Chapter 10

There was a loud knock on the door. A moment later there was another that was even louder. "Yeah, yeah, keep your shirt on." She heard him say as the door creaked open. There he was, standing in front of her, no shoes, no shirt, looking quite vulnerable to what she had planned. This was not how she pictured it. He was supposed to be fully clothed so she wouldn't see the knife pierce his skin, or the blood drip down his chest. But it didn't matter now, it was too late to change her mind now. She would just have to kill him any way.

As soon as he opened the door he recognized the anger in her eyes, but not before he saw the ceremonial dagger in her hand that moved swiftly to his gut, but stopped abruptly before entering his body. He felt the blade push harder against him as she forced her way through the door. Tears started to fall from her eyes before she was even able to speak.

"Do you know what you've done?" She sobbed, closing the door behind her with her foot.

Duncan looked at her confused, "No, but it must have been something pretty bad for you to want to kill me." He slowly put his hands up slightly by his sides in a non defensive posture and took a step back, relieving the pressure from the blade on his skin.

"I thought we had a deal?" Her hands were shaking almost as much as her voice was. "I should have known better than to trust you. I should have killed you last night." She had him where she needed him. But, was he ready to die?

"Whatever it is that happened, I'm sure we can talk about this." Another step backwards told him he was out of space as his backward movements were stalled by the wall.

"Who did you talk to about me? I want names!" she demanded, anger building in her voice.

"I didn't tell anyone that would hurt you." He blurted back, angered by the accusation. In the blink of an eye, he brought his hands up, grabbed each of her wrists in his strong hands and flipped his position with hers, slamming her against the wall. The pressure from the impact causing her to drop her weapon.

How had she lost control of the situation so fast? Now it was her own life that was in danger. He held her there pinned against the wall, her wrists unable to escape his grip, her body pushed against the wall as his body pressed against her. He stood there only inches away from her face and she knew her mission was doomed to fail from the start. She couldn't kill this man, somehow, he had power over her beyond physical strength. Even if she could overpower him, she would never have the will to kill him. And what did it matter now. The damage was done, and his death would not change anything. Perhaps she should just let him kill her. It would certainly be easier than the alternative. Surely he would want to silence her forever after she had come after him.

"Now, do you want to tell me what this is all about?" He was looking deeply into her eyes, needing answers, some of which she didn't have. She felt the anger that had arrived with her melting away and her body started to go limp as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. He was no longer trying to restrain her as much as he was preventing her from crumpling to the floor. She felt his grip loosen as he let her slide down the wall as her legs folded beneath her. He guided her to the floor and mirrored her position, coming to his knees as well. The tone in his voice sounded concerned, not angry as she expected. "Celeste, what's going on?"

Her eyes met his again, and she had no defense against his desire for answers. "They found me."

Duncan's hands released hers and he gently rested them on her shoulders. "Who found you?"

"I don't even know who they are. It's a long story. It doesn't even matter now." She looked away from his piercing stare.

"Celeste, I want to help you. But I can't do that if I don't know who is trying to hurt you. I want the whole story."

She tried to smile. This man who she wanted to kill moments ago, suddenly wanted to protect her. He was unlike anyone she had ever met before. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Macleod didn't say a word. He picked up the dagger that was only inches away from where the two kneeled and wrapped his hand around the blade. He pulled the blade out with a jerk and Celeste's eyes grew large as she watched him open his palm where the blood started to collect before it began to drip on the floor.

She looked at him confused. "Why did you do…?" Her mouth fell open as she watched the cut disappear, the same way it would have had the cut been on her own hand. "You…you're…you're like me?"

He gave her a genuine smile. "Is that a question or a statement?"

"I don't believe it." She shook her head in disbelief.

"Haven't you ever met anyone like you before?"

"No. I…I…I thought I was the only one." She stumbled over the words.

"So, are you ready to tell me everything?"

"Yes." There was no sign of hesitation in her voice this time. "But not now. I need to get out of the country."