I have inside me Blood of Queens

Duncan sat gaping at Methos. He couldn't believe his ears. The man had to have gone completely mad. Maybe all these years of life had finally made him snap. He blinked again, waiting for Methos to laugh tell him he was just joking. Still the only thing resembling a laugh was the smirk he had on his face.

"Methos...I..." Duncan started looking out from his office and into his Dojo at the girl who sat on the stairs looking around.

"It's all true, Duncan you have my word...What, you haven't run into any vampires?" Methos said with a sarcastic smirk.

Duncan looked from Methos down to the book in his hand titled, 'Vampyres.' He'd seen a lot of things...but vampires, demons and slayers weren't on the list.

"You probably have run into them, just didn't know it," Methos shrugged.

Duncan raised his eyebrows, "I think that's something I would have noticed."

"I doubt it," Methos said blatantly.

Duncan rolled his eyes and scrubbed his face. He couldn't believe his ears, "Methos, she is a child, suppose half the things you say are true, you would send a child to her death? You can't expect me to..."

"Duncan, they will come after her either way, she has to be trained," Methos said jumping up from the perch on his desk, "I could train her myself but Duncan you are the best fighter I know and I want her to be trained by the best, so she has the best chance to live Duncan."

The argument was compelling and Duncan would have been more likely to do it, if the words vampire, and demon weren't swirled in there somewhere. He sighed heavily and looked to Methos once more, "Prove it, prove to me that any of this is real."

Methos nodded, "I should have figured you were going to be difficult."

"You expect me to just take your word on this Methos?" Duncan's eyebrows shot up again.

"I wish you would, the alternative is rather messy," Methos sighed heavily.

Duncan raised his eyebrows, as the familiar buzzing in his head hit him again. Both immortals looked around a moment, but Duncan stepped outside. He had an idea of who it probably was, and as he suspected Richie Ryan came through the door.

"Hey Mac," the shorter blonde had a grin on his face that soon faded when he saw the look on the older Immortal's face, "Is this a bad time? Hey Adam."

"A bit," Duncan said tightly giving Methos a dirty look.

Methos looked to Tori who sat on the stairs now watching them, he gestured for her to join. She approached cautiously not taking a spot in what was now a circle of people but standing a little further back, behind Methos. Duncan glanced around briefly there were a few people in the Dojo.

"Victoria, this is my friend Richie, Richie, Victoria," Duncan introduced them with a smile. Richie had a big smile as he held out his hand to the apparently shy girl. She hesitated a second before Methos nudged her lightly. She took his hand shaking it firmly.

"Nice to meet you, So how'd you meet these guys?" Richie asked.

She looked up at Methos for the correct answer, since as she understood it she wasn't supposed to tell people certain details.

"Duncan's going to be training her," Methos said quickly.

Duncan gave Methos a warning look, "Maybe."

"But Mac...she...Why?" Richie was now confused.

She wasn't immortal...so why would Mac train her? Richie looked between the two older immortals for a moment. He raised an eyebrow than looked to Tori who'd shrank back behind Methos. Duncan gestured for all of them to go to the elevator. Tori hesitated for a brief moment before joining them. Once again closer to Methos then the two she had just met.

"Duncan don't be like that, she needs your help, we need your help, just Humor me McLeod," Methos continued as they ascended to Duncan's loft.

"What's going on?" Richie asked.

"Go on tell him," Duncan said with a thin smirk.

"Duncan," Methos sighed stepping out of the lift.

"He's not crazy," Tori said suddenly turning and looking up at Duncan, "I've seen them."

"Seen what? Mac?" Richie looked between the three.

"Methos seems to believe in vampires," Duncan informed him.

Shockingly, Richie didn't seem to be fazed, "When I was still a thief, I found a dead body...a girl...had all of her blood drained out of, and two puncture wounds in her neck, Mac there was no blood anywhere, and I know she died there she was wearing a shirt from the club she was outside of. I know it sounds weird Mac but it explains a lot."

Duncan's eyes narrowed now, "That's doesn't mean vampires are real!"

"I killed one," Tori told him, "What else turns to dust when it dies?"

Duncan looked around now at three people in the room telling him they believe in something that he had thought was something made up in the dark ages. He took a deep breath, he still thought they were all nuts but he nodded finally.

"Fine," Duncan agreed.

Methos let out an unconscious breath, "Thank you McLeod."

Duncan sighed heavily, he couldn't believe he was going to go through with this. He supposed he'd take on faith that too of his friends were telling him that Vampires were real.

"So Where do you fit in all of this?" Richie asked Tori.

Tori dipped her head a bit, then looked to Methos who gestured with his hand telling her to go ahead.

"Apparently I'm supposed to kill him," she shrugged a bit like it was no big deal.

"Richie, maybe you should show her around the city...Adam and I had a lot of things to discuss," Duncan said in a manner that made Richie realize that this wasn't a suggestion.

Richie nodded with a smile, it didn't really bother him. Richie was a naturally friendly person, while he had one hell of a temper, Richie was easily able to talk to new people. Tori however looked from Methos to Duncan. While Duncan seemed to be deep in thought. Methos sighed, "Richie doesn't bite it's okay," then by way of explanation to Richie, "She's apparently shy."

"I noticed," Richie nodded, "Come on it'll be fun."

Tori looked back at Methos again. She didn't know Richie, and she definitely had an issue being alone with men she didn't know. The only reason she had done it in Adam's case was because he offered her a hundred dollars. She took a deep breath reminding herself that she was strong enough to handle him if he got out of line. I can handle anyone, she told herself.

As she stood there hesitating Duncan finally realized why. She wasn't shy she was afraid. He looked to Methos with a silent question and he in turn shrugged. The girl soon reluctantly went out the door.

"I only got her to go with me by offering her a hundred dollars," Methos told Duncan.

"Regardless she trusts you," Duncan noted, "So if this is all..."

"McLeod, This is too crazy for me to make up I swear," Methos took a breath with eyes wide, "This is a completely different game their playing, but there is no prize, only death. This Watcher's Council in England, this is what they do...apparently I've been transferred, and I'm not discuss what either branch does with opposing members."

"So Joe doesn't know?" Duncan asked.

"No, Though I do have half a mind to tell him," Methos answered.

"If you are serious," He couldn't help but have skepticism, "This is way more than some 'game' they are putting teenage girls in danger, to fight something they are too scared to fight...that's horrible."

"I know, but she has to learn, they will come after her anyway, and they have no one else...she is the only one," Methos said gravely.

Duncan sighed, "Damn."

The Scotsman wasn't happy about this, but like Methos said she did deserve to have the best training. Not to toot his own horn, but he was better than Methos. While Methos had a lot of knowledge to offer her.

"You're going to teacher her everything else she needs to know?" Duncan asked her.

"Yes, if you are the one training her it would do well that you learned a bit, tonight we'll go hunting so you can see for yourself, without a doubt, that I haven't gone insane," Methos told him earning him a bit of laughter.

"Does she know about...us?" Duncan asked.

"No, to her I am Adam Pierson, mild mannered watcher," Methos told him.

"How long do you think it will take her to realize you're different?" Duncan asked him.

"I've hid it from the Watchers for this long, I think I can hide it from a child," Methos chided.

Duncan only laughed.