Blood Ties: First Blood

Disclaimer: I don't own Blood Ties. It belongs to Tanya Huff and Lifetime I'm just a fan. Wish I owned Kyle Schmid though!

Rating: T-M

Pairing: Vicki/Henry

Summary: Vicki's has nightmares while investigating a case and Henry is there to help.

Vicki Nelson walked cautiously through the Toronto streets tracking down a lead on a missing person case. Not for the first time this evening her vision grew blurry and Henry's words of warning reverberated through her mind.

People with that type of vision should probably stay away from nighttime stake-outs.

Vicki shook her head in an effort to both clear her vision and shake away his words from her mind. She crossed the street and held back a sigh of frustration. She'd been walking around the city for hours now and there was still no evidence that Cameron Larson had ever lived in Toronto. She reached in the pocket of her jacket found her cell phone and dialed Coreen at the office.

"Coreen, it's Vicki, I'm…"

The distraction of the cell phone combined with her rapidly deteriorating night vision made it impossible for Vicki to see the oncoming car. By the time she heard the horn it was too late to move from its path.

Henry Fitzroy put down his pencil and sketchpad with a grunt of dissatisfaction. He could work on his latest graphic novel anytime. He should be out helping Vicki. He pulled on his coat and all but walked out the door when the phone on the desk rang.

"Hello?" He answered with a note of agitation in his voice.

"Henry, it's Coreen. Have you seen Vicki tonight?"

"No, I was just on my way to the office to see her. Why?"

"She called but the connection was bad or something and I couldn't understand her."

"How long ago?" Henry asked his voice rising in panic.

"An hour. I'm worried about her Henry."

"Stay there in case she calls or comes back. I'm going out to look for her."

Without waiting for a reply from Coreen, Henry hung up the phone and used his vampire speed and heightened senses to try to hone in on Vicki. Since the night he drank her blood a powerful connection existed between them. After a few moments he felt her presence and knew where she was.

Henry made his way through the darkened city with stealth and speed until he noticed something in the street not far from the park where he and Vicki had first encountered the demon many days before. Henry ran toward the shape in the street and knelt down. He heard the crunch of glass on the pavement beneath his feet.

Her glasses.

Henry thought as he reached out and touched her shoulder gently for fear that he would hurt her.

"Vicki, can you hear me? Vicki?"

Henry heard the ambulance and police sirens in the distance and he knew if they found him standing over her, they would accuse him and he would never have time to help Vicki's whose life he could feel fading with each passing moment.

Without hesitation Henry swept Vicki's unconscious form into his arms. Vicki moaned softly and started to struggle. Henry knew that she was probably frightened and unable to see his face because of her poor night vision.

"It's all right Vicki. It's me, Henry."

"Henry?" Vicki replied, her voice shaky. "I can't see…my…glasses…"

"Shh…Vicki…save your strength. Don't try to speak. I'll take care of you."

After a moment Vicki drifted back to unconsciousness and Henry walked briskly toward his apartment.

When at last Henry arrived home, he did what he could to make Vicki comfortable while she remained unconscious and then called Coreen to let her know that he'd found her. Coreen seemed relieved because she'd been answering calls from Mike Cellucci, Vicki's, former partner all evening.

Henry had meant to work on his next graphic novel but instead he found himself sketching Vicki as she slept. The sound of her heart beating rapidly thundered in his ears. Something was different in her expression; the half smirk that she usually wore in sleep was replaced by a fearful one. Her mouth was drawn together in a thin line and her skin seemed paler than usual. Her heartbeat started beating faster…too fast…and the sound grew to an almost deafening volume in his ears. A thin sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead and she thrashed and struggled beneath the satin sheets that adorned Henry's bed. Henry rose from his chair intent upon waking her when she cried out in her sleep. Henry laid a hand on her shoulder and softly spoke her name.

"Vicki…Vicki…Victoria wake up!" It was the third time and loudest time that Henry shouted her name that Vicki finally opened her eyes, and anxiously felt around for her glasses.

Henry reached out and placed them gently on her face and moments later, his concerned expression staring down at her came into focus.

"Are you all right? You were dreaming."

Vicki shook her head. "It felt more like a nightmare." She said as she tried to stand and instantly regretted it as the room around her began to get fuzzy again.

"Easy, easy…easy," Henry whispered gripping her shoulder firmly to keep her from collapsing, much like he had the first night they'd met after encountering the demon.

"You must have hit your head. You could have a concussion."

"You think?" Vicki gave her trademark wisecrack as Henry guided her toward the bed again.

Henry listened to her heartbeat which had not yet slowed to normal. She was frightened and he had to know why. Vicki Nelson didn't scare easily.

"What happened tonight Vicki?" Henry asked his concern evident in his voice.

"I was walking around the city chasing dead end leads on this missing person case I'm working. I decided to call it a night after I did a sweep of the park…I was on the phone with Coreen at the office…I saw this bright light…I think it might have been a car… next thing I know…I woke up here."

"And the dream?" Henry asked

At the mere mention of the nightmare, Vicki shuddered and Henry reached out to smooth the hair from her face in a comforting gesture.

"Vicki, you can tell me."

"This is going to sound crazy…I'm not even sure I believe it myself."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that, okay?"

Vicki took a deep breath, and spoke in a rush. "The demon…the one that Norman called…"

She unconsciously rubbed her wrist where the strange tattoos marked her.

"Asterroth?" Henry said, his voice rising with an edge of panic.

"Yeah…in my dream…he was there and then tonight…right before I lost consciousness. I got this funny feeling…God am I insane?"

"No, Vic, you're not…Asterroth can't take corporeal form without a sacrifice but that doesn't mean he can't possess humans to do his bidding…"

"So what? You think the demon possessed the driver of the car and told him to run me down?"

"It's a possibility. Vicki promise me you'll be careful….Asterroth is a powerful demon…and if he's after you he can strike through anyone… anytime day or night…and I can't protect you during the day."

"Don't worry Henry…I'll be fine."

"Don't underestimate this demon Vicki. Have someone with you at all times."

"I don't need a babysitter, Henry."

"Just humor me, Victoria please?"

"Fine…I'll call Mike and tell him what happened…not the part about the demon…but about the accident…maybe he can find some information on the car. Find the car…find the driver…"

"Find the demon." Henry finished, staring out at the horizon. The sun had not yet risen but he felt it coming.

"I'll call Coreen for a ride back to the office." Vicki said stepping out into the hallway.

"I'll see you tonight," Henry promised as he watched her leave and felt himself growing drowsy.

Without hesitation, he flopped onto the bed, relishing in the fact that the sheets still smelled faintly of Vicki.

It was nearly sunset and Vicki was exhausted. After getting an earful from Mike that morning. She and Coreen had spent the day combing through all the reports of the accidents that had occurred in the last twenty four hours looking for any leads on the driver who hit her. So far they hadn't had any luck and Vicki had sent Coreen home an hour ago. Vicki took off her glasses and rubbed her tired eyes and laid her head on the surface of her desk.

Henry'll wake me when he gets here. She thought as she drifted off to sleep.

When Henry awoke with the setting of the sun, his first destination was Vicki's office. He wanted to see if they'd made any progress in tracking Asterroth.

As Henry approached the office, the unmistakable scent of blood assaulted his senses…not just blood…Vicki's blood.

"Vicki!" Henry shouted panicked. There was no reply and he found each of the rooms in the office empty.

Henry called her name again louder as he crossed the hallway into Vicki's small adjoining apartment, where the scent of her blood was stronger. The bedroom, bathroom, and living room were empty, which left only the kitchen and as Henry made his way there the smell of Vicki's blood intoxicated him.

He glanced around the kitchen and growled in anger and fear as he spotted Vicki slumped over the countertop, her wrists slashed over the surface of the tattoos where Asterroth's dark magic had marked her. Blood poured from her wounds and made a trail on the hardwood floor.

"Vicki! What've you done? No, it wasn't Vicki, it was the demon. Vicki wouldn't do this. Using his enhanced strength, Henry lifted Vicki into his arms and laid her on the surface of the kitchen table. He knew he had to stop the bleeding before she lost too much. Her heartbeat was already slowing in his ears.

"No, Vicki, hold on! I won't let you go! Not like this!" Henry shouted as he lowered himself over her wounds and drank just enough to activate the coagulant in his saliva to stop the bleeding. He only hoped it wasn't too late.