Title: Charade Unveiled
Fandom: Forever Knight
Category: Romance/ DarkNN 
Pairing: Nick/ Nat
Rating: R
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this story belongs to me but to Sony/Tristar and TPTB.
I'm just borrowing them temporarily. No infringement intended. No profit is being made. 

Special thanks to Doris for beta reading.

Charade Unveiled
by PJ
October 2003

Nat had been nagging him for weeks. 
October 31st was looming up and everybody was going crazy with preparations for the Police Commissioner's annual Halloween ball. Well, almost everybody. Nick could not understand the logic of mortals dressing up as witches, fairies, pirates, ---- and vampires. That was what bothered him most. Why did everyone want to be a vampire these days?

He always feared if mortals occupied their minds too much with the abilities and disabilities of vampires in preparation for their roles they would become too perceptive and one day find out that there was a real one living in their midst.
Natalie had rattled down several ideas for costumes he could dress up in, even making a half serious joke about teaching the wannabes how a professional creature of the night looked like. She knew he would never do that.

Perhaps it was time for a little surprise. If she wanted a vampire to accompany her to the ball, then that's exactly what she would get. He could seize the opportunity to show her a little of what he really was. Perhaps then she would change her mind in trying to push him into moving their relationship to a more intimate level. Not that he did not wish to act on his feelings for her, but he knew the consequences. And he doubted that she was ready to take this step. So he hoped to scare her enough to keep her from any further forays to tempt the vampire.

Once he had set his mind, he took the lift to the first floor which he kept as storage area and began to search for the perfect attire.

* * *

Natalie stood in front of her full length mirror and regarded her outfit. She was dressed in a Victorian gown which she had found in a chest of her grandmother. Her hair was piled up on her head, hairstyle matching the gown.
She was a little nervous, as always when Nick took her out on an official occasion. 
She had not succeeded in finding out anything about his costume. While at first he had been reluctant to dress up at all, the idea seemed to have grown on him. But he would not give her any hints. 

"You do look lovely", a deep voice suddenly spoke behind her.
"Nick!", she shrieked. "Don't do ---"
Turning around she stopped in midsentence, staring at him open mouthed.
He stood before her dressed in the fashion of a nobleman in the late 1880s, complete with cloak. His hair was combed back, a cane in his hand completed his outfit. Grinning he showed her his fangs.
"Do you think they look real?" he asked innocently.
Natalie burst into laughter and swatted him on the shoulder.
"You look great", she said. "Are those original clothes?"
"Yes, they are. As are yours, I assume?"
"I found it in a trunk that belonged to my grandmother. Though I don't know if it was hers or her mother's."
"Whatever, it looks as if it was made for you. It fits you perfectly, Natalie."
She blushed at his compliment.
"Let me get my coat, then we can go."
He helped her into her coat. Then he bowed slightly.
"Milady, your carriage awaits."
Smiling she took his offered arm and they proceeded down the stairs.

* * *

As they entered the ballroom, the majority of the guests were already present. Half the nightshift was dressed as vampires, including Schanke. It probably comes with the territory, Nick thought. They approached the table where Don and Myra Schanke were waving at them from across the room. Schanke had his hair done in  Bela Lugosi style. He wore a black suit and a cape draped around his shoulders. 
"Hey, partner", he said with difficulties through his fake fangs. "You look great but you should have applied more pallor to your cheeks."
Natalie had a hard time keeping a straight face at his comment.
Nick grinned at him. His cheeks were indeed more flushed than usual because he had fed more than his fill in order to make it through this night. And it had not been his usual variety either.
"That is because I just sipped from the neck of this lovely lady here", he said in a conspirational tone to Schanke.
Natalie blanched a little at his comment. He was in a daring mood tonight.
Schanke giggled. "You always have the right answer, Nick. Tell me, how do you manage to speak so well with those fangs in your mouth?"
"Lots of practice, Schanke", he replied casually.
Just that moment a waiter approached their table to take orders for drinks. Nick chose a glass of red wine while Natalie settled for a white wine.

As the band began the first bars of a waltz and most of the younger officers hurried from the dance floor, Nick stood and bowed slightly to Natalie.
"Would Milady give me the honour of this dance?" he asked with all the gayety of courtship.
Natalie smiled. "Milady would be pleased", she answered, taking his hand.
He lead her to the dance floor and swept her into the waltz. After a few hesitating steps Natalie's feet seemed to take on a life of their own. Nick lead her gracefully through the steps, never faltering once or bumping into another pair. Sometimes she thought she would lose her balance but he held her steady. As the piece ended, she noticed that they were alone on the dance floor. Everybody else had stopped to watch the elegant pair. Nick placed a kiss on Natalie's hand and lead her back to their table.
Natalie was glad that she had brought her fan with her. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and not only from the exertion of the dance but from Nick's attentive behaviour as well. She took a sip from her wine and tried to calm her nerves.

"Hey, Nick, that was great! Where did you learn to dance so well?" Schanke asked admiringly.
"You don't want to know, Schank", Nick said evasively.
"Myra and I took a course before we got married. Myra's mother said the bridegroom should at least be able to make it through the opening dance without staggering. How about we try again, honey", he asked his wife.
They left the table to mingle among the crowd on the dance floor.

Nick took the opportunity to pull a small silver flask from his pocket. He quickly added the contents to his half empty glass of red wine.
Natalie stared at him.
"Is that what I think it is?" she whispered.
"That depends on what you think it is", he whispered back grinning and raised his glass. He inhaled the aroma deeply before he took a long draught from the mix. Natalie watched him savouring what she suspected to be blood. Something was different tonight. He seldom drank right in front of her and she had never seen him savouring his drink like a delicious wine. She was prevented to comment though because Schanke and Myra returned to their table. 
After Nick had finished his glass with unnerving ease, he took Natalie again to the dance floor.

During a slow dance Nick steered her to a shadowed corner of the ballroom.
"Are you enjoying the evening?" he asked.
"I'm delighted", she beamed. "I haven't had so much fun in years."
As she looked up to him with sparkling eyes, Nick couldn't resist the temptation of capturing her lips in a lingering kiss. She was a bit startled at first but then she returned the kiss with ardour, careful not to slice her tongue at his fangs. His mouth wandered across her cheek to her neck where he started to nibble slightly along the vein.
Natalie squirmed in his arms.
"You do like this, don't you?" he whispered seductively into her ear.
Natalie muttered in acquiescence. She was thrilled by the emotions he evoked in her. Still the rational part of her brain warned her of the danger she was getting herself into. With the last of her will power she pushed him slightly away.
"We better return to the dance floor, Nick. Before I lose myself completely", she said, slightly embarrassed.
Nodding he placed a gentle kiss on her hand and lead her back among the dancers. He held her at a greater distance this time to give her the opportunity to collect herself for which she was grateful.

On their way back to the table he plucked a red rose from one of the decorations and handed it to Natalie.
"For you, Milady", he said.
Natalie blushed. She was beginning to feel a little foolish blushing every time he paid her a compliment but she couldn't help it. No man had ever been so attentive to her as Nick was tonight. Of course he knew exactly how to push the right buttons. Then again, he probably had lots of practice in that field. 

She could not get her eyes off him. Displaying the vampire so openly made him dangerously attractive. The dark aura he exuded was almost palpable. She wondered if the others noticed it, too. Or was she just more perceptible to it because she knew it was no disguise? The Schankes seemed to be indifferent. She, however, felt herself drawn to this darker side of him. 

While the conversation at the table continued along the line of work, she kept fingering her rose. Suddenly she gasped as she accidentally cut her index finger on a thorn.
Before she could raise it to her lips a cold hand grabbed hers. Never breaking eye contact Nick slowly raised her finger to his lips and licked off the small droplet of blood that had formed at the tiny cut.
Natalie was speechless. Nick had just publicly tasted her blood!
"I----I----, excuse me, I just need to go to the Ladies' room", Natalie stuttered. With shaking knees she stood and fled to the bathroom.
"Eeeeew, Nick, don't you think you are overacting a little bit?" Schanke asked making a face.
Nick did not pay attention to him. The offering he had savoured was small but full of emotions. It told him that Natalie was clearly attracted to this dark side of him. That was something he had not thought possible. He had assumed she would be repulsed if he showed her a little more of his nature.

* * *

In the bathroom Natalie was surprised to find her cut already healed. She splashed some cold water on her flushed face. After she had calmed down a bit, she ventured back into the ballroom.

Upon entering the hall, she was advanced by a young sergeant from the 67th. Despite her refusal he wanted to drag her to the dance floor. Suddenly Nick was beside her in a flash, shoving the sergeant into the wall.
"Back off", he hissed. "She's mine!"
The sergeant retreated immediately, muttering an apology. He had heard about the "Knightmare" but thought the stories were exaggerated. Dressed up as a vampire, Knight was indeed a scaring sight. It must have been a reflection of the lights from the ceiling but for a moment he could have sworn that his eyes were glowing.

Natalie was a little shocked by Nick's possessive proclamation. As she looked into his eyes, she saw flecks of gold dancing there.
"Nick, your eyes", she whispered in alarm.
He squeezed them shut and took a deep breath. As he opened them again, she saw the purest blue. 
"Sorry", he mumbled. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah", she assured him. "He is new on the force. He could not know that I had come in your company. I mean, it is not that you have put a mark on me or something."
"Perhaps I should rectify that situation", he whispered seductively into her ear.
The way he said it caused her to shiver in his arms.
"What do you mean?" she asked intrigued. Was he about to propose to her?
"I think we should talk, Nat", he said instead.
"OK?"
"But not here. Are you ready to leave?"
"Yes, actually my feet are hurting a little", she confessed. "Let's just say goodbye to Myra and Don."
"Let's not cause a general break up. I'm sure Myra wants to stay a while longer. She rarely gets Don out to a dance like this. Let's just vanish, OK?"
To her amazement Nick led her not to the exit but onto the balcony. 
"But I need to get my coat."
"We can retrieve that tomorrow", he said.
He took off his cloak and wrapt it protectively around her shoulders. Then he pulled her into his arms and after an affirming glance that nobody was taking notice of them, he took to the air.

Natalie let out a shriek as the sudden shift in gravity told her they were airborne. Realizing that his hold on her was the only thing that separated her from certain death, she tightened her arms around Nick.
She tried to get her bearings but the cold wind refrained her from making out any clear objects.
Her stomach did another flipflop which told her that they were descending. Then the warmth of the loft enveloped her.

Nick gently placed her on the couch in front of the fireplace.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"You could have given me a warning", she complained, still feeling a little out of balance.
"Ah, that would have spoiled all the fun", he grinned.
He sat down beside her and took her hand in his.
"Nat, I showed you more of the vampire today for a reason. I thought it would drive you away", he confessed.
She started to protest but he continued.
"I was wrong, Nat. Instead of repulsing you I noticed that you were attracted by it. You are really an extraordinary woman. Anyone else would have run screaming from that ballroom when confronted with the things I did to you."
Nat blushed again. She did not know where he was leading.
"Nick, I love you. All of you. Nothing you do would repulse me."
He regarded her solemnly. "Don't be so sure", he said quietly. "You are aware that in order to be intimate with you I would have to bite you?"
At her surprised intake of breath he continued, "The man can give you pleasure in the mortal way but ultimately the vampire will demand its due. There is no way around it."
She nodded, although she failed to see the connection. He had never been very elaborate on that topic.
"So, if we continue this way, there are only two possibilities of how this might end. The first one is that I drain you which is completely unacceptable to me. The second is that I bring you across which should be unacceptable to you." He paused before adding, "But from what I gained from your blood today I know that you have considered it."
"Nick, I want to be with you. If this is the only way, then I want you to do it."
Nick was struck by the love he found in her eyes.
"There is a third way but it is only a temporary solution and will lead to number one or two sooner or later."
She looked at him expectantly.
"If I take only a small sip, you will be able to recover. It would form a bond between us. I would always be able to find you and sense your emotions. Other vampires would recognize my signature on you and know you to be mine."
Nat did not like the part about possession but apart from that it did not sound too bad.
"That sounds reasonable to me", she said. "Where's the catch? Why didn't you propose this before?"
"There are side effects. Once I have taken your blood, you will want a repetition. The craving will become so intense that sooner or later the need will consume you. Then I would have to bring you completely across before you lose too much blood."
Natalie did not quite understand why she would want him to bite her again. It would probably hurt and be anything else than pleasant.
"On the other hand", he continued, "you are a resistor. I have never done that with a resistor before. There is a chance that you might not feel these urges as others have."
His casual talk about "the others" made her slightly uneasy. How often had he done this before? And what had happened to them?
"Nick, about that yearning. I don't think it can get any worse than it is now", she confessed.
He looked her straight in the eyes.
"Then you are willing to give yourself to me?"
"Nick, I want to make love to you. No matter what it takes."
"You would trust me enough to take only a little bit?"
There was no hesitation in her voice as she replied: "I do trust you, Nick."
That was all the confirmation he needed. He leaned forward and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. Taking her in his arms, he flew them into his bedroom.

There he gently set her on the bed. While he showered her face with kisses, he started to remove her gown. 
Natalie was a little taken aback by the skilful routine with which he undressed her. It spoke of familiarity and lots of practice with these kind of gowns. Soon she found herself distracted from that line of thought when Nick was applying nips and kisses to every new exposed spot of skin.

* * *

On the height of passion, just as Nat thought it could not get any better, his fangs entered her neck. The initial pain was soon replaced by the most wonderful sensations. Nat felt her release shudder through her and at the same time she found herself flowing into Nick. She sensed a connection with his consciousness and for a moment she felt totally loved. 
But there was something else lingering behind the veil of love: a fierce hunger for her life blood and her very soul. Before her mind recoiled in alarm to these images, she was lulled back into the protective cloud of Nick’s love, stilling the terror that had momentarily taken hold of her. She felt the pleasure of Nick’s ecstasy as he drank from her, an exhilarating sensation which she did not want to end, despite the alarming lethargy that was beginning to seize her body. 
As he withdraw from her neck, a feeling of loneliness overcame her. She knew that only by giving him her blood she would feel whole again. But she was too exhausted to comprehend the full meaning of this realization.

She opened her eyes and saw his blue ones regarding her with expectation.
"Are you alright?" he asked, concerned.
She nodded, too tired to pay attention to the faint alarm bells that were going off in the background of her brain. "That was incredible, Nick."
He leaned towards her neck again and licked the wounds until they stopped oozing.
Nat snuggled up in his arms and soon drifted into sleep.

Nick regarded her solemnly. Despite her protestations to the contrary, she had been afraid. He had tasted it in her blood like some additional spice that made her natural flavour even more exquisite. And she did not have the slightest idea what she had gotten herself into. She was used to being an independent woman. She would have to learn that as a fledgling vampire she would be dependent on him for at least a century. Only time would tell how she would cope with the changes he had initiated tonight. He hoped she would do well or he would lose her forever.

He smiled at the irony of it all. On a day when everyone else was putting on a charade he had abandoned his own and simply been himself: Nicholas de Brabant, a vampire. O yes, he was still there, lurking beneath the surface, always waiting for his chance to break free. Tonight he had been successful in luring a resistor under his spell.
His master would be proud.

FIN