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crashed to the ground she ducked behind a metal countertop and waited as a hail of bullets rang out on the steel, destroying chopped onion, relish jars and the restaurant's famous pickles. She felt chunks of pickle and onion landing in her hair and felt her blood rise in fury. She snarled and called on her vampiric heritage. The world went blue and time seemed to slow as she sped up; she slid out from behind the countertop and shot both of the men by the office door, the thirty caliber slugs punching neat holes in their chests and dropping them like sandbags to the tile floor. She then turned and sidestepped a blast from the shotgun wielding cook. She watched as he jacked another round into the chamber in slow motion. By the time he was ready to fire again she was in his face. With her left hand she raised the shotgun, slamming the hot barrel into his face once, twice, three times in quick succession, pulping his nose and forcing him to let go of the weapon, which she let clatter to the floor. He sagged down beside it, one hand cradling his destroyed nose.
    He wiped the blood from his face and looked up at the towering redhead with the smoking Automag. His right hand was twitching toward his shotgun.
    Raven forced her vampire side back into the dark corners of her mind and offered the gunman a lopsided grin. "To quote the famous Inspector Harry Callahan, 'Go ahead, make my day!'" Raven watched the would-be crook's eyes widen and she couldn't help but grin wider. "Are you going to make a move or are you going to sit there and bleed?" she asked.
    The gunman stopped reaching for the shotgun and raised his hands, ignoring the blood dripping from his nose.
    "It isn't brave , but it's probably the smartest thing you've ever done," Raven said. "You're under arrest for attempted robbery, attempted murder, messing up my hair and for screwing up my perfectly good lunch."
    "Back up is on the way, as well as a meat wagon and paramedics," Levac said, entering through the back door. He hadn't even pulled his weapon.
    "Thanks, Rupe," Raven said, pulling out her cuffs. She looked down at the thug by her feet and dropped the handcuffs on his chest. "You know what to do, bub."
    Grudgingly the crook put the cuffs around his wrists and Raven holstered her pistol.
    Nadia appeared at her elbow and offered her a cup of steaming black coffee.
    "Thanks, Detective Storm," the girl said. "I was hoping you got the message, I didn't know what else to do."
    "You did great, kid," Raven said, ruffling the girl's hair and taking the coffee. "You go check on your dad while we wait for backup. This guy isn't bleeding all over the Shelby."
    Nadia smiled and walked into the office where her father was sitting at his desk, his head in his hands.
    "These scumbags are getting bolder all the time," Raven said quietly.
    Levac looked at his partner, his eyes meeting hers. "So are you. That was the third 211 you've handled alone in two weeks. You're taking a lot of chances, Ray."
    Raven opened her mouth to say something sarcastic , but seeing the look in her partner's eyes, choked it back. "You're right," she said. "I'm just trying to keep you safe. I've lost too many good friends to bad luck."
    Levac nodded , but didn't look any happier. "I know, Raven. But you're not the only one who cares about their partner."
    Raven looked away and sipped at her coffee as the sound of sirens got closer. She didn't really know what else to say.
     
    * * *
     
    It was three hours later; the suspects had been processed and taken away, reports had been filed and Raven now sat in Lieutenant Frost's office, her legs stretched out in front of her. His office looked like a movie set, like he'd watched The Last Action Hero one too many times. Glass windows covered by blinds looked out into the squad room, a desk you could land a helicopter on dominated the room and the rest of the walls displayed Frost's and the unit's many commendations. Rumor was he dusted them personally before he went