Her gaze was lost on the blue sky where a few white clouds floated lazily. It was sunny, outside, which guaranteed she’d be safe, at least for the next few hours.

Sarah left the kitchen and sighed at the silence surrounding her.

And there she was, she thought. In some stranger’s home. A stranger that wasn’t even Human; that had come from some parallel dimension; just like the ones chasing her and making it impossible for her to go home.

For an instant the full extent of that unbelievable situation hit her hard. How much easier it would be to simply deny everything she’d seen and tell herself that it had all been the product of a moment of insanity.

Just stop it, Sarah, or you’ll really end up going crazy.

Once more she reminded herself of the importance of keeping a cool, critic head on her shoulders. She had to solve that problem, and she had to do it before the end of the week. She’d promised Selena that that by then they’d be able to return home, and she had to go back to work on Monday. As it was, attempts to escape reality could hardly be of any help in putting her life back together.

Making her mind, Sarah raised her head and took a deep breath. If she was to live in that house for the next few days she might as well know her way around the place.

She started on the living room, where she’d been the night before. The piles of black dust had disappeared but nothing had been brought in to replace the couches that had disintegrated. On the armchair she’d occupied were the bags with her clothes that Alexis had brought for her. She had grabbed the slippers, the cotton pants and the sweatshirt she wore from one of the bags, first thing in the morning. As soon as she’d come down for breakfast, Anne had informed her that someone had brought over her things, and even now she couldn’t help feeling embarrassed at the thought of Alexis roaming through her drawers, choosing which clothes to bring her, from the most common to the most intimate pieces.

Blushing at her last thought, she grabbed the bags and climbed the stairs to the first floor. She left the bags in her room, near her bed, and returned to the corridor, decided to continue exploring the house.

The last door led to a bathroom, that much she knew. She opened it as if to make sure and immediately noticed that, as he’d told her, the floor had been cleaned and there wasn’t a single trace of broken glass or disinfectant anywhere to be seen. The bottles and packets of bandages had also been put away. Everything was perfect and pristine. Not even a trace of the mess she’d seen the night before.

Sarah left the bathroom and turned the handle of the next door. It creaked slightly as it opened and the soft scent of wood reached her nose. She felt her way over the wall beside her until she found the light switch and, as she turned it on, the yellow light from the lamp in the corner filled what looked like a small office.

Right in the middle of the room was a large, dark, wooden desk that looked like it belonged to the last century. The high back chair with cushioned seat had been made to match. Behind it a big painting hung on the wall. Once more the landscape was strangely beautiful and surrealistic. The sky from a dark lilac color was wide, the grass dancing in the wind was blue and the trees were tall and unusually twisted, looking as if they had a life of their own. On the other wall shelves were filled with books that, like everything in that room, looked old, the leather spines empty of titles or any other references. The window was shut, the blinds pulled down, the heavy curtains closed. Some lost papers, two pens and a cell phone charger rested on the desk, telling her that, unlike the living room, that office had some use, which made her feel as if she were intruding. And so she didn’t stay much longer.

The next door led to another bedroom. Similar to the one where she now slept, that one was clearly unoccupied. The bed had been made, and like with the rest of the house, everything was impeccably clean. The closet, on the other hand, was empty, unlike hers that was filled with man's clothes. The window, like all the other windows in the house, was closed, the blinds pulled down, keeping the light of the day at bay.

If this isn’t his room, where does he sleep?, Sarah wondered since she’d grown out of doors to open. Images of coffins buried in a basement filled her mind, and she might even have laughed it off if, right then, she didn’t believe that anything was possible.

Going back downstairs, Sarah made her way to the large living room’s windows, pressing the button to pull the blinds up, and opened the curtains to peer outside. Even though she was in a residential neighborhood there was movement on the streets, but nothing she could consider suspicious.

And, of course, he had to live in one of the richest neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. Where does he get the money to keep a house like this?

Sarah wandered aimless through the room, taking her time to carefully observe the paintings on the walls, until her gaze fell on the door from where Alexis and Aaran had come in the night before.

Feeling curious and sure it led to a garage or something like that, she opened it just enough to look outside. Darkness, deeper and thicker than she’d ever seen, looked back at her. Even when she opened the door completely she couldn’t see a thing. It was almost as if that door was some kind of gateway, since the light from the living room refused to cross it, and, on the other hand, the cold air she could feel on her cheeks coming from the other side didn’t expand towards the living room.

Sarah stretched out one hand and her heart jump when her arm simply disappeared inside the darkness, as if it had been swallowed. She could still feel the cold moist air on her skin, but she couldn’t see anything that would indicate that she still had a hand. As if a dark, heavy cloud had been stuck inside a closet, she thought, and felt the floor right in front of her with her right foot, since she couldn’t see a thing beyond the threshold. It felt like a stairway, she concluded, and her heart started to beat faster again.

Well, there you have it. I knew he slept in the basement, she told herself, trying to push back the fear that knotted her stomach.

Still she decided to dive in, allowing that dark cloud to swallow her completely. Slithering murmurs echoed all around, startling her. But, looking back, the door was still there, opening to a bright room.

Go back while you can! And she was sure that that’s exactly what she should do, if she could master enough common sense.

Concluding that nothing bad had happened, and telling herself that the strange sound’s she heard were probably just old plumbing, Sarah turned her back to the light and went down towards the darkness.

She couldn’t stop wondering what she was going to find downstairs, and, strangely enough, the not knowing seemed to be enough incentive to keep her going towards that absolute emptiness. The darkness was thick, oppressive, and the soft murmurs kept filling the air, like lost voices echoing from afar. But the cold air was light, like the night air after a snowstorm, and no matter how far she tried to reach with her hands, she couldn’t feel any walls that might give her some sense of direction.

And then a soft reddish light illuminated the end of the stairs and her footsteps were suddenly more confident, as a smile stretched her lips. Once at the base of the stairs she couldn’t help look back at the looming darkness she’d just emerged from. It still looked as dense as it’d looked from the other side, and she couldn’t help feel more at ease being able to see the ground beneath her feet again. With a second thought, she looked respectfully at the two torches hanging from the wall, their red-yellow flames apparently able to keep that heavy darkness away.

It almost looks like a cave, she noticed, looking around and touching the cold, hard stone wall. There were two old-looking doors made of wood and iron, reminding her of old monastery cells. She instinctively chose the one to the right and the sound of the rubber soles of her slippers against the stone floor echoed eerily.

With her heart pounding, Sarah placed her hand over the cold iron handle and took a deep breath. In her mind she was already imagining all sorts of macabre and scary scenes that would easily fit the darkest of horror movies, and she immediately decided that, should the worst come to pass, she wouldn’t stand there gaping, and that she’d immediately get the hell out of that place as fast as she could.

Once established a course of action, Sarah took a deep breath and turned the handle. The soft click that ensued made her hands sweaty, making her realize that part of her had hoped it’d be locked. Still holding her breath, and keeping in mind her escape plan, she slowly pushed the door open and peered inside.

To her surprise a candle burned somewhere, softly illuminating the room with an orange, trembling glow. And her incredulous eyes feel upon what could only be called … a bedroom.

There was a dresser right beside her, on top of which the small candle threatened to go out at any minute. In the right corner there was a round table and a chair. On the wall at the far end a closet with sliding doors, and, on the left, a bed … a clearly occupied bed.

Sarah watched the bundle lying in there for a few moments and sighed in relief as she noticed he wasn’t moving and that she hadn’t woken him.

All the furniture in the room was made of wood, with simple and practical lines, and the coat hanging from the back of the chair confirmed the identity of the room's occupant.

No coffins … or skeletons … or bloody walls … she concluded looking around once more. Only absence of windows.

She walked towards the chair and softly caressed the leather jacket hanging there. It was the same she remembered him wearing the night they’d met, when she’d woken up in her home. And suddenly it felt as if eternities had gone by since that moment. As if the events in her life had somehow accelerated.

Her gaze went to the bed and she took a few steps closer to take a peek.

Covered from the waist down with a dark-blue satin sheet, it looked like he wasn’t wearing anything but soft-looking pale skin, which made her blush. His chest seemed hard, the muscles under his skin well toned, ending in strong-looking shoulders and beautiful long arms. She couldn’t help notice he looked much thinner when dressed, a completely deceiving perception. Everything in him was well proportioned, and she would have thought him perfect, if not for the numerous scars and reddened marks marring his entire body. Her gaze stopped on his right arm that she had bandaged for him the night before, and she felt relieved to see that there were no signs of fresh blood.

Watching him while he slept she couldn’t help think that he looked just as Human as anyone she’d ever known … His disheveled hair spread over the pillow. His arms folded next to his chest. And the soft, tranquil expression of his face almost innocently young.

Sarah smiled softly.

Quietly sleeping like that he was close to looking like the young boy Anne saw. If at least he weren’t so … big. Sarah took a hand to her lips, muffling a brief chuckle. She was being a bad girl, now, she thought amused with her own thoughts. But what could a girl do when face with such a … work of art?

Still smiling her gaze fell upon the peculiar silver tattoo glistening across his face. Drawing closer, as silently as she could as to not wake him, she raised a hand wanting to touch it. That metallic silver color was so strange … almost as if the swirls had been drawn in oil paint. Her hand shook slightly as she drew even closer, but before she could even touch him the world turned and spun, stealing her breath away.

Iron claws crushed her wrist as she was pushed down against something hard and cold. Gasping for air, her throat burned and pain spread all around her neck bringing tears to her eyes. She instinctively clawed at the arm and hand squeezing the life out of her, fighting to get free. And then she saw him, his eyes completely dark as if the black cloud from the stairs had invaded his body and taken over him. The wild, animal ferocity that invaded her mind sent painful flashes across her brain and told her, without a doubt, that she wouldn’t survive. How could she have been so mistaken? He’s not Human! He’s a monster! She thought, panicking, still fighting for her life. And then, as quickly as he’d grabbed her, the darkness in his eyes started to pull back, converging towards his pupils and his eyes regain its storm-like color.

Sarah felt the exact moment he saw her for the first time, as clear as she could feel his hand around her neck. Confusion and horror took over him, and the iron claw that was his hand released her immediately, leaving her bending forward and coughing as she tried to regain her breath. Her aching brain was once more invaded by chaotic emotions that no measure of metal shielding was able to avoid. Loathing, despise, anger, all turned against himself. And fear … a deep, visceral fear.

“What are you doing here? Get out!” he shouted at her and Sarah didn’t need to be told twice as she quickly tried to obey. In truth her panicking mind was telling her to do exactly that. To run away as fast as she could, and as far away as her legs would carry her. But, still gasping and coughing, she could hardly sit straight, much less run, and the agonizing sound of her desperate breathing filled the room.

She felt the bed where she now sat shudder and heard the sound of footsteps against the stone floor. He was probably about to leave, since she was clearly unable to comply with his demand. And the thought that he was about to leave her there, all alone, made her feel even worse.

Hush … breathe… slow … slower… in and out …

Little by little she was able to regain control over her own breathing, although her throat still hurt and burned. And only then did she notice that the sound of footsteps hadn’t disappeared. He was still there, pacing back and forth, and he was furious with her and with himself.

Sarah dried the tears sliding down her face and pulled herself together, sitting up. The room floated and spun for a moment, forcing her to take her time until she was able to focus her attention on him, and on the raging way he paced back and forth like a caged animal.

When will I learn and stop sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong? … Oh, so he was wearing something, after all … she noticed in an afterthought, seeing as his black satin pants fit him like a glove, and a smile touched her lips, dissipating part of the fear and tension that had taken over her.

“Alexis…”

“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded as soon as she opened her mouth, his voice ringing like thunder, making her headache even worse. Had he even heard her? Her voice had broken off halfway and she tried to clear her throat which made her wince in pain.

Lightly massaging her neck, she noticed that that wasn’t the only thing that hurt. Her wrist too, was probably going to bruise and her back still ached. And yet, as strange and illogical as it might be, she wasn’t afraid of him … not now, at least. This was the same Alexis from the last night, the confused and chaotic Alexis. The monster from before had been chained down again, somewhere deep inside him. And yet, even though she had always known of his existence, meeting him face to face had been an utterly scary experience.

“I’m sorry …”

“Get out!” he shouted again, pointing towards the door, and Sarah lowered her arm, smiling as she watched how raw fury consumed him.

“You know, that tone never really worked on me … Not even when I was a little girl,” she declared in a whisper and tried to clear her throat again.

His gaze became colder and threatening, and next he was marching towards her, his dark hair falling around his face and over his shoulders, making him look even more dangerous.

“Has the lack of air scrambled your brain?” he asked in a murmur so similar to the ones echoing in the stairs that it sent shivers down her spine; but still she raised her head and faced him unwavering.

“I told you I’m not afraid. It’s useless trying to scare me.”

“This is not a game, Sarah!”

“Who said anything about games? You asked me to trust you. And I don’t know how it is with you guys. But no Human Being is able to trust someone they’re afraid of. So you better make up your mind. Do you want me to trust you, or you want me to fear you?” She cursed her voice that didn’t allow her to sound as vehement as she’d like, and his eyes glowed with that strange inhuman light.

“I’m a monster! You said it yourself!” he roared and Sarah blinked in disbelief. She was sure she hadn’t uttered a single word … how could she, in that situation? And yet this wasn’t the first time something like that happened.

“You can read my thoughts …?” she asked, still in disbelief at her own conclusion, and he averted his gaze, pulling back as if he’d just revealed something he wasn’t supposed to. “Alexis!” she insisted but he simply stood there, with his back to her, ignoring her plea.

Sarah slid from the bed, relieved that she was able to stand without any more dizzy spells, and, decided to clear things up, walked up to him to face him.

“Can you read my thoughts, Alexis?”

He kept on refusing to face her, as if he’d been caught red-handed doing something he shouldn’t.

“Sometimes …”

“Sometimes?!”

“Not always …”

“Not …! Can you read everyone’s thoughts?” she pressed on, accusingly.

“No!” He finally faced her and the intensity of his gaze made her take a step back. “Not everyone’s … Just yours.” Sarah was silent for a moment.

“Only mine …? Why?”

“Hum … I don’t know …” He averted his gaze again and a deep frown marked his forehead. A new wave of despise and self-loathing invaded her, making her rub her temples.

“This is so unfair … Thoughts are supposed to be private,” she complained.

“I’m sorry.” The dry tone of his voice left a sigh on her lips.

“Alexis, you’re not a monster.”

He peered at her by the corner of his eye before turning his head to look at her.

“I know better than anyone what I am. And you reacted exactly as you should have,” he declared, raising his left arm where she’d desperately scratched him, the red lines breaking the paleness of his skin.

Such bitterness … So much pain and loneliness.

Sarah took a step forward and raised a hand to touch his face. She felt as he instinctively recoiled and his eyes opened wide in a mix of horror and surprise. Sarah smiled. His skin was soft and warm, and the silver lines marking his cheek were completely imperceptible to the touch.

“You captured a lost thought, nothing more. And that is even more unfair than you being able to read them at all. Because it doesn’t take into account neither the previous thoughts, nor the ones that followed, or even the feelings behind that thought,” she told him and felt as he calmed down, his chaotic emotions slowly regaining order. In truth she couldn’t understand why it was so important to her to appease him. Just that it was important; just like she’d always felt compelled to aid those who silently asked for her help. And feeling as her words had that effect on him left her strangely happy with herself. “You’re not a monster, Alexis … But you do have one, residing inside you, fighting to take over …”

Alexis slowly raised one hand and Sarah had to fight her own instinct to just stand there and allow him to touch the burning skin of her neck. But, since he hadn’t ran from her, showing her that he trusted her, she didn’t want to openly reject him. And besides, his touch wasn’t agonizingly unpleasant, as it happened with everyone else. His cold fingers touched her lightly exactly where it hurt the most, telling her that, as she’d guessed, bruises were already forming, and the sadness that filled him left a bitter knot on her throat.

“You’re wrong … He took over me the moment I was captured and taken to that place …” he whispered and Sarah held her breath when his fingers slid over the line of her jaw, holding her chin, making her raise her head. Her heart exploded against her chest when she saw him bend over, his glowing eyes half concealed behind a curtain of long dark eyelashes. Suddenly unable to think straight, she allowed her hand to run through his dark, long hair, and squeezed it as she felt his hot searing breath against the aching skin of her neck. “I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you …” he whispered and Sarah shuddered when soft lips touched her skin right where her pulse beat stronger.

Images of him licking her blood filled her mind and her heart beat even faster, making her painfully aware that he could easily feel it as well. She shivered when he took a deep breath, as if he was trying to absorb the scent of her skin, and his soft lips kissed her gently, one, two, three times, as he traced the line of her neck leaving her breathless.

The sound of a doorbell startled her, awaking her from the spell that had frozen her in place, and Sarah jumped back, away from his touch, taking a hand to her neck as if to defend it from any further attacks, her face quickly turning red.

“The door. It’s probably Anne,” she declared, already making her way towards the door, unable to face him.

“Sarah … wait.”

His request in that soft tone left a disturbing ache on her chest and she couldn’t help be thankful when the doorbell rang again.

“We’ll talk later,” she decided, now practically running, and left the room.

“Sarah!”