Another Reality 

by Olivia Jean Ecklund 
Chapter 9 


"What is it?" he asked, curious. 

"The woman who donated the blood had a child less than a year ago. She lives for 
that baby. She loves that baby and finds such a joy in raising her." She smiled. 


"You can see who donated the blood, feel what they feel?" A feeling of awe 
washed over him and he shivered. 

"Yes, Nick. It's how we live. We see and feel through the blood and for a short 
time it warms our cold hearts. Freely given donated blood is sometimes bland if 
it's old, but when its new and fresh it is a wonderful treat." 

"Donated" How?" he asked, looking forward to having an answer to that mystery. 

"We have blood banks here and there." 

"Well, I'll be," he said. "So you don't go out and feed off people anymore" 

She studied his face and decided to tell him the truth. "Not often. It has been 
years since I last took from the source." She smiled seductively and dipped a 
finger into the mug and stuck the finger into her open mouth. Nick saw her 
tongue run around her finger licking it off. "Well, not since I tasted your 
blood the night we met." 

He shifted, suddenly too warm. 

"Its very intoxicating Nick. You'd have dead bodies everywhere if we didn't 
follow the rules." 

"Rules?" he asked. 

"Our society has very strict rules and enforcers who enforce them. No one 
crosses them for long without regretting it dearly. It's necessary to protect 
our species." 

He sat back, floored, but didn't say anything. He let the information sink In. 
Finally he asked, "Society" Are there many more?" 

"A number of us. We usually don't mix with mortals often. It is too dangerous." 
"Then why do you do it?" 

She leaned forward and touched his hand. Beast eyed her steadily. Nick felt a 
chill from her hand and forced himself not to draw back. He turned his hand and 
wrapped his warm fingers around hers. 

"I can't live without the warmth of humans anymore. The darkness is 
overwhelming, Nick. It eats away at your soul. I want mine back, whole again." 

"You need to come in for tests soon." He had spoken the words in earnest, 
anxious to start the study. 

Natalie snatched her hand away and jumped up. Her eyes flashed amber. Beast 
started and rose to his feet and barked at her. 

"Test!" she flung the word out like it was a piece a feces. "Tests won't save 
me. Only you can. Only your blood can!" 

He felt the color drain out of his face. "What?" he said, drawing back. "Did you 
bring me up here to kill me...?" Panic took all rationality from him. "...Take 
my blood in some belief that it will save you." 

He grabbed Beast up and got to his feet. He held the dog's face against his 
chest so that he couldn't bark anymore. He turned and looked toward the door 
that led to the stairwell. Could he possibly escape" 

"No! Nick," she called after him, as he ran toward the door. 

With his other hand he grabbed the crucifix hidden under his shirt. Turning back 
to her, he yelled, "Stop!" 

She came so close and yet there seemed a barrier that stopped her several feet 
away. 

"Please let me explain. Your blood and your love can save me," she begged. Yet 
his fear was buffeting her and ignited the beast inside her. It was getting away 
from her control. She was aware suddenly that her eyes were red and her fangs 
were out. She could smell his blood and she stepped closer. 

"Natasha! No!" he cried out. 

She drew back, "Go, Nick, Go into the day. I cannot follow you there, Run! You 
must let me explain!" she called after him as he fled. Nick turned not seeing 
the blood tears spilling down her face. 

He fled for his life, not hearing the pain in her voice. He reached the bottom 
of the stairs and pressed the emergency release bar and fled into the sun. He 
pushed back against the door slamming it shut. 

Standing in the sun, Nick leaned against the door to Natalie's loft. What had 
happened? 'What did I say," he said out loud. "We were having such a good time." 


He realized he was holding the boy to close and he released his hold a bit 
giving the dog room to breath. Her words came to him as he had ran out, "You 
must let me explain...Your blood and your Love..." 

She said "love". She hadn't wanted just my blood, she wanted my love too." Now 
Nick could hear the pain in her voice. "Damn," he cursed himself, "I jumped to 
conclusions. She wants to love me, too." 

He turned and moved toward the buzzer and hit the button. "Natalie," he called 
into the speaker, "Let me back in!" There was no answer. He tried again. "Let me 
in, Nat, Please. I'm sorry. Please let me come in." There was no answer. He was 
getting angry now more at himself than he was at her. "Damn it, Nat! Let me in!" 


There was silence and he buzzed the bell again. Finally she answered, "Nick, go 
home. I need to sleep. We can talk another day." The speaker then went dead. 

Nick felt as if a part of him died too. Would they be able to get past This" The 
fear that he'd had felt must have hurt her so much. He could hear it over and 
over in his mind now. "Please let me explain," she'd cried after him. 

He knew now that he had loved her from the moment he had unzipped that body bag. 
It had changed his whole life. He would never be the same. 

He had to get hold of his emotions. The shock of finding out Vampires were real 
had shaken the whole core of his reality. If Vampire existed, what else in myth 
might be out there" 

He felt Beast move in his arms. He looked down at his little companion and found 
Beast was looking at him with his rich brown eyes. Beast licked his hand to 
comfort him. 

"Oh, Lord," he thought. "Why did this happen to me? My life was a bit boring, 
but I was comfortable, happy in my reality. Now it was all a mess. He looked 
back up at the silent, sealed building, sighed and headed for the car. He'd send 
her flowers and apologize when he saw her again. He got into the car and started 
to drive home. 

What must her existence be like? She was strong, hard and obviously a Killer, 
yet there was a side of her that was soft and gentle and begging to be loved. 
The side that yearned to have the chance to have children and be a wife. 

She made him soft and that was dangerous. He had to be strong for her. To be 
able to take what she dished out and show her his strengths. He would have to 
reel in his emotions and keep them in check around her if they were to work 
together. If they were to be friends. 

Nick was so angry with himself for running out. He would have loved to have 
spent the day with her. How could he change his fear to constructiveness" The 
woman made him into Jell-O. He was usually not so swayed by his emotions. His 
work demanded that. He desperately wanted to help her, to love her. She must 
believe that his love would somehow change her. That made him feel wonderful and 
horrible. Had he damaged their budding relationship" He sincerely hoped not. 

He drove the rest of the way home without much thought. He let the silence of 
the car sooth him and he reached out to caress Beast's head for comfort. 

When he got home he fed Beast and then made a few phone calls before crawling 
into bed. Beast took his place at the foot of the bed on his own blanket. Nick 
found it hard to sleep and he tossed and turned and prayed. Finally he drifted 
into a deep sleep. 

Just before sundown his beeper went off as he was fixing breakfast. Another 
homicide.... He grabbed two pieces of bread and shoved the scrambled egg in 
between. He made sure Beast had his water and a treat before rushing out the 
door. 

On the drive there as the sun set he wondered if Natalie would come to this 
crime scene. He was disappointed when she didn't show up. As the night wore on 
he found he was too busy to give her a call and find out how she was. 

A couple hours before dawn, Natalie stood on the steps of the coroners office 
and debated going in. What could she say to Nick to make him less afraid of her? 
She believed her very presence had shaken all his beliefs to the roots. She'd 
hoped she hadn't destroyed in him that which made him her possible soul mate. 

Every time she was near him, she wanted nothing more than to run her hands 
through his beautiful thick blond hair. Feel his lips against hers. She wanted 
to feel his strong arms around her. The beast inside would not allow her to get 
too close. 

She turned away. "Maybe I should let more time go by. I will call his phone and 
leave a message." 

She went to her car and got her cell phone and dialed his home phone. She got 
his message, "Nick Lambert, leave a message at the beep." 

"That was dull," she said to herself. That man needed her. He was dying of 
boredom. "Nick," she said in her most sensuous voice. "Forgive me for last 
night. Thank you for the beautiful flowers. I guess that means you're willing to 
hear my explanation. You are very special to me. I'll call you in a few nights. 
I need some down time. "Bye, Nick." 

The day after Nick had fled Natalie's apartment a package was delivered to the 
morgue. Inside Nick found a beautiful 8x10 portrait of Natalie in a fine golden 
frame. She was dressed is a velvet green dress that was off the shoulder and 
very low cut. She wore a necklace of emeralds and also matching earrings. Her 
hair billowed around her in a glorious mane of auburn. Her lipstick was blood 
red and she appeared to be half reclining. She was raised up on her hands like 
she was crawling up toward him to draw him down upon that bear skin rug of hers 
upon which she lay. She was giving him that look that turned his knees to jelly. 
Nick stared at it then hugged it to him. 


End Chapter 9 


By Jeannie Ecklund Gersknightlady@cs.com