Please archive: "The Instrument" Nick/LC Graphic-sex Marcia Tucker scfimarci@aol.com "The Instrument" A "Black Velvet" Universe story Forever Knight Erotica Copyright 1996 by Marcia Tucker =0D Time: Five years after "A Taste of Black Velvet" WARNING: graphic m/m and some m/f sex (Note: This is *not* a sequel but a bridge story between the original st= ory and "House of Cross", the sequel that takes place years later.) "A Taste of Black Velvet" is available at ftp://members.aol.com/scfimarci= /fkfiction in two separate files. =0D Maryse had called Janette when Nick arrived home shaken and covered with= blood. "No, it isn't what it looks like," Maryse was saying, listening to the s= hower sounds upstairs. She could also hear the stream of French invectiv= es issuing from same. "His client got caught in a little revenge shoot-o= ut. Nicholas wasn't able to save him, but got blood all over himself any= way. He just got home from the police station." She listened further, t= hen shook her head. "No, they just asked him a few questions. He turned= over enough stuff that he'd gathered on the shooters that they took his = statement at face value. Evidently there were a couple eyewitnesses also= =2E" = The shower ceased. "Janette, I'll see what I can do. Meet you here in a= half hour?" Maryse sighed. "This has been coming for sometime. You kn= ow how he is." Replacing the phone, she glanced upstairs again and then resolutely deci= ded this couldn't wait. She flew up to the bedroom. Nick came out of the bathroom just as she arrived, toweling off his hair= , looking upset still. "Maryse, you will not lecture me on..." "Did you get hit?" She interrupted, her arms folded before her, standin= g her ground before her master. The way he'd been of late, that wasn't n= ecessarily a wise thing to do. = "Yes. What does it matter? It's over. I'll probably lose my investiga= tor's license over this, but I can't care about that right now." His eye= s were a stormy blue and she could detect signs that he was near to the c= hange. Breaking the gaze, he brushed past her to find some clean clothe= s. His mind was, however, as an open book to Maryse. She read only too wel= l what his churning emotions told him of his condition. "It's time. For= give me, Master, but I must speak of this." Nick stopped and turned, meeting her eyes again. "Speak of what?" She went to him, sliding her hands up his arms to his shoulders. "You'r= e so tense, Master..." He bore her touch, but didn't reciprocate. "Stop calling me that," he s= aid softly. The frown was still there. "What's this thing we must talk = about, Maryse?" "You need to go to him, Nicholas." She spoke simply, but her words had = a chilling tone because he knew exactly what she meant. Maryse knew him = so well; he could hide nothing from her, nor she from him. Nick narrowed his eyes at her, then his gaze softened. "I know. I have= been putting this off." To ease the sting of her words, she slipped her arms around his waist an= d pulled him close. "You and I have a quest together, Nicholas. It may = take us centuries, but we are already embarked on that journey. *This* i= s but a part. You know it is his need. And you know it is yours as well= , no matter how you wish it were otherwise." "I don't wish it were otherwise," Nick sighed, hugging his thrall for co= mfort. "I accept LaCroix as my father and master." He paused to listen = to the rising thrum of want within him. He'd been ignoring it, to his de= triment. And LaCroix's also, likely. "All right. I'll go." He started to pull away from her, but Maryse still held him tight. "Nic= holas. Remember what we believe - that your blood has the power to chang= e him." "Over time. A very, very long time." Nick closed his eyes, sensing alo= ng the connecting threads of his family. "And his blood will change me f= urther." He could feel them. The family. First and foremost and always the thre= ad between master and the one made, between LaCroix and himself. Stronge= r now by virtue of his return to living as a vampire and no longer a mort= al wanna-be. And because of other factors: the blood shared that first d= angerous week five years ago - the introduction of the twins' blood into = the family, the blood that changed them all mentally because of the twins= ' evident latent powers. But this thread between LaCroix and Nick was no= t the strongest. He could not now sense his master because of the distan= ce between the loft and the Raven. Instead his own link with Maryse, his= thrall, was the blindingly bright connection that now forged his life an= ew. Her blood had done things to his mind that no one, not even LaCroix= , had expected. And the same thing had happened to Janette from Marc's bl= ood. Then the mixing of blood, Nick to Marc and back, Janette to Maryse = and back so that the four of them had become something quite strong in th= eir new telepathic powers. But because of the thralldom of the twins, bo= nded in that special way to Nick and Janette, LaCroix the grandmaster was= forever excluded from the unity of mind possessed by the others. Only two things did they believe could change that and change LaCroix. = Blood. Their blood. And the other, unspoken by Nick and Maryse, who wou= ld guard their dark plan for a long time until the time of fruition would= come. For vampires, sharing of blood meant sex. Sharing blood *was* se= x, largely, though the experience usually awoke the more human passions t= hat still lay waiting within them. And sexual activity of the usual kind= dictated sharing blood as well. = Nick, for most of his entire life, had been strictly heterosexual. It w= ould always be his preference, but now he was becoming bisexual in practi= ce, largely because of Marc. He knew desire for Marc because of what he = could taste of his beloved Janette in her thrall. And he'd given in once= to this other new desire for his master - and that had almost led him to= kill Maryse as he was to bring her across. he= mused now, He let the love swell in him then, in preparation. Resolutely Nick gath= ered the threads within him, kept them close. Maryse, so strong with lov= e - Janette, on fire for him - Marc, true and devoted, unswerving. And N= ick, the favored, beloved son, given over in sacrifice to catalyze the im= possible in the ancient one who feared to love. Whose 800 year old pain = had paralyzed his cold heart. Whom Maryse, with Nick, had sworn to heal.= Nick thought, resting in the= awful commitment. So resolved, Nick gathered up the threads of love and went out into the = night. =0D Before entering, Nick rested again on the minds of his loved ones. Jane= tte was joining Maryse at the loft, he knew, but he could feel them so cl= ose. Maryse would be as much a part of this as he, for their minds had b= ecome inseparable. And though he had asked to shield her out of this enco= unter, she would have none of it. And Marc, who now waited for him withi= n. Nick entered the Raven and strode without hesitation to the back apartme= nt. = Marc opened the door for him and, with a small cry, embraced his master'= s beloved. He knew of what was to be through the link with the others. = And he hoped to be a part of that, if Nicholas would allow it. Fervently= Marc kissed the elder vampire, mentally caressing the lesser but neverth= eless vital link between them. Nick, for his part, responded with a like= joy, and kissed the younger man with deep passion, pulling him close wit= hin his embrace. Then, alerted, the two vampires brought their heads up,= turned.. and saw LaCroix watching with eyes like black burning coals. "Marc, this must be between the grandmaster and I," Nick murmured to him= tenderly, kissing him lightly before releasing him all together. Marc, = nodded, submitting to the master vampire, and departed. He would join th= e others. Once the door closed behind him, Nick turned and met the gaze of those b= urning coals that were his master's eyes. He quickly shed his long outer= coat and jacket, leaving them in a heap besides him on the floor. Sudde= nly he slammed his body backwards against the door. Eyes still holding t= he other's, Nick slowly pulled his shirttails out from his pants and the= n began to unbutton his shirt. His motions were smooth, methodical, meas= ured as if to communicate his intent to the other with every muscle movem= ent. Once the shirt was unbuttoned, he left it open and began to unfaste= n his belt. All the while - dark blue eyes held, stole the blue-grey gaz= e of the elder vampire. Never wavering. He was silent, dropping his bel= t on the floor, still leaning his weight on the door. LaCroix watched, eyes gleaming, and admired the other's art. Seduction = came naturally to a vampire, of course, but Nicholas had learned of it at= his master's hands so very long ago and so was extremely attuned to LaCr= oix's preferences. He was an artisan, and highly skilled. If LaCroix ha= dn't known the reason for Nick's visit before, he knew now, and felt an i= nternal thrill in anticipation. "So. You've come at last," he murmured. He lay the rebec carefully on t= he table to the side of the couch. The other did not speak and still held his master's gaze. Slowly he fold= ed his arms before him and waited. LaCroix looked at his creation and sighed. He considered the long, clea= n lines of Nicholas's body, captured for eternity in its fine soldierly f= orm, hard muscled and lean from riding a horse and from fighting in the C= rusades. Hands callused from gripping reins and sword hilt yet tempered = in a preternatural beauty that, while not lessening his essential masculi= nity one whit, nevertheless belied their sensuality. He knew well what t= hose hands were capable of, and felt a stirring within him at the thought= =2E And the rugged, handsome features that he loved so well, especially = the wide sensual lips which Nicholas knew to employ as skillfully as hand= =2E LaCroix had been captivated by his raw sexuality then, and no less n= ow. Having allowed his master to enjoy the sight of him, Nick broke the gaze= finally and glanced meaningfully at the rebec on the table. "Does it br= ing you peace? Does it ease the pain?" His voice was low and measured. = He slid his eyes back to the other's face. = "You know what will bring me peace. To have her at my side for all etern= ity. But you cannot give me that. Nor will it." His voice was hard and= challenging. Despite his desperate need for Nicholas, he would not give = in to it so easily. "Then is there to be no relief for you?" There was very little expressi= on in Nick's face. The cold planes of his features were slack and lifele= ss. Yet the faintest of hints therein, the promise of so much more in th= e eyes. "No cure, but relief?" LaCroix eyed his creation curiously. = The eyes, glittering. "I offer you, Lucien, a different instrument." H= e glanced at the rebec, then back. His posture was just the slightest bi= t suggestive, his slim hips thrust at just a particular angle. The elder gasped, then tore his eyes away from the other's body. "Why = are you really here, Nicholas? Not for my ease, surely..." A faint gleam. "For mine, then." A short bark of a laugh. "You expect me to believe that mere lust drove= you to me - now, after five years?" The deep voice dripped with its bit= ter irony. No answer. Again LaCroix studied him, considering his motivation. He w= as quite aware that his children were concerned about him, seeking to inc= lude him in their private circle, but his bonds with them were quite diff= erent and he would forever be excluded despite their efforts. "What is t= his about then?" Nick spoke with deceptive softness. "Blood." It wasn't exactly the response LaCroix had been expecting. He narrowed = his eyes, wary. "You consider my blood to be a poison to you. Why would= you want it now?" Again, silence. = "You want me to take yours, then," the ancient vampire continued thought= fully. "You expect that your blood will have some sort of an effect on m= e? That you can change me?" Another short laugh. "Really, Nicholas..."= "If you don't want it..." Nick interrupted, dropping his glance. He mo= ved suddenly, turning toward the door again, his hands raised to rebutton= his shirt. "Wait." It was a command. LaCroix trembled within from the effort to c= ontain his overwhelming desire for his son. It chased away the reason he= knew he should be applying here. But for Nick to make this offer and be= so close, then to take that away from him - he could not bear it. Never= mind, then, that his family had this sickening belief that there was any= hope for him, that his cold heart could be brought to love again. Never= mind that Nicholas's blood, carrying the new element, would have a profo= und effect on him, though only over time. He shivered with the thought t= hat he might have his beloved one over and over again. His last lovemaking with Nick was before the twins had been brought acro= ss. Since then, since Marc and Maryse were made vampires, LaCroix had sh= ared their blood but only sparingly, sipping to ease the hunger while the= y had sex. He had no further desire for their blood, seeking them out on= ly to taste what he could of Nick in them. Janette would never offer, no= r he ask... so there was only Nick himself, and his son had never come ba= ck to him in those five years. Not until now. And LaCroix could hope th= at Nick would allow, not a sip, but a deep drinking. "Nicholas," he said finally - and his controlled voice nevertheless spok= e his desire to Nick, who turned to regard his master again. "You know m= y most intimate desires. I do not believe you can ever change me, not li= ke this. My heart is too frozen, too empty for even you to fill. You kn= ow that I must take a thrall as you have if I am to approach what you and= the others have developed. And I have searched, to no avail. The parti= cular spirit I require does not seem to exist." He paused to study Nick'= s face. Again the mask had dropped. "You know what my blood will do to you," he finished and watched for the= reaction. Nick stirred, shifting position uneasily. He didn't like to think about= that. But he still did not speak. "You will be drawn more closely to the kill, Nicholas," LaCroix continue= d smoothly. "You know this, you must." But his son only leaned back hard on the door, still partly turned from = him, and folded his arms over his chest again. LaCroix rose then, and approached him; Nick did not react to his approa= ch, but stood still, watching him warily. When he was quite close, he re= ached up and grasped Nick's jaw in his hand. Gently he turned his face t= oward him. "Nicholas," he murmured, "you would risk that for me?" Nick closed his eyes briefly - that soft question betrayed a deep inner = love to which LaCroix was incapable of admitting. Opening them again, he= sighed and regarded his master. "I am willing to accept that risk." In = truth it was the danger that drew him, the draw of the darkness that he h= ad accepted back into his soul to some degree five years ago. "Are you." LaCroix was still skeptical of this whole thing. "And when = you kill and the guilt overwhelms you and the remorse... will you then co= me running to me for surcease?" "I do not play that game anymore," Nick shot at him suddenly, venomously= , for the reminder of his former mortal-like ways. He'd worked methodica= lly these last five years to rid himself of the last clinging threads of = guilt for what he was, the guilt that was so devastating to his spirit. = "If I kill it will be regrettable, but it will occur only if I must. If = driven to it. I will never seek it out." "As you say..." Suddenly LaCroix pulled the other's face toward him rou= ghly to meet his lips. Nick, responding eagerly, slipped his hands aroun= d his master's waist, and opened his mouth in the kiss. =0D At the loft, Maryse abruptly leaped up from the sofa and took a few step= s away from the others. = "Cherie, what is it?" Janette called out in concern and went to her. = Maryse shied from her touch, taking a couple more steps away. "It's sta= rted," she said by way of explaining. Through her link with Nick, she wo= uld be only too aware of what was happening at the Raven. Already she wa= s wound tight with the tension that had been between the two men. Now as= their passion bloomed, she would be caught up in that as well. But Janette knew all this, and indeed felt some of it herself through he= r own link, though lesser, with Nick. She took Maryse by the shoulders a= nd pulled her slowly around to face her. "Let it happen, dearest. I'm h= ere..." Maryse, overwhelmed by the intense sexual lust communicated to her throu= gh her link with Nick, reached up desperately and pulled the other woman = down to her mouth. = Marc, excited by the prospect of a threesome, went to his master, slidin= g his hands up her back as she kissed Maryse. "And I'm here, too..." Janette, pulling herself off Maryse's mouth finally, turned to give her = thrall a quick kiss, too. "Come, children," she murmured, taking them ea= ch by the arm, "let us retire to the bedroom..." =0D Nick and LaCroix had only gotten as far as the floor. The elder, his mo= uth locked on the other's, had hauled Nick down on top of him, slipping t= he shirt off his shoulders and arms as he applied his tongue diligently t= o his. A burning hot desire flamed within him as he embraced the body he = had so lusted after so much and for so long, his protege, his beloved pos= session, his Nicholas! = Nick made himself relax completely where he was, draped over the body o= f his master, concentrating on translating his mounting passion into thei= r kiss. His hands tensed convulsively on the other's shoulders - and the= n abruptly he had severed his mouth from LaCroix's and sat up, still stra= ddling him. = "What... what's wrong?" LaCroix gasped. "What's your hurry?" he teased, that sensual mouth spread into a wide sm= ile. He began to remove the elder's shirt, taking his time with each but= ton. LaCroix forced himself to relax, resting his hands on the other man's th= ighs. "Maryse tells me you can be a wicked tease," he murmured. "Is thi= s what I'm seeing?" Nick's attitude, once the first burst of desire had occurred, was now ca= sual and even more sensuous. This was already completely unlike their la= st encounter, which had been desperate. As Nick intended. = LaCroix wondered. He closed his eye= s briefly to enjoy the light touches as the last couple buttons on his sh= irt were lovingly undone and the shirt opened. The touches did not stop= there, as his son ran his hands, fingers lightly over his exposed skin. = Delicate touches with little hesitations at his nipples. LaCroix shiver= ed involuntarily and then grunted as the weight on his belly lifted abrup= tly. He looked up to see Nicholas standing over him. "We might as well be comfortable," Nick said, smiling. "Coming, Father?= " He offered him a hand up. =0D In the bedroom, Nick moved around the perimeter, lighting candles. "Oh,= come on, Nicholas," the elder laughed at him. "We have no need for atmo= sphere!" A glance over, a smile. "I know. I remember once that you liked the gl= ow of firelight on my skin." His voice was barely above a whisper. A sharp intake of breath. "That was quite a long time ago, Nicholas. Y= ou remember that?" Nick blew out the flame on the long wooden match he'd used. "Sometime i= n my early third century, wasn't it? You'd tricked me the first time, le= t me think it was Janette crawling into my bed." LaCroix sank down on the corner of the bed and regarded him, again enjoy= ing the lines of his body. "You were so drunk on blood that you barely n= oticed until, of course, it was too late." He watched as Nick began to r= emove his pants - again, slowly. "It was 1431. Orleans, was it?" Nick stopped as he was easing his pants over his thighs. Orleans. He'd= been so disturbed by the death of that little martyr, the girl Joan, tha= t Janette had been hard pressed to keep him satisfied. That had changed,= of course, with the addition of their master to his bed. For a short wh= ile. Nicholas had reacted to Joan's death by swinging to an opposite ext= reme, long a pattern of his. It had been building up to this for sometim= e, perhaps, certainly in LaCroix who had wanted Nicholas for Janette firs= t, but secretly lusted for him himself. And Nicholas had been naturally = fascinated in all sorts of pleasurings as a young vampire. Then he'd pas= sed through that phase, entering the long chapter as one of a trio of nig= ht hunters seeking the thrill of the chase as well as the sweetness of hu= man blood. A very long time ago. Nick shed the rest of his clothes and faced his m= aster. He leaned his weight back on one foot, his hands flat against his= thighs. "All right, then." There was little emotion in the clean lines= of his face. The guttering candles against the wall cast alluring shado= ws between limbs and torso, most of his groin as yet in darkness. There = could be seen just the high arch of his semi-erect penis. "Take... or be = taken?" "Let me think," LaCroix whispered in delight. He removed the rest of hi= s clothes, keeping Nick in his sight, and sank back down again on the edg= e of his bed. "Oh, my," he breathed, "I chose well back then, didn't I?= You are beautiful and delicious beyond belief. I believe I will... tak= e... this time." The smile returned to the chiseled features. LaCroix always took. It w= as another tease between them, a game. Nick would prepare his master, an= d then his master would have his way with him. Nick had always thought t= hat LaCroix would surprise him one day and say the other, but knew he nev= er would. Nick, then as he would now, made sure LaCroix never got to tak= e Nicholas often enough to satisfy him enough to try the other. = Holding his eyes, Nick approached closely, and then in a swift movement,= was kneeling between the other's knees. He placed his hands on the knee= s and pushed the legs apart. A soft sigh escaped the elder, and then the= younger was looking up into his face, reaching up to him. "Master..." t= he latter breathed, and mouth again met mouth. LaCroix was stunned. Nick had only called him that once in a similar si= tuation. Remembering one particularly raunchy night of sex - well, it ha= d lasted well into the day, and Janette had felt quite left out - the mem= ory now pushed LaCroix over the edge as the change came over him abruptly= =2E That wicked son of his had done that on purpose! He felt Nick's ton= gue run over his fangs eagerly, as if daring him already to take from him= , but that would have ruined everything to take so soon. No, LaCroix was= now forced to dance along that exquisite edge of control. = Then Nick again ripped away from his mouth and moved down to LaCroix's t= hroat. Not as urgent as before, but building, he applied his tongue and = lips wetly to his master's neck, drawing shivers from him. He felt as we= ll as heard the growls from deep within and decided to move on lest he fo= rce the bloodlust too soon. Nick proceeded down the other's chest with l= ight kisses and little tongue licks. Fingers caressed the other's nipple= s briefly. Gauging by the quickened breath of his master, he should not = linger there. It was time to get on with things. He pushed a bit roughly at LaCroix to lean back and support himself by t= he hands so he would have a better angle. Nick then laid his hands flat = against LaCroix's inner thighs, again pushing the legs apart wider. Bend= ing down, he began his work by running his tongue up and down the sides o= f the growing shaft, eliciting soft growls from his master. He tickled t= he underside of the head with his tongue, then, deciding to dispense with= ceremony, took the whole of the cock in his mouth and began to work it i= n and out, sucking hard. =0D In the loft, Janette was quite enjoying the show. Marc, being the only = male present, was naturally the lucky recipient of attention, as Maryse, = locked into her master's mind, copied Nick's every actions. Janette, beh= ind Maryse, her hands around her and playing with her breasts, was chuckl= ing. "And this is exactly what Nicolas is doing?" she had to ask again. Maryse rose momentarily from her ministrations to Marc's cock long enoug= h to gasp affirmation. She smiled, enjoying Janette's hands on her, but = went down again to her work. Marc was not as far along or far gone as L= aCroix was, however, more amused by the copy-cat sex than aroused. Marys= e was not amused. She was in her master's mind, yielding as he to the...= well, "incest" had no meaning to vampires, but it was the incestuous lus= t of a child for a parent, of a vampire to be possessed by his master. S= he and Nick were united in this to a degree that none of the others could= ever fully understand, as if their master/thrall bond had gone to a heig= ht way past what the other two had achieved. And it was wrapped up in th= eir secret pact together. In that sense, both Maryse and Nick were quite= businesslike in their approach to tonight's venture. = <"Help me out, Janette?"> she asked her master's lover. <"Marc is going= to need to get a lot harder than this."> Janette's eyes widened at the telepathic communication. Five years and = she was still not used to it. It was not as easy to communicate this way= with Maryse as with her own thrall, Marc, but it was possible this close= =2E Their blood-sharing had made that possible. <"I know just the thing= , cherie,"> she replied, and moved to kneel behind Marc. = "What... what are you doing, Master?" Marc asked as Janette gently took = his head in her hands, running her fingers through his blonde hair. "Getting you ready," she murmured and turned his head to the side, layin= g his neck exposed to her. Then she bent her head and began to apply her= tongue diligently to that - for vampires - incredibly sensitive area. Maryse, her mouth still full of cock, smiled as that cock hardened quite= nicely. =0D LaCroix, his hands now gripping Nick's head by the hair, holding him to = his groin, was dangerously close to losing control. The effort was delic= ious and his cock was a hard, rigid rod, his fangs aching to taste Nichol= as and eat of Nicholas. With a tremendous roar, he pulled Nick off his c= ock and hauled him up and onto the bed with him. "Now, I TAKE!" he growl= ed, shoving the other into position - on all fours, his ass facing him, h= ead down. Nick closed his eyes and parted his legs a little to facilitate the othe= r. LaCroix wasn't likely to be gentle and Nick himself was aroused enoug= h to want it rough, anyway. He felt, as all along, his thrall assuming t= he same position of submission, so entangled in his/her mind that he coul= dn't separate his sensations from hers. He sighed, awaiting the thrust. LaCroix hesitated long enough to enjoy the sight. Indeed, candlelight o= n his son's pale smooth skin made him look all the more luscious. And th= e master in him supremely enjoyed seeing his protege leaning far over, as= s in the air and so vulnerable. He slid his hands up the sides and back,= feeling the taut muscles, and rested on the firm buttocks before him, hi= s cock hard and high, slid up between the cheeks of the other's ass, read= y. The elder vampire, primed to possess, threw his head back and roared aga= in as he shoved his cock hard into the ass of the other. The younger gas= ped in pain and pleasure and it was enough to bring the vampire to the fo= re in him as well. Nick gave his ass over to his master, taking the whol= e of that hard shaft into himself, giving in to the taking. LaCroix, nai= ls digging into Nick's hips as he held him, began to rhythmically thrust = in and out. Thrusting gave way to fucking which gave way to rutting. Now LaCroix ha= d to bite, had to feed on the blood of his possession, all control thrown= to the wind. With a snarl, he shifted his position so that he was above= Nicholas and then reared back his head for a last roar. Then he attacke= d, biting deep and hard into the shoulder of the other. Nick snarled also, but he must wait - he wasn't in a position to bite at= the moment, pinned as he was. he heard from his thrall,= reminding him of their mission. So he relaxed, letting his blood be dra= wn out into the mouth of his master. Letting his master drink of his esse= nce, his changed essence that would be unlike any blood LaCroix had ever = tasted. Nick concentrated, feeling the still-strange power in his blood,= the power forever burned into him by bringing across Maryse Ramieux. = <"Marc,"> Nick commanded the thrall, <"That's enough."> Marc had been d= rinking from Maryse as LaCroix had from him. = LaCroix came in a last, powerful thrust, then spilled more red semen all= over Nick's buttocks as he withdrew. But he was still quite gone, and ha= d abruptly flipped Nick over and dove for his neck, biting to have more o= f that ambrosia inside him. He'd expected Nick, now that he was in a bet= ter position, to bite him as well, but the fact that his son hadn't was o= nly dimly in his awareness. He drank of Nicholas, drank of Maryse, drank= of their hybrid power, drank of their bond. = He seemed to be feeding for a long time when his head came up suddenly a= s he returned to himself. He looked down at Nick's prone, relaxed form, = his composed face and closed eyes. It was then that he realized that he = had nearly completely drained his son. "Nicholas?" he queried, then took= the man's face in his hands. "Nicholas, what have you made me do to you= ?" He was rewarded at last with a soft sigh. "You said you wanted to take,= " Nick murmured, eyes still closed. = LaCroix looked horrified for a moment, then sat back beside him, regardi= ng Nick curiously. To his relief he saw that the fang marks were already= closing, though he wondered why he should be surprised at that. "You re= ally think your blood is going to do something to me? Why did you not ta= ke blood as well?" No response. Irritated, he realized that Nick was in danger of languish= ing if he didn't get some blood in him soon. LaCroix went to get bottles= and glasses. As he cradled Nick in his arms and fed him sips of blood from a glass un= til he could sit up on his own, he remained quiet, wondering what his chi= ld, no, his *children* were up to. he thought,= and pictured Nick's sweet blonde thrall who was so frighteningly like hi= m. = He recalled what they'd told him only a few months after the twins had b= een brought across. That they had developed telepathic powers that were = not normal for vampires - that they suspected that Marc and Maryse Ramieu= x had had latent psychic powers that were hitherto undiscovered, powers t= hat resided in their blood so that their masters, Janette and Nick, had u= ndergone a change as well through sharing blood. That the powers were mo= stly wrapped up in their normal master/thrall links. And then, the furth= er unexpected thing - that Nick and Maryse's bond had become so strong th= at their minds were virtually inseparable. Perhaps the twins had been hy= brids but Maryse more so. = Regardless, the result was a mental bond between the four vampires that = had effectively - and unintentionally - excluded their grandmaster, LaCro= ix. Despite sharing blood with the twins later, nothing had developed be= tween them and him. = LaCroix= mused as he helped Nick to a sitting position. = Nick had not as yet met his eyes. He was content for now to replenish h= is blood. Only after he started in on his fourth bottle did he venture t= o speak. = "You knew I was going to do that, LaCroix - why are you surprised?" He = looked up at his master finally. LaCroix sucked his breath in sharply. "I didn't expect you to let me do= *all* the taking, Nicholas! And Maryse - she's here, isn't she?" A sly smile. "She's always here." "How? How were you able to keep from biting, Nicholas? I know you were= as aroused as I." Nick narrowed his eyes at him, the smile dissolving. "I wasn't exactly = in a position to bite you, LaCroix." He spoke quietly, his thrall remind= ing him in his mind to avoid conflict at all costs. It was a lie, of cou= rse, that he couldn't have bitten his master. = LaCroix knew it was a lie. he thought bi= tterly. "You must be frustrated, then= =2E" "Then you can expect me to return again, can't you?" Nick said, and smi= led. It was a courtesan's smile, the smile of the one in full command of= his powers of seduction. Disarmed, LaCroix snorted. "Where did you learn such maddening ways, Ni= cholas? Not from her, surely? From Janette?" = Nick put away the last bottle and the glasses and positioned himself asi= de LaCroix on the bed, facing him. He reached up with one hand and broug= ht the other's head closer. With alluring bedroom eyes and the sly smile= , he regarded him with interest. "I had the best master," he murmured be= fore he descended upon his mouth. =0D Before the hour was out, Nick was back home and, though a little weak st= ill, in better command of himself than when he left. He kissed Janette l= ong and thoroughly before saying his good-byes to her and Marc. When the= y'd gone, he took Maryse's hand and drew her upstairs to the bedroom. Si= nce coming home he'd hardly looked at her. But when the door was closed behind them, it was Maryse who took charge.= She'd seen his sudden weariness and directed him to lie down on the bed= =2E Resting on her elbow, she lay beside him, looking down at his face. "Maryse," Nick breathed, and fingered the long golden strands of her hai= r that fell onto his chest. "Nicholas, it's good that you didn't take any of his blood. But I still= don't know how you did it," she murmured, her fingers lingering on the s= hort, curly blond hairs on his chest and belly. He smiled at her - and it was his smile again, not the smile of the sedu= cer he was playing. "It's because I was you, Maryse. For just long enou= gh I was able to be you alone and not me. You drank from Marc, right?" She shrugged. "And Janette... I was, uh, doing a lot of biting I guess.= " "*I* drank from Marc, Maryse!" Nick was clearly excited about this new = development. "I drank from Janette!" Maryse looked at him in bewilderment, then took his hand in hers and bro= ught his wrist up to her mouth. She bit into him just long enough to get= a mouthful of blood. Nick only raised his eyebrows at her, still grinni= ng. Maryse tasted, then her eyes went wide. "A psychic transfer of bloo= d? But you were nearly drained by LaCroix!" "Not a transfer of blood then," Nick wondered with her, "but could the p= sychic elements of the blood - that which we taste of our loved ones in t= heir blood - be transferred?" It was an amazing discovery. And it meant that there was a chance Nick = would never have to taste LaCroix's blood again. That this could be repe= ated - LaCroix drinking deeply of him during sex - without the fear of ho= w his master's blood might affect him. And, over time, Nick's hybrid blood could effect some sort of healing of= the grandmaster's ancient pain. And his mental isolation from them. = Of course, there was also the Dark Plan. But that would not be ready fo= r some years yet. = =0D The End =0D --PART.BOUNDARY.0.25777.emout05.mail.aol.com.856621782--