CHAPTER 83
Garrett awoke with a start, the effects of his death and revival serving to sober
him completely. When he realized where he was and more importantly who he
was with, it only took him a few seconds to remember what had just happened
and to quickly grab his sword. Backing away from Adam and the others, he put
the room between them.
He didn't understand why he still had his head, and immediately jumped to the
wrong conclusion. Turning to Beth he taunted. "You couldn't let him do it could
you Leandra? You couldn't let him end my life because as much as you try to
deny it … you care about me."
Beth's face registered how utterly preposterous his statement was. "You mean
nothing to me Garrett. Who do you think ran you through from behind?"
Garrett's expression contorted. Seeing MacLeod, he automatically thought it had
been him. "You vile bitch! After all we've been through together. After I've been
so good to you. You spit on Craig's memory by siding against me."
"Oh please! You talk about Craig's memory? You aren't even fit to speak his
name." Beth began, putting herself between Garrett and Adam, ignoring
Duncan's warnings to be careful. MacLeod was surprised Methos stood quietly,
his sword ready, but waiting while this conversation carried on.
"Craig would loathe you for all the things you've done in his name. You
kidnapped me and Cassie, you kept us away not only from my husband, but from
the family you grew up with and claimed to love, and then you beat me and
forced yourself …"
"I didn't have to force you every time." Garrett shot back, not missing the
opportunity to catch Adam's eye over her shoulder. "It isn't force when you come
to my bed willingly. It isn't force when you seduce me night after night."
Beth went pale with shock. Frozen with mortification, she couldn't bring herself
to turn around and face Adam. Oh God, maybe he already knew. Maybe that is
why he rejected her earlier.
"I did what I had to do." Beth replied quietly when she found her voice.
"Beth you don't have to do this." Duncan said as he came to pull her by the arm.
He still couldn't believe that his friend was standing stone, cold silent. "Let Adam
handle him." He looked over to where Methos appeared to be weighing
everything in his mind. He couldn't tell what he was thinking. The eerily quiet
way he seemed to just be staring at the man was unnerving. The only outward
sign of anything but patience, was the cold glaze over his eyes and the way he
gripped the handle of his sword.
"What you had to do?" Garrett laughed, believing his revelations were taking
their toll on Pierson and he wondered if he would actually fight him or walk off in
disgust. "You keep telling yourself that Leandra, but I think every man in this
room knows what a whore you are."
His last words were a mistake. As soon as they reached Adam's ears he reacted
quickly and violently. "You will keep your opinions about my wife to yourself." He
gritted between his teeth as he caught Garrett off guard and sliced his cheek
wide open.
Garrett held up his sword with one hand as his other hand moved to put pressure
on the wound. "She sure forgot about you soon enough. Couldn't wait to wrap
her …"
His words were cut short again as Methos drove him backward through the plate
glass door and crashing out onto the large main deck of the villa. Ignoring the
cuts from the shattered glass, the two men began chopping and slicing at one
another with a vengeance. Steel struck steel and sparks flew from the force of it.
"It wasn't like that …" Beth gasped loud enough for Adam to hear as Duncan held
her back and wouldn't let her move out onto the patio.
"Shhhh shhh … It's going to be all right. I'm sure you had your reasons for what
you did." He said as he held onto her from behind to keep her from harm's way
where they watched the fight unfolding. "But right now you need to let him focus.
You need to let him end this."
It tore at her heart to think that Adam would believe for an instant that she would
willingly want to be intimate with Garrett, but she knew Duncan was right. She
needed to be silent and let him focus on defeating Garrett.
"Please God …" Beth whispered a prayer that Adam would be able to stop
Garrett and get him out of their lives once and for all. She winced a few times
when Garrett managed to nearly glance him with his sword, but none of them
landed.
Methos bore down on his opponent with a cold, calculated vengeance. Every
stroke was measured and every blow fierce, and just when Garrett thought he'd
seen everything the man had … he was wrong. Methos spun and in the fraction
of a second when his back was turned, pulled a 2nd sword from his coat.
Now he was pounding Garrett from both sides. The younger immortal's panic
began to show on his face as all he could do was try to defend. Over and over
he blocked, as he was pushed further and further toward the edge of the balcony.
Then with one strong blow, Methos pushed the man over the edge and onto the
rocky cliff below. Garrett cried out in agony as his back broke on the rocks of the
cliff wall. Falling further, his body became impaled on a thick sapling that grew
out of a crevice.
Methos dropped one of the swords and quickly vaulted over the edge, carefully
skirting the ledge and moving down over the rocks to reach his victim. From
above, Duncan and Beth ventured to the railing. For a brief instance she felt
herself sicken at the sight. Every bone in Garrett's body appeared to be broken
as he dangled like a skewered animal in a nauseating contortion. Blood poured
from the place where the tree had punctured his back and forced it's way through
his gut, and a sick gurgling sound escaped his mouth which foamed with blood.
Methos took his time, his eyes savoring the complete triumph over the man who
had stolen everything he held dear. He was amazed that Garrett still clung on to
life, and smirked at the pathetic excuse that had dared crossed him.
Coming to stand beside where Garrett hung suspended by the tree, Methos took
one deep breath and then lifted his sword. Garrett's hazy eyes turned toward
him, and in his mind he wondered how such an immortal could defeat him. He'd
been trained by the best. Shafer had made sure of it, but this man knew moves
he had never imagined.
As if he guessed what was going through his mind, Methos paused. "You are
the vilest excuse for a man. You dared take my wife … my child … for your
own."
A bubbling sound escaped Garrett's lips, but no words formed.
"I am Methos and I will be your death. I have lived over 5,000 years, and never
have I wanted to take a life or the head of an immortal more than I want to take
yours now. The sight of you sickens me and the thought of sharing one more
instant on this earth with you is unacceptable." Raising the sword even higher,
Methos brought the blade down swiftly, severing Garrett's head cleanly from his
shoulders.
He looked up toward the balcony for an instant, his eyes locking with Beth's
before the mountain began to rumble.
"We've got to get back." Duncan said urgently as he half drug Beth back inside
the villa.
Methos closed his eyes, savoring that last second when she had been the only
thing in his vision. He knew he would have to sever his relationship with her
because of the wretched existence he'd allowed himself to slip into when he
thought she had betrayed him. The memory of what he had lost flashed through
his mind even as the bolts of electricity flashed through his body. Rocks began
to slide and roll down the side of the mountain, and the balcony of the villa gave
way under the force of the Quickening. But the place where he stood did not
move and he was untouched by the destruction. At the height of it's force,
Methos felt his outstretched hand being gripped tightly by another, and he
clenched it strongly.
Inside, Beth's knees grew weak and Duncan lifted her in his arms and placed her
on the sofa. Her eyes closed, and her hand reached out … clasping her fingers
around something he couldn't see or understand. She appeared to be in another
place, and he wondered what was happening. "Beth! Beth! Are you all right?"
He asked as he shook her.
When she finally opened her eyes, a smile curved on her lips. "I am so all right."
She whispered.
Garrett awoke with a start, the effects of his death and revival serving to sober
him completely. When he realized where he was and more importantly who he
was with, it only took him a few seconds to remember what had just happened
and to quickly grab his sword. Backing away from Adam and the others, he put
the room between them.
He didn't understand why he still had his head, and immediately jumped to the
wrong conclusion. Turning to Beth he taunted. "You couldn't let him do it could
you Leandra? You couldn't let him end my life because as much as you try to
deny it … you care about me."
Beth's face registered how utterly preposterous his statement was. "You mean
nothing to me Garrett. Who do you think ran you through from behind?"
Garrett's expression contorted. Seeing MacLeod, he automatically thought it had
been him. "You vile bitch! After all we've been through together. After I've been
so good to you. You spit on Craig's memory by siding against me."
"Oh please! You talk about Craig's memory? You aren't even fit to speak his
name." Beth began, putting herself between Garrett and Adam, ignoring
Duncan's warnings to be careful. MacLeod was surprised Methos stood quietly,
his sword ready, but waiting while this conversation carried on.
"Craig would loathe you for all the things you've done in his name. You
kidnapped me and Cassie, you kept us away not only from my husband, but from
the family you grew up with and claimed to love, and then you beat me and
forced yourself …"
"I didn't have to force you every time." Garrett shot back, not missing the
opportunity to catch Adam's eye over her shoulder. "It isn't force when you come
to my bed willingly. It isn't force when you seduce me night after night."
Beth went pale with shock. Frozen with mortification, she couldn't bring herself
to turn around and face Adam. Oh God, maybe he already knew. Maybe that is
why he rejected her earlier.
"I did what I had to do." Beth replied quietly when she found her voice.
"Beth you don't have to do this." Duncan said as he came to pull her by the arm.
He still couldn't believe that his friend was standing stone, cold silent. "Let Adam
handle him." He looked over to where Methos appeared to be weighing
everything in his mind. He couldn't tell what he was thinking. The eerily quiet
way he seemed to just be staring at the man was unnerving. The only outward
sign of anything but patience, was the cold glaze over his eyes and the way he
gripped the handle of his sword.
"What you had to do?" Garrett laughed, believing his revelations were taking
their toll on Pierson and he wondered if he would actually fight him or walk off in
disgust. "You keep telling yourself that Leandra, but I think every man in this
room knows what a whore you are."
His last words were a mistake. As soon as they reached Adam's ears he reacted
quickly and violently. "You will keep your opinions about my wife to yourself." He
gritted between his teeth as he caught Garrett off guard and sliced his cheek
wide open.
Garrett held up his sword with one hand as his other hand moved to put pressure
on the wound. "She sure forgot about you soon enough. Couldn't wait to wrap
her …"
His words were cut short again as Methos drove him backward through the plate
glass door and crashing out onto the large main deck of the villa. Ignoring the
cuts from the shattered glass, the two men began chopping and slicing at one
another with a vengeance. Steel struck steel and sparks flew from the force of it.
"It wasn't like that …" Beth gasped loud enough for Adam to hear as Duncan held
her back and wouldn't let her move out onto the patio.
"Shhhh shhh … It's going to be all right. I'm sure you had your reasons for what
you did." He said as he held onto her from behind to keep her from harm's way
where they watched the fight unfolding. "But right now you need to let him focus.
You need to let him end this."
It tore at her heart to think that Adam would believe for an instant that she would
willingly want to be intimate with Garrett, but she knew Duncan was right. She
needed to be silent and let him focus on defeating Garrett.
"Please God …" Beth whispered a prayer that Adam would be able to stop
Garrett and get him out of their lives once and for all. She winced a few times
when Garrett managed to nearly glance him with his sword, but none of them
landed.
Methos bore down on his opponent with a cold, calculated vengeance. Every
stroke was measured and every blow fierce, and just when Garrett thought he'd
seen everything the man had … he was wrong. Methos spun and in the fraction
of a second when his back was turned, pulled a 2nd sword from his coat.
Now he was pounding Garrett from both sides. The younger immortal's panic
began to show on his face as all he could do was try to defend. Over and over
he blocked, as he was pushed further and further toward the edge of the balcony.
Then with one strong blow, Methos pushed the man over the edge and onto the
rocky cliff below. Garrett cried out in agony as his back broke on the rocks of the
cliff wall. Falling further, his body became impaled on a thick sapling that grew
out of a crevice.
Methos dropped one of the swords and quickly vaulted over the edge, carefully
skirting the ledge and moving down over the rocks to reach his victim. From
above, Duncan and Beth ventured to the railing. For a brief instance she felt
herself sicken at the sight. Every bone in Garrett's body appeared to be broken
as he dangled like a skewered animal in a nauseating contortion. Blood poured
from the place where the tree had punctured his back and forced it's way through
his gut, and a sick gurgling sound escaped his mouth which foamed with blood.
Methos took his time, his eyes savoring the complete triumph over the man who
had stolen everything he held dear. He was amazed that Garrett still clung on to
life, and smirked at the pathetic excuse that had dared crossed him.
Coming to stand beside where Garrett hung suspended by the tree, Methos took
one deep breath and then lifted his sword. Garrett's hazy eyes turned toward
him, and in his mind he wondered how such an immortal could defeat him. He'd
been trained by the best. Shafer had made sure of it, but this man knew moves
he had never imagined.
As if he guessed what was going through his mind, Methos paused. "You are
the vilest excuse for a man. You dared take my wife … my child … for your
own."
A bubbling sound escaped Garrett's lips, but no words formed.
"I am Methos and I will be your death. I have lived over 5,000 years, and never
have I wanted to take a life or the head of an immortal more than I want to take
yours now. The sight of you sickens me and the thought of sharing one more
instant on this earth with you is unacceptable." Raising the sword even higher,
Methos brought the blade down swiftly, severing Garrett's head cleanly from his
shoulders.
He looked up toward the balcony for an instant, his eyes locking with Beth's
before the mountain began to rumble.
"We've got to get back." Duncan said urgently as he half drug Beth back inside
the villa.
Methos closed his eyes, savoring that last second when she had been the only
thing in his vision. He knew he would have to sever his relationship with her
because of the wretched existence he'd allowed himself to slip into when he
thought she had betrayed him. The memory of what he had lost flashed through
his mind even as the bolts of electricity flashed through his body. Rocks began
to slide and roll down the side of the mountain, and the balcony of the villa gave
way under the force of the Quickening. But the place where he stood did not
move and he was untouched by the destruction. At the height of it's force,
Methos felt his outstretched hand being gripped tightly by another, and he
clenched it strongly.
Inside, Beth's knees grew weak and Duncan lifted her in his arms and placed her
on the sofa. Her eyes closed, and her hand reached out … clasping her fingers
around something he couldn't see or understand. She appeared to be in another
place, and he wondered what was happening. "Beth! Beth! Are you all right?"
He asked as he shook her.
When she finally opened her eyes, a smile curved on her lips. "I am so all right."
She whispered.