Part Two

"You know I won't do that, LaCroix. I love her too much to abandon
her now."
"You brought her across because you couldn't bare to let her die. She
accepted you as you were and returned to you. Why can't you accept
what you are?"
"I have made her into what I am. A murder of innocent people. I have
damned her soul along with my own. For that, I'll never forgive
myself."
"Nicholas, there is nothing for you to forgive. You did what you did
in order to survive."
"No, I did what I did because at first I buried my true feelings and
tried to be the creature you wanted me to be. I took what I thought I
wanted. I killed because I enjoyed the killing. I enjoyed the
hunting, the chase and the draining of my victim. And now I must
teach her to do the same."
"Then teach her well, Nicholas. Teach her everything she will need to
survive. Do not let her turn out like so many other of your
fledglings."
"No, she will not turn out like them. I won't have to destroy her nor
will she hate me. She loves me too much. That much I saw in her
blood."
"Can you handle that much love?"
"Yes, for I love her just as much. I just wished it could have been
under different circumstances."
"Then you must get back to her now for she will awaken soon. You must
be there for her at all times."
"Yes, LaCroix. I must get back to her. Even now her blood calls to
me. It burns within me. I've never felt this way before about any of
my fledglings. I never felt this way about Janette."
"She is special, Nicholas. Even I can recognize that. She completes
you and together you are one. I am sorry I kept you away from her for
so long."
"It wasn't just you, LaCroix, it was me. I never wanted this for her.
Had I left, she still would be walking in the sun. She'd have
children and a husband that loves her."
"She never would have accepted you leaving, Nicholas. She loves you
too much. My love for Fleur was that kind of love, only I choose to
leave her. You decided to love her and stay with her one way or the
other. You had more courage than I. I was afraid of Fleur's love for
me."
"Afraid LaCroix?"
"Yes afraid. I was afraid she'd change me. Do you really think that
you could have stopped me from taking her at any time? Do you think
that agreement would have kept me from her even after we left? How
many times did we separate, Nicholas? How many times could I have
returned to her and brought her across without your knowledge until
it was too late?"
"I must go, LaCroix, she is stirring."
"Very well, Nicholas, go to her and teach her well. Let her be with
you and become one with her."

Nicholas flew off to the dwelling they had brought her to after that
night. As he opened the door, she sat up from her slumber. Opening
her eyes, they were already golden with want. She smiled and her
newly formed fangs showed just below her lip. All regret left him as
he melted into her arms. As they drank from each other, the love they
shared flowed from one to the other. They were one.