Future Mortality

Part 9/?

By Christine Hantzopulos

WARNING: THIS PART CONTAINS MILD SEXUAL CONTENT (Nick/Nat). If there is anyone left on this list who is under 17, (LOL-I doubt it, but I had to say it) or if you might find this offensive, please do not read.

LaCroix sat back on the couch comfortably, finishing off his bottle. His former master was eyeing him keenly, Nick knew, to see if there was any reaction to the blood. Nick did not give him the satisfaction. In truth, the blood elicited nothing from him—neither thirst nor disgust. It was no longer a part of his life, and he preferred to pretend that it never had been. “So, Nicholas, I take it Natalie’s pregnancy is going well?”

Was LaCroix feigning interest? “Yes. Thank God,” he said, seeing LaCroix frown only slightly at the expression. “We just had a problem tonight. It appears her dead husband’s family has sent private investigators searching for our son—Steven’s son,” he specified, though he found the words difficult. “Natalie’s former brother-in-law showed up at the house today, threatening a custody battle.”

LaCroix raised an eyebrow. “Such mundane matters.”

“She was very upset,” he said, not liking LaCroix’s dismissal of the problem. “As we all were.”

“So it seems that not only vampires but humans have located you,” LaCroix commented. “I warned you to be more careful.”

“Well, we’ll deal with it,” Nick said stubbornly,not liking LaCroix’s ‘I told you so’ attitude.

LaCroix must have noticed Nick’s irritation, for he sat pensively for a moment before offering, “Would you like me to take care of him for you?”

The offer was so sincere, Nick had to laugh. “Uh, no, thank you, I don’t think killing him is the answer.”

“I didn’t mean kill him,” LaCroix stated matter-of-factly. “I was thinking more in the lines of hypnotizing him so that he wouldn’t remember that he had found you all here, or even frightening him off. Really, Nicholas, you must think me a barbarian.”

Nick sobered. Wasn’t that exactly what he had wished he still had the ability to do himself?

“Oh, Nicholas,” LaCroix said, as if reading his mind. “Did you ever really think this thing through?”

“What thing?” he responded, though he would not look LaCroix in the eyes, for he knew precisely what he meant.

“Becoming mortal,” LaCroix replied. “Don’t you miss having the power to control things around you? Doesn’t it make you feel utterly impotent and weak when you have to worry about such insignificant things as lawsuits? Or when you have to resort to guns with wooden bullets to protect yourself and your loved ones?”

“No,” he said evenly, though the last twenty-four hours had made him feel as helpless as LaCroix described.

“Eternal life was yours, and you gave it up,” LaCroix told him.

He looked LaCroix in the eyes now. “No. I gave up eternal darkness. You speak of life. But I’ve existed for eight hundred years, and my life didn’t really have meaning until six months ago.”

“As you wish,” LaCroix said, knowing it was pointless, but making sure to add, “but the offer is still open any time you—“

“No!”

He had not heard Natalie come down the stairs, so involved had he been in the conversation. He could only imagine what she had heard.

“Nat, it’s all right,” he said as she came towards them.

“No, it’s not, Nick,” she replied, fire in her eyes. “LaCroix, we’ve welcomed you into our home as family. I know what you mean to Nick, and I appreciate what you’ve done for us. But if you’ve come here just to try to convince Nick to become a vampire again—“

“I’ve done nothing of the sort, Natalie,” he replied. “I came as family, as a friend, to warn you and help you if necessary. But I needn’t remind you of the danger to all of you, especially your unborn child. I was simply suggesting that Nicholas would be in a much better position to protect all of you if he were still a vampire.”

“No,” she said. “That’s not true. Nick is perfectly capable of protecting us.” But Nick could see her hand move instinctively to her abdomen at the mention of their unborn daughter.

“Enough, LaCroix,” Nick said, rising to go to Natalie’s side. “Nat, I don’t know what you heard, but—“

“I heard what you said, Nick,” she assured him. “But I also heard him trying to convince you that you would be better off as a vampire.”

“You’re speaking out of your love for him, Natalie,” LaCroix observed. “But is your desire to be with him more important than keeping your children safe?”

They were harsh words reminiscent of another time.

“We had to make that decision thirteen years ago, LaCroix. And Nick and I both know now that we made the wrong one. I don’t know if our daughter will ever forgive us for that.” She reached for Nick’s hand and he squeezed it tightly. “I don’t know if we can forgive ourselves for it either.”

Nick breathed deeply. “We did what we thought was right, Nat.” He looked up at LaCroix. “And this,” he said, holding her hand tightly, “is the right thing now. For all of us.” He picked her hand up and kissed it. Her faith in him gave him confidence. It always had.

“As you wish,” LaCroix sighed. “I apologize if I upset you, Natalie. My only concern is for the well-being of all of you.”

Nick knew that Natalie wasn’t sure if he were telling the truth, but for some reason, perhaps LaCroix’s initial willingness to supply him with a cure and release him, Nick believed him.

For an hour or more they continued to talk of other things, LaCroix asking about his professorship at Cornell, and even offering to be a guest speaker at his archaeology lecture. The vampire seemed genuinely interested in their baby, and speculated that there might not be cause for concern after all, if the child were perfectly human. They even discussed Aristotle, and what locations might be desireable if they were forced to relocate. But the subject of Nick’s ability to protect them was not broached again, and LaCroix simply said that he and Janette would be willing to stay until at least the matter of the other vampire were resolved.

When they finally went to bed, Nick wondered again just how much of the conversation Natalie had overheard. Did she know that LaCroix had offered to make Andrew forget that he had found them? As much as he hated relying on LaCroix’s help, he couldn’t fail to consider the fact that it might be a perfect solution to their human dilemma.

As she slipped into bed next to him, he drew her into his arms. “Are you all right?” he whispered. Although Janette and LaCroix were in the bedrooms on the top floor of the house, he didn’t like the idea that they might be able to hear them.

“As long as you meant what you said to LaCroix,” she said softly, a tinge of concern in her eyes.

He didn’t want her to have any doubts. “I meant every word, Nat,” he promised her. “I wouldn’t give up the life we have together now for anything.” He kissed her tenderly on the lips, the taste of her making him want her.

“Nick,” she sighed, looking into his eyes. “Just promise me that you know that I meant what I said. You can protect us. I trust you. I believe in you. Just as you are, you will always be my Knight in shining armor.”

He smiled. He hadn’t been Knight in years, and a crusader in centuries. “Thank you, my Lady,” he said chivalrously. “I promise not to disappoint you in any way.”

There was a playful glint in her eyes as she said, “In that case, my Lord, make love to me right now.”

He knew that his arousal pressing against her had left no doubt as to his desire, but he dropped the wordplay as he said, “Now? Nat? But what if they hear—“

“We don’t know how long they’ll stay,” she said, rubbing him through his black silk pajamas. “Are you saying you’re not going to make love to me until they leave?”

A shiver went through him as she reached into his pajama pants and began to stroke him. “Ohhh,” was all he could say.

“Well?” she asked again, but he had forgotten the question.

His lips found hers, kissing her hungrily, wanting her more than he had wanted anything in his long life. His hands roved down her body, first gently caressing her breasts, careful as he knew they were tender. His mouth moved down to cover her nipple, and he twirled his tongue around her hardened bud, feeling her shiver against him with want. When his fingertips found their way into her damp warmth, he knew she was more than ready for him. But he wanted to prolong her pleasure, to savor each moment, just as he had each time they’d been together in the past six months, as if in doing so they could make up for the years they had lost. With his thumb he rubbed against the nub of her pleasure as his fingers played inside her. Then she was moving against his hand, and he brought his mouth back up to hers, stiffling her blissful cry with a kiss as her passion exploded and her moist heat pulsed against his fingers.

He smiled as she opened her eyes, adoring the dazed but content expression on her lovely face. “Wow…I really needed that…”

And he knew that she meant it on so many levels. Just as he needed her, not just with his body that longed to join with hers, but with the heart and soul that craved this affirmation of his real reason for living.

“I love you, Nat,” he said softly, kissing her again. He could hear his own voice break with the emotion he could not suppress, the joy that he still found hard to believe was really his.

“I love you too, Nick,” she said tenderly, kissing him again. Then she pushed him down on his back, prepared to show him just how much.

As much as he loved to cherish her from above, in recent weeks they’d had to be both careful and creative with their lovemaking. Nightly practice had perfected it to a science. As she rose above him now to stradle him, he reached to support her hips, gently lowering her until she had completely taken him inside of her.

It took more control than he had ever had to exert as a vampire to rein in the passion that threatened to erupt the moment her heat surrounded him. But he was determined to pleasure her over and over, and had found no greater joy than climaxing as one. He held back as she moved up and down on him, with each thrust taking him in more deeply, panting, striving against him to reach that spot deep within her that would set her afire. He could feel her begin to shudder, even as his own restraint began to fail, and he reached down to caress her engorged nub…

He could faintly hear her call his name above what he realized were his own moans of pleasure. With each throbbing pulse of her passion she intensified his own. And then…

There was no conscious thought. Nick heaved a final sigh as he regained his ability to breathe. His heart was pounding, his very human heart, and he reached up to pull her down into his arms, reveling in the sensation of her heart beating wildly against his. Life. Precious life. Precious Natalie. This was the meaning of it all. He held her tightly, protectively, for a long while silently marvelling at how perfect, how right, this was. Marvelling at his ability to be with her like this, as long ago he had only dreamed he could be.

“Do you think they heard?” she chuckled softly.

“Do you think I care?” he replied. He stroked her hair, as she looked up into his eyes. “I just want you to know…” he began, but his voice failed him.

“What?” she asked tenderly, kissing his lips and looking expectantly at him.

“I want you to know…that I would not trade this…us…for anything in the Universe.”

Her eyes were moist with his unshed tears. He kissed her again, and held her tightly as they drifted off to sleep.

End part 9