Chapter 27

Tunis

Alisaunne struggled through the nightmare. Once more she was lost in a suffocating stench of sewage and rot. Once more she felt the harsh feel of ghostly hands… stroking her… a tongue licking her… teeth biting her… she could hear moans of pleasure as something spent itself against her… and she was powerless to prevent it.

She struggled away… aware that she tasted blood in her mouth… "Must have bit my tongue," she thought… aware that she felt as violated as she did most nights she had the dream. She swung her legs out of the bed as she grabbed a robe and padded silently down the hall… hoping she hadn't awakened Ian.

She entered the small kitchen and stood with the refrigerator door open… just staring at what was there. Alisaunne closed her eyes and reveled in the feel of cold air. A light switched on. Looking up she saw Duncan.

"Sorry… I couldn't sleep," she murmured, reaching to get a beer. "Want one?"

Duncan settled into a chair. "Sure… sounds good."

Alisaunne grabbed two, handing one to Duncan as she settled into the other chair. She pulled the robe around her… tying the sash. "I had another dream."

"I thought as much when I heard you in the hall. Do you want to talk about it."

"Nothing to talk about. It's the same as always. I can't tell if it's my memory of the attack or something else. All I know is it feels real. You wanted me to tell you when I had the dreams. So I'm telling you." Alisaunne shifted uncomfortably in the chair. She picked up the beer and stared at it soberly… then set it down. "When does it end, Duncan? When does it go away so I can move on with my life?"

"I don't know. I wish I knew someone you could talk to about some of this… but I don't. Not any more."

"What was he… a psychiatrist for immortals?"

Duncan stared at her sadly… then nodded. "As a matter of fact… he was."

"And someone killed him. They challenged him and took his head… and killed him for no more reason that that there is some game we have to play… and the winner takes his enemy's head."

Duncan reached for the beer, opened it and drank half of it down. "Yes," he finally said hoarsely… as if the memory were something still too painful to acknowledge.

"I'm sorry Duncan… it's just sometimes I find this whole concept of kill or be killed obscene." She leaned her elbows on the table and placed her head in her upraised hands. "It all still sounds like some nightmare from another day and age." She looked at him levelly. "Why does it have to be this way? What if we just say… no… I won't… and walk away? Has it ever been tried? I mean really tried?"

Duncan considered the beer thoughtfully. "Several times… but those who advocated change were usually the first to die."

"So we have to be ready."

Duncan nodded.

"And I have to go kill a man today."

Again Duncan nodded… but he refused to meet her gaze. "I have to be certain, Alisaunne that you can do this. Normally I wouldn't advocate your seeking any immortal's head if it could be avoided… but I need to know you can take the final swing if you need to."

"And you think Ahmoud Hassan is the one I need to kill." Alisaunne's voice was flat.

Duncan polished off the beer and set the empty bottle on the table. "He's older than you… but he's not greatly experienced. He has taken a few heads… but not lately."

Alisaunne continued for him. "Lately he's been working with a terrorist cell and planting bombs." She grimaced. "He's a bad person. He kills mortals with little regard for anyone's safety. I did read the file. Ian's reports were most thorough." She sat back dejectedly… once more fingering her as yet untouched beer. "But do I have the right to judge his actions?"

"He's a thief and a murderer Alisaunne."

"But does he deserve death? Is he worth my risking my life? I wonder!" She opened the beer and downed the entire bottle in a single gulp. Her shoulders shivered. "I don't know if I can do this."

Duncan rose slowly and turned to leave. He paused at the door. "If you're not ready… then you're not ready. Only you know the answer to that for certain. I'm not making you go… but one day you will have to enter the game… You won't have a choice… either in walking away… or in the time, the place, and the opponent. I fear you will wonder if you can take that final stroke. I'd rather you do it now… with an opponent I feel comfortable that you can beat. Once this is over… you'll be ready to be on your own… live whatever life you want to try for. Create a new identity… go wherever you want. But until you can do this… you need to stay here." He paused… a small smile playing across his lips and his tone lightened. "But I think you're ready… you are more than ready." He left her then.

Alisaunne gathered both bottles and carefully placed them in the recycling bin. Turning out the light… she returned to her room, dropped her robe to the floor, and crawled into bed next to Ian. Snuggling up against his warm skin she let her hands drift over his lean body until he began to respond to her touch.

"I love waking up to you," he murmured sleepily. "Is it morning?"

"Not yet… but I don't want to waste this night sleeping." She hungrily found his mouth… darting her tongue teasingly into his mouth and then pulling aside to kiss his cheek and blow in his ear. All the while her hands stroked up and down him until he responded with a groan. Then he reached for her… as hungry for her… as she was for him.

As the sun rose… sometime later… Alisaunne lay curled in Ian's embrace. "I'm frightened… what's it like?"

"It's wonderful and scary and filled with glory and pain."

"And you've done this."

"Three times. I spent most of my time at Ste. Genevieve… but I'd taken two before I found my way there."

"And the third." She stretched next to him… once more running her fingers along his chest.

"While I was with you in Paris… well… not with you at the time… You were in class." He laughed as her hand ran teasingly along the inside of his thigh. "Are you ever satisfied?"

"No… I will always want more…"

"Then lass… I shall endeavor to keep you happy." He rolled onto her and began to rain kisses on her. Letting his tongue speak for him… as his kisses slowly made their way down her body. Finally satisfied that she was ready… he entered her… wondering how it was that he, Ian Daffyd, had been so lucky as to win the love of the most wonderful girl he'd ever met.

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In his room… Duncan MacLeod had not returned to bed. Instead… he sat in his desk chair staring at the computer game on his old laptop. It was the only thing on there now. He'd erased everything else or transferred it to a newer model… but this he left here… fearful that if he messed it up in trying to transfer it to something smaller… he'd lose it. Besides… it was an old friend. If he'd hoped years ago at Waterloo that Derrick would know what they were looking for… and where to find it… he'd been disappointed. The boy knew nothing apparently… at least not then… nothing about where either the research… or another clue might be hidden.

With time… the boy might recall. Duncan flipped a few more pages… turning them… left… right… upside down… inside out… seeking a relationship with any of the others. It had been years since he'd last made any real progress… as though the game was sentient and waited for the proper moment to reveal itself. Derrick had some of Darius' memories… this Duncan knew… but the boy was still a boy… confused and frightened by much that he seemed to know and not know.

Derrick needed time. Duncan… had agreed to give him time. For the chance to re-meet and re-acquaint himself with his Ancient friend… even as only memories reborn into a small boy… Duncan would do whatever he needed to do. Derrick needed time to grow up… Duncan was providing it by watching over Alisaunne… first as she finished her mortal existence… and now… as she began her immortal life. He'd dedicated himself to training her… to the exclusion of all else.

At first, he'd considered contacting Phillip about training her… but Alisaunne did not know Phillip… not really… so Duncan had kept her with him. He had asked the Greek to keep an eye on Amanda and those at the convent.

Duncan shut the computer off and opened a drawer… pulling out an old leather wallet. He seldom carried it now unless he needed to. Opening it… he saw first the faded snapshot of Tessa. She was standing before one of her pieces… smiling into the camera… her eyes filled with love. Duncan had been holding the camera. Sadly his thumb caressed the fading image of her face. But she was his past. Tessa was mortal… Tessa was dead. He could not cling to her memory in the vain hope of finding her again.

He dug deeper and pulled out a strip of black and white photos taken at one of those boardwalk instant camera booths. He and Amanda had gone there one afternoon when they'd been together… long before she'd met Nick Wolfe. In the first three pictures the two of them mugged at the camera… sticking out tongues, crossing eyes, holding fingers up behind one another's heads. He unfolded the strip. In the fourth one Amanda stared into the camera thoughtfully… behind her, he was staring at her… as if seeing her for the first time. In the last picture… he was kissing her. If Duncan closed his eyes… he could still feel that kiss… True… afterwards… they'd started joking around again… but for that one moment… their entire existence and relationship had been caught up in that one kiss.

Duncan replaced the photos as he closed the wallet… returning it to the drawer. He'd failed Amanda. He'd run out on her when she needed him. Alisaunne's rebirth and training were too important to just hand off. Ian couldn't teach her… that much was certainly true in the last year once she had outstripped his abilities. She had a gift for the blade that few of their kind had. But Duncan needed to know that she could take the final stroke.

Phillip was likely at Ste. Genevieve. Amanda wasn't alone… but Duncan still felt guilt that he hadn't raced to her side… that he wasn't there for her to rely on. Once Alisaunne had taken her first head… Duncan planned on returning to Europe. He missed Amanda… he wanted to be with her… even if that meant they lived at the convent. He wanted her in his life… and he would do whatever it would take for her to accept him there. He was weary of being alone. Besides… he knew he needed to get away from Alisaunne and Ian… especially from Alisaunne.

Down the hall he could hear the sounds of Ian and Alisaunne making love. Several times in the past few years… he'd found himself considering sending Ian on some errand that might cost the young man his head. Then, Duncan had thought, he could comfort Alisaunne… Thankfully it had never been more than an idle thought. That he wanted her… that he wanted her to want him… Duncan admitted only to himself. There was something about the young woman that made him want to turn loose his darkest desires, and just take her. It was only his love for Amanda and his basic sense of honor that had stopped him. But at times like this… Duncan truly wished he weren't alone.

For a moment he considered his wild side… the one who truly enjoyed just jetting about the world and taking beautiful and remarkable women to his bed… women who were content to be with him once and then let him go. For a moment Duncan considered the last woman he'd had… the remarkably gifted Meaghann Reilly. Even now… his body longed to respond to things she'd done. But he hadn't loved Meaghann… indeed… he hadn't truly known her. She had just been one for the evening. Yet even now… the memory of her remained with him. Perhaps before going to Ste. Genevieve… he'd look up Meaghann first… or someone like her.

Through the fretted window… Duncan could see dawn break in the east and hear the sounds of daily life returning to Tunis. Perhaps as early as tonight… he'd be on a plane to France… back to his life… He hoped so… he truly hoped so.