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Eyes. Those dark brown eyes that could be so cold, or hold such emotion.I looked into them, they told me that she loved me. Hands. Those palepetite hands that could kill so easily roved over my body, her touch sogentle, as if she had never even been touched by death. Lips. Those softpink lips that would just as soon tell you to “go fuck a chicken” kissed me,claiming me for her own. I was her own, gladly. I would go to her willingly. And

she

was

own. Make no mistake about it. She is mine.She was mine long before she ever met Jean-Claude, or Richard, damntheir souls.BEEP BEEP BEEP. The alarm on my cell phone went off, wakingme up from my day dream. Not quite a day dream, it was night outside.But I wasn’t sleeping, so the name sticks. What was Death doing day dreaming? It seemed to be against the rules, didn’t it? But for Anita, I would break all the rules.I dialed my answering service to get the message. “Edward, it’s Anita. Olaf is in town, I might need your help. Please call soon.” Olaf.Fuck. She sounded scared. A wise emotion to exercise, when around Olaf.I used caution, myself, but for Anita fear would suit just fine. Fear wouldmake her cautious, and keep her alive. I immediately dialed Anita’snumber from memory. I memorized everything about her, least of all hernumber.She picked up on the first ring. “Anita.”“Edward.” There was a strained note there.“How do you know Olaf is in town?” I calmly asked.“Because he showed up here. I was pointing my gun at him abouttwo minutes ago.” Shit. He had been in her house. “Edward?” I realized Ihad gone silent, lost in my thoughts of how to kill Olaf.“What did he say, Anita?”“He asked me to go hunting with him. When I said no thanks, hesaid he would hunt me.” Of course.“And why didn’t you shoot him?” Why the hell hadn’t she just shothim then? Ended it all?“Because he disappeared, in the span of a few seconds.” In the spanof a few seconds? I could do that, but Olaf? I didn’t think him such ashadow. He wasn’t a monster, a preternatural one, in any case. He didn’thave that type of speed. Maybe he didn’t disappear as thoroughly as Anita thought he had. There was another silence, but I broke it this time.“Are you sure he’s not in the house?”She stopped to think. Froze, actually. I couldn’t even hear her breathing over the phone. “I think so,” she said shakily.“You’re not sure.” It wasn’t a question. She wasn’t sure, I could hearit in her voice.“I don’t know, Edward.”

I sighed shakily over the phone. “Then just get out of the house, Anita. Don’t even try to sweep it, there are too many hiding spots. I’veseen your house. Just get out, get into your jeep, and go to a hotel. Don’teven bother to pack. I’ll be in St. Louis in about six hours, and I’ll find you. Just hang tight.” There was actual emotion in my voice. I couldn’thide it. I didn’t want to hide it. If even

showed emotion, then that wouldmake Anita extra careful. She trusted me, and that would keep her alive.“You’re scared.” I laughed harshly. She had no idea. I wasn’t scaredof Olaf, I could kill him easily enough if I could just find him. But I mighthave been scared for her. Might have been. I was.“Aren’t you?”“Hell yeah.” Well at least she was being honest.“What weapons do you have on you?”“The browning, firestar, back knife, and wrist knives.” Sufficientenough. Iexpected nothing less from my favorite pupil. My only pupil. And theonly person I had ever…loved, as far back as I could remember. I mighthave loved my parents once, but I didn’t remember them much. But this was different. I didn’t want to make love to my dead parents. With Anita,I did.I could admit it to myself now, I knew I loved her. As much assomeone as dead inside as I am, can love. But I knew I wasn’t completely dead inside, Donna and the kids had proved that. Mostly the kids. Butthey were gone now.“Ok, that should be good for now. Don’t even go up to your room toget more ammo or weapons. I’ll provide toys. God, I’ll provideeverything. I’m so sorry Anita.”“For what?” For what? For WHAT? How could she not know? If ithadn’t been for me, Olaf would have never come near Anita. I shouldhave just shot him that first time she and he had had that stand off in thekitchen.“For introducing you to that monster,” I said calmly. Do you have your cell phone?”“In the car.”“I’ll call you in about ten minutes.” Ten minutes. Like I could lastthat long. It would be five.“Ok.”“Anita?”“Yeah?””I,” I paused in my words. I could admit it to myself, but not her.Not yet. “I’ll see you soon. Stay alive.”“Roger.” (())(())(())(())(())(())<<>><<2>><<>>(())(())(())(())(())(())

As soon as we hung up, I began to pack. Just enough for tonight, we would only be in St. Louis for tonight. Tomorrow I would take her back toSante Fe with me. We would fight Olaf at my house, on my turf. I beganto zip up the suitcase, but then threw in an extra big t-shirt for her tosleep in. I doubted she would have any clothes with her in her jeep. There was plenty of room in the suit case for weapons. I stocked it with my own,and then there was room for hers as well. I would get them past thesecurity for the plane. I always did. How? I was just that good. I waited impatiently for ten minutes to pass. I was right, I couldn’t makeit to ten. I had to settle for five. I dialed her car phone number, anothernumber I had memorized. Once again, she picked up on the first ring. “Hello?” “Anita, it’s Edward.”“Hi.” Her voice cracked. She was even more scared than I thought.How did I know? Because I

knew

her.“You sound shaky. Are you alright?” “Physically, yes. Mentally, I’m about to have a breakdown. He wasin the house, Edward. He was waiting for me in my bedroom.” My suspicions had been correct. But she was safe, it didn’t matter.“Edward?” I had lost myself in my thoughts again. About what a fool I was, to have let that monster get within 50 miles of Anita. Hmmm. I wascalling him a monster. But I’m a monster too, in almost the same way heis. But maybe not; I want Anita alive. And well.“I’ll say it again, Anita. I’m so sorry.” “As long as I make it out of this alive, you’ll be forgiven.”I laughed. Short, abrubt, harsh. “I suppose that’s good to know.” “He’s already started killing people, Edward. He threw me a hand.It was small,pale, about what my hands look like. I think he killed someone whoresembled me.” “You’re probably right.” Of course he would start with other victims, that look like Anita. It would make his revenge all the sweeter,