Chapter 6

The look on Duncan's face was all it took for Celeste to know what had happened. He had seen her heal. His face was only about a foot away from her forehead. There would be no trying to convince him that the cut had been minor and that the amount of blood just made it look a lot worse than it was.

Celeste's mind raced, trying to think of what she would say, how could she get out of this, but she could think of nothing but the truth. She would have to tell him the truth, or she would have to run. The thought of running seemed safer. After all, she barely knew this man and had no idea how he would react to her being a freak of nature. Would he let her go after knowing her secret or would he try to hold her prisoner?

For what felt like hours, he just sat there on the arm of the couch, her chin in his hand, holding her head still. Why hasn't he said anything? What is he thinking? How am I going to get away from him?

His gaze still steady on her forehead where moments earlier, the gash he had wiped clean looked like it might need stitches, and now, was completely gone. "How did you do that?"

The question was typical. One she had been asked before, yet still had no answer for. The truth being that she herself really didn't know how or why, just that she could. "I…I…I can't tell you."

The shock on Duncan's face seamed to melt off. He didn't look surprised any longer, only confused and slightly amused. "You can't tell me? Ok, how long have you been like this?"

"I've always been like this." Celeste pulled her chin out of his hand and looked to the floor. The thought of running disappeared from her options. Surely he could catch her, and then what? Maybe it would be best to just go along, as if cooperating. Regain his trust, then slip away once she had it. There would be a new life ahead, perhaps a new country, new language and definitely a new name.

"Well, how long is always?" he asked.

That question caught her off guard. No one had ever asked if she was really the age that she claimed to be. How did he know that question would reveal more of her secret? Should she tell him the truth, or would it be best to lie? This was a situation she had been in before, but it was different somehow. She almost felt that he already knew her answer would be unusual, but how did he know?

"A long time." The words sounded clear in her mind but the words that actually came out sounded more like a frog's croak. Her voice started to crack, "I don't know exactly how old I am." She waited for the shock to reappear on his face, or the anger and accusation that she was lying. But it never came.

"Why can't I feel you?"

The shock did return, but it was to her own face, not his. "What?"

"Can you feel me?" His questions were getting stranger and the fear of what he was going to do grabbed hold of her mind.

"What are you talking about?" She squirmed under his heavy hand that had been sitting on her shoulder the whole time, holding her down.

Duncan looked deep into the woman's eyes, there was no deceit, no sign that she was toying with him or knew more than she let on. Could it be that she didn't know about other immortals? Or was it more realistic to assume that she was just playing the game. That some how she was able to block others from sensing her and that her best defense was playing dumb until the right moment came along when she could sneak up on her victims and take their head.

There had to be hundreds of questions he could have asked her, but the only one that came out was one she had heard before. "How is this possible?"

His lack of over-reaction seemed to calm her a bit. Shouldn't he be hysterical by now based on the answers she had given him? Or maybe, he didn't believe a word she had said. Her thoughts wandered trying to figure him out when she remembered the tall man who had come through the door. Duncan actually seamed prepared for an attack. He had been able to defend himself faster than most would have been able to just react to the strange visitor. And the monster knew his name and promised to return. Maybe this man had secrets of his own and maybe she could use them to her advantage.

"Look, I'll keep your secret if you keep mine." The way she said it, it sounded more like a demand than a request.

"Ok, that's fair." Duncan nodded his head in agreement trying to let her know that he had all the answers.

Celeste did the same, knowing that it was a bluff. This man was more of a mystery to her now than he had been before. But somehow, that mystery was drawing her in. She wanted to know more. What had happened tonight and was her secret really safe with him?

She looked up and caught his gaze. Neither looked away at first. Not until he got that look again. He started scanning the room until his eyes stopped on the loft elevator.

Richie was lifting the gate in front of him. The smell of pizza saturated the air around him. "I'm back…." His words trailed off as he looked at the broken glass scattered around the window, and the bloody face cloth still in Duncan's hand. Richie tossed the pizza box on the table and took off his jacket. "So…. You guys start the party without me?"