Chapter 34
Over the objections of Valeraine... Nick had taken both his charges to Liam Riley and to holy ground.
Last night... when the explosion had rocked the city, Nick had decided to check it out. He'd already spent all afternoon using Burt's contacts to get inside information on the "Paris Slasher" as the media were calling the unknown attacker. Since Maillot had been beheaded... Nick thought it reasonable that an immortal was involved... but the rather public manner of the man's... and Nick was assuming it was a male... activities worried him.
Nick had sided with Marie-France on the women's returning to their convent... but Valeraine had made a valid point. What was to prevent the immortal from attacking them on their way? Or in the women's leading him to a place where their defenses were few? So Nick had contacted Liam and arranged to leave Marie-France and Val with him on holy ground. "Safest place I can think of right now," he mumbled over Val's insistence on accompanying him.
"I don't need to cower!" She'd stamped that foot of hers and pouted. "I can fight... I'm good... I can help!"
"You can get yourself killed!" Nick had retorted angrily... and then he'd continued softly, "Please Val... you can protect Liam and Marie-France. I need to be certain someone is watching them... guarding them."
In the end, Val had agreed... but she was most definitely not happy about remaining behind.
Marie-France had smiled and whispered her thanks to Nick, even as she drew Val close to her and draped a protective arm about the girl's shoulders, rubbing them gently in a friendly caress.
With dawn, Nick had learned the address of the explosion... and had realized that the old historian Cassius was dead. He'd tried to get access to the site to do some detective work... but those avenues of exploration appeared closed. Finally, he'd gone to Sanctuary to mull things over with Burt. As Amanda had years ago, Burt lived in the upstairs apartment over the nightclub. They'd settled in at the closed bar to study what evidence they did have and had already been through three pots of coffee when Nick felt the unmistakable tingling of an approaching immortal. Nick had stiffened fully expecting to see Val walk in against his explicit orders... instead... it was someone else.
"Amanda!" Burt's voice rang out. He stepped out from behind the bar and opened his arms in a wide embrace toward the comely thief. As he reached her, she pulled off the expensive sunglasses and extended her cheek for a brief peck. "Welcome back to Paris... How are you!" Burt kissed one cheek and then the other. He stood back with his hands gently holding hers and grinned warmly.
Amanda as usual was dressed in her signature black. She wore a tight black sheath with a square neckline and a lightweight black calf-length coat made of the same material. Black calf-high boots completed her ensemble except for the royal blue chiffon scarf wrapped about her head and neck... Amanda looked as if she might have stepped from the pages of a fashion magazine.
"Is there something different about you?" teased Burt.
"My hair... it's black again." Amanda patted the side of her head and smiled. Over his shoulder she stared somberly toward Nick. "Hello Nick... miss me?"
"Hardly!" Nick snorted taking another sip of his coffee.
Trying to smooth things over, and painfully aware that something wasn't right between those two, Burt motioned to Amanda to take a seat.
Amanda casually loosened the scarf from about her head... letting it drape about her shoulders... as she did so... Burt noticed that the lining of her black coat was the same royal blue. He smiled at the careful air of elegance she projected as she turned about seeming to admire the bar.
"I like what you've done."
"Well... it's been a labor of love. I have really enjoyed this little business venture you sold me. So... what brings you back to town."
Amanda carefully glided onto a barstool and leaned back on against the bar on her elbows... she still held the sunglasses in one hand. "Just passing through. I didn't really expect you to be open... or anyone here this early... before lunch."
"You mean you didn't expect me to be here," Nick grumbled.
"Truthfully? No... I didn't..." Amanda's voice took on a cold, clipped tone.
Burt shook his head at the two of them. "You know... whatever it is that you two are arguing about... maybe you should go somewhere and hash it out."
Nick turned toward her and grinned, slightly arching an eyebrow. "Maybe that would be a good idea."
"Nick..." Amanda's voice at once seemed hurt and teasing. "You wound me... Perhaps we should just let bygones be bygones." She had bitten on the edge of her sunglasses with an impish grin. As Nick snorted once more, Amanda shrugged and smiled at Burt. "So... what's so important that I find the two of you thick as thieves... no insult intended..."
"None taken," replied Burt.
"Busy pouring over things so early in the day."
"Last night's explosion..." began the bar owner.
"Yes," Amanda nodded, "I heard it go off about the time I hit town last night." She shrugged. "Some random terrorist violence?"
"Apparently not... police think the Slasher was involved."
"Slasher?"
Nick was the one who replied. "Some idiot's been running around Paris slicing off people's heads."
Amanda's eyes widened in the sudden understanding. "Anyone we know?"
"David Maillot?"
Amanda's breath caught in her throat with a slight gasp. "Really?"
Burt nodded, "He's the only one I think Nick knew... but here are the papers." He pushed a pile of newspapers across the bar toward her.
After glancing through the specifics... Amanda shook her head. "Imbecile!" Her eyes met Nick's. "Maybe you're right... Maybe we do need to take a walk and discuss some things."
Nick nodded. "Can I drop you somewhere or do you have your car with you?"
"I walked over from a place I have..." she let her voice drift. "But if someone is hunting the streets of Paris... perhaps a drive home by a handsome protector would be nice."
Burt nodded, "Beats being alone right now."
Nick set his coffee my down. "Let's go." He strode out the door without a backward glance.
Amanda donned her sunglasses and adjusted her chiffon scarf over her head, wrapping it once more about her neck before tossing the long ends so that they fell behind her. "Obviously my cue to leave."
"Don't be a stranger!" Burt called as she left. Amanda waved one hand but did not turn to bid him adieu!
Once outside, Nick turned on her and growled, "Let's get this straight... I don't like you... I don't care about you... I really don't want anything to do with you... not anymore."
Amanda nodded. "Fine... I'll walk home." She started off down the street only to be restrained by Nick's hand. Angrily she twisted it off with long years of practice... but even as she did so... she seemed to regret the action. She let him go and backed off. "Sorry... force of habit."
"Amanda... there's a maniac out there killing us. That explosion last night was to cover up another death... one of us."
Amanda eyed him evenly. "Who?"
"An old Roman I met recently... Cassius Marcellus."
"Cassius? He's harmless... He's rather sweet in fact... Why would anyone want his head?"
"Because there can be only one," Nick said flatly.
"Oh."
"Did you forget that?"
"No..." Amanda folded her arms before her and shifted her weight to one side. "It's just that... Cassius has always been this sweet old man who listened to stories and never made judgments. He was never really in the game. He just was."
"Well they pulled a charred corpse out of the shell of his house early this morning... minus a head."
"I take it Burt still doesn't know..." her voice drifted off.
"No... and I really wish you wouldn't hang around here. Leave Paris Amanda... don't stay... not now." Nick wasn't certain why he cared... but he did... and that surprised him. But then... several things had surprised him recently.
"I take it you're trying to find out who is doing the killing?" Amanda asked. "Are you certain I can't help?"
"I don't need your help."
"I know people, Nick... other immortals in Paris who might be able to help. Hell! They are likely trying to find out the same things you are."
"Stay out of it Amanda. This one is mine... I owe David that much." Even as he said it, Nick realized that for the first time since becoming an immortal... he really did want to kill someone... take a head... feel the power of the quickening as it coursed through him. Oh, he'd taken a few heads... to survive... but he had never hunted one with the determination that even now was firming his resolve. David Maillot had not been his friend... but he had been his teacher. He had only just met Cassius Marcellus... but he'd eagerly hoped to see him again... talk to him... learn from him... tell him his story. Now... that would never happen.
"Fine... I was on my way to London, anyway!" Amanda turned sharply and headed once more up the street. Nick watched her go... and hoped she'd leave town... for her sake... for his. He turned sharply as he sensed someone behind him... but the feeling faded... and he saw no one there.
