Well here goes nothing. With my shield or upon it as the spartans used to say before they went into battle. Dittany Revelations Part 13 by Dittany Thu, 06 Sep 2001 She stood trying to put distance between the man she nearly trusted and less then and hour ago fucked there was a knock at the door. "That will be Nicholas. Right on cue." said LaCroix "Aren't you going to answer it?" he asked. "Nick here?" stammered Natalie. "But surely you were expecting him tonight, my dear. " Natalie shook her head dumbly. "No? said LaCroix amused. "You really should have more faith, Doctor. Or should I have said loyalty? Whatever. Some human virtue. Mortals have so many it is hard to keep track." Natalie would have given anything to rip that smile off his face. "You set me up" she spat. "I? What did I do? As I recall you were quite willing." "Don't lie to me LaCroix. You knew Nick was coming and you set me up. I want to know why." "Let us just say my dear doctor that I never share any of my possessions." "He will never forgive you for this." "Humans are so theatrical. Never? You can't even understand the concept of the word. Nicholas will come around in the end. He always does. You see we have an eternity to spend together. But enough about me. However I must say I do appreciate your concern. " Natalie swore. "Temper, Temper my dear doctor. Perhaps what I should have said was that instead of worrying about me, you should give a little thought to your own predicament. You see you are somewhat in a paradox. You desire Nicholas. Assuming for a minute that you can persuade him that nothing happened here tonight, which I seriously doubt, I am very much afraid you will never be able to have him. Pity, but there it is." "What do you mean?" asked Natalie hoarsely, at the same time hating herself for giving LaCroix the satisfaction of making her ask the question. "It is really quite simple Doctor. For Nicholas to make love to you he will take some of your blood." "So what ?" asked Natalie "I knew that already" LaCroix smiled " So, my dear, that means that at the precise moment Nicholas partakes of your exquisite charms, and believe me they are delightful, he will learn exactly what happened here tonight. Your blood will reveal everything to him, Doctor. Nicholas will discover in an instant how you betrayed him and with whom." Natalie winced. "Never mind perhaps he is only here for the conversation." The knocking at the door became more forceful. LaCroix smiled even more sweetly. " Persistent isn't he? Perhaps it would be simpler if I let him in." "No please don't" pleaded Natalie involuntarily then cursed herself for begging a favour from someone like LaCroix She felt contaminated being in the same room with him. "You've done your damage, LaCroix. Why don't you just go.?" "Nonsense Doctor. And miss visiting with my son?" Concerned that Natalie might be seriously ill, Nick had just put his key in the lock when LaCroix flung open the door. "Come in Nicholas" said LaCroix " We have been expecting you. Flowers? How very romantic of you. Look Natalie dear, what Nicholas brought you. Roses to symbolize your love, rosebuds to represent your purity, daisies for your innocence, and what is this heliotrope and violets for faithfulness. How appropriate ... under the circumstances." Natalie flinched. "What the hell are you doing here LaCroix? Natalie, if he has harmed you." Nick started to say then he froze, stunned, just inside the doorway as he took in the ambiance of the room: Natalie by the bedroom door in a very revealing negligee, the candles, the wine, the unmade bed, visible through her bedroom door and ... LaCroix standing proprietorially near her, smiling in a certain satisfied way. "No, Nat, you couldn't have" Nick stammered. "Nick" pleaded Natalie blushing with humiliation. "I swear it is not what you think." "Nick I swear it is not what you think," mimicked LaCroix. "Of course it is . Nicholas knows it is precisely what he thinks and very enjoyable I found it too. If you could appreciate Nicholas what you have been depriving yourself of." He snickered "But then again I keep forgetting you have scruples. Fortunately for me Natalie does not share them." There was a guttural roar and Nick lunged at his master. LaCroix fell backward. "Naughty" LaCroix said but much to his amazement that was the last word he was able to say for a while. Nick tore into his father with a ferocity that surprised the ancient vampire. It soon seemed as if everywhere LaCroix turned Nicholas was there ahead of him, waiting to smash him once again into the ground. LaCroix's last thought before he sunk into unconsciousness was that at least it was gratifying to know he had been right all along about his favorite's potential. Nicholas did indeed have powers and abilities beyond most vampires wildest fantasy. LaCroix's only regret was that he had to find out the hard way. After a while Nick noticed that his master was no longer responding to his blows. He stood up and having kicked LaCroix a few times just to be sure the ancient vampire wasn't faking Nick stopped and took stock. Even in his fury Nick recognized there was a certain futility in pounding something that could no longer respond . They could continue their discussion after LaCroix regained some degree of consciousness. When Nick made his attack on LaCroix Natalie had backed against a wall out of harms way. Although terrified every time LaCroix fought back that Nick would be hurt, now that the battle was over and Nick was definitely the victor, Natalie had to admit she felt a certain satisfaction in seeing LaCroix lying helplessly in front of her on the floor. Surely with LaCroix out of the picture she and Nick would find some way to work out their problems. It was just a case of figuring out where to begin. Natalie made her way through the shambles of her apartment to where Nick was standing contemplating the blood soaked ruin on the floor. "Nick" she said tentatively touching his arm. Nick didn't respond "Nick are you all right" she asked again. "So the whore speaks" commented Nick slowly as he turned towards Natalie. She saw that his eyes were glowing red. Instinctively she backed away from him." Nick, its me Natalie" she tried again dumbfounded that Nick would ever speak to her in that way let alone look at her like that. "Natalie" Nick said as he moved swiftly behind her cutting off her retreat. He wrapped his arms around her. "There was a time when that name did have certain charms." "Nick I'm so sorry." said Natalie. She shivered involuntarily as she felt his hand trace her face, a mockery of the way Nick usually touched her. "Sorry?" said Nick. His hand continued to moved down her body. "Sorry? , You give yourself freely to LaCroix and you say you're sorry." "Nick I didn't." Nick grabbed Natalie's wrists and held them up in front of her face Natalie winced with pain. "Strange not a bruise or a scratch on them . You're the scientist, Doctor . You show me where the evidence is that LaCroix took you against your will." "Nick please you're hurting me." "Soit tranquille ma belle" murmured Nicholas letting go of her hands and caressing her hair. "LaCroix was right about one thing I have deprived myself too long of the nectar you give so freely to others." He grabbed Natalie's hair turning her head to expose her neck. "Nick please don't" pleaded Natalie. She looked wildly into his eyes for some acknowledgment of what they had meant to each other only to see a stranger. "Don't let what we had end like this." "Why not doctor? It is not as though you haven't done it before". said Nick licking her neck. You can't deny it. LaCroix's blood told me what happened tonight. Saying that Nick reared his head back and his fangs dropped. "And you've never been with Janette ?" Had she reached him? "I love you Nick. " ========= to be continued