Possession

This was first published in the May, 1999 charity fanzine "The Unnamed Faction Pillow Book."

Notes and Warnings:

The story "Possession" is Rated NC-17 for explicit sex. If it's illegal for you, or if you find it personally distasteful, to read something rated NC-17 and/or containing homosexual content, then please don't read it.

These characters are owned by Tristar and Jim Parriot. No money is being made, no disrespect intended.

Chronology: These events occur about 3 weeks after the episode 'Sons of Belial.'

(Nick/LC, explicit)
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Possession

by Cousin Shelley

Part 1 of 4

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Nick typed the last few words of his report and popped the enter button, glad to finally be done with the paperwork from the case he and Tracy had finished a few days previously. As he saved the file, the noise level in the precinct intensified and the words on the screen darkened and swam in front of his face. He tensed.

It was happening again.

"I don't know, he just rubs me the wrong way. Do you guys think I'm crazy?" Tracy asked as she straightened the top of her desk.

He noticed her throat as she swallowed; the skin was pale and beautiful. Nick leaned forward on his elbows and looked at his partner, trying to force himself to concentrate on what she'd just said. He slowly shook his head and settled for staring at a file on top of his desk. Fears and questions raced through his mind.

These spells of heightened need had been hitting him for the last three weeks, coming faster and harder each time. It had only been a few hours since the last time this dizzying bloodlust had hit him. Four-and-a-half hours the time before that. How soon before he'd be walking around in a constant state of desperation?

"No, you're not crazy," Natalie said. She perched herself on a corner of Nick's desk and gave him a curious look. "Maybe he's just not the guy for you." Natalie turned to Tracy and shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that."

Nick ground his teeth together and closed his eyes. As Nat and Tracy chatted away, he tried to follow the conversation to distract himself from the boiling sensation building in his gut, but their voices became nothing more than a high-pitched buzz. The only thing he heard clearly was the beating of both their hearts. He willed them to go talk somewhere else, anywhere else, away from him.

Natalie was the closest, and her heartbeat literally pounded through his body. Tracy's pulse echoed hers, its volume only slightly less intense. Despite his efforts to shut it all out, in a matter of seconds he was acutely aware of the heartbeat of everyone in the area, and he felt as if he were about to lose his mind.

"Nick? You OK?" Natalie looked at him, concern clear on her face.

"No offense, Nick," Tracy said, "but you don't look so good."

"I . . . I'm okay." Nick looked first at Natalie, then Tracy. He fingered the file on his desk and tried to smile as the two women studied him. Feeling like a bug under glass, he said, "I'm fine. Really." Nick stared intently at the back of his hand. Please stop, go away, leave me alone.

"Tracy?" Joe Reese called as he walked out of his office. "You have the Sanchez report?"

"Yeah, Cap." She rifled through a stack of papers she'd just straightened. "It's right here, somewhere."

Nick felt a tiny breeze as the Captain walked by, but he didn't look up. Another thundering heartbeat to contend with.

"Owwow," Tracy said, shaking her hand, then sucking the tip of her index finger into her mouth. She handed the report to Reese with her free hand, rummaged through her top drawer, and pulled out a small elastic bandage. "Papeh cud."

Nick's mouth opened. The moment her blood hit the air the scent of it wound around his insides, rippling his body with the urge to feed. He slowly placed his hands on top of his desk, fingers splayed, and exerted as much pressure as was safe, trying to somehow physically hold himself in place. Biting his tongue, he swallowed, fighting the urge to lunge across their desks and take Tracy's finger into his mouth. To take Tracy's neck--

"Nick!" Natalie yelped as she placed a hand on his forehead, surreptitiously covering his eyes at the same time. "You really don't look good at all." The nervousness in her voice jangled Nick's already frayed nerves.

Nick closed his eyes as he turned his head away from the heat of Natalie's hand. He forced the golden tinge to disappear, and when he opened his eyes they were their usual blue. They focused on Natalie's throat.

"Nick?" Natalie leaned in, her voice tight. "I think you're coming down with something. Don't you?"

"I . . . I . . ." Imperceptible to humans, the lightly throbbing pulse-point on the side of her neck mesmerized him. She was too close. Her heartbeat, her blood, her heat were drowning him. As he licked his lips, he felt her hand shake his shoulder.

"Nick," Natalie whispered, lightly shaking him again, this time drawing his attention to her eyes.

"Maybe you're coming down with that nasty bug that went through here a few weeks ago," Tracy said. "Almost everybody got sick. Maybe it's finally caught up with you."

Natalie gave him a knowing look, her hand still on his shoulder.

"She's right, Nick," Reese said, as he turned to head back to his office. "You look like hell." When he reached the doorway he called back, "It's slow around here. Why don't you book off sick, and take another day or two if you need it. We'll call you if we need you."

Nick looked at his Captain and after a brief pause, he nodded. "Maybe you're right."

"Now I know you think--" Reese stopped, a look of shock on his face. He raised his eyebrows, and put one fist on his hip. "Okay. All right, then." He blinked twice, nodded and closed the door.

Nick squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to block out the sound of their heartbeats, the smell of blood, the warm hand on his shoulder. The lovely, cherished neck within striking distance.

He had to get out of there.

He snapped his eyes open, then forced a slight smile as he stood.

"You know, if you're really coming down with something . . . why don't you let me drive you?" Tracy said, as she moved to rise from her chair.

"No, no. Thanks. I'll be fine." He nodded at her and Natalie, and started for the door.

"Okay, if you're sure. Feel better," Tracy called after him.

Natalie caught up with Nick before he reached the exit. Pulling him to the side, she spoke in a whisper. "Nick, talk to me. What's going on? You've been more and more distracted since that night at Vanderwal's, and now your eyes." She shook her head. "Tell me--"

"Nat!" Startling himself with his angry tone, Nick looked around and lowered his voice. "I told you. I haven't craved human blood this way in a long time. It's just, it's getting to me, that's all." Did she have to stand that close to him?

"Tell me what to do, how I can help you." Natalie's eyes pleaded with him to let her in.

"There's nothing you can do." Nick immediately regretted the sound of his words, especially the unintended emphasis on 'you,' when he saw pain flash across Natalie's face. "Time, Nat. I just need time." He squeezed her warm hand and forced a smile before he hurried away.

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End 1/4
Cousin Shelley
csnshelley@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/csnshelley
http://www.livejournal.com/users/cousinshelley/