The Last knight and Beyond 

by Olivia Jean Ecklund 
Chapter 3 


He bowed his head accepting her thanks and said, "Take care of him,
Natalie. He is all I have."  The creature of darkness stepped back into
the shadows.

Natalie's hand was shaking as she reached up and turned the bed lamp on
lighting the darkness around her.  LaCroix was gone.  She slumped back
onto her pillow exhausted, trembling and let hot tears slide down her face.
As she lie there thinking, she realized that she was glad that LaCroix had
shown up. He would not keep his word, but he would at least leave them
alone for a few years. At least until he thought it was time for her to be
brought across.  She decided not to tell Nick about his visit.  Nick had
promised to stay with her and to try Janette's cure again. That was all she
needed to think about now.  She let herself drift off to sleep.

     *   *    *

Reese pulled up in front of Nick's building.  Nick was out of the car
before he could even turn off the motor. "I'll let you in, Captain," he called.
Reese only saw his shoes pass the window as Nick airlifted and went for
the skylight.  He sat for a moment, gasping for breath.  The sight was sure
more than the 'idea' of thinking Nick could fly.  He forced himself to get
out of the car and went toward the security door.  He had often wondered why
such an extensive security system was required and now he knew.  Nick needed
it while he was 'dead to the world,' during daylight.  What that boy
must have suffered when he, Reese, had forced him to come to work or court in
the daytime.  He shook himself mentally.  Nick was an 800 year old Vampire,
not boy, but Reese knew he would always think of his friend as a very young
man.

Some days he had looked into Nick's eyes and seen the same pain he saw
when he looked into a mirror.  Maybe that's why he felt he could help Nick.
He, himself, was in pain.  His wife was slipping away fast.  She was only in
her 50's, and the disease had engulfed her so quickly.  His daughters had
married young, and moved to different states. They hardly even called anymore.
They had been so close when they were little... his princesses.  He was
devastated when their adolescence had taken them so far away
emotionally.They seemed to have good marriages,  and he was happy for them,
but lately the emptiness in his life had overwhelmed him and he had felt
desperate for a change.

Nick slipped into the loft through the open skylight.  He went to the
frig and grabbed a bottle from the back.  LaCroix had made him keep it for
emergencies. Natalie had reluctantly agreed.

He opened the bottle and let the cold bloodwine slide down his throat.
Fleeting images of the donor ghosted across his thoughts...a young
student trying to make it through college... struggling to feed himself. The
boy had hopes and dreams for a better future.  So much of the plain vintage
blood was donated by students and the homeless.  It made the drink sometimes
hard to swallow, but it would save his life.  The best vintages were taken
from people who donated for charity, or for other reasons Nick did not want
to think of. People with lives that were rich and rewarding. Even though
this wasn't a good vintage, it was smooth and very filling.  It had been so
long since Nick had fed on human blood and, having tasted Natalie's, he knew
no other would ever satisfy him again. This bottle of human blood would
nourish his body in a way that a bovine's never could. He finished half of 
the bottle, then he went to let Reese in.

Reese came into the loft and looked around curiously.  The loft was
uncluttered, and in good taste,  showing a touch of wealth.

Nick greeted him with a weary smile. "Captain?" he started.

Reese held up a hand, "Joe, Nick. Call me Joe when we're not in the
office."

Nick smiled, "I'd like that, Joe.  Why don't you go on home.  I'm okay
and I promise I'll go to bed."

"I'm staying, Nick,"  he said looking over at the couch.

"What! I don't need a babysitter, sir," he laughed, uncomfortably.

"Please, Nick. I need to get out of my place,"  Reese begged.  "Denise
has a caretaker for tonight.  All I need is the couch."

Nick saw huge unshed tears in the man?s eyes.  He knew how horrible it
was watching the one you love, die so miserably.  "Of course," he said.
"Come, you can have my bed.  I'll sleep on the couch."

"No, Nick!" the older man protested.

"Joe, I've slept on it many times.  Just don't open the windows when you
get up.  I don't like to smoke on the furniture."

Reese, only half listening, replied, "I didn't know you smo....," he
stopped and snorted, running his hand nervously through his hair.
"Funny, Nick."

Nick grinned his boyish grin, took the remote and shut the shutters,
blocking out the night sky. "Natalie is going to come here to stay for
awhile. I am going to make some calls.  I want to have a few changes
made to the bathroom upstairs.  I think they will need to start pretty
early in the morning."

Joe nodded, "Okay, Nick. I need to be out pretty early anyway. Are you
sure about the bed?"

"You'll be more comfortable upstairs. No argument!"  He led Joe up the
stairs, got his friend some towels, and showed him the bathroom.

"You a shower first, Nick, and I'll just rest here on the bed,"  Joe
said sitting down and trying the mattress.  He nodded his approval. "I'm
glad Vampires don't really sleep in coffins!"

"No," Nick smiled, "I tried it once after watching Dracula in the 30's.
Iwoke with a kink in my neck.  Never again!"

Joe laughed.

Nick  took a quick shower.  When he came back into his room, Joe was
already asleep.  Nick pulled the spread, that was folded at the foot of
the bed, over him and turned off the light then headed downstairs.

He took the bottle from the frig,  drank a glass of bloodwine,  sat on
the couch and made some phone calls.  After he had accomplished all he
wanted to do, he laid on the couch and fell into a deep, dreamless
sleep.

Nick woke about 5:00 am.  He had grabbed the phone to call the hospital
to check on Tracy, when he noticed that Reese was up and looking at his
paintings.

"Hey, Nick!" he called, when he noticed that Nick was awake. "These are
really good.

Nick came over shyly.  He seldom showed anyone his work.  "Thank you,"
he said, quietly.

"Why don?t you show or sell them?"  Joe asked, curious. "I didn't even
know you painted."

"I can't," the young artist explained. "Someone would eventually notice
that they were the same artist, but painted centuries apart.  It would
create a big problem for the community." He moved closer to one.  "I
tried it once," he said, indicating the painting of the most vibrant landscape
that Reese had ever seen.  It had obviously been created before the
industrial revolution began to pollute the earth.  "One hundred two
years later, someone did put it together with my newest painting."  A look of
pain flashed across his face. "LaCroix, took care of the problem, ignoring my
protests, and the man vanished from the face of the earth.  I keep it to
remind me of that folly. I won't take that chance again.  I only use 10
canvases, and I repaint over them after they have been with me 50-60
years. It's hard to chose which one will go.  They are good friends." He
said, pushing the memory away, "I need to check on Tracy."

Reese watched him move back across the room.  He wondered if he had been
wise to get involved and yet he knew he wanted it no other way.  He
might be in pain himself, but so was Nick.  Something had spoken to his heart
and told him to reveal himself to this young man and embrace him.

The buzzer rang and he headed toward the door, "Must be the workmen."

Reese watched, amazed, as a huge force of men came through the door.
They carried new amazing appliances for the room up stairs.  "Nick, Natalie
might come home tonight.  How can you get that all done in time?"

"You can have anything done in a short time with enough money and men."

"Must cost a fortune,"  he speculated curiously.

Nick came closer to him so only he could hear, "I have a rather large
inheritance from my previous lives.  Have you heard of the Barbant
Foundation?"

Reese looked surprised, "Yes, I received a scholarship for
underprivileged kids from them for college when I was a senior in high
school."

Nick was astonished, "Really! I have had that program in effect for 150
years."

Reese just nodded, overcome with emotion.  Finally he said, "It changed
my life, Nick."

Nick said, his own eyes filled with emotion, "It was my pleasure. I
seldom get the privilege to know what all the money goes for.  I'm happy to
know it helped shape such a wonderful man." He reached out and squeezed
Reese's shoulder with affection. He was rewarded with a big hug.

Nick hugged him back, then stepped away. "I'm going to make that call.

Reese waited while Nick made his call.  He could hear the brief
Conversation;  no change.

When Nick re-dialed to talk to Natalie, he called out, "Nick, I'm going
to head home.  Thanks for letting me stay."

"You're welcome. Joe, come anytime."

"Thanks, Nick.  I'll hold you to that.  I'd better get going now." He
left as he heard  Nick say, "Natalie Lambert's room please."

Nick sat on the edge of the couch.

Natalie picked up the phone. "Nick?" she asked, groggily.

"Yes, it's me,"  he said.

"Nick, it's 6:00 am! Are you okay?"  she knew he was usually asleep by
now.

"Yes, My Love," he replied.  "How are you today?"

Natalie was quiet for a moment. Concerned, he asked, "Nat, are you
okay?"

"Are you sure that's you, Nick?" she spoke, her voice full of giggles.
"You've never said anything to me like that before.  I was just letting
it soak in."

He laughed, delighted by her reaction. "Get used to it.  LaCroix's gone
and we don't have to hide anymore."

"What about the others?" she asked, a bit unsure yet hoping LaCroix
would keep his word.

"Not a problem, Nat. They would never touch me. I am LaCroix's and they
respect him too much.  Beside he would tear them apart with his bare
hands."

"Why have we been afraid of them for so long then?"

"Because I was never sure that LaCroix, until recently, wouldn't sic
them on you."

"Oh...What are you doing up so early?" she asked.

"I was so tired I fell asleep soon after we got here last night.  Guess
what?  I had a babysitter last night."

"What?" she said, unbelief in her voice.  "Did Janette come back?"

Nick laughed hearing the reserve in her voice, "No,  it was Joe. He
insisted on staying."

"Captain Reese!" she laughed, trying to comprehend.

"What's all that noise," she asked, hearing the workmen in the
background.

"I'm having a bigger closet built for you," he lied, crossing his
fingers behind his back.

Trying to distract her from further questions, he said, "I have lots to
tell you. I can't wait till the sun goes down."

"Neither can I, Nick. Hurry as fast as you can. I'll be waiting."

"I need to stop by to see Tracy for a few minutes, before I come up to
you," he told her.

"Of course, Nick. Give her my love if she's awake.  I love you," she
finished.

"I love you too, Nat. See you later." Nick hung up and arranged for some
flowers to be sent to Tracy and a room full for Natalie.  He  arranged for a
delivery of more bloodwine.  He told the workmen that he was a day
sleeper and was going  down to sleep in his car.  He took a bag of whole
blood from the freezer and thawed it in the microwave.  Making sure the
workmen were all upstairs, he slipped the bag into his coat pocket and rode 
the lift down to the garage where he  settled into the back seat with a 
pillow and blanket from the trunk. He took out the blood and drank it down.

The warm blood, sliding down his throat, was ecstasy. It made him feel
strong and well, but not as good as Natalie's blood had.  He shook
himself and felt a new drenching of shame for what he had done to her.
It threatened to overwhelm him.  He pushed the feelings down and let
himself drift off to sleep.

Waking about an hour before sunset, Nick returned to the loft and found
that the workmen had finished and left.  He surveyed their work,
amazed.  A thought occurred to him and he made a call to Grace.  After
he had explained what he wanted, she was only to happy to comply.

"It's about time you got together, Nick,' she had said before hanging
up.

He showered and shaved carefully,  then put on black slacks and a
brilliant blue shirt that Nat had given him.  It was the first shirt
he'd had in 100 years with a bright color in it. She said it matched his 
eyes.

Grace came about 20 minutes later. before sunset, with all the things
Nick had asked for.  She helped him put some of Natalie's things in the
closet, then she headed off to work.  Just after sunset, he got the order 
of green bottle's. He quickly stored them and raced for the Caddie.

End Chapter 3

By Jeannie Ecklund Gersknightlady@cs.com