She did not hear nor see the figure land on her
Balcony and enter the apartment.  When strong arms
embraced her she only clung and cried.  After a
time she realized it was LaCroix.  She froze and he
stopped stroking her hair and drew back.

"How did you...?" she demanded, then saw the curtains
swaying in the wind coming through the balcony door.

"LaCroix despite all you're doing for me, you cannot
come and go as you please. If you think I am a paid
Madam you are mistaken."

LaCroix pushed her away and stood.  "I assure you, I
think none of those things.  As for all this..." He
swept his hand indicating the penthouse, "I figured I
owed you. My workers say it will take about 4 weeks to
make the repairs."

"Four!" Nat broke in.

"Four." he repeated, "You want it to be done right
don't you?  Oh, can I make some uimprovements? Color,
Carpets?"

"That's not necessary, LaCroix."

"Please allow me to make up for the damage and your
time away from your possessions." LaCroix heard the
words come from his mouth and it made him angry.  Why
did he feel he owed this woman?

Natalie shrugged, "knock yourself out."

LaCroix said, stiffly, "Once this debt is paid there
will be no reason for us to see one another again."
He moved toward the balcony door and vanished into the
night sky.

"Well good riddance," she said aloud.  After a month,
vampires in her life would be history.  She could live
a normal life. The moment the words formed in her mind
she felt tears well up again in her eyes.  "Damn you,
Nick.  Why didn't you ask me what I wanted?"

She pushed the tears away and went to unpack.

Natalie stood on her balcony next to the pool and
dove in, she gasped for breath as she surfaced.  It
was a wonderful warm summer evening. She swam three
or four laps and then came up on the side preparing to
climb out.

She suddenly realized with a gasp someone was standing
close watching her.  "LaCroix! Why are you here
again?"

He extended a hand.

Natalie stared at it, she wasn't sure she wanted him
to see her in her suit, after a moment she sighed and
reached up.

LaCroix plucked her from the water with alarming
speed.  She gasped and found herself standing almost
against his chest.  He reached around her and gathered
her robe.  It brought his mouth rather close to her
neck.  She froze and found herself trembling.

LaCroix only laid the robe against her shoulders
then stepped back.  "You need not fear me, Dr.
Lambert.  I will not harm you."

He took her by the shoulders and turned her around
and held the robe back so she could slip her arms into
it.  When the robe settled on to her shoulders
he pulled her hair from under the collar.  His cool
fingers rubbed against her neck.

She shivered and stepped away.

He stepped away and held his hands up. He said
nothing.

"Sorry," she whispered, she hadn't really been afraid
just startled by his touch but she found she didn't
want to explain that to him.  Let him think what he
wanted. "Did you want something?"

"Yes," he said in that soft silky voice. "Through a
business acquaintance I acquired two tickets to the
Symphony tomorrow night.Would you like to join me?"

"A date? You want to take me on a date?"

"Date?  Well I'm not sure I would call it a date.  I
just thought you might like to get out of here on your
night off."

"How would you know it was my night off?" she eyed
him suspiciously.

"I called your office.  I was told you would not be in
tonight or tomorrow.  I spoke to your co-worker Grace
Balthazar isn't it?"

Natalie smiled, Grace knew about LaCroix being a
relative of Nick's.  She would have to explain some of
why she was suddenlyliving in one of the most
expensive penthouses in the city.  She knew Grace
just thought of LaCroix as an eccentric bad tempered
man, but a rich one and now that Nick was gone..."

She turned back to LaCroix, "Alright, I would like
to go with you."

A smile touched the icy blue eyes, "Seven o'clock
then, I'll take you out for some dinner first."

"Can we dispense of the drugs this time," she asked,
a devilish twinkle in her eye.

She was rewarded by a shocked look that passed
through his eyes.

"You remember your night at the Azure?"

"Yes, most of it. What was it all about?"

"It was only a lesson for Nicholas."
"Yes, well it was frightening, LaCroix, lets go
somewhere else this time."

"Of course, seven o'clock then."  He rose back into
the darkness and vanished.

Natalie tugged her robe tightly around her and
shivered, was she mad?  She was going to the Symphony
with an ancient vampire. He could be a gentleman
though.  She had never really thought of him as
anything other than a monster before.  Could it be
that LaCroix was not the monster that Nick had painted

him to be?  She knew his nature made him cruel to a
point, but he could be charming and very cultured.  At
least he was good at hiding the monster.  She smiled
thinking about their "date".  She flung the robe away
and dove back into the pool.

LaCroix's fingers worked to straighten his collar
and smooth down his jacket. He stared at his
reflection and then turned in disgust.  What was he
doing taking Nicholas' human pet out for a night of
dining and music.  A woman he'd fought left and right
to get out of his son's life. He glanced back in the
mirror and found himself smiling.  She was a woman
of character.  She knew what he was and met him face
to face.  He could sense some fear but her courage
overshadowed it; she was an equal.  Nicholas had been
a fool.  He should have fought for her instead of
running.

He switched off the light and headed for the waiting
Limo.

Natalie heard the doorbell and turned to look at
herself briefly one more time.  Her hair was done in
cascades of big waves. Her off the shoulder
green emerald formal flowed over her body and the
v-neck was revealing, but modest.  She wore pearls in
her ears and at her throat for a very classic,
classy look.  Her lips were full and blood red.

She liked what she saw and grabbed a shawl of the same
color and a small bag.

She opened the door and let out a surprised gasp.
LaCroix looked magnificent in a new styles tux.  It
had a turtleneck with a button collar and vest.

He seemed pleased by her reaction. "You're ravishing."
He said kissing her on the hand.

She smiled and resisted a sudden urge to caress the
short white hair on his head.

He stood looking curiously down at her as if he knew
what she had been thinking.

She blushed.

He raised his eyebrow and offered his arm.

Natalie wrapped her hand around his cool arm.  She
had to duck away from his eyes. His coolness reminded
her of Nick and her eyes filled with tears.

He covered her hand and squeezed her fingers in
surprising tenderness, "I miss him too, Natalie.  Do
not be ashamed of your tears, he betrayed us both."

As they walked down the hall to the elevator Natalie
said, "I think he's probably in a lot more pain than
we are LaCroix."

"Lucien," he urged her.

"Lucien," she repeated.

"I agree, I can feel him sometimes at night.  He is
in pain, but this was his choice.  He will have to
learn to live with it."

They both pushed their feelings aside and rode the
elevator down in silence. They entered the waiting
Limo.  They sat side by side; he took her hand and
pressed it against his lips again.  The Limo ride
was in silence; Natalie glanced at Lucien's face as he
sipped a glass of blood wine.  Emotions seemed to play
across his face.

He noticed her watching him and said, holding the
glass out, "This human just became a new father.  His
blood is full of light and love. It's quite a fine
vintage from one so young."

"You can tell all that from the blood?"

"We live through the blood Natalie.  It reminds us
about the lives we left behind.  Feelings we lost."

"You haven't lost your feelings, LaCroix.  They are
just mixed up with the needs of the vampire."

"You really think so?"

"Of course, my apartment is an epitaph to your
feelings."

"Anger only."

"There would be no anger if you did not love him so."
She reached out and instinctively covered the fingers
of his hand that lay on his leg. She squeezed his
fingers warmly.

LaCroix's eyebrows rose.  The warmth of her fingers
surprised and pleased him.

She suddenly drew her hand away, "I'm sorry. I did
not mean to intrude upon your person. "

"I do not mind your touch, Natalie, it was welcome."

Color flooded her cheeks, as she blushed deeply,
suddenly self-conscious.

LaCroix's nostrils flared and there was a sudden
shine to his eyes.

He turned from her and emptied his glass then
reached out for the bottle to pour another.

Natalie fought her momentary panic at seeing the
vampire appear.  Was it fool hardy to spend so much
time with this ancient vampire who had no compunction
about taking fresh blood from the source.

"Forgive me," his voice broke into her thoughts.
"You need not fear me.  I would leave the car before I
harm you, Natalie."

"Why didn't you feed before you came?"

"I had a business situation and I did not want to be
late."

"Next time, be late." Natalie instructed.

"Next time," LaCroix allowed a smile to touch his
lips.

Natalie blushed again, but this time LaCroix was in
control.

Natalie's hand flew to her face; "I'm sorry,I
didn't mean," she stopped before she made a total fool
of herself.

Natalie swallowed her fears and relaxed back against
the seat.  She allowed her arm to touch his.

"You're an enigma, Natalie."

"As you are Lucien, it's hard to believe you are the
monster I have heard so much about. I see a different
man."

LaCroix emptied his glass and set it down.  He turned
a bit toward her and looked into her face, "What do
you see?"  He asked curiously.

"A cultured, intelligent man, capable of greatness.
Yet there is a hardness about you."

"Yesss." he hissed, "Beaten into me by my father."

Natalie digested this information in silence.

"Nick's dread of you, made me fear you."

LaCroix's eyes became cold.  "Nicholas brings out
the worst in me.  I get so angry that he chooses his
guilt and pain over the amazing creature I made him."

"He did not want that life.  Did you sit him down and
explain what he was choosing?"

"He was with Janette.  He wanted to be with her."

"He was immature for his age.  He desired her as a
woman.  It's quite possible that he never even heard
what you said. His lust for her took over his very
reason.  It had been a long time since you felt that
sort of passion for a woman.  You forgot what it was
like.  You should have gotten to know him.  You would
have seen his gentle loving spirit.  You would have
realized he would eventually detest what he would
become."

LaCroix actually looked hurt and he turned away from
her.  She realized her words had touched an old wound.
He had already realized his mistake, but it had been
to late to turn back.  She knew for certain that this
ancient vampire really did love Nick so much that the
pain of causing his son centuries of anguish had
manifested itself into the fierce anger that always
lashed out at Nick.

"You've decided to let him go haven't you?"  She
ventured.

"LaCroix looked back at her, and whispered, "Yes.  I
will never look for him again, Natalie.  He is free to
make his life what he will."

"Why couldn't you have told him that while he was
here?  He might have stayed with me."

"No Natalie, he left because he knew he would kill
you.  Your blood is a powerful drug he needs, because
of his love for you. The drug was within his reach.
It's over powering to him and he would rather die than
harm you.

Tears started to role down Natalie's face.

LaCroix reached out and caught a tear on his finger.
"Do not cry for him.  He is your past." He reached
around her shoulders and drew her to him.  She turned
slipping her arms around his neck and cried against
his shoulder.  Deep tearing sobs.

She did not see the red blood tears that filled his
eyes and slipped halfway down his cheek before being
reabsorbed into his body.

When Natalie was all cried out she realized where
she was and she tried to draw away.  However LaCroix
held her tightly to him,"Shhhh, I will not harm
you my dear." He gently reassured her.

She let herself relax against his chest.  He was a
rock.  In his arms she felt safe, as crazy that was.
She was enjoying the feel of his fingers as he stroked
her hair trying to calm her.  She suddenly felt a need
for more intimacy.  She raised her face toward his.

End Part 2