Okay, how about a teaser?  Nick is forced to bring Tracy across, but it's
not just her who changes.  Lots of Tracy, Nick and Nat, quite a bit of
Lacroix, Miklos and Urs. I'm quite proud of this one, give it a chance,
you might like it.

Legal stuff - as always, I don't own FK, they belong to someone else.  I
don't even get visitation rights on Lacroix!  *frown* Anyway permission
to archive at Mel's and on any of the fabulous Dark Perk Pages, all
others must ask first.

Many thanks and virtual offerings to my lovely beta-readers Ren Miller
and Shana Nolan, who put up with so much from me that they really deserve
much more than just my thanks.

Notes:
~ There's no significance to 13 parts, it just worked out that way.
~ There is one scene that almost bumped this into an R rating, not sex,
just some vamp stuff
~  I -love- feedback!  Send all comments and virtual coffee to
anteros@juno.com


Coming Across (1/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)


        Nick stood in his loft, covered in blood. Tracy lay there before him,
carefully lain out on his sofa.  Her shirt a bloody testament to the
evening's activities.  A large gory stain spread across her stomach where
the bullet had entered.  And, of course, there was also the blood from
the other wound, blood that had seeped into her collar.  Her neck was
still coated with it too, though the bite had since healed.

        "Oh Tracy," Nick whispered to her still form, "This is all my fault."

        Earlier that evening, he'd received a tip that Carl Fisher had been
spotted entering the old cannery building on Ninth. Fisher had killed his
three daughters in cold blood and had been playing hide-and-seek with the
police for weeks.  Nick had seriously wanted to catch that murdering
bastard, and somewhere along the way the search had become an obsession.
When the call had come in, he'd raced the Caddy to the abandoned
facility.  He and Tracy had been the first ones there.  He hadn't waited
for back up, even though Tracy had wanted to   Silent tears ran down
Nick's cheeks.  He'd rushed in, intent on getting to Fisher before he
could escape again.  Tracy had followed after him, still shouting that
they should wait.  He'd told her to stay in the car but she'd wanted to
protect his back.

        In the end he'd cornered Fisher, but the creep had pulled a gun.  The
bullet had missed him, but Tracy had been hit in the belly.  He'd quickly
dealt with Fisher and flown to his partner's side, but her wound had been
too severe, no hospital could have helped.  She had been unconscious, he
knew it was his fault.  Then  he'd brought her across.

        Nick's head snapped up as the elevator door opened.  His face was a
picture of shame as Nat entered the loft.

        "Oh my God, Nick!"  The coroner ran to Tracy's side.  "Is she-?"  She
didn't finish the question; she felt no pulse on Tracy's thin white
wrist.  When Nick had called for her to come right over she hadn't
realised

        "I brought her across."  Nick confessed in a whisper.  "She would've
died, it was my fault Nat I couldn't just let her-" He stopped, too
choked with emotion to continue.

        "Nick, it's not your fault.  Tracy was  is a cop.  She knew the risks!"
Nat tried to reason to him even though she was so shocked she could
barely choke out the words.  How could he do this?

        "No, Nat." Nick sounded tired.  "It -is- my fault.  I took risks that no
mortal would.  I knew I couldn't get hurt.  Tracy didn't, she followed me
right in, she would have followed me right into the mouth of hell."  Nick
whispered.  "She trusted me Nat  and look what it got her!"

        Natalie silently searched his face.  Nothing she could say would take
away any of the guilt he was feeling, no words could change the truth.
She turned her attention back to Tracy.  Her blonde hair shone in the dim
light, her face pale and peaceful.  "She almost looks like an angel." Nat
sighed sadly.

        "She looks like a vampire."  Nick spat out.  The tendrils of awareness
were starting to form, he could 'feel' Tracy now.  There was a groggy
rage practically humming in the air around her.  He was almost surprised
Nat couldn't pick up on it, that's how strong it was.

        Nat frowned. Now Nick seemed upset that Tracy was going to- was a
vampire, but he was the one responsible.   For all his claims of wanting
to be mortal again he always ended up acting very much the vampire.
Someone he saw as 'under his protection' had almost died, the solution?
Bring her across.  Nat briefly wondered if Nick -really- wanted to be
mortal again, or if his entire quest was just his way of dealing with his
guilt?  Well, she couldn't worry about that now  she had to concentrate
on Tracy now.  Memories of Richard, her own brother, coming across only
to become a mad killer forced their way into her thoughts.  Nat's mouth
pressed into a grim line, she was going to do her damnedest to make sure
that didn't happen to Tracy.  "How long until she wakes up?"

        "Any minute now."  Nick said, he went to the fridge and pulled out a few
bottles.  They were human, left by Lacroix to tempt him he supposed.  Now
he'd use them to make Tracy a full-fledged vampire.  He would have used
cow, but carouches had even less chance of staying sane than normal
vampires. No, he was going to do whatever he needed to make sure Tracy
turned out all right.  He paused and looked at her again, his fledgling.
The connection between them was already strong, more intense than any
he'd ever had with previous fledglings.  This was more of the calibre of
what he felt when Lacroix was in the mood to prove the strength of their
own link by pushing his way into his consciousness.  Only this time, no
one was -trying- to do anything, it was just happening.

        Suddenly Tracy began to stir.  She sat up abruptly, eyes glowing.  She
looked around wildly.  She was confused and hungry.  Very hungry.  When
Nick handed her a bottle she didn't even think, she just began drinking.
When she'd finished the first she was handed another.  She was halfway
through her third bottle before any coherent thought was possible.

        Natalie watched from a few feet away as Tracy gulped down the blood.  It
was horrific, but strangely mesmerising too.  She'd seen Nick drink like
that dozens of times, but Tracy  It was almost surreal to watch sweet and
innocent Tracy gorge herself on what she knew to be human blood.

        At last Tracy stopped.  She put down her half-finished bottle and looked
straight at Nick.  Her expression was unreadable.  "You're a vampire."
She stated, her voice was so cold it sent a chill down Natalie's spine.
"You're a vampire and you brought me across."  Tracy finished.

        Nick nodded.  "Yes, that's right."  He walked up next to the couch where
Tracy still sat.  He made to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but
Tracy pulled away.

        Nick flinched at her reaction.

        "For how long?"  Tracy asked him, in the same emotionless voice.

         "Eight hundred years." Nick said.  He saw Tracy flinch herself, and was
surprised when he felt his awareness of her shrink to nearly
non-existent, almost as if she were trying to hide from him, draw back
into herself.  Gently he tried to make her notice their link by
concentrating on their connection in a way that would make it echo
through her mind.

        Tracy flinched again.  She glanced at Nick quickly, but then looked to
Nat.  "You're not, but you've always known."

        Nat nodded, oblivious to the undercurrents between the other two in the
room.  She'd always wanted to tell Tracy, but Nick had always talked her
out of it.  Nat realised now she should have told her, no matter how Nick
might have objected.  She took an unconscious step back.  Tracy's
demeanour was starting to scare her.  She was so cold, emotionless.

        "And you both knew about me and Vachon, you knew I knew about vampires."
 Tracy continued.  "And you decided not to tell me."  The last was said
with a small ironic smile, the first bit of emotion she'd shown at all.

        Both Nick and Nat winced at that.  They began to explain to her -why-
they hadn't told her.  Their voices were rushed and desperate as they
spoke.  Nick begged her to forgive him for putting her in danger, and for
bringing her across.  Nat explained her own reasons for not saying
anything, and told about Nick's quest for mortality.  They told her how
Nick hadn't killed anyone for a hundred years and how Tracy could be that
kind of vampire.  And finally Nat told her about how she was working on a
cure, and how maybe some day she could make her mortal again.

        Tracy listened to all their explanations silently.  For over an hour
they earnestly talked to her, but she showed no reaction to anything that
was said.  Her attention seemed focused inward.

        Finally when both Nick and Natalie had exhausted every rationale and
informed her of every nuance of Nick's quest, they sat in silence.  Tracy
blinked and straightened up.  She turned to Nick.

        "You have to go back to the cannery and deal with Fisher and
everything."  Tracy stated in near monotone.  "Did you leave your car
there?"

        Nick nodded, stunned at her complete acceptance of the situation.  Nat
looked very worried.

        "And you killed Fisher?" Tracy asked and waited for Nick to nod.  "Good,
that'll make things easier, he won't tell anyone I was shot then."  She
said this so casually Nick stared at her in disbelief.

        "You'll have to go down there and give some explanation." she continued,
"Don't tell them I'm dead, I am -not- giving up my job."  Tracy said
determinedly.

        "What'll I tell them?"  Nick asked.  He was at a loss at to what Tracy
was thinking.  He tried briefly to read her thoughts but Tracy glared at
him.  She'd felt his presence and blocked him easily.  Nick sighed, he'd
never been very good at that one.

        "I don't know."  Tracy raked a hand through her hair, she sounded
annoyed.  "Tell them, I was hurt, but not seriously.  You killed Fisher
in self defence, then got me out of there and to a hospital."

        "We'll have to arrange something with a few doctors later." Natalie
piped up, thinking quickly that a few people would have to be whammied
for that story to work.  But it could work.  She chewed her bottom lip,
thinking.  "You should go down there now and start explaining.  When they
see your car and all the blood "

        Looking at Nat, Nick slowly nodded.  He didn't want to leave Tracy, but
if they wanted to keep their lives in Toronto he'd better get down there
and start the damage control.  "You'll stay here with her?"  He asked
her.

        "Of course," Nat answered.  And with that Nick left.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        After Nick had gone, Natalie and Tracy looked at each other.  Suddenly
Tracy jumped off the couch.  Nat felt a quick flash of panic at seeing
Tracy move just a little faster than any mortal could.  She flinched as
she realised Tracy could very well kill her.

        Tracy just smiled.  Not her normal eager-to-please sunny smile, this had
a cruel quality Nat usually associated with Lacroix or one of the
psychopaths the 96th occasionally brought down.  She wondered if Tracy
could sense her fear?

        "I'm going to get one of Nick's shirts."  Tracy explained, fingering the
gaping hole in her own, "This one's kinda had it and I don't think Clorox
is gonna help much." She laughed at her own little joke before darting up
the stairs.

        Natalie shivered.  This was a new side of Tracy she'd never seen before.
 Sure she'd -suspected- the blonde had a dark side; after all, the
25-year-old had picked homicide as her field and was more involved (at
least number wise) with vampires than she was.  She had occasionally
shown glimpses of a wicked sense of humour that would have made Vincent
Price take notes too.  But until now she really hadn't paid too much
attention.  Maybe she should have; because now she didn't know if Tracy
was just showing a side of herself Nat just hadn't seen before or if, God
forbid, being a vampire was affecting her as it had her brother.  She
really wished Nick were still here.  The idea of calling Lacroix flashed
through her mind.  Now why had she thought of that?  It was absurd to
think the ancient vampire would be anything but a hindrance in their goal
to keep Tracy from becoming a killer!  'But at least he could control
her.' Nat thought traitorously.  Tracy was really scaring her, and she
didn't think she could handle another Richard.

        The new vampire returned in one of Nick's many black silk shirts.  She'd
washed off most of the dried blood from her neck too.  She sent another
feral grin Natalie's way, causing the pathologist to take an uneasy step
back.  Tracy's blue eyes roamed the loft at last settling on the
motorcycle in the corner.  "You don't think Nick would mind if I took his
bike for a spin do you?"  Tracy asked a little too sweetly.

        "Nick wanted you to stay here." Natalie said, her voice shaking
slightly.  "Besides, I doubt there's any gas in it."

        Tracy grinned at the bike, "I'm sure I saw a couple gallons in plastic
jugs in the garage a while back."  She looked back at Natalie, her smile
changing to something a little more menacing.  "-You- don't mind if I go,
do you?"

        Natalie got the impression that there was only one right answer to that.
 "No  no, go ahead. Just be back before dawn okay?"

        Tracy glanced at the clock on the wall; it wasn't quite midnight yet.
"No problemo."  She smiled again at Natalie; it was the old sunny Tracy
smile this time.  "Don't worry Nat, everything will be okay."

             Natalie watched as Tracy walked the bike to the elevator and
shivered again. Wringing her hands nervously, she looked on helplessly as
the blonde and the bike disappeared behind the lift's doors, and listened
as the noisy gears lowered them to the ground. She then considered
Tracy's parting words; 'everything will be okay.' She hoped so.  She
really hoped so.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and non-chloride bleaches to anteros@juno.com


*See part one for disclaimers

Coming Across  (2/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)


        A half an hour later Tracy gunned the engine, the bike had some real
power!  She was speeding -way- over the limit. Part of her knew that no
matter how fast she pushed the bike she couldn't escape this, but she
couldn't help but try. So what if she crashed?  It's not like it could
kill her!  Hell, she was immortal now, whether she liked it or not. She
accelerated well past where common sense would have stopped her before,
letting the wind and speed wash the conflicting thoughts from her mind.

        After another hour, Tracy stopped at a gas station and filled the bike.
The situation was slowly becoming real to her.  It was like she was just
waking up, the nightmare-like quality of everything was dispensing and
the cold hard truth was all that remained. It had finally hit that this
was no dream. This was really happening.  She was a vampire. Shock was
giving way to acceptance, acceptance and a horrible rage.

        Nick had brought her across.  Nick, her partner, who had lied to her
with every breath he pretended to take, had bitten her, drained her blood
and reanimated her corpse. And she was just supposed to forgive him?
What?  Just say, 'It okay Nick, I don't mind a bit!'  "Well to hell with
him!"  She nearly shouted, startling the gas station attendant.  She
grimaced and threw some money at him, then got back on the bike and sped
off.

        Tracy wasn't just angry; she was furious. She'd sat there and listened
to him and not once had she even felt tempted to forgive him.  It really
didn't matter what he said.  The words didn't matter.  She'd sat in
stunned horror, listening to the partner she'd trusted her life to, lie
to her again.  While his words said one thing, his eyes had said another.
 All the time that Nick professed his guilt over what he'd done,
promising her freedom from the mastery his own sire pressed on him, she
had felt him.   Felt his presence, his... dominance settle over her like
a heavy, too warm blanket.  It was intolerable, it was suffocating.
She'd tried to throw it off, and she'd succeeded to a point, but she
could still feel it.  Like a thin film of grease coating her.  She felt
dirty.


        Dismissing the vague, yet disturbing, feelings their link was causing
her, Tracy turned her thoughts back to the concrete facts she could point
to.  Nick had -lied- to her.  Why hadn't he told her before he was a
vampire? He had known she knew about his kind!  She was no danger to the
community. So why the hell hadn't he told her?

        Uneasily she considered the fact that she wouldn't be in the situation
she was in now if she -had- known.  She wouldn't have taken the chances
she had if she'd know Nick couldn't die.  Maybe Nick had wanted this all
along.  Wanted to bring her across.  In effect, waited, putting her in
dangerous situations in the hope that something like this would happen
and he'd 'be forced' to bring her across to save her life.  It was a
disturbing thought, but hardly impossible.  In fact, if he really was 800
years old, it was improbable that he hadn't anticipated this outcome.

        Frowning, Tracy forced her thoughts away from that too.  It was still
too new, too distressing to think about.  Looking up from the road, she
saw a familiar sign looming.  She hadn't purposely been going anywhere,
but wasn't exactly surprised when she realised she was at the Raven
either.  She always seemed to end up here when she was lost and confused,
and this was definitely one of those times. Maybe subconsciously she was
looking for Vachon.  He wouldn't be there of course.  He'd left town
about a month ago.  Said he'd needed space, that he couldn't deal with
their relationship right then.  He'd said he'd be back, although he
hadn't said -when- that would be.

        She was angry with Vachon too.  He must have known what Nick was, and he
hadn't said a thing, that was the same as lying. Nick had said he'd told
him not to say anything, also not to touch her.  But Tracy seriously
doubted Nick would've actually done anything to him if he had.  Or maybe
he would have.  Tracy was coming to realise that she didn't really know
Nick like she'd thought.  She'd always thought he was a good hearted, if
a little dense, cop.  But now, as she felt the sinister strumming of
awareness float through the back of her mind, she was forced to admit
that Nick was very intelligent, very cunning and while he might on the
surface be a nice guy, he might also harbour an agenda she wasn't ready
to deal with yet.

        Turbulent thoughts tumbled over one another in Tracy's mind.  She pulled
the bike into the crowded lot next to the Raven.  She was furious at both
Nat and Vachon for lying to her too. What gave them that right?  So what
if Nick wanted to be mortal again?  Did that give Nat some license to
screw her over? Nat had a brain, she should have seen where this was all
headed.  And Vachon!  He said he cared, but then he lied to her.  They'd
all lied!  Did they think she was too stupid to understand?  Or did they
just think she was funny?

        That was the thought that incensed her the most.  While the idea that
Nick might have set her up for this was almost too frightening to
contemplate, the idea that the people she'd thought of as her friends had
thought she was comical was a huge blow.  That they had all laughed at
'poor stupid little Tracy' made her so angry she could hardly see
straight.  She let the fury rage through her for a moment, willing some
of it to lash back at Nick before clamping down hard on her emotions,
willing herself to feel nothing.

        She looked up at the entrance to the club.  She didn't actually want to
go in there, not yet at least.  She spotted a man walk into the alley
behind the popular night-spot.  Without really realising she was doing
it, she followed.  She could hear his heartbeat.  Smell his blood through
his skin.  With her emotions under tight control, her senses seemed to
take over.  She could almost feel the blood drawing her towards him.  She
recognised the scent of her own blood too; it was all over her jeans.
Only it wasn't her blood any more.  It was her mortal blood, what flowed
in her veins now was very different.  Without the wind of the bike ride
whipping it away, the scent of that blood rose to her nostrils.  She
breathed it in and shuddered.

        "He's mine."  Tracy whirled around to confront the voice.  A tall man, a
vampire, stood before her.  The mortal she'd followed stood a little bit
away from him, staring at the man with that glazed over look she
associated with vampire hypnotism.

        "I I know, I'm wasn't going to " Tracy froze.  What -had- she been about
to do?  A thrill of fear raced down her spine, she didn't want to think
about what she'd almost done.

        The vampire raised one dark eyebrow at her.  Now this was interesting.
He looked at the club goer he'd been about to feast on, suddenly he
didn't look nearly as appetising.  With a single command he sent him
away, he'd remember nothing in the morning and never know how close he'd
come to death.

        "What's your name beautiful one?"  The vampire asked her with a strong
Mediterranean accent.  He looked at the girl before him.  She was a
pretty young thing, blonde hair, slim figure, quite nice.  She was a new
fledgling.  Very new.  He suddenly realised this was her first night as a
vampire, his eyes widened.  'Fresh meat,' he thought.

        "Tracy, I'm Tracy."  She answered; she was still slightly shaken. She
was very glad the vampire in front of her had sent the mortal away.  She
tried to focus her mind on something else, but couldn't seem to pull her
attention away from the fading sound of the departing heartbeat.  She
pressed her palms against the coarse cinder block wall behind her and
raked them down. Thousands of tiny lacerations opened on her hands, the
pain distracting her from the lingering smell of the mortal that still
saturated the small space.  When she pulled her hands away she could feel
the cuts quickly heal, yet another reminder that she wasn't normal
anymore.

        Tracy then looked at her companion in the back alley.  He was tall,
dark, with huge broad shoulders.  He had longish dark hair and dark brows
over deep blue eyes.  His nose was straight; he had high cheekbones, and
a sensuous mouth.  He was -very- attractive...  in a menacing sort of
way.

        The vampire sensed her attraction and his lip curled in amusement, "Well
beautiful Tracy, I am Miklos."  He introduced himself with a quick bow.
He straightened, then approached her, "You're rather new to the  shall we
say 'fanged set' hmm?"  He asked, already knowing the answer.

        "Yes, it's my first night in fact." Tracy smiled at his words, 'fanged
set' indeed.

        Miklos reached out and cupped the side of her face.  "Well let me be the
first to welcome you to the night then."  He leaned forward and gently
kissed her lips.

        Tracy froze.  What was happening?  Vachon was-  but wait, Vachon wasn't
here, who knew when he'd be back. And he'd never offered to bring her
across  Who knew if he'd even want her if she were a vampire, or if she
could even forgive him for lying to her?  She stopped worrying about it
and kissed Miklos back, desire shooting through her.

        Miklos was startled by the ferocity of her answering kiss.  'Passionate
little thing isn't she?'  He thought with a grin.

        Their hands ran over each other's bodies.  They pressed together,
grinding their hips together.  Miklos roughly pulled her head to one side
by her hair and kissed Tracy's throat.  Roughly they groped each other,
smashing together as if they wanted to climb into each other.

        Suddenly Tracy realised what was happening and pulled away.  "No, we
can't."  She gasped.

        Miklos pulled her back.  "Of course we can Beauty." His voice husky with
lust.

        "No we can't!"  Tracy yelled, and backhanded him.

        Miklos was more than 100 years older than Tracy; but he was caught
completely off guard by her sudden attack.  He fell to the ground, but
quickly jumped back up.  "You little b*tch!"  He shouted, holding his
still aching face.  He grabbed her, pinning her arms to her sides.

        Tracy may not have been nearly as strong, but she was much better
trained. Slipping one leg behind his ankle, she jerked it forward; at the
same time she flung her entire weight backwards.

        They both went crashing to the cement.  She didn't even know why she was
fighting.  She just knew she was angry, not at Miklos, not really at
anything.  She was just mad at the world. Her anger at her situation was
all confused with her bloodlust and  And well, she wanted- needed a
fight!

        Miklos's head bounced on the concrete; he was dazed for a moment.  Tracy
rolled out of his arms and turned up on her knees over him.  She then
punched him, hard in the stomach.  When she went to take another swing he
grabbed her fist and rolled over.

        They wrestled for a bit longer, but eventually Miklos pinned her beneath
him.  "What the hell do you think you're doing!?!"  He demanded.

        Tears shone in Tracy's eyes.  "It's not you."  She whispered.  "It's
this night  I don't know " She trailed off.

        Miklos looked down at her, realising she was telling the truth.  This
girl was fighting with personal demons, not him.  This was her first
night, and she was going through hell.  He began to ease off her, "It's
all right Tracy, don't cry."

        He was so sweet; he looked more like a lost little boy than a vampire.
He sat next to her, and when she sat up he even wrapped one arm around
her to offer comfort.  Tracy gently leaned over and kissed him on the
cheek.  "I'm really sorry Miklos."  She whispered.

        Miklos looked at her with a slightly dazed look.  He cupped her chin in
his hand.  "Go home Beauty, it's almost dawn."  He sighed. "You -do- have
some place to go right?"  He asked.


        He sounded so concerned Tracy thought she really -was- going to cry.
She nodded; she had some place to go.

        "All right," Miklos stood up, then helped her to her feet.  "I work
here, and I'm here all the time when I'm not tending bar too," He said,
indicating the Raven, "You come by and talk to me, okay?"

        "Okay," She said in a small voice, "Bye Miklos, and thank-you, I needed
that."  The fact that she had -needed- that fight was a little worrisome,
but at least she hadn't killed anyone, she shuddered.

        "Good bye my beauty." He watched as she got on her bike and sped off.
He stared after her awhile, then went to find shelter from the dawn
himself.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and billy clubs to anteros@juno.com


*See part one for disclaimers

Coming Across  (3/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)


        Tracy made it back to the loft with sheer minutes to spare.  The sky was
pink with pre-dawn as she walked the motorcycle into the garage beneath
the loft.  When she walked up the stairs and pulled open the door, she
found both Nick and Natalie staring at her.  Well actually, she found Nat
staring and Nick glowering.  Tracy felt her own temper rising again,
where did he get off being mad at her?!

        "You were not supposed to leave."  Nick ground out.  He'd been more than
a little upset when he'd returned to find poor Nat pacing the floor,
wringing her hands because Tracy had left.  Plus there'd been that flash
of undiluted fury that had washed through him only to blink away a moment
later.  The feeling had been so strong it had felt as if it were his own.
 He'd been talking to Reese at the time, and if the Captain had been
standing a few feet closer Nick felt he probably would have killed him.


        The fledgling smiled at him.  The same cold little smirk as earlier that
evening.  "You never actually said -that-  Master."

        Nick flinched, half in guilt and half in pleasure.  The pleasure
immediately turned to guilt as well, the very fact that he'd experienced
it at all scaring him more than the reflected anger had earlier, simply
because it was entirely his.

        "Tracy!" Natalie yelped, "We said not to call him that!"

        Tracy raised one eyebrow, looking at her in a way that made Nat's skin
crawl.  "Just avoiding the name won't make it untrue."  She said
caustically. "A rose by any other name and all that "

        Nick was at a loss.  She was angry, he knew that, but she wasn't yelling
or crying, what was he supposed to do?  "Tracy, we need to talk."  He
tried.

        "There isn't anything left to talk about Nick."  Tracy sounded weary.
She was a fledgling and the sun was coming up, all she wanted to do was
sleep.  But first  She went to the kitchen and took a bottle from the
fridge.  After she'd finished she looked back at her partner.

        Nat watched her.  Tracy's cool manner was certainly reminiscent of
Lacroix.  And while that -was- disturbing it was also strangely
comforting too.  It was because it was familiar, Nat supposed.  At least
she wasn't a frenzied killer.  Memories of her brother flickered unbidden
through her mind again.  No, better like Lacroix than another Richard.

        "What did you tell the Captain?"  Tracy asked suddenly, interrupting
Natalie's silent musings.  She wanted to know if she still had a job.

        "I told him you were hurt and would be out for at least a week," Nick
paused, "I need to talk with IA in a few days but there should be no
problems."

        Nick approached her slowly; he'd just realised something.  "You're
covered in blood."  He stated, disbelief sounding in his voice, horrific
ideas of having to destroy her flashed through his mind.

        "Tracy!  You promised!"  Natalie's hands flew to her mouth; she looked
like she might cry.

        Tracy grinned, "Don't be so melodramatic Nat."  She laughingly scolded,
"I didn't kill anyone!  I just got into a fight that's all."

        "It's vampire blood!"  Nick gasped in astonishment.  "Who-?"

        Tracy cut him off, "It doesn't matter, he's fine, I'm fine  no harm
done."  She shrugged casually.

        "You are -not- going to leave it at that!"  Nat argued. She was very
relieved to hear Tracy hadn't killed anyone, but  a fight?

        "Yes I am."  Tracy stated in a voice that declared that was the end of
it.  She turned to Nick, "Where do I sleep?"

        Nick pointed her upstairs to his bed.  "I'll sleep on the couch."  He
explained.

        Tracy gave a curt nod and headed up stairs.  The sun was almost up and
she was exhausted.



        After she was gone Nick and Nat exchanged worried looks.  What were they
going to do?

        "You going to stay?"  Nick asked, unsure if he wanted her to or not.
All things considered, he was relieved when she shook her head no.

        "No, I think I'd better head home," She shot an anxious glance up the
stairs, knowing she wouldn't get a wink of sleep knowing Tracy was up
there.  "You two should probably talk and I've... uh, got to feed Sidney
and..."  She trailed off lamely.

        Nick didn't seem to notice her discomfort, he was staring up at the
second floor landing himself.  He knew the exact moment Tracy was asleep.
"What ever you think is best Nat, I'll call you tomorrow."

        Nat quickly let herself out and Nick settled down on the couch, forcing
himself to stay there.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        As soon as the sun set that night, Tracy was out the door.  She hadn't
said a word to Nick since she woke.  And, other than drink a few bottles
from the 'fridge, she hadn't done anything either, just sat on the edge
of the piano bench, occasionally pecking at keys and watching the clock.
The minute the sun was down she asked if she could borrow his bike for a
while, 'since he never rode it anyway,' and once he'd nodded, she'd taken
off.

        Nick stared at the elevator long after she'd gone. Tracy wasn't going to
talk to him anytime soon he realised.  She wasn't going to let him help
her, or come to him with her fears or worries, at least not now. He
couldn't help wonder if she hated him for what he'd done to her.   He
wanted to help her, but he wouldn't force the issue. Thinking of his
relationship with his own master, he vowed not to push Tracy into any
type association with him.  Though...  the scary thing was, because of
Tracy, he thought he was finally beginning to understand Lacroix.

        His link with Tracy hummed through him, it wasn't anything he'd ever
felt with a fledgling before.  It was much more like the link he felt
with Lacroix and Janette than anything he'd ever had with someone he'd
brought across himself.  Stronger, fiercer, almost a living thing inside
of him.  Calling for him to seek Tracy out, make sure she was all right,
to be with her.  Shaking himself out of his troubling thoughts he
prepared for work.

        He had a lot to do.  A pile of paper work on the Fisher case waited for
him on his desk, along with all of his other casework.  And he had to
talk to Nat too, when she'd left this morning she'd looked exceptionally
worried, he realised in hindsight.  Nick sighed; he always put the people
he cared about through hell.  He thought briefly of leaving town, taking
the coward's way out.  Giving Tracy her space and letting Nat get on with
a normal life.  But, no, he couldn't. He couldn't leave, no matter how
much easier it would make everything.  He had a responsibility to Tracy
now, and hell, he wasn't sure if he -could- leave her if he wanted too.

>>>>>>>>

        Tracy went straight back to her apartment.  First thing she did was call
the precinct and tell all concerned parties that she was all right, but
would definitely be out at least a week, maybe two.  The fact that Reese
told her to take all the time she needed and didn't ask her -any-
questions pointed to the fact that her partner had already had a little
talk with him.  'Good thing the captain isn't a resister.' Tracy thought.
 It would make things much easier.  After all, it's not like she could
just tell people she'd caught Nick's sun allergy!

        Her next call was to her mother.  She told her she was fine, and no,
don't come and visit, she would go see her in a few days.  As she hung up
the phone she wondered briefly if her mother could be whammied?  A shadow
of a smile fell across Tracy's mouth, that was one thing about her new
situation that she thought she might enjoy.

        Next she called her father.  This was by far the hardest call to make.
First he ranted against her for putting herself in danger.  Then he raged
against Nick for putting her in danger.  Next he moved on to yelling
about how he was going to have Nick's badge and get her assigned to a
less dangerous area.  After twenty minutes of dutiful listening, Tracy
snapped, then she did some yelling of her own.

        "You -will- not interfere with my life any more Dad!  You hear me?"
Tracy's voice got low and menacing.  "You will leave Nick alone and you
will not even -try- to get me transferred, because if you do you -will-
regret it."  Now vampire hypnotism doesn't work over the phone, but
hearing his little Button threaten him, certainly put the fear of God
back into Richard Vetter.  He made a few more comments, telling her not
to use that tone of voice with him, but he was obviously very affected.
Tracy promised him she'd come by to see him in a few days.

        After all the unpleasant business was done, Tracy took a shower and
dressed.  For some reason she went to the back of her closet and got out
some clothes she hadn't worn since her short period as a rebellious teen.
 Mixed with a few items she'd worn during her weeklong stint in Vice,
Tracy was ready to go.  She looked at herself in the mirror. She'd put on
heels, fishnets, and a leather miniskirt, all black.  She added a short
mid-drift baring silver top, and decided she'd fit right in at the Raven.
 She didn't even bother to kid herself, she knew that's where she was
going.

        She did her make-up, but didn't even mess with her hair.  She -was-
going to take the bike there, after all.  'I really need to find someone
to show me how to fly.' She thought to herself as she headed out the
door.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and helmets to anteros@juno.com



*See part one for disclaimers

Coming Across  (4/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)


        When Tracy arrived at the Raven she scanned the crowd.  Vachon wasn't
there, not that she really expected him to be, but she felt strangely
disappointed anyway.  Nick wasn't there either, she knew he was working.
She was surprised to notice she could actually sense he was at the
precinct.  She paused a moment, 'feeling' him.  It felt odd, almost
comforting but somewhat sinister at the same time to be able to sense
Nick.  She shook her head and returned her attention to the club.

        She could tell most of the crowd was mortal, but still, there were quite
a few vampires.   She walked to the bar and ordered a house special.
'That's what Vachon had called them right?' She thought.

        The bartender's eyes widened.  It was the same black woman with the
shaved head that had taken her order for a club soda only a few weeks
ago.  The woman recognised her, and knew what she was now.  She gave her
the drink, but said nothing.

        Tracy noted her reaction and just smiled at her.  The bartender wandered
off, maybe to tell someone, maybe not, Tracy didn't really care.  Tracy
turned, leaning her back against the high bar. She surveyed the crowd,
counting vampires 17.  She saw a few she recognised now.  There was
Lucien Lacroix at a table across the club talking to blonde woman with
bangs she didn't know.  Lacroix was Nick's master she now knew.  Nick and
Nat had told her about him, she'd also seen him in Nick's blood when
she'd come across.  Tracy frowned, she'd once asked Vachon if the pale
club owner was a vampire, he'd said he wasn't.  "Just another lie."  She
snorted.

        Tracy watched the ancient vampire a little more intensely now, she could
feel a slight link between them, not nearly as strong as she felt from
Nick, but still there was something...  Vachon had once told her vampires
of the same lineage could recognise that fact in each other.  She
wondered if Lacroix had felt their link yet?  Tracy decided to try and
suppress it, thinking the closer she played things to the vest the better
off she'd be.  God knows Nick seemed to adhere to that philosophy,
secrets are to be kept, even from your partner.  And who knows, maybe it
would work.  Tracy concentrated and felt something happen, it was as if
she were holding in her stomach to try on a tight dress, only it was
mental.  It felt like it was working.   Well, she'd find out sooner or
later she mused.

        Tracy continued to look around the club.  There was Miklos over by the
stage, talking to a middle-aged man who from the looks of his black polo
shirt and leather pants was well into his mid-life crisis.  It was the
Greek bartender's night off, but like he said, it wasn't like he had much
else to do other than to hang out at the Raven.  He hadn't noticed her
yet.  Tracy shrugged, he would soon enough.  Her eyes scanned the crowd,
then she spotted someone else  Urs.

        The former dance hall girl turned and recognised her master's mortal
girlfriend.  'What's she doing here?'  Urs wondered. 'She knows Vachon
isn't in town.'  The petite vampire decided to investigate.  As she
approached, her eyes widened.

        "Hello Urs." Tracy greeted the blonde vampire.  She knew Vachon was Urs'
sire, and at one time they had been lovers.  What their current
relationship was, she didn't know.  That had always really bugged her.

        Urs just stared at Tracy for a moment.  "You're a vampire!"  She said,
stating the obvious.

        Tracy coolly smiled at her, "Yep."

        "Who brought you across?"  Urs asked, knowing it couldn't be Vachon, he
was still out of town, Atlantic City she thought.

        "It doesn't really matter, does it?"  Tracy smirked.

        "I-I suppose not."  Urs answered back uneasily, she didn't know what
else to say.

        Tracy suddenly felt guilty for her behaviour.  It wasn't Urs fault
Vachon had never clarified their relationship.  She decided to make
friends, she'd always sort of liked her anyway.  She gave Urs a friendly
smile.

        "So what d'ya say Urs?"  Tracy grinned, "We go out, convince a couple of
young drunk sailors to get our names tattooed across their chests?"  She
wiggled her eyebrows at her.

        Urs stared at her, then burst out laughing. Tracy started laughing too,
and soon they were telling each other the raunchiest jokes each could
think of.  They talked for close to an hour and were having a great time.
 Urs was just telling her about the time that she'd met a man in Prague
with a trained monkey when Lacroix walked up behind them.

        With one look the ancient vampire sent Urs on her way.  "Don't you have
a set to prepare for?"  He asked, indicating that even if she didn't it
was time for her to go.

        "Ah, yes of course."  Urs agreed.   She then looked at Tracy.  "Talk to
you later, we'll go to that show, okay?"  She said to her new friend,
referring to new James Bond flick they both had guiltily admitted they
wanted to go see.  Who'd have known they had so much in common?

        Tracy nodded, and Urs ran off.  The brand new vampire turned to look at
Lacroix.  Tracy leaned back against the bar and raised an eyebrow at the
2000 year-old-vampire before her.  'The ultimate father figure,' she
thought wryly.

        Lacroix peered down at the girl before him.  She was his son's partner.
She was a vampire now; he wondered what Nicholas thought of that.
"Detective Vetter, correct?"

        Tracy took a sip of her drink, her third of the night.  "That's right.
Tracy if you want."  She gave him an amused smile.  For some reason she
found herself liking the vampire in front of her.  Maybe it was their
bond, or maybe it was because Nick didn't like him, but she felt oddly at
energised by his company.

        Lacroix was a bit disconcerted by her response.  Usually new vampires
were terrified of him.  And that's the way he preferred it.  But for some
reason, instead of being annoyed, he was intrigued. There was no sexual
attraction per se on either of their parts, it was more the sensation of
facing an opponent over a chess board.  He smiled at her, giving her a
look that could only be termed as predatory.

        Tracy brazenly returned his smile and gave him a somewhat curious look
herself.  "And you are?"  She asked, she already knew from both Nick and
Vachon, but she reasoned there was no way he should know that.

        Lacroix lifted a brow to her.  "You don't know?"

        Instead of lying directly Tracy answered, "I know you're old and
powerful, but this is only my second night."  She answered, the picture
of innocence.

        Lacroix smiled at her, lifting one of her hands to his lips he said,
"Then allow me to introduce myself, I am Lucien Lacroix owner of this
establishment."

        Tracy smiled down at him as he bent over her hand, an amused tilt shaped
her lips.  "A true pleasure to meet you sir."

        As Lacroix straightened he smiled at her.  "So, the young Spaniard
finally brought you across."  He said, planning to catch her off guard
with his knowledge.

        He certainly did! He didn't realise Nick was her master!  She didn't
have to try to look shocked, she was, though for different reasons than
Lacroix thought. "You know Vachon?  You knew about the two of us?" Tracy
asked.

        "I know everything that happens in this city." He assured her.

        Tracy almost laughed out loud at that.  'Arrogant bastard isn't he?' she
thought.  She took a small sip from her glass.  "For some reason that
thought is strangely comforting."  She told him with a mysterious smile.

        Lacroix was instantly entranced.  What a charming young woman!  He
almost considered skipping his broadcast to match wits with this young
one, but then decided against it, the idea of taunting Nicholas about
this new turn of events was just too tempting.  "I'm afraid I must bid
you good night my dear, I have a radio show to do."

        "Oh?" Tracy raised her brow again.  "You do a radio show?"  She already
knew he did, Nick listened to it almost every night.  Tracy suddenly got
the feeling that she was playing with fire and she'd have to be very
careful if she didn't want to get burned.

        Lacroix was confused at the sudden look of fear that flashed across her
face.  "Yes, I do 'Nightwatch with the Nightcrawler' have you ever heard
of it?"  He inquired.

        Tracy decided she'd better admit to this at least, or risk him finding
out everything.  She figured he knew she was Nick's partner at least.
"On CERK?  Yes, I've heard it."  She told him, he looked pleased.  "My
partner listens to it all the time."  She confided as if that had been
her secret.

        Lacroix gave her a look of consideration.  'She's just realised I'm
Nicholas's master,' he thought.  That accounted for her sudden fear.  If
she's been across for two nights she must know about Nicholas by now.  He
wondered what his son had told her about him? 'Nothing good,' he thought
with a grimace.  Oh well, he'd think on that later, for now he had a show
to do.  He said one more farewell to the young fledgling and left for his
booth.  Just as he reached the hall that led to the door, he turned to
look at the girl once more.  There was something odd about her, he
sensed  something. He shrugged, dismissing it for the moment.



        Once Lacroix had left, Tracy let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd
been holding.  He'd come very close to catching her there.  'God, why the
hell did I do that?'  She asked herself.  She'd been so angry about
everything; she had played games she couldn't afford to lose.  This
wasn't like the motorcycle; Lacroix could kill her!  She thought about
that for a while.  Then again, maybe not  If she were just anyone maybe
he would, but she wasn't just -any- fledgling, she was Nick's.  The way
she understood it Nick and Lacroix had quite a history. Of course she
wouldn't want to bet her life on Lacroix's sense of family.  Plus, she
really did not want to rely on Nick Knight to come to her rescue.  She
made a quick vow not to play anymore games with Lacroix, at least not any
she couldn't win

        After a moment Miklos came over.  He'd been watching Tracy talk to the
General and had been very worried.  It was rare Lacroix took notice in
anyone, and it was even rarer that his interest was a -good- thing.  He
walked up to her.

        "Hello my beauty," He greeted her.  "You all right?"

        'It is so strange,' Tracy thought.  'He's so nice to me, but he was
going to kill that man last night.'  She'd thought about that for a long
time while at Nick's waiting for the sun to go down.  She'd come to the
conclusion that most vampires don't think about humans as anything more
than lunch, that's why as a vampire Miklos, Urs, and Lacroix treated her
so different now that she'd come across.  Even though she'd been a
vampire for only two nights she was still something a great deal more
than any mortal in their eyes.  Tracy wasn't sure how she felt about that
yet.

        "Hi Miklos. I'm fine."  She grinned at him, "Much better than last
night."

        Miklos smiled back at her.  "Good to hear it."  He asked her about
Lacroix then, and was very relieved when she told him that the General
was merely a friend of a friend.  He held his hand formally out to her,
asking for a dance.

        Tracy looked onto the dance floor.  "That is -not- dancing.  It's a
vertical orgy!" She declared with mock outrage.

        "Yeah," He agreed laughingly, "So how about it?"  He raised an eyebrow
lasciviously at her.

        Tracy grinned and let him lead her into the undulating crowd.

        Urs watched from across the floor. She was dancing with someone herself,
but wasn't sure she liked seeing the girl Vachon claimed to care about
dancing with anyone else.  But at the same time she was glad to see her
new friend was having fun.  She hoped Tracy and Miklos were just friends,
she didn't know the Greek bartender very well, but he seemed nice enough.
 She knew he still hunted occasionally, but then again, Tracy wasn't in
danger from that anymore was she?  Urs sighed and turned her attention
back to the dance, losing herself in the music.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and disco balls to anteros@juno.com


*See part one for disclaimers

Coming Across (5/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)


        Natalie watched as Nick paced.  They were alone in the morgue, it'd been
a slow night so they both had plenty of time to fret.

        "You don't think she's killed anyone do you?"  Natalie asked the
question that worried her most. Tracy was out there alone in the city
with all her new powers, and all her new cravings.

        "No, she hasn't yet, I would have felt it."  Nick paused, "Well, I
-should- feel it."

        Natalie started, "What do you mean?"  Nick looked more worried all of
the sudden.

        "Nat, all vampires aren't created equal. Some are more powerful after
coming across.  If they had strong wills, or sometimes it's just random."
 He raked his hand through his already dishevelled hair.

        "So you're saying a resister makes a stronger vampire than a normal
person." Natalie guessed.

        Nick nodded, "And Tracy was a -very- powerful resister." Nick said.  Not
like most resisters, Nat was a resister too but much weaker.  A whammy
usually worked on her, but after a while she'd remember.  Tracy had been
exceptionally strong.

        "That's not all though is it?"  Nat knew he was keeping something from
her.  "What is it Nick, tell me."  She pressed.

        "I lost the link a few moments ago, well it's still -there-," Nick
paused trying to think of the words to describe it.  "Only  muffled.  I
don't know -where- she is, or what she's doing."

        "Oh God."  Natalie moaned, then brightened.  "That doesn't mean she's
doing anything though."  She said hopefully.

        "No, but the fact that she's learned to do that already " Nick gave her
a helpless look.  "I can't even do -that-."

        "She's stronger than you?"  Natalie gasped in disbelief.

        "No, well, not in the way you're thinking."  Nick began pacing again.
"She isn't physically stronger, and I doubt she's faster, but " He paused
again. "In the mental stuff, the tricks and controls "

        Silence hung between them for a moment.

        "Oh God."  Natalie moaned again.

        "Lacroix never taught me a lot of things  how to shield my thoughts and
how to  put certain suggestions into a person's mind."  Nick explained,
"Not that I was really a great student."  He added wryly. While it was
true Lacroix had liked to use his ignorance against him many times, Nick
hadn't wanted to learn all of those mind games Lacroix so delighted in
either. His master would say it served him right that Tracy showed such
potential.

        "You can't read her mind?"  Natalie asked, she thought all masters could
read their fledgling's minds, at least in the beginning.  Nick had told
her Lacroix could still sometimes read his.

        "No, I tried last night and she felt me."  Nick sounded worried.

        "But, if you really needed to you could, right?  Even if she felt it?"
That thought was rather repugnant to Nat, the idea of someone monitoring
your thoughts.  She repressed a shudder.  But this was for a good reason,
who knew what kind of trouble Tracy could get into?  And it was their,
her and Nick's, responsibility to keep her from killing anyone or getting
herself killed.

        But Nick was shaking his head.  "No, I tried again later, even when she
was sleeping and it should've been easy."  Nick looked into Nat's eyes,
trying to make her see how serious this was.  "I couldn't do it, Nat.  I
couldn't even get past her first defences!"

        Natalie stared at him, chewing on her fingernails, something she only
did when she was really worried.  Again her thoughts returned to her
brother, she'd do anything to prevent another Richard,

        "I can't control her Nat."  Nick told her.

        "Maybe you should talk to Lacroix?" Nat suggested. Actually her opinion
of Lacroix had changed over the past year.  She'd even found herself
appreciating the ancient vampire once or twice, like after Nick had been
shot and lost his memories.  And as much as she had disliked Nick
associating with the ancient vampire in the past, she knew Lacroix could
at least deal with Tracy.

        "No! I can't leave her to Lacroix!"  He shook his head vehemently.  "No,
she hasn't done anything wrong yet.  I can't subject her to that!"

        Natalie sighed.  It was probably a bad idea anyway, if they did get
Lacroix to take Tracy under his proverbial wing he'd probably take it
upon himself to mould her into a killer, if only to spite Nick!  Then
again, as far as she knew Lacroix had never lost a fledgling, at least
not to madness as Nick had her brother... "You're right Nick, Lacroix is
definitely a last resort."  But she was relieved to know they at least
-had- a last resort.  If things got too bad they could call him, she
didn't want to think about destroying Tracy if she got out of control.

        Nick stared at Natalie.  How could she even think of letting Lacroix
take on the role of Tracy's master?  He remembered Lacroix's many
transgressions against him.  Lacroix had made his existence a living
hell.  His maker would teach Tracy to be the kind of vampire he most
despised.  No, He would not allow Lacroix any command over Tracy.  Over
-his- Tracy.  "I've got to get back to work," Nick said, looking away
from Nat sharply.  "Paperwork's piling up."

        "Yeah, mine too," Nat nodded, "See ya later."  She watched him walk out
towards the parking lot, then trudged back to her desk, switching on the
radio as she sank behind her desk.  Pencil ready, she didn't get so much
as one word down before the Nightcrawler came on the air.

        "Good evening my children."

        Nat snorted, wondering if he ever got the urge to start off a broadcast
with 'Hello breakfast!'  God, why was she listening to this?  She should
be getting to work!  She stood to switch it off, but stopped when she
heard his next line.

         "Tonight I feel inspired...  tonight's mediation is on 'family.'  Just
what is -family-?"

        Nick was on his way back to the precinct when he switched on CERK.  He
usually checked the station at least once a night, sometimes for no other
reason than to check and make sure his Master was elsewhere and not
following him around like an obsessed stalker.  Though sometimes he had
to admit he tuned in because Lacroix's nightly monologues really did
offer some insight.  But when he heard Lacroix beginning to talk about
'family' Nick almost panicked.  Only centuries of practice kept him from
immediately confronting the old demon, either in person or through their
link. He -couldn't- have found out about Tracy already, could he?

        Lacroix's velvet voice seeped over the airwaves, rumbling with ominous
mirth and menace,  "Are they only flesh of your flesh?  Bone of your
bone?  Close friends perhaps?"  He paused, his smile could almost be
heard in the darkness, "Do they count too?  Ah, but they don't really do
they?  We say 'she's like a sister to me' but we don't really mean that,
do we?"

        After a moment the raw panic Nat felt subsided to the point where she
could actually think clearly.  He wasn't talking about Tracy, he couldn't
be, because to him Tracy -would- be blood family.  Nat settled uneasily
back into her chair and picked her pencil back up, immediately sticking
the end in her mouth and chewing on it.  Though she didn't have a clue
what he was talking about, something about Lacroix's speech was getting
to her.

        "It's a small lie we tell ourselves, hoping that our friends are
telling themselves the same.  In most instances it's a harmless lie,
self-delusion, to let ourselves believe... but like 'just rewards' and
'happily ever afters,' it's still a lie isn't it?"  He chuckled as much
to himself as for his listeners' benefit.  Was Nicholas listening?  He
probably was.  Would he realise he'd already had the pleasure of meeting
his young partner?  Ah, such interesting new players in their game.  "The
friends you have today, if they were to go, you would mourn yes, but you
would move on.  They are replaceable.  Family... is ... not."

        Nick flinched.  Tracy's face seemed to flood his mind, the memory of her
blood burned through his veins.  She -was- family.  Never had he felt
such possessiveness about anyone before.  Not for lovers certainly, never
had any of those women, even the one's he remembered loving, come close
to invoking the feelings within him now.  Even family, his mother, Fleur,
even Janette, failed to shake him so.  He felt overwhelmed, like he was
drowning in the sheer immensity of what he felt in connection to his new
fledgling.  It wasn't love precisely, and 'possessiveness' didn't seem to
fit either.  It was as if she were a part of him, good, bad, it wasn't
clear, but is was as if he couldn't even contemplate being without her.

        "But then, sometimes people do become family without benefit of blood
don't they? And I am not speaking of the meaningless words said over a
couple by a priest."  Lacroix gave a small chuckle, showing how little he
thought of such things, "No, gentle listeners, I speak now of those
people you have sworn to protect.  That rare combination of qualities
that draws out the better from you... despite yourself."

        Nat drew the mutilated pencil from her mouth, giving up even the
pretence of work.  Maybe that's what it was, somewhere along the way
she'd began to think of Tracy as family.  Maybe not someone she
necessarily liked, or even fully understood, but family none-the-less.
And now that Nick had brought her across, she was reliving what she'd
gone through with her real brother less than two years ago.  And even
though she knew she shouldn't get involved, Nat knew she would.  She had
to, Tracy was family and she had to help her.

        "Some of you know what I mean.  The child that was never yours, the one
you'd give your short life to protect.  That one friend, the one you
haven't seen in years but for whom you would still drop everything for if
the need arose."  Lacroix paused, considering his next words, choosing
them, as if he were a surgeon choosing the sharpest, truest instrument,
the one that would cut the deepest.  "That rare soul who has come into
your life and even if the friendship were to end, the one for whom you
would still die for. The child, the ...soul mate, the ...partner."

        Nick closed his eyes.  Only to open them quickly and swerve back into
his own lane when he heard the blare of horns.  He knew.  He had to.
Partner?! Yeah, he had to know.  But if he did?  If Lacroix had even an
inkling about how much Tracy already meant to him, why was he carrying on
with this charade?    Usually his master forgot the game the instant the
stakes actually began to mean anything.  Carefully Nick set up as many
mental barriers as he could between Lacroix and himself, if he didn't
know yet, he wasn't going to find out from him.

        "So tell me, if you can," Lacroix purred into the mike. Feeling his son
futilely try and block him, he smiled.  Silly boy, didn't he know that
such tactics never worked in his favour?  Lacroix sighed and leaned
closer to the mike, his lips nearly touching the foam casing as he
delivered the final blow.  "Why do you try to protect them? When in the
end you must know you can not protect anyone?  And while you're at it...
perhaps someone can tell me ...why her?"

        Natalie and Nick switched off their radios at the exact same instance,
one thoughtfully, the other angrily, cutting short the DJ's mocking
laughter.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and talk radio stations to anteros@juno.com



*See part one for disclaimers

Coming Across (6/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)


        The next night Tracy sat in her apartment and stared down at the large
amount of blood before her, fighting her hunger.  "You have to get used
to it Tracy." She told herself.

        She felt her eyes begin to change and her fangs descend. She reached up
and pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, her new fangs still
pinched when they appeared but not nearly as much as they had at first.
She poured a little more blood into the salad platter in front of her,
allowing the smell to waft into her face.  She watched with fascination
as tiny ripples spread out as the droplets landed.  She'd warmed the
human blood over a low heat on her stove, it was body temperature now,
and it called to her.

        "Dammit."  She whispered, "I -have- to learn to control this!"  This
wasn't just about keeping her job either.  That first night, when she'd
followed that man into the alley, it still haunted her.  If Miklos hadn't
been there she wasn't sure what would have happened, but she had a pretty
good idea.

        She -had- to learn to control her responses, keep her fangs and eyes
normal, if she wanted to stay a cop, but more importantly she had to
master this hunger!  She poured more of the warm blood into the platter,
this time she put her hand out and allowed the blood to drizzle over her
white fingers.

        She did manage to keep her hand out of her mouth, it was a small
victory, but her fangs still descended.  "Damn."  Maybe there was a trick
to it?  Something she should ask Nick about?  Her lip curled into a sneer
at that thought.  No!  She wasn't going to ask him for help.  She was
going to figure this out herself.  If you thought about it, most things
about being a vampire were pretty intuitive.  And who ever the first
vampires had been had to have figured this stuff out, right?  So, so
could she!  She'd figured out how to block Lacroix all by herself hadn't
she?

        She closed her eyes and willed herself back to normal.  She had bought
three bottles at the Raven before she left last night, she didn't need to
go back tonight.  But where was she going to go?  She'd once asked Vachon
why he spent so much time at the club, and now she knew: There really
wasn't anything else to do.  She didn't need to worry about going to the
grocery store, or the gym, or to the dozens of other places and
activities that had consumed her mortal life.  She stood slowly and
walked to the sink to wash off her hand.  She wasn't going to give in to
the impulse to lick the blood off; that would just be a little too much.

        She got out her plastic kitchen funnel and drained the blood from the
platter back into a bottle, again fighting the urge to lick it out like a
cat would milk from a saucer.  The very image disgusted her.  The hunger
disgusted her.  She filled up her pink travel mug with some of the still
warm blood.  The cup was opaque, so she wouldn't have to see what she was
drinking.

        Tracy sighed. She took a sip of her breakfast and put the bottle back
into the fridge, making a mental note to throw out her perishable food.
She'd keep the condiments and bottled stuff to waylay suspicions, it
wasn't very likely she could keep her parents or mortal friends from
peeking in there.  Thinking she should really put her blood into
something a little less conspicuous then wine bottles, everyone knew she
didn't drink, she crossed her living room and sat down on her sofa with a
plop.  "Maybe in cartons marked soy milk?"  She mused, no one would touch
them then!

        It was still a good hour until the sun set, she'd been surprised when
she'd woken early, but was glad none the less. She took another sip,
trying not to think about what she was drinking.  Her gaze wandered up to
her windows, she'd taped old foil wrapping paper up to block out all of
the light, her old drapes just hadn't been enough.  Curious now, she set
down her half empty mug and crept towards the window.  Carefully peeling
back the edge of the wrinkled foil, she allowed a single beam of the
waning light to stream in.   Tracy watched it with nearly the same
intensity she'd watched the blood. She knew it was dangerous to her now.
Something within her screamed for her to run away.  She stood there,
staring at the spot on her beige carpet where the sunbeam landed, like it
was a snake about to strike.  It couldn't get her if she stayed in the
shadows, she reasoned.  But still the terror rose in the back of her mind
none the less.  Such an innocent thing, a sunbeam, but it was one of the
few things that could kill her now.

        Slowly, knowing instinctively she shouldn't, Tracy stretched her hand
out into the light.  It was as if she'd just plunged her hand into a pot
of boiling water.  A million nerve endings screamed in agony, and she
quickly pulled her hand back.  Cradling her injured appendage she slapped
the edge of the foil back into place and stalked back to the sofa,
quickly draining the rest of her mug.  She looked down at her hand, she'd
expected it to be red, like a normal burn mark, but instead the wound was
more of a series of dark grey welts that were quickly vanishing before
her eyes.  Her hand had smoked slightly from its exposure, she knew from
Vachon that the older the vampire the less severe the reaction,
eventually she would be able to stand a few seconds and the pain wouldn't
be as bad.  But not for a long while, and she sure as hell wasn't going
to try -that- again any time soon!

        Tracy sat quietly, not really looking at anything, just thinking.  Her
life was so different now.  She still didn't know what she was going to
do.  She could keep her job for a few years, but then what?  Move on and
assume some new identity, in an endless cycle of lies like Nick?  Or
maybe lose herself in the community like Urs?  And what about Vachon?
He'd said he needed space, that their relationship was getting too
intense and he wasn't sure he could control himself.  Well, he wouldn't
have to control himself any longer!  But would he still want her now that
she was just another vampire?  Did she even want him anymore?  She was
ashamed to admit, that a good chunk of Vachon's appeal had been that he
was so mysterious and this otherworldly being.  Would the attraction
still be there now that they batted for the same team? Tracy chewed her
lip as she thought.  Suddenly she broke the skin, and her own blood
filled her mouth.  She felt her fangs descend and she cut into her lip
even more.  She quickly lapped up her blood and slowly counted to ten,
waiting for her lip to heal.  She buried her face in her hands then and
silently began to cry.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        Across town Nat too was sitting on her couch thinking over the most
recent turn of events.  She sighed, Nick was being impossible, apparently
due to his own hounding by Lacroix, he'd decided to do the complete
opposite with Tracy by leaving her almost totally alone.  Though that
didn't stop him from calling her every few hours to find out if she'd
talked to Tracy.  Nat picked up her cat and sat him on her lap.  Sure
Nick wasn't leaving town, though she was sure it'd crossed his mind a few
times to do just that, but he wasn't making an effort to -see- his
partner either.  Who knew what Tracy must be thinking?

        Nat absently stroked Sidney.  She had to work tonight, but maybe she'd
go and visit her?  That would be the best course of action, she decided.
But would she be at home?  'It's likely she'll go to the Raven as soon as
the sun sets.'  She reasoned, maybe she could catch her before she left?
A quick glance at the VCR clock told her that wasn't going to happen.
'Well, I guess I have to wait 'til tomorrow.'  She told Sidney.  But
still, talking to the fledgling probably wasn't something she should put
off.  Who knew what kind of crowd she could be running with?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        "Brava!  Brava!"  Miklos called out, applauding and cheering Tracy on.

        Tracy couldn't help but giggle as she floated wobbly up to the second
floor railing in the cavernous warehouse.  She hadn't really wanted to
spend another night lurking at the Raven, and since Miklos -had- given
her his number, she'd decided to call him up and beg for a flying lesson
before his shift.  They'd met at an old furniture warehouse by the docks,
it wasn't the classiest digs, but Miklos had easily whammied the elderly
security guard into taking a much deserved nap and they now had the place
to themselves.

        "Good!  Good!"  Miklos called from the ground and quickly flew up to
join her.  "You're a fast learner!  Fastest I've ever seen anyone pick
that up!" He grabbed and playfully kissed her on the lips.

        Tracy pulled away, "Uh- thanks."

        "Beauty!  You're blushing!" Miklos pointed out, both surprised and
amused.  Most vampires couldn't do that.

        "Yeah, well."  She went a shade pinker.  She had to admit that she was
having a wonderful time.  Miklos was a charming, patient and, most of
all, willing teacher.  So what if he flirted shamelessly with her?  It
was just his way.  He probably flirted with every woman he'd ever met,
from 5 to 500 it made little difference to a rogue like Miklos.  Though
Tracy had to allow that she wasn't immune to his considerable charms.  He
leaned back in and kissed her right under the ear, making her giggle in
the most undignified way.  "Quit it!"  She scolded laughingly, "I've got
to learn this, and you are -not- helping!"

        "Ah my beauty, but there are so many other things that I could teach
you," He smiled seductively, stepping off the railing and hovering before
her.  He reached out a hand and cupped the side of her face, Tracy
sighed, closing her eyes and leaning into the touch.

When she opened them again, she was floating with Miklos in the centre of
the cavernous space.  "Wow," She mouthed, she hadn't even felt her feet
leave the ground.

        He moved to her then, somehow giving Tracy the sensation she was being
held without even touching her.  His lips came closer, barely brushing
hers.  "So very many things I can teach you my beauty."  He whispered
against her cheek.

        Tracy leaned forward, nearly losing her precarious balance in air before
pressing her lips to his.  A sigh of pure contentment escaped her when
she felt Miklos's arms slip around her.

        Suddenly, a white blazing agony ripped into her shoulder, followed
immediately by the sound of a gun firing.  Tracy wrenched back; the first
thing she saw was the bullet that had buried itself in her shoulder had
first barrelled in through Miklos's lower back, then out through his
ribcage before digging it's way into her.  The shot had come from the
ground.  Almost mechanically she forced herself to look away from
Miklos's bleeding chest to the warehouse door almost two stories down.
The guard!

        A roar of rage and pain ripped out of Miklos, and before Tracy could
even realise what he was doing, he was snapping the old man's neck.

        Stunned, Tracy floated down beside the pair, watching as the bartender
allowed the guard's body to slump unceremoniously to the concrete floor.
"You killed him."  She gasped, her eyes wide with shock.

        "Yes," He nodded, dismissing the body immediately and turning to her.
It didn't even occur to him that she might have a problem with the
killing of the man who had shot them, all he saw was the wound in her
shoulder.  Being older, his own wounds, though much more severe, were
already healing.  Tracy, on the other hand, was very young, and not only
that, but the bullet was still buried within her.  "Come, we must get
that out."

        "What?"  With effort Tracy pulled her eyes away from the body. The
numbness of shock had settled within her, it was a sleepy dullness,
almost like a drug. The guard, poor soul, must have woken up, only to
find two people floating inside the warehouse he'd been hired to protect.
 They must have looked like demons to him, she supposed.

        "The bullet," Miklos clarified, "It must come out."

        Tracy frowned, then following his gaze, finally noticed her shoulder.
"Oh crap."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and kevlar vests to anteros@juno.com


*See part one for disclaimers
**Note- the following is not for the faint of heart, it gets a tad
graphic

Coming Across (7/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)


        Nick felt it happen.  He was just getting to his desk and putting his
coat down when he felt the phantom agony slice through his shoulder.

        "Hey, Knight!"  Reese, put his hand on his arm, causing him to shudder
at the pain.  "You okay?  You've gone white as a ghost!"

        "Yeah, yeah, Cap'," Nick was careful to keep his now red eyes closed,
"I'm fine, just got dizzy for a second, that's all."

        Reese frowned, "Maybe you should sit down," He watched his detective
sink gracelessly into his chair.  "Ya know, maybe ya shouldn't work
tonight, you don't look so good."

        When Nick was sure he had himself under control he opened his eyes,
"Must be that flu that's going around."

        Reese nodded, "Probably, we have quite a few of the day crew out with it
too."  He gave Nick a speculative look, "Why don't ya head home?  Without
Vetter around your sailing at half mast as it is, we can get along
without you for awhile."

        Already preoccupied with tracing the pain back through the link to his
fledgling, Nick just smiled his thanks and regrabbed his coat.  "Maybe
you're right Cap', thanks."

        "No problem," Reese patted his arm again, again missing Nick's wince,
"And listen, you want any chicken soup or anything, just call, the wife
made a ton of the stuff already, thinks I'm gonna get sick too."

        "I'll keep that in mind," Nick said, already heading out the door.  He
knew Tracy was all right, in pain, but all right.  He rubbed his shoulder
as he left the building, it was a pain he knew all too well, she'd been
shot.  Seems the pain was keeping her from blocking him completely
though, he wouldn't have much trouble finding her now if he wanted to.
And he definitely wanted to.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

        Tracy was vaguely aware that Miklos was taking her somewhere, but mostly
she was just fascinated by the small oozing hole in her shoulder.  Being
a cop, raised in a family of cops, she'd often wondered what it would
feel like to be shot, somehow she'd never thought it would be like this.
Sure there was pain, but maybe because of her new status in the fanged
set, it wasn't the overwhelming agony she'd expected. The wound felt
warm, it throbbed, and when Miklos took hold of her arm and led her down
the Raven's back steps to the cellar, the pain was almost... sweet.

        "Stay here a moment," Miklos ordered, lifting her slightly and sitting
her on the edge of a high oak table in the centre of the cellar.

        In the shadows Tracy became aware of several others watching her and
Miklos, while trying to look as if they weren't.  There was Urs, sipping
quietly from a champagne flute near the stairs.  Alma, the blonde she'd
seen with Lacroix last night, was sitting in the corner, on the lap of
the middle-aged man who'd been talking with Miklos, Dwight.  They sat
back, watching through half closed eyes, making no move to leave.

        "Here," Miklos returned to her side an instant later, he set a small
first aid kit next to her thigh and began undoing the buttons of her
blouse.  Tracy almost swatted his hands away, before she realised he
meant to get the bullet out.  She gritted her teeth and shrugged out of
the fabric when he pushed it back over her arms.

        "This might hurt a bit," He said quietly, barely loud enough for her to
hear.  Tracy drew a sharp breath, leaning forward as he pressed the ends
of the tweezers into the wound.  She looked over Miklos's shoulder,
seeing Alma and Urs cross their legs and lean forward, giving up any
pretence that they were disinterested by the proceedings. When the metal
tips of the tweezers touched the imbedded bullet, Tracy groaned and
closed her eyes.

        "Just a moment more Beauty," Miklos promised, "It's almost over."  He
pressed a quick kiss on the tip of her nose, before returning his
concentration to the bullet.  He slipped one of the straps of her white
lace bra down her arm, angling his wrist to get the stubborn projectile
out.

        A slow trickle of blood escaped as he drew the bullet out, the tweezers
clamped tightly around it.  Tracy whimpered.

        "There, there, all done," Miklos tossed the instrument away, pressing a
sterile gauze pad to her bleeding wound. He crouched down and looked up
into her face, her eyes were still tightly closed.  "Hey?  You all
right?"

        She nodded, slowly opening her eyes and looking down into his face.  She
smiled slightly, before looking down at the pad he held to her shoulder.
Her shirt was off, and his dark hand seemed to demand notice against her
white skin.  Her bra wasn't too skimpy, but still...

        "There, that wasn't so bad," Her eyes came up to meet Miklos's again,
and something seemed to pass between them.  "Was it, my beauty?"

        Tracy shook her head, lifting her hand and peeling back the gauze for a
better look.  Miklos allowed this, seemingly just as fascinated by the
small wound as Tracy herself.  Tracy could feel the weight of the others'
gaze upon her, but she ignored them.  She was totally lost in Miklos's
eyes.

        He leaned forward then, brushing his lips across the wound, she could
feel the flesh start to heal.  It felt wonderful.  Waves of guilty
pleasure raced through her, almost against her will, her head lolled
back, and she felt her hands bury themselves in his silky hair. "So
beautiful," Miklos mumbled, loving the taste of her.

        Tracy went tense beneath him.  Part of her was revelling in the
sensations Miklos was causing in her, but another part was shocked.  He
was kissing the bloody wound in her shoulder!  Licking it as if... well,
as if it were something a lot different than a shoulder.  And she was
enjoying it!  God was she ever enjoying it!  Tracy closed her eyes
tightly, not sure whether to push him away or pull him closer. In the
background their audience was reaching a fevered pitch, Alma's teeth sank
savagely into her companion, while Urs grabbed the nearest bottle and
began to drain it.

        Then, just as she felt the tip of Miklos's tongue dip inside the bullet
wound... Nick came charging down the cellar steps.

        "What the hell is going on here?!"  Nick barrelled down the stairs, only
to be hit by the almost over-powering smell of arousal.  The scent was
thick in the air, and not just the couple's in the centre of the room
either.  He glanced at those along the wall; Urs, Dwight and Alma quickly
scurried from the room.

        "Nick!"  Tracy gasped, pushing Miklos away even as everything in her
screamed to pull him closer.  She grabbed her blouse and pulled it back
on, buttoning it quickly.

        Nick stalked closer, almost since the moment she'd been shot, he'd felt
something through their link.  He hadn't wanted to admit to himself what
it was, but when he saw Miklos step back, Tracy's blood glistening on his
mouth, he had to acknowledge it was desire.  Passion surged through her,
flooding her senses and spilling over to him.  Tracy, -his- Tracy was
letting someone else taste her blood!

        Seeing the elder vampire practically shooting daggers at Tracy with his
eyes, Miklos stepped between the pair, "Knight- " He said in warning,
only to be receive the back of his hand.  The 700-year difference in
their ages gave Nick more than enough strength to send Miklos sprawling.
His head crashed into a cask and everything went black.

        "What the hell Nick?!"  Tracy yelped, jumping to her feet and rushing
towards her fallen friend.

        "Oh no you don't!"  Nick spit out, "You've had more than enough
excitement for one night!"  And with that, he began pulling her towards
the stairs.

        "What do you mean by that?"  Tracy demanded, fighting his hold, "And
what business of yours is it anyway?!"

        Nick stilled, thrusting Tracy in front of him and forcing her to look at
him, "You were shot tonight, do you think I couldn't feel that?"

        His eyes bore into hers, telling her that the gunshot hadn't been the
only thing he'd felt from her tonight, she tried to look away, but Nick
wouldn't let her.  "I know you don't like it," Nick's hold on her upper
arm tightened, "But we -do- have a connection, we -are- one."

        Tracy stared wide-eyed at him, and Nick was suddenly struck by how very
much like his own master he sounded.  Snarling, he took firmer hold of
Tracy and dragged her from the club.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and a gif of Freud rolling in his grave to
anteros@juno.com



*See part one for disclaimers

Coming Across (8/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)

        That same night Natalie was working late, very late, in the empty
morgue. Nat sighed and looked at her current customer.  The victim of an
animal attack.  A -real- animal attack, who would have thought?  But yes,
Cacho, Julie A. had indeed been attacked by a neighbour's pit bull.
"Stranger things have happened," Nat mumbled, using the tip of her
scalpel to probe the jagged wound in the throat of the deceased.

        She didn't actually have to be there anymore, her shift had ended an
hour ago.  But she needed to do -something-, she couldn't just go home to
her empty apartment and spend another night alone.  This whole situation
with Tracy was getting to her. Even if Nick had been actually -trying- to
help her, she wasn't sure she'd feel any better.  She had to admit her
faith in him had been sorely shaken ever since his botched attempt to
bring Richard across had ended so horribly.  She was having trouble even
looking at him without remembering her brother's blood crazed eyes... Nat
closed her eyes tightly for a moment, "Get back to work Doctor," she
ordered herself, she didn't have time to go over this again tonight.

        Opening her eyes, she tried to focus on the bite marks, unconsciously
comparing them to all the fang marks she'd seen cross her slab in recent
years.  And how many had she written up as animal attacks?  They had
looked nothing like this.  "Why haven't I been caught by now?"  She
mumbled with a frown.

        "Wishing out loud, doctor?"  A velvet voice intoned behind her.  When
the pathologist jumped back, spinning to confront him, Lacroix just
smiled and stepped closer to examine the body.  He raised a brow at the
savage bite marks, "Sloppy aren't they?"  He looked up at the woman
beside him, "But still... do they speak to you my good doctor?"

        Nat's lips compressed in a thin line, the last thing she needed right
now were mind games from this sadistic demon.  "What do you want
Lacroix?"

        "Oh, just to... talk," He took a step back, turning on his heel and
walking casually around the room, "To chew the fat."  He grinned
devilishly at that.

        "A friendly visit, eh?"  Nat pulled a sheet over the body, she didn't
need two pairs of dead eyes staring at her.

        Lacroix paused, giving her an unreadable look, "Actually Dr. Lambert,
I've come to speak with you about the most recent turn of events."

        Tracy's yellow eyes immediately flashed through her mind, but Nat tried
to keep her expression neutral when she answered, "Oh?"

        Lacroix opened his mouth to say something, when he felt an odd twinge in
his shoulder.  He unconsciously rubbed it, but couldn't quite place the
cause, so dismissed it.  "I am of course talking about young Tracy
Vetter, Nicholas's partner?"

        Nat swallowed audibly, "What about her?"

        Lacroix raised an eyebrow, well aware that Natalie must know something.
He took a step towards her, circling around so he stood just behind her
shoulder, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Seems you are the
only one who has not... shall we say... submitted?"

        Nat drew a sharp breath, but said nothing.

        Lacroix frowned slightly as he felt a surge of desire wash through him.
Coming from a link he couldn't quite place, echoing through his son, the
passion wasn't bloodlust but a much more... earthy sensation.  He took a
quick step back away from the woman in front of him.  "She-" He began,
then shook his head and began again, "You are the only one left, aren't
you my good doctor?"

        "What do you mean?"  Nat turned and looked him in the eye.

        "I mean, simply," Lacroix drew a deep breath, trying to suppress the
feelings that were rapidly becoming his own as he gazed upon the
pathologist's heart-shaped visage.  "Now that young Vetter is one of us,
you, my dear woman, are the only one left."

        Nat frowned, what was he getting at?  Was he saying he was going to
bring her across?  Or was he just taunting her about how she was the only
one left with a less than infinite lifeline? "What the hell are you
talking about?"

        "Nothing, nothing at all."  Lacroix drew a sharp breath, taking in the
scent of her hair, her skin, ...her blood.  "Ah, young Tracy?"

        Nat ran a hand through her curls in an exasperated gesture.  "Yes, Nick
brought her across.  What of it?"

        There was a full beat of silence.  Time enough for Nat to realise that
Lacroix had -not- known about the new addition to his family.  She
watched his eyes widen, and then without so much as a 'by your leave,' he
left the morgue as suddenly as he'd come.

        "Oh hell," She chewed on her lower lip for a moment, considering her
options.  Then, after quickly shoving her latest customer back into the
cooler, Nat grabbed her purse and headed for the door herself.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        "What the hell were you thinking?"  Nick demanded as he thrust Tracy
into the loft.  "You should be more careful!  Getting yourself shot on
only your third night?!"

        "Oh what?  You've never been shot?"  Tracy spun and glared at him,
"Don't give me that!  I'm sure Nat's had to dig quite a few bullets out
of you!"

        "Yeah, but I never enjoyed it!"  He yelled back.

        Tracy's cheeks reddened and her eyes slipped to the floor.

        Nick ran a hand violently through his hair.  He had no clue what to say
to her.  "Tracy, you can't just go screwing every man you come across!"

        Tracy saw red, "He isn't just any man!  And we weren't screwing!"

        "The hell you weren't!"  Nick grabbed and nearly shook her.  "Don't you
get it Tracy?  You aren't his!  You're-" He broke off, his lips crushing
hers.

        Tracy's knee slid up between his legs, hard.  Nick released her and
doubled over in pain.  She laughed bitterly, "I'm what?  Yours?  Don't
think so Nick."  She rubbed at her mouth, wiping away the taste of him.

        He looked up at her with pain-filled eyes.  "Don't go.  I didn't mean-"

        Tracy looked down at him, setting her jaw and purposely ignoring the
throbbing pain between her own legs.  Sometimes the link was a real
bitch.  Especially when you enjoyed it.

        "I'm outta here," She said flatly, waving her hand absently and striding
to the door.  She got to the lift doors just as Nat was rushing in.  The
coroner gave her an odd, fear-filled look and Tracy just winked at her,
"See ya Nat."

>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and cups to anteros@juno.com


*See part one for disclaimers

Coming Across (9/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)

        Nat blinked as Tracy marched past her, winking cockily and smirking all
the while.  Once the blonde was safely in the lift and out of earshot,
she turned and scanned the dimly lit loft.  "Nick?"  She called out as
she spotted him standing stiffly in the centre of the room, "We have a
problem."

        "Oh?"

        Was it her imagination or did his voice just crack?  With a small shake
of her head she moved on, "Hey, what did Tracy want?"

        "Want?"  Nick struggled to keep his mind on the present and Nat, not the
way his groin still ached or the way Tracy had looked shirtless in that
cellar.

        "Yeah, why'd she come and visit you?"  Nat waved a hand then, "Never
mind, doesn't matter, we have bigger problems.  Lacroix knows."

        Nick straightened, "What?!"  How could Lacroix know about that already?
He thought back, no, he hadn't sensed his master at all while they'd been
there, and it wasn't exactly like Lacroix wouldn't have come out to
comment if he -had- been there!

        "Yeah," Nat continued, "He came to the lab tonight, acting really
strange, I mean, strange even for him.  Dropped a few taunts about Tracy,
then... figured it out."  She left out the fact that she'd inadvertently
been the one to tell him, but Nick didn't seem to notice her pause.

        "Figured out she was a vampire?" Nick's brows furrowed.

        "No, that she's -your- vampire," Nat clarified.

        Nick felt a surge of awful pride at that, "Oh?  What'd he say?"

        Nat paused, she'd seen the smile light his eyes at those words.  Was he
happy that Lacroix knew or...  "You're enjoying that she's yours aren't
you?!"  She accused.

        "Of course not!"  He quickly denied, perhaps too quickly.  He had to
look away, as if he couldn't quite meet Nat's eyes.

        Nat gasped at the betrayal, never mind that she hadn't thought about
Nick in that way for months, the fact that he was feeling... what ever
the hell it was he was feeling for Tracy was almost too much to take in.
These feelings hadn't been there before he'd brought her across, had
they?  Doubt filled her, had Nick wanted to bring his partner across all
along?  She thought back over the last few months, Nick had always
treated Tracy a lot differently than he had Schanke, but that was because
Tracy knew about vampires to begin with, he had to be a lot more careful
around her.  And besides that, Don Schanke had been everyone's buddy,
while Tracy was young, female and...  Nat frowned, that line of thought
definitely wasn't encouraging.  She thought back to how Tracy had looked
leaving just moments ago.  Had that been blood on her shirt?  "You!"  Nat
sputtered, her eyes widening as she took a step back, "You had sex with
her!"

        "I did -not!"  Nick's eyes snapped up, "Nat, how could you even think
that?"

        "There was blood on her shirt, I saw it!"  Nat told him, "What, you two
come here to have a nice little vamp orgy?  Did I ruin the fun?  I'm -so-
sorry."  She sarcastically exclaimed.

        "If Tracy had sex, it wasn't with me," Nick growled out.

        Nat wasn't stupid, she picked up on the undercurrent of that statement
right away.  "You mean, she-?"

        "That's why I brought her here Nat," Nick explained, he almost lifted
his hand to touch his lips, but at the last moment jammed it through his
hair instead.  "I found her at the Raven... in the cellar..."

        "With the guy she fought with that first night?"  Nat asked.

        Nick's head jerked up, he hadn't thought of that.  "Maybe.  Though this
was... consensual."  He briefly described the scene as he'd found it, the
blood, the smell, the audience...  Though he left out his own reaction to
it, and everything that had happened once he'd brought her back to the
loft.

        Nat's eyes were wide, "Oh...my."  She felt the need to sit down,
actually, what she could really use was a cold shower.  "But Tracy-" She
frowned in thought, "I mean, she might not have known what was happening
until, you know, it was happening.  Right?"

        Nick nodded, he could see that.  Getting caught up in the moment.  God
knows it had happened to him more than a few times.  He had the sudden
need to know she was okay.  "Look, Nat..."

        "What?"  Nat glanced up, she looked like she was struggling with her own
thoughts, "Oh, you want to go find her I suppose?"

        "Yeah, I think I'd better.  When she left, she was pretty angry," And
not only that, he almost couldn't believe how strong his need to see her
was.  He had vowed not to crowd her, but the almost perverse desire to be
with her was driving him mad.

        "Yeah, go," Nat nodded absently, "Not like you need my permission
anyway."

        Nick gave her an odd look, but then headed towards the door.

        "Oh, and Nick?"

        He turned and looked back at her.

        "Be careful with her," She warned. "She's not as okay with this as she
pretends to be."

        Nick frowned, but nodded, thinking back to all the conflicting emotions
he'd picked up through their link, "You might be right."

        "Do you know where she went?"  Nat asked.

        "No," Nick reached for the door, "But I have a pretty good idea."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        Tracy headed straight back to the Raven, she couldn't believe Nick!  How
could he just hit Miklos like that?  They hadn't been doing anything
wrong.  Tracy blushed, well, maybe they had, but it wasn't like it was
any of Nick's business!  And where did he get off kissing her anyway?!
She angrily weaved her way through the crowd to the stairs in back, she'd
almost reached the door when Lacroix stepped out in front of her.  She
ground to a halt.  "Hi, uh, sir."

        Lacroix just stared down at her for a moment, saying nothing.

        Tracy stood there, then remembered she'd forgotten to clamp down on the
link again.  Oh hell.  She quickly did this and moved to step around him
to the stairs.

        Lacroix's brows drew together in a scowl, he'd felt that.  So it was
true, she was Nicholas's.  And not only that, she could block him.  What
an... interesting turn of events.  "And where, Detective Vetter," He
hissed, "Are we going this evening, and in such a hurry?"

        Tracy blanched, her eyes darted to the stairs behind him, but she made
no further move to reach them.  The last thing she wanted was for Lacroix
to get involved in her life!  "Um, no where in particular."  She lied.

        But Lacroix had seen that glance.  He peered down at her, and while Nat
had only noticed in hindsight, he saw the blood right away.  And not just
hers, his keen senses picked up the smell Tracy's own blood, sweet, like
apricots and lilies; but also the scent of another's blood.  Familiar,
one he'd smelled before, but never tasted... basil and lime he thought,
but try as he might he couldn't place the distinctly male scent.  He
looked back over his shoulder at the door that led to the cellar steps,
long known to be a favourite among the younger of their kind.  "Shall we
go see who's down there then?"

        Tracy's eyes widened, but she squared her shoulders and nodded.  She
would not cower before this man or anyone.  He obviously already knew
something, she couldn't think of any way out of this, so she might as
well gather her wits around her and proceed.  Showing fear could only
hurt her.  "All right, lead the way."  She swept her hand forward, bowed
slightly and waited, silently inviting him to go first.

        Despite himself Lacroix smiled, he was reminded how intrigued he'd been
when he'd first met her not two nights ago. As he descended the steps and
Tracy followed, he had the ridiculous feeling that she was going to push
him.  He almost laughed at the thought, yes, no doubt about it, she'd
make an interesting addition to the family.

        Tracy followed him down, amusement was humming through their link and
she had the sinking feeling that he'd found her out.  Well, at least he
wasn't angry.  When the reached the cellar floor, Tracy immediately
looked around for her fallen friend, but while there was a good sized
blood stain where he'd crashed into a cask, Miklos was no where to be
found.  She breathed a sigh of relief, he obviously hadn't been too badly
hurt, and besides that... she wouldn't have to deal with his and
Lacroix's questions at the same time.  And she knew the ancient vampire
had questions, she could already feel his piqued curiosity through their
link.

        Lacroix eyed the blood, then turned and looked at Tracy, who had her
hands folded demurely before her and appeared to be waiting for him to
ask.  Slightly disconcerted, he realised that this young one was quite
literally reading him like an open book.  He cut down violently on their
link, nearly growling out loud as he did so.  Amusement lit Tracy's eyes
and Lacroix snarled, insolent little thing!  He raised his hand, ready to
teach her some manners.

        Tracy flinched, ready to receive a blow that never came.  Slowly she
cracked open her eyes and found Nick holding Lacroix's wrist, the back of
his hand inches from her face.  She took a step back, moving out of the
way as Lacroix and Nick's eyes locked.

        "You... will... not... touch... her!"  Nick ground out, he quickly lost
control over his master's hand, but he'd managed to keep him from
striking his fledgling.

        Lacroix felt the possessiveness, the pride and... the longing through
his son.  It surprised him, the sheer strength of his emotions.  Perhaps
Nicholas was finally beginning to feel what it truly meant to be a
vampire.  "Fine."  He said plainly, taking his hand back and picking an
imaginary piece of lint of his son's jacket.  "I will leave her to you
then." He looked over to Tracy, then back at Nick, "To discipline as
-you- see fit."  And with that, he left the pair alone.

>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and paddles to anteros@juno.com



*See part one for disclaimers

Coming Across (10/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)


        Nat had watched Nick stride out the door but didn't bother to go
herself.  It was late and she wasn't even going to bother going back to
the lab.  Looking around the loft, she sighed, sank heavily into the sofa
and just thought.

        Nick Knight, once she'd thought she understood him.  When he'd brought
her brother Richard across- When she'd -begged- him to bring Richard
across, he'd done it  but, it had been reluctantly, and she could tell
that he had regretted it almost instantly.  But now he had brought Tracy
across, and for the most part, other than fearing she'd lose control and
his anxiety over learning she could block him, he didn't seem all that
concerned with what she now was.  And if she hadn't known better, she'd
even say he liked her better as a vampire.  "But I don't know better, do
I?" Nat cracked wryly and sighed.

        Richard had been her kid brother, she'd always tried to look out for
him.  And, when he'd been shot, she'd done the only thing she could think
of to save him... shamelessly forced Nick to bring across.  Nat closed
her eyes tightly but that didn't dull the ache of pain that shot through
her at the memory of his final days.  She didn't know why he'd lost
control of the beast, the hunger, whatever the hell you wanted to call
it.  And while Nick had made sure he'd fed well and explained at least
the basics to him, her brother just hadn't been the same person.

        Was Tracy?  Nat had to admit she didn't know.  She'd never really tried
to get close to the rookie detective that had taken Schanke's place, and
now she regretted it. It wasn't really Tracy's fault, the young blonde
had tried to make an effort to bridge the gap, but every time Nat had
looked at her with Nick... she'd just find herself missing her old friend
all the more.

        Rising slowly to her feet, Nat began to slowly pace the room.  She
wanted to help Tracy, but was it already too late?  She got the
impression she hadn't killed anyone, at least Nick hadn't said anything,
and he'd tell her if she did.  Nat paused.  Or would he?  Would that even
matter to Nick anymore?  Sure he'd destroyed Richard when he'd killed,
but what about Janette and Lacroix?  Surely they still hunted, and Nick
had never done a thing about them.  Had Tracy risen to their ranks in his
mind?  Maybe he wouldn't bother to tell her if Tracy killed, maybe he
didn't really care anymore if she did.  Nat chewed her lip, no, that
couldn't be.  Sure her faith in Nick was shaken, but it wasn't gone
completely.  He -wanted- to be mortal, he didn't like being a vampire or
other vampires.  He couldn't like the fact that Tracy was a vampire, was
linked with him.  He'd brought her across to save her life, nothing more!

        Suddenly Nat's eyes caught something.  In the corner, the easel, Nick's
new painting was covered by a black tarp.  She'd never seen him do that
before.  Frowning, she approached it. The inky blackness of the cloth
alarmed her and she didn't even know why.  Standing there before it she
froze, a thrill of dread shot down her spine.

        "Well doctor," Lacroix's voice intoned behind her.  "Lift it."

        Natalie spun around, watching as the ancient vampire distractedly set
the gift bottle he was carrying on Nick's kitchen table.  She didn't
bother to ask what he was doing here but just turned slowly back to the
easel.  "I'm not sure I want to."  She admitted.

        Lacroix frowned and walked up behind her.  Picking up on her
apprehension he placed a hand on her shoulder.  He hadn't expected the
pathologist to be here, and if it hadn't been for the fact that she was
standing before it, he would have probably missed the black draped
painting and gone on his way. He clenched his jaw, he had never known
Nicholas to cover any of his works before. "Lift it." He ordered.

        Taking a deep breath, Nat stepped forward and yanked off the tarp.  "Oh
God." She gasped, feeling Lacroix stiffen behind her.

        There before them was a portrait, the paint was wet and it was in Nick's
familiar blotchy style, but the subject was clear: Tracy.  The blonde's
expression was one of mocking amusement, behind her the moon hung low in
the night sky and seemed to glow with life.  Glowing almost as much as
Tracy's eyes, which were painted, like the moon, a bright ungodly yellow.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        "Don't even -think- about touching me," Tracy tried to glare at Nick,
but it wasn't particularly convincing when she was nearly quaking with
fear.  That Lacroix had been planning to 'discipline' her was just too
much, it wasn't that she didn't think she could take the pain, but
rather, once she allowed herself to acknowledge that fear, others pushed
their way to the surface.  All her insecurities, the mind numbing terror
she had about what she now was, everything she'd been fighting so hard to
get over and move past seemed to rush her at once.  She wrapped her arms
tightly about herself and felt a lump building in her throat.  'Oh god,
please don't let me cry in front of Nick!' she thought desperately.

        "Tracy..." Nick frowned as he caught a glimpse of her emotions, "Come
here."  He held his arms out to her.

        Tracy looked up sharply and forced herself to stand up straight,
shoulders back, show no fear.  She still didn't trust Nick, and despite
him stopping Lacroix, she wasn't sure she even liked him.  She cut down
sharply on the link and sneered, "Yeah, right."  And with that she
stormed past him and shot up the stairs.

        As she pushed her way through the thinning crowd, Tracy told herself she
was glad she couldn't sense him following her, she didn't want or need
him, she didn't, really.  "Get a grip Vetter," She cautioned herself,
wiping at her eyes.

        "Tracy?"  A hesitant voice called.

        Tracy turned at the sound of her name, it was Urs.  "Yeah?"

        "Tracy, we- uh, should," The former dance hall girl uneasily shifted her
weight from one foot to the other, "We should, I mean, I think, we need
to talk."

        Tracy flinched, the last thing she wanted right now was a heart to heart
with anyone, let alone someone she hardly knew.  "Yeah Urs, and we will,
but it's almost dawn...  Tomorrow okay?"

        Never very assertive, Urs reluctantly nodded, "Yeah, sure, okay."

        "Great," Tracy patted her arm and headed out the door.  After shakily
taking to the sky, she landed outside her building with only seconds to
spare.  She rushed up the three flights of stairs, not having the time or
the patience to wait for the elevator, and slipped inside her dark
apartment.

        "Home again, home again, jiggity jig," She sang tunelessly as she felt
some of the immediate panic she'd been feeling start to dissipate.  "I'm
a vampire, I can deal with that," she told herself in a calm even voice,
almost as if by saying the words out loud it would make them come true.
"I can deal with the immortality," she continued, slowly and methodically
locking the front door and checking to make sure the windows were still
well covered and light-proofed, taking comfort in what had already become
a routine.

        "I can deal with the link..." She frowned, the image of Nick holding his
arms open to her invading her mind, ruthlessly she forced herself to move
on.  "I'm strong, I can handle this."  She pushed her bangs from her eyes
and picked up a fallen magazine, strange, she didn't remember leaving it
there...

        "And I can even deal with the urge to-  Ergh!"  With a grunt of
frustration she angrily shoved that whole line of thought away.  She
could handle this, she was strong enough to cope.  Looking for a
distraction, any distraction, she set the magazine on the coffee table
and walked over to hit play on her answering machine.

        "Hello T. Vatter, I represent Home Equity- guydgedvegvdy- " Tracy hit
fast forward past the ad, God she hated it when they left messages!

        "Tracy?  If you're there pick up."  There was a pause while her father
waited for his order to be followed.  "Fine. I've made us reservations
for lunch at the Bismark tomorrow, I want you to meet Garry Cameron and
his son.  Wear something presentable, and by that I mean a dress for
God's sake not a damn suit and tie like -gurdjw-nbdywgeyyyyukjfjh-" She
hit her favourite button again, it wasn't like she was going to meet
anyone for lunch anyway, her father knew how she felt abo- Tracy paused
mid-thought, the old argument she usually made didn't work anymore.  True
she still didn't want her father meddling in her life, be it professional
or personal, but now... because of what she now was, she didn't even have
the option of letting him.

        She felt the painful prick of tears behind her eyelids, she reached up
to wipe them away and found her fingers came away with a distinctly pink
cast.  "Oh geez," it hit her again, like a ton of bricks, it hit her.
She swallowed a couple of times, trying to keep the waterworks at bay.
She couldn't lose it now, she'd be okay.  She could handle this.
Squaring her shoulders, she forced herself to breath.

        She sank down into the afghan draped armchair near her couch, rubbing
her temples and trying to stop the headache that was in no way physical
but sank all the way through to her soul.  Suddenly her eyes caught on
something, there, sitting on her end table, right under the lamp was her
gun and badge.  Slowly, as if seeing them for the first time, she picked
them up.  Reverently she flipped open the badge, "To serve and protect,"
she read the words emblazoned across the miniature shield.

        As a mortal she'd pledged her life to protect people.  She hefted the
cool weight of her side arm, as always the same thrill of power tingled
through her, though she supposed it didn't really mean as much anymore.
Mechanically she checked to make sure the safety was on before lifting
and checking the sights.  As a cop she'd been trained to use lethal force
if necessary, and due to her training, even without her gun she would
have been considered potentially dangerous.  She eyed the badge again,
but it hadn't been her position that had kept her in check.  Her own
personal code, had been enough.  Ethics, morals, honour, what ever you
wanted to call it, that's what had made her who she was.  Could the fact
that she was now a vampire really change that?  She was the same person.
Sure she had urges that she'd never entertained when she'd still been
mortal, but she -thought- the same, and in the end, wasn't that what
really mattered?

        Gingerly she replaced the weapon and badge, she was the same person.
That little fact, though so obvious, filled her with awe.  It didn't
matter what her body wanted, or what it was capable or incapable of, on
the inside, where it counted, she was the same Tracy Vetter she'd always
been. Amazingly reassured but emotionally exhausted, Tracy climbed to her
feet.  The sun was starting to peak over the horizon, and as it bathed
the city in new light, it sapped away what was left of her strength.

        Safe behind her foil taped windows, she began stripping off her bloody
clothes and preparing for bed. Of course, no matter how tired she was,
she couldn't forgo pretreating the stains on her clothes, quickly she
dabbed the bluish goo over the marks before shoving jeans and shirt into
the hamper.  She smiled to herself, despite her emotional epiphany old
habits were hard to break, if anything her realisation had reaffirmed her
little idiosyncrasies.  "Anal is as anal does." She yawned, pulling open
the bedroom door. "See Vetter?  You really haven't changed -that- much!"

        The first thing she noticed was that her bed was not made.  The second
thing was that her bed was not made because someone was in it.  "Miklos?"
 She whispered, her eyes widened, he was in her bed, naked.  Almost
against her will her eyes devoured the sight of his dark muscular chest,
following the trail of curls that sprinkled the wide expanse and traced
down into a thin line that went down and disappeared beneath her yellow
and white flowered comforter.  She had to remind herself to blink when
she felt her eyeballs start to dry.

        "Beauty," He rolled over and looked at her, his eyes searching and
worried, "You're all right?"

        "Yeah," Tracy nodded, self-consciously folding her arms over her bra and
panties, not that he hadn't already seen the bra...  "You okay?  How'd
you get in?"

        He chuckled sleepily, it was clear he wasn't quite awake, "Ursula told
me where you lived, getting in was easy," He yawned and pulled back the
covers, revealing he was at least wearing boxers.  "Come.  Sleep.  The
sun has risen."

        Tracy just stared for a second, then realised that his thoughts weren't
anywhere near hers.  She blushed, he actually just wanted to sleep!
Guiltily she realised that he'd been through an awful lot today too, not
only had he been shot, but also knocked unconscious by Nick.  It was a
wonder he was even as awake as he was!  She looked him in the face again,
and he smiled, not a seductive smile, just a friendly, sleepy little half
grin that seemed to Tracy to say, 'you know I won't hurt you, trust me.'
And with a resigned, yet amused sigh, Tracy walked over and slipped into
bed beside him, after all, she was exhausted herself... and she sure as
hell wasn't taking the couch!  When she felt his arms slip around her,
cradling her protectively to him, she slowly began to relax.  Everything
was going to be okay, she could worry about propriety in the morning.

>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and teddy bears to anteros@juno.com



*See part one for disclaimers

Coming Across (11/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)


        Natalie felt Lacroix's hand tighten around her shoulder, almost to the
point of pain, but still she didn't say anything.  She didn't even move,
aside from flinching, when Lacroix stepped forward and with a low growl
knocked the easel down with a swipe of his arm.  The painting landed face
up, the yellow eyes of the portrait seemed to mock them.

        He turned and looked at her, "Did you know about this?!"  He demanded,
his own eyes tinged with yellow.

        Nat looked at him, and for some reason felt almost no fear, she was in
shock she supposed.  "Yeah Lacroix, I knew all along," She snapped, her
words dripping with sarcasm.  "Hell, who do you think has been
encouraging him to 'embrace his true self' all these years?!  Damn right
it was me!"

        Lacroix's lips compressed into a thin line as he watched the woman
before him.  Her chest was heaving, her eyes were accusing and she looked
very close to tears.

        "Don't you -dare- blame this on me!" She whispered, her voice cracking,
"I only wanted to help."

        Lacroix looked back down at the painting, the proof of his son's new
obsession stared back with unseeing eyes.  "I know," He breathed.

        "Don't blame her either," Nat said suddenly, walking over and picking up
the wet painting gingerly, leaning it against the wall... facing the
wall.  "Tracy... Tracy wasn't like that, she isn't..."

        Lacroix's nod was almost imperceptible, "I know, Doc- Natalie," He gave
a weary sigh, "Whatever Nicholas is... thinking, your young friend is
certainly not to blame."  Lacroix had met Tracy, and while the fledgling
was wilful and trying, she was much too confused herself to be playing
any games with his son.  No, this play was very much reading from
Nicholas's script.

        Nat stiffened at the sound of him using her first name, and looked back
at him.  For the first time ever she saw Lacroix looking troubled.  Sure
after the fever she'd seen him worried, but that had been with an edge of
challenge, of anger at the world.  Right now he looked like, Nat's eyes
widened with insight, like a worried father.  "Are you going to be all
right?"

        His head snapped up, a look of surprise flashing over his features
before his usual expression of bored disdain settled into place.  "Of
course, my good doctor, I am -always- all right."  Then he noticed her
quietly gathering her purse and coat, "Wait!  Where are you going?"

        Nat looked back at him, she didn't need this, "I have someone I have to
see."  She looked around the darkened loft, making sure the blinds were
closed as she knew the sun would be coming up any minute, "I assume
you'll be," Her lips curled slightly, "-All right- here, all by yourself.
 So, I bid you adieu."  She gave a small bow and left.

        Lacroix watched her leave with a hooded expression, who the hell could
she being going to see?!  He growled low in his throat and began pacing
like a caged tiger, he couldn't do a blasted thing until the sun set.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        When the sun dared rise above the horizon in fair Toronto, not only did
it trap Tracy and Miklos is her apartment, and Lacroix in the loft, it
also kept Nick in the Raven.  Not that the former crusader particularly
minded, since he was well into his third bottle of the club's finest and
was past caring about much.

        After glaring all concerned parties away, Nick had moved into his
master's office and helped himself to the private reserves.  It wasn't
that he couldn't control his hunger, it's just that he needed a release.
And bottled though it was, this blood, he had hoped, would help quell the
longing within him.  Oh God why the hell couldn't he get Tracy out of his
mind?

        Never before had any of his fledglings ever haunted him so.  When he'd
failed in his attempt to bring Alyssa across, he'd mourned, but it hadn't
ached like this.  And when Serena had awoken, hating him for what he'd
done, he'd blamed himself, but it hadn't hurt like this.  Well, Tracy was
still alive, so obviously he hadn't failed her too badly, at least in
that respect.  And though she'd left the loft angry, he didn't think she
hated him... not yet anyway.  He took a deep swallow, draining the third
bottle dry.

        Tracy's face danced before his eyes.  She was so beautiful, so full of
life, even now...  Closing his eyes Nick thought back to when she'd first
been given to him as a partner.  She'd been full of spunk, eager to prove
herself but also full of the arrogance of youth.  Young, beautiful,
brave... He could have killed Vachon for opening those sky blue eyes to
the world of the night.  He'd thought it would change her, the knowledge
of their kind.  But it hadn't.  And now she was one of them herself, and
she was still young, still beautiful, still brave.  He'd thought it was
her innocence that he had to protect, but it wasn't the innocence, the
not knowing that had made Tracy so special, it was how she dealt with the
knowledge.  As a mortal who knew about vampires she'd been a shining
example, the Sir Galahad that knew, but was never tempted.  And as a
vampire, as a vampire she was exquisitely true to herself.

        Nick slowly set the empty bottle aside.  He'd finally realised what had
been so haunting about Tracy... she was who he wanted to be. Who he
wanted to be with.  Tracy Vetter, a cop, his mortal partner, was an angel
with soiled wings who still saw the light.  She might falter and struggle
with what she was, but she wouldn't lose -who- she was.  Nearly all of
their kind he met seemed to be missing something, a piece of their soul
maybe, whatever it was that made you strive to be good, to do good.  But
not Tracy, she would always have that.  She might ignore it, she might
fight with it, but she would always have it.  And that's why he couldn't
let her go.  Ever.

        Clenching his jaw, and ignoring the fact that his own master had done
the same to him too many times to count, Nick reached out through their
link to make contact with his fledgling.  Where was she?  Slowly, a
tingling numbness began to hum through his mind, she was asleep.  He
concentrated, searching for where... Her apartment.  He immediately
reached for the phone and dialled a number her knew by heart.

        After two rings someone picked up, "Hello?"  Came a sleepy voice, a
sleepy -male- voice.

        A moment passed where he couldn't even draw breath, but then Nick forced
himself to put the receiver gently back into the cradle, hanging up on
the husky voiced man in Tracy's apartment... probably her bed.

        Then he jerked the phone from the wall and flung across the room into
the fireplace, watching as the greedy flames quickly set to work.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        Tracy groggily rolled over and looked at Miklos as he hung up the phone.
 "Who was that?"  She asked, really wishing he hadn't answered but not
awake enough to argue about it now.

        The Greek shrugged and started to pull her back into his arms, "Must
have been a wrong number Beauty, they didn't say a word."

        "Good," Tracy yawned.  She glanced at the clock/radio.  Eleven AM, who
would call at such an ungodly hour anyway?  She dismissed it and settled
back down, pressing her cheek against Miklos's chest and just enjoying
the feel of him.

        Three seconds later the world as Tracy knew it ended.  Her parents used
their spare key.

        "Tracy?"  Her mom called out as her dad pushed open the door, "Honey,
you awake?"

        "Oh crap!" Tracy yelped under her breath as she tried to push herself
out of Miklos's arms.  Unfortunately, at the sound of the two people
entering the apartment, the dark vampire had frozen, his arms locked
tight around Tracy as she tried to wiggle her way out.

        They never did remember to knock.  As a kid she'd always complained
about it but they always forgot.  They forgot this time too.  "What the
hell?!"  Richard Vetter's baritone echoed through the tiny bedroom as he
opened his daughter's door.

        "Oh!"  Barbara Vetter gasped, "You, uh, promised to visit Tracy... we
were worried when you didn't..." She offered lamely as she felt her
soon-to-be ex-husband reaching the boiling point beside her.

        "I demand to know who this... man is!"  Her father bellowed, "Tracy what
do you think you're doing with-"

        Tracy pulled the comforter up to her chin, wishing now that she'd at
least pulled on a t-shirt before slipping into bed in her underwear.
Hell, she hadn't even done anything!  "Dad!  It's really none of your
business, I'm an adult and-"

        "Well you sure the hell don't act like one!"  Her father yelled.

        "I think this is pretty 'adult' dear," Barbara commented with the arch
of a blonde brow, the three valium and the screwdriver she'd had for
breakfast giving her a false sense of courage.

        Richard turned on his wife, "You!  You and your freakin' 'liberal'
values, she gets this crap from you!  Sleeping around like some-"

        "Oh go to hell Richard!"  Barbara shrieked at him, "You had the monopoly
on sleeping around in this marriage and you know it!"

        "You really are a bitch, Barbara!"  He spat, turning back to his
daughter, "Tracy, get up and get dressed!  And get this creep out of
here, we're going to have a long talk young lady-"

        "Just leave her be!  At least she's happy!"  Her mother screamed,
slamming her foot down and slapping the wall behind her with her
bottle-filled purse.

        As the couple continued to argue, Miklos turned to Tracy, who almost
looked bored by their venomous display, "These are your parents?"  He
asked incredulously.

        "'Fraid so," Tracy sighed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and caller id to anteros@juno.com


*See part one for disclaimers

Coming Across (12/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)


        Nat set down the small bouquet of violets on the mound of earth at her
feet, "Well baby brother, been awhile since I visited," Nat crouched
down, absently plucking up a few weeds.  "Sorry about that, always mean
to come, but life ya know?"

        "Amy and Sarah are doing well..." Nat squinted and looked up at the
shinning sun, then back down at the grave.  The sun glinted off the white
marble tombstone, making it almost too bright to look at. It felt strange
being out in the daytime, it had been a long time since she'd gone
anywhere in the early morning sunlight... other than home and straight to
bed.  She sighed, "You know I miss you Richie."

        She shifted uncomfortably in her crouch a moment, then just gave up and
sat down. "You know Richie, when you were shot I really thought having
Nick bring you across was the only answer..."

        "And when you..." Nat grimaced, "I thought it was a fluke, you know?
Like a birth defect or something, that you didn't even have a chance."

        Nat plucked up a piece of clover and rolled it between her fingers,
watching the stem turn to green pulp.  "He's brought Tracy across now.  I
think you would have liked her, she's young but a nice kid.  Smart, good
head on her shoulders."  Nat looked back up at the gravestone, tracing
the name 'Richard Matthew Lambert' with her eyes, "A lot like you
actually, like you were."

        She laughed humourlessly, "And you know what's really bugging me now
Richie?  I can't stop myself from wondering if it was his fault.  If you
would have turned out okay if he'd tried harder."

        She tossed away the mangled clover and grabbed another, "I mean he went
back to work the next night for Christ's sake!" Nat sighed then, "And
now, Tracy... I just can't help think he's going to ruin it with her
too."

        She sat there a minute more, letting the sun warm her and wishing things
were different.  After awhile she climbed to her feet, ignoring the
popping of her bad knee, "But I suppose all I can do is hope everything
turns out for the best," She sighed at that insight, there really wasn't
anything she could do.  She couldn't make any of them change their ways,
especially Nick.  She looked up into the sunny, cloud dotted sky, it
wasn't her fight anymore anyway.

        "Thanks Richie, you always were a good listener."  She smiled sadly and
headed off in the direction of her car.  And for the first time in six
years, her steps were just a little lighter.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        Urs cracked open the door to Lacroix's office, Nick was sprawled out
unconscious on the couch.  Sighing, she made her way in and tilted the
older vampire's head to one side, just to make sure he wouldn't choke on
his own vomit.  Sure he couldn't die that way, but from over a century
with Vachon, she knew that they never woke up happy after something like
that.

        Nick's blue eyes fluttered open, "Urs?"  He croaked out groggily.
Slowly he sat up on the couch, watching with confusion as the former
dance hall girl flopped down next to him and gave him a determined look.


        "We've got to talk."

        Nick rubbed his forehead and squinted at her, "Huh?" seemed to sum up
his feelings.

        But the blonde dancer would not be put off, "Listen Nick, I don't know
what you think you're doing with Tracy," She frowned, she'd put two and
two together, Nick -had- to be the cop's master, "But I think just
letting her run with Miklos is a big mistake."

        "You think I don't know that?"  He sneered, "What do you purpose I do
about it?  She doesn't listen to me!"

        Urs just blinked, for a moment looking exactly like her master... as
Nick raged on just like his own would.

        "She's stubborn, thinks she can do it all on her own," Nick stood, head
swimming slightly, "But she can't.  She just doesn't get how important
family is."

        "Well," Urs cut in hesitantly, "Maybe you should tell her?"

        Nick turned back and glared at her, "And she'd listen to me because...?"

        Urs just shook her head, "I- I-"

        Nick signed then, his anger washing out of him, it wasn't Urs fault.  "I
wouldn't listen..." He ran a hand through his hair, "And she has to
figure it out for herself too."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        Tracy had the sudden urge to crawl back under the covers... actually,
maybe even under the bed would be better.  This was worse than when Uncle
Sonny had caught her on the back porch with Bruce... this was her
parents, and this was a bed.  Oh crap!  For once couldn't they have
called first?!

        Miklos watched the beauty beside him closely, trying to figure out what
was going on in her head.  Tracy Vetter was a very complicated woman.
She hadn't really said anything about her past, or her present for that
matter.  But it was obvious that she came from a, how did those TV talk
shows put it?  Oh yeah, a dysfunctional family.  He looked up at the
couple screaming at each other in the doorway, noticing that they weren't
paying any attention to him or Tracy anymore.  Hmm, he could put this to
his advantage.  Rising up from the bed, the couple didn't notice he'd
moved until he was right before them, and by then it was too late.

        Tracy nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Miklos approaching her
parents, "What are you doing?"

        Miklos looked back at her, waving his hand to show that both older
Vetters were firmly under his control.  "I thought we could use a break
from their bickering."  He said plainly.

        Tracy frowned, climbing to her feet nervously, for some reason the fact
that he was whammying her parents really struck her as wrong.  "Maybe you
shouldn't..."

        "Relax my beauty," Miklos reached out and pulled her to his side.  Tracy
was momentarily distracted by the cool feel of his bare skin against
hers, but when he continued speaking she couldn't help but stiffen.

        "They see and hear nothing I don't tell them."  He explained, putting a
hand out and rubbing his palm up her mother's arm.  Barbara responded by
sighing and trying to move closer to Miklos, only to be stopped by a
single look from his dark, hypnotic eyes.  "She looks much like you
Beauty, very lovely."  He told Tracy, obviously he meant it as a
compliment, but it made her wince none-the-less.

        Sure her parents could be a pain, but playing with their minds like
this... Letting Miklos, who was practically a stranger, press his way
into their minds was just... wrong.  This went way beyond 'honouring thy
parents,' this was about simple human rights.  What right did anyone have
to change what another thought?  Especially on a whim?!  Tracy looked up
at Miklos and saw him for the first time.

        He was a vampire, but then so was she.  Miklos was something else
though, he was a killer.  She thought back to her first night, he had
been planning on killing that man in the alley.  She'd put it in the back
of her mind and tried not to think about it, but now she had to.  The man
in the alley, the security guard that hadn't really needed to be killed,
and now her parents.  He didn't see them as people, just food.  Food to
be played with and then discarded when he was done.

        She watched him make her father dance the Macerana.  He thought it was
funny, didn't see the harm at all.  Tracy grimaced, realising that this
had to end, that -she- had to end it.  "Miklos, I think you better
leave."

        "In a second Beauty," He started to put her off, amused by her father's
dance, then what she'd just said seemed to sink in, "What?"

>>>>>>>>>>>>
Send all comment and cheesy dance music to anteros@juno.com



*See part one for disclaimers

Coming Across (13/13)
        By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins)


        Nick walked over to the sideboard and picked up another bottle, holding
it up to the light and examining it's dark content.  "You know something
Urs?"

        By now the dancer was very sorry she'd stuck her nose into any of this.
Vachon and Screed had told her that Nick Knight was crazy, but she'd
never really believed them. Until now.  "Wh-what?"

        "I never had a fledgling before." Nick pulled the cork and lifted the
bottle to his nose, sniffing the 'wine' inside.  "Oh I've brought people
over, but that isn't the same thing."

        "No, isn't it."  Urs nodded, wondering what he'd do if she just got up
and left?  Surely he wouldn't try and stop her...

        Nick closed his eyes, recorking the bottle and setting it aside, "I
never really understood that, but now with Tracy..."

        "It's different," Urs finished for him.  She should have listened to
Screed when he said Nick was a looney.  But she'd thought, so he didn't
like killing, well, neither did she, normal enough.  But that wasn't the
weird thing, hell, it wasn't even just Nick she realised, it was Lacroix,
probably Tracy too. The whole line was whacko.

        "It is," Nick insisted.  He looked back at Urs, she looked anxious,
almost afraid. He smiled at her, that little boy's grin that promised
everything would be all right. "Uh, thanks Urs, for listening.  It's
getting dark, I'm sure you want to go..."

        The dancer jumped to her feet, almost grinning at the reprieve.  As she
walked to the door, trying not to run, she looked at Nick.  "Look Nick,
if you ever need anything..." She trailed off, not really wanting to
volunteer to get mixed up in any of this again, but too polite to say so.

        But Nick caught the subtext and smiled, "Don't worry, I won't."

        As soon as Urs was gone, the smile slid from his face.  Walking back
towards the sideboard his eyes caught the mirror hanging on the wall.
Drawn, tired he looked like hadn't slept in days, and thinking back, he
certainly hadn't gotten much.  Then, in the mirror, he saw something
else. Staring back at him from his own eyes... He'd seen it in Lacroix's
face countless times, the duty, the sense of family, the pain that came
with it. But also the hope, the pride, the -everything-.

        When he'd been mortal, he'd always had that sense of obligation to his
family, that unconditional love and the feeling of belonging.  When he'd
come across, he'd thought that was gone forever.  He'd briefly tried to
recapture it, meeting up with Fleur and his mother again but... Family,
he'd thought, was a mortal phenomenon.  He hadn't let his sister be
brought across because it would have, in effect, ended the family he was
no longer a part of.  And now, now he was feeling it again.  For the
first time in nearly 800 years he knew he was truly part of something
again.  Not a friend, not a lover, but part of an ongoing and enduring
family.  True immortality.

        "Nicholas?"  The former general looked vaguely concerned as he entered
his office, eyeing the empty bottles by the couch and the haggard form by
the mirror.

        Dragging his eyes away from his reflection, Nick looked back at his
master.  He gave a half smile in greeting and nodded his head slightly,
"Father."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        "You heard me," Tracy told him determinedly, "I want you to leave.  Get
dressed, you can leave now, it's dark enough."

        "Beauty," Dark brows lowered and he gave her a confused smile, "What are
you talking about?"

        "I want you to leave, now."  She repeated, then pushed him away from the
dazed couple and towards the door, "And stop that!"

        "You mean your parents?"  He frowned, "There's no harm... I wasn't going
to hurt them unless you said-"

        Tracy bit her lip, he'd actually consider -eating- her parents?!  "Just
get your things and leave."  She said in a slow even voice.

        Miklos looked at her, at a loss as to what was going on in her head.  He
started to gather up his clothes, pulling them on as he went.  In the
background he could hear Tracy telling her parents to go sit on the front
couch, that they never saw him, that they had just come to visit and
nothing was wrong.  Well, everything was wrong!  Tracy had never really
said anything about her past, or her present for that matter.  Urs had
mentioned she was a cop but...  He thought back to the Raven, when Knight
had barged in on them in the cellar... Knight.  If that daft crusader was
her master that might explain a few things, he sneered as he finished
tugging on his boots.  Janette had always said to avoid the boy scout,
and seemed like he'd just discovered why.  Whatever he had, it was
obviously contagious.

        When he finished, he found Tracy was already holding the door open for
him.  "Good bye Miklos."  She said formally.

        Miklos walked to the door and gave her one last look, his expression
softening.  God she was beautiful!  Without warning he grabbed her and
kissed her thoroughly.   Even as she slapped him, the rueful smile never
left his face.  "Until next we meet, Beauty."  He bowed slightly and
walked out.

        With a growl Tracy slammed the door, rubbing her tingling lips and
stalking back to her parents.  Now how the hell did she deprogram these
two?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        Lacroix's brows raised in surprise.  "Are you," He took a step closer,
"Feeling quite all right?"

        Nick turned and smiled at that, "Yeah Lacroix, I'm fine."

        Lacroix stretched out his awareness, trying to determine his son's state
of mind.  "This is about Miss Vetter I take it?"  He asked somewhat
cautiously.

        "In part," Nick turned looked back into the mirror, his eyes meeting
Lacroix's in the reflection, "I think it has more to do with family
actually."

        "Indeed?"  Almost imperceptibly the ancient vampire relaxed, but his son
caught it and smiled.  Nicholas was all right, pensive perhaps, but not
mad like he had feared.  "Family you say?"

        Nick picked up the bottle he'd opened earlier and poured himself and his
father a glass, "I've learned something Lacroix," He said
conversationally, "Something about what's truly important in this world."

        "Family," Lacroix nodded, accepting the wineglass he was handed.
"Family is the -only- important thing my son, everything else is trivial
in comparison."

        Nick shrugged at that, declining to answer.  "So... do you think she'll
come?"

        "Sooner or later I would say she must," Lacroix sipped from his glass,
thinking on the newest member of his family, one who had also brought
back his son... Or perhaps delivered him for the first time.  Such an
intriguing little mystery she was.  "After all, she is family, and we are
all she has."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

        Nat sat on her sofa, stroking Sidney and flipping through old photo
albums.  Richard had been an adorable kid, grown into a gangly teen and
finally a handsome man.  Nat sighed, when she finished one album she
grabbed another.  Opening one of her newer books, she was surprised to
see the precinct soft ball game from two years ago.  She felt the painful
sting of tears as she looked down at a picture of a sunburned Don Schanke
trying to show Stonetree's son how to bunt.

        Frowning she noticed the catcher in the background, Tracy.  Grinning
hugely as she caught the ball, her hair was longer and tied back into a
ponytail, but there was no mistaking that smile.  Nat traced a finger
over the picture and scanned her other snap shots.  She hadn't known her
then, but she was in the background of a couple.  Goofing off for the
camera the young officer was anything but dignified or withdrawn.

        Huh, and it looked like she'd come in second in the bubble blowing
contest.  Nat smiled down at the pictures, Tracy had certainly been a
kick.  The little sister everyone teased but secretly loved.  Picking up
her cup Nat took a sip of luke warm tea, it was supposed to calm her, but
it wasn't helping.

        Suddenly, there was a sharp rap on her door. Nat trudged off the couch,
disrupting the cat who gave an irritated 'meooorw' of protest.  "Sorry
Sids, but I gotta get the door don't I?"

        "Coming, coming," Nat mumbled under her breath, trying to wipe the
remnants of tears away so her visitor wouldn't see.

        "Probably just a Jehovah's Witness anyway."  She griped before yanking
open the door to find... Tracy.

        "Uh, hi."  The blonde was poised to knock again, but quickly lowered her
hand.  She looked at Nat, then at the duffel bag at her feet, "Um, I've
been thinking... and well..."

        Nat just stared for a minute, then caught herself and moved aside,
"Tracy, hi!  Come in, come in!"

        "Thanks," The blonde smiled and stepped in, walking into the living room
she spotted the photo albums, "I remember that picnic."

        "Yeah," Nat nodded, searching for any sign that Tracy needed... wanted
her help.  She so much wanted to be a part of her life, but she couldn't
force it.  "I didn't even know you were there until I started looking at
the pictures again."

        "What?"  Tracy turned to her with a look of mock outrage, "You forgot
the MVP of the Beat Cop Team?  Three years running you know."

        Nat chuckled, "Don't know how I missed you."

        Tracy smiled back, then her expression turned serious, "Nat, um, can we
talk?"

        Nat smiled, "Yes Tracy, yes we can."  She led her to the couch and sat
down next to her, not even surprised when Tracy fell into her arms and
started crying softly, "And welcome home kiddo."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And that's all folks!  :)  Like it?  Love it?  Loathe it?  Send all
comments to anteros@juno.com

And for more of my fic, check out
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Hollow/1228/knightmares.html