Mace slammed a fist into his left palm. "Sure is, amigo. That is one mean dude. Well, Dare, now's your chance to do what you do best. Send him back."
Darien rolled his eyes. "Discretion, Mace? Ever heard of it?"
Nick closed the car door and turned to face them. "Janette, what are you doing here?"
"I could ask the same of you, Nicola. This is my neighborhood."
Nick indicated the man in the car. "He very nearly shot Natalie a few minutes ago. Luckily, I was close enough to be of help."
"He missed? What a pity." She smiled to take the venom out of her words. She didn't want to upset him further when he was already distraught.
The cop with the invisible sidekick stuck out his hand. "You must be Detective Knight. Your partner mentioned you. I'm Darien Lambert--"
Mace jumped in with his characteristic forthrightness. "--And we'll be taking the fugitive now. Don't worry, Knight, he'll never bother you again."
Nick's expression hardened. "What's this all about?"
Janette sighed. "Excuse us, gentlemen." She took Nick by the arm and led him out of the mortals' earshot, yet still within easy reach in case Mace tried something foolish. "There is something you should know. They are not ordinary police officers."
"What are they? Government?"
"Not at all. No, they are--I know how this sounds, Nicola--they are from the future. Two centuries in the future. And they have met me there."
He laughed. "I must admit, that's quite original. You surprise me, Janette."
"I'm serious!" she hissed, put out that he didn't trust her word. "The man who tried to kill your Natalie is a fugitive from their time. They must send him back."
"Why should I believe this wild tale?"
She stood, fuming silently, for a few moments. Finally she made up her mind. "If I offer you proof, will you turn over the captive?"
"Proof?" He considered. At one time he would have thought vampires--not to mention dragons--nothing but myth. Why not give police from the future a chance? He had already received a demonstration of time travel. "Very well. I agree to your bargain."
She smiled triumphantly and strode back to the two mortals. "Darien," she asked, "did I ever tell you why I became a cop?"
Nick nearly burst into helpless laughter again, but she quelled him with a glance and he managed to restrain himself. Darien watched their interaction, confused. "Yes, but I don't see what--"
"Please relate the story for Nicola. He is very interested."
Darien shrugged, but gave in to her request. "You said you joined the force in memory of your brother. You wanted to do your part to protect the descendants he never lived to see." He paused. "It was right after you took that laser pulse meant for me."
She gasped, not expecting such a revelation. She regained her composure swiftly, at least on the outside. In memory of my brother, she thought, knowing of only one person she would refer to as such.
Nick made no attempt to conceal his reaction. He staggered back against the car, eyes wide. The news of his impending demise, however, was not the cause, as it would have been for Janette. The implications of the second statement hit him the hardest. "Descendants?" he whispered.
He took one hesitant step forward, and then another, until he could clasp Darien's shoulders. He searched the future cop's face with single-minded intensity. Evidently he found what he sought, for he released his grip and turned away. "Take him...Lambert. He is yours."
"Are you certain this is what you want?"
"Take him."
The transfer of the prisoner proceeded without difficulty, especially with Mace supervising, cheerfully threatening what he would do should Graham not cooperate. Nick and Janette watched them go, each lost in private thoughts.
She broke the silence first. "I am sorry, Nicola. I did not know what he would say."
His gaze followed the retreating mortals, eyes glowing with an inner light that had no connection to his vampire nature. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For saving his life."
"Well..." She reached out and brushed her fingertips across his cheek. "What is one laser pulse, more or less, for old times' sake?"