Can There Be Only One?

Chapter 32

I heard Richie stir as I sat there and stared at myself in the mirror. He finally sat up and looked at me.

"Are you okay?" He asked and I nodded, not really knowing how I felt about how I looked. I sighed and got out of bed and went downstairs where there were people crowded everywhere. I sat at the bar and Richie came up from behind me and hugged me. I looked up at him and kissed him.

"I love you, Richie," I said and he smiled and kissed me.

"I love you too." I looked outside and saw Abe standing there with a folder. I looked at Richie and walked outside, him following me.

"I didn't want to disturb you, Maria, but there is a big immortal after you right now." He looked down at the folder and handed it to me, not wanting me to know who. I felt Richie look over my shoulder and I stared at the picture of the Kurgan. I sighed, which came out shaky and Abe nodded, closing the folder for me.

"He is one of the Kurgan's followers. If you want to contact Connor, this is the best time for it," he said and handed me a plane ticket.

"Maria, you can't go alone, you need-"

"I need you to stay here with Abe... will you call Connor for me?" Abe nodded and ran inside. I looked up at Richie and he shook his head and I nodded my head, kissing him one last time.

"You know the rules, if I don't come back then call Duncan." He tried to stop me but I got in the taxi Abe had called and he drove me to the airport. I got on the flight and sighed, feeling bad for leaving Richie, but I thought it was better that he wasn't in danger. I felt the presence of an immortal and looked back to see the man in the folder. I turned back and he stared at me the entire flight. I arrived in New York and looked around, realizing I hadn't been there since 1986. I ran from the airport and ran to the Antique shop and felt Connor. I looked at him and he looked at me.

"What are you doing here?" He asked and I sighed, closing and locking the door behind me.

"I... I honestly didn't know you would be here, I'm sorry." He looked at me funny and pointed to the couch. I nodded and began to shake as I sat down. He closed the blinds and looked back at me, sitting next to me.

"Your friend Abraham called, he was lucky I already knew you were being followed." I looked at him and he looked at me.

"How did you know?"

"I stayed in New York some time after the Kurgan... and one of the immortals I had trouble with was the one following you. He was angry about the death so he followed you."

"But I didn't kill the Kurgan, I just followed him here. You did the killing, why wouldn't he try to kill you then?"

"Revenge, I guess." I sighed and put my head back, not wanting to relive that moment again. Connor stared at me and I felt a single tear go down my cheek.

"He was on the plane and I ran and now I have no idea where he is." Connor nodded and I looked back at him. I felt the immortal and so did he, grabbing my arm and I grabbed his and he shoved me in a closet, locking me in. I pounded on the door and I heard one shot go off, ad I shit up completely. I hid in the darkest corner where I waited for the lightning, but it never came. Instead, the door burst down and the immortal grabbed me and dragged me out. I yelled for Connor to wake up, but it wouldn't be soon enough. I tried to fight back, but the immortal had too strong of a grip on me. He put me in the trunk and I laid there in defeat. He opened the trunk after he stopped and parked and I recognized the drive. I kicked him back once he opened the trunk and ran for it, but he grabbed my knife, which fell out of my boot and threw it into my leg. I screamed and he grabbed me, bringing me into the hotel, which was completely deserted and tied me up to a chair inside the Kurgan's old room. I screamed at him and he set down a case. Inside was the broken down version of the Kurgan's sword, I had remembered it well. He assembled it and I began to get flashbacks.