Chapter 14

The music came to a sudden almost screeching stop as Joe and the guys onstage registered the drama unfolding at the bar. Grabbing his cane, Joe stood, making his way to the bar. He didn’t know what he could do, but no one caused a ruckus in his bar. With the music winding down Richie stood and went back to the table. If there was going to be a scene, he was going to be beside his friend, right where he always was in times of need. As Richie approached the table, Jon registered that Jacqui had not returned to the table. He began to scan the room, his heart leaping into his throat when he found her.

“I mean it McLeod!” The strange man yelled. “Either you meet me outside to pay for what you did or this pretty lady gets it.”

Duncan raised his hands in a placating way and spoke as softly as possible. “Listen Raines, this is not the time or place for your vendetta. Why don’t you just let the lady go and we’ll discuss a time to meet.”

The man, Raines simply growled at McLeod. “You’ll have to pay for making me wait Highlander!” With a simple twist of his wrist he buried the knife deep into Jacqui’s back. “Here you deal with THIS for making me wait!” Raines shoved Jacqui into Duncan’s arms and whirled, running through the door, his final words echoing back to the men at the bar, “Seattle Park, tomorrow at noon.”

Jacqui blinked as the intense pain washed over her. Gasping softly she looked up at the man holding her, a plea of help dulling her green eyes. Before Duncan realized it however, Adam had taken the girl from his arms. “I’ll get her out of here Mac, but you have to handle the boyfriend. Keep him out of Joe’s office if bloody possible.” Duncan nodded once and turned to scan the crowd that had surrounded the argument, searching for the pretty girl’s rocker boyfriend.

Adam swiftly carried the girl to Joe’s office and laid her upon the couch in the room. She was paling quickly, each breath labored. Turning her on her side his medical expertise took over and he began to examine where the raging immortal had stabbed her. It was a fatal wound, there was no doubt in his mind that she didn’t have very long. Jacqui’s eye’s found him and whispered, “Where’s Jon? God please where’s Jon, I need him.”

Adam murmured something that she couldn’t make out as she struggled to breathe. “I can’t leave him, I need him, don’t let me leave him,” she whispered as her breaths became shallower. Adam gently whispered that it would be over soon, that the pain would go away. She knew he was lying to her; it hurt too much to be a quick fix situation. She wanted Jon, she could tell she was dying and the last thing she wanted to see was his face. She prayed to whatever God was above that he would find her so she could stroke his hair one final time and let him know she had loved him more than she could have ever shown him.

Tears began to stream down her face as she felt herself slipping away. God hadn’t answered her, the last face she saw had hazel eyes and a gentle look but it wasn’t the blue she needed or the sensual smiling lips she craved. With a shuddering gasp her eyes closed as Jacqui Davies breathed her last breath.