Chapter 14
As Dani stood up she looked around for Duncan and Richie but at first she couldn't see them through the crowd but standing on tiptoe she could just see Duncan over the crowd, she had just started to walk towards them when the two men came up behind her. Suddenly, Dani felt a jolt and her legs gave way but she didn't fall as two arms had hold of her, one of the men lent in close to her ear "I think we have a mutual friend who really wants to see you" as they half dragged, half carried her Dani lost her grip on the teddy bear and it fell to the ground.
Duncan had just taken hold of two hot dogs when a feeling that something wasn't right overwhelmed him, he spun round to where he thought Dani was but she was nowhere in sight. He tapped Richie on the arm "Where's Dani" the concern obvious in his voice. "She was right." Richie didn't get to finish his sentence because Duncan had dropped the hot dogs and was pushing his way through the crowd to where he had last seen Dani. As he got to the edge of the crowd Duncan's eyes were drawn to the teddy bear lying on the ground by the edge of the fairground. Richie caught up with him as picked up the bear Duncan scanned the area, it was then that he heard Dani shouting. "The parking lot" Richie didn't have to hear anything else as they both took off running.
Dani had come round enough to start struggling; she wasn't about to let herself be taken without putting up some sort of fight. "Hit her with it again Wade.or we'll be here all night" as Wade brought the stun gun towards her, Dani managed to summon up enough strength to kick it out of his hand. "You bitch" Wade spat as he slapped her across the face. Duncan arrived at the parking lot just as Wade hit Dani, anger boiled in Duncan as he ran across to the them "Pick on someone your own size" he said as his first punched landed squarely on Wade's jaw knocking him back away from Dani, wiping the blood from the side of his mouth he glared at Duncan "So you wanta play.do ya" taking up a fighting stance "Wade, we don't have time for this" Wade threw a glance over to his partner "Stay out of this Clark.this is between him and me.it won't take long" Wade and Duncan exchanged blows Duncan smiled at him "Your not bad"
"I won't be a pushover like the punk you met in the alley" Wade growled back "There's just one thing" Duncan replied "And what's that?" Wade said as he lunged towards Duncan "I'm better" was Duncan's reply as he landed a punch that knocked Wade out. Duncan then rounded on the other man who still had hold of Dani he pulled his gun aiming it at Duncan but before either of them could move Richie appeared behind him knocking the gun from his hand following it with a punch to the jaw which sent Clark to the join his partner on the ground. Duncan managing to catch hold of Dani before she also hit the floor. "I think you've had enough excitement for one night.don't you" Duncan said as he smiled down at Dani cradled in his arms, weakly she said " A girl can only stand so much fun" They all laughed and started to walk back to the TBird "Oh, I lost Mac bear" Dani cried she broke into a broad grin as Richie produced the teddy bear from behind his back. "Now we are all here.let's go home."
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The Loft
While Dani was having a shower Richie and Duncan were sitting on the sofa drinking brandy "They weren't the guys from the alley.were they Mac?" Duncan swilled the amber liquid in his glass "Nope.but they must be working for Cristo.too much of a coincidence for them to be working for anyone else" Richie watched Duncan's face "What are you going to do Mac?" Duncan raised his eyebrows and took a drink from his glass "The only thing I can do Richie.find Cristo.and kill him"
As the door to the bathroom opened they stopped talking, Duncan watched Dani walking over to them, Richie found himself watching Duncan, he had only seen that expression on Duncan's face when Duncan looked at Tessa, it wasn't quite the same but Richie hoped that Duncan wouldn't shut Dani out like he had so many others since her death. "Well, I had better be getting home.up for a workout tomorrow Mac?" Duncan nodded "Yeah, see you tomorrow, Rich" As Richie walked into the elevator turning he said "About 10:30 OK?"
"That's fine Richie" Duncan said as Richie pulled the gate down, then they were alone "Are you hungry?" Duncan asked as he went into the kitchen area, Dani walked over to the window she looked out on the street, it was quite busy with people making the most of the last night of the weekend "I'm sorry Duncan.I should've been ready.I put both of you in danger this time" Duncan stopped preparing the meal to look at her, she had her back towards him but he could see her reflection in the window, part of him wanted to take her in his arms but something seemed to be holding him back, it was then that he noticed her trying to brush away tears without being obvious, her distress broke through and he walked over putting his hands on her shoulders, at first she resisted his attempt to turn her to face him but finally she turned.
Duncan gently wiped away the tears that were falling down her cheeks. "You didn't put us in danger.danger is part of who we are Dani.Cristo sent those men.and he's an Immortal" Dani rested her head on his chest "Oh Duncan why is this happening?" Duncan moved his hand hesitatingly to her hair gently stroking it, trying to sooth her "None of this is your fault Dani.you didn't ask to be brought into this". Dani placed her hand on his chest as she felt the cold that surrounded his heart she lifted her face to look into his eyes, sad images seemed to crowd into her mind, she felt herself being drawn to him, she lifted her head until their lips met; the warmth of their kiss made the images drift away from her. Duncan pulled away gently he knew that she was vulnerable right now and he was unsure if this was what she really wanted. But as she looked up into his eyes, he could feel his need reflected in her eyes.
It had been a long time since he had felt this way, warmth seemed to radiate from her reaching inside him touching his soul, lifting the pain from his mind and his heart. He was at peace for the first time in weeks. He started to kiss her neck and Dani let out a slight moan 'this feels so right' she thought and didn't resist as Duncan led her to the bed. As they embraced again Dani pushed his jacket over his shoulders, it landed in a crumpled heap on the floor. Duncan kissed her passionately, one hand caressing her hair the other pulling her closer and he then gently lowered her onto the bed.
As Dani stood up she looked around for Duncan and Richie but at first she couldn't see them through the crowd but standing on tiptoe she could just see Duncan over the crowd, she had just started to walk towards them when the two men came up behind her. Suddenly, Dani felt a jolt and her legs gave way but she didn't fall as two arms had hold of her, one of the men lent in close to her ear "I think we have a mutual friend who really wants to see you" as they half dragged, half carried her Dani lost her grip on the teddy bear and it fell to the ground.
Duncan had just taken hold of two hot dogs when a feeling that something wasn't right overwhelmed him, he spun round to where he thought Dani was but she was nowhere in sight. He tapped Richie on the arm "Where's Dani" the concern obvious in his voice. "She was right." Richie didn't get to finish his sentence because Duncan had dropped the hot dogs and was pushing his way through the crowd to where he had last seen Dani. As he got to the edge of the crowd Duncan's eyes were drawn to the teddy bear lying on the ground by the edge of the fairground. Richie caught up with him as picked up the bear Duncan scanned the area, it was then that he heard Dani shouting. "The parking lot" Richie didn't have to hear anything else as they both took off running.
Dani had come round enough to start struggling; she wasn't about to let herself be taken without putting up some sort of fight. "Hit her with it again Wade.or we'll be here all night" as Wade brought the stun gun towards her, Dani managed to summon up enough strength to kick it out of his hand. "You bitch" Wade spat as he slapped her across the face. Duncan arrived at the parking lot just as Wade hit Dani, anger boiled in Duncan as he ran across to the them "Pick on someone your own size" he said as his first punched landed squarely on Wade's jaw knocking him back away from Dani, wiping the blood from the side of his mouth he glared at Duncan "So you wanta play.do ya" taking up a fighting stance "Wade, we don't have time for this" Wade threw a glance over to his partner "Stay out of this Clark.this is between him and me.it won't take long" Wade and Duncan exchanged blows Duncan smiled at him "Your not bad"
"I won't be a pushover like the punk you met in the alley" Wade growled back "There's just one thing" Duncan replied "And what's that?" Wade said as he lunged towards Duncan "I'm better" was Duncan's reply as he landed a punch that knocked Wade out. Duncan then rounded on the other man who still had hold of Dani he pulled his gun aiming it at Duncan but before either of them could move Richie appeared behind him knocking the gun from his hand following it with a punch to the jaw which sent Clark to the join his partner on the ground. Duncan managing to catch hold of Dani before she also hit the floor. "I think you've had enough excitement for one night.don't you" Duncan said as he smiled down at Dani cradled in his arms, weakly she said " A girl can only stand so much fun" They all laughed and started to walk back to the TBird "Oh, I lost Mac bear" Dani cried she broke into a broad grin as Richie produced the teddy bear from behind his back. "Now we are all here.let's go home."
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The Loft
While Dani was having a shower Richie and Duncan were sitting on the sofa drinking brandy "They weren't the guys from the alley.were they Mac?" Duncan swilled the amber liquid in his glass "Nope.but they must be working for Cristo.too much of a coincidence for them to be working for anyone else" Richie watched Duncan's face "What are you going to do Mac?" Duncan raised his eyebrows and took a drink from his glass "The only thing I can do Richie.find Cristo.and kill him"
As the door to the bathroom opened they stopped talking, Duncan watched Dani walking over to them, Richie found himself watching Duncan, he had only seen that expression on Duncan's face when Duncan looked at Tessa, it wasn't quite the same but Richie hoped that Duncan wouldn't shut Dani out like he had so many others since her death. "Well, I had better be getting home.up for a workout tomorrow Mac?" Duncan nodded "Yeah, see you tomorrow, Rich" As Richie walked into the elevator turning he said "About 10:30 OK?"
"That's fine Richie" Duncan said as Richie pulled the gate down, then they were alone "Are you hungry?" Duncan asked as he went into the kitchen area, Dani walked over to the window she looked out on the street, it was quite busy with people making the most of the last night of the weekend "I'm sorry Duncan.I should've been ready.I put both of you in danger this time" Duncan stopped preparing the meal to look at her, she had her back towards him but he could see her reflection in the window, part of him wanted to take her in his arms but something seemed to be holding him back, it was then that he noticed her trying to brush away tears without being obvious, her distress broke through and he walked over putting his hands on her shoulders, at first she resisted his attempt to turn her to face him but finally she turned.
Duncan gently wiped away the tears that were falling down her cheeks. "You didn't put us in danger.danger is part of who we are Dani.Cristo sent those men.and he's an Immortal" Dani rested her head on his chest "Oh Duncan why is this happening?" Duncan moved his hand hesitatingly to her hair gently stroking it, trying to sooth her "None of this is your fault Dani.you didn't ask to be brought into this". Dani placed her hand on his chest as she felt the cold that surrounded his heart she lifted her face to look into his eyes, sad images seemed to crowd into her mind, she felt herself being drawn to him, she lifted her head until their lips met; the warmth of their kiss made the images drift away from her. Duncan pulled away gently he knew that she was vulnerable right now and he was unsure if this was what she really wanted. But as she looked up into his eyes, he could feel his need reflected in her eyes.
It had been a long time since he had felt this way, warmth seemed to radiate from her reaching inside him touching his soul, lifting the pain from his mind and his heart. He was at peace for the first time in weeks. He started to kiss her neck and Dani let out a slight moan 'this feels so right' she thought and didn't resist as Duncan led her to the bed. As they embraced again Dani pushed his jacket over his shoulders, it landed in a crumpled heap on the floor. Duncan kissed her passionately, one hand caressing her hair the other pulling her closer and he then gently lowered her onto the bed.