From: TheBear! <thebear@earthling.net>
Subject: [all-xf] Fic: Incarnations of Immortality by: TheBear!
Source: atxc

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

Chapter 17a


 


Nick's Loft

 

6pm Saturday December 16th

 

By the time Mulder had returned, Scully was feeling very out of sorts.
Mulder had been picking up on that feeling during his drive back and
ended up nearly hitting the garage door as he slid to a stop outside the
loft.  He jumped out of his car and practically ran into the elevator.

 

Nick and Natalie were watching Scully with some concern.  Ever since
they had gotten up that evening and come down stairs, she had been
pacing back and forth in front of the door to the elevator.

 

"Dana, what's wrong?" Natalie asked the pacing redhead.

 

Scully looked up, surprised, at the question, "Nothing's wrong, Nat.
Why do you ask?" she said with confusion in her voice.

 

Her pacing continued unchecked.

 

Nick and Nat shared a glance, the shared question resonating across
their link.

 

"Well, I was just concerned that you might actually wear a trench in the
concrete..." Nick said, pointedly glancing at the floor underneath
Scully's pacing feet.

 

"What are you talking..." Scully began, following his gaze to her feet;
which she just realized were furiously pacing back and forth in front of
the elevator door.  She realized that she had been ignoring their
attempts to engage her in conversation for over 30 minutes.  She looked
back up at her master and his mate- her sister- and apologized
sheepishly, "Sorry Nick.  Sorry Nat, I'm just waiting for Mulder to get
here."

 

"Speaking of Mulder, Where is he?" Natalie voiced the question she had
been trying to have Scully answer for the last half-hour.

 

Scully slowly made her way over to the now-grinning pair.  It was almost
as if she could feel her body's resistance to leaving the elevator.  She
had been entirely focused on Mulder, watching his trip through his eyes,
silently urging him to hurry.  She absentmindedly replied to Natalie's
question- her mind wandering back to the front seat of Mulder's car as
he sped back to the loft- "Oh, he went out for breakfast."

 

Nick and Nat both noted Scully's thoughts wandering away again and
shared another look of concern.  Her body was standing right in front of
them, but her mind was obviously with her lover.

 

Just then they heard the sound of car tires screeching to a halt just
outside the loft.  They saw awareness snap back into Scully's gaze.
They watched in amusement as Scully returned to the elevator and begin
pacing even more furiously in front of the door while the elevator
slowly made its way up to the loft.

 

Mulder was feeling even more frantic as he impatiently waited for the
elevator to reach its destination.  He barely had his hand on the door
when it violently slid open and he was flung to the back of the car.
Scully was wrapped around him, her teeth buried in his throat.

 

She had no rational thought- as soon as the car reached the floor of the
loft; she was tearing at the door to get to him.  She barely even saw
him before she was on him.  She didn't know what she was feeling until
she touched him, then the hunger rolled over her, and she knew
instinctively that only his blood would quell the pangs she was feeling.
She felt his teeth tear into her shoulder before their intertwined
bodies hit the back of the elevator car.

 

Neither would later be able to recall which one of them initiated the
flight to the bedroom, or even the flight itself.  All they knew was
that they needed to bury themselves in one another with all due haste.

 

Nick and Nat stood, jaws agape, as the two flashed out of the elevator
car, fangs still locked into each other's flesh, bits of fabric falling
away from the flying couple as they tore each others clothes off in an
effort to get skin on skin.  The lust they felt through the
master-child link, combined with the pheromones saturating the air, was
too much for them to take, and Natalie quickly pounced on Nick, tearing
at his clothing and latching onto his shoulder, as he was quicker and
already had his teeth sunk into her throat.

 

Had there been anyone left to witness it, a second mass of
fabric-flinging, snarling vampire flesh would have been seen flying up
into one of the bedrooms.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 


Tracy Vetter's Apartment


 


7pm Saturday

 

Tracy had wanted to get some of her things to move to the church
immediately, as well as to give notice to her landlord.  Vachon went to
get a few cases of 'provisions' and said he would meet her at her
apartment in a couple of hours or less.  She had to drive, so that she
would have someplace to put things, and so it was that she saw her
father's jaguar parked in the lot outside her building.

 

"This had to happen sooner or later," she thought to herself with a
sigh.  "I was just hoping for later."

 

She noticed with some annoyance that his car was empty, meaning that he
had obviously decided to let himself into her apartment to wait for her.
He would no doubt be angry and just waiting to attack her the moment she
walked through the door.  She decided to speak to her landlord first, so
that she could spend as little time in his presence as possible

 

A week ago she would have been afraid of facing his anger.  Now she was
only afraid that she would give in to the desire to kill him.

 

Commissioner Vetter was extremely angry with his daughter.  He had been
waiting at her apartment for hours, waiting for her to get back.  He had
worked his way through most of the bottle of bourbon she kept around for
his infrequent visits, and was fully primed for confrontation when he
finally heard the key in the lock to the front door.

 

"Where the hell have you been?!" he roared as soon as she walked in the
door.  "Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting for you?  Why
haven't you returned my calls?" he began his tirade.  He anticipated
seeing guilty embarrassment on her face, to hear some pathetic excuse
come forth and was prepared to cut her off mid sentence.  What he got
was so far outside of his expectations that he was rendered temporarily
mute.

 

All he saw was annoyance.  All he heard was, "None of your business; No;
and I didn't want to speak to you."

 

Tracy was secretly amused by the response she got from him.  He looked
like a fish out of water, his mouth opening and closing, but no sound
emerging.  She faced him fully, hands on hips, and wearily asked, "What
do you want?"

 

When he didn't respond, she continued into the apartment, walking toward
her bedroom to pack.

 

He followed her into the bedroom and watched her begin packing her
clothes and other personal items into several boxes.  "What the hell are
you doing?" he demanded.

 

Tracy almost laughed in his face.  "I can't believe I used to fear this
man," she thought.  Out loud she answered, "Packing.  I'm moving out."

 

"Where?  What the hell is going on?" he shouted, flustered and confused,
and enraged.

 

He really was a tiresome little man, she observed.  "That also is none
of your business," she answered.  "Now, if you will excuse me..." she said
as she walked past him with two boxes stacked in her arms.

 

He had never been this angry before in his life.  He reached out and
grabbed her arm, meaning to spill the boxes from her hands and spin her
to face him.  He might as well have grabbed onto a passing truck.  Her
momentum was slowed not one bit, and he was yanked forward, face first
onto the floor.  Tracy continued unchecked and set the boxes down on the
floor by the door.  She unhurriedly returned to the bedroom where her
pathetic excuse for a father was just getting up off of the floor.

 

Tracy looked directly into his eyes and said, "Don't ever touch me
again."

 

He felt a chill of fear run up his spine at the tone of her voice and
the coldness in her eyes.  He made one last half-hearted attempt to
intimidate her.  "I am your father, Tracy!  You will..." he began.

 

Tracy cut him off, "Except for sperm donor, there is not one positive
definition of 'father' to which you can lay claim."  She continued in
the same menacing tone, "If you feel the need to communicate with me in
the future, I suggest you go through the chain of command,
commissioner."  As an afterthought she added, "Oh, leave the door key on
the counter on your way out.  The landlord will be wanting it back when
I move."  She then turned her back on him and began loading some more
boxes.

 

Stunned at her dismissal, He silently turned and left the apartment,
slapping the key down loudly on the counter and slamming the door as he
exited.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 


Nick's Loft


 


7pm Saturday

 

It was a very sheepish Mulder and Scully that made their way down the
stairs to where Nick and Natalie were waiting- their faces a combination
of curiosity, concern, and smirking.

 

"And just what was *that* all about?" Nick asked his daughter.

 

Scully looked to the kitchen, where Natalie was unceremoniously downing
a bottle of blood; Nick was at least using a glass, but he too appeared
to have consumed most of a bottle.  She glanced at Mulder and thought,
[you're not helping, here!] as she saw that he was barely suppressing a
leer.

 

[Sorry, Scully.  But, it's a good question!] he replied silently.  [Mind
you, I'm all for a good ravishing, but I've never seriously considered
doing it in front of our friends.]  Now the leer was no longer hidden.

 

Nick watched this interplay for a moment before asserting a little
authority, "Daughter, I asked you a question!" he said both aloud and
through the link to Scully.

 

"I don't know, Nick!" Scully almost whined.  "I... I've never...  I don't
know!  When I woke up and he wasn't there, I felt... I don't know, antsy I
guess," she said with a sigh.  "We usually... well you know.  When we
first wake up, I mean," she said, embarrassed to be discussing this
topic.

 

Nick smiled at his child's discomfiture.  "Dana, vampires are very
sensual creatures.  When they live as a pair, it is entirely normal for
them to have sex at least daily."

 

Everyone chuckled when Natalie muttered, "Thank God!"  Now it was her
turn to be self-conscious, as she hadn't meant to say that out loud.

 

Scully was still concerned, though.  "Yes, but... well it was more than
just desire, Nick," she said quietly.  "The past couple of days, it was
like... I can't come up with a good analogy," she muttered.  Suddenly one
occurred to her, "It was like heartburn- where it feels like your
insides are on fire; and Mulder's blood was like antacid putting out the
flames.  Except, the burning was throughout my whole body."  She looked
up at Nick; his face was showing surprise and concern.  She sighed again
and walked with Mulder over to the couch where he sat in the corner and
she draped herself over him like a cat.  Neither had to consult the
other, they just automatically arranged themselves like that.

 

Nick and Nat traded glances before assuming similar positions in the
chair facing them.  "You were literally experiencing physical pain?"
Natalie asked.

 

"Until this afternoon, it was more like mild discomfort.  I didn't
really pay attention to it- like when you are a little hungry and grab a
snack, or feel an itch and you casually scratch it without investing a
great deal of thought."  She turned to Mulder and stroked his cheek as
she said, "I needed you.  You were there, and I took what I needed."

 

[So I'm just your boy-toy now, Scully?] Mulder thought to her with a
grin.

 

[I was thinking more along the lines of sex-slave, Mulder,] she replied,
smiling broadly and leaning in for a gentle kiss.

 

Nick and Nat shared a look at this blatant PDA and simultaneously
cleared their throats loudly.

 

Mulder smirked at them as Scully pulled away.  "Sorry guys, Scully had
an itch," he joked.

 

Scully lightly slapped him on the chest, saying, "You are evil, Fox
Mulder!"

 

Natalie's medical curiosity was re-awakening and she made an
observation, "Today was different, though?"

 

Scully sighed again and answered, "When I woke up, it felt like it has
been- I didn't really even notice it at that point."  She turned back to
Mulder and continued, "If you had been here, I probably would never have
noticed it.  We would have sated that need and moved on as normal- or
what passes for normal these days, anyway."

 

Natalie prompted her to continue, "But he wasn't there."

 

"Right.  It got worse and worse until I felt like... I don't know-
'yawning chasm of emptiness' seems so trite- but I don't quite know how
else to describe it.  I just know I needed him desperately."  She looked
shamefaced at describing this out loud.  "So, after breakfast, I focused
on him and asked him where he was.  I told him to get back here..."

 

"And when he got here you jumped him," Natalie said with a grin.  "Not
only that, but you were broadcasting so strongly on the lust station
that you inspired me to attack Nick as well."

 

"Sorry about that" Scully said, clearly embarrassed.

 

Nick was a little worried at Scully's description of how she felt, it
reminded him of the way opium addicts described withdrawal symptoms.

 

Scully suddenly remembered where Mulder was, and what he was doing when
she recalled him.  "Oh God, Mulder.  I made you leave him when we could
have had him."  She closed her eyes and ducked her head in shame, "He
was right there, and I told you to let him go."  [I'm so sorry, Mulder.]

 

Before Nick or Nat could ask the obvious question, Mulder jumped in,
"Shh, Scully.  It wasn't just you.  I obviously felt it too, or I would
never have acceded."  He gently stroked her cheek, down to her chin, and
lifter her face to meet his gaze, "We don't know what would have
happened if I hadn't come back.  Besides, I'm sure he'll show up for the
challenge."

 

Nick and Nat both spoke at once, "Who?!"  Nick continued with, "Who did
you let go, Mulder?  What are you talking about?"

 

I was having breakfast when our friend from the other night dropped by,"
Mulder answered.

 

"You saw Froag?  And you let him get away?" Nick nearly shouted.

 

Scully ducked her head again and Mulder answered, "Don't worry, Nick.  I
told him to meet me tomorrow afternoon.  He'll show, I'm sure of it.
That's supposedly the way it is between immortals."

 

Nick wasn't entirely placated.  "And what do you plan to do with him if
he does show up?" he asked.

 

Mulder answered, "Nothing."  At Nick's glare, he continued, "We're going
to pay a visit to our friendly multi-millennial man, and see if he wants
to take care of it.  I think he should have first shot, don't you?"

 

Nick snapped, "Since when does the FBI condone vengeance?!"

 

Mulder was stunned by Nick's outburst, as were Scully and Natalie.

 

"Nick, that's hardly fair..." Natalie began.

 

Nick abruptly stood up, catching Natalie in his arms and setting her
into the chair.  He began pacing, saying, "I know, I know.  Immortals
and Vampires are outside the jurisdiction.  I know it, but I don't like
it.  It's wrong; it makes me feel like a hypocrite.  It's my job to
catch killers and incarcerate them so that the court can mete out
justice as defined by the law!  I hate it when I have to cover up
murders because 'The Community' is above the law.  I know it's
necessary, I just don't like it."

 

"And now you have to do the same for Immortals," Mulder added,
sympathetically.  "Believe me when I tell you that I understand.  I know
Scully does too.  I have lived for nothing more than trying to expose
conspiracies and cover-ups for the last 7 years."

 

"Exposing vampires would only lead to more death and destruction,
Mulder," Natalie said sorrowfully.  "I imagine that the revelation of a
race of immortals would create chaos as well," she added.

 

"I imagine it sounds like a thin rationalization, but I think Nick was
right when he said 'Immortals and Vampires are outside the
jurisdiction," Scully began.  "These people are not going unpunished-
they are being dealt with by the communities to which they belong."

 

"That rationalization might work with your community, Scully," Mulder
began.  "But, it doesn't sound like immortals have enforcers or a
council to 'uphold the code' as it were."

 

"You don't know that, Mulder," Natalie said.  "You should ask Adam; if
he is older than LaCroix, surely he has been around long enough to
know."

 

"Even if there is such a group, it is obvious that they don't stop us
from killing each other- any more than your enforcers stop you from
hunting humans.  They only intervene if you endanger the 'community's'
secret, right?"  At Nick's solemn nod, he continued, "So only the sloppy
ones are dealt with.  It's ok to kill humans, so long as you are neat
and tidy about it."

 

"I don't like it either!" Nick shouted.  "What am I supposed to do about
it?" he said wearily as he sat down on the arm of the chair, next to
Natalie.

 

Mulder hugged Scully tightly to his chest.  Scully answered for him,
feeling his pain through the bond.  "We are all of us killers, Nick."
She turned to Natalie and said, "You will have to kill one day as well,
Natalie.  To protect yourself, Nick, or even to uphold the Code.  If you
live long enough you too will be a killer."

 

Mulder added, "We will try to protect the good guys, catch the bad guys,
and deal with the moral quandary of those in between as best we can,
Nick.  That's all we can do."  Mulder sighed resignedly, "Sometimes we
might even accomplish some good- save some lives, stop some evil; but we
won't always win."

 

Scully caressed her lover's hair and said, "We have been losing the
fight against evil ever since we were partnered together, Mulder."  She
smiled brightly and added, "Frankly, I'm looking forward to winning a
few now.  I almost pity Alex Krycheck the next time we encounter him."

 

Mulder's sour mood evaporated in an instant.  "Oh yeah, not to mention
that black-lunged son-of-a-bitch Spender!" he said with a chuckle and a
gleam in his eye as he pictured the event.

 

Natalie decided to play hostess.  She got up and went to the kitchen,
returning with two bottles and four glasses.  She poured the bloodwine
for everybody and then returned to Nick's lap in the chair, saying, "So
Mulder, tell us about your little adventure today."  She leaned forward
with a big smile on her face and whispered excitedly, "You went out into
the sunlight!  Tell me everything!  How did it feel?  Did you use any of
your new abilities?  How did the daylight affect them?"

 

Her child-like questioning caused Mulder to laugh.  "Alright, Natalie.
I'll tell you all about it.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 


The Raven


 


7pm Saturday

 

LaCroix was waiting.  It wasn't something he did with much forbearance.
He was accustomed to demanding immediate obedience and attendance.  This
one, however, would not respond well to such treatment.  Johannes was
not as old as himself- nearly five hundred years his junior- but he was
stubborn and hard headed.  If LaCroix wanted any cooperation from him,
he would have to be civil; verging on respectful.

 

He had met Johannes several centuries ago, and had not been particularly
impressed.  A vampire who dedicated his life to historical research and
study was not the type with whom LaCroix tended to socialize.  However,
if anyone in the community knew about immortals, or watchers, he would
be the one.

 

Of course LaCroix had to entice him, somehow, to fly to Toronto from his
home in Luxembourg.  It wasn't that Johannes was unwilling to travel,
but to demand his presence on such short notice, without explaining his
reasons... well, some sort of compensation had to be made.  Money was not
a concern for Johannes; his interests were for things of historical
significance.  LaCroix had had to offer him one of his personal journals
from his campaign in Gaul, as well as a promise to spend a day at his
home in Luxembourg discussing the journal once he had had time to study
it.  The latter was, of course, dependant upon the Vampire Scholar's
ability to assist LaCroix with the information he desired.

 

LaCroix was especially intrigued when Johannes had indicated the time
frame of his campaign in which he was most interested; as it
corresponded almost exactly to his experience with the tribe Mr. Pierson
had led.  Never one to believe in coincidence, his attention was
quickened by the thought that Johannes might be interested in
information about a particular immortal.  If necessary, he could use
that as a wedge to pry an admission of knowledge about immortals.

 

Finally LaCroix felt Miklos approach his office escorting the Historian.
"Show him in, Miklos," he said before the bartender could knock.  He
stood and donned a mask of conviviality.

 

"Johannes, welcome to the Raven.  Please sit," he said, indicating the
chair before the desk.  Turning to dismiss Miklos he said, "Thank you
Miklos, you may return to the club."

 

Johannes took the proffered seat and waited for the door to close before
he said a word.  Accepting the silent offer of bloodwine from his host
he spoke, "Well, LaCroix.  What is it you want to know so badly that you
were willing to part with one of your personal journals to bring me
here?"

 

LaCroix almost smiled.  "Right down to it, very well.  I am interested
in an individual I encountered several days ago.  He was very old for
someone who is able to walk in the daylight," he said, watching closely
for Johannes' reaction.

 

Johannes remained impassive, "Why ask me?  How is it that you think I
might know of this 'old man'?"

 

"You are renowned among the community for your knowledge of the
historically arcane Johannes.  This was not an old man in the sense of
aged, but rather in the sense of... not mortal."

 

"Are you saying he was a vampire that walks in the sun?  There is no
such thing, to my knowledge LaCroix."

 

"He was no vampire.  His heart beat like a mortal, but he recovered from
a fatal assault within seconds.  And, I had met him before.  Long enough
ago that no mortal would have survived it, let alone without aging."
Seeing Johannes wanted to protest, he added, "In addition, my son had
two rather unusual encounters this week with a different individual who
also seemed rather... not mortal."

 

The Historian could tell that LaCroix had more information than he was
giving; that he knew some of the answers already to the questions he was
asking.  He seemed to be more interested in finding out whether he
himself was privy to the knowledge, than in seeking answers to his
questions.  "Unusual in what way?" he asked simply.

 

LaCroix knew that Johannes believed that he was giving away nothing with
his answers, but already he had determined that the Scholar knew of
immortals.  Now he would see if he knew anything about these 'watchers'.
"He also recovered from fatal injury.  Twice before my son's own eyes.
Then there is the beheading and subsequent, shall we say 'shocking'
occurrence."  Oh yes, he definitely knew about immortals.  "Then there
is the group that, *observes* these immortals..." "Ahh, that struck a
nerve, he actually almost flinched," LaCroix thought to himself.
"Observes... and *hunts* them."

 

The moment he bristled, ever so slightly, at that comment, Johannes knew
he was lost.  He knew LaCroix had seen it and interpreted it correctly.
"Fortunately he is not so ungracious as to smile at it," he thought to
himself angrily.  "Well, at least I will get the journal with the Methos
information; though it would be better if I didn't hold him to his
obligation to come to Luxembourg to discuss it with me."

 

Seeing and feeling the self-flagellation, followed by the acquiescent
anticipation, LaCroix knew that he had been correct in his estimation of
Johannes' interest in his journal.  He would leave that revelation for
later, if at all.  "So then, Historian, tell me the history of the
Immortals and the Watchers," he said; shocking his guest with the depth
of his knowledge.  "...And I will tell you about the Hunters."

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

Chapter 17b


 


Nick's Loft


 


9pm Saturday

 

Mulder hadn't been sure how to present the events of the afternoon- not
because of anything he did, but rather because he was concerned about
Nick.  He was worried that Nick would be jealous or angry because Mulder
seemed to be getting the best of both worlds- all the powers of the
vampire, with none of the weaknesses.  Nevertheless, he detailed the
events of the afternoon.  At one point he almost laughed- realizing that
Nick had paid rapt attention to the recounting of driving in the
daylight, eating a steak and drinking a beer, whereas the ladies didn't
bat an eye at that and only wanted to hear about Froag.  "What a
difference eight centuries makes," he thought.

 

[What do you mean by that?] Scully asked silently.

 

[Nick seemed almost excited about the story until I started talking
about Froag.  Whereas that's when you and Nat got interested,] Mulder
explained.  [Being confronted with violent death from a psychopathic
headhunter is far less out of the ordinary than sunlight, food and beer
when you've been a vampire for the better part of the millennia, I
guess.]

 

Nick was sitting back with his hands steepled before him, index fingers
gently tapping his lower lip.  Natalie was off his lap and standing
behind the chair, her hands absent-mindedly toying with his hair.  Nick
was thinking about how Mulder fit into the community and the code.  He
was not a mortal, but not a vampire either.  Any vampire who saw him
would assume he was mortal, and mortals weren't allowed to know about
vampires.  "What would an enforcer do?" he wondered.  "Do they know
about immortals already?  Why would they keep it a secret?"

 

Mulder and Scully were both startled when Nick asked, "What does Dana
get out of it?"

 

"What do you mean by that?" Scully asked, somewhat sharply.

 

Nick hadn't necessarily meant to verbalize that thought, but he
clarified, "I was just wondering what you get out of this bond with
Mulder."  When he saw her 'are you an idiot?' look he hastened to
explain, "I don't mean personally, Dana.  I was referring to the changes
Mulder is undergoing- all of them positive, so far."

 

Natalie caught Nick's train of thought and continued, "And, you don't
seem to be lacking anything, so we can tentatively rule out a parasitic
effect, but are you changing at all, Dana?"

 

Scully thought about the question for a moment as a large grin stole
across her face.  She began to chuckle softly and then louder.  Mulder
could hear her thoughts as she wondered how her family, acquaintances
and co-workers would answer that question if they could see her now.
Soon Mulder was laughing along with her as she imagined Skinner with
smoke pouring from his ears when he walked in to their office and found
Scully planted in Mulder's lap, whispering sweet nothings in his ear and
nibbling on his throat.

 

Finally she answered the question as Mulder wiped the blood tears from
her face and idly licked them from his fingers.  "Nick, if you knew me
before I came to Toronto, you wouldn't know where to begin listing the
changes I have gone through," she said incredulously.  "No more 'Ice
Queen,' that's for certain."

 

Both Nick and Nat showed identically quizzical eyebrow lifts, causing
Mulder to snicker as Scully clarified, "I'm not especially known for
displaying emotion on the job."

 

[That's not true Scully- you never hid your annoyance, frustration,
exasperation, irritation...] Mulder began when Scully cut him off with a
slap on his chest.

 

"Enough from the peanut gallery!" she said aloud.  Turning back to Nick
she said, "Seriously, Nick there have been so many changes... I have no
idea what changes are because Mulder and I finally admitted our
feelings; or because I finally learned that at least some of the,
heretofore paranormal, is real; or because I became a vampire; let alone
if they are because I am drinking immortal blood."

 

"We will just have to deal with anything as it comes- after all, we
aren't going to stop doing it," Mulder said.

 

Scully growled at the thought, "You've got *that* right!"

 

Natalie was concerned about the feeling of disquiet that she was sensing
in her master.  "What is it, Nick?  You seem more than just curious,"
she said, combing her fingers down through his hair.

 

Nick looked up at his lover and smiled softly at her look of concern.
"Nothing important, at least not yet.  Just thinking aloud."   He
reached up and pulled her hands around to his mouth and kissed each palm
before returning his attention to his other daughter.  Changing the
subject entirely, he asked, "Have you and Mulder made any plans about
your immediate future?"

 

Mulder smiled and said, "Trying to get rid of us already, Nick?" while
nuzzling his lover's face with his cheek.

 

Scully was starting to become slightly distracted by Mulder's
attentions- not enough that she was even aware of it yet, but desire was
once again beginning to build in the back of her mind.  She had missed
Nick's question, but heard Mulder's answer, and caught the gist of it.
"We've pretty much ruled out staying in the FBI- at least in any
full-time capacity," she said.

 

"We thought we might be able to consult on occasion," Mulder added.

 

"We definitely need to go back to Washington to get things settled
before deciding where to go from there," Scully said as she
unconsciously began stroking Mulder's chest; the fragrance of his blood
beginning to register on her senses.  "We'll have to deal with our
resignations..."

 

Mulder continued the line of thought, "...Our apartments and such..."

 

Catching Mulder's gaze, Scully resumed "We'll have to deal with the
boys..."

 

"And your mother," Mulder finished.

 

"God, yes.  That's going to be an interesting conversation!" Scully
commented.

 

Mulder grimaced and said, "I just hope your brother Bill is out to sea,
and not home for the holidays."

 

Scully stopped rubbing his chest and laughed out loud.  "He'll probably
burst a vessel, seeing us together."

 

"No 'probably' about it.  I just hope he doesn't piss you off too much.
I don't think your mother would approve of you draining your brother for
Christmas dinner."

 

Scully stiffened slightly and said in a haughty voice, "I have more self
control than that, Mulder.  Besides he'd probably taste funny."  Scully
paused in surprise, and then commented, "I can't believe I even joked
about that."

 

Nick added, "Just so long as it's a joke, Dana."  He sighed somewhat
dramatically, and then leaned forward in his chair. "I hate to be the
obdurate one here, but I have to remind you that you cannot share your
new status with mortals.  Not even your family.  Especially not your
family.  You would be putting them and yourselves at risk of your
lives."

 

"I know, Nick.  Having the enforcers pay a visit on my mother is the
last thing I want to have happen.  We will find a way to be careful.  If
something slips, I'll just have to make sure she doesn't remember it."
She said resignedly.

 

Nick muttered, "Just hope she isn't a resistor."

 

Natalie decided to lighten the subject, "Will you two be able to come to
our wedding?"

 

Scully and Mulder both recognized the change of subject for what it was
and smiled gratefully at Nat.  "That's two weeks, right?" Scully said.
Turning to Mulder she raised an eyebrow in question.

 

Mulder said, "If we leave Monday, take a week to put affairs in order,
spend Christmas with your mother...  We could be back up here in time for
the wedding."  It's where we go and what we do after that that is still
in question."

 

"Why Monday, Mulder?" Scully asked.  "We could probably catch a plane
tomorrow..."

 

"I still want to meet up with MacLeod tomorrow night," Mulder explained.
We need to decide whether or not I will take him up on his offer."

 

That surprised Natalie.  "Why train?" she asked.  "Surely you don't need
it now..." she began.

 

It was Nick who answered.  "If Mulder wants to hide what he has become
from the watchers, he would do well to train in the 'normal' fighting
styles; using his 'extra abilities' only as a last resort."  Though he
was answering Natalie's question, he was clearly making a strong
recommendation to Mulder as well.

 

"I hear you, Nick.  I think I would want to anyway.  If it is going to
be such a large part of my life, it would behoove me to become more
skilled."  He then smiled widely.  Besides, I studied fencing at Oxford,
and I really enjoyed it.  It should be even more enjoyable now."  Seeing
raised eyebrows all around, Mulder clarified, "I mean the study, not the
application.  Besides, Pierson said MacLeod could take him, and he is at
least two thousand years old.  MacLeod must be really good.  Plus, he
can tell me all about being an immortal."  Looking into Scully's eyes
for any sign of dissension, he continued, "The more I consider it, the
more I think that I should train with him."

 

Natalie asked, "Does that mean you will move to Seattle?"

 

Scully remembered, "He said something about not having lived in Toronto
before...  Maybe he was thinking of moving here?"

 

"If it is only six months or a year, I guess it doesn't really matter
where it is.  That isn't a great length of time even for a mortal.  It
will give us time to plan the next decade or two.  Where we will go, and
what we will do," Mulder said.

 

Nick commented, "Remind me to give you Aristotle's contact information
before you go."  At the look on Mulder's face he elucidated, "No not
*the* Aristotle.  He provides a service to the community.  He arranges
new identities- absolutely ironclad.  Much better than the stuff you see
from government agencies."

 

Scully smiled and changed the subject back to the wedding.  "Will you
really be able to put together a wedding in two weeks?"

 

Natalie laughed, remembering what Nick and LaCroix had both said to her
concerns in that very area.  "When I asked Nick that question he said
that I shouldn't worry about it.  He said, 'Anything is possible when
you say the magic words.'"

 

Mulder looked at Nick, who was avoiding anyone's direct gaze.  "What are
the magic words?"

 

Natalie laughed again when Nick ducked his head in obvious
embarrassment.  "Money is no object," she answered for him.

 

"Ah.  How will you explain that on a detective's salary?" Mulder asked.

 

Natalie's smug grin threatened to split her face wide open as she
whispered in a mock-conspiratorial tone, "He's going to acknowledge
LaCroix as his father.  I can't wait to see the looks on everyone's
faces."

 

"You don't have to sound so gleeful, Nat," Nick groused, crossing his
arms and huffing like a little boy.

 

"And you don't have to be so glum!  The gossip and stares will die away...
eventually," she finished with a snicker.

 

"I can hardly wait," Nick grumbled.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 


Tracy Vetter's Apartment


 


9pm Saturday

 

When Vachon arrived at Tracy's she was clearly furious.  He had felt the
progression from annoyance to the present state begin almost from the
moment she had gotten to the apartment.  He could tell that she had had
an unpleasant confrontation, but he didn't know with whom.  It hadn't
occurred to him that her father might be waiting for her there.  In
Vachon's mind, a reasonable person would have seen that Tracy wasn't
home, and tried again later, let alone that the person would not only
wait for hours, but then blame the absent person for not being there to
greet unexpected visitors.  He didn't know Richard Vetter well enough to
guess that he would be so entirely unreasonable, despite Tracy's
description.  By the time he got to her door he could feel the barely
restrained violence roiling off of his child in pulsating waves.  He
broadcast love and reassurance as forcefully as he could before he
walked into the apartment.

 

He was almost startled by her appearance when he walked in the door.
She was fully vamped out and her fingers were flexing like an eagles
talons as it rived the flesh from its prey.  "Trace, what happened?"

 

"He was waiting for me,  like a mugger.  An emotional mugger, waiting to
assault me as soon as I opened the door," she seethed, fingers still
flexing, body vibrating as she restrained herself.

 

"Who, Tracy?"

 

Vachon could hear her teeth grind as she growled out the reply, "That
rat-bastard ex-father of mine."  In spite of the fact that she didn't
need to breathe at all, her breath was coming like a bellows between
each word as she continued, "He... makes... me... so...*ANGRY!*"

 

"Tracy, I..." Vachon started

 

Tracy interrupted as she began to slowly stalk across the room towards
him, "I want to lift his body up over me; tear his head off and bathe in
his blood!"

 

"That wouldn't be a good..." he tried to get a word in edgewise, but she
interrupted again.

 

"Vachon, I need you.  I need you to take me, possess me; ravage me and
remind me that I belong to you alone," she whispered loudly.  "I need
you to pound into me until I am insensate; until there is nothing of him
left in me.  Until you are the only thought in my mind."  Her voice took
on a pleading note, "I need you Javier.  Please?"

 

Through the anger and lust he could sense her desperation.  She needed
to be the center of someone's attention; to be valued and desired and
cherished.  He knew that she wanted him to be rough and domineering, but
he could tell that, in the end, she would need him to finish with
tenderness and compassion.  As he grabbed her by the back of her hair
and dragged her throat to his awaiting fangs, he was already looking
forward to both.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

It was just past 1am as Vachon pulled the exhausted body of his child
into his arms on the floor in front of the fireplace.  He had done
everything in his power to wear her out.  Every trick and technique he
had learned in five centuries of sexual experimentation had been brought
to bear, and still it had almost been himself that had succumbed first
to the need for respite.  She amazed him with her ability to take
everything he had, everything he did, without missing a beat.  Things he
knew she had never even thought of doing before, and she willingly did
it all.  He had ruthlessly possessed her, using her body in ways she had
never imagined. She gave as good as she got, though.  He had lost count
of the number of times she had brought him to peak, and he had been
careful to make sure she had at least two for every one of his.  Even
with vampiric healing, they were likely to be sore when they woke up.

 

It was during the last bout that she had finally broken, emotionally.
As he had predicted, she needed it rough in the beginning to assuage her
rage; however, it was the loving tenderness and gentle affection of the
final coupling that tore down the walls of bitter resentment and anguish
that her erstwhile father had spent her lifetime constructing.  Her last
orgasm had left her tremulous and sobbing in his arms as almost thirty
years worth of tears were shed in the space of ten minutes.

 

Finally she had cried herself out and was now sleeping in his arms.  He
was exhausted, but sleep eluded him.  He had lived for roughly five
centuries as a vampire, but fewer than three decades as a mortal.  In
all that time, he had never felt anything, good or bad, as deeply as the
emotions his child had been going through while she cried.  He felt the
deeply bitter resentment and sense of betrayal that she suffered as a
result of her father.  He discovered that before meeting him, Tracy had
defined her existence by the approval of her mortal father.  Approval
that he never fully gave, withholding it as a tool to bend this
intelligent, vivacious young woman to his will.  It took the shedding of
her mortality to break away from the emotional shackles with which he
had bound her.  In the end her father had sentenced her to life
imprisonment- she had to die to be freed.

 

The feelings that were pounding through his veins were more intense and
profoundly momentous than he had ever experienced.  His head and heart
were seething with intense and conflicting emotions; heart-rending
compassion for his child's anguish and stomach-wrenching fury for her
father's abuse.  He was torn between the desire to wrap her in his arms
and never let her go, and the desire to find that man and inflict the
most horrifying demise conceivable upon him.

 

In the end his rage dissipated somewhat, as the sorrow he felt for Tracy
overwhelmed him.  Soon his face was wet with bloodtears as he cried for
the innocent child that had been so viciously abused.  Though Richard
Vetter had never physically harmed his daughter, his mental cruelty had
almost broken her spirit.  Vachon could hardly imagine what Tracy might
have been capable of if she had grown up in a loving and supportive
home.  Selfishly, he was glad that she had not.  He wanted nothing but
the best for her, but he also knew that it was unlikely that he would
ever have met her in the first place under such circumstances, let alone
ended up her sire.  He was so amazingly joyful to have her in his life
that the though of never meeting her in the first place was like a stake
in his chest.  His own past seemed like an insubstantial dream and he
was somewhat discomfited to realize that he had lived for so long with
so little impact on the world or the people in it.  Other than killing a
lot of them, of course.  He had flowed through his existence with no
real purpose or meaning.  Avoiding the responsibility placed on him by
his own sire, fleeing his brother in darkness who wanted him to accept
that responsibility.  His brother, the Inca, who had himself died
upholding their master's charge- to prevent senseless violence and
death.  His shame for his behavior was new to him- do doubt elicited by
his child's ingrained sense of right and wrong- of duty and
responsibility.

 

Regardless of whatever events in both their lives had occurred to bring
them to this point, he was grateful that they were both here.  Vachon
didn't know how his life was going to change now that he had a
conscience, but he knew that it would.  He laughed when he remembered
that Disney movie where the puppet wanted to become human, and the
powers gave him a guide to show him right and wrong- "something cricket...
Jimmy... Jamie... something like that," he thought.  He knew he would never
call Tracy 'Button' again, but maybe a new Nickname was in order.

 

The last thought on Vachon's mind as he finally succumbed to sleep was,
"Goodnight, Cricket."

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 


The Raven


 


12:30am Sunday

 

Johannes had spoken almost without pause for nearly three hours before
finishing his overview of the history of the watchers, and what was
known of immortals.

 

LaCroix pondered the information silently for several minutes while
Johannes refreshed himself with several glasses of bloodwine.  Finally
he spoke.  "Who else among us knows about this?"

 

Johannes seemed almost taken aback by the question.  "Why, I haven't the
faintest idea, LaCroix.  I have never discussed the subject with anyone
outside of the watchers."

 

"And there are no other vampires among these 'watchers?'" LaCroix asked.
"That seems unlikely, doesn't it?"

 

"I don't know with any certainty; however, I have never seen or heard of
any of us among the watchers," Johannes answered.  "However, vampires in
general aren't particularly avid historians, to my knowledge.  It is not
inconceivable that I am, or was, the only one with this knowledge.  You
have lived longer than I and yet you were ignorant of their existence
until very recently, were you not?"  At LaCroix's acknowledging frown he
pressed on, "Now, LaCroix.  You intimated that the watchers are hunters
of immortals.  I can assure you that that is not the case.  Perhaps you
will explain to me why you have drawn this conclusion."

 

"To your knowledge, watchers have never hunted their charges?" LaCroix
asked.

 

Johannes shook his head and vehemently denied it, "I have been involved
with this group for four centuries, LaCroix.  I have access to every
record they have written- there is not even a hint that this has ever
happened before."

 

LaCroix leaned back in his chair and looked down his nose at the
historian.  "Then this development is either very new, or you and your
'brethren' are blind to the possibility.  I suspect the truth lies
somewhere closer to the latter."

 

He went on to tell him of the events leading to the deaths of the
watchers who had captured Mulder.  He left Mulder's immortality out of
the tale, allowing Johannes to believe that he was merely a mortal toy
of his granddaughter's.  He also left out the age of the immortal that
the watchers were hunting- and the fact that it was the same man
referenced in the journal in which Johannes was so interested.

 

Johannes was shocked.  He wanted to deny that it was possible, but of
course that was shortsighted.  LaCroix would not have dragged him all
the way to Canada just to provide him with false information regarding
the watchers, a group of which he shouldn't even be aware.  "You said
one of them was called Perone?"  At LaCroix's nod he frowned.  "I am not
familiar with that name.  I will have to look into this carefully."  He
stood up abruptly, "If there is nothing else?" he asked, waiting for
LaCroix to give him the journal they had discussed.

 

LaCroix made no expression has he opened the center drawer on his desk
and removed an ancient, leather-bound book.  He handed it over to
Johannes without a word.

 

"I will contact you when I am ready to discuss this," Johannes said,
indicating the journal.

 

"Of course," LaCroix said smoothly, rising from his seat.  "I always
keep my obligations."  Pausing for a moment he added as nonchalantly as
possible, "Perhaps you would inform me of your findings on these
hunters?"  At Johannes' raised eyebrows he explained, "As I now have an
acquaintance among the Immortals."

 

Johannes stiffened, "I must caution you, Immortals are not to know about
the watchers- it would make our task immeasurably difficult if they knew
of us."

 

LaCroix smiled pleasantly, though his eyes more resembled a snake poised
to strike, "I can certainly understand why you would wish to keep such
information in confidence."

 

Johannes, recognizing the precarious nature of the situation he was in,
capitulated without protest, "I will certainly keep you informed of my
findings."  At LaCroix's minute bow, he said, "Then I will bid you good
night, yes?"

 

LaCroix answered in kind and opened the office door for him.  After he
left, LaCroix returned to his chair and sat back, sipping his bloodwine,
as he contemplated the encounter.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 


3232 Tableau Ave., Apartment C


 


2:30 a.m. Sunday

 

Methos was walking up the street, back to his apartment after another
fruitless game of 'find Froag.'  "Lousy bugger is not following his
normal pattern," he thought, frustrated.  The watchers still hadn't
found him either and Methos was beginning to get the idea that he must
have left the city.  "Which, again, one wouldn't expect, seeing as how
he had missed out on Mulder's quickening," he thought with annoyance.

 

He was muttering to himself as he walked when he felt it.  He was about
two houses away from his apartment when the quickening impinged upon his
grumbling.  He immediately stopped and did a slow 360-degree turn.  He
then stopped moving and listened- but nothing.  He kept one hand in his
jacket on the hilt of his sword as he resumed walking toward his
temporary home.

 

When he approached the door to unlock it he was surprised when the knob
turned freely.  Now he drew his sword, less concerned with any nosy
neighbors than he was with being unprepared for an attack.  He knew Mac
was still in buffalo, because he had called and asked to be picked up at
the airport tomorrow evening.  It was unlikely that he could be lucky
enough to find Froag waiting for him- he shouldn't even be aware that
Methos was in town.  That left the newly immortal Mulder as the most
likely candidate.  However, Methos had not lived five millennia by
assuming the best.  "Besides, why would Mulder be sitting in my
apartment, in the dark?" he mumbled softly to himself as he opened the
door.

 

Both Mulder and Scully heard the mumbled question and were chagrined to
realize that they had forgotten to turn on the lights, no doubt leading
Mr. Pierson to his somewhat cautious entry.  They had wondered what he
was waiting for, standing outside the door for a length of time.  In an
effort to allay his fears, Mulder softly called out, "It's agents Mulder
and Scully, Mr. Pierson."

 

Methos reached in and turned on the lights, looking about the room to
verify that the two Americans were alone before lowering his sword and
fully entering the apartment.  "Why are you sitting in the dark?" he
asked, still not comfortable with the situation.

 

Mulder gave his best disarming smile.  "We got tired of waiting outside,
so we came in," he said, ignoring the real question.

 

Methos remained where he was just inside the door, still not happy with
finding these two in his place in the dark.  "Yes, but why didn't you
turn on the lights?"

 

Scully chided him, "To see what?  The Mattress?  The Chair?  As
diverting as those were, we covered them pretty quickly."

 

Mulder continued with, "We had to find other things to occupy our time
while we waited."

 

At Methos' somewhat bemused look Scully said, "You're asking the wrong
questions, Mr. Pierson."

 

Mulder was enjoying the tag-team effect and followed up with, "What you
want to know is why we came here at all."  [This is fun, Scully!] he
thought.

 

[You are such a little boy sometimes,] Scully thought back, but she
didn't quit.  "Isn't it?"

 

Now Methos was quite thrown- aggravated with his fruitless search and
the annoying way these two were talking to him, like a bad Gilbert and
Sullivan comedy.  He walked over to the chair and sat in it, elbows on
knees and face buried in his hands he sighed out, "Yes, very well. Why
are you here?" trying to convey his annoyance while sounding like the
soul of longsuffering patience nearing the end of its rope.

 

Mulder smiled and said, "Would you feel better if we told you that we
know where Froag's staying?"  Seeing Pierson perk up he couldn't help
but add, "Unfortunately, we don't."

 

Seeing Pierson's near-homicidal glare, she quashed Mulder's joke.  "We
do, however know where he will be tomorrow evening."

 

Mulder whined, [Spoilsport!]

 

Scully replied, [What are you, five years old?  Just give him the
address.]

 

Mulder pouted a little but rattled off the address to Pierson, adding,
"It used to be an auto parts warehouse.  Now it seems to be abandoned."

 

"Seems to be?" Methos asked.

 

"Well, there were some people using it last week, but they are gone
now." Mulder said, braving Scully's wide-eyed glare.

 

Methos asked, "Are you certain that they..."

 

Scully interrupted. "Quite certain," she said flatly.

 

Methos raised his brows in question, but Scully ignored him.  "Come on,
Mulder.  Lets get out of here, I'm hungry," she said as she dragged him
towards the door.

 

Methos remembered something suddenly and said, "Agent Mulder, could I
impose on you to pick up MacLeod at the airport tomorrow, as it seems I
will be otherwise occupied?"

 

"What time?" he asked.

 

"Their flight is due in at 6pm; Preston Commuter Air flight 63 at Gate
36c" Methos said.

 

Mulder answered, "Sure.  We'll see you at the Raven tomorrow night?"

 

"Yes, I'll be there," he said as they walked out.  "Providing I'm still
alive," he added as he shut the door.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====


Chapter 18a


 


Terminal 3

 

Lester B Pearson International Airport

 

6:02 p.m.  Sunday December 17th.

 

MacLeod had kept his word; by 7 a.m. they were both so exhausted that
they passed out, their bodies tangled in the sheets, their limbs wrapped
around each other's.

 

As the plane taxied to the gate, MacLeod was reliving the previous night
in his head.  He had marveled at his reaction to her.  He hadn't had
that much sex... well, pretty much ever.  In the short time he had known
Janette, they had loved each other more times than he had done in a
month with any other woman he had ever known.  He had never had
difficulty rising to the occasion before, but with Janette, it seemed
like he was constantly aroused.  A look in her eyes, a soft touch, a
single sultry sentence- that was all it took for him to be ready for the
next bout.  Even more marvelous was the fact that she seemed to feel the
same way.  Her constant delight in his body didn't seem to weaken with
the frequency of their coupling.  He had no doubt that if they had not
succumbed to fatigue, they would have continued all day long.

 

They had stopped for a few moments at a time for Mac to drink and eat,
as he needed to replenish his blood supply frequently.  Neither of them
even considered her not taking his blood- that was the most intense and
intimate part of their union.  For those few moments while she consumed
him, they were joined more completely than mortals, or immortals, could
ever imagine.  To know one another so completely; to feel their deepest
doubts and fears, their greatest joys and delights; to bask in the
warmth of each other's love; it was magnificent.  He had lost count of
the times they had cried at the beauty of this thing between them, it
was second only to the number of times that they had laughed till they
had no breath (figuratively for her).

 

Though they had been fast and furious at times, mostly it was leisurely-
as they explored one another's bodies, learning their secrets.  It
turned out that Janette had the most sensitive legs- from the backsides
of her knees all the way up to the crease at the top of her thighs.
When Mac would caress the backs of her thighs while running his tongue
along the top, just under her glorious cheeks, she would squirm and moan
almost as loudly as if he had been attending directly to her clitoris.

 

Janette had shown Mac his own unexpected erogenous zones- she found that
nibbling on the soft bit of flesh at the crease on the front of his
shoulder, where the arm meets the chest, she could send tingles of
pleasure straight to his groin.  His cock would twitch every time she
nibbled him there.  The insides of his thighs a couple of inches above
his knees were so sensitive that when she bit him there to drink, he
came prematurely.  Any other time, with any other woman, he would have
been mortified.  Instead he and Janette had let fly peals of deep
laughter- both of their bodies shaking with mirth.  Of course the
laughter had ended with a groan when she began to clean the spilled seed
from his lap with her mouth and tongue.

 

MacLeod turned away from his reminiscing and looked at Janette.  He
found that she was staring at him, a small grin on her lips.

 

"Pleasant thoughts my love?" she asked.

 

"Very," he answered.  "I was thinking about how amazing you are, how
unbelievable this thing between us is, and how amazingly much I am in
love with you."

 

Janette's grin softened into a broad smile and she grasped his right
hand in both of hers, bringing it up to her face and nuzzling her cheek
against his palm.  "You are my heart, Duncan.  I love you so much," she
whispered intently.

 

Mac slid his hand along her face and into her hair, gently grasping the
back of her head and drawing her toward him for a slow, languid kiss.  A
kiss that might have turned into something more had the plane not
reached the gate at that moment.

 

As the passengers stood up and began to gather their personal
belongings, MacLeod noticed that Janette seemed hesitant to rise.  Her
bearing when she did rise was just slightly stiff- a noticeable change
from the relaxation she displayed as they kissed.  He imagined that he
knew what the problem was; she was nervous about seeing her family.  He
didn't pretend to understand the full convolution involved in her family
dynamics.  Her brother/master and her father/master/grandfather; not to
mention the new additions that she hadn't even met yet; she had a great
many issues that she needed to resolve- if she could overcome her fear.

 

He kept them standing in front of their seats as the stream of
passengers debarking passed them by.  He drew her into a tender embrace
and softly kissed her lips, never removing his gaze from hers.  Knowing
that the answer was probably 'no,' he whispered, "Is there anything I
can do to help, Janette?"

 

Normally Janette would have been embarrassed by anyone who noticed her
nervousness (or fear, if she were brutally honest with herself) and
pulled away in denial.  This being Duncan, however; her response was to
melt into his arms, warmed by his tender concern- not even for a moment
fearing that he would think poorly of her.  She rested her forehead
against his and gently sighed, "Mon cour, you are sweet for asking, but
there is nothing to be done but to face this and move on.  Knowing that
you are by my side is all that I will need to make it through this
ordeal."

 

"Will it really be so horrible?" he asked gently, stroking her lower
back with his large hands.

 

Janette pulled away from him and collected her purse from the floor in
front of her seat before answering, "Probably not.  Mostly I think, I
did not want to be confronted with his guilty conscience, and self
loathing," she said as she indicated that he should collect their
carry-on from the storage compartment and debark themselves.  "Nicolas
can be so tiresome, with his brooding self-pity, his constant whining
about being damned..." she paused and looked down at her hands, which were
nervously clutching at the straps of her handbag before continuing in a
whisper, "The worst part is that, at the end, when I was with Robert, I
began to believe what Nicolas had been saying for a century.  I thought
we were damned, and as I regained my mortality I thought I had been
saved from that horrible fate."

 

MacLeod simply put his hands on hers, waiting for her to finish.

 

"Then, for him to so callously disregard my request, for him to
selfishly throw away what I had thought of as my salvation because he
couldn't have it!" her whisper had turned into a hiss by this point and
she stopped speaking and took a moment to visibly get hold of herself.

 

MacLeod squeezed her hand gently and asked, "And now?  How do you feel
now?"

 

Janette smiled warmly at him.  "Are you asking if I still believe that
Vampires are damned?  No.  I am grateful to be immortal once again.
What angers me is that he convinced me otherwise...  That he almost made
me give up eternity for a silly notion that immortality was a curse to
be feared, rather than a gift to be savored."  She guided MacLeod out
into the aisle to leave the plane, noticing that everyone else had
already gone.  "I suppose I should be indebted to him for helping me
realize that humans shouldn't be treated like cattle, but I don't think
I needed to give up immortality to learn that lesson.  We don't have to
kill to survive, as I was once taught."

 

MacLeod smiled as he followed her off of the plane.  "Maybe this will be
good for her," he thought.  He felt the quickening of an immortal as
they entered the jet way, but was unconcerned, knowing that Methos was
supposed to be picking them up.  "I think Methos is here," he said.  The
fact that the quickening wasn't as strong as Methos' didn't register
until Janet spoke.

 

"Duncan, there is at least one vampire out there," she said.  She wasn't
terribly concerned; on the one hand, a vampire wouldn't do anything in
such a public place, and on the other, he/she or they didn't feel nearly
as powerful as she knew she was.

 

MacLeod stopped, stilling Janette with a hand on her shoulder.  "Now
that you mention it, that quickening doesn't feel strong enough to be
Methos."

 

Janette lightly gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth, "Could he have
fallen to this Froag person you mentioned?"

 

MacLeod hadn't seriously considered that Methos could loose to Phineas
Froag.  He had never met him, but knew by his reputation that he was an
undisciplined, if vicious, fighter.  He had been training with Methos
ever since he decided to re-enter the game.  He was confident that there
were very few immortals that could defeat Methos; however, he also knew
that in combat anything could, and often did, happen.  "If it is, I will
take care of him," he answered coldly.  Thinking of what she had said,
he asked "Why would he have a vampire with him?"

 

"That would seem to be an odd coincidence," she agreed.  "Perhaps we
should go see?" she asked.  "If necessary, I can handle any interference
from my type," she reassured him.  "They don't feel more than two
hundred years old, if that."

 

"Well then, love of my life, let us indeed go and see for ourselves,"
MacLeod said with a half-bow and a dramatic sweep of his arm.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

"Are you sure this is the right plane, Mulder?" Scully asked as they
watched the line of passengers exiting the plane trickle to nothing.

 

"No.  I'm sure it's the plane Methos said he would be on, but that
doesn't mean that..." he trailed off as he felt the quickening.

 

Scully felt it as well, being intimately tuned in to Mulder's feelings.
She also felt something else.

 

"Is that a vampire?" Mulder asked.

 

"I think so." Scully answered.

 

"Why would MacLeod feel like a vampire?" Mulder asked rhetorically.

 

"We'll have to ask him," Scully answered anyway.

 

Both raised an eyebrow when they saw MacLeod and a lithe, raven-haired
vampire walking out together.  Their body language was very intimate,
even though they weren't actually touching.  There was no doubt that
they were 'together,' they thought.

 

Ironically, that intimate body language was the first thing that Janette
and MacLeod noticed about the duo waiting for them.  MacLeod whispered,
"It's ok, I know those two," as they saw Mulder and Scully standing
outside the gate.

 

Scully reached out to the vampire with her senses and was struck by the
age and power that she bore; much more than her master, but slightly
less than LaCroix.  Strangely, she felt like Nick- the same way Tracy
felt like Vachon.  That didn't make sense; that she could be older than
Nick, yet be his progeny.  Suddenly, she recalled a memory of Nick's and
realized that it must be Janette.  Still, she felt awfully powerful for
someone a thousand years younger than LaCroix- nearly his equal!

 

[That's Janette!] she thought to Mulder.

 

[Who?] he asked, not recognizing the name.

 

[She is Nick's sister... well now she is Nick's child,] she thought.

 

Mulder was confused.  [He turned his sister?]

 

[Long story, Mulder.  I'll explain later.  I wonder how those two met,]
she wondered.

 

[That's an awfully big coincidence, Scully,] Mulder thought
suspiciously.  Struck by another thought he asked, [How many siblings do
you have, Scully?]

 

Scully spent several seconds culling through the memories she had from
the deep link with Nick before answering, [I think there is another
surviving sister out there, but as I remember, they are estranged.  Of
course, I thought he and Janette were at odds as well, yet here she is.]

 

MacLeod and Janette approached the two FBI agents and Mac wondered to
himself if their appearance was something taught by the Bureau to all of
its agents- they stood nearly motionless, their eyes hidden by
sunglasses, their body language alert but relaxed.  The only movement
they made was for their heads to move slightly toward one another, and
then back toward Janette and himself.  It was almost as if they were
having a conversation without moving their lips.  He found it highly
disconcerting.

 

Janette, for her part, was intrigued by the pair.  She felt the mental
approach by the woman as she exited the jet way, and allowed her own
power to flow forth in answer.  The confusing thing was that Janette
would swear that the woman was child to Nick, yet she was over a
century old, almost two!  Janette would have instantly known if Nick had
brought anyone across during the previous century when they had shared
blood while she was still living in Toronto.  Nick had never been
skilled at hiding memories during the bloodkiss!

 

Then there was the question of the man by her side- his heart was
beating, but so slowly!  If it weren't for that, she would have thought
he was a fledgling vampire.  Furthermore, he felt like he was the
woman's fledgling.  Had she tried to turn him and he only came across
partially?  Such creatures were always wildly unstable, and had to be
destroyed.  Duncan indicated that he had felt an immortal, was that why
this one felt so strange to her?  Duncan was immortal, but he felt to
her senses exactly like any other human.

 

Duncan said that he knew these two, and he didn't seem concerned.  She
would remain wary, but wouldn't worry about it unless she felt him
change.

 

MacLeod set down his bag and stuck his hand out toward Mulder.  "Agent
Mulder?  What happened to Methos?"

 

Mulder shook his hand and answered, "He had a conflicting engagement.
He said he would meet us at the Raven tonight."

 

MacLeod accepted that for the moment, not wanting to discuss anything of
substance in the public airport concourse.  He offered his hand to
Scully and said, "Agent Scully, this is..."

 

"Janette dCharme," Scully finished for him.  She decided to offer her
the courtesy due a powerful elder vampire, "It is an honor to meet you,
my sister," she said with a half-bow.  "I am Dana Scully."  [Play along
Mulder! She is an elder, and could kill us both before we even knew what
hit us.  Plus, from what I remember, she was pretty pissed off at Nick
last time she saw him...] she thought to Mulder.

 

[No need for us to bear the brunt of that,] he agreed.  He gave a
half-bow as Scully did and said, "It is an honor to meet you, elder, My
name is Fox Mulder, but everyone calls me Mulder," in what he hoped was
an appropriately respectful tone.

 

Duncan was stunned.  He couldn't think of a single thing to say in
response to the exchange.

 

Janette paused for a moment and then suddenly laughed out loud in
delighted humor.  "Are you sure you are a child of Nicolas?  I have
never known him to have a polite bone in his body!"

 

Drawing on her memories of Nick and Janette's last encounter, and her
knowledge of Nick's changed outlook on life, "or unlife, as he might
have called it," she thought; she said, "He is not as you remember him,
Janette."

 

She sobered.  "So Duncan tells me," she said as she turned to head
toward the baggage claim, a perplexed MacLeod in tow.

 

[That went well,] Mulder said sarcastically as he and Scully turned to
follow.

 

[Hey, we're not dead!] she answered back with an internal chuckle.

 

[Well, I'm not anyway,] Mulder joked.

 

[Careful, Mister!  Or you will be!] she said as they caught up to
Janette and MacLeod.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 


Sam and Sullie's Auto Parts


 


6pm Sunday December 17th

 

Methos sat cross-legged on the floor in the center of the largest room
in the building.  He had been waiting for three hours for Froag to show.
Not that Froag was late, but he wanted to be here when he showed up.
Hopefully he wouldn't bolt when he saw it wasn't Mulder waiting for him;
he didn't want to waste time chasing this walking pile of rubbish, he
just wanted to take his head- take back Scott's quickening and get the
hell out of Toronto.  He was well tired of seeing vampires everywhere he
looked.  He wanted to go spend some time someplace sunny- let the
thought of night-stalkers bake out of his system as he lay on the beach,
absorbing the rays.  He knew his attitude towards this situation was
somewhat pusillanimous, but he was having a very difficult time dealing
with this sudden knowledge. That his 5000 years of life could be ended
on a whim by any street punk who was lucky enough to get bitten as a
snack and turned into a vampire.  Not only that they existed, but also
that they had been around as long as he had and he'd been totally
unaware.

 

Methos' musings were interrupted by the feeling of the quickening as
Froag loudly entered the building.

 

Phineas was feeling furious.  "Well, you cowardly bastard, I'm surprised
you actually showed up!  Finally got tired of running?" he shouted as he
entered the building.  He stopped short when he saw the figure sitting
on the floor, a sword across his lap.  "Hey!  You're not the freak I'm
looking for.  Where is that lily-livered sap?  Sent you in his stead,
huh?  You his 'teacher'?  Poor little..."

 

Methos interrupted his rant, "Shut up and fight, or did you plan to wear
me down with your charnel-house breath?"

 

Froag's eyes narrowed and he suddenly charged the seated figure, drawing
his sword from his trench coat.

 

Methos sat, unmoving until he could determine the angle Froag was going
to strike from.  As he swung his sword towards Methos's head, Methos
brought up his sword, deflecting the blow just above his head, and then
rolling forward into a summersault and onto his feet.  He immediately
crouched back down as he sensed Froag's recover and backhand swipe.

 

As the blade whistled above his head, he swept his own sword in a tight
arc around his body and launched a snap cut behind him, calculating that
he would at least partially eviscerate his opponent.  He was surprised
when his sword encountered almost no resistance at all.  When his body
caught up with his swing, bringing him around to face his opponent, he
saw that Froag had been able to pull his abdomen back away from the
strike.  Methos had barely scratched him, drawing blood but leaving him
essentially unhurt.

 

Froag was, however, overextended by his dodge and Methos sought to
capitalize with a quick snapping cut up toward his head.  Froag was able
to block this, barely, and step back to regroup himself.

 

"Damnation! He's quick!" was all Methos had time to think before Froag
again hurled himself toward him with a stabbing lunge.

 

Methos parried the lunge and began to slowly back up as he parried blow
after blow.  He quickly realized that Froag's style- inasmuch as it
could be described as a style- was to utilize his quickness in a
ferocious attack, attempting to overpower or overwhelm his opponent for
a fast kill.  He showed no finesse or skill- just speed and power.
Methos was able to deflect every blow with relative ease, but couldn't
muster a counterattack.  He resigned himself to a defensive role and
waited for him to tire or make a mistake.

 

Froag saw that he wasn't going to be able to break through with brute
force- his favorite method- and so used the one trick he had ever
mastered.

 

Methos parried a series of sweeping criss-crossing slashes bringing
Froag's sword up and over his right shoulder for a strong descending
cross-body hack.  He brought up his sword in both hands to his upper
left to block what he was sure would be a massive strike- presenting his
left shoulder forward, his right arm across his body.  Too late he saw
his mistake as, rather than sweeping out and down, Froag dropped his
hands in front of his stomach and lunged forward, dropping the tip of
his sword into a stabbing blow.

 

Methos was able to keep from taking the strike in the chest by bringing
his right arm further up and taking the strike deep into his right
bicep.

 

Froag saw the wound he had inflicted on his opponent's sword arm and
assumed the battle was over.  Unfortunately for him, Methos didn't even
break stride as he countered- his bicep was out of commission, but he
was able to twist his entire body to the right, bringing his sword
across a horizontal plane toward Froag's head.  The blow wouldn't have
been enough to take his head, but Methos wasn't aiming for a killing
blow.  He sliced across Froag's eyes, blinding him.

 

Froag screamed out in rage and pain, dropping his sword as his hands
came up to his face.  Methos took the time to switch his grip and run
Froag through the abdomen, causing him to drop to his knees and double
over in agony.

 

Before pulling the sword from Froag's gut, Methos harshly whispered in
his ear, "Scott Santeramo was my friend."  He then yanked the sword
free, twisting as he pulled.  Froag would have screamed, but his
diaphragm was shredded.  The last thing he heard was his opponent
shouting the ritual chant, "There can be only one!"

 

Methos swept Froag's head from his shoulders with a single cross-body
swing.  He then had time to gently lay his sword on the warehouse floor
as the quickening began to pour forth from the decapitated corpse that
was Phineas Froag.  Had there been a living observer in the room they
might have heard him whisper, "Welcome back, Scotty," as the energy
snapped into his body, picking him up off of the ground and tossing him
around like a rag doll.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 


Sheraton Gateway Hotel


 


7:30 p.m. Sunday December 17th

 

Janette and MacLeod had invited Mulder and Scully to join them in their
suite at the Sheraton before leaving for the Raven.  As the hotel was
connected to the terminal, they hadn't even had to go to Mulder and
Scully's car.  They sat in a rather comfortable conversation group,
Mulder and Scully sitting in their customary position on an overstuffed
leather couch, while Janette and MacLeod shared a matching loveseat.
Janette was curled up against Mac, wrapped by his arm, but not actually
in his lap as Scully was with Mulder.

 

MacLeod had gotten the story about Froag, sans Mulder's vampiric
abilities, and was at once glad for, and worried about his friend
Methos.  He imagined that Methos could take Froag with little trouble,
but he was well aware that there are no guarantees in battle.

 

Janette finally began asking the questions that had been bothering her
since she saw the pair in front of her.  "Dana, is Mulder your child?"

 

"Mulder isn't a vampire, Janette.  He is an immortal, like Duncan." She
answered.

 

Janette just stared at Scully, letting her incredulousness show, and
letting some power slip forth as a subtle reminder of their relative
stations.

 

[Mulder, if she requires me to share with her, she's is going to find
out anyway...] Scully began.

 

[Why not just share then.  Maybe she will keep it quiet that way, if she
understands why we want to...] he responded.

 

[Mulder, I'm pretty sure that what she knows, he knows.  You know?] she
thought.

 

"It's ok with me, Scully."

 

Scully stood up and stood before Janette expectantly.

 

Janette divined Scully's purpose and asked, "Would you like to do this
in private?"

 

Scully shrugged.  "What I know, Mulder knows.  I assume the same is true
for you and Duncan?"

 

Janette smiled and stood, drawing the smaller woman into her arms.

 

Scully bared her throat; as the younger sibling she would play the
submissive part.

 

Janette hadn't shared with a sibling in a long time, and Dana was very
beautiful.  She felt her arousal quicken at the thought of taking this
one and showing her some of the more pleasurable aspects of belonging to
a vampire family.  She hoped Duncan wouldn't be too put off by this, but
he would have to accustom himself to sharing her with her family.  She
licked at Scully's jugular to make it stand out more prominently,
eliciting a shiver of excitement from her just before she struck,
sinking her fangs deep into her younger sister.

 

Scully had to restrain herself from jerking back at the shock of feeling
Janette's warm tongue on her neck.  She was embarrassed by the arousal
she was feeling from this woman, and by the fact that Mulder was feeling
her response.  She sighed as she felt the sting of Janette's fangs in
her throat.  She responded by driving her own into the ivory smoothness
of her neck.

 

Mulder almost embarrassed himself by groaning out loud.  Probably the
most erotic sight he had ever beheld was right in front of him.  Plus,
he could feel everything Scully was feeling, it was almost as if he was
in the bloodkiss along with her.

 

Duncan would have seen Mulder's eyes turn and his fangs drop if he had
been able to tear his eyes away from the vision before him.  He felt
himself stiffening in his slacks and hoped that Janette would forgive
his inherently male response to her behavior.  He thought that this was
probably normal behavior among vampire siblings, and didn't necessarily
have a sexual connotation, but to him it was like watching two beautiful
women kissing and fondling one another.  He didn't know a heterosexual
male who could realistically claim not to be turned on by such a sight.
He hoped he would be able to keep himself from dragging her off to the
bedroom the moment she released Dana.

 

Scully was again overwhelmed by the intensity of sharing with such an
ancient vampire, though she could feel Janette's humor at being
described as ancient.  "One millennium is not ancient, Dana" she heard
Janette think.  Scully saw the events surrounding her meeting Duncan
MacLeod, felt the deep emotion she had for him.  She also flashed back
to Janette's brief stint as a mortal, and the subsequent return to
immortality- age and power intact.  She felt Janette's feelings of
betrayal for the way their master ignored her request, coupled with a
secret relief that he had brought her back across regardless of her
desires.

 

Janette was shocked to see that Dana had indeed only been turned the
previous week.  She felt a pang of sympathy at the events leading up to
her conversion, and understood how it was that Nick came to be her
master.  She saw the changes in Nick and saw that he had brought Natalie
across as well.  She was astounded to see the depth of change in her
brother/master.  She would never have imagined that he would be willing
return to the fold, as it were.  "LaCroix must be so pleased," she
thought.  She was amazed at the depth of the link Dana had with her
lover and partner.  She was also stunned by the changes he had gone
through, while maintaining all of his human abilities.  "You are correct
to worry about the enforcers, Dana.  Mulder's conversion... if that is the
correct term, should be kept hidden if at all possible," she thought to
Dana.  "Duncan will have to know, though," was her last thought to Dana
as she broke the kiss.

 

Scully's head was swimming, and her body was aroused to the point of
pain.  She needed Mulder, and she needed him *right now!*

 

Feeling her sister's need, as well as her own arousal, she whispered,
"You may use that room; gesturing toward the bedroom behind her.  She
then released her hold on Scully and grabbed MacLeod's hand- dragging
him toward the other bedroom.

 

Mulder heard the whisper and lunged forward, tackling Scully into the
loveseat, bowling it over just as MacLeod stood up out of it, pulled by
Janette.  Again, Mac missed the sight of Mulder displaying his vampiric
abilities.  If he hadn't had his eyes glued to Janette's retreating form
as she pulled him toward the bedroom, he would have noticed that the
other two never hit the floor on the other side of the loveseat, but
rather flew across the room and into the bedroom, staying about 3 feet
off of the floor the whole way.  Although, as lust-filled as his mind
was at that moment, even that might not have been enough to move his
thoughts away from getting himself buried inside Janette as soon as
humanly possible.

 

Janette's lust was such that they ended up having sex fully dressed.
She unzipped MacLeod's fly and pulled out his member while he slid her
dress up around her hips and pulled her panties aside just enough to
slide home.  He was already inside her when they fell onto the bed and
within moments he was pounding himself into her as if to drive her
through the mattress.  It took less than two minutes before her fangs
were in his throat and they were wrapped in simultaneous orgasm.
Janette once again licked him clean and put him away while waiting for
him to revive.

 

She was still wrapped in the warm glow of the bloodkiss, reveling in the
depth of feeling and caring that were communicated between them during
those moments, when he 'awoke.'

 

After the standard moment to recover from yet another 'death,' MacLeod
turned to look upon the face of his beloved.  "Thank God for the
bloodkiss," he said as he reached toward her and stroked her lips with
his thumb.

 

"It is one of the very best things about being a vampire, I think,"
Janette said.

 

"There are no words that could adequately convey to you just how much I
love you, Janette.  But I know you can feel it in the bloodkiss- because
I feel your love for me," he said.

 

Janette looked at her lover, his eyes dark with desire and shining with
unshed tears, and felt her heart give an extra beat.  "After they leave,
you and I need to talk, Duncan."

 

Normally when a woman said that to a man, the man would be worried for
the future of their relationship.  Another benefit of the intimacy of
the bloodkiss is that MacLeod felt not even a glimmer of nervousness.
He knew their relationship was secure in that aspect.  "What about?" he
asked, never ceasing his gentle stroking of her cheek and lips as they
lay facing one another on the bed.

 

"There may be a way to establish a more permanent... a continuous link
between us," she said.  Seeing his eyes light up, she hastened to add,
"There would be side effects, and even some risk.  It is something I saw
in the kiss with Dana."

 

Duncan tried to calm the feeling of overwhelming eagerness that he felt
at the thought.  "I can hardly wait for that discussion, Lassie," he
whispered.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

Janette and MacLeod had moved back to the living room of the suite and
were each enjoying a beverage- Mac from the room's minibar, and Janette
from her own stock which she had brought from the Corbeau- when Mulder
and Scully came stumbling back into the room.  They were both giddy and
acting just slightly tipsy as they made their way back to the couch, arm
in arm.

 

"Sorry about that," Mulder said- not looking the slightest bit
apologetic.  "Scully gets... needy."

 

"Hey!" Scully shouted, slapping Mulder on the chest.  "That's not true!"
she said in mock indignation.

 

Mulder just stared at her, one eyebrow raised and a goofy grin on his
face, for several moments.

 

Scully's shoulders dropped and she sighed dramatically, "Ok, ok," she
capitulated.  Turning toward Mac and Janette she crinkled her nose and
whispered conspiratorially, "It's true, I do."

 

Mulder pulled her into his chest and nuzzled her hair, saying, "Hey
gorgeous, that was *not* a complaint, just an observation."

 

Changing the subject completely, Scully bounced excitedly and said, "Hey
Mulder!  Are you going to ask Duncan..."

 

As thought just remembering himself, Mulder said "Oh yeah!"  Turning
toward Mac and Janette again, he asked, "Does your offer of training
still stand?  I'd like to take you up on it, if it does."

 

"Well, yes it still stands," MacLeod answered.  "However, it would
appear that I am going to be moving to upstate New York just as soon as
I can make arrangements to do so.  It might be after the holidays before
I can dedicate myself to your training."

 

Mulder and Scully looked unconcerned, and MacLeod thought they might not
be taking things seriously enough.  "This is a dangerous time for you,
Agent Mulder.  You might not meet up with another immortal immediately,
but if you did, you would be unable to defend yourself!  Not all of us
are good people- there are many who would just as soon take your head as
look at you."

 

"I know that MacLeod.  I met one just the other day," Mulder answered.

 

Duncan sat back in the couch and whispered, "The diner.  That was you?"

 

"How did..." Mulder began.

 

"Methos saw the quickening from the hotel room you loaned him.  By the
time we got there you were gone, but we found the blood and a sword."
MacLeod looked into Mulder's eyes, "Who was he?  How did you beat him?
Where did you get a sword?" he finished shaking his head, realizing just
how many questions he had.

 

Mulder looked at his lover, [How much should we tell him?]

 

[Janette said that we have to tell him, plus she knows everything
already,] Scully answered silently.

 

Mulder just nodded.  Turning back to MacLeod he said, "Janette can tell
you about the changes, and what that means to the two of you."  Seeing
MacLeod's confusion he added, "Suffice it to say that I can take care of
myself... I just want to know more about who we are... and I don't want to
have to rely on 'special abilities' every time I meet an immortal who
thinks that I would look better if I were a foot shorter."

 

He smiled broadly at MacLeod and stood up, bringing Scully up with him.
"We are going to go back to DC and close out some things there..." he
began.

 

"Resign from the FBI..." Scully continued.

 

"Sublet our apartments..."

 

"Put our things in storage..."

 

"Spend Christmas with Scully's Mom..."

 

"Then come back here for Nick and Nat's wedding at the end of the
month," Scully finished.

 

Mulder said, "If you are still willing, we will then find a place near
wherever you are and we can begin training.  If you change your mind,
maybe you can give me a lead on someone else to train me."

 

Scully looked at Janette and said, "Will you be going to the Raven
tonight?"  at Janette's hesitation she added, "You know I can't keep
anything from Nick or LaCroix if they want to share blood with me."

 

Janette stood, along with Duncan.  "Of course.  You may tell them that
Duncan and I will be there in a few hours.  We need to see his friend,
and make sure he survived his contest in any case."

 

Duncan stuck his hand out to Mulder and said, "We will see you later
tonight then."

 

Mulder shook his hand with a wry smile, knowing that MacLeod was in for
a surprise when Janette told him everything that was going on.  "Yes,
tonight."  Turning to Janette he gave a half-bow.  "It was an honor to
meet you, elder.  Thank you for... everything," he said, indicating the
bedroom with a tilt of his head and a small grin.

 

Janette smiled widely and said, "Of course.  It was wonderful to meet
you both."  Moving to Scully she hugged her tightly and whispered in her
ear, I will look forward to spending time with you while the 'boys' play
with their swords.  We can shop!"

 

Mulder laughed out loud, hearing the comment through their link, and
thinking to Scully, [Oh, no! sister's shopping- just remember, I'm not
*that* rich!]

 

Scully just chuckled at both comments.  "Thank you for your hospitality,
Janette, Duncan.  We will see you tonight."

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

Chapter 18b


 


Tracy Vetter's Apartment


 


8:30pm Saturday

 

Tracy woke up hungry.  She extricated herself from Vachon's arms and
went to the pack he had brought in with him the previous night.  She
quickly drained one of the four bottles she found therein, and started a
second one as she returned to the couch in the living room.

 

She sat and stared at Vachon who was still asleep on the floor before
her.  She remembered the events of the night before.  She was amazed to
discover that they had slept almost 24 hours straight.  "Good thing for
vampire constitution or I would be almost crippled from lying in the
floor that long," she thought.

 

She was still amazed at the depth of Vachon's love for her; she had used
him last night- taking out her rage on him, drowning him in the tears of
her sorrow- but he took it all with a tender smile and a loving touch.
She was so in love with this man, she knew she would never be able to
adequately express it.  She hoped that he felt it in the bloodkiss, like
she felt his love and passion for her.  She remembered their
conversation about appearances in community gatherings- his hesitancy to
bring it up and his statement that he would never treat her like a
slave, never discipline her physically.

 

She wondered why she suddenly felt a wave of disappointment at that
thought.  She was happy when he had said it, even though she had later
extracted a promise from him to do whatever it took to keep them alive
and together.  She wondered now at the stirrings of arousal she was
feeling at the memory- "Beat me or bleed me," she had said.  She decided
to table that thought for the moment.  Right now, she wanted to crawl
into his arms and remind him just how grateful she was for last night,
how grateful she was just to belong to him.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

Vachon had gone to sleep, finally, after several hours of holding his
beloved in his arms and feeing the sorrow and pain of her life- so
evident in the final bloodkiss before she had finally passed out.  He
had felt angry that her father had been so cold and callous to her; he
had felt her pain as though it was his own.  Now he was slowly awakening
to the joy that came from having Tracy for a child.

 

He looked down his torso to see his child on her knees, bowed as if in
supplication before his erect member.  She was gently licking and
kissing its length, while her hands were on his balls, gently stroking
and pulling on them.  It was as if she were paying obeisance to his
cock- lavishing attention on him with no thought for her own pleasure.
He was accustomed to her vigorously pumping on him, while driving
herself towards orgasm as well.  That didn't seem to be the goal this
morning.

 

"Tracy, come up here," he whispered, indicating that she should mount
him.

 

Tracy shook her head, "Javier, let me do this for you," she said between
kisses and licks.  "I am the luckiest vampire in the world to have you
for a master.  Let me show you how delighted I am," she pleaded, not
stopping her ministrations, but slowing, almost pausing while awaiting
his permission.

 

Vachon again thought that he didn't know what he had done to deserve
this much pleasure, but he would certainly allow her to continue if that
is what she wanted.

 

Tracy smiled broadly when he nodded his head in consent.  She said,
"Last night, I needed you.  I needed you to possess me, remind me that I
belonged to you alone."  She paused to take him into her mouth and
slowly, inch by inch, slide him down her throat until her nose was
pressed against his abdomen.  She slowly bobbed her head up and down a
few times and then, just as slowly as she swallowed him, she pulled up
and off of him, her cheeks hollowing with the suction she applied.  When
his head came out with a resounding pop, she continued, "You did.  And,
this evening I wanted to show you how grateful I am."

 

She continued her ministrations, switching between long slow strokes
deep into her throat- with little bobbing movements at the base- and
kissing and licking the head, paying special attention to the area just
below and underneath the ridge of the head.  She never put a hand on his
cock, keeping them occupied on his balls, and stroking his perineum and
anus.

 

Vachon thought he was going mad from the pleasure.  His fingers were
tearing into the carpet on the floor, and he it was all he could do to
keep from grabbing her and throwing her to the floor so he could take
her and drive himself into her- fast and deep.  He could see that her
nipples were painfully erect, and he could smell that she was dripping
wet, and yet she didn't touch herself.  She just kept up this
maddeningly slow pace.  He felt as though he had been on the cusp of
cumming for several minutes- he knew if she would just speed up even a
little bit and let him bite her, he could cum; but she refused to do so-
continuing to suck him hard and slow.

 

She felt his orgasm coming before he did, his balls tightening up
against his body and the muscles under his perineum twitching.  She
slowly slid one hand up his torso, caressing his neck and then up to his
mouth.

 

Vachon was desperately restraining himself from grabbing Tracy's hand
and bringing it to his mouth for the bite he needed.  He was trying to
let her guide this session, not sure what her plan was, but wanting to
find out.  When she moved her hand across his body to his neck and chin,
he couldn't wait any longer.  He bit into he heel of her hand like it
was a ripe peach, sucking the blood noisily.  As soon as the blood hit
the back of his throat, he came extremely hard, filling his lover's
mouth.

 

Tracy had her lips locked around the head of Vachon's cock, her cheeks
hollowed with suction, waiting for him to cum.  Instead of swallowing
it, she allowed it to fill her mouth, stream after stream, until her
mouth was nearly full.

 

Vachon came down from his orgasm and released his child's hand, licking
the bite until it ceased bleeding.  When he looked down at her face she
released his cock with a slight popping sound, causing a shiver to race
up his spine.  She then showed him the load that he had deposited in her
mouth, and slowly let it drizzle down her throat, her mouth open the
entire time so he could see it disappear.  It was one of the most erotic
things he had ever seen.

 

Tracy smiled as her master groaned at the sight of her swallowing his
cum.  She still felt an ache in her chest from the overwhelming desire
to pleasure him, to show him how much she loved him and needed him.  She
dragged her nipples across his abdomen and up his chest as she laid
herself out on top of his supine form.  She brought her head up till her
mouth was at his ear, "Good evening, my master.  You must be thirsty.
Drink me," she said before offering her throat to his mouth.

 

Vachon was slightly taken aback; Tracy seemed to be in a somewhat
strange mood this evening.  He took her up on her offer, hoping the
bloodkiss would show him what he needed to know.  He gently sank his
fangs into the ivory column before him and drank deeply of her.

 

Tracy resisted the urge to bite him, knowing that he would allow it, but
wanting to nourish her master.  She would replenish herself from the
bottled blood he had brought.

 

Vachon drank long and deep, digging down into Tracy's psyche, looking
for the answer to his question.  He found his answer at the same time he
realized that she had not bitten him in return- she was intending to
provide his breakfast from herself, rather than the bottles he had
brought for that purpose.  He was touched by this act of sacrifice and
devotion his child was displaying.  He was also a little taken aback at
the reason behind this evenings actions; Tracy was giving herself to him
as a gift.  She was making herself his reward for what she felt was the
blessing he had bestowed on her- making her his child.  Subconsciously,
Tracy wanted to be dominated. She needed for him to take her, to show
her that he owned her.  She wanted to show that she belonged to him.

 

He had sensed this need to be possessed in her subconscious.  She felt
it- knew she needed something but didn't know what it was.  This was
going to require some serious thought- he had never really played D/s
games before, and he had the impression that it wasn't just a game Tracy
was thinking of- she wasn't even thinking in those terms, she hadn't
actually put words to the feelings she was having.  Tracy needed to be
dominated, but hadn't fully realized yet it herself.

 

For now he would leave the subject alone.  He would need to talk to
someone and find out what he needed to do about this.  He wanted to be
anything she needed him to be for her.  Right now, he needed to feed her
and get her, and her stuff, back to the church.  They were expected at
the Raven in a couple of hours.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 


Nick's Loft


 


8:30pm Saturday

 

Mulder and Scully arrived at the loft to find Nick and Nat cuddling on
the couch, staring at the fire.  Natalie looked slightly disheveled, her
eyes and face slack with recent pleasure.  Nick looked like the cat who
ate the cream; unable to wipe the smug grin off of his face.  The scent
of sex and blood was heavy in the air.

 

They had left the loft just after sunset, before Nick and Nat had gotten
up for the day, and it seemed that the two had made good use of their
"empty nest."

 

The smell hanging in the air of the room was too much for Scully, she
thought to Mulder, [Upstairs Mulder.  Now!]

 

Mulder was glad that she was able to restrain herself long enough to get
upstairs while still clothed.  He blurted out, "Uh, hey guys... We're
going to go... freshen up.  We'll be back down in a minute, Ok?"

 

Nick and Nat both smirked at the two as they went up the stairs.
Natalie, still basking in the afterglow of another psyche-shattering
'torture-gasm,' as she was coming to think of them, was extremely
emboldened and shouted after them, "Before or after you screw
each-other's brains out?"

 

Nick broke out into laughter as they heard the slightly embarrassed
reply, "Uh, after," that Mulder tossed over his shoulder just before
Scully yanked him into their bedroom.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

Natalie sank back into Nick's chest and once again looked into the
flickering flames of the fireplace.  Feeling a vague sense of disquiet
emanating from her lover she said, "Penny for your thoughts, Nick?"

 

Nick buried his face into the wavy mass of brunette hair against his
chest and hugged his lover tightly to him.  He gently sighed and placed
a kiss on the crown of her head.  "I worry about Dana," he said quietly.

 

After a moment with no further elucidation, Natalie turned herself in
his arms until she was sitting sideways in his lap so that she could
look at his face.  "What is it Nick?" she asked.

 

Nick wasn't sure what he thought, exactly.  Or, perhaps it would be more
true to say that he did know what he thought, but not how to explain it,
or even if his concerns were justified.  Finally he asked, "What does
Dana's behavior remind you of, Nat?"

 

Natalie believed that she knew where Nick was going with this; she too
had thought about Dana's seeming addiction to Mulder's blood and body.
She was less concerned though.  "You mean the way she acts when she
hasn't had a dose of Mulder recently?"

 

Nick nodded his head, "Exactly!  It's like she is an..."

 

"Nick," Natalie interrupted.  "You are looking at it from one viewpoint
only- a cop's view.  Instead of picturing a junkie- think of the way a
vampire acts when they're hungry for blood, and think of the way you act
when you're affected by strong emotion."

 

Nick's brow wrinkled at Natalie's words, "What do you mean, Nat?"

 

Natalie gently stroked his cheek and sought out eye-contact before
continuing, "Nick, how many times did I come over here to find your
refrigerator door yanked off of its hinges, and broken bottles all over
the place?  Isn't that the behavior of an addict?"

 

Nick shifted uncomfortably, "Nat, that's..." he began before trailing off;
knowing that what he was about to say was thin rationalization at best.

 

Natalie finished his statement for him, "Different?  Is it Nick?" she
didn't let go his gaze until he answered her.

 

"No.  I suppose it isn't that different at all."

 

"I think the only difference is, that her actions are the result of
overwhelming positive emotion, rather than negative."

 

Nick acknowledged the truth of what Natalie was implying, "You're right,
Nat.  It isn't like a drug addiction, but it isn't entirely the same as
the bloodlust either.  It seems to have a physical component independent
of their emotional bond."

 

"How do you mean?" Natalie asked.

 

"Remember how she was when Mulder was out to breakfast?  She wasn't even
consciously aware that her body was suffering from withdrawal symptoms."

 

Now it was Natalie's turn to crinkle her brow.

 

Nick continued before Natalie could comment, "And remember how she
described the feeling- as a 'yawning chasm of emptiness'.  That's the
way heroin addicts describe their feelings when they need another dose."

 

Natalie didn't have any response to that.

 

Nick kissed his lover's forehead and said, "I'm not saying that there is
a problem.  I don't know if this is a bad thing or not.  I do know that
it is something I have never seen or experienced before and I am
concerned for the well-being of my child.  That's all."

 

Changing the subject, Natalie asked, "How do you feel about all of these
childr you have suddenly?"  At his questioning look she elucidated,
"You went from one estranged child for the last eighty years, whose
existence you regretted, to where you are now; four childr, two who are
less than a week old, one who is also your sister- your older sister-
and is also estranged, along with the original estranged child."

 

Nick chuckled.  "I don't think Serena ever counted as my child, Nat.  I
never trained her; I never shared blood with her.  She was a mistake, a
victim of my misunderstanding."

 

Natalie frowned, "Ah, ah, ah!  No angsting allowed tonight Nick," she
said, not wanting her lover to start brooding.  "And what about
Janette?" she asked with brows raised.

 

Nick smiled down at Natalie, recognizing her attempt to lighten his
mood.  "Jealous, Nat?"

 

Natalie slid her hand up into his hair behind his ear as she said,
"Hmmm, not any more."  Then she grabbed the hair on the back of his head
in her fist and growled, only half in jest, "You're mine now buster.
Don't forget it!"

 

Nick smiled gently at his love's growl and answered, "I will never
forget it, Natalie."  He then leaned down and kissed her thoroughly.

 

Natalie broke the kiss after several moments.  "Mmm, nice!  But, you're
avoiding the question Nick."

 

Nick sighed heavily.  "I can't think of Janette as my child, even
though I guess she is, technically.  In my mind she'll always belong to
LaCroix, and I'll always think of her as a sibling."

 

"Will she ever forgive you, do you think, for bringing her back across?"
Natalie asked wistfully as she snuggled into his chest- just a little
sad for her lover's sake.  She truly was no longer jealous of Janette.
She was entirely secure in her relationship now- thanks to the bloodkiss
and the revelation of Nick's undying love that it brought.  She was sad
for Nick that Janette would hate him.  She knew he loved Janette deeply-
though in a different way than he loved her- and that he missed her
presence in his life.  She too looked forward to the day when she might
become friends with the older vampiress, whether she was sister or aunt,
she would be family.

 

Nick was glad that Natalie was secure enough to ask about Janette
without any resentment or distrust.  Even though she would never be his
lover again, he still loved Janette.  "Someday, Nat.  She did have a
choice, after all.  She could have gone into the light and died just the
same as if I hadn't bitten her."

 

Both of them turned as they heard Scully say, "Someday may be sooner
than you think, Nick."

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

When they got up to the room, Scully suddenly stopped and turned on the
bemused Mulder.

 

Mulder, feeling the hesitation and disquiet emanating from her, gently
asked, "What is it, Scully?"

 

"I... I feel so... so... I don't know Mulder; out of control I guess?" she
stuttered.

 

Mulder captured her face in his hands and drew her up to meet his eyes,
"And that frightens you?"

 

[A little, bit?] she thought.

 

"Scully, you know that I love you.  You are, literally, a part of me.
You initiate this, but don't think for a moment that I don't need it
just as badly as you do." He answered.  [Frankly, I don't care if that
makes me a freak or not, Scully.]

 

Scully was startled at his thought, "I never thought of you as a freak,
Mulder!"

 

[No, but you were starting to think of yourself that way, weren't you?]

 

Scully just hung her head, realizing that that was exactly what was
scaring her.  She thought she was becoming some kind of freak, laughable
as that description might be given their current circumstances.

 

Mulder pulled her tightly to his body, squeezing her as hard as he
could, knowing it wouldn't hurt her.  "Scully, to the world we are
freaks, and we have been for years.  Now it's just more pronounced."
[This thing we have between us?  It's worth it.  It is worth *anything*
Scully.]

 

Scully whispered into Mulder's chest, "You're right, Mulder.  It is
worth the price."

 

Her anxiety forgotten for the moment, she threw him to the bed and
proceeded to ravish him.  Their joining was fast and furious, neither
wanting to keep Nick and Nat waiting too long for the somewhat momentous
news they had to share.

 

They put themselves back together and were exiting the bedroom just as
Natalie asked Nick if he thought Janette would ever forgive him.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

"What do you mean by that?" Nick asked.  How would Dana know anything
about Janette beyond what she had seen in his blood?

 

"Where did you two take off to this evening?" Natalie asked at the same
time.

 

Scully went to the fridge to get some more blood, and a couple of
glasses- Nick and Nat already had theirs- while Mulder went over and
took up residence on the chair.  "Well," Mulder began, "We had to pick
up MacLeod from the airport for Pierson, since he was going to be busy."

 

Scully was pouring the blood for herself and Mulder and added, "So we
had to hurry out first thing."

 

Mulder couldn't resist needling her just a little, "Well... second thing
maybe."

 

She glared at Mulder for a moment before continuing, "*Any* way...  We
went to the airport and waited at the gate while the passengers
debarked."

 

"We waited while everyone left, but no MacLeod," Mulder added.

 

Scully continued as she handed Mulder a glass and took up residence in
his lap, "We were about to leave when I felt another vampire- a very old
one."

 

"At the same time I felt a quickening," Mulder added.  "Then MacLeod
came off out of the jet way; but he wasn't alone."

 

"Are you saying that MacLeod was with a vampire?" Nick asked, looking
back and forth between the two on the chair.  "Did he know..."

 

"Oh yeah," Scully said.  "It seems that MacLeod found himself a lady
friend while he was away."

 

Natalie was bewildered.  "MacLeod picked up a vampire girl, and brought
her back with him?  Why?" she asked.

 

Mulder and Scully both smiled tenderly at that question.  It was Mulder
who answered, "They are in love, Nat."

 

Nick almost choked at that.  "Love!?  What? How? What?" he sputtered.

 

Mulder smiled a secret smile as he said- in a bad British accent, "Three
very good questions."

 

Scully hiccupped a laugh at that, dribbling a little of the bloodwine
down her chin.

 

Mulder continued as though nothing had happened, "It gets better."  [You
go ahead, Scully.  I know you are dying to tell him,] he thought to his
lover.

 

"I got to meet our sister, Nat," Scully said as she wiped the spilled
bloodwine onto her fingers and then licked them clean.

 

Nick felt himself get a little light-headed.  He carefully set down his
glass, as he thought he might spill it at any moment.

 

Natalie was a little behind the curve and said, "MacLeod is involved
with Serena?"

 

Nick whispered, "No, Nat.  Not Serena."

 

"Oh my Goodness!  You mean Janette is back?" Natalie gasped.

 

Looking into Scully's eyes, Nick asked, "Is she still..."

 

Scully's smile grew wide, "No.  She isn't mad at you Nick."

 

"How can you be sure?" Natalie asked.  She didn't want brood-boy making
a reappearance.

 

"We shared blood," was Scully's answer.  "So, I can be certain that she
and MacLeod are really and truly in love- strange as that seems" she
said, answering the next question she saw forming on Nick's lips.  "And,
I can be certain that she no longer holds a grudge against you, Nick.
In fact, she was happy to hear of your 'return to the fold' as it were."

 

"Would you..." Nick started to ask, but hesitated, looking at Mulder.

 

Mulder instantly knew what Nick was asking for, and felt a momentary
pang of jealousy, but it was gone as soon as it started.  He too was
secure in his relationship, and he knew that this was common among
vampire families.  [It's ok Scully.  I don't mind,] he thought to her,
feeling her concern for him warring with her inherent desire to share
with her master.  [Just so long as he keeps his hands off of your Ass!]
he added, jokingly.

 

Scully stood up.  "You don't *have* to ask, Nick.  You *did* bring me
across," she said.

 

Nick simply said, "You're right, I don't have to ask."  He was reminding
her that there might be times when he would make demands, but this
wasn't one of them.

 

Mulder knew it was a good thing that he could feel Scully's feelings,
and vice versa.  He didn't for a moment believe that he would have
survived all of these changes without that.  For example this; another
man was about to bite his love on her neck and suck her blood.  Despite
knowing and feeling that this was not a threat to him, or to their
relationship, there was that niggling little bit, that tiny smidgen of
jealousy that wanted to rear it's ugly head.

 

[Gee, Mulder.  Where was that jealousy when it was Janette sucking on my
neck?] Scully asked her lover with a knowing smirk.

 

[Ok, so I'm a pig,]  he replied.  [But, it was just a little, little,
tiny bit of jealousy.  Vestigial, really.]

 

[Mm-Hmm, and the lust you felt when it was Janette's teeth in my
throat?]

 

Mulder smiled sheepishly, [Ok, that was bigger, I admit.]

 

Scully didn't have time to answer as Nick drove his fangs into her neck
at that moment.  She returned the bite and shared with him her
experience with Janette.  In return, she saw his memories since waking
up that afternoon.  "And you worried about my appetite?" she thought to
Nick as they broke the link.

 

Scully tried to resist, but finally gave in to the laughter that was
burbling up in her throat.  "My Goodness, Natalie," she choked out as
she wiped the bloodtears from her eyes.  "I can see the piano and the
dining room table, but the Kitchen Sink?"

 

Mulder joined his mate in laughter, while Nick just looked unbearably
smug.  Natalie almost managed to flush with embarrassment, while
fighting her own grin at the memories.  She collected herself long
enough to say, "We need to get ready.  We're supposed to be on our way
to the Raven soon.

 

With that, she grabbed Nick's hand and they went upstairs.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

Chapter 18c


 


Sheraton Gateway Hotel


 


9:30 p.m. Sunday

 

After walking Mulder and Scully to the door, MacLeod returned to the
love seat and sat down next to Janette, facing her.  "Now then, lass.
Tell me about this link that you saw in Dana.

 

Janette grasped MacLeod's hand and brought it to her lips for a moment
before speaking.  "Dana and her lover share a bond... very much like the
bloodkiss, but it exists all the time."

 

Mac raised his eyebrows at that

 

"It is not entirely as intense; they feel each other's feelings and hear
each other's spoken thoughts, but don't experience each other's
memories," she continued.  "If they concentrate, they can see and hear
what the other is seeing and hearing, but it doesn't seem to intrude."

 

Mac sat back and whispered, "Incredible!" as he considered the
implications.  Remembering what else Janette had mentioned, he asked,
"What side effects?  Was that what Mulder was referring to when he
mentioned 'special abilities'?"

 

Janette nodded her head

 

MacLeod suddenly stiffened; inhaling sharply, he asked, "Is he a
vampire?"

 

Janette smiled at the combined fear and excitement in her lover's voice.
"Non, Mon Cour, he is not.  However, he does have some... actually many of
our abilities- apparently with none of our weaknesses."

 

Mac frowned lightly as he reached back to his lover's cheek, stroking
softly.

 

Janette hummed with pleasure as she leaned into his gentle caress.
"Hmmmm... you know; sunlight, garlic..." she said quietly.

 

"Does he drink blood?" MacLeod asked neutrally.

 

Janette smiled at the absence of tone to MacLeod's voice.  Recognizing
that he might have some qualms about drinking blood, even though he had
none about her consuming his own.  "From a bottle?  Yes, though not
exclusively.  He can, and apparently does, still eat solid food."

 

MacLeod raised a single eyebrow, "And... from other than a bottle?" he
prodded gently.

 

Janette smiled even more widely, turning her face to kiss the palm of
his hand.  She turned back and looked directly into his eyes.  "It is
the sharing of blood with Dana that has created the link."  She waited
to see his response.

 

MacLeod had shuddered lightly at the thought of drinking a bottle of
blood.  Now he imagined himself drinking from Janette.  Sharing blood
with her as he had seen her do with Dana.  The mental image of that
bloodkiss, combined with the thought of drinking in the life of his
lover, caused him to stiffen in his pants with desire.

 

Janette witnessed his eyes dilate, heard the increased heart-rate, and
saw the movement in his slacks.  "Not an entirely unpleasant thought
then?" she asked playfully.

 

"Not entirely," he said- his attempt to remain cool failing somewhat
when his voice broke on the second syllable.  Considering what else she
had said earlier, he asked, "What risks?"

 

Janette pulled slightly back and spoke seriously.  "One is the unknown.
Their link has grown from mild empathy to its present state in only a
week.  This has never happened before in our history- at least so far a
I or even my master, my original master, knows."  She added, "I have no
idea what this could become."

 

"I hardly think that fear of the unknown should stop us from
experiencing anything in life, beloved," Mac said with a gentle smile.
His smile dimmed somewhat as he said, "You said 'one', what is another?"

 

Janette smiled at that, knowing that he would be more distressed at the
thought of this than any potential danger that might befall him
personally- because it would affect her directly and immediately.  "She
has become dependant on his blood."  At his raised brow she clarified,
"Physically dependent.  She becomes discomfited if she goes very long
with out it."

 

MacLeod lost any trace of excitement and became grave.  "I will not do
anything that might hurt you, Love.  I couldn't live with myself," he
said with great feeling.

 

Janette's eyes welled up at the depth of affection emanating from
MacLeod.  "Mon Cour, I agree that we may not want to rush into this
without more thought.  I also know that, even though they entered into
this unknowingly, they wouldn't give up what they have for anything."

 

MacLeod hugged Janette tightly to his chest and whispered, "We'll see,
Love... We'll see."

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 


The Raven


 


11pm Sunday

 

Tracy and Vachon arrived at the Raven hand-in-hand.  Tracy was excited;
she hadn't actually spoken to her partner or Natalie since her
conversion Thursday night.  She wondered what Nick would have to say.

 

Vachon, for his part was still riding on the high of his time with
Tracy.  He had never in his wildest dreams, and there were some pretty
amazing dreams that he had had about Tracy, imagined that she could be
this responsive, this desirable.  She was like a sweet confection and he
couldn't get enough of her.  He was imagining all the things he wanted
to try and do with, or more to the point, to her.  He had never played
with dominance and submission in a relationship, but he would be lying
if he said it didn't interest him.  Tracy's behavior that evening had
aroused him to the extreme.  He would have to find out all he could- but
who to ask...

 

Vachon's musings were interrupted when his child tugged on his arm and
directed his attention to the back of the club.

 

"Look, Vachon, there's Nick.  Can we go talk to him?  I haven't spoken
to him since..." she trailed off, looking into his eyes hopefully.

 

Vachon said, "You go ahead.  I'm going to find Urs.  You two should
meet, at least.  You're basically sisters now."  He drew her tightly to
him and roughly kissed her, as though reassuring her that he wasn't
looking for his older child for any other reason than what he had
stated, while also reminding her that she belonged to him, alone.  As
though she needed any reminder!

 

Tracy would have felt breathless after the short but intense kiss- if
she had needed to breathe in the first place.  She was giddy as she
practically skipped across the room to where Nick was seated with
Natalie.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

Nick and Natalie were watching, with no little amusement, Mulder and
Scully out on the dance floor. Vampirism seemed to have shed most, if
not all, of Scully's inherent stoicism- as she was flinging herself
about with abandon.  One moment she was grinding herself against Mulder
in a dance that was almost equivalent to actual intercourse, and the
next jumping away from him to convulse her entire body to the high-speed
Techno pumping out of the speakers.

 

Natalie was laughing at the look of astonishment on Mulder's face while
watching Scully dance.  Astonishment, turning quickly to lust as she
once again began to grind herself against him.

 

Nick was amused, but too keyed up to really get into it.  He kept
glancing over to the entrance, waiting impatiently for Janette to
arrive.

 

Natalie finally got tired of Nick's fidgeting and lack of attention
span.  Every time she made a comment or tried to start a conversation,
Nick would stare at her blankly for a moment then ask, "What?"  She was
about to get up and drag him downstairs for a quickie- just to help
settle him down- when Tracy came bouncing up to the table.

 

Nick was startled by Natalie's sudden laughter and looked up to see
Tracy staring down at him with a quizzical look on her face.  "What?" he
asked, confused by Tracy's sudden appearance and questioning stare.

 

"I said, Hello Nick... twice," Tracy answered.  "What century were you in
this time?"

 

Nick sputtered as Natalie's laughter increased in volume.

 

Tracy turned to Natalie and said, "Gosh, Nat.  Is it old age?  In a
century or two do you think our minds will start to go too?"

 

Nick was still a little lost and Natalie took his hand and patted it
gently, as if dealing with a senile old man, "It's ok, Nick."  Turning
to Tracy she added, "You'll have to forgive him, Trace.  Nick's sister
is supposed to be here tonight, and he's a little nervous about seeing
her."  Noting Tracy's change, she said, "I see you and Vachon came to a
decision."

 

Tracy smiled and said, "You too, huh?"

 

Natalie couldn't hide her deep pleasure as she responded, "Oh yeah!  So,
is it everything you imagined it would be?"

 

Tracy said, "I don't think I really knew what I was getting into, not
fully- but I love it.  I love Vachon so much!"  Tracy's grin grew
puckish and she added, "The things he does to me..."

 

Natalie's expression matched Tracy's as she responded, "Tell me about
it!"

 

Nick stood up, saying, "On that note, I think I'll go see LaCroix."  He
bent down and caught Natalie's lips in a quick, but passionate kiss, and
whispered, "Let me know..."

 

"Of course," Natalie answered quietly.  More loudly, and with a wicked
grin she added, "Now shoo!  I have some bragging to do here."

 

Nick mock-shuddered and quickly walked away, not entirely comfortable
with the thought of discussing his sexual prowess with his partner.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

Mulder and Scully didn't last more than 45 minutes on the dance floor
until they lost control.  Mulder had enough presence of mind to drag her
to the back door and out into the alley before she began tearing off
clothes.  He quickly looked for witnesses and grabbed her to his chest,
her legs automatically wrapping around his waist and her arms around his
neck as he flew them up to the roof.

 

He had his zipper down and his cock out before they landed and it was
but a moment before her panties were pushed aside and he was inside her.

 

Scully didn't restrain her scream of pleasure as he sheathed himself
into her in a single hard stroke.  He hesitated for a moment, buried
inside the love of his life and thinking in amazement, [I'm so lucky,
Scully.  I still can't believe I get to do this with you!]

 

Scully thought [I Love you so much!]  She began chanting out loud as he
moved within her, "So Good... So Big... So Good... So Big..." over and over.

 

"Ohhhhhhh, here it comes, Scully!" Mulder shouted.

 

She sank her teeth into his neck just as he began to ejaculate.  Mulder
restrained himself, wanting to feel the drain; wanting to feel the onset
of his own death.

 

Scully felt Mulder hold himself back from biting her, and began to feel
him slipping away.  His light-headedness, combined with the shared
sensation of Scully's orgasm prolonged his own.  He continued to gush
into her center, as his blood poured out down her throat.  It was a new
level of intensity for them both, and it didn't stop until his heart
did.

 

Scully withdrew her fangs as his legs buckled and his body collapsed to
the rooftop.  She licked him clean and put him away as she waited for
him to wake up.  "Oh, Mulder," she thought.  ""What you do to me..."

 

Several moments later Mulder woke up to find himself physically,
mentally, and emotionally enveloped in the loving arms of his soul mate.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

LaCroix gave a disapproving glance to his son.  "They are doing *what*
on my roof?"

 

Nick sighed.  He was sitting in his master's office, enjoying a glass of
bloodwine and relaying current events, when LaCroix mentioned that he
would like to speak to Mulder again, following his successful daylight
adventure.  Nick had opened his link to Scully- and immediately shut it
back down, sensing her current activities might be better left in
private.  He instead asked Natalie where the two might be, and she
answered that she saw them leave through the back door.  Nick expanded
his senses, searching for his overly amorous child; he sensed more of
an 'up' direction than toward the back alley.  Putting two and two
together he regretfully informed his master that Mulder was, at that
moment, otherwise occupied on the roof with his child.

 

"I will have Natalie send him in when they come back down."  Seeing that
LaCroix was not mollified, he added, "It seems that part of the bond
Mulder and Dana share requires frequent... reinforcement.  Physical
reinforcement."

 

LaCroix raised a brow at that, but remained silent for the moment.

 

Nick continued with the latest news, "It seems that Janette is back in
town, Father."

 

LaCroix was surprised to hear that, "Really.  I would have thought that
we would not see her for at least a decade.  She seemed quite angry with
you when she left."  He couldn't resist needling Nick just a little bit.

 

Nick frowned slightly and fidgeted in his seat.  "Yes.  Well... I didn't
expect to see her for quite a while either.  However, it would seem that
she met someone.  She apparently thinks she is in love," he said with
just the slightest bit of rancor.

 

LaCroix grinned ever so slightly at his son's bitterness.  "Jealous,
Nicolas?  The good doctor isn't enough for you?"

 

Nick would no doubt have flown off the handle at that comment not too
long ago, but he was happy for the first time in several centuries, and
not even his master's needling could get to him.  "I'm not jealous
LaCroix; I'm skeptical.  She only met him a few days ago, yet she
apparently thinks of him as the love of her life!" he shook his head
disbelievingly.

 

LaCroix leaned back in his chair and asked, "And how is it that you know
all of this?   Have you spoken to her?"  His question came out evenly,
giving away nothing; he thought.

 

Nick raised a brow and teasingly asked, "Now who is jealous?"  He
quickly continued before LaCroix could comment, "No.  I haven't spoken
with her, but Dana has."

 

"Why would she seek out Dana?"  LaCroix asked, confused.  "How did she
even know you had another child?"

 

Nick smirked and let drop the other shoe, "She and Mulder went to the
airport to pick up Duncan McLeod.  He had traveled to Buffalo, NY, where
he met and fell in love with..."

 

LaCroix sat up quickly in he chair, "Surely not..."

 

"Your darling daughter," Nick finished with a barely concealed snicker.

 

LaCroix corrected him.  "She is your daughter now, Nicolas, not mine,"
he grumbled.

 

"In any case... I think there is something compelling about immortals to
vampires.  Look how essentially attached Dana has become." Nick began.

 

LaCroix stood up, and began pacing.  "Are you suggesting that Janette
has become similarly attached?  That she is sharing blood with this
man?"

 

"No.  She is feeding from him, but he is not drinking from her.  She
isn't physically dependant on him like Dana is with Mulder.  But how
else could she have fallen so hard, so fast for him," Nick questioned.
Beginning to pace furiously back and forth, he expanded, "It's more than
just the blood though.  They were drawn to each other at their first
meeting..." he tapered off as he saw the incredulous look on LaCroix's
face.  "She shared with Dana.  Dana shared with me," he explained.

 

LaCroix raised a single eyebrow, clearly indicating that there should be
one more sharing in that chain.

 

Nick knew there would be no point in arguing.  Secretly he wanted this,
but he had resisted it out of habit.  He unbuttoned his collar and
walked into his master's embrace.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

Mulder and Scully returned to the table to find Nick gone, and Natalie
sitting with Nick's partner, Tracy.  They were both smirking and
giggling.

 

Scully was still bright-eyed and slightly disoriented from her coupling
with Mulder- The post-coital euphoria took several minutes to wear off
any more.

 

Natalie and Tracy each took in Scully's appearance and scent, coupled
with Mulder's slightly smug grin, and burst out in laughter.

 

Scully shook her head slightly and asked, "What's so funny?"

 

Natalie gave her a salacious grin and teased, "God, Dana!  I thought you
were going to rip his clothes off and take him right out there on the
dance floor!"

 

Scully just smiled guilelessly and said, "I was going to, but he dragged
me outside."  This, of course prompted even more laughter from Tracy and
Nat.

 

Mulder tried to change the subject by asking, "What are you two up to?
Did you run Nick off?"

 

Tracy answered with a broad smile, "Natalie was just telling me how Nick
tied her up and screwed her until she screamed."

 

Mulder blushed ever so slightly and stammered, "Uh, Scully?  You want me
to go get us something to drink?"

 

All three ladies laughed at that.

 

"Don't worry, Mulder; Nick and Lucien want to see you anyway.  They're
in the office."

 

Mulder turned to Scully, but she pre-empted him, saying, "You go ahead
and play with the boys, Mulder."  Turning to Nat and Tracy, she eagerly
took a seat and demanded, "Tell me all about it!"

 

Mulder beat a hasty retreat toward LaCroix's office.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

Mulder had just finished recounting his activities since last speaking
with LaCroix, when he noticed both Nick and LaCroix stiffen, and
suddenly stand up.  He was rising to his feet as well when the door to
the office suddenly opened and Janette swept in.

 

"I see that you have gotten rid of those dreadful strippers, LaCroix,"
she spoke into the dumfounded silence that greeted her.

 

Mulder recovered quickly, but wisely kept silent, merely bowing his head
slightly in acknowledgement to her.

 

"Yes, well... they tended to attract a rather boorish crowd,
unfortunately," LaCroix replied- his sardonic tone spoiled by the barest
hitch of emotion.

 

Janette smiled at LaCroix before turning to Mulder and saying, "I left
Duncan at your table; however, rather than abandon him entirely to the
clutches of your lady friends, might I impose on you to chaperone him?"

 

Mulder glanced at LaCroix and raised a brow; seeking permission to
leave, which the Elder Vampire granted with the barest of nods.  He
wasted no time in, once again, beating a hasty retreat from what was no
doubt going to be a rather uncomfortable situation.  On his way out, he
noted that Nick was still standing dumbfounded- rendered speechless by
the presence of his sibling/child.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

Mulder made it out to the bar to find MacLeod speaking with Adam
Pierson.  "I thought that felt stronger than just MacLeod," he mused to
himself.

 

"Janette said that she left you with the ladies." Mulder stated as he
approached the two immortals.

 

MacLeod chucked and said, "Yes.  Well fortunately, Adam here came in
just in the Nick of time to save me."

 

Adam laughed, "Do you know what those women were talking about?  I don't
think I've ever seen MacLeod blush like that before."

 

Mulder laughed as well, "Why do you think Nick and I were hiding out in
LaCroix's office?"

 

Adam and MacLeod laughed even harder at that.

 

"Everything went alright, then?" Mulder asked Adam.

 

"Yes.  It's over now," he answered simply.  "Time for me to get the hell
out of Canada.  I feel a serious need for sun, sand and surf  in my
immediate future."

 

MacLeod frowned slightly, "I didn't know you were a big beach fan,
Adam."

 

Mulder recognized Adam's feelings right off.  "You mean that you want to
go somewhere where the night life's a little quieter, right?" he said
with a sympathetic smile.

 

Methos wanted to end the conversation as quickly as possible.  He felt
paranoid being in a room full of them.  "Yeah, well look- thanks for
coming up here Mac- I owe you one..."

 

MacLeod interrupted, still concerned about his friend's reactions, and
trying to lighten him up, "Actually, I owe you.  I wouldn't have met
Janette if you hadn't called me up here to watch your back."

 

MacLeod had told Methos about Janette in the little bit that they had
been speaking before Mulder came out.  The thought of Mac letting this
'woman' feed off him- actually killing him, repeatedly...  Frankly, it
gave him cold shivers up and down his spine.  He wanted to be happy for
his friend who had been moping ever since Anne had left him, but he was
just too wigged out.  He didn't want MacLeod to know- didn't want things
between them to again be like they were when Mac had discovered that
Methos had been one of the Four Horsemen.  All he could think about was
getting out of Toronto and getting his head together about this whole
Vampire issue.

 

He said, "How about we call it even, Mac."  He drained his drink and
added, "Look, I'll let you know when I figure out where I'm headed, Ok?"
He stuck his hand out to Mulder and added, "Nice to meet you, and good
luck with your training, alright?"

 

Mulder quietly shook Adam's hand and let him make his escape.

 

MacLeod started to follow him when he felt Mulder's hand on his arm,
restraining him.

 

Mulder said, "Let him go, MacLeod.  He needs to deal with this alone."

 

"How would you know what he needs?" MacLeod demanded.

 

"I didn't need a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology to see that the whole
idea of vampires being real was freaking him out," Mulder responded.
"But, hopefully, it gives me some credibility when I tell you that I
know what I'm talking about."

 

Momentarily diverted, Mac asked, "I thought you were a field agent."

 

Mulder began to regale MacLeod with the tale of this career in the FBI.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

"Well, Nicolas.  I see that things have changed significantly since I
left, hmm?"  Janette began, as she gracefully slid onto the couch along
the wall of LaCroix's office.

 

LaCroix chuckled and sat back into his chair behind the desk.  "I didn't
imagine I would find you in Toronto for at least a decade, my dear.
Usually you punish Nicolas with your absence for much longer than two
years.  What brings you back so soon?"  He hastily added, "Not that I am
displeased to see you again."

 

Nick finally recovered sufficiently to take his seat, though he still
had yet to speak.

 

"How could I stay away grand-pre?  I have heard that I now have two new
siblings.  When I last saw my dear Nicolas, he was seeking his own
mortality, not taking it away from others," she teased not entirely
ungently.  "What a momentous two years it must have been to change the
beliefs and behavior of two centuries."

 

Finally, Nick brought himself to speak.  "Yes, well... not even two years.
It has only been two weeks... less actually."  He laughed at himself as he
added, "I guess I finally 'pulled my head out,' as Natalie would put
it."

 

"And how is my newest sister..." Janette began, as the three of them
lapsed into catching up on the events that had transpired since they all
last parted.

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

 

It was well past two in the morning and once again, all the mortals had
left and the club was officially closed for the night.  Always in the
past that had meant that only vampires populated the dance floor and
bar.  Tonight there was more than one incarnation of immortality in the
mix of bodies moving to the pulse of the music.

 

LaCroix looked upon his family, now an extended family; joyful and
content in their existence.

 

Vachon had Tracy grinding against his front, and Ursula writhing against
his back on one part of the dance floor.  Near them were Janette and
MacLeod, lost in each other's eyes as they moved to the beat.  Nick was
moving Natalie about the floor with all the grace and style that
centuries of formal dance could teach.  Mulder and Scully were on the
other side of the floor from Vachon and his childr- it seemed that
Scully didn't exactly hit it off with Urs.  He thought that he would
have to look into that situation before too much later.

 

As he watched them he realize that this was what he had dreamed of for
centuries- maybe not exactly as he had once hoped it would be, but not
at all bad.

 

"Perhaps," he admitted quietly to himself, "Even better."

 

===== X-FILES ===== FOREVER KNIGHT ===== HIGHLANDER =====

Epilogue


 


Somewhere in Toronto

 

8 a.m. Monday December 18th

 

A man stood before a desk.  There was a chair there, but he had not been
invited to sit, and- given his failure to acquire what the man behind
the desk wanted- he didn't want to press his luck.

 

The man behind the desk looked with icy contempt at the flunky before
him.  "I gave you a simple assignment.  I told you where they were
staying, and what they were doing here in Toronto.  All I asked it that
you keep an eye on them and tell me where they were at all times."

 

The man tried to defend himself, "They haven't been there since the
first day of the conference.  They had someone else check them out of
their rooms, and they haven't been back.  They missed their flight out
of Toronto, and there is no record of them taking any other flight.
There is no movement on their credit cards, they haven't checked in to
any other hotel or motel in the city.  Their rental car hasn't been
turned in yet, so it is possible that they have driven out of town, but
there is no record of them going through any checkpoint into the states,
nor any hotel or flight records anywhere in Canada."

 

The man behind the desk raised his voice only slightly, "Do you think
you are telling me anything I don't already know?  If I wanted an
explanation for your incompetence, I would have asked for one.  The only
thing I want from you is their present location.  Until you have that,
you have nothing I want."  He leaned forward slightly in his chair and
said in a more normal tone of voice, "Now, I suggest you find out where
they are.  Do it quickly, or I will find someone else to replace you."
The threat of permanent replacement was unspoken, yet clearly
communicated.

 

The man spun around on his heel and left the room.

 

Another man, older stepped out of the shadows in the corner of the room
and sat before the desk.  "Good help is hard to find, but if you keep
killing them off, you'll make it even harder."

 

The man behind the desk was not amused.  "You were supposed to be my
backup.  Your daughter is partnered with the ones who were chaperoning
these two, and you are no more help to me than he was!" he growled,
indicating the man who had just left the room.

 

"My daughter. has chosen this time for one of her inconvenient little
'I'm a grown woman, quit trying to tell me how to run my life' temper
tantrums."

 


The man behind the desk angrily crushed out his cigarette. "I'm not
interested in your family problems, commissioner.  If you cannot handle
a simple request to keep an eye on two people, doing nothing more
devious than attending a conference, then it may be time for us to
re-evaluate your usefulness to the program as well," he said smoothly as
he removed a pack of Morleys from his coat and lit his next, drawing
deeply and blowing the smoke into the commissioner's face.


 


The End?


 


TheBear!

thebear@earthling.net 

http://thebear.somewhere.net <http://thebear.somewhere.net/>