Subj: XOVER: When the Good Guys Win 1/3 Date: 96-11-06 18:06:47 EST From: katygale@concentric.net (Kayla Clark) Reply-to: katygale@concentric.net XOVER between FK and American Gothic. All the characters in this story are owned by other people and companies. I'm just borrowing them for a bit o' fun. Please send me comments! I live for feedback :-) Thanks to my beta-readers Deborah Ann Fiorini, PL Montgomery and AJ Schaafsma (and probably some other people whose names have gotten lost in the wreck that is my brain). WHEN THE GOOD GUYS WIN Copyright 1996, Kayla Clark (katygale@concentric.net) Sheriff Lucas Buck was driving down the main road of Trinity, South Carolina when he saw the light on in his office. The rest of the station was dark. *Very* few people would be foolish enough to snoop around in Buck's things. Whoever was in his office wasn't even trying to disguise their presence by keeping the lights off and using a flashlight. Might oughta' check this out, he thought to himself. As he approached the building, he experienced an "otherness." He opened the door slowly. "Merly Ann, you invading my privacy again?" Nothing. //This ain't Merly. That dangerous bit of dust in the wind feels different.// Lucas approached his office and felt the "otherness" grow stronger. Not to be daunted, the sheriff opened the door and walked in. A slender man was lounging in Lucas' chair behind Lucas' desk. Either foolishly brave or just plain stupid to infrige on Buck's space, this other was dressed in black slacks and a black shirt. His hair was military crew cut. Like Lucas, he wore his shirt buttoned all the way up with no tie. The stranger's black shirt was adorned with a small pin, with what looked like a silver sword at the neck. He also wore one long, wide silver ring on his right pinkie finger. And, damned if it didn't look like the guy penciled in his eyebrows! Wonder what kind of rock n' roll nutcase this is, Lucas mused silently. "The band left last night, mister," Lucas drawled. "You need directions to where they went?" The stranger appraised the Sheriff with a long glance, his hands entwined in front of him. In a deep, ancient, slightly European voice, he said, "You are mistaken." Again, Lucas recognized the otherness. And, again, he looked over the stranger. Somehow, this person was, like himself, very powerful. "You asked for me," the other intoned. Buck allowed one eyebrow to raise just a bit for only a moment. "And who would you be?" The stranger stood up with the dignity of a king and took two easy strides to the Sheriff. He extended his hand, "Lucien LaCroix." ~~~~~~~~ Dr. Natalie Lambert awoke on the crimson silk sheets of Nick's bed. She knew she was Natalie, but that was all she *knew* - she *felt* so unusual, so not-Nat. Her tongue informed her brain that she had unusual morning breath - it was from . . . blood. "Aaagh, bleck!" she hacked, spitting what she could from her mouth as she made her way across the room to the bathroom. She filled her mouth with water, swished it around and spit it out. Squeezing some toothpaste onto a finger, she filled her mouth with water again, this time swishing it around with the toothpaste to clean her mouth. "I presume my blood did not suit your palate," a familiar voice said from behind her. "Perhaps you'll prefer another flavor." Natalie turned to see LaCroix standing in the bedroom doorway. "Oh God," she uttered, then managed, "Am I? Did you? Oh God." Finally finding her sense of self, she demanded, "Where is Nick?! What have you done?!" With a slight, smug smile, LaCroix answered cryptically, "Yes. Yes. Downstairs. And . . . taken care of my son, as usual." The last thing Natalie remembered was talking Nick into taking her blood. She was willing to risk the consequences, either her death or his becoming human. Chances are, she thought, neither of those things happened. "You brought me across," she said flatly. "Yes. Well it didn't seem right," LaCroix responded in a tone laced with sarcasm, "You see, after all you've done for him, I'm afraid my son intended to let you die." "He was supposed to," she growled at her new Father. "We were going to face fate together." "Yes, well, Nicholas' idea of fate was having me murder him," LaCroix said, carefully enunciating the word, 'murder.' "I could no more kill him, than," he paused, "Well, let's just say it's not in my nature." "That's a hoot. 'Murder' not in your nature," she taunted him. Then, pushing past the ancient vampire, she asked, "You said Nick's downstairs?" Without waiting for an answer, Natalie went out of the bedroom to the balcony overlooking the den. There, looking like a life-sized cherub, was her Nick, asleep on the couch. Well, presumably he was asleep. As she raced down the steps, she asked LaCroix, "Is he dead?" "I suppose my answer would depend on how you define dead." "Good grief, LaCroix! Give me a straight answer. Why isn't he awake?" "In a manner of speaking, he's drunk." "What?" the golden-haired coroner demanded. "I needed to keep him in one place for a little while, so after knocking him unconscious, I injected curare into his system." Natalie's eyes teared up, then flashed with anger. "You tried to kill him!" "No, no, my dear. Curare is merely intoxicating to us. He will be fine." LaCroix suddenly appeared downstairs, beside the couch. Amused, he looked deeply into the eyes of his new Daughter, "Besides my dear, I thought you wanted him to die." "Well," she stammered. "We were going to go wherever together." "I'm sorry, Dr. Lambert, but I don't believe in suicide." "You call what you do, what you are, living?" Natalie demanded. "Absolutely, and you will, too." He walked to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, removed a bottle and poured some of Nick's cow blood into a crystal wine glass. "Natalie, may I call you Natalie? If you drink this, not only will your discomfort cease, but you will never desire human blood." "Oh God, you're right. That's why Screed drank from rats." After running her fingers through Nick's hair and pressing her fingers to his neck for the minute it would take to feel a heartbeat, Natalie sat in the plush chair next to the couch to think about her options. LaCroix sipped from the wine glass and made a disgusted face, but he remained silent. Although he'd never admit it to the woman, he would need Natalie's help once his Son awoke. Nicholas would be very unhappy. "I could continue as coroner, which would allow me to help others, continue seeking a cure for this condition, and never feel the need to kill a person for their blood." She paused to further analyze the situation. "I would not have to be concerned about my health or looks, until I found the cure, and once I found the cure, Nick and I could have children." She sounded positively pleased, for above all else, Dr. Natalie Lambert was optimistic and practical. "Alright," she said, extending her hand to take the glass from LaCroix. ~~~~~~~~ Feeling as though he were not in control of the situation and quietly furious at the concept, Lucas grasped the stranger's hand firmly. Suddenly, his extraordinary psychic senses were assailed by images of night after night after night, year after year after year of death, killing; this other seemed to thrive on it! Lucas Buck was no stranger to pain and human suffering. In fact, he enjoyed inflicting it tremendously. When the pain involved sweaty moments with Selena, he even liked being on the receiving end. But this horror was a thousand times more ruthless, heartless and deadly than his own sadistic pleasures. A cold with icy fingers chilled Lucas' already frigid heart. And then, he felt something else . . . The knowing of this else was manifesting itself when LaCroix removed his hand from the Sheriff's grasp. Buck stumbled. He tried to remain composed, but as the terrifyingly bloody visions and emotions of this other man assaulted him, his senses dimmed to shut out the horror. "Well, well, Mr. LaCroix," Buck smiled uneasily as he regained balance, "You intrigue me." "Please, simply call me LaCroix . . ." "Then, LaCroix it is," Lucas agreed broadly. "What can I do for you, LaCroix?" Lucas strode over to his desk and settled in his chair attempting to re-establish his proper place - in charge. The two powerful creatures were now firmly entrenched in a verbal and psychological struggle for supremacy. Lucas continued, "What is there in my humble hamlet that would bring a man of your, uh, talents here?" He smiled slyly and said, "I don't s'pose it's Miss Holt's peach cobbler, delicious though it may be." "You asked for me, Lucas. I understand you need help converting a misguided soul." "I don't remember asking for you, and I don't need anybody's help. Certainly not that of a murderer," Lucas drawled. LaCroix shrugged almost imperceptibly. He was enjoying toying with this particular mortal. //Shame I must be his adversary at this time.// "I'm well aware of your talents, Lucas." "Then you know I'm fine on my own," the sheriff replied coldly. "I know you are going to lose your son to the light forever if you don't let me help you." "I don't know who the hell you think you are, but my boy is my business, mister." "Of course he is," LaCroix continued in a soothing tone. "I simply propose to help you win him - for a price, of course." Lucas sat back in his chair, relaxing. //Now I've got this prissy wacko. LaCroix wants something that I have.// With absolutely no intentions of working with the man, Lucas asked, "And what is your price?" "I would like to feed in your town this week," LaCroix lied. He continued quietly and sinuously respectfully, "I don't usually *ask* first." "Feed?" The ancient vampire allowed his true self to show - the feral eyes and elongated canines appearing so quickly and naturally that they seemed a theatrical morphing illusion. However, this was no theatre and the being was no illusion. Lucas had felt the cold reality of the being's hand. //So that was the reason for the cold, deadly fire in this thing. This was the reality that had escaped knowing when he first touched LaCroix's hand.// "I see," Buck said calmly. "Well, as I stated, I don't need, nor do I want any help with my son. Furthermore, I don't need a rash of exsanguinated bodies." Lucas stood, his 'strings-attached' generosity oozing. "Perhaps we can help one another some other time in some other way. Please leave the way you came in." "I have extensive experience in turning the misguided," the man in black pressed. Lucas sensed a note of sadness, of loss in LaCroix's tone. "Sounds to me that your experience was all failure." "For a time, it did," LaCroix admitted. "I had to work very hard to set my son on the right path. However," he continued with a terrifying smile, "my efforts were well worth it." Drawing upon his extraordinary skills to manipulate the thoughts of mortals, LaCroix intoned, "You are losing your son to the light, to his *dead* sister. You recognize that I have extraordinary abilities. Wouldn't you like to hear my proposal?" End of Part 1 Subj: XOVER: When the Good Guys Win 2/3 Date: 96-11-06 18:25:50 EST From: katygale@concentric.net (Kayla Clark) Reply-to: katygale@concentric.net [Please see disclaimers and acknowledgements in part 1.] PART 2 Her first Hunger satiated, Natalie called home for her messages while LaCroix checked on Nick. There was only one message. It was from a friend of hers from med school, Matt Crower. She had kept in close touch with him over the years and had even come close to revealing her knowledge of the existence of vampires to him at one point. Instead, she had admitted that, because of recent personal experience, she believed in the possibilities of much more than she had believed previously. Yes, she had conceded when pressed, even things which seemed supernatural. In the message, Matt sounded tremendously upset and asked her to call him back. The number he gave was of a mental institution. "Matt!" she exclaimed when she was finally allowed to speak to her friend. "What the hell is going on?" "Funny you should say it just like that," he said humorlessly. "Thanks for calling, Nat. I need your help." "Name it." "Well," he began, "there's this man and his son . . . ." ~~~~~~~~ "Lemme' see if I understand you correctly," Lucas said, "You're going to convince Caleb that I'm his only protection from you?" "No no no," LaCroix said as if speaking to a child. "I will simply put the boy in mortal terror. Where he goes with that is up to you." "I'll make sure he knows that I can and will protect him," Lucas said with quiet confidence. "Then, once he has placed his trust in me, he'll be mine." ~~~~~~~~ Looking at Natalie with a raised eyebrow, LaCroix said, "That just might work, my dear. Although, you must know, I believe this is more about personal power than good and evil. I also do not believe in angels or ghosts or whatever. However, this sheriff person does seem to have some very interesting abilities." He added, "Though no threat to me of course." "How can you say you don't believe in good?" Natalie demanded. "You *know* that his goodness is what saved Nick from that demon earlier this year!" "I know no such thing, doctor! Now," her Master moved so that he was standing close behind her. He lifted the hair near her neck softly, "I have agreed to help you because it serves my interests." LaCroix moved the cloth of her blouse to the side and lightly kissed the skin of her shoulder, then her neck where he'd bitten earlier. "I will prepare the sheriff and you will prepare Nicholas. That is all." She heard the slightest 'whoosh,' turned and LaCroix was gone. Somewhere in her analytical mind, she wondered how long it would take to fly from Toronto to South Carolina. A soft giggle escaped as she thought that LaCroix wouldn't have to worry about showing his ID when he crossed the border. Her attention was immediately re-directed to the couch as a low moan escaped the lips of her beloved. She sat beside him, twirled one hand in the blonde curls near his ear, leaned forward and began kissing his face. Soon, she felt his hand move to her side, then her shoulders and face. Then, he pushed her away. "Natalie," he croaked, "what happened?" His eyes roamed his surroundings as if starving for information. "This isn't death - is it?" "No, my love, it isn't." Although the admission was still somewhat painful to her, she had determined not to let Nick know. "We have been brought together forever." As he leapt to his feet, Nicholas yelled, "I'll kill him!! By God, if it's the last thing I do. That bastard!" Storming around the den, he grabbed the nearest knick-knacks and made missiles of them, putting broad, clean holes in his brick walls and heaviest appliances. "I wanted to die! I wanted to die! I wanted to be with you! I didn't want to bring *you* into the hell that is my life!" Slamming himself into one of his table chairs, he exhaled, "DAMN!" "It's okay, Nick. Really. You'll see. I have plans. We're going to be great together." ~~~~~~~~ "What was that?" Caleb asked Boone. "I don't know. Let's go see." The two youths were playing in the Trinity junkyard, a frightening place in the brightest day. At 2am, it was wonderfully terrifying for the boys. Better than any storytelling around a campfire, running around here was its own adventure. As they ran towards the noise, Caleb said, "It could just be a 'coon." Suddenly sensing that he was alone, Caleb stopped and whispered, "Boone, Boone!" Then he saw him. A tall, slim figure in black was lifting his friend from the ground. As Caleb watched, the shadow brought the boy's neck up to his mouth and bit into it. Screaming as loud as he could, Caleb ran at the figure, a man, only to completely miss him. The boy turned to see that the man was now several yards to the left. In the grip of shock, he watched as the man dropped Boone to the ground, as if he were simply a bag of dog food. The man looked at Caleb, eyes alight with an unnatural green glow, canines extended several inches, blood making a trail down his chin and said, "You're supper tomorrow." The thing brought his pinky finger to his face, wiped the excess blood from it and sucked it off. Then, as if suddenly buoyed by thousands of helium balloons, the thing shaped like a man lifted into the sky and disappeared into the night, flying. No stranger to the unusual, Caleb recovered quickly and raced to his friend's side. Boone didn't seem to be breathing and he wasn't trying to move from the awkward position he'd fallen into. Caleb noticed two puncture wounds on the boy's neck. People were coming. //OhmyGod! What am I gonna' do?// "Problem, son?" Lucas asked, appearing from nowhere. "It's Boone, I think he's dead." The people were rapidly approaching. "Did *you* kill him, boy?" "*No* sir!" he protested automatically. "I don't kill people. It was a vampire! I swear, that's what it looked like!" "Sheriff Buck!" Poppy exclaimed as she and her new husband, the owners of the junkyard, came running up. "I'm so glad to see that you're here. T.J. and I heard screaming . . . why Caleb," she began reproachfully when she saw the boy, "What you doing here?" Lucas stepped between Poppy and Caleb. "Poppy, darlin', I am terribly sorry. Seems my boy and his friend were playing on your property here. There's been an accident. It looks like Boone here may have been killed." The sheriff turned to face Caleb. "Boy, you go call Dr. Peele, then you git yourself on home. You and I will have a little talk about what happened shortly." "But, Lu . . ." "Don't give me any lip, boy." Buck looked meaningfully into his son's eyes and said, "You're safe. Just do as I say." Caleb took off running. Looking down at the broken form of Boone, Lucas murmured, "That city doctor from the CDC will be able to do what needs to be done with the boy. "Now," the Sheriff said turning back to the yard's owners. "T.J., Poppy, I imagine this boy's parents are gonna' be plenty upset about this. You *do* have insurance for this sort of thing, don't you?" "Gee, sir," T.J. began. "Well, boy, I'd hate to see anything happen to a sweet young couple such as you and Poppy. Perhaps there're things I can do to help you. I consider it my civic duty to help the citizens of Trinity. Then, whenever I need a favor, well ...." ~~~~ Caleb ran into the boarding house yelling for its proprietor, a woman knowledgeable in the supernatural. "Miss Holt, Miss Holt! I gotta' talk to you!" Wrapping a robe around herself as she walked out of her room, Miss Holt, who had legal custody of the boy, asked, "It's awfully late to be settlin' down to chat, Caleb." She moved to the kitchen and filled the teapot. "Have a seat and I'll make myself some tea. You want some milk?" "No, thank you, ma'am. Miss Holt, are there such things as vampires?" Startled, the peaceful-faced, African-American woman turned to look at the boy. "I've never seen one, but that doesn't mean they don't exist." "Well, I saw one tonight. He killed Boone and flew off." Miss Holt placed a plate of sugar cookies on the table and sat down. "That must've been very upsetting." "Lucas told me that I was safe, but the vampire told me that I'd be it's supper tomorrow night." "Lucas is a very powerful man," Miss Holt muttered. "Oh, I almost forgot. You got a message from Dr. Matt today." She got up gracefully and walked to the hallway, bringing back a yellow post-it and handing it to Caleb. She poured the steaming water from the teapot into a cup. The boy read the note while she sat down and dunked her teabag. The note read, 'Trust my friend Natalie. She'll come see you tonight.' Upstairs in Caleb's bedroom, Nick and Nat nervously waited for the boy to come to bed. "We don't have much time before the Sheriff comes for Caleb," Nick said as he paced the room. "I know. I know. We've got to find a way to get him soon," Natalie replied worriedly. "Perhaps I can help," an angelic voice said quietly. Earlier in the year, Nick and Nat had experienced visitations from the beyond, so they weren't completely unnerved. However, Merly Ann's appearance was accompanied by a pure, soft, brilliant white light. Nick felt like a million ants were crawling under his skin. He shivered violently, stood up and walked as far away from the apparition as possible. Although the massive irritation continued, he tried to curb it by concentrating on Natalie's trust in him, in his goodness. "You must be Merly Ann," Natalie said. "Yes," she stated firmly. Merly, who had been watching the evening's events, was concerned about her brother. "Why are you trying to take my brother away from here." "My friend, Matt, told me that Caleb was in danger and needed protection. I believe that Nick and I can provide that. We can also provide a good home as his parents." "I protect my brother." "Perhaps we can help," Natalie tried again. "I've looked into your souls. Yours," she said, pointing at Natalie, "is reliable and as pure as a human's can be. His," she said, pointing to Nicholas, "is in grave trouble even though he is on the path of redemption." "If you can see into our souls," Nicholas replied, "You know that what we want is safety for Caleb. This Sheriff is an unnatural threat to the boy. We can protect Caleb." "Perhaps," she responded. Then, she asked, "Do you trust *your* father to let Caleb grow up in the light? LaCroix has no regret for the sins of his past and present in his ancient soul." "Although he has torn my attempt at being a father before, I don't think he will again. He wants for me to be his companion, to accept him into my life." Nick sighed. "He knows I won't if he brings any harm to the boy." "Plus," Natalie continued, "We have made arrangements for Natalie's friend, Matt, and Caleb's cousin, Gail, to come with us. Basically," she explained, "We will remove your brother from his dangerous father to a safe place among family and friends." "What about me?" Merly asked. "I don't know if I can leave this area and I need to stay with him." "I don't know Merly. We don't even know about Lucas," Natalie replied. "We're hoping that Lucas will be persuaded to stay here and try again rather than risk losing a fight with LaCroix or the rest of us." "We are running out of time," Nick interjected. "We don't know the power of Caleb's father and we need to get the boy and go before the man has a chance to get here." ~~~~~~~~ After reading the note, Caleb stated, "I haven't met anybody named Natalie. Maybe he meant tomorrow." The boy crunched a cookie and Miss Holt sipped her tea as the two relaxed in the secure comfort of this blessed house. Suddenly, Merly appeared to Caleb. "Go upstairs now," she said to her brother. "Merly!" he exclaimed. "I'm glad you're here." Miss Holt watched without question or comment as Caleb talked to what seemed to her to be nothing. "Caleb," Merly said, "I know what has happened. Go upstairs right now!" Caleb murmured a 'Thank you' to Miss Holt and hustled out of the kitchen and up the stairs to his room. As he opened the door and saw the two adults standing there, he heard the front door open and the voice of his father call out, "Son!" End of Part 2 Subj: XOVER: When the Good Guys Win Date: 96-11-06 18:30:19 EST From: katygale@concentric.net (Kayla Clark) Reply-to: katygale@concentric.net PART 3 "Hi Caleb, I'm Natalie. Matt told you I'd be coming, right?" "Yes, ma'am. But my daddy's downstairs and I need to go talk with him." "Caleb," Natalie continued worriedly, "you have to leave with me and my friend, Nick, right now. You can't talk with the sheriff." "I don't understand," Caleb said. "Dr. Matt told me to trust you, but ...." The heavy footsteps of Sheriff Buck could be heard ascending the stairs. "Caleb," Merly said, appearing next to Natalie, "Go with Natalie. Don't stay for Lucas. Please! You must go now!" "Wel'okay, but how will we get past Lucas?" the boy asked. Nicholas opened the window as Nat ushered Caleb to it. "Think happy thoughts and pretend I've sprinkled you with fairy dust," Nick dead- panned as he wrapped his arm around the boy's chest and flew out the window. Instantly, as he realized that he was being carried by the same sort of creature that had killed his friend just hours before, Caleb started squirming. "Let me go!" he screamed. Although Nick was already a mile away by the time Lucas entered the room, he heard the man address him, "Not so fast, flyboy." In the air before him, he saw a vision of the sheriff holding a large crucifix and a wooden stake. Natalie was pinned onto the bed with the stake held at her heart. "Bring the boy back, blondie, or I'm gonna' treat your friend here like a tomato plant." Nick stopped and hovered as anger welled up inside him. How dare someone threaten his Natalie! The vampire within evidenced itself in his teeth and eyes. Caleb squirmed harder. Because she had just been brought across, a stake through the heart would be the end of Natalie. With the arm that wasn't holding the boy, Nick grabbed the waistband of Caleb's jeans, held him at arm's length and said, "Be still, Caleb. We are trying to save you, but you must be still." Nick's eyes and teeth returned to their human state. "We won't let anything happen to you. However, I can't let anything happen to Natalie either." Turning back to the house, he flew back to a few yards outside the bedroom window. "I can't come in there with that," he said, pointing at the crucifix. //I *can* and will, but I'd just as soon not *have* to. Merly's glow is painful enough.// "I don't care what kind of problems this here piece of brass and silver cause you. You bring me my boy now!" To emphasize his seriousness, Lucas raised the stake as if readying the strike. In the blink of an eye, Lucas was knocked across the room by the blonde vampire. The crucifix was thrown across the room, crashing into Caleb's dresser mirror before it landed. "That's seven years bad luck, flyboy," Lucas sneered to Nick. "To you," Nick retorted. "Natalie, take Caleb and go." "But Nick . . ." Natalie cried. "GO!!" he demanded. Holding a mortal in place was a simple matter to a vampire. But, as Natalie left with Caleb, Nick could feel himself straining to keep Buck from moving. Whispering in a dangerously quiet voice, Lucas warned, "You've chosen the wrong side, Nick. If you think stealing my son will redeem your soul, lemme tell you what I told the other man that tried to be a father to Caleb - it's too late for salvation." Then, using his extraordinary abilities, Lucas pushed Nick away. Before Nick could regain his hold, the Sheriff hefted the stake threateningly. "If memory serves me correctly, vampires don't enjoy the warmth of a fire," Lucas said as he set Nicholas ablaze. The sheriff raced out of the room, down the stairs and to his car, intent on following the flying female rat who had his son. Nicholas was tackled by an unseen force. LaCroix. He knew it before he saw his Master. He could feel him through their blood bond. "Be still," LaCroix said, "unless you'd like to join Divia in the ashes." "The sheriff went after Natalie," Nick gasped as the flames dissolved into smoldering clothing. "I'll handle Lucas. You make sure everything goes as planned with Natalie and Caleb," LaCroix replied. Before LaCroix could leave, Nick pleaded, "Why, LaCroix, why did you have to kill Caleb's friend?" "I was hungry." ~~~~ Racing down the highway, twisting police lights illuminating the clear sky with eerie reds and blues, Sheriff Lucas Buck chased his flying prey. ::**CRASH**:: Buck swerved to miss the immense oak tree that fell in front of him. //Damn them!! If that tree hadn't been so big, I'd've just rammed the bastard out of the way!// Intent on figuring a way to follow his son, he rapidly got out of the car and started looking for a way around the tree. LaCroix stepped in front of him. "This is as far as you go," the vampire stated. "It's your turn to be mistaken." Suddenly, Lucas and his car were on the other side of the tree. The sheriff opened the sedan's door to get in. LaCroix pulled the door from Buck's grasp and smashed it through the car's engine. "Lucas," the ancient vampire said calmly, "I admire the way you handled the situation at the junkyard. If you weren't already a, well, let's say a powerful man, I would give you the same gift I gave my son." The sheriff glared at LaCroix preparing to set him on fire. "And don't try your little tricks on me. I don't want to have to kill you - I've already fed this evening and I like you." "You can't have my boy," Buck said in a deadly whisper. "I don't want him," LaCroix snapped. "However," he continued with a sigh, "My son does." "I'll get Caleb back. He's my son." Buck's voice became colder as he threatened, "I recommend that your *son* return him now or spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder." LaCroix stepped closer to Buck and took the sheriff's hands in one of his own. With his free hand, he slowly stroked the skin over Buck's carotid artery. "I know you can see into my past with your special sight, Lucas. *I* recommend that you make another son . . ." Lucas was trembling with fury and fear and even more fury that he felt fear as the past horrors of General Lucius and Lucien LaCroix assaulted his mind. He remained silent, contemplating his revenge. "And leave *my* son to me," LaCroix added before releasing the sheriff and flying off. ~~~~~~~~ "Everything's going smoothly, just as planned," Nick told Natalie as he entered their cabin. The only double suite on the "Alaskan Paradise" cruise ship, it provided plenty of space for the new family to become acquainted. Nicholas had done a bit of redecorating to prevent any sun from entering his and Nat's room during the day. Caleb had the adjoining room. He had made full use of the complimentary vcr, watching every movie the ship had to rent and inviting other kids to join him. With the assistance of his new friends, he cleaned the tiny refrigerator out of all the colas and juice several times. Earlier this particular evening, he had told Natalie that he was going to bed. However, he and his gang were currently creeping around, investigating all the darkest and dirtiest niches of the ship. During the cross-country train and airplane rides, he had learned all he needed to know from his new guardians. Merly had even showed up to help convince him that these two were on the right side. Although he'd miss Trinity, what boy wouldn't want to travel the world with two extremely kind, wealthy and generous vampires? Every now and then, he wondered about his daddy. //Will Lucas come looking for me? Will he be mad? Would he hurt me?// Course, Merly, Nick and Natalie told him that they could protect him from Lucas. The full moon created enchanting images on the frigid waters of the Bering Strait. Nick slipped his arm around Natalie and kissed her. "I am so glad everything is working out," the beautiful former Medical Examiner enthused. "Did you talk to Matt?" "Yes. He's already in Amsterdam with Gail. He's looking forward to working with you on a cure. He even mentioned that he's met someone who is a member of a group that studies the supernatural. Gail is working on a story about a local legend which involves this group and genetic manipulation. They're doing fine." "That's wonderful!" Moving her head back so that she could look into his eyes, Natalie asked with concern, "What about LaCroix?" "Only that he got Gail and Matt safely out of the states." With a touch of sourness, he continued, "I'm sure he'll show up to demand something in return for all these favors." Caressing Nick's face with the knowledge that she didn't have to hold back her feelings anymore, she said softly, "He saved us all." "You have saved me," Nicholas corrected. "I didn't think I could stand seeing you become what I am and I didn't want to live without you. You've changed me. You've given me a *new* life. I'm going to be a husband with a wife to love and share my life; and I'm a father now, with a real child to love and protect." He tightened his arms around Natalie and pulled her face to his. Then, just before their lips touched, he asked, "By the way, where is Caleb?" FINIS -- Kayla (Clan Drummond by birth - "Go Carefully" - Clan Ventrue by choice) NEW E-MAIL KATYGALE@CONCENTRIC.NET *Luna*tic ~ DFW ~ Cousin ~ All-Around SF/F Fan "Why exactly would someone want fake dog poop?" - Jarod, *The Pretender*