This is a FK/HL xover. All the FK characters and concept belong to TriStar, Inc. and the HL characters and concept belong to Davis/Panzer Productions, Inc. No infringement is intended. The rest of the cast and this story are created and copyrighted by me. This story follows my previous one: 'Time to Move On' which can be found on my web page at: http://www.dlc.fi/~dce/fic/index.html All and any comments are welcome. And last but not least, special thanks to my wonderful beta readers Bob and Stevana for all their help. THE COLLECTOR by DCE aka ViciousGurl (c)1998 "One more word about Nick or Natalie, and I *swear* I'll scream!" Antonia exclaimed as she whirled around to face LaCroix. Her jaw was set stubbornly while her gray eyes sent daggers at him. "What.. Am I not allowed to express the slightest concern about my children?" LaCroix's voice sounded hurt. "Concern - yes, obsession - not", Antonia seethed through her clenched teeth. "Obsession?" LaCroix repeated with a tone which clearly stated that she was being ridiculous. "Yes Lucien, you *are* obsessed", Antonia snapped scathingly. LaCroix straightened his posture, and began dangerously softly: "I am hardly..." "Ha!" Antonia interrupted him. "You went to New York for four days to *spy* on them, and you don't think that's obsessive?" "I did *not* spy on them", LaCroix objected indignantly, "I was... keeping an eye on them." Antonia was so mad she could've kicked him. Of all the stubborn, irritating, infuriating.... Taking a few deep breaths she stopped her mental raving, and tried very hard to gain control over herself. Then she said with forced calmness: "You said you'd give them time." "Yes, provided that Nicholas would teach her properly", LaCroix reminded her almost triumphantly. "And he has", Antonia said stressing every word. "Well, if he's doing such a good job, then why is Natalie's progress so unsatisfactory?" he demanded to know. "It's been three months, Lucien! So, she hasn't killed anyone yet, I would *hardly* call that unsatisfactory!" They stared at each other in angry silence for a long time, neither wanting to be the one to look away first. "Fine!" Antonia snapped finally. "Obsess all you want, but do it alone, I'm going out." "Where are you going?" LaCroix demanded, his blue eyes narrowed as he watched her march into the hall. "OUT!" A few seconds later he heard the front door being slammed shut. For a moment LaCroix seriously considered punching his fist through the living-room wall to diffuse his anger, but eventually decided against it. There was no point in getting into a brawl about that as well. He shook his head as he recalled their fight. "Of all the stubborn, irritating, infuriating...." he muttered to himself. Why couldn't she understand how important this was? Natalie might not always have neatly bottled blood at hand. She would have to learn to take care of herself, and that included finding, and taking, her own nourishment. LaCroix felt his anger flare again, only this time it was directed at Natalie. That woman wasn't even in the same country with him, and *still* she managed to complicate his life! ******* "He's being impossible!" Antonia thought for the umpteenth time as she drove around the streets of Toronto. Not killing someone did not constitute as a flaw in her book, but obviously it was a major emergency in his. Why couldn't he just admit that there was no need for Natalie to practice killing. She knew, in theory, how it was done, and if she'd ever find herself in a situation where there was no other way to feed herself, well, her instincts would kick in. She *was* a vampire, for crying out loud! But would Lucien ever admit to that? Nooo! Antonia sighed in frustration as she watched the city lights flash by while she accelerated her speed. She'd really have to get herself a motorbike; one just couldn't get the same feeling of freedom driving a car, she decided. But right now, she needed to find a place where she wouldn't have to, or rather, where she *couldn't*, think of anything. The Raven would've been perfect, but it was the last place she could go, and not just because of LaCroix. She hadn't been to the Raven for the past three months; there was no point in rubbing her 'mortality' into the Enforcers' face. So, she was testing if the old saying 'out of sight, out of mind' applied to vampires, as well, and stayed away from the club. She was pulled out of her thoughts when she noticed a garish neon sign blinking above the entrance of a seedy looking nightclub. 'Empty Skull'. That certainly sounded promising, Antonia mused and pulled over. When she entered the club she was greeted by ear-piercing music, and cigarette smoke so thick, she could barely see a few meters ahead of herself. She smiled mirthlessly - the place was perfect. Fighting her her way through the crowd to the bar she ordered a drink. Maybe she'd just get blasted and be done with it, she thought as she took a gulp of her tequila. Leaning against the bar she looked around. The crowd kind of reminded her of the Raven, but as far as she could tell, there were no vampires in the Empty Skull. But evidently, there was another Immortal around, she thought as she suddenly felt a familiar sensation at the back of her head. She tried to see who had just entered the club, but the smoke was so thick she couldn't see the front door. She shrugged a little, and decided that it wasn't really that important. Whoever it was, wouldn't be stupid enough to start anything in a public place, so she might as well forget about it. She emptied her glass with the second gulp and felt a warmth spread over her as the alcohol reached her stomach. She ordered another tequila, but before she could drink any of it someone bumped into her, and her drink ended up on the floor. "Hey! Watch where you're going!" she snapped, turning to see who the idiot was. Her gray eyes met with a pair of green ones which belonged to a tall, blond amazon. "Maybe you're the one who should watch yourself", the stranger suggested mildly amused. Antonia narrowed her eyes a little, and said with a matching tone: "I don't think so." That earned her a flash from the green eyes. "People have lost their heads for less, you know." "Really?" Antonia smiled sweetly. "Really", the amazon replied coldly. Antonia felt the adrenaline return into her system, and she breathed in deeply. She felt a little light-headed, and a small voice inside her tried to tell her that this really wasn't such a good idea, but she soon quelled it. This was exactly what she needed, a perfect way to work out her foul mood. "Well then, maybe you'd like to take this outside", she suggested lifting her brow. The other answered by simply nodding her head, tight-lipped, and turned to leave. Antonia followed her outside, and now she wished that she hadn't had that drink after all. They passed her car, and she stopped long enough to get her shamshir from the back seat. She decided to ignore the blond's smirk as she flipped the blade under her long coat, and then they continued onwards. A few minutes later they arrived to a park which seemed deserted enough for their purposes. They fished their weapons from under their coats and took their stands. Antonia felt the weight of the shamshir in her hand and observed her opponent. The blond's moves seemed fluid and precise, and she was in perfect control. "I always like to know the names of those whose Quickening I'm about to take", Antonia said in an effort to unnerve the other woman. "Colette." The blond introduced herself and flashed a wolfish smile at her way. "And I don't think I'm the one who's going to lose her head tonight." "That's what they always say." Antonia smiled coldly, and introduced herself. "Well, Antonia Jones, if you're done with the talking, let's begin. I haven't got all night, you know." Attack was Antonia's only response. The sound of clashing metal echoed in the empty park as they went after each other. Colette was more than good, and Antonia couldn't find any opening in her defense. Instead, she was forced to back down little by little before Colette's attacks. She barely managed to jump back quickly enough, as Colette swiped her sword once again. Looking down she saw that her blouse had been neatly slashed just above her abdomen. Antonia retreated a bit and circled her opponent, trying to force back her boiling anger. That anger would get her killed if she wasn't careful. She reached deep inside herself and found the cold calmness which would allow her to fight without emotion, just as Colette was doing. With great effort she pressed down all of her feelings, and finally she was left only with the calm determination Duncan, and her martial arts instructors, had taught her. No way was she going to lose her head tonight! Just as they were closing in on each other again, Antonia felt a third Immortal. Her nostrils flared in anger as she thought that Colette had brought backup, but that thought soon vanished; Colette couldn't have known that she'd meet her in the Empty Skull tonight. They heard a low growl behind the bushes just before the newcomer emerged from the shadows. He had dark, short cropped hair, and he was clad totally in black leather. "Colette. I've been looking for you", he said with a nasty smile. "And now you found me", Colette answered returning the smile in kind. The man's voice lashed like a whip: "You took something from me, and I want it back - now." Colette laughed. "Or what, you set your damned dogs on me? Isn't that how you usually handle your fights? Well, it didn't work the last time, and it won't work now. What was yours once, is mine now. Take it if you can." "As you wish", the man said lightly, and brought out his sword. Antonia had listened the exchange in silence but she had just about had enough of it. "Excuse me", she said irritated, "we *were* in the middle of a *fight* here." "Sorry", the man said, turning his burning eyes at her, "but I was the first in line." "Well that's too bad, 'cause I was the first one *here*", Antonia said jeeringly. "My, my, aren't I popular tonight." Colette gave a short laugh, and waited which one of her opponents would be the first to attack. Suddenly their little standstill was broken by a yell from a distance. "Hey! What's going on there?" All weapons vanished in split-second, and the three of them scattered in different directions. The man threw one last glance at their way, and gave a short, animal like growl, before he hissed: "Later." Unfortunately, Antonia didn't have time to throw anything back, since someone was approaching them fast. She hurried straight back to her car, and climbed in. She just sat there for a long while, taking deep breaths, and waited for the adrenaline rush to fade away. Shaking her head slowly in frustration she hit the steering wheel with her fist; she was in no better shape now than she'd been when she had left home. She stared blindly at the distance for a long time before deciding that she couldn't be nowhere near legally drunk from that little drink she'd had earlier, and started the car. She drove out of the city, and spent the next few hours testing the limits of her car. When she finally returned back home, she had worked out her anger, and she felt totally at ease. The fall down came half an hour later while she was watching television. She couldn't believe how *stupid* she'd been. Picking a fight after she'd been drinking, and fighting in red hot anger! It was sheer luck that she hadn't lost her head tonight. She closed her eyes and shook her head tiredly. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She gave a heavy sigh and opened her eyes, when an even worse thought hit her. She had been prepared to kill someone, a total stranger, just because she'd been mad. It didn't matter that Colette was an Immortal, because she knew that her challenge had had nothing to do with the Game. The realization that she didn't particularly like herself at the moment, was not a pleasant one. Had Immortality changed her so much, that she was becoming like Garrett and his partner? She felt as if someone had just hit her hard in the stomach, and she had to struggle to be able to breathe properly. No, she thought almost frantically, she could never be like them, ever - she'd rather die first. It had been a long time since she had last cried over what had happened to Elaine, but now she could feel hot tears run down her cheeks. But as the tears kept on flowing, she finally had to admit the truth to herself - the tears weren't for Elaine, they were for herself. ******** When LaCroix returned home from the Raven that evening he had long since calmed down. He had made a decision about how to handle the situation concerning Natalie, and he was going to stick to it. He had made a mistake with Nicholas by allowing him too much freedom at the beginning, and he was adamant not to repeat that same mistake with his youngest child. No, he would do everything right with Natalie, just as he had done with Janette, and she'd become a content, self-assured vampire. His methods of education might sting a little, but in the end she'd thank him. After all, it would all be for her own good. LaCroix found Antonia sitting in the living-room. He wondered if she'd still be mad, but she seemed calm enough. When she greeted him quietly, something in her voice caught his attention and he wrinkled his brow. He looked at her sharply and saw nothing odd, but still he couldn't help the feeling that something was wrong. "Antonia?" he asked softly, patiently waiting until she turned her eyes to meet his before he continued. "Is something wrong? You're not still upset about our earlier disagreement, are you?" That earned him a faint smile. "Disagreement? I could've sworn we had a full blown fight", Antonia said lightly. LaCroix watched in silence as she got up from the couch and went to look out from the window. Her movements seemed strained, and nervous, somehow, and now he knew for certain that there was something wrong. "Lucien", Antonia said, interrupting his thoughts, and turned to face him again. "About tonight...." She stopped as if to search for words, before continuing: "I don't pretend to completely understand the link you share with Janette, Nick and Natalie, but I know how much they all mean to you. I understand that you want to be near them, spend time with them and talk about them. They are your children, and you love them, and of course you worry about them, that's only natural." She paused again for a moment before she continued softly: "But they're also adults, Lucien, very capable adults, and they can take care of themselves." LaCroix regarded her for a moment. There was something else going on here besides the obvious, but he had no idea what it could be. Finally he spoke up. "Yes, but Natalie is also a fledgling. Have you any idea how easy it is to destroy a fledgling?" "She has Nick -- and she has you. You'll know if she's in trouble", Antonia reminded him. "You said you'd give them time...." "And I have", LaCroix interrupted her quickly. "Three months isn't that long, even for a mortal", Antonia said gently. "You're the one who's always telling me that we have all the time in the world. Let Nick and Natalie have some of that time, too." LaCroix looked at her, and tried to figure out what was going on in her mind. What ever it was, he had a feeling that he'd be changing his earlier firm decision about Natalie any time now. He walked over to Antonia, and studied her face. "Why is this so important to you?" She didn't answer his question, but looked straight into his blue eyes. "Natalie doesn't have to practice killing, for food, or for anything else. It's quite possible that she may never have to kill at all... So please, don't force her to kill before her time, Lucien." Her gray eyes pleaded with him now as she went on: "Please, don't break her spirit." LaCroix cupped her cheek in his hand and wondered again the power this small woman had over him. How could he possibly refuse her when she was begging him? He knew the answer to that even before the question had formed itself in his mind. "It seems that Natalie has a powerful ally on her side", he said, his voice rough. "Very well, you have my word that I'll give her the time she needs." He was rewarded by a slightly trembling smile, and a loving look from the suspiciously bright eyes; for a second he thought that she was going to cry, but then the moment passed. He bent his head down and captured her warm lips with his own cold ones. As she drew him closer, and eagerly returned the kiss, he knew the color of his eyes had changed to gold, and a few seconds later, he felt his fangs drop into place. The tip of his fang grazed her lower lip just enough to draw a tiny drop of blood, but that was enough. He scooped her into his arms and flew them to their bedroom in a flash. ********************* The next evening LaCroix was enjoying a fresh drink in the living-room while catching up with the latest financial news, when he heard a familiar sounding slam from the front door. A second later he heard Antonia's light steps hurry through the hall and towards the stairs. What made him put his paper down and go to the hall himself, was the string of obscenities he heard Antonia mutter from under her breath. That certainly wasn't like Antonia, he thought, and was actually surprised at her extensive repertoire. When he got to the hall he caught a whiff of something familiar. He furrowed his brow, and sniffed the air again, but he hadn't been mistaken. It was dried blood he smelled. "Antonia", he said alarmed, stopping her climb up the stairs, "what's happened?" "What's happened?" Antonia repeated furiously as she whirled around to look at him. "I'll tell you what's happened. That bitch shot me!" LaCroix didn't know whether to be shocked or amused by her strong language. He was not, however, the least bit amused by the idea that someone had shot at her. "Who? Who was it?" "Colette", Antonia spat the name out of her mouth as if it had a foul taste to it. "Who's Colette?" LaCroix's frown deepened. "She's an Immortal I met last night", Antonia answered, and went on steaming, "Immortal! And she *shot* me!" She paused to catch her breath, but soon continued: "I mean, I was taking a short cut through the park, minding my own business, when all of a sudden she just appears out of nowhere..." "Appeared?" LaCroix interrupted her flood of words. "Didn't you feel her presence?" "Of course I felt her", Antonia sighed in frustration, "but she was almost twenty meters from me. I mean, what was she going to do?" "Shoot at you?" LaCroix suggested innocently. For a second he thought that she was going to hit the roof, but with great effort she managed to retain herself. "That's right. That's right", she hissed, waving her hands, "she shot me. Right there, in plain sight. *And then*, then, she just left me lying there with my brains scrambled! Suppose someone had found me? Then what?!" Her voice had risen considerably towards the end of her rant, and it took her a moment to calm down a bit again. "I gotta go and wash this stuff out of my hair", she then announced, and continued her way up the stairs. LaCroix followed her to the bedroom before he stated the obvious. "You said that she's Immortal, but still she didn't take your head..." Antonia kicked off her shoes, and said with a low voice: "That was her mistake." LaCroix caught a glimpse of her eyes as she was shedding her clothes to the floor, and suddenly he understood. Her outburst was her way of dealing with the fear she must've felt. She clearly hadn't expected to wake up after the shooting, and now, anger was easier for her to handle than being afraid. Suddenly Antonia stopped undressing, and burst out: "You know what else she did? She took my sword!" She shook her head still not quite believing it. "I mean, stealing Immortal's blade is like -- like stealing a man's horse. It's just not done!" She was well on her way to full rage again, as she tore the last pieces of her clothing off. "Just wait till I get my hands on her. And no way in hell will I regret it this time", she muttered just before she entered the bathroom and slammed the door closed behind her. LaCroix wondered for a moment what her last comment meant, but decided then that it probably had something to do with whatever had occurred the previous night. He shook his head, and smiled slightly; she truly was magnificent when she was angry. He was just glad that he wasn't the one at the receiving end of her wrath this time. ******** Later that night when they lay in the darkness together, waiting to fall asleep, LaCroix approached the subject of Colette again. "How do you think she found you?" Antonia sighed tiredly against his chest and shrugged a little. "I have no idea. I guess she must've followed me, or something, but I never felt her until it was too late." Absentmindedly LaCroix slid his hand slowly up and down her bare back as he thought of what had happened. "I know you're going to find her, my dear, but I would be more than happy to assist..." he then suggested lightly. Antonia smiled in the darkness and interrupted him. "Yes, I'm sure you would be." She stopped to yawn, but continued soon: "But this is an Immortal thing, Lucien. And you've got this slight problem with the sunlight..." "That needn't be a problem, my dear", LaCroix said, "haven't you always met her after sunset?" Antonia was already half asleep, and she just made a small sound in a way of response. Then she mumbled sleepily: "All right, we can find her together, but I'll have to take care of her myself. The rules, you know..." LaCroix said nothing, and a few moments later he could feel that she had fallen asleep. The rules.... This Colette person obviously wasn't too concerned about them, or she wouldn't have stooped to shooting to get Antonia's sword. LaCroix knitted his brows as he thought of that. He would have to make sure that that wouldn't happen again; the next time Antonia might not be as lucky as to escape with her head intact. No, he wouldn't let Antonia out of his sight until this matter had been taken care of. ************************* Antonia didn't have too many leads to follow, but the next evening she and LaCroix headed to the Empty Skull. It was really the only place she had to go on with, but unluckily it proved to be a dead end. Even LaCroix's 'persuasive powers' didn't help them, no-one at the 'Skull' could remember Colette. While Antonia tried to think of another place they could check out, LaCroix suggested that they'd take a look around the park they had fought in that night. While Antonia didn't really expect them to find anything, she agreed, but she'd been right. They found nothing in the park that would help them to find Colette. No clues, no leads, no nothing. "Well I guess that's it then", Antonia said shrugging her shoulders. "I'm all out of ideas." "Can you remember anything else about her? Anything at all?" LaCroix asked. Antonia shook her head. "It's not like we exchanged our lives stories, or anything..." "What about that man you told me about?" "No, I don't even know his name", Antonia said, turning to take one more look at the spot they had been at that night, and gave a heavy sigh. LaCroix took her by her shoulders and turned her to face him. "It was just a sword, my dear. I'll get you a new one." Antonia pouted her lips a little. "But I liked that one." LaCroix shook his head and couldn't help chuckling at her words. She really was precious. "What? What did I say?" Antonia wanted to know as she saw his mirth. LaCroix just shook his head and grinned. "Just an old, private joke, my dear." Antonia studied his face for a moment. Then she shrugged a little and decided to drop the subject. "Oh, I suppose you're right. I guess I should just be grateful that I still have my head, eh?" Still smiling LaCroix nodded at her. "You have time. Trust me, you'll get your chance before long", he then said with a knowing gleam in his eyes. Antonia gave him a faint smile. He had been around for awhile, so he was probably talking from experience but she wasn't holding her breath. The shamshir was gone and there wasn't much she could do about it. "I had thought of this before, but now the timing seems perfect", LaCroix said as he watched her thoughts reflect from her face. "What would you say if we took a little trip?" His suggestion took Antonia by surprise, but when she thought about it, a trip sounded good actually. It might be just what she needed. Business was slow right now, so that wouldn't be a problem. And, it didn't even matter that she was pretty sure she knew where he would like to go to. He had given her his word that he wouldn't pressure Natalie, and he would keep his word. Sure, they sometimes didn't quite see eye to eye on exactly what they had agreed upon, and he might *bend* his word, but he'd never break it. "A trip to where?" she asked lightly, after a small silence. "To New York?" "No, not New York", LaCroix answered with a dry smile. "I was thinking of Prince Edward Island, actually. You've always said you'd like to see it someday, so why not now? And, I thought on our way back, we might stop and visit Janette in Montreal." Slowly, Antonia's gray eyes began to radiate. Sometimes she got a feeling that she really didn't deserve him at all. PE Island sounded great, and it would be nice to see Janette again. She bit her lip as she gave him a small, lopsided smile. "You know, in case I haven't said it lately, I love you", she said looking into his blue eyes. "A trip sounds wonderful", she then continued more lightly, "could we make it by train?" "It's your trip, my dear, we can do whatever you want", LaCroix promised, amused. Yes, they would get away for a while, and she'd forget all about Colette, Antonia thought to herself. Even though she had really loved her sword, especially since it had been a gift from Lucien, it was as she had just told him - she still had her head, and that was the most important thing. Still, if she ever encountered that thieving amazon again, she'd make it a memorable event. "My dear..?" LaCroix interrupted her thoughts. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking...." she began, but stopped herself almost immediately. With a dry smile she then continued: "Never mind. I'll get over it. So, when do leave?" ******** When they got back home, LaCroix made a few phone calls, and then told Antonia that they could leave the next evening if she wanted to. "Great", she smiled. Clearing her throat she continued sheepishly: "You know, I just thought of one last thing that might help me to locate Colette. But if it doesn't pan out, I *promise* I'll drop it once and for all, okay?" LaCroix gave her an amused look, but said nothing. He just made a 'be-my-guest' kind of a gesture, and watched as she picked up the phone. "Mac, hi!" Antonia said to the phone. "I hope I'm not calling at a bad time..." "No, no, it's good to hear from you, Nia", Duncan MacLeod assured her from the other end of the line. "How are you? You're still hanging out with that old sucker?" "Yeah, we're still together", Antonia laughed, knowing that the 'old sucker', who was sitting right next to her, could hear both ends of the conversation perfectly well. "And we're both just fine, thanks for asking", she then continued. "How are you guys?" "Oh, the same old, same old", Duncan said. "Tessa still loves her job at the museum, and Richie's got his sight set on a new girl, but then, what else is new?" "I know just what you mean", Antonia said smiling, but then her tone turned more serious. "Mmm, listen Mac, have you ever heard of an Immortal called Colette?" "Colette?" "Yeah, I don't know if she has a last name or not", Antonia said. "She's blond, rather tall, and she has green eyes. Does that ring any bells?" "Sorry, nothing comes to mind right off. Why do you ask?" Antonia cleared her throat a little, and then said as quickly as possible: "Shestolemysword." "What was that?" Duncan asked. "Did you say she stole your sword?" "Yeah", Antonia said fingering the phone line. "Why, what happened?" Duncan asked curiously. "Nothing..", Antonia sighed. "She shot me, and she took my blade." Duncan cleared his throat in a manner which made Antonia twist her mouth. He was clearly trying to conceal his laughter. "Go on, laugh all you want", she scolded him dryly, "but trust me, if she ever does it to you, I doubt you'll find it quite this amusing." "I'm sorry, Nia, I know you're right", Duncan said after he had managed to swallow his laughter. "You know, I think I remember her now. I've never met her personally, but I've heard of her. She's called Colette the Collector." "Colette the Collector", Antonia repeated incredulously. "What, you mean this is like a hobby for her? Or is she just suicidal?" "Actually, she's a kleptomaniac", Duncan said nonchalantly, "and evidently swords are her specialty - Immortals' swords." Antonia's eyes widened at this news, and she tried to determine whether or not he was pulling her leg. "A kleptomaniac", she repeated skeptically. "So, she steals because she can't help herself?" "Something like that, yeah", Duncan answered. "And just how do you know all this?" Antonia asked suspiciously. "You just said that you've never met her." "A friend of mine, Sean Burns, has been trying to help her", Duncan explained sounding totally serious. "But they haven't had much luck." "I'd say", Antonia snorted, but continued then, curiously, "What I don't get, is that if this is what she does, how come she still has her head?" The amusement had returned into Duncan's voice as he answered: "It's not because of lack of trying. She not only collects swords, but evidently she's also an expert in using them." Antonia snorted at that. "Yeah right. If she's such an expert, then why did she shoot me?" "Well, of what I know, she *is* excellent with a sword", Duncan explained, "But when she's just after a blade, she doesn't consider it to be a part of the Game, so she uses.. whatever, but then she also leaves her victims' heads untouched." "Well, I guess that's something", Antonia muttered, but then went on more clearly, "You wouldn't happen to know where she lives, or something, would you?" "Sorry, like I said, I only know her through Sean." "Do you think that he might know..." "It's been at least fifty or sixty years since he last counseled her", Duncan said interrupting her. "I doubt that they've kept in touch. From what I understood, she wasn't the easiest person to get along with." Antonia gave a deep sigh. "So, what you're basically saying, is that I can pretty much say good-bye to my blade, is that it?" "'Fraid so, Nia", Duncan said sounding sympathetic. "Great", Antonia said, drumming the table with her fingers. "Okay, thanks, Mac." "Sorry I couldn't be of more help." "Oh, never mind", Antonia said, trying to sound perky. "I was grasping at straws anyway. Give my love to Tessa and Richie, will ya." "I will", Duncan answered. "Take care of yourself." Still in her thoughts, Antonia put the receiver down. That was it, she had done all she could, and now she'd put this thing behind her. Plastering a smile on her face, she turned to look at LaCroix. "Well, if we're going to leave tomorrow evening, I think we're better get things started." ************************* The next night they were in a train, and on their way to Ottawa, where they would stop to spend the day. Antonia stroked the soft leather sofa they were sitting on, and sighed contently: "Mmm, this is the way to travel - in the first class, in our own compartment..." "Yes", LaCroix said, "it's quite charming in a claustrophobic way, I'm sure..." "I know, I know, it's not quite as spacious as I had imagined", Antonia said, laughing at his expression, "but I like it. I think trains have -- atmosphere. Yeah, planes are much faster but they're so.. impersonal, don't you think?" "If you say so, my dear", LaCroix answered, giving a strange look at the complimentary refreshments on the table. Antonia snuggled close to him, and said smiling: "Oh, come on, it's not so bad. I know trains aren't what they used to be, and this isn't exactly the Orient Express, but.. it doesn't mean we can't have fun.." That earned her a sly grin. "No, it doesn't." LaCroix pulled her a little closer and showed her just what he had in mind. When Antonia was seriously out of breath, he pulled back slightly, and asked her nonchalantly: "Have I ever told you about the very first train ride I took?" Antonia shook her head, grinning. He liked to do this to her, first show her what they could have, and then distract her with something totally irrelevant, and then, just as she least expected, continue they earlier activities, as if he had never stopped in the first place. He claimed it kept her on her toes, so she wouldn't take him for granted. She took a comfortable position on the sofa, and listened to his voice. She loved to hear his tales of the 'good old days'. His words made the past come alive for her, and she never tired of hearing of his early escapades. *********** Four hours later they arrived to Ottawa, and checked into their hotel. But it was still early for them, only little after 02:00 am, so they decided to go for a little walk. They passed the House of Commons, and were enjoying the beautiful, if somewhat chilly night, when suddenly Antonia came to a halt. "What is it?" LaCroix asked. "I thought I felt someone..." Antonia said slowly. LaCroix looked around them, but didn't see anyone suspicious. "Do you see anyone you recognize?" After a while Antonia shook her head, and said: "No, whoever it was, is gone now." She turned to look at his serious expression, and continued with a reassuring smile: "It was probably nothing, I'm just being a little jumpy, that's all." LaCroix didn't return her smile, but studied her face as if he was trying to read her mind. "Come on, Lucien, I said it was nothing." Antonia smiled at him coaxingly. "It was just a little brush, barely even that, so let's not make a big deal out of it." When she saw his expression soften, she asked him in a serious tone: "Do you know what I'd really like right now?" "What?" "A big bowl of chocolate ice-cream", Antonia said with a dreamy expression, her voice almost passionate. LaCroix's expression couldn't have been more different. Antonia had once persuaded him into tasting the vile, brown substance, and he couldn't understand how anyone would voluntarily put it into their mouths, but Antonia loved the stuff. "Chocolate ice-cream it is then", he said shaking his head. ********* The next night they continued on to Quebec, the next stop on their way to Charlottetown. As they got off the taxi and entered their hotel, Antonia again felt the buzz of another Immortal. LaCroix noticed how she held her breath for a moment, and seeing her expression, asked: "Another one?" Antonia opened her mouth to say no, but LaCroix didn't give her a chance to do that. "There's no point in denying it, my dear, I know you too well", he said casually, looking around them in the hotel lobby. "Do you see anyone you know this time?" "No." Antonia shook her head. "Like last night, it was so quick I barely felt it. Who ever it was, is keeping their distance." "Do you think someone might be following us?" LaCroix asked knitting his brow. "I don't know", Antonia said, keeping her voice low. "I mean, these incidents aren't necessarily connected in anyway. Both Ottawa and Quebec are big cities, and more likely than not, they both have a few Immortal residents, but..." "So, you don't think it could be Colette?" LaCroix asked, inspecting her face carefully as he said out loud what they both had been thinking about. Antonia sighed a little, and shrugged her shoulders. "I just don't know. The question is, *why* would she? She's already got my sword, so unless she's after my head..." Antonia let her voice trail off. "Maybe we should stay here for a couple of nights, and see if we can find out something", LaCroix suggested. "No, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather keep up with our schedule", Antonia said. "We're already traveling slowly, and I don't want to give up any of the time we've reserved for PE Island. Besides, if I feel someone tomorrow night on the train, then we'll know for sure if we're being followed." LaCroix looked at her carefully. "Are you sure?" "I'm sure", Antonia said nodding her head a little. "Come on, we better get checked in before that receptionist who's been eyeing us suspiciously for the past minute has us thrown out." ************************* The next evening they continued their trip. Antonia didn't feel the presence of her own kind while they waited for the train, but that didn't necessarily mean anything; the lounge they were in was only for the first class passengers. They would just have to wait until they got into the train and then walk through it to be absolutely certain. The train was over an half an hour behind schedule, and when it finally arrived LaCroix wasn't in the best of moods. He made some caustic remarks about the efficiency of the train company, and told Antonia in no uncertain terms that instead of the bottled blood he had brought with him he really felt like snacking on something, or rather, someone else. Forty-five minutes later he had finally calmed down, and Antonia felt like she could afford to enjoy their trip again without worrying on behalf of the staff on board. She glanced out of the window, and knitting her brow remarked: "Don't you think we're going awfully fast?" "The train *was* behind schedule. They're probably just trying to make up for it", LaCroix said, and continued then, "Are you ready for a little stroll along the corridors, my dear?" Nodding, Antonia got up, checked that her sword was safely under her coat and slid the compartment door open. She had just stepped out to the corridor when the train suddenly swayed to one side, causing the door slide shut again. She fought to keep her balance when the train swayed again, violently, and she scream out load as the world suddenly seemed to turn upside down. LaCroix felt the train tilt and he knew it was going to fall down, but even he with all his vampiric powers was helpless against the force with which it all happened. He felt the impact of the shuttering glass as he was thrown through the compartment window. He tried to control his flight through the air but it all happened too fast even for him. He landed on his back about fifteen meters from the train. He lay there for a moment, too dazed to get up, but then the screams and the smell of blood pulled him out of his stupor. He got into a sitting position and thought idly that he must have hit his head when he felt his own blood run along the left side of his face. The head wound didn't worry him, but the one on his back just next to his spine did. Oh, it wouldn't kill him, of course, but he was loosing blood rapidly, and that was a problem. He got up to his feet and brought his hand up to examine his back. The sharp rocks had cut deep, and had he been a human he would be dead now. The loud crying and shouting got his attention again. He looked at the train which had now stopped. The first five cars and the engine had run off the tracks and fallen to the ground, while the rest of the train seemed relatively unharmed. There were people running around, crying and in shock, trying to find their family and friends. he saw several bodies of those who had been thrown out of the train just like he had. They were now lying silently on the rocky ground, their empty eyes staring into thin air, seeing nothing, dead. LaCroix felt his eyes shift to gold as he smelled their blood. He would need to feed, and soon, to heal himself. Just as he was about to kneel beside one of the bodies, he heard a dog's bark. He lifted his eyes and saw three rottweilers standing further away, by the train. He knitted his brow. He hadn't realized that animals were allowed on the train. But then he heard a sharp cry of a child not far away, and he forgot about the dogs. He saw a little boy, clad only in pajamas, wagging unsteadily away from the train, and crying for his mother. The boy held his right arm tightly with his left hand, and LaCroix could see even from the distance the protruding bone which shone against the blood stained blue flannel. The sweet smell of his blood called for LaCroix. He headed towards the boy who was obviously in shock, and who probably wasn't even aware of his surroundings. It would be so easy. There was a chaos around them, and no-one would notice. He took the boy by his left arm, and listening for his heartbeat stared into his gray eyes. LaCroix felt his fangs drop into place and he could almost taste the boy's blood in his mouth already when he heard the dogs barking again. His head snapped up, and he looked at the dogs who hadn't moved an inch since he'd last seen them. He turned his attention back to the boy who was now staring blindly and silently ahead. Those eyes. LaCroix shook his head to clear it a little. Gray eyes. Antonia. LaCroix drew a sharp breath, and his head swung towards the still train. Their compartment had been in the third car. He hurried towards the train, the little boy now all forgotten. He tried to listen for Antonia's heartbeat, but it was impossible. He couldn't even get a trace of her scent, there were simply too many people there. He looked at all the people who were trying to get into the crushed cars to rescue their loved ones. Or to find a helpless Immortal. The thought flashed through LaCroix's mind. He had no way of knowing whether or not there were Immortals among the people climbing all over the train. He looked around himself trying to see if Antonia was one of the people outside the train, but he already knew that she wasn't there. She had been in the corridor when the train had fallen, and she was still somewhere inside the wreckage. LaCroix walked to the remains of the third car, not paying any attention to the people who tried to stop him to help him with his wounds. He did his best not to look anyone in the eyes, for he knew that the loss of blood made it nearly impossible for him to hide his true nature. Even though he could keep his fangs in check, his eyes were burning and there wasn't much he could do about it. So he kept his eyes cast down until he got to the third car. He looked at the mass of twisted metal, and prepared himself for what he would find. Ignoring the sensation of weakness and hunger he climbed to the top of the car and tore one of the doors open. He was greeted by a stench of blood which made his eyes flash in red before he could control himself again. He could hear someone's shallow breaths on his right, and he lifted one of the metal beams to reveal what lay underneath. He found a young man who was struggling to keep breathing despite of the blood that spurted from his mouth every time he took a new breath. Along with his other injuries his rib cage had been crushed, puncturing his lungs. He was in shock and he didn't even notice LaCroix who was hovering right above him. It was obvious that the young man was dying, and still he struggled to breath. One, two, three breaths, and then he was silent. LaCroix let the beam fall back on him, and continued his way further along what had once been the corridor. There were dead people all around, along with torn body parts. He could hear a heartbeat or two somewhere but neither of them was Antonia's so he went on. His advance was slow since he had to stop after almost every step to toss a piece of wreck out of his way. Suddenly he stopped. He could hear a heartbeat right ahead of him. It wasn't a familiar one, but it was a strong one. Someone else was in the car looking for the trapped ones. LaCroix told himself that there was no reason to think that it was another Immortal looking for Antonia. And even if it was, no Immortal would risk a Quickening before all these witnesses, but still he worked twice as hard to get ahead. Finally LaCroix got close to their compartment, and that's also where he found the source of the heartbeats. It was a dark-haired man, dressed in black leather. He was trying to lift a large piece of twisted metal off of someone but his grip on the piece slipped when he noticed LaCroix standing right in front of him. A spark of recognition flashed in the man's eyes, but he covered it quickly enough. "Good, I could use a little help with this one", he said as if he had been expecting for LaCroix to show up all a long. LaCroix said nothing but gripped the plate of metal from the other end and helped the stranger to lift it. Underneath the debris he could see a mass of auburn hair, and he knew he had found what he'd been looking for. The familiar scent of the blood simply confirmed what he already knew. He didn't wait for the stranger's help as he lifted another piece of metal off of Antonia. She was dead, just as LaCroix had anticipated. She had obviously hit her forehead as it was covered with blood, but that alone hadn't killed her. She had literally been crushed to death. Her limbs had been broken in more places than LaCroix cared to count, and the two large pieces of metal he had just lifted off of her had finished the job quite efficiently. Just like the young man he had found earlier, her rib cage had also been crushed along with her pelvis and who knew what else. A definite case of overkill, LaCroix thought as he looked over her blood covered form. As he bent down to lift her, he heard the stranger speak up again. "You can see that she's dead. I think it would be best to leave her here. There's nothing you can do for her now." LaCroix lifted Antonia into his arms. The man's heartbeat echoed in his ears as he glanced at him through narrowed eyes, which were now an obscure combination of icy blue and liquid gold. "I'm taking her with me." His raw tone declared that the subject was not open for discussion, and even in his wakened state the suggestion took. The stranger's eyes looked a little glazed and then he shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'have it your way' and left, leaving LaCroix alone with his precious load. LaCroix bent down to pick up Antonia's sword from beneath the debris and gently tugged it underneath what was left of Antonia's coat as he wrapped the shreds around her. The smell of blood made it hard for LaCroix to concentrate, but he sought for the last remnants of his control and fought the hunger back once more. Then he levitated them both out of the car, and once outside, tried to make it look as if he was climbing down to the ground. He hurried to get out of sight so he could fly them off. Luckily it was dark, but there were a lot of people around, and more of them came from a nearby village to help take care of the injured and to search for the ones missing. Finally, when LaCroix was certain that they couldn't be seen, he took to the air. He flew them to the village, and tried to think of a safe place to leave Antonia. He couldn't wait for much longer for blood, and there was no way he could use any of Antonia's. She needed it all for herself now. The only safe place LaCroix could think of for an Immortal was on Holy Ground, so he searched for a church. There had to be a church or a chapel even in this measly village, he thought as he flew through the night sky. After a few moments, which seemed like an eternity, he noticed a familiar if not altogether welcome sign on one of the rooftops. A cross. He descended behind the small, stone building, and broke the lock of the back door with very little effort. He moved inside and stopped to listen for any sounds which would tell that they were not alone, but heard none, which was hardly surprising considering the late hour. LaCroix cringed as he saw the altar, and for a moment he considered turning around and leaving Antonia in the vestry, but he soon discarded the thought. He knew that the whole of the church was considered to be Holy Ground, but he wasn't about to leave anything to chance. Gritting his teeth he walked pass the altar and gently placed Antonia down on the first row of benches. He made sure that she was lying comfortably, and then placed her sword beside her so she'd find it right away should she wake up before his return. LaCroix looked at her still form, and he could already see the minute changes to her injuries. She was healing, but it would take a while to undo the extensive damage she had suffered. He reached out to touch her face but stopped at the sight of his own hands. They were covered with blood. Her blood. He inhaled deeply and reveled in the intoxicating smell of it. Then he brought his hand in front of his face, and closing his eyes licked his fingers clean. The taste of Antonia's blood in his mouth effected him like a bolt of lightning. The hunger refused to be ignored for any longer and demanded to be satisfied. He needed blood. Hot, pulsating blood flowing into his mouth from a still living and breathing source. Letting out a low, feral growl LaCroix flew out of the church. ********* Despite that it was well after midnight the streets were practically swarming with people, thanks to the accident. The village didn't have a hospital so the local school had been transformed into a temporary E.R. As well as those who were trying to help the injured, there were also a lot of curious bystanders. LaCroix watched them all through the eyes of a hunter. He could forget about the ones involved in the accident, they all had too many other people hovering around them. No, he would have to find someone who was alone, someone who wasn't expecting any trouble, someone who had let their guard down. Then he saw his target. She had a long, blond hair and she was clad casually in a brown leather coat and blue jeans. And she was walking away from all the action. LaCroix flew after her and waited until she took a turn to a narrow alley before he seized her. Her struggle, the little she could manage, was all in vain as his iron grip never wavered. He grabbed her from behind and tilted her head to the side, but he must have used just a little too much force in doing so since he could hear her neck snap. LaCroix snarled in frustration but then sank his fangs into her without another thought. He had her drained in a few seconds. It had all happened so fast that he hadn't had time to sort out the images he had gotten from her blood during his feeding. Now that his hunger had been sated, and his wounds had almost healed he recalled glimpses of what he'd seen. Narrowing his eyes he glanced down at the body at his feet. Could it be? She certainly matched the description Antonia had given him, and the images he'd gotten from her... Men dressed in renaissance fashion, the coronation of Queen Victoria, a woman in a charleston-dress, the same woman who now lay on the ground before him - and swords. Always swords. There was only one way he could find out for certain if this Immortal was the one who'd stolen Antonia's sword. He picked up the body and took it with him as he flew back to the church. ********************** The first thing Antonia became aware of as she awoke, was the presence of another Immortal. She flung her eyes open and rolled to her side, falling right off the bench she had been lying on, and landing on to the hard stone floor. She was totally disoriented at this point but still she tried to grope around in an effort to find her sword. It was only when she heard LaCroix's voice nearby that she stopped. "Everything is all right, my dear. We're on Holy Ground." That's when she dared to calm down and take in her surroundings. She was on her knees on the floor of a small church. She saw LaCroix standing close by, his usually neat clothes a mess, and someone with blond hair huddled on one of the church benches on her right. That must be the Immortal I'm sensing, she thought to herself, but what is she doing here? "Where are we? What happened?" she asked out loud. "There was a little accident, and you we're hurt", LaCroix answered helping her up from the floor. "I don't know the name of this village, but I brought you to this church so you'd be safe since I wasn't sure if there was another Immortal on the train or not." "What about her?" Antonia asked nodding towards the still unconscious blond. "Ah yes, I found her in the village just now", LaCroix said swiping the corner of his mouth with a telltale gesture. "You didn't..." Antonia breathed her eyes wide. LaCroix allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "Yes, I found her here. As far as I can tell she wasn't on the train...." "Lucien", Antonia interrupted him and tilted her head in a manner which suggested that he stop his tale and answer her real question. "Don't worry, my dear, she doesn't know what hit her", LaCroix assured her. "And, besides taking care of the special needs of my diet, I suspect that you are about to get your chance a lot sooner than either of us anticipated." Antonia simply arched her brow questioningly and waited for him to continue. LaCroix gestured towards the other Immortal. "Come and see if you recognize her, my dear." Antonia did as he asked, and upon seeing her face all she could do for a moment was to gape at the other woman. "Colette!" she finally managed to breath out. "So, it is her", LaCroix said contentedly. "And you just bumped into her? Of all the people you just happened to choose her?" Antonia shifted her eyes back to LaCroix. "But how...?" LaCroix arched his brow. "Some might call it 'fate'", he said lightly. "Some might", Antonia allowed with a matching tone. Just then Colette opened her eyes. She was on her feet in a second and backed down a bit to get a picture of her surroundings. Antonia's eyes narrowed as she watched her. She was good, she had to give her that. She showed no panic what so ever, even though she couldn't have any idea how she'd been brought to her present whereabouts. Of course, she could see that they were in a church so she knew she wasn't about to loose her head that instant, but regardless, she did handle herself well. Colette stared at the couple in front of her, and then she remembered Antonia. "The shamshir", she said studying her blood stained appearance. "The kleptomaniac", Antonia responded. "How'd you find me?" Colette asked then sounding curious. Before Antonia had a chance to answer, she felt yet another Immortal. It was like deja-vu except for the dogs, she thought as she saw the dark-haired man, followed by three rottweilers, enter the church and walk along the aisle towards them. And when she thought about it, the low growl of the dogs did sound kind of familiar, so maybe he had had the dogs with him the last time as well. Colette looked at the man, glanced at Antonia and then turned her green eyes back to the new arrival. "I didn't think teaming up was your thing, Kanis", she said and continued then with a cold smile, "With the exception of your hounds, of course." LaCroix studied the leather clad man expressionless. So he hadn't been wrong, he thought silently to himself, they had been followed. This was the same man he had met in the wrecked train, the one who had tried to dig up Antonia. He glanced at her to see if she recognized Kanis, and was not disappointed. So, the three Immortals met again. He couldn't wait to see what would happen next. "Colette." Kanis finally spoke up. "You're wrong again, as usual. I don't need to team up with anyone to find you." "No", Antonia said with a mocking smile. "You just needed to follow us thinking that we'd lead you to her." Kanis spread his arms to include all of them in his gesture, and said without missing a beat: "And here we all are." Then he addressed his words to Colette again. "I want my sword back." Colette didn't seem to be the least fazed by his threatening tone. Instead she pushed her chin forward, and said sweetly: "It's mine now, Kanis, and I don't give up what's mine." "Well then, I guess there's only one way to settle this", Kanis said calmly. "Name the time and the place, Colette." "What, aren't you going to use your dogs this time?" Colette laughed. "Just a second", Antonia chipped in before Kanis had a chance to say anything else to Colette. "You two can go on and make plans for your date, but not before Colette here gives me my shamshir back." Colette shook her head slightly in amusement. "I just told him that I don't give up what's mine. What makes you think I would do an exception in your case?" "Look, I'm not after your Quickening", Antonia explained solemnly, "but unless you give me my sword back, I'll just have to settle for taking your head." "Maybe I didn't tell you this clearly enough the last time", Kanis said to Antonia, "but if anyone is going to take that little thief's head, it's going to be me." Colette rolled her eyes at them. Then she spoke as if she was addressing a couple of children: "Let me know when you two have settled your argument. Right now I gotta go." She took a step towards the door only to be stopped by the three dogs. She turned around to face their master. "This is Holy Ground, Kanis. Even you won't break that rule. Call them back." "Name the time and the place, Colette", was Kanis' only answer. "The forest at the edge of the village, at dawn", Colette finally said coldly. "See, that wasn't so hard, now was it, Colette?" Kanis smiled unpleasantly. "At dawn it is then", Antonia, too, confirmed. Kanis turned to her, but he wasn't smiling anymore. "This is between Colette and myself. And you don't want to mess with me." "And you have trouble hearing me", Antonia replied, looking straight into his eyes. "She's got my blade, and I won't give up until I get it back." "Well, if you're that eager to lose your head it's fine by me", Kanis finally said after a long silence during which they both had been trying to stare the other one down. "In that case, may I suggest that you all meet an hour *before* dawn?" LaCroix said politely, speaking up for the first time. "May *I* suggest you shut up, unless you want your throat ripped open by my dogs here", Kanis answered trying to sound intimidating. Unfortunately his efforts were lost on LaCroix who only looked mildly amused by his outburst. Seeing this Kanis turned to Antonia, and said tightly: "You should try to keep your mortals out of our business, or they might get hurt." The word 'mortal' caused LaCroix to narrow his eyes slightly, but other than that he didn't reveal that Kanis' little speech had had any effect on him. This was after all Antonia's show, and he would wait for her reaction. Antonia felt a small smile creep on her lips at Kanis' threat and she muttered: "Oh, you might be surprised..." Then she gave a quick glance at LaCroix's direction before she spoke up more clearly. "Dawn is fine with me. Don't be late." "If you two are through being childish, would you mind calling your damn hounds off, Kanis?" Colette said sounding exasperated. Kanis didn't bother answering. He just threw a dirty look at her way as he passed her on his way to the door. The three rottweilers followed him silently out of the church. "See you at dawn, Jones", Colette chirped as she made her exit. There was a silence after the two Immortals had left. LaCroix was the first one to break it. "They would have agreed on an earlier time." Antonia regarded him for a moment before she said: "Maybe. Maybe not. But like I told them, dawn is fine with me." "But I can't be there at..." LaCroix began only to be interrupted. "Exactly", Antonia said calmly, looking straight into his blue eyes. At first LaCroix looked a little stunned by her reply and then, offended. Antonia gave a small sigh. She hadn't meant it quite the way it had sounded. "Lucien", she said gently, "You know that you couldn't interfere even if you were there." LaCroix regarded her expressionless. She didn't know it of course, but he didn't give a damn about their rules. He wasn't going to lose her. Period. He would do what ever it took to keep her alive, only now she had made it impossible for him to be there for her. Antonia tried to see behind his mask but LaCroix was the master of hiding his feelings. And why not, he'd had a lot of time to perfect the skill. "Lucien..." "They're both older than you are", LaCroix interrupted her, sounding angry. "And more experienced." "I know", Antonia said quietly. In her mind that was all the more reason for her to face them alone. She'd never admit it to him but a part of her was afraid that she wouldn't be able to fight according to the rules if he was there. If things wouldn't go well for her she knew she'd be more than tempted to beg him to help her out, and she didn't want that to happen. This way there was no danger of that. Another reason she was glad that he wouldn't be able to be there wasn't so much for her own benefit as it was for his. If she was going to lose her head she didn't want him to witness it. It would be hard enough for him without actually having to see it happen. "And what about their Watchers?" LaCroix asked cutting off her thoughts. "You can take care of them, later on", Antonia said. "But I doubt there will be any of them around this time." At LaCroix's questioning gaze she explained: "I don't have a Watcher, and somehow I doubt Colette does either. If Kanis was followed by one he would've been on the train and with the accident... Well, I doubt that Kanis is his first priority right now." She paused for a moment but LaCroix kept his cold silence, so she continued. "I think we should decide where we want to spend tonight, and the coming day." Glancing at her ruined outfit she added: "And I better try to find some new clothes as well." She looked at LaCroix expectantly but his mask was still glued on. Finally Antonia spoke up again. "Lucien...." "You're right", LaCroix interrupted her rather rudely. "We'd better find clean clothes for ourselves." Without another word he turned and walked out of the door. Antonia looked after him and sighed tiredly. This hadn't been her intention at all. She had thought that her plan had been for the best for both of them, but obviously LaCroix didn't agree. Wiping her hair off her face Antonia took her sword from the bench, tucked it under her coat and followed LaCroix out. ********* Nearly every motel and inn was full because of the train accident. They would've been able to get a room by paying an obscene amount of money, but LaCroix was in no mood for being ripped off. Instead he got them a room for free by whammying the inn's owner. And while he was at it he also had him provide them with clean clothes. The clothes proved to be hand-me-downs, but at least they were more or less the right size, Antonia thought as she changed into the jeans and sweater she'd been given. She looked at LaCroix who, instead of his trademark black, was now wearing a burgundy sweater and dark gray trousers. She thought they looked pretty good on him. All of the bottled blood LaCroix had reserved for the trip had been lost in the accident of course, but since he had just fed that wouldn't present an imminent problem. After a quick shower Antonia had fetched herself a couple of sandwiches and she ate them in their room. As she wiped her fingers clean afterwards she kept glancing at LaCroix. He hadn't spoken a word to her ever since they had left the church. Sighing inwardly Antonia tossed the paper towel in to the dustbin. Then she spoke up forcing her voice close to cheerful. "We still have a few hours till dawn. Would you like to go for a walk, or something?" LaCroix lifted his eyes from the newspaper he'd been reading. "Shouldn't you try to get some sleep before your big meeting?" he asked with a detached voice. Antonia couldn't believe he was acting like this. Her eyes flashed with anger. She had just about had it with him. "All right, let's get one thing straight", she said tightly. "I did not agree on the time Colette said to annoy or to spite you. And just so that we're clear about this, this isn't your fight. It's mine, and I'm gonna take care of it - by myself." LaCroix looked at her, and he recognized the signs. She was getting seriously pissed at him. He folded the paper carefully, set it on the table and only then did he finally speak up. "I know that." Antonia closed her eyes for a moment and sighed audibly. "Then *why* are you acting like this?" Because I'm afraid of losing you. Because you've made it impossible for me to protect you. Because I love you. LaCroix could think of a million reasons, but none to say out loud. He studied her anguished face for a long while, his darkened eyes piercing. "You could loose your head", he finally growled through clenched teeth. He watched her get up from the bed and walk to him. Squatting down in front of his chair she gently caressed his cold cheek with her fingertips and looked at him, finally understanding. "You know, I'm not planning on losing my head any time soon", she said gently, smiling a little. LaCroix didn't return her smile. "No. But we both know that things don't always go as planned." "I know. But just like you have things you have to do, this is something *I* must do. I'm Immortal. It's who and what I am. And whether I like it or not the Game is a part of my life. A part of my life you can't protect me from." LaCroix gazed into her solemn, gray eyes and slowly traced down a path from her jaw to the hollow of her throat with his finger. She truly has a beautiful neck, he thought, and he'd be damned to see it sliced. For a second he contemplated on restraining her with force if necessary, but discarded the thought soon - he'd be a dead vampire if he ever tried something like that. "I could protect you, if you let me." Antonia gave him a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I love you, and I want to spend eternity with you, but I'm afraid Mac taught me a little too well." She paused for a moment, wishing him to understand. "I can't bend the rules, not like that." Grimly, LaCroix studied her serious face. He understood her all right, but he didn't like it one bit. Sighing he drew her into his arms. "I was afraid you were going to say that." ******* They spent the remainder of the night uncharacteristically in bed since LaCroix insisted that Antonia needed to rest. They lay on the bed facing the small window so they could see the night sky. LaCroix had his arm draped around Antonia's waist, her head resting just below his chin. Listening to her heartbeat he told her about his life before he had become a vampire; he told her about Rome and it's customs. She interrupted him a couple of times to ask him a question or two, but for the most part she listened to him quietly, content to just hear his voice. Then, all too soon their time was up. They secured the window against the rising sun with the drapes and the bedspread, and then it was time for Antonia to leave. She took her sword, tugged it under her coat and walked to the door. There she stopped, and turned to take one last look at LaCroix who stood tall in the middle of the tiny room. They didn't say anything, but just gazed into each others eyes for what seemed like eternity before Antonia finally turned away and walked out of the room. ************************** When Antonia arrived to the edge of the forest she could sense an Immortal nearby. She fished out her sword from under her coat and continued ahead cautiously. After about thirty paces she came to a small clearing and found Kanis and his three dogs. Those four are like Siamese quadruplets, she thought to herself, they're never very far apart from each other. Kanis pulled out his sword as soon as he saw her. "So, you made it", he said as if he had really expected her not to show up. "Look, I have no quarrel with you", Antonia said keeping her distance from Kanis and his companions. "All I want is for Colette to give me my blade back, that's it." "And I've told you that Colette is mine", Kanis said his eyes narrowed, taking a few steps towards her. At that moment both of them could feel Colette's presence. "Don't start the party without me", she quipped with a smile as she emerged into the clearing. Kanis turned to face her, and smiled coldly. "I'll just have your head, and then I'll be on my way." With that he attacked her only to be blocked off by Antonia's blade. "Not before I get my shamshir back." Kanis freed his blade and turned his attention briefly to Antonia. "Stay out of this!" "Would you two make up your minds already." Colette swung her sword carelessly back and forth in front of herself, and sounded bored. "I made up my mind long ago, Colette", Kanis hissed pointing her with his sword. Then he quickly nodded towards Antonia and ordered his rottweilers: "Get her!" Immediately one of the dogs jumped on Antonia while the other two began circling her, revealing their teeth and growling. Antonia tried to fight the dog off, but quickly found it to be both persistent and determined. Every time she thought she'd gotten away from it, she was met with the other two who were just waiting for their turn. While she was fighting to keep the dogs off, Kanis and Colette were busy trying to get each other's heads. They were equal in skill, so neither was looking for an easy victory, but both of them were confident of winning the fight. Antonia cried out as the dog managed to lock it's jaws on to her wrist. It's teeth sank in deep, forcing her to drop her sword to the ground. As if that had been the cue they'd been waiting for all along the other dogs jumped in as well. Antonia hesitated only a moment before she resorted to her street fighting skills. Wincing as her first kick hit it's goal, she couldn't help remembering Jerry, the adorable little spaniel she and Elaine had had when they'd been kids. However, the image of Jerry was soon driven out of her mind as the dogs just kept coming at her. No, these hounds from hell were definitely nothing like Jerry had been. She used everything she got to get them off of her, for just long enough to pick up her sword again. In the mean while neither Kanis nor Colette had found much success over the other. They had both suffered some minor injuries, but nothing severe enough for one or the other to claim victory. But then, Colette had her chance. Kanis took a split second to see how his beloved dogs were doing in getting rid of his other opponent only to see that they were the ones lying on the ground. "Noooo!" The shock made him lose his concentration just long enough for Colette to drive her sword through him. Surprised, he dropped to the ground, fighting just to be able to breath. Colette raised her sword above her head. "There can be only one." "You got that right." Antonia pressed the tip of her sword against Colette's throat. "My shamshir, or you head", she said coldly. "Which one is it going to be?" Colette hesitated only for a moment before she made the very wise decision to give up the shamshir. She dropped her sword in surrender. "Let's go", Antonia said pushing her forward. "What about him?" Colette asked gesturing towards Kanis who was lying on the ground, dead. "Never mind about him. I'll take care of it, later. Now, let's go." ******** Colette lead Antonia to her house which turned out to be less than fifteen minutes away from the forest. Antonia couldn't help gasping at what she saw.Practically every wall of the house was covered with swords. There were scimitars, claymores and katanas side by side, antique weapons right next to the contemporary ones, blades of all shapes and sizes, and they seemed to have come from all over the globe. As Antonia stood there stunned by all of it Colette tried to get her by surprise, only to find Antonia's blade under her chin again. "Turn around", Antonia commanded, and Colette had no choice but to comply. "Sorry about this", Antonia said just before she hit her behind the ear with the handle of her sword. Antonia looked down at the unconscious blonde, and smiled crookedly. "On second thought, I'll take that back." It didn't take her long to find the blade Colette had taken from her. She's obviously kept it well, Antonia thought as she inspected the weapon. Then she put both of her blades under her coat and left. It would've been easy, but she didn't even consider taking Colette's head. After all, Colette had spared hers once and in Antonia's mind they were now more or less even. One down, one to go, Antonia thought as she returned to the forest. But when she got to the clearing there was no sign of Kanis or his dogs. He must've woken up sooner than I anticipated, Antonia thought. Shrugging, she too left the forest and headed back towards the inn. ********* The receptionist at the inn gave Antonia a curious look as she passed her on her way to the second floor. Glanced down at herself, Antonia grinned. No wonder people had looked at her strangely. While her wounds had already healed her outfit of course hadn't, and she looked as if she hadn't bothered to change her clothes at all since the accident. Smiling grimly Antonia shook her head, those dogs sure had done their best to shred her to pieces. Straightening her posture she took a deep breath and determinedly pushed the ordeal out of her mind. It was over. She had reclaimed her shamshir and she had survived meeting two Immortals at once with her head intact. That was more than enough. All that she wanted now, was to see Lucien again and assure him that she was all right. Briskly, she continued her way up the stairs and to their room. She opened the door and smiled. "Honey, I'm home." The End