Karaoke Night at The Raven
by Pam (Jaxie) Williamson


"Nicola, are you so sure that she will show?"Janette asked as she
watched Nick twiddle his thumbs.

Nick looked back at Janette and shrugged, "Why not? She has nothing to
fear from you. And we are getting along much better now."

Janette raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Really? Hmmm. Nicola you are
truly becoming more mortal as each day passes."

"Janette, please, I rather not talk about it,"Nick replied.

His former lover and vampire sister grinned like a cat ready to pounce,
"Oh, but your 'forgive and forget' attitude towards LaCroix fascinates me so."

Nick turned sharply toward her, pinning Janette's back against the bar
top. His eyes had turned their golden colour when the vampire within him
rose to the surface. With his fangs descended, he said in a low voice, "It
is over Janette. LaCroix kissed Natalie. It meant nothing. He was only
out to hurt me. Natalie is not in love with him."

Janette turned her head to the side and rose her brow and said
sarcastically, "My, my Nicola. From which family member did you get that
temper?" She grinned knowing what she had planned for Nicola would give her
laughter for the next hundred years.

"Nick?"Natalie said, startling Nick.

He quickly turned towards Natalie, his eyes back to their blue colour.
"Nat!" Drawing into his arms, he kissed her soundly. When the kiss had
finished, Nick turned around and smiled at Janette so that there would be no
doubt in her mind of Nick's love for Nat.

"You are looking well tonight Natalie,"Janette said as she drank deeply
from her crystal glass.

Natalie politely returned a smile and replied, "As do you Janette."

Janette nodded and finished the blood in her glass. What seemed like
endless moments passed before Nick said, "So, you said there was something
new at The Raven?"

"Ah, yes. You and...Natalie make yourselves comfortable while I get
things underway." With that said, Janette made her way to the stage. She
looked back and grinned evilishly. Before she took the middle of the three
microphones to speak, she silently said to herself, "LaCroix, you owe me
for this one."

When the background music had stopped, Janette called for everyone's
attention. "Welcome to The Raven. This evening we have something new for
everyone. It seems we have acquired a Karaoke for everyone's enjoyment. To
get things started, we have a trio. Please welcome Nicola, Natalie, and
Lucian to the stage."

Claps and cheers filled the club as Nick and Natalie stared at each
other in shock. "LaCroix?"Nick asked. "I can't sing!"Natalie exclaimed.

Their attention turned towards the stage as LaCroix stepped from behind
the curtain. He blew a kiss to the couple and smiled. "Come Nicola and
Natalie. It will not hurt...much,"Janette spoke, her voice rising above the
crowd's sounds of excitement.

"This is a trap Nick. Let's just jet out of here while we can,"Natalie
said as she rose to leave.

Nick shook his head. "What better way to find out if it is than to test
the trap?"

"I *cannot* sing Nick!"Natalie repeated. Nick took her by the hand and
led her to the stage. "Yes you can, I've heard you in the shower,"he said
over his shoulder to her. She finally caught up to his stride and leaned
close to him, "That's different. There isn't a room full of people around
to hear me."

By this time, they had reached the stage. Nick looked at Janette.
"You knew about this." Janette grinned. "Who? Moi?" Laughing she gave
the trio with copies of the song in hand and left the stage.

"Good to see you again my sweet Natalie,"LaCroix said coolly as he
reached for her hand. Nat retreated into the safety Nick's arms. "I think
it would add to the stage appearance for this song if Natalie stood in the
middle,"LaCroix said to Nick as he smiled at Natalie.

"Nick, we don't have to do this..."she said with pleading eyes.

Nick's eyes burned into LaCroix's. "After this, there will be no
more. Do you understand?"

LaCroix chuckled, "Understand? Perfectly."

"Nick we aren't..."

"Yes we are,"Nick was able to say before the music began and the lights
we lowered except soft spotlights on Nick, Nat, and LaCroix.

Natalie looked down at the music, wondering if she remembered this
song. Quickly, Nick scanned through the words and notes and were able to
decipher it, confident that he knew the song even though he'd never heard
it. LaCroix, on the other hand, tossed his music aside. He had been
practicing earlier that evening.

Nick stepped up his microphone, looked at Natalie and began to sing:

NICK TO NAT: "I see you hear with me, I've waited all my life for someone
like you. Someone to give my heart and soul to."

NAT TO NICK: "I look into your eyes. Your love for me was such a welcomed
surprise. I think at last I've found forever."

LaCROIX TO NICK & NAT: "What about me?"

NICK AND NAT: "I'll always love you."

LaCROIX TO NICK & NAT: "What about me?"

NICK AND NAT: "I'll always need you."

NICK TO NAT: "You were my love before..."

LaCROIX TO NAT: "But I need to much more of you..."

TRIO: "Time after time, I feel I'm loosing my mind, or maybe this is what
lovers must go through. It never entered my mind we could be waiting our
time..."

NAT: "What am I going to do?"

NICK: "What about me?"

LaCROIX: "Oh, what about me?"

LaCROIX TO NICK AND NAT: "No reason to pretend. True love affairs don't
have to come to an end..."

TRIO: "...the moment we don't..."

NICK: "...have all the answers."

NAT TO NICK: "I nearly go insane..."

NICK TO NAT: "...oh, I go insane."

NAT TO NICK: "Each and every time I hear you whisper my name."

NICK TO NAT: "Oh, I feel the same."

NICK & NAT: "When I'm around you."

LaCROIX TO NICK & NAT: "What about me?"

NICK AND NAT: "I'll always love you."

LaCROIX TO NICK & NAT: "What about me?"

NICK AND NAT: "I'll always need you."

NICK TO NAT: "You were my love before..."

LaCROIX TO NAT: "But I need so much more of you..."

TRIO: "Time after time, I feel I'm loosing my mind, or maybe this is what
lovers must go through. It never entered my mind we could be wasting our
time..."

NAT: "But what about me?"

When the music ended, the crowd broke out into deafening rounds of
claps and shouts for an encore. Janette sat back laughing until she was
doubled over.

Nick approached his master and said coldly, "You will never break me.
You may have taken my mortality away from me, but I know that what Natalie
and I feel for each other is stronger than any hold you have over me." Nick
took Natalie's hand to leave.

"Nickolas,"LaCroix called out to his son. Nick looked back. "Enjoy
her while you have her."

Nick held Nat close as they hurriedly exited the building.

LaCroix burst out into a fit of laughter as he met Janette at the bar.
"My, my we do have the best time amusing ourselves!"

Janette watched as the next group walked onto the stage. "Yes we do.
Perhaps there should be more Karaoke nights at The Raven."


The End