A/N: I love Nick. Its so sad what's happened to him. This is just a little short story for him, to make me feel better about what's going on with him. It doesn't have anything to do with anything, and it shouldn't give any spoilers away. Enjoy.

I do not own anything but the OC's in this story.

PART I

The first time she had seen him she remembered wondering why on earth anyone would willing tattoo their face? She'd admit it didn't really take away from his looks, but why there?

He had a mysterious quality, and a certain charm to him that was undeniable. The girls she worked with loved him. He tipped big, and wasn't grabby. The dancers never hesitated to get close to him, and the other waitresses were always trying to catch his eye, even though he usually managed to sit in her section.

She wasn't immune to him either, but unlike the rest, she was leery of him.

Reading people was a gift she'd had all her life, but she couldn't figure this guy out. There was something intense and powerful just below his surface- it was like nothing she had ever encountered before. It felt like he could be good or bad. Like he hadn't made up his mind, and was still dancing that thin line between the two.

Then there was that sadness and regret in his eyes. Even when he was using that charm of his, it was there. When she had mentioned it to her friend, Amber had told her she was letting her imagination was running away with her again.

"Seriously, Maddie", Amber had said. "Your reading too much into the guy. You just think he's hot." But even though she had laughed along with her friend's teasing, she still couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about the guy…

She shook her head, clearing it. Rent was due tomorrow and no over active imagination was going to stop her from earning money. Hell's spawn or heaven's angel, the man left a generous tip if she made sure his bourbon didn't run out.

She placed a fresh glass down, and he tore his gaze away from Amber, who was artfully wrapped around the pole on stage. She forced out a smile.

"Thank you." He said in that Cajun drawl, but didn't return the smile.

After giving him a nod she moved on to the next table.

That night she worked until the club closed, and stayed after to help with the clean up. It was in the wee hours of morning, when she final left, and headed out into the unforgiving cold.

She'd been walking for about five minutes, with another ten to go before she made it to her apartment, when she turned down an alley to cut a few minutes off her trek so she could get home quicker, where it was warm. It wasn't a very long alley and she had reached the end and was starting to walk away from it when she was grabbed from behind. A hand was over her mouth, hot breath on her neck, as she was dragged backward, back into the shadows of the alley. It happened so quickly and without warning she had barley enough time to process it.

Someone laughed, but it wasn't the man who held her. She kicked, tried to pull away, tried to bite the hand on her mouth, but her struggles were useless. The arm around her waist was like a steel band and the hand over her mouth was suffocating her.

Her horrible imagination ran through a thousand different scenario's of what her captors would do to her, but what did happen, wasn't something she thought would.

She felt the pain of his bite in her neck.

Vampire. The word rang out like a bell in her head.

Someone else picked up her arm, and she felt teeth rip through the fragile flesh of her wrist.

Her body was on fire, everything hurt. The hand on her mouth clutched tighter on her face and she had to struggle just to breath.

Suddenly the one holding her arm was gone, like he had been jerked away. Then one who had bitten into her neck dropped her and she landed with a thud on the ground.

Sounds of movement and a few grunts gave her the impression of people fighting. She tried to sit up, but found it was just easier to lie where they had left her. Looking around she saw three men fighting but it was too dark to tell what anyone looked like.

Then one man disappeared, in what she thought looked like dust, then a second man threw some thing in the direction of the third man, and the third did the same as the first.

The lone figure standing about ten feet from her looked about, like he was waiting for more to come.

When none showed up he turned toward her. She tried to pick herself up again, but if anything she was weaker than before. Fear gnawed at her. This man might have gotten rid of the other two, but that didn't mean he wouldn't kill her too. She had just seen him take two lives.

He was in front of her, reaching for her. "No, no, no, no. Please." She couldn't fight back the whimpering.

"It's okay." The man said. The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't remember why.

"I won't tell. I won't, I swear." She begged as he began to pull her toward him. "Please don't hurt me."

"Shhhh. I'm not going to hurt you"

She knew she should recognize that voice, but shadows were covering his face. "It's okay, Maddie . Calm down."

It clicked in her head. The man at the club, the one with the tattoo on his face! What was his name? "Nick?"

"Yea, chere. Its me." His voice was husky as he held her, checking the wound on her neck, and then wrist.

For some unexplainable reason her fear and panic melted away, taking with it the last of her strength. At least she knew him.

"I'm going to get you to a hospital, okay?" His breath fell across her face, and he pushed back the hair that had fallen into her eyes.

"Okay", she agreed, because with the way she was feeling that would probably be a good idea. He wrapped something around her throat then her wrist. Her quickly growing fuzzy mind, assumed it was some sort of make shift bandaged.

"I'm cold". She hadn't realized she'd voiced the complaint, until he was wrapping her in his coat.

Picking her up, he began to carry her. "Hang in there for me" he whispered against the top of her head.

She barely heard it though, she was too concerned with focusing on breathing. Breathe in, breathe out. In and out. Her last thought had been of how good he smelled.

A/N: I love reviews, so don't forget to leave one.