Subject: 99-Faith (Adult version)

This was supposed to be a little one part story with a few mini story-
lines.  Instead it has turned into two seperate stories, this one, the
first one, being a N+N Valentines DAy story (even if it is a little late!)

Much thanks to the N&NNuts for their welcome & encouragement!  You guys
are all wonderful!!!  Special thanks to Jody, Marci & Cheryl for their
beta-reading, feedback & suggestions!!  I love ya, ladies!

This is the ADULT version of this story.  If you are NOT OF AGE to read
explicit material, or are OFFENDED by such, PLEASE read the pg version
rather than this one!

FK characters are not mine - Wish they were though...  

Archiving permission given to the main archive (Mel's), and to JADFE.  If
any T+Vpacker. DP, or N&NNut wants it, go ahead ;)  Anyone else, please
ask.

=============================
FAITH    (the N+N portion of a late Valentines Day set of stories)
"Micki" Lynn McCormick
Feb 1999
=============================

Natalie answered her phone.  It was the double ring, indicating an
internal call.  "Nat."

There was the sound of a voice clearing, almost but not quite a cough.
"Dr. Lambert?"

"That's me.  What do you need?"  Natalie was a little unsure who was on
the other extension.  Since there were fewer people around on this shift, 
she knew most of them.  But this voice was a new one.  She hoped she
didn't sound too abrupt, but she really was rather busy.

"This is Terry, the guard."  The voice on the other end half cracked and
Natalie recognized it as the new night guard.  He was only 16, but for
undisclosed reasons he was legally an emancipated adult.  He was therefore 
able to hold positions, such as a guard, for which one must be an adult. 
Despite his youthfulness he was very meticulous and responsible, and had
the makings of being a great guard.  He worked at the morgue by night,
studying in the quiet between his rounds, and attended classes by day.
Natalie didn't know if he went to school or post-secondary, as she'd only
met him once before, and then just briefly.

"What's up, Terry?"  Natalie asked.

"Is your first name Natalie, Doctor?  There's a delivery person here, and
I've never been told your first name."

"That's me.  Does he need me to sign for it, or can you sign and I'll
come out after I have a minute?  I'm kinda in the middle of this right
now."

Natalie heard the young guard ask, but couldn't make out the reply
herself.  "He says I can sign.  Would you like me to do so then, Doctor?"

"Please.  I'll take a coffee break when I'm done here and come out to get
it then...  Thanks Terry."  Natalie hung up the phone and returned to her
tedious task at hand.

-=-=-=-

Natalie took a coffee for both herself and Terry when she went out to
collect her delivery about 20 minutes later.  She sat on the chair beside
him, where the second guard sat during the daytime.  "So, what did I get?"
Natalie handed him his coffee and took a sip of her own.

The guard blushed slightly.  "It's a little box.  It looks like maybe
jewellery sized."  He put the sugar she'd brought into the coffee, and
added, "If it's from your boyfriend, I bet it *is* jewellery."

Natalie took the box, and turned it over looking for a card.  "What makes
you so sure I've got a boyfriend?"  The card indicated it was indeed from
her favourite detective.

As she began to open the box, the young man answered, "Well, I..." he
tipped his face toward the cup in a misguided attempt to hide his
embarrassment.  "I thought you were pretty cool when we first met.  I
asked about you a bit.  Everyone I asked told me about the cop.  They
say you and Detective Knight-with-a-k keep trying to make people think
you're just friends and no one believes either of  you."  The young man
beside her blushed even more, the flush now reaching his ears.  "So
anyway, if it's from him I bet it is something nice.  If you were my
girlfriend, I know it would be."

Natalie smiled as she pulled out a little lead crystal figurine of a cat
playing with a ball, which was a little white pearl.  "Oh, this is
adorable!  It reminds me of Sid!"  Seeing the blank look on the young
guard's face she added, "Sidney is my cat.  Had him since I was in 
pre-med.  He's my baby..." 

"Really?  I figured you for a cat person!  I have a kitten."  The guard
looked at the time.  "I have to go do rounds.  Thanks for the coffee, Dr.
Lambert."

"I should get back to work too.  I'll put this little guy on top of my
computer I think.  And please, call me Natalie.  My friends all do."  She
picked up the little ornament and it's card.  "See you later, Terry."  And
with that she turned and went back to her office to face the report she
now had to fill in on her findings.

-=-=-=-

Tracy walked into the area that passed as an office, since that's where
Natalie's desk was located.  

Hearing the door open, Natalie looked up as Nick's young partner entered.
"Hi Trace.  Where's your partner?"

"Hey Nat.  He said he had an errand to run."  Tracy saw the collection of
lead crystal figurines cluttering the top of Nat's computer as well as
part of a nearby bookshelf.  "Cool.  I didn't know you collected these.
They're beautiful!"

"I didn't know I did either until a few days ago.  Nick's been getting
them for me and having them delivered here.  The guard, the delivery guy,
and I are all on a first name basis now,"  Natalie joked.

Tracy picked one up and examined it.  It was a lead crystal rose in a
lovely reddish tint.  "Well, it's less than a week till Valentine's Day."
She put the rose down and jokingly whacked Natalie's shoulder lightly.
"You think he'll continue this until then?"  She winked at her doctor
friend.

"I hope not!  I love these but I'm running out of places to put them!  If
he keeps this up I'll have to put up a special ornament shelf!  I don't
know what my supervisors would say to that..."  Natalie looked at Tracy.
"Really, Trace, we are just friends.  I don't know why he's doing this."

"Come on Nat!  Everyone who has seen you two together knows you guys are
more than that!  Just no one knows how much more.  Some people think
you're hot and heavy away from work and try to be just friends at work for
sake of professionalism.  I figure Nick wouldn't be so gloomy half the 
time if that were true.  I figure it's more likely that you both want to
be hot and heavy together but, for some reason, you guys are trying to
convince yourselves you are just friends.  I know how much Nick thinks of
you, Nat. Why don't you take this as a sign of the affection that it
really is.  I'm sure it's because of Valentine's Day!"  

Before Natalie could figure out what to reply, Terry knocked on the door
and stuck his head into the room.  "You busy, Natalie?  Keith's with me.
He's got another one for you."

Natalie shrugged.  "Come on in, guys."  

She looked at Tracy who gave her a very knowing look, and mouthed <Just
friends. HA!>

"So what did Nick send this time, Natalie?"  The delivery guy asked as he
handed Natalie a box about the size of a shoebox.

Natalie opened it up, with all eyes on her.  After careful removal from 
the packing peanuts, she held in her hand a little scene.  On a mirror 
lake swam two lead crystal swans, their necks forming a perfect heart.  On
the shore of this little pond were various little crystal critters.  It 
really was quite breathtaking.

"Wow!  That's gorgeous, Doc.  This guy must really love ya!"  The delivery
fellow turned to the guard.  "See ya for coffee when we get off work?"

"Wait, I have to walk you out.  Later, Natalie."  Terry turned and left
with his newfound friend.

Tracy found the card and opened it, then grinned as she handed it to Nat.
"I came for the Wilson report, which I see on your desk.  I'll grab it and
go."  Tracy smirked as she picked up the report and headed out.

After the door had closed, Nat opened the card that Tracy had peeked at.
Inside it read <Nat, keep the 14th open?  Love, Nick>.

As Natalie tucked the card under the edge of the crystal diorama, she
smiled to herself and thought absently, ~at least he signed it better than
'with affection'!~.  When she realized her thought, she blushed, although
no one was there to see it.

-=-=-=-

The day before Valentine's Day Natalie awoke to find a message on her
answering machine from the department head.  "Doctor Lambert, this is
Jeremy.  If you worked any other shift I'd speak to you personally about
this, but since I never see you anymore, this will have to suffice.  I
walked into your office space today to speak to the guys who are in on 
days, and saw your collection of figurines.  Someone needed to refererence
one of the books on the bookcase and was being particularly careful not to
bump and shatter them.  I know they are probably leading up to a special
Valentine's date or something, but as much as they brighten the place up,
they're also too fragile to clutter things we all use, like the bookcase.
I'll give you until the end of your shift on the 17th to get them removed.
If they're not gone by then, someone else will have to box them up for
you, and there is no guarantee they'll be as carefull as you might want.
Keep one or two here if you like, Natalie, but no more.  I think everyone
would feel bad if someone here accidentally broke one of your little
gifts."

Natalie smiled ruefully as she thought, "Well, Nick and I both have the
14th and 15th off.  He can help me get them packed up and taken home on
one of those nights.~  She dialed Nick to tell him of the little plan, and
why.

Nick readily agreed, and they spoke of other things as well.  But after
getting off the phone, Natalie was more confused than ever.  Nick was
*not* acting like himself!  Not that she minded the 'new Nick' of
course...  

-=-=-=-

After work, Natalie stopped at the precinct.  Technically, it was already
the 14th, and a number of the officers winked at her as they saw her
walking over to Knight's desk.  As usual, when they did that she just
shook her head, which just made them smile more.

"Hey Nick."  Natalie pirched on the corner of his desk.  "I just got off
work.  I wondered if you want to do movies tonight?"

Nick covered her hand briefly with his own, seeming to pat it as if in a
token of friendship.  His hand lingered a moment too long, however,
belieing the pretense if anyone was truely observant.  "I'd like to Nat.
But I don't think it's such a good idea tonight."  He leaned towards her
and spoke very quietly, so Natalie herself could barely hear.  "I hope
we'll have plenty of time for that later.  Don't forget tomorrow night?"
Nick hoped his dismissal didn't sound too abrupt, but he still had a lot
of plans to finalize, plans he couldn't complete if things were to be a
surprise to Natalie.

Natalie looked over at Tracy, who was grinning at them like a Cheshire
cat.  "I do believe I've been dismissed."  As Natalie slid off the desk,
her skirt slid up slightly, inadvertently displaying even more of her legs
to Nick in the process.  She stepped over to Tracy, and whispered, knowing
full well that Nick would hear, "And here you thought he liked me!"  She
stood back up, and looked reassuringly over at Nick, who looked a little
worried. "7, right?"

When Nick nodded and Nat had left, Tracy asked Nick conspiratorially, "So
what have you got planned?"

"You'll have to wait, too.  Nat gets to find out first."  And with that,
Nick stood and went to borrow the phone in Reese's office for the 5th time
that night.

-=-=-=-

Natalie stood before the mirror looking at her hair.  The stylist had
done a remarkable job.  Her hair had been piled atop her head in a very
attractive style.  A number of strategically loose strands fell free and
framed her face softly.  As per the stylist's instructions, Nat had
brought in her dress so the woman could complement the garment with a
customized look.  By the time she was finished, there was a strand of
pearls entwined through her hair, and a number of tiny sprigs of baby's
breath as well.  The stylist had finished off the look with a light
dusting of glitter spray in a colour to match the dress.  While this had
been being done, Natalie had been indulged with a professional manicure,
and had been given tips from the cosmetician regarding her evening
makeup.

The service had been expensive and Natalie felt that she could have spent
her money much more wisely.  After the way Nick had insisted she dress
formally, however, she decided the extravagance might be a good thing 
since she seldom dressed up this much.

Natalie dressed for the occasion, hoping that it would lead perhaps to
some level of intimacy, reminding herself not to be embarrassed by her
choices.  Either it would and Nick would be pleased, or the evening would
fail and Nick would never know her secret.  She changed completely, and
then went and put the final touches with the makeup.  She was just 
finishing when her intercom buzzer rang.

"Yes?"  She spoke into the panel, holding the intercom button in.

"Is this Dr. Lambert?"

"Yes."

"I'm your chauffeur for this evening, ma'am.  Whenever you are ready, I'll
be waiting for you out front."

"Thank you."  Natalie released the button and peered out her window.
There really was a stretch limousine out front.  Taking a chance, she
dialed Nick's cell and confirmed with him that he had indeed sent it for
her.  Then she took her small purse, and a shawl type wrap.  She knew she
would be chilly, but she could always ask the drive to turn the heat up if
she needed it, and she *was* dressing for effect tonight. Natalie smiled
as she locked up and went downstairs to the waiting limousine.

-=-=-=-

The limousine stopped before the restaurant where someone, whom she
guessed was the maitre d', stood waiting by the entrance.  As the driver
helped her from the vehicle, he announced her to the man at the door.  

"This way if you please, ma'am.  Your host awaits you."  He opened the
door quickly and escorted her through a crowded restaurant towards a
secluded and quiet back corner.  As they came around the corner, Nick
stood, but there all protocol ended.  His eyes sparkled, and his breath
caught in his throat.  He stood before Natalie gaping like a schoolboy at
his first date.  Natalie wore a cocktail length dress of rich, luxurious
crushed velvet in a dark, royal blue.  The collar was done as a choker, of
the same material, but the dress was almost more akin to a strapless dress
in its cut.  For instead of being held by uncomfortable wires, ribbing or
other such uncomfortable means of insuring the dress didn't fall, from the
collar there were lengths of pearl beads both front and back to support
the dress.  Natalie had a thin shawl wrapped about her shoulders in a
shimmering very light blue, and high heels to match.

Natalie was shaking inside, not knowing if she was passing muster or not;
This caliber of dinner being beyond anything she had ever experienced,
Nat was relying solely on the 'guidance' of television dramas she'd seen.
Nick looked absolutely stunning in his full tuxedo of a century-old style.
"Hi Nick," she managed, sounding more confident than she felt.  "You look
really good."

Nick seemed to come to his senses then.  He came around behind Natalie and
pulled her chair out for her.  "So do you, Nat!"  As he slid her chair in,
he leaned over her shoulder whispering, "Stunning, gorgeous, magnificent.
None of these do you justice.  You surpass all of them."  He kissed her
cheek, then took his own seat opposite her at the small, dimly lit table
with the candle glowing softly in its center.

Although Nick wasn't eating, he was moving food around on his plates and
Natalie nibbled enough from both of their dishes to make it appear that
they were both grazing on the various courses of the dinner.

Although neither Nick nor Natalie even noticed, being far too enraptured
with each other, they were witnessed by Captains Reese and Stonetree and
Commissioner Vetter, and their wives or dates.  Several times during the
course her own meal Denise would look over at Nick and Natalie and make
comments about being young and in love.

Denise gasped when a single flaming dessert was brought out and set before
Natalie.  Commissioner Vetter said he'd seen it once before, when Denise
asked what it was, but didn't know what it was called.  They watched as
the flames seemed to go out quickly, and below it was what appeared to
some sort of crepe and ice cream dish, drizzled in chocolate sauce and
covered with strawberries.

Oblivious to their audience in the brighter half of the restaurant, while
Natalie was looking at the flames dying on her dessert, Nick topped up her
champagne and quietly slipped something into it.

A moment later Natalie reached for her drink, and saw the gold and diamond 
ring sparkling through the bubbles that were clinging to it.  "Nick!"
Natalie exclaimed, heedless of the other patrons.  "This isn't...?"  She
pulled it out of the flute with the handle of her dessert fork, and laid
it on her napkin to wipe it off.

Nick smiled, and reached over for the ring.  Then he came around to
Natalie's side of the table, and went down on one knee before her.  "You
are the most beautiful woman in the world to me, Natalie.  You have given
so much of yourself to me and my quest, without asking for anything in
return.  I hope you have known how I've felt about you, Natalie.  I've
felt it since the day we met.  And my love for you has grown stronger each
and every day since.  I tried to deny it, but it wouldn't go away.  You
know what I have to offer, Natalie.  You know more about me than anyone
else on the planet.  There is only one way we can be together and have the
time we want and need.  Say yes, Natalie.  I want you to be my wife."
Nick would have said more, but 800 years of caution kept him from saying
more in a public place, even if he was unconscious of the fact right now..

Natalie looked over at Nick with tears shining in her eyes and running
down her cheek.  She couldn't speak.  She looked at Nick and nodded
dumbly, then pulled him into a tight embrace after he slid the ring onto
her finger.

It wasn't long after that they left the restaurant, their unseen audience
toasting their future happiness as they left arm in arm to the waiting
limousine. 

-=-=-=-

They cuddled in the back of the limousine enroute to the loft.  When they
got to the loft, Nick spoke softly to the driver, telling him his services
would no longer be needed tonight.  As the limousine pulled away, Nick
took Natalie's hand and they entered the lift.  Once upstairs, Nick lead
Natalie to the sofa.  "We need to talk, Nat."

"I don't want to talk, I can think of much more interesting things to do
right now."  The effects of the champagne throughout dinner were making
themselves known to Nick as Natalie trailed her hand down his chest
slowly, enticingly... seductively.

Nick sat beside her and took her hands in his own so she couldn't distract
him from what he had to say.  "Nat, the only way that we can be together
intimately means that I'll need to bring you across to my darkness.  I 
think you understood that, didn't you?  When you said yes?"

"I knew it then, and now."  Natalie tried to pull her hands away from
Nick's grasp to tantalize him again, but he held her fast.  Natalie
sighed, then giggled.  "I think I'm a little drunk, Nick."  She leaned
against him.  "But it's me, not the champagne, talking when I say I love
you."

Nick touched Natalie's forehead with his own.  "Do you want to wait until
we're married?  Or do you want me to bring you across tonight?"

Natalie giggled slightly, and realized herself that the talk and thinking
was helping her pass the slight intoxication faster.  "Why not do both?"
When Nick looked confused, she continued, "We can get a Justice of the
Peace to marry us tonight, and then we can come back here...  and do what
we've both wanted to for a long time... You can bring me across then."

"We'll have to take some time off from work until you are adjusted to
being a vampire..."

"We'll have the excuse then that it's our honeymoon, Nick.  Come on!
Let's do it!  I don't have any family or anything to invite, and you don't
have any you'd want present, do you?"  When Nick shook his head, she
added, "Besides, you know what a big deal cop weddings are!  This is for
us!  Let's do it tonight and tell everyone after!  You look like a groom
in that anyway!"

"You're serious?"

"Yes."

"Okay.  I always pictured you in a more traditional wedding dress...  but
I can't imagine you looking more beautiful than you do right now."

Nick called the cell number in the limousine he'd rented earlier and found
that the driver was still available.  Soon the car had returned, and Nick
and Nat were on their way to the courthouse, after a couple of other
calls were made to those who would be their witnesses.

-=-=-=-

Those in attendance were Grace, Richard's widow and daughter, Tracy and
her date (who of course was Vachon), and Myra and Jenny Schanke.  Joe and
Denise Reese, thanks to the fact that the captain had his pager on their
evening out with the others, were also present and did not let on they had
seen them earlier at the restaurant.  Grace and Vachon witnessed the legal
document, and by 11:30pm they were officially Mr. and Mrs. Knight.
Captain Reese said he'd arrange with Natalie's supervisor for time off for
their honeymoon, so that she and Nick wouldn't have to worry about
anything.

As they were about to leave to go back to the loft, Natalie suddenly
remembered the menagerie of crystals.  Turning to her friend, she spoke,
"Grace, Jeremy asked me to take most of the crystals home.  Will you pack
them all up for me, except the diorama and the one I told you made me
think of Sid?  I'll need to get you to look after Sidney for me too for a
little while, and my mail and stuff."  When Grace agreed, she pulled her
keys from her little purse and gave them to her friend, then with one more
round of hugs from everyone, they finally were on their way back to the
loft as husband and wife.

-=-=-=-

As they entered the loft, Nick took Natalie's hand, bringing it to his
mouth and kissing it.  "You're sure?"

Natalie kicked first one shoe off, and then the other, letting them land
wherever they may.  She turned slowly towards her husband.  "Surer than
I've ever been of anything else in my life, Nick."  Natalie was nervous,
but tried to force the negative thoughts out of her mind.  What did it
matter if she wasn't as tall or as slim as Janette?  Nick had just married
her, not Janette, so those things mustn't matter too much to him.
Natalie took the remote and dimmed the lights as soon as the fireplace was
lit.  Perhaps more subtle lighting would hide her flaws a little better.

"I can feel your fear, Nat.  We don't have to do this.  You can still
change your mind."  Nick tried to wrap his arms around her comfortingly.

Natalie took a step back.  "The fear is that you'll be disappointed.  I'm
not perfect like Janette.  I'm shorter, and rounder, and my hands and feet
are too big!  I just don't want you to be disappointed when you see me."
There she'd said it.  She'd just laid her worst fear out in plain view.

"Nat, almost no one likes their own body.  You may see her as perfect, but
she has her flaws too.  We all do."  Nick reached up to Natalie's hair and
began removing the pins, one by one, until her hair was falling loosely
around her shoulders.  He leaned over and began to kiss his bride.  As he
worked his way to the collar of the dress, he began to trace with his
tongue around each of the strands of pearls that held the dress up, down
her flesh beside the strand till he came to the dress, along it to the
next strand, and up that back to the collar...  

When Nick had completed his circuit around her, he undid the collar and
moved his hand down the zipper that began at the top of the dress back,
which was at the top of the small of Natalie's back.  He slowly slid his
hand lower, gently gliding the zipper down and over the curve of her
buttocks before it finally came to a stop at the bottom of the zipper.
Trailing his hand back to Nat's collar, he slid the collar forward and
allowed the dress to fall.

Nick stopped and gazed at Natalie, a little surprised.  With the style of
the dress he'd expected no bra, but the rest of her undergarments were
unexpected.  "You're full of surprises, aren't you."  The statement needed
no answer.  Nick quickly tossed a blanket to the floor before the 
fireplace, guiding his near naked wife to it.  Natalie reached for Nick,
and began to undo his button on his shirt, then helped him slide out of
his jacket and shirt together.  Then she reached for his trousers, and set
about to undo them.  Natalie was pleased to realize that her body, 
imperfect though she thought it to be, had a rather obvious effect on her
husband.  Natalie blushed slightly, and began to minister to his manhood
through the thin fabric his jockey's, stroking him.  Soon Nick had enough
of a tent to warrant freeing him completely, and she did so without
hesitation, sliding his briefs off his legs completely, and sliding off
his socks and shoes at the same time.

Nick watched Natalie, allowing her time to explore his body, enjoying her
explorations immensely.  When Natalie sat back and began to reach for her
own panties to slide them away, Nick stopped her.  "You bought them for a
reason.  Leave them on."  He sat up and pulled Nat onto his lap, pushing
his fingers through the opening in the 'crotchless panties' and touching
Nat's damp sex.  "You're eager..."

Natalie stiffened slightly.  "I haven't been with anyone since I met you,
Nick.  And I hadn't had much time for dating for the couple of years
before!  It's been a hell of a long time."

"It's okay, Nat...  It was just an observation, and one I'm enjoying."
Nick slid one finger further into Nat and swirled it around inside her,
then slowly withdrew it, bringing her nectar to his mouth, and slowly
sucking it off his finger.  Natalie began to relax to her new husband's
explorations of his own.

Nick soon guided Natalie back onto the blanket, and began to hear her
breath turn a little ragged as he explored every inch of her with his
mouth and tongue: gentle kisses, licking and tasting her various body
parts - ears, nose, shoulders, breasts, belly, thighs, even her toes.
Nick also used suckling that alternated between very gentle & fiery.  All
the while he continued to work her core with his hands.  At first he used
only one finger, but as she relaxed to that he added a second to the lower
ministrations...  Nick was worried that things would be uncomfortable for
her otherwise, since he lacked nothing in his size.  In older times when
such things mattered to him only in the victory or conquest they
represented, he had caused pain to inexperienced women or women for whom
it had been a long time since their last tryst.  He wanted to take the
time with Natalie to make sure she was ready to take him, impatient though
he may otherwise be.  Once he had allowed her to work and relax her
muscles to where he could stimulate her with all but his smallest finger,
he pulled his hand from her, tracing designs onto Nat's belly and breasts
with her own juices, then licking at the designs.  

As Nick placed his body above Natalie and slid gently into her, Nat let
out a gasp.  She and a college friend had once tried to outdo each other
with the talk of the size of their boyfriends, but soon both had ended up
buying rather large toys as "proof".  Natalie had actually managed to get
herself used to it at one point, but that had been a long time ago, and
that particular device had long since been left behind in a move between
college and the real world.  While Nick wasn't the largest guy she had
ever encountered, he was well up there on that scale, and definitely more
talented than the others had been!  But it had been a long time, and
Natalie really appreciated that Nick was giving her time to adjust to
him.

As Nat grew comfortable with the feel of Nick filling her, she began to
match his thrusts.  Their pace grew to match their mutual need, and
Natalie was on the brink of a massive orgasm...  Nick knew he couldn't
reach that pinnacle himself without the blood, yet he wanted Natalie to
know him once while she was still mortal.  So as Nat turned her head
offering her neck to her life's partner, Nick whispered "Not this time,
Love."  He shifted his balance to one arm and ripped into his own wrist,
causing himself to explode into her and triggering her own release.

Nick collapsed atop Natalie, and lie there, listening to her ragged
breathes as he felt her come around him, encouraging him once more...  But
he also knew she would need a little more time to collect her breath than
he would, so was content to lie there surrounded by Nat and basking in her 
warmth.

They lay cuddling by the glow of the fireplace for a little while, until
Natalie began to shiver.  Nick stood and tucked the blanked around Nat.
"I'll be right back."  Nick hurried upstairs and began to run a hot bath.
He peered into his cabinet, and found a little decanter of scented oil
samplers that Janette had once given him but he had never used.  Nick
selected a fragrance that smelled similar to Nat's perfume, but a little
muskier.  He added it to the bath, then placed and lit candles in the
bathroom and his -- their bedroom, and some fragrant incense sticks.
Then he returned to the main floor, where he picked up his new bride and
carried Natalie upstairs to the bathroom.

After Nick had left Nat soaking and warming in the fragrant water, he
ensured that there was sufficient blood in his fridge.  Not sure that 
there would be, he called the Raven and arranged for a case of human to be
delivered immediately, then rejoined his wife upstairs.

Nick climbed into the roomy tub beside Natalie, and once the tub had
finished filling, he began to caress her again.  This time he lathered her
with body wash, watching her body respond to his actions.  Natalie
returned the favour, and it didn't take much before Nick had slid under
Natalie, and they were soon enjoying the comforts of each others body in
the bath.

Nick guided Natalie onto him, and soon she was riding him.  With his
vampiric strength, This didn't tire Nick as readily as some mere mortal
men can.  Being a vampire definitely had an advantage in stamina!  Nick
pumped Nat hard, enjoying how he could watch her breasts bounce out of the
water then slide back under as if to try and hide from him.  Nat came on
him then, then fell against his shoulder into the water.  

When the water began to cool Nat stood, taking Nick's hand, and led him
to the bedroom, both still dripping wet.  Nick pulled the blankets back,
and a layer of rose petals lay in the bed.   "Lie back, Nick."  Natalie
playfully pushed him back onto the petals.  "Be right back."

When Natalie returned a few minutes later, she had a little tray, on which
she had sundae toppings.  She soon sat to work turning various parts of
Nicks anatomy into a sundae.  

Natalie took a scoop of ice cream and placed it on Nick's stomach.
Whipped cream circled his nipples, and chocolate fudge topping was
drizzled over his chest and abdomen.  Natalie even sprinkled some nuts on
top on Nick.  Then she set about to her dessert.  After licking some of
the chocolate off of Nick, she took a mouthful of ice cream and quickly
moved herself lower.  Before the ice cream had a chance to melt, Natalie
quickly pushed past her gag  zone, and took Nick's organ in her mouth,
deepthroating him through the cold ice cream.  

Nick gasped at the sensations but continued to allow Natalie her
pleasure.  Once the ice cream melted around him, dripping down into his
curly hair, Natalie returned her attentions briefly to his torso,
returning with more sensations in mind.  She tried the same technique,
with whipped cream and nuts, this time bringing Nick to the point where he
needed the blood.  Natalie cut her finger and presented it for him to
suck, knowing it highly unlikely he'd be able to drain her through it.

With the first taste of Nat's blood, Nick orgasmed, spasming his seed into
the whipped cream and nuts in Nat's mouth and throat.  With the last of
his shudders, Nat swallowed his seed, something she couldn't do without
benefit of whipping cream or some other edible, but something that used to
really impress her boyfriends in her earlier university days when she 
still had the time for dating.

Expecting Nick to need time to recover like a mortal man would, it took
her totally by surprise when Nick suddenly flipped them both over,
transferring the ice cream and whatnot to Natalie's body from his own.
Nick couldn't eat the foodstuffs, but that didn't mean he wouldn't use
their texture and temperature to his advantage.  

Soon Natalie was as sticky and syrupy as Nick, but with a difference...
Nick would dip his rod into the jar of syrup or topping, and then rub
himself on Natalie's body.  Finally Nick disappeared and returned, at
vampire speed so as Nat would barely notice he'd gone.  When he returned,
Nick quickly took a freezie-pop left over from one time he had watched
Jenny for Don and Myra, and slid it inside Natalie's hot core.  As he
pushed it within her, simulating his own pumping rhythm, Natalie gasped,
and Nick twisted so that his own manhood was very near to Natalie's face.
Natalie willingly opened her mouth, encouraging him with her hands
until he entered her mouth.  Nick kept the dual rhythm going until he felt
Nat reach her release.  When Nat shuddered and began gasping for her 
breath, Nick finally slowed his pace, and lay atop his new bride amid the
syrup, whipped cream, ice cream, nuts and chocolate sprinkles.

After a few minutes, Natalie looked at Nick, laughing.  "What a sight we
must be, eh?  Oh, God! Look at this mess!"  Natalie stood, holding her
hand out to Nick, who rose beside her.  Together they pulled the sheets
off the bed, which they crumpled into a plastic bag for the cleaning
service to pick up next time they came by.

Then they returned to the bathroom, where Nick turned on a warm shower for
them both.  Standing beside his wife in the shower, he detached the spray
head and turned it to a gentle pulse before cleaning Nat from top to 
bottom with it.  Once the last of the 'dessert' had been rinsed from her
body, Natalie took the hand-held showerhead, and repeated the process on
him.

Once Nick was as clean as Natalie, he took the showerhead back, and tucked
it into its wall mount, so that it was again raining spray down on the
both of them.  "Let's not try tonight, Nat, but I've known a few women
who've really enjoyed that type of hand held shower."  To Nat's puzzled
expression he answered, "Because you can aim them..."  Nick nuzzled his
wife, and reached for her, sliding his hand down her slick body until his
fingertip just touched her swollen clit, which he gently tapped as he
finished his  sentence, "...right where you want..."

Nick turned the water off, and took out two fresh towels for them.  As he
wrapped one around his bride, he sensed the presence of another vampire.
Wrapping his own around himself, he whispered, "Wait here," and suddenly
disappeared.

-=-=-=-

Nick went to the main floor of his loft, where he discovered Urs had
brought over a crate of the best human vintages the Raven held.  She was
putting them into the fridge when she felt Nick's presence and turned.
"Hi Nick.  I thought you had your own stock you drank.  What's up?"

"I want the best for Nat."

"The Doctor?  You're bringing her across tonight?"  Urs looked very 
surprised.

"Have you seen Vachon tonight?"

"No.  Why?"

"Well, if you had he'd have probably told you Natalie is my wife, now.  We
just got married.  She's still upstairs."

"You're both happy?"

Nick smiled, and it was obvious to Urs that it reached deep within his
soul.  "Yeah, I am.  So is she.  I've never been happier, Urs."

"Good.  I'm happy for you then.  Both of you."  Urs gave Nick a quick kiss
on the cheek.  "You want to go back up to her then.  But bring her around
afterwards.  I'd like to meet her, and she might like to meet some of us
too.  You both deserve to be happy."  With that she took off through the
skylight.

Nick turned to the stairs to see Nat looking over the railing.  "Who was
that?"

"She a friend.  One of Vachon's, actually.  A sweet girl.  Young as our
kind go.  She's been around about a hundred years.  She brought over the
order I phoned to the Raven earlier."

Nick put the last one in the fridge, then turned and met his wife on the
stair, and hand in hand they headed to the bedroom.  Nick took clean 
sheets out, and he and Natalie remade up the bed.  Natalie loved the feel
of the silk against her flesh, as she wriggled closer to Nick.

Nick rolled on his side, and took Natalie's hand, bringing her knuckles to
his mouth.  "This will be the point of no return, Nat.  Up until when I
begin to drink of you, you can still change your mind.  But at that time,
it's over.  I'll have to bring you to the brink of death, Nat.  You'll be
given the choice to return to me, or to go through the door and into the
light.  You have to make that choice.  Do you understand?

"I understand, Nick.  I'll come back.  I love you, forever.  I have faith
that we'll find a way for us both to rejoin the day and that someday we'll
do  just that, together.  Have faith in us too, Nick.  I will make the
right choice for us."

Nick pulled Natalie close, and began to caress her.  Nat responded,
trailing her fingertips down Nick's back, barely touching him, yet her
delicate touch sending shivers up and down Nick's spine.  Nick covered
Nat's mouth with his, and their tongues began their own choreography.

Nat slid her hand down and began to massage her husband's buttocks,
enjoying the feel of his firm muscular derriere under her hand.  Nick bent
his head, and began to suckle at her breasts, first one and then the other
as he alternated the treatment between them.  He found Nat's clit, and
began to rub it, stroking circles around it, across it, and enjoying the
pleasure of knowing his wife was responding to his intimate affections.

When Nick felt that she was ready, he rolled onto his back pulling Nat
with him, and guided her on top of himself.  Nick opened his mouth to
speak, but was stopped by a finger from Nat laid across his lips.

"Shh..." she whispered, "I know...  close to the point of no return.  I
know what I want Nick, and to be one with you is *exactly* what I want.  I
will not be changing my mind."  Nat bit her lip, worrying at it until it
began to bleed a little, and presented her mouth to Nick.  With the first
tiny drop of her blood, Nick felt Nat's overwhelming love and desire to be
one with him, and no fear to speak of.  He then knew that this really was
what Nat wanted, and saw her dreams of them being able to one day return
to the light together and raise a family.  Nick searched her feelings, and
realized Nat didn't want those things with anyone other than him.  The
strength of those feelings nearly overwhelmed him.

Nick began to pump his bride, pushing himself deeper and harder into Nat's
welcoming core.  Nick encouraged Nat to ride him too, taking more control
of the situation and the experience.  Soon Nick's eyes turned golden, and
he knew his fangs had dropped.  He felt Natalie's tender fingers at his
eyelids, and tracing his mouth.  "I love all of you Nick, both man and
vampire.  Please don't hide from me...  Let me love all of you."

Nick slowly opened his mouth first, and Natalie flicked her tongue across
one of his extended fangs.  Still feeling no fear of him, Nick opened his
eyes, letting her see the fierce glow of them in the dimly lit room.
Natalie leaned over and gently kissed each eyelid.  Nick rolled Nat onto
her back, and began to pump into her harder as he neared his release.  As
Natalie came, clenching her fingers into his shoulders and gasping his
name.  It pushed Nick over the brink himself, and he tilted Nat's head to
access her willing neck.

Nick's seed spurted into her as they came together, and still the only
thing Nick could feel from Nat was her overwhelming love for him.  Then he
realized that her heart was slowing.  Her hands grew weak, and she was no
longer able to hold onto him.  As her hands dropped to the silk sheets
beside her, Nick heard her whisper "love... you...", and then she lost
consciousness under him.

-=-=-=-

Nick reached out with his senses, and heard her heart struggling to pump
the blood that her body no longer held.  With one last frantic flutter,
Nat's body shuddered once, and then she and her heart were still.  Tears
welled in Nicks eyes as he prayed to a long abandoned Savior to please
let Natalie return, to give them a chance at returning together someday.

Nick quickly tore his wrist open, and held it to Natalie's mouth, as he
cradled his wife's still body to him.  "Please come back, Nat.  Please?
I love you so much.  Please have the faith in us that you tried to talk
into me.  I love you so much.  Please come back to me..."  Nick sobbed
over his still wife.

Natalie found herself standing.  There was air and light, but there seemed
nothing else.  Then the swirling mist seemed to slowly clear, and she
found that she was standing on grass, a lawn that looked like that of her
grandmother's house when she left for university.  It looked right, but it
was a shell for the comfort of recognition, and she somehow instinctively
knew that.  A figure opened the door, and there was the most beautiful
light she had ever known glowing from within the house.  Natalie took a
step towards it, when a figure clad in black stepped through the doorway
and she instantly knew it was her brother, even though she also knew that
she wasn't supposed to recognize this yet.

"This was the biggest decision you made in your life, Natalie.  Now you
are faced with another choice."

"The same choice you made?"

"You recognize me then, Natalie?"

"I have always known your heart, Richard.  You were always a good man."

The figure began to take on a more recognizable shape.  "Then you know the
choice.  Those of us who have come before await you inside, or you can
return to your Nicholas.  I can't tell you what will happen following your
decision."

"You know how much I love Nick."  It was a statement to which her brother
nodded solemnly.  "Then you know what I must choose.  I believe in us,
Nick & I.  We will find a way to return here, to our families, when the
time is right for us, after we have shared a long and happy life together.

The light behind Richard seemed to be reaching out to Natalie, as if to
encompass her unless she made a strong effort to get away.  As Natalie
began to back up, she added "Tell Mom and Dad that I love them and miss
them.  But tell them this isn't my time."  Natalie began to hear Nick's
sobbing voice as she backed away from the porch and the brightness of the
light.  "I love you Richie.  I always will.  Please make Cynthia
understand, she's just a child... I love you all, but I have to return.
If you have any way to relay a message to Nick's mother, tell her I'll
take good care of her son."  The light began to grow towards her rapidly,
and Natalie turned on her heels and fled, trying desperately to outrun
the expanding light.

"Oh God, Natalie, what have I done!"  Nick was sobbing, sure that his
wife had been unable to make the choice to return, when he felt a feeble
suck on his wrist.  Nick opened his eyes, and looked down into Natalie's
face.  "Natalie?  You came back to me?"  As the suckling on his wrist
wound grew stronger, Nick began to cry tears of joy.  Finally Nick knew
he had to pull his wrist away, or he wouldn't be strong enough to look
after her when she awoke with first hunger.  

Nat sleepily looked up at him, and whispered one word, before the deep
sleep of the fledgeling encompassed her.  "Faith..." she whispered, and
fell asleep in Nick's embrace.
==============================
<fin... for now>