Archive of Our Own ^beta

Too Old and Powerful
By PJ
May 2025

"Schanke!" Nick called a third time, while tossing a paper ball expertly to hit his partner's head.

"Huh?" Schanke looked up, startled.

"Now who's zoning out during work?" Nick asked in a teasing tone.

"I'm not zoning out; I'm thinking hard about a case."

"We don't have any open cases, Schank," Nick reminded him, grinning.

"We don't, but I have one. Myra's birthday is coming up and I'm trying to remember the name of the author she's so fond of."

"One of her romance novels?"

"No, that was last year. Now she's into mysteries."

"Ah."

"Gentlemen," Captain Cohen approached their desks. "We've got a call. Security personnel found a body in a bookstore on 914 Queen Street East."

"We're on it, Captain." Cohen handed Nick a slip of paper with the address. As Nick and Schanke headed out, Nick added, once they were out of Cohen's earshot, "Maybe you'll find something there for Myra."

* * * *

"Hey Nat, what do we have?" Nick greeted the coroner, who was bent over the body of a man in his forties.

"His wallet is missing, but since he wears no jacket despite chilly temperatures, I assume he's either the owner or an employee. He was shot in the chest from a short distance. I would estimate late afternoon or early evening. I can give you a more precise time window after the autopsy."

"Thanks, Nat." Nick rose from his crouched position and took a look around the store. The assortment covered new and used books specializing in history, archeology, and mythology.

"Looks like a robbery." Schanke joined him. "The cash register has been emptied out. There's a security camera. Maybe we're lucky."

"Great, have forensics secure the tape. Let's talk to the personnel in the stores next door and across the street. Maybe someone has seen something."

Schanke nodded in agreement. "One thing's certain though, I don't think I'll find anything for Myra here."

* * * *

"Well, gentlemen, any leads on the case?" Cohen inquired after they had returned to the precinct.

"The deceased is Robert Anmore, owner of Queens Books. Unmarried, his next of kins are an older sister and a 19-year old nephew. Natalie narrowed the time of death down to two hours, between 5 and 7 this evening. The shop usually closes at 6 p.m. There's a café next door. One of the waiters noticed a woman rushing from the store while he was out on a smoke break. Apparently, she looked anxiously around before walking in the direction of Logan Avenue. He's currently sitting with the sketch artist."

"Forensics are checking a tape from a security camera," Schanke added.

After leaving Cohen's office, they stopped at the interview room where the sketch artist was at work.

"Yeah, that's as close as I remember her," the waiter stated.

"She looks pretty average to me," Schanke remarked. "Not like someone who would rob a bookstore. Although I'm not sure why anyone would rob a bookstore, given there's a jeweller two doors down the street. Nick?"

Nick stared at the sketch of a woman who looked vaguely familiar.

"You know her?" Schanke asked.

"No, I don't think so. She just reminds me of someone I knew."

* * * *

When Nick arrived home, he noticed a mortal heartbeat after parking the Caddy. Silently, he moved to investigate and discovered a woman crouched in the corner between the wall and his front door, sound asleep, curled around a backpack. He gently touched her shoulder, startling her awake.

"Nick?" the woman asked before taking a closer look at him. "Oh my god, it's really you!"

"Lili," Nick recognized her despite the passing of 30 years when he had last seen her in East Berlin. He had been searching for the Abarat, a book reputed to hold the cure for vampirism, while she and her family had sought to escape to West Berlin. Her hair was a darker shade of blond and her face still youthful, only a few fine lines around her eyes indicating the decades that had passed. She was dressed in blue jeans and a burgundy coat. Nick punched in the access code to open the door. "Come on in," he invited her.

When they stepped into the lit elevator, Lili stared at him. Approaching, she touched his face lightly. "You really haven't aged," she said in awe. "I mean, I knew what to expect, but actually seeing it –– it's so unbelievable."

Nick reached for her wrist and gently pried her hand from his face. "What are you doing here, Lili? Why didn't you call? This isn't exactly the safest neighbourhood to fall asleep."

"Sorry, jet lag. I hadn't meant to fall asleep. And I didn't call because what I have to show you is too important to tell over a phone. Lines may be overheard. I learned that back in the East."

Nick appreciated her thoughtfulness. His phone line might be secure, but there were other, more sensitive ears that did not need spy equipment to listen in to his phone calls. "You found something?" he asked, eagerly.

Lili nodded. Nick pulled open the elevator door and stepped aside to let her pass. Lili took only one step into the loft, the utter darkness preventing her from proceeding any further. Nick quickly moved to light several lamps. Then he reached for the remote on the kitchen table and pointed it at the windows. Lili watched as heavy shutters descended. She shrugged out of her coat and hung it on the rack next to the elevator.

"Take a seat." Nick indicated the couch. "Can I offer you anything? Coffee? Tea?"

"Tea would be great," Lili stated and walked towards the couch, taking her backpack with her.

Nick started the kettle, pulled a mug from the shelf and found a package of Red Rose tea that Nat had left behind when she tried to wean herself off coffee. She had managed over two shifts before she returned to caffeine. The failure had left her utterly frustrated, but Nick had appreciated her attempt in joining him in trying to quit something vital.

He cast a longing glance at the refrigerator, but refrained from opening it. Although Lili knew what he was, she had not actually seen him drinking blood. Perhaps she never would if her vague intimations were what he hoped. When the water boiled, he poured it into the mug, placed the tea bag inside and carried the mug along with a saucer to the table. He took the recliner and watched Lili expectantly. "I'm all ears."

Lili removed the tea bag and placed it on the saucer before cradling the mug in her hands, leaning back. "I told you that I continued to track down information on the Abarat over the years."

Nick nodded.

"About 2 months ago, we had a guest professor from Oxford at Humboldt University. I learned from him that the Bodleian library in Oxford has a special section of Latin translations from ancient Sanscrit manuscripts. It was a long shot, but I had to check. So I flew to Oxford and visited the library myself. According to the catalogue, there was one title called Liber miraculorum."

"The book of miracles," Nick translated.

Lili nodded. "The problem was that the book was missing. It had been borrowed by a scholar some 30 years ago and he never returned it. I asked around and found out that he passed away about a decade ago. But he had a daughter who still lived in town. I called her and learned that she had sold all his books to several antiquarians." Lili paused and sipped from her tea. "Fortunately, she still had a list of the recipients. I returned to Berlin and got in touch with many of them, asking for the book. Eventually, I got a hit here in Toronto."

"Queens Books," Nick guessed.

"Indeed. How did you know?"

Nick pulled out the composite sketch. "Lili, please tell me that you didn't have anything to do with the homicide of the owner."

Lili blanched visibly. "I didn't kill him, but I was there when it happened. It was horrible."

Nick's eyes widened. "You saw what happened?"

"No. I entered the shop shortly before 6 p.m. My flight was delayed and I was worried that I was too late before they closed. I asked about the book and was directed to a section in a corner that was hidden from view by book shelves. Imagine my joy, when I found what I looked for among the second-hand books. I had just pulled it out, when I heard someone else enter the shop. A male voice demanded money. When the owner refused, I heard two shots. It happened so fast. I crouched behind the shelf and hoped that I wouldn't be noticed. I heard commotion at the cash desk. Then the door opened and closed and all was silent. I waited 30 minutes before daring to leave my hiding place. The owner lay stretched out in front of the desk. I felt for his pulse, but there seemed to be nothing that I could do. I was worried the killer might return, so I hurried from the store and came here."

Nick had listened, torn between his duty as a police officer and his curiosity about the book. Century-old priorities prevailed. "You brought the book?" he asked eagerly.

Lili reached into her backpack and pulled out a thin leather volume. Smiling, she handed it to Nick.

"And you're sure that this is a translation of the Abarat?"

"Pretty sure. I leafed through it while I was waiting for you. It definitely is the missing book from the library in Oxford." Reaching over, she opened the second page. "Here it says that it's a translation from an ancient manuscript called Abarat, that was originally written in Sanscrit. On the next page there's a sort of introduction, claiming that the translation is correct because many of the remedies have been tried out successfully. I think what you're looking for starts on page 49."

Nick leafed forward until he came to the indicated page that Lili had marked with a public transit transfer. "Immortalitatem solvendo vel quomodo maledictionem a mortuis tollere – Resolving immortality or how to lift the curse from the undead," Nick read aloud.

"You know how to read Latin, do you?" Lili inquired.

"Yes, I had a pretty persistent teacher," Nick confirmed and continued to peruse the text, while Lili suppressed a yawn.

"Then I should leave you to read and check into my hotel."

"Sorry, I forgot that you've just arrived." Reluctantly, he set the book aside.

Lili smiled. "That's okay. I was just as eager to get the information. It's not something that you can apply overnight though, I'm afraid. And some of the required ingredients may be difficult to get, if at all."

"I'll find a way," Nick said with determination.

"I wish you all the luck in the world." Lili rose and retrieved her coat.

"Lili, about the homicide –– I'm the investigating officer and you're the only witness. I need you to come to the station for a statement. There's been a recording and a neighbour saw you exiting the store. It's only a matter of time until the police come looking for you. I'd rather not see an APB on you in the newspaper."

"I would prefer remaining under the radar as well. Where is the police station?"

"I'll pick you up tonight after sunset. And I'd prefer that you stay with a friend rather than alone in a hotel room. At least until we've caught the killer."

Lili trembled slightly. "You think he saw me and followed me here?"

"I don't think he followed you. I would have noticed if anybody else was in the area. But if word gets out that we have a witness –– I just don't want to take any chances." Nick walked to the phone and dialled a number.

"This better be good," a grouchy voice answered after several rings.

"It is. Sorry to disturb you at this time, Nat. I need you to come over. I'll explain everything when you're here."

"Nick! I just got to sleep! I don't make house calls at this time."

"I need you to pick up a friend. She's a witness in the bookstore murder and she needs a place to stay until we've caught the killer."

"Usually, you park them at the Raven," Natalie grumbled.

"Believe me, that would be unhealthy for all involved."

Natalie sighed. "All right. I'll be over in 20 minutes."

"Thanks," Nick ended the call. "Natalie is the coroner. She knows what I am and has been helping me for a couple of years," he explained.

"Are you sure she doesn't mind having me at her place?"

"She'd be thrilled to meet you," Nick assured her.

* * * *

About 30 minutes later, Natalie stepped from the elevator, wearing her heart-patterned jacket over a t-shirt and leggings. "Sorry, I underestimated the morning traffic." Noting the older woman on Nick's couch, she approached.

"Nat, meet Lili Toffler. I met her 1966 in Berlin. She knows what I am. Lili, this is Natalie Lambert."

"Actually it's Brinkmann now," Lili corrected him.

"You knew Nick back in 1966? I want to hear all about that!" Natalie exclaimed.

"See, I told you she would love to spend time with you," Nick grinned. "I'll pick you up tonight," he added. "Thanks, Nat." He leaned down and gave Natalie a brief kiss on the brow.

After both women had departed, Nick dashed to the refrigerator. He pulled out a bottle and drank deeply. Then he picked up the book and began to read.

* * * *

Before sunset, Nick wrapped the book into an old newspaper and hid it on a bookshelf behind other books. He wouldn't take any chances and risk Lacroix seeing him with the book. As soon as it was safe for him to venture out, Nick drove to Natalie's apartment, where he found both women seated at the kitchen table, nursing coffee.

"Have you thought about how you will explain that you're acquainted with a potential witness in your current case?" Natalie asked.

"We'll stick with the story that I knew her from Berlin, where I had travelled as a child. We've stayed in contact since then, sending letters and postcards. She came to Toronto to surprise me and went to the bookstore to get a last-minute gift because she's aware of my interest in history books."

"Just make sure Cohen doesn't pull you from the case because you're too close to a witness," Natalie warned.

"Don't worry. I know how to avoid that." Nick smiled.

Natalie rolled her eyes. "You're awfully chipper tonight, given that it's barely sunset."

Nick looked at Lili. "You didn't tell her?"

"Tell me what?"

"I told her everything related to our flight from East Berlin. I wasn't sure if I should mention the book," Lili stated.

"Which book?"

"Lili brought me a book that contains a cure," Nick said with a huge smile on his face.

"What?!"

"I'll talk to you later. We should be going now."

* * * *

"Have you studied the book?" Lili asked when they were in the car.

"Of course. I hardly slept. And I think it's doable. A few ingredients are tricky to get though, but I'm positive I'll find a way."

"What about the solar eclipse? If I'm not mistaken, it says it has to be performed during a total eclipse."

"I already checked. The next one visible in Toronto is in 2044. But I don't intend to wait that long. There's going to be one in South America this year on the 3rd of November. I want to make use of that."

"That's in less than a month! How exciting!"

They arrived at the precinct, where Nick guided Lili to an interview room.

"Nick, what if I say something wrong?"

"You won't. If you do, I can fix it afterwards," he said confidently. "I'll fetch my partner and be right back."

Schanke met him half-way to his desk. "Was that the suspect from the composite?"

"She's a witness, Schanke, not a suspect. She didn't see the killer, but she heard what happened. She might be able to identify the killer's voice. Did the tape give any hints?"

"I haven't heard back from Hopkins yet. How did you find her?"

"Remember I told you the face on the sketch reminded me of someone I knew? Turned out I wasn't mistaken. Her name is Lili Brinkmann. She's from Germany and came to Toronto to see me."

"How do you know her?"

"I met her in my youth when I travelled to Germany. I stayed with her family for a while."

"As an exchange student? Myra is thinking about sending Jenny to England for 3 months when she's in senior high, but I'd rather keep her here."

Avoiding a response, Nick quickly entered the interview room. "This is my partner, Detective Don Schanke. Lili Brinkmann from Berlin," Nick made the introductions.

Schanke extended his hand. "So, you knew Nick as a kid, eh? How was he back then?"

Lili smiled. "He had a tendency to get into trouble."

"Seems he hasn't changed much," Schanke laughed.

"Lili, tell us what you told me this morning," Nick requested.

Lili gave her statement, leaving out that she had come in search of a specific book.

"Do you think you will recognize his voice when you hear it?" Nick asked.

"Probably. If I hear it again within the next few days."

They were interrupted by an officer informing them that the tape from the security camera had been analyzed. Leaving Lili in the interview room, they headed into an adjacent room that was equipped with a television. Hopkins, the forensic technician forwarded the tape until Lili entered the store. About 5 minutes later a man wearing a ski mask entered waving a gun. The technician stopped the video, freezing the screen.

"Darn, not much to go on," Schanke commented. "At least it lets your friend off the hook."

Nick looked at him, surprised. "You mean, you didn't believe her?"

"That's not it. But to me it seemed as if she were holding something back and didn't tell us everything."

Nick didn't respond, silently admiring Schanke's gift of observation. "Hopkins, can you enlarge the section of his hand?" he requested instead.

The technician switched some controls and zoomed in on the hand holding the gun.

"He has a tattoo on the third finger," Schanke noticed. "Not much to put into an APB, but at least something."

"Looks like a maple leaf. He also doesn't wear gloves. That means his prints should be on the door," Nick added.

"Yeah, among a hundred others."

The door opened and Cohen entered the room. "Anything to go on?" she inquired.

"Not much, I'm afraid," Schake replied. "But if we find a suspect, there's a good chance to convict him by the tattoo on his hand."

"And what are your next steps to find a suspect?"

"Let's talk to the neighbours again and also to family and friends of the deceased," Nick suggested. "As Schanke already pointed out, it's a bit odd that a bookstore was robbed, when the neighbouring shops assuredly had more cash and valuables available."

When they exited the room, Nick turned to Schanke. "I'm giving Lili a ride back to Nat's place. Why don't you go ahead and interview the neighbours? I'll catch up with you there."

"Wait a minute? Lili is staying with Nat? I thought she was your acquaintance."

Nick shrugged. "You know the loft. There's only the couch, which is not very comfortable. And I didn't want her to stay at a hotel as long as the killer is out there." Ignoring Schanke's confused look, Nick steered towards the interview room.

* * * *

After dropping Lili off at Natalie's apartment, Nick made a brief detour to the morgue.

"Finally," Natalie exclaimed and seated herself in her desk chair, arms crossed. "What's this so-called cure?"

"Not so-called. This one's real," Nick corrected her. "I've been tracking it down before in the 1960s, but Lacroix beat me to it. Before I could get my hands on the book, he burned it. Lili discovered a translation of the very same book."

"And what does this cure entail?"

"It's a mixture of several ingredients. It has to be activated through exposure to the sun during a total solar eclipse and ingested afterwards. The mixture will knock me out, work its magic and then I'll wake up mortal."

"Magic," Natalie repeated skeptically.

"Not magic, of course. I think it works like a catalyst that triggers the transformation."

"And what are the ingredients?"

"My own blood, Lacroix's blood, a lock of hair from a mortal relative of mine, and curare."

"Sounds pretty impossible given that your family line ended centuries ago."

"I have something in mind that should work. The tricky part is getting Lacroix's blood without him noticing something's up."

"I don't know, Nick. Why are you so convinced that this will work?"

"Because Lacroix was very persistent in preventing me from getting the book."

"Good point," Natalie agreed. "Given that you get all the necessary ingredients, when's the next total eclipse?"

"November 3 in South America."

Natalie's eyes widened. "This year?"

Nick nodded with a broad grin. "I'll ask you out to a picnic on a sunny beach in less than four weeks."

* * * *

Nick caught up with Schanke in front of the bookstore on Queen Street.

"About time, Knight," Schanke grumbled. "I've been doing all the legwork out here, while you go chauffeuring your friend around."

"Sorry, evening rush hour," Nick shrugged. "What do you have?"

"Nada. I talked to the jeweller. The neighbourhood is not a hotspot of gang crime. They never had any incidents or indications that someone intended to rob their shop. The owner of the coffee shop was never threatened by any customers. The computer store around the corner never had any burglaries either. Nobody was aware if Anmore had received any threats. It seems totally random."

"Or the store was specifically targeted," Nick suggested. "Let's talk to the family."

It was only a short drive to the apartment block on Carlaw Avenue where Anmore's sister lived with her son.

"Have there been any developments?" the sister, Virginia Hendricks inquired after admitting Nick and Schanke into the condo.

"We're exploring all avenues. Did your brother have any enemies, Mrs. Hendricks?" Nick inquired. "Or has he received any threats?"

"Not that I'm aware of," she replied.

"Mom?" A skinny young man appeared in the doorway. "I'm off to the Leafs game."

"Must you go out tonight, Kevin?"

"It's important. Please, mom?"

Nick caught Schanke's gaze and nodded towards the youth's hand that sported a tattoo in the form of a maple leaf. Schanke's eyes widened. Nick moved to the door in order to prevent an escape.

"Sorry, kid, you aren't going to any game. You're coming with us." Schanke pulled out his cuffs.

The young man jumped towards the door, but found his way blocked by Nick. Nick quickly pulled the man's arm on his back, so that Schanke was able to cuff him.

Mrs. Hendricks stood from her seat. "What's the meaning of this? Kevin?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hendricks, we have to take your son into custody. You may want to call a lawyer," Schanke informed her.

* * * *

Four hours later Kevin Hendricks sat in the interrogation room with the television displaying the scene from the surveillance video that showed the shooter in the ski mask. Earlier, his finger prints had been taken and a team of forensics searched his room for the gun. The prints came back positive.

"Of course my prints would be found, it's my uncle's store after all," Kevin initially denied his involvement. When faced with the video, Schanke pointed out the tattoo.

"Looks familiar, doesn't it?"

"I'm a Leafs fan. Thousands of people have a tattoo like that," he defended himself.

Nick lifted a stack of betting slips from a container. "We found these in your pocket. You weren't on your way to see the game, you were going to gamble with pretty high stakes."

The youth turned slightly crimson.

"The Leafs performed rather poorly over the last few weeks, didn't they? Have you lost many bets, Kevin?" Nick probed. "Were you indebted? Is that why you robbed your uncle's store?"

The young man slouched his shoulders in defeat. "Any series is going to break. I was certain they would win tonight. I just needed one more bet. I knew if I win tonight, I could win all the money back that I had lost over the last few weeks. But Uncle Robert wouldn't give me the money. He said I was addicted to gambling and threatened to take me to a therapist. He just wouldn't see that I only needed money for one more bet."

"So you shot him?" Schanke asked.

The young man shrugged. "If I had inherited the store, I could have sold it."

Nick stared at the greedy young man. "Pity. You should have listened to your uncle's advice and gone to a therapist."

Kevin Amore was returned to the cells and Nick and Schanke met with Captain Cohen. "Forensics called. They found a gun, and the bullets match," she informed them. "Good work, gentlemen."

"That was pretty straight forward if you ask me," Schanke said when they had returned to their desks. "But I still need a gift for Myra."

"Donna Leon," Nick stated.

"Huh?"

"The author she's fond of. Her mystery novels are set in Venice."

"Right!" Schanke exclaimed. "Thanks, buddy. Whatever would I do without you?"

"You're welcome," Nick smiled.

* * * *

When Nick entered the loft after his shift, he froze upon discovering Lacroix sitting at ease in the recliner, legs crossed. It took all of his will-power to avoid risking a glance at the shelf where he had hidden the book. "Lacroix, what do you want?" he greeted the elder and walked into the kitchen area.

"Good evening, Nicholas. Must I want something? Can I not simply visit?"

Nick poured himself a glass and took a calming drink while wondering if Lacroix knew something about the Abarat. "You rarely visit without an agenda. Forgive me for being skeptical. Why are you here?" He held out the bottle in a silent inquiry. When Lacroix inclined his head, he retrieved a second glass and filled it, handing it to Lacroix when the elder joined him in the kitchen.

"Curiosity," Lacroix answered after sipping briefly from the glass. "I've been receiving the oddest sensations of elation from you, Nicholas. Quite the opposite to your usual feelings of gloom and doom. I almost hesitate to ask, what has occasioned this welcome mood change?"

Nick shrugged. "A lucky break in a case."

Lacroix raised his eyebrows at the response. "How quaint."

Nick reached for the remote and lowered the blinds against the impending dawn. "Are you staying the day?" he asked in a neutral tone.

Lacroix emptied the goblet and regarded it critically. "I think not, if this is all you have to offer."

"It is," Nick confirmed quickly.

"Pity." Lacroix raised his head towards the skylight and was gone.

Nick waited anxiously until sunrise. Only then did he rush to the shelf. To his great relief, the book was still where he had left it.

* * * *

On the following evening, Nick drove Lili first to the station where she confirmed the killer's identity by recognizing his voice. Then he dropped her off at the airport.

"I can't thank you enough," he stated as he carried her bag to the check-in counter.

"You'll let me know how it goes?"

"Of course. And I'll visit you. Then you can show me Berlin by day."

"I'd like that."

After receiving her boarding pass, Lili gave him a hug. "Good luck," she whispered into his ear. Then she hurried through the security check.

* * * *

A week later

Nick slid unobserved into Lacroix's apartment above the Raven. He turned on the stereo to make sure the elder was occupied with his radio show. This was the third night in succession that he had come during the broadcast to search methodically through the apartment. He hadn't realized that Lacroix had so many boxes stored in hidden corners that needed unpacking. He found trinkets and mementos gathered through two millennia, but not the item he'd been looking for. Checking his watch, he had only 15 minutes left before Lacroix would wrap up his show. He carefully rearranged everything he had moved to the way he had found it.

As he passed the study on his way to the parlour, his eyes fell on a beautiful old tin box on the shelf. He quickly advanced, lifted the lid and peered inside. An antique comb was nestled on tissue paper. He picked it up and noticed that it still held tangles of fine golden hair.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Charleroi 1240

After Fleur's funeral, Nick and Lacroix had returned to the castle that had been her residence since her marriage. Nick to take care of André, Lacroix to walk with a stoney face through Fleur's rooms, inhaling her yet lingering scent. Eventually he picked up her comb and took it with him.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Nick removed a few single hairs and put the comb back into the box. He carefully sealed the hairs into an evidence bag and stored it in his pocket.

"Good evening, Nicholas," Lacroix's voice caused him to freeze.

Closing his eyes briefly to calm himself, Nick slowly turned around. He cast a confused look at the stereo, where the Nightcrawler was still broadcasting.

"You were listening to the show? It's only a recording tonight, I'm afraid. I had an errand to run."

Swallowing, Nick forced himself to relax. "Oh, I had it running in the background while I was waiting for you."

"Indeed?"

Nick desperately thought up a reason to explain his presence here. His eyes fell on the bookshelf. "Yeah. I can't find my copy of Tolstoy's War and Peace. I was wondering if I could borrow yours."

Lacroix raised his eyebrow. He reached past Nick towards the shelf and pulled out a thick volume. "It's a first edition. I expect to have it returned in prime condition."

"Of course. Thanks," Nick took the book.

"Is that all you came for?" Lacroix probed.

Nick hesitated. He didn't want to strain his luck and attempt to get a blood sample tonight. Better to store the hair sample in a safe place first. Still, he didn't want to rouse Lacroix's suspicion by an immediate departure. Since his time as a vampire was coming to an end soon, he could endure a few more hours in the other's company. "Actually, it's my night off. Have you played lately?" he nodded at a chess board set up on a side table near the fireplace.

"There's an unfortunate lack of worthy opponents in this decade." Lacroix waved his hand in invitation at the seat next to the table. After Nick had settled in, Lacroix retrieved two goblets and filled them from a decanter on the sideboard. Nick brushed the back of his hand across his lips, as the scent from the red fluid hit his nostrils. Yet, he refrained from taking a sip when the glass was placed next to him.

The game lasted only twenty minutes. "You seem preoccupied, mon fils," Lacroix observed after he check-mated Nick.

"I'm sorry, I'm just tired. I should head home and rest."

"A good vintage would revive your spirits," Lacroix suggested with a nod at Nick's still untouched glass.

Nick rose. "I know, but thank you. I need to sleep. I'll see you around." He quickly left the apartment and flew home.

As he entered through the skylight, Natalie was waiting for him.

"You do know that you can't do that anymore if you become mortal," she observed.

"When, not if," Nick corrected her. "Flying is indeed one of the skills I'll probably miss. But I'll trade it gladly for a day in the sun." He pulled the evidence bag with the hair sample from his pocket. "Fleur's hair," he smiled. "Lacroix kept her comb as a memento."

"You just took it and he didn't notice?"

"I was careful. He almost caught me though. I agreed to a game of chess to soothe any suspicion about my presence at his place."

"Have you decided where in South America you will go?"

"Brazil. I have a place near São Paulo where I can stay."

"I'm coming with you," Natalie announced. "If this really works, you'll need help getting along."

"You think I wouldn't be able to get through the day?" Nick asked, amused.

"You will no longer be immune to any diseases. We have no clue in what state your immune system will be after missing 800 years of exposure. Once you're mortal, I'm going to give you a couple of essential vaccinations, because I doubt that you received any in childhood."

Nick nodded. He had to admit that he hadn't thought that far ahead. "If you come along, there's something you should know."

"What's that?"

"I'm not coming back to Toronto when I'm mortal. I need to lay low and make sure Lacroix doesn't find me."

Natalie blanched slightly. "I understand. Let's just see what happens before making further plans, okay?"

"You still don't believe the cure will work?" Nick stated.

"I'm a scientist, Nick. I believe a change is possible with the proper suppression of the vampire nucleotide in your blood. I don't believe in miracle cures."

"You'll see," Nick stated with conviction.

* * * *

A week later

Nick entered Lacroix's apartment, carrying a flat rectangular black box.

"Another visit on your night off?" Lacroix looked up from his laptop computer, at which he had been typing. "Do you want to try your skill at chess again?"

"Maybe later. I wanted to show you something. I found it when I was browsing through storage boxes." Opening the lid, Nick uncovered a flintlock dueling pistol. "It used to be a pair, but I have no clue what happened to the second one."

"I believe I last saw it in Janette's possession," Lacroix remarked.

"Really? Then I should ask her. I wanted to give them to the Royal Ontario Museum for their special exhibit." Nick picked up the pistol and began to fiddle with the lock. "There seems to be something stuck."

"Nicholas, would you mind pointing that elsewhere?" Lacroix stood directly in the line of fire.

Looking up with a grin, Nick said lightly, "It's not going to kill you. Besides, it shouldn't be loaded." Seemingly by accident, he pulled the trigger in a quick motion, aiming at Lacroix's left clavicle. "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess it was loaded."

Lacroix staggered backwards. Pressing one hand against his bleeding shoulder, he backhanded Nick with the other. Nick went to the floor, but quickly stood. "I said I'm sorry, okay? Is the bullet stuck? Sit down, I'll remove it." Nick helped him to uncover his shoulder. Using his pocket knife, Nick probed into the wound. While he stood at an angle Lacroix couldn't see, he quickly pulled a syringe from his pocket and filled it with Lacroix's blood. The syringe disappeared into his pocket, while he expertly dug the bullet out of Lacroix's flesh. "There you are. You're welcome." He watched as the wound closed. Lacroix cast him a glare and went to change his shirt. Nick quickly emptied the contents of the syringe into a vial and returned both items to his pocket. "Do you still want to play chess?" he called.

"I expect a little more attention on the game than you just observed with that pistol, Nicholas. Keeping me company is the least you can do after this act of clumsiness."

This time the game lasted three hours before Nick was check-mated. He left with an odd feeling in his gut, certain that these had been the final hours he'd spend in Lacroix's company.

* * * *

Two days later, Nick and Natalie boarded a plane to São Paulo. They had both taken a week off, which raised a few knowing eyebrows at the precinct and the morgue. After a 10-hour flight, they arrived in the early morning with a few hours of darkness left to get safely to their destination. Nick had rented a car with sufficient trunk space in case the flight was delayed. Much to Natalie's surprise, they left the city lights behind and entered on a rural road. After a while, Nick turned onto a gravel path. Natalie made out the surroundings of a huge mansion that had been the main house of a hacienda back in the 19th century.

"Are you sure there's running water and electricity?" Natalie joked.

"There wasn't when I first moved here, but I had some updates installed over the last decades. It has all the modern conveniences you require," Nick assured her.

"When you're mortal, you will appreciate a coffee machine, believe me."

"I don't know. I got pretty well along without one in my time as a mortal," Nick stated and received a playful blow on his upper arm.

They entered a huge hall that was dominated by a staircase. Behind the entrance hall an open arch allowed a glimpse into a parlour. The furniture was covered with white linen, but no dust had settled on the unused items. Nick led the way upstairs where two hallways separated from the landing. He placed his own suitcase in front of the master bedroom that was marked by the central door. Then he opened a door three rooms to the left. Natalie gazed into a beautifully decorated parlour with blue tapestries and a four-poster bed. She checked a door to the right that led into a bathroom with modern amenities. "I'm impressed," she muttered.

"The kitchen is downstairs. I told the administrator to have it stocked for a week's stay."

"There's an administrator?"

"Of course, a place like this needs looking after."

"Of course. Do I want to know what you were posing as when you actually lived here?"

Nick's face darkened perceptibly. "Probably not. Different times and a different life."

"Aha. Well, it's been a long trip. All I want is a shower and a bed. Tomorrow is the big day."

* * * *

"You're really convinced that this will work," Natalie observed as Nick emptied the last bottle from the refrigerator.

"Tonight, I'll join you on mortal food," Nick grinned and looked repeatedly at his watch. "Can you see something? The eclipse should have started by now, but totality is yet an hour away."

Natalie fetched her eclipse glasses and walked to the window. Making sure that Nick remained in the shadows, she opened the blinds a bit and looked at the sun. "Yes, I can see it. Fascinating!"

Meanwhile, Nick took a bowl, into which he poured an amount of curare from a vial. Then he added Lacroix's blood and Fleur's hair sample. At last, he picked up a knife and cut into his lower arm so that his own blood dripped into the bowl. He shook the bowl carefully to mix the ingredients.

At exactly 10:45 a.m., he set the bowl on the window sill and opened the blinds. It was almost dark outside. Yet, even the rays from the corona were enough to singe his skin. He watched from the shadows as the mixture in the bowl began to bubble and boil. The hairs were consumed and eventually a thick fluid remained. Nick quickly fetched the bowl and retreated into the parlour.

After sitting down on the couch, he took a deep breath. "Wish me luck," he said. "I'll see you tonight." Then he upended the bowl and swallowed the contents. He felt tired immediately. Then his senses left him and he fell unconscious onto the couch.

* * * *

Nick woke with a start. The first sensations he noticed were intense cramps in his stomach. He sat up and saw the world tinged in red. His starved senses zoned in on Natalie, who stood next to the couch, a sad expression on her face. "Leave! I'm hungry," Nick rasped around his fangs.

Natalie placed a blood bag on the table and rushed from the room.

Nick ripped the bag open and drank deeply. When it was empty, he let the package slip from his hands and leaned against the couch, breathing heavily.

"Feeling poorly, Nicholas?" a soft voice inquired.

Immediately alert, Nick turned around. "What have you done, Lacroix? Why am I not mortal?"

"Oh, I didn't have to do anything." The elder strolled around the couch to face Nick.

"It didn't work?"

"No, not at your age," Lacroix stated calmly.

"Why didn't it work?"

"You are simply too old and powerful for that."

"But in 1966? You were adamant that I didn't get my hands on the book."

"It might have worked then. The threshold is around 750, give or take a decade. Congratulations, Nicholas, you're now truly immortal."

"You knew I had gotten a copy of the Abarat?"

"Of course. You were never good at hiding anything from me. Besides, your attempts at getting the ingredients in my presence were anything but subtle. Shooting me to get my blood? Really Nicholas, you used to be so much more inventive to get it willingly."

Ignoring the last remark, Nick wondered, "But you didn't intervene. Why?"

"There was no need. I was certain that by now you were immune to any form of a cure. Checkmate, Nicholas."

Nick was dumbfounded. "There is no cure for me?"

"No, isn't that wonderful? I promised you eternity and I always keep my promises. It will be so much easier now without the constant worry of losing you to some folly."

The finality of his crashed hopes was more than Nick could bear at the moment. "Lacroix? Do me a favour? Just get out!"

"As you wish. I take it you will return to Toronto before long? Come and join me for a game of chess when you're back. I rather enjoyed your recent visits." Lacroix vanished before Nick came up with a reply.

"Nick?" Natalie called from the door. "Is it safe to come in?" She approached after he had waved her in. "I'm so sorry, Nick."

"You've given me your own blood. What were you thinking, Nat?" he said reproachfully.

"When I didn't notice any change in you during the day, I suspected that the attempt might be a failure. You were out of supplies. So, I thought I'd better give you the little bit I could spare than risk having you taking it all."

"You should have left as I told you. Lacroix would have fed me."

"It was after sunset. Lacroix would have loved to watch you hunt me down," Natalie countered.

Nick evaded her eyes and brushed his hand across his mouth. He had been too starved to pay attention to the details in her blood. Now he wished he could have savoured the forbidden substance. Disgusted by the route his thoughts were taking, he stood and walked to the phone. After dialling a number, he placed an order of cow's blood with the local supplier. "I'll see if I can get us tickets back to Toronto on the next available flight," he informed Natalie.

Natalie walked up to him and took the phone out of his hand. "Now wait a minute. I've flown 10 hours to see Brazil. I still have 4 vacation days left. I'm not leaving without a little bit of sightseeing, and you're going to show me around."

Nick tossed her the car keys. "Take the car for as long as you wish. I'm not in the mood."

* * * *

Toronto, about a year later

Nick entered the morgue, finding Natalie working at her desk. Their relationship had been strained since their trip to Brazil. He had distanced himself from her because the taste of her blood had intensified his longing to feed from her again. He knew he wouldn't be able to stop if he gave in to the urge. Ever since learning that there was no cure for him, his mood had been dejected, and Schanke's senseless death had deepened his depression. Now Janette had achieved, albeit briefly, what he couldn't obtain. And that didn't make sense at all.

"Nat?" he interrupted her work, noting that she jumped slightly at his silent approach. "Do you think Janette was really mortal?"

Natalie saved the file she'd been working on and turned her full attention on him. "She had a normal heart rate, normal blood pressure, normal temperature, and her gunshot wound didn't heal. I didn't see her in sunlight and I haven't seen her eat, but judging from her vital signs, I would say so."

"Then how is it possible? She's older than me. Shouldn't she be equally immune to any cure?"

"Well, I'm going to tell you something that you don't want to hear, Nick. I had doubts about that so-called cure from the beginning. I think it was one big hoax."

"But Lacroix was earnestly trying to prevent me from obtaining the cure in 1966."

"Oh, I don't doubt that the cure in the original Abarat might have been real. But everything in relation to the translation was one big set-up. What you ingested was nothing but curare after yours and Lacroix's blood had evaporated from exposure to the sun. Tell me honestly Nick, how many people who helped you along the way to find a cure survived?"

Nick thought briefly. "I can think of only three. You, Hans and Lili. The others either died by accident or Lacroix killed them."

"Did Lacroix know of Hans?"

"I don't think so, why?"

"Well, from what you and Lili told me, he definitely knew about Lili. How likely is it that he would let her live?"

"Very unlikely," Nick admitted, his eyes widening slightly as realization dawned. "Unless she served his purpose. But which purpose did he pursue?"

"To prevent you from finding a cure. What better way to convince you that your search is futile than by having a cure delivered to you by someone you trusted and realize it didn't work because you were apparently too old?"

"You think Lili betrayed me?"

"No, Lili was as convinced that the cure would work as you were. I think it's the book. Someone pointed it out to her."

"She mentioned a guest professor from Oxford who informed her of Latin Sanscrit translations." Nick pulled out his cell phone. He glanced briefly at his watch before punching in a number. "Lili? It's Nick. –– Oh, same old –– listen, can you tell me the name of the guest professor from Oxford, who put you on the trail of the book? –– Thomas Monroe? Can you describe him to me? –– Thank you. I'll talk to you later. Bye." Nick stored his cell phone, a grim expression on his face. "He did it again. Thomas Monroe is a vampire, an old friend of Lacroix. He already fooled me once by showing me a papyrus that allegedly described a cure. It was a big set-up between him and Lacroix to get a friend of mine killed. Apparently, they worked together again to make me abandon my search."

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< West-Berlin 1967

Lacroix stood in the main hall of the Egyptian Museum, studying the bust of Nefertiti.

"Lucius," said a dark-haired man, who joined him.

"A remarkable work. It's rare to see such beauty captured perfectly in limestone."

"Indeed," the other agreed. "But certainly you did not come to Berlin in order to admire Egyptian artefacts?"

"No. I do have a task for you, Thomas. I need a Latin translation of an ancient Sanscrit manuscript."

"I thought you were capable of reading Sanscrit yourself," Thomas replied.

"I am. What I need is a book that looks as if the translation has been done one or two centuries ago."

"I see. Where's the manuscript?"

"I burned it."

Thomas looked startled. "Then how ––"

Lacroix smiled. "I read it before I burned it. I will provide you with the necessary information and leave the rest to your imagination." Lacroix pulled a folded paper from his pocket. "Just make sure to insert this somewhere in the middle."

Thomas perused the paper. "A cure? This is pure nonsense, isn't it?"

"Of course. The point is that Nicholas will be convinced of its authenticity if he believes the book to be real."

"Are you sure you want your own blood to be required for this fantasy cure?"

"When Nicholas attempts to take it, I will know the time has come to watch him closely."

"How many pages did you have in mind?"

"Less than a hundred, but more than sixty."

"That will take a while."

"Of course. I won't need it within the next decade or so."

Thomas nodded. "Do you want to join me at the Palace tonight? They put on a new revue. We can dine afterwards and then you can tell me the contents of the manuscript."

"Very well, Thomas."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Toronto 1994

After returning from the loft where he had found Nicholas in a horribly weakened condition, occasioned by a drug engineered by Dr. Lambert, Lacroix picked up his phone and dialed.
"Good evening, Thomas. You still have the book in your possession that I asked you to prepare 30 years ago? Good, I have reached the end of my patience with Nicholas' attempts at seeking a cure. It is time to set the plan in motion. There is a woman living in Berlin whom Nicholas trusts. They kept in contact over the years. I recently overheard a message she left on his answering machine, in which she promised to continue tracking down copies of the Abarat. She will be the key in getting the book to Nicholas."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Toronto 1995, the morgue

"I should kill them both for putting me through this," Nick seethed.

Natalie stood and placed her hand soothingly on his arm. "Don't do anything rash, Nick. This is your chance. Don't let him know that you've discovered his plot! Don't you see? Now you can continue your search for a cure in secret without Lacroix's interference, because he thinks that he successfully dissuaded you from looking."

Nick let that sink in. "Do you really think there is a cure out there?" he asked, feeling a glimmer of hope returning for the first time since his failed attempt in Brazil.

"Janette's the proof, isn't she? And I'll do anything I can to keep looking at it from the medical point of view."

Nick's sly smile turned into a full grin. On impulse, he pulled Natalie into his arms and hugged her tightly. "You can't imagine what that means to me."

"Does that mean you missed my protein shakes?" Natalie asked teasingly after he had released her.

Nick's face fell. "Not really. What I missed is us working together and seeing each other outside of work."

Natalie brushed a stray tear from the corner of her eye. "I missed that, too, Nick."

Nick glanced at the clock on the wall. "Is your shift over? Do you want to come to the loft and watch a video?"

Natalie nodded. "Yes, I'd love to."

* * * *

From a rooftop across the coroner's building two figures watched as Nick and Natalie drove away in the Caddy.

"It has taken me 30 years to set something up that convinced Nicholas of the futility of his search, only to have that conviction shattered in a single night. I must say the timing of your little adventure was horribly inopportune, my dear."

"Do you think he will start looking again for a cure?" Janette asked, leaning slightly against her companion.

"Of course he will," Lacroix sighed.

"Then everything is back to the way it was."

"So it would seem," Lacroix breathed. "Except that Nicholas believes I am oblivious to his renewed efforts. An interesting constellation, don't you think?"

FIN