Amanda danced with abandon at the small out-of-the-way club on London's Eastside. The music was loud, the crowd was raucous, and she could safely be lost here... alone here... anonymous here... Within the warm embrace of those who did not know her... she felt comfortable.
She had begun to notice, in the past few years, ever since the millennium had dawned, how seldom she ran into immortals these days... as if they who were so few as it was... were suddenly even fewer. Well, Amanda rationalized. It is the time of the Gathering!
It wasn't that her friends had suddenly disappeared so much as they had moved on with their lives. They had found other pursuits... other loves... other places to live. As had she.
Seeking a place she had not lived at, in well over half a century... she had returned to the land of her birth... and the city of London. As she had re-familiarized herself with the city... she'd been struck once more by just how much the city had changed since she'd been here last.
Amanda rented a flat in a well-regarded neighborhood... top floor... always, top floor. She'd searched long and hard for the perfect apartment... and had even dug into her emergency stash of funds to be certain she got it. It was absolutely perfect for her.
The floor-to-ceiling windows, letting in great light, had intricate iron-scroll grills that denied the chance of any easy access.
When she'd commented on them the agent had murmured, "When the owners lived here... they had small children. They loved opening the windows to let in the fresh air... but wanted the children to be safe."
Amanda had folded her sunglasses in her hands and tucked her left hand under her chin while she nodded pleasantly. The iron grills were a definite plus. If she got the place... she'd make certain they were sturdy and secure.
Meanwhile... the high medallion ceilings, the white-painted walls and woodwork, the old-fashioned gas range... Amanda had shivered in delight. "I don't know..." she'd said disinterestedly. It's so white... so old-fashioned... It would take some work."
"I'm certain we can reach an arrangement," the agent had said with a small smile of encouragement. Amanda could hear the pleading in the woman's voice. Amanda just loved working with very young agents. They were so dim and so eager to please.
The deal was struck... and Amanda had the flat of her dreams. White... furnished in ultra-modern chic... lots of black leather... lots of chrome... lots of open space.
And the club scene within the neighborhood was to die for!
There were no fewer than eight nightclubs catering to the young, the hip, and the beautiful. While Amanda was certainly not young... being close to twelve hundred years old, she was hip... and she was beautiful.
The music rose to a crescendo... and then stopped. The crowd on the dance floor groaned and applauded. Groaned because the band was taking a break. Applauded because they really were quite good.
"Back in twenty!" the lead singer mouthed into the mike... then waved as he and his mates headed off stage. Some techie hit the switch and recorded music blared from the speakers. Much of the crowd continued to dance... it was music... that was all they cared about.
Amanda threaded her way through the crowd toward the bar. "Jack... neat" she told the bartender and awaited her bourbon. Stirring her drink with the tiny red stir and sipping slowly she regarded the throng of club-hoppers.
She could feel someone here... but so far... no one had looked around with that startled look so many of the young ones had. Nor could she see anyone off to one side regarding the crowd in much the way she was. Yet... there was someone here.
Shrugging... Amanda set her drink on the bar and gathered her wrap. Flinging the black wool cape about her shoulders and feeling the comforting feel of her hidden blade, Amanda headed for the door. If there were someone here... perhaps he would follow her out into the London fog and make her acquaintance. She would be ready for him. Amanda assumed it was male... most of them were.
In the darkened street, Amanda paused at the head of a nearby alley... waiting... sensing... but no one followed. Could she have been mistaken? Surely not... Amanda was old enough to know when an immortal was about... and skilled enough to know how to either avoid or face them. Right now... she was interested in just who it was she had felt... and why he had not revealed himself.
Some fifteen minutes later, Amanda decided whoever it was... had not followed her. No longer in the mood for clubbing... despite the sounds of the live music emanating once more from the club... she headed home. It was only a few blocks... and she was armed. Amanda was most definitely armed.
***
Robert Sutton had struck gold! The fiery red-head he'd met at the club was practically attacking him as they drunkenly made their way to his flat.
Her tongue kept darting into his ear and her fingers slipped beneath his shirt in search of his chest. Those fingers didn't just caress... they pinched. God! He wanted her now... in the lift... he was so hot for her! They rolled from wall to wall. She leaped at him... wrapping those long leather-coated legs of hers about his waist. He thought she'd squeeze the life out of him as leaned into him, suddenly biting his lip and drawing blood.
"Mmm... little boy! Tastes good!" Her dark eyes seemed to widen in anticipation as she licked her lips with her tongue. Robert felt his need for her rise to fever pitch! Just how had he gotten so lucky!
The lift doors opened and he stumbled out onto his hallway, carrying her. He landed against the wall. She hopped down, grabbing his shirt into her fists and ripped. Laughing... she began to lick and bite his chest.
"My key... let me get my key!" Robert groaned as he fingered for his keys in his pocket. "My place... it's right here."
"Heh... heh... of course!" Her voice sounded oddly deeper. For a moment Robert could have sworn it was a man's voice he heard... Finally grasping his keys... he fumbled with them at the lock... all the while feeling her hands rubbing his back... his chest... his head... his...
Opening the door he flipped the switch, turning on the lights. She followed him in and stood for a moment silhouetted against the brighter light of the hallway. God she was gorgeous. Long flowing red-hair... brown eyes... creamy skin like mocha... clad in black leather tied with laces that only served to accentuate all the positives of her figure. She kicked the door shut behind her with one booted foot.
"So... we're here... my bedroom's this way!" Robert said lamely... suddenly not at all sure about the next move.
"Had an accident lately?" she asked oddly as she reached to turn out the lights. "Something happen to you that you can't quite explain? Did you wonder why you reacted so to me at the club... why you got all tingly?" She seemed to shiver in delight in the darkness.
And it was at that point that Robert thought he heard metal sliding along metal... that he thought he saw a flash of light from the outside neon lights reflected on something long and thin. It was the last thing he ever saw.
***
Kenny felt oddly sick. He sat with his knees drawn up to his chest on the floor of Robert Sutton's flat and tried to rub the taste of the man out of his mouth. Glancing at the mirror... Kenny could see the laughing face of Kane super-imposed of his own.
"What's the matter little boy... didn't you enjoy him!"
"I still don't see why I had to kiss him."
"Heh... heh... heh," Kurgan's face twisted over Kane's. "All the better to take his head!" The Kurgan seemed to laugh maniacally. Kenny held his hands over his ears and tried to made the laughter go away.
At first he'd been more in control. He'd let them help him and he'd managed to kill over twenty immortals in the past six months. But lately... they seemed to be growing stronger... more daring... more in control of the body the four of them shared. And Kenny found himself doing things that even he was ashamed of.
Taking the green Sutton's head had been fine. It was what he'd been compelled to do while within Kane's illusion that had bothered him. And this wasn't the first time. Kenny rubbed his mouth with his sleeve and shivered.
"Focus boy!" Kell's even tone drowned out the laughter of the others. "Sutton only became immortal recently. He did not know what he was. He's perfect for our plan."
"You mean your plan!" Kenny snapped at him.
"Our plan!" Kell insisted. "Practice is over. Our joint control is complete. We four now work together as a unit. We are ready to begin. You wanted Amanda... Now... with Robert Sutton's identity... we can get her. You will become her student... you will learn from her... and when the time is right... You will have her." Kell's reflection seemed to smile coldly. "And once we have Amanda..."
"MacLeod! We get MacLeod!" Kenny nodded, but he was still shaking in the aftermath of what he done this night. It had become all too easy to appear as what his victim most desired. It was child's play to show interest... to indicate desire. His control... even within the illusion had been perfect. Sutton never had a chance. His quickening had been pitiful, but it only served to grant Kenny even more power. But was it worth it? He was losing himself to these men!
"MacLeod!" shouted Kurgan loudly!
"MacLeod!" hissed Kane.
"MacLeod," Kell whispered.
Again and again the mantra of the three sounded within his mind until all thoughts of anything else were gone and there was only the name.
"MacLeod," the boy agreed, and leered at his own innocent reflection in the mirror.
Kenny curled into a ball on the floor of Robert Sutton's flat and closed his eyes. He'd get rid of the body tomorrow. Right now... he needed to sleep... and dream of all the things he would do with... Amanda.
***