Another Reality

by Olivia Jean Ecklund
Chapter 15

She took the glass and drank it down, handing it back to Nick for a refill. She stepped closer as he turned away to refill it. She ran her hand over his shirted back and leaned to kiss him.

Nick stood still and closed his eyes, smiling when her cheek rested against him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. "Nick, thanks for understanding, for forgiving me. I want to be only gentle with you. You know I care for you with every fiber of my body."

Nick felt his desire flare. He felt her stiffen and knew she also smelled his need for her.

"Ah, Nat, maybe being alone isn't the best idea. We should start the movie."

She sighed, drawing away, "Maybe being alone at all is not the best idea. Its so hard not wanting you. It's not yet time."

He nodded. "When will it be?"

"I'll know and I will tell you." She kissed him, then sighed.

"I know how you feel. Come on. Let's go to the concert in the Park. There is an all night celebration. A dance and a craft fair. We can take Beast with us."

Natalie got a look of excitement like a kid in a candy factory. Nick was pleased.

"That sounds wonderful, Nick. I seldom go out in public places. My kind tend to group together in dark corners."

They put a leash on Beast and set off. They could hear the band as they exited Nick's apartment building. There was laughing and talking. They still had a few hours of night left to enjoy the event.

They wandered through the booths of sale items and Nick purchased an old antique cameo for Natalie. She took it from him with trembling fingers and placed it on the lapel of her jacket. "It's beautiful, Nick. No one has bought me a gift in centuries," she whispered close to his ear.

He drew her into his arms briefly and kissed her lips. "You deserve this and so much more, Natasha." Beast let out a bark. Nick looked down at him. He seemed to be smiling up and them. He bounced around, eager to explore this wonderful place.

Nick leaned to pet him and Natalie caressed the dog's head. They walked awhile longer and Nick smiled as he noticed that Natalie would reach up to touch the cameo to make sure it was still there. It brought tears to his eyes that no one had loved this wonderful creature as she had been mean to be loved. He blinked the tears away.

Nick heard a loud, boisterous voice across the basketball court that was doubling for a dance floor. He took hold of Natalie's arm and steered her toward the source. "Don!"

He saw Schanke's eye brows waggle when he came into view with Natalie on his arm. "Nick, Doc." he greeted them, "Imagine finding you here, together."

"Mr. Sch-an-kee..." she said, pronouncing every syllable.

"Don," he corrected her.

"Don then." she said, smiling.

"Buddy, can you watch Beast for a few dances?" Nick asked.

Beast was wagging his tail and allowed Don to pick him up. "Hey bud," the man said holding the little dog close and tossing his hair.

Natalie observed, "He knows you well."

"Yeah, Nick and I roomed together for a couple years when this little guy was just a pup."

Beast was licking Schanke all over the face.

"Really," she said, a bit envious of both situations. "You'll have to tell me about Nick when he was a young man."

Schanke said, "Ohhh now that I can do. Nick, remember the time we hung you from a rope and let you down the side of the Beta Kappa girls frat house..."

Natalie's eyebrow rose.

Nick turned that fine red shade that she loved and she grinned at his discomfort.

Just then a lovely woman came close caring a couple of Pepsis. Nick, grateful for the distraction, said, "Myra, hey." He leaned and gave the woman a kiss on the cheek. "This is Natalie, my friend."

Myra nodded, "Don's told me about you. How do you like Toronto?"

Myra had reached out and took Nick's free hand, holding it.

He felt Natalie's hand tighten painfully on his. He looked at her and saw flashes of amber. He said over his shoulder, "Thanks Don, Myra. See you in a bit." He dragged Natalie into the crowded dance court.

When they got into the middle of the dancing frenzy he accused her, "You're jealous!" His voice was a little high and excited.

"I was not," she said, pouting and glaring at him.

"Yes, you were. Nat, I've known Myra for years. She's like a sister to me."

"A sister!" she threw back at him.

"Yeah, a sister. You have nothing to be jealous of. She's Don's wife, they have a son."

The music which had been a fast crazy beat ended and a slow song came on. Nick pulled her into his arms and she wound her arms over his shoulders and laid her cheek against his chest. "I'm sorry, Nick. It caught me by surprise. The Vampire is very possessive of one it has imbibed from."

He drew back so he could look into her face, "Its okay. But what about you, Natalie?"

"I'm possessive too. I feel a part of you. Your blood has become apart of me. You are a part of me."

Nick smiled down at her. "I like that." He breathed softly, "I'll warn you the next time I plan to kiss another woman."

She ran her hand up his neck and back down, letting her fingers go under the collar of the sweater.

Nick winced as her fingers brushed over the bruises. He'd been trying to ignore the pain all night.

"Nick, what?" she asked. "She pealed the collar further and saw angry purple-blue bruises at the base of his neck. "Who did this to you?" she glared at him.

"Natasha, please, I - I'll tell you later. I just want to hold you right now." He pulled her closer and covered her lips with his. He kissed her deeply and with all his pent up passion. He felt her finally surrender to the sensations and relax against him. "Natasha," he sighed against her lips. "I love you."

"Oh, Nick!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him off the court and into the darker part of the park.

Schanke watched them go and noticed that Beast was also following his master with his eyes. "Well boy, seems like you're with me for the night." He thought, "That Lucky stiff." Out loud he said, "I never thought he'd find a woman like that. She's rather strange, but beautiful."

Myra was sitting with him. She said, "Amen to that, Don." She reached out to caress the little dog who was sitting in her husband's lap. Beast licked her fingers. It wasn't the first time he'd stayed with them. They usually looked after him when Nick went on a conference or vacation."

Natalie took to the air as soon as the trees swallowed them up. Nick was in tow, her arm was about his waist. "Natalie!" His shout of surprise was lost in the wind.

Natalie laughed at Nick's fear as she carried him over the trees and out over the city. "Relax, enjoy the ride," she shouted into his ear.

Nick decided he'd better do just that. She obviously was strong enough to carry him with ease. He relaxed against her and looked out over the magnificent city. "It's beautiful."

"Yes, it is," she said, nibbling his ear. She took him to the top deck of the CN tower.

Nick was happy to feel the observation deck beneath his feet. She grabbed him close and covered his mouth with hers, kissing him furiously and deeply, nearly robbing his off his strength.

Nick kissed her back with equal fervor. Their hands touched each other, and she pulled the sweater from his pants and ran her hands over his chest. Nick moaned against her lips and his hands worked at the buttons on the casual dress she wore. She pulled the turtleneck over his head and tossed it aside. Her eyes where closed as Nick continued to kiss her, their tongues dancing.

Natalie's hands slipped up his chest and over his shoulder to lock behind his neck and she pulled him hard against her. They had both forgotten the bruises and now Nick gasped with the pain, pulling back.

She froze and her mind remembered. Her eyes opened to search him. His neck was ringed with the darkest black-blue bruises. Her eyes blazed red. "Who did this to you!" she demanded, losing her ability to think.

"Need you ask," he said quietly.

"Why didn't you tell me, Nick. I'll kill him!" She turned to take flight.

He grabbed at her, tackling her and knocking her to the floor. "No, Natalie!"

"Let me go," she demanded, her fangs flashing in the moon light.

"No, Natasha! Please. You can't fight him when you are angry, he will hurt you. If you confront him, you must be able to think. Make some plans. Please! I love you - I can't lose you now." He had grabbed her hands and was holding her as tightly as he could.

She elevated, taking him by surprise and he fell away at nearly eight feet from the floor. He lay flat on his back, gasping for air.

Natalie was at his side instantly. "Oh, Nick, Nick! Are you all right?" She gathered him up and helped him to sit against the wall.

He was stunned, trying to catch his breath. She sat on her knees, her hands inspecting his ribs and arms and legs.

"I don't feel any broken bones." She let red tears flow from her eyes. "I'm sorry Nick, forgive me."

He held out his arms to her. This was no longer the Vampire looking down at him. She curled her body against his side. He heard her whimper. It tore at his heart.

"We will never be free of him," she cried. "Nick, you are my last hope." "What do you mean," he asked stroking her hair, trying to sooth her.

She was silent a few minutes and then she said, "I told him, if you reject me or it doesn't work with you, I would come back to him forever."

"You did what!, No Nat, you must never go back to him!" He took her by the arms. "How could you agree to that? All he has to do is kill me and you will be his forever."

"He will hold to his promise until he feels the changes in me, then he will come for us. You cannot be involved in any plans to kill him. If you help me to plan to kill LaCroix, it will stain your soul and I won't change. I could lose you forever."

Nick stiffened. "Is that the truth, Nat, or are you just trying to keep me out of it. I'm no saint. I have flaws, I've sinned."

"I know, but if you plan murder, your love for me would change. You do not believe in murder. You're a doctor, Nick. You would do it to save me. But we would be lost." She moved so she could look into his face. "No. Nick, it's not a lie."

She said softly," I can not lie to you. You are the man I love. Your love can change me, make it so we can live like normal people. I want it more than anything and I want to be with you." She kissed him gently, then started to rain kisses on his bare chest.

He groaned with pleasure. "Nat! Nat!" he shivered with the cold. "Maybe we should take this to my place."

She grinned at him, "I think mine would be better." She stood, grabbed his shirt and hauled him to his feet, then off they flew. Chapter 16

They entered the Loft through the skylight. Nick was shivering so hard that Natalie led him upstairs to the shower. "Warm yourself up," she told him. "I need to feed."

He undressed and stood in the shower for a long time, letting the hot water take the chill away. He showered and dried off and tried on Natalie's white robe. It worked good enough. He could think of nothing but her and holding her. Making love to her. He realized she had been waiting for him to declare his love for her. It seemed to be part of the conditions for the miracle she hope for. He prayed that she would get her wish.

He took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. The room beyond was bathed in flickering candlelight. It looked as if a hundred candles burned.

He found that he had eyes only for Natalie. She stood near the bed dressed in a floor length red lace negligee. Her hair framed her face and fell over her shoulders in thick cascading waves. He came forward and drew her to him. He kissed her lips tentatively and then crushed them with his, kissing her deeply holding her body tightly against him. He tasted the copper taste of blood. He ran his hand down her silk clad body.

"Natasha, you are so beautiful. I have never even dreamed of loving someone as much as I love you."

Her eyes seemed to glow with a brightness of their own. He kissed her again. He felt her pull at the ties of his robe and she slipped her hands inside to caress his chest and then wrapped them around his ribcage to hold him tightly against her. "Nicholas," She said, using his full name.

"Natasha," he whispered against her lips, trailing kisses over her cheeks and down along her neck.

One of her hands came out to push the robe from his shoulders. Her lips kissed his bare skin. She ran a hand up his neck gently so she wouldn't cause him pain and buried her fingers in his hair, guiding his lips down her chest. Nick caressed her gently and with great care. Slowly he drew the gown over her head and picked her up and carried her to the bed. He gazed down at her.

You're so beautiful, Natasha," he whispered huskily.

She held her arms out to him and he came to her. With gentle hands and lips he loved her as he had always dreamed he would love a woman he wanted to spend a life time with.

As their bodies finally joined in that age old dance of love, Natasha drew back and then struck gently. Her fangs buried themselves in the soft flesh of his neck. The precious life giving fluid of her lover washed over her senses and she swallowed a mouth full, their bodies arched against each other and their voices cried out in ecstasy. Natalie with drew her fangs and they retracted.

Nick looked into her beautiful face. " You are a dream come true, my love. I love you more than life itself, Natasha."

She smiled up at him. "I love you, my Nicholas." She drew him down to her for another kiss then she snuggled up to his side and the slipped into a warm peaceful sleep as the sun rose high into the sky outside. They felt safe inside the fortress for the day.

A noise woke Nick. He glanced at the clock. It was 7:00 am. Another crash woke him fully. He grabbed his pants and pulled them on. He looked at Natalie still sleeping. She was so beautiful.

"NATASHA!" came a shout from below.

Natalie sat up on the bed, eyes wild, yet there were no fangs or glowing eyes. Nick saw her hand fly to her mouth and watched as she fingered the place the fangs should be.

"Nick, its LaCroix! How can I fight him like this? He will kill us! We are trapped here with him."

She jumped from the bed, grabbing some sweats and jumping into them. Her body felt slow and uncoordinated. Nick was standing near the door with her gun in his hand. She opened the drawer of the dresser and got a box out. "Nick, give me the gun."

He handed it over knowing she knew how to use it better than he. Then She did something that made his mouth fall open. She emptied the clip of bullets onto the bed and took something from a box and started to load the new shells."

"What are those?" he asked curiously.

They're a very hard wood tipped with garlic. They won't stop him but they will slow him down. It will give us an advantage. Go to the closet and in the back there is a long pointed wooden staff." Nick dove into the closet and a few things came flying out. Finally she heard "Yes!". He emerged holding the staff.

The carnage continued below and Nick knew that the beautiful pieces of art that Natalie treasured where being destroyed one at a time. "Nick, you must try to get to the blind controls. Get them to open. The sun will limit his movements. Maybe we can force him into the light."

"But you could be killed too!" he protested.

"No, Nick." She put her hand on his cheek. "Look at me. I am changed. Even if there are remnants of what I was, it won't happen as fast as it will with LaCroix." She reached for the door. "I will go out and try to riddle him with the bullets. He won't be expecting this. Be ready with the staff. Please try to stay out of his reach. He could snap you like a twig."

Nick nodded, "We must pray the Lord will give us an advantage. It's all we have in our favor."

She smiled and nodded. "Yes, let's pray." She seemed to look into herself for a moment then she smiled and looked up. She grabbed the door handle and opened it slowly. Armed with the gun she moved out of the room and onto the landing, trying to see LaCroix down in the main room.

Nick crept behind her. He suddenly caught a movement from above and shouted, "Nat, look up!"

She started to turn, but the vampire was too fast. He swooped at them and barreled into Natalie before she could even raise the gun to fire. It flew from her hands and bounced down the steps. She rolled over and over and came to rest at the bottom of the steps and was still. LaCroix landed down beside her, glanced at Nick and smiled an evil smile that chilled Nick.

"She is mine! I warned you. I will not allow you to change what she is. You will die and I will have the pleasure of reclaiming what has been mine for centuries." He pulled Natalie to her feet and held her against him. His tongue came out to lick the arteries on her neck.

Nick felt a fury overtake him and a fear so deep it shook him to the core. "LaCroix!" he screamed. He hefted the staff like a javelin and threw it with all his might. The vampire dropped Natalie at his war cry and had started forward. The staff hit him a bit to high to stake him but pierced him through the shoulder. A scream of rage and pain tore from the monster's throat. He started forward, the staff didn't take him down.

Nick dove for the gun and grabbed it barrel first. Not being too comfortable with guns he fumbled with it and could almost feel LaCroix's cold breath on his neck before he fell backwards on the steps. The vampire's body blocked the light from the lamps below. Nick pulled the trigger and fired into the Vampire's chest point blank. The force of the bullets knocked him back down the stairs and he stumbled, stopping in the middle of the room to claw at the pain that had invaded his chest. He felt as if he where on fire.

Nick got to his feet and tried to run past the crazed vampire to find the remote, but even though the ancient creature was in agony he reached out and snatched Nick.

He pulled the human close, his fangs extended. His red eyes seeming to glow. Nick felt the tips press against his neck and he whispered, "Lord save us, save Natalie."

Suddenly the vampire got a curious look on his face and there seemed to be smoke and light every where. His strength seemed to fade and Nick was able to pull away, stumbling back.

Nick looked frantically around and saw that Natalie had come too. She had crawled to the coffee table. Nick finally understood what was happening. She had opened the skylight letting the light flood in. The shaft of light had frozen LaCroix in his place. He didn't have the strength to move.

Nick stood transfixed as the creature continued to scream in pain, finally crying out, "Natasha, I loved you!" He seemed to lose his form and it wavered and smoke billowed about him and then he was gone. His screams faded into the air. A fine gray dust shifted through the sunbeam and came to rest upon the floor.

Nick stumbled over to Natalie and fell to his knees beside her. He engulfed her with his arms, holding her body tightly against his.

The other blinds were rising and Nick realized they were both bathed in light and it wasn't hurting Natalie.

Her words came back to him, "You've changed me, Nick."

"Natalie, you're warm, your alive!" He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently, then rained kisses on her face. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, my love. You have saved me from an endless night of darkness. I'm free to embrace the Son. I'm free to live in the sun. I no longer need to feed on you."

Nick found his strength and pulled her into his arms. He caught her up and twirled her around the room. They laughed and kissed. Natalie felt tears on her face and Nick tasted salt not copper. He stood and held her and took one of the tears on his finger and showed it to her.

"It's clear, Nick, it's clear."

"Thank you, God," Nick whispered. He held Natalie, one of his hands on the back of her head stroking her beautiful hair. "Come let's go up and shower and then sleep. I can hardly stand."

They supported each other as they ascended the steps. Their clothes fell to the floor as they stepped into the warm water and let it caress tears and pains away. They helped each other bathe and then after they were dried they crawled into the bed and slept holding each other tightly.

Six weeks later in an early afternoon sun, Nick and Natalie married. They stood under a white tent and said their vows. Don stood with Nick and Grace with Natalie. Beast stood proudly at Nick's and Natalie's side. He had a tiny bow tie around his neck. His shinny black hair and the white star on his chest made him look as if he wore a tux. He watched with his large warm brown eyes.

Friends and family stood with them. Janette cried with happiness. As the day progressed into evening, the sun went down in a glorious blaze of oranges reds, and purples. Natalie pulled Nick into the trees. She kissed him until he was breathless and ran a finger along his neck. She nibbled on his ear, pressing herself against him.

"Nat, Nat!" he begged, "We can't do this here. Its too bad you can't fly. You could take us home." He leaned to kiss her.

She drew back and her eyes seemed to glow. Nick shook his head, but the shine was still there. "You know Nick." she said, as she teased his lips with her teeth. "The legend not only said I could be human again. It also granted me one wish."

She unbuttoned his shirt and teased his collar bone with her lips and teeth. Nick groaned, "Natasha, what are you talking about?" She drew back, smiling her devastatingly beautiful smile. She bent and scooped Beast up and he licked her face with his warm tongue.

"I'm talking about flying," she grinned at him. She reached out and slipped her arm around him and then leaped into the sky."

Some of the guest later swore they heard Nick scream, "Natalie!"

Don Schanke turned beet red, "Geez, Myra," he said to his wife. "You'd think they could wait until they got home."

*** Dedicated to my very precious Beast, whom I will miss every day the rest of my life. THE END


By Jeannie Ecklund Gersknightlady@cs.com






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