Part 33 (1/2)

”Well,” Victor said dryly, breaking the silence at long last, ”see what you will have to deal with one day?”

Ryan was not quite as dry as Victor. ”She is quite manipulative, isn't she?”

Victor nodded. ”And she's not nearly as bad as Abigail.”

Ryan nodded, unconsciously mirroring her father's gestures. ”Yes, I know. That's what I'm afraid of.” She turned to Victor. ”Now that I have fulfilled at least some of the obligations you have set before me, is there anyone else you've promised me to? Anyone else I must settle with?”

Victor gazed at his golden-haired child a moment, his dark eyes gleaming. ”Only me.”

Ryan turned to him, her anger immediately evident in her posture. But Victor's expression was not one of condemnation, nor was there any anger in his words. In fact, he was casually examining his fingernails. ”And I believe you still feel you have a score to settle with me.”

Ryan's anger cooled slightly, but she was skeptical. ”What exactly did you have in mind?”

Victor was silent for a moment, still preoccupied with examining his fingernails. He finally folded his hands onto his lap. He gazed up at her. ”I thought perhaps a duel would be appropriate.”

”A duel?” Ryan repeated, c.o.c.king her head to one side. ”What kind of duel?”

Victor shrugged. ”The kind you used to engage in all the time. It hardly took more than an evil look for you to throw down your gauntlet.”

Ryan was still suspicious. ”And what would be won or lost in this duel? I have already proven I cannot kill you.”

Victor shrugged. ”That does not mean you cannot beat me. If you win, I will give you back your freedom.”

”And if I lose?”

Victor paused before replying. ”Then you will take your rightful place among the Others.”

Ryan's head jerked upward. ”I have no desire to live among the Others.”

”I know,” Victor said, ”but you have obligations. I did not create you for purely selfish reasons. You have responsibilities you have thus far avoided. It is time for you to grow up.”

Ryan's jaw set. ”Very well then. A duel. And when will this battle take place?”

There was a glint in Victor's eyes. ”We can begin now.”

CHAPTER 33.

RYAN STOOD IN THE CLEARING, hefting the sword. The cool night air felt good on her skin and the dim light from the waning moon was perfect. It was just enough illumination for her to clearly see Victor, who was standing at the other edge of the trees hefting the weight of his own sword. They were the only two figures within miles.

Ryan swung the sword expertly, leaping up onto a nearby boulder. She could barely contain the s.h.i.+ver of excitement that ran up her spine, an ancient and predatory reflex. The hilt of the weapon felt good in her hand.

Victor approached, still swinging his own sword as Ryan leaped down and landed lightly on her feet. He raised the hilt of his sword to her in salute.

”To first blood,” he said mockingly.

Ryan did not miss the multiple meanings in the sentence. She raised her own sword in salute. ”To first blood,” she agreed.

Like lightning, Ryan thrust forward, faster than any human eye could see. But Victor was there, parrying the attack effortlessly. He countered and sparks flew from the swords.

Ryan stepped back, nodding approvingly. ”Not bad. I see your skills haven't rusted. Perhaps you have something new to teach me?”

Victor smiled, his eyes gleaming. ”There is still much I can teach you.”

On the last word, he thrust forward, even faster than Ryan's initial attack. Ryan parried but the attack was a feint and she was forced to step back to counter his second strike.

”Hmmm,” she said, swinging her sword as if just loosening up. ”Very nice.”

On the last word she again thrust forward, striking with incredible force. Victor blocked the blow and Ryan lunged sideways, jabbing forward. Victor parried. Ryan began to deliver a flurry of blows and Victor parried them almost before they were initiated. So rapid were the exchanges and so graceful were the partic.i.p.ants, the battle appeared to be almost a dance.

Offense and defense changed rapidly; the aggressor could only hold such a position until the other altered tactics, at which times the roles would s.h.i.+ft dramatically. One moment Ryan would appear to be winning the fight in splendid fas.h.i.+on; the next moment she would be diving to avoid decapitation.

The battle was as much a mental one as a physical one. So great were both their reflexes that ground was only gained by correct antic.i.p.ation. So evenly matched were the two opponents that ground was only lost by an incorrect guess.

Victor was enjoying himself immensely. He was stronger than Ryan but, by the G.o.ds, she was fast. Her fighting style was so similar to his own he could almost predict her strategy. But she would occasionally switch up, utilizing new tactics, and only his own preternatural reflexes would save him. She was merciless, never relenting and capitalizing on the slightest mistake.

As far as Ryan could see, however, Victor wasn't making any. His style was deadly precise, as it had always been. Any pa.s.sion Victor felt was harnessed and expressed in his lethal swordsmans.h.i.+p. No matter what combination of tactics she placed together, he seemed to defend against them effortlessly, transitioning into an attack which often left her stumbling backwards to regroup.

On one of the rare occasions when Ryan appeared to be winning their very physical chess game, she took the opportunity to flee. It didn't seem that either was making any headway in the flatlands so she decided to change the battleground. A thick cover of trees might give her the advantage. She headed for the forest, glancing over her shoulder as the first light of day peaked over the far hills.

Susan opened her eyes. She turned her head, surprised to see the amount of light streaming through the closed blinds. The sun was obviously already high in the sky. She turned to look at Jason who was lying in the bed next to her. He was still sound asleep. She wondered if he had slept at all when they had been apart.

Susan's thoughts turned to Ryan and she gently disentangled herself from her sleeping son. As she sat upright, she saw a new set of clothing laid out. She quietly dressed, then peered out the doorway. She squared her shoulders and moved into the hallway.

She walked through the great mansion. It seemed empty of people, but did not feel so. She had fleeting impressions of movement, of shadowy figures seen only out of the corner of her eye. She suddenly knew what Jason meant by ”creepy.” Susan wondered why Ryan had human servants, but Victor's were of their Kind.

She did not find Ryan, but found the next best thing. Edward was seated on the verandah sipping a gla.s.s of champagne. He seemed troubled, although his face bore his usual impa.s.sive expression.

Susan glanced around the courtyard. ”Where are Ryan and her father?”

He was silent for a long moment, gazing off in the distance. He appeared to be listening to something Susan could not hear. He took another sip of champagne, then broke his silence. ”Ryan and her father are fighting.”

Susan sat down heavily, trying to quell her upset feelings. ”I did not think either of them were the type to continuously argue.”

Edward shook his head. ”No,” he said, ”you don't understand. They are actually, physically, engaged in battle.”

Susan turned to look at him. ”What do you mean?”

”I mean,” Edward said with emphasis, ”they are engaged in a duel.”

Susan let out a small gasp. ”A duel? With what? And for how long?”

Edward's gaze was distant again. ”I believe they're using swords,” he said his accent p.r.o.nounced, ”and the battle has lasted almost ten hours now.”

Susan was shocked. ”How long will it last?”