Natmare
by Sandra Gray
Place: The Loft
Time: Thursday, July 5, 2001, late afternoon


Nancy pulled back the elevator door and stepped into the loft.
Nick had his back to her, but soon turned a startled gaze on her.
"Hi, Nick.  Anyone else here yet?"

Nick's eyes bugged a bit and his nostrils flared.  "No."  He
looked around the room in some confusion, then stalked over to
the refrigerator and opened it.  He grabbed a bottle of blood
and fastened his teeth on the cork.  Then he abruptly released
the cork from his grip and looked at the bottle.

"You okay, Nick?" asked Nancy.

"Yes.  No!  God, how does he stand this?!"

Nancy frowned and started toward him.

Nick's eyes widened.  "Stay back!"  He sped to the fireplace and
stood there, panting.

Nancy stood still.  "Nick, what's the matter?"

"Don't call me that!  I'm not Nick!"  Tears filled his eyes and he
looked at the fireplace.  "I'm...not...Nick," he continued in a
small voice.

Nancy heard the elevator moving.  *Good, more Knighties,* she
thought.  The situation was worse than she thought.  She watched
as a crusade of Knighties spilled out of the  elevator and into
the loft.  As they dropped their luggage and surged toward their
vampire leader, all of them were surprised when Nick snarled at
them, his eyes gold, and flew up to the second floor landing.
The mortal women looked at Nancy.

Nancy shrugged.  "Don't ask me," she said.

Katrinka and the others walked over to Nancy.  "What's going on?"
asked Katrinka softly.  "Has someone attacked already?"

"I flew," said Nick in a wondering tone of voice.

Nancy responded in a low voice, "I don't know.  Maybe.  All I can
say is...Nick isn't himself."

The vampire on the landing shouted, "I'm not Nick!!"

"He must have been attacked," continued Katrinka.

Nick swooped down to land near them.  "I'm not Nick!  I'm Nat!"

The assembled Knighties all did a great impression of Nick's deer
in headlights expression.

Nick's eyes took on a reddish hue and his nostrils flared again.
Some of the newer Knighties trembled at seeing his demeanor getting
more vampirish and...hungry.  He growled.  Everyone stood rooted to
their spots, hearts pounding.  No one paid any attention to the sound
of the elevator opening.

"Hi, folks," said Sandra, stepping into the loft.  Nick turned
his red gaze on the new arrival and growled louder, baring his
fangs.  Sandra froze.

Nick looked back at the assembled women, fangs still bared, his
expression becoming even more predatory.  Then he flew...for the
refrigerator.  He tore the door open, grabbed a bottle of blood, and
tore out the cork with his teeth.  Sandra put down her suitcase and
approached the others, her heart pounding.

The Knighties watched as he drained the bottle hungrily and messily.
He grabbed another bottle and downed it, then slid to the floor in
tears.  He threw the empty bottle in his hand aside and wiped his
hands on his shirt.  "Oh God, how does he stand this?  I didn't know
it was like this.  I didn't know.  I didn't know.  I didn't know."

The mortal women looked at each other, then cautiously approached
Nick.  "Something is very wrong here," said Nancy.

"LaCroix has attacked Nick," said Sandra.

Nick turned his eyes on them.  They were blue again.  "I'm not Nick!
I'm Nat!" he wailed.

"Say what?" asked Sandra.

"That's what he keeps insisting," said Nancy.

"Oh, boy," said Katrinka.  "Looks like we've got a big time delusion
on our hands here."

"And whoever is responsible is going to pay," said Nancy.

"It's a nightmare--Natmare!" said Nick.  He giggled.  "That's what it
is--a Natmare!"  He giggled again.