Inner Fire and the Light

by Olivia Jean Ecklund
Chapter 3

He felt Nick's arms tighten around him, and thought, "As wise and as old as this man is, he was still the very young man, who'd been spoiled as a child, worshiped as a young man, and brought across as a young man filled with anger. A young man who had never had responsibilities. He had been changed by the Lord, but remained, deep down, a child needing a father's love and approval."

In the beginning, Joe had felt strange when Nick had come to him to be held. He had felt confused, a bit uncomfortable and fearful of the situation, but Natalie had explained some of Nick's childhood and told Joe of his need for acceptance.

Now, as he held Nick close and his fingers touched the blond curls at the back of Nick's head, he understood how much LaCroix must have needed this 'sunlight' with him. Nick was sunshine in a physical body. Even more so now, than before his conversion.

"Just pray for him, Nick," he repeated. "It's all we can do. Maybe one day he will be able to forgive himself and ask God to deliver him as the Lord delivered you. Now go find Natalie." He pushed the young man away from him, gently.

Joe thought to himself, as he watched Nick walk away, "That young man gives me as much as I try to give him." His own need for love and acceptance was huge right now, having been so recently widowed.

The three friends each gave of themselves in different ways to the others to help fill the emotional needs they had. This had made them a very close knit family.

Joe felt angry that Nick had been forced to put up with LaCroix for so many years. How Nick could still love that monster was beyond him. He'd like to drive a stake through the old Vampire's heart himself. He sighed and went to put on his own walking shoes.

When Grace came downstairs, she was dressed in jeans and a sweater. Good walking shoes were on her feet.

Joe smiled at her fresh scrubbed look. She was beautiful with, or without make-up. He made a note to tell her that someday.

Nick and Natalie watched, with silly grins, as Joe offered their guest his arm. Grace took it, and off they went.

Natalie turned back toward Nick, threw her arms around his neck, and giggled like a school girl. "They like each other!" she exalted. Nick smiled and held his wife close. "They sure do. It was like there was electricity in the air. Did you feel it?"

Nat nodded against his neck. She took the opportunity to plant a kiss there.

Nick, in turn, moved to capture her lips in a deep kiss. "Come on, let's go get that dinner ready." They walked arm in arm into the house.

Joe and Grace walked down the path into the forest. Their route was fairly level for a ways. Joe took her to one of his favorite places where a huge flat-topped rock made a wonderful place to sit under the trees. They'd been walking for a bit, so they sat a while to enjoy the view of the beautiful meadow that opened before them. After a while, they went on toward a creek he had told her about.

The trees shaded them with coolness and colored the ground with flecks of sunlight. "Natalie looks amazingly happy," Grace remarked. "I've missed you all so much. It just doesn't seem the same anymore."

Joe replied, "Nat's great! She and Nick have overcome so much. Now they have the life they dreamed of. Nick's an amazing man. His Heart's so innocent, yet he has had more experiences than most people dream of. He's never lost hope... even when things got really bad.'

Grace looked at him, curiously. "You know the big secret don't you, Joe?"

"Secret?" he feigned innocence.

"Yes. Nick and Natalie explained it to me as demon possession."

Joe was surprised. "They did?"

"Yes. But, Joe, I know it has a mythological name." She whispered, "Vampire..."

"Oh, Grace!" Joe laughed uncomfortably.

"I'm a pathologist, Joe." She added with a coy smile, "I'm also a big snoop. Natalie didn't always take the best care of her journal. I figured out Nick years ago. I cried so many tears in private for those two. I didn?t really understand what changed until now, but I'm so glad it did."

"It was pure faith, Grace. The Lord God came and changed Nick... cleansed him. Natalie said she saw it all. That's why they have that white hair now. They've seen the face of God."

"Joe, why didn't she ever confide in me? She must have known I would never tell anyone."

"Please don't fault Natalie," Joe implored. "It's very dangerous knowledge. There are creatures who would drain you in a second to keep that secret."

He saw Grace pale. "Why, is Natalie still alive then?"

"She helped them medically. Some disease hit them, and she saved them."

She almost asked "Why?" but then she realized that Nat would have done anything to save Nick. By saving Nick, she had to save them all.

"It's best not to talk about these things," Joe continued. "Perhaps, in time, Nick or Natalie will answer more of your questions. Pray for protection from the Lord. Let Natalie know what you?ve told me."

He noticed his companion was trembling, so he reached out and pulled her close to him. "It will be okay. It will actually help, while you're here, to be on the inside. Nick has some wonderful stories to tell."

"This place is a sanctuary, here with these two blessed people. The Lord promised they would have protection, and I believe any Christian believer would also be protected anyway."

Grace stepped back reluctantly. Being in his arms felt so good. She wanted to look into his face. "Ever since I was a child I have believed," she confided in him. "The Lord's always been a major part of my life."

Joe smiled. He took her arm, and they continued their walk. "I could tell. He shines from your face."

He stopped and turned toward her. "Grace, life is so short. My life has changed so much in the last few months. Experiencing history through Nick's eyes has opened so many worlds to me."

"Just how old is he?" she asked, suddenly realizing that Nick could be immensely old.

"Over 800 years," Joe said, watching her face carefully for her reaction.

"800!" She felt her legs start to give out.

Joe noticed, and reached out to gather her close again. "Whoa! Sorry... I didn't mean to shock you."

"But he looks like such a boy!" she protested.

Joe smiled. "Yes, that's a by-product of a young, immature man in his 30's being brought across. It suspended his maturity, and his father 'creator' treated him like an adolescent all his life. Now he's free to grow, mature and have children of his own. Life will go on and have an end eventually."

"Is that what he wanted?" Grace asked.

"Yes, more than you know. For him, eternal life without love was hell. The kind of 'love' his father gave him was mentally and physically abusive. It's a wonder he still has such a loving, giving heart."

"And you're showing him what a good father is, Joe. That's a wonderful gift in itself." She reached up and touched his cheek. "You're a good man."

He smiled, a bit embarrassed. "It's easy to love Nick and Natalie. Lately, I've needed them just as much as they've needed me."

Grace took a deep breath. "Could you, maybe, need me too, Joe?"

He seemed a bit taken back, but he quickly said, "Yes, Grace, I think I could need you too... very much so." He leaned down and gave her a very sweet, gentle kiss. When he drew back, he added "I'd certainly like it if we explored the possibilities."

Grace had tears in her eyes. "You have my blessing to explore," she teased him, with a grin. Then she remarked, "I used to watch you at work, Joe, and I wanted to give you so much... but it wasn't our time. I respected that."

"You're a wonder, Grace. I think I'm going to enjoy exploring the possibilities. Come on, I guess we?d better get back. I think dinner's probably waiting for us." He took her hand in his. It felt so good to have this woman close to him.

Grace asked suddenly, as they walked, "Do you think any of his former family will try to contact him?"

Joe nodded. "I think it?s a given that his father, LaCroix, will be back. It's something he won't be able to control. He was warned by the angels never to try to harm Nick or his family, but those demons that live in him are obsessed with Nick. They will try."

As they neared the house, Joe said, "Let's keep the revelation, that you know, to ourselves tonight. We will tell them tomorrow, in the light of day."

Grace nodded. "Ok, Joe. I am so looking forward to visiting and talking about the baby."

Natalie was setting the table when they came in laughing, still hand in hand. Nick was setting wine on the table. "Well, I see you two enjoyed getting reacquainted," he commented.

Joe beamed. "Yes, we did."

"Natalie, I'm so glad you invited me up here. The place and grounds are just beautiful," Grace gushed.

Joe realized that he was still holding Grace's hand. He drew it up to his lips, bent to kiss her fingertips, then let her go, smiling into her eyes. He placed his hand on her back.

Grace flashed Natalie a thumbs up and a quick wink.

Nick's eyebrow rose, "Doesn't look like you wasted any time."

"Son, when you get to be my age there's no time to waste," Joe stated. "I've know for years that Grace and I could mesh, given the right circumstances, but as she told me earlier, it wasn't our time then. Now it is. I don't think either one of us wants to waste a minute alone when we can explore the prospect of being together. I can't explain it, but it sure feels right."

Nick touched Natalie's shoulder, allowing his fingers to run down her arm and interlace with her fingers. "I know what you mean. I think Nat and I fell in love the first time we laid eyes on each other."

"Actually," Natalie said, "your eyes were closed when I first saw you." She remembered unzipping the body bag.

Grace said, "I'd love to hear that story."

Joe changed the subject, not wanting to make things to awkward for Nick and Natalie until they could explain that Grace knew. "I'm starving. What's for dinner?"

Everyone laughed at him then took their seats. They ate and talked far into the night. They spoke of the department, and cases that Natalie had been on. They talked about old friends and acquaintances, and of the city...

Later that night, as Nick lay in bed holding Natalie close, he said, "I know you don't like the idea, but I really think I will go back to the precinct someday, Nat. I just can't imagine my life without it."

He felt warm tears on his shoulder. It was the only thing that they talked about that made her afraid. They'd talked a lot about it.

Natalie knew it was what he wanted... what he was training for. She feared that since he was no longer impervious to bullets, she might one day lose him. They both knew it could be a fatal career choice. He could never survive a bullet to the head as he had that one time.

Nick had promised her that he would always wear a vest. He knew it was a possibility, even with his training, that he might act impulsively some night. He hadn't told Natalie that he sometime had misgivings about his choice. The idea that he could die before seeing his children grow up, was very scary. Death had always been around him, but had never touched him, personally. Now it was real. He knew that if it came naturally, he would not fear it, but he didn't want to lose his gift of life too soon. He wanted to grow old with Natalie.

Nick drew her to him and tried to kiss her tears away. They made love quietly... slowly... savoring their time together... tucking the memories deep into their hearts.

Later, Nick lay with his ear on Nat's stomach, listening for their Child's heart beat. It was a calming pastime, and eventually it lulled him to sleep.

The next morning, after breakfast, Grace brought out a tiny sweater and blanket she'd knitted for the baby. They talked "baby-talk" most of the day. They laughed and reminisced. They had a wonderful time.

That evening, on the front porch as they sat listening to one of Nick's stories, they studied the stars. Crickets chirped in the background, lending an aura of peace.

Suddenly, their tranquility was shattered when a long black limo came up the drive.

Nick was deep in thought, when he felt Natalie clutch at his arm. "Lord, protect us," she prayed.

Chapter 4

The friends rose and stood close to each other, fingering the crosses they had started to wear. The car door opened, and a tall, pale man got out of the driver's seat and came around to open the passenger door.

Nick felt both fear and hope run through him. Was it LaCroix?

Grace and Joe held each other, trying to conceal their fear.

A long, white stockinged, high-heeled leg came out first, followed by the rest of a woman dressed in a cream colored suit. The brim of a large hat covered her face until she looked up at them.

Nick already knew who it was. "Janette!" he cried out, hurrying forward, ready to embrace her.

"Nick!" Natalie shouted in fear, grabbing his arm.

Nick stopped, remembering Janette was still a vampire... one who hadn't been very happy with him the last time she had seen him.

"Nichola," she begged, "please allow me to speak to you."

"Natalie, I will not harm you or your loved ones... I promise you..."

Natalie stared at her for a moment, then nodded. "Come into the house," she invited, then turned to Joe. "Please take Grace to your house. We have to talk."

Joe said, uncomfortably, "I'd rather stay here."

"We'll fill you in later, Pop. Nick and I are safe from Janette."

Nick was looking toward the Limo, a question obvious in his expression.

Janette answered, "I am alone, Nichola." She noted, with some relief, that a brief grimace of disappointment flashed across Nick's face.

"So," she thought to herself, "he still loves, LaCroix. Maybe I haven't wasted a trip here."

As she entered their home, Janette took in the huge dwelling with a glance, then went to stand by the fireplace.

"I miss the warmth," she said simply. "I did not realize how much I loved it until you brought me back across, Nichola."

Nick hadn't taken his eyes off her. He wanted to hold her close, but he knew it was too dangerous. "You look beautiful," he said. "Almost human."

She was still so pale that she could have been carved out of stone, but the hard look that she had once had, was gone. She wore rich clothing, but very feminine, light pastel colors.

When everyone had taken their seats, Natalie demanded, a bit harshly, fear lacing her voice, "What is it you want, Janette?"

The beautiful vampiress remarked softly, "Always the direct one. I have always admired you for your courage, Natalie. To answer your question, I want to know if you would be willing to help me regain my humanity."

Nick and Natalie stared at her.

"I have been human before. I know what it is like to walk in the sun... to have the hope of having a child one day."

She glanced at Natalie's expanding abdomen. "Congratulations. I can hear your children, Natalie. They are both strong and healthy."

Together Nick and Nat cried, "They?!"

"Didn't you know there are two?" Janette asked.

"No," they said quietly, taking in the amazing news.

Natalie let tears of excitement and joy course down her face. Nick held her close for a moment, then they turned back to Janette. Nick sat a moment, staring at Janette again. She knew what he wanted. She could hear his heart racing. Finally, he asked her, "Where is he, Janette?"

No one had to ask who 'he' was.

Janette replied, "He's in a safe house in the city. We came, only last night, from France. I have one of our kind caring for him. He?s a shell of himself, Nichola. He seldom goes out, and it is difficult to get him to feed. He has fits of rage. I have to tie him down at times. I look into his eyes, and all I see is pain. He is lost without you."

She looked away from him and busied her hands by smoothing her skirt down over her knee. She looked back at them, "I do not want this only for myself. I want it for LaCroix as well. Nichola, I love him more than anything... more than I have ever loved you. Right now, he feeds from me. It is the only thing that keeps him alive. If I could be healed of this curse... become human again... maybe I could change him, too. Would you let him come here?"

Nick had tears on his face. "How do you think we could help you with a cure? For us, it wasn't only the blood that we shared. Feeding from Natalie calmed my heart, yet I only fed twice. There was a small change, yet personally I went much further. Her love helped my faith grow, and when I embraced my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ again, fully, HE came and took the demons away. Demons cause the vampirism, Janette."

Janette sat silently for a moment. "I know, Nichola. I never told you that Robert was a Christian. I've thought about it many times. It was the purity of his love and his Christian blood that saved me. Still, I never committed MY whole heart to the Lord. Maybe that's why I allowed myself to be brought across again. I could have walked into the light, but I didn't have enough faith, Nichola. I allowed them to come back in. When you came and took my blood, I protested, but I had begun to feel so alone. Robert was gone. You and LaCroix were my family." She let blood red tears fall down her face. "I felt the angels cry... I actually HEARD them cry!"

Nick reached forward and took her two hands in his. "How can we help? I can't allow you to feed on me. I would be allowing the demons a way to re-enter me again."

"I know," she replied, "but what about a transfusion? Your blood could start the cleansing and give me the strength to regain the faith I once had. Pure blood cleansed by Jesus Christ weakens the demons. I would be free to ask the Lord to forgive me again."

"But it could kill you," Nick said. "He will take you back, but there could be a large price to pay."

She nodded. "I know. I have thought of that, but it would be worth it.

I can not live any longer in this darkness. If I can lessen the hold of these creatures, I can get free one way or another. Then, in turn if I live, I could give my blood to LaCroix. If we could weaken them enough to allow him some freedom of choice, maybe he could be freed. I have to try, Nichola. He's dying, and it's the final death. He would be in darkness forever."

Nick squeezed her hands. "I must talk to Natalie in private. Go now, but come back in three days." He stood and drew her to her feet, "It's good to see you again, Janette."

The pale woman nodded. "All right, Nichola." She brought one of his hands up to her lips and kissed it, then rested her cheek against it for a moment.

Nick could see the hope in her eyes.

"I have missed you, my brother." In a blink of an eye she was gone, and the car was pulling away.

****

Nick slumped back onto the couch, shaking. Natalie wrapped her arms around him.

Joe and Grace burst back into the room. "We heard the care leave. Are you okay?" they demanded.

Natalie stared at Grace, then accusingly at Joe.

He held up his hand. "I didn't tell her anything. She already knew. She's known for years."

"What!?" Both Nick and Natalie looked at Grace.

Their friend shrugged. "I was nosy, and I didn't understand what kept you two apart. Nat's journal just happened to catch my eye... It certainly altered my view of life."

Natalie reached out and grabbed Grace's hand. She squeezed, "No one can keep a secret from you, Grace. I should have known."

Joe sat heavily on the chair that Janette had vacated. "What did she want?" he asked.

"She wants my blood," Nick said, still staring into space.

"What!" the two gasped in unison.

Natalie explained.

Joe asked, "Is that possible?"

Natalie replied, "In theory... Nick does love her very much. It's not romantic love,though... is it, Nick?" She said, voicing her fears.

"No, of course not. You are my only love," he reassured her, holding her tightly.

Grace asked, "Who is she?"

Nick shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs that were clouding his thoughts.

"She was my friend, my sister, my lover... even my wife, for several hundred years."

"Wife?" Grace choked. "Several hundred? Wow!"

Nick turned to Natalie, "You would help?"

Natalie's biggest fear was Janette. If LaCroix and Janette came back into Nick's life, would he still be there for HER? Janette had been Nick's companion for most of the 800 years of his vampire existance. She was afraid that this could be a huge threat to their life as it was now. Natalie knew she would help, (How could she not help to free someone from that curse...) but it made her feel as if her life had just been turned upside down.

Natalie had found out that Nick had gone to Janette to feed, and for physical comfort, after their relationship had started. It was true that they had only been friends at the time, yet she had seen it as a betrayal of all the work they had done together to make him mortal. It had taken Natalie a lot of time to heal from the pain he had caused her. Janette was so beautiful... so perfect.

Grace was asking Joe, "Wife? Sister?"

Joe said, "Vampires are very complicated beings. They are everything to each other, father, brother, sister, mate. It's the epitome of evil: all relationships are acceptable. Janette and Nick are only adoptees of LaCroix, so that makes it okay, even in our reality. Nick's always tried to play by human rules, but most vampires have no moral code. It is evil in its purest form, and humans are their cattle."

Grace paled, looking at Nick.

Joe continued, "Nick has protested against his nature for over 700 years. His desire to regain his humanity caused him much abuse at the hands of LaCroix."

He turned back to his friend. "Nick, how can you even consider helping him?"

Suddenly, they all became aware of another presence in the room. They turned to stare. A light appeared that became a large, black woman. Her hair and face glowed.

"My angel!" Natalie cried.

"Tess. I am called Tess," the angel said.

Natalie stood and went to her. The angel wrapped her arms around the young woman. Peace enveloped her. "Baby, I know you fear this, but this is their ONLY hope to be saved. No harm will come to you, your family, or your friends."

"But... Janette," Natalie protested. "How can this be asked of me?"

"Natalie, Nick loves you, and Janette really loves LaCroix."

Natalie drew back. "She does." She let that sink in. "You know I will do this no matter what. Its just..."

"I know, Baby. You are human. I assure you, it will not be easy and it will take hard work, but this IS their only chance. They will get no more."

"Is it guaranteed that they will accept the Lord?"

"No, Baby. They must still chose for themselves, but I promise you, no harm will come to you while they are on this property. If you do not do this, they will never be offered their salvation again, and you will never see them again... for they will eventually walk into the sun."

"No!" Nick cried.

Tess turned to Nick. "LaCroix is giving up. You were his light, Nick. As much as you felt the need to walk in the sunlight, he needed you. That was his obsession... the light he saw in your blood. When he fed from you, he felt a little more human. Your blood can bring them halfway. Your blood is cleansed by the Lord. It has healing properties for them. It can bring them humanity, but only they can accept salvation."

"Nick, you will have to donate a unit of blood every two or three weeks. We will have it bottled into bloodwine, fill another nine bottles with water and put them next to bloodwine bottle. The Lord will multiply the bloodwine as he did with the wine at the wedding in Cana, and make ten out of one."

"Natalie, no matter what this might do to Nick, you must have him supply this every couple of weeks. I do not want you, or your babies, to suffer any harm . You are NOT to donate blood! Only Nick can supply what LaCroix needs anyway. LaCroix needs to see that Nick still loves him, or he will not be able to see the love of the Lord that shines through Nick."

End Chapter 4


By Jeannie Ecklund Gersknightlady@cs.com





Inner Fire and the Light 5-6
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