7/23/09: Edited for original upload errors caused by text editor.

Touched By An Angel was about angels helping people.

Forever Knight was about a vampire family--one of whom sought redemption.

I wrote the crossover, but don't own either property.

Chapter 8: The Interviewer Cometh

"Sir," Andrew informed him, "I assure you I am not this interviewer you speak of." At least the angel was pretty sure he wasn't, because he hadn't the foggiest idea what the Roman was talking about.

Very gently, Lacroix laid his son back upon the cold grass in order to confront the unwanted interloper face to face.

"You deny who you are?" Lacroix scornfully eyed the angel in disguise. "An Ancient whom I have never seen before or even heard of previous to your arrival comes to me unheralded. I have lived long enough to know the names of all the Ancients of our kind, Andrew, and yet—yet--I have never heard yours mentioned in that rank. That leaves only the High Council and the Enforcers---and you don't have the teeth for the latter. But for all your age, I sense a naivety in you. You're too uncertain of yourself to actually be on the High Council. I have met two in my time---I know them. So...you're a junior candidate, being groomed by your sponsor in case something should happen to one of the Elite.

The Elder of Toronto began to circle around Andrew as he continued speaking--- like a shark judging the best place to bite.

"Ahhh...but the High Council has better things to do then harass wayward young ones. That's what their masters or---should they fail----the Enforcers are for. And they certainly have better stock on hand than anything even Janette has to offer. Yet here you are: an unknown Ancient taking an inordinate amount of interest in what is mine. And you would have me believe that you are here on a lark? That you are not and have never heard of the Interviewers? How stupid do you think I am?"

Andrew was about to try to explain---not that he had any idea what to say---when he felt a strong tingle and a gust of wind go by.

"Stupid enough, Lucius," a new voice said.

Both angel and Elder whirled to see a bald, imposing vampire snatching up the prone Nicholas.

"Kurkan?!" Lacroix looked surprised. He shot a quick glance back at Andrew before taking a step towards the other.

The bald vampire gave Andrew a courtesy nod before responding to the Roman, "So your memory hasn't totally failed you in your dotage, though still you profess to this other that De Brabant is yours." The newcomer's face seemed to split in half as the thin mouth opened in a wide smile, showing not only fangs, but the rest of his teeth chiseled to sharp points. Andrew shuddered, as the effect was not unlike that of Darth Maul's in those awful Star Wars movie posters.

"Nicholas is mine. Unhand my son!"

"Tsk, tsk!" Kurkan reprimanded as he readjusted his hold on the knight. Nicholas---though still in the sleep Lacroix had put him in---was unconsciously struggling against his captor while muttering incoherently about 'dark water' and 'drowning'.

"You know very well that none of these brats you produce are yours to keep until my master says you may do so..."

"I know that it is not yet 2028, Kurkan---a little matter that seems to have slipped your mind. Or can't you perform simple arithmetic? Ah...but my apologies---they didn't have much in the way of higher education in your culture, did they?"

Kurkan hissed at the insult to his mortal beginnings, but did not as Lacroix had hoped, release Nicholas in order to attack him. The Roman's blurred form leapt into a newborn tree and came back, hovering above Kurkan with a freshly broken-off tree branch aimed at the bald vampire's chest. Roaring, he threw the make-shift stake. Instead of dodging, his adversary purposely moved his captive's body into the missile's path. It struck Nicholas in the back, nearly impaling his heart as its ragged point burst through the front of his rib cage and part way into Kurkan's shoulder. De Brabant's eyes flew open as he screamed in agony. Kurkan merely grunted as he removed the offending two inches of wood from himself; the wound healing almost instantly.

"Missed his heart again, Lucius? Your sense of aim needs work--that's twice in two years if what they say is true. However did you manage the rank of General with such lousy arm-to-eye coordination?" He snickered as the Elder's eyes burned a flaming red. "Still, with such shows of parental affection, perhaps it's just as well I came early---they do say that third time is the charm. Joran has been rather eager for my report on this one, and it wouldn't do for him to die at your loving hands. That would...upset him. Maybe I should, in fact, take him to Joran now for safe keeping before your aim improves."

"Hades take you first!" Lacroix spat out, diving at him. They rammed together, two upright tigers hissing and roaring as they bit and scratched at each other, both of such similar age and power that the battle could have easily gone either way.

Except that the Roman had the handicap of not wanting to further injure the seriously damaged body that his adversary was using as a shield: every movement drove yet more splinters into Nicholas bleeding insides. With his son's mental blocks down, he could feel each needle jab of pain as if they were his own. That being the case, Kurkan was able to subdue the General long enough to yank the branch from the son and implant it into Lacroix's abdomen. Twin screams rent the air as Nicholas felt the backwash of Lucien's distress sweep through his sire's own fallen mental shields to mesh with his own.

"Lacroix!"

Roaring in triumph, Kurkan pushed the branch down further so that it was anchored in the soil, smiling as his victim gurgled and clutched at the primitive weapon.

"Love has made you weak, Lucius," he told the writhing vampire, cruelly twisting the branch. "Think on that as you wait for the sun to rise and give you its warm regard."

Grabbing the still screaming Nicholas, Kurkan hauled him to his eye level. "Time for us to leave and get acquainted, boy--- my master wants to know everything about you."

Nicholas ignored him, still screaming for his father as he vainly tried to reach Lacroix. Kurkan growled and shook him.

"Quiet, pup, or I shall begin the interview by simply biting off your overly active tongue and reading your blood in blessed silence!"

Andrew, meanwhile, had watched the whole battle in shock---the entire scene of carnage had happened in less than a minute. Sam appeared at his elbow.

"Andrew--now would be a good time!" he encouraged the frozen Angel of Death.

"To do what?! I'm no Warrior Angel!" Andrew cried out in a near panic: Kurkan looked ready to deliver his threat to De Brabant's person, and he couldn't think of anyway to stop him. To shed his physical disguise and confront Kurkan as an angel would likely result in the other vampires being destroyed by God's reflected glory: they were far too weak to accept the presence of His power. "I escort souls, help Monica and Tess on cases---Sam, I don't know the first thing about fighting in this form!"

"You're an Ancient vampire---for Jehovah's sake, Andrew---just act like one."

Then De Brabant twisted his head away from Kurkan's bared teeth---and desperate but aware eyes locked upon his own.

Andrew remembered...

Review Answers:

Elendil: Close Call... was the last episode we got to see Schanke in. After that the Powers That Be in TV Land decided he was too old and not good looking enough (balding, paunchy) despite the great character interaction and replaced him with Tracy Vetter. That's young, beautiful, blond, peppy, Tracy Vetter. (sighs) I missed Schanke. He was wonderful to watch. More fun and a great foil for Nick. Three years of episodes and you managed to catch as part of your handful Last Knight? 0.0 My sympathies! But it could have been worse. The studio execs had demanded a much more final ending, but the actor who played Nicholas (and directed that episode) refused to do it and left it more open-ended. Thank goodness or a lot of great fanfic speculation would not have been.