by

Gwenn Musicante

Remember the story of Pinocchio? Gepeto wanted a real son. Well so does Lacroix, but he got Nicholas instead. Okay, so not everyone that wishes upon a star has their wish come true, but this is as close as it gets in FK land.

Permission to archive to Mel's FKFanfic Archive, the FTP site, and the CotK site.

Send all comments to: GwennM@hotmail.com

Once upon a time there was a tall hungry vampire that was more than a millennium in years old. Yet in all his days he never had a son to call his own. Yes he once had a daughter by mortal flesh, and even another female offspring of his own creation, but it was a son that he had longed for throughout eternity. As the ancient being wandered with his daughter from one small European town to another, his heart would yearn for that one special male who would be his prodigy.

One night as he hunted the darkened empty streets of France a shooting star crossed his path, and the vampire laughed to himself as he mused over the superstitious notion that mortals clung to by which a star could grant a wish. For over a thousand years he has wished for a son, yet never did such a request come to light. As he flew, he noticed the light from a flickering fire as it glowed through a window and crept out into the heavy night air. The heartbeats of many mortals could be heard even above their boisterous laughter. In hushed motion he flew to the source of what he expected to be his next meal, but his desire for sustenance was suddenly diverted as he became hopelessly intrigued by the one who sat at the head of the table. A mere mortal was this man, but the elder vampire knew that this human would be the one that he could teach and make into so much more.

In great excitement, the one who called himself LaCroix, tracked down the daughter of his blood, and forced her away from her half-drained victim de jour. Tonight, he would need her to lure this one of potential into the ways of the vampire, and into what would be his rightful destiny. For LaCroix knew that no mortal could resist the dark beauty, Janette. Yes, she would be perfect to lead this crusader onto the darkened path by which they lead their lives.

Janette groaned as her Master, half dragged her through the air towards the smelly town. Half a mortal was no way to satiate the desires of a hungry vampire. Annoyed by her father’s insistence, she vowed to herself to make sure that the next time she fed to be certain that their link was temporally not working, even if it would take all of her concentration. LaCroix’s grip on her upper arm was beginning to hurt, as he pushed her through the entrance of the stone building and twisted her around to see the object of his urgency.

Her mouth fell open as her heart and breathing stopped. Not that she was doing much of those two activities anyway, but she was enthralled by the handsome knight that seemed unaware of their stalking presence. With her hunger for blood all but a memory, she turned back to LaCroix and smiled, for she knew without asking what plans lay in store.

With a scheme to make this innocent, one of them, complete, she set out to the large room in which the mortal’s used to dine. Her gaze penetrated him, not even a touch brought her pray to her waiting arms. She seduced him and assuredly told him that no longer would he be satisfied by anything other than darkness. So captured was he by her web of seduction that he failed to take note of the evil beast that lurked in the shadows of their pleasure filled chamber.

With the knight’s head still swirling with feelings of delight, the one named LaCroix made his unwelcome presence known. As confusion and anger made the knight sit up to confront this invader, it was already too late for any retreat. "My son," said the pleased uninvited visitor, and then to the dark world was added another.

The Master vampire so proud of his new child, taught him endless lessons of survival. He had given to this son what he believed to be the most precious of gifts, the present of eternity with him by his side. After all these year, he finally had a real son, but to keep his blessing of never ending life, the son would need to turn his back on his mortality. At first this new one was frightened by what he had become, but then he so wanted to please his new father that he promised to do everything right so that he may always be a real son.

And they lived many a decade in harmony.

Then came the day when renewed feelings of mortality stirred from deep within, and the knight regretted his evil ways. LaCroix roared with anger and warned him that not only could he never return, but that his fangs would get longer with each non -vampire act. Feeling trapped and wanting to lead his own life, the knight named Nicholas left the world of the dark and tried to be happy with those who were no longer his own.

As time passed on, Nicholas’s fangs grew long and sharp, but he fought all his urges and did not act as a son of LaCroix. One day he met up with an angel named Natalie, and she promised to help make him what he once was. She gave him potions to drink that looked like ground chalk, and told him to take sun-baths and garlic for building his tolerance. The work that she did had softened his fangs, but still he looked like an enforcer on a bad day.

As his son played a good guy in the mortal world, the Master vampire grew tired of trying to bring back his son from his misguided ways, and he left for a rest at a new club for his kind called The Whale. This club was to be the best place for a vampire, but inside, the young owner had plans for Nick’s Master. The moment he saw her, he new he was doomed, for this was no vampire to be trifled with. She held him in bondage, and hurt him so badly, but his heart was so broken from losing his son that he did not fight back, and his first daughter seemed to have won.

For days Nick could feel the pain of his father, but tried to ignore it because he wanted to be mortal. Then remembering all that he had promised to be, he flew to The Whale and confronted his father’s tormentor. Pulling a stake out, he plunged it into his Grandmother’s heart, and Divia left this world while her family watched. Then Nicholas’s teeth became the right size, and LaCroix rejoiced because he finally had his son back. His wish had come true for a real son, and everybody lived happily ever after. Well, there was this slight issue about Nick’s love for Natalie… never mind.

The End.