Another Reality 

by Olivia Jean Ecklund 

Chapter 13 


The shower was running and he caught a glimpse of her behind the fogged glass of 
the shower. He found himself staring at the beautiful profile. He could see no 
details, just the form of a beautiful woman. 

Suddenly that woman cried out with anger and pain. He saw her hands moving 
quickly and he realized she was scrubbing herself furiously. A wail rose and she 
crumbled to the floor. Her back was against the glass. He heard her muffled cry. 
She was curled up against herself. 

He grabbed a huge white fluffy towel and opened the shower door. A cloud of hot 
steam hit him in the face. Nick reached for her, the hot water scalding his 
arms. He gasped and withdrew. Reached up to shut the water off, he could see her 
skin was burned and red. "Oh, Natalie, what have you done to yourself?" 

He wrapped the towel around her and picked her up to carry her to a soft bench 
in the room. "Natalie," he called to her, raising her chin so that he could look 
into her eyes. "Please let me help you." 

Her eyes flashed amber. She grabbed his wrist and plunged her fangs into it. 

Nick was shocked but didn't try to pull away. He reached over her head and 
stroked her hair gently. "Natalie, I love you. You can feel my love through my 
blood," he whispered through lips tight with pain. 

After about 30 seconds she drew back and licked the wounds closed and pushed his 
arm away from herself. The towel slipped down off her shoulders and he saw that 
they were a beautiful unblemished white with a slight pink flush from the 
ingested blood. She looked up at him now with clear blue eyes. She smiled. 

Nick leaned down and kissed her lips gently. When he straightened up again he 
saw her grip the towel tightly to her. He turned away to give her privacy and 
saw a white robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door. He went to fetch it. 

As he did Natalie stood and wrapped the towel around her under her arms. When 
Nick came she turned her back to him and reached back with her arms and shrugged 
into the robe. As Nick took the ties and reached around her to tie them the 
towel slipped to the floor. 

Nick drew her back against his chest and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Are 
you better now?" he asked. "I'm wonderful!" she breathed, "It's euphoric to feel 
the blood of a man who loves you course through your veins. It cleanses and 
heals you, not only physically but emotionally. Thank you, Nick. Your love means 
the world to me." 

He turned her to face him and pressed a kiss to her chin. "You're Welcome." His 
voice was low almost a purr. He felt such an envelopment of peace that seemed to 
cover him as she'd taken his blood. 

"Am I under your spell now?" he asked. 

"Spell," she laughed, sliding her arms around his neck. "That's only in the 
movies. You might feel that way from loss of blood. I might have transferred a 
bit of my feelings for you when I took your blood. But that will fade in time. 
Let's go downstairs, Nick. I think I still have some of that orange juice, some 
bagels and cream cheese. You should eat, then sleep." 

They went down the steps arm in arm. Natalie pushed Nick onto a bar stool and 
got the orange juice. He drank it down gratefully and then chewed on the 
slightly stiff bagel and the soft cream cheese. It felt good to get some food in 
his stomach. 

"I took about 1 1/2 pints of blood, so you might be a bit weak for a few days. 
Try to get as much sleep as you can. Come lay on the couch and sleep here the 
rest of the day. She led him to the couch and settled him in, covering him with 
the throw. She slipped under his head and cradled him in her lap. She stroked 
his hair and caressed his face. She leaned to kiss him, his eyes where already 
closing. 

"Sleep, my love, Sleep," she said. 

Nick slipped into a deep sleep. 

"So," she whispered. "You want to kill LaCroix for me. I have waited centuries 
to find someone willing to kill him for me." Her eyes flashed amber and she 
smiled. The points of her white fangs were revealed. 

Natalie moved away from Nick and watched him sleep from the chair closer to the 
windows. She kind of perched on the top of the back on the chair like a great 
bird of prey. She'd fed twice now from him. Already she could feel a change. His 
blood seemed to amplify her powers and make her stronger. Her body ached to feel 
him close to her, yet she could not risk his life. There was much to do yet. She 
closed her eyes and stretched back like a sleek cat. Her robe was lose and open 
to her waist and the sides fell over her hips and down the chair back leaving 
her legs bare. What would it be like to make love to this golden man? To feel 
his blood flow through her in the throws of their passion? She felt her fangs 
itch at the thought. She had to be careful with Nick. He'd lost enough blood for 
now. She could not drink from him again for several weeks. 

She thought of LaCroix. If he ever touched her again she would find a way to 
kill him. How could she have ever surrendered herself to that monster? She'd 
enjoyed his lovemaking years ago. She shuddered. His touch make her cringe now. 
He was such an evil contrast to that beautiful young man. She slid down the 
chair and went back to look at Nick. She kneeled by his side and ran her fingers 
through his hair again. "You might want to kill for me, yet we can never plan 
this. At least you can't my love. I do not want stain to be on your soul. You 
must remain pure of heart." She leaned to kiss his soft lips and felt him 
respond even though he was still sleeping. She smiled at him and then headed 
back upstairs to sleep. 

She thought, "I will never tell you, Nick, that LaCroix raped me. You would not 
be able to live with that. Not without evil invading your heart. I must be the 
one that destroys him, if I am ever to be free. LaCroix would never allow you 
and I to live in any capacity, Vampire or Human. His jealousy would destroy you 
and enslave me forever. There is nowhere in the whole world we can hide." 

No matter what happened to them, Natalie would not let Nick go. She would keep 
him forever with her. She didn't realize that this was where LaCroix's point of 
view had started. She climbed into the bed and fell asleep, the touch of Nick's 
lips still fresh on hers. 

When Natalie woke the next evening she was drawn to a warm cup of blood that sat 
on the table next to her bed. She could hear the shower in the bathroom. She 
smiled when she saw that the bathroom door was not completely closed. As she 
sipped the warm fluid from her cup she moved toward the door. She heard the 
shower turn off and the glass doors open. 

Nick passed by the slightly open door. His body was covered with with droplets 
of water and a towel was wrapped around his waist and tucked in. Natalie moved 
for a better view. His slightly tanned body was beautiful. Her meek coroner had 
a great body. As he stood before the mirror combing his hair, she watched the 
rivulets of water run down his back over the tight muscles. She set the cup on 
the dresser by the door and moved toward him, pushing the door open. Their eyes 
met in the mirror. She heard his heart beat faster. She was not sure whether it 
was her ghost reflection or her being there that caused it. 

She reached out to run her hands over his back. "Nick, you're so beautiful." She 
breathed out in a sigh. She ran her other hand over his back, down around his 
ribs, and to the front of his chest, exploring the hard, firm muscles. 

"Natasha." He captured her hand and drew it up to kiss her fingers. 

She dared to lay her cheek against his back. "You are playing with fire, Nick." 

"I know. I thought I owed you a look. I know you were in distress last night, 
but you still took my breath away. You are beautiful, Natasha." He felt her lips 
smile against his back. Then she groaned and pushed herself away. She forced 
herself to exit the room. She called back to him, "Nick, don't ever do this 
again." She closed the door. 

Nick sighed and shifted, pressing both hands against the smooth white counter. 
"That was stupid." he thought, "but it felt wonderful." He smiled at his 
reflection in the mirror. He dressed quickly and came down the stairs. Natalie 
was dressed for work. 

"I thought you were still off tonight," he observed. 

"I just got a call. Homicide, gun shot wounds, the body was found in a 
dumpster." 

Nick sighed. He sat on a stool and found there was already orange juice and a 
bagel with cheese. He would have to get a better variety of food the next time 
he was invited to stay. 

"You'd better take your car. For appearances. Any way, I have to go make a quick 
stop at home to feed Beast and take him out." 

Natalie smiled, "All right, Nick." She slipped on her revolver and pulled her 
jacket over it. She came over and pressed a kiss to his cheek, running a hand 
over his back. "Thanks for everything, Nick. See you in a bit." She moved away 
toward the lift. "Oh by the way," she said over her shoulder, "You're the 
sexiest man I've ever seen." She turned in time to see his ears flush that 
beautiful red color. 

Her delicate laughter caressed him as he turned back to his food. He gulped the 
orange juice, grabbed the bagel and his bag and ran down the stairs two at a 
time. He came out the door in time to wave to Natalie as she pulled into the 
road and drove away. 

Nick drove quickly to his place. Beast was used to him coming and going quickly, 
but Nick always felt bad not spending time with him. He knew the days were 
getting shorter for his pal. He held the little guy close, placing kisses on the 
top of his head and cheek as they went down the stairs. Nick gave him five 
minutes to relieve himself, then back into the apartment he went. Nick drove to 
the crime scene. 

Natalie was busy when he arrived gathering samples. She smiled up at him As he 
passed. A warmth of love passed through him. 

Don Schanke was already on sight. "Nick!, buddy, where have you been? I've been 
here an hour already." 

"It was supposed to be my night off, Don," Nick reminded him. 

Don suddenly came close. "What's this," he said, reaching up and rubbing a thumb 
against Nick's cheek. 

Nick groaned. "Damn, Schanke will be on me from now on until he Finds out who 
I'm seeing," he said to himself. He lied, "One of the little old ladies in my 
building caught me on the way out." 

"Uh ha," Don said, seeing through the lie. "And cops can fly." 

Nick couldn't help but turn his head to look at Natalie and think, "If only you 
knew." 

"Oh, boy, Oh Boy!" Schanke said, following his gaze. "I'll bet the new 
Detective's lipstick matches this sample on my thumb." 

Nick turned back and glared at him, "Let it go, Don." 

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Nick. I won't say anything, We're buddies, 
remember." He got real close and whispered, "She's a real looker." Then 
seriously, "I'm happy for you, Nick." 

Nick smiled warmly at his old friend, "Thanks. Now what do you say you Fill me 
in on the case and we get to work." 

Nick didn't see Natalie for nearly a week after that. The case she was working 
on got really intense and she spent every minute of her night tracking down the 
killer. Nick was busy going over all the data trying to find something he'd 
missed to help her. She would call him after work, after the sun was up and they 
talked a bit, but she was so tired and worn that she didn't invite him over. 
They had both agreed he needed time to regain his strength from her feeding. 

Nick spent a lot of time with Beast that week, giving him most of his time off. 
Finally the case was solved and when his next off-shift came, he asked Natalie 
if she would come to his place for dinner and meet his friends from med school. 
Her reaction surprised him. She was afraid. He realized she never dined with 
humans. It was too difficult to not eat in front of them. He finally let her off 
the hook and promised he would call when the guests had left. 

Natasha sat again on her night off with nothing to do. She had been invited to 
Nick's, but was not sure about meeting his friends, so she'd bowed out. He 
hadn't protested too much and she was now wondering why. They'd only been 
together a few times but she thought she knew how he felt for her. He was having 
friends over and she wondered if he'd have a woman there for himself. She felt 
her eyes change to amber and before she knew it she was out the skylight and 
racing across the dark city toward his apartment building. 

The balcony was in total darkness except for a foot from the door. She landed 
soundlessly and moved closer to the door. Where was this party of friends? She 
heard no laughter or voices. The place seemed quiet and still. The traffic in 
the street below was loud and it was difficult to hear inside. Then she heard 
Nick's voice. He was laughing. She came closer to the window and realized he was 
standing at his door. There was only one woman with him. She was a Beautiful, 
raven-haired beauty. He was slipping her coat on over her arms and shoulders. He 
then captured Her in a warm embrace, laying his chin against her shoulder and 
kissing the side of her face. They laughed and talked a minute and though 
Natalie tried she could not hear their exact words, only sounds mixed with a 
blaring horn and the street noise. 

He turned toward the woman, their lips met ever so briefly. She felt the 
jealousy in her heart ignite and she realized that her eyes were now blazing red 
and her fangs were exposed. "He's mine, I will not allow him to love anyone 
else. I need him!" she thought, moving toward the glass. She went until her face 
was pressed against the glass. 

Nick closed the door and turned toward the balcony. He always watched Janette 
get into a cab from there. He stopped suddenly. His heart leaped into his 
throat. There stood Natalie with a visage that shook him to his toes. She stood 
pressed against the glass. Her eyes glared red and her fangs where visible. She 
didn't move but glared at him fiercely. He stood just staring for a long time, 
his heart beating wildly. Finally he moved toward the glass doors and pulled it 
open. 

"Nat, what's wrong?" His voice trembled, making him angry. 

End Chapter 13


By Jeannie Ecklund Gersknightlady@cs.com