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Desperate to find her, he
turned to LaCroix as he often did when he had no other recourse of action,
leaving Tracy at Nat's in case she showed up.
As he entered and made his
way downstairs to where LaCroix slumbered, he took a second glance at the
couch.
"Natalie?" He couldn't believe
it. Relief, anger and sadness played tug of war within. She wore
LaCroix's black silk bathrobe as she slumbered. He checked her neck for
the telltale marks. Nothing. The fact that the seduction hadn't taken
that turn, angered Nick even more. He went to see his master.
A crash downstairs startled Natalie from sleep. Voices,
growling... she ran downstairs.
"Nick! What are you doing?"
"Saving you from an existence you don't want or need."
"Nick, stop. LaCroix saved my life."
"He doesn't save lives, he damns them."
"I told you, Nicholas," LaCroix said. "There
is nothing to fear in regards to Dr. Lambert here."
"Natalie," she insisted.
"You're not helping," LaCroix said as Nick's
eyes narrowed at the use of her first name. Nick, reluctantly let
LaCroix go to look in Natalie's eyes. "Did he hypnotize you?"
"No, I'm fine, really, Nick." He searched
the depths of those eyes, to only find truth. Natalie called a cab
and let father and son have a moment to themselves.
"Nicholas, I know you're determined to
find mortality again, but what of Dr. Lambert? Am I to watch over
both of you now. Perhaps if she were a daughter...." he smiled
at the thought.
"The protect and serve patrol can only
do so much. If you had fed properly, you'd have sensed the oncoming
danger."
"I know, I know," said Nicholas, sadly.
"When I reached her apartment and there was that sicko and she was gone...
You can't imagine how I felt."
"I think, maybe I can. I know of loss,
my son", LaCroix softly stroked Nick's hair. "Enough to know, I don't desire
it for you, and that is why for you and for Dr. Lambert, you need to feed.
Properly." He handed Nick a bottle. It was consumed in seconds.
Natalie would have to understand.
Reese was a little surprised to see her, after last night.
"Lambert, you sure you're up to this?"
"Sure," she said weakly.
"Don't be a hero. One night off isn't going to matter,"
he said unconvincingly.
Not unless tonight was the night, and going by timelines, it should be. The suspect always took his victims 4-5 days before the full moon. That was tonight. Natalie and Reese both knew it.
He sighed, "Okay, listen up, we're going to
go over everything we've got so far.." He reviewed the evidence.
One thing was missing, Natalie realized with a frown.
"Captain? No one has mentioned Dr. Giosso's findings."
"Who?"
"You know, the criminal psychologist. He said he was here
to do a profile for us on Owens. He was helping us catch our copycatter."
"Knight, Vetter, either of you meet Dr. Giosso?"
They shook their heads. Natalie couldn't believe
it. "But he said..."
"Well if he's working for us, it's going to be without
pay, because I didn't hire him. How many times has he seen you?"
"Twice, no three times. I even had dinner with him.
He seemed so nice.."
Reese was concerned, no downright worried. Was this Dr. Giosso working
for the killer. Was he the killer? Surely he wouldn't be that arrogant.
Well, if he was, at least they would have a face to look for.
"Okay, I need a sketch artist in here, right away!"
Reese yelled to whomever would help him.
"Natalie- work with him. Let's see who we're dealing
with."
A half hour later, Nick and Tracy looked unbelievingly
at the sketch.
"Natalie," Tracy said- that is William Owens.
"That's not possible, he's locked up tighter than
a drum. Knight and Vetter were just there to see him. There's no
way..." Reese said.
There was one way, Tracy, Nick and Natalie
had the same thought.
"But why would any vampire willingly stay locked
up behind bars?" Natalie whispered.
"He obviously hasn't been- at least not every night,
" Nick whispered back.
He rose to leave. He had to find Owens.
"Tracy, let's go."
Nick kissed the top of Natalie's head and then they
left.
..........................................
He turned up the radio, the Nightcrawler keeping
him company on the way to the prison. He really wish he'd had a drink
before he left.
"This guy is creepy," Tracy said as she turned up the
volume. "I like him" she smiled.
What was LaCroix saying?
"What an interesting concept, these 12 step programs, invented to help with addictions. And yet, I find the mantra sadly lacking. One day at a time. For is it during the daylight hours when your deepest fears set in? The loneliness, the anger... Can it be so bad while the sun shines so brightly in the sky? The birds singing.... No, it is during the evening hours, my time, our time , my friends, from dusk till dawn when your soul cries out, to reclaim what it's lost. Searching, longing, driving your addictions. And so may I suggest you stay up with me? Cling to the Nightcrawler support group as we make it through- One night at a time."
Natalie looked with distaste at the black tube top
they wanted her to wear as a dress. This one was undoubtedly the
worst of the outfits she'd had to endure. It left nothing to the
imagination.
"Lambert, Tonight is it. Watch yourself and
call for back up if anything gets out of hand," Reese said.
"You know Captain, it hasn't been all bad. I have
dates lined up from now till New Years," she joked trying to lighten the
mood.
He smiled faintly as she walked out. Quite
a woman. He wondered if he Knight knew what a lucky man he was.
And what a dead man Reese would be if Natalie came back in anything but
perfect shape after this fiasco.
The officers parked their car at the Raven
parking lot and turned on the radio. Natalie climbed out.
"Good luck," Officer Jenkins said.
Natalie saw LaCroix at the bar. Now was her
chance. As she approached him she saw the slow appraisal of her outfit.
She blushed.
"All right, go ahead and say it," she hissed.
"Being a vampire hasn't made you any less male, I see, so make your comments
so I can say what I need to."
"I'm speechless," he said. His eyes said otherwise.
Arms crossed, chin stuck out defiantly, she licked
her lips, head tilted slightly, hair down and loose. LaCroix took
a mental picture.
"Doctor Lambert, one question, and I promise to
remain a gentleman. What does Nicholas think about your adventure
here? This trip into the dark side of humanity, this journey among
the most depraved of lifes useless citizens. Have you leaned anything
more about the human condition? About those with endless resources
available to them, family, money, houses, health, who choose to come to
a nightclub to sit miserably on a bar stool and drink it all away?"
"LaCroix- that was three questions, you already
know how Nick feels, and does everything that comes out of your mouth have
to sound like a Nightcrawler monologue?"
She didn't let him answer. "As for the human
condition, I'm a coroner. I deal with murders and suicides every
night. It's a part of life. And as for drinking your life away,
well I suppose the same could be said about you." She turned and
left, determined to have the last word for once.
"Vachon," she said with a small smile in passing.
The young vampire had witnessed the exchange. The two watched her
in admiration however reluctant on LaCroix's part, as she made her way
out to the dance floor.
"It is extremely disconcerting to see Doctor
Lambert in that way," LaCroix began.
"You can say that again," Vachon smiled lecherously.
"She can examine me any time."
"It's a dangerous game she's playing, full of unnecessary
risks."
"I'm sure she knows what she's doing and if not
Knight will always be there to pick up the pieces." Vachon rose to leave.
"Nicholas is not going to listen to me now
more than any other time, and if anything happens to the good Doctor. Anything
he may have prevented, but was unable to stop, due to the deterioration
of his condition..... well we know what would happen." LaCroix said.
"Stay with her, Vachon. Watch her, for
Nicholas' sake."
"I'll do what I can, but she's not going to
like it. I can tell you that right now. She's her own person."
"Yes, and your job tonight is to see that
she stays that way." LaCroix turned back to his drink.
She was conscious of him watching her all
night. It had angered her a little at first, and then she'd been
amused. Evidently not all Vampires had the talent of subtlety.
She spent most of the night dancing with another
undercover cop- Brian Mcwhirter. He'd confided that in her, last
week when she met him. 86th precinct or was it the 58th? She
couldn't remember. He said he knew Grace.
"Get you another club soda?" he offered.
"That would be great," she yelled over the
pulsing music. She took the opportunity to approach Vachon.
"LaCroix asked you to watch me? Why?"
He shrugged. "I'd like to say for Nick, but
after knowing LaCroix a while, I've learned he has his own motives for
everything. He might just want Nick to himself a while or you and me together
or any one of a hundred different twisted things. I can tell you
though, Doc. I know you have faith in your mortal friends, but it
never hurts to have a vampires protection. I won't blow your cover
if that's what you're worried about."
"No, it's not that. I don't really have
much of a cover anyway. I'm more like bait. I just don't see
what stake ,no pun intended, you or LaCroix have in this. It is a
mortal concern as he says."
"Doc, I seem to recall someone who helped
me out not too long ago, when I needed it," he reminded her gently.
"Natalie?" She didn't look well, too
pale. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I just forgot to eat before I left,
I'm feeling a little lightheaded." Dizzy was more like it she thought as
her head begin to swim.
"Sit down," he ordered. "I'll go get
something." He went behind the bar and began looking in cabinets
trying to find anything edible, Maraschino cherries, cocktail onions...
That's when all hell broke loose. Nick had entered the Raven, eyes blazing red "William Owens!" he yelled. Stepping into the shadows he found the young vampire he was looking for.
A very violent and chaotic 10 minutes later, it was over. The Raven was in desperate need of repair. Tables, chairs, anything not bolted to the floor had been damaged. It took both LaCroix and Vachon to restrain Nicholas.
Vachon looked around for Natalie. Maybe she could
get Nick to calm down.
"Doc?" he called out
He checked the ladies room. He checked the officers car
out back. Nothing.
LaCroix struggled to keep Nicholas from doing further
damage to William Owens who was only now beginning to come to.
"LaCroix, she's not here."
Nick stopped struggling. "Who's not here?"
"Doctor Lambert" " During all of the excitement, she must
have called a cab. I'm sure it is nothing, Nicholas."
LaCroix had never seen his son look so miserable.
Using that pent up fury, he turned to Owens, determined
to let him share in his pain.
He was surprised to see his expression. "It's
just like Susannah," he said. Only this time, you know it's not me.
It's Susannah all over again. Natalie...." He began to weep.
Nick realized the man had been wrongly convicted.
That meant the original killer was on the loose- and he had Natalie.
End of Chapter 7
Back to Part Six! / Onto Part Eight!
