Part Two

The next night...

Lacroix took Marguerite's hand in his as they walked through the park.  It had
been a wonderful evening so far.--The concert had been excellent, and now
they were walking by the lake.  The water glittered with the reflected
moonlight; it was a very romantic setting, in his experienced opinion.  In his
pocket was a gift for Marguerite; one he had been looking for just the right
moment to give to her, and now seemed to be a good time.

He had been annoyed to learn what had gone on with the police officer last
night.  It had only served to prove the point he had been trying to make during
their disagreement the night before last.  He was not at all happy with the way
men looked at her.  She was his, and he would not share her with any
man--mortal or vampire.  

Marguerite glanced up at Lacroix as they walked.  She could tell he was
brooding about the detective.  He had been upset when he arrived at the store
and found out what had gone on.  She swung their hands as they walked in
silence.  After a few minutes, she remarked, "You're awfully quiet, mon cher."

"Forgive me, my dear.  I was merely thinking."

Marguerite stopped walking and turned to him.  She asked, "You're not still
upset with me about last night, are you?"

He kissed her hand before answering, "I was not upset with you,
Marguerite...but let's not talk of that tonight."

She smiled playfully.  "What would you like to talk about?  The symphony?" 
She put her arms around his neck and went on, "Did you enjoy it as much as I
did, amour?"

Lacroix gently ran the back of his hand along her cheek as he said, "Oh, yes, I
enjoyed it very much."

Marguerite whispered, "If it's all the same to you, Lucien, I can think of better
things for us to do than talk."  She leaned up and kissed him slowly.

He lifted her slightly to allow them better access to one another.  When the kiss
was over, Marguerite turned her attentions to Lacroix's neck.  While he could
think of nothing else he'd rather be doing at this present moment in time, he
reminded himself that he should retain control long enough to give Marguerite
her gift.  He set her down gently and said, "One moment, mon amour.  There is
something I would like to share with you first."

Marguerite toyed with the lapels of his suit as she asked, "What is it, Lucien?" 
She couldn't imagine what it might be, although he seemed to be in a very good
mood.

Lacroix knew she was dying of curiosity; he decided to tease her a bit.  "Have I
told you how beautiful you look this evening, my dear?"

She shrugged, and the wrap she was wearing slid down slightly to bare a
shoulder.  She replied, "Quite a few times, actually, but you can say it as often
as you like."  She had put her hair up tonight, except for a few tendrils that had
been freed around her face and neck.  He always found himself drawn to the
curve of her neck when she wore her hair like this.  

Lacroix brought his hand up to lightly caress her bare shoulder, and then her
neck.  He decided to get to the point; the sooner he gave Marguerite the gift,
the sooner she could thank him.  "You look especially beautiful tonight, ma
chere.  I have something I want to share with you, and I've been waiting for a
moment such as this to do it..."

The romantic moment was ruined, however, when Alejandro appeared to one
side of them.  Marguerite sensed him before he could speak, and she turned to
face her son.  "What is it, Alejandro?  I *know* you wouldn't intrude on this
night unnecessarily."

He looked worried as he said, "I wouldn't, Margarita, but there's something
wrong with Natalie, and she won't tell me what it is.  She won't let me get Nick
either."

Marguerite looked at him in disbelief as she asked, "But she let you come get
me?"

He replied, "No. She didn't want me to call to you either."

She said, "I don't sense anything wrong with her..."  Marguerite concentrated
and discovered that her daughter was blocking her.  "But then, I wouldn't,
would I?" she continued, "How did you know to go to her?" 

Alejandro ran his fingers through his hair.  "I didn't.  I went to the morgue to
visit her, and she was practically running out the door.  She was very upset,
and I followed her.  She won't tell me what's wrong.  I don't think she should
be alone right now."

Marguerite remarked, "So, naturally, you thought of me."

"Margarita," he growled in frustration.

Marguerite glanced at Lacroix, who nodded slightly in understanding.  She
sighed, "Oh, all right.  Where is she, Sasha?"

Relieved, he answered, "Queen's Park.  She's just sitting on a bench, crying."

Marguerite said, "We'll go see what's wrong, but if she doesn't want to talk to
me, I'm not going to push her." 

Natalie was where Alejandro had left her.  She was done crying, at least for
now.  Marguerite approached her slowly, with Alejandro and Lacroix
following at a discreet distance.  Natalie turned to face Marguerite as she
approached and said, "I told Sasha I wanted to be alone."

Marguerite raised her eyebrows as she said, "Well, he ignored you.  Since I'm
here, why don't you tell me what's wrong?"

Nat almost looked convincing as she said, "There's nothing wrong."

Marguerite sat down on the bench without breaking eye contact with her
youngest child.  "Je suis ta mere, Natalie.  Ne mentez m'en.  Qu'est-ce qu'il y a
qui ne vas pas?"

Nat sighed; she could tell from the tone that Marguerite meant business. 
Marguerite rarely used the 'I'm your mother, don't lie to me' speech.  Nat
began, "I had to do an autopsy on a little girl tonight."  Marguerite said nothing
as she patiently waited for Natalie to take a deep breath and compose her
thoughts.  Nat continued, "She reminded me of Cynthia."

"Your goddaughter?"

Natalie nodded and started to cry.  Marguerite realized it was almost the
anniversary of Cynthia's death...her murder.  She put her arm around Natalie
and called out, "Lucien."  Lacroix appeared next to her.  She looked up at him
and asked, "Could you find Nicolas and tell him to meet us at the loft?" 
Impatient to get the evening back on track, Lacroix inclined his head, then
disappeared.

"No!  I don't want to see Nick now, not like this," Nat yelled.

Marguerite said firmly, "You may not want to, Natalie, but you *will*.  I'm
taking you home, and we're going to wait for Uncle Nick.  Any other night I
would be glad to give in and stay with you, but I can't, not tonight." 
Marguerite stood up, and Natalie realized that she was dressed for an evening
out.  Feeling guilty, she didn't say another word as she followed Marguerite
and Alejandro back to the loft.

********************

Nick was examining the evidence that Eric had found when he sensed Lacroix's
presence.  He tried to ignore it, but Lacroix's tug on his mind was insistent and
unceasing.  He handed the evidence bag back to Eric and said, "This is great. 
I'm going to look around back to see if I can find anything else of interest. 
Maybe the killer dropped something on his way out." 

Eric called after him, "Knight, wait a minute!"  He sighed; Nick was already
gone.  He muttered, "Why does he always go out back?  Why doesn't he ever
search the front?  Sometimes, I wish I knew what was going on in that head of
his."

Lacroix stepped out of the shadows as Nick stepped out of the back of the
building.  Nick whispered, "What do you want, Lacroix?"

"Good evening, Nicholas.  I came to deliver a message.  Your niece wants you
to meet her at the loft.  It seems Natalie isn't herself this evening, and
Marguerite is of the opinion that your presence is required."

"Is Nat okay?" Nick asked anxiously.  He hadn't sensed anything unusual
through their link.

Lacroix answered, "Physically, she is fine.  Her emotional state is another
story, however." 

"I can't leave right now, I'm in the middle of an investigation.  The Captain
would kill me."

Lacroix replied, "I can wait.  After all, Marguerite is with Natalie...where else
would I go?"

********************

Alejandro pulled a bottle out of the refrigerator while Marguerite got out the
glasses.  Natalie was pacing nervously.  She said, "I'm sorry, Maggie.  I didn't
realize you were going out."

Marguerite soothed, "It's okay.  It's not like you called me here."  She threw a
dirty look at Alejandro before continuing, "I think it's going to be awhile before
they get here.  Why don't you tell me why you didn't want to see Uncle Nick?"

Nat gratefully took the glass from her brother's hand.  She had been annoyed at
him when Marguerite found her in the park, but she felt better now. 
Marguerite would understand her pain.  After taking a sip, Natalie said, "I
don't want Nick to feel guilty about why I'm upset.  It's not just Cynthia...you
know, when I was mortal, I used to worry that I'd never have a child of my
own...but now it's true.  I never will, and Nick will only blame himself."

Marguerite toyed with her glass as she replied, "It's hard to accept, Nat.  I
know how hard it is to come to terms with not being able to have children. 
But I can't know how you're *truly* feeling; I had children before I was
brought over."  She took a drink and continued, "Anastasia could probably
help you, if you don't want to discuss this with Nicolas.  She should be here in
a few days...if you can hold out that long."

"I think I can; I already feel a little better.  Thanks, Maggie," Nat said as she
sank down into the couch.

Marguerite smiled as she made her way over to the piano.  "You're very
welcome."  She played a short scale and looked up.  "Alejandro, you're being
awfully quiet."  

Alejandro sat sprawled on the couch next to Natalie.  He gave a slow smile and
said, "I thought it best not to call attention to myself, Margarita.  You don't
seem very happy with me."

She murmured, "We'll discuss my feelings towards you later, Sasha."

He said lightly, "I only wish that meant what it once did, Margarita."  She
smiled at him, but said nothing.

Feeling the need to reassure her family, Natalie said, "Look, I really appreciate
you guys staying here with me, but I feel better now.  Really.  If you want to
leave, it's okay.  I can wait for Nick alone."

Marguerite said, "I have nothing else to do right now, Nat.  Lucien is waiting
for Uncle Nick, and I'd rather spend the time with you instead of waiting at
home.  And apparently, Alejandro doesn't have anything better to do."  At the
mention of his name, Alejandro shot his mother a dirty look.

Nat looked unsure, but she said, "Well, if you really want to stay, I'm glad to
have to the company."

********************

Lacroix was growing more irritable by the moment.  Nicholas was taking
forever to be done with his investigation.  Lacroix had tried to nudge his son
several times, but Nicholas would not be rushed.  Eventually, he gave up; the
night was shot anyway.  It was already late, and Marguerite might very well
want to stay with Natalie even after he and Nicholas returned to the loft.

He sighed heavily.  It was bad enough he had to share Marguerite with her
family, but now Nicholas was ignoring him.  This was not to be borne.  He
decided to go hunting early the next evening.  Maybe an outing in solitude
would clear his head and give him a chance to decide on a course of action...a
solution to his dilemma, as it were.

++++++++++++++++++++

Two nights later...

The stairway to the wine cellar of the Raven was dimly lit, but Marguerite
didn't need a light to find her way.  She didn't bother turning on the lights
either.  All she wanted were a few special bottles--Lucien's favorite--and she'd
be on her way.  They were going to try to pick up where they left off the other
night, and she wanted to surprise him.  As she poked around the shelves, she
sensed a very faint, faltering heartbeat and faint cries coming from a back
room.  

Curious, she made her way to the door where she thought the sounds were
coming from.  It was locked, but then, she didn't need a key.  Twisting the
knob, the lock snapped under the pressure.  The smell of blood assaulted her
senses, and this time she did turn on the light.  On the floor was a young
woman; her long, curly brown hair obscuring her face.  At first glance
Marguerite mistakenly thought it was Natalie, even though she knew it wasn't. 
This woman was mortal, but she wouldn't be alive for much longer.

Marguerite kneeled down and pushed the hair away from the girl's face.  From
a distance, she could have passed for Natalie.  The girl's eyes opened slightly,
and as they focused on Marguerite, she grew panicked.  In a thready voice, she
pleaded, "Please, don't hurt me again..."

Marguerite was confused, but was quickly growing angry.  She leaned closer. 
"Why would I hurt you?"

In response, the girl tried to back away and weakly cried, "No!"  Marguerite
looked the girl over.  There were fang marks on her neck, but they were messy
and torn...as if the vampire who had made them had been in a rage.  There was
still blood trickling out of the wound, and pooled on the floor under the girl's
body.

Her senses were already well aware of the blood, and the vampire within
Marguerite yearned to be free.  She dipped her finger in the blood, and brought
it to her lips.  Her eyes turned golden as she read what was there.  There was
so much confusion, but one thing was clear.  Lacroix had brought the girl here. 
Apparently he had wanted to toy with her before she died.

Marguerite's fangs descended, and she lifted the now-unconscious girl to her. 
The girl was going to die anyway; there wasn't enough blood in her body to
sustain her for much longer.  But Marguerite wasn't going to allow her to
suffer a lingering, painful death...or Lacroix to come in and finish the job.  It
didn't take her long to drain the girl, and she gently placed the girl back on the
floor when she was done.  Marguerite stood and turned to find Lacroix in the
doorway.

"Marguerite..."

She snarled, "Don't even try to explain this to me, Lucien.  I can see what this
is."

He asked quietly, "Can you?"

She gestured to the body on the floor behind her.  "I'm not blind, nor am I
stupid.  From a distance, she looks like Natalie...*my child*.  Why didn't you
just go after Nat?  Is it because you were afraid I couldn't forgive you?  What
makes you think I'd forgive this?"

He asked, "Is that why you killed her?"

Marguerite wiped the blood from her mouth.  "Kill her?  She was practically
dead already; I merely put her out of her misery.  I couldn't allow her to suffer
any longer."  She turned to leave.  

Lacroix grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.  Marguerite slapped
him--hard.  He let go of her arm to put a hand to his cheek in disbelief.  She
spat, "Don't you touch me!"

He ground out, "You will not leave me, Marguerite."

She took a step back.  "Leave you?" she scoffed, "If I don't leave here now, I'm
going to stake your miserable heart."   She turned and stalked from the room. 
As she neared the stairs, she spied someone lurking in the shadows.  Angry
beyond words, Marguerite grabbed the person and brought her out into the
dim light.  It was a relatively young vampire.  Marguerite believed her name
was Eva, and she was new to Toronto.  

After getting a good look at Eva, Marguerite recalled seeing her in the dead
girl's blood.  The younger vampire had a smug look on her face, and suddenly,
Marguerite understood what had happened.  So, Lacroix hadn't been the one to
bring the girl to the brink of death after all.  It had been this one.  She hissed as
she threw Eva up against the wall.

Eva recovered, and snarling, started back towards Marguerite, who grabbed
her and threw her up against the wall again.  This time, Marguerite followed,
and held Eva there by her throat.  She growled, "Before you die, young one, I
am going to explain something to you.  You may look at, and even admire,
what belongs to me, but you never touch it.  And you *never* try to
manipulate my life to suit your needs.  And you never toy with my family."

Eva rasped, "I haven't gone near your family..."

Marguerite's grip tightened as she countered, "Oh, no?  You want Lacroix,
n'est pas?  And to that end, you decided to put a wedge between us by using
that girl.  A girl who happens to bear a passing resemblance to my daughter.  I
am well aware of some of the rumors floating around about me... about how I
am too much like my uncle...that I am too soft.  Did you think that this was
so?"

The young vampire did not reply, but struggled wildly.  Marguerite held her
easily and continued, "I can assure you that like my uncle, I can be as brutal as
any one of us.  It is unfortunate that you will not benefit from this knowledge,
because you will be dead."  Eva renewed her efforts to free herself. 
Marguerite threw her against the far wall, and Eva slumped to the ground.  

Lacroix stood in the doorway in stunned silence.  He still could not believe
what had gone on between them moments ago, much less what was happening
before him now.  He wouldn't dream of trying to stop Marguerite.  He sure she
would try to stake him, and with her temper, she might very well succeed.  He
thought back to the time that Nicholas had almost beaten him.

Besides, he was rather enjoying the scene before him.  Even though Marguerite
hated him right now...wanted him dead, as a matter of fact, she still considered
them a couple.  He thought it encouraging...for now.  Once she walked out
that door and thought about what had gone on here tonight, he would be alone
again.  If he were to be honest, he had no one to blame but himself. 

He watched as Marguerite ripped a slat of wood from a crate to create an
impromptu stake.  She reached Eva just as the girl was getting to her feet. 
Marguerite rammed the stake through Eva's heart, and the vampire fell to the
ground for the last time.  She kneeled down to whisper, "Never try to take
what is mine."  When she was sure Eva was dead, Marguerite turned and
strode from the room in silence.

********************

Even though it was late, people had been in and out of the church.  But
Marguerite paid no attention to them.  She sat in a pew, staring at the altar,
deep in thought.  She had been religious as a mortal, and coming across hadn't
changed that.  She came to church when she needed guidance; she would pray
and think.  She had often done it when she had been mortal, and it had been
that way since she was first brought across, no matter where they settled.  

It was the one place where most of her family couldn't go.  Kayla and Anton
could, but once they realized where she was and that she was safe, they had
left her alone.  It was why she had chosen to come here now.  She had blocked
off her link to everyone and sought out the peaceful solitude of the church. 
She needed to be alone right now.  Away from Lacroix--and right now, he was
being Lacroix, and not Lucien.  Away from her uncle, who would only run off
in her defense if he knew what had happened.

There was a touch on her arm, and Marguerite started.  She hadn't realized
there was anyone near her.  It was very foolish of her to be so unaware of her
surroundings.  She turned to find Natalie looking at her anxiously.  "Maggie,
are you okay?  Why are you blocking us?  Sasha and I were so worried..."

Marguerite shook her head.  "I'm okay, Nat.  I just needed some time to be
alone and think.  How did you know to find me here?"

Natalie smiled faintly.  "Kayla told me that you come here to get away...or
when something is troubling you.  What's wrong?"

"Oh, Nat..." Marguerite sighed, "Lacroix and I had a terrible fight, and I...I
don't think I can discuss it with anyone right now, but especially not you...or
Sasha."

Nat was immediately concerned.  "I'm sure Nick would..."

Marguerite whispered sharply, "No! "  She forced herself to calm down and
continued, "No.  Uncle Nick can't know.  He'll only get upset, and I won't be
responsible..."  She trailed off as she thought of what would happen if Nick
found out what Lacroix had done.

"You won't be responsible for what, Maggie?"

"I don't want them to fight, Nat.  They've been getting along so well lately. 
Uncle Nick is so hot tempered, and I don't want him or Lacroix hurt."

Nat studied her friend closely.  "Why do you keep calling him 'Lacroix',
Maggie?  You always call him 'Lucien'."  

Tears filled Marguerite's eyes.  "Because he's not acting like my Lucien, Nat. 
He's acting like the Lacroix I've always heard about.  He was never this way
with me before.  I don't know what to do."  Natalie put her arm around
Marguerite, and turned to glance at the door of the church.  Alejandro could
stand his mother's pain no longer, and was risking the pain of the cross to see
what was wrong.

Nat shook her head at her brother.  She had a feeling that if he were to hear
what Marguerite was about to say, he would only react like Nick and go off to
confront Lacroix.  She motioned with her head that he should wait outside. 
For a moment he looked like he wasn't going to go, but then he left as silently
as he came.  Natalie was well aware that he would be right outside the door. 
Waiting.

Marguerite twisted her head around in time to see her son's retreating form. 
She could not believe he had actually entered a church, but she was glad he had
left.  She wasn't ready to deal with Alejandro yet, although she knew the time
would come soon enough.

Hoping Lacroix hadn't reverted to his old ways, Natalie said quietly, "Tell me
what happened, Maggie.  I want to help you.  If Lacroix has hurt you, I need
to know about it." 

Marguerite sniffled, "I can't tell you, Nat, not until I know exactly what
happened.  But right now I'm too angry at Lacroix to discuss it with him."

Nat pressed, "You need to talk about it with *someone*."

Marguerite stood up.  "I think I *need* to take a walk."

Natalie followed, and as they exited the church, she said, "You didn't leave me
the other night, and I'm not going to leave you now.  You can go on that walk,
but we're going with you."  She looked at Alejandro.

"I'm not going anywhere, Margarita, not until I know what's going on."

Marguerite sighed, "Fine, follow me if you like.  I want to walk by the lake, but
don't be surprised if I don't say anything."


End Part Two