Another "Blood Ties" story -- except with one difference, this is a Nick tale. Now,
usually, Nick doesn't inspire me to any sort of erotic writing <g>, but this was for a
special occasion -- the birthday of a good friend, who also just happens to be a
Dark Knightie. So, for her birthday present, I wrote this story. She kindly agreed to
let me share it here.

Nick belongs to TPTB, Sarah belongs to me, amongst others. Permission granted to
place on the JADFE archive only.

Nick/Female
Explicit sex

It's My Party
by Altariel
copyright 1998

Sarah looked over the gifts that her family had given her for her birthday.  Even with the
destruction all around, they had still somehow managed to make this a very happy day.
She had even been able to forget, for a little while, that war raged all around them and
that only their isolation had so far kept them from direct harm. Now, the day was almost
over, but she was going to hold onto that feeling of happiness for just a while longer.

Her only regret was that she had no idea where Nick and Connor were, or even if they
were okay. Connor was off in Europe somewhere as far as she knew, trying to help
where he could. Nick -- who knew? He had stayed here at the Keep for a few months,
but had been unable to handle living with LaCroix and Methos; no matter how large the
living space.

Sometimes she wondered how LaCroix and Methos managed the delicate balancing act
that they did. Two very dominate males in one household, each taking responsibility for
the defense and succor of the Keep and the people inhabiting it. Maybe because they
were so ancient? That they had a bond that was thousands of years old? She truly didn't
know.

She sighed. However they managed it, it certainly hadn't worked for Nick. She
despaired that it would never work -- not for Nick -- not for the two of them as part of
a family. The times Connor was here, it all seemed to work. He didn't resent Sarah her
other lovers, not Methos, not even Nick; though he had been insufferably rude to
Connor on their last meeting.

But Nick couldn't accept that she didn't pine away for him during his long absences --
that she had ties that were as important to her as he was. He wasn't willing to make the
compromises necessary to live here with her, and she wasn't willing to leave with him.
She wouldn't give up her family. Not even for him.

She picked up the very sheer negligee that Triona had given her. <Where on earth had
she found such a thing?> she wondered as she looked at the sheer, green silk
confection, the only opaque parts being the burned out velvet leaves that were scattered
very far apart over it's full length.

Gazing off into space, she ran the material through her fingers. The cool of silk, the
warmth of velvet, slithered across and through her fingertips, reminding her of happier
times and places. Maybe she had been too hasty in turning down Methos' invitation for
company tonight, but at the time she had just wanted to be alone to think, to take in the
joy of the day. But, no help for it, she had, and she wouldn't embarrass herself by going
back to him now she had changed her mind. To hell with it, she would wear Triona's
gift even if she were sleeping alone.

An hour later, showered and clad in her new gown, Sarah made her way to bed, only to
halt abruptly in the doorway at the site of someone sitting in the chair next to the fire. It
took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the near dark before realizing that the
figure was Nick.

"Nick?" she barely whispered. He stood up, smiling a little as she drew closer. "Where
have you been? I've been so worried." She noted with concern the haggard lines of
stress and sorrow that etched his face. He look so tired.

"I could say I've been to hell, but that would be cliché, wouldn't it?" She began to speak,
but he waved her to silence. "That's a conversation for another time."

He looked her up and down, an appreciative gleam in his eye. "That looks incredible on
you."

She blushed under the frank and intimate perusal. "It was a birthday gift from Triona."

"Remind me to thank her," Nick whispered, his voice a little rough. He looked at her,
his eyes full of warmth.  "I don't have anything for you, but maybe you would let me
make it up to you?"

He had moved to stand directly in front of her, his body barely touching hers, his
nearness sending little sparks of feeling all over her body. She shivered -- it had been
so long, but was it worth it? Could she let him in her bed knowing that within weeks,
maybe even days,  he would be gone again?

His fingers tangled in her long, dark hair and she leaned back against his hand,
watching him. Nick took her silence as assent, bending his head to her throat, kissing
the warm beat of her pulse, feeling it speed up at his attentions.

She closed her eyes, letting him caress her, letting herself feel, her decision made. She
would deal with the morning when it came. But for now, it was her birthday, and Nick
would make a fine present.

He scooped Sarah into his arms carrying her to her bed and gently placing her on her
feet. "As good as you look in that gown," he grinned as he softly moved one strap off
her shoulder, "I'm sure you'll look better out of it."

She pulled away from the hands that were attempting to undress her. "I think you're
forgetting something, Nick." She swallowed a smile at his look of confusion. "It's *my*
birthday, and you are supposed to be *my* present. So," she sat on the bed, reclining
against the pillows, "I suggest you relieve yourself of your clothing." She raised an
imperious brow. <How does LaCroix manage to do that so easily?> "Now," she
commanded.

He grinned in amused startlement. "Very well. Your wish is my command!" He made a
florid bow in her direction.

"You better believe it is," she told him sweetly. "Now, get on with it. I'm getting bored."
Sarah buffed her nails against her negligee and looked at them with seeming fascination
as she waited for Nick to comply with her wishes.

He began to unbutton his shirt. "Anything else, Milady?"

She considered a moment, wondering just how far she could push him. "I wouldn't mind
a beer. There should be one in the ice chest in the sitting room."  She went back to
examining her nails, as if she fully expected him to do as she asked.

He threw his shirt aside and looked at her speculatively. "This 'Lady of the Manor' thing
has really gone to your head, hasn't it?"

"May I remind you that *you* came to me, and not the other way around," Sarah
replied frostily.

"True. But tell me, do you make a habit of ordering Methos and LaCroix around like
this?" Nick asked, half annoyed, half amused.

"They wouldn't be in the position to deserve it, now would they?" she asked archly.

"Touché, my love, touché." With that, he relented, deciding to play along. It wouldn't
hurt to humor Sarah just this once, after all.

Within moments he was back with the requested beer, which she indicated he should
place on the bedside table, making no move to actually drink it. Her look dared him to
say anything.

"I believe you were supposed to be undressing?" she reminded him coolly.

"Oh, yes. Of course." He moved to his belt, slowly undoing it, before moving to the
button on his slacks.

She watched avidly as he slowly drew down the zipper and slid them down over his
slim hips. He kicked them off to land in a heap next to his shirt. His briefs soon
followed, leaving him naked to her hungry gaze.

At her sharp intake of breath, he asked, "Do you approve?"

Sarah picked up the glass of beer that Nick had brought and sipped it nonchalantly as
if she were trying to decide on an answer to his question. She looked at him over the
top of the glass. "Oh, you'll do." A grin pulled at the corner of her mouth.

"I'm so glad to hear it." He leaned over, taking the glass from her hands and setting it
down. Placing a hand on either side of her, he leaned over her. "I'm tired of playing.
How about you?" He didn't wait for an answer, catching her lips in a deep kiss.

In reply, her hands linked around Nick's neck, pulling him down to the bed next to
her.  She pushed on his shoulder -- away from her, and onto his back. Straddling
him, she lowered her lips to his, kissing him hungrily.

His hands grasped her just under her breasts, the feel of his cool fingers through the
silk setting her afire. She moaned as his thumbs found her nipples, the alternating
feel of silk and velvet against the sensitive flesh sending shockwaves of pleasure
across her body.

Nick moved his hands to her thighs, finding the edge of her negligee and slowly
sliding it up over her hips, pushing her body up with his hands as they reached her
ribcage and quickly pulling it over her head. He tossed the length of silk aside,
never taking his eyes off her pale form. Her dark hair hung like a cloak around her
shoulders and over her breasts.

"I've missed you."

She bit back her initial response. <No, there would be time for that later.> She
settled for a nod before lowering her head to take his lips in hers, kissing him hard,
hungrily pushing his mouth open to deepen the kiss. His moan was soon matched
by hers as she felt his fangs extend, the points grazing the inside of her lip.

Pulling away enough to look at him, she smiling lazily at the site of his already
gold eyes looking back at her. "In a rush are we?" She ran a hand down between
their bodies, stroking his already erect length with her fingertips, feeling it grow
harder at her touch. "We really are, aren't we?" she asked, grinning wickedly.

Nick's reply was to shift his weight, flipping her onto her back, pinning her under
him. This time it was his hand that stroked her, sliding through her wet heat. "It
doesn't seem like you have any problem with that," he half growled, a wicked
grin curving his lips this time as she whimpered under his deft touch.

"Please, Nick!" she gasped.

He needed no second urging, this -- tonight -- had been what kept him sane
through the darkest hours of the last ruinous months. It had been so long since
they had been together; but their bodies hadn't forgotten. Nick slid into her
easily, swift and sure, until their flesh became almost as one.

She sighed from deep down at the sweet, familiar, feel of him on her and in her. As
he began to move she dug her fingers into his shoulders, meeting his long, hard
thrusts with equal fervor. Neither was in the mood for slow and languorous tonight,
their building passion twining together, needing release in a hot, quick fire.

Nick's lips moved from Sarah's lips to her throat. She arched against him as the tips
of his fangs ran along the sensitive skin. His pace increased in urgency, his growls
sounding counterpoint to her small gasps and cries. With an almost animal howl, he
sank his fangs into her white throat, the sweet headiness of her blood bathing his
senses with all that she was.

One last furious thrust and he climaxed, her blood screaming through his mind, her
muscles clenching hard against him as his orgasm slammed into her through the
blood she shared with him, bringing her to the brink and beyond.

He slowed. She moaned. Her blood still slipped into his hungry mouth, but now at
a slow stream -- not the crashing torrent of before. He drew his fangs from her,
still sucking the flow with his lips. Sarah's breath came slow and shallow,
interspersed with gasps as he continued to draw her blood.

With one shuddering sigh, he rolled away from her half conscious form, drawing
her into his arms and kissing her gently. "Happy birthday, sweet Sarah."

Almost asleep, she whispered, "Yes, it was...."

The flicker of the smoldering fire danced over the intertwined lovers -- Immortal
and vampire -- as they slept a dreamless sleep.

End

altariel@usa.net