The Listeners
This story takes its title from the poem "The listeners" by Walter de la
Mare. No infringement of his copyright is intended. Forever Knight and the
concepts and ideas associated with it are the property of Mr Parriot and
Sony/Tristar. No infringement of their intellectual property rights is
intended. This piece is the property of Spike Shovelton and I assert
copyright hereto.
This is the seventh story in a series of shorts beginning with "Lucifer in
Starlight." It probably won't make much sense unless you read the others.
In response to popular request there is more about Nick and Nat in this one.
There are spoilers here for Ashes to Ashes. I would welcome comments at
blot30@hotmail.com but flames are not welcome.
The Listeners 1/1
By Spike Shovelton
Nick smiled as he climbed out of bed. It was weird being alone, and the bed
felt rather too large. He smiled as he stretched and checked the time.
Felicks Twist was due soon. He was bringing something over for Nick. Tracy
had reminded her partner of the importance of presents in a new
relationship, of the need for gestures, and of the fact that there was no
such thing as too many chocolates.
Nick smiled as he switched the radio on. The verdict was due on one of the
cases in which he had taken and interest and he wanted to know what would
happen. He saw Natalie's beautiful face in his mind. She was the only
person he knew who looked gorgeous even surrounded by internal organs and
corpses. She looked even lovelier in his bed, or wearing one of his shirts
as he brought her breakfast up to her.
"Next news will be at eight." He realised that it was the end of the
bulletin and his distraction meant that he had not heard any of it. Nick
decided to take a shower. The station began to play music and Nick listened
as he went into the shower, turning the volume up so that he would catch the
news when it next came around. The voice began to sing softly, a sweet yet
curiously persistent voice against the hum of guitars and drums. There was
a note of pain and desire in the song, yet at the same time a note of
triumph that accorded with his mood.
"I want to break free
I want to break free
I want to break free from your lies
You're so self satisfied I don't need you
I want to break free
God knows
God knows I want to break free.
Felicks Twist sighed as he let himself into the flat. He was early but one
of his other appointments had advanced the time of the appointment. As he
began to look around the loft he frowned at the noise emanating from above.
"I've fallen in love
I've fallen in love for the first time
This time I know it's for real
I've fallen in love oh!
God knows
God knows that I've fallen in love"
Felicks chuckled. Nick the Nightmare was actually singing. The most
miserable vampire in the community was singing along, loudly and cheerfully,
if not wholly in tune.
"It's strange but it's true
I can't get over the way you love me like you do
But I have to be sure, if I walk out that door
Oh how I want to be free."
He listened to the music and laughed as he heard Nick letting rip. If Nick
was cheering up, perhaps he could persuade him to come to one of the
parties.
As he dressed for the day Nick listened to the song come to its end. Things
were looking up. Now that he had Natalie, Nick was happier than he could
remember. It did not matter any more, surely as long as he tried to save
lives, he would be allowed his Natalie. Now they could be together, whether
as mortals or vampires or whatever. Odd how eternity with Natalie didn't
sound so bad.
He wondered why Lacroix had declined to enforce their bargain. Then he
decided that he did not want to know, he simply wanted to savour the moment
while it lasted. He really should talk to Tracy, she had a right to know.
If he continued as he was, with her believing that he was mortal then he
might put her in danger. He found the face of his partner replaced in his
mind with the face of Natalie and smiled as he wandered down to the living
room where Felicks was waiting. Had he known what his partner was doing, he
would have been less pleased.
Tracy looked around the Raven. This was probably a really stupid idea but
she couldn't shake it off. She needed to talk to someone and Nick wouldn't
do, Nat wouldn't know enough to help. That only left one alternative. She
waited at the bar.
"Tracy." She was favoured with a brilliant smile and Miklos the bartender
looked at her. "You look good, very pretty."
"Thanks." She said quickly.
"If you're looking for himself, he's not in at present." Miklos said
quickly.
"No, I actually wanted to talk to you. I really need some advice." She
said and he smiled.
"What else is a bartender for?" He looked at her. "Not here though, we'd
have dozens of people listening. I can come to your place in forty
minutes."
"That will be good." Tracy said and left. She was pacing her living room
wondering why he had not asked where she lived. The idea that he knew her
whereabouts did not sit well with her. She looked up to see Miklos coming
through the curtains. "Hi, come on in."
"What can I do for you?" He asked quickly. "If I can help I will." A
quirky smile crossed his face. "Is it Lacroix?"
"Yeah." Tracy said and looked at him. "I've got to know him quite well of
late. Not that I trust him. When the community moves on…." Her voice
trailed away.
"You will move with it." Miklos said and she nodded. Tracy had more or
less decided on that by now. She couldn't go back so she had resigned
herself to the fact that she was joining the community. She might even
enjoy some of it. "I have known the General quite some time." He shrugged.
"He is not a bad sire, despite the rumours."
"I don't want him to bring me across." Tracy said. Miklos looked at her.
"I don't want to give him so much power over me. It would give him power?"
"Yes." Miklos looked at her. "The older the vampire the stronger the link.
He would know your thoughts, understand your mind, control you. He loves
his fledglings but he will not cede control."
"I can't give him that much power over me." Tracy looked into the liquid
eyes of the bartender, so like Vachon yet not. "I can't trust him."
"Why not?" Miklos had not expected this. "You want him."
"Very much but I still can't trust him. A few months ago at my evening
class we studied an old war, a man who crucified one of his enemies. It
scared the hell out of me." Tracy admitted. "Every time I see him I
remember that vivid account. I know that I don't want him owning me,
controlling me. I want to be his equal." She raised a hand to forestall
the intervention. "I know that isn't possible but I don't want to be his
property. I've heard some of his games with Nick and I don't want that. If
we are to be anything to each other then I need to be able to meet him on
equal terms. I want him to be my lover but I think he'd be too strong to
have as a sire."
"That might be wise." Miklos sighed. This was going to really piss his
nibs off when he heard it. Miklos looked at her. Was she trying to ask him
about it? Much as he liked her he was not going to do it, not after Lacroix
threatened to eviscerate anyone who laid a hand on her. Still he could see
the problem. He wouldn't want Lacroix for a sire either, much as he
respected the old vampire. "What do you intend to do?"
"I don't know." Tracy looked at him. "You're the only other vampire I know
and so I came for advice. Can you suggest someone who won't want too much?
I mean I want someone good, otherwise I'd ask Nick." Miklos looked at her
in surprise. "Well somehow I don't expect he'd make a good teacher."
"No." Miklos said finally. It was a known fact in the community. Odd that
someone who taught mortals so well was so hopeless with fledglings. "I can
say that you'd have a job finding anyone. Lacroix was pretty plain in
saying what he'd do to anyone who went near you. Otherwise I would offer to
bring you across myself." He said and saw disappointment in her eyes. "You
need someone who he wouldn't mind and who wouldn't push you around too much,
probably a woman. He wouldn't see a woman as a challenge to his authority
in the same way as a man." He smiled quickly. "Men are like that."
"Any likely candidates?" Tracy asked.
Miklos considered this for a moment. He didn't trust many people. Now that
the Raven had gone downmarket most of the women he had known had moved on.
"Possibly, I can think of one." He considered the issue. "Will you leave
it with me?"
"Of course, if you promise not to tell Lacroix, unless he tries to
eviscerate you." Tracy said and the dark vampire smiled.
"I can talk to someone, she doesn't make many fledglings but I think you'd
get along with her and Lacroix wouldn't mind." Miklos had a sudden image of
darkness and beauty and a ringing French voice. "Can you give me your
number? I can pass it on."
"Right." Tracy handed him her business card. "Thanks Miklos. I do
appreciate it."
"My pleasure." Miklos said and left the flat by the window. He descended
into the main square, selecting a payphone at random and dialled a number he
knew by heart but had shared with nobody.
"Oui." Came a quick response.
"Hello Janette." Miklos smiled as he envisioned her. "Can you talk? You
wouldn't believe what's going on here. Lacroix is seriously smitten."
"Tellement?" The voice was amused but disbelieving. "You intrigue me,
Miklos. Do tell me more." Janette Ducharme listened with interest as her
old friend Miklos gave her all the details of what was going on in Toronto.
"You are serious?"
"Oh yes, talk of the community it is. Nicholas's partner of all people."
Janette chuckled. "You'd like her I think, not afraid of anything."
"Are you perhaps also smitten?" Janette asked.
"No, I wouldn't dare be." Miklos smiled. Janette laughed softly, pleased
that Miklos still loved her best. "When we move on she'll be joining us of
course."
"It will do mon pere good to have a new addition to his family." Janette
said and there was silence. "I assume he will take her."
"So does he." Miklos said and Janette chuckled. "She just talked to me,
said she didn't trust him. I'd do it with pleasure except himself has
threatened to geld anyone who goes near her. So it would have to be someone
suitable."
"So you come to me." Janette smiled. It was good to be wanted and if the
young woman interested her sire then it would be worthwhile meeting her. "I
will consider it. I will need to talk to her. Can you give me her
details?" Miklos did so and Janette took them down.
Once he had hung up Janette smiled as she studied her elegantly cursive
handwriting as she memorised the name and address. She wrote well, Lacroix
had seen to it that she was educated. She could understand why he might
prove a difficult sire, particularly to a strong willed woman. She had
learnt to handle him quickly but then she was raised to accede to men's
moods. No this could be quite amusing. It would annoy Nicholas, always a
bonus for she had not yet forgiven him for bringing her across. She was
still missing her beloved Robert and a part of her still wished that she had
died. She loved Nicholas but she was angry with him, still trying to heal
from her experience. The physical scars of her love had healed quickly but
the mental wounds had left ugly scars.
She would have to check up on Ms Vetter, then she could make contact with
her and decide whether this woman was worth adding to the family. She wrote
a brief note to Aristotle asking for the community files on her. Then she
decided to contact some other friends to find out exactly what was going on
in Toronto.
At the same time as Janette was considering her next move, the current woman
in Nick's life was also considering the future. Natalie studied her
sleeping companion. He looked so cute in sleep, so innocent and gentle.
She ran one hand over his neck and down his back. He opened his eyes and
studied her reproachfully before rolling over. Her fingers ran down his
back and he twitched his tail.
"Wake up Sidney. I need some advice." Sidney Lambert purred softly. "I
don't know what to do about Nick." She sighed. "He wants me and I think he
loves me." Her fingers went to the small mark on her neck. She could feel
Nick now that they had become lovers. Every time he bit her she could sense
more, share his feelings more deeply.
She loved him so much. She had never considered immortality until now. Yet
with Nick it didn't seem so bad. "Lying to yourself, Lambert? Be honest
with yourself, of course you considered it." She corrected herself. She
remembered going to the Raven when she had thought the world was ending.
The thing was that she wanted Nick as well as immortality.
She wondered whether Tracy was in over her head with Lacroix. Nick was
still adamant that his partner knew nothing of the community other than
Vachon. Nick did not seem to think that blondes had any brains. Natalie
chuckled. You could take the man out of the thirteenth century but you
couldn't take the thirteenth century out of the man. Nick was very modern
in some things but sometimes he was an idiot where women were concerned.
Then again Tracy probably knew what she was doing. Natalie smiled as she
dressed. Nick was not there today, he had mentioned that his financial
advisor wanted to see him. She put Sidney's dish out and filled it up. As
she went down the stairs she sighed. Her car was in at the repairers yet
again. She really needed something newer. As she walked out of the door to
catch the red rocket into town she heard a horn.
"Dr Lambert, may I offer you a lift?" She watched as Lucien Lacroix pulled
up beside her in a black jaguar sports car.
"Well." Natalie said quickly and then suppressed the automatic refusal. "I
guess I could use a lift." If she were spending eternity with Nick then she
would have to get used to his sire. "My car is in for repairs."
"Yes I know." Lacroix smiled quickly.
"You know?" Nat thought for a moment. "Oh Tracy I assume." He shook his
head. "Okay but you and Tracy know each other rather better than Nick
thinks." Lacroix nodded. "Is she okay?"
"No I am using my evil vampire powers to turn her into my sex slave."
Lacroix said and Natalie chuckled. "I like her, she has potential."
"Good." Natalie said quickly. There was a silence between them and Natalie
sighed. "I would like for us to get on. We look like being family."
"So you are prepared to join us?" Lacroix asked and Nat nodded. "I am
pleased that you have decided this way." He turned the corner. It would
make it easier. "Have you decided on a sire?"
"Nick of course." Natalie said and looked at him. "No other alternative is
possible."
"Of course not." Lacroix sighed. "If I can be of any assistance then I
will be at your disposal." He pulled up at the morgue and let her out. "My
regards to Nicholas."
Nat frowned. That was weird, Lacroix almost being civil to her. She went
in to work. She was busily dissecting a corpse when she felt Nick creeping
into the morgue. Since they had shared blood she had developed an ability
to detect him when he was close. At least he couldn't creep up on her.
"Hi Nick." She said without turning. Once she had finished with the organ
she was examining she turned to him. "What brings you here?"
"Nothing." Nick looked at her. "I just wanted to see you." Odd how his
cure didn't seem as important as Nat. Nothing mattered quite as much as she
did. She was his sunlight, his future. He just wanted to be with her. Now
that he had loved her he needed her more than ever.
"Lacroix gave me a lift into work." Nat said and Nick looked concerned.
"He was very pleasant."
"He can be that." Nick said. He looked at her. "I brought you something."
He held out a small box. Natalie opened it and studied the contents,
expecting jewellery. She looked at the keyring. The fob was perfectly
crafted in steel, a caduceus. The snakes were perfectly carved in the
metal, seeming almost alive in their perfection. One key was modern and Nat
recognised it as the key to Nick's place. The other key was old.
Nat studied the old key. It had been cleaned but it was obviously older
than she was. "One is for your loft."
"This is for de Brabant castle." Nick said quickly, indicating the large
old key. "I had Felicks bring it with him. "It was customary for the lady
of a castle to wear a chatelaine of keys to enable her to gain access to all
the rooms. It could identify the woman in charge of the household." He
looked at her. "I only know one woman whom I'd like to have keys to all my
doors."
"Oh Nick." Natalie realised what Nick was saying. "I love you so much."
She hugged him hard. "It's beautiful."
"So are you." Nick held her close. "I love you more than my own life." He
touched her hair.
"I've been thinking about joining you." Natalie murmured and Nick did not
respond.
"It's up to you." Nick said and studied her. "I don't want to pressure you
into anything."
"Not now but sometime." Nick nodded. "You don't mind?" She had expected
him to object.
"Nat there is an old tale of a knight sent to discover what women want most.
The answer is "free will." I want you to do what you want." Lacroix had
been lecturing about this for the last three nights. Nick thought it pretty
rich coming from his sire but he had taken the point. Whatever Nat wanted
had to be her decision. He wondered why he had tried to avoid that in the
past, when it made complete sense. "Whatever your decision I will always
love you."
Lacroix sighed as he watched Nicholas embrace his coroner. No wonder the
crime rate was rising. Nicholas was always too busy with her to be
detecting. Lacroix decided to see what Tracy was doing. It was time to
advance his courtship of her a little more. He paused as he heard Nick
mention his partner's name.
"What was that?" Natalie asked softly.
"I said, I should check on Tracy. She's become more and more concerned
about this anonymous stalker. All our attempts to locate him have failed."
Lacroix stiffened as he heard this. He had learnt that someone had tried to
burn her house down. He had been concerned about her before but learning
that the police had failed to capture her stalker made him even more
worried.
Tracy was his after all. Nobody interfered with his property. This modern
obsession with rights and fairness had led to a deplorable deterioration in
crime prevention. In his day he would have protected Tracy more thoroughly.
Then again in his day Tracy would not have been a police officer. She was
more likely to have been a slave or a barbarian.
That was an appealing prospect. His priority was clearly to find out who
was stalking his Tracy. Then he could administer an appropriate penalty.
He couldn't remember a punishment for stalking offhand but he could invent
something suitable. He turned and left the morgue, leaving his son and
future granddaughter closely entwined. Things were definitely becoming most
interesting.
The End
1) The song sung by Nick is entitled "I want to break free" and was
performed by Queen. Copyright on this piece is held by Queen Productions
Ltd and no infringement of this copyright is intended. The song had one of
the most remarkable videos, beginning with the 4 band members in drag,
pretending to be housewives, wanting to break away from dull monotonous
lives. The image of Nick in this video is irresistible.
2) The information on keys is true. The mistress of the house held the keys
and that gave her power and authority. She alone could go into all parts of
the house. It was often a subject of dispute, for example when a knight
married, his wife and mother would argue over the ownership of the keys.
(
geocities.com/area51/hollow/1228) (
geocities.com/area51/hollow) (
geocities.com/area51)