*8*
When she felt an immortal at her door... and thinking it had to be MacLeod... Amanda eagerly opened her door with a cheery expression. After the other night, Duncan had chosen not to return here. She had not seen him since, evidently feeling she needed and wanted to concentrate on Robert. He was right, of course, she did need to concentrate on Robert; but she truly hadn't meant to drive Duncan away.
But it wasn't Duncan.
"Robert? What are you doing here? How did you find where I lived?" Amanda had always carefully met Robert on neutral ground. She wasn't a fool and knew that any immortal knowing too much about her and her habits was a very bad idea.
"Don't be angry!" The young man's eyes pleaded for her patience and understanding. "I followed you one night... Just to be certain you were safe. I didn't want anything to happen to you."
"How... sweet!" Amanda let out a long breath... uncertain for the first time since finding Robert as to what her next move should be. She did not wish to invite him in... nor give him the wrong idea about how she felt. But neither did she wish to just send him away. In the end, Amanda stood aside and motioned him into her apartment. "I'm still decorating... it's not finished yet," she apologized as she closed the door behind her. "I don't even have any wine to offer." It was true. She'd spent most of her time clubbing and then training Robert... that fixing this place up... once something she had been eager to do... had fallen by the wayside.
"I didn't come for wine." Robert gazed at her with the saddest big brown eyes she thought she had ever seen. "I'm afraid to be with anyone right now... talk to anyone... I'm afraid I'll blurt everything out. I'm so lonely."
Amanda lay one hand on either side of Robert's face... and gave him her most sparkling look of sympathy. "I'm sorry... I suppose all of this is hard for you. I've been immortal so long... I sometimes forget what a shock it can be."
Robert nodded. He hung his head as he backed away slowly. "It's just... I'm not even certain anymore if I can really do normal things. I go to work and think--I shouldn't be here! I lunch with co-workers or friends and think--What would they say? How would they react if I told them? Amanda... I need to really talk with someone and you are the only person I can trust."
Amanda blushed with a smile. Self-conscious in Robert's adoring gaze, she crossed her arms over her chest and then reached up to curl a short wisp of her dark hair about her finger. She felt warm inside. It had been a long time since any man had looked at her with such an expression of utter devotion. "Robert..." she began, and then paused, obviously considering her next words carefully. "I'm truly touched... but..."
Robert's eyes glared a moment as he interrupted her. "But what? You're too old for me?"
"Well I am... but what I was going to say..."
"I'm not a child!" As if this were somehow important... Robert reached forward and pulled Amanda into an embrace. He kissed her harshly... as if by somehow forcing the issue... she would respond to him.
Amanda struggled free... surprised at the desperation in that kiss and the tight hold he'd had on her arms... He'd bruised her... she was certain. "Look kid..." Amanda's tone was more harsh than she'd intended... but he'd startled her. "I want to make this clear. You're my student. I'll teach you how to survive... but that's as far as it goes."
"It's MacLeod... isn't it! You're hung up on MacLeod!"
"Duncan and I are very old friends. Anything else is not your business. Now I think you'd better leave!" Amanda backed toward the door... suddenly feeling that being alone with the young man in her apartment was not a good idea. She reached for the doorknob.
Robert lunged at her suddenly... pulling her towards him. Once more his hands groped her as his mouth sealed itself to hers... his tongue forcing its way between her teeth. Amanda bit down... hard.
Robert gave a startled cry and backed away. For a moment, Amanda saw blood on his mouth. Then his expression darkened. "That was a mistake," a gravely voice sounded.
Amanda backed away... now more than ever concerned about his presence here.
Robert lunged at the door... beating her to it and throwing the bolt. "Oh my," a clicking, hissing voice said, "locked in here with me. Whatever shall we do?"
Amanda glanced briefly at her sword lying atop her coat on the sofa. Then she focused her attention on Robert. "Well... I'm certain we could order champagne from the pub on the corner and think of... something," she teased and stood a little more provocatively as she smiled and batted her eyes. Anything to get closer to her sword. If he thought she might respond, perhaps he'd make a mistake. Obviously, Amanda had missed something about Robert Sutton, some mental defect that his new immortality had brought to a head, perhaps?
He stepped closer to her and sneered, one hand caressing her face and then traveling down her neck... pausing... before continuing along one breast. He squeezed, pinching her between his thumb and forefinger. "What makes you think you have anything to offer. You are a whore who sells herself to any man to survive."
Amanda's eyes widened at the bitterness of his voice. She smiled. "Well," Amanda said lightly and shifted slightly closer as her voice took on a teasing tone, "we do what we have to, in order to survive." Amanda raised one knee to connect solidly with his groin.
He flinched and reached down in pain.
Swiftly she pivoted, grasping her sword in her turn and continuing around so that she faced him once more... both her hands on the blade now leveled at Robert Sutton.
He threw back his head and laughed... a great, deep and mighty roar. "Oh I will so enjoy you!" Something shifted about him... he seemed taller... deadlier... more dangerous. In his hands the saber flashed as he struck.
Amanda parried the blade and moved back. Neither she nor Duncan had taught him that move. He crouched and began to circle... slowly to his left... and then feinted right before striking from the left once more.
Amanda met his stroke and swiftly countered with two more as she attempted to work him backwards. He retreated and then seemed to just move... faster than she'd thought possible off to her right. His saber raised in a killing stroke. Amanda ducked... grabbing a halogen floor lamp as she did so... and turning back to face him as the lamp crashed to a floor sending sparks up.
In the momentary glow of the sparks.... Amanda could swear she'd seen a startled Kenny. If only she could get to the door. For a moment she considered the windows... She could jump... but she'd had the grates on them fixed... it would take as long if not longer to undo a grate as it would to unbolt the door. She'd made this apartment safe from intruders... but she'd never considered that she might have made it impervious to her own quick escape.
Robert laughed and then lunged at her again. Amanda feinted to her right and then feinted once more further to the right... then struck to the left... feeling her blade slash deeply into his sword-arm. He laughed, and Amanda felt a blow on the side of her head. She retreated as she shook her head, realizing his arm was uninjured.
"Oh my pretty... you do play rough! Too bad we never had the chance to meet... You might have proven interesting for a night... or maybe two!" The deep rough voice had returned.
"We could have been so good together, Amanda! All you had to do was love me!" Robert's voice now sounded once more like an angry child who'd been denied a treat.
"I bet you give it up for MacLeod," the voice now hissed.
Amanda gulped in air and steadied her sword in both her hands. However he was doing this... however he was being there and not there... he still had to be there... in the middle... or maybe... Amanda heard a breath on her right... not much... just a small whistle of air. She didn't dare close her eyes as she circled... but she concentrated on the low whistle... the almost imperceptible feel of warm breath... just... to her right... close... as if ready to blow in her ear. Amanda shifted the sword in her hands, striking suddenly towards the air on her right.
"Damn!" He was bent over and pulling away from her blade as he glared at her. "That hurt." It was the mocking, bitter voice.
Amanda tried to rain down blows on him before he could recover... but she was no longer certain if the Robert she saw was there. Was she fighting only a phantom while the real Robert Sutton was off to one side recovering?
Amanda backed away... from the Robert before her... once more listening for any tell-tale breathing or noise that might indicate he was somewhere else... somewhere closer. Outside... she could feel another immortal arriving. Reinforcements? Or MacLeod? A footstep sounded to her left. Amanda turned... letting gravity do the work and sliced down on what she hoped was his neck. She could feel the sword's resistance as it passed through something and then heard something fall.
He laughed! Amanda turned. "Gotcha!" he said... no longer looking anything like Robert Sutton. Amanda's eyes widened as she felt his blade enter her chest. On the far side of the door... she could hear MacLeod's voice calling, "Amanda!"
Robert or whoever he was pulled the sword from her chest. Amanda wavered... tasting blood. One hand caressed her face. "You should have loved me Amanda... just once... just once." For a moment Amanda saw Kenny's blue-gray eyes peering at her through his shaggy blonde hair. "We could have been so good together." he kissed her... softly... sadly.
Amanda pulled away, struggling to stay on her feet. The pain and the darkness were both rising. She could hear MacLeod crashing on the door... trying to break in. For a moment Amanda looked sadly at her former student... not certain if this was truly him... She lifted her sword... only to see it sheared away by Kenny's stroke. It clattered to the floor.
Amanda could hear wood splintering. She closed her eyes and fell towards the image of Kenny... surprised that she actually felt him attempt to hold her up as she fell... "Always be a surprise!" Rebecca had told her. Well... this had to be a surprise as Amanda tried to reach out around Kenny and hug him tightly to her as she fell, forcing him to the floor beneath her.
***
Angrily Duncan pounded on Amanda's door. Beside him... Amber began hacking at the wood with a throwing ax she'd pulled from her coat.
Duncan grabbed it from her and with his greater strength began to make progress as the wood splintered.
From down the stairs... another tenant was calling up at them... something about calling the police. Duncan screamed Amanda's name once more... fearful that as with Claudia... he was too late.
As the door gave way before his impassioned assault, Duncan forced himself through the door, followed by Amber.
He saw Amanda's huddled form on the floor... Cautiously he looked around... certain someone else had to be here. "He's still here Amber... be on guard!" Duncan called out... pivoting left and right... glad to see the girl doing the same. He reached down toward Amanda. She was dead... but still intact. Carefully he performed a series of moves above her... making certain no sword could reach her.
Amber nodded... catching his eye. She stepped closer to Amanda's body and began the same moves... allowing Duncan to turn his attention to the rest of the room. He kept Amber at his back as he raised his katana above his head... waiting.
Something shifted in the light... then he heard footsteps heading down the stairs. "He's on the move! Stay here! Take care of Amanda!" Duncan launched himself through the splintered door and down the stairs.
Amber watched him go... then relaxed her stance over Amanda.
"In the end... there can be only one!" she seemed to hear Connor telling her as he had done so, long ago. "It's not wrong to take advantage of an opponent's weakness or momentary failure. Use them to insure your own survival!"
Amber shifted her blade in her hands and sighed. "I rather think I like Duncan's view of immortal friends more than yours Connor. I think I'll pass on the moment... even if someday she comes for me... I think I'll pass." Amber knelt next to Amanda's body. Laying her sword on the floor... she pulled the immortal into her lap and waited. Already she could sense Amanda's imminent return.
Amber gazed out through the splintered door... hoping the Highlander would be able to find and finish his elusive immortal quarry.