A New Twist

Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the television series/films Highlander and I'm not making any money from this fic

Summary: About two and a half centuries ago, Connor MacLeod was seduced by a newly created Immortal who then disappeared as things were getting serious. Set just after Tessa's death in season two, an Immortal has come to take Duncan's head – who can't quite bring himself to care

Warning(s): Spanking; spoilers up to and including the episode The Darkness of season two of Highlander; some mentions of violence; spoilers for the first Highlander film; implied sex

Author's Note: This is the second part. And... I'm not quite sure how the spanking scene ended up being written like this. It was the characters' faults, honest!

"She's after my head," Duncan replied with a slight shrug. "What else can I do but take hers?"

"A good question would be why she's after you," Connor replied. "Have you killed another Immortal recently who might have had a significant other who's after your head?"

Duncan snorted softly. "Not in a while. I've been too busy with the watchers and... well, you know." He knew he didn't have to bother explaining about the watchers to Connor. It might have been a while since they'd seen each other, but Duncan had made sure to contact his friend when the rogue watchers had started killing other Immortals.

Connor leaned back against the sofa and tilted his head up to look at the ceiling, a thoughtful look passing across his face. Finally, he spoke. "Right before I heard about Tessa, I was tracking an Immortal who's been killing many of our kind... humans, too."

Since the pain from the spanking was already fading, Duncan sat down next to Connor with barely a wince. "Do you know who it is?"

There was a long pause and when Connor spoke, it was quite cautiously. "I don't know for sure who it is."

"But you have some idea?"

"The Immortal avoids showing his or her face," Connor explained. "The few times I've caught sight of him or her, they're either wearing a hood or some kind of mask." He hesitated before continuing, "I've only met one other Immortal who was that reluctant to show her face. I trained her about two and a half centuries ago."

"You think she's behind this?"

Connor shrugged. "I only knew her for about three weeks. At the moment, I think it's a more likely explanation than any other."

"Do you need my help?"

"I lost her when I came here. I'm more concerned with you right now, Duncan. Losing someone you love isn't a pain you can just deal with in a few minutes. We need to deal with this woman after your head. Actually, I'll deal with her."

"She challenged me," Duncan protested.

"And then ran away," Connor replied. "That means all bets are off."

Duncan snorted softly. "Since when did you start using the slang of this time?"

"It's all about fitting in." Connor smiled, but it faded quickly. "You have any idea where another Immortal might end up? I don't particularly want to traipse all around the city looking for this woman."

"I have no idea. But I'm sure she'll be back." Duncan's mouth stretched open in a wide yawn.

Connor looked down at Duncan and shook his head, a faintly amused look playing across his face. "Sleep, Duncan," he said quietly. "I'll keep watch."

Duncan intended to argue – he really did. Unfortunately, being Immortal didn't mean he was immune to human sensations like hunger or tiredness. Besides, he was as safe with his kinsman as he could be anywhere. He knew Connor would keep watch and make sure nothing happened to him.

Without attempting to argue any more, Duncan leaned his head against Connor's shoulder and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to overtake him.

It had been a long time since Duncan had slept leaning against him like this.

Connor could remember the last time – when the tribe Duncan had been living with had been slaughtered. They'd stood and watched the funeral pyres together and then, later, Duncan had left him once more. They spent too little time together now – but Connor was aware of the mantra every Immortal lived by. That there could be only one.

It was hard to form attachments with the knowledge that, in the end, one of them would have to die.

Connor leaned his head back once more and sighed. He hadn't admitted to Duncan how responsible he felt if it was Adelaide committing the murders. After all, he'd trained her... taught her... taken her to his bed. He should have stuck with his refusal to train anyone not directly connected to him. As it stood, he would be compelled to take her head.

It was a situation he'd rather not be in at all.

Duncan shifted slightly in his sleep and Connor looked down at his kinsman as he slid down so that he was stretched out on the couch, eyes still tightly shut. Connor lightly patted Duncan's head and then slowly stood up. He wasn't really intending to leave, but he felt the need to pace up and down; to move. He was feeling the same kind of restlessness he had been ever since the murders had begun.

He was getting too old for this.

It was several hours later when Duncan finally began to stir. Connor moved to his side as his kinsman opened his eyes and looked down at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Duncan sat up slowly and sighed. "I'm not feeling too good about this challenger, though. I prefer not to take a woman's head."

"I hope you don't have any silly ideas of not fighting her," Connor said sternly as he took a seat next to Duncan. "Chivalry doesn't have much of a place in our lives – and you need to plan for when she'll come after you next..." His voice trailed off as he heard the familiar buzz of an Immortal and he stood up, going towards the door with Duncan only a step or two behind him.

When they got to the door, Connor paused and allowed Duncan to move in front of him to open the door, sword in hand. Connor didn't draw his own sword, but he stood a little behind his kinsman, ready to act if needed.

The Immortal standing outside the door was a woman with long curly black hair and pale skin. She was a little shorter than Duncan and although there was a sword tucked into her belt, she didn't have a weapon in hand.

"That's not the one who challenged me," Duncan said quietly to Connor.

"My name's Morgana," the woman said. She looked between the two of them. "Which one of you is Connor MacLeod?"

"That's me." Connor stepped forward.

"You're a hard man to track down, Connor MacLeod." Morgana stepped forward, but didn't actually enter the shop. "I apologise for coming to you like this, but I discovered you've been tracking down the member of our kind who's become a murderer. I thought I'd contact you and perhaps have an exchange of information."

Connor chuckled dryly. "What makes you think I'd be willing to join forces with you?"

"She was the last pupil of Arthur Pendragon – my foster brother," Morgana replied. "I have reason to believe she took his head before she came to you for training... or so she claimed. After she left you, she faded from history for a time before revealing herself in the killing spree."

"Are you sure it's her?" Duncan asked before Connor could speak.

Morgana focused on Duncan, her expression not changing. "I've been alive for a long time. Only one Immortal I've ever heard of has kept her face hidden. She believes that keeping her face covered will protect her." She shrugged. "Really, though, it just makes her stand out."

"So why are you after her?" Connor asked. "I'm sure it's not out of some sense of bringing her to justice."

"You're right," Morgana agreed. "I don't care very much for mortals. In my opinion, they can't live up to our kind. But I want the sword she stole from my brother. And if getting it means the murders will stop? Well, that way, we all win."

Connor exchanged glances with Duncan, who shrugged. "Material gain might not be the noblest reason, but at least she's honest."

Connor turned back to Morgana. "Whichever one of us fights her, the other two can't interfere. What gain do you have by coming to us?"

"If I find her first, I'll deliver her to you to take her head," Morgana said bluntly. "All I ask is that I get her sword."

"What's so special about the sword?" Duncan asked.

"It's the sword known as Excalibur," Morgana replied. "It belonged to my brother – but the Immortal Adelaide wields it now and she shouldn't. I need it back." She took a few steps back. "I'll give you some time to think it over. I don't have a phone where I'm staying, but I can drop by tomorrow and you can let me know what you've decided." Not waiting for a reply, she took a few steps back and then turned and started walking away.

Duncan waited a moment or two and then closed the door before turning to Connor. "What do you think?"

"I think I don't trust her," Connor replied bluntly. "This is all about a sword? I'd believe her more if she wanted revenge for her brother being killed. Not that she strikes me as the family type," he added. "But still, Excalibur is one of those swords they wrote entire legends about. I can't think of many people who haven't heard the stories." He didn't say the other thing – that Adelaide had never been a killer when they'd been together. He would have known if she'd taken a head already.

Or perhaps it was just he was reluctant to believe he'd been so wrong about her.

Duncan nodded slowly, but a faint smile touched the edges of his lips. "I guess this proves how jaded we've become, huh, Connor? No longer fooled by a pretty face."

Connor felt an answering smile tug at the corners of his mouth. It was good to see Duncan like this again. Loss never got easier to deal with over time, but once the grieving process started, a person started along the path to healing.

"What do you think about going out to eat?" Duncan asked. "I'm hungrier than I have been in a while."

Another good sign. Connor chuckled and clapped Duncan on the shoulder. "Of course. But you're paying."

"How did I know that was going to come up?" Duncan shook his head and then stopped, glancing towards the door.

Connor looked as well, sensing the presence of an Immortal. "Looks like today's the day for visitors." He flung open the door and looked at the auburn-haired woman standing outside, then glanced back over his shoulder at Duncan. "Is this her?"

Duncan stepped forward, looked at Connor and nodded. "Yeah. That's the one. Amy."

"Well, Amy." Connor turned back to the female Immortal, a smirk crossing his face. "I know you were coming after my kinsman, but you ran away. So if you want to get to Duncan, you're going to have to go through me first."

"I don't care which one of you I fight," Amy replied.

"So it's not a personal vendetta, then?" Connor stepped back, allowing Amy to enter the hall. As he stepped past her to close the door, his nostrils flared and he took a passing glance at the sword in her belt.

"Connor, don't you think you should find another battlefield?" Duncan asked.

Connor locked the door and turned round to face Duncan. "That would be necessary – if there was going to be any fighting."

"There's not going to be?" Duncan raised his eyebrows.

"No." Connor looked at the female Immortal. "That was a neat trick. How long ago did you stop wearing the cloak and hood? Smart move, that. Who would connect you to the cloaked and hooded Immortal from two centuries ago?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Connor's hand snaked out and he grabbed one of her hands. "Still the soft skin of a lady. It's what comes of becoming an Immortal before you've done any hard work, I suppose. Your hands didn't have a chance to get calluses on them." Just as he had the first day of their meeting, he raised her hand to his nose. "Lavender. I smelled it the moment I passed you." Still keeping a hold of her wrist, he looked over towards Duncan. "The Immortal Amy doesn't exist. This is Adelaide."

Almost immediately, Adelaide began trying to pull her hand free of Connor's. He kept a tight hold of her hand, smiling at her struggles. "Do you think you've come far enough to beat me?"

"You're challenging her to a contest?" Duncan asked.

"Why not?" Connor looked at him. "Used to do that with you all the time, remember? Last time, you came close to beating me." He chuckled softly. "No student is ever too old to learn from their teacher – even if those lessons have to be taught the hard way." He looked down at Adelaide. "So, what do you say?"

"I can't beat you and you know it," Adelaide replied sulkily.

Connor pulled her closer to him and put his mouth next to her ear. "That's not what I've been hearing."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Morgana. Sister of your old teacher," Connor replied. "She told us you killed your teacher. Which means you deceived me. You know, as well as running out on me." He felt the humour fade from his voice. "I think I'm owed an explanation. An apology, too."

Adelaide looked up at him, a stubborn set to her jaw. "I have nothing to say to you."

"And after we spent those three weeks together?" Connor shook his head and looked steadily at Adelaide. "One way or another, I'm getting an explanation. We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

When Adelaide said nothing, Duncan spoke up. "You want me to take off for a while?"

Connor looked at his kinsman. "I'm sure you can just disappear to your room for a while."

Adelaide pulled her hand free and made a break for the door. Connor caught her easily with an arm around her waist, pulling her back towards him as she fought and scratched at his arms. "Got a little wildcat here," he commented to Duncan as he half-carried her over to the couch and sat down. "Guess we're doing this the hard way." He dumped her across his lap.

Adelaide let out a squeal and immediately started trying to push herself up.

"You need anything before I head to my room?" Duncan asked.

Connor started to say no, but then thought better of it. "Yeah. Toss me your hairbrush."

"No!" Adelaide began struggling across his lap.

"You ready to talk?" Connor demanded.

Adelaide went silent.

Connor looped his arm around Adelaide's waist and looked at Duncan. "Grab me the brush."

"Sure. Here you go." Duncan grabbed the brush and tossed it in Connor's direction, before heading in the direction of his room. "Let me know when you're done."

Connor caught the brush and smacked it down on Adelaide's trouser seat. She squealed like a cat and tried to lever herself up – but when Connor landed the brush again, she collapsed over his knees. "Stop it!"

"You can make it stop any time," Connor said slowly, punctuating each word with a smack from the brush. "Be thankful you're not in a good position for me to use my sword." He fell silent and just continued landing the brush over and over again.

Adelaide lay over Connor's lap, unmoving save for a slight twitch each time the brush fell. Finally realising he wasn't getting much out of her this way, Connor lay the brush to one side and took hold of the waistband of her trousers. He eased them down easily, ignoring the struggles, and followed those with her panties, revealing a backside that was already blushing pink from the smacks he'd landed.

Connor didn't waste any time now. He used the brush to good effect, bouncing the flat back off first one cheek and then the other. Under the punishing blows, Adelaide's backside quickly began to darken – and he heard her soft cries and gasps of pain. He shifted her over his knees a little, pushing her forward to expose her sit spots, and then began aiming most of the blows there.

After a couple of minutes of that, Adelaide finally cried out, "Wait!"

Connor stopped mid-swing and slowly brought the brush down to rest on her back. "Are you ready to talk now?"

"...Let me up first?"

"I don't think so. I want easy access in case you lose your tongue again."

"What do you want to know?"

"Let's start with a nice easy one," Connor said. "I've been tracking a murderer of Immortals and mortals alike, an Immortal wearing a hooded cloak. Was it you?"

"No – but whoever it was has been stalking me; trying to draw me out."

"Because of the sword?"

"When Arthur was killed, he'd hidden his sword," Adelaide admitted. "When I returned to his house, the sword called to me." She let out her breath in a sigh. "Sometimes, a sword chooses the one who will wield it. That's what happened with Excalibur. Arthur was the first person who wielded it. I don't know why it chose me – but because it did, I've had nothing but trouble."

"You're refusing to accept the sword," Connor observed. "Until you fully wield the sword – let it become a part of you – you'll never reach your full potential as a fighter." He put the brush to one side and slowly lifted Adelaide up off his lap. "Morgana, Arthur's sister, is the one who's after you. I'm guessing she's the one who was committing the murders. Perhaps she feels that if she takes your head, ownership of Excalibur will pass on to her."

"I can't face her," Adelaide said quietly. "I had the same thought, but I thought I could pass it on to Duncan MacLeod. That the sword would accept him as well."

"You ran away before you completed your training." Connor looked at her. "Why did you run?"

"It was... too intense," Adelaide admitted. "I was young and frightened. I know I seduced you, but I think I went a bit too far too fast. I was disturbed by how I was feeling for you." She shrugged. "So I took the coward's way out and ran."

"I see."

Adelaide looked at him. "I'm sorry."

"I wasn't planning on whacking an apology out of you."

"I know." Adelaide leaned her head back to look up at the ceiling. "But..." She hesitated. "Maybe you should. Well, not the apology part – but you can carry on, I guess. If you..." She hesitated. "I don't know... do you think I could try again? I'm not gonna run this time..."

Connor thought about it and then, very slowly, leaned forward and touched his lips to Adelaide's. Her eyes fluttered closed as they kissed, but he kept his open, exploring the feelings going through him and considering, weighing the pros and cons. He then pulled back slowly, looking into Adelaide's eyes. "I'll accept your apology and give you a second chance... after this next spanking."

Adelaide nodded slowly and didn't fight as Connor pulled her back over his lap. Since she hadn't pulled up her panties or trousers, he simply grabbed the hairbrush and started landing it straight away.

Connor didn't bother saying anything this time. He just let the brush hit Adelaide's backside over and over, going far longer than the previous spanking had been. Adelaide twitched with each hard blow and then started gasping and crying out. Still, Connor paddled her until he could feel the heat radiating off her backside and Adelaide was sobbing hard.

Adelaide's backside was a bright red by the time Connor was finished and gathered her into his arms, holding her in a gentle embrace. He settled back on the couch and held her on his lap, looking directly at her. "So tomorrow, we'll get started with your training."

"What are we doing today?"

Connor smiled. "I think we can figure something out." He leaned in and kissed her again, much harder this time. Then, he pulled her down onto the couch with him.

The End