Author's Note: I'm loading a second chapter for readers today. Hope you get the chance to read and enjoy both. Let me know what you think... I live for feedback! --elle

Chapter 41

Paris

Derrick scratched at his bandaged arm. It burned and was hurting again.

"Don't do that." Ellie stirred her salad and eyed him across the table. "Leave it alone Derrick… you'll tear the stitches loose."

"It hurts."

"I know that." She laid her fork down to regard him seriously. "I am so sorry about hurting you. You cannot believe how badly I feel about it. But stop scratching at it. You'll only make it worse."

Derrick slouched in the chair at the outdoor cafe and picked at his sandwich with his left hand… his uninjured arm. After Ellie had sewn his arm up and properly bandaged it, she'd let him rest for a bit before insisting they get out of the grove for a while.

"Some fresh air and a proper meal," she'd said with a teasing smile. "I sometimes forget about those things."

"What was going on with you," he'd asked as they'd re-hidden the key in the church and headed down the street. "You had me worried… Other than the night before we left home… I've never seen you like that."

Ellie shrugged, "I was dreaming Derrick. For a moment I was with Adam… I truly was. For the first time since he left… I truly was, and then I heard you… felt you and I just lashed out. I am truly sorry. I didn't clearly know it was you… it was all so very confusing at the moment. I kept sensing some great danger."

"From me?"

She'd shaken her head then. "No… not from you… but from someone with him. As I said… it was all very confusing."

"So do you know where he is now?"

Her shoulders had sagged with dejection. "No," she whispered… "It was just for a moment and it was so surprising… I don't think either of us was actively searching for the other… we just somehow touched for a moment… and then it was gone."

Now… sitting over the meal, Derrick found he was no longer hungry… nor was he happy to be out on the street. He had that feeling he'd often had when younger… that someone was watching him… someone who would harm him if he could. He began staring around them at the faces of those in the area… his gaze finally landing on a man across the street… staring at them.

"Don't stare at him," Ellie murmured.

"But who is he?"

"I don't know. He walked by some time ago, sensed me, crossed the street and has been staring at us for some time," she said casually as she ate another bite of her salad.

Derrick looked once more at the man and then looked away. The man had been staring right at him. "I'm not hungry anymore."

"I know." Ellie pushed her salad away and signaled for the waitress. After paying the check, the two left the cafe and sauntered casually down the street… far more casually than either of them likely felt. Ellie slipped an arm into his and held him tightly.

"You will stay out of this, Derrick. If it comes to a challenge, do nothing. I have to be able to concentrate."

Derrick nodded. "I understand… but are you certain I can't help in some way?"

"No," Ellie glared at him and then shook her head. "Stay back out of the way." She turned into the gardens heading for the maze where they'd be out of sight of any passing mortals. A glance behind them showed Derrick that the strange immortal was definitely following them. Again he met Derrick's gaze with a dark glare. Derrick swallowed and looked away.

"He thinks it's me he feels… He's looking at me."

"He doesn't feel you Derrick. You're not immortal. He's looking at you because you keep turning to stare at him. Now stop that. I can sense where he is… I'll deal with him." Ellie's tone was harsh. There was a dark tone in her voice that Derrick had never before heard.

Once within the maze she pushed Derrick behind her and waited. He could see her stretching and limbering up. When he'd been very small… he'd seen this behavior in her… and had never understood. Although when he'd been small… she usually had kept going… seldom stopping to meet the other immortals they encountered… passing swiftly by as if running from them was all there was. Ellie wasn't running this time… Derrick stood quietly where she indicated and waited.

-----

Byron Delano had been ready to move on. Indeed… he should have left Paris before this… but something… perhaps his hopes at finding the immortal whose presence had tickled at his and drawn him to the French capitol… whose feel was compelling in its intensity, had kept him here. Then he'd sensed the other.

Passing that cafe he'd almost staggered at the strength and nearness of that other presence. Crossing the street… he'd waited… watching the patrons and attempting to figure out who it was. If he waited long enough… he'd figure it out. Then a tall young man had finally looked at him… stared at him momentarily. Bingo… that had to be him. Oddly… Byron noticed the young man's right arm appeared bandaged and wondered if it was some sort of camouflage… an attempt to seem mortal. He waited. He wanted to meet this immortal.

When the young man and his female companion left… Byron followed. He did not care if they knew he was here. He closed in… determined to meet him… talk to him. When they turned in to the gardens… Delano smiled. They were willing to meet with him… just out of sight of passing mortals. He sped up.

Turning into the maze, Delano pulled up short and stared. The female was regarding him darkly. Suddenly it was clear hers was the presence he felt… she was the immortal. And yet…? His eyes traveled over to the young man behind her.

Delano bowed and gave his name. He waited. She said nothing. Thinking perhaps she wanted to speak more privately… after all… there were still others about… he approached more closely… his hand on the hilt of his sword… just in case.

What happened next, he was not entirely clear about. She moved swiftly… more swiftly than normal and with a strength he couldn't have believed so small a creature could have. Delano found himself on his back… a knife poised across his throat… just barely piercing the skin. She straddled him and fumbled for his sword… handing it off to the young man.

"Move and I'll slice. Maybe not enough to take your head… but it'll scar you forever," her voice hissed at him. He noted a strange flash of green in her eyes. Delano nodded his understanding. "I don't like being followed. I never have. You will find someone else… or you will die. Do you understand me? You are a child… and I am older than you can imagine."

Delano swallowed noting how dry his mouth was. "I understand," he finally got out.

She smiled. "Now then… Do you know the fountain at the west entrance?" When he nodded, she shifted the knife down lower and pushed it slowly under his ribs towards his heart. "You will find your sword there when you re-cover. Bother me again… ever… and you will die… permanently." Darkness took him and he surrendered to its black embrace.

-----

As they walked away, Ellie reclaimed the sword from a confused Derrick. "What was that about?"

"I gave him another chance. Now hurry!" She sped towards the fountain, looked about and then thrust it into the water near the retaining wall where it would not be easily seen.

"Is that safe?"

"I don't know. But he didn't seem evil so much as just interested. I couldn't leave it with him… but with dangers about… I didn't want to leave him defenseless."

"What was that business about being older than he could imagine?"

Ellie smiled at him and shrugged one shoulder as if teasing. "Oh… that… Did it sound good? Did it sound convincing? I just wanted him properly frightened."

Derrick rubbed at his throbbing arm. "Can we go now?"

"I have to be certain no one is following… but yes, baby… We can go now."

"I'm not a baby," mumbled Derrick as she took his left arm and hurried him along. "I'm eighteen and I can fight. Even Adam said…"

"Adam is not here. And I say… you will stay out of this and all future encounters, Derrick. I will not lose you… not yet."

Derrick said nothing further. To argue with her was useless. He'd always known that. He wondered where the darkness that seemed to linger about her had come from… and why the warm spring day suddenly felt cold and dreary. Yet he was perspiring from the exertion of keeping up with her… and his arm was burning… throbbing. He felt sick… and he hadn't felt sick in a very long time.

-----

Delano awoke with a start. He gasped a tortured breath and glanced around him. Evidently no one had noticed his body lying amidst the hedge maze. Relieved he struggled to his feet and breathed heavily. Running a hand along his undamaged throat he shivered.

Whoever the immortal had been… whatever she was… he didn't want to tangle with her again. And yet… even now… he felt drawn to follow her… and the boy. There was something tantalizing about them… about the presence that surrounded them. When she'd sat on him… even when she'd killed him… he'd sensed mainly that whatever she asked of him… he'd gladly give… even his life. And the boy…? There was something… but Delano wasn't certain what it was. But he intended to find out.

Approaching the fountain he felt about it and finally located his blade. Removing it from the water he grinned at the little girl staring at him. "Hide and seek," he explained, "just a little game among friends." Replacing the sword in his coat… he left the park and wondered which way to go.

-----

Behind him, Melanie Pryor watched with wonder. She'd figured Delano was dead in that encounter and hadn't clearly gotten a look at the female immortal. But he lived. Well… it was pretty public. Perhaps the female knew this didn't seem to be a good time or a good place.

Melanie had been assigned to Delano six years ago. The Watchers in Europe had been undergoing some sort of shakeup and her request for a European assignment had finally gone through. This time though… instead of being an immortal's secretary as she had been for Cassandra in New York… she simply followed.

Byron Delano was small potatoes. He had mainly remained in England, Scotland and Ireland, and rarely came to the continent. That he had come here, suddenly and without warning, was out of character for him. So too was his behavior in Paris. He acted like a man possessed… searching for something. He'd kept on the move the entire time and Melanie had not really had a chance to stop and rest for fear of losing him.

She had not even had the chance to file a report on his activities with the Paris office. She'd waited as she felt Delano would return any moment to England… and she could file a report there. Now… with his misadventure with another immortal, Melanie wondered if she should report in to someone. Surely whoever was following the woman would report on Delano's run-in with her. Melanie had not noticed another Watcher in the area… but surely there was one.

Desperately she tried to think of a Paris contact. Finally she did remember one… an old one… but surely he could put her in touch with someone current. Now if Delano would just check into a hotel or settle down somewhere so she could take the time to check in or get some backup. Wearily Melanie continued to follow her immortal wondering just why he was suddenly, after so many sedate years… so agitated… and so on the move.

-----

Lithuania

Thankfully, Reagan Cole and Warren Green had made it as far as Lithuania without any indication they'd been followed. Stopping at a roadside restaurant, they'd decided to stretch their legs and eat a meal before moving on. Reagan had first gassed the car in case they needed to leave suddenly and then had joined the young Watcher at a table in the restaurant.

"I don't speak Lithuanian," he whispered as he leaned over the table toward her. "Nor read it either… what's on the menu?"

Reagan chuckled. "I'll do the ordering. What languages do you speak?"

Warren slumped back. "English, Russian obviously, a bit of French and a bit of Spanish."

"However were you managing?"

"Well… they needed someone who spoke Russian when you moved to Moscow a few years back… and I did. The plan was if you moved on… someone else would pick up on you."

"But I didn't move on."

"No," Warren's face flushed slightly. "And I liked that. I got to stay with you longer than anyone had initially planned. And now… I actually get to talk to you."

Reagan felt another immortal nearby and looked up, her eyes surveying the room. She did not need this. If the other had a Watcher… Warren's obvious betrayal of his Watcher oath would likely be passed along to superiors and his death would be a foregone conclusion.

Her eyes met those of Steven Keane. She shook her head slightly hoping he understood not to approach. Steven nodded and continued to look around… finally heading to the hallway where the restrooms were located. Reagan leaned across the table to Warren. "I'm going to the ladies room. Two minutes after I leave… go to the car and wait for me. I'll join you in a few minutes. If I don't… get out of here… and don't look back."

"What? We're not eating?" Warren looked at her with confusion.

"Not here. Not now." Reagan rose and headed without further comment to the restrooms.

In the hallway… she noted the man casually leaning against the wall and reading a newspaper. Reagan passed him by… then turned and grabbed him… dragging him into the men's room.

"Hey what the f…" the man yelled.

Once inside the men's room she slammed him against the wall. Steven moved to stand beside her and help restrain the man. Reagan checked his wrists… she smiled.

"Watcher tattoo… you've been in a while."

The man's eyes widened and he swallowed nervously. "You're not supposed to know about us."

"Yeah… yeah… I get that all the time," she smirked… hoping to make him think this was old news. "Didn't you see him following you?" she asked Steven.

"Of course," he said… but she could see the questions in his eyes.

Reagan pulled back and knocked the man out. "Anyone else in here?" she asked Steven. When he shook his head… she indicated he should help her drag the man into one of the stalls.

"What's going on?" Steven Keane asked. "What's a Watcher?"

"I just learned about them." Swiftly she told him what she had recently learned. "I need to get out of here with mine right now, what you do with yours is up to you."

"You think some are dangerous and some are not?"

"Yeah… I do." Reagan headed for the door.

"So this means we don't renew our acquaintance?"

Reagan turned back and grinned knowingly. "Sorry… not this time… maybe later."

As she headed out the door she heard Steven murmur, "I look forward to it." In the hallway she met an old man about to enter. He stared at her… apparently confused as he read the sign on the door. Reagan pulled out a mint and popped it into her mouth with a shrug. "He's still busy in there… you might give them a few more minutes." Winking… she sauntered out of the restaurant toward their car. Climbing into the passenger's side, she slumped down in the seat. "You drive for a while."

"Where to?"

"South… then we'll head west… I have friends in Paris." With that… she withdrew a ball-cap from her pocket and pulled it low over her eyes. Reagan needed time to think… and she needed to plan what to do next.