xover: Inner Fire and The Light (07/16) 
Jeannie Ecklund Aug. 17, 2000
 

"Nick," -she made him look at her- "you CAN do this. You know what you were.  
You can face it again.  You're healing him, Nick!  For the first
time in your life, you can help LaCroix change his nature.  You can give
him the choice to live again,  free from the hell he is in."

"Nick, that snarling creature was the demon.  It was the man that called
out your name.  You've got to remember the difference. The man was
there, if only for a moment, Nick.  The need for love I saw in him,
tore at my heart."

"He knows what you are doing, and he's grateful. Remember, he as as much
a prisoner of vampirism as you were.  Maybe he tried centuries ago to 
fight it too, but he gave up hope.  He let the vampire have complete
control.  It became a part of him, and he forgot his humanity."

"Now, he sees freedom in your blood, Nick. He sees what you have
become and what you feel.  Maybe he remembers what he once was and now,
could be again."

Tess stood by, invisible, listening, and she nodded, "Good, Baby..."
Then she was gone.

Nick seemed to gather strength.  "You're right.  I need to rebuke this
spirit that makes me want to run and not face the truth.  I just need to
love him.  Oh, Nat... do you think I can find the real man LaCroix was,
and guide him to the Lord for divine intervention so he can live again?"

"I would love to met the real LaCroix.  I know he was a hard man... a
Roman officer.  Do you think he was ever a good person, Nat?"

"You told me he loved his daughter and was devastated by having to
destroy her."  Nat reminded him.

"You're right.  He did love her... even at a time when having girls was
not celebrated.  It doesn't matter what kind of master he was.  If we
all work together, maybe his soul will be freed one day.  I could find a
loving man in there."

Natalie kissed him and held him tightly. "Go to him, Nick.  Love him
because he loves you.  Show him REAL love...  the forgiving love of the
Lord.  Let him see it shine from you like I do."

 ****

In the mobile home, LaCroix lay whimpering on the bed. His arms were
burned from fighting so hard against Andrew.

"Nicholas,"  he groaned repeatedly. There was a knock on the door.
Janette looked at Andrew, and he nodded.  She left the bedroom and went
to the front door.  She was surprised to find Nick there.

"Nichola!"  She glared at him.  "Do you come to torture him again?"

Nick sighed.  He deserved that.  "No, Janette... Please forgive me.  I
want to see him again...  I need to see him again," he stressed.

She looked at him steadily for a moment, then stepped back, renewed hope
in her eyes.  She motioned him through the door, and led him back to the
old vampire's room.

Andrew looked up when Nick entered.  He glanced at the bottle of
bloodwine that sat on a table nearby.  Nick went and poured a glass
full, then came up close to the bed.  He was shocked by the burns on
LaCroix?s arms.

"Father?" he spoke softly.

LaCroix raised his head with difficulty and looked at him.  The
vampire's face was streaked with blood tears.  The look in his eyes
changed from hurt, longing, and confusion to surprise and gratefulness.
He reached out a bony hand, "Nicholas... you have come... "

"Yes, father, I am here..." he said gently.

LaCroix's cold, bony hand covered Nick's hand on the stem of the glass.
He drew the glass toward him, draining the thick red liquid.  Nick
refilled the glass, trying hard not to be repulsed by the cold thin
fingers.  He poured another glass, and then another, until LaCroix
refused more.

Nick was relieved to see the burns starting to healing.  Finally, Nick
felt he could draw away, but, all of a sudden, LaCroix?s hand shot out,
grabbing Nick's wrist and drawing it toward his mouth.

Terror clutched at him, and Nick tried to pull back, but LaCroix's
fingers were strong.  He looked frantically at Andrew, but the angel
seemed unpreturbed and said gently, "It's okay."

Nick stopped resisting, and LaCroix pressed his lips to Nick's wrist in
a gentle kiss. "Thank you, my son,"  he whispered and then drifted off
to sleep.

Nick sat at his side for nearly an hour, stroking the long, silver-gray
hair that hung to the man's shoulders.  The role was so different from
the way things had been, but Nick kind of liked it. LaCroix looked so
peaceful in his sleep.

Nick's thoughts drifted back to the past.  He remembered the days when
he would study LaCroix's sleeping face and wonder what kind of man he
had been before he had come across.  Had LaCroix ever loved or had
kindness in his heart?  Had LaCroix ever wanted to change?  Now that his
father was asleep, and Nick was free of those icy blue eyes, he could
imagine what kindness they might one day hold.  He looked up at Andrew,
a silent sentinel.

"Andrew, what kind of an angel are you?  How can you stand to look at
all this evil and death?" Nick asked, curiously.

Andrew smiled.  "It is a difficult assignment, but I am no stranger to
death. I am the angel of death."

"What?" Nick asked, his heart skipping a beat.  "Are you here to take
LaCroix or me when this is over?"

"No, Nick.  Only if he chooses NOT to accept the Lord's gift.  You were
able to convert back to humanity with a reasonable chance to live
a normal life.  If LaCroix  returns to the body he had before he was
brought across, he will die.  He was aware of pain before Pompeii was
destroyed, but he did not realize that he was seriously ill."

Nick asked fearfully, "What is it?"

"Liver cancer.  He will only live a few weeks at best.  Humanity, for
LaCroix, has a price."

"Is there no hope?"  Nick asked, anguish filling his heart. "Do we do
this all for nothing?"

"Humanity is one thing, Nick. Your blood will give both Janette and
LaCroix humanity.  Only his acceptance of  Jesus Christ as his Lord
could cleanse his body of disease. Humanity is our first goal, then the
choice is up to him, Nick.  For now, he will sleep until tomorrow night.
Go...  be with your wife."

Nick nodded, and went back into the living room.  Janette was waiting
for him.  She walked to him and hugged him to her. "Thank you,
Nichola."

Nick drew back, "Your cheek feels warm!"

She looked a bit bashful.  The innocence in her surprised and
delighted him.  "It's already happening, Nichola."

I've already begun to change.  After you brought me across, I left
Canada and went back to France, very angry.  Missing my humanity, I
subsisted on animal blood and tried to maintain a human way of life. It
was Myklos who found me living in a tiny apartment, and told me about
LaCroix.  I went to him, and he led me to you.  Maybe, since I never fed
on human blood or embraced the vampire life again, I'm easier turned."

Nick held her closely. "I am so glad for you, Janette,  but you must
settle your soul with God in order to live in peace."

Janette nodded.  "I know, Nick, but I must be here for LaCroix as I am.
As soon as Andrew tells me my work is finished, then I will ask God's
forgiveness, and accept Him as my Lord..."

Nick understood. "I must get back to Natalie now.  She will be worried
that I have been gone so long."  He kissed her forehead and left.
Natalie was busy in the kitchen feeding Sidney when Nick came into the
house.  She sighed with relief as he smiled at her.  She could tell that
it had gone well. He almost seemed happy.  He sat at the bar, and she
gave him a sandwich and a big glass of milk.  It was about  1:00 am, and
after his snack, the two went upstairs.

Behind locked doors, they shed their clothes and got into the big tub.
Nick sat behind Natalie so she could rest her back against his chest.
They talked about his time with LaCroix, and he told her everything that
had happened.

The revelation of Andrew's nature scared her a bit. He was such a
beautiful young man.  She had never thought of the Angel of Death
as beautiful. When she thought about it, thought, she realized that she
should have known better.  Knowing how loving God was, he would have
made the Angel of Death to be comforting and gentle, not a bony figure
like the movies portrayed him.

Nick suddenly got an idea. "Let's go on a picnic tomorrow with Joe and
Grace.  Our guests will sleep during the day anyway."

Natalie relaxed and  feeling pampered, purred, "I'd like that."

Nick was soaping and rubbing his hands gently over her belly when he
felt a tiny flutter against his hand.  They turned and looked into each
other's eyes.

"Did you feel that?"  Natalie asked.

The young, soon-to-be father nodded, his eyes wide.  They laughed and
kissed,  then sat quietly for a while and felt two more tiny flutters.
Finally, he assisted her out of the tub, and carefully helped her dry
off.

He brushed her hair until it shone. She loved the feel of the brush in
her hair and the tiny kisses Nick planted on her neck and shoulders.
She turned on the dressing bench, and kissed his chest,  running her
hands up and down his torso.  Nick sighed with delight and caressed her
face and shoulders.  Finally, he could stand it no more. He picked his
wife up and took her to bed.

Nick woke at 9 o?clock the next morning.  He came downstairs to find Joe
cooking breakfast.  Grace was gazing at him in unabashed adoration. Nick
smiled.

Natalie was coming into the house with an armful of flowers that she'd
picked near the house.  She and Grace arranged them to brighten up the
place.

Nick and Nat told the others their idea about a picnic and found that
everyone was looking forward to it. A taste of normal life would do them
all good.  They packed their backpacks and headed into the cool forest.

None of them glanced at the mobile home nor saw the two angels
watching from the front room window of the main cabin.

Monica asked, "Will this work, Tess?"

"What, Angel Girl?"

"Will LaCroix be saved?  Will the humans be okay."

"The humans will be fine.  LaCroix is another thing."

"It's all up to him," Monica admitted.  "I could hardly stand to look at
him when he first came, but it's getting better."

Tess slipped an arm around her shoulders. "I know, Baby.  It's hard to
look on evil."

Monica said, "It's not just the evil, Tess. I can see the man trapped
inside... trapped for centuries... in torture.  Can we save him?"

I don't know, Angel Girl, but we sure are going to try."

The humans walked slowly looking at everything around them.  Letting the
peace of the forest sooth their ragged nerves. Finally they found a nice
flat place near the stream where they decided to lay out the blankets
and pillows.

Joe took his shoes off and lowered his feet over the bank of the stream
into the meandering water.  "Ah," he sighed.

Grace, Natalie and Nick sat on the blankets and set out the food and
drinks.  They ate and talked, and then Grace took her shoes off, grabbed
some food and a soda, and joined Joe.

Nick rested his back against a tree. He placed a pillow on his legs and
eased Natalie down until she lay upon pillows against his chest.  They
rested and listened to the noises of the forest.

Grace and Joe talked at the edge of the stream, their conversation
animated with laughter and whispered secrets.

Natalie slept for a while, and Nick caressed her hair, feeling it's silky
strands run through his fingers.  Flecks of sun came through the trees
and danced across the stream. Nick thought of LaCroix and prayed that
one day he would be able to sit with his father in the sunlight.

He glanced over at Joe and Grace. They'd become quiet.  Nick smiled when
he saw that they were kissing.  It warmed his heart, and he bent to kiss
Natalie. Waking her, he pointed to their friends.

Natalie smiled, slipped her hands up behind his neck and pulled him
down for another kiss.  "Nick, I'm so happy today.  This was a wonderful
idea.  It's so beautiful and peaceful out here.  It helps renew my
strength."

"I know what you mean," he agreed.  "I feel the same way, and I hate to
put a damper on this, but we have to be getting back. Tonight may not be
much better than last night." He stood and helped Nat to her feet.

"When LaCroix kissed my wrist last night, it was one of the very few
times he's ever been gentle with me.  Nat, I love him.  I've hated,
feared, and yet loved him for hundreds of years.  I still fear the
vampire, but I love the man so much. I can't imagine my life without
him.   I want him to see my life here and to be happy for me.  God help
me, I want to see him bounce our babies on his knee."

Natalie turned him to face her.  She took his face in her hands and
kissed his cheeks, tasting salt tears.  "I can't say that last image
doesn't scare me, but I understand it.  If LaCroix changes and accepts
the Lord, I will welcome him into our family, but he must walk away from
his former life.  I must have guarantees that he will never harm my
babies."

Nick held her close.  "Thank you, Nat.  Thank you.  I understand and
feel the same way, of course."  With a sigh, they started after Joe. It
was time to face another night with LaCroix.

end Part 7  
*****  Jeannie Ecklund  *****  gersknightlady@cs.com