Date: Tue, 18 Jun 1996 19:27:23 +0000 From: Robbi Egersdorf The is a N&N story with lots of steamy stuff. Quite an unconventional love story. I am really excited about this one. I would like to thank Anja Bornscheim for her translation of dialog into German. Thanks to Cynthia Hoffman, Joseph Hamilton and Marg Yamanaka for various information that has been used to make this story more accurate. Thank you, my good friend Leslie Plummer for helping me by correcting my mistakes and giving me help and guidance with this story. This story is dedicated to my mother and father, whose long time goals have been to secure and protect freedom. They are now physically imprisoned for their efforts. I do believe, with all my heart that they are truely free. Disclaimer: The Forever Knight concept and characters are not mine. = I am only borrowing them for a time. The situation and other characters are mine. The Stars in Ourselves Part 1 By Robbi Egersdorf He stood on the corner, leaning against the lamp post. The cool of the metal seeped through his jacket. He thought of what had happened earlier, the images replaying over and over in his mind. His attention was drawn down the street by a low hum of a bus as it approached. He tried to imagine what it would be like to be free of this life, to be on that bus bound for anywhere but here. It would be so much easier than facing the situation at home. A sudden bang echoed in the night. His heart jumped with a start. He could imagine a car backfiring or a door slamming in someone's face. It could have been a gunshot, the revenge of a lover or a disgruntled friend. How like someone close to take rather than give? He took a deep breath and leaned his head back, looking up at the yellow white glow of the street light. Myriads of flying insects were circling in it's artificial daylight. He could occasionally hear the soft click of their bodies colliding midair as they orbited the only sun that could be had at half past midnight. The dull light was a poor substitute for the brilliance of the sun, its light cold and limited. He could picture himself circling, frantically, feverishly in a futile attempt to regain something that he had lost a long time ago. Charlie hoped that he wouldn't have to wait much longer for the meeting with his source. He was just beginning to feel the ache of withdrawal. He knew there would have to be a fix soon, or he would not be responsible for his actions. What Charlie wasn't admitting to himself was that he already had lost control of the situation earlier that night in the haze of the drugs that laced his thoughts and actions. He heard the regular footsteps of someone walking towards him. Turning to see who it was, he was disappointed and turned away. The lone figure approached then the footsteps stopped, making Charlie a little nervous. When he looked again he could see the gun trained on him. A sharp report resounded in his ears and a bolt of lightning flashed through his head leaving only darkness. * * * Natalie looked up from the body of the young man which lay beneath the lamp post and smiled at the familiar figures who approached. "Nick, Tracy. How have you two been?" The smile seemed a little too big, too fresh, but then again she had just returned from vacationing on the coast. It was her first day back on the job and everything seemed a little brighter, less stressed. "You're looking good. Did you have a good time?" Nick reflected back her smile. "Wonderful! You should try it sometime. Laying on the beach in the = warm sun can be so therapeutic." "I think I'll pass." Tracy scowled at this exchange, knowing Natalie was just teasing Nick. She usually enjoyed the lighthearted banter between the two. It was obvious to her that they had deep feelings for each other, yet were afraid to admit it. Today she had no room for jokes or triviality. Her parents had been at it again with their tug-o-war over her sympathies. It wasn't enough that they didn't get along, one or the other would vie for her affections over the other as they always had. Why couldn't they understand that she loved them both and would never choose sides. Incidentally, her outlook was a little gray today. Natalie noticed the look. "Are you all right, Tracy?" "Yeah. It's just my parents... , you know." "Oh." Natalie looked back to her clipboard and continued her checklist. Nick squatted down by the body for a closer look. "I'd say he's been dead about two hours, give or take 30 minutes. The obvious cause, a single gunshot to the face." The bullet had entered Charlie's face around the nose area and had continued on taking off most of the back of his head. Tracy grimaced at the sight. Nick stood up. "Looks like either a 9 mm or a .357 did the job. Any eyewitnesses?" Natalie shook her head no. "Who called it in?" She pointed to the gray-haired gentleman of about 60 or 70 who sat in one of the police cruisers. A uniformed patrolman attended the very distraught man . "I'll take care of this end." Then Tracy turned back to what she had= been doing. Nick approached the car, it's blue and red lights a cadence in the night. "What ya got?" He questioned the officer. "This is the boy's grandfather. Says he went looking for him when it got late and he didn't come home. The victim's name is Charlie Heuer. This is Frank. He has a hard time understanding english. We're going to have to get a German translator in." Nick turned to the old gentleman and introduced himself in fluent German. "Herr Heuer, ich bin Detective Knight. Wegen ihres Verlustes tut es mir leid." [I'm sorry for your loss.] Nick held up his badge and the gentleman reached up and took it from him. After close inspection, he handed it back to the officer. "Fragen Sie was Sie wollen. Es wird meinen Charlie nicht zu mir zur=FCckbringen." [Ask what you want. It won't bring my Charlie back to me. ] The elder's eyes were downcast as he spoke. He looked up at Nick with his faded gray eyes that spoke of a lifelong struggle with tragedy upon tragedy. "Ich werde Ihre Fragen beantworten, detective, aber zuerst mu=DF ich mit meiner Frau sprechen. Sie wird sich bereits Sorgen machen. Denn sehen Sie, nachdem Charlies Eltern vor ein paar Jahren gestorben sind, haben Hetta und ich ihn erzogen. Nun hat sie niemanden ausser mir der sich um sie ku emmert. Dort drueben ist es schon." [I will answer your questions Detective, but first I need to talk to my wife. She will be worried. You see, after Charlie's parents died some years ago, Hetta and I raised him. Now she has no one but me to look after her. It's just right over there.] He gestured towards an apartment building that showed signs of aging. Nick walked alongside the bowed figure, his pace slow to match his companion's. The man used a simple wooden cane that was worn smooth and shone with a luster of much use. There was a set of windows sporting flower boxes anxiously waiting the arrival of spring flowers. Mr. Heuer's apartment was on the first floor and corresponded with the flower boxes. He was invited in and asked to wait in a front room while the man left for one of the back rooms. The room was cosily, yet simply furnished with overstuffed furniture of a warm brown color. There were several antique pictures on the wall with similarly old photographs in them. The pictures were of a young, vivacious couple, some with children, some were older. The room had an inviting look of comfort about it. Was that the lingering smell of fresh baked bread in the air? Nick was taking in the room as he listened to the exchange in the other room. "Hetta, wach' auf. Ich muss fuer eine Weile weg. Mach' dir keine Sorgen." [Hetta, wake up. I have to leave for a while. I don't want you to worry.] "Was ist passiert ?" "Es ist ein netter Polizeibeamter da und ich muss mit ihm f=FCr eine Weile fort." [There's a nice police officer here and I need to go with him for a while.] "Es ist jemand da ?" [Someone is here?] He could hear sounds of movement, than the bedroom door opened and Mrs. Heuer entered the living room and crossed over to Nick. "Welcome to our humble home." Hetta Heuer spoke English well, yet her German accent remained easily identifiable. Please forgive. Would you like something? Some tea maybe?" She was a small, frail appearing woman with pleasant eyes which bespoke the strength that her frame did not. Her snow white hair fell loose and bespoke the fact that it was always worn up in the back during the day. She was clothed in a floral robe that was fastened to her chin in a modest fashion Her husband came up behind her. "Hetta, setz' dich hin." [Hetta, sit= down.] She turned to face him. "BWarum ist Polizei in unserem Haus ? Was geht hier vor ?" [Why is there an officer in our house? What is going on?] Frank hesitated, he dreaded what had happened and how it would change the woman he loved. The light of their life had come to them some 15 years ago and they had cared for him since. He would have preferred cutting off his own arm to hurting his dear wife. His eyes went from the detective and back to his beloved Hetta. "Charles ist tot." [Charlies is dead.] A sadness of loss and possibilities closed came over her face. Frank held his arms out and enfolded her. He stood there and held her for a time. When he had released her, Nick reminded him that they needed to go. As they walked back to Nick's Caddy, the silence was broken by a single statement, "She's really a good woman." It was spoken in English with some difficulty. Tracy had finished her work and was waiting for them, leaning on the car. When his eyes fell on the car, the man's eyes lit up. "Ein 1962er Cadillac Kabriolett. So eins habe ich schon lange nicht mehr gesehen. Das beste Auto, da=DF je gebaut wurde, meiner Meinung nach natue rlich. Woher haben Sie sie ?" [ I haven't seen one of these for a long time. Best car they ever made. Where did you get her?] "Habe sie vor einigen Jahren dem urspruenglichen Besitzer abgekauft." [Bought her from the original owner some years ago.] Tracy was surprised at the exchange. She didn't know that Nick knew German, but then again he was always surprising her. Lovingly, the old man ran his hands along the side of the car, recalling fond memories from another lifetime. Nick could swear that he saw the man stand taller and straighter than previously. The effect would be the same if ten years had been shaved off his age. Slowly and inexorably, gravity reasserted itself on his frame and he returned to his stooped posture, the weight of the present situation adding its extra burden. end part 1 Robbi Knightie Long Live the Knight egersdor@magiclink.com The is a N&N story with lots of steamy stuff. Quite an unconventional love story. I am really excited about this one. I would like to thank Anja Bornscheim for her translation of dialogue into German. Thanks to Cynthia Hoffman, Joseph Hamilton and Marg Yamanaka for various information that has been used to make this story more accurate. Thank you, my good friend Leslie Plummer for helping me by correcting my mistakes and giving me help and guidance with this story. This story is dedicated to my mother and father, in the name of freedom. Disclaimer: The Forever Knight concept and characters are not mine. I am only borrowing them for a time. The situation and other characters are mine. The Stars in Ourselves Part 2 By Robbi Egersdorf Mr. Heuer was led into an interview room and directed to wait. Nick wasn't far behind him with Tracy in tow. Tracy stood against the far wall while Nick seated himself opposite the man and started the tape recorder. "Als erstes werde ich Ihnen die Frage stellen, dann will ich, dass Sie deutlich sprechen, fuer die Maschine. Haben Sie verstanden ?" [First, I will state the question for you then I want you to speak clearly for the machine. Do you understand?] "Ja." "Wissen Sie, wo Ihr Enkel heute abend war ?" [Did you know where your grandson was earlier tonight?] "Nein, wir hatten einen Streit und er ging nach dem Abendessen." [No, we had a fight and he left after supper.] They continued the interrogation in German. ["What time was that?"] ["8 o'clock."] ["You say you had a fight with him. What was that about?"] ["He wanted to go out with his friends. I didn't like his friends. They're bad boys. They do bad things."] ["Do you know if your grandson was part of a gang?"] ["I don't know. He never talks about it. He goes out at all hours sometimes he stays out all night. It really hurts my Hetta to see him that way. There are times when he doesn't even act like our little Charlie. He gets wild and smashes things."] The old man's voice was so full of his emotions and pain that did not need an interpretation. ["That's enough for now, Mr. Heuer. I think it's important for you to be home with your wife right now."] Nick had actually gotten a lot from the man. Gang activity takes in a myriad of sins. There were a couple of gangs operating out of that area. It warranted a closer look. * * * After dropping Mr. Heuer off at home, he swung by the coroner's office to see what Natalie had found, if anything. Nick was surprised to see Tracy there, observing the autopsy. "Record will indicate that subject's cranial structure is missing posteriorly the left parietal up to and including sagital and coronal sutures as well as the upper half of the occipital" Natalie was speaking into the microrecorder, which she turned off. "How's the grandfather holding up?" "As well as can be expected. Do you have anything, yet?" "It was a .357 all right." She held up the packet containing the bullet. "We had to scour the area pretty thoroughly to find it. We also came up with these." She handed him another package that held two spent casings. Nick took the offering and held them up to examine. "We better see if we can lift any prints from these. Now, if we could just find a weapon. Mr. Heuer said he thinks his grandson could have been into gang activity, but he wasn't sure. It gives us a place to start, anyway." Natalie walked over to her desk and picked up a file which she opened. "The gun was distant enough from the victim that the angle of bullet path won't do us much good. We can, however extrapolate from where the casings were found in relation to the body, that the shooter was at least... oh, ... I'd say, a good foot shorter than Charlie, here." "He's about 6' 1", 6' 2." Nick stated, appraising the body that lay face down on the hard, stainless steel autopsy table. There was a white sheet covering the lower torso. Natalie's instruments were set up near the head. "Actually he's 6 foot 3 1/2 inches." "This is all interesting, but I've got some reports I need to finish. I'll see you two, later." And Tracy left them alone. "So, are we still on for tomorrow night?" Nick broke the silence that had descended on the room. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. What are you going to wear?" "My basic black, why?" "Why don't you wear that teal shirt that I got you last month." He rolled his eyes. "I still say it would look good on you. Wear it for me, please." "Oh, all right. For you. Any other wardrobe suggestions while we're on the subject?" "No. Just don't be late." Nick and Natalie had made it a habit of attending the theater once a month. This month, Nick had obtained tickets to see "Taming of the Shrew", Shakespeare being one of Nicholas' favorite playwrights. He had been looking forward to seeing this production and had heard some good things about the cast, many of whom had a reputation for being quite talented. He had heard about the performance of the Original Shakespeare Company's last efforts and was intrigued. It was being touted as "Shakespeare without a net," and was supposed to be performed as Shakespeare's own method of no rehearsals, just the actors using their instincts and having fun. Nick and Nat had sat in companionable silence, enjoying the first part of the play. During intermission, he was waiting in the red carpeted lobby for Natalie to finish in the bathroom. The woman standing next to him, being a very outgoing person, struck up a conversation with him. "Hi, my name is Sally Ingram." She held out her hand and they shook. "Nick Knight." "Has anyone ever told you that you look an awfully lot like that actor, I forget his name right now." "I hadn't noticed." He turned away from her in an attempt to discourage the woman. Not taking any hints, the woman continued, "Do you believe in vampires?" Startled by the question, he looked back at her. "That's what his show's about, you know -- vampires." "I thought it was a cop show." "He's a vampire cop." At that instant a scream filtered through the hubbub of the crowd, audible only to his keen ears. He bolted out the door towards the sound just as Natalie came up the stairs. "We were standing here talking and suddenly he just took off, like that. I've never seen anyone react that way to the mention of vampires." Natalie gave the woman a questioning glance then took off after Nick. Something had to be wrong for him to leave like that, something more than the casual mention of vampires. When she got outside the St. Paul-Trinity Church, he was nowhere in sight nor had she expected him to be. "Nick? Nick?" She called. Finally, she was able to locate him by the sound of his voice. He was in the narrow alleyway called Sussex Mews located immediately West of Dominion's, the all night grocer across the street from the church. He looked up from a woman as Natalie approached. She lay on the ground, her clothes were torn, her face bloody and bruised. "Nat, can you look after her, I need to call this in." She knelt down by the woman and started examining her injuries, then she noticed a second person not far away lying face down with his hands cuffed behind his back. His face was turned towards her with a defiant angry look. The boy couldn't have been more than fifteen. He was dressed in a khaki jacket and pants with well worn, dirty white sneakers. The odor of stale sweat came to her, his jet black hair was greasy and unkempt. She caught snatches of Nick's conversation on the phone, There would be officers and an ambulance on its way soon. Nick turned off the phone and returned to the woman. He took off his long overcoat and placed it over her. Natalie had found a bundle near one of the surrounding buildings and was propping up the victim's legs to prevent shock. She could see most of the woman's bleeding had stopped and there were no other obvious injuries needing attention, so she sat and watched the woman's steady breathing as she lay unconscious. end part 2 Robbi Knightie Long Live the Knight egersdor@magiclink.com The is a N&N story with lots of steamy stuff. Quite an unconventional love story. I am really excited about this one. I would like to thank Anja Bornscheim for her translation of dialog into German. Thanks to Cynthia Hoffman, Joseph Hamilton and Marg Yamanaka for various information that has been used to make this story more accurate. Thank you, my good friend Leslie Plummer for helping me by correcting my mistakes and giving me help and guidance with this story. This story is dedicated to my mother and father, in the name of freedom. Disclaimer: The Forever Knight concept and characters are not mine. I am only borrowing them for a time. The situation and other characters are mine. Subject: The Stars in Ourselves (03/??) The Stars in Ourselves Part 3 By Robbi Egersdorf By the time the ambulance had come and gone and the officers had taken both their statements, the play was long concluded and the crowd dissipated. "I'm sorry Nat, I've ruined your evening." Nat shrugged her shoulders. "You did what you had to do." "When duty calls, I'm always at the ready." "It comes with the territory of being a police officer and a human being." He looked up into the night sky and a faraway look came over him. There were a few feather-light clouds moving lazily across the field of stars that were so sharp and clear. That night it seemed to the beholder that you could reach right up and pluck them from the sky. "Have you ever wished to soar among the stars?" He fixed his gaze back on Natalie. The silence fell heavily between them. She was ambivalent. The thought tantalized her. "Are you offering to take me?" The only answer was a smile that graced her companion's lips. He knew her feelings on the matter. The more he used his powers, the farther he would have to go in overcoming the vampire and becoming mortal again. She had to overlook this, sensing that the offer meant much more to him than just a use of his powers. It meant embracing her into his world, even if it was only just a little. She was compelled to return his smile in kind. Now, she was committed and her heart came up in her throat. The anticipation fluttered in her stomach. He had never offered to allow her to experience that part of his life, knowing that she would disapprove. Tonight was different. For some reason he felt free to be himself with Natalie in this one aspect of his vampirehood. Imagining what it would be like to fly with him was one thing, but she dared not ask. She had assuming the role of devil's advocate long ago in their relationship, almost from the beginning. Asking such a thing would be a breech of that trust. He had spent so much of the past six years since first they met trying to play by Natalie's rules, now it felt right for her to experience a little more of Nick and his world. He swept her up in his arms and waited for the confirmation of her permission. "Are you sure I'm not too heavy?" "Light as a feather. Are you ready?" She put her arms around his neck. "I'm ready." She could feel the wind move about her as Nick launched himself into the air. The pressure of increased g-forces was gone quickly as they reached up and over the structures of the city. The view of the city and the water was breathtaking. She gasped, "It's so gorgeous." "I've never just taken someone flying like this before." Natalie smiled. It felt so good and so right. At this minute she felt closer to him than she had ever been. Closing her eyes, she concentrated her senses on the subtle variations and changes of the pull of the earth. It was an exhilarating rush, incomparable to anything she had heretofore experienced. The fear titillated at the edges of her consciousness, yet she felt strangely safe in Nick 's strong arms. He looked down and saw her eyes closed. "Are you frightened?" Her eyes flew open and she focused on the concerned look that greeted her. "No. I'm just enjoying this." A contented smile returned to his face. "I really am enjoying tonight. I wish it would never end." He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on Natalie's lips. She made no effort to resist, leaving them both to wonder what would happen next. * * * Turning and spinning and falling, her mind lost all reason, all sanity. Her senses erupted into full wakefulness. She could still feel the night breeze on her face. A calm pleasance filled her. Why hadn't they ever done it before? Why hadn't she ever asked him? He would have been agreeable. The reasons that had stopped her before, now seemed unimportant, even silly. After the experience of last night, she could never think of them seriously again. The reasons seemed as if they were excuses to keep barriers between them, to prevent herself from really trusting Nick, from really getting to know him. Setting aside convention had done a great deal for her view of their relationship. The air seemed so much sweeter, colors so much sharper when viewed through these new eyes of hers. She took a deep breath and savoured the taste of the air and the feel of it in her full lungs. She concentrated on the sensation of her blood as it coursed through her body. All these old, familiar sensations suddenly felt strangely new again. How could a simple thing like embracing such a small part of Nicholas DeBrabant, make her feel this way? She didn't know nor could she even begin to understand right now with the feel of it so fully upon her. He had brought her to her door and she had invited him in for a few minutes. Nick had lingered late into the night with her as they talked shop, always skating around any personal issues. His countenance had changed during that time in some imperceptible way. It was as if in the very act of her acceptance, he could accept himself a little more fully. Maybe it was her imagination, maybe she just wanted it to be so. Regardless of the reason, it felt real to her. It dawned on Natalie that what she was feeling could be equated with the state of mind experienced the morning after a romantic interlude. The thought caught hold in her brain, finding purchase there and grew to blossoming. The whole process was not a conscious one on her part. She felt somehow freed of bonds that she had placed on herself in her relationship with this man. Because of the nature of the man, it had been necessary to make a lot of things taboo to them. Now she began to see that some of these self imposed restraints had not been necessary. Many had sprung out of the fear of getting to close to another person. Fears that had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he was a vampire and could take her life without ever intending to. The fear of a serious relationship had been true on both their parts. She knew that Nick faced many a relationship with a tender and open heart only to have the offering of such a heart buffeted on the waves of reality. He carried many an incomplete piece of a love, that for myriad asundry reasons had been cut short. She, herself had witnessed a few such relationships begin and end. Natalie could understand why everytime someone threatened to get close to him, he would pull back. She would expect no less from him this time. Then the thought struck her, . end part 3 Robbi Knightie With Dark Tendencies Long Live the Knight egersdor@magiclink.com This is a N&N story with lots of steamy stuff. Quite an unconventional love story. I am really excited about this one. I would like to thank Anja Bornscheim for her translation of dialog into German. Thanks to Cynthia Hoffman, Joseph Hamilton and Marg Yamanaka for various information that has been used to make this story more accurate. Thank you, my good friend Leslie Plummer for helping me by correcting my mistakes and giving me help and guidance with this story. This story is dedicated to my mother and father, in the name of freedom. Disclaimer: The Forever Knight concept and characters are not mine. I am only borrowing them for a time. The situation and other characters are mine. ***Note*** There are a few street terms that may be unfamiliar to a lot of you, I know they were to me. I have put the definitions to some of these terms at the end of the story for your convenience. Keep sending those comments to egersdor@magilink.com . It's what keeps me going. If you need any other parts to this story or any other story that I have written, e-mail me privately and I will get it to you. The Stars in Ourselves Part 4 By Robbi Egersdorf Nick had enjoyed a nice, relaxing night off and now was anxious to get back into the saddle. Tracy watched him enter the Precinct and noticed an extra spring in his step. "So, how did it go?" He walked around to his side of the desk and started going through the folder that was there. "How did what go?" "You know, with Natalie." He stopped and looked up to Tracy's face that was sporting what he deemed to be a little bit too big a smile. "How did you know?" "I put two and two together and got one. Natalie was off and you were off. I am a detective, after all; besides, I read the report of that mugging." He rolled his eyes, "Of course." Half the precinct was probably aware of it by now. "Knight, in my office." Nick entered Reese's office, closing the door behind him. "Nice collar you made last night. I've got a bonus for you. The kid says he's willing to give us some information on the Heuer killing if we agree to go easy on him. Am I right in assuming you don't have a whole lot to go on?" Nick nodded. "I had a few possibles I wanted to look into, but nothing definite." "Well, check the kid out and see what he has to say. If it's something that'll help us, we'll talk to the Crown Prosecutor about some kind of deal." "Thanks. I'll get right on it." Nick was out the door and grabbed his partner. He had them bring up the mugger he had apprehended the previous night. As the Sergeant brought him into the interrogation room, Nick could see that the defiant look in the young man's eyes had softened by something weighing on his mind. The guy didn't want to spend any more time in jail than he absolutely had to, and maybe that reason would be useful in solving Charlie Heuer's murder. The suspect's eyes kept darting back and forth between the two detectives, waiting for them to make the first move. Nick made a quick visual appraisal of the boy and noted that he stood about a foot shorter than Charlie. The right height for the killer, according to Natalie's educated guess. Nick felt more comfortable in trusting Natalie's best guesses than he did most other people's definite answers. He had grown to respect her knowledgeable perspective and had relied upon it on many occasion to help round out his vast array of amassed knowledge gleaned from his many centuries of experiences. Mario Valdez was set down at the table by the sergeant. "If you need anything, I'll be right outside the door." "Thanks, Murray." Knight called as the sergeant left the room. Nick reached over and turned on the tape. "I was told you wanted to make some kind of deal." Nick loomed over the seated boy, as he leaned on the palms of his hands on the table towards the boy. "I talk and you let me outta here." "Sorry, we don't make those kinds of deals. Sergeant." The sergeant's head appeared in the door. Nick was about to motion for him to take the youth back to his holding cell. "Chill!" Nick waved the sergeant back to his post. The mugger looked down at his handcuffed hands. "What do ya want?" "You give us what you know, and if it proves valuable in the solving of Charlie Heuer's murder, then we talk to the Crown Prosecutor and tell him what a fine upstanding citizen you are. After that, it's up to him to make a deal with the Magistrate. It will be their decision as to what and if you get anything in return. If nothing else, you'll have a clean conscience." "That's all I get? Okay, I guess that'll have to do." "That's all you're going to get." Tracy stood against the brick wall with her arms folded, watching the exchange. After Mario agreed to talk, Nick relaxed, straightened up and sat in the chair opposite the boy. Nick was grateful that it had been found out that the baby-faced boy was all of eighteen years old and would be tried through the adult standards. "Anytime you're ready, Mario. Just talk into the microphone. The tape's rolling." The boy's eyes got big and he started to fidget. Just as it seemed maybe he was having second thoughts, Mario started to talk. His speech was slow and halting at first, but became more fluent as the boy talked on. "We kick it, Charlie and me. He was a stoner, you know, the hard stuff, mostly speedballs. I don't touch it myself." Nick reached over and took one of Mario's arms and pushed up the sleeve, exposing the track marks. "Okay, so I do. That's why I was muggin' that lady when you showed up and spoiled my party." Heavy resentment was directed at the detectives through these words. Nick stood, put his hands in his pockets and looked over at Tracy who was silently watching the exchange. Slowly he walked around the table to stand by the young man. Abruptly he leaned down near the suspect's ear with one hand on the table and the other on the back of his chair. "Now, why would we believe anything you say to us after that?" The boy looked at Nick then over at Tracy. "Gotta protect myself, ya know." He faced Nick again, uncomfortable with the close proximity of his tormentor. "How do we know you didn't kill Charlie yourself?" "No!" A look of terror was on his face. "He was my homeboy. I wouldn't kill Charlie." Nick straightened back up and folded his arms. Walking back over to his own side of the table, he continued. "Give us something we can use, Mario." "It's like this, last week me and Charlie were out, cruisin around with a couple other Gs. We were lookin for some fun, ya know. We drove by these two guys walking down the street, so we punked 'em. Oh man, did we really pounded them, but good." His voice took on a bragging air. Nick gave Mario a stern look and the fearful manner returned. "Yeah, well, ah, later we found out one of those guys had a big brother who is a pretty tough character, you know. Somebody you don't want to mess with. Into lots of stuff. I heard he killed a guy once for splashing mud on his car. I'll bet he caught up with Charlie and waxed him and I'm next. Word is, you're not even safe in lock up. You gotta help me. He's going to kill me. That's the only reason I'm snitchin'. Maybe my life's miserable, but I don't wanna die." "What's his name?" "Sally Trevino." A look of recognition came over Nick. He knew the name from having dealt with him before. If Mario was telling the truth then he was in a lot of trouble. "Sergeant? We're done in here." Nick motioned for him to take the prisoner away. "Wait a minute", a visibly terrified Mario yelled, "I thought we had a deal. I gave you what you wanted." "We'll check out your story. If we find something, you'll have full protection." The Sergeant lead the desperate young man away. "It'll be too late. Oh man, I knew I shouldn't have rolled over for you " Tracy stepped forward. "Whew." She watched the suspect until he was out of the room then turned to Nick. "Do you think he was telling the truth?" "He sounded like he was on the level. I don't think there was any reason for him to lie about something like that. He wouldn't have anything to gain by it. Come on, let's get with it. You check the hospitals and police reports and I'll check what Natalie's found." "Okay." end part 4 Glossary of street terms Kick it - Hang out with, spend time together. Speedballs - IV drug that is part heroin and part methamphetamine (speed) Homeboy - best friend. G(s) - fellow gang member(s). Punked - Gang banged. A fight where one party is outnumbered. Robbi Knightie With Dark Tendencies Long Live the Knight egersdor@magiclink.com The is a N&N story with some steamy stuff. Quite an unconventional love story. I am really excited about this one. I would like to thank Anja Bornscheim for her translation of dialog into German. Thanks to Cynthia Hoffman, Joseph Hamilton and Marg Yamanaka for various information that has been used to make this story more accurate. Thank you, my good friend Leslie Plummer for helping me by correcting my mistakes and giving me help and guidance with this story. This story is dedicated to my mother and father, in the name of freedom. Disclaimer: The Forever Knight concept and characters are not mine. I am only borrowing them for a time. The situation and other characters are mine. If you need any previous parts of this story or any other story that I have written, e-mail me privately and I will get it to you. Keep the wonderful comments coming. The Stars in Ourselves Part 5 By Robbi Egersdorf "I found ecchymosis and contusions on the body that could be consistent with the boy's story. They appear to have occurred approximately four days before death." Nick walked up behind her and nibbled on her neck. "Stop it. Not in front of my patients." She closed the file she had been reading and turned to face the detective. He had such a big smile on his face, she paused to enjoy it. She hadn't seen him this happy since... she couldn't remember when. "How was it for you?" "How was what?" "You know, last night." "Oh, last night." He nodded. "Well, I had fun." She walked away from him and put the folder back on her desk. Turning to face him, she folded her arms in front of her as she leaned back and waited for his response. "Just fun! Is that all you have to say, it was fun. Like you go flying every night of the week." She smiled a playful smile then walked back to him. "Just kidding. It was wonderful." She was watching his expressions quite carefully as they played on his face. The next thing she had to say would elicit a response she needed to understand in all it's complexities. "It was better than sex." Nick was shocked by this last statement. Now that it was said and he thought about it, it did have the same mental and physically purifying effect on him that a satisfying tryst would have. She took the front of his shirt, pulled him to her and placed her lips on his. She infused all the pent up needs for him into that one kiss, all the passions that had been seething within her, all the wants she had been too afraid to even admit to herself, she poured into the focus of her desire. When she broke it off, she let out a contented sigh. Nick stood there, unmoving. She looked into his eyes that had the very beginnings of a golden glint in them. "If that's the case then we have no more reasons to be afraid of each other. I had a very spiritual and transcendent experience with you last night. I can see from your expression that you felt the same. A close, loving relationship between two people doesn't have to include sex, per say, just closeness and intimacy. I gave of myself to you in trusting you with my life and you gave me a deep part of yourself. I'd say that was a pretty special act. If that's not *making love* to someone, then I don't know what is." Nick still hadn't moved a muscle. She reached over and pecked him on the lips again as if to wake the sleeping prince from his dazed state of confusion. He had just learned something about love that he had never even imagined to exist and it would take him some time to fit this new bit of information into his preconceived notions of love, sex, and relationships between males and females, vampires and mortals. The urge came on him again to hold her in his arms and soar up to the heavens. Natalie caught and understood that look. "We're on duty right now, Nick." And she laughed. "We'll have plenty of time to do it again, soon. Now you need to get back to work and so do I." He came to her then and grabbed her in his arms, gave her a kiss, hard and insistent in it's promises, then released her. He felt strangely free at that instant. It was like having an ugly myth pulled away to reveal a bright and shining new truth. Who could have guessed that the answer to their dilemma could be anything so simple. She watched him leave and the door close behind him. He had definitely surprised her. He had not acted anything like she had imagined. All these years, the hands off attitude, the aloofness hadn't been a lack of love but motivated souly by fear. She recalled their first meeting, after he had tried to hypnotize her out of remembering him. He had warned her, "Don't get too close to me." Her reply had been, "You want to hurt me, kill me." To that he had responded, "No, but I might anyway." That summed it all up, didn't it? She had believed he held stronger feelings for her, than just the 'You're working to lift this curse from me and you're infatuated with me so it's in my best interest to humor you' gratitude. Those words came to her mind as if they were hers and yet, had a foreign feel to them. Didn't he once say that he didn't want to get in the way of her happiness? Didn't he realize that he was her happiness, that he had stolen her heart almost from the first minute she had laid eyes on him? Yes, his exterior was easy on the eyes, then there was the raw savage power, the sense of danger, the difference between him and everything she had ever known or even imagined existed in this well-ordered and explainable world of hers. Sure, it all intrigued and fascinated the scientist in her, but it also excited the woman in her. Over the years, these feelings had grown and developed into a genuine love. She had been performing the duties of mother, friend, confidant, conscience, protector, healer, but never lover. All this time she had believed what she felt was more one-sided than anything; but now, with what she had seen and felt from Nick last night and tonight, she had put those notions to rest once and for all. He did love her. Who cared if he could never actually bring himself to say those little words, it was still there in the look in his eye and the tone of his voice. In every action and reaction, it was there. * * * Tracy had found out through a friend who was a medical tech, two young men had been admitted to Scarborough General last week. The boys had been severely beaten. One had severe internal and brain injuries and was still in intensive care. If he did recover, he would probably never be the same again. The other boy had a broken arm, broken ribs and some internal bleeding. One of the youth's names had been Trevino. A police report was filed only after the doctor insisted. The victim who was able to answer questions had sworn that he didn't know the identity of his attackers. After letting Nick know what she had found, Tracy stated, "So far, his story checks out. I think we better take this to the Captain." "Take what to me?" Reese had just walked out of his office with a single sheet of paper in his hands. Tracy looked at Nick, then back to the Captain. "Mario Valdez told us that his life was in danger. He was afraid the same person who killed Charlie Heuer would be coming after him." Joe Reese handed Tracy the sheet of paper. "There's already been an attack made on our boy. I don't know how they did it, but they did." Tracy's face registered shock and surprise while Nick's stayed neutral. "If you knew something about this, you should have come to me." Nick stood from his desk and walked behind Tracy to look over her shoulder at the paper. "We didn't know if he was telling the truth after having caught him in a lie. We didn't want to bring this to you until we knew the facts." "Well, anyway, he's in the hospital right now under heavy guard." "I guess Sally Trevino is our next stop." "Sally Trevino?" Reese shot Nick a questioning look. "Yeah, Mario told us that he and Charlie along with a couple other boys put Sally's brother in the hospital last week." "Ahh, I don't know if I want to hear about this one. Go Talk to him and see what he has to say." "Right, Cap." Tracy was up and out the door before Nick could say another word. He hurried to catch up with her. "Do you even know where we're going?" "No, but you do. Am I right?" She stopped so suddenly, he almost ran over her. "Yeah." "Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's go." He rolled his eyes then followed her lead. end part 5 Robbi Knightie With Dark Tendencies Long Live the Knight egersdor@magiclink.com The is a N&N story with some steamy stuff. Quite an unconventional love story. I am really excited about this one. I would like to thank Anja Bornscheim for her translation of dialogue into German. Thanks to Cynthia Hoffman, Joseph Hamilton and Marg Yamanaka for various information that has been used to make this story more accurate. Thank you, my good friend Leslie Plummer for helping me by correcting my mistakes and giving me help and guidance with this story. This story is dedicated to my mother and father, in the name of freedom. Disclaimer: The Forever Knight concept and characters are not mine. I am only borrowing them for a time. The situation and other characters are mine. The Stars in Ourselves Part 6 By Robbi Egersdorf He pulled the Caddy up in front of the strip joint. "What are we doing here?" "I tried to tell you." He got out and closed his door, then realizing that Tracy had made no move to leave the car. Upon leaning back into the driver's side window, he could see she was turning several different shades of red. "Are you coming in or not?" She made no move or response. After a long debate with herself, she decided this was something she would have to do if she was to be taken seriously as a homicide detective. They flashed their badges at the door attendant and, after stating their intentions, were directed inside. They entered the dimly lit room, reminiscent of the Raven's decor. Tracy relaxed a little until she noticed that when she had entered, all eyes turned on her. She touched her hair subconsciously. Nick looked back at her and saw that her blush was deepening even more. "Look, I can handle this if you want to wait in the car." "No, I have to do this." "All right. If you think you can handle it." "I said I would and I will." The raucous beat of the music annoyed her and at the same time it drew her eyes up to the stage were there was a topless blond undulating around a pole on the stage. She quickly averted her eyes, putting up a hand as if to shade her them from the sight. Nick leaned towards her ear so she could hear him over the music. "The bouncer said that Sally was in the back, come on." Nick led the way through the room of men. She could feel their eyes on her and even received a few cat calls and whistles. Tracy started to recite the 23rd psalm from memory in order to try and block the unpleasant stimulus. She gave a sigh of relief as they reached the door of the back office and Nick began to knock. A very large, powerful man answered the door. He was in a t-shirt that had some rude statement on it and his bare arms sported numerous tattoos. After Nick showed his badge, they were admitted to the room without problem. The man behind the desk extended his greetings. "Do sit down, detectives." He indicated a pair of empty chairs. "Anything that I can do to help Toronto's finest. I am more than willing to cooperate. So, what brings you to my humble establishment?" "Charlie Heuer and Mario Valdez. Do either of those names ring a bell?" Sally appeared to be giving the question considerable thought. "No, I can't say as I do. How about you, Arnie?" he addressed the rather large man who had stationed himself at the door. The only response he gave was a shrug of his massive shoulders. "Arnie doesn't know anything, either." "An incident that happened last week has come to our attention. Your brother and another boy were attacked and beaten severely. Is that true?" "Yeah. Eddie's in the hospital, what of it?" "We have been informed that these two boys were in on the beatings and that you had vowed revenge on them. Charlie was shot and killed the other night and Mario is in the hospital from and attempt made on his life while he was in jail. What do you know about that?" "Okay, I knew about their involvement with the attack on my brother and yes, I want revenge, but I didn't have anything to do with Charlie's death." "And Mario?" Sally just shrugged. "Come on Tracy, we're just wasting our time here." They got up and headed for the door. Arnie made no attempt to move from the door. Nick looked back at Sally who had stood from his desk. "Let them go, Arnie. Oh and detectives, come again soon." Tracy's skin crawled with the look that the little man gave her. It would be a cold day in hell before she ever came this way again. Neither spoke until they were on their way back to the station. Tracy was the one to break the silence. "He's got to be lying." "I don't think so." It wasn't just instinct or a hunch that he was going on. He had monitored Sally's physical responses to the questioning. His heart rate and perspiration had stayed constant and there had been no fear that Nick was able to sense. He had learned a long time ago that this was a pretty reliable way to discern the honesty of someone he was questioning. "I'd be willing to bet he was behind the attack on Mario, but Charlie's death? No." * * * He opened the door of the lift and entered his home. Shrugging out of his heavy wool coat, he hung it on the coat rack by the door. He headed straight for the refrigerator and the supply of blood it contained within. Gratefully, he downed half the bottle before stopping to get a glass. Natalie's words echoed back to him from the deepest regions of his mind. It kept repeating back at him. The very thought pulled a cord somewhere in him. It excited and inflamed him. He was so deep into this thought, that he was startled to hear the lift door open. He spun around to see Natalie enter. He was half embarrassed, as if she had heard his every thought. "Natalie, I've just been thinking about you." "So have I. I mean I've been thinking about you, too." Slowly she approached him, then stopped when she got as near as she dared. Nick held the goblet of blood between them, as a barrier. "We've gone this far, I'm not going to let you back out on me now." "This can only lead to one thing. It doesn't matter, it won't be enough for long and then you'll want more, I'll want more. I won't be able to give it to you. I can't take that risk with your life ." "Well, I can." He was silent. He had an absolute terror that Natalie's next words would be to ask him the give her more. A cold chill descended on him and he began to feel like a caged animal. Subconsciously he took a step back from her. Natalie saw and understood the gesture. She laughed. Yes, he was pulling back from her, just like she had known he would. "You act like I'm asking you to bring me across or something. All I'm asking is that we relax and enjoy each other a little. Don't worry, I won't push you farther or faster than you're willing to go. Just know this, Nicholas B. Knight, I love you and I know that you love me. What it means, if anything, I don't know." Sensing it would be a bad idea to push him any further at that moment, she turned and left Nick staring after her, still too stunned to react. end part 6 Robbi Knightie Long Live the Knight egersdor@magiclink.com *****LK spoilers***** This part has LK spoilers, however it does not deal with any of the events that transpired in said episode. If you would like a copy of this part without the spoilers, e-mail me privately (egersdor@magiclink.com) and I will send this to you. The is a N&N story with lots of steamy stuff. Quite an unconventional love story. I am really excited about this one. I sincerely hope no one is disappointed, I am really new at this "steamy" stuff. I would like to thank Anja Bornscheim for her translation of dialogue into German. Thanks to Cynthia Hoffman, Joseph Hamilton and Marg Yamanaka for various information that has been used to make this story more accurate. Thank you, my good friend Leslie Plummer for helping me by correcting my mistakes and giving me help and guidance with this story. This story is dedicated to my mother and father, in the name of freedom. Disclaimer: The Forever Knight concept and characters are not mine. I am only borrowing them for a time. The situation and other characters are mine. If you have any comments or are missing any part of this or any other story that I have written, e-mail me privately at egersdor@magiclink.com The Stars in Ourselves Part 7 By Robbi Egersdorf S P O I L E R S P A C E "I'm afraid of what might happen." Nick looked deeply into Natalie's eyes. "Don't be afraid. I'm not afraid of death or an eternity in darkness," Gently she placed her hands to his cheek. "All I have is faith and love, all I'm asking is for you to make love to me. I trust you." Nick clasped her hands and pulled them down to his chest. Slowly he closed his eyes and when he opened them again they were yellow gold and his fangs gleamed out from between his lips. "I won't leave you. Whatever happens we'll be together." "Forever." He nodded his head and then placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Their breathing became fast and tension filled the air. Another loving kiss, this time to her wrist. He could feel the passion rise. Nick gave her angelic, trusting face one more longing look and shook his head. Was it regret or something else that shown in his eyes? Did it say, "I don't want to do this, yet I have no choice?" or " This is your fondest desire and I will fulfil it?" He closed in on her neck and sank his teeth into the tender flesh there. He fed there through a myriad of tumultuous life scenes, her heart pounding in his ears. She became limp in his arms and he lowered her to the floor, where she lay still and unmoving. The familiar voice of his master came from behind him. "Well, all that remains now is to turn out the light and lock the door on our way out." "I couldn't stop myself. I took too much," his mournful voice echoed through every crack in his aching soul. * * * He made a sudden intake of breath as he sat up in his bed, drenched with the perspiration of anxiety. Reflexively he brought a hand up to his forehead and pulled it away, stained with the blood of his sweat. Standing up from the couch, he crossed straight for the fridge. Nick nearly downed a whole bottle of the cow's blood he stocked, before he could stop and reflect on what he had dreamt. He could not let it happen, he would not. He would leave and never look back if that was what it took to prevent this tragedy from ever occurring. How could he live with himself if he let Natalie die to feed the beast he carried inside? He had so many deaths weighing on his conscience already, to lay her burden there would be more than he could bear. She couldn't know what she was asking of him. The pleasant memory of the previous night was now marred by regret. He never should have taken her up. Then it struck him so hard, he had to stop to catch his breath. The one thought that came into his mind was clear and ever so true. All he had done was take her flying, nothing more, nothing less. It had felt good and right at the time, why should it feel any less now? He was letting his fears run away with him and he felt a little more than foolish for it. They hadn't made love and Natalie's life had not been in danger. Why was he acting like a frightened school boy, imagining and even dreaming the worst. It would not happen. They were both adults and fully aware of the consequences. With that settled in his mind, he was a little more at peace with himself. Now it was time to go shower and get ready for his shift. * * * All through the night, his dream returned to haunt him. It was something that wouldn't leave him alone. Finally at about 3am he begged off sick and went home. Once there he went in search of his oils. It had been some time since he had painted and now he was feeling the need to express himself, to reach into the deepest part of who he was in order to congeal his feelings and instincts on the matter that was plaguing him at present. Whatever was going on in his heart was causing him exquisite pain and agonizing pleasure. He did not consciously decide on a theme, but as always the sun figured prominently in the piece. The big yellow orb was the first to take shape. As the painting progressed, it began to shine and give a comforting light to the poor unfortunate creature who was bringing it to life. The more yellows and oranges that Nick added, the more of himself he could see. The creative process is very much akin to giving birth in many respects. An idea is suffered to grow inside the artisan, who then labors to bring it into the world. The whole process is a mix of pain and pleasure. The new life takes shape and is molded lovingly into something that becomes an extension of that person on the road to self discovery. It was the self discovery of which Nick was in sore need. He was thus so engrossed in the creation of the painting that he did not hear or sense Natalie's entrance into his painting. As he worked and she took shape on the canvas, the tears of love rolled down his cheeks. As the gentle curves of her familiar face took shape, he knew that he would never be the same again. She had won her way in to his life and his heart in infinitesimal ways, so small as to be indiscernible to him before that moment in time. She had changed him by her patience and care, and he would never be able to go back again. It was the tug-o-war of denying this fact that had put his mind in such a turmoil. In all his nearly 800 years of life as a vampire, no one had taken the time or effort to care for him... for all of him, not just his physical self. He put the finishing touches to the canvas and stepped back to admire his work. He was touched by the sheer beauty of the face he had portrayed from memory as it shown, no, glowed in the warmth of the sun's rays. This portrait brought to mind his dream of the previous day. He now knew and understood the light that this woman had brought to his life. He would never be able to leave her. As she had entered his painting silently so had she entered the loft. When he turned from his work, he was shocked to see her watching him create. His eyes lighted upon her face and lingered there. She lowered her eyes self consciously. Silence permeated the air and echoed off the walls. "I'm sorry about this morning, I..." Natalie stammered. Nick approached her as she stood, alone in the middle of the room. He held her face tenderly in his hands, caressing the curves that he had so recently coaxed from the cold, dead paints and canvas. "No, it's my fault. I did not understand." He placed a soft kiss on her lips. "You see, I have so many things I have to be careful of." He brushed her nose with his, the whole while gazing into her warm brown eyes. "One of them being not to get too close to a mortal." He brushed his lips across hers once again, generating an energy that simply could not be ignored. Carried along by the tide of the moment, he kissed her harder, more passionately and the barrier of fear that had reared it's ugly, head fell away. Natalie closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him tightly against her. She felt a dizzying spin in her head that flashed through her to the tips of her fingers, to the tips of her toes. His tongue sought the moist interior of her inviting mouth and for that moment, they felt and moved as one being. Subtly the air had changed, had grow slightly chilled. Natalie opened her eyes to see the night sky, then looking down to the lights and silhouette of the city below them. Her eyes grew wide and she pulled back from Nick's insistent kiss and saw in his the yellow gold looking back at her. He smiled at her surprise and there were no threatening fangs waiting there. The surprise melted away, leaving her to return his smile. Contentedly, she lay her head on his strong chest and closed her eyes again, letting the sensations overtake her, flowing freely through her soul. end part 7 Robbi Knightie Long Live the Knight egersdor@magiclink.com I have mysteriously found another part to this story. The tenth part will be sent out under the ADULT: designation. I am still having difficulty with my computer. This is coming to you courtesy of my sister's computer. I will get the other two parts as I can. I apologize for this not being formatted as I have no way to do it with what I have. I also apologize for the wait and do appreciate your patience. Disclaimer: The Forever Knight concept and characters are not mine. I am only borrowing them for a time. The situation and other characters are mine . The Stars in Ourselves Part 8 By Robbi Egersdorf The next night he entered the station walking on air. He had to repeatedly check to make sure his feet remained on the ground. Sitting at his desk, he tried to catch up on the work he had missed the previous night. He looked up at Tracy's smiling, puzzled face. "What?" "When you left here last night you looked like your best friend had died, tonight... I don't know... you're glowing." Now it was Nick's turn to be puzzled. "Glowing?" "Yes, you positively glow." He returned the comment with a you-must-be-crazy look. "I'm serious." It was at that moment that Captain Reese choose to peek out at them. "Knight, Vetter, in my office." "Cap, wouldn't you say Nick's glowing?" He's a neon sign. Now come on, I don't have all day." She playfully elbowed Nick as he brushed past her. "See what I mean?" After they were all in Reese's office and the door closed, he handed the papers over to Nick. "A call came in about 30 minutes ago. Frank Heuer reported a break in at his apartment. Before we could get units there, the prowler attacked his wife." He let out a heavy breath and continued, "When the officers arrived they found the prowler shot to death. Since you're familiar with these people, I want you to take this. His wife is on her way to the hospital right now. They're not sure how serious her injures are." Nick rose from the chair and motioned Tracy to follow. Reese caught him on his way out the door, "Oh, Nick, go easy on this. Mr. Heuer's having a hard time." They arrived at the previously inviting, cozy home of the Heuers. This time it appeared cold and hostile. The chill April night blew through the broken window that had been used by the intruder to gain entry into the apartment. Nic-nacs were scattered and broken about the floor, furniture was overturned , lamps scattered about. Nick frowned at the definite change in atmosphere. His sensitive nose detected the scent of fresh human blood on the air. Natalie was bent over the still form of a youth who was dressed in black, a red moist stain in the middle of his shirt and a ragged hole where the bullet had ripped into his body. Natalie stood. "Single gunshot, right through the heart. He was dead before he hit the ground." She handed Nick the lethal firearm that had already been secured in an evidence bag. ".357." "Yup, that's what Mr. Heuer said he killed him with." "Thanks." Nick could see into the dining area where Frank Heuer sat, staring out into space and wearing a blank expression on his face. He started towards the old man and was stopped by a uniformed officer. "Thanks , Jackson. I'll take care of it." He laid a supportive hand onto Jackson's shoulder, who shook his head, then went back to his duties. He stood at the entrance to the dining room and watched the sad man as he entertained his demons. After a long pause, Nick entered the room. "Ich habe auf ihn geschossen, wissen Sie. Ich have ihn erschossen." ["I shot him, you know. I shot him dead."] The pained gray eyes of the man sought out Nick's own clear blues. "Er ist tot und nun Hetta." ["He's dead and now Hetta."] Nick wondered with that statement if he already knew the sad news that he had for him. He took the chair next to him and enveloped the elder as closely as he dared by placing one arm around the back of his chair and the other to the front of him on the table. "Es war nicht Ihr Fehler, Sie hatten deine Wahl." ["It wasn't your fault, you had no choice."] "Das ist wahr, aber ich habe ihn wiederum verfehlt." [This is true, but I miss him all the same.] Nick drew back in amazement. "Miss him? Miss Charlie?" Nick left the old man who had reverted to his catatonic stare and sought out Natalie. Picking up the bagged weapon, he once again looked over to the M.E .. She had just given last minute instructions to the attendants. They were now rolling the prowler's body out. The guerney bounced over the threshold of the door, jarring its grim contents in the black zippered body bag. "Nat, didn't you say that a .357 was used to kill Charlie Heuer?" "Yeah, why?" She looked up at him from the clipboard where she had finished her notes. "I'm willing to bet that this is the same gun that was used to shoot Charlie ." "You're not suggesting that... " She noted the deadly serious expression on Nick's face. "You are. You think that sweet old man in there, wracked with grief, killed his own grandson, don't you? How could that be?" "I don't know, Nat. I don't know. I just know he did. His wife died just before they got her to the hospital, then I've got to arrest him for murdering his grandson. I know that whatever the reason, it was important enough that he felt he *had* to take the life of someone he loved." Natalie laid a hand on Nick's arm as they stood, watching the silent old German as he sat at his dining room table, sinking deeper into his own private hell. "I've got to go." "I'll catch up with you later. Be sure to get that ballistics work-up started." Both whispered for fear of disturbing Mr. Heuer's meditation. Natalie gave Nick an encouraging smile of support and he returned it with a half-hearted one of his own. Slowly he entered the room again, heavy with the task which lay before him. * * * Nick sat, anonymously behind the darkened glass, watching as Captain Reese and Tracy Vetter questioned Frank Heuer. His face solemn and distant. "Let's go over the events of the night that Charlie was killed." The interpreter, a young and delicate woman repeated Reese's words in German for Mr. Heuer's benefit. The recorder sat in the middle of the table, marking every tragic word. "Wir wollten gerade zu abend essen als er heim kam nachdem er tage lang weg war. Er war ausser sich. Er begann, etwas uber Geld zu schreien. Ich konnte nicht alles verstehen, was er sagte. Er mag es nicht, Deutsch zu sprechen, sehen Sie. Ich weiss, dass Hetta ihn verstanden hat." ["We had just set down to supper when he came in from being out for days. His eyes were wild. He started to shout something about money. I couldn't understand everything that he said. He doesn't like to speak German, you see. I know that Hetta understood. It made her very upset. She told him that he would not be allowed to act in that manner under her roof any longer . Charlie became even more angry with her and knocked everything off the table, smashing dishes. Dishes that had been my mother's. Then he... "] Mr. Heuer stopped and choked down the emotion. He resumed after having sufficiently regained his composure. ["Then he went over to my Hetta and said to her in English, 'You will give me your rings or I will take them.' I tried to stop him, but he just knocked me down. My wife gave him what he wanted then he left."] At this point in his story the emotions fell away and his face became a hard , unreadable mask. ["We were tired of being held prisoners in our own home. Charlie had turned into a parasite, a monster that we had to be rid of. He was no longer my little Charlie, but a monster. He was angry all the time, his soul turned dark and evil. I feared for our lives."] The man stopped to gather himself for the rest of his tale. ["I followed him and shot him dead."] Something cried out in Nick's mind, . No matter what angle he came at it, he couldn't put the pieces together. He would need time. Time to figure it out, but at that minute he knew that Frank Heuer was innocent. end part 8 Robbi Knightie With Dark Tendencies Long Live the Knight egersdor@magiclink.com Don't forget, the 10th part of this story will be sent out under the adult heading. Disclaimers: The Forever Knight concept and characters are not mine. I am only borrowing them for a time. The situation and other characters are mine . The Stars in Ourselves Part 9 By Robbi Egersdorf Natalie had just entered the observation room, where Nick stood watching Frank Heuer being questioned. Nick didn't move or make any gesture of acknowledgment. "He's not guilty." "I thought you said..." "I was wrong and I'm going to prove it." Finally he turned to her, "I'm going back to their place to check things over again and make sure we didn't miss anything." Natalie grabbed his arm as he walked by her. "I want to come along." Nick nodded. They drove in silence. Nick was too busy going over everything in his mind to sustain a conversation and Natalie knew and appreciated his mood. She did not break the silence. Deep in thought, Nick wandered from room to room just looking at different objects, but not really seeing any of them. Maybe he was trying to get a feel for the Heuers, who they were and how they lived, trying to glean some small morsal of a clue from their lifetime collection of treasured possessions. Natalie was there and enjoyed just being with Nick. She sat and watched the thinking process. Smiling to herself, she wondered; how many years, how many sights had those eyes seen and yet they held an ageless fascination for life. They were taking in all the mundane ordinary trappings of the Heuer's as if it were all new territory. She Idly wondered what it would be like to look through 800 years old eyes. How differently would she see the world through those eyes? Would she look on life with wonder or be bored with the endless cycle of it all. There were times when he exuded such an air of innocence that belied the beastial nature that she knew dwelt within him. After sometime, his eyes lit upon her and he smiled. She could see the frustration behind the smile. "I don't think I'm doing any good here. The sun will be up before long." She looked at her watch. "We better get going. There's just enough time for you to drop me off at my car before you get have to get home." * * * He slept and he dreamt. He saw Charlie Heuer standing under the lamp post. He watched as a lone figure approached the boy. He turned and saw the gun pointed at the him. It was impossible to make out the face of the killer. There seemed to be a haze that enshrouded him. He heard Frank Heuer's words echoing in his ears. "She's really a good woman." Then Natalie's words rang through his mind. "...the shooter was at least... oh... I'd say, a good foot shorter than Charlie, here." Suddenly, he was wide awake. He sat up and swung his feet out over the edge of the bed. Sitting there with his head in his hands, he went over every detail of the dream. He looked up when the realization hit him. "I know who killed Charlie." * * * Nick started the caddy's engine and let it idle while the garage door opened . He reached over and turned on the radio to CERK. Lucien Lacroix's sensuous, mesmerizing voice came through the speakers. Nick drove to the precinct with the top down, letting the cool night air cleanse his thoughts as he listened to the Nightcrawler. "Tonight's topic is freedom. What is it? Is it merely the essence of what we are, the ability to go anywhere, do anything; or is there something more ? Is freedom gone when we are locked away at the mercy of another's whims and desires, be it a relationship, employment, incarceration, and the list goes on?" I propose that the only restraints that are truely confining are the ones that we put on ourselves. There are no bars, no shackles built by man strong enough to hold us, gentle listeners. No other has the power to imprison us. That power must be given." A far away look comes into his eyes as he remembers when... --- Nick sat on the jail bed with Natalie by his side. "It's as if someone wants me to move on, Nat; wants to force me out of this life, my job, my friends. Look, I know If I don't regain mortality I'm going to have to leave eventually, but I'm not ready, not now. I'm not ready to give it up." "You won't have to, not if I have anything to do with it." Was Natalie's reply. --- Later, Janette visited him in his jail cell. "What do you want?" He watched her from behind the blue metal bars. "I have come to escort you back to your senses." "Who sent you?" "The community sent me." Here heavily accented voice filtered back to him through the bars as she paced back and forth. "Someone is forcing me out." "I don't know who it is, Nichola; but it's done. You can not stay here. You and this case are jeopardizing all of us. They've been through your apartment, they're digging into your past. This is far too dangerous to continue." "I swear Janette, if you know anything about who's doing this... " He came up close to the bars, close to Janette. "Don't think this hurts me too, mon cheri Nichola. How many years might it be before we see each other again, how many decades? I was almost beginning to grow fond of this morality, of this particular incarnation as a vampire cop." --- He snapped back to the present and the Nightcrawler's message. "What makes us truely free, you may ask? The answer is: the stars in ourselves." * * * He approached the cell to see the old German sitting on the stark, hard bed. He was absorbed in some past memory. Nick was reminded, once again of the time he himself had spent behind these bars. The incarceration that he had spent was by choice. The bars did not hold him, only the cords of his friendships and a life he wasn't ready to leave behind kept him there. It was much the same for the gentle soul that sat before him. "Ich hoffe, es geht Ihnen hut, Herr Heuer." ["I hope you are well, Mr Heuer."] The man looked up to see the familiar face of Detective Knight. He had felt he could trust the officer from the very first time they had met. There was just something about him. "Hallo, mein Freund." ["Hello, my friend."] A forced smile came to the face of the prisoner. Nick motioned for the Sergeant to let him into the cell. He sat on the bed and faced him. ["I know you didn't kill your grandson."] "Als ich Sie das erste Mal traf, konnte ich die Intelligenz und das... Alter in Ihren Augen sehen. Ich weiss, Sie werden verstehen, was ich sagen will und wie wichtig es fuer mich ist. Meine Hetta war ihr ganzes Leben land eine gute Frau und verdient es nicht, dass man sich so an sie erinnert. " ["When I first laid met you, I could see the intelligence and the... age in your eyes. I know you will understand what I am about to say and just how important it is to me. My Hetta was a good woman all her life and does not deserve to be remembered in that way."] The elder's eyes then became distant once again as they playing out some scene of life that had left a mark on him... a lifetime ago. end part 9 Robbi Knightie Long Live the Knight egersdor@magiclink.com Here's the long awaited last part of this story. I have finally got my computer back and the damage wasn't as extensive as I have originally been lead to believe (doing the victory dance!!) Thanks to everyone for being patient. This part has some pretty steamy N&N stuff is why it is being sent under the adult header. Please, I need imput. Send any comments to egersdor@magiclink.com. Anyone missing parts of this story or any that I have written, feel free to write me privately and I will get them to you. Disclaimer: The Forever Knight concept and characters are not mine and no copyright infringement is intended. The situation is mine, however. The Stars in Ourselves Part 10 by Robbi Egersdorf "So, what are you going to do?" Natalie had stopped off at the loft that morning after her shift. She too, was concerned about Mr. Heuer's fate. He had been dealt a double tragedy and yet he insisted on taking the blame for it all. "Who am I to destroy his world? He turned to her as they sat side by side on the couch. "I will allow him to maintain his reality. I have learned the truth and I believe that justice has been served. The rest is irrelevant." "I know, it just seems like we should be able to do something for him. It's so sad." "That's one of the things that I really love about you. It doesn't matter how much tragedy you have seen in your work, you always care." "It's not easy. You should know that." They had so much in common, yet they were so different. He reached over and took her hand, lacing their fingers together. Holding them up, he observed them for a moment then looked into Natalie's eyes. The warm brown captivated him and he could feel him self fall into their depths. Reaching up with his free hand, he held her chin. He had never felt so complete as at this moment. She could see the passion that smouldered there in him. Everything woman in her responded as she felt her heart jump. She stared longingly back into his liquid blues. Slowly he pulled her to him until their lips met, their tongues meeting in the moist pleasures of their mouths. He closed his eyes and when they opened again they were fused into gold. She could feel his canines sharp and long in his mouth and the sensation of them on her tongue drove her even harder. In an instant, he had her up and in his arms, holding her close. The whirling sensation began and she knew they were airborne. Her head spun out of control and a moan escaped her lips. Nick pulled back to take in her face. There was nothing there, but trust and an expectation of ecstasy. Feeling herself being lowered, she opened her eyes as his weight pressed upon her, his kiss becoming harder, more insistent. She met him wave for wave. In the heat of the moment he leaned off of her to unbutton her blouse and slip it from her. Softly, he caressed her lace covered breasts, watching as his hand ran over them, the texture of the fabric teasing his senses. He looked up at her face and smiled, his needs showing plainly on his face and a thrill shot through her. She had waited so long for this moment, to hold his passion and attentions so fully upon her. Timidly, she reached over and slowly unbuttoned the buttons on his shirt and slid her hand under the garment, running her palms across his cool, pale chest. Gooseflesh grew up on his chest as her hand passed over him, sending shivers through him. He threw back his head and sighed of deep pleasure. How long had it been since he had been with a woman like this, he could not recall. The desires and wants were so strong, so demanding. He wanted to have this warm, living woman as part of him at the same time to be part of her. All she wanted at this moment was him. Her being cried out to be of him, this creature who held her, not a man but a sexual, sensual beast ruled by drives as old as time and creation. Her scent intoxicated him, the smell of her warm loving blood stole away his sanity, his rational mind leaving behind a vampire that was only the bloodlust and his lust was for her. They had moved so each were on their knees facing each other. He reached up and placed a hand on the side of her neck. "Yes, Nick. Yes, you have to do it. Take me, take all of me." Her eyes were closed, her head thrown back, the wanting and pleasure playing on her face as she slowly rolled her head. He stroked her neck with his free hand. "Take me." She whispered low and throaty. Her words found their way to some sensibility that lay repressed in him. It awoke and struggled to free itself and just saw light of recognition as he reared his head back and a savage growl issued from his throat. A growl that was strangled partway through, mutating into a cry halfway between agony and despair. It raced up from the depths of his conscience and grew until it filled his whole total awareness. When it died on his lips and the last tones echoed from the walls, he opened his eyes and saw Natalie watching him with shock and fear. Slowly, he backed away from her and off the bed . "Nick." she reached for him in an effort to keep him from slipping from her grasp. He held up his hand and she stopped, her eyes begging him to return to her. "No. Natalie, you don't know what you're asking of me. You think you know, but you don't." He pulled his shirt up and started buttoning it and she knew he was lost to her. His body now stood several short feet from her, a distance which she could traverse in a few seconds, but he was a world away from her and would always be. "You have never cowered in the dark afraid to show your face to the sun; you have never faced the fact that other's must die for you to live and continue your dark, depraved existence." He turned his back to her and she began to dress. "I will leave before this ever happens again." She reached for him again and her hand froze in mid-air as the futility of the attempt became apparent. He turned his head to the side and she saw his profile. Mussy blonde hair curled about his innocent-appearing face. Innocent yet, the death of countless individuals lay heavily on his head. She could sense that burden weighing heavily on his heart, bringing it down and burying any glimpse that he might have had at happiness. The silence hung about them and closed in on them. She stooped to pick up her shoes then headed for the door. "Natalie," his voice small and heartbreakingly sad, tore at her as she turned in the doorway to see his back still. He turned the see her standing there, waiting. The moment froze inside time and could have extended for an eternity. He still felt her softness as she had lain in his arms, just a short time earlier. She could see the longing in his face mixed there with everything and nothing. She set her chin and the pain boiled within her and fell as tear down her cheek. Pain for the loss of something so beautiful that she had been given only a glimpsed of and for the being that stood before her and could never be the man he longed to be. At that instant she set her mind. She would never stop trying to find the cure that had consumed the last six years of her life, if it took her the rest of her life. "Take the painting. I want you to have it." How could he have hurt the one person that he loved above all others in this world? His arms ached to hold and comfort her. "If you think I'm giving up, Nicholas B. Knight; you better think again. There *is* a way for us to be together." Her words echoed across the chasm that had grown between them. She clenched her teeth in anger at the situation, at fate, at circumstances beyond her control and it gave her strength. She knew that she would be able to go on from this, to do what she had to do. He managed a smile as a lone tear traced its way down his cheek. END Robbi Knightie With Dark Tendencies Long Live the Knight egersdor@magiclink.com