Nativity in Black
By Paula Lewis
I am just a worthless liar
I am just an imbecile
I will only complicate you
Trust in me and fall as well
I will find a center in you
I will chew it up and leave
I will work to elevate you
Just enough to bring you down
Trust me
Trust me
Trust me
- From Sober by Tool
Part 1/?
Nick was backsliding. He was giving in to the vampire. Natalie was sure of it. The evidence was all there. He was spending more time at the raven with LaCroix. Empty bottles of blood strewn about the loft, not to mention his frequent absence at work. That disastrous night at Vanderwal’s had been the razor that sliced the thin thread that bound Nick to his mortal life. Natalie wasn’t really sure if she was going to try to get him to continue working on a cure. It has to be his choice. She thought firmly as she stood outside the Raven watching to see if Nick went in or came out. They had been so close when Nick had gotten shot in the head and forgotten he was a vampire. The very thought of that night over two months ago brought tears to Natalie’s eyes. The thought of what might have been had she taken advantage of the situation. Natalie wiped her eyes as she saw the all too familiar blonde vampire walk into the Raven. He was coming here every night, just as she had suspected. Natalie wanted to die; he was reverting back to his vampire life. She was feeling so tired and drained. She had been fighting fatigue and nausea for weeks. Natalie regretted not looking for him earlier. She might be too late. He might never return to her now.
Natalie made her way into the club. She saw Nick sitting at a table in a darkened corner. He didn’t acknowledge her at first.
“Nick, what are you doing?”
“What does it look like I am doing, Natalie?” Nick answered her with a note of warning in his voice.
“It looks like you are ruining your chances at mortality.”
“So what if I am? LaCroix is right it’s useless to fight my evil. I am giving in to what I am. Accepting my true nature.”
“Your true nature? Nick, this is not your true nature. You’re not evil.” Natalie said as she reached for the glass of blood. She didn’t know how she knew, but she was positive he was drinking straight human vintage.
Nick stopped her hand by grabbing her wrist. His grip was like a vice.
“What do you know about me? You are a foolish mortal, playing doctor with a vampire. You know nothing about me or what I am!” He roared, his eyes glowing the amber hue of the vampire. His grip tightened on her arm and Natalie winced as she forced back a cry of pain. He was nearly crushing the bones in her wrist. Nick saw the agony in her eyes and quickly realized what he was doing. As he released her, he shoved her away.
“I think you should leave me alone, Natalie. Don’t come back here.” Nick said quietly as Natalie rubbed her wrist.
“I think I’ll do just that. Leave you alone that is.” Natalie said as she backed away trying to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. She turned and all but ran out the club, unaware of the pair of liquid brown eyes watching what had happened between her and Nick.
Nick closed his eyes as Natalie walked away from him, probably for the last time. He silently cursed himself. He had hurt her, nearly broken her arm. How could he tell her why he had been avoiding her? His love for her was killing him. He had gone back to human blood hoping to satisfy the vampire enough to be able to be around Natalie again. This made him realize he loved her more than his quest to become human. He would give it all up and more to be able to love her openly. Ever since that night at Vanderwahl’s the vampire longed to taste her sweet blood. He hadn’t been able to satisfy the blood lust, only her blood, the blood of his dearest love, could satisfy the beast. He had kept his distance from her, but she refused to acknowledge the danger. He only hoped to frighten her into accepting the fact that he could kill her before he could stop himself. He couldn’t bear to move on. He couldn’t bear to lose her. If he lost her, then he would surely walk out to meet the first rays of the morning sun. He loved her, God help them both, but he did.
Natalie slowed her pace as she left the Raven. This time she let the tears come. He was lost to her now, gone back to his “family.” She felt a strong hand on her shoulder. She turned quickly thinking it was Nick. When she spun around, expecting to see azure blue eyes, she found herself staring into warm liquid brown eyes. Vachon stared at her curiously,
“Hey Doc, you alright?” he asked
“Yeah,” Natalie replied while her heartbeat slowly returned to normal.
“I saw what happened in the Raven with Knight.”
Natalie sighed, “I think the entire vampire community of Toronto saw me make a complete fool of myself.”
Vachon moved in close to Natalie, took her hand and squeezed it tightly,
“No, Doctor, I think that Detective Knight is the fool.”
“Vachon-“ Natalie started to say and he quickly moved away as though he had said nothing.
“I wanted to thank you for what you did for me – for the rest of the community when the fever was going around. I owe you one. I gotta tell ya, Doc. One of us has been asking around about you and Knight.”
“A vampire? Why?” Natalie asked immediately frightened, “An Enforcer?”
“Not an Enforcer, but someone very old, older than Knight I think. He felt very powerful. He knows that you are the M.E. He wanted to see you. I thought I could at least warn you. I don’t think he means you any harm. He said his name was Jude. I was going to tell Knight, but he didn’t seem to be in a talkative mood tonight. Well, Doc, I’ll see ya. And thanks again.” With those words Vachon was gone into the night sky.
Numbly Natalie made her way back to the coroner’s office. She stared silently at the piles of paper work on her desk. She just couldn’t concentrate on anything but Nick and the mystery vampire Jude.
“Doctor Lambert?”
“Yes?” Natalie replied without looking up at her guest.
“You are a very difficult lady to find tonight.”
Natalie looked up sharply and found herself staring at the creature before her. Beautiful is not how you would normally describe a man, but it fit him. His eyes were the color of the purest amethyst; thick lashes so heavy they appeared to weigh down his eyelids surrounded them. His raven hair curled at the base of his neck and shone like mica in the sunlight. His face was sculpted and his complexion wasn’t as wan as other vampires she had seen, but a pale honey color.
“Who are you?” Natalie asked, already knowing the answer.
“I am Jude,” he said walking to stand closer to Natalie. She noticed he had a slight accent, but couldn’t place it. Middle Eastern maybe?
“What do you want?” Natalie asked her heart rate picking up slightly.
“Do not fear me, I wish you no harm. I have heard of your work with Lucius’s child, Nicolas. You are trying to help him regain his mortality, no? He is not alone in this quest. I too wish to regain my humanity.”
“How do you know about Nick?”
Natalie’s guest smiled and she thought she would melt onto the tile floor. She couldn’t believe her reaction to this vampire. She was acting like a teenager with a crush.
“Nicolas’s quest is well known throughout the community, though it is tolerated as long as he isn’t a threat to us. You are pretty famous too, since that incident with the vampire fever.”
“Great,” Natalie said, rolling her eyes, “I’m a vampire celebrity.”
Jude laughed, “Just hope that you don’t have any groupies.”
“At least you have a sense of humor,” Natalie replied smiling, “Most of your kind doesn’t have much of a sense of humor.”
“Does that include your Nicolas?”
“My Nicholas? Hah! What makes you think he is mine?”
“Isn’t he? “
Natalie looked away. “I thought there might be a chance for….Well never mind what I thought. I was wrong. Just so you know Nick has decided to go back to his vampire life.”
“Really? After so long, he has finally returned to his true nature?”
“Yes, tonight he told me to leave him alone. I agreed.” Natalie replied with a creak in her voice. Jude could sense quite easily her pain. His ancient senses were keen and Natalie had only one lifetime to learn to mask her emotions. She felt betrayed, an emotion Jude was very familiar with. Jude chose not to press her any further on the subject.
“Would you help me please? Regain my humanity?”
Natalie was hesitant to agree. She wasn’t sure of Jude’s true intentions, but this could be a great opportunity to analyze another vampire’s blood. The only samples she had was Nick’s and Screed’s, but Screed’s blood was tainted by the vampire fever virus and wasn’t a good sample to compare to Nick’s. She could take advantage of this situation, by getting more of the details about vampires that Nick seemed unwilling to share. Deep down Natalie still hoped that Nick would come back to her. How I love him, she thought.
“Jude, I will help you, but you have to be willing to truthfully answer my questions about your nature.”
“Agreed.” Jude said as Natalie handed him a piece of paper.
“This is my home address, I’m going to go home early tonight. I’ll be there around three. I’ll need to take samples from you.”
“You would trust me to come into your home?”
“I figure that if you wanted hurt me you could do it at any time, and if you wanted to know where I live you could find out easily enough.”
Jude gratefully accepted the slip of paper, “Thank you Doctor,” With those words her mysterious stranger was gone.
End part1/?
Part 2/? of Nativity in Black by Paula Lewis
See disclaimers in part 1
Natalie absently made her through the stacks of files. It had, thankfully, been a slow night, and she was for once pretty much caught up. She could go home, but was hesitant. Do I really want to get involved with another guilt ridden reluctant vampire? Natalie thought. Were Jude’s intentions real or was he someone recruited by LaCroix to play mind games? Even though Nick had ripped her heart out, she still felt as though she was betraying him. Cheating on him if she helped Jude. When Janette was still around Nick would run every other week to the Raven for a quickie, she thought. Why should I feel guilty for just helping someone with his condition? Because you’re attracted to Jude and he might give you what Nick refused, a wicked little voice whispered in her head. Besides Nick will be moving on soon any way. Why would he care?
Her decision made, Natalie quickly tidied up her desk and headed home. True to his word, Jude was there out side her apartment building. He was waiting for her.
“Hello, Doctor Lambert, I hope I am not too early.”
Natalie smiled, “No, actually I’m a bit late. I apologize.” In truth Natalie had taken the long way home still unsure of what she was getting into. ”Please Call me Natalie.”
Natalie quickly led him into her apartment. She motioned for him to sit on the couch. “I would offer you a drink, but I’m afraid I only have cow.”
Jude made a face. “Ugh, cow I think I’ll pass. Is that what Nick drinks?”
“Yes. So I take it you drink human blood then? Natalie asked as she opened her bag and pulled out a red notebook, exactly like the black one she use for the research on Nick.
“Yes, but it is donated only. Even before it was common for our kind to drink donated that is how I survived. Except for the First Hunger, I have never taken a human life for pleasure.”
Natalie stared at him astonished; “You have never killed?”
“I didn’t say that. I have killed. But I have never killed because of blood lust.”
“How is that possible?”
“My sire taught me to take only what I needed and to respect all life. He was very kind to mortals and vampires alike. His mortal lover had been killed by intolerable vampires a millennia before he brought me across. He taught his children tolerance and that all life was worthwhile.”
“When were you brought over?” Natalie asked completely entranced by her guest’s tale.
“Over two thousand years ago. I had betrayed my best friend. He was murdered because of me. I tried to hang myself at sunset. My neck didn’t snap immediately. As I blacked out, my sire came along at that moment, took pity on me and brought me over.”
“What happened to him?” Natalie asked carefully, sensing that speaking of his master caused him great sadness.
“He was killed by vampire hunters centuries ago.”
“I’m so sorry.” Natalie said touching him gently on the arm.
Natalie jotted down a few notes and closed the notebook. She reached into her bag and pulled out several slides and specimen cups. “Okay, I need a few skin samples and blood. OH, and um…well,” Natalie stuttered nervously she had never asked Nick for a sperm sample, and it had somewhat hinder in her research. Natalie wasn’t going to let modesty obstruct her progress.
“I need a specimen sample,” Natalie said handing him two specimen cups.
Jude paused and raised an eyebrow at her, “Natalie, I think you will have to wait on that. As for one, vampires don’t have to go very often and as for the other it wouldn’t be wise for you to be near when I –“
“Oh I get the picture. Just get them to when you can.” Natalie said a little embarrassed. She pulled out a syringe. “I need you to roll up your sleeve so I can get a blood sample.” She leaned in close to Jude as he exposed his arm, hoping he wouldn’t notice her hands trembling slightly. God, he is so exotic looking, she thought.
Jude found him staring at Natalie, wanting to touch her. He could see why this Nick was so taken with her. She had such a great inner beauty as well external beauty. Jude wanted her, but he knew that she was hands off. He had heard that Nick had staked a vampire for trying to take her. But she said Nick had told her to stay away, maybe he grew tired of this life and was moving on, that would make Natalie fair game. Jude placed his hand over hers as she touched his bare arm. Their eyes met.
End Part 2/?
Nativity in Black Part 3/?
Nick paced impatiently around the loft, downing several bottles of the Raven's finest vintages in the process. He was worried. Natalie wasn't at work. The sound of the lift moving brought him out his reverie. The door slid open and Urs stepped out of the lift, her anxiety clear on her face.
"What's wrong, Urs?" Nick asked, only slightly concerned.
"Nick, it's about your mortal friend, Natalie."
Nick's still heart suddenly found itself lodged in his throat, "What happened? Is she in danger? Did LaCroix do something to her?"
"No, no, not LaCroix, but she may be in danger. She is with one of us, an Ancient, maybe older than Lucien. Javier said his name was Jude and that he was asking about you and Natalie. He was asking if she was trying to make you human again."
"Is he an Enforcer?"
"No, I don't think so, though I suppose he could have been. Lucien and I were...well...out and saw him go into her apartment with her. There *was* something about him. He felt very powerful. I don't know if he means her harm, but I thought you should know. I know you care for her, more than you would like to admit."
"Yes, I do," Nick reluctantly admitted to Urs.
"Then go to her, tell her. She deserves to be given a choice." Urs said.
******************************
Natalie found herself melting into the violet pools of light that were Jude's eyes. He leaned closer to her, she could feel his cool breath on her cheek. "Natalie, you are very beautiful, so sweet," Jude said his breath caressing her lips as he closed in on her. His hand gently cupped her breast through her shirt and it sent a jolt of electricity coursing through her body. Their lips met and she found herself crushed against his length. She could easily feel the evidence of his arousal pressing against her. She wound her hands in his raven hair and pulled him closer, trying to force all thoughts of Nick out of her mind.
Natalie and Jude were so involved at that moment that neither of them notice the blonde vampire watching them through the window.
Nick stared at his Natalie, HIS NATALIE and the vampire engaged in a deep furious kiss. He was touching her in way Nick had never dared. His heart couldn't have ached more if he had been staked. This was unacceptable. Had it been a mortal man he was losing Natalie to he could have accepted it and walked away, but he was losing Natalie to an another vampire. The vampire raged beneath the surface. ********************************************
Natalie felt Jude slide his mouth down to her throat as he moved his hands over her body. Her mind whirled. She drew back from him
"Stop, Please," she said, "I can't. I just can't be with you."
Jude pulled back and looked at her, "You do love him don't you?"
"Yes, I do. I don't know why. But I can't help it."
"I understand more than you know. I hope this doesn't effect our agreement?" Jude said jokingly. "Friends?"
"Friends." Natalie replied giving him a tiny smile.
"Good, then I'll see you tomorrow night and bring the..uh.. samples you requested. You tell that wayward knight of yours how you feel when you see him again." Jude said as he left.
End Part 3/?
Adult: Please be gentle with me. This is the first adult stuff I have *ever* written. I've been blushing ten shades of red since I wrote this. Let me know how I did. Praise and constructive criticism readily welcomed. Also I have very little knowledge of the layout of Toronto, so if I send anybody off to a place that isn't there forgive me.
Nick moved silently through the cool night air. His raged had been quelled somewhat. He couldn't blame Natalie. He had practically pushed her into the arms of another man. The streets of Toronto were brightly lit beneath him. He was going to Natalie's apartment. He had to see her, to try to win her back. When he reached her building, he could sense she was sleeping. Nick hovered quietly as he tried her window; it was unlocked as usual. She keeps it unlocked for me, he thought as he crept inside, or least it used to be for me. He listened silently for a moment stretching out his senses. Nick heard the steady rhythm of her heart and it comforted him somewhat. He could easily tell that the vampire had not taken her blood, so she hadn't let Jude go much further. Maybe there was hope for him yet. Nick moved silently around the apartment until he found Natalie asleep on the couch.
His cold heart began to ache again at the mere sight and smell of her. Never before had a woman, mortal or vampire made him feel so alive inside. For so long he had danced around his feelings for her.
Nick carefully leaned over her as she slept and breathed in her scent. Going against his better judgment, as usual, he picked her up from the couch and carried her to the bedroom. Nick gently laid Natalie on her bed. She slept peacefully, her lashes lying in crescent fans upon her cheeks. He tenderly brushed a stray lock of hair back from her face. The white T-shirt she wore scarcely covered the smooth curve of her hip and thigh. He could see the lace edge of her panties peeking out from beneath the hem. Nick willfully forced his eyes away, carefully covering her with the sheet on the bed. He could see the other vampire in his mind, touching her, drinking her blood, doing everything he had longed to do since he met her. It enraged the vampire within Nick. But he once again pushed down the beast. Nick all too soon found his eyes wandering back to her, watching the pale thin material of the sheet slowly settle and cling to the outline of her form, enveloping her with a warmth and intimacy he feared he could never share. If it were possible to be jealous of a mere piece of cloth, then he was wickedly jealous. As he stood looking down at her, overcome by the futility of his insane impulse, he lost his nerve. Why had he even come here? He could give her nothing but pain and death.
He leaned over he and gently kissed her lips and whispered, "I have to go now, if I don't, I might stay and I don't know what I might do to you." He quickly moved across the room to her window, prepared to leave. Suddenly he sensed movement behind him. He slowly turned and saw her sitting up, calmly gazing at him with sleepy eyes.
"Nick?" Natalie breathed, her voice heavy with sleep. "What are you doing here? This is very weird, even for you."
Nick began to form a lie, and then found it wasn't worth the effort. She knew him too well. He said nothing.
Natalie moved toward him, her skin luminous in the milky light of the moon pooling through the open window. The scent of her. her skin, her hair, her warm sweet blood pulsing beneath her flesh surrounded him, filling his vampiric senses until his mind spun helplessly. A jolt of blood hunger, desire and passion coursed through him. Gazing deeply into his eyes, Natalie took a tentative step forward, so that their bodies touched. Shoulders, legs, hips....
Nick felt as though he had walk into the midday sun. He was on fire. He spread his hands across her back feeling the warm fragile humanity of her.
"Don't go," Natalie whispered, her voice slightly trembling.
"I can't stay," He said his breath stirring the fine hairs at her temple.
Nick began to lie to himself, to ignore, to push at the boundaries that separated them.
He wanted to turn his back on the half of himself that cried out that this could not happen, this must not happen. He tilted her face up to his and kissed her. For a brief moment, Nick thought the world had taken a half-turn around him. He pulled her impossibly closer, feeling the warm length of her body press maddeningly against his. He tore his mouth from hers, kissing his way along her cheek and down her throat to that spot where her pulse hammered beneath the skin. he lingered there torturing himself with the thought of what could lie within the breath of her consent. Nick's senses sharpened further and he felt his canine teeth elongate as the vampire surfaced. Wrenched from the summit of blood lust and desire, Nick slid his mouth from her throat.
Natalie felt the length of Nick body stiffen against her as he turned his face away. She caught a glimpse of his face and saw his normally cornflower blue eyes had transformed into the predatory gold-green of the vampire. She looked away quickly ashamed and a little angry at the tiny glimmer of fear lodged in her heart.
"Nat, I shouldn't have come here" Nick aid as he turned to leave.
"Then why did you come here, Nick? To torture yourself a little more? Or to hurt me a little more?" Natalie said sharply. Nick turned slowly, her harsh words teasing the vampire.
"I saw you," He said simply his voice low, almost guttural.
"What?" Natalie asked, turning away from his burning eyes.
"I saw him touch you." Nick answered.
Natalie whirled around, "Is that what this little visit is about? Jealousy? Nick, you are really unbelievable. A few hours ago you were ready to write me off and run away into the horizon. Now here you are, right on time, ready to save me when I don't need you to."
"Nat, I-" Nick began.
"Save it, Nick save it for Janette, save it for that blonde Marilyn Monroe number at the Raven. Oh yeah, and what about the little Marion Blackwing incident? But whenever any man shows me one iota of attention, here you come, the ever vigilant green eyed monster. You don't want me, but no one else can have me either? What is it with you?"
"Natalie, he is a vampire."
"Well, no kidding, Nick. I didn't realize that. Thank you for pointing that out." Natalie said sarcastically.
"He could kill you." Nick said evenly.
"Yeah, well, I could walk outside tomorrow and be splattered all over the street by a
truck. What's wrong with *me* getting a little attention for once? Why is it always a double standard with you? Who do you think you are?" She met his eyes, "Maybe all those times you were getting laid by Janette, I should have been shagging a certain Spanish conquistador. No wait, better yet, I should have been making house calls to a certain Roman general. Maybe *I* should have been screwing your father while you were fucking your vampire sister. Somehow I don't think LaCroix would turn me down, especially after that *fabulous* dinner we had at L'Azure." Natalie moved away from Nick and stood by the open window, immediately wishing she could reach out and pull those words back inside. Nick was dumbfounded. She remembered *that* night. Her words rang all too true in his mind. Her sharp words projected images of Natalie and LaCroix as lovers into his mind. It was a fear that had invaded his thoughts several times since that fateful Valentine's Day. He had wondered about LaCroix's motives. He was sure LaCroix hadn't bought his bluff. What were his real reasons for not calling in the debt? The thought of Nat and his father together enraged the vampire and *it* would not be forced down this time.
Nick moved in a blur and yanked her away from the moonlit window. His fingers digging painfully into her shoulders. His eyes were wild and feral. This wasn't Nick, Natalie thought, this wasn't even the vampire in control...this was someone she'd never seen before primitive, savage, lustful. The golden glow of the aroused vampire's eyes terrified her. She had never seen him so enraged.
"You're mine, Natalie! No matter what! I will make you mine here, tonight." Nick said in a gritty low voice.
Natalie didn't believe it, the moment she wanted, had practically begged for was here. Be careful what you wish for, she thought, truly frightened by him for the first time ever. She had pushed him too far this time. Natalie didn't think he really meant what he said, but passion and fate tend to have minds of their own.
Natalie struggled against him and they both fell to the carpet. She halfheartedly tried to fight him. They writhed wildly together, turning over and over. Nick's hand pulled at the neck of her nightgown and ripped it down the front. In a whisper their clothes were gone leaving only the cool night air between them. His mouth closed over hers, a demanding touch that set out to quell her doubts and fears. All the loneliness, the need, the urgency of their long pent-up emotions swept over them. He kissed her with a mastery that spoke of his centuries of experience. He trailed kisses down to where her blood pulsed invitingly beneath the surface of her skin.
A yearning ache invaded her body, as it spread pervading her system, all thoughts of anyone or anything but Nick was swept from her mind. She wanted to be one with him....forever. She was totally helpless, her bare skin overwhelmingly aware of his touch so foreign on the intimate parts of her body, yet so familiar. Even though he had sullied other souls in the past with his touch, she saw past his darkness to the sweet light in his soul. His lips claimed hers again. She felt her body fill with him. She trembled with the ecstasy of their forced union. They moved together as one. Nick released the tight rein he held over his emotions and he allow the beast to emerge. As his fangs sank into her throat; he tasted the sweet current rushing into his mouth and knew everything about his Natalie. It gave him release and felt himself spill into her.
They reluctantly drew apart after an eternity and stared at each other, their faces flushed from passion and shock. Neither spoke as they pulled on their clothes. Natalie vainly tried to pull the tattered remains of her nightgown around her exposed body. He didn't have to say he was sorry, it was broadcast in the way he fumbled with his clothes.< God, I've done it again> he thought, ashamed. "Nat, don't hate me." Nick whispered, pulling her so tightly against him, it made her ribs hurt. "Please don't hate me. I didn't mean to do that to you-at least not like that. I swear to God. I didn't mean to do that to you. I hope God strikes me dead this instant if you hate me. There's been so many times I've been so tempted by you, your blood, but I was able to control it. That's why I was pushing you away."
Natalie pulled him as close as she could. "Nick, I don't hate you, " She whispered as she leaned against his firm chest. "How could I? I love you. You didn't do any thing I didn't want. I could have stopped you if I had really wanted to." They both knew the latter was a lie. She couldn't have stopped him even if she had wanted. "I shouldn't have said those horrible things. I shouldn't have pushed you. And look, I'm still alive. Being with you wasn't 'hazardous to my health' after all. I'm glad this happened. It proves that you are more in control that you think."
Nick stared at her incredulously, "Nat, how can you say that? After what I've done you should be trying to stake me. I bit you!"
"Yeah, but you only took a little. Maybe we were too hasty in dismissing Janette's cure."
Even though Nick had been thinking the same thing earlier, he surprised himself with his answer, "Maybe you're right, as usual."
Natalie gave him a slightly wicked smile, "There's only one way to find out."
Nick shook his head as he pulled her close. They sat together in silence for what could have been forever or just minutes.
This has been a strange sort of night, Natalie thought as she leaned against Nick, it was as if the stars had planned it long ago and it was their fate, right or wrong.
She was brought out of her reverie by the phone. Natalie reluctantly pulled away from Nick and answered it.
"Hello?" Natalie asked as she put the receiver to her ear.
"Nat? Hey It's me, Tracy. Have you seen Nick?"
"Uh Yeah, Trace, he's here." Natalie answered glancind at Nick, knowing he could hear both sides of the conversation.
"Oh, he is? Well, we've got a body on Yonge. The Captain wants Nick down there ASAP. You might as well come too. You'll probably be getting beeped any minute."
"All right, Tracy, I'll tell Nick and we'll see you there."
Natalie hung up the phone and turned to Nick, "Well, looks like it's back to work."
End Part 4/?
Natalie and Nick meandered their way through the crowd of onlookers at the crime scene. Nick held up the yellow crimes tape as Natalie ducked underneath it.
Natalie saw Tracy standing away from the crime scene, looking a little pale. Natalie continued on to the body while Nick stopped to question the first officer on the scene.
Natalie saw the form of a man lying face down in the alley. His blood pooled around him, soaking his shirt. It was obvious what had killed him. The wooden stake protruding from his back was a dead giveaway. "Nat," Nick said touching her on the arm. Natalie felt ashamed at the involuntary flinch his touch invoked. Things were different now, not any better, but not any worse. What happened between them hung in the air, unspoken yet ever present, the ride to the crime scene from her apartment had been nearly suffocating. Both wanting to speak, but not knowing the words. If possible things were even more complicated between them.
"Natalie," Nick said this time more insistent. "I thought I was the who was suppose to drift off in another time zone. Got anything?"
Natalie forced a tiny smile, "Yeah, T. O. D. was probably in the last eight hours or so." She looked around to see if anyone was near and whispered, "Nick, he isn't a... you kn-"
"No, I'm sure, " Nick said cutting her short.
"All right then, I'll get him back to the lab and see if I can tell you anything else, at least by tomorrow night."
*************************************
The next morning
Nick stared into the fireplace, six empty bottles bearing LaCroix's private label sat in front him on the coffee table. Even LaCroix's best vintages were not quelling the beast's hunger. Natalie had long ago learned to gauge Nick's moods and when she walked into the loft, she could almost *see* the bad vibrations emanating from him. The familiar bottles of LaCroix's finest lined up on the coffee table only added to the scene. She sat near him on the couch. He continued to look into fireplace, apparently unaware of her presence or trying to be.
"Nick? Nick," She touched his knee and he jumped as though he'd been shot. he looked at her then, a strangly dark look, one she'd only seen when she had confronted him at the Raven after he failed at a twelve step program. He was looking at her like a predator looks at its prey. He was looking at her like she was lunch. Undaunted she met his gaze.
"Nick we need to talk-" Natalie said when he finally looked away. "About what happened."
"Nat, it can never happen again," he said hoarsely.
"But you said-"
"Forget what I said. I wasn't thinking about the consequences." Nick said closing his eyes, man and beast fought within. Her blood scent surrounded him, teasing the vampire, arousing it. He was nearly losing control.
"Nick, talk to me what happened?" Natalie asked touching his arm. Nick moved from the couch quicker than her eye could perceive to the other side of the room.
"Nat, just leave, get out of here," Nick pleaded. "Nick I don't unders-"
"GET OUT!!!!" Nick roared fully vamped out. "GET OUT!!!!"
Natalie backed away slowly, but Nick moved toward her. She decided it would be a good time to run. Natalie didn't look back. She didn't register the feel of a hand reaching for her and only catching a few strands of her hair as the door to lift slid shut.
Nick stood at the door of the lift after she was gone and stared at the strands of auburn hair wound around his fingers, knowing if she had hesitated another second his Natalie would have been dead.
To be continued.......
End Part 5/?
Tracy peeked around the door in the coroner's office and saw Natalie sitting at the desk with her head in her hands. Tracy would bet her entire month's salary that Natalie's distress had something to do with her absent partner. It always did; their moods could always be gauged by how well the other was treating them.
Tracy gently knocked on the door. Natalie looked up, her nose shiny and red.
"Come on in Trace." She said sniffing slightly, trying to hide her tears.
"Hey Nat," Tracy said choosing not to mention Natalie's emotional state.
"I'll bet your here about the body found last night." Natalie said.
"Yep, We ID'ed him. He used to be J. K. Landson from Great Britain. Apparently here on business, but what kind, we don't know. I just can't figure out why anyone would want to stake a mo- a man. What have you got?"
Natalie almost smiled then catching Tracy's near slip of the tongue. Natalie really wanted to tell her that she too knew about vampires. It would be nice to have someone to talk to about the ups and downs of being involved with the undead. but Natalie didn't reveal her secret.
"Well, he died from trauma to the heart obviously. He was in a fight just prior to the staking and I did get a few hair and skin samples so if you can find a suspect we can run a DNA comparison."
"Great, Thanks Nat"
"Hey where's your partner?"
"Oh, he called in sick. He said he was coming down with the flu or something, again."
"Yeah," Natalie replied looking away as Tracy left, "there seems to be a lot of that going around."
********************************
Jude paced from room to room in his spacious townhouse. He wanted her. He'd been sent only to observe, then take the necessary actions, but hadn't planned on her being so compelling. She was filled with a kindness and compassion he hadn't seen in a long time. Jude had watched her for months, then questioned several vampires about her. It was his job. He hadn't planned on falling in love.
Especially not with a fiery opinionated mortal.
A mortal who had broken more sections of The Code than he cared to count.
The mortal love of Lucius's wayward son.
Nicolas had marked her, taken her blood. Declared her untouchable. To take her after she had been marked was something frowned upon in The Community, not a part of The Code, but still a strong enough taboo to deter most vampires.
With a snarl of impotent rage he smashed his fist against the stone around the fireplace in the study. Blood trickled from his knuckles for a moment then began to heal.
Did he dare break another rule?
His decision made, Jude picked up the phone and dialed.
*****************************************;]=
Natalie stumbled out her bed as she heard the doorbell ring. She squinted her eyes against the glare of the midday light.
"Okay, Okay I'm coming," Natalie said as she made her way to the door. She flung open the door and saw a delivery man holding a long box from a local florist.
"Natalie Lambert?" He asked.
"That's me."
"Okay sign here." He said handing her a clipboard.
After she signed the form, he handed her box.
Natalie turned to get a tip, but her waved his hand, "Don't worry about it, the tip has been taken care of."
Natalie muttered a thank you and went back inside.
Inside the box was a dozen of pale lavender colored roses. She had never seen roses that color before. The card nestled inside the box was pink with elegant black writing scrolled on it. She read the note apprehensively, after last night, she had a feeling they weren't from Nick and it wasn't Valentine's Day so it wasn't LaCroix
Dear Natalie:
Your Friend,
Natalie reread the letter again and looked at the roses She double checked the number and picked up the receiver
To be continued
End Part 6/?
A few hours later, Natalie arrived at Jude's house. It was a three story Victorian number complete with a turret in front. Natalie had been shocked when a young appeared at her door with an envelope containing a key and a set of directions to a large house on the outskirts of the city. The man told her the key was for the car that a Mr. Jude Cabot had sent for her use. She had nearly peed her pants when she saw the car sitting outside her building. It was a vintage, silver Porsche Spyder in mint condition. She briefly debated about using the car for fear of something happening to it, but how many times in her life would she get to drive a car like that? Apprehensive was an understatement for how she felt as she drove across the city, terrified was more like it. Thoughts of the night before and Nick's lack of control plagued her mind. Everything reminded her of Nick. Natalie stepped into the entrance hallway, noting that all the windows were curtained with heavy blackout drapes.
"Hello, Natalie," Jude said as he stepped out of the shadows holding a fluted glass of crimson liquid. "I hope you approve of your transportation."
"Yes, it's a beautiful car. I appreciate you trusting me to drive it." Natalie said as she thought for a minute, "Didn't James Dean die in a car like that?"
"As a matter of fact he did, it was said to have death curse on it, " Jude looked at Natalie wryly, "but I've haven't found that to be true. I've drove it hundreds of times and I'm still alive, so to speak."
Natalie's mouth dropped open, "You mean that is *the* Spyder. I thought that no one knew what happen to what was left of the car."
"The man I bought it from had no idea what it was he was selling, he thought it was a pile of junk, but I checked the serial numbers, saw it was the real thing and after a few well placed words he never remembered owning it."
"So you loaned me a cursed car to drive, some friend you are." Natalie said jokingly.
"You don't *believe* in curses do you, Doctor?" Jude replied, slipping from his glass.
"Of course not, but if Nick knew I was driving a car with an alleged curse on it, he would probably start having seizures or his head would start spinning around 360 degrees, and he would try to find a way to blame it all on himself." Natalie said laughing, "He forgot to leave superstitions and curses in the Middle Ages along with his coat of armor."
"He's that bad huh?" Jude said raising an eyebrow.
"Worse," Natalie said, "but you can't help but love 'em."
"Come along, My Dear," Jude said taking Natalie's hand and guiding her to the elegantly furnished sitting room, "You must tell me more about this Nick and how you plan to help *me* in my quest. May I offer you a drink?"
"Um. Yes, thank you," Natalie replied, a little apprehensive, remembering what happened after the last time she took a drink from a vampire other than Nick.
"What would you like to know about Nick?" Natalie taking the glass offered to her. "Why does he seem to hurt you so?" Jude asked touching her arm gently as they sat down together.
Natalie thought for a moment, she had never really discussed Nick with anyone. She couldn't tell anyone about him.
"He doesn't do it intentionally. He thinks that is too evil or is damned. He thinks that in allowing himself to love me he will kill me. And then there's that whole Fleur thing with LaCroix."
"Fleur?" Jude asked.
"Yeah, Fleur was Nick sister. LaCroix fell in love with her. Nick made LaCroix leave her behindfor a price. LaCroix made Nick vow that if ever truly loved a mortal, then she would be his to with as he pleased and Nick agreed. Nick bluffed LaCroix, but I don't think he bought it. Either way we're apart."
"Apart? You allowed him to sip from you. I can sense it."
Natalie unconsciously touched her neck, feeling the small wounds. "Yes, but he freaked out. He said he is craving my blood that he will eventually kill me."
Jude stared at tiny puncture wounds on her neck, longing to take her blood. Longing to know every inch of her, to feel himself inside her warm, mortal body. He tore his eyes away.
"He cannot control the hunger? Apparently Lucius skipped a few lessons with his son. It's no wonder really Lucius was a very young vampire when he was orphaned. he is an extraordinarily power vampire, but even he does not know all the secret about our kind," Jude look at Natalie, a cunning thought blossoming in his mind, "I could teach him, Natalie. I could show him how easy it is to control the vampire."
Natalie looked at him, with a tinge of hope shining within. "Could you? It's so hard for him to keep it in check."
"I would be happy to. It's not very complicated."
Natalie thoughts drifted to Nick, with vampire in check, there would be no physical boundaries between them. The mere thought of being with Nick again, brought forth her arousal.
Jude stared at Natalie intensely he could smell her arousal, intensely. He could tell she was thinking about de Brabant. Jude closed his eyes trying to push out the thoughts of taking her. The insolent young vampire didn't deserve such a prize.
< I could take her> Jude thought< No one would know> His fangs itched and he could feel the beginnings of an erection as her scent continued to permeate his mind.
"What's wrong?" Natalie asked, suddenly alarmed by the dark intensity of Jude's gaze.
Slowly he shook his head. "Nothing"
"You're scaring me"
Jude locked his gaze on hers concentrating on her heartbeat, reaching to a place deep inside her mind. "Come to me, Natalie " His voice reverberated throughout the room and her mind. She involuntarily moved closer to him. Their bodies touching. She could feel his manhood pressing urgently against her thigh.
She was falling into those mindlessly beautiful violet eyes. A cold chill swept through Natalie. She jerked her head away, but again she heard his voice, this time inside her mind, "Come to me, Natalie"
Jude moved his arms around her waist and pulled her close, cupping her breast with his hand.
"Kiss me"
Without conscious thought she kissed him.
His tongue slid over her lower lip and she open her mouth for him without thought.
"Surrender to me, Forget about Nicolas. Give yourself to me."
Natalie collapsed against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Jude carried her to his bed. As he undressed her, she drew him down beside her, completely entranced by his eyes of liquid amethyst. A low growl erupted from throat as his mouth lingered over her throbbing pulse at the base of her neck. Like a beautiful fallen angel her rose over her, his body shaking as his fangs sliced into the wounds Nick had left, allowing her sweet blood to pour into his mouth.
Natalie gasped as his flesh joined hers.
Jude took her as if she belonged to him, as if it were his birthright.
Natalie closed her eyes, gone was the world around her. She was completely under his trance, her mind was now bound to his. Jude shuddered violently as his seed poured into her. He held her close as she slept, oblivious as to what had happened
This was all wrong, Jude thought as he stared at Natalie's sleeping form. She does not love me. He tasted that in her blood, her heart knows only de Brabant. Her longing and love for Nicolas swept over him as he drank of her life. Nothing would make her happier than to be with Nicolas. Jude could easily *make* her love him. What he had done had gone far beyond whammying. It was trick that few knew, not even the General knew about this one. His sire, a true ancient told him about this secret and many others. He had hypnotized Natalie, even though she was a resistor, so that she would do anything he asked. He had taken her blood, masked the impression so that no other vampire could sense it. Yet another rule broken. Now he could bind her to him as long she lived. He could make her his slave, mindlessly adoring him.
But Jude didn't want a slave. He wanted love freely given. He wanted her to be happy and she could only be happy with Nicolas. He would release her mind from his control.
He leaned across her and whispered in her ear, "Forget, Natalie, you will remember nothing, except that you fell asleep here and I gave you my word that I would make things right for you and Nicolas. I will show him how to control his Hunger. You will no longer have to fear him." Jude sensed that the evening sun was close enough to setting that he could risk venturing out
Natalie continued to sleep dreamlessly as the cool breeze swirled around her as Jude took to the evening sky.
End Part 7/?
Nativity in Black Part 4/?
Nativity in Black Part 5/?
Nativity in Black Part 6/?
Please accept these roses as a token of our friendship
I would be overjoyed if you would join me at my home this afternoon
to discuss further treatments. If you are available please call the number below and I will send a car for you.
Jude
Nativity in Black Part 7/?
