AUTHOR'S WARNING!! Some violence but nothing nearly as bad as Chapter 70.

Chapter 77

Ian and Alisaunne headed as planned deep into the old French fortress. Reaching the inner room Doc... Methos... had told them to hide in, Ian told Alisaunne to get inside then he began closing the heavy wooden door. If Eleanor had delayed Nestor long enough... he could get it shut and the bolts thrown... then no one would get in. If she hadn't? Ian didn't want to consider it. He'd had only a brief glimpse of the nightmare, but it had been enough to firm up his resolve. He began shoving the heavy wooden door shut. He wished it were steel... but knew it should delay Nestor just long enough...

It was nearly closed when he felt his enemy on the far side of the door. The madman cackled as he slammed into the door with such a force that Ian was momentarily thrown backward. Instantly he shoved against the door again... but he'd lost the momentum. Already the door was inching back the other way.

Ian pushed with both hands. Alisaunne raced up to help him push... but her nearness seemed to further enrage the immortal attempting to gain entry. There was another massive thud as the door shot open just enough for Nestor to slip into the room.

Immediately Ian drew his sword, a one-handed broadsword and his revolver. He motioned Alisaunne back and behind him as he circled away from Nestor. There was nowhere to go... Nestor had gotten there too fast.

Nestor laughed and then casually backed against the door, kicking it shut. "Go ahead and kill me boy... I'll only get stronger. I'll be in you! And she'll still be mine." He reached behind him and threw the bolts as the door shut. Nestor laughed. "No way out... no way in... just us!" Even as he threw them... Ian heard the others arrive outside.

Ian fired at Nestor. "Maybe I can't take your head... but I can kill you!"

Nestor reacted to the shots... one after the other and dropped momentarily to his knees. He growled for a moment as he waved his own sword before him. Then he seemed to pull in to himself and rose upward with his arms wide. "That which does not kill you... only makes you stronger!" Already the bullet-holes were healing. Nestor glared at the young people and then ran at them, slicing with his scimitar and screaming loudly.

Ian backed up and fended off the strokes. Behind him he could hear Alisaunne scream. "Get back!" Ian yelled.

He had to delay the madman somehow until the others could get through the door. He had to protect her. Gradually though, he was losing ground. Back and back until he was against the wall. Ian dug within himself for all the strength and cunning he had accumulated in his two hundred years. He knew it wasn't enough... but maybe... just maybe... the others would break the door down in time. He could hear wood splintering in a few places... but the door was heavy and big. They might not be in time.

Ian suddenly realized that Alisaunne was no longer behind him... but to one side. His eyes locked onto Nestor's as he continued to feint and lunge attempting to keep the madman focused on him. Attempting to delay what he feared would be the inevitable.

Suddenly Nestor, as if bored, made a shifting move almost faster than the eye could follow. With the move... his scimitar sliced down on Ian's sword arm. Ian screamed as he saw his arm begin to fall away. His knees began to buckle beneath him... he had failed and the door was still between Methos and his friends and Nestor.

The madman stood over him only a moment with his sword raised and his eyes almost seeming to glitter in the darkness. "Sorry... can't put you out of your misery right now... all the more fun... you can watch." Nestor turned with a laugh and approached the screaming Alisaunne.

***

When Methos had sensed Eleanor's warning... he'd already had his cell phone ready. He hit MacLeod's number and raced down the stone stairs. "He's inside!" Methos shoved the phone into his pocket and leaped down from a parapet to the ground. He was momentarily delayed as his legs twisted beneath him. He felt the break, but knew it would heal quickly. He grimaced as he struggled to his feet and limped toward the center of the courtyard.

As Nestor had thrown Eleanor to one side, dying, Methos had known she was at least still in one piece. He was kicking himself mentally for having allowed her to be part of this... but he had to hope that she had delayed Nestor just enough. Already MacLeod and Phillip had hit the earth and were running after Nestor. Methos paused by Eleanor long enough to turn her over and pull the knife from her heart in hopes of speeding the healing. It always took her so long to come back, and this was the second death in as many days. He could sense nothing within her... nothing... no spark... no bare glimmer of quickening. His hand caressed the side of her face where Nestor had bitten her and torn her cheek wishing that he could somehow bring her back faster... give something of himself, so that she'd return more quickly. He whispered softly, "Return to me." He wanted to remain... but knew she'd be fine... she had to be. He grabbed her short sword and placed it in her hands... then swiftly followed MacLeod and Phillip.

Everything was going wrong!

Ahead of him he could hear MacLeod and Phillip cursing as they beat against the heavy door Methos had hoped would prevent Nestor from getting to the young people. Now... the madman was inside with Ian and Alisaunne... while Methos and his companions were the ones on the outside. .Methos groaned and raced to the implements he'd hidden in another room... just in case. He grabbed the axes and the huge mallet. Tossing the axes to the others Methos began swinging desperately against the door... feeling it splinter ever so slightly. He stepped back and the three of them took turns hacking away at the heavy door.

Inside... they could hear Alisaunne screaming.

***

Alisaunne held the Luger before her and screamed at Nestor to stop... to leave Ian alone. The gun shook in her hands... her palms were sweaty. Why hadn't Ian's shots stopped him? Was this guy on drugs? And he was so filthy... do disgusting. She'd had no idea what to expect and this was a nightmare... When he'd jumped into the classroom at Sacre' Coeur she'd barely seen him... but he hadn't seemed so disgusting... so ragged and filthy... just frightening. She'd run... but she was through running. Alisaunne squeezed the trigger and kept on squeezing until she could hear the empty clicks again and again.

As before, Nestor collapsed momentarily on one knee and seemed to focus on his injuries. As before, he leaped up again screaming triumphantly. Alisaunne thought she could sense a cold wind charged with electricity blow through the room.

Then he was on her. His breath was like rotten meat blowing into her mouth as he rammed himself against her. Alisaunne struggled as she pushed against him. She bit down on his lip and tongue in an effort to get him off of her. He pulled back and laughed. She spit the nasty taste of him out of her mouth.

"Ah my beauty... we are meant for one another."

"Never!"

He slammed her right hand against the wall and poised his knife above it. Leering at her he began to carve and slice at her hand and arm. Never had Alisaunne been in so much pain. She screamed in terror for him to stop.

He did so momentarily. She was aware he had sliced his own hand and now was rubbing it into hers while he began to lick her face once more... biting her as he did so.

Alisaunne's hand burned as though it were on fire. She closed her eyes and collapsed momentarily against the wall while he began slicing away at her clothes and making gashes on her everywhere. With her free hand she reached behind her for the small knife Ian had given her.

"It's not much... but maybe it will help," he'd said.

She grasped the handle and took a deep breath, sucking in the rotten stench that was Nestor. Certain of her move... she whipped her arm out and slammed the knife into his chest.

He stumbled back a moment... roaring in anger at the interruption.

Allisaunne launched herself toward Ian even as she knew the madman was pulling the knife out of his chest with an almost feral glee. His laughter rose in the darkness. "Oh... you are a treasure! What a pair we shall make!"

Behind her, Alisaunne heard the splintering of wood increase. Nestor turned as the three men finally broke in. The madman raised his hands as he faced them.

"It's too late... she is mine! Body and soul to the end of time! Kill me and I become you! Kill me and my power only grows!"

The three men hesitated as they circled. In their hands Alisaunne could see swords glinting in the darkness... catching the small glow of the security lights in the hallway outside. She drew herself up closely to Ian. He was breathing heavily and whispering about being so sorry. "Shhh!" she said. "It's not your fault." Her hands caressed his face and she lay against him. She was through sobbing... she was through screaming... she was through running. Hatred boiled up in her. Alisaunne's hands found the hilt of Ian's sword. She lifted it... He would not have her again!

"You..." Nestor said as he pointed to Duncan. "I don't know you... but I feel the darkness inside whispering to come out of you. You are like me. The darkness is still there. Kill me and you know the fate that awaits you. Phillip... student... teacher... friend... betrayer... lover. Kill me now and all your skills are mine. And you..." Nestor pointed to the man Alisaunne knew as the doctor. His voice was an accusation. "Once the world trembled at your passing and now what are you... Nothing! You are no one. But kill me... and reclaim your lost past." He threw wide his arms as he laughed. "Is this the force arrayed against me this time? How your numbers have dwindled! You are pathetic!"

Ian's sword slammed into Nestor's back and erupted through his chest. He gasped and turned meeting Alisaunne's blazing eyes as he fell, "Now who's pathetic, you piece of shit!" she spit at him and stepped back to watch as he crumpled to the floor. She kicked him and spat at his dead form. Then, with as much dignity as she could muster... she pulled the remnants of her clothing about her and turned to kneel once more at Ian's side.

Behind her she heard him roar and struggle once more. Fearfully she looked back and saw Duncan, the Doctor, and the other man thrust their swords into Nestor's body again and again. Then Duncan's companion... (did Nestor call him Phillip?)... began to drag him out of the room. The doctor made a phone call on his cell phone. "We have him... come on in," he said quietly then met Alisaunne's gaze apologetically. Shame-faced he followed Phillip out of the room.

Duncan knelt at her side... quickly throwing his jacket about her shoulders. Alisaunne shrugged it off and bent down to kiss Ian. "Next time Ian Daffyd, I want a real date... I didn't care for this one!"

Ian laughed shakily through his pain. "Ah... Alisaunne de Pres... you do have a gift for understatement."

She laughed then... but it was a nervous laughter as the shock of everything began to hit her. Once more she felt Duncan's light touch on her shoulders as he tried to comfort her and once more she shuddered, shaking him off. "Go away... I can't bear you here now."

""Stay here... no matter what you might hear or see... Stay in here. Keep her here." Duncan rose and left.

"Your poor arm," she reached for his arm and then saw he was holding it as if it were still attached. She could almost make out the blood pouring out of the wound. Ian's left hand was over the slice as if somehow the arm would be whole once more if he just held it together.

Behind her someone flipped a switch and the lights in the room's display cases came on. While it was still dim in here, she could see Ian much better. Though his face was drawn and pale, and pinched in pain... his eyes looked at her with a touch of amusement. "It'll be fine... it's not so bad."

A pale and shaking Eleanor knelt beside them. Alisaunne was glad the tiny woman still lived, she'd been worried about her. Filled with curiosity, the girl touched the blood on Eleanor's dark shirt. The woman flinched, "I'm fine." But Alisaunne saw the hideous bite and bruise on her face. "Let me take a look at that Ian," the woman said.

Ian lifted his left hand from the cut and nodded. "I almost have feeling back in the hand." He wiggled his fingers slightly, a grimace across his face as he did so. "Hurts like hell, though."

Alisaunne gasped as she realized that the arm was re-attached. Somehow... Ian's holding it back was helping it to heal. "You're like me..." she said. "You heal when hurt."

Surprised, Ian and Eleanor both stared at her, questions in their eyes. Eleanor wiped at some of the blood on the girl and stared at the smooth skin beneath.

"Uncle Jacques told me never to let anyone know. From the time I was very small, I knew I healed if I were hurt. He told me to keep it a secret." She held out her palm where Nestor had sliced it. "He didn't know... He thought I was helpless. But I wasn't... I... wasn't..." Suddenly she began to sob. "I couldn't stop him... I couldn't stop him."

Eleanor put her arms about her and held her, rocking her slowly back and forth as if she were a small child, frightened by a nightmare. "I know... I know."

Alisaunne wept as though the world were ending. Suddenly she wondered if she would ever breathe fresh air again or be able to close her eyes and not feel Nestor on her. She wailed into the night.