"Damn it let me go!" She growled, pulling once more in a last attempt at flight.

A smirk curled his lips, exposing bright teeth that had been straightened over the years, a contrast with the rest of his rugged features and paint-darkened skin.

A killer; waiting in the darkness. One with the darkness. Silent, just like the kill. Just like the knife. Quick and easy.

Exactly like it should have been last time. But last time she escaped. Escaped with her life in ways she should not have. Ways he should have anticipated. The hell she had given him was expected, but not her alert attitude. The way she fought. Like a tigress hunting its prey.

This time she was going to die. He would make sure of it, watching the life bleed from her eyes in a slow and painful death. One that he would cause.

He shoved her against the wall, pressing against her almost sexually. “Emily…” He breathed in her scent, taking a deep drag as he would his drugs.

He let go of her wrists, feeling safe enough to the point he knew she couldn’t fight back. Wouldn’t fight back.

The girl called Emily turned away, closing her eyes and ignoring the soft breath in her ear, holding her breath to escape the smell. Escaping for a moment in time where she was free, away from him.

“Look at me.” His hand brought her back to reality, jerking her roughly and quickly. “Breathe.”

Reluctantly she listened, opening her eyes enough to want to close them again, but she resisted the urge and met his gaze with defiance. But for the first time in twelve years, she felt a fear nagging at her, showing in her eyes.

Hopelessness surrounded her. Another was but fifty feet away, yet she felt alone. And he was sleeping. With no plans of being awake anytime soon. Not going to come anytime soon

“You’re going to die, Emily. And in the morning…” His sentence died on his lips as his hand tightened around her throat; causing a tunnel vision so strong she closed her eyes.

His hand closed even tighter, constricting her breath to bare minimum before snuffing it completely. Completely into darkness.

Sweet relief.

Darkness consumed her, taking her. Loving her like a long lost friend that was returned. Pushing her against the cold floor, turning her bones to ice with a chill like winter.

Life was nothing. Nothing but darkness. A moment in time with nowhere to exist. No place to belong. Nowhere and nothing but peace.

A soft stroke found her cheek, hand shaking with nervousness. With a sense of being scared and no one to be comforted by.

A distant voice was heard, the voice of an angel fallen from heaven. “Emmy… Emily sweetie. Open your eyes.” So far away… “Emily, God damn it. Open your eyes.”

Commanding, urgent and worried. The shaking intensified, the angel obviously unnerved by the silence of his friend.

Her eyes snapped open and she took deep shuddering breaths, determining whether or not life was real.

She stopped breathing when his arms took her in them, crushing the life out of her. Strong arms…. Familiar.

A name pulled at her memory, and she opened her mouth to speak it. All she found was hurt and pain, colliding to create a faint whisper.

“Shush…” Holding her at arms length, he lifted a hand gingerly to her throat, but dropped it when she recoiled and a protest formed at her tongue. “Sorry…” He frowned, and she fell forward into his arms, silent as the grave as she fell into comfort.