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"OK, now tell me that part again," Nat whispered. She shivered
despite the warm quilt wrapped around her and the fact she lay nestled
up against Nick. He looked concerned. He still wasn't totally convinced
she shouldn't have stayed in the hospital a few
more days.
"He saved you, Nat. He actually cared
about someone more than himself. Maybe there's hope for him yet."
The doctor's words sent shocks of pain through
LaCroix. "Yeah, doesn't that worry you a little?" she croaked "Saving me
for what? Dinner? I'm not exactly his favorite person."
"Natalie," Nick said reproachfully.
" I thought you of all people would be excited for him. He was mortal
once, too."
The memory of it haunted him again and he
pulled her closer still, tilting her chin back to look in his eyes. "I'm
so sorry I couldn't have been the one to save you, to protect you from
that creep." He kissed her lightly.
LaCroix sensed her reaction to that kiss.
Oh yeah, this link with Dr. Lambert was going to be loads of fun, he thought
sarcastically. Just what he wanted in his mind. Good thing he was fairly
adept at breaking it off when he wanted to.
LaCroix entered without knocking, as was his custom.
"You know, Nicholas, being a vampire does have its
advantages." Natalie jumped.
"LaCroix." She sat up, shakily trying to stand.
Nick pulled her back.
"Thank you, LaCroix. You saved my life."
"Please," LaCroix dismissed her. "I was in
the area, and there's no need for thanks. My son needed assistance,
due to a problem of your creating. Ironic, isn't it. Anyhow
I just wanted to see that everything was back to *normal*", he smiled at
the word.
He examined Natalie quickly, but not
quick enough so that his son wasn't suspicious. This wasn't going
to get any easier, either. "You mortals do heal slowly, don't you,"
he commented.
"Doctor Lambert, I have-"
"LaCroix, you've saved my life twice now in
the past month, I think it would be okay for you to call me Natalie."
LaCroix didn't think that was such a good idea.
"Yes, well, Natalie, I have a little get well
gift for you." He dropped something on her lap. She picked it up
gently. It was beautiful, a gold cross on a gold chain. "LaCroix.
Natalie looked up to thank him and ask... a question that would go unanswered
for now. He had left.
She turned to Nick, the question in her eyes. She
flipped the cross over: For M- it read.
Now it was Nick's turn for suspicion
"A cross from a vampire, now that's funny," Nick said
thoughtfully.
"No, just a cross from the Roman," Natalie said.
"He was mortal once too. Isn't that what you said?"
..................................
It was Natalie's first day back.
Reese had come by to see her and thank her for the millionth time. The
killer had been caught, was in custody and awaited trial later this month.
She turned on the radio. It should have been the Nightcrawler,
and it was- but what was he quoting? Same voice, same cynical spin-
but quoting from a religion professor? Definitely not LaCroix- like.
The world must be coming to an end.
LaCroix switched off the mike.
He had all but lost his appetite. He found himself contemplating the same
irritating questions Nicholas always asked.
How could he be concerned with one mortal
and yet take countless lives? It was the blood- he told himself,
her blood. Binding and tying him to her, linking them. LaCroix
agonized. He knew that wasn't entirely the truth. What right
did anyone have to make us what we are?
Now he felt foolish. Those were his son's
worries- not his own. For a minute he'd wondered who's blood he'd tasted-
Nicholas' or Natalie's. He was Lucien LaCroix, hunter, general, predator,
after all- wasn't he?
Natalie sat down to finish some paperwork at
her desk.
"Doctor?"
"LaCroix? You startled me." Natalie
looked at him. "I never thanked you for my necklace. It's lovely.
Whose-" the question died on her lips. LaCroix had looked- sad?
"Say, Nick and I are going to watch some movies
back at the loft and..."
"Please," he sneered. "Doctor Lambert, I am
not now or ever in anyway in need of entertainment by you or my son, nor
do I require your misplaced pity."
Natalie was hurt, and that made her mad.
"Oh yes, I know to even hint at any sort of modern mortal pastime is just
beneath contempt, isn't it, because that's what I am after all, right?
The dust beneath your feet. Well, you know what? You don't
fool me for a minute, Lucien LaCroix. You were mortal too, once-
long ago perhaps; so you can't convince me for an instant that you don't
remember what it was like out there, in the sun, to love another mortal,
to have concerns over health, life, safety, where your next meal will come
from, or even religion." She fingered the cross around her neck.
Just like Marcella had. LaCroix
looked away. "The necklace, it suits you," he said. He paused,
knowing she was waiting for a response.
"I remember as though it were yesterday,"
he said finally. "Please come to your point, if you have one, Doctor."
"My point is one that you've heard several
times. The real Lucien LaCroix, your core, has been buried for so
long, that you seem incapable of doing the excavation work necessary to
retrieve it. Start digging, so you can quit this mortal bashing and
allow those around you to live in peace."
"So, is that what you would have me
do, doctor? Embrace my mortality?"
"Yes" she said. "You fight so
hard against it, fight past feeling of any kind except anger, because it's
always there to comfort you."
"Will it *redeem* me, Doctor?
To show emotion, to feel again. Will it make this existence easier,
more bearable? Has your time with my son taught you nothing? Look
at him, that shell of a vampire. Has it helped him, Dr. Lambert?
In your vast experience with Nicholas these past few years, have you seen
him laugh uncontrollably or dance with joy?"
Natalie bit her bottom lip. Again he
looked away.
"I have, over the centuries, there have been
moments of sadness, loneliness, despair, but there also has been great
happiness, too."
"And I a mere mortal could never make Nick happy,
is that it?"
"Perhaps, for a time, as long as any of his
phases have. Because, I assure you Doctor, you are a phase, a novelty
Nicholas will grow tired of quickly enough."
"Not if I succeed with a cure," Natalie said
defiantly.
"Especially if you succeed with a cure.
Do you honestly think *that* would be enough to tie him to you?"
"Nick loves me," she said looking a little
shaken.
"Does he, Princess?" LaCroix dipped into his
own private store of knowledge on Natalie's life, to find a nickname from
her childhood. It had the desired effect. Her color rose and
her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. The exquisite smell of the blood
coursing through her more quickly now, mixed with the smell of her perfume.
Gardenias.
"Look," she said shakily. "I don't know
if you're bored or lonely or what your hidden agenda is this time, LaCroix.
Frankly, I'm tired of trying. I really have work to do."
"Then listen to me, Dr. Lambert," he said,
suddenly frustrated with himself. "Stop the medical trial on Nicholas.
Let him accept his inevitable return to what he truly is."
"This same argument? Haven't you tired
of it, yet? I know I have," Natalie said, trying to distract herself
with work. She opened the file on top of her desk.
"No!" LaCroix nearly shouted. Closing the
file with one pale hand and tilting Natalie's chin up with one finger to
look into those stubborn hazel eyes. Knowing full well the vampires
ability and intention to hypnotize, she looked at him directly a few seconds
and then as he began speaking, she shut them very tightly.
LaCroix had to laugh. He would have to
try another tactic.
"How old are you, doctor- 29, 30?"
Natalie replied, "Always the gentleman aren't
you. But then again what do mortal years mean anyway, right? Okay,
I'll play, I am 34."
"Yes, and how many more years until you find a cure
for Nicholas? 5? 10? 20? What might you do with those
years? Do you want children? Marriage? How about one
day in the sunshine with the man you love?"
"Those are my choices, I don't have
to explain them to you."
Forgetting her latex gloves, she took
scalpel in hand. Turning to LaCroix, she said, "This is going to get real
messy in about 30 seconds, so if you'll excuse me..." She bent over
the cadaver.
In vampire speed he stood behind
her, his breath on her neck, voice menacing and said, "Release him to me."
"But the choice is not mine to make"
"Help him make it."
Unnerved, the scalpel slipped from her hand,
cutting her finger. Much more time around LaCroix and she wasn't
going to have any fingers left. "Ouch," she managed to squeak out before
LaCroix placed the wound to his lips, drawing slightly. Natalie inhaled
sharply and yanked her hand away.
"Intoxicating," was LaCroix parting
word.
Natalie sat down shakily. Grace came in. "Girl, what's wrong?
Natalie?" But Natalie had slipped off the chair in a faint.
Standing outside the room, LaCroix gauged
her reaction, and smiled smugly to himself. "I still have that effect
on women." He
nearly collided with Nicholas coming around the corner.
"LaCroix?" He would get no answer. He
had left.
"Nick," Grace said. "Thank goodness.
Natalie just passed out."
He looked at the small puddle of blood on
the ground, trying not to react to it, and found its source. Damn
LaCroix. What was he up to, Nick wondered.
Natalie was beginning to come around.
Grace bandaged the finger.
"Nick?"
"Are you okay?" he asked, his blue eyes filled
with concern.
"Yes, I'm fine." Nick helped her to the chair.
"Just too much formaldehyde, I guess."
"And your hand?" he asked softly.
"I... it was me, I wasn't paying attention
to what I was doing, the scalpel slipped."
So that was LaCroix's new plan was it? Getting rid
of Natalie by making her have an *accident*? Ironic, considering
he had just saved her life. Would he ever understand his master?
He knew he shouldn't be surprised by LaCroix's sudden change of heart,
yet he was.
End of Chapter 9.
Back to Part Eight! / Onto Part Ten!
