No. 7 in the Nicky series after Black Moves. I avidly await your feedback! Knightraven@clear.net.nz
 
Death or Victory
By Knightraven
Copyright 1999
 
 
Jordan propped a foot up on a chair and tugged the laces of her running shoes.
"So how far do you want to go today?" Nicky asked, as he did the same. They were donning their gym 
gear in the empty club, just as they had done three afternoons a week for the past month. Jordan had 
felt the overwhelming need to get herself in shape for quite some time, so when Nicky started his training 
regimen for hockey, she thought she would join him.
"How 'bout we try for five k's?" she suggested.
"Ok. Sure you're up to it?" he asked her with a teasing smile.
"Well if I'm not, you can always carry me home." Jordan smiled as she clipped him on the shoulder. 
Nicky huffed a laugh. Actually, Jordan had been pretty good the past few days, as her fitness level 
grew. He found himself having to pick up his pace a little to keep up with her.
Lacroix padded into the room, rubbing his tired eyes. It was very early, and he had been up late talking 
with an investment firm in Sydney. He, as yet, hadn't actually made it to bed yet.
"Lucien, go back to bed. It's too early," Jordan chided him as he came toward them.
"I wasn't in bed. And yes, I fully intend to do so as soon as I give you this," he said, handing her a large 
envelope. "If you could post it as you run past a mailbox, I would be most appreciative. It needs to be 
in this afternoon's collection." 
Jordan took the package from him, ignoring the fact his eyes were drifting over her exposed midriff and 
legs, then back up over her form-fitting shorts and top.
"No problem." She gave him a peck on the lips and turned back to her running companion. "Come on, 
Nicky. Let's go." 
Together they left the club and began to jog up the street.
Lacroix shook his head as he watched them leave. He was glad not to have to worry about such things 
as physical fitness. But then, jogging behind Jordan, dressed like that, wouldn't be such a burden. He 
smiled as he grabbed a glass of blood from behind the bar and gulped it down before going upstairs and 
falling into bed.
 
Jordan stood in their bedroom, watching him sleep. He was exhausted. Her lover had been up all night 
and day for almost a week, barely getting a couple hours of sleep each day. Apparently he was avidly 
setting up an investment scheme into several businesses around the world, many of which were in 
different timezones and therefore open for business both night and day, depending on where it was. The 
southern hemisphere was great, as their business hours were mostly during our night, but for anywhere 
else it meant Lucien had to stay up during the day. It had been finalized that afternoon, so hopefully he 
would be back to his normal routine from now on. 
She, however, suspected the long hours he was taking to complete this task weren't completely from the 
need to make more money. If it were, he would have arranged for someone else to handle the tedious 
details. Instead, he was allowing it to act as a distraction. She was intending to talk with him soon about 
his troubled sleep, but for now she was going to make sure he was left undisturbed to catch up on his 
missed slumber. 
Changing quietly from her gym gear, she left him, giving explicit instructions to the staff not to disturb him 
for the remainder of the night.
He was still asleep when Jordan took off her apron and clothes and climbed in beside him for the day.
She snuggled up beside him and smiled peacefully when he instinctively drew her into his side.
Lacroix frowned as he slept. He tossed again, and he was almost aware he was dreaming, but the 
knowledge had little impact in dampening the images and feelings he was experiencing. He just couldn't 
seem to get out...
He glanced around. He was in a small room, bare but for a sturdy table and a chair. Handcuffs suddenly 
appeared attached to the table. His eyes widened--he knew this place...and he didn't want to be here. 
He moved quickly to the door and pulled hard. It wouldn't open. 
"We will take what we want, Lucius," a menacing voice spoke behind him. Lacroix whirled 
about...Quintus. Lacroix growled and hissed at the enforcer.
"Stay away from me!" he snarled. Lacroix suddenly found himself held down on the table by several 
other enforcers.
"No!" He struggled against the bonds now holding him.
"Ah, Lucius. You really don't think you can best us all now, do you?" the enforcer sneered, moving 
closer.
Lacroix heard the sound of a zipper falling and he struggled forcefully. He almost sobbed as he found he 
couldn't escape.
"No!! Leave me!" They wouldn't have his blood! His thoughts...his secrets. He would die before he 
gave up all that he was! But he couldn't stop them.
"NO!!"
Jordan woke suddenly and grabbed her arm and rubbed it. She had been hit by Lucien as he flailed in 
his sleep. She sat up. He was obviously having a nightmare, and it wasn't the first, but tonight was worse 
than others. She shook his shoulders and called out to wake him.
"Lucien! Wake up. Come on, love. It's okay, wake up." She shook him hard.
He bolted upright and sideways, flinging himself out of bed, away from her, landing heavily on the floor. 
He just glanced around the room for a moment as he became aware of his surroundings, then back to 
her. She could see the horror as it washed from his eyes. He closed them away and took several deep 
breaths, before climbing to his feet and disappearing into the bathroom. Jordan rose and followed him. 
He was splashing cool water on his face, washing the bloodsweat from his skin.
She felt him tense as she put a hand to his bare back, but she kept up the soothing rub until he relaxed 
again. Leaning his hands against the basin, he hung his head, closing his eyes, allowing her comfort.
"That was the worst it's been, Lucien."
"It will pass," he spoke roughly.
"And if it doesn't?"
"It always does." Standing, he slipped past her and back into the bedroom. He sat on the edge of the 
bed while Jordan went around to her side and crawled in.
"Come on, come back to bed," she said softly, pulling gently on his shoulders until he lay back down 
again. Jordan wrapped herself around him from behind, and felt him sigh softly before slipping into sleep 
once again.
The club was pounding away by the time Lacroix came downstairs to his office. He had been in his 
chair for all of five seconds when he felt a shift in the atmosphere within the club, and a moment later, 
Patrick came bursting in through the door.
"Lacroix...trouble," he said firmly. Lacroix sighed resignedly and pushed himself from his chair to saunter 
out into the bar. He was instantly angered when he saw two vampires going at it at one of the tables. As 
they wrestled and punched each other, several chairs and a table had been overturned, and the ground 
was littered with broken glass. A mortal customer had been knocked over and injured. Lacroix 
recognized her as a regular, and a well-paying one at that. Striding toward the grappling youngsters, the 
crowd parting rapidly to accommodate him, he merely grabbed them both by the scruff, and yanked 
them to their feet, marching them back to his office.
The vampires calmed the moment they realized who they were being held by. Lacroix let them go, then 
back-handed them, each in turn, to the floor.
"Never disrupt my business again," he ordered almost calmly. Only the gold flickering in his eyes gave 
them any indication of his anger. "You are both banned for six months. Get out." Lacroix turned away 
and went behind his desk. The vampires looked at each other then back to Lacroix, who now stoically 
ignored their existence. Without looking up from the papers in his hands, he spoke dangerously once 
again.
"Do take your time, gentlemen." At that, they both shot from the office at vampiric speed. Lacroix 
chuckled. He did so enjoy throwing his weight around now and again.
He sighed wearily as his nightmare, once more, surfaced to haunt him. They were rare, and these were 
some of the worst he'd ever experienced. They usually never intruded for so long. Almost every night 
for the past two weeks he had dreamt.
He knew what was bothering him, but he refused to think of it. He just wanted to forget the whole 
incident with Quintus ever happened. However, if he ever saw the enforcer again, he would kill him.
Then, of course, there was Adin. It had been his own ancient blood which had informed the enforcers of 
their comrade's activities. Activities which were almost solely at his request as repayment of an old debt 
the master enforcer owed him. The result, unfortunately, was that he felt somewhat responsible for his 
detection and consequent incarceration. He had been unable to gain much information about the 
vampire's whereabouts and condition, except that the enforcers were holding him somewhere nearby 
and were preparing a trial before the high council. 
The high council was, basically, a small handful of ancients who had agreed to act as leaders for their 
community. They controlled the enforcers and amended the Code as times changed. They also made 
themselves available to settle disputes and other such conflicts within the community. But unless a 
vampire were to break the Code, they had no real power over individuals. 
His head snapped up as his grandson knocked loudly on the door and entered before he had spoken.
"Excuse me," Lacroix said in an irritated tone as the boy strode into the room, "I did not give you 
permission to enter." 
Nicky rolled his eyes, and turned around without pausing, returning outside, closing the door behind 
him. Lacroix smiled slightly. They seemed to continuously play this game of push and push. He waited 
for the boy to knock again. Nicholas did so, louder than he had the first time. Lacroix clamped his smile 
away and put on his glare.
"Enter."
Nicky came waltzing in again.
"Yes, Nicholas. What may I do for you?" he asked him politely.
"Um, I...want to talk to you about my job here," Nicky told him boldly, coming to stand before his 
desk.
"Oh? You no longer wish to work for me?"
"Yes, I do," Nicky said. He took a deep breath before demanding, "I just want to get paid for the work 
I do, that's all."
Lacroix was wondering how much longer he was going to acquire his grandson's free labor.
"You wish to be paid?" he asked seriously.
"Money."
"Indeed. And how much do you think you should be worth?"
"Um...ten bucks an hour," Nicky said assertively. He knew enough to start a little high.
"Ten? My, that may be a little expensive for this establishment." Lacroix hoped that would shake the 
boy into a much lower price, if not free again. However, Nicholas remained silent.
"I could, however, offer you two."
"Two?! I know slaves who earn more. Eight, no less!" Nicky had been practicing what he was going to 
say to his grandfather, and was beginning to get into the swing of bargaining. He had done a little at the 
markets in Persan, the small town outside of Paris, where he lived with his mother. He had really begun 
to learn a little from some of the more ruthless entrepreneurs. Of course, it had always been at a price.
Lacroix brought a finger to his lips and leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs.
"I can not pay you more than I do the other staff," he said thoughtfully. "It would be seen as nepotism, 
and that could begin all sorts of unwanted staff action." Lacroix looked at the boy, standing hands to his 
hips, the glint of battle in his eyes. He kept himself from smiling as he watched his grandson revel in the 
hunt, even if it were only for a dollar or two.
"Three." 
"Seven."
"Three-fifty."
"You get what you pay for," Nicky told him, "and I'm sure your customers wouldn't want to drink out of 
three-fifty-an-hour glasses." 
Lacroix raised his eyebrows at that remark. So, he was bringing in the big guns. Very well--two can 
play at that.
"Four and your duties will involve removing the rubbish."
"Six-fifty and I take out the garbage."
"Five. That is my final offer." Lacroix waved him away.
Nicky thought for a moment, pursing his lips. 
"Five-fifty and we have a deal."
"Five, no more." 
Nicky thought again for a moment.
"Five, and a night to use the Raven for our end-of-year hockey social."
Lacroix raised an eyebrow again and thought about that one. 
"When would this social take place?"
"Three weeks from Saturday."
"And how long will you require the facilities?"
"Should be finished by eleven."
"Very well, I agree."
Nicky held out his hand and Lacroix rose to shake it, letting a smile slip out briefly. It turned baneful as 
he held his grandson's warm hand tightly in his, leaning closer.
"I would have paid six," he said. Nicky returned the degenerate smile. 
"I would have taken three." With that, Nicky turned and strode confidently out the door. Lacroix 
chuckled and sat himself back down. He sighed again, though more with relief as he felt the worries of 
his earlier musings lifting slightly by his grandson's visit.
 
Nicky stood on his chair, happily washing glasses, knowing he was getting paid for his effort. In fact, he 
was being paid pretty darn well for an eleven-year-old. But his dad had made it clear that although he 
was rich, he wasn't going to be given everything he asked for. So if he wanted that new hockey game 
for his Playstation, he was going to have to buy it himself. He only worked one night a week at the 
Raven, so he was going to have to find something else to earn money if he was going to earn enough as 
fast as possible. And then there were those new blades he wanted. Maybe he could wash cars or 
something, as well.
Nicky slid off his stool, which he needed to reach into the sink, and picked up a rack of clean, dry 
glasses and carried them out toward the bar. Upon reaching the entrance, he paused as a shiver 
suddenly ran down his spine. Looking up, he saw someone enter the front door. The Raven was busy 
as usual, so he couldn't see the man clearly until he was much closer and the crowd suddenly parted.
Nicky froze. No. Not him. He absently heard a distant crash as he dropped the rack full of glass to the 
floor. The man recognized him and smiled. Nicky was breathing hard, fear coursing through him like 
wildfire.
He backed away, his eyes locked with those of the vampire he knew to be an enforcer. His limbs felt 
heavy as he moved to turn and began to run away. He fell and slipped again as he struggled to his feet.
He felt a hand on his arm which hoisted him to his feet. He pulled sharply away from the dark presence, 
mentally screaming for his grandfather, not sure if he could hear him.
"Release him!" Lacroix snarled as he pushed the enforcer away from his terrified grandson. The moment 
he was let go, Nicky ran upstairs and into his grandfather's bedroom, diving under the bed.
"How dare you come here!" Lacroix hissed into the vampire's face. 
"Oh, come now, Lucius. I only wished to drop in for a drink." The enforcer leered before adding, "I 
heard the Raven was the best place in town." 
"You are not welcome here, Quintus," he hissed again, a hairsbreadth away from killing the enforcer 
where he stood. Unfortunately, there were too many witnesses tonight. He glanced up at the bar to see 
a good portion of the clients intently watching them both.
"Get out," Lacroix growled below most immortal hearing.
"Now that's no way to treat a paying customer, Lucius. And I'm sure you have no wish to regret not 
tending to my needs," he warned the Roman. The snide smile creasing his lips did nothing to belay 
Lacroix's anger. But still he reined himself in. He knew this one had no honor and would tell what he 
knew to anyone who would listen.
Lacroix sneered, then turned abruptly to Patrick who was frozen in place, waiting to see what the 
outcome of this little encounter would be. 
Lacroix was obviously not happy to see the enforcer, and appeared to be under a measure of influence. 
Patrick recalled the sight of his employer as he was carried into the club that night in his son's arms, 
beaten and bloodied, almost unconscious.
"Patrick. Give this one whatever he desires. Put it on the house." With that, Lacroix turned away and 
headed upstairs. Forcing a smile, as the enforcer turned to him smugly, Patrick took the enforcer's 
order.
"A bottle of your finest, my good man!"
Patrick stoically complied.
End part 1
Part two
 
"Nicholas," he called quietly. The child's heart was pounding furiously and he could literally feel the fear 
clearly emanating from the child. It had startled him somewhat when the child had screamed for him. He 
had almost covered his ears, though it would have helped little to lower the volume reverberating about 
in his mind. 
Never before had they mentally communicated so clearly. He was certain it couldn't be done again 
unless Nicholas was in similar emotional distress. However, it did give Lacroix an idea of how intensely 
the boy's mental abilities were developing.
Getting down on his knees, he peered under his bed.
"Nicholas, come here." He held out his hand, which was taken hesitantly by his grandson, and he was 
pulled gently out from under the bed. Lacroix sat on the floor with Nicky in his lap, the child wrapped 
himself around him, tears running silently down his face.
"Nicholas, why did he frighten you so? Did he injure you?" Lacroix pried cautiously.
Nicky sniffed and shook his head as he spoke from the vampire's chest.
"He was the one in my dream," he said quietly. "He's come to get me!" he cried fearfully. 
Ah. Lacroix felt all the pieces fall into place. Quintus had been the vampire who had attacked Nicholas 
and his mother in London. It had been a grave situation which the enforcer, Adin, had eventually helped 
them to escape from, sending them on to France and into hiding. The episode clearly had a lasting 
impact on his grandson, and during his first weeks in Toronto, he had suffered from some rather heart-
wrenching nightmares. 
Lacroix sighed and pulled Nicky far enough from his shoulder to look into his face.
"Nicholas, it's quite all right. He has not come for you. He merely came in to feed. You are safe from 
him. I promised to protect you, did I not?" Nicky nodded and hugged his grandfather again. After a 
moment of silence, Nicky suddenly spoke. "I'm sorry I broke your glasses." Lacroix smiled and rubbed 
the boy's back. "I think, just this once, I shall let the incident go." Nicky sighed with relief as he 
envisioned his first pay-check staying intact.
Nicholas was still shaken by his encounter with the enforcer, and stayed close to Lacroix's side for the 
remainder of the evening. They returned to his office, where the ancient continued with his paperwork, 
which he had fallen behind in while compiling his new portfolio, as his grandson happily sat on the couch 
and read quietly.
Young Nicholas was retrieved and taken home when the Raven closed for the night, and Lacroix now 
sat awaiting his lover's return from her night's painting, which she did at her apartment, now used as an 
art studio.
He was at the bar, sipping on a nightcap, deep in thought, when he started slightly, having to catch 
himself from actually twitching, as a pair of warm arms encircled his waist.
Jordan raised her eyebrows at the reaction he'd failed to hide from her.
"What's got you so jumpy?"
"I am not 'jumpy'!" he said sharply, taking another sip of his bloodwine.
"Ok," Jordan replied, knowing full well things were not 'okay'. She moved beside him, leaving a hand on 
his back, idly caressing his silk shirt. She felt him sigh, and as he raised his glass to his lips, he told her,
"I had a visitor tonight. One I would rather not have had."
"Who?"
He took a long sip of his bloodwine.
"Quintus."
Jordan felt her temperature rise at the mere mention of the vile man.
"He had the nerve to come here? Did you throw him out?" she asked, hoping he had done more than 
just throw the enforcer out the door.
"No."
"No? Why the hell not?!"
"Because he said it would not be in my best interests to do so."
"You let him threaten you?!" She could hardly believe he'd just said that. Lacroix rose angrily from his 
stool.
"He knows too much, Jordan, and he will use what he knows against me!"
"So you're just going to let him come in here and flaunt his power over you?!"
Jordan barely flinched when Lacroix forcefully threw his glass against a wall.
"YES!! That's exactly what I am going to do!!" he yelled, almost snarling at her. Jordan wasn't 
intimidated by his blustering; she knew the anger wasn't directed at her.
"Isn't there something you can do?" she asked more calmly. She watched him take a deep breath and 
calm himself. He was silent for a moment as he thought through his options once again.
"Yes, there is. But it would entail risking everything. You, Nicholas, his family."
"What is it?" she asked him, her heart beginning to pound. He moved in close to her and brushed his lips 
to her ear. He couldn't be too careful--the walls tended to have ears in this part of the building.
Her eyes widened as he whispered. Lacroix pulled back to look her in the eye, then left her as he strode 
toward the apartment stairs.
Jordan watched him leave, her lips pulling together. She realized it was all he could do.
He was in the room again. He was being raped, continuously, repeatedly by several vampires. The pain 
was intense; he cried out and struggled but couldn't free himself, then they took his blood...fangs coming 
from every direction all at once...the final and most invading of crimes. They knew. They knew. He 
cried out uncontrollably. He opened his eyes and was looking into his lover's tear-filled gaze of concern 
and sympathy. He was awake. He had woken her, his tears of rage were still wet upon his face. She 
tenderly wiped them away.
She was sitting over him and began caressing his chest and neck.
"I'm all right," he whispered roughly, closing his eyes and turning his face away from her. The intensity of 
the dream had shaken him, and he was still breathing hard and sweating.
"I know." She knew. This state of vulnerability was so hard for him, and to be so to such an honor-less 
beast as Quintus was almost unfathomable. She watched as he concentrated on taking deep, calming 
breaths. Every muscle in his body felt like steel under her fingers, so she began to gently massage his 
shoulders, then slowly, moving over the rest of his body, molding his arms and torso with her hands. She 
pulled down the blanket and pulled off his pajama pants, and continued to massage his legs all the way 
to the ends of his feet.
"Turn over," she ordered softly. He complied, more than willingly, as he began to feel himself relaxing 
under her care. She started at his neck and shoulders, pressing harder now, trying to work a little 
suppleness into his taught body. Slowly, she succeeded, working down his back and then onto his 
buttocks. He moaned. She felt good. By the time she finished with his feet again, he could barely move.
She lay back down beside him, leaning against his shoulder as he lay more asleep than awake. She 
kissed him on the nose and he smiled.
"Sleep," she commanded firmly. He could only mumble, before he did just as she bade.
Jordan woke to a wonderful pleasure issuing from her breast. She looked down to see her lover firmly 
attached.
"Hmm, this is a nice way to wake up."
"I felt I owed you." He grinned around her nipple, then moved down to her navel and dipped his tongue 
within. Jordan gasped.
"Well as long as you feel that way..." She trailed off as he roamed lower.
"Indeed I do."
"Oh, g...g.good."
Jordan washed his back thoroughly, almost repeating her massage from earlier in the day. Lacroix stood 
under the water rolling his head around, feeling more relaxed than he had in weeks. She could always 
do this to him. She seemed to know what buttons to push, and he would be putty in her hands. And 
what was just as distressing was that he really didn't mind at all.
They were both very late for work, but he didn't care about that, either. He had slipped downstairs and 
put a tape on to cover tonight's show, and Patrick was just having to cope with one less waitress. He 
had needed her love and comfort tonight. The nightmares and the arrival of Quintus had stressed him to 
a point he had not been in for decades, and for once, he had someone here to confide in, to take some 
of the burden away.
But he needed to deal with Quintus and his men. They knew too much. His whisper into his lover's ear 
this morning had been met with a resigned understanding of what he must do. Only he wasn't going up 
against a mere mortal hierarchy this time, but against the entire infrastructure of the community. His 
actions would be seen as traitorous and brutal. But he had no choice. This was how it had to be. 
"Lucien?"
"Hmm?"
"Be careful."
He turned to face her and drew her against his body, kissing her lips tenderly before she lowered her 
head to rest against his shoulder. He could make no promises this time.
 
"What have you got, Nat?" Nick came up behind the ME as she bent once again over a prone figure 
lying at an alarming angle at the base of a tree. Tracy came down the steep bank off the main road to 
join the pair just as Natalie spoke.
"Female, early teens, TOD approximately an hour ago. Severe cranial damage, and the entire rib cage 
and scapula structure has been crushed. It's consistent with a high impact scenario. I'm surprised she's 
still in one piece," she said sadly.
Nick nodded in agreement. "She hit the tree?"
"Definitely. There is bark and foliage imbedded in her skin, bone and gray matter."
"Ok, thanks, Nat." She met his gaze, as her hands were full, before Nick rose to his feet and led his 
partner away, back toward the road and the group of cars scattered about its edge.
"Looks like she fell from the car and hit the tree, killing her instantly." Tracy looked toward a small 
group of distraught teenagers as they leaned against a red convertible. They had been out joy riding in 
one of the parents' cars, the deceased, a younger sister, brought along just to keep her happy and quiet. 
But things had gone terribly wrong--some of the older teens had been drinking, they were fooling 
around, getting more and more careless, then suddenly, their night of fun turned into a night of horror. 
The girl's sister was sobbing on the roadside. The parents were out of town and were being notified.
"Come on, let's go and get this over with." Nick led his partner over to the teens and began asking the 
necessary questions. They finally got to the young woman sitting against the car bumper.
Nick crouched down and spoke to her.
"My name is Detective Knight. This is Detective Vetter. Melissa, isn't it?"
The girl nodded.
"Melissa, I know you want to go home, but I'm going to need you to answer a few questions for me, 
okay?" She nodded again.
"How old are you?"
"Um...sixteen," she whispered, her eyes fixed firmly on the gravel road.
"Ok..." They would have to wait until her parents arrived before they could formally question her. 
"Melissa," Nick softened his voice as he told her what she already knew, "you realize your sister has 
died as a result of her fall from the car?" She nodded again, fresh tears falling. 
"It's my fault. I let her come with us. She was too young! She shouldn't have come."
"I know.I know." Nick put an arm around the girl who was obviously in shock and was becoming 
distraught. He continued to speak soothingly. "We've contacted your parents and they're on there way 
back to Toronto. They'll be here in a couple of hours, so in the meantime we are going to take you back 
to the station where we'll wait for them to arrive, okay?
"Okay," she sobbed. Nick gave her a squeeze, then slipped his arm lower, helping her to stand. Holding 
her close, he guided her toward a marked unit, and helped her inside. Closing the door, he turned to 
officer Douglas Hound. "Hey, Dog. Take her to a quiet IR and get someone to keep her company, will 
you?"
"Yeah, sure, Knight. No problem." After a shake of his head, the older sergeant said, "For all my years 
on the force, Nick, being a parent on the receiving end of one of those phone calls has always been my 
biggest fear." Nick patted the man's shoulder as he slid into his vehicle.
"Yeah, I know what you mean, Dog. It's fast becoming one of mine, too." Nick watched the car leave 
the scene and he was lost in thought when his partner came up behind him and touched his shoulder.
"You had a bit of a scare tonight," she stated softly. Nick nodded. 
"God, Trace, I swear, I was almost sick." He turned, and led Tracy back toward the caddie. 
When they had initially arrived on the scene, Nick had approached the body of the child. At the first 
glance, the girl was the same coloring and size of his son, and she was wearing the same Maple Leafs 
T-shirt and jeans he had been wearing earlier. Nick had stopped in his tracks as his stomach had turned 
giant flip-flops, and he had frantically searched his mind for his son, and upon finding him, had turned 
and walked a few meters down the road, away from the scene, to calm himself.
Nick started the car and turned back toward the city.
"Although there might be a charge for the driver if he's over the limit, it looks like misadventure to me. 
We ought to wrap it up tomorrow."
"Agreed. Why don't you take the rest of the shift off? It's almost over anyhow. I can do the write-up 
and wait with Melissa until her parents arrive."
"You sure?" He really felt the need to go home to his family right now. Even though he knew Natalie 
wouldn't be home until after the autopsy, he would at least be able to spend some time with his son.
"Absolutely," she affirmed firmly.
"Thanks, Trace."
"Anytime, partner." She gave him a warm, understanding smile.
Natalie arrived home later that morning to find Nick and his son together in Nicky's bed. They were 
both sound asleep, so she opted to just leave Nick there. He would come to her if he woke during the 
day.
She'd heard from Tracy about Nick's reaction to the young girl in the MVA this evening--she had 
almost had a similar reaction herself. It really brought home to them the dangers and tribulations of being 
a parent in areas other than the immortal ones. As of yet, the community had always been their number 
one concern, but now, the everyday mortal world came rushing back into the picture, as well. Sighing, 
she pulled off her clothes and fell into bed. 
A few minutes later she felt the bed give as Nick joined her, wrapping himself around her before falling 
back to sleep.
"As you are well aware, my children, the night carries its own unsavory characters. Some are less 
threatening than others...or so they may appear. But I warn you, mes amis, do be careful roaming the 
metropolis wilderness tonight, for what thou may sow with complacency, another may reap with 
unmerciful disdain. I, the Nightcrawler, bids you a.good.night."
End part 2
Part three
 
Nick stared at his radio, frowning at the barely hidden venom emanating from his sire.
What was going on there? He was pretty sure he hadn't done anything to anger him lately. He knew one 
thing for certain: somebody sure had.
Sitting beside him, Tracy turned to him and asked,
"What's got a bee up his bonnet?"
"I have no idea," he told her, shaking his head.
They pulled up to the latest crime scene and Nick strode over to where he could see Natalie bending 
over a body, examining the victim's fingernails for any sign of evidence.
"Ricky, make sure you wrap her hands. We could have something there," she said hopefully, gently 
placing the ashen limb back on the ground.
"Nat?"
"Hey, Nick." She looked up and smiled as she rose to her feet. "Female junkie, assaulted, raped and 
asphyxiated. Of course, that's just a prelim. I'll give you the details once I've had a closer look," she told 
them with a smile. " But for now I can tell you there are definite signs of a struggle, and she may have the 
perp's skin under her fingernails."
Nick returned her smile. She really was good at what she did.
Trace looked around the dimly-lit park. But although the lighting could be better, the body was in plain 
sight and on basic, beaten track which numerous people strolled every day. It was a wonder no one had 
actually seen the attack take place.
"She died here?" she asked. Natalie raised her eyebrows. She, too, had seen the location.
"Looks like it. But I'll know more once I've had a closer look."
"Ow!" Nick suddenly exclaimed and slapped a hand to the back of his neck.
"What?" Natalie asked, frowning. He rarely said 'ow', and then she was usually the cause.
"Something bit me!" he said in disbelief. The women smiled.
"Well, turn about's only fair, Nick," Tracy quipped, heading back toward the small crowd of spectators.
Nick rubbed his neck and mumbled something about females in general under his breath as he watched 
his partner begin to question possible witnesses and his lover bend back down to help prepare the body 
for removal.
His mind drifted back to his sire's earlier broadcast and he crouched down beside her.
"Nat? Have you talked to Jordan lately?"
"Not in the last couple of days. Why?" She turned her head to look at his thoughtful frown.
"Hmm. Nothing really. Lacroix was just a bit...testy tonight. Nothing to worry about. And I'm almost 
certain it had nothing to do with me," he added at her raised eyebrow.
Natalie pursed her lips and turned back to her work.
"I'll give her a call when I finish work."
"Thanks." He brushed her arm with his hand and left to go and join his partner.
By the time they had finished taking statements from the crowd, Nick was yawning almost continuously.
"Late day, partner?" Tracy teased as they headed back to the caddie.
"Not really. But I think I'll have an early one today nonetheless," he quipped, fishing the keys out of his 
pocket. As he yawned again, unlocking the car, he stopped as he was about to climb in behind the 
wheel.
"Um, I think you had better drive, Trace," he said, moving away from the driver's door. Tracy just 
stared at him with her mouth open for a full five seconds before saying,
"You're going to let me drive the caddie?"
"Yes, and if you put one scratch on it I'll hunt you down," he told her semi-playfully as he slid in the 
passenger side. Tracy grinned like a kid with a new toy and jumped in behind the wheel. 
Tracy nudged Nick awake after they pulled to a stop in the precinct parking lot. He jerked upright, not 
realizing he had drifted off.
"Man, you are beat," she said.
"Yeah. Come on, let's write this up so I can go home."
They clambered out of the car and went inside. Nick flopped into his chair and immediately put his head 
down on his arms.
Tracy went up to him and shook her head at her partner sprawled across his desk. Nat was obviously 
wearing him out! Nick felt her stare and grumbled,
"Just five minutes, Trace."
She sighed and went to her own desk.
"Ok, you've got five, but when I get back from vice, you had better be ready to pick up that pen, 
mister!"
"Aye, aye," Nick mumbled, giving her a half-hearted salute. Tracy grabbed a file from their 'in' tray and 
went downstairs to see what she could find on the known dealers who hung round Trinity Park.
Twenty minutes later she arrived back at her desk and sighed heavily when she saw Nick still asleep, 
not having moved an inch. Tracy went over to his side and gave his shoulder a light shake.
"Nick. Wakey wakey." He didn't respond, so she shook him again.
"Nick, come on. You can go back to sleep once we've finished this write up."
She frowned when he still failed to respond. She bent closer to his ear.
"Nick!" Nothing. Something wasn't right here.
"Come on, Nick. You're scaring me." She shook him again. He remained still and she immediately 
picked up Nick's phone and dialed Natalie's cellphone.
"Natalie...where are you?"
"I'm just pulling up to the precinct now."
"Thank god. I think there's something wrong with Nick. He won't wake up."
"What? Where is he?"
"At his desk."
"Ok, I'm two minutes away."
Natalie increase her speed and roared into the parking lot, pulling to an abrupt halt in front of the main 
doors. Leaping out, she ran inside and toward the homicide division.
With one look at Nick, slumped over his desk, and Tracy's face, pinched with concern, she hurried 
straight over and watched the blonde woman as she failed once again to subtly rouse her partner. 
Natalie took over.
"Nick, come on, wake up," she said firmly. She checked his vital signs. He was warm for a vampire, 
clammy; his heart-rate was up. Something was definitely not right. At that moment Lacroix flew into the 
room. He went straight to his son.
He took one look at him and demanded,
"What have you done to him?!" he whispered harshly to Natalie.
"I haven't done anything!" she said, returning his tone. 
"If this is another of your innocuous potions, doctor...!"
"It's not!"
"He just became tired suddenly and fell asleep," Tracy told him, trying to keep the peace. Lacroix 
continued to look at Natalie dubiously. 
"You felt him?" she asked the man as he touched his son's face.
"Yes," he sighed and added, "I felt him become dizzy, and lethargic, then our link faded, prompting me 
to respond."
"Help me get him on the floor," Natalie asked him.
Lacroix obliged, and lifted Nick from his chair and laid him gently on the floor. By now, of course, they 
were drawing more than a little attention to themselves. Reese hurried from his office.
"What's going on?"
"I don't know, Captain. He was tired suddenly at the crime scene, then when he arrived back and sat 
down, he fell asleep. Now he's unconscious, and I don't like what his vitals are telling me." She glanced 
at Lacroix as she said this. They were off, even for an immortal.
"Is it his allergies?" the captain asked, becoming greatly concerned at the look on the doctor's face.
"I don't know. Lacroix?" she asked, turning to him.
"I am as clueless as yourself, doctor."
"Right." Natalie took control and picked up the phone. To simply walk out the front door with Nick 
would, at this point, generate too many questions. She looked to the ancient across from her and he 
subtly nodded his agreement at her action.
"This is Dr Lambert at the 96th. We have an officer down..." She relayed the situation before hanging up 
and glancing around the crowd of worried faces.
Work had come to a standstill as the tension grew. Lacroix was leaning over his son, shaking and 
speaking to him, trying to get some response. When he got none, he whispered,
"Nicolas. Je suis ici...je suis ici." Lacroix was on his knees, leaning close to Nick as he spoke quietly. 
Only Reese heard what he had whispered.
The man snapped his head up at Lacroix's words. He knew enough school boy French to understand 
what he had just said, and coupled with the way he was stroking Nick's hair...it was the way he 
comforted his own children when they were sick or injured.
The EMT arrived within five minutes and wheeled a stretcher into the room.
"Ok." The medic leaned in to check Nick's vitals. "Ok, Jeff! He's arresting! Bag him!" He immediately 
began compressions on Nick's chest.
The second medic covered Nick's nose and mouth with a hand-pumped respirator and began forcing 
air into his lungs. Natalie snapped her head up. He had been breathing normally a minute ago. Gasps of 
horror at what was happening went around the room; a female clerk began to cry as the paramedics 
worked on an officer they had all thought invincible.
Nick's condition had Natalie worried and she shot Lacroix a look. He just set his jaw and shook his 
head. Nick was alive, but he had no idea as to what was happening.
Natalie leaned forward and took a stethoscope and placed it over Nick's chest. After a moment of 
listening, she began her performance.
"Ok, we got it! Stop compressions!" she told the medic. "Keep bagging him!" she instructed.
"Ok, let's go!" the paramedic announced. Tracy and Lacroix moved in to help lift Nick onto the gurney.
"One, two, three!" They lifted in sync, and once onboard, with the paramedic still pumping away, they 
all began pushing him as quickly as they could toward the waiting ambulance.
Lacroix climbed in behind his son, and Natalie, along with Tracy, ran for her neighboring car.
"Ok, people, back to work. I'll keep you all updated," he ordered calmly, yet firmly, to the stunned 
room. He grabbed his car keys and followed out after the others.
"White male, thirties, known allergies! BP's 60 over 40! He arrested on the scene. He's now bagged 
and unresponsive to stimuli! He's been unconscious for thirty minutes!" The medic rattled off Nick's stats 
to the crash team even before he had finished climbing from the ambulance. The triage team quickly 
hurried Nick into an empty examination room, and immediately beginning to stick, and slap, IV's and 
monitors into his arms and chest.
Lacroix, striding right behind them, snapped up his head when he felt the unexpected presence of a 
vampire.
"Lacroix?" 
He spun about and raised his eyebrows in genuine surprise.
"Christopher," he acknowledged. The vampire's presence was going to make the whole episode much 
easier.
"It's been a long time."
"Indeed." The vampire crossed over to the gurney, where Nick was still unconscious. The nurses rushed 
to take readings and samples.
"Is that Nick?" the doctor asked, leaning over his patient.
"Yes." 
Christopher glanced up at the ancient's strained tone. 
"What happened?"
"We do not know. He became lethargic suddenly and went to sleep approximately an hour later and 
could not be roused."
"Has he been exposed to any drugs?"
"Not to my knowledge. However, I would not rule it out."
Natalie came bursting through the doors, and looked immediately to the doctor. Lacroix quickly made 
the introductions
"Dr Hunter, Dr Lambert." He waved to each in turn.
"Dr Lambert, I've heard much about you. I had kept intending to boldly introduce myself one day." He 
gave her a friendly smile. She returned it, though distractedly. Hunter took blood samples, then turned 
Nick on his side and began checking his body for any clues as to what may have happened to him. He 
frowned as he checked his neck.
"What have you found?" Natalie asked. He turned to a nurse and gave her the test tubes of blood to 
rush to the lab for testing.
"I'm not sure. A needle mark, maybe. It's small and should have healed by now, but if my suspicion is 
correct, he's been drugged, but with what...I have no idea," he told her as he continued his examination. 
"It's definitely not curare. That would have only immobilized him, and it would have had an immediate 
effect," Natalie verbalized her thoughts.
"I agree," the vampire doctor said, impressed with the woman's knowledge of their kind, but then, he 
had heard much about this mortal doctor. He stood back from Nick and sighed, finding nothing else.
"All we can do now is wait. The test results should tell us more." He dismissed the nurses present and 
removed the bag from Nick's face. He seemed to be breathing again on his own, which wasn't 
necessary, but it did take some of the stress off Nick's body to heal itself.
Lacroix moved closer and took Nick's hand, while Natalie did the same on the other side. At her 
glance, Lacroix explained.
"He is still very weak," he said, referring to their bloodlink. His concern was becoming obvious, and that 
did nothing to belay her own growing anxiety.
Almost half an hour later, a nurse entered with the results, which she handed to Dr Hunter. 
"Yeah. There it is. He's up to his eyeballs in sodium chloride. But there's something else in his system the 
lab couldn't identify," the doctor announced. He walked over to the drug cabinet and withdrew a bottle. 
He filled a syringe to capacity and went back over to Nick, turning him on his side once again to expose 
his butt to the world.
"With any luck, this should do the trick," he said, injecting the contents into Nick's system.
"Viagra?" Natalie asked, having seen the bottle.
"Yeah, I'm not sure why. Research isn't one of my strong points," he smiled. "But it 's one of the few 
drugs I've found which has some effect on us in large quantities. Farmers have used it for years on stags 
and the like to bring them out of anesthetic after felting."
Almost immediately, Nick began to rouse.
"Nick!" The doctor leaned over him and rubbed his chest, stimulating Nick to help wake him. Being 
only two years younger than Nick, the immortal doctor couldn't help smiling as he teased him awake.
"Come on, old man, it's time to wake up!" Christopher called. Nick groaned. "That's it, Nicholas, open 
your eyes." Nick groaned again and furrowed his brow in discomfort. His eyes fluttered.
"Good...that's it, Nick...come on. I want you to open your eyes." Hunter rubbed Nick's cheek. Nick 
opened his eyes slowly.
The light was bright. His head was foggy and he felt ill. He could hear someone talking to him. He felt 
his sire and Natalie close by. He closed his eyes again, knowing he would be safe.
"No, no, Nick, come on, you have to wake up now." Natalie patted his hand. Nick writhed 
uncomfortably. 
"Nat?" he rasped.
"Yes, love. I'm here."
"The light..." he said with his eyes closed. Lacroix went to the switch and turned them down to a more 
tolerable level.
Nick opened his eyes again and looked at his lover. She smiled. "You gave us a real scare you know, 
buster," she told him gently, brushing his hair from his forehead.
"What...what happened?" he mumbled.
"We're not sure, but somehow you ingested an unknown drug. It knocked you unconscious."
Nick pinched his face, nausea rushed to the foreground.
"I'm going to be sick." Hunter and Natalie quickly helped Nick onto his side, while Lacroix reached for 
an empty basin into which Nick promptly vomited his last meal. Lacroix stroked the hair from his face. 
He knew all too well how it felt and it wasn't pleasant.
"How long will it take to dissipate?" Natalie turned her head back to Christopher as she rubbed Nick's 
back.
"About four hours. But I would recommend keeping him in for the day," Christopher told them. Nat 
nodded.
"Thanks for your help, doctor."
"For Nick, anytime." Hunter smiled, and after nodding to Lacroix, he left. Natalie jumped a mile when 
Lacroix's cellphone suddenly came to life. He answered it sharply as she clutched her heart.
"Yes?!" he snarled.
"Never threaten me again, Lucius," the familiar voice seethed. "Or next time, your precious son will 
sleep...permanently." Lacroix snarled with rage as the line disconnected. He almost threw the phone 
against the nearest wall, but caught himself in time, shoving it into his pocket instead.
"What is it?" Nick asked weakly from the table. 
"Nothing you need be concerned with, Nicholas." And before either of them could object, he said,
"Let us get you settled into a room, shall we?" With that he vanished only to return a few minutes later 
with an orderly to help take Nick to a private room.
End part 3
Part four
 
Natalie stopped in the waiting room to talk with Tracy and Joe Reese who had both been patiently 
waiting for the past three hours.
"They are keeping him in for a while, but he's going to be fine now. It appears as though he was 
drugged," she told their relieved faces. Reese frowned.
"Drugged?"
"Yeah. We don't know how, but we think it was at the last crime scene sometime."
"How could he be drugged without Nick knowing about it?" Tracy asked, then quickly answered 
herself. "The insect bite."
"Bingo, only it wasn't an insect which bit him. It was probably a dart or something," Natalie said. Reese 
stood staring at the women in disbelief.
"Are you both telling me Knight was attacked tonight?"
"I guess so," Natalie told him. "Look, I'm going to check in on him. I'll call you with any news, Joe." 
Natalie waved and headed back to the elevators and up to the seventh floor where Nick had been 
taken. Reese turned to the young detective.
"Ok, Vetter. I want you and York on this. I want to know why your partner almost died tonight," he 
demanded
"We're on it, Cap," Tracy said as she determinedly headed for the door.
Reese watched her go, then turned wearily back toward the busy emergency room. "This job is no 
good for my heart," he muttered before making his own way back to work.
"You don't have to stay. I'll sit with him while the sun's up." Natalie placed a hand on the ancient's 
shoulder as he sat in an armchair beside Nick. 
"On the contrary, I must," he told her quietly.
Natalie frowned. She had the distinct impression he wasn't telling her everything. 
"What happened tonight, Lacroix?" she asked softly, firmly demanding some kind of answer.
He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before rising and pacing to the far side of the room.
"Nicholas was attacked tonight as a warning to me."
"To you? About what?"
"To make certain that I knew my place within the community and not to threaten those of us who do not 
take well to such action."
"But why? What have you done to invoke this kind of punishment?" she asked, waving at Nick's 
sleeping form.
Lacroix turned to the window and stared out at the stars.
"It concerns the night I was...summoned." He shifted uncomfortably as he spoke of a time he'd rather 
forget. But he could speak to her somewhat. Other than Jordan, she was the only other person who 
knew the full story of what happened to him that night.
"They know things?" she said. He turned to her abruptly and snarled,
"They-know-everything!" Natalie held his gaze for a moment. Only now did she fully realize the extent 
of what he had suffered through that night.
"And you threatened them?"
He turned away.
"It was your broadcast tonight, wasn't it?" she guessed.
Remaining silent, he continued to gaze out the window. Natalie moved closer to him. "What are you 
going to do?" she asked him softly.
"What I must, doctor." Looking up into his taut features, she watched his jaw silently work. A long 
moment went by before she quietly said.
"Just be sure the price of your revenge is something you're prepared to pay, Lacroix."
He turned to her stoically.
"It is not merely a matter of revenge, my dear Natalie...it is one of survival." Meeting her eye, he held it 
firmly. Natalie could see the barely contained rage under his calm exterior, knowing a good part of his 
action was to repay what the enforcers did, not only to him, but now to his son. This was a part of who 
the ancient vampire was, but she saw more than the need for revenge, she could also see the battle he 
was waging within himself. He was coming to terms with the realization that a certain few now had 
knowledge of his vulnerabilities and everything else that was once his. This knowledge was something 
they could control him with, threaten him with, and ultimately destroy him. He was right, it was survival. 
Not only for him, but for all those he kept secrets for: his family, his friends, his lover, himself. Everyone 
he kept safely locked away in his mind was now at the mercy of those who had raped him of all he 
knew...and they would pay.
Lacroix crossed back to the armchair and sat down. Natalie continued to stare out the window for a 
few moments, before sighing and turned toward the door.
"I'm going to get you guys some dinner and fill Jordan in before she worries that you haven't come 
home, and get Nicky off to school."
"Very well." He kept his eyes fixed on his son as Natalie left, though what he really felt like doing was 
going after Quintus. But it was almost dawn, and until Nicholas was able to look after himself, he would 
not leave his side.
Natalie returned two hours later, having changed, showered and filled Jordan in on what was happening. 
She had insisted she go back to the hospital with her after they had dropped Nicky off at school for the 
day.
Natalie left Jordan to see to the men by herself as she headed down to the lab to run a few more tests 
on the compound they found in Nick's blood.
Jordan smiled as she saw Lacroix sleeping in the armchair. He spoke without opening his eyes.
"You needn't have come, my dear."
Jordan moved to his side and cupped his face in her hands.
"Yes, I did." He opened his eyes and she smiled. She leaned in to kiss him tenderly, and he gave her a 
small smile of his own, the one he kept just for her, then she stroked his face before turning to check on 
Nick.
"How is he?"
"Tired. Though he will be his usual self by nightfall, I would imagine," he told her, his eyes heavy with 
exhaustion. He'd had a rough night. Jordan turned back to him and moved to sit on his lap, wrapping 
her arms around his neck and resting her head to his. He closed his eyes again and held her to him. She 
had seen the look on his face and the speed with which he had rushed from the Raven when he had felt 
his link with Nick diminish. It had frightened him, and that had scared the daylights out of her.
She sat with him until he fell asleep again, then left him to go in search of Natalie.
Eventually, she found the lab the coroner had commandeered and entered.
"Hey, Nat. How's it going?"
Natalie sighed and sat back form the microscope she had been peering into. 
"Well, it could be better, and from what Lacroix tells me, what I've found isn't going to come as much of 
a surprise to him."
"What did you find?"
"The drug which we found in Nick's blood was a derivative of the one Lacroix had injected into him by 
the enforcers."
"But wouldn't Nick be affected more if it was the same drug?
"The one Nick has seems to be a weaker, less potent variation. It didn't impede his healing as much as it 
did Lacroix's and seemed to make him unconscious rather than weak. As well as that, its dissipation 
rate is much faster. It's almost completely gone from Nick's system."
"Thank god for that at least. I would hate for Nick to go through what Lucien did that night."
"So would I." Natalie looked up at the woman beside her.
"So how are you two anyway?" she asked seriously.
"We're fine. But with Quintus surfacing again so soon, he's not feeling his best."
"No?" Natalie found it hard to believe anything would get to Lacroix. Jordan twisted her lips as she 
thought about confiding in Natalie. Sighing, she knew she could trust her. In fact, she was the only other 
person she could talk to about what had happened to Lucien. Along with Tracy, they were the only 
mortals they knew of, and so had only each other to contemplate the trials and tribulations of living with 
and loving vampires.
"He's been having nightmares, and they've become worse the past few days."
Natalie's eyebrows went up in surprise.
"Really?"
"Mmm."
"And it's beginning to worry you?" Natalie prompted. Jordan nodded.
"He's going after Quintus, and that is scaring the hell out of me, Nat. He's just one vampire, a powerful 
one, yes, but still only one." 
Natalie stood and put a hand on Jordan's shoulder. "He won't be alone, Jord. Nick won't let him do this 
by himself." She glanced away and rolled her eyes. "And that scares the hell out of me!" She flopped 
down on her stool and sighed. Jordan smiled and said,
"Men."
"Tell me about it," Natalie groaned. They both chuckled.lest they scream.
"Dad?" Nicky poked his head around the door.
"Hey, you. Come here!" Nick said as he sat up in bed, sipping slowly on a plastic sports bottle filled 
with whole blood Natalie had managed to scrounge up for him.
Nicky smiled and bounded onto the bed to hug his father.
"Are you okay now?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Nicky turned to the vampire sitting comfortably in the armchair beside the bed, his eyes closed, but he 
was awake. Well, he was now, anyway.
"Hello, Grandfather." Nicky smiled, sitting on the bed, leaning against Nick.
"Hello, Nicholas. How was school?"
"Boring."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. My class is doing this stupid musical and all we did all day was sit around and listen to the same 
song over and over and over."
"So I take it you are in this production?"
"Yeah, I had to...um...Miss Ross asked me to," he said, smiling uncomfortably. He owed his teacher 
after the happenings of a couple of months ago when he had accidentally hit her, while fighting with 
another boy.
"And you do not wish to participate?"
"Not really. It's kind of stupid."
"What? The show, or you not wanting to do it?" Nick quipped from behind.
"The show!" Nicky told him adamantly.
"Which production is it?"
"'Oliver'."
"That's not such a bad show," Nick said. "What part do you have?" Nicky pouted and looked around 
the room before mumbling.
"The arhh fmmdor."
"Pardon me?" Lacroix asked, eyeing him sternly. Nicky looked up and sighed.
"The Artful Dodger."
"Dodger?! You're playing the Dodger?! And you didn't tell me?!" Nick exclaimed.
"Yeah," Nicky sighed, obviously not as enthusiastic as his father.
"And this is good, why?" Lacroix asked, having never seen the musical.
"It's one of the main characters."
"Ah."
Nicky was rescued by the arrival of Jordan and Natalie.
"Well, you're certainly a lot better," Natalie said, coming to Nick and giving him a peck.
"Much," Nick said, then creased his brow and looked at his lover. "Did you know my son was in the 
school production?"
"No."
Nicky sagged. He could see this was going to be a long night.
"Ok, ok! I give up!" he exclaimed, getting off the bed. "I'm in Oliver. I was forced to audition and I got 
the part of the Artful Dodger, I have a couple of songs and one solo, it runs for two nights and I have 
until August to practice. Ok?! Is everybody happy?!" He spread his arms at the amused room. It was 
Natalie who answered.
"I don't know. Can you give us a demo?"
"No!"
He stomped off into the hallway as the adults chuckled, though it was more for show than the fact he 
was annoyed. The increasingly irritating thing about the whole idea was that he was actually beginning to 
really like it.
The sun fell and Natalie guided Nick safely into their home. He sighed happily, as he flopped down onto 
the couch.
"Your grandfather will pick you up at sundown tomorrow," he told his son as the boy bounced past and 
into his room.
"Ok."
Nick chuckled as he thought about how his son had managed to successfully bargain a paycheck out of 
his grandfather. Lacroix had never paid him for doing anything! But then.he hadn't dared to ask.
Natalie sat next to him and handed him a mug of blood she had warmed in the microwave.
"Thanks, love." He took a long draught of the revitalizing nourishment. "When can I go back to work?" 
he asked over his mug at his doctor as she sipped from her coffee.
"Couple more days. "At his groan she added, "You did collapse and have CPR right in the middle of the 
precinct, Nick! You gotta at least try to make it look mortal!" she chagrined, smiling. 
"I suppose," he replied unenthusiastically.
"At least this way you'll be able to spend time with Lacroix without making any excuses to get off 
work."
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Because he knows who attacked you, and he's going after them."
"What?!" Nick rose to his feet and drew Natalie up and held her at arm's length.
"Nat, what do you know about all this? Tell me!?!" 
"Nick, calm down." At her grimace of pain, he quickly let her go. 
"I'm sorry, Nat...I just need to know what's going on." Natalie took a deep breath and sat down again, 
pulling Nick down to join her.
"What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room. The only other person who knows this is Jordan."
"Very well," Nick said, a little confused. Natalie took a deep breath before saying,
"The enforcers who took Lacroix that night...forcefully took his blood. And with the drug acting as it 
did.he was unable to withhold any information."
"My god, Nat! Do you know what your telling me?" Nick gasped.
"He was raped Nick...mentally...and physically."
Nick rose, his mouth agape in shock. Lacroix? Raped? It wasn't possible...was it? Physically? My 
god.the blood on his pants...There was a lot of it. Nick brought a hand to his chest, then ran it through 
his hair.
"Why...why didn't he tell me?" he asked a little shakily. He was a little surprised at how this news was 
affecting him.
"You know why, Nick. He was ashamed...angry...and I'm sure he didn't want you to go after them 
yourself...not without him."
"But he's going now?"
"So he's implied."
"And he still hasn't asked me to help."
"He intends to do this alone, Nick...but we can't let him do that."
Nick turned back to his lover, his best friend.
"Natalie...do you know what you're asking me to do?" he asked her in utter disbelief.
"Yes. But it's a matter of us or them, Nick, not to mention everyone else Lacroix has ever known. Like 
he said...it's a matter of survival."
They held each other's gaze for a moment, coming to a silent consensus.
"Please be careful, Nick." They moved together and held on to each other for dear life.
 
Jordan watched as Lacroix sat at his desk, gulping glass after glass of blood...whole blood. He wasn't 
hungry, he was preparing himself for battle.
"Please, Lucien.ask Nick to go with you," she begged him yet again.
"I will not risk his life again, Jordan," he replied tersely, finishing off the bottle in his hand, before rising 
briskly. Jordan brushed a tear from her eye as he headed for the door. Pausing and turning back to her, 
he gathered her into his arms.
"I must do this," he whispered.
"I know."
"I love you. Never forget," he told her, holding her face in his hands. Jordan felt another tear fall as he 
spoke words he so rarely said aloud.
"Never... Come home safely." 
He kissed her tears away and left quickly, before he changed his mind and stayed.
He flew silently over the sleeping city, as black and powerful as the hand of god. And that was what he 
was this night. The retribution of past sins was in effect.and he was to be its deliverance. 
He could feel his prey...his enemy. He was close. Landing behind a large building belonging to a 
computer hardware company, he easily bypassed the alarm system and slipped inside.
He prowled the office hallways and descended several flights of stairs into the sublevels, sensing the one 
he was seeking ahead. He was alone. 
Dean was happily working on upgrading his computer. It was his night off and he had been planning this 
little raid for quite some time. Though it wasn't much fun, when you actually owned half the company. 
Oh well...at least he had everything he needed.
The enforcer snapped his head up and smiled.
"Did you get that motherboard, Quin?"
"I do not believe so."
Dean's eyes widened, and he dropped the small screwdriver he was holding. Very slowly he turned 
around.
"Oh God," he gasped as the ancient's blood-red gaze captured his, and growled,
"Not quite."
 
Nick sped to the Raven, hoping to intercept Lacroix before he left. But as he made his way toward the 
bar, he could see by the look on Jordan's face that he was too late.
"Do you know where?" he asked her, pulling her down the hallway and out of earshot.
"No. Please, Nick! You have to help him!"
"I will, Jordan." He gripped her arm before leaving via the rear door. In the alley, he took to the air 
again.
As he flew, Nick relaxed his thoughts, opening himself to his sire's link. It was something they rarely did 
these days, though the past few months had seen a strengthening of their bond.
There...it was faint, an echo really, but it was enough to focus on and draw him toward the western 
suburbs. Speeding up, Nick raced to save his father from a fate worse than death.
Lacroix licked the blood from his fingers. A satisfied smile flitted momentarily across his lips as he let his 
heart revel in its revenge.
He had dumped the body on the roof where it would be destroyed by the morning sun.
Reining his emotions in, he prepared to leave...he wasn't finished for the night.
Leaping to the sky, he honed in on his next victim.
Nick arrived at the factory soon after Lacroix had left, the tattered remains of the enforcer laying 
testament to the rage and retribution his sire was delivering to those who had hurt him.
Leaving the body where it lay, Nick caught his father's link once again and followed.
Lacroix sniffed the air. The scent of the lake and surrounding forest did nothing to disguise the vampire 
within. Walking up to the front door, he politely knocked.
The door opened. The look of absolute terror on the young enforcer's face brought a smile to his own.
"I...I....I..."
The enforcer never had the chance to finish his sentence.
Nick could feel his sire now. He was here. Landing next to the cabin, Nick entered the front door. 
Lacroix was just throwing the corpse to the ground with a grimace of distaste, wiping the remains from 
his mouth.
"You should have told me," Nick said firmly from the doorway. Lacroix spun on him, having been 
engrossed with his work and not sensing his arrival. He turned nonchalantly back to the body and 
reached down to hoist it over his shoulder, mindful of the stake protruding from its chest.
"It was none of your affair, Nicholas." He brushed past his son and carried his burden outside.
Nick followed.
"Not my affair?!" He spread his hands. "How can you say that?!" 
He expected Lacroix to act this way, but it was still infuriating...it always had been.
Lacroix buried the anger and shame seething within as he realized his son now knew all that had 
happened. He ignored the younger vampire as he trailed behind, and took to the sky. He headed out 
over the lake, and at a reasonable distance, he dropped his second kill for the night.
He sighed as he felt his son following. Landing in a wooded area near Trinity Park, he turned on him.
"Leave me, Nicholas!"
"No. I'm coming with you," Nick said calmly.
"No, you are not. I will not allow you to endanger yourself." Lacroix turned to leave, but Nick grabbed 
his arm and spun him back to face him.
"Yes, I am, and I'll be at risk regardless of where I am!" he hissed. "You have no say in this matter, 
Lacroix!"
Lacroix raised an eyebrow at the brazen demand and stared at his child in surprise. Then he frowned 
and yanked his arm free.
"You will do as I say, Nicholas!"
"No." Lacroix closed his eyes, then without giving any sign as to his intention, he suddenly lashed out at 
his son, and delivered a right hook to his temple, bringing him to the ground in a limp mass of body and 
clothing.
"Forgive me Nicholas, but I can not allow you to do this." He gave his unconscious child one last glance 
before taking once again to he sky.
End part 4
 
Part five
 
"Well, Lucius, I hear you've been a busy vampire tonight," Quintus said as he turned to face the ancient 
standing in his balcony doorway, the light curtain billowing ominously around him as a breeze swept in 
from the shore.
"I gave you my word that you would pay for what you did to me, Quintus...and I always keep my 
promises. You of all people should know that."
"Indeed I do, my friend."
"I am most definitely not your friend, Quintus."
"Oh come, Lucius!" He smiled banefully as he said, "And we know each other.so well." Lacroix 
glared.
"And how is Nicholas these days...?" Quintus paced toward the center of the room. "Still having those 
tendencies to throw stakes around...?" The enforcer leered, attempting to bait his foe, but Lacroix was 
too old and seasoned to give his emotions free rein.
"Enough games, Quintus."
"Oh, and here I was thinking you loved to play games, Lacroix?!" Quintus smiled smugly. "But then, it's 
not so much fun when you're not the one making the rules...is it?"
Lacroix tired of the banter and rushed the enforcer, only unlike the others, Quintus was near Lacroix's 
own age, and with his training as an enforcer, he was the same, if not stronger, than he. However, right 
now, that didn't seem to matter--killing him was.
They tumbled over a coffee table and against the couch. Lacroix rose and pulled Quintus with him. He 
threw him against the far wall, following him quickly, picking him up and throwing him again before he'd 
had the time to hit the floor. Paintings crashed to the floor, furniture was broken and tossed as the 
vampires fought. Quintus made a comeback and had Lacroix by the throat, attempting to rip his head 
off, but Lacroix kneed him in the groin and threw him off. He made to pounce on him again, when he 
was suddenly hit from behind and sent through the glass front of a cabinet, brutally slicing through his 
exposed skin.
He was grabbed by two sets of hands and hauled into the center of the living room. He struggled but the 
enforcers had him in a tight hold. He watched Quintus climb up off the floor. But before he was able to 
utter a word, the room was suddenly filled with whooshing as ten black forms materialized about them 
all.
Nick shook his head to clear the fuzziness away. That bastard! Can't he accept any help from anyone?! 
That stubborn, stupid, god-damned Roman was going to get himself killed. And Nick, to his 
amazement, found this quite distressing. He climbed to his feet and pulled out his cellphone, hoping it 
wasn't broken.
"Release him!" a deep, rich voice commanded from the doorway. The enforcers holding Lacroix 
immediately complied. He stumbled before gaining his footing, blood dripping from numerous cuts 
covering his face and hands. He knew the owner of that voice. 
"Samuel, how nice to see you again, but perhaps another time would be more..."
"Silence!"
Lacroix closed his mouth, but kept his head raised. Quintus smiled. But it soon faded when the voice 
turned on him.
"What is the meaning of all this, Quintus?" the dark man asked, waving his arms toward Lacroix and his 
two enforcers.
"It was he who intruded upon my home, Samuel!" Quintus argued, shoving a finger toward Lacroix.
"Lucius?" the ancient asked calmly.
Lacroix glanced at the sea of faces lining the room, faces he would rather not tell his tale to, so he 
remained silent.
"Very well," Samuel said. "Bring them all."
Lacroix and Quintus and the two remaining enforcers were taken by the arms and led to the balcony, 
where they were led into the sky.
"Your son had the good sense to fill me in on what was happening, Lucius." Samuel paced behind the 
men standing, in casual attention, before him. 
They were in a stone cavern, an ancient room cut and decorated finely, deep within the earth. A dais, 
with five empty chairs, stood before them all.
Samuel moved in front of the Roman and put his hand up as he watched Lacroix glare at the thought of 
his son's betrayal.
"Not so fast, General...Nicholas brought certain facts to my attention which I was unaware of. Do not 
judge him hastily." He continued in a slow circle around them before halting beside the Master enforcer.
"Quintus, I wish for you to explain something to me," he asked. "I wish to know why one of my men 
was incarcerated without my knowledge."
The enforcer barely hesitated before answering.
"The investigation into Adin's activities is still underway, Elder. I was going to approach the Council 
when I had all the facts and evidence at hand," he explained.
"And how was the information pertaining Adin's activities obtained?"
Quintus shifted nervously for a moment.
"A summons was issued to Lucius, and through the knowledge of his blood, we were able to link Adin 
with the leaks within the department."
"Who gave you permission to take Lucius?"
"Elder Lars."
"Hmm." Samuel began pacing again, this time he halted in front of Lacroix.
"And how was your blood taken?" Lacroix clenched his jaw and glanced momentarily away from the 
elder, then back, to hold his gaze steadily.
"Forcibly," he said, his tone flat.
"How so?" the vampire asked gently, moving closer. Lacroix glanced around the room. They were the 
only ones present. He took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders.
"I was drugged.then.raped."
"By whom?"
Lacroix snarled,
"Them all!"
Samuel nodded to Lacroix; he was aware that was difficult for him. Nicholas did well by informing him 
of the goings-on of late.
"Quintus? How do you respond to these allegations?"
"Elder? I was given full discretion as to my methods of extraction. Elder Lars supplied us with the new 
drug, and the rest was up to me. I got what I needed." He was confused as to the reaction of the elder. 
He rarely dealt with Samuel; Lars was his immediate superior.
"You admit to raping Lucius?"
"I...ah...yes."
"You needn't have. With the drug alone you could have taken what you wanted. But you had to have 
some fun, as well, and I'm sure to have it with one as powerful as Lucius was a chance you just could 
not pass up." Samuel paced slowly away as he continued to speak.
"I do not tolerate sadism, Quintus. And certainly not toward such a respected member of our 
community." He nodded toward Lacroix. Lacroix, however, remained deathly still as the elder spoke. 
Suddenly he realized he had been spoken to.
"Pardon me?"
"Are these the only ones who took your blood?"
"The only ones remaining." Samuel gave the vampire a guarded look at the admission.
"Elder Lars has been summoned and will stand accused of misappropriation of power before the rest of 
the council. You, Lucius, and you, Quintus, will be brought forward to face allegations toward you both. 
You will be allowed one other to act as retainer."
Lacroix knew this summons was compulsory, but he could no longer be in the same room as the 
enforcer, and his glare was beginning to show it. His fingers itched to be around the man's throat...one 
twist and it would be severed. He curled his lip at Quintus in a silent snarl.
"I think it would be wise to have you each retire to a private room until you are brought to the council." 
He turned to Quintus. "Quintus, name your second."
Quintus shrugged and gestured to one of the enforcers standing away to the side of the room.
"I name Karl."
"Lucius? Who will be your second?"
Lacroix frowned as he thought. He supposed Nicholas would be the best choice for the job, but there 
was only one person he really wanted to have at his side right now.
"Jordan Walker," he announced. A hush fell over the room, even though it had already been quiet. 
Samuel raised his eyebrows. The use of a family name in this forum denoted the person was mortal.
"A mortal, Lucius?"
"At this time, yes. But she is who I have chosen."
Samuel saw the resolve and...was that need in the ancient's eyes? It was something he had very rarely 
seen in the man, and never amongst others. So the rumors of the great general's heart being stolen could 
very well be true.
"It is unprecedented, but I shall allow it. I take it she knows well of us?"
"Yes." Lacroix swallowed as he accepted the danger he was placing Jordan into by freely admitting to 
her knowledge of the Community. But he was hoping that one day soon she would come across, and 
then she would be safe.
Samuel nodded, and as he spun and strode across the great room toward the exit, he loudly instructed 
his aides,
"See them to their chambers and summon their seconds!"
 
Jordan stood nervously in what seemed to be a foyer in a large, underground complex. Twiddling her 
fingers, she bounced on her toes, waiting, as she had been so instructed by the enforcers who had 
brought her here.
"Miss Walker?" Jordan turned to the deep voice and gave the dark man a nervous smile.
"Um, yes."
"My name is Samuel. I am an Elder of our community."
"Jordan." She held her hand out to the vampire. He looked at it momentarily, then smiled slightly as he 
took it. He remained regal and formal as he told her what was expected of her.
"If you have any questions, I am sure Lucius will be able to answer them for you."
Jordan nodded. She sighed inwardly with relief as she learned her presence here was mainly to be 
support for Lucien.
"Very well, I shall have you taken to him." As he turned away from her, he glanced back and added,
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Walker. I believe Lucius has chosen well." With a brief, dazzling 
smile, he strode purposefully from the room.
He rose fluidly to his feet the moment she entered the room. He remained before the blazing fire, lighting 
and warming the cool stone room.
She moved toward him and he enveloped her within his arms the second she was in reach.
"They told you what I must do?" he asked her.
Jordan nodded.
"Are you okay?"
"Now that you are here." He refused to let her go. He had been here the remainder of the night with 
nothing but the thought of knowing he would have to re-tell his sordid tale in detail to the High Council. 
It was as though he would be parading his weakness for all the world to see. This was almost as 
humiliating as the act itself.
Jordan sensed his turmoil and held him tight. She was his second, his rock. 
"Come on, let's at least lie down for a while. It's almost mid-day," she told him, gently leading him over 
to the bed. She pushed him down and removed his shoes as he sat on the mattress. 
"I can not do this, Jordan," he whispered. Jordan looked up from the floor as she arranged his shoes 
neatly. She clasped his knees in her hands.
"You can, you must. If you do not they will hold you accountable for killing those enforcers tonight and 
for the collaboration with Adin," she pleaded firmly. He sighed and looked away. 
"It would be a small price to pay."
"Not for me it wouldn't," she told him firmly, a flare of anger touching her tone. He looked to her once 
again. He marveled in her strength and tenacity to deal with his kind, and with him in particular. 
"Do this for me, Lucien." She stared into his eyes. "I can't lose you now. I don't think I could live 
without you," she begged him. He closed his eyes and drew her to him.
"For you." 
He pulled her up onto the bed and they fell into a restless sleep, deep within the other's arms.
End part 5
Part six
 
"Lucius." A soft voice called him. He opened his eyes. The enforcer standing at the foot of the bed was 
waiting patiently.
"The Council will be ready for you shortly," he told him.
"Very well."
The man nodded respectfully and quickly retreated from the room. Lacroix turned to the woman in his 
arms.
"Jordan."
"Hmm."
"It's time." This woke her immediately and she pushed herself into a sitting position.
Lacroix rose from the bed, crossed to a basin and poured some water from a pitcher into it. Splashing 
the water over his face, he sighed. He had marshaled his strength and tightened his hold on his 
emotionless mask.
There was a knock on the door before it opened.
"You are summoned, Lucius."
Lacroix nodded to the man waiting to escort him to the forum. He turned to Jordan and held out a hand 
to her. She took it and let him lead her out of the room.
She dropped his hand just before they entered the Council chambers. They were shown to a place in 
front of the dais of Elders, one chair ominously vacant. Lacroix scanned the room briefly. Four elders 
were before them and ten enforcers lined the room, acting both as witnesses and security. A lone dais 
and chair were to the left; it was occupied by the lone elder who was now on trial for his treachery. He 
turned back to the elders and bowed respectfully. Jordan, standing at his side, followed his every move.
Finally, one of the elders spoke. He was a middle-aged man of Middle Eastern origin when brought 
across, with a long salt-and-pepper beard and a voice which boomed about the expansive cavern.
"Lucius, son of Divia, you have been brought forward to testify as witness to Elder Lars' misconduct 
and the direct actions of Master Enforcer Quintus. Do you agree to give such testimony?"
Lacroix stood tall as he spoke with conviction,
"I agree."
"Then let us proceed."
The elder stood and moved from the dais and onto the floor below. He made his way to where Lacroix 
and Jordan stood. He paused in front of Jordan and she held his gaze unwaveringly. He gave her a small 
smile of approval, having gently probed her mind.
"Forgive my curiosity, Lucius, but I was somewhat intrigued by your choice of second." He looked to 
Lacroix, who kept his gaze on the main dais. "She will indeed make a fine addition to our Community." 
He then nodded to Jordan, who gave him an appreciative smirk, before he turned and reclaimed his 
rightful seat.
"Let us begin your testimony," he announced formally.
Jordan felt Lacroix mentally and physically draw his shoulders back and lift his chin, as he waited for the 
deluge of questions. But none were forthcoming. Instead, Samuel spoke.
"Lucius, in regards to the nature of your testimony, and your position within the community, we have 
decided to give you a choice in how to proceed with certain parts of your testimony. If you should so 
choose, we give you the option to release your blood as evidence. The four of us alone will bear witness 
to this, or you may answer verbally as per the norm. I will give you a moment to consult with your 
second as to which you would prefer."
Lacroix stared at Samuel for a moment, then turned a raised eyebrow to Jordan. They tipped their 
heads together and whispered softly, though he was certain at least the elders could hear every word.
"Which do you want to do, Lucien?"
"I am unsure." 
"If you give them your blood, only they will know, and it would be all over with more quickly, wouldn't 
it?" she asked him.
He nodded. 
"Yes. But they will know everything, not just what happened, but...what I felt and thought..." He looked 
to his lover, her gaze unwavering, confident, even in this foreign, foreboding place. Mentally slapping 
himself, he drew in a deep breath, allowing his unease to finally settle, and turned from her, back to the 
dais.
"I agree to the giving of blood," he told them, his decision almost an order.
Samuel nodded. He turned back to quietly confer with the other elders, then back to Lacroix.
"It will be done here, so the defense may lay witness to the appropriation of this evidence." 
Lacroix nodded. He had expected as much. The elders rose and stepped from the dais, down to where 
Lacroix and Jordan stood. Jordan moved back a step to allow them more room. 
Lacroix slowly undid the buttons of his shirt and slid it from his shoulders. He handed it back to Jordan 
who was on the verge of tears at what she was watching him do. But at least this time he was in control. 
If he said stop, they would leave him be.
Elder Garone took up position behind Lacroix and rested his hands upon his shoulders. Then gently, he 
drew Lacroix back against his chest and sank his fangs into his neck. Lacroix closed his eyes, but 
remained otherwise stoic through the blood-taking. After a long draught, Garone pulled out and stepped 
away, his face showing the distaste at what he had witnessed in the ancient's blood. The bearded elder, 
Tyrone, took up the same position behind Lacroix and quickly pierced his skin. He too soon pulled 
away and the taking was repeated by the third elder, Jeremiah. Then Samuel came forward, but instead 
of going behind, he stood in front of Lacroix and brought the younger vampire's chin up to meet his 
eyes.
"The last time we did this, we had far fewer voyeurs." He smiled warmly. Lacroix appreciated the 
humor and smiled as he recalled their last day together. That had been quite a party...
Watching and listening, Jordan decided to put that little tidbit away for later. Samuel pulled Lacroix to 
him in an embrace which the Roman returned, and gently fed from him. By the time Samuel had taken 
what he needed, Lacroix had lost much blood. His legs gave out while he was still in the elder's arms.
"I think that is all we need from you, Lucius," he said quietly. The elder beckoned to a pair of enforcers.
"Take them back to their chambers and see that his needs are met." He then turned to Jordan as the 
enforcers took Lacroix under each arm.
"We shall inform you of our decision." Samuel then turned to join the others, already taking their seats 
once again.
Jordan took a bottle from one of the enforcers and held it to her lover's lips. He was laying on the bed, 
almost unconscious. He gulped greedily and she kept passing him open bottles until he finally waved her 
to stop.
She lay down next to him and he gathered her into his arms.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes. They were...gentle."
"Good." She stroked his stomach as they lay quietly for a while.
"So can we go home now?"
"Not until the final verdict is given."
"How long will that take?"
"Hours, days, perhaps." Jordan sighed and snuggled up beside him. "Well, I'm going back to sleep 
regardless." She closed her eyes and wriggled against him. Lacroix chuckled and held her tighter. 
"Very well, if you insist." Before he knew it, they were both sound asleep.
Night had fallen, and Lacroix sat in an armchair before the fire, sipping from his bloodwine as his lover 
feasted on an array of solid food.
"Oh, god, this is wonderful, Lucien!" she crooned, taking another bite of the marinated chicken. He 
smirked at the look of ecstasy on her face.
"I'm glad you're enjoying it, my dear."
Jordan finished her meal and went to join him. She sat down in his lap and wrapped her arms around his 
neck. They sat that way until finally after twelve hours of waiting, they were summoned back to the 
forum.
Everyone was present, so it seemed. Quintus and his lackeys, Elder Lars, and various other witnesses, 
the enforcers, of course, and before them all sat the High Council.
"We have deliberated and reviewed all the facts and testimonies which have been brought before 
us...and we were most shocked and disappointed in the conclusive evidence against Elder Lars and 
Master Quintus. It is our deduction that these two have been conspiring against the council in order to 
break it apart from within, thus opening the way for a dictatorial leadership of the community." Samuel 
stood upon the dais as he spoke. "Therefore, it is our decision that this conduct will be met with the 
most severe of punishments." He paused and turned his attention to Quintus. The enforcer stood 
arrogantly near the dais Elder Lars was positioned upon.
"Master Quintus, step forward."
Lacroix watched with almost palpable glee, as he saw the smirk finally wiped from the enforcer's face 
when he was pulled before the elders by his fellow enforcers.
"Quintus, son of Yung, you have been found guilty of treason. Your sentence is death." 
"You can't do this to me!!" he raged, struggling against the grip of the vampires holding him in place. "I 
am a master enforcer! I will not be treated in this manner!!"
Samuel ignored him and nodded to another enforcer, apparently Quintus' successor. He held in his hand 
a yew stake, tainted with holywater. Without ceremony, he thrust it into the vampire's heart and stepped 
back as Quintus screamed, then fell silent as his body disintegrated.
Samuel turned to Quintus' men, who were visibly shaken by the actions taking place.
"You, Karl, and you, Francis, were acting on orders from Quintus. Even so, you will bear some 
responsibility for your actions." The men looked to each other and knew they were finished. "You have 
narrowly escaped death this day, gentlemen. However, it shall be swiftly arranged for you both to be re-
educated." The men's eyes widened and they balked at the knowledge that their minds would be 
tampered with and their training re-completed.
"Elder Lars, your treachery has been the most disappointing of all. You are hereby found guilty of 
treason. Your title of elder has been revoked and your sentence is death." It was Samuel himself who 
brought forth the stake.
"Power and glory, Samuel. Death or victory--it's the way of the world," Lars said, smiling wearily as he 
stood tall, awaiting his execution. "I suppose as one will always be the victor, one must also be the 
downtrodden." After a pause, he looked to Lacroix and spoke his final words. "Victory or death!!" 
Samuel plunged the stake hard into the ancient's heart and held it there until the vampire slowly turned to 
dust.
The room heaved a collective sigh of relief, knowing the sordid ordeal was over. Jordan turned to 
Lacroix and he wrapped his arms around her.
"Is it over?" she whispered.
"Almost." He gently pushed her away and stepped forward. "Elder Samuel!" he called the vampire, and 
he turned back toward the younger ancient. Lacroix took a few steps forward." If I may inquire as to 
the fate of Master Adin?"
Samuel smiled and shook his head. "You, Lucius, have yet again escaped unscathed from your games." 
Lacroix ducked his head slightly, his features exposing a glimpse of the man behind the mask, which 
perhaps showed that he had not been so fortunate this time. "Then again, perhaps you have not," he 
added quietly.
"As to Master Adin's activities...Since no solid evidence has been brought forward against him, he will 
not be brought to trial. He will, however, be relieved of his service to the community in the capacity of 
enforcer." Lacroix felt a tight knot in his stomach ease as the elder spoke. He very much detested the 
feeling of guilt which had been niggling at him ever since Adin had been captured. He preferred to leave 
that detail to Nicholas.
"Perhaps, Lucius, you could find it in yourself to help him acquire alternative employment." Samuel 
smiled as he gave Lacroix the gentle order and he nodded his agreement.
"Very well. This trial is adjourned!" Samuel announced, and the chamber rapidly emptied. Soon, 
Lacroix and Jordan were all who remained.
"Come, my dear. Let us depart." Jordan nodded, and leaning against him, she let him guide her from the 
complex and out into the open air.
 
"Lacroix!" Nick almost threw the ancient to the ground as they entered the empty club.
Lacroix rolled his eyes at Jordan over his son's rather exuberant welcome, but held Nick to him for a 
moment before letting him go.
"Forgive me...I didn't know what else to do," Nick said, his head hung low, unable to met his sire's 
gaze.
"The situation has been explained to me, Nicholas. However, if you do such a thing again..." he 
chastised lightly. How could he be harsh after such a welcome? To think his son had actually worried 
for him. He almost chuckled at the absurd irony.
"Come, let us celebrate," he announced, heading to the bar to retrieve a bottle of his finest reserve and a 
bottle of champagne.
"Are you all right?" Natalie quietly asked Jordan, coming up behind her as they headed to the bar.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It was an experience, though, I can tell you!"
Natalie smiled. She knew exactly what she meant.
They all turned as the front door opened once again.
Jordan smiled. Adin stood in the doorway, looking dashing in a stylish brown suit, which brought out the 
brown of his eyes.
"I was told I might be able to find a job here." He smiled toward Lacroix, who smirked in return.
"Hmm, I'm not sure I have anything suitable," he said, his amusement apparent.
"Sure we do, Lucien. We could always do with a new bouncer," Jordan quipped, then chuckled at the 
disgusted look on Adin's face as he crossed the room.
"Do you actually have to work?" Natalie asked him as he was handed a glass of wine.
"Well, no, but you know what they say...Idle hands...and all that..." He flittered a hand through the air.
"Indeed we do. I believe I will find something which you would prefer. If not here, then elsewhere," 
Lacroix told him graciously.
"Thank you, Lacroix." Adin bowed his head slightly toward the vampire. He then turned to Nick. "Hey, 
Nick! What do most mortal cops do if they leave the force?" Adin asked.
Nick smiled as he thought.
"Well, a few end up becoming private investigators or starting up their own security firms and like 
businesses."
"Hmm. Adin Chase, PI," he quipped theatrically, raising an imaginary gun to eye level and blowing away 
the smoke. "Yeah, I think I like the sound of that." He smiled at Nick as the detective rolled his eyes.
"A toast!" Lacroix called. "May all our battles be as successful. Death or victory!"
"Death or victory!" came the chorus of voices.
"Hang on a minute..." Jordan said after they had all taken a long draught. " I don't think we necessarily 
won." 
Lacroix wrapped an arm around her shoulders and told her.
"We survived, my dear, which, when all is said and done, is the greatest victory of them all."
 
Finis
Comments yearned for.
knightraven@clear.net.nz
End part six