Kind of figured that. What are you going to do about a place to live. I can't see you two living out this club and there wasn't too much left over at Nat's place that looked salvageable."

      "Yeah, don't remind me," Nat piped in. "LaCroix's pals got my place pretty good. I just haven't had the heart to see what's left."

      "Understandable," Schanke said in sympathy, "I'd be the same way. But Nick, I'll warn you, there's not that much left so brace yourself when you do see it."

      "I already am," Nick said tight mouthed. He already had a mental picture of what he was going to see and he knew how much had been lost. He had collected many personal items over the centuries which would be considered historical artifacts, books, jewelry, paintings, pieces of art, and religious objects like Joan of Arc's cross. Those things could never be replaced because each one was one of a kind and held special memories of a time, a place or a person. He couldn't afford to dwell on the loss of his past at that moment, there would be time enough later. Mentally he decided to change the subject slightly. "Did you happen to see Sidney when you were there?" he asked.

      "No, I looked around, but there was still all the fire trucks and people making noise so that may have spooked him on top of the fire. I'll check on my way home just in case and if I do spot him I'll grab him and take him home with me until you get a place. I don't think Janette would appreciate him hanging around here," Schanke commented.

      "Yeah, it wouldn't be wise," Nick agreed knowing some of the permanent residents hanging around here had a real cruel streak when it came to animals or couldn't tolerate them at all.

      Schanke decided not to ask what Nick meant and neither did Nat, who was holding on to his arm as they walked. This give and take between the three all seemed almost normal except for hers and Nick's greater closeness. But would things ever be normal for any of them? She still hadn't gotten used to all the changes yet, if she ever could--really. Most of all she hated the restrictions on her, the loss of freedom being stuck inside all day. Never know what you are going to miss until it's gone. Normally she would have been out doing things, shopping, running errands, or working to get a case wound up or sleeping. Now all she could do is stay indoors, make a few calls or sleep. This also eliminated a lot of her professional activities like conferences, briefings, and the like as most of them took place during the day light hours. Maybe returning to her job wasn't going to be as easy as she had hoped unless they did find a cure. She sighed to herself and almost missed what Schanke was saying.

      "You guys need any help house hunting? I know you people are going to have a hard time getting out in the daytime. If you need a point man?" he asked volunteering.

      "Schank, that's nice of you. It really is. We'll see," Nick said noncommittally. "I think right now we're still in a bit of a shock from all that has been happening. We need to get grounded and not rush into anything."

      "Well, let me know. One of Myra's brothers is in real estate. I can talk to him and see if he could swing you some kind of deal. I know how tough it is getting money out of insurance companies and I doubt if you had any equity in your place. . . ," Schanke rambled on, and on and Nick just shook his head and smiled as did Nat who was also afraid to burst Schanke's bubble and tell him how wealthy Nick was.

      They neared the double doors of the front and they waited while Nick unlocked the door to let Schanke out. "Looks like this is where we part. We'll see you later tonight, probably at the station somewhere around nine or so. We've got some running to do first before we come in."

      "Yeah, I imagine you do. So see you later Nick, Nat," he told them as he opened the door. The full bright sunshine poured in nearly blinding both Nick and Nat who side stepped quickly out of its deadly path. "Sorry guys," he apologized, "later," he added and he pulled the door shut behind him and Nick locked it. Through the smoked glass they could see Schanke take one last look at the club and then he headed for his car and got in.

      He drove off still in a daze from what he had found out and just general fatigue from being up almost twenty-four hours plus. About half-way home he remembered the package for Nat in his back seat and mentally kicked himself for forgetting then he hit the steering wheel in disgust accidentally beeping the guy ahead of him. "Sorry pal," Schanke apologized under his breath as he passed the guy. He wanted to get home as soon as he could because he was grogging out bad. He kept seeing stars before his eyes along with having to battle to keep his eyelids open. He pulled into his driveway and managed to get out of the car then stumble up the steps and into the large tri-level house. He mumbled a hello to his wife as he passed through the house to the bedroom, where he managed to get his clothes off and climb into bed. The minute his head hit the pillow he was out like a light, but his sleep was troubled with strange and horrifying dreams. . . .

     End of Forever Is A Long, Long Time --Chapters 16-19