The Lure of Darkness

[OOC: This is a closed thread for myself and MsAphrodite. We both hope you enjoy our story.]

Alexander sat in the corner of the club, watching the ebb and flow of humanity sway past his vantage point. He was surprised to feel the caress of the bass of the music as it played. 66 beats per minute - thum-thump... thum-thump - like the beat of the human heart. The sounds of life itself. The music drowned out all but the closest conversations. But what little he heard held no real interest to him. Words spoken hundreds of time before, in many variations, all harking back to one central theme - Are you a worthwhile fuck?

The low lights of the club didn't hinder his eyesight, though the random bursts of smoke from the club's smoke machine did. Still, there was not much to see apart from the undulating, sinuous movements of those on the dance floor. Even the men showed some grace and skill in how they moved. While crowded, there was still room to maneuver between all the dancers, though many spent most of the time pressed close to their partner, trying to maintain as much body contact as possible. The men were mostly dressed along similar lines - shirts, trousers and plain shoes. The women, however, were not so much as dressed but decorated. Makeup, jewelry, shoes combined with a dazzling array of designs of clothing that all combined to best display there natural assets to the best advantage. The significance of the night meant that the displays were much less orthodox than what would normally be seen.

Alexander took a deep breath of the smoke laden air, easily catching the overpowering odours of alcohol and sweat. But just underneath those two dominant factors were the fragrances of colognes and perfumes all worn to help enhance each person's appeal to those they sought. But even those could not hide the pervasive touch of the smell of lust and arousal. To Alexander, these were powerful presences within the olfactory cacophony that assaulted his nose. But the one aroma that cut through them all was that of the Auqa Vitae, the Water of Life.

Blood.

Soaked with the lust, desire, arousal, excitement and a myriad of other smaller emotions, the fine wines that were within his reach were almost overwhelming. Alexander smiled to himself, grateful that he slaked his thirst before entering the club, otherwise he would have created a scene. Not even Halloween would account for that level of behaviour. Though it made his feasting that night almost disgustingly easy. At least, until the wounds healed by the morning, many would simply think them a part of the costume. Even the victims would tell of being approached by a Vampire who fed from them and left by becoming one with the darkness around them.

He marveled at the way humans managed to turn a frightening event into some form of celebration. In the process, they diminished the power of the creatures 'celebrated' during the festivities. Those beings that struck fear into the very hearts of mortal man were now merely concepts upon which to create a costume in the hopes of gaining some reward.

Alexander had come to the club to immerse himself once more in humanity, to ease himself back into the herd that he would hunt from. In some ways, to remind himself of what he once was before...

He slowly straightened, elevating his gaze enough to get a clearer view. A woman. One who's presence called to him. His eyes narrowed as he tracked her through the crowd. He watched, observed, almost entranced by her. He wondered what it was about her that fired his blood the way it had. He continued to watch her, waiting for the right moment to commence his hunt. This time, it would not be for food. It would be for something far more important to him than a mere feed.

Sophia stood in the middle of her bed-sit second guessing her decision to move to this crowed place from the only home she had ever known, a small cottage in the highlands of Scotland. Her life was changing and she felt adrift, London was not as she imagined it would be.

Her thoughts returned once more to memories of her namesake, her beloved Grandmother, who had recently passed away. Her whole life had been spent on the moors safe, protected and in many ways isolated, yet she had adored every single moment of her up bringing; crackling fires, home baked scones, the smell of heather while walking her Nana’s old dog on a summer’s eve. Hers had been an idyllic childhood, an orphan her Grandmother has seen to it that she was loved and her talents nurtured. Sophia was an artist both on canvass and through the lens of a camera. When she looked at a composition she was able to see beyond the medium she was presented with; reality dissolved before her very eyes as she worked, it was almost as if she were able to travel into another dimension. She persuaded her audience to travel with her, made them think beyond the canvas or the photo, to what might be about to transpire, or to what might have lead to the moment when the image had been frozen in time.

She was able to make her art breathe with a life all of its own!

It was this talent that had led her to this place in time. An executive for the advertising agency she was considering a job offer from had quite by accident stumbled upon her work in a small out of the way shop while vacationing in Scotland. She had of course refused his offer until her grandmother’s recent death…

Oh how she missed her …

Why hadn’t her life been allowed to continue as it had been, days flowing into idyllic months the flow of her life seeming as if it would never change. Sophia remembered sitting on the dear woman’s death bed making promises she didn’t want to keep, even now. “You must promise me child you will go out in to the world and fulfill your destiny, you must not remain in this cottage alone after I am gone” Sophia had reluctantly promised, tears of sadness softly falling from her soft green eyes.

Returning to the present she looked around the large room in which she found herself. She had gotten lucky; amidst this busy concrete jungle she had found a small piece of pure heaven. True, she had to share a kitchen and the bathroom with the rest of the huge house true; she had to feed money into the gas meter for her heat but…

Her expressive eyes swept the old world room, the huge four poster bed, the dusky rose carpets to the huge French windows dominating one wall, diaphanous white drapes wafting in the small breeze entering through the slightly open doors. Sophia glided over and pushed them fully open, the smell of roses assuaging her nostrils; heady, romantic a delicious balm to her frazzled nerves, she smiled dreamily, “Mmmmm.” Her room opened out onto a small private garden and it was all her very own. Nana’s old dog had followed her owner to her grave, loyal till the very end, Ginger would have loved this place, the lonely girl sighed turning her back on the delightful garden, firmly closing the French windows to stand reluctantly before the full length mirror once again.

She stared at her reflection seeing nothing her mind mulling over what she had to do. Her small inheritance wouldn’t last long, she knew in her heart of hearts she would have to take this job like it or not, she simply had no other choice. She did not like the man she would have to work for that much was for sure; he was arrogant, pushy and far to free with his hands and eyes. Yes, Sophia still was a virgin at the ripe old age of twenty two, but it wasn’t because she was a prude or saving herself for marriage, it was simply because she has not yet met a man who stirred her soul, truth be told the young innocent had not met many men at all, save for the men of her village who were more like pseudo fathers and brothers than suitors. Paul Neilson would never be such a man she found his advances slightly repulsive despite his polished veneer. Sophia had agreed to attend the Halloween Ball he had arranged for his companies and had promised him her answer with regards his job offer by the end of November. One more month of freedom and then she would be doomed to a life in a plastic world she truly wanted no earthly part of.

Sophia’s resigned gaze came into focus as finally she inspected the image in the mirror before her. She was wearing one of her Grandmothers prized dresses. The wonderful lady had been a film star of the 1930’s before she had retired to the secluded highlands and this gown had been an original design from one of her many successful films. The girl looking critically at her reflection felt like she had simply stepped into her own skin, as if she truly belonged in this gown, this era. The gown fit her like a second skin it molded her young curvaceous form to absolute perfection as if it had been tailor made for her.

Sophia had left her deep golden locks to hang in their natural state, huge curls and ringlets lovingly entwined amongst one another to well below her shoulders in the front and almost to her waist in the back, coiffuring only her bangs into the style favored in the period style of her lovely dress. Very little make up was required on her picture perfect face except of course for the rosy red lips which would have been expected of a film star of the era which she was representing for this party.

Picking up her clutch she called a taxi wanting travel anywhere but the Ball she had promised to attend…

It had taken all of her courage to step from the cab and enter the building and even more to enter the party itself. The noise hit her like a palpable wave of sound and smells, causing her to take a small step backwards, take a deep breath you will be fine, she cautioned herself. Declining a drink from a passing waiter she carefully stepped around the many unfamiliar faces scanning the crowded room getting more nervous by the moment as the alien sights and sounds pressed around her like a living breathing entity. The very room seemed alive pulsating throbbing matching the rhythm of her heart beat as it seemed to suck her forward despite the fact she was mentally struggling to resist. She had made a mistake she wanted to go home…

Sophia was fighting a rising sense of utter panic, when something stopped her in her tracks.

A wave of …calm?

An oasis in this crowded place, it surrounded her, inviting her into a place of blessed, she couldn’t put a name to the irresistible feeling which had replaced the chaos in her mind.

She raised her arm to shield her eyes from the pulsating kaleidoscope of lights, searching across the crowed mass of revelers wondering who…what?

Sophia felt irresistibly drawn forwards and slowly resumed her entrance into the writhing mass of decadent noisy merrymakers...

Alexander almost flowed from his seat into standing up. His changed visual elevation afforded him a better view of the woman who entered. Where the light caught her hair, he would have sworn that she had been gifted with strands of pure gold. His mind puzzled over how her hair would look bathed in the full light of the sun. When coupled with the dress, she looked as though she stepped straight out of the Nineteen Twenties.

With an almost predatory style and feline grace, he circled the crowd of dancers, moving closer to the new arrival and captivating presence. He could feel her unease as he got closer to her. She looked lost, out of place within the environment. He slowed his approach, wondering if another of his brethren had entered. He moved towards a wall, guiding his primary senses into a dormant state, allowing the one honed by his current existence. His perception of the room changed, flooded with the signs of humanity, of living beings. But the sink, the sharp darkness that pulled at the light of life was not anywhere else. Whoever the woman was, she was mortal, not one of his kind.

He opened his eyes, as well as restoring his other senses to their normal status. He watched the woman as she moved further from the door. He turned his observations towards her, rather than how she fitted in. The dress was a fine fit for her, conforming to her body without causing any stresses on the fabric, nor causing her any discomfort. The dress accentuated her body, and it's delightful curves without the usual unsightliness of more modern designs. He wasn't entire sure, but there seemed to be an ease to her movements, almost a gracefulness. But the impact of the room on how she felt was hindering his judgment. Still, the woman and the dress seemed to mesh well, almost becoming one.

Alexander remained still, pondering how he would deal with the situation. His curiousity was afire. He tried to think back to the last time something caught his attention so powerfully, and came up blank. He felt as if she beckoned him to join her, but she made no overt moves or gestures of the kind. She appeared to be unaware of his being there. He continued to mull over his options before shelving all of the lines of thought, and simply approaching the as yet unknown woman.

His path brought him up to her from behind. The music had faded to having the deep bass filling the room. Alexander slowed his approach, finding himself towering over the golden haired beauty. The bass remained as a new, slower piece came to life over it. He closed the few steps until he was right behind her. He could smell her. The perfume she wore, her natural fragrance underneath that also mixed with the unique aroma of the fabric of her dress.

With delicate moves, his hands found hers. Right hand over her right, left hand under her left. Fingers interlaced neatly. He slowly moved her right arm, extending it outward before bending the elbow so her forearm was pointed up. His left hand brought hers down in front of her abdomen, gently resting against her lower torso. He leant down, bringing his mouth closer to her ear. His deep voice carried well through the multitude of sounds around them. It was loud enough to be heard, yet only loud enough for her to hear.

"May I have this dance, My Lady?"

Sophia moved slowly forwards almost as if she was in a trance like state, yet nothing was the further from the truth her senses in fact had sharpened, she was being watched, someone was stalking her! The small hairs on the back of her arms and across her bare shoulders were standing to attention, she paid them little heed focusing instead on the one she sensed.

Come to me, she thought.

Sophia paused at the edge of the dance floor jostled by a passing dancer back into the moment. She mentally shook herself, as she wondered when she had become so fanciful. Yet she was unable to shake the sensation that she was about to meet her destiny. You won’t find your destiny at a crowded company party amongst a bunch of drunken neanderthals, she told herself, giggling at her own childish silliness. "I haven’t slept properly in days my mind is simply playing tricks on my exhausted psyche," she muttered to the room at large her words lost in the throbbing music.

Taking a steadying breath Sophia was about to turn around and return to the sanctuary of her bed-sit when she became aware of him again, her heart skipped a beat. His presence was electrifying, his aura was that of a predator, silent, virile, deadly. In that moment of intense awareness the music receded and she closed her eyes, as she felt the first contact of his cool flesh as his hands found hers. She could have, should have moved away, this was a stranger yet she stood immobile, the beat of her heart strong and assured as it tapped out a sensual tattoo deep within her gentle breast. This unknown male smelled of another era she couldn’t place his scent but it stirred her senses like no other had ever done. Even his skin on hers was subtly different, cool to the touch against the vibrant warmth of hers.

So many tiny impressions to be gathered like small jewels in the space of a few heart beats as he intertwined her small hands one in each of his stronger ones. The stranger adjusted her position and she allowed it pliant within his gentle grasp. Their joined hands he positioned at her breast allowing her to feel her own primitive heart beat through the thin gossamer fabric of her gown, Sophia felt blissfully alive the lub dub of her heart blending with the slow evocative music which had somehow come back into focus and was once again swirling sensuously around them. The hand resting gently against her lower torso made her instantly aware of her own femininity the action oddly intimate for a first encounter. He is to be feared, an inner voice told her firmly. Sophia ignored the warning and remained cloistered in his arms. You should move away he will think you easy! I should but I have no wish to, she told herself firmly refusing to listen further.

She shivered in anticipation as she felt his hot breath on her the curve of her sensitive neck as he spoke in her ear his voice like a soft caress.

"May I have this dance, My Lady?"

Words from another time and place, words she had waited to hear for more than a lifetime; her head tipped backwards slightly exposing the bow of her lovely neck where a tender pulse throbbed in time with the rhythm of her heart as her eyes tried to search his face in the semi darkness. The doomed girl had but a fleeting impression, pale translucent skin, strong aristocratic features, dark wavy hair perhaps. No matter she thought dreamily as she closed her eyes her luscious lips parted slightly as in the half light as she began to sway gently, the action bringing them closer together

“Welcome home My Lord.”

The oddly phrased words slipped naturally from her beautiful lips as she melted into the hard imposing shadow that enveloped her in its soft yet firm embrace.

Leave you do not know this man!

“I cannot,” she whispered to herself…

Alexander caught the outline of her face in the rapidly changing illumination of the room. It was clear to him that she was meant for the dress she wore. Her face reflect the qualities of the screen goddesses of the 1920's, the same era that created dresses such as the one she wore. Her skin was pure, lightly touched by make up, baring her lips. The twin lines of red stood out brightly and passionately. Innocently seductive came to his mind.

'Lips that have yet to feel the heat of passion against them.'

“Welcome home My Lord.”

There was a quality to her words, the way she spoke them that gave them a strength of conviction that was rarely heard in the modern day. Her tone meshed perfectly to convey a deep belief in the words spoken. Her voice carried the words deep into his soul. The timbre of her voice made them echo and resonate within him, finding a harmony that seemed to go beyond the darkened curtain within.

Alexander let his mind start to filter out the useless sounds and noises that polluted his ears, leaving him with the underlying rhythms and melodies that were older than even he was. He surrendered himself to the guiding influences of the notes that reached out to him. With ease, he led Sophia through the dance steps. There was little complicated actions involved, and if she had any experience with any form of partnered dance, she would read the simplicity on the steps, and would easily keep time with him. He in turn guided her with subtle shifts of his hands to indicate any changes in direction.

He stood behind her, slightly off to one side so his legs would offset with hers. His jaw just cleared the crown of her head, allowing him to easily view the dance floor. This allowed him to move them around the dance floor, exploiting the gaps between dancers. He and Sophia they were in their own world, gliding around the room seemingly oblivious to the other dancers. Some people stopped to watch them, while others continued with their own dancing, focused on their own partners or potential ones. Alexander ignored them all, focused on the music, and the woman in his arms.

As much as he enjoyed the encounter with the yet unknown woman, Alexander found himself unnerved by the connection that appeared to already exist between them. He had been around long enough to know that such rarely, if ever just happen. The likelihood of something else being the cause was high. And even more rarely, were those beneficial to ones such as himself. Without betraying his goal, Alexander moved them both closer to the door, weaving through the dancers taking a seemingly random path.

His target location reached, it took little effort to have his partner facing away from the door. Alexander bent down, bring his lips close to her ear. Where before, he was cool to the touch, he was now warmer from a fire that she had ignited within him.

"Farewell, My Lady. We will meet again."

His hands slipped from hers as easily as air passing over her skin. His firm presence behind her was gone soon after. He pulled in the powers granted to him by the one that created him, easing himself from the sight and memories of those he passed.

He was torn and conflicted as he briskly carried himself away from the party. He was drawn to her, he could not deny it to himself. She seemed to fill a space that was missing within him; a balm that eased an affliction that he didn't know was there until it was applied. But it was not something that just happened. There was a trap, a danger involved that used her as some bait. He had allowed himself to be distracted by her appearance, her words, her presence.

But he would seek her out again. She was connected to those at the party, since it was invitation only. And the one who invited him would be very generous with his knowledge of who worked there. He would find out more about the woman before he did anything that he would later regret.

With that decided, the remainder of his walk home was pleasant and relaxing.

Sophia had melted into his arms as if she belonged there allowing him to lead, their steps in unison as he guided her around the crowded room. She was aware of no one but the man in whose arms she trusted, her sensual eyes were closed as she breathed in the very essence of him and merely was; she existed for the moment and nothing more. Fancifully she thought she felt him getting warmer as she herself certainly was, she felt a gentle interweaving of body heat which warmed her heart and soul. As the final beats of the song came to a close she felt his warm lips against the sensitive skin beneath her ear, a small vibrant touch which fanned their combined heats into a small feral blaze…

Then he was gone.

She knew instinctively that it would be so almost before she heard his quietly whispered words,

"Farewell, My Lady. We will meet again.

Sophia did not turn she stood absolutely still as her body mourned his loss, feeling wanting, nothing more than to cry her heart out. Had he been a figment of her imagination brought on by the mystery of All Hallows Eve? Sophia took a step backwards then she too was gone gliding silently over the parquet floor back down to the foyer and out into the soulless night. She had fulfilled her obligations she had signed the guest book, she could not remain.

Sophia walked slowly seeing nothing, her mind her senses filled with the faceless man with whom she had danced but a single dance. She felt as if a million tiny fires were burning over the surface of her skin, she felt alive… inspired. The young woman was caught up in feelings she could put no adequate name to. She barely remembered finally hailing a cab or returning home. She had no knowledge of flinging open the veranda doors to stand paying homage to the night as she unfastened her gown allowing it to pool around her bare feet.

Wearing nothing but the thinnest of slips which clung to her breasts and belly like a second skin she had glided into the moon light raising her arms smiling as she twirled around her golden hair a halo of glorious waves as it moved with her. It was fitting that on this night of nights a small fog was rolling in to entwine around her dainty ankles as she danced to the music of the night that only a small animal would normally hear. The swirling mist seemed almost alive as it caressed her flesh moving around her like the gentlest of lovers touching her calves, her thighs and occasionally her breasts, allowing evocative glimpses of her lovely form as she danced out her confusion and her need.

Sophia became an extension of her beautiful surroundings a force of nature itself as she blended seamlessly with the darkness, she was ethereal, a moon goddess as she gave herself up to the timeless night.

And then she stopped, her eyes coming back into focus as she stood there amongst the roses in her private haven his image buried in her consciousness as if it lived here. Had he been real or had he been a figment of her imagination, some sort of deep seated need that had taken root and blossomed?

She couldn’t loose him not now that she had finally found him…

Sophia hurried back indoors and opened all the lights searching for a canvas and her art supplies. Returning to her garden she set up her easel in a pool of vivid moonlight and began to draw. In an almost mindless frenzy she sketched his outline and began to paint her fingers then her brush flying over the canvas resting on her easel in the moonlit garden. Finally an hour later she had captured the man who had touched her soul and stood back for the first time to really take a look. The portrait looking back at her took her breathe away for a second time.



His brooding intensity was almost hypnotic; the enigmatically haunting man looked to be of another era another time and place. Yet it was his piercing eyes that held all of her attention, she had never seen them yet they called to her from her creation. Sophia wanted to kneel before him touch her lips to his and breathe vibrant life into her work, beg him to want her as much as she wanted him.

Stepping back a tear drop fell from her beautiful eyes, he was not real yet she felt as if she had known him for an eternity. Sadly she blew him a soft kiss and returned to her bed-sit leaving the portrait drying on its stand surrounded by the softly swirling fog bathed in the half light from the moon.

An owl hooted a haunting lament as she closed the veranda doors.

Sophia felt bereft confused but mostly abandoned and alone as she shed the rest of her clothing and slipped nude between the soft cotton sheets; her sleep was far from restful the unknown male who had touched her heart invaded and dominated her restless dreams, she didn’t even know his name…

The remainder of the night was spent reclining in an old style leather chair, facing a well banked fire, staring into the depths of the reds, oranges and occasion flickers of gold. The soft crackle of the wood feeding the flames was disturbed by the occasional pop, or sounds of some of the wood breaking and falling deeper into the centre of the flames. The air carried the lightest hints of smoke, but more pleasant fragrances of the wood itself as the remnants of the sap boiled away.

One hand was at the side of his face, the thumb holding up the jaw, forefinger extended along the cheek pointing to his hair, the remaining fingers curled in front of his lips. Not even the motion of breathing marred the pose of intense contemplation. He remained unchanged since his return from the party, and his encounter with her. His mind's eye, nose, ears, hands and body replayed the entire time they were together. The simplicity of her ease in joining him in the dance. As if they were old partners, well practiced together, not just strangers joined by the tides of fate.

His eyes barely narrowed. She was human. Untainted by his kind, untouched by anything that would make her abnormal. At least, it would have to be subtle for him to not be aware of it, but there was much out in the wider world he had no knowledge of that could come into play.

"Who is she?" His voice was barely at a whisper, hardly loud enough to disturb any of the other sounds within the room. "Where is she? Those are the questions to be answered before any others are posed. This will not be rushed. There will be no errors, nor mistakes. This delicate flower will be saved in a pristine condition."

He closed his eyes, feeling the position of the sun and the moon within the sky, knowing exactly what the time was. His eyes opened, the deep brown passing for black in the faint light of the room. The edges of his mouth turned slightly, forming enough of a smile to be noticeable, if anyone were present to view it.

So he remained until the Sun breached the horizon, and commenced his climb into the sky.


"It is a simple request. All I need is her name, and where she lives."

The man Alexander addressed across the old fashioned oak desk attempted to regain his composure, as well as his professional demeanor. The grey haired man projected an air of control, even when rattled by his visitor's unnatural presence. He subconsciously straightened his High Street suit as he sat taller in his chair.

"It may be a simple request, but it is not something that this company, or anyone within, can do without incurring some serious legal action. They are -"

"Not of my concern, Mister Jameson. Neither is it my concern that you are a major silent shareholder in Mister Neilson's holding company, as well as one of his chief advisers. I also know that he has spoken to you about... key staff before. Also, you are permitted to access the personnel files of any of his employees.

"Of course, it would cause you no end of trouble if certain personal preferences were to become public, or more correctly, become in the possession of the local law enforcement people. They do take a very dim view of certain relationships."

Jameson's lightly shaded skin lost all colour.

"All of this can easily be overlooked, in return for this one little piece of information. Actually, I will forget all about your lovers, and you will forget all about my request. Because if you do remember, so will I."

"How... how do I know that I can trust you?"

"You don't know. You either do, or you don't." Alexander stood up. "I will take a little stroll through the park. I will return to find the information I have requested on your desk, hand written in a legible script, waiting for me to retrieve on my return. If it is not there, then the police will receive some very disturbing information about you."

An hour later, Alexander returned to find the details clearly written out for him. He took them, nodded to the other man, and walked out.

"Miss Tyler," Alexander heard over the internal phone network, "please hold all calls for the remainder of the day. I don't want to be disturbed by anyone for the rest of the day."

Alexander waited for the night to arrive, before heading out to look upon her abode. He wore a hooded cloak, which helped keep the chill off him, not that it was any concern of his anymore. It took him a few hours to find his way to where she lived. In his mind, her choice of residence suited his feel for her. Like her dress, the facade of the building matched the older feel that seemed to resonate within her.

He found a place to stand, back against a wall like fence, away from the lights where the darkness seemed to pool like water in a natural dip in the ground. When he got settled, he became motionless. He almost blended in completely with the background, simply watching the front of her abode. Waiting for another chance to gaze on the mortal that captivated him the night before.

He longed to see the rich golden hair again, flowing freely down her body. He wanted to see how she looked in clothing she would normally wear. To look upon her face, and catch the reflection in her eyes. He had the patience necessary to catch such a look. He had hunted before, just as he hunted now. The predator knew his prey well.

Sophia woke the next day and stretched taking a moment to remember where she was. She smiled as she remembered the events of the night before as she luxuriated in the early morn feeling of being isolated from the world snuggling deeper beneath her down comforter.

Then she remembered …the painting.

Climbing quickly out of bed she rushed to the window. It was another foggy day the sky was gray and she could almost feel the dampness in the air even with the window closed. Shivering she opened the French windows and bare foot hurried to retrieve her work stopping once again in front of the easel caught up in the powerful emotions the male in the painting evoked in her. She didn’t notice the goose bumps rising like a small army on the surface of her exposed skin nor the cold dampness determined to invade her very bones. All she could feel was a languorous warmth which blotted out all else.

Giving herself a mental shake she picked up the canvass and easel and hurried back into the relative warmth of her rooms

The canvas needed to be framed that is how she would spend her day. Making breakfast she sat looking out at the garden as she forked up a mouthful of fluffy egg whites and sipped her fragment coffee her lap top open as she idly searched for a photo framer and checked her email. Her soon to be employer had left her a message, he was sorry he had missed her at the ball but wanted to show her the town and perhaps have dinner. Sophia sighed her beautiful eyes clouding over, she had no wish to see him socially nor did she want to anger him. The stranger entered her mind again and she glanced across the room, what was it about the compelling product of her fertile imagination which drew her so? Finally having located someone who could frame the picture while she shopped she started to get ready. Sophia had dressed more like a fairy sprite when she had lived on the moors, long flowing skirts and camisole tops her hair tumbling freely about her slender shoulders in the highland breeze as she explored or simply painted to her hearts content. Here things would be different as money was tight she planned on altering some of her grandmothers pieces as they would be more suited to her new environment , Sophia sighed, for now her old wardrobe would have to suffice. Pulling on along gauzy skirt in muted pinks and lilac she topped it with a beige silk camisole which clung lovingly to her curves in all the right place and a long cardigan which she cinched around her slender waist. A pair of gold colored sandals her long hair pulled in to a long pony tale from which many wayward wisps escaped and she was ready to face the world.


After an exhausting day exploring London as she waited for her canvas to be framed Sophia was thankfully on her way home balancing her beloved picture and a bag of groceries in her arms. She hadn’t realized how late it had gotten. Her building was fogged in, the stars hidden by the clouds, the moon only partially visible obscured by a blue hazy blue light. She shivered, what was it about this place and its ever present fog. In the highlands it had often appeared in the early morning or evenings lending a comforting presence as it rolled across the moors, here it spoke of something sinister! To her mind it crept across the cobbled streets seeming to devour everything in its pathway insidious and foreboding as it mixed with the grime of the air and buildings.

Sophia jumped as a ghostly voice spoke from the shadows.

“Sophia where have you been, I have been waiting, lets go inside.” Paul Neilson stood before her the expression on his handsome face dark and almost menacing. Without pause he reached out to take her packages from her while Sophia on pure reflex held on the brown paper wrapped canvas. The resulting tug of war had the paper ripping and sent both of her packages tumbling to the side walk. Sophia could only stare aghast as the paper burst open as her canvass landed with a thud revealing the portrait she had painted. Paul paid it nor her scattered groceries any heed instead he grasped her arms, whether to steady or restrain her she would never know, she did know his grip was like a vice and she wanted no part of him. “Sorry about that I’ll pick them up and you can invite me in for a drink it’s bloody chilly out here tonight!”

No, may I enter, just the assumption he would be coming up like it was his right. Sophia pushed out of his grip and stood looking at him her arms protectively folded over her breasts. Out of the corner of her eyes she caught the gaze of the enigmatic man whose essence she had committed to her canvas, the light from the streetlamp seemed to be reflected in his eyes as he gazed back at her, it gave her courage to act. “No Paul I cant invite to you in, I’m tired its been a long day perhaps another time." There would be no other time, she vehemently thought. She watched his expression change and darken, it frightened her, this was a man unused to being refused. Just then a couple approached them whom she vaguely recognized as neighbors. Perhaps they sensed the tension perhaps it was simply providence, but the girl stopped to help her retrieve her groceries laving Paul no choice but to graciously accept that he would not be visiting her that night. He stared at her a moment his expression unfathomable before simply turning on heel and disappearing down the street to be swallowed by the foggy darkness.

“I’m Julie let me help you, welcome to the building, you are lucky you have the nicest flat of all of course its too small for me and hubbie here were planning a baby…:” The talkative girl prattled on until the couple left her at her own door where Sophia smiled tanked her and bade them goodnight.

Once in the safely of her own room Sophia leaned back against the door reaction setting in as she trembled from head to foot her heart beating a staccato tattoo beneath her breast. Breathe Sophia he is gone! She put her packages down with shaking hands and returned to lock the door tomorrow she would buy a safety chain and perhaps a second lock suddenly she felt as if her sanctity had been breached somehow and knew she would never willingly invite Paul Neilson into her small home. Removing her coat, kicking off her sandals and stepping out of her skirt she unloosed her hair running her fingers through its luxurious waves before clad in only her camisole and silk panties she proceeded to hang the now framed canvas on the wall behind her four poster bed. Satisfied she opened the French window stopping a moment to breathe in the delicious scent of roses to calm her frayed nerves as she admired her handiwork. Come to me please I don’t want to be alone, I need you, she silently begged of the man in her painting. Suddenly a damn burst inside of her all of her fears and insecurities overpowering her all at once. Sophia threw herself in the middle of the huge bed and started to sob as though her heart would break, she cried until slowly her tears subsided and she fell into an exhausted troubled sleep tossing and turning until eventually she was still.

Lying on her back one arm flung to the side the other curved above her head one long exquisite leg stretched out to its full length the other slightly bent her hair tangled around her sensuous curves like some exotic living vine, she was a study in contradictions. The sleeping innocent was a tempting combination of sultry temptress and lost lonely child as she lay there dwarfed by huge four poster bed her scantily clad form bathed in the soft moonlight. Angry bruises were apearing on her forearms where Paul Neilson had held her captive...

“Come to me please,” she murmured in her sleep. “I need you.”

Alexander's eyes narrowed in slight suspicion as another person took up a darkened vantage point near Sophia's abode. The predator that he was, he knew the action for what it was - preparation for an ambush. Alexander ran down all the possibilities as to why this man would be there. Reasons of violence ranked highest in his mind, though he did place pleasant surprises in the list as well. But then, the manner that the man held himself in the darkness seemed to indicate that what ever was going to happen, it would not be pleasant.

The unknown individual was well dressed, which helped Alexander to shift the possible nature of his visit to ones less lethal, but still potentially dangerous. It was at that point that he wondered if the man was there for Sophia, or if he was waiting for someone else to arrive. There were more than one abode that shared the entrance. Alexander had been in the darkness too long, as he started to think that everything that happened was aimed at him, or those that were the focus of his attention.

Then he saw her enter the street. All else fled from his personal universe as he watched her. She was laden with articles from a shopping expedition. He was amazed at the simplicity of her mode of dress. A long flowing skirt that reminded him of the dresses worn while he was mortal. The legs was concealed in an appropriate manner, rather than in the positively lewd manner that the modern women flaunted themselves. Her top was borderline, but only for the manner the fabric revealed her figure so naturally. Of course women wanted to show off their figures, but there were proper garments to do so in public. What happened between a man and a woman in private was a different matter entirely. But of all the ways she had presented herself, it was the simple way she dealt with her hair that won him over the most. Even in the low light, the single rich pour of honey that flowed freely down her back was simple breath taking. The way it swayed gently with each step, and how it bent with the slight currents of air that wafted through the night.

It took all of his self control not to leap across the road at the intruder when he came out of the darkness for Sophia. She was clearly startled by his intervention, as all of her shopping fell to the ground. Alexander stifled another urge to to attack when the man grabbed Sophia. He saw the man stopping her from any attempt to flee, as well as her clearly displayed fright.

Yet, she changed. Her fright eased enough for some deep well of courage to be tapped. Her stance changed. Arms folded, back straighter than before. She stared at the man confronting her, and told him what she thought of his offers. The news was not met kindly. The man seemed to anger at her refusal, and Alexander readied himself to intervene if his new found interest was in any real danger.

It was at that point, he saw a small part of the painting that was one of the items she carried. He was surprised to view himself under the torn paper. A kaleidoscope of thoughts and images crashed and cascaded through his mind as he attempted to process this new piece of information. Had she painted it herself? If so, when? Why was it wrapped like that? Too many other questions made it impossible for him to think clearly enough to sort out what he was truly thinking and feeling.

But Fate kept him at bay, as two others arrived to help Sophia. All of her dropped possessions were gathered while the man who harassed her departed. Alexander got a good look at him,and followed him for a little while to ensure that he did not come back to cause Sophia any more problems. He also used the time to remove himself from Sophia, as she seemed to be a source of much confusion for him.

'What is it about this mortal that makes me want to protect her? Why am I drawn to her so strongly? She is but a mortal like billions of others.'

Pleased that the yet to be identified man was truly leaving, Alexander returned to his original place, and looked at the facade of the building. Some instinct drew his attention to the ground floor. He waited, watching like a Romeo waiting for his Juliet to appear. He longed to be near her, close to her, holding her warmth close to his body just as he did when they danced. But he could not approach her there. He could not cross the barrier that held him at bay. He knew that if he approached, she would let him enter.

'I want you to let me in. I want to be there with you. But not yet, princess. There is more to be done first.'

He turned to walk away when he felt compelled to stop. He turned his head to look over his shoulder to where he suspected she lived. He felt something that he never had felt in over 200 years.

His heart beat. One single laboured movement pushed a stagnant slush through nearly collapsed piping within his body. The hammer blow within his chest made him almost double over, and the massive movement of thick, mud like fluid was frightening in the feel of it throughout his body. He ran across the street, easily clearing the small fence. When he hit the yard in front, he leapt straight into the air. He was not able to make the roof, but he managed to reach over two thirds the way up. With spider like ease, he climbed the remainder of the way, and was soon upon the roof.

He crossed the roof, and dropped down the other side, landing outside a set of opened doors. Through the curtains, he saw her. She was carelessly strewn across her bed like a doll thrown in a fit of pique. Yet, her limbs were flesh. Long, delicate extensions of her graceful body. Each turn of her body was an artistic pose that would have art devotees flocking to admire. Innocence and a natural flaunting of her physical self. But even in her sleep, he could see the person encased with the flesh home making herself known. There was an air about her that made her less of an object of desire, but a person to admire.

His fingers tingled with the need to sooth her tangled locks, and straighten her bent limbs. He wanted to cup her face, and stare intently at her delightful face, soaking up all the beauty that she was offering to the rest of the world. He caught the faintest touches of her natural aroma when the wind permitted. He longed to be able to breath of it deeply again, savouring the unique blend that was distinctly her. He felt his anger rise again as he saw the dark marks marring the almost porcelain perfect of her arms. He felt a strong desire to find the man, and tear his arms off for what he did.

“Come to me please. I need you.”

He reacted to her softly spoken words, only to strike the barrier that he knew would be there. The building was old, many lives had lived there and made the barrier strong. Even in the short time she was there, she had added to it. He felt it there, the indescribable touch that he knew was her. He stood, hands held up as a mime would, except his hands rested on something that his kind would feel, but few others ever would notice.

Defeated by her sleep, and his own willingness not to disturb her, Alexander retreated from where she lived. He knew where she lived, and would easily find out more about her in the coming weeks. He walked from her home, back to his own abode. By the time he was safely within the walls of his own dwelling, he had finally accepted that this woman was important to him. The one matter that finally made his acceptance complete was the painting she carried. He doubted that there were any such paintings about of him, so she must have painted it herself. But to have created such a painting in a short period of time, and from what had to have been the quickest of glimpses...

"There is more to you than meets the eye, Sophia. Now, it is a case of determining why. Once I know that, then we will see what happens next."

Sophia spent a miserable night tossing and turning her dreams filled with dark images of Paul Neilson. She could feel the physical weight of him pressing into her arms as he pinned her savagely down to the bed, “Nooo.” she moaned pushing her way upwards out of sleep to sit huddled and soaked with sweat in the middle her bed the pounding of her heart loud in her ears. Fearfully she glanced at round to realize that it was almost mid morning, it had been nothing more than a very realistic nightmare. Dragging her exhausted body from the bed she moved to close her veranda doors noticing a foot print in the dirt outside her window as she did so, it hadn’t been there yesterday had it? Fearfully she quickly scanned her garden as she closed and bolted both veranda doors securely. She would phone the building manager after she had made herself some tea. Passing by the huge mirror atop her armoire as she removed her under things she caught sight of the angry bruises. Stopping she examined them the memory of the night before came back with vivid clarity,suddenly she felt unclean and opted for a shower, the tea and her phone call could wait!

Once in the shower she turned the spray on hot scrubbing every inch of her sensitive skin and washing her hair before finally leaning back against the shower stall and letting the spray run across her nude form as she tried to sort out her emotions and weigh her options. The troubled girl was oblivious to the water cascading down her flesh like some demanding lover. The punishing spray had it way unimpeded as it claimed every inch of her sensual form taking liberties, exploring at will all of her delightful plains and valleys. She simply could not work for Paul Neilson, this she knew with a certainty born of fear, he was not the man he had pretended to be when they had previously met. The water changed from hot to warm and finally icy cold causing her nipples to become twin peeks of diamond hardness before it cascaded down across her softy rounded belly to find a brief home in the soft downy curls nestled at the apex of her shapely thighs before disappearing with wild abandon down the shower drain.

Finally returning to the present Sophia realized the water was cold, shivering she turned off the taps. Wrapping herself in a soft Terry cloth robe she returned to her bed sit. First things first, she picked up the phone and called her building manager. He agreed to have a dead bolt and a heavy security lock installed on her door before the day was done and jokingly assured her that her roof top garden was completely safe. “Unless he can scale a building or fly I can tell you with certainty poppet that there is no access to your garden, you can sleep with the doors wide open naked as a Jay bird with no fears.” Feeling slightly silly but calmer she hung up the phone, it was then when she realized that she had three messages all from Paul. If she didn’t return his call he was coming over; no apology for his treatment of her just a cryptic statement that it was in her best interests that they meet. She didn't want him in her home!

She made a cup of tea to steady her nerves and called him back. After a brief uncomfortable conversation in which he did most of the talking she agreed to meet him for an early super, thinking that in a public restaurant she would be perfectly safe while she explained to him that she wouldn’t be working for him after all. She had options, she could freelance her work, or if push came to shove sell her grandmothers jewelry or even her small cottage in the highlands.

It was well after 5.00 p.m. her deadbolt and a sturdy safety chain installed that she reluctantly started to dress.

Sophia donned a matching pair of rose colored silk panties and bra over which she pulled a soft cashmere dress in a dusky rose. It dipped to a gently V just above the swell of her breasts, form fitting it flared out from her small waist to float around her hips falling to mid calf. The long bell sleeves hid the ugly bruises on her forearms. She left her long hair flowing free braiding the two side pieces framing her face securing them together loosely at the back of her head with an antique comb. The effect was hauntingly medieval and certainly not designed for an evening of seduction. Leaving her exquisite face totally devoid of artifice she slipped into a pair of sling back sandals before crossing to her armoire to select her jewelry. Her choice was simple for such an encounter with the devil an antique cross belong to her late grandmother or a small amulet designed to ward off evil. Unthinkingly she choose the latter affixing it around her slender neck where it hung invitingly in the hollow of her breasts.

Picking up her purse and a light coat she called a taxi and not long after was standing at the entrance to the French restaurant that Paul had chosen. Taking a deep steadying breath she entered and spoke to the maitre d’hôtel “I have a reservation I shall be joining Paul Neilson.” He had arrived before her. Sophia’s coat was taken and she was shown to his table, a small round table for two seated in a secluded corner of the restaurant. Sophia dearly wished they were to be seated somewhere less private, the more she saw of this man the less she liked.

He pulled out her chair ever the gentleman talking about nonsensical things as he poured her a glass of wine, Sophia tried cover the glass with her hand wanting to remain clear headed but he insisted that she drink. Not wanting a scene she acquiesced sipping the golden liquid slowly as she listened to his banal chatter, wishing she was some place else. The meal progressed and he was once again the man she had met when he had visited her in Scotland and despite her reservations she found herself relaxing, she even took a second glass of wine. Finally she gathered her courage and told him she had decided not to accept his offer of employment, instead she had decided instead to freelance. He smiled into her eyes and moved his chair perceptible closer. “London is a dangerous place for a young woman alone, the moment I met you I knew to that you would require my protection if not as your employer than perhaps as a friend?" The waiter brought their desert and was dismissed at which point his demeanor subtly altered unfortunately the naive female at his side missed his transformation until it was too late…

Two actions happened almost simultaneously; he picked up her slender hand and made as if the kiss her wrist instead he bent it backwards savagely pinching the soft flesh between her thumb and forefinger. Secondly, his hand snaked beneath the soft fabric of her dress to just above her knee whereupon he squeezed down hard on a pressure point. Both actions stilled her breath as pain clouded her senses.

Time stood still…

Wide eyed she stared back at him barely believing what was happening

“You will be mine Sophia make no mistake about it!” He was deluded or insane, perhaps both...

It was as if for a second Sophia stepped out of her physical body. She could hear the strains of some romantic music playing as she watched herself and Paul sitting close together, his lips pressed to her wrist. They looked so normal sitting there like some star struck lovers.

She could see clearly in that small moment that no one would help her the danger she was in could be only felt by her!

The lovely female trapped by his side was horrified as the dark evil which seemed to radiate from her companion to actively push back the lovely music to replace it with a dark foreboding silence. They were alone.

His hand released her knee and slid higher along the inside of her thigh, it felt like some slimy obscene invasion sending tendrils of coolness along her sensitive flesh. This felt to her like some bad dream from which she was unable to awaken. His hand slipped slowly higher easing her legs apart, one finger brushing across the thin fabric which clung lovingly to her soft femininity. Back and forth he rubbed her flesh trough the fabric, causing her heart to accelerate and waves of nausea to rise up in her constricted throat. He was going to violate her right here in the crowded restaurant and she couldn’t move a single inch.Her beautiful innocent eyes pleaded with him to stop. Ignoring her silent message he slipped a single finger beneath the soft fabric and dragged it lasciviously up between the soft folds of her labia pressing even harder on her wrist as he did so. She squeezed her eyes closed small tears falling silently to sparkle on her cheekbones.

Paul Neilson fully intended to plunge his meaty digit savagely into her depths uncaring of the pain he might inflict by such an action; but as she felt the pressure it snapped her into action . Ignoring the pain in her wrist her eyes widened and she shot upwards inadvertently overturning a water glass in his direction as she did so.

“B… bathroom,” she stammered blushing to the roots of her golden hair rushing from the table and heading in that direction. A brief detour had her heading out of the restaurant at break neck speed into the cool night air. So panicked was she that she failed to collect either her coat purse or the antique comb that slid unheeded from her hair onto the parquets floor. Her wrist and knee were throbbing but ignoring the pain she simply ran blindly into the foggy night.

She was panting hard as she reached the far end of the street, stopping only momentarily, frantically searching for some mode of transportation home, where was a cabbie when you needed him? Spooked by a sound from the shadows she was certain that by now Paul was following her. Her mind felt sluggish and she briefly wondered if she had drunk more than she has intended or if he perhaps tried to drug her? No matter, Sophia moved off in the direction in which she thought was home. Her heels made a clear clack, clack, clack against the smooth cobble stones a sharp contract to the more muted footsteps she fancied she could hear behind her. He was close! Sophia swiftly removed her sandals casting them to one side, barefoot she began to run in earnest.

A stitch in her side brought her to a grinding halt. Please don't let him catch me; she inwardly pleaded ducking into a darkened alleyway. She leaned against the cold stone trying to catch her breath; it was damp from the fog which seemed to wind itself amongst the shadows like some vibrant living thing. Uncaring of the cold or slime she pressed closer against it easing herself further inch by inch into the alley until there was no place else to go. She tried to peer into the gloom back along the way she had come but the fog owned this place steadfastly refusing to allow either the street lamp or the moonlight to penetrate the muted darkness surrounding her except for the barest of seconds at a time.

Sophia was trapped...

Her heart thudded painfully against her ribcage as the full realization of all that had occurred caught up with her. She clearly remembered the feel of his hand on her soft flesh touching places she herself had never even explored, she shuddered in revulsion at the memory. She would die in this alley or worse. The trembling woman slid carefully down the corner into which she had inadvertently trapped herself bringing her knees up to her chest, She tried to make herself as small as possible, making no sound hoping against hope that her stalker would not find her in the inky darkness. She could sense his presence, hear his breathing coming ever closer. Why had he chosen her?

“Come out come out wherever you are, you are mine.” his voice was a cold dank thing devoid of human feeling.

As she waited terrified, the image of the man she had painted, was it just the night before? came clearly into the forefront of her brain bringing her a small vestige of comfort. Fervently she wished that he were real. Sophia knew instinctively that if he were, he would save her from the one who sought to do her harm this night.

Alexander started to prepare for his night's foray to find out more about the mysterious Sophia. He took the time to attire himself properly, as was befitting such a venture. He dressed himself in a pure white, frilled shirt that fit his lean torso well. It was followed by pants that had been worn in enough to feel like a second skin softly encasing his own. The midnight black vest showed off the shirt nicely, rounded out by a gray so dark as to be black in the darkness of night.

The night air carried enough of the day's warmth that was leeched from the ground. He cared little for the temperatures that made mortal's lives miserable, but the echoes of his time before the change reverberated within him at times. Weather such as that gave him pleasant memories of a time long past. Just as the woman he sought out that very night. He walked, this time taking the most direct of paths as opposed to his first attempt at finding her abode.

But his timing was off, ever so slightly. He arrived at see her closing the front door to where she lived, and walking over to a waiting taxi. He strained his hearing, pouring all of his focus into catching the words she spoke to the driver. He heard the words of french spoken quite accurately, and his lips curled just enough as he thought of how to get to where she would be dining. Rather than relying on his feet again, he followed her lead, and after a few minutes, found another taxi. He gave similar instructions to the man, and sat back to enjoy the ride. But when he arrived, his instincts urged him to wait, rather than enter. Deep down, he knew that she would not go to such a place alone, and that some dining companion would be awaiting her.

He commenced strolling about the nearby streets, looking at the variety of businesses that operated in the area. A number of them were dining establishments of differing natures, and qualities, though they all presented a facade of culture and respect, though for a few, it was not a mere facade. He enjoyed the walk as he acquainted himself with the changed surrounds of that part of the city. He was so engrossed that he was unaware of the thin tendrils of the nightly fog forming up as the vanguard of the encroaching mass of white air moving to fill the gaps between the buildings.

But his thoughts continually returned to Sophia. Why was she there? Who was she seeing? He found his feet taking him back to the restaurant that he knew her to be in. He paused outside the door, pondering whether he had any right to enter. He had laid no claim to her openly. The door opened slowly, allowing some of the white air outside to flow through around his legs before he cut off the invading mist by shutting the door behind him.

While he had no power to render himself invisible, with effort, he could make people not notice him if he took the effort to not interact with the surrounds too much. Alexander sidled to one side of the entry palour, and concentrated on being insignificant. His place was chosen to allow him the greatest view of the dining area. Moving only his eyes, he scanned the room looking for her.

The lightest of frowns appeared when he spotted her seated at a table for two in the very rear of the room. That it was also dimly lit added to his troubled thoughts. The man was older than her by a decade or two, and she seemed mostly at ease, but he saw what he thought were the signs of tension within her. They ate quietly, with him talking and Sophia listening. Alexander took the time to examine his own thoughts concerning Sophia. She was special to him, for a reason he still could not fathom. She was interested in him or at least of interest to him. He almost snorted at the thought that he was jealous of the unknown man.

But his jealousy was blown away by the rage that erupted within him as the man savagely gripped her hand. But the manner in which Sophia tensed spoke of another threat rather than simple physical assault. He saw the dread rolling of her in waves, oblivious to everyone around them. His mind ran riot with the means of dealing with the man who inspired such fear and dread in Sophia. Images of ruptured joints being pulled asunder, of arterial blood raining from a gaping hole in his throat and the careless spill of bodily organs between his legs and feet almost total obscured the reality presented by his eyes. He was about to release his body, allowing it to follow the instincts granted to him by his second existence when Sophia stood bolt upright. She made her escape, racing past him as if he were not there. He left his gaze on the man, who stood up, throwing the napkin on the table and rushing after Sophia. Alexander's eyes narrowed as he turned to follow the fleeing diners.

He clearly heard both of them in the near blinding fog that swallowed them both. His inner predator easily flowed to the surface, allowing him to follow them both easily by sound, while not alerting either of them to his presence. Deep within him, he felt a jubilation he hadn't felt in many decades. The hunt. The pure and simple chase of mortal prey that would end in the satisfying quenching of his endless thirst.

Sophia was easy to hear, her shoes causing a clear sound that seemed to avoid the normal muffling of the fog. Her pursuer was easy to track as well, mainly due to his breathing and proximity to Alexander. But then, Sophia stopped, as did the other man. To his surprise, Alexander was barely to hear Sophia after she resumed her run. She was not his greater concern with the hunt. The other man was.

He found her shoes lying on the ground, carelessly lying near a building's wall. He bent down to pick them up, feeling the warmth trapped in them from Sophia's dainty feet. The footwear bypassed his predator, touching the higher self within. It brought him back to the present, reminding him that he had to treat the other man carefully. The police had greater abilities in this time than in times past. He resumed his hunt, thought with a different intent to the one he started with.

He became aware of the other man in the foggy darkness, more able to pinpoint his location simply by the sounds of his movement, and breathing. The prey was not one used to the chase, as his laboured breath told Alexander. Even taking the care to suppress the noise, it was still audible enough to be heard by the Vampire's sharp hearing.

“Come out come out wherever you are, you are mine.”

Alexander moved as quickly as he could, seemingly materializing before the man that threatened Sophia. The other man jumped back a step, his face loosing some of its colour. Alexander looked at the man as if he was reading a story in a newspaper which held no interest to him.

"No, she is not." Alexander's voice spoke of fact, unchallenged and inviolate. The man found his courage, stepping closer to Alexander. His heavier frame gave him the courage to face the more lithe challenger.

"I don't know who you are, but you have no say in what happens between my woman and I."

"She is not your woman." The tone was unchanged, delivered in the same calm, conversational tone as the first declaration.

"Who the hell are you?" His voice cracked a little, along with the courage that was faltering in the face of the fierce resistance.

"None of your concern. Now, leave her alone."

"I am not letting some faggot like you dictate terms to me."

Alexander relaxed almost imperceptibly. He knew exactly how the primal parts of the brain fired when presented with danger. Alexander let his inner predator come to the surface. His stance shifted from a normal stance to one that was preparation for impending, terminal violence. The other man started to shiver, taking an involuntary step backward. He nervously looked around for his escape options. Alexander could smell the man's fear as easily as he could smell the fresh urine.

"Leave. Her. Alone."

The other man broke and ran deeper into the fog, whimpering to himself as he fled. Alexander waited before enticing his inner predator back into the cage deep within his soul. Satisfied that the threat had been removed, at least for that night, he turned his attentions to the more pressing matter.

He could hear Sophia's desperate attempts to control her breathing so she was not being heard. He walked towards her, his footfalls completely silent as he approached her. He eased his way through the fog until he had covered half the distance from the alley's mouth to where he thought she was.

"Sophia, I have found your shoes. To walk on such surfaces bare foot in this weather is not good for your continued health."

Alexander had her shoes held forward in his hand; a peace offering from him to the frightened young woman. As he closed the final few feet, he picked up an aroma that surprised him greatly. Sophia was clearly aroused, her musky scent easily discerned in the foggy air. His rage threatened to burst forth again at the knowledge that the man had tried to violate her. Alexander quickly shut down that feeling lest Sophia mistakenly believed it was directed at her.

He finally came close enough to see Sophia clearly through the mist. She was firmly pressed against a damp brick wall, slightly disheveled from her escape, and clearly in distress. His eyes glanced down to the dress that clung delightfully to her body. The gentle V of the rose coloured dress' neck line showed off what he would originally would have called an obscene amount of her cleavage, but in this day and age was a sedate display. Nestled within the valley of her breasts was a charm that warded against evil influences. If Sophia knew of it's design and intent, he was not sure. Unfortunately, she had only encountered mortal evil, rather than the supernatural.

He knelt down before her, letting himself have the luxury of enjoying the view of her lower legs up close. He placed each shoe before the proper foot, before looking up at her.

"With your permission, Sophia, may I assist you in putting your shoes back on before I escort you back to the restaurant to retrieve you other possessions? Of course, I am willing to escort you to wherever you wish to go, if that will make you feel more comfortable."

Sophia pressed closer to the damp brick wall as if trying to become one with the microcosm in which she now found herself, her eyes becoming quickly attuned to the semidarkness pressing in around her slender ankles. The outer world and the danger that was stalking her receded as her attention was caught by a large sinuous rat scurrying through the flotsam that had somehow found its way into the alley, my he is very large, Sophia thought idly as she watched him forage though the cornucopia of food sources scattered around the dank ground like a veritable banquet table. This rat would not go hungry. Her eyes followed his progress, he seemed to thread his way through the small tendrils of the fog which had penetrated this far into the dank alley, silhouetted for an instant now and then by small ribbons of moonlight, in the next instance to become immediately hidden once again.

This was a place of light and shadow and she would perhaps die here or worse.

Her mind continued to enhance the small play that was being enacted, a rat soliloquy of sorts. She watched unperturbed as the rat made its inevitable way towards her finally climbing onto her feet as if he owned them. She could feel the small scratchy imprint of its tiny claws pressing into the soft flesh of her bare skin. The large rodent stopped in the warm spot to clean its whiskers ever attentive to the world around it. Sophia felt she felt no fear or revulsion, this was nothing compared to the fingers that had sought to violate her earlier, her untried body shuddered with the loathsome memory.

Sophia was oblivious to the drama being enacted further down the alley between her would be rescuer and Paul Neilson; she had no knowledge of who had won the encounter.

His, “Sophia, I have found your shoes. To walk on such surfaces bare foot in this weather is not good for your continued health," simply went unheard as did is silent almost unworldly approach until at last he stood before her.

It was the rat diving for cover its sharp claws digging hard into her sensitive skin that broke the spell. The startled girl she realized that she was not alone, her eyes raised and she saw his huge form as it seemed to press through the swirling fog tall and foreboding. His image distorted by the mist and moonlight conjured up imaginings of a caped Jack the ripper loaning over his next victim…her! Sophia’s heart literally missed a beat and her eyes widened, although she could not see him clearly she knew instinctively this was not Paul, this was something far far worse… valiantly she tried to push up the brick wall only to slip back down the slimy surface. “Who… what? she begged her voice trembling desperately trying to make out who this new assailant was. She would return home to the moors if she ever survived, she would be good, she should never have left the sanctity of her home she; please help me, she silently begged of some unseen deity. Small silent tears slipped unheeded from her frightened eyes as paralyzed with fear she simply stared at the man who knelt down before her and almost like an offering carefully placed each shoe before its mated foot. Her eyes widened further as he spoke his cultured voice soft and soothing.

"With your permission, Sophia, may I assist you in putting your shoes back on before I escort you back to the restaurant to retrieve you other possessions? Of course, I am willing to escort you to wherever you wish to go, if that will make you feel more comfortable."

Sophia knew instantly that this was the man that had haunted her dreams and most of her waking moments recently. Was he really here or was this her imagination, had she conjured a phantom to cleave to while Pauli Nelson had his debauched way with her? Sophia didn’t care if he was a figment of her imagination, he was here with her with her now, she smiled up at him her once terrified face lighting up with joy and hope. Her beatific gaze a beacon of light in and of itself easily dispelling the gloom surrounding them both.

“I knew you would come.” she whispered her voice low and husky.
.
“Hold me, I think I am about to die here in this alley ...wait here with me ?” she implored him reaching out her slender arms in supplication.

Alexander would have been blind to have missed the look of sheer terror that gripped Sophia. Her body pressed hard against the wall, as if by mere willpower alone she would force herself through the wall into relative safety. He kept his motions slow, deliberate in an effort to help ease her primal instincts to either fight or flee.

“Who… what?” Fear and uncertainty echoed in his ears as her first words to him filled the auditory void between them. He shifted his gaze from her feet to her face, marveling once more at the classic features that made up her attractive face. His senses honed themselves to a razor's keenness. The laboured breathing that caused her chest to rise an fall rapidly dominated the other sounds of the denizens of the alley. He heard the lone rat moving about in search for food. He smelled the scent of the rodent on Sohpia's feet, which surprised him slightly. There were also the other telltale scents of Sophia's fear, mainly the sweat and the subtle undertones that fear causes to the sweat. He felt the dampness of the ground, as well as the air. The lack of warmth in the air gave it a pleasant bite to his exposed skin.

His question to her was amply rewarded with a smile that dazzled him. He was greeted with a warmth that rivaled the sun, but was not as lethal as the Helios' ruthless touch. As the sunflower did each morning, Alexander rose and straightened, turning himself to face the source of the warmth.

“I knew you would come.”

Her voice was like the siren's song; his heart lurched towards Sophia, trying to compel him to follow its lead. Where her words touched his ears, a wave of warmth flowed gently through him. He stood before her, her Knight Errant. He had vanquished the monster that trapped her. He felt a pride that eluded him for many years.

“Hold me, I think I am about to die here in this alley ...wait here with me?”

She reached out, her simple gesture speaking more plainly of her desire and need than her words had. He slowly raised his arms, enfolding the young woman and drawing her closer to his body. He was a cool as marble to the touch, and almost as yielding. But he held her gently, as a father held a frightened child, or as a rescuer held the one they saved. Comfort was given, solace was offered as he stood perfectly still, shoring up Sophia's battered emotional walls.

"You are safe, Sophia. Death does not await you in this place. The one that chased you here is gone, and I feel that he will trouble you no further. Not tonight, nor any other time."

One hand gently caressed high on her back, a finally soothing action before he released his hold over her. Returning her smile with one more from Luna to her Helios, he slowly descended to his knee once more.

"On a night such as this," Alexander gently held one foot, easing it off the ground, "standing on such surfaces is not good for one's continued good health." He guided her foot back into the shoe, ensuring that all was perfect before turning his attention to the other foot. "It is obvious that you take excellent care of yourself, as well as making good decisions during times of crisis." As he spoke, her other foot was placed into her other shoe, again Alexander took the time to ensure all was perfect. He stood up, and took half a step backward, giving her some more personal space, while not giving her the impression he was retreating from her.

"If I may be so bold, Sophia," he gently took a hold of her elbow, indicating to the end of the alley where she had entered, "I would like to provide you with an escort back to the restaurant where you can retrieve your possessions that you left behind." He slowly walked her to the street the alley joined. Once they reached that point, he let go of her, again moving back enough to grant her space while being courteous and polite. "I will understand if you do not wish to have such company, but I feel that it will help calm your nerves some to have some more... gentle company at this time."

She was a delicate treasure that needed to be cared for properly in the harsh world about them. Alexander could feel the draw she exerted on him. He was intrigued by her. The way she looked, how she dressed and presented herself to the world. She had a talent within her for creating artworks that would rival Masters of centuries past. Unlike the majority of the human race, she seemed not to be unnerved by him. Nor fearful. Nor lustful of him for what he was. All of that and more ensured that he would take a firm interest in her.

His smile broadened slightly, adding a brighter glow to his face. He extended his bent arm towards Sophia. "May I escort you back to the restaurant, Sophia?"

“Hold me, I think I am about to die here in this alley ...wait here with me?”

Sophia knew instinctively that should she indeed die in this forlorn fog shrouded alley that it was something no longer to be feared that it would be merely a transition of states, and she would be with him. Such fanciful thinking for one about to die, her grandmothers voice echoed iin her brain as clearly as if she were indeed present in the alley. Sophia ignored her words she she felt herself enfolded his arms for she knew in that single moment, figment of her imagination or not, she was indeed finally safe.

He held her speaking softly as to her as one would to a child until her senses returned back to a relative normal and she was finally able to comprehend his softly spoken words, Nigel was gone, he would trouble her no further. Not tonight, nor any other time. Sophie believed the earnest stranger. Finally as he stepped away Sophia felt a loss so profound that it became and almost palatable entity, she wanted nothing more than to simply draw him back to her. Instead she watched in wonder as he immediately knelt before her reverently placing her shoe back on her dainty feet his actions almost those of supplication. In those small moments Sophie felt adored for some inexplicable reason she felt cherished she felt alive once more.

I want this man, this stranger, I want him in my life forever.

Fanciful thoughts here in this be-spoiled place... perhaps her grandmother was right, yet at this moment in the young woman mind gone was the dingy alley, the small skittering of rodent paws, gone was the swirling fog the icy feel of fear that has been her companions thus far. She was alone with this beautiful enigmatic man in the moonlight.

Sophia wanted nothing more than to be held in his arms, she wanted to dance with him again.

Finally his task accomplished he stood once more taking a half step backwards once again causing her heart to skitter in her chest as her sense of loss returned once more. Sophia had to stop actively herself from flying back into his arms. Instead her eyes silently searched his face in the half light. Her savior who looked like a marble statue as he stood gazing down at her, a man perhaps yet not one of this world. She sensed that he was very different yet this difference brought her comfort not fear; it was a difference she wished to explore. Even in this wretched place her body was totally aware of potent male who towered just inches away from her. It wasn't a sexual awareness exactly the shaken Sophia simply couldn't put words to what she was in fact experiencing, it was deep, visceral,the compelling and totally frightening all at the same time, it made her feel reborn.

She remained silent as he took gently took hold of her elbow and led her to the entrance of the alley where he offered to take her back to the restaurant. His smile softened the hard plains of his handsome face breathing life into his features warming her heart as it did so. The restaurant was the very last place Sophie wanted to return to but nevertheless she placed her arm on his and finally spoke her voice laced with revulsion. “Please Sir I have no wish to return there, perhaps you could retrieve my items for me?” The moment the words and left her lips Sophia knew she had erred. The thought of being alone in the night, this night especially was unacceptable, she immediately spoke again contradicting her last statement. “Please do not go, remain with me. She half turned towards him her eyes imploring as she placed her free hand on his unyielding one as she stared up into his eyes hers, twin mirrors of her pain and confusion.

Part of her mind was telling her to run, demanding that she return home, not the home that she'd recently purchased, it wanted for her to go home, back to the moors, back to her beloved Scotland. Sophia didn't belong in this alien place where the swirling fog became a thing to be feared. Back home it was simply an inherent part of the landscape rolling in at twilight a familiar friend, it was a thing of comfort; here it nurtured the bad things of the night. Sophia had no wish to associate with Nigel or any of his ilk. It seemed to her that this city was like some slumbering creature with a life of its own one Sophie simply could not fathom. He knew her name how could that be? Should she fear him? she pushed the aberrant thought firmly aside almost as soon as hit had formed inside her muddled brain.

Her benefactor looked down upon her waiting, she felt almost as if he could reach inside her and touch her very soul. How could she explain to him what was feeling in this moment? That she knew him, believed in him, needed the strength that only he could provide.

If she left London she would be leaving him and for some inexplicable reason she couldn't do that.

“Please I need to know your name, please do not leave me, please I……”

Small tears formed like precious jewels at the corners of her candid eyes slowly rolling down her cheeks. Sophia could not form words her small frame started to tremble as her emotions caught up with her.

“Take me home please my t..things can wait.”

Sophia swayed towards him as the world receded around her smiling trustingly up at him seconds before she fainted into his waiting arms.

Alexander remained calm and patient as Sophia let her chaotic thoughts and feelings settle down. He did not want to rush her, or make her feel pressured to come up with an answer before she felt she had the correct one.

“Please Sir I have no wish to return there, perhaps you could retrieve my items for me?”

He smiled, relaxing a little. He saw no reason to deny her request, and would happily see it through. He was on the verge of turning to commence walking back when Sophia spoke again.

“Please do not go, remain with me.”

"I have no other plans, Sophia. I will not leave you until you are safely returned home, or you feel that my company is no longer required." He harboured mixed feelings about that declaration. He wanted to remain with her for as long as he could do so safely. But she had no real reason to trust him enough to have him remain with her for any significant duration. But, he knew that all he needed to do was accept what she felt comfortable with and be gracious about it.

He found his hand held by both of hers, as she tried so desperately to speak to him with her eyes. The turmoil she was suffering was evident, even in the murky light of the mist laden night. He let her see his confidence, the surety that he would honour and respect her. He made himself the bastion of Terra Firma she could rest upon until the stormy seas had passed. He tried to let her know his patience was neutral, and he would be ready when she was, and until that time he would simply be there, supporting her.

All the while, his mind raced over this course of action. She was merely a mortal, nothing but a human like he was so many years before. Ones like her were nothing more than a means of continued existence, and a place to hide out in the open. Of course, they also supplied many useful diversions and distractions to help while away the time when there was nothing he sought to do. Yet here was one that was totally different. There was more to this one that mere distraction. She was more than a chalice that held the elixir of he continued health. She held a spark within her that gave him a warmth that he lacked since that fateful night. Perhaps, he could nurse the spark, feed it until it became a flame that could warm him?

“Please I need to know your name, please do not leave me, please I……”

Alexander was drawn from his reverie at the sound of her voice, and the fell of her confusion and fear.

"Please forgive me, Miss Sophia, for my most appalling lack of good manners. My name is Alexander, and I am most pleased to finally make your acquaintance." He bowed deeply and gracefully to Sophia, not once breaking the contact that he felt she most deeply needed then.

As he restored his height, he caught the flow of tears in her face. For the briefest of moments, they held a beauty that was almost surreal. It was if small diamonds were placed on her skin, refracting miniscule rainbows spun from the moonlight. The moment passed as he saw her tremble, the tears broken free of where they were moored.

“Take me home please my t..things can wait.”

Then he was gifted with a smile that nothing else he could imagine ever surpassing. Woven into that smile was a look of trust that he found to be welcoming, and terrifying simultaneously. But all of that became irrelevant as Sophia fell forward. His arms caught her before she fell too far, swiftly and gently scooping her into his arms.

Without thought, nor concern for how it may appear, Alexander started to walk back to her home. His path took him close to the restaurant where Sophia and the other man had been dining. He immediately returned to the restaurant to kill two birds with one stone.

No sooner than he entered, the manager was rushing over to them to ask them to leave. But Alexander was pleased to see the man's expression change from determined command to one of distress and concern when he saw that it was one of their recent patrons.

"Oh Dear Lord, whatever happened to her? She's not been hurt? And what of her partner, the fellow who -"

"He is of not concern, right now. The lady has had some distress in recent days, and it has unfortunately taxed her more than she was aware. In her haste to depart, her possessions where left behind. I would like for someone to gather them for me please.

"My good Sir, if I may prevail upon your hospitality, could you please call for a cab to that I may escort her home."

"Of course, of course. Russel, please get the lady's coat and other items. I shall call a cab for you right this moment, Sir. Is there anything else we can do to make her comfortable?"

"Just lay her coat over her, thank you."

Alexander loved how he was able to project that air of correctness when in a situation that would be otherwise suspicious. He came in, carrying an unconscious woman who was last seen in the company of someone completely different. Yet, it was accepted as if normal because he wanted it to be so. Russell returned with her possessions, laying the coat over her reverently, ensuring she was covered as best as possible while not trying to touch anywhere improper.

"The cab will be here in a few minutes. I will keep a watch for it, and help you if you need it when it arrives."

"Thank you. I will ensure that I tell my friends of the excellent service of you restaurant. I will also come back here sometime soon by way of thank you."

"You are most generous, Sir. Ahh, the cab has arrived." The manager held the door open for Alexander as he carried the still unconscious Sophia out to the waiting car. Both the driver and the manager lent a hand to get them both in safely, and they were in transit shortly after. Alexander gave the driver the address, and to his surprise, the cabbie took the fastest route there. After some more help, Alexander paid the cab driver, and made his way to the front door of the building where Sophia lived.

"I just hope you wake up before I get you to your abode, Sophia, because I will not be able to enter without your permission. Some manners are just impossible to change."

Sophia missed all of what transpired next as she lay protectively cosseted in her rescuers potent arms.

She was in another world one of dark and clouded places carried along by the dark and foreboding mists she has ounce loved. Voices laced their way between the living tendrils of the now alien mists which held her captive. You will be mine Sophia make no mistake about it … Nooo! Icy cold tendrils wound their insidious way around her legs like a serpent slithering up beneath her skirts, cold becoming warm, warmth becoming like an evil calloused brand as they crept beneath her silken panties.

Nooo … no … noooooo! she silently screamed as she felt them slither between her virginal folds to rasp across her hooded clitoris, clearly intent on entering her most sacred places! Noooooo! Sophia began to struggle arching and bucking against the mists that held her.

Mists suddenly turned to bands of steel as the man who actually held her fought to hold her still.

Sophia fought her way out of her nightmare just in time to hear his voice, a calm oasis in her the stormy sea that her world had now become.

"I just hope you wake up before I get you to your abode, Sophia, because I will not be able to enter without your permission. Some manners are just impossible to change."

Her eyes flew open, and for what for her seemed an eternity she lay in his arms disorientated uncomprehending, simply staring into his compelling eyes ... eyes which bade her trust him.

Glancing anxiously into the shadows which surrounded them she shivered with revulsion she had no wish to spend this night alone. Noticing her purse resting on her belly, he must have gone back to fetch it, she tried valiantly to smile. “My house keys are in my purse please could you take me upstairs, come in, perhaps stay awhile…I…please?”

Sophia knew that she was blushing at her own forwardness but she truth be told she didn’t want to leave the sanctuary of his arms she knew her legs would fail her.She especially did not want to be alone tonight, was relieved when he found the keys and began to carry her upstairs almost as if he knew the way by heart.

He knew your name, he knows where you live! some inner voice cautioned her.

I trust him! she rasped back firmly closing the unasked for conversation as she instinctively pressed closer to his chest.

Alexander reacted rather than thought about containing the thrashing Sophia. He waited her out, letting her become aware of her surrounds and calming herself. It was ultimately the easiest task for him to do. She was not sufficiently awake to touch her mind with any great effect, and when the target of such powers was in as much emotional turmoil as Sophia was, it made it very difficult to get the desired result.

Plus, he had no desire to tamper with her in that way. The briefest and barest of frowns crossed his face at that thought, putting it aside for the time he knew he would have free to pursue such pondering.

He did look at her when she finally came to rest. The old saying about the eyes being the windows into the soul were so true in this case. He could see things in someone's eyes that would scare them if they knew the truth. He saw fear. He saw uncertainty about her future. But most intriguing was he saw echoes of something else. Something that did not fit with a woman such as her, in a time such as then. He relaxed himself, allowing his concentration to sharpen as he commenced to sink deeper into the twilight on the other side and seek out the anomaly that seemed to beckon to him.

But she broke his contact, which almost brought a hiss of displeasure to his lips. He knew her actions were driven by the fear gained from her dinner engagement. She was trying to figure out what was happening, where she was and what dangers were close by. She had no idea that the greatest danger to her was the one that held her in it's arms.

He ignored the look of bravery she put on, the smile was more fragile than spun glass and just as easy to see through. It had been many years since anything gave Alexander similar feelings, and anything that could do that now would be worthy of such a reaction.

“My house keys are in my purse please could you take me upstairs, come in, perhaps stay awhile…I…please?”

He shifted his arms so he easily supported her weight on one arm, without causing her too much discomfort. With little trouble, he found her keys, and proceeded to readjust his arms to better support her. With all the care and consideration of a gentleman of the time he lived, he carried the stricken woman to the edge of her abode. He was able to work the lock, and open the door.

He felt the barrier as if it was a brick wall. 'How many lives have been here to create such a barrier against the likes of me?' But the current resident, the feeder of the barrier had granted him leave to enter in his presence. The barrier bent as he entered, vainly trying to reject him against the will of the owner. But he passed through with little ill effects. Alexander doubted that he would have been able to cross the barrier without Sophia's permission. Most places, he would be able to enter, though be severely weakened.

A gentle guiding of his foot closed the door behind him. He took the time to look at the place Sophia called her home. It was... her. He could feel that the two had accepted each other almost immediately. The basis of her home fitted his idea of her. It had an old world charm that was maintained through the years. A charm that was remarkably similar to Sophia's. Yet, here and there were signs of the current age. And yet, they took little away from her abode.

He spared a glance at Sophia, seeking to reassure her that his intentions were gentlemanly. Seeing her head pressed close to his chest, he walked with deliberate care into her lounge room.

"I think it is best for you to sit here for a little while. I shall make us some tea to help soothe the nerves frayed by recent events." He knew where the kitchen was by the aromas that wafted from there. He was aware enough of the modern appliances to allow him to carry out his desired task. It took a few minutes before he returned with two mugs of steaming tea. He set down one mug before Sophia, not concerned for a moment that he had not made it as she would like it.

"Within reason, Sophia, I shall stay with you this evening. I will not intrude on you when you need your privacy to maintain your modesty. I will also respect any reasonable desires you may have as well.

"I thank you for the amount of trust you have shown me by asking these things of me. As you may already know, I mean you no harm." He took a sip form his tea, allowing him to appear like he was thinking out his next sentence. "I hope I am not too forward with this, Sophia, but I would like to get to know you a little better, if I may, once you have recovered. Perhaps meet at a park, or cafe. Somewhere public enough to offer you some safety and peace of mind."

Alexander felt wrong taking the path he had set himself upon. In times past, he would have simply asked his questions, regardless of the manner used. He would have got his answers, and then moved on. Yet this woman, this mere mortal, was almost haunting him with her presence. She was making him feel and act as he did before that fateful night. That more than any other reason was what drove him to seek her out, to slake his thirst for knowledge about the one thing that made little sense to him.

He sipped his tea as he let his mind wander down other paths, seeking the signs he needed to solve the puzzle that was starting to loom before him.

Sophia remained pliant in his arms as he unlocked her door and carried her inside; she was numb with exhaustion and couldn’t muster the energy to ask him to put her down even if that had been what she wanted.

Her bedsit was an open plan concept he placed her on the couch where she curled into herself much like a flower closing its petals at the end of the day. From under her lashes she watched this large, and at least in her eyes at this moment, almost omnipotent man prepare her tea and serve it in the dainty china cups which were of course a legacy of her grandmother, his long slender fingers handling them with an old world charm.

She listened attentively as he reassured her, loving the deep timber of his voice it, was like pure velvet, polished and refined, it sent shivers of recognition dancing along her spine. Her gaze strayed to his portrait where it rested above her bed, the resemblance was uncanny she wondered what he would think when he caught sight of it as it was inevitable he would.

Instinctively she trusted this potent virile man. It seemed to her almost as if she had conjured from the very depth of her ofttimes desperate dreams... dreams where she had searched for him in vain only to awaken time and time again bereft and alone.You were wrong about Paul Neilson an inner voice cautioned her. You should make him leave!

"I hope I am not too forward with this, Sophia, but I would like to get to know you a little better, if I may, once you have recovered. Perhaps meet at a park, or café, somewhere public enough to offer you some safety and peace of mind."

His request brought the real man back in focus. and her eyes flew to his. He wanted to get to know her, how could he possibly want to? Sophia felt soiled!

Unable to formulate an answer she dropped her eyes and picked up her cup with shaking fingers, it rattled in its saucer, afraid she would spill its content she replaced it on the table untouched. Unable to meet his penetrating gaze she stood, even though her legs felt like jello somehow she remained upright. ”Th..thank you ..you have..I would love…I .” Sophia was desperately trying to thank him, beg him to stay the night but a rising sense of panic was making words an impossibility! Biting her lower lip she struggled onwards, “Please..m..make yourself ..a..at home I must shower..I am…I feel…I will be right back.” Ending on a rush she smiled shakily in his direction hoping he would understand.

I am going to throw up, she thought clutching her belly, I need to be clean! Sophia almost ran from the room stripping off her garments as she went heedless of the man whose eyes must surely be following her. By the time she hit the bathroom she was nude.Not even closing the bathroom door she turned the shower on, picked up a washcloth she stepped inside the red hot spray where she immediately began to soap herself from head to toe, grabbing a nail brush she started to scrub her sensitive in earnest wanting to remove every trace of the odious man who had violated her in the restaurant. Sophia’s feverish shaking fingers moved between her legs and she shuddered in revulsion remembering his fingers touching her there like some bad evil things.

The distraught innocent began to sob as if her heart would break she couldn’t bear to touch herself down there...but she needed to erase Pauls' ugly touch... her knees buckled and she slid down the corner of the shower stall curled up into a ball and shook with anguish and despair oblivious to the scalding spray reigning down unmercifully on her tender skin.

Alexander felt uncomfortable as Sophia moved in ways that clearly expressed her distress over the night's actions. She broke off eye contact sharply. Her hands were incapable of holding the cup. The tremors were almost violent. He could almost smell her fear and confusion. He looked on as she managed to stand akin to a new born filly; her legs wobbled but maintained her in her upright pose.

”Th..thank you ..you have..I would love…I .”

The barest frown marred his features. The other man didn't harm her physically, but he seemed to have hurt her mentally and emotionally. Alexander felt his rage building slowly deep within his belly. He discarded the immediate thoughts of how he would rend the man apart for what he did, focusing on the more subtle and immensely more satisfying ways of dealing with the human.

“Please..m..make yourself ..a..at home I must shower..I am…I feel…I will be right back.”

Her words sped up the closer she got to her goal, terminating in a smile that seemed to be an afterthought. He smiled graciously and nodded politely. She had barely turned from him when she started to shed her clothing. He surprised himself by turning away, not wanting to intrude on Sophia's privacy.

And what he saw would have made his heart stop, had it still beaten in his chest. He looked further up the wall than he had previously, above the bed that was perfect for the style of the house. There sat in pride of place upon the wall a painting that caught his attention. He placed the cup down on the table, and moved silently towards the most personal of places in the house. The painting was new. He could tell by the the texture of the paint, as well as the smell. But the painting was of him. The likeness was uncanny. There was no doubting who he was looking at.

His head snapped around to look back towards the bathroom as if the action would bring forth the answers he so desperately wanted to know. He narrowed his eyes, focusing on listening to what Sophia was doing. He heard the rushing water from the shower, as well as some frantic activity. He was not sure if that was normal for her cleaning herself, but her behaviour leading up to that suggested she was not in a good state of mind.

He heard Sophia starting to sob. The crying was soul deep, and painful even for his ears. He took a few steps from her bed, pausing to find out more. Sophia's crying continued, and he noticed that the door to the bathroom was open, and large amounts of steam were billowing out of the room. He was in motion before he was aware he was moving.

He grabbed a towel as he entered the room. It took a moment to see where she was, and where the controls for the shower were. He immediately turned the hot water down, and the cold water up, bringing the water to a less scalding temperature. He let the water run over the reddened skin, cooling it off carefully and not inducing other issues in the process. For a few minutes, he remained by her side, still as a statue while her abused skin recovered, and Sophia herself continued to coming to terms with what happened to her.

He turned the water off. "Lean forward, Sophia." He guided her back off the wall enough to allow him to wrap the towel around her. As he did bringing her into her home, he lifted her carefully and gently. He grabbed another towel, and took her back to the lounge room.

"Please, sit down and let me help you." With some careful maneuvering, he managed to get Sophia to lower her legs from her body. With slow, precise motions, Alexander used the other towel to dry her legs and feet. He made sure that she exposed nothing important while also keeping his hands from places which might cause her upset. Once her legs were dry, he dried those parts of her arms he could reach without moving her, and finally padded her face dry.

"I have done what courtesy and modesty permits. Would you be an artist by any chance?" He looked at the empty easel standing on the far corner of the room. "Or was that something that came with your home?" He paused, letting her absorb what he said. "I admire this place. It has a strong sense of history to it, one that you have maintained well, while still having those conveniences that makes life so much easier these days."

He turned his attention back to Sophia. "My lady, I know you are in much distress. All I seek to do is help you calm down. I know you have asked for me to stay, and that offer is most gracious, but I feel that my being here may not be a good idea. But, if you feel that my presence will be of benefit, I shall remain for as long as you desire.

"Please think on it before you make a final decision. Whatever the result, I shall respect your wishes."

Sophia wasn't fully aware of his careful ministrations as she was cared for she did however feel safe in this strangers arms. There continued to be a bone deep awareness somewhere in the back of her mind that she knew him. His gentle words were like liquid balm soothing both her body and mind. She obeyed him like a small trusting child would as he tended to her unmindful of her nudity.

Finally his words came slowly into focus as she followed his inquiring gaze to the newly painted portrait.

Her voice was low and strained as she sought to answer him, her bewildered eyes seeking out his, her slender hand reaching up to lovingly trace his jawline; the briefest of touches, only to be quickly withdrawn again.

"Tis your likeness painted from my memory. I have been searching for an eternity. So very tired now..."

Her voice trailed off her words making no sense even to the one who spoke them, yet they contained a quiet conviction...Sophia spoke the truth.

The exhausted girls eyes fluttered closed listening as he continued to speak, her small perfect breasts rising and falling rhythmically as she struggled for coherency in a world suddenly gone mad.

Alien images passed through her mind like an old nickelodeon movie; faded septa... slightly out of focus.

The clip clop of an old horse drawn carriage ...an accident ...this man held in her arms..torn from him...screams as her father hit her...many tears, great heart wrenching sadness...great loss...death. They were a jumbled kaleidoscope of fuzzy images which were like a memory which she simply could not hold onto try as she might. Vestige remnants of a dream perhaps. Nothing was making sense in her befuddled mind.

All Sophia knew was that he was here now, dream or not and she simply refused to loose him again. Alexander belonged here somehow in this small paradise nestled lovingly amongst the gloomy fog filled city. He belonged to her!

"Please think on it before you make a final decision. Whatever the result, I shall respect your wishes."

Sophia forced her eyes open they were emerald pools of agony as her mind's images faded into nothingness. Such loss was hard to endure. Don't leave me, she thought desperately.

Leaning forwards slightly pressing her scantily clad body into the the santuary of his arms she whispered, "Stay please...you have come home finally, I couldn't bare for you to leave so soon."

Later Sophia wouldn't remember her own words it was as if they had been uttered by another...