edited, Jan. 2000

Tracy stirred as hunger forced sleep away. She yawned and stretched, feeling the now familiar pressure as her fangs erupted. Cautiously she moved her tongue around them, testing their sharp points. They had had a good workout last night, she thought, as she opened her eyes and admired the sleeping vampires beside her.

LaCroix slept in the middle; his tall form stretched out on the fur rug in front of the fireplace where dying embers barely put out any heat at all. Tracy lay on his right side, curled up on his shoulder, while Nicholas slept on his left. Nick's face was pressed against LaCroix's left breast, his expression relaxed and sweet in sleep. She smiled at her men. They both looked so boyish in slumber, even her two thousand-year-old, overly strict Roman General foster father.

She wondered if work would ever be the same. Nick had always been a little protective of her, whether because she was younger, or female, or the commissioner's daughter, she didn't know. But now she was also his little sister. Would he be worse? Was that even possible? And besides, now she was a vampire, and not as fragile as a professionally trained homicide cop. Now she was practically indestructible!

For three days they had remained in this apartment together. Three whole days of music and dancing and vampire sex. LaCroix had done very little teaching. He had only encouraged her, praised her, and almost envied her, as she grew closer to Nick through the blood kiss. She had felt cherished as they both made love to her in mortal and vampire fashion. But the love LaCroix had for Nick was far stronger, more possessive, a love born of centuries.... She knew he cared for her, but she was painfully aware of her place in the family. She was the youngest, the second daughter, loved by both Nick and LaCroix; she had yet to meet her new sister Janette. But late this morning, when she lay exhausted, sated, and they must have thought she was asleep, she had heard them together. Their relationship was complex and confusing, but she knew they loved each other deeply.

Tracy was losing her mortal perspectives one by one. She had learned that LaCroix, as master, had complete dominion over her. He could beat her or take her and still be within the laws of her new community. He was her teacher, her protector, her lover, her father. She felt honored to have him for a master. He was ancient and powerful. And he had granted her the privilege of calling him "dad", something not even his precious Nicholas was permitted to do.

Still, thinking of her new "dad" and "brother" also as lovers was strange. She looked at Nick again. He looked so young and angelic in sleep. It was impossible to think of him as 800 years old. He had such a penchant for trouble! Like some overgrown Denis the Menace, he was always getting shot at, attacked, kidnapped, imprisoned... he'd been hit by cars, gangsters, insane vampires, and even a mortal coroner. Being his partner might actually put her in more danger than working alone. Her gaze shifted to her new master and caught the slight upcurve of his lips in sleep. With one arm wrapped possessively around his son, he slept on. They were her boys now. They needed her and they didn't even know it. She was going to be there for them.

But she was starving! Slipping from LaCroix's embrace, she moved to the refrigerator and poured herself a mug of her new food. She warmed it in the small microwave as Urs had shown her, and marveled at the immaculate kitchen. It mustn't get much use. LaCroix being what he was certainly didn't entertain mortals very often.

She punched the door of the mic to open at the first beep, but already her boys were stirring from their slumber. She watched, curious how they would be today. LaCroix's arm tightened around Nick, and even in sleep he placed a kiss on the top of Nick's wild golden hair. A seductive smile spread on Nick's full lips as he curled deeper into the protective embrace of his master. LaCroix's fangs erupted, curving sensuously over his lower lip. One hand moved to stroked the golden hair. Still, their eyes remained closed, and they barely breathed. She could sense their thoughts- wild, erotic desires, and wondered if they were dreaming....

Tracy felt a warmth spread inside and her fangs itched in a way that the blood would not sooth. She drained her mug quickly. She wanted them to wake up now! She poured two mugs, warmed them, and brought them to her boys. Only then did she see their eyes open and the teasing smiles broaden.

"We were wondering how long it would take you to serve us," Nick quipped, leaning up on an elbow to accept the mug.

"Indeed," LaCroix responded. "I was beginning to wonder if we would have to continue without you."

Tracy laughed as she realized that their morning seduction had been a ruse. "You two!" Then, in answer to their prank, she took them both, passionately.

In silent awe they drew apart. Tracy smiled shyly up at LaCroix. Nick just smiled.

"My children. I think it is time for a bath," LaCroix suggested tenderly.

Shortly they gathered around the kitchen table. Tracy refilled their glasses, wondering with amusement if this was going to be solely her task now. When she joined them again, LaCroix smiled at her.

"You will test your wings tonight, my daughter. I will permit you to return to work with Nicholas, under certain conditions."

She sipped, letting the mortal blood nourish her. It was fantastic, like hot pizza or juicy stake and fine champagne and smooth chocolates all in one. It was the best food she had ever tasted, yet even so, it was nothing compared to drinking from her master.

"What conditions," Nick asked, when she remained silent.

"Just what common sense would dictate," LaCroix began. "If she shows any signs of weariness, bring her home. Tracy, you will spend five days a week here, and I will continue your training before and after sleep. You may have two days off, which you will spend in the company of either Nicholas or Vachon. You are strictly forbidden to be alone until I say otherwise."

He paused, allowing the firm tone of his voice and chilling glare of golden eyes to tell her just how important this rule was. She looked surprised, but not indignant. This was good.

"You are too young, my dear," he continued, graciously explaining his command. "Infant vampires are never left alone. Nicholas was not out of my sight once for a full year. Even after that I was never far away. You do not know your own strength. You are a danger to the mortals you associate with, and you are in danger from all other vampires. Do you understand? This rule is imperative that you obey."

Tracy shrugged her shoulders and nodded at him, recalling just how thoroughly he enforced his rules. As a mortal child, her biological father had never spanked her, no matter how much she had deserved it. He would sigh, and tell her how disappointed he was with her, and threaten her, but in the end, he never did a thing. Being a parent required more effort that he was willing to expend. She had grown up feeling like a burden, but never feeling loved. LaCroix, however, had already punished her rather soundly once, before soothing away her pain with his blood.

"Anything else?" she asked, hoping the rules wouldn't be so numerous and confusing that she would have trouble remembering them.

LaCroix grew distant as past memories stirred. What else must he tell this child before letting her venture forth? He felt uneasy with letting her return to the mortal world so soon. Turning towards Nicholas with a piercing gaze, he spoke again in firm, chilling tones. "I am entrusting you with her care. Do not disappoint me."

Nick sat up straighter, his chin lifted just ever so slightly- whether in defiance or indignation, Tracy wasn't sure. "I can handle it," he promised. Then, it was time to go.

Tracy felt very strange as she kissed LaCroix lightly before going out. Except for that one night when she had defied him and slipped out the bathroom window for some fun, which had nearly ended her new existence, Tracy had been inside LaCroix's apartment for over two weeks. Now the night seemed so much more alive!

The noises were constant. She could hear dozens of different conversations, all the traffic sounds for a radius of about six blocks, even the squeak and patter of rats, which she would rather have not detected.

"Just relax," Nick whispered into her ear. "Block out the extra stimuli by concentrating only on the immediate."

Tracy closed her eyes, following the gentle suggestion. The rats were gone, as were many of the street noises.

"Better?"

She smiled and nodded. "Thanks." Her partner grinned boyishly, and escorted her to his waiting caddy. He even opened the door for her. Tracy slid in, but as he joined her on the front seat she chided him lightly. "You'd better quit treating me like that." He looked startled. "Like what?"

"Like I'm going to break! If you open any more car doors for me, the whole precinct is going to know we've been "doing it". I'd just as soon keep that new twist in our partnership private, if you don't mind."

He grinned. "Got it."

Nick started telling her about his two shifts he made with Detective Roberts, and the kids he'd met- Logan, Pony, Digger, Rock. He kept up the light conversation all the way to the precinct. Tracy tried to concentrate, but her stomach was all fluttery. She had made some major changes in her life, and she couldn't tell anybody! But surely they would suspect. Didn't she look different? Although her complexion was normally very fair, she was deathly white now. She'd tried putting on a little blush to cover that fact, but she thought she still looked peeked. Well, she was supposedly out sick for a week with the flu. If she still looked under the weather, perhaps it would make her story more believable.

The caddy stopped and Nick switched off the engine. Tracy's heart beat twice in quick succession.

"Relax, kid," Nick teased her. "You'll do fine."

"Why are we here?" she asked, recognizing the city coroner's building.

"Nat's orders," Nick sighed. "She says I can't show up at work completely healed."

Tracy laughed. "So she's going to put make-up on you, Nick! Aren't you lucky it's not raining!"

Nick groaned. "Just shut-up and come with me, Button."

Nat pulled her desk chair out and pushed Nick into it. "Which cheek was sliced?" she asked.

Nick shrugged. He had a near perfect memory, but trivia like that didn't seem important.

"You are impossible, you know that? I don't know how you ever managed before without me to help you cover up." She continued to scold him lightly, her tone growing more teasing, as she stained two Band-Aids with iodine and taped them over one cheek, then shaded one eye to look black and blue. Tracy teased him about the make-up, too, and told him what a great new look it was.

"That's it, that's enough," Nick said, jumping to his feet. "Nat, I'll see you later."

The lights of the precinct seemed too bright. Tracy squinted, and suddenly the sunglasses she'd often seen Nick wear made more sense. And the scents overwhelmed her. Officer Schultz passed them, the young dispatcher.

"She smells like chocolate," Tracy whispered sotto voce.

Nick grinned. "I know. And Reese smells like banana crème pie."

Tracy giggled. "No! Really?" she whispered, so that only a vampire could hear. "Somehow I just can't picture him as a crème pie. How do you manage to look at him seriously, when he smells like a crème pie?"

Both of them burst out laughing just as they entered the bullpen. Every eye there looked up to stare at them. They'd both had a week of vacation, followed by taking the same sick days. Although Reese had sent Nick home, thinking he'd been beaten pretty severely by Bunati, the rumors that ran the police force were laying bets that they'd shared a sick bed together. Now, as Nick returned, obviously sharing a private joke with his junior partner, the rumor mills had enough grist to keep going indefinitely.

They leaned in to Reese's office first to say hello. The captain gestured them inside. Tracy took a seat, giggling again as the scent of the captain's blood assailed her. "Banana crème, all right," she whispered to Nick. Nick laughed aloud, before he was able to stop himself. He scowled at Tracy, but they both grinned. When Reese cleared his throat, Nick put on a straight face and concentrated more on his captain.

"Glad to see you're both back and feeling better," Reese said, an odd inflection in his voice.

"Thanks, Captain," Nick said sincerely. "You're looking better yourself."

"Tracy," Reese began, "That was some flu you had. Are you sure you're ready to return to work now?"

"Ah, yes, Captain. I still tire easily, but I'm sure I'm ready." "Mind telling me where you've been? I've called your apartment repeatedly, and only got your machine. Your dad's been worried about you."

Tracy was momentarily confused, until she realized that Reese meant her birth father. Strange, she no longer thought of him as "dad". "Um, I wasn't home, captain. I was really sick, and I went to a friend's house, where I had some help."

"And you couldn't call your father or check your answering machine for a whole week? Tracy, that doesn't sound like you."

She shrugged. What could she say? Of course it didn't sound like her, because she wasn't herself these days.

"Perhaps you should give us this friend's number. The next time you decide to run off we'll know how to get a hold of you if we need to." Nick gave him the number without even thinking. Reese wrote it down, then scowled. Looking at an open file on his desk, he pried his detectives a little more with a worried tone in his voice. "That's your father's number, Nick."

Nick blanched, as he realized his mistake. He didn't know how to answer now.

"Yes," Tracy said. She could see the suspicion on Reese's face, and knew he would have heard the rumors concerning her and Nick. "It's not what you're thinking. I really was in need of care. LaCroix's been very caring and supportive. He's been more like a father to me than my own."

Reese looked at his two favorite detectives. He'd been a cop long enough that he knew a snow job when he saw one. They were snowballing a big one. The question is, why? What were they trying to cover? He had met Nick's new girlfriend, Urs. He wouldn't need to play around with his partner, when a dish like that was waiting for him at the end of his shift! He didn't think that was it. But something was definitely different between these two. They seemed much closer.

"Tracy, be careful," he warned. "I've met LaCroix, and my gut instinct tells me he's a dangerous man. Nick, have you been honest with her about your relationship with him?" He glared at Nick. His foster father had admitted to abusing him, to even drawing blood in his fury. Reese wasn't sure what he could do for Nick. He wasn't really a child anymore, so why did he still suffer at the hands of an abusive parent?

Nick shifted uncomfortably in his chair and considered whether he should wipe the last ten minutes of Reese's memory away, but eventually, if he learned that Tracy was staying at LaCroix's apartment, he might regain these memories and also the knowledge that Nick had taken them in the first place. No, maybe it was better that Reese knew.

"Captain, I am fine. Tracy is fine. We are not a couple, and we would really like to get back to work."

Reese looked him in the eye, then gave Tracy the same deep inspection. They were telling the truth, what little they told. He nodded.

"Welcome back," he said.

Part 2
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