Part Seven


Satisfied that Marguerite had gone after Nicholas' partner, Lacroix stood,
lifting Branwen up by her hair as he did so.  "I am going to kill you slowly and
painfully, you little witch.  I should have sold you the minute we arrived in
Rome."

"What's wrong, General?  Do you actually *care* for the girl?  Does it upset
you that she's hurt?  Imagine how I felt when you killed my mother!" Branwen
spat out.

"I did not kill your mother.  We had an agreement.  I was going to free the two
of you when you got older."

"So you give me to your whore as a gift?!  You'll forgive me if I don't believe
you."  

"My agreement was with your mother.  You were *always* a problem.  Your
behavior after your mother's death sealed your fate.  I could never free you
after that.  But it was obvious you hated me, so I gave you to Seline.  It
couldn't have been a hard life, Branwen.  She was a kind mistress to her
slaves."

Branwen tore herself free from Lacroix's grasp, leaving a large chunk of hair in
his hand.  She did a flip, grabbing the sword as she rose up.  "But Divia
wasn't."  She took a two-handed grip on the sword as she brandished it at him. 
"Recognize this?  It belonged to Marcus once.  He hated you just as much as I
did, and now, I'm going to kill you with his sword.  It's kind of poetic justice,
don't you think?  I'm going to cut your head off and use it to drink from."

"Oh, it's poetic, but it's not justice.  He was more even perverse than I thought
if he took you for a lover.  Marcus killed your mother, not I."

"You lie," she screamed.

"Believe what you like.  I will not defend myself to you."

She charged at him with the sword, but Lacroix evaded her easily.  He grabbed
her arm and spun her around.  She stumbled and fell, sensing Dani's painful
death.  She had dropped the sword when she fell, but it didn't matter.  With a
screech of outrage, she launched herself at Lacroix, knocking him down.

They wrestled each other, fighting to get the upper hand and reach the sword. 
Lacroix threw Branwen off of him, her body slamming into a gravestone as she
landed.  He stood, but stumbled in mid-stride as he approached the sword. 
Marguerite had been injured badly.

*****

Marguerite fell to the ground on her knees.  The pain was almost unbearable. 
She doubled over, trying to breathe through the pain.  Belatedly, she closed off
her link to Lacroix.  The last thing he needed right now is to be distracted.  She
could sense her children's worried probes, but she pushed them aside, not
trusting herself to open the link even a little.

Eric saw the hunting knife protruding from Marguerite's back as she fell.  It
wouldn't kill her, he knew, but it probably hurt like hell.  He stumbled towards
her, not bothering to check for the source of danger.  But before he could get
close, Shane stepped into view and backhanded him, sending Eric reeling to the
ground.  He was unconscious before he even landed.

*****

Nick had been searching for Eric with no luck.  He'd abandoned his car and
took to the air in hopes he would spot the red convertible his partner drove
quicker that way.  After awhile, he sensed Natalie's frantic worry for
Marguerite through their link, and headed towards the Toronto Necropolis. 
There, he saw his partner's car shining like a beacon.

He caught sight of Eric as he fell to the ground, unmoving.  The person who
had hit him was now moving towards Marguerite with a murderous gleam in
his eyes.  He lifted her into his arms and pushed her head to one side, intending
on having a drink before finishing her off.

Nick landed and grabbed the shovel that some careless worker had left behind. 
He cracked the handle in half over his knee and drove it into the vampire's back
as he lowered his head over Marguerite's neck.  Shane dropped Marguerite as
he died.  She rolled onto her stomach to avoid any more damage to her back.  

Seeing they were out of danger for now, Nick turned his attention to the fight
he could hear a few yards away.  Lacroix could probably use his help.  Eric's
tremulous voice stopped him.

"Hey, Nick!"

He turned to see his partner looking fearfully towards Marguerite, whose eyes
had turned and fangs dropped.  Nick came and dropped down next to her. 
"Marguerite?"

"I'm hungry, Uncle Nick.  I need to feed...soon.  It hurts."  Her voice was tight
with the pain.

Nick helped her sit up.  "I know, ma petite fleur, we'll get you something
soon."  He looked up.  "Eric, how do you feel?  Can you walk?"

Eric stood slowly, rubbing his jaw as he did.  "Yeah...I think so."  He took a
few tenuous steps towards them.  "But..."

"Trust me, Eric.  I'll hold Marguerite, but I need you to pull the knife out.  Her
body is trying to heal over it.  Do you think you can do it."

"Oh, sure.  I have the easy job," he joked lamely.

*****

Before he could do it himself, Lacroix felt his link to Marguerite close.  She
was still alive, but he had to get to her soon.  In his moment of weakness,
Branwen had somehow gotten ahold of the sword.  She dove for him, slashing
his let as he danced out of the way.  She cursed and tripped, feeling Shane's
death even more keenly than her youngest child's.

Lacroix used the opportunity to wrest the sword from her hand, dragging her
up by her hair again as he did so.  With a roar, he stabbed her in the stomach,
and she went down on her knees in pain.  Lifting the sword high above his
head, he sliced off her head with one clean swipe.  He threw the sword to the
ground and took off in Marguerite's direction.

He arrived in time to see Eric pulling the knife out of Marguerite's back.  She
cried out in pain and struggled to get free of Nick's embrace.  Lacroix appeared
next to his son and cradled her in his arms.  "I told you to stay out of danger,"
he growled softly.

"Then you told me to look after Eric," she said with a smile.  "I couldn't do
both.  I'll be okay."

He kissed her forehead.  "You need to feed."

Nick put a comforting hand on his master's shoulder.  "I'll take her to the loft,
Lacroix," he offered.  "Nat's there with Alejandro."

Lacroix was silent a moment.  As much as he wanted her by his side,
Marguerite needed blood.  It would be better for her if it came from one of her
children than someone else.  She would heal faster.  "At least two of you were
obedient," he commented wryly.  "And what of your partner, Nicholas?"

"I can take him to the loft, too.  Natalie needs to look him over."  Nick went
over to Eric, who seemed about to collapse, and put a supportive arm around
his shoulder.  "I'll take Eric's car.  It's parked by the side of the road over
there."  He gestured with his head in the general direction of the car.

"Let's go then."  Lacroix stood and lifted Marguerite up with him.

Nick followed with Eric and made it to the car as Lacroix was gently placing
Marguerite in the front seat.  After helping Eric into the backseat, Nick made
sure his niece's seatbelt was in place and started the engine.

"After I get these two settled, I'll come back and help you clean up, Lacroix." 
He put the car in gear as he spoke.

"Thank you, Nicholas."

Eric leaned heavily against the seat.  He felt like death warmed over.  "Hey,
Nick," he croaked.  "Shouldn't Daisy be laying down in the back?  She was
pretty badly hurt."

"I can keep a better eye on her from here, Eric."

Puzzled, Eric remained silent, not understanding Nick's answer until
Marguerite's voice drifted back to him, "You smell so good, Eric."  She inhaled
deeply and sighed.

"But I'm not...oh."  He quietly willed Nick to drive faster, unwilling to play
meal for a second vampire this evening.


**********


Alejandro had been waiting for them in the garage.  He carried Marguerite into
the elevator, as much to protect Eric as in concern for his maker.  Nick helped
Eric out of the car and into the elevator the same way he had at the cemetery. 
Eric leaned on his partner gratefully as the elevator climbed to the loft.

Natalie was pacing nervously in the living room.  The concern on her face
clearly visible as she turned to face the foursome.  Relief washed over her as
she saw Marguerite and Eric were okay.

"Is it over?" she asked as she stepped forward to help Eric to the couch.  She
began checking him over as they walked.

"For the most part," Nick replied.  "I promised Lacroix I'd be back to help him
clean up.  I need to figure out what we're going to tell Captain Reese."

"The heads are there, Nick.  Near the crypt where Branwen is," Eric managed
to get out as Natalie poked and prodded at him.  She pushed his neck to one
side and examined the wounds.

"He's going to need some blood, Nick.  Can you stop by the morgue on the
way home?" she asked.

"Sure.  Anything else?"  Satisfied that everything was under control here, Nick
headed toward the lift.

"Yeah.  Stop by the store and get some orange juice...and something else for
Eric to eat, too--maybe a steak?  He's going to be spending the day with us."


Marguerite slapped at her son's chest as the lift doors closed.  "You can put me
down now.  I think I can stand."

"You wouldn't know it by the look of you, if my jacket is any indication,"
Alejandro said dryly.

"Sorry," she said as he helped her take the jacket off.  "I hadn't planned on
being a pin cushion tonight."

Seeing the still healing wound on her back, he sucked in a breath.  "Are you
hungry, querida?" he whispered.

Her eyes turned gold in response, and he had his wrist before her in an instant. 
Eric watched curiously as her eyes fluttered closed in pleasure while she drank.

"Well, you're lucky.  You don't have a concussion, but I want you to stay home
for a few days to rest.  I'll talk to Reese for you.  Hello?  Eric?"  Natalie
followed his line of sight to see what was so interesting.  Marguerite was done
feeding, and she licked Alejandro's wrist clean of blood as the wound closed. 
He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, relieved that she was okay.

"When Dani bit me, it hurt like hell.  Obviously, that's not always the case?"
Eric asked quietly.

Natalie smiled.  "No.  If it's done right, the experience can be quite...nice.  But
you keep that painful experience in mind, buster.  You were nearly killed."


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


The first rays of light were creeping over the horizon when Lacroix entered the
townhouse.  It had taken quite some time to dispose of the three bodies
properly, and afterwards, he had helped Nicholas set the scene for the police to
go over it.  It turned out that Branwen had severed the heads using a large
hunting knife -- the same one Shane used to stab Marguerite.  He had given
Marcus' short sword to Nicholas to dispose of; he never wanted to lay eyes on
it again.

Afterwards, he had gone to the loft to check up on Natalie and the good
detective.  Both were fine, of course, but he wanted to see them for himself. 
Marguerite would be relieved to hear that some color had returned to
Detective D'Angelo's cheeks.

Alejandro met him in the hallway.  "She's fine," he said in response to Lacroix's
unspoken question.  "She's resting in the living room.  She refused to go to
sleep until you were home."

"Thank you, Alejandro...for everything," Lacroix said with some difficulty.  It
was hard for him to admit that he was grateful for Alejandro's help, no matter
what it was.  "I know it was hard for you to remain behind knowing
Marguerite was in danger..."

"Hey, no problem.  Natalie was very upset; she needed me more.  I knew that
you would watch out for Margarita."  He looked around uncomfortably.  "I'd
better go.  It'll be light soon, and I don't want to be stuck here for the day."  He
left before Lacroix could reply.

Lacroix stood there for a moment, until Marguerite's voice broke silence. 
"Lucien?"

He turned to see her standing in the doorway, looking much improved from the
last time he had seen her, but even still, she should have been asleep.  He
quickly closed the distance between them and took her in his arms.

"You should be resting."

Marguerite looked up at him as she stroked his cheek.  "And how could I rest
with you not here?  What if there had been others with her?  I..."

Lacroix put a finger to her lips.  "There was no one else.  Nicholas came back
to help me.  And now, the police have the heads of the victims and the murder
weapon...and we will have some peace."

"You're sure about that?"  Her eyes were twinkling as she teased him, but she
sobered quickly.  He might not like what she had to say.  "Kayla and Anton are
coming back.  They'll be here sometime tomorrow night.  She's...well, I haven't
heard her this upset in a long time."

"You will let me handle Kayla.  I do not want you doing anything but resting
for the next few days, Marguerite.  You were hurt badly."

"Lucien," she protested, rolling her eyes in annoyance.  Sure, she had been
hurt, but she felt fine now...just a little tired.  Lacroix gave her one of his stern
looks, and knew she could not win this argument.  Not tonight anyway. 
Playing along for now, she sighed in resignation.  "All right, I'll be good."

Knowing that this would not be the end of the discussion, but satisfied that he
had won this round, Lacroix kissed Marguerite's forehead.  Her eyes fluttered
drowsily; she was practically falling asleep where she stood.  Lacroix picked
her up and carried her to their room.  With any luck, he would not have to
have this discussion with her again after Kayla arrived.  Marguerite rarely
disobeyed her mother.

**********

Eric sat in Reese's office, praying for an end to this conversation.  He just
wanted to get back to work.  He'd been out sick the past two days.  Natalie
had insisted that he rest because of the blood loss.  She'd told Reese that he'd
had a slight concussion.  The story that they were telling the Captain was that
Eric had gone to investigate the tip and found the evidence.  He had tripped
and fallen on his way out of the crypt, hitting his head in the process.  Nick had
found him unconscious in the doorway, and took him to the loft for Natalie to
examine him.

Reese did not seem to wonder why a coroner had examined him, maybe
because it was Natalie.  But maybe not.  Eric couldn't be sure.  Also, the fact
that while they had found more evidence, they had not found any sign of the
killer, didn't seem to bother the Captain as much as Eric had thought it would. 
He had agreed with Nick that the killer had probably stuck to his M.O. and left
town.

He thought back to several nights ago, when the Captain was so intense about
them finding the killer after they had found the first body.  Eric had made a
very lame joke about it being a random act of violence.  Reese had almost
bellowed, "How many acts of random violence involve decapitation,
Detective?  I want this killer found yesterday.  Now the two of you get out of
here!"

"Eric?  Detective D'Angelo?" Reese prodded loudly.

Nick elbowed his partner sharply.  Eric shook his head to clear it.

"Huh?  Sorry, Captain.  You were saying?"

Joe Reese sighed heavily.  These two may have a great arrest record, but they
were driving his blood pressure up with each passing day.  "I wanted to know
if you felt up to going out tonight, Eric.  Maybe a few days of desk duty would
do you some good..."

"No!  No, Captain.  I'm fine, really.  Just a little eager to get back to work,
that's all."

Nick and Eric stood up to leave, and Reese called after them, "Knight!  Keep
an eye on your partner, please.  Work together.  I don't want any more repeats
of the other night."

**********

She had spotted them from the first moment they'd walked through the door. 
The mortals were unaware, of course.  The pair might have simply looked a
little out of place with their business-like attire, but the members of the
Community would know better.  And the worst part was, she recognized these
Enforcers.  Marguerite glanced at her guest a bit anxiously, but he didn't
notice.  This couldn't be about Eric, could it?

After making sure Anastasia was aware of the situation, Marguerite excused
herself from the table, leaving her sister to keep Eric company.  She arrived at
the bar at the same time as they did.  After taking a deep breath, she faced
them.  "Hello, Galen.  Helene.  Can I get you something to drink?"

Galen came as close to smiling as he ever did, and his twin sister did the
talking, as usual.  "How are you, Marguerite?  I think we will have a drink,
thank you."

Marguerite smiled.  It was a good sign that they had accepted a drink.  It
meant that they were not here on strictly Enforcer 'business'.  Miklos appeared
with three drinks and set them on the bar.  She sipped at her drink and then
asked, "So, what brings you here?  You're not here to talk to Lacroix about..."

"We're here to talk to Kayla," Galen interrupted, actually smiling now.  How
many times had she come to his Master on behalf of Lacroix and de Brabant? 
Were they even aware?  He doubted it.  For whatever reason, his Master had a
sweet spot for Caelia's girls.  His 'little Daisy' is what Djoser called Marguerite. 
He had a nickname for Anastasia as well.

"She's in the office.  I'll take you back there now."  She led them toward the
back, her curiosity peaked at what they could possibly want.  "And how is
Joe?" she asked as they walked, inquiring after their Master.  Not only was
Djoser Kayla's 'brother', but he was on the Council, a position she had used to
her advantage a few times to intervene for Lucien and her uncle when they had
gotten themselves into some kind of trouble.  He was the oldest vampire she
actually knew, and after Galen and Helene had been made Enforcers, they
became a sort of personal guard for their Master.

Galen grimaced at his sister.  He hated it when the younger ones didn't call
Djoser by his proper -- if not ancient -- name, but Helene didn't mind.  She
always argued that they had to change with the times.  'Djoser' was not actually
in common use these days.

"He's fine," Helene answered.  "We have a message from him for Kayla."

Marguerite knocked and opened the door.  She turned and smiled as she held
the door open for them.  "Personal business?  I won't even ask then.  I'll leave
you alone."

She was on her way back to the club proper when she felt Lacroix's tug on her
mind.  She was going to have to buy some curtains for that two way mirror in
the sound booth.  Did he have to pay attention to *everything* that went on in
the club while he was broadcasting?  She groaned as she realized that she had a
lot of explaining to do.


**********

Janette smiled as she tore the envelope open -- another letter from Marguerite. 
She had grown to look forward to them, as she had the phone calls.  But phone
conversations were not always easy to have, as Marguerite had to wait to make
them until Lacroix was not around.  Janette was still uneasy about having her
first encounter with her former Master.  Surely, he would be disappointed after
what had happened with Robert.  

She had left Toronto to escape being affected by Nicolas' quest for humanity
any more than she had been.  Then she fell right into the trap she'd told Lacroix
she was leaving to avoid.  Coming to care for a mortal...and then, falling in
love.  Then, the ultimate folly: achieving Nicolas' quest to become mortal.  And
by accident, no less.

There was no way she could face him.  She had adored him, hung on his every
word, and did everything she could to win his approval, which had meant
everything to her.  But he wouldn't want anything to do with her now.  He was
probably glad that she was Nicolas' problem now.

Janette paused in opening the letter, grimacing as she thought of Nick.  She
had been so furious with him after he had brought her back across.  Yet again,
he had only thought of himself.  Of what his life would be without her in it;
totally ignoring the fact that she had wanted to die.  Ignoring the fact that he
and Natalie were in love, even though they had both denied it.

After she had gotten her revenge on Robert's killers, she had fled Toronto. 
She had stopped only to leave her portrait at the loft, as a message that it
would be all he would have to remember her by.  She had come to Paris to lick
her wounds; it had always been her favorite city.

She'd been shocked and delighted at running into Marguerite, who was on her
way to Toronto to find her uncle.  Janette had not been sure how Nick would
react, but it would be more interesting to see what Lacroix would do.  She had
always suspected that Lacroix had developed feelings for Nicolas' niece,
especially after Marguerite's disappearance and apparent death.

And while she still loved Robert, Janette had finally come to terms with her
return to immortality.  She would join him one day, perhaps.  But for right
now, she was rediscovering all the joys of being a vampire.  She was still
annoyed with Nick; a feeling that she suspected would last several decades, at
least.  There would be time enough to deal with her new Master later.

Opening the letter, Janette prayed that Marguerite had given up on getting her
to forgive Nick.  Relief washed over her when the only mention of him was to
say that he and Natalie were doing well.  Her eyes welled up with unshed tears
as she read what else was written, however:

"...I wish you would come to visit, Tatie Janette.  Not only do I miss you, but
Lucien does as well, although he refuses to admit it to me.  He has been very
melancholy lately, and seeing you would cheer him up, I think.  

"I am pressuring you, aren't I?  I'm sorry.  Lucien tells me that I am sticking my
nose where it doesn't belong.  But please, think it over.  Don't mistake his
silence for apathy."

Janette put down the letter, genuinely touched.  She did not doubt Marguerite's
words for a second.  In the nearly thousand years that she had spent with
Lacroix, there had been rare times when she had caught a glimpse behind the
mask of her Master.  Those few times had been enough for her to have a
slightly better understanding of him.  She stood up and decided to take a walk;
she had some serious thinking to do.

**********

Several days later...


Lacroix leaned over the microphone, deeply immersed on his monologue.  For
some reason, he was especially driven tonight.  It was a subject he often spoke
of: family.  So intent was he on his speech, that he did not hear the door to the
soundbooth open and close.  The person who had entered stood behind him
silently until he had finished his ramblings and put on a song.

"Grand-pere?"

He turned to see a slightly apprehensive Janette standing behind him.  Even
nervous, she could not pass up the opportunity to poke fun at him just a little. 
How he had missed her.  Hiding the fact that he was both pleased and
surprised, Lacroix arched an eyebrow and commented in a slightly annoyed
tone, "'Grand-pere'?  Ma cherie, I am far too young to be a grandfather."

More confident now, Janette favored him with a teasing half-smile.  "I have
missed you too, Lacroix."

He smiled then, and held his arms out to her.  She stepped into his embrace
gratefully; her concerns over his feelings eased.  She was finally home.


The End