"Doctor Crane!" Daphne shouted to Fraiser in the hallway. "Could you please get the door for us. Me and Lysette got our hands full!"
"Ofcourse," Fraiser, smiled opening the door and letting his housekeeper and her friend in.
"Thank you," Daphne gasped, breathless as she dropped a large, brown suit case to the ground. The young woman accompanying her did the same and extended her hand. "Pleasure to meet you, sir," she said.
"Daphne has told me so much about you. My name is Lysette Lennox."
"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you," Fraiser answered. "I am Doctor Fraiser Crane and this," he nodded in the direction of his dad, "Is my father, Martin Crane."
"Hi," he waved and continued watching the basketball game on television. Eddie, the dog bounded up to the guest and sat in front of her wagging his tail. She bent down and petted him with her long, thin fingers.Eddie licked her hand, running his tongue over the pewter rings of bats, wolves and devils she was wearing. "Hello, sweetie!" she cooed. "Aren't you adorable!"

Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door. "Fraiser!" Niles voice called out. "It's me!" "Come on in!" Daphne shouted. Niles walked in, looking haggard and tired. "Hello, Daphne, Fraiser...Dad," he said, flopping down on the couch. "I'm going to have to stay the night. My house is being fumigated for cockroaches after I got a package with no returnaddress on it in the mail. Damn Maris she is so immature."
"Uh, Niles, this is Daphne's friend, Lysette," Martin said, nodding in her direction. "She just moved here from London. She's staying here until she can find an apartment." "Huh?" Niles said, slowly opening his eyes. "Oh, I am so terribly sorry." He stood up and walked over to Lysette and kissed her hand. "I am Fraiser's brother, Dr. Niles Crane. It is an honour."
"Thank you," she blushed.
"But," he continued. "I'm afraid I'll have to pay for you to stay at a hotel for a week or so because I need the spare room here."
"Niles!" Fraiser exclaimed. "She is staying here! Daphne and I made the arrangements months ago! You'll have to share the room."
"With her!" Niles gasped. "But...but she looks like a washed up rock singer!"
"I am," she replied. "Please ignore the cocaine I hide under the bed."
"See, she's sarcastic too!" Niles continued. "Well, you two will have to work it out,"Fraiser answered.
"Well I'm staying," Niles insisted.
"So am I," Lysette replied.
"Fine!" Niles growled.
"Fine!" she repeated.
"Oh come on now!" Martin cut in."Knock it off, you two!" "Yes," Daphne continued. "Why don't we settle our differences over a cup of tea."
"Fair enough," Lysette said, extending her arm to Niles.
"Agreed," Niles replied, shaking her hand.

"Really?" Niles asked. "Your favourite poet is T.S. Eliot as well?"
"I can't believe you like Gino Vannelli, too!" Lysette smiled. "This is unbelievable."
"What do you do for a living?" Niles asked.
"I'm a singer," she replied. She added with a grin.
"Not rock." "Now see!" Martin said. "We can all get along." "But he didn't mean you had to get along that well!"
Fraiser yelled, as Niles and Lysette kissed. "Really this is none of your business," Niles shouted to his brother. "Besides, you're just jealous that she chose me over you!"

The next morning, Niles and Lysette joined the others at the breakfast table. "I'm hoping to get a job in one of the local nightclubs," Lysette told everyone.
"Maybe one of the record companies will discover you and you'll be famous," Daphne said.
"Oh, I'm not that good," Lysette blushed.
"Let's hear you, my dear," Niles suggested.
"Oh, I couldn't," she shyly replied.
"Come on," Martin and Fraiser urged. "I'm sure you're great!" Martin encouraged.
"Okay," Lysette gave in, taking a deep breath.
"This is a song I finished writing this morning." She smiled at Niles. "I can't remember why, I chose to say goodbye, I ended up to high and never learned to fly, so coming down I was very thankful you were there." She began to vocalise, her voice drifting throughout the room, sounding like the delicate tinkling of wine glasses. "You-you sing like an angel!" Niles gasped. "Why do you wear the gothic outfit?"
"It's who I am," she replied.
"It's gorgeous!" Martin agreed, equally as stunned.
"I told you, you were good," Daphne grinned at her friend.
"Amazing," Fraiser managed to mumble.
"Why aren't you the hit album?"
"I don't want to become famous," she admitted. "I like working in the goth clubs, the atmosphere reminds me of home."
"Home?" Niles asked.
"Where is that?"
"It does not matter," Lysette answered, as if the memory was to much to bear. "It is all ashes and dust now."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Niles replied. "It must have been a beautiful place if it pains you so much to talk about it."
"It was," she told him. "There were high mountains and lush valleys...the wolves would sing you to sleep with their sweet songs." A tear seemed to form in the corner of her eye. "I could not ask of you to ever understand such rare beauty for you've never experienced it."
"I feel it through you," Niles whispered, trance-like. "You speak of these wonders with such passion I feel I have been there myself. When you describe your homeland I can see the wild red roses and snow-covered mountains in your exquisite eyes,you've taken me there with just your sweet words, my love."
"Come," Lysette offered her hand to him. "I can take you even farther!" Without a word, Niles obeyed, following her out the door, leaving the confused household.

"Do you know where we're going?" Lysette asked Niles as they walked ran through the streets.
"Theatre Tepes," he automatically replied. "I know what you're thinking before you utter a sound. My God what are you doing to me!"
"Shhh..." she soothed him. "You'll understand when we get there."

The Theatre Tepes was a run-down nightclub located in the back alleys of Seattle. Both fell into the cushioned seats and gazed into each other's eyes. "Would you believe me if I told you what I was?" Lysette questioned seriously.
"I would believe you if you told me the world was to end tomorrow," Niles responded as sombre as she had been.
"I am a vampyre," she told him. "I have been for three hundred years. I have seen countries and kingdoms crumble and lovers grow old, but I have never loved until last night. If I am to love you, which God knows I do, one of us must be destroyed."
"I don't understand," Niles murmured.
"Either you must join me-become what I am or I must never see you again."
"Anything to be with you! Anything!" he desperately cried.
"Alright," she held him close.
"Follow me."

She signalled to the bartender who lead them behind the large, unused stage. "Now I want you to do exactly as I tell you to," Lysette ordered.
"I promised," Niles vowed. She drew him close to her and placed her crimson lips to his throat. "Ow," Niles moaned, in pain , as he felt her sharp canines against his flesh. She sank her teeth deep and he twitched a little in agony as she slowly drained him. "It'll be done with soon," she comforted him. Then, to his horror, she bit her own wrist and forced it to his pallid lips. Niles' tongue ran over her vein, lapping up the warm ruby fluid. "Drink," she urged him. "Drink until I tell you to stop." "No more," she replied, gently removing her wrist from him. Nilessat there panting, blood trickling down his chin.
"Ah!" he groaned suddenly. Lysette held him in her arms. "The pain will end soon. You are dying."
"What?" Niles asked, gasping for air.
"Don't breath...you no longer have to, the mortal Niles is dead."
He fell into her embrace and shut his eyes. "Do we have to sleep in coffins?" he questioned, the sharp stabbing pain beginning to subside.
"Of course not," Lysette stifled a giggle.
"And we can go out in the sun?" he continued. "If you wear sunscreen so you don't burn, yes," she smiled. "Do you feel better, darling?"
He nodded, coughing slightly. Niles turned his head and resumed gagging, throwing up bile and awful smelling fluids. He looked to Lysette with wide child-like eyes.
It'll end soon," she assured him.
With one final wet hack, he retched his last and sat up. "Am I a murderer now?" he asked, almost terrified.
"No, my sweet one," she chuckled. "No. It is the same as killing cattle for food. Actually, I myself, prefer farm animals to humans."
"You do?" Niles replied.
"Yes. We only need blood once a week," she resumed her speech.
"You'll know when you've had enough to drink."
"Does the victim die?" he inquired.
"Sometimes," she answered. "But not often."

"It depends on how vulnerable the person is. I try to avoid the weak at all cost when it comes to feeding, but when no one else is near and you're desperate, well you know." Niles tried to smile but his whole body still ached.
"Is he ready?" the deep voice of the bartender boomed.
"Yes, Andre," Lysette answered, wrapping her arm around Niles' shoulders.
Andre held out a white dove to Niles. "Take him," he demanded. Niles tenderly took the bird and ripped into its feathered neck, splattering blood all over. He consumed what he could from the dove's small form until he had emptied the bird of all its life-fluid.
"My fangs?" he asked. "I don't have any! I had to tear into it."
"They don't develop until the second kill," Lysette explained, exposing her own, which were stained with Niles' blood.
"What do I tell Fraiser and dad?" he wondered aloud.
"You don't," she replied. "We are still who we were before during the morning hours."
"I don't have to become a reclusive outcast?" he asked,surprised.
"You've watched read one to many Ann Rice novels haven't you?" she laughed. "We aren't monsters and it is something that can be controlled."
"When to I get to turn into a wolf or bat and be able to materialise into smoke?" Niles questioned.
"You don't," was the response, same as before. "Though, personally I find those animals fascinating."
"And garlic, stakes and fire?" he continued.
"I love garlic and getting burnt to a crisp or impaled would kill anyone!" Lysette said with a mischievous grin. "The only thing is that we are immortal-not invincible, but immortal."
"Do we get sick?" Niles blurted out another question.
"Sure," she replied. "We just can't die from it. I get the flu every Winter still-only now it lasts two days instead of two months."
"And you swear you will never leave me for another?"
"Never," she pledged. "I love you far to much to ever do such a thing."
"Do I have the power to turn someone into a vampyre?" Niles inquired.
"So many questions, sweet one," Lysette chuckled, rocking him in her arms. "They will all be answered in good time, my love, but for now, sleep. Your mind and body have gone through a terrible strain."

Niles opened his eyes and found himself on Fraiser's couch.
"Huh?" he whispered. "How did I get here?" "Lysette carried you home!" Martin's voice rang through his ears. "She said that you got drunk on her and passed out."
"Really, Niles," Fraiser cut in. "You should be ashamed of yourself! Making her drag you back here all by herself in the bitter snow!"
"It was no problem," Lysette piped up.
"Honestly." Niles stood up and walked into the bathroom. "I can see my reflection," he muttered. "Was it all a dream?"He ran his fingers along his teeth. They were still perfectly straight and pretty much dull.
"I forgot to mention that we reflect to," Lysette said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her.
"You told them I was drunk?" Niles asked curiously.
"What else was I going to say? They can't know the truth." she replied.
"I suppose you're right," he agreed.
"What time is it? How long have I been unconscious?"
"About three hours," she answered. "It's only noon hour."
"So this wasn't some sweet nightmare?" he said, somewhat relieved.
Lysette shook her head.
"I guess I better get to work," Niles sighed.
"It's okay, the office called and I told them you were sick in bed with the flu," she told him.
"We live life as a lie," he said, somewhat gravely.
"Only to protect ourselves and the ones we love," she smiled. "You don't ever have to lie to Fraiser or your father. If they ask for the truth, tell them, if they don't, then just keep your mouth shut."
Niles forced a grin. "I love you, Lysette," he said.
"I love you too, Niles," she answered.

FINIS FOR NOW.................
The Sequel is on its merry way!