This is a new Round Robin that is being posted to the FK Vals list.
Standard disclaimers apply.

I'm not sure if this is a record or not...but here is the next part to the new RR!<g>

Before we begin. I would like to call this RR 'Shadow & Light'. I think it reflects on the development and exploration of Lacroix's past. The shadow, a dark blight on his soul which helped to mould him into the man he is today, and Natalie, and the opening of his heart, represent the Light. Just my 2cents worth.<g>

Oh yeah...and this story is very ADULT! If you don't have plastic seat covers, you may want to delete this now.<eg>

I have to admit that Barb's part got me so worked up I wrote most of this in about two hours!<G>
Forgive the errors. This has not been betaed.

He was gone a long time. Natalie had almost taken care of her own burning desire herself, when she stopped and threw her nightie back on. She stoked the fire, closed the curtains and sat down on the sheepskin rug before the dancing flames.
An hour passed, then two, and she sighed as the sun began to lighten the sky.

She had no idea how he entered, but the cool hands on her shoulders held her in place as she started at the sudden intrusion. They quickly slid down her arms, once again taking the thin straps of her nightgown with them. "Forgive my dearth of speed, my dear. But I could not put your health at risk," he whispered softly and placed a kiss upon her shoulder.
Natalie sat directly in front of the fire, and breathed deeply as the vampire's legs appeared on either side of her as he positioned himself behind her, encompassing her in his embrace. His arms slid around her waist and massaged her abdomen.
Lacroix closed his eyes and rested his head against hers and let out a soft sigh.
"Natalie...I am aware you may have become somewhat caught up in the moment earlier, as did I, and I would understand if you wished me to leave," he breathed softly into her ear, hoping above all hope she would not refuse him.
Natalie smiled gently.
"I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't return to finish what you started," she told him, belaying his fears instantly and causing his arousal to deliciously begin its journey to wondrous heights once more. He had fed laboriously, forcing himself to guzzle bottle after bottle of his finest reserve. But still, he felt his control shudder under his tight grasp.
Emotionally, in his own defense, he had succumbed and rebuilt a few of the sheltering walls within his psyche, hiding his vulnerabilities once again. But it was all so different now...He had not allowed such an occurrence to happen ever before, not even with Fleur. Perhaps, he may have, had their life together been longer...But why did this mortal doctor make him feel so...young? This circumstance did not feel unlike the first time he had ever made love to a woman. Sixteen, nervous, fresh from the training academy in Rome. He had no idea about the way of the woman and love, except what the other boys and young men around him would gossip about. He knew how to hurt, his father and tutor had taught him well. Escaping to the academy had been a relief he could hardly stand. He not only was out of his father's reach, but had given him cause to sing his praises to his fellow senators and business associates. Yes, his son was to be a great Roman solider...

He felt the woman in his arms turn slightly as he remained still for some time just holding her.

Natalie turned when he didn't continue. He was lost in thought, a forlorn and distant glaze in his eyes as they stared into the fire. She raised a hand gently to his cheek to gain his attention.
"Lucien?"
"Hmm?"
"You don't have to do this," she whispered softly. He turned to her, his eyes searching her own, for what, she didn't know, but he seemed to find what he was looking for.
"I wish very much to make love to you, Natalie," he breathed. Natalie gazed into this pale features for a moment longer. He really meant what he was saying. How could Nick have been so wrong about this man? Without a word she shuffled until her nightgown was under her buttocks, then reached down and swiftly lifted it over her head and let it fall to the floor behind her.

Lacroix's lips parted as he took in her beauty once more. How could it be possible that she had become even more lovelier in the time he had been departed?
Sliding a hand from her waist up to cup her breast in his hand, he gently squeezed and rolled her nipple between his fingers. Natalie watched him as he stared at her body. It made her heart race with arousal. She had never before felt so desirable.
Raising a hand, she ran her fingers threw his short hair, it was unexpectedly soft against her skin. She elicited a soft groan from him as she turned in his arms to face away from him once more, forcing his hands away from her breast. But as she began to pull at the laces of his black shoes, he snaked his hands around her once more to take both breasts in hand and tend to them tenderly as his kissed and nibbled gently upon her back. His ministrations were making it hard for her to concentrate on her task, but she soon had both his shoes and socks off and was now ready and eager to move on.
Re-positioning herself until she faced him once again, this time bringing her legs around to sit comfortably entwined with his, her feet against his buttocks, she began to unbutton his shirt.
Slowly she released the black buttons of his silk shirt and pulled it from his trousers. Sliding her hands inside to part the material, she ran them up the length of his well defined chest to push the silk away from his shoulders. His broad torso alone was enough to make her catch her breath and swallow. She licked her lips in anticipation as she molded the firm muscles under her hands, flicking her fingers over his small nipples, obediently rising to attention. A soft gasp drew her attention to him once again. He had been watching her explore him, but now their eyes met. His hands reached forward and grasped her face gently and his lips quickly followed to finally seize and kiss her for the first time.
Tenderly at first, but they quickly escalated their ministrations as tongues entwined and hands freely traversed the other.
Natalie pulled at his belt, roughly, with a newfound impatience to touch and see the rest of his hidden treasures. As she finally tugged it free, she tossed it across the room and reached for the bulge beneath.
She ran her hand from the floor up over his testicles and along the length of his engorged manhood. She smiled luridly against his lips as she marveled at the size.
"Don't be afraid," she heard him whisper against her ear as he released her lips to kiss along her jawline to her ear and suck her lobe into his mouth. She grabbed his hand and forced it to her sex.
"Does this feel like I am afraid?" she asked him, her voice quietly firm. She looked him straight in the eye and watched in amazement as they quickly became a shade of brilliant gold. She then gasped as he thrust two fingers into her and drew them back up over her clit and to his mouth. He sucked on them long and hard, licking every nuance of her essence. Their eyes were locked, neither able to break away. Natalie took his fingers from his mouth and thrust her tongue within him again, tasting herself on his lips. Lacroix dropped his hand once more to feel her moist arousal, dancing his fingers over her hardened nub and down into her vagina. He groaned in pleasure as Natalie hands took hold of his trousers and ripped them open. He shuffled to allow her to push them over his behind. They were forced to break contact as he leant back to lift himself and for her to pull his pants and underwear carefully over his erection and down his legs.
They joined his belt somewhere on the other side of the darkened room.

The fire cast a warm, orange glow over them both as they moved back into position with Natalie climbing onto his lap. Foreplay was over.
Natalie leaned in to kiss him again as she settled her knees on either side of his hips, and raised herself up. She felt him drop a hand to position himself against her dripping sex. She gasped as the head of his penis rubbed the length of her snatch, pausing to rub against her clitoris for an agonizing moment. He finally slid to the opening of her sheath and she clasped his head as she began to slowly lower herself upon his girth. "Oh god!" she whispered, then moaned as she felt him stretch her as no one had ever done so before. A groan rumbled from Lacroix's chest as he sunk into his lover. His eyes closed as the rapture of pleasure forced him to hold her hips and keep her in place as she eased herself onto him, fighting the impulse to pull her forcefully onto him.
As their pelvis's at last met they held still, breathing rapidly as they became accustomed to their joining.
"Natalie," he breathed her name as she tightened her inner muscles around him.
He opened his eyes and looked into her face, her mouth open in pleasure, her head thrown back exposing her exquisite neck to his kiss.

Natalie had never felt so full, every part of her was touched and stimulated. She knew the moment he moved she would fall over the edge into her climax.
She felt Lucien place his hands under her buttocks and knead gently before lifting her slowly from his impalment. She moaned loudly and began to shake and cry out as he lowered her again.

Lacroix watched with raptured awe at the beauty of Natalie reaching orgasm. He held still as she rotated her hips against him rapidly at first then slower as her climax subsided. He was close to unleashing himself upon her himself. But he forcefully kept himself in check and focused on giving her all the pleasure he could. The day was young, after all. A few minutes of gentle kissing, he raised her up again, only this time she forced herself down harder, swiftly sheathing him. He couldn't help but release a long groan. Grasping her hips, he looked up into her eyes and grunted as he forced her down upon him again, harder, faster.
Natalie took over and began to help lift herself up and down his shaft. She was locked into his gaze, his eyes burning gold, his fangs dropping along with her.
She ran her fingers through his hair as they paused to kiss deeply. Something was happening between them. Something that wasn't supposed to ever happen. When she looked into his eyes, she wanted anything but to look away. When she felt him within her, holding and caressing her in his hands, she only wanted to give him as much pleasure as he was giving to her...to touch and taste every part of him...This wasn't supposed to happen...Not with him!

Lacroix lost himself in her eyes. What had she done to him? Why did he...feel...so protective of this woman. Why did he have no wish to leave her when they had finished this wondrous joining.
Oh gods! He groaned again as she reached down to cup and squeeze his balls as she began to ride him again. He wrapped his arms around her and deftly lifted her and himself up and lay her back against the fur rug, not once losing contact with her moist heaven. Looking down upon her, he brushed the hair from her face and leaned down to kiss her again. He just couldn't get enough of her velvet lips, her soft, glorious touch.
His hips thrust forward and began a pounding rhythm which would bring them both to their peak and beyond.

Natalie watched as he closed his eyes and an almost pain ridden expression contorted his face.
"Natalie..." he gasped. She reached up and stroked his face. "I need...I need to bite," he told her. He was getting desperate. He couldn't hold back much longer, but he had no desire to join them fully if she had no wish to...but he needed to bite something...and soon. But Natalie nodded and tilted her chin to expose her sensual throat and the delicate blood within. He reached forward and ran his fingers over the vein before lowering his lips and kissed her, dancing his tongue over her soft skin.

Natalie almost went over the edge right then. God it felt so good! "Lucien...please. Take me!" she whispered harshly. Lacroix needed no more encouragement and he gently thrust his fangs into her flesh...The world exploded.

They clung to each other, Natalie tearing his back with her nails as she came. Lacroix wrapped himself around her and held her close as he slowly pumped his hips, savouring the last remnants of his climax.
They stilled, and he dropped his head to her shoulder, barely managing to hold his weight from slumping upon her with his elbows.
There was silence but for the heavy breathing coming from them both. A moment later he rolled onto his back, pulling Natalie with him as they continued to recover. He hadn't had sex like that in a very long time. And her blood...exquisite! He turned to her and touched her cheek, brushing his fingertips across her brow and down her cheek.
"You are truly beautiful, Natalie Lambert," he breathed. Natalie turned her head and smiled.
"You're not so bad yourself," she replied. She ran her fingers along his arm stretched out to one side. "I didn't really understand about the memories until now," she said quietly. "Nick told me you see...experience...life through the blood. But I never imagined it would be like that. Is that what it's always like?"
Lacroix closed his eyes as his son was mentioned, but opened them again at her question.
"At times...But what occurred tonight was...special," he admitted.
They lay in silence for a long while, Natalie sliding off to snuggled into his side, her head resting upon his chest, his arm possessively around her shoulders.
"Lucien..."
"Natalie..." they both began. They smiled.
"You first," Natalie said, brushing a finger over his nipple. Lacroix took a deep breath as her touch stirred his loins, but also to ready himself.
"Natalie you are in great danger...more than I think you realise," he told her.
"Now that Nick's not here..."
"Yes. You have to make a difficult choice, and it must be made today. By dusk I will need to know your answer." He looked to her as she lifted her head to look him in the eye.
"What choice?"
"Live...or die," he whispered. "You must align yourself with me...and take my protection or you will be executed tonight. The Enforcers are awaiting your decision."
"That's why you came tonight, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"And why you seduced me?" she said, a frown creasing her brow.
"No. Yes...I seduced you because I wished to...If it meant saving your life as well, then that is a bonus." He glanced into her eyes, and his heart sunk at the confusion and pain he saw reflected back to his. Natalie sat up, pushing herself away from him. Lacroix rose with her.
"Natalie..."
"I need to be alone for a while," she said quietly, rising to her feet and pulling her nightgown on as she disappeared into the bedroom. Lacroix sighed and fell back onto the rug.
He heard her turn on the shower and thought of joining her. But he had no desire to wash her from his skin just yet, and he didn't think his presence would be so warmly appreciated just at this moment. He raised a hand to his face and breathed in her scent deliciously tainting his skin.
He understood her reaction, he had expected it. Rolling onto his front he reached forward and placed another log on the red embers then lay his head down upon his arms. He had no intention of sleeping, but nature prevailed, and he was soon dead to the world.

Natalie stood in the shower and contemplated the night's events. She had just made love to Lucien Lacroix. Not sex, not rape, but love. There was something very wrong with this picture. She was supposed to be with Nick...not his father. But Nick is gone...and he has no intention of ever coming back. He told you as much in his letter. Lacroix had known...it was why he was here. Nick was gone, and he had left her to fend for herself. Typical Nick behaviour. So wound up in his own guilt and life, that he had not even thought of the consequences of what his leaving Toronto would be. She had to think that was the reason. Because if he had known what would happen to her on his departure...she would die from the betrayal of such a viciousness.
Stepping from the shower she dried herself and once again pulled on her nightgown. She had began to calm down. It wasn't Lacroix's...Lucien's fault what happened tonight. He had asked her more than once if this was what she wanted...and at the time it was...almost painfully so. But now, the dust had settled and all she felt was confused.
Opening the bedroom door she stepped into the lounge. He was asleep. His well defined body, as chiseled as a beautiful Roman statue in the soft firelight.
She decided to leave him, returning to her bed and slipping beneath the covers, secretly and rebelliously hoping he would wake and join her.

<<<He screamed in pain as his father's fingers brutally penetrated his anus again.
"You even squeal like a woman!" the man sneered as he molested his only son. "Perhaps I should have called you Lucinda." He laughed at his own cruel joke.
Young Lucius sobbed as the man finally withdrew, but the reprieve wasn't to last for long. He was sat up and his father shuffled as he raised his own tunic to his waist. Then savagely, he impaled his young son onto the length of his manhood, smiling in perverted delight as the boy screamed louder still as he ripped him salaciously apart.>>:>

Natalie bolted upright, instantly awakened by the scream issuing from the next room.
My god what was happening in there?! Was Lacroix being attacked?! Against her own common sense she leapt out of bed and hurried into the living room. She halted as she saw the wreathing form of her lover before the fire where she had left him. He was alone...dreaming.
Curled into a tight ball, his hands clasping a cushion, tearing it to shreds. His eyes were closed, his mouth open in a painfully silent scream, tears running down his cheeks.
Natalie was cautious about moving to his side. But she soon threw it to the wind as he lay still and began to gently sob.
Kneeling behind him, she touched his shoulder and rolled him slightly toward her. "Lucien?"

He mumbled something in what she thought was Latin, but he remained trapped in his nightmare. She shook him a little harder.
"Lucien. It's okay. Wake up," she urged. She kept soothingly repeating her words, willing him to wake. She sighed as she watched him calm and stir to consciousness.
"Lucien...Are you awake?" she asked him gently. He took a deep breath and let it out in a shuddering breath.

Lacroix woke from his nightmare, a warm hand on his shoulder and a soft feminine voice in his ear.
"Mama?" he whispered, opening his eyes, still confused as to when and where he was.
"Lucien?"
The name and voice brought his world crashing back to the present. He blinked as tears, once again, began their traitorous path down his face, completely unable to prevent them.

Natalie watched his proud features fall into a grimace of painful memory and she reached down to pull him into her arms. A sob escaped and she began to rock him gently.
She was even more confused now. What was happening to him? He had always been so impenetrable, ridged, stoic, but now... It began last night when he had made love to her, and now, he had collapsed in her arms, weeping like a child. Something was wrong...and she didn't have the first idea of how to fix it.
He eventually calmed and lay still in her lap. But she continued to rhythmically stroke her fingers through his hair.
"Lucien," she said quietly. He moved slightly toward her in acknowledgment. "Would you like to talk about it?"
He breathed deeply and turned his face further into her lap. He had never felt such personal disgrace during his immortal life as he did right now. He shook his head, having no desire to share the shame of his mortal life with a mortal woman he barely knew.
"Okay. You don't have to say a thing," Natalie told him gently. "Just know I'm here if you ever need to," Natalie told him, brushing a hand over his hair down to his neck and across his taught shoulders.
Lacroix nodded as he relaxed a little and found himself finding immeasurable comfort in her understanding and silent support. From the brief taste of her blood, he realised she was, perhaps, one of the few people he knew who had any idea how he felt.

His father was only person in all his existence he had ever truly feared. Right up until the day he died...and even now the man seemed to have a hold on him which he despised with a venom which drove his anger to the surface. He sat up abruptly and briskly wiped his face clean with his hands. He stood and strode over to his pile of clothing and began pulling it on. Fastening his trousers, he searched for his belt, Natalie rose and came up behind him, laying a hand against his back.
"What are you doing?" she asked him. He continued pulling at cushions and looking behind the furniture as he snapped,
"I must go."
"No you don't," she told him, purposely keeping her tone calm. When he ignored her. She tightened her grip on his hips.
"Lucien. Stop," she demanded firmly.
He halted his movements but remained turned away.
"You can't go. It's only midday." She could feel him breathing firmly beneath her hands. She took the shirt hanging from his hands and dropped it to the couch. With her hands on his waist she pushed and pulled him toward the bedroom.
"Come on. It's time for bed," she said, her tone soft and quiet.
Lacroix clenched his jaw as he felt his chest tighten again. He glanced toward the front door. He could get back to the Raven if he so wished...but he didn't. Allowing the mortal woman to guide him into the bedroom then down onto the bed, he crawled under the duvet and lay on his side facing away from her as she climbed in the other side.

Natalie lay still as they settled. But when she turned toward his broad back and reached out a hand to touch him, he moved suddenly under her hands and rolled over to bury himself in her arms.

He refused to let his tears fall again, but he nuzzled against her breast and let her encompass him with a need he had not felt since he was a young child. He was running on basic instinct...human, emotional instinct...the vampire, for once, lay quietly, having no desire to associate with the weak man who had broken out of his cell of steel to fall into this mortal woman's arms.

The figure across the road, relished the baneful draw of his lips as he watched the curtains close in the third floor apartment. He had seen the ancient vampire enter the Raven and disappear to the rooms above, only to reemerge almost two hours later absently clutching his stomach. Reggie had discretely followed the owner back to the coroner's apartment.
The sun was quickly cresting the horizon, but if the amorous sounds issuing from the darkened rooms above were any indication, he would definitely have an update to report to his employer. She would be pleased.
The depraved smile stayed upon his thin lips as he leapt into the air, the swirling leaves and trash in the alley, the only sign of his rapid departure.

End part 5