THE CHALLENGE: This story is a result of Sue Clark's A Different 
View Challenge for a charityzine.  The challenge was to write 
a story based on characters drawn from a hat.  The characters 
drawn for me were Nat, Schanke, Divia, Roger, and the Enforcers.  
What an interesting group!:) Thanks, Sue!  It was a lot of fun.

DISCLAIMERS:  The Forever Knight characters belong to Columbia Tri/Star.
No copyright infringement is intended.  

PERMISSION IS GRANTED to archive this story at FKFANFIC Archive and the
FKFTP site ONLY.  Anyone else must ask for permission from me first.  
It will also be available at my fiction site at http://home.att.net/~m.denhart/ .  
All comments welcome at m.denhart@worldnet.att.net

TIMELINE:  This story takes place just prior to the events that take 
place in the episode 'Ashes to Ashes'.

If you do not see "End Part xx" or "The End" you did not receive entire
part.  

=======================
Heaven Sent Me An Angel
A Different View Story
Copyright July 2000
By Mary Denhart
=======================
Part 1

Closing his eyes, he sighed as he remembered her long auburn locks, 
the scent of her, just as he did every night.  His days and nights 
locked away here were haunted by his memories of her.  He had never 
been so close to having a woman who could love him, and not betray 
him.  That night in the greenhouse with Natalie they had been on the 
verge of real intimacy...the first time since...  But he would not 
think of that.  

He would have her still.  He would make her want him.  Patience, he 
told himself.  He would be free soon.  The new guard might provide 
an opportunity to escape.  The time would come soon.  "Natalie," he 
whispered to himself, "you are mine."  Roger rolled on his side and 
drifted into a deep sleep filled with his obsessive dreams.

*****

Natalie sighed as she worked her way through the files on her desk.  
She missed Nick already.  He had only left for Ottawa a few nights 
ago on the redeye flight, and he'd be gone several days yet, making 
up what he needed by the deadline.  

If only he hadn't kept putting off that continuing education, he 
could have gone to the seminars here in Toronto.  But with the 
deadline so close, he had to take the only classes left - in Ottawa.  
The Captain had to even force the issue with him.  Just like Nick 
to do it this way, she thought, shaking her head.  If Schanke were 
still here, he would've got him to do it in time.  

Schanke.  She missed him.  She pushed her chair away from the desk 
as if to push the thought of Schanke's absence to the back of her 
mind.  Grabbing the finished files, she took them to the file 
cabinets to put away.

*****

Roger bit his lip, almost drawing blood.  If he didn't contain 
himself, his smile might break through.  Not a smile of an inmate 
happy to be released, but of an inmate who was being released in 
error.  He wouldn't have to escape at all.  They were signing him 
out on their own.

Well, they were signing out a Thomas Leary.  Was it his fault that 
the clerk typed out the wrong number on the form?  Still, it wouldn't 
have worked had it not been for the new guard who retrieved him.  
When the guard came to get him by his number 232426, he didn't 
realize Roger was not the prisoner to be released.  Prisoner 232526 
was to be released.  Any of the other guards would have spotted the 
error.

If only he could slip through without one of the others recognizing 
him and questioning his release.  Roger finally made it past the 
gate, the guard unaware of his identity.  His little plan to escape 
had been easier than he had thought.  The right opportunity had 
presented itself, and he was on his way back to his Natalie.

First, he would need to see what she was up to now.  Did she still 
work as medical examiner?  Did she still live at the same place?  
Then, he had to be sure there would be no interference this time.

Almost through the trees, Roger saw the highway lights ahead.  
That's where he would find his way back into the city to get answers 
to his questions.

*****

Natalie sat in her car, stunned at what the Captain had just told 
her.  Roger.  She thought she was safe from him.  What would she do 
now that he was free?  A serial killer.  Released by mistake.  How 
stupid could they get?  The Captain wanted her to go home and lock up.  
But she would rather be around people and told him she was going back 
to the office.  But was that the best thing to do?

Natalie turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the precinct's 
lot.  Turning the corner, she made her way back to the office, lost in 
thought.  "Damn it, Nick," Nat said aloud as she twisted the steering 
wheel in her hands.  "Why couldn't you have done the continuing ed when
 you should have?  God, I wish you were here now.  I really need your 
help."  

Natalie's eyes welled with tears as her fear grew stronger.  The silence
 of being alone became unbearable as she continued down the street, and 
she swiped at the tears leaking from her eyes.  

"What about me?  Will I do?" a familiar voice asked from the back seat.

Natalie jerked at the wheel, swerving on the road, startled at the 
sound of a dead man's voice.  She turned around to verify the owner 
of the voice.  Schanke.  What the hell?  Not only was her life in 
danger, she was scared shitless and seeing things too.

She turned back to face the road as she muttered to herself, "You're 
seeing things.  You can't be seeing him.  He's dead.  You're cracking 
up."

"Nat, it's me.  Schanke!  You're not cracking up," he insisted, lightly
 punching her in the shoulder.

"You're imagining things.  The pressure is just getting to you, Lambert. 
 Ignore it.  It'll go away," she continued muttering, trying to ignore 
the punch to her shoulder.

Schanke leaned forward, resting his chin on folded arms on the back of 
the seat.  "I couldn't let you face this crisis alone, Natalie.  Gotta 
cover for my partner while he's gone, ya know.  So, I got special 
permission to help.  Besides, I never got to say a proper goodbye."

What he didn't mention was what he knew about their future together.  He 
couldn't let the circumstance of Nick's absence and Roger's escape to 
interfere with the eventual happy ending in store for the couple.  While 
he was alive, he had watched these two deny their feelings for each 
other, dance around their relationship.  Now he knew why.  The obstacles 
they faced, the struggle they endured for some hope of togetherness.  He 
couldn't let Nick down.

Natalie continued to stare straight ahead, tears welling in her eyes,
mumbling to herself about her sanity.

"I'll be here for you, watching over you," Schanke said as he faded from 
her rearview mirror.

*****

Natalie wasn't alone.  Apparently, the error of his release had been 
discovered, and the cops were on alert already.  He had hoped they 
wouldn't find out the mistake so fast.  As Roger sat in the stolen car, 
watching the morgue entrance, Natalie was escorted to her car by 
security.  Still, this little setback would not keep them apart long.  
He watched as she entered her car, lonely and longing for a man.  He 
could sense it.  She wanted him.  She missed him.  She regretted pushing 
him away before.

He cautiously followed as she pulled out of the lot and planned how he 
would approach her.  When she turned onto her street, he held back a bit 
to allow her time to park and get near her building's main entrance 
without spotting him just yet.

Natalie's heart was pounding as she pulled into her parking spot.  She 
had had a very eerie feeling ever since she left the morgue.  Was she 
spooking herself?  No, there was a very real threat out there.  She just 
wished her heartbeat wasn't so loud.  She was so glad that security had 
escorted her to her car tonight.  Usually, he was on rounds at that time, 
but tonight he was there waiting for her.  Maybe the Captain had arranged 
it.  But the guard said he hadn't, that he just had an odd feeling he 
should be there for her.

She made her way to her apartment building's main door, alert and 
watching for activity on the street.  She saw none.  She fumbled with 
her keys, and suddenly started as a car backfired, catching her 
attention.  Looking up, she saw a car in the shadows of the tree-lined 
street with a single male passenger.  It moved slowly, but passed on by. 
 
She panicked, unable to find the right key, and then suddenly, the key 
just slipped into the lock and opened the door.  She slid inside and 
breathed a sigh of relief as she leaned against the quickly locked door. 
 She didn't even have to wiggle the key like she usually had to in order 
to get it to turn the lock.  The car was probably nothing, but she was 
scared and very glad to be inside. 

Roger ditched the car a few blocks away, and made his way back to the 
building on foot.  His luck, stealing a car that was so noisy!  And it 
was a 2000 Infiniti, not a car he expected to backfire.  He had hoped to 
get closer to her, but the fates were against him.  

As he neared Natalie's building, he found a dark spot across the street. 
 Natalie was already safe inside her apartment, and he had been unable 
to approach her this time.  At least he could be near her, watch her 
and plan for their reunion.  He watched her silhouette in the window 
and leaned back against the tree, dreaming of being with her again.

*****

Finally, inside her apartment, she double-checked all the locks and 
windows.  After the long night, Natalie realized how tired she was and 
her need for a good, hot soak before going to bed.  She started the 
water, adding some scented bath oils.  While the water filled, she tied 
up her hair and stripped off her clothes.

She slowly stepped into the warm bath and sighed at its soothing feel, 
lowering herself into its scented warmth.  She pushed the water around 
her body, splashing every inch with the soft oils.  Slowly she slid 
lower into the water until it covered her neck, erasing much of the 
tension her body held.  

"You two, you really are something," the voice said.  

Natalie pulled her legs and hands up protectively and looked up to see 
Schanke perched on the vanity.

"Friends, my foot!" he continued.  "The dreams you two have about each 
other -- Mama mia!"

Natalie blushed in embarrassment, and Schanke vanished again.  "Damn, 
he's as bad as Nick, sneaking up on people," Nat muttered to herself.  

She stepped out of the tub, towel drying herself before putting her robe 
on.  She walked out of bathroom and flinched with surprise when she 
spotted Schanke sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Sorry 'bout that, Nat.  Didn't realize where you were when I was 
jabbering away..." Schanke apologized with a blush.

Natalie looked at the figure sitting on her bed, stepped toward him, 
and slowly reached out to touch him.  Her fingers stopped, touching a 
physical form.  "I can feel you."

"Yeah.  Didn't want to scare you even more," he tried to explain.

Natalie reached out and brushed her hands on his cheeks.  "Schanke...you 
are really here...ohmygod, can you help me?"

Schanke nodded as Natalie fell into his arms, and he embraced her shaking 
form.  "Shhh, it's okay, Nat.  Really.  I'm here to help.  It'll be 
okay."

*****

The petite figure lurked in the shadows behind the club in the early 
evening hours.  She had arrived here after awakening from her tomb, drawn 
here when she had reached out to him.  Whispers from the club revealed 
that Lucius now owned the inn.  How quaint.  From General to Innkeeper.  
Divia watched and reached out to feel his presence, but did not find it.

After lurking inside, she learned Lucius was away for a few days on a 
search for new supply sources.  A stock boy.  He truly had sunk low in 
his life.  But all that mattered was revenge now, revenge on the one who 
had betrayed her.

She hastily left the club in a pout and entered the closed restaurant 
next door where a sign clearly identified that the owners were away on 
vacation.  These mortals really did not think their feeble locks and 
security measures would work, did they?  It was a perfect spot to hide 
during the day and to store her Egyptian corpse.  The large chest freezer 
was perfect for her needs.  And from what she had overheard, it appeared 
Lucius would be returning tomorrow night.  She would return later for her 
revenge.

She walked through the streets, young and innocent-looking, searching for 
some trouble.  She neared a club, the music throbbing through the walls. 
 A young man burst through the doors, laughing and smiling.  As he 
strolled down the sidewalk, he noticed the young girl, slowly walking on 
the other side of the street and watching him.

He panned the area around him, checking to see who else was nearby, and 
quickly made his way across the street to the shy little girl.  As he 
approached, he reached out to smooth her windblown hair and asked with an 
evil gleam in his eyes, "Are you all alone?  Do you need some help?"

She turned shyly and smiled.  "Please, sir, I'm lost."

The man smiled inwardly and pulled his arm around the preteen, guiding 
her further down the sidewalk.  When he turned the corner into the alley, 
Divia's persona changed drastically.

The wild animal was unleashed, hissing and scratching.  The attack of the 
man was fast and complete.  The limp body hung from the small girl's arms 
as she drained the last of his life, and the heavy form dropped to the 
pavement.  Divia smiled down at her latest conquest, crumpled in the 
middle of the alley, and took off into the air.  

End Part 1


=======================
Heaven Sent Me An Angel
A Different View Story
Copyright July 2000
By Mary Denhart
=======================
Part 2

Natalie woke well-rested, and refreshed.  Schanke had stayed with her 
until she had drifted off, and she surprisingly had a good night's sleep. 
 After a quick orange juice and toast for herself and some canned food 
for Sydney, Natalie took off for another exciting evening at work.  As 
Natalie drove around the corner approaching the morgue parking lot, she 
slowed to enter the lot's driveway.

"Keep going!" Schanke's voice demanded.

Natalie didn't see him around and wondered if she was imagining things.

"You're not imagining my voice, Natalie.  Keep driving around the block," 
he insisted.

Natalie glanced over at the lot and saw a man pacing under the trees by 
the entrance with a fistful of flowers in his hands.  She gulped and 
drove straight ahead.

"How did you know?" she whispered in a panic after she had passed the 
morgue.

Schanke materialized in the front seat.  "That's my job.  I'm here to 
protect you, remember?"

Natalie, visibly shaken by his sudden appearance, shifted in her seat.  
"Why do you keep doing that?  You're as bad as Nick!"

"Talking about Nick... a vampire?!"  Schanke nudged Nat playfully.  "It 
explains a lot, but geesh, a vampire."

Natalie's eyes grew wide at Schanke's comment.

"And you never told me.  I'm hurt," Schanke said in a faked hurt voice, 
holding a hand to his chest.

"Schanke, it...we..."

Schanke smiled and nudged her again.  "S'okay, Nat.  No problemo...now 
about these psychos...I'm here to help."

"Roger escaped."

"I know, but we also have another problem you don't know about yet.  But 
let's stick with one thing at a time."

Natalie's brow furrowed with worry.  What was he talking about...
something else?

Seeing her worry, he lightly punched her arm and commented,  "Don't 
worry.  I'll take care of ya.  Relax.  It's my job."  When Natalie 
managed a slight smile, he teasingly added, "Besides, Nick would kill me 
if I let anything happen to you."

Natalie turned another corner and pulled to the curb near the front 
entrance to the morgue.  She would avoid the parking lot tonight.

*****

Roger backed away from the building and grounds as he heard the sirens 
approach.  The cops again were making their attempt to separate him from 
his Natalie.  He watched from a distance as they methodically searched 
the lot and grounds around the morgue, keeping her cloistered inside away 
from his attentions.

"I will have you, Natalie.  Someday you will be mine forever," he 
whispered to himself.

Divia lurked in the shadows as she watched this obsessed man.  The 
commitment to his obsession, his lust.  She reveled in his evil plans.  
Yes, he would make an interesting toy for a while.  She stepped closer.

Roger dropped the flowers to the ground and turned to leave, to wait for 
a quieter time for his reunion with Natalie.  When he turned, he faced a 
girl staring at him with piercing eyes.  Stunned and unable to move, he 
watched as she grabbed him.  He was dazed as she twisted his body and 
ravaged him, his consciousness fading.

*****

Natalie examined the body closely.  The field notes said there was little 
to no blood at the scene.  Even though it was assumed the murder took 
place somewhere else because of the lack of blood, Natalie suspected 
something else.  Lack of blood always made her suspect something else.

She turned the body's head to examine the neck on both sides and found no 
puncture marks.  She sighed, puzzled at the lack of wounds.  That's why 
they pushed this one on her.  It was one of the odd ones again.  She 
reached to hold the man's head, turning it and pushing the long hair 
aside.  There it was!  On his shoulder, hidden from view.  No wonder it 
wasn't noted, thank god.  

She doubted the vampire had bitten the victim there to hide the wounds, 
as he did little to hide the dead body to begin with.  It had been found 
in the middle of the alley, apparently soon after death had occurred.

She stepped back, snapping off her gloves and disposing of them.  What a 
time for Nick to be gone!  A vampire was killing and not doing a very 
good job of covering it up.  This meant trouble.

*****

Roger woke to find himself lying in the grass, with a gnawing hunger.  

"Hungry?" the taunting voice asked.

Roger turned at the voice, eyes blazing, and ready to attack.

"Yessss, we are hungry," Divia hissed, firmly grasped his shoulder, 
holding him back.  "Come with me, and I will show you how to take the 
pain away, to satisfy your hunger," Divia promised.

Hours later, the two vampires stepped away from another kill.  Roger 
smiled evilly at his master, having enjoyed these past hours.  Yet, his 
obsession with Natalie was creeping through his thoughts again.

"You want her, don't you?" she hissed. 

Roger glanced at Divia, realizing she saw his thoughts, his desires.

"You can have anything you want.  You are now free of your mortal bonds. 
It is yours to take, everything your heart desires," she taunted.

Roger responded with a smile, fangs protruding past his thirsty lips.  
Anything my heart desires, he thought.  His thoughts returned to the 
morgue, his Natalie.  She would now be truly his forever.

*****

"Another one?" Natalie asked sarcastically as another body arrived.  What 
the hell was happening here?  Some vampire was going nuts.  And Nick was 
gone.  She always depended on him for help with this type of murder, but 
he wasn't around.  And by the time he would get home, it would be out of 
control.  And that meant ...Enforcers.  Ahhh, hell.  This was going to be 
a rough night.

She went through the motions of examining the body, knowing it would be 
another vampire kill.  The lack of blood, lack of normal wounds.  Just 
twin puncture wounds in the neck.  The first body had shoulder wounds, 
but every body since had regular vampire neck wounds.  Was it the same 
vampire?  Maybe she was dealing with more than one?

"Bingo!  A hundred points for Natalie," Schanke shouted.

Natalie turned, not certain she'd even see him this time.  But he was 
there, fully materialized.  "It's more than one, Schanke?"

Schanke nodded and smiled.  "Did any of the bodies have more than one set 
of puncture wounds?" he asked as he casually examined his hair in the 
mirror.

Natalie blushed, embarrassed at her sloppiness.  "Once I found a set of 
bites, I didn't look further.  I didn't think to look for more."  She 
turned back to the body and searched the other side of the victim's neck. 
There it was.  A second pair of wounds.  

She quickly turned back to Schanke, wondering aloud, "Two sets...but..." 
 Schanke was gone again.  She rolled her eyes at his recurring 
disappearing act.

*****

Roger landed on the roof with Divia, and he searched the lot for signs of 
Natalie's presence.

"Reach out for her.  Do you smell her?  Her special scent?" Divia prodded 
her creation.  

Roger concentrated, thinking of Natalie, and he picked up a scent that 
was familiar.  "She's here.  Inside somewhere.  I can smell her."

Divia stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.  "Let us find her 
so you may have her."

Roger turned to smile at Divia.  This unlife was all that he had ever 
desired.  He could truly seek out all he desired and craved.  He could be 
with those who accepted his personal obsessions and would not try to stop 
him.

Divia snapped her head to the side as she picked up the scent she had 
been waiting for.  So, he had returned early.  She would have to return 
to her corpse and prepare for her father, her son.

"Tell me, what should we do first?" Roger asked, noticing his master had 
been suddenly distracted.

Divia turned back to Roger, eyes ablaze and suddenly very bored with him. 
 She hissed, "Enough...I have important things to do.  Playtime is done." 
 She took off into what was remaining of the night sky and disappeared, 
leaving Roger standing on the roof.

Had he done something wrong to anger her?  Maybe he didn't understand all 
that this life entailed just yet.  No matter.  His plan to take Natalie 
had not changed.  He would have to do this without any help.  He had 
learned enough.  What had she said about how his evilness had made his 
training progress faster than most?  

He landed on the ground in the shadows by the building's entrance.  His 
speed allowed him access past the guard with little effort, and he was 
inside the building.  Now it would be easy.  He just followed her scent.

End Part 2


=======================
Heaven Sent Me An Angel
A Different View Story
Copyright July 2000
By Mary Denhart
=======================
Part 3

Natalie had checked the other bodies.  Some had double sets of puncture 
wounds, some didn't.  Natalie sat at her desk, rubbing her temples.  She 
was getting one hell of a headache.  She poured the ibuprofen tablets 
into her hand and popped them into her mouth, chased down with her 
coffee.

Was it a pair of vampires feeding together?  Then why didn't both always 
feed?  Maybe it was a master and a new vampire.  That would explain why 
the master didn't always feed from the body.

Schanke appeared again, sitting on the sink.  "Hey, you're on a roll, 
Nat!"

"You can't tell me, can you?" Nat asked, getting up from her desk.  She 
walked over to the sink where Schanke sat.  "Just give me hints.  Protect 
me.  Right?"

"Something like that.  But you're batting 1000," Schanke commented, as he 
swung an imaginary bat in his hand.

"But who are the vampires?  How do we stop them, Schanke?" she asked, 
panicking.  She turned away, continuing, "The Enforcers will get wind of 
this, if they haven't already."  She looked back to Schanke.  "You know 
what they are, don't you?" she asked, uncertain about Schanke knowing the 
danger.

"Yeah, nasty devils, aren't they?  Ugly, too." he snickered.  "But they 
have their purpose.  Trust me.  Just keep doing your thing, Nat."

*****

Natalie was really getting worried about where all this was going.  
Things were happening so fast.  She had had to deal with a lot of vampire 
cover-ups before, but this was getting out of control.  She filled her 
mug with the freshly brewed coffee, fixing it just the way she liked it.

Even if she found out which vampires were responsible, she doubted she 
would be able to live with that information.  Natalie walked back to her 
office, thinking about her choices.  The master had to be an out-of-town 
vampire or a new vampire himself.  Certainly, a sloppy vampire or one 
that just didn't care.  Where was a good crusader when you needed him, 
she thought sarcastically.

The shift was almost over, and she still had no real answers, none she 
could give the Captain anyway.  She pushed the door open and made her way 
to the desk, sitting down to enjoy her coffee for a few minutes.

"It's so nice to see you again, Natalie," Roger said, after a few moments 
of silently watching her.  He slowly approached from the other side of 
the room.  

Natalie jumped up from her chair, backing up to the wall in terror.  
"Roger!"

Roger stopped his advance towards her as he responded, "I see you do 
remember me, sweet Natalie."  His eyes started to glow and his fangs 
protruded from his mouth.

Natalie cupped a hand over her mouth in surprise.  "My God, it's you!  
You're the one!"

"We will be together forever, Natalie," Roger taunted, stepping closer.

Natalie slid along the wall, trying to get further away from the vampire. 
 "NOOO...stay away."  But she knew her attempts to escape would be 
futile.

"The broom, Natalie!" a voice shouted.

She heard Schanke's voice and obeyed, picking up the wooden-handled broom 
near her.  She pointed the handle end at Roger, daring him to come 
closer, ready to stake him through the heart.

He smiled and laughed at her feeble attempts to keep him away.  "Natalie, 
even as a mortal, that wouldn't have kept me away."  He took another step 
closer, still laughing maniacally.

Natalie heard whispers from Schanke, barely audible, "Forgive me, 
Father..."  Then suddenly, Roger doubled over, expelling a whoosh of air 
as if the wind had been knocked out of him.

As Roger was bent over and recovering from the blow, his head jerked and 
he fell over, hitting the table and sending it sliding into the wall.

"Ouch!  That one hurts!" Schanke yelped, recovering from hitting Roger 
over the head.

Schanke watched as the table rammed into the wall, pushing Natalie 
backwards.  She hit her head against the cabinet by the sink and slid to 
the floor, unconscious.

"Oops!"  Schanke cried.  "That wasn't supposed to happen."

Roger staggered to his feet again, confused about his unknown and unseen 
attacker.  Red eyes darted around the room as he was poised to attack 
whoever might show themselves.

The doors suddenly swung open, and three vampires rapidly entered the 
room.  Roger stood growling, blocking their approach to his Natalie, 
unconscious on the floor behind him.

The darkly-clad trio glanced at each other and exchanged thoughts at how 
stupid the young vampire was.  One of them suddenly was behind Roger and 
held him firmly in his grasp, as another approached with wooden stake in 
his hand.  The Enforcer holding Roger grazed his fangs along his neck and 
spoke to his mind.  "You have brought too much attention to the vampire 
community.  The penalty is death."

With that decree, the Enforcer immediately thrust the stake into Roger's 
chest, piercing his heart.  Roger stiffened at the sharp stabbing and 
unwillingly relinquished his life with a whimper.

The Enforcer holding Roger from behind grasped the limp body firmly and 
lifted the dead form into his arms, while the third Enforcer stepped 
forward and looked at the unconscious woman on the floor.

"She knows," the third one spoke to his brothers.

"She did not see you," Schanke intoned in his best imitation of Nick's 
hypnotic voice.

The Enforcer turned back to his brothers.  "Who said that?"

They shook their heads, not knowing what he was talking about.

He turned back to the still form on the floor.  He had never felt such 
power like what he was feeling now, as if a barrier kept him from 
approaching the woman.  "She did not see us, " he repeated to his 
brothers.

"Her disappearance would be hard to explain," Schanke persisted in 
monotone.

"It would be hard to explain her disappearance," the Enforcer said and 
turned back to his brothers.  "Let's leave to take care of this one and 
be done with it," he said, tilting his head towards the body held in his 
brother's arms.

Just as quickly as they had arrived, they disappeared from the room and 
Schanke breathed a sigh of relief.  "Thank you, God," he whispered, eyes 
looking upward.

Schanke knelt on the floor and lightly slapped Natalie's cheeks.  "Nat?  
Are you okay?  Wake up."  He sat on the floor next to her and laid her 
head on his lap as he smoothed her hair.  "Please, Nat.  Please be okay."

Natalie stirred slowly at first, then she jerked awake and sat up 
abruptly.  "Schank!"  Her eyes darted around the room, looking for signs 
of her attacker.  Not finding him, she looked back at Schanke, now fully 
materialized.  

"It's all over, Nat."

Confused, Nat asked, "How?"

Schanke smiled and replied, "Remember those nasty devils we talked 
about?"

Nat's eyes grew large.  "The Enforcers?"

"Yep.  The very same.  Been here and gone."

"But..."  Why did they let her live?

"Good ol' Schank took care of them for ya.  I told you not to worry.  
It's my job."  He secretly prayed that he was forgiven for interfering 
directly.  He wasn't supposed to do that, but the danger to Natalie had 
been supernatural, so he figured it was okay if the help had been too.

Natalie, overwhelmed with emotion of the night's events, leapt into 
Schanke's arms and hugged him tightly before planting thank you kisses 
all over his face.  

"Whoahh, Nat.  I'm a married man," he protested with a smile, before a 
sadness crept over his face.  "Well, I was before I died..." he added.  
"I still think of her as my wife.  I miss her."  

Nat hugged Schanke tenderly and whispered, "Of course you do, Schank."

Schanke pulled back, smiling.  "I have some good news for you.  Guess who 
is getting home just about now before the sun comes up?  Nick.  He heard 
of the escape and rushed to come home early."

At the news, Nat's eyes sparkled, and she bit her lower lip in 
anticipation.  God, how she had missed him during this emergency.  Then 
she saw Schanke's saddened expression.

"Did I do okay, Nat?" he asked.

Nat smiled and brushed her palm against Schanke's cheek.  "You did great, 
Schank.  The best angel heaven could have sent me."

Schanke grasped her hand from his cheek and squeezed it in his hand.  
"Tell him I said hi, Nat.  Tell him I miss him.  He was the best 
partner...and friend I ever had.  Even if he is a vampire for now."

"For now?" Nat queried.  "Do you know something?"

Schanke smiled and teased, "Now, Nat, I can't give everything away.  And 
would you two stop playing the 'friends' game?  Make me a happy spirit 
and do something about how you two feel for each other?"

Nat smiled and hugged her friend again, whispering, "You've got a deal, 
Schank."

*****

Divia arose late in the afternoon and checked again on her corpse hidden 
safely away.  Lucius had finally returned home late yesterday morning, 
shortly after she had left Roger to his little mortal.  Divia had watched 
her father from the roof as he returned to his inn.  She smiled as she 
remembered his discomfort, his uncertainty about what he felt.

What she had planned was best carried out starting in the early evening 
with an entire night to torture him.  So she had been content in 
yesterday's morning hours to just watch and cause confusion in her 
father, her son.  Her plan had been formulated to perfection during the 
night.  As Natalie had fed Roger's obsession, Lucius fed hers.  Revenge 
that lasts forever.  To leave him as she was left.  Alone.

The day's sleep had passed slowly, but it was now time.  She watched and 
listened for the opportunity.  Lucius had just walked out the front doors 
for his evening walk.  It was time.  The plan was now in motion.  He 
would suffer as she had been made to suffer.  Sweet Revenge.


The End.
Comments welcome at m.denhart@worldnet.att.net