Dunc didn’t want the only woman he had a chance of having a real relationship with, leaving him because of a moron who couldn’t take no for an answer.
Then again. This was his home. Dunc had lived here for most of his life. He had memories of his father here, and he wanted to keep close to them. He had spent time with his extended family in Scotland as a child, but this was home. This was a safe place. People depended on him. A slow smile crept onto Dunc’s face as he thought about his people. There was another plan if this one fell through. That one would be risky, but if he gave the order, everyone would stand by him. If they failed tonight, he would have no choice.
***
Amanda waved to Dew and Sallie as they left to go out on their date. She looked through the blinds near the door. She saw Dunc sitting on his porch, waving to Dew and Sallie as they walked to their little car. He looked her way, picked up his empty bottles, and went inside. She knew he was going to be sitting in his living room watching her on his laptop. She had helped him set up the account early that day.
Immediately after that, they had staged a fake fight for the benefit of the cameras. Dunc had stormed out of the house. No words needed to be exchanged because the cameras did not have microphones. The ‘argument’ looked more heated than it actually was. Dunc had suggested this action to counter what they had done that was likely caught on video. It would make the watcher think that Dunc wasn’t likely to come back to the house anytime soon.
Amanda already missed him. He had looked so sad and alone sitting on his porch. If it weren’t for Joseph, she would have joined him or asked him to join her. They could have gone out with Dew and Sallie on a real date. This was all so weird.
She wanted this over with so she could do everyday dating things with Dunc. The things she had not wanted anything to do with for over a year. She wanted to do them with him. She wanted to see what kinds of things he would plan. Amanda felt like Dunc would be so different from Joseph in that area. Dunc would most likely plan things meant for both of them to enjoy, not just what he wanted to do. She wanted to know what he would do. It was such a simple dumb desire. What kind of things would Dunc pick up on from her without her telling him?
Dunc paid more attention to the details than he looked like he was. What had given him the notion to provide her with a sword? Sheer blind luck or an actual intuition into who she was? There were several ornate swords displayed on the wall of her bedroom. She had real useable long swords and armor in her closet. There were many things in that closet that she didn’t display, so there was no way for him to have ever seen them.
Amanda picked up her laptop and wandered to the back of the house. She had to look like she was spending an ordinary evening alone. There were some TV shows to watch while Amanda waited. Something light and funny to take her mind off the risks she was taking. Dunc would be watching, and she had left him a key to the front door.
***
Dunc didn’t take his eyes off of the laptop once he had settled down into one of the couches in his front living room. It was vital for him to be as alert as possible. He would not waste a moment in getting over to Amanda’s house.
The anticipation of something happening was intense. Each passing moment was torture.
***
The electricity went out, plunging the neighborhood into darkness.
***
Dunc froze. This couldn’t be a coincidence. He tossed the laptop aside and got to his feet, heading for Amanda’s house.
***
Amanda felt her chest tighten as the living room was plunged into darkness. “Good evening, honey.” His smug voice called to her from somewhere in the darkroom. Amanda froze in place, trying to figure out where he was. He was close. “You and I need to have a little chat. You’ve been cheating on me with that stick next door. I can forgive you for that. I am very forgiving.”
“Leave me alone, Joseph!” Amanda shakily got to her feet and removed a small dagger from a strap just below her pant leg. She had concealed it for this very reason. She backed up against the wall. Eyes fixed on the shadows.
“Don’t be that way. I love you.”
“You don’t beat people you love!” Amanda screamed into the darkness as something moved toward her. She lashed out with the dagger and hit something hard. The blade glanced off of armor plating. Joseph had come prepared.
“Come on, Amanda. I am not going to hurt you ever again. I promise.”
“Amanda!” There was a thudding sound coming from the front of the house as Dunc’s voice rang through the darkness.
“You two didn’t think this through very well, did you?” Joseph laughed, and Amanda saw a glimpse of movement. “You gave him a key, but keys don’t work on deadbolts locked from the inside, do they?”
Amanda groaned, realizing she had hit the lock out of habit, without thinking. She struck out with the dagger again as hard as she could, uttering a short phrase. A blast of flame engulfed the blade. It blazed, and Amanda was rewarded with a glimpse of Joseph’s startled face as the fire flared out at him. He yelped and staggered
