Title: Image Becomes Reality
Author: clairavance
Email: clairavance@hotmail.com
Rating: 18+
Warnings: Mild language, mild violence, naughtiness.
Spoilers: The Forbidden Game
Disclaimers: All recognisable characters and the concept of the Shadow World are
copyright of L.J. Smith.
Summary: Has the 'shadow man kidnapped' Jenny for good, or is Julian really
there? Be warned, Julian is a bit... darker, than in the original trilogy.

-=-

You don’t remember my name.
I don’t really care.

~..........~

Bloody footprints on the light pine floorboard greeted Tom Locke when he stepped
into the house.
Oh, Lord no, his first thought was. It would be a tragedy that the day he
finally got off work early to actually attend dinner, would be the same day
somebody broke into the house and slaughtered those he loved.

His muscles tensed in anticipation as he silently placed his leather bag against
the wall. He carefully took out the revolver in his girdle and flipped the
safety off. He followed the footprints down the hall as quietly as he could. The
footprints looked small and female. It definitely wasn’t Dee’s, because Dee
would have had the intruder knocked out cold and probably in jail before he
would have known about the break-in. It wasn’t Audrey’s, because Tom had seen
her and Michael fussing in the Oriental Cuisine aisle at the market only ten
minutes ago. That narrowed it down to two possibilities – Summer or Andrea.

Even as he thought it, Summer appeared in front of him suddenly. She wore a blue
bandana and had blood stains on her cheeks and on her blouse. Her blue eyes went
wide in fright when she looked right into the barrel of his revolver.
“Tom!” Summer cried, hands flying to her lips.
Tom lowered his gun, and blinked at her. “Are you okay?”
“Are you okay?” Summer yelped. “What’s with the gun?”
“I...” Tom glanced down at the footprints again, and stepped forward to look
past Summer into the room behind her.

Blood was splattered against one wall, mixed with deep yellows and bright blues.
Not blood, Tom thought and felt like kicking himself as he put the gun away.
Paint.
“Uh... what are you doing?” Tom asked, rubbing his head in embarrassment.
“Anny felt like redecorating her room.” Summer said, glancing over her shoulder
before turning back to him. “You’re jumpy lately.”
“It’s work.” Tom said, and Summer didn’t press the issue.
“You’re home early!” Another voice said behind him, and Tom was faced with a
girl as tiny as Summer was, with sparkling green eyes and flowing golden hair
that almost seemed to shimmer in the light. Her arms wrapped around him
spontaneously in a friendly hug, and when she pulled away Tom flushed.

“I’m so glad I’m not cooking tonight.” The girl added, and flashed him a sweet
smile that could melt the devil. “Wait, why are you home early? There’s nothing
wrong at work, is there?”
“No, Andrea.  I just thought it would be nice to join you guys for supper.” Tom
said.
“Yeah, right.” She rolled her eyes and gave him a cunning look. “It wouldn’t
have anything to do with Murray sending you home early, would it?”
“What?” Tom asked, startled.
“I called him this morning and told him I don’t care if he thinks he’s the
sheriff in this town,” Andrea picked up a heavy western accent. “I want mah boy
home before dinner taime, or I’m comin’ after ya.”
“Anny.” Tom chided.
“Well, what? You don’t even know what this place looks like in daylight, Tom,
you get in way too late. Do you know last week I didn’t get to see you for three
days straight?” Andrea said defensively and stepped into the room.
She placed her hands on her hips, studying the mess of paint against the walls,
and turned to him with a smile.
For a moment, Tom thought it was Jenny looking back at him. The smile, the eyes,
the hair, the golden sheen that seemed to follow her as if she was an angel. He
looked at the room again, and sighed. Andrea might have a somewhat uncanny
resemblance to Jenny, but she most certainly wasn’t Jenny.

“So. What do you think?” Andrea asked.
“I’m glad it’s not my room?” Tom said after a moment, and Andrea huffed at him.
“I think it’s great.” Summer said. “It’s different.”
“Hmm.” Andrea twirled in a circle, and stopped to look at them curiously. “I’ve
always liked different. I’m thirsty. Juice, anyone?”

Tom followed the girls down the hallway to the kitchen, but paused at the sound
of a door swinging open on its hinges behind him. He half-turned to stare at the
cellar door. It stood ajar and all he could see inside was inky blackness. Tom
frowned and yanked the door closed firmly, turning the key to lock it. It didn’t
open again.

He found the girls draped around the breakfast nook in the kitchen, and accepted
the tall glass of juice Summer offered him.
“I’m going to be a little late with rent this month.” Andrea was saying. “The
royalties are few and far between lately.”
“When are you going to get a job, Anny?” Tom asked, annoyed. “I don’t like these
excuses you keep coming up with. If it doesn’t pay, it’s not a job.”
“I told you, one day my work is going to get the spotlight it deserves and then
you’ll eat your words.” Andrea said, pointing a threatening finger at him. “And
writing isn’t as easy as you think. There’s a lot that goes into it that you
don’t even know about.”

“I could write a book, too, Anny. In a week.” Tom said, frowning at her.
“Yeah, but could you write a best seller?” Andrea said.
“Probably.” Tom shrugged.
“Please.” Andrea laughed.
“So how does painting your room help you finish that book of yours?” Tom asked.
“It doesn’t.” Andrea said and pursed her lips. “I needed a break.”
“From writing?” Tom snorted.
“Yeah,” Andrea said uncertainly. “I don’t know. I scare myself sometimes. Like,
this morning when everyone was off to work, I was working on the scene where my
protagonist gets trapped in a chimney when she’s trying to hide from her
nemesis, and she discovers that there’s something trapped in the chimney with
her that only she can see and hear, and...” Andrea trailed off, staring toward
the kitchen doorway.

Tom glanced toward the empty hallway, and looked back at her. “And you thought
you heard something?”
“Someone.” Andrea finally looked at him. She licked her lips, and shifted
uneasily. “I thought I heard someone in the house. And the voice was... well...
weird. Like... not a real voice. But it’s an overload of imagination. I was
overdue for a break.”
“Maybe you should write about white bunnies and pink ponies instead.” Tom
suggested.
“Oh, gosh, and next thing you know I’m seeing bunnies and ponies everywhere.”
Andrea said and giggled.
“Speaking about seeing things. Are you going over tomorrow, Tom?” Summer asked.

Tom grimaced. It had become their way of referring to Jenny indirectly. Going
Over to see Jenny. Tom didn’t see the point in it anymore. She wasn’t going to
get any better, in fact, she’d only gotten worse as time wore on. Tom couldn’t
help the disappointment he felt after every visit to Jenny. Just thinking about
it now made his blood boil.
“I don’t know.” Tom said.
“I am.” Summer said. “She needs you there, too.”
“I don’t know.” Tom said again. “She won’t let bygones be bygones.”
“It’s the trauma.” Summer protested.
“What trauma, Summer? Four years later? It’s a bit late for trauma to set in,
don’t you think?”
“You don’t know what she had to go through, Tom. None of us do, not really.”
Summer said.

Andrea cleared her throat. “I’ll go with you, Tom.”
Summer and Tom both looked at her in surprise, then exchanged awkward glances.
“Don’t bother. I’m not going.” Tom said.
“Fine. Can I come with you, Summer?” Andrea asked expectantly.
“Anny, it’s a bit... weird.” Summer shook her head.
“She doesn’t know you.” Tom added.
“So? Maybe that’s what Jenny needs. A new face to come say hi. She only gets to
see you guys and her family all the time.” Andrea said. “Besides, I’d like to
finally meet the girl Tom is so hung-over about.”
“No.” Tom snapped. “Anny, just let it go.”
“You know, I’ve been living in this house with you guys for two years already.”
Andrea said as Tom got up to leave the kitchen. “What exactly is this big secret
about Jenny that no one is willing to discuss?”

Tom groaned when she followed him down the hall and up the stairs to his room.
“Tom, come on. I thought we were friends.” Andrea accused.
“We are, Anny. It’s just something we don’t want to talk about.”
“Just tell me something, Tom.  You know I won’t let this go until you do, don’t
you?” Andrea leaned against his door, arms folded across her chest in
determination.
Tom sat down on his bed and pulled off his shoes, glaring back at her.
“Fine. But if I tell you, you have to swear not to bring it up. Ever.”
“Scouts honour.” Andrea flashed him another sweet smile.
“When we were in high school, something really bad happened to us. All of us.
And it was because of Jenny that it happened.” Tom licked his lips and thought
for a moment, frowning hard. “Some... guy, some lunatic had been stalking her
and then he tried to force Jenny to become his. I’m foggy on the details, but I
remember he ended up dying. Jenny hasn’t been the same afterward. She hadn’t
been the same ever since that guy showed up in the first place.”

Tom stopped and looked at her. Andrea’s eyebrows were arched in surprise as she
stared back at him.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“No drugs. No murders. No blood and gore?” Andrea frowned.
“No, well... he was crazy.” Tom sighed heavily.
“Sounds like a bad rip-off of I know What You Did Last Summer.”
“Not really.” Tom said and took off his uniform jacket.
“How did he die?”
Tom froze for a second, then reached for a clean shirt.
“Does it matter? He’s dead, that’s all.”
“Did one of you guys do it? Was it Dee?” Andrea dropped her voice to a whisper.
“No, he, uh... he sort of killed himself.”
“A suicide!” Andrea gasped, stunned. “He killed himself because why? Because
Jenny wasn’t interested?”
“It was either him or Jenny.” Tom said slowly, and frowned at Andrea’s
expression.
“He didn’t happen to have a name, did he?” She responded to his stare.
“Umm... probably. Can’t remember what, though.” Tom thought hard for a few
minutes, and shook his head with a laugh. “Funny. And I thought I’d never be
able to forget.”

Andrea said nothing. She hesitated in the doorway, and simply turned to walk
away.
Tom watched her go, and tried to squish the unsettling feeling in the pit of his
stomach. He took out his police badge and tossed it on the bed behind him.
 Maybe he should go see Jenny, but the truth was that he was afraid.
He was afraid of the place she was stuck in.

~......~

Can we play the game your way?
Can I really lose control?

~...~

The house wasn’t safe.

Haloed in shadow and silent as the dark, she slipped behind the lumpy form of
the couch and hugged her knees to her chest. She closed her eyes and rocked back
and forth, fighting to keep her breathing quiet. She heard the glass door slide
and her eyes snapped open. A shadow of a figure was cast against the wall in
front of her, illuminated by the pale blue moonlight filtering into the dense
darkness. She watched it extend a hand, spread long slender fingers slowly as if
in a quiet wave. I know where you are, the gesture said.

She waited tensely as the shadow drew closer, walking toward her. She twisted
around and crawled around the couch as he approached. A quick glimpse over the
arm-pads of the couch told her that he was where she’d been only a moment
before.

She scrambled to her feet and bolted out the open sliding door. Her backyard
with the jewel of a pool was gone. There was nothing but a golden field spread
out in front of her, looking ominous in the dark. Too obvious. She turned and
circled the house instead, stopping only behind a stack of old tires. She leaned
forward, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Stop running.

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been running for. The house had been a barrier
for a short while. He’d followed her nonetheless, she’d seen him through the
windows as she’d anxiously tried to find some sort of hiding place. But there
was nowhere to hide. There was nowhere left to run.

Her breath came in short, quiet gasps as she tried to calm herself down. He was
outside again. She could hear his footsteps crunching across the gravel. He was
moving away from her. A flicker of hope reared up inside of her, and she turned
toward the field. It spread around her like a vast ocean with no end, stretching
far into the endless dark.

Going back into the house wasn’t an option. He’d corner her.
Make a run for it.
Now.

Her feet skimmed across gravel and her hands reached ahead to clear a path
through the field. She had first thought it was a wheat field, but the plants
she pushed aside felt like cool silk against her hands. She ran faster than she
ever had before. She ignored the stitch in her side and forced her aching legs
to keep moving.

A smile spread across her lips involuntarily. She was getting away, again. The
odds were in her favour. A breathy giggle escaped her lips. The game of hide and
seek was changing, she was going to win. Now, if only she could figure out where
the base was, she could go back home. Back to safety.
She broke free of the field suddenly, and found herself on a familiar street.
She recognized the record store wall portraying a mural of what Eastman Avenue
used to look like. In the dull moonlight, she could barely make it out, and she
felt along the wall for the door that she knew shouldn’t be there. She found it,
her hand brushing against the cool doorknob. She turned it and the door swung
inward, revealing a familiar dimly lit room. She stepped inside and closed the
door. She depressed the push-button lock and let out a long breath of relief.
She’d won.

She turned around and found herself face to face with an apparition. It was him.
She didn’t need to study his face to remember who he was. His eyes were an
indescribable blue and as cold as glaciers. One look in them was enough.
Wolf-hungry.

She spun on her heel, terrified, and tried to open the door. It refused to budge
when she yanked at it. No, no, oh please...

“But I won. I won, I got to the base, and you didn’t find me. I’ve won.” She
cried out, her attempts to pull the door open became frantic.
Then, miraculously, the doorknob turned. She staggered away from it, staring
wide eyed at the woman dressed in some sort of uniform that came inside, a
clipboard tucked under her one arm and a surprised look on her carefully put
together face.

“Wha-“ She gasped, losing her balance and falling hard on her rump.
He was gone. So was the dark store. She was in a room with creamy yellow walls,
white curtains drawn open with sunlight streaming onto the flower-printed bed
and green carpet, warming the room considerably.
“I won.” She said again, and turned confused eyes on the woman.
“Yes, Jenny. You did.” The woman’s red lips turned into a soothing smile.

Jenny blinked painfully and scrambled to her feet. She stared around the room,
at the early noon sun, at the beautiful summer day outside the window. She
closed her eyes, and shook her head.
“He was right here. Just a second ago, I swear.”
“You don’t think you might have been asleep, Jenny? Maybe sleepwalking?” The
woman asked.
“No. I was awake. It was real.” Jenny said and shook her head. She watched the
woman scribble on the clipboard, and swallowed hard.

Her mouth went dry when the woman looked back at her with a polite smile. She
wore the same expression Jenny’s parents and the police had when she’d tried to
explain to them about the paper house. A shut-off look. Only, Jenny preferred
the shut-off look. It beat the sympathetic and sometimes fearful expressions of
her friends and her family; their eyes accused her of insanity.

“It’s a beautiful day out, isn’t it?” Jenny said.
“Yes, it is.”
“I don’t want to see any visitors today, Dr Selven.” Jenny said and sat down on
the edge of the bed.
“Why not, Jenny?”
“I don’t feel like talking to them.” Jenny said.
“Because you’re mad at everyone?”
“No. Just at my friends.” Jenny said, swinging her legs. “They know better, you
see. I don’t understand why they don’t believe me.”
“What do you mean they know better, Jenny? Why should they believe you? Why not
your parents?”
“Because they were there. We all got tricked into the paper house.”

“That’s where you first met the Shadow Man, correct?”
“That’s where they first met him. I met him before, at the More Games store.
Remember I told you?”
“Yes, he sold you a game.”
“Yes, he sold me a game.” Jenny repeated quietly, and folded her legs beneath
her. “At the More Games store on Eastman Avenue.”

“Jenny. There is no store there. You told me yourself that it was gone when you
went looking for it again.”
“Yes, I know.” Jenny said.
“Do you think,” Dr Selven settled down on the rocking chair beside the bed.
“That maybe this was just something that your mind made up?”
“Then explain where Summer had been. Explain why she can’t remember a thing in
those months that she’d been missing.” Jenny said pointedly.
“You said this Shadow Man died, didn’t you?” Dr Selven changed the subject.
“Yes. He died. I was right there when he died.”

“Is it the same Shadow Man you keep seeing?”
Jenny nodded slowly, and pursed her lips hard. “I’m not making this up.”
“Are you sure?” Dr Selven asked gently.
“Why would I?” Jenny said and laughed. “I thought I was free. I was a little sad
that it ended the way it did, but I was finally free. You can’t imagine how good
that felt, not having to worry about him coming after me again...”

“No. I suppose I can’t.” Dr Selven said and sighed. “I hear you talking to him a
lot.”
“I don’t talk to him a lot. I try to ignore him but um,” Jenny gave a colourless
smile and shrugged. “It’s hard.”
“Why do you try to ignore him?”
Dr Selven studied Jenny’s pensive expression.
“Because he scares me.” Jenny breathed.

“When you talk to him, what does he say to you?” Dr Selvin was scribbling again.
Jenny opened her mouth and closed it. A frown creased her features. “He doesn’t
say much.”
“Hmm. Why is that?”
“I think he’s really angry at me. That’s why I’m here, you know.” Jenny looked
at her then, willing her to understand.
 “It’s his revenge. Showing up in the middle of a crowd of people to scare me,
or changing his appearance to look like whatever he wants. He pretended to be
Zach once.”
“Zach your cousin?”
Jenny nodded and closed her eyes. “For all I know, you might be him right now.”
“I assure you, Jenny, I am not a shadow man.” Dr Selvin said matter-of-factly,
glancing up briefly from her scribbling.

Jenny glanced at the window, stared for a second, then looked down at her hands.
“I believe you.”
“You do?” Dr Selvin asked, surprised.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s right there.” Jenny made a brief gesture toward the window with
her hand. She watched Dr Selvin’s face intently, waiting to see her reaction at
the sight of him; to go pale, or her eyes to widen, or anything. But Dr Selvin
looked at the window intently, then shifted worried eyes to Jenny.

“Are you sure, Jenny?”
“I...” Jenny blinked, and turned to look at the window again.
Dressed in black Baroque trousers, he was leaning gracefully against the wall
beside the window, arms folded across a leather clad vest. His hair was nearly
blinding in the sharp sunlight. How could Dr Selvin miss him?
“Yes.” Jenny said softly.

He looked at her then, his blue eyes piercing and swimming with something
malicious. The corner of his lip twitched into a half-grin before he turned his
gaze out the window again. He looked different in the sunlight. Less like a
demon and more like an angel, Jenny mused. But then she’d never seen him in
actual daylight when he’d been pursuing her. Always at night, because that was
his domain.

Still, Jenny couldn’t remember what he’d looked like before. In the year after
the games, when things seemed to go back to normal and life started up again,
her memory of his beauty had faded. She recalled vague impressions of emotions
his presence had stirred in her, but those were pale in comparison to reliving
them. Then, one day out of the blue, when she was walking from computer
applications to the grassy knoll to join her friends for lunch, there he was.
Smack in the middle of the stream of students, brushing past them toward her.
She’d run screaming bloody-murder. Things had

“You think that’s what he wants, Jenny? To drive you mad as a means of revenge?”
Dr Selvin was asking.
“What else could his intentions be?” Jenny asked, staring at him.
“All right. Well, it’s lunch time, Jenny. Care to join the others in the living
room?”
Jenny followed Dr Selvin, pausing in the doorway to glance at the figure by the
window. He didn’t look at her. She glanced up the corridor Dr Selvin was heading
up, and grabbed hold of the doorknob.

“You can haunt me all you want, Julian, but it’s over. I am not going to give
in, so you might as well give it a rest.” Jenny hissed. She slammed the door
shut the second he turned toward her, and bolted to catch up with Dr Selvin.

The living room was one large space sectioned off with couches and chairs, and a
television set playing classical instrumentals. People were scattered about,
men, women, all of them older than Jenny.

The food was plain and boring. Jenny sat eating hers alone by the window. It was
sad, seeing all these people, wrapped in mental illness. Mrs De Lore believed
everything she touched turned into butterflies. Mrs Boycott was convinced she
was the reincarnation of some tortured royalty, exploding in quiet outbursts
every now and then ‘they’ve breached the castle walls, they’re coming for me’.
Mr Addan was highly troubled, sometimes going into convulsions because his mind
made him believe that bacteria had mutated in his bloodstream and was turning
him into an abomination.  And Mr Peters claimed he could see things that others
couldn’t. Right that moment, he was following something invisible in the air,
pointing his finger at it and going ‘hah, there’s a number thirty two floating,
right there, look at it, just floating...’

Jenny sighed deeply and stuck her fork absent-mindedly into her mashed potato.
She would be stuck here for life, if only she could find a way to get rid of...
The mashed potato tasted cold and hard. A foul stench ripped through her nose
and Jenny spat out her mouthful. Black gunk. Her eyes widened at her plate,
crawling with stink bugs and larvae. She shoved the plate away and turned away,
gagging.

“Jenny, is everything all right?” Someone was crouching beside her.
When she could catch her breath again and glanced at her plate, the bugs and
worms were still there.
“I’m fine.” Jenny managed to choke out. Her eyes darted from the plate to rest
on the boy sitting across from her at the table. A look of utter glee on his
dazzling face.
“It can’t be that bad.” He teased lightly, stabbing the fork into the pile of
writhing things. He brought it up to his face and studied it curiously – and
very gingerly placed a bite in his mouth.

He chewed it slowly, and Jenny cringed. She could hear his teeth crushing the
bugs, could smell the stench stronger.
“You are disgusting.” Jenny hissed once the nurse had left her alone. “How could
you ever expect me to like you?”
“How about a kiss?” He responded coyly, flashing her wolfish smile.
Jenny leaned back in her seat, glaring at him in disdain. “Go to hell.”
“I don’t care if you like me or not, Jenny. It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“What will it take to get you to leave me alone?” Jenny snapped.
“Oh, I haven’t even gotten started, Jenny.” That smile again.
“Jenny?” Dr Selvin stepped closer wearily, uncertain to interrupt her argument
with thin air. “There are some people here to see you.”

Just once in my life
I think it’d be nice

~....~

Jenny felt a painful ache in her chest when she stepped into the lushly
furnished visitor’s room. Summer and Dee were there. Tom wasn’t. Jenny sat down
on the brown leather couch across from them, fidgeting absently with her hands.
“Hi, Jenny,” Dee got up and gave Jenny a hug.
Jenny stiffened at the sound of Julian’s laughter, a sound like black velvet.
Dee didn’t seem to notice as she settled down beside Jenny.

“Where’s Tom?” Jenny asked.
“He couldn’t make it today.” Summer said gently.
“He didn’t want to see you, Jenny.” Julian said, sauntering into the room with a
sneer.
“Why not?” Jenny asked, ignoring him.
“He... just couldn’t break away from work.” Summer said weakly.
“What an awful liar.” Julian clucked his tongue and sat on the edge of the couch
beside Summer. He cast a sly look at Jenny.
“Is... is that the truth?” Jenny asked, glancing from Julian to Summer.

“Tom didn’t feel like coming with us,” Dee broke the awkward silence. “But we
brought a friend of ours along. Andrea, you remember we told you about her?”
Jenny blinked at Dee blankly, and then shook her head slightly. “Uh... yeah. I
think so.” Jenny said uncertainly.
“They brought the nutcase with them?” Julian asked, a stunned expression on his
face before he burst into laughter again. It was a nasty and slightly crazed
laugh.

“Is that okay? She really wanted to meet you.” Dee said carefully.
“Yeah, sure, I guess.” Jenny shrugged.
“Oh, Jenny.” Julian sighed her name, and a shudder wrecked through Jenny at the
dreamy haze that fell across his face. He gave a curt laugh. “You’re going to
laugh when you meet her.”
“Just shut up!” Jenny snapped, glaring at him.

“Uh, okay I’ll go get her. She’s in the front foyer, they wouldn’t let her in
until you said it’s fine.” Summer slowly got up, sending a look at Dee before
leaving the room.
“Jenny. How have you been?” Dee asked quietly.
“He won’t leave me alone, Dee. Can’t you see him? He’s right there.” Jenny said,
blinking away tears.
“There’s no one there, Sunshine.”

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...” Julian started singing softly, his
voice like rich silk draping around her.
“Shut up.” Jenny spat at him.
“You make me happy when skies are grey...” He’d gotten up and was now kneeling
in front of her. Jenny blinked as a heaviness fell over her, bringing webbed
fingers into her mind.
“Stop it.” Jenny whispered.
“Do you want some water? Jenny, are you okay?” Dee was asking.
“You’ll never know dear how much I love you,” Julian said in a soft, insidious
voice. His hand rested on hers lightly. Jenny felt dizzy at the sound of his
voice, and tried to fight against the insane urge to collapse into his arms.
“So don’t you take my sunshine away.”
Jenny couldn’t look away from his eyes. There was so much emotion in them, deep
and consuming emotion that washed over her and overwhelmed her with sheer
terror.
“Jenny!” She was snapped out of the trance when Dee shook her shoulders firmly.
“Look at me!”
Jenny stared at her friend with wide eyes and shivered. “Sorry.” Jenny mumbled,
feeling her cheeks flush red.

Dee sighed heavily and finally let go of her shoulders. “Stay with us, Jenny.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Jenny said firmly.
Julian was still in front of her on his knees. He hung his head and let out a
sigh that echoed Dee’s, before looking up at her again.
“Do you want me to grovel?”
“I want you to leave me alone.” Jenny glared at him.
“Don’t you think I’ve tried?” He shot back heatedly, rising to his feet.

For a second, Jenny thought he might actually hit her and she braced herself for
the blow. Instead, he stalked away from her and threw himself onto the couch
opposite her.
“I try to distract myself, but you’re always in the back of my head like this
little... this little...” Julian made a confusing agitated gesture with his
hand. “Everything reminds me of you, and when I close my eyes all I see is you.
I’ve tried, Jenny, but I can’t fight it. I’m so sorry.” He glared at her, his
voice dripping with venom.

Jenny couldn’t breathe.
“I told you before, I didn’t fall in love with you on purpose. You know,” he
leaned forward suddenly, the anger fading from his face and a small smile
spreading in its place. “It will be easier for you to just yield to me. I’m not
going to stop until I have you. You do realize that, don’t you?”
“I hate you.” Jenny said through gritted teeth, rising to her feet.
“Jenny?” Dee asked, startled.
“Stay away from me. I’ve had enough of this!” Jenny nearly shrieked. She whirled
around and fled back to her room.

Julian was waiting for her, his lithe physique draped elegantly on the rocking
chair. Jenny blinked away angry tears and snatched the pillow from the bed.
“What do you want, damn it?” She shouted and swung the pillow at him furiously.
“I want you.” The pillow knocked into the rocking chair, and Jenny spun to face
Julian perched on the edge of her bed. “I’m not going anywhere until I’ve got
what I want.”
“And then what? Are you going to force me to love you?” Jenny said.
“I told you. I don’t care what you think you feel for me.” Julian said. At that
moment, he looked menacing. “You’ve sworn yourself to me before. I’m going to
make sure you keep your word.”

“No. You said if I won the treasure hunt that all deals are off.” Jenny said,
sinking into the rocking chair and hugging the pillow to her.
“You didn’t win though, did you? If it weren’t for me, neither you or your peppy
little friends would have gotten back home in one piece.” Julian said, his eyes
glittering at her angrily. “The game was forfeited when I died.”

“I didn’t ask you to die for me. I was willing to go and face the conseq...”
Jenny started.
“If you’d listened to me the moment I told you to get the hell out, things would
have been very different. Everything that went down could have been prevented.
But no,” Julian got up and walked toward her.

Jenny cringed back into the chair when he hovered over her. “Sweet little Jenny
had to try and save me. Again, you didn’t listen when I told you I can’t be
saved. If you’d just left when I told you to, my elders wouldn’t have had the
chance to join in the game.”
His words cut into her ears like razors. He leaned forward, his face inches from
hers and his eyes scorching. “I died because of you. Don’t you think I deserve
some sort of compensation for all the hell I had to go through to get back to
you?”

Jenny looked back at him, gripping the pillow tighter. “I didn’t want you to
come back.”
She winced when he grabbed the arm rests of the chair and gave it a violent
shake. His eyes were dark with fury, and Jenny felt her muscles lock in tension.
“Don’t provoke me.” It wasn’t a warning; it was a threat with unimaginable
horrors behind it.
“You’re scaring me.” Jenny whispered, staring at him through terrified tears.
“You think you’re scared now? Why, Jenny, this is nothing.” Julian chided
softly.
“I never asked for any of this.” Jenny hissed back, her voice too weak to come
at her command. “It’s not fair.”

“Life’s not fair. That’s not the point, Jenny.” Julian narrowed his eyes at her.
“I’ve given you a sporting chance. I’ve tried to persuade you. The only reason
I’ve resorted to forcing you is because you wanted it this way.”
“I didn’t want this.”
“Yes you did. Every time you turned me away, every time you kissed me back and
denied me afterward, you were asking for it.” Julian said and sighed. His
fingers were a caress against her cheek. “I didn’t want to force you, Jenny. I
might break you in the process.”

“Then stop.” Jenny pleaded.
“Why? So you can go back to Tommy?” Julian moved away from her and Jenny sucked
in deep breaths of air. “Do you really need him? Do you crave his touch as much
as you do mine? Do you think of him as often as you thought of me?”
“I love him.” Jenny sobbed and jumped when Julian rammed his fist into the
sunny-coloured wall. The impact splintered the bricks beyond the plaster,
leaving a gaping hole behind.
“Love? Is that really what you feel for him?” Julian demanded.
“I risked my life to save him from you.” Jenny said quietly. It was pure
insanity to be having this conversation at all. She had to stop talking. Just
shut up, her mind begged.

Julian turned to her with a disconcerting smile on his face.
“You will succumb to me. Even if you shatter into pieces, Jenny, I will have
you.”
Jenny pinched her eyes closed. If only she could pretend he wasn’t there,
pretend she didn’t see him or hear or feel him...
“You’re crazy,” She said in a sort of quiet explosion.
When he didn’t respond, Jenny forced herself to open her eyes again. She was
alone. A sob of relief shook through her, and she went to curl up on the bed.
What if she did just give in? Anything would be better than being where she was,
wouldn’t it? Her friends and family all thought she’d lost her mind. Sometimes
even Jenny thought she was mad. The thought was frightening, but the terror she
felt when Julian was with her was too real to be her imagination.

Maybe if she did what he wanted and just gave up the fight, things would be
okay. But the prospect of giving up wasn’t as easy as it would have been in the
past. In the past Julian had come to her with gentle coaxing and seduction,
fighting him then had been as sensual and thrilling as it had been terrifying.
But things were different this time. The patience he’d shown toward her before
was absent.
The qualities that had given her the impression that there was some good in him
were lacking. He was malicious, and evil, and still completely infatuated with
her despite their previous dealings – and he was angry.
Angrier than he’d been when he’d sent the Shadow wolf and snake after her and
her friends. Angrier than the times when she confronted him about his nature.
He’d sworn then that he would show her just how evil he could be. Now, it seems,
he was making good on his word.

Jenny shuddered and stared at the dimming sunlight.
There were no games this time around. He’d stalked her openly for three years
now. Harassing her with his mere presence. Could she have been in here that long
already?
And he was different. The brief outbursts of violence shook any hopes she had
that she could play her way out of this. Julian meant business.

Oh, Tom. Jenny swallowed hard. She would kill to just feel his arms around her,
comforting her. She hadn’t felt safe in such a long time. If she could just get
out of here, if she could somehow convince everyone that she wasn’t seeing
things...
If she could get out, and have Tom by her side...
Running away wasn’t an option. Apart from the security around the building being
top-range, Tom would only bring her back here. She’d tried to discharge herself
time and time again, but the doctors would have none of it.

Jenny watched as dusk slowly descended. She was fetched for supper and offered
no explanation for the hole in the wall.
An idea dawned on her as she poked at her meal, watching the staff tend to the
others. Only three nurses on duty tonight. Maybe... maybe there was a way she
could get out of this.
When Dr Selven came to ask her another heap of questions about Julian, Jenny
flatly answered “I don’t know where he is. I don’t care, either. As long as he
stays away.” She excused herself from the table and headed for the large locker
room to take her nightly shower.

 As was customary, one of the nurses accompanied her. Jenny watched her settle
on the bench by the wall near the fan-heater and bring forth a thick book.
“If you need anything, just shout, Jenny.” She said kindly.
Jenny stepped into one of the shower cubicles and turned it on. She pulled off
her sweater and tossed it aside. Another quick glimpse around the corner told
her the nurse was well distracted by her book, and Jenny seized the chance. She
quietly opened  the window and peeked out into the darkness. Nobody patrolling
down below. Good.
Jenny pulled herself onto the sill and grabbed the cord of drainage pipes beside
the open window. She glanced down again. Not high enough.

She slipped out of the window, and shimmied her way up the pipes. Third floor
where all the rooms were located. Fourth floor where the doctors’ offices and
administration rooms were. Past the fifth floor where the severely mentally
damaged people were kept – Jenny would go there if she failed at her attempt of
escape. A threat to herself and the others. Please let this work, just this one
thing, Jenny prayed quietly.

Then she reached the gutter of the building. It didn’t look very solid, but she
grabbed hold of it and pulled herself onto the roof. It was a treacherous task
because there was no place for her feet to take hold and she was reliant on her
upper body strength alone. But she did it, and she sat on the edge, legs
dangling over the side. Her heart reared to a stop and her stomach dropped away.
She hadn’t realized it was this high.

But her fear of heights was short lived. It was either this, or she went back
and faced Julian day after day, night after endless night. If she could be free
of him once and for all, this was the only way.
Jenny carefully got to her feet, swaying unsteadily. She stretched out her arms
to keep her balance. One last glance around.

He hadn’t been there for her when he’d trapped her in that cave. She’d drowned
because he didn’t know. He was nowhere to be seen now, either. He wouldn’t know.
This time, there was no way he would play her saviour again. She’d be dead
before he could do a thing.

What did she want the last thing to be that was on her mind? What was the last
thing she wanted to see?
Tom.
Jenny closed her eyes even as warm tears slid from them. Tom, oh, Tommy. I’m
sorry.
She could see his warm hazel eyes, his devil-may-care smile, his rakish charm.
The boy she’d always thought she would spend her life with.
She leaned forward. I’m sorry, Tom.
Then, silent as death, Jenny jumped.

~....~

Just to lose control, just once...

~...~

She’d been on his mind all day like a constant current. He’d wanted to see her
but at the same time Tom didn’t think he could tolerate it.
To watch her talking to someone that wasn’t there, watching the inexplicable
emotions of fear and anger and hatred flashing through her pine green eyes. And
she’d turn those eyes on him, and ask “don’t you see him?” and when he’d say no,
she would dissolve into tears. He couldn’t even hold her to comfort her because
she’d always push him away. “No, Tom, please don’t. He’s right there. You’re
making him angry. Please, I don’t want him to hurt you.”

And Tom would leave the asylum even more broken than he’d been before. He wanted
to help her. He would do anything to get Jenny out of there, to have her look at
him with sanity in her gaze again.

Tom let out a deep breath. Jenny was getting the help she needed. Even if it
didn’t seem to be working, he had to hold onto hope that one day she would come
right again.
“Is there nothing on television tonight?” Audrey complained, switching through
the channels.
The only light in the lounge was from the television set, throwing pale colours
across the square coffee table. Michael was devouring a bowl of popcorn but
stopped to look at Audrey. He turned sarcastic spaniel eyes on Dee where she was
sprawled out on the two-seater.
“We’ve got some movies somewhere, don’t we?” Michael asked.
“Nope.” Dee said, shaking her head. “Anny took them back to the video store.”
“But they weren’t due for another three days.”
Dee shrugged. “Tell her that.”

“All right. What are we going to do?” Audrey asked, leaving the T.V. on an
infomercial channel.
“Wait for the pizza.” Michael said and grinned when Audrey gave him a withering
look.
“Where is Summer, anyway? It can’t take this long just to pick up takeaways.”
Dee said, straightening up.
“She probably got sidetracked by the cutie store.” Michael offered, and
explained when they looked at him in puzzled silence. “You know those little
stores that sell the cups and the stuffed toys and the key rings and the kinky
stuff.”
“My bet is Summer going for the stuffed toys.” Dee said and chuckled. “I’ll go
give her a call and see what’s taking so long.”

“Could you boil the kettle while you’re at it?” Audrey asked.
Dee paused in the doorway, a scowl on her face. “Yeah, sure.”
“Did you see Anny’s room?” Audrey turned to Tom once Dee was gone. “She wouldn’t
let me help redecorate it.”
“Yeah, it’s very... uh... red.” Michael added.
“You’d think she’d at least accept my advice. It’s not like I haven’t been
studying interior decorating for over a year or anything.” Audrey said
scornfully. “Now it looks like she’s sleeping in a rotten red tomato.”

“Tom!” Andrea’s voice called down the hallway.
“Speak of the devil.” Michael said and snickered.
“What?” Tom called back.
“Tom! Come here!”
Tom let out a sigh and exchanged looks with Michael.
“What’s she done now, d’you think?” Tom asked.
“Beats me.” Michael said, getting up.
They walked down the hallway together, Michael in the lead. They stepped into
Andrea’s room – the furniture had been moved back into place and a sharp desk
lamp illuminated the room with warm golden light. Andrea was sitting at her
desk, her fingers dancing across the keyboard of her computer.
“So, what’s up?” Michael asked curiously.
Andrea whipped around with a startled cry, and stared at them both wide eyed.
“Geeze, Mike! What the hell do you want?”

Michael looked taken aback, and Andrea put a hand to her head. “I’m sorry, I
didn’t mean to snap at you.” She said, and blinked at them innocently. “What?
Did I do something wrong again?”
“What do you mean?” Michael asked, confused.
“You just called me.” Tom added with a frown.
“No, I didn’t.” Andrea said, frowning back at him.
“Yes, you did.” Tom said.
“No, I didn’t.” Andrea said with a nervous laugh. “Maybe it was Dee or Audrey,
but it wasn’t me.”
“I heard you, too.” Michael said.
Tom and Michael looked at one another, bewildered.
“Maybe you guys got into the cough syrup again.” Andrea shook her head. “I
didn’t call either of you, and I didn’t hear anything either.”

“Maybe it was Dee.” Michael said after a second. “I’ll go see.”
Tom could feel the hair on his arms stand on end, and a cold chill raced down
his spine.
“You swear you didn’t call me?” Tom asked when Michael was gone.
“Tom, I swear.” Andrea said, eyes wide and her voice dropped to a whisper. “It
wasn’t me.”

Tom swallowed the hard lump in his throat at the look of fear turning her
features pale. She looked a lot more like Jenny right that moment. “How’s your
book coming along?” He asked in an attempt to relieve the tension in the room.
“Fine.” Andrea shrugged.
“Okay. Good.” Tom said and turned to leave the room.
“Wait! Where are you going?” She was suddenly right behind him, her voice almost
pleading.
“To the kitchen. Audrey’s in the lounge...” Tom trailed off as Andrea brushed
past him and skipped down the hall to the lounge.
He turned and started toward the kitchen. The sound of a door swinging open on
its hinges behind him caught him mid-stride, and Tom felt every nerve in his
body freeze. He almost couldn’t turn himself around to look at it, but he did.

The cellar door was haloed in the shadows of the hallway, but it was definitely
open. Tom took a slow step toward it, and another, and another. He stared down
into the inky blackness. Either someone kept forgetting to lock the door, or
someone was down there. Which was absurd because Tom knew where every occupant
in the household was at that moment. He pushed the door open further, and
shuddered at the squeal of hinges. Damn, that was creepy. He’d have to get those
hinges oiled first thing in the morning.

Tom reached into the darkness and felt the wall by the door for the light
switch. He put one foot carefully on the top step. He knew it was around this
part of the wall somewhere...
The solid darkness seemed to wrap around his outstretched arm and an invisible
force abruptly yanked him into the shadows.
It slammed him face first into the wall and pain blazed through his skull at the
impact. Something sent him toppling down the stairs and Tom landed in a wounded
heap at the bottom.
His body hurt like hell, but he grappled for his gun. Someone was there, even if
he couldn’t see them in the dark. Someone who was out to kill.
Pain stabbed through him when a hard kick landed in his gut as he tried to get
to his feet. It sent him staggering and he fell back on the concrete floor.
Another kick landed on his chest, with such force that it sent him nearly
somersaulting into the wall.
Hands wrapped around his neck like cold steel and he was lifted to his feet. The
hands squeezed slowly, like metal clamps being closed, choking the breath out of
him. Tom struggled for a second, felt the familiar shape of his gun and drew it
out. A shot rang through the cellar.

The hands around his throat disappeared and he hit the floor hard as the sound
of voices shouting came from up the stairs. He gasped for breath, leaning weakly
back against the wall. The last thing Tom remembered was a bright light filling
the room.

~.....~

Jenny held her eyes closed tightly. Wind rushed past her, whistling in her ears
and slapping her face. She waited for the collision of body and earth that would
finally set her free. A strange noise sounded up around her suddenly, and Jenny
found herself looking for the source of it involuntarily. It was familiar but so
out of place...

Water. Jenny stared in shocked stupor. A whirlwind of water surrounded her on
all sides, dark green and swirling. She was still falling, but she couldn’t see
the ground below her. A silent scream formed on her lips when the spinning walls
of water crashed in on her, coiling around her. She couldn’t breathe. She was
suffocating, she was going to drown...

The water enveloped her like an enormous hand, straightening her up, and then it
pooled around her feet into a placid ocean that stretched far into an opaque
horizon. She didn’t sink beneath the surface. There was the deep sound of
thunder that seemed to vibrate through every bone of her body, like an
earthquake shaking her. Total chaos.

Hands held her lightly and securely – the thunder droned closer – a light
flashed through her when lips as soft as twilight pressed to her own – the
thunder rolled over her -  sweet shocks raced through her and her heart soared.
Electricity flooded into every nerve ending and Jenny found her body tingling
and trembling all over. The kiss was slow and sensual – she couldn’t, she didn’t
want to respond to it – the pressure of his lips on hers changed and the thunder
crashed around her.

Don’t. Don’t, Jenny. Just don’t.

Just this once. Just one last time.
Don’t.
She responded to the kiss for a fraction of a second – and the thunder seeped
into her, deafening and frightening and overpowering. Don’t.
Jenny tried to rip herself away from him, but Julian’s hands closed around her
arms like steel wrapped silk, anchoring her in place. His eyes were like frozen
liquid cobalt and fury was etched across his face.
“What were you thinking?” His voice was as beautiful and musical as she’d ever
heard it, reflecting stormy waters in the elemental sound.
“Don’t touch me.” Jenny said coldly.
“You think I’d let you go that easily?” The storm inside of him was mounting,
Jenny could feel it.
“I’d rather die than...” Jenny started. Her words halted on her lips when he
cupped her face with his hands, his touch as soft as moth’s wings.
“If you try that again, Jenny,” Julian’s voice was quiet. Too quiet. She stood
frozen under his touch as he lowered his face to hers, gaze burning into her
own. “I will kill Tom.”
Jenny let out a strangled gasp and yanked herself free of him. She stumbled back
a step and found herself staring at a white tiled wall. She was soaked from head
to toe and warm water pelted down on her. It took her a disoriented moment to
realize she was back in the shower.
 She sank to the floor weakly when tears of frustration and dread washed forth
from her. It was hopeless. She couldn’t escape him. The only way was to give up
the fight, but she couldn’t.
He’d threatened Tom.

Jenny felt wave after wave of panic roll through her. She closed the shower off,
threw on dry clothes and nearly slipped on the slick floor as she hurried around
the corner. The nurse was still lost in her book, and got a fright when Jenny
suddenly appeared in front of her.
“I want to see Dr Selven. Right now.”

Mary had a lamb

~....~

Jenny was pacing the stretch of carpet in front of the leather desk, wringing
her hands excitedly. There was a pile of paperwork neatly stacked on one end, an
Apple Mac on the other, a pen holder and a silver flashy telephone. Dr Selven
was seated in the comfy looking chair behind the desk, her hands folded calmly
and her dark eyes studying Jenny intently.

Two weeks had passed since the night she’d tried to take her own life. Two weeks
of perplexed excitement, and giddy triumph.
That night she’d rushed into Dr Selven’s office in a fit of panic.
“I’m crazy! I’m really, really crazy, aren’t I? He’s not real, is he? He’s not
really there. He’s just in my mind. Some... some fantasy I’ve conjured up and I
don’t even know why, exactly! Why else am I the only one able to see and hear
him, and no one else?” She’d been near hysterics, had really believed she’d
finally lost her mind.
“Jenny, sit down. Calm yourself, take control back. Please, sit down. Now,
slowly, tell me again – what happened?” Dr Selven had asked.
“I was in the shower and I... I imagined myself climbing up the water pipes and
jumping off the roof.” Jenny had held back about the ocean, and Julian, and the
threat made to Tom. “And I really thought I’d done it, but then I was suddenly
back in the shower and I realized, I’ve really gone insane.”
“That’s good, Jenny.” Dr Selven had said excitedly, and Jenny had been the one
to stare at her as though the doctor was the mental patient.
“How can that possibly be good? I pictured killing myself, how is that good?”
“You admit that you suffer from delusions. You recognize that this shadow man
isn’t real. Jenny, that’s the first step to recovery. You’re on the right
track.”

It had taken Jenny a week to realize that if she kept to giving Julian the
silent treatment, and if she didn’t mention seeing him around, she was going to
get out of there quicker – and back to Tom sooner.
She’d been so excited with victory that Jenny didn’t notice or care when her
friends didn’t show up for their weekly visits.
Now, she turned to Dr Selven expectantly and settled herself into a chair.
Julian was leaning against the bookcase behind Dr Selven, impossible blue eyes
focussed on Jenny. She didn’t look at him, refusing to acknowledge his presence.
“This most certainly is a break-through, Jenny.” Dr Selven was saying. “You have
made significant progress in the past few days.”
“I just don’t understand... why has it taken me so long to see this?” Jenny
asked, genuinely dumb-founded. Why had it taken her this long to take this
route? The truth was, Jenny didn’t care. It felt good to pretend to be normal.
It was bliss to have the staff look at her like she was just another person and
not one of their sick patients.

“We may never know, Jenny. It could be that you haven’t been ready to face real
life, perhaps stemming from a traumatic childhood experience.”
“I don’t want to talk about my grandfather.” Jenny said quietly, avoiding the
concerned gaze of her doctor.
“Very well. There are a few more tests we’ll need to conduct, and analyse your
files. Thereafter, when you feel you’re ready, Jenny, you can discharge yourself
and go home.”
Home. The word echoed sweetly through her mind. Home to Tom.
“I’d like to see you once a week when you do return home to continue our
sessions.”

Another week dragged by before Jenny was told she was free to leave when she
felt fit. She stuffed her few belongings into a duffel bag while Julian stood by
and watched. He hadn’t spoken to her again since that night, and she hadn’t so
much as glanced at him since. Jenny paused in the doorway to look back at the
room one last time, looking past Julian, before she turned and left for the
front foyer.

The institute called her family and friends to notify them of her discharge, and
Jenny hailed a cab to take her home.
It was good to be with her family again, and it felt a little strange walking
through the house where she’d grown up. She hadn’t seen it in such a long time,
and good memories about the place warmed her through.  Jenny spent the night in
her old bedroom, sleeping soundly for the first time in ages. She had thought,
in one stage of drowsy wakefulness during the night, that she’d felt someone on
the bed behind her, but it hadn’t frightened her. It was all in her head, after
all.

After breakfast with her family, a quick stop by her Aunt Lilly and Uncle Bill
and Zach’s, her father offered to drop her off at the house where her friends
were rooming in. It was a two-story Victorian style house, standing tall among
clusters of pine trees. Jenny went up to the front porch, and rang the doorbell
nervously.

She tried to look through one of the windows, and jumped when a voice spoke
right beside her.
“He’s given up on you long ago, Jenny. He doesn’t love you, not like I do.”
Julian said.
Jenny put a hand to her heart in fright, and closed her eyes to gather herself.
She wouldn’t look at him. She wouldn’t talk to him.
“He’s found a replacement. Jenny, come away with me. He’s only going to hurt
you.”
Jenny rang the doorbell again with a frown.
“Hello? Anybody home?” Jenny called out.

“You’re not listening to me.” Julian said warningly.
Jenny firmly pressed her ear to the door. There, she heard a door open and
footsteps. Someone was coming.
She stood back, straightening the white tank top she had on, and waited. There
was a rattling as the door was unlocked. It opened to reveal a face that had
Jenny staring in surprise.
A girl was staring right back at her with startled green eyes. Two straight
eyebrows knitted together a second later. “Can I help you?”

“I...” Jenny trailed off.
“See what I mean? She’s not quite you, though.” Julian said, studying the girl
before looking at Jenny. He tilted his head to the side, and gave her a slow
smile.
“You’re not some lost sister of mine that my parents never told me about, are
you?” The girl asked, squinting at Jenny in amazement.
“No. I’m... I’m Jenny.”
The green eyes cleared suddenly and a dimpled, angelic smile lit up the pretty
face.
“Jenny. Of course!” The girl shook her head and stepped aside. “Come on in. I’m
Anny, by the way.”

Jenny stepped into the front parlour uncertainly, and shifted uneasily as she
glanced down the narrow hallway and then at the wooden staircase leading to the
second floor.
“Is Tom home?” Jenny asked.
Part of her wanted to run away.
“Yeah, he’s housebound for the next few weeks.” Andrea said, closing the door
before turning to Jenny.

“I know you don’t know, because the others didn’t want to tell you. They were
afraid it would upset you too much, and apparently you freaked out when Tom
wasn’t with them last time they went to visit you... uh, anyway,” Andrea’s
cheeks flushed and she cleared her throat. “Tom was attacked by some phantom a
couple of weeks ago. Down in the cellar.”
“What phantom?” Jenny asked, feeling the breath squeeze from her lungs. Her eyes
darted to Julian where he was slowly pacing at the bottom of the stairs, like a
predator on the prowl. He flashed a wolfish smile, and Jenny knew.

“Oh, well...” Andrea shrugged and frowned at Jenny’s expression. “Everybody
thinks it was someone who had snuck into the house, and probably went hiding in
the cellar to avoid getting caught when we got home. But it leaves too many
loopholes to my liking, see. Why would they attack a police officer in his own
house? How could they get in without setting off the alarm? I’m always home, and
my room is practically right across the cellar door. I’d have noticed if someone
was in the house. And how did he get out? People don’t just go poof in the
dark,” Andrea spread her fingers at the word ‘poof’. “And no one came running
out of the cellar either. There’s only one way in and out. It doesn’t add up.”
“Is Tom okay?” Jenny finally found her voice.
“Apart from a few broken ribs, sure, he’s in the lounge. I’m guessing he’s not
expecting you.”
“The institute called yesterday...”
“That explains it then.” Andrea dropped her voice to a whisper. “The answering
machine is haunted.”
“Haunted?” Jenny repeated, startled.
“The whole house is haunted.” Andrea said. “And whatever it is, it’s after Tom,
I recon. Come on, it’s this way.”

Jenny started to follow her, but stopped when Andrea suddenly spun to face her.
“Oh and uh, don’t tell anyone what I said. About the place being haunted.”
Andrea rolled her eyes. “They think I’m suffering from some disorder.
Non-believers, go figure. C’mon.”
Jenny swallowed and trailed behind her toward the lounge. Tom was sitting on a
couch, propped up by pillows, sleeping.
“The drugs have made him really zoned out.” Andrea said apologetically, leaning
over him and patting him lightly against the cheeks. “Tom. Hey, Tommy boy, wake
up.”

Jenny stood frozen to the spot, staring at him. He was shirtless and thick white
bandages were wrapped around his chest like some sort of cast. His face was
unshaven and dark with stubble, his hair that Jenny recalled always being neat
and tidy was in dark disarray. Despite his obvious injury, he looked good. Her
heart made an unmistakable throb and butterflies seemed to spread through her,
making her feel light and warm. It felt so incredibly good to see him again.

Tom woke up to stare at Andrea, disoriented. “J...urg...Anny, what time...”
“How are you feeling?” Andrea asked gently, patting him against the cheek again
when his eyes closed.
“Hmpff.” Tom mumbled, blinking at her once before closing his eyes again.
Andrea straightened up and placed her hands on her hips. She sighed and tilted
her head back to look at the ceiling. “Jenny’s here to see you, Tom.”
“Hmmm.” He mumbled again and let out a deep, heavy sigh.

Jenny felt something hot and ugly stir inside of her. She tore her gaze from Tom
to glare at Julian. You’ll pay for this, she thought angrily.
“Careful, Jenny.” Julian replied coldly to her look.
“We’ll try again in a few minutes. Do you want something to drink, Jenny?”
Andrea asked.
“Sure.” Jenny said quietly.
“Pathetic,” Julian spat at Tom, and Jenny felt like throwing something at him.
She frowned when Andrea seemed to halt very abruptly in her tracks. The girl
sent a weary glance around the room, looked at Tom for a moment, and shook her
head.
“Come on, kitchen is down the hall.” Andrea said lightly. “Are you planning on
staying over?”
“Yeah, I was.” Jenny said as she followed.
“Okay, I’ll have to give Audrey a call and let her know. She’s the chef in the
house, by the way.” Andrea said over her shoulder as they stepped into a large
aluminium kitchen. “You’ll be fine to sleep in Tom’s room, I’ll just need to go
change the sheets before tonight. I mean, you guys are together, right?”

Andrea turned to Jenny as she took out a jug of juice from the fridge, an
expectant look on her face.
“Yes.” Jenny said softly.
Julian let out a very long, very impatient breath behind her; like a steam
engine letting off steam.
“You’re only making this harder on yourself.” He said.
“You and Tom didn’t... I mean, you know... because you...” Jenny stammered over
her words and felt her cheeks turn red in embarrassment. What was she asking?
Andrea looked back at her steadily, before realization dawned on her face. She
offered a reassuring grin. “No.  When I first moved in, yeah, I thought about it
but um,” She shrugged sheepishly as she poured the juice. “Tom’s got his head
screwed on right. Told me from the beginning that he loved someone else. I was
pretty disappointed, I mean he’s hot, but you can’t force someone to love you
back, right?”

“Right.” Jenny agreed, and watched Julian walk back down the hall.
“I’m glad you’re finally better.” Andrea said, and Jenny tore her gaze from
Julian’s retreating back to look at the other girl.
It looked like Andrea was going to say more before she offered a small smile
instead.
“So, do you have any plans now that you’re back? Or is it too soon to think that
far ahead?”
“I thought I’d take one day at a time.” Jenny said, glancing down the hallway
again.
“Right, good idea.” Andrea said, rounding the breakfast nook and heading toward
the door. “You know,” She paused to glance at Jenny. “Life will get back on
track. Eventually.”

~....~

Tom couldn’t take his eyes off Jenny. At first it had been because he was so
happy to have her home with him, to drink in her beauty, to savour her. But as
the days flew by, Tom found himself watching her for other reasons – and doubt
began to overshadow his joy. The soft outbursts from Jenny that had her
institutionalised for the past three years hadn’t occurred since she showed up
at the house, and she wasn’t speaking to thin air anymore. She was present in
body and mind, looking back at them with clarity in her eyes and a smile in her
voice. Yet there were moments, when Jenny thought no one was watching, that Tom
would see her glaring at some random spot in the room.

Her eyes would go dark, her lips pursed into a grim line, and her body would be
sheer tension. It made Tom doubt her. After the first few weeks Tom had taken
Andrea aside.
“Anny, I want you to keep a close eye on Jenny.” Tom said in a quiet voice,
closing her bedroom door behind him.
Andrea was sitting on her chair, one leg folded beneath her, the other on tip
toe swinging the chair from side to side. She was engrossed in a notepad in her
hand, absent-mindedly chewing the back of her pencil. Her gaze was a light
golden green when she looked at him briefly.

“Hmm?”
“I need to you keep watch over Jenny. You get to see more of her because you’re
both home all day.” Tom said, walking over to her. “Look for any signs that
things aren’t right.”
“Uh-huh.” Andrea looked back down at the notepad, scribbled something and
frowned lightly.
“Anny.” Tom scowled at her distant expression. “Are you listening to me?”
“Uh-huh.” Andrea swung her chair toward her computer, and Tom did a double-take.
“What are you doing?”
“Umm...” Andrea mumbled, copying something from the screen onto the notepad.
“Budgeting.”
“Budgeting?” Tom looked from the odd catalogue to Andrea in bewilderment.
“I’m going to get some stuff for the house.” Andrea said, and finally lifted her
gaze to really look at him. “Haven’t you noticed it, Tom?”
“Noticed what?” Tom demanded. “And how can you afford that junk if you don’t
even have enough cash to pay rent?”

“This takes priority. You’ll thank me.” Andrea said dismissively.
“Anny, the house isn’t haunted.”
“Oh, so the fact that some thing assaulted you holds no proof?” Andrea asked,
and narrowed her eyes when Tom shook his head. “Maybe you haven’t noticed it yet
because you’re not home during the day, but things have picked up lately. It’s
not just the answering machine anymore...”
“Andrea, the answering machine isn’t haunted.” Tom said impatiently.
“You didn’t hear it screaming bloody murder at me, so how would you know?” 
Andrea snapped. “I walked into the kitchen yesterday morning and it looked like
a hurricane hit it. Drawers were tipped out, the contents of the fridge were all
over the floor. And someone keeps running up and down the stairs when I’m trying
to work. And how do you explain the fireplace lighting all by itself in the dead
of night?”
“It’s your imagination, Anny. Nobody else has witnessed anything weird.”
“Well for your sake I hope nobody else does.” Andrea glared at him. “It really
started up since Jenny got here, Tom. And it’s been getting worse every day. I’m
trying to do something about it now before it gets out of hand, before anybody
else gets hurt.”

“Anny...” Tom let out a deep sigh. “Look, could you keep an eye on Jenny for me?
Please?”
“Why don’t you just hang a sign over her head reading ‘proceed with caution’?”
Andrea frowned. “Maybe you should give her the benefit of the doubt. She’s doing
really well.”
“I’m just worried...” Tom trailed off when Andrea suddenly leapt from her chair
and rushed to her door.
“Did you hear that?” She whispered, glancing at him, then flung the door open.
“Anny...” Tom frowned hard, taking a step toward her. “You’re acting crazy.”
“It’s that voice again.” Andrea hissed, beckoning him closer. “It’s been going
non-stop for days now. I’ve been trying to locate where it’s coming from, but it
keeps moving.”

Tom reluctantly joined her side, glancing up and down the hallway. “I don’t...”
“Sssssh. Listen.” Andrea whispered.
Tom listened, straining his ears. Silence. “Anny.”
“I swear I just heard it.” Andrea shook her head in dismay. “I’ll show you. I’ll
get proof this place is haunted, Tom.”
“With EVP’s and cameras?” Tom asked.
“Yes.”
Tom snorted and brushed past her. “Just do what I asked, okay?”

He heard her mumble something inaudible but didn’t turn around. Tom had learned
not to attempt any reasoning with Andrea when she was convinced of something. It
was as good as using sign language when communicating with a blind person.

Jenny was sitting on the porch swing in the back of the house with Dee. Dee
glanced at him and got to her feet, and Jenny turned to him with bright eyes.
“Tom, do you think you could drive me to the studio where Dee works?” Jenny
asked hopefully.
“My students are having their face-off test with the local competition in Kung
Fu,” Dee said, striking a cat stance and swiftly moving into a lotus stance. She
gave a barbaric grin. “They’re going to kick ass today.”
“I have to be there.” Jenny added.
“Uh, sure. I think I need to give Mike a ride in to town, too. His car’s still
at the garage.” Tom said and stepped aside when Dee bounded past him into the
house, calling out for Michael.
“Thank you, Tom.” Jenny said, and kissed him.
It was a warm, sweet kiss, and when they finally pulled apart it was to find the
others watching them. Dee was leaning against the door, arms folded across her
chest and a smug-friendly look on her face. Michael appeared a bit more
embarrassed about walking in on their moment.

“We should get going. Don’t want to be late.” Dee said.
“Coming.” Jenny smiled, her hand sliding into Tom’s as she trailed behind them
through the house. Tom allowed her to lead him.
“Sun-bunny! You ready?” Michael called up the stairs.
“Anny, we’re heading off,” Tom peeked his head in the bedroom briefly. “Jenny’s
coming with.”
The concrete driveway was dark and wet from a rainstorm during the night, and
the air was rather crisp for a summer morning. They piled into the police
vehicle, Jenny sliding into the passenger seat beside him as Summer and Michael
got into the back. Dee pulled on her slick black helmet and swung one long leg
over her shiny Suzuki Hayabusa.

Tom turned on the radio and pulled out of the driveway. Weather forecasts for
the day and traffic news spilled into the car. Michael answered his mobile when
it started ringing, and Summer kept re-checking her handbag. The radio host
started the Top 20 playlist for the week.
“I hate Mondays.” Michael snapped his mobile off and stared gloomily out the
window.
“Trouble at work?” Jenny asked, half twisting in her seat to look at him.
“Audrey works late on Mondays. They’re slave drivers at that company, but she
believes it will get her to the top of the business sooner if she sticks it
out.” Michael said and tried to smooth down his rumpled dark hair. “Which is
complete bull, in my opinion.”
“If only the world didn’t revolve around money.” Summer said.
The roar of Dee’s motorbike picked up when they hit the highway, and Tom watched
Dee catching up to them in the rearview mirror.

“What song is this?” Jenny asked suddenly.
There was an edge to her voice, and Tom glanced at her sharply. She was staring
at the radio as though it was a snake ready to strike, her eyes wide and her
face pale.
Tom frowned, listening to the haunting melody.
“...nowhere to run, so let’s just get it over. Soon I know you’ll see, you’re
just like me; don’t scream anymore my love ‘cause all I want is you, you belong
to me...”
“Oh, I know, it’s from that gothic band. Snow White Queen, I think is the song.”
Summer said suddenly from the backseat. “Their new album is good.”

Dee overtook them a second later, and Tom watched her speed on for a moment
before glancing at Jenny again.
“Oh. That’s not funny.” Jenny gasped weakly.
“Jenny, what’s wrong?” Tom asked worriedly.
“I think I’m going to be sick.” Jenny choked out.
Tom signalled and pulled over onto the side of the highway as far as he could.
He flipped the hazard lights on and unbuckled his seatbelt to lean over to
Jenny.  He rolled down her window, looking at her.
“Just breathe, Jenny. Breathe.”
Jenny was leaning back into her seat, her face ashen and her mouth quivering.
Tears welled up in her green eyes, and she sucked in shaky breaths of air.

Tom’s mobile started ringing.
“Are you okay?” Tom asked gently.
Jenny closed her eyes, taking longer, deeper breaths.
Tom finally glanced at his phone, and felt a twinge of premonition. Andrea’s
name flashed up at him from the small screen. She never called unless it was an
emergency. He cut the ringing off and put the phone to his ear.
“Andrea, what’s wrong?” Tom asked.
“Get off the road. Tom, do you hear me? Get off the road. I’m on my way!”
Andrea’s voice shouted back at him.
“Anny, calm down. What is going on?”
“It’s coming after you. I saw it, and it’s coming after you.”
“Andrea, stop it. Where are you?” Tom snapped.
“I’m on my way, I’ve already called an ambulance...”
“Anny. Relax. Go back home. We’re all fine.”
“But Tom...”
“We’ll talk when I get back home tonight. Just... don’t do anything crazy.” Tom
said and hung up, gritting his teeth.

“I’m sorry.” Jenny choked out.
“It’s okay, Jenny. Are you all right?” Tom turned to her.
She had colour back in her cheeks, and had composed herself.
“Yes, I’m fine. I... I guess it’s just motion sickness or something.” Jenny said
vaguely.
“You’re okay to go to the studio? If you’re not feeling well I can take you
home.”
“No, no. I’m fine, really.”
Tom started the car and pulled back onto the highway. Dee was waiting outside
the Kung Fu studio for them, relief flooding her features when she saw them pull
into the parking lot.
“What took you? Traffic wasn’t that bad.” Dee commented when Jenny opened her
door.
“We just took a little longer than expected.” Tom explained, and Jenny shot him
a thankful look.
“I just got a really weird phone call from Anny.” Dee said, and arched her
eyebrows when Tom waved dismissively. “Nothing to worry about then?”
“I’ll have a word with her tonight.” Tom said, and smiled when Jenny gave him a
brief but warm kiss.
“Have a good day, Tom.”
“You too, Thorny. I’ll see you later.”

~....~

Jenny loved every moment at the studio. Watching Dee do something she had
passion for, and teaching children martial arts was entertaining. There was a
seriousness that prevailed throughout every student, but there were just as many
laughs that filled the studio. A large wooden plaque was mounted on one of the
walls, I am my only master engraved into it in bold letters.
Still part of Jenny was burning to get back to the house. The episode in the car
had been hair-raising. Jenny had had the sense that something bad was going to
happen, and when that song started playing the feeling had increased ten-fold.
She wanted, more than anything, to get out the car and as far from the road as
possible. When Andrea phoned, everyone in the car had been able to make out what
she was shouting at Tom. She’d said the words that had been screaming inside of
Jenny.

At the end of the day when Dee was locking up the studio, declaring that they
had to go out to celebrate her class’s triumph in the tests, they found Tom
leaning against his car with an uneasy expression on his face. Andrea was in the
driver seat, eating a doughnut and fiddling with her mobile.

“Hey!” Dee walked up, and poked a finger at Andrea. “Doughnuts again?”
“I haven’t eaten a thing all day.” Andrea said defensively.
“Hi,” Jenny said, wrapping her arms around Tom in a hug.
Tom held her close, landed a kiss on her head and tightened his arms around her.

“How was your day?” Jenny asked, tilting her head back to look up at him.
“Fine. How was yours?”
“...my debit card is maxed out so I can’t draw money, and I didn’t get the
chance to grab any cash from the house.” Andrea was saying, and put down her
mobile to glance at Jenny before looking at Dee. “And I sure as hell wasn’t
going to go back into that house all by myself.”
“What happened?” Jenny asked, forgetting Tom’s question.

“She thinks she had a vision of the future.” Tom said, his voice strained.
“Don’t look at me like that, Locke.  I’ve got all my pigs in the sty.” Andrea
glared at him before looking at Jenny. “And it wasn’t a vision of the future. It
was a prediction of your deaths. A warning.”
“I think you’re delusional from spending all your time alone, Anny.” Dee said
with a light laugh.
“You were in the house.” Andrea said angrily, pointing a finger at Dee.
“Me? I was on my way to work...” Dee started.
“You were standing in the doorway with your helmet on. I heard Summer crying,
and Tom called out my name. I was rigging up the last of the cables and checking
to see that the cameras were rolling.”
“Anny, you know...” Dee sighed heavily.

“This is not a joke, so stop smiling, Deidre.” Andrea said coldly. “It’s a sign
that your deaths are near. Specifically you, because I heard and saw you.”
“Your imagination is running away with you again.” Dee chided, shaking her head.
“Remember when we had to convince you there wasn’t a ghost in the bathroom, and
you were so certain there was? Because you kept hearing sounds coming from
it...”

“I remember.” Andrea said.
“And it turned out to be the pipes that had loosened in the walls, and we got it
fixed.” Dee finished. “This is probably the same thing.”

“It’s not.” Andrea looked at the doughnut in her hand and tossed it into the box
on the passenger seat. “Same thing happened to me before when I was a kid. My
Nanna joined me and my dolls for a tea party in the back yard. She gave me a
smile, pretended to drink from a cup, patted me on the head and walked around
the house. Five minutes later I go into the house and find my mom bawling her
eyes out, and I’m told my Nanna was found dead in bed that morning.”

Dee pursed her lips and waved her hands in surrender, but Andrea was going on.
“Same thing happened with my brother. I saw him sitting on the edge of my bed
one night, soaking wet. When I asked him about it the next day, he swore he
wasn’t in my room. A week later, he drowns after a wave knocked him out cold
when he was surfing with his friends.”

“Anny, just take it easy.” Tom said worriedly.
Andrea slid her mobile into her pocket and turned to face them fully.
“My parents were in New Jersey for a weekend, when I heard my mom calling me out
of bed one night and saw my dad sitting on the rocking chair beside my bed
before just disappearing.  The next day, their deaths made the morning news.
Couple brutally murdered.” Andrea said. “It’s not in my head.”
“You’re saying you have some kind of gift of foresight?” Dee asked uneasily.
“A gift?” Andrea repeated and actually laughed. “No, it’s a curse. I’m like some
mad magnet for the supernatural. Where d’ you think I get the inspiration for my
work from?”

“You never told us about this before,” Tom said quietly.
“There was no point in telling you until now.” Andrea said and shrugged. “The
only problem about this is that I don’t know when it’s going to happen.”
“What cameras?” Dee asked suddenly, brow furrowed in curiosity.
“To catch whatever is lurking around in the house on film.” Andrea said simply.
“There’s something in the house?” Jenny asked, confused.
Andrea paused and gave Jenny a long, thoughtful look. “Yes, Jenny, I believe
there is.”

Jenny shifted uneasily and tightened her arms around Tom. She could almost hear
the other girl’s thoughts. You know.
“Like what are we talking about, exactly?” Dee was asking.
“Anny thinks the house is haunted.” Tom said with a sigh.
“It’s a poltergeist.” Andrea added confidently. “All the signs point to it.”
“What signs?” Tom asked, suddenly irritated. “Andrea, there’s no such thing as
ghosts.”

“See?” Andrea glanced at Jenny. “Critics.” She turned back to Tom. “First signs
of having a poltergeist is the kitchen being left with all the drawers and doors
open. It almost always starts either in the kitchen or in the bathroom, or some
obscure room in the house like a basement or attic. The sound of footsteps when
there’s no one else in the house...”
“Right. You’ve gone bonkers living in your little fantasy worlds, haven’t you?”
Dee interrupted.
“... they can mimic anyone’s voice. It called Tom the evening he got attacked in
the cellar.” Andrea finished. “Poltergeists have a tendency to target one person
in the household, to cause them bodily harm. They are malicious spirits. Very
bent. Evil. And the one we’ve got has it in for Tom, big time.”

Every nerve in Jenny’s body was tingling. She stared at Andrea for another
moment before looking up at Tom.
“Jenny, don’t worry,” Tom said, and laughed lightly. “Anny’s always going on
about one or the other supernatural thing. She went through a stage where she
thought we had a house elf. She even named it Dobby, like in the Harry Potter
movies.”
“It was my imaginary pet.” Andrea said defensively. “That was different.”
“Ah-huh.” Dee snorted, and straightened up. “We should go out to celebrate
tonight. I can get discount at that old Chinese place if we get more than five
people to go.”

The change of topic somewhat relieved the tension but Jenny was fighting the
internal dialogue raging through her mind. She was at a loss about whether to
come out with truth, or to carry on pretending.

~....~
... his eyes black as coals...

~.....~

“This is ridiculous. Why are we doing this again?” Audrey asked.
She was seated on an orange continental pillow beside the fireplace, running her
fingers through her long copper locks.  The fire cast a soft dancing light in
the warm room.
Jenny sent a glance around the lounge – two large mattresses were situated on
the wooden floor, hordes of blankets and pillows strewn about. It looked like a
tornado had twirled through the room.
“Anny’s got the jitters.” Michael said, glancing up from a thick book on his
lap.

“I thought writers were supposed to be like hermits.” Audrey huffed, glaring at
the hot flames crackling in the hearth. “You know, keep to themselves most of
the time, never cause any trouble.”
“My dad had props all over the house about his own stories. Some of it was
really cool and some of it was creepy.” Michael said. “He always said that
everyone was mad in their own way. Some just express it differently than
others.”

Jenny looked toward the coffee table where a computer was setup, displaying
several windows on the screen. It depicted the view of the different cameras
placed throughout the house; the kitchen, the hallway, the staircase, the
upstairs bathroom, the cellar, and Tom’s room.  Andrea and Dee were busy in the
cellar at that moment. Jenny watched them move about, pushing things against the
walls and flat on the ground.

“It’s been a long day.” Tom sighed deeply next to her.
“I’m not getting the couch, am I?” Michael asked, sending a grouchy look at it.
“Is it necessary that we sleep here? I mean, if we’re all asleep in our beds
then it shouldn’t mess up her experiment, right?” Audrey said.
“That ought to do it.” Andrea appeared in the doorway with Dee.
“Great. Maybe now we can get some shut eye.” Dee stifled a yawn and spread
herself gracefully on the couch, and sent a glance toward the little hump that
was a sleeping Summer. “She’s got the right idea.”
“I’m going to be walking around the house.” Andrea said, picking up a strange
little machine from the coffee table. “Asking the spirit questions, see if I can
get it to communicate with me. You should all stay here tonight. Seriously,
don’t come out unless you absolutely have to.”

“Why don’t we just have someone come in and do a séance? Get this over with.”
Audrey said.
“No, no, no. A séance will only make things worse. So will a Ouija board.”
Andrea chided. “I just want to see if I can catch anything. If I do, we can
analyse the footage tomorrow.”
“What do you mean we?” Michael asked unhappily.
“And if you don’t?” Tom asked, turning to her.
“Then we’ve got a problem.” Andrea fidgeted with the machine, and glanced up at
them. “See you in the morning.”
Jenny watched her step out the room and close the door firmly behind her.
“She’s going to trip and fall down the stairs. Or walk into something.” Dee said
from the couch. “It’s pitch black out there. Did she take a flashlight?”

“Don’t think so.” Michael mumbled.
Jenny watched Andrea on the screen, slowly edging her way down the hallway. The
cameras were on night vision, adding a creepy green tinge to everything. They
could hear Andrea’s voice faintly from the kitchen.

Jenny was nailed to the screen. Not out of curiosity but out of fear. She sat
staring at Andrea for hours, ever so often glancing over the top of the monitor
just to make sure.

Julian was sitting on the edge of the coffee table, luminous blue eyes fixed on
her, amusement stretched across his dazzling features. He was dressed in rich
brown trousers, a white shirt, with a short-sleeved unbuttoned tie-dyed shirt in
brilliant violet and sparkling blue shades. He lifted his arm – with its smooth
and perfectly toned muscles – and smoothed the disarray of white blonde hair
back from his forehead.  A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and
Jenny looked back at the screen quickly. She didn’t like the involuntary leap
her heart gave every time he smiled at her.

Audrey and Michael were fast asleep when Tom and Dee came to crouch down beside
Jenny. Andrea was upstairs in the bathroom.
“Should we give her a scare?” Dee asked suddenly.
“Dee.” Tom scowled.
“Come on. We know she’s not going to find anything. Let’s give her what she’s
looking for.” Dee said, rising to her feet. “I snatched our stash of gut from
the cellar earlier. Let’s go tie it around something in the kitchen, and when
Anny goes back there we give it a little tug.”
“Dee, she’ll kill us.” Tom said, laughing quietly.
“Maybe it’s all she needs to get over this nonsense.” Dee shrugged. “Remember
when she thought Summer was a vampire?”
“What?” Jenny asked, startled.
“Summer suffered from insomnia a while back, when we first moved into this
house. She’d stay up all night and sleep all day. Andrea was convinced she’s a
vampire.” Dee explained, and added with a barbaric grin, “So we got her a pair
of those plastic vamp teeth and made Summer play along.”
“Anny thought it was funny.” Tom said, his eyes twinkling. “At least, she hasn’t
accused any of us of being some or the other imaginary creature again.”
“Let’s go,” Dee said, nodding her head toward the door. The firelight made the
little black stubs on her head glow like mica.
“I don’t think you should.” Jenny said when Tom and Dee started for the door.

“Come on, Jenny. We’re not hurting anybody. Besides, Anny can take a joke,” Tom
said, and paused. “Want to come with us?”
Jenny shook her head, and felt a wave of annoyance when they closed the door
behind them, chuckling. She watched them on the screen hurrying down the hallway
with a flashlight. Then they were in the kitchen, fussing with the legs of two
of the bar stools around the breakfast nook. Jenny sighed heavily.

She ought to go tell Andrea. It wouldn’t be funny because Jenny could see Andrea
was tense as it were. Anny was starting down the stairs, and Jenny slowly
unfolded her legs beneath her. She whirled around, startled, when the door
clicked open behind her.
Andrea peeked her head inside, glancing from the three sleeping forms to Jenny.
“Where are the others?” Anny whispered, her brow furrowed.
“I was just going to come tell you. They’re in the kitchen, they’re planning on
pulling a prank on you.” Jenny whispered back.
“Figures.” Andrea sighed. “Thanks.”

The door closed, and Jenny turned back to the computer to see Andrea strolling
down the hallway. In the kitchen, Tom and Dee heard her approaching and took
refuge behind the little island in the middle of the kitchen. Their flashlight
flicked off.
Jenny licked her lips, and heard Andrea’s voice float down the hallway.
“If there are any spirits in this room, make your presence known.” She sounded
angry.
Jenny watched one of the bar stools suddenly tip over and hit the floor with a
bang. Andrea spun toward it.
“If there are any spirits in this room, make your presence known.” Andrea
repeated.
The other bar stool fell over. The bang sounded like a gunshot in the silence of
the night.
Andrea didn’t so much as flinch. She walked closer to the breakfast nook and sat
down on the third stool. She fiddled with the little recorder another moment,
and didn’t even glance up when Tom and Dee rose up from behind the island
chuckling.
“Boo!” Dee’s voice sounded faint from the kitchen.
“Cut the light.” Andrea scowled.
“Anny, it was just us...” Tom started with a laugh.
“Cut the light.” Andrea repeated. Dee and Tom exchanged looks, and Dee
reluctantly turned off the flashlight, shaking her head.

“If there are any spirits in this room, make your presence known.” Andrea said a
third time.
Jenny’s eyes widened when the stool abruptly jerked back underneath Andrea.
“Whoa!” Andrea gasped, jumping off the stool and spinning toward it.
Something smashed against a wall, startling the three occupants of the room.
“What was that?” Tom demanded.
“It sounded like a plate.” Andrea said quietly.
“Very funny, Anny.”
“It wasn’t me.” Andrea snapped and then her voice rose. “If you’re angry, one
knock for yes, two for no.”

The pots and pans hanging above the stove rattled suddenly, some of them falling
right off the hook and hitting the floor with loud sharp bangs. Michael stirred
in his sleep behind Jenny, and Audrey half woke up.
“What was that noise?” Audrey asked sleepily.
“Uh...” Jenny started, confused.
There couldn’t really be a poltergeist, could there? Jenny knew it couldn’t be
because she was fairly certain it was all Julian...

That’s when she realized he wasn’t in the room anymore.
“I think you really pissed it off.” Andrea was saying.
Jenny bolted from the room, flipping on lights as she made her way into the
kitchen. Andrea was still standing by the breakfast nook. Tom and Dee were
behind the island, staring at the swaying pots and pans.

“How’d you get all the way over there?” Dee asked, glancing at it before looking
at Andrea, startled.
“I’ve been here all the time.” Andrea frowned back at her, and turned to Jenny.
“Can you turn the lights off, please?”
“Bull. You were right next to me, just a second ago. I saw you, Anny.” Dee said.
“Maybe it’s time to call it a night.” Jenny said nervously.

She was staring at Julian where he was leaning against the island with both his
arms, pure mischief written across his face.
“If that was you next to Dee, knock for yes.” Andrea said.
Jenny felt her throat pull tight when Julian met her gaze evenly. He hesitated,
then dropped his wrist and knocked on the smooth granite top once.

“See, told you it wasn’t me.” Andrea snapped, lifting her chin defiantly.
Dee and Tom stepped away from the island simultaneously, their eyes going wide
and colour draining from their faces.
“Was that an actual knock?” Tom asked.
“No, Tom. It must have been your imagination,” Andrea sent him a dagger look.
“Are you an angry spirit? Are you here to cause us harm?”
Jenny willed down the tears stinging her eyes when Julian knocked once again.

“Do you want to hurt Michael?” Andrea asked.
Knock.
“Do you want to hurt Summer?”
Knock.
“Do you want to hurt Audrey?”
Knock.
“Do you want to hurt Jenny?”
Jenny could barely breathe at that moment.
“Do I?” Julian asked, looking at Jenny with flaming blue eyes.
Jenny shook her head dumbly. Julian seemed satisfied with her response, and
knocked twice.
“Do you want to hurt Dee?”
Knock.
“Do you want to hurt Tom?”
“I want to kill Tom.” Julian said coldly as everyone else waited tensely for an
answer.

“Do you want to hurt me?” Andrea asked when there was no knock.
Knock.
“Well, what the hell?” Andrea spluttered indignantly. “If you really wanted to
hurt me, you would have by now, wouldn’t you?”
Julian’s gaze moved from Jenny’s to fix on Andrea.
“You’ve had plenty of opportunities. I’m alone most of the time, vulnerable to
attack. So maybe you’re a coward, then?” Andrea said.
“Anny...” Jenny gasped.

Julian straightened up, his gaze narrowing.
“Do you want to hurt Tom?” Andrea asked again.
Jenny turned to look at Andrea. “Anny, maybe you should stop...”
“Okay. Do you hate Tom?” Andrea cut her off.

Knock.
Jenny spun around. Julian was glaring at Tom.
“Do you want to kill Tom?”
Knock.
Tom shifted his weight uneasily, glancing around the kitchen warily. There was a
terrible silence in the room.
“Please.” Jenny pleaded quietly.
Julian shifted his gaze away from Tom and advanced a step toward Jenny. And
another. And another.
“Can Jenny see you?” Andrea asked suddenly, and Jenny tore her gaze from
Julian’s.
Julian didn’t answer, taking another step toward her instead.
“Jenny, can you see it?” Andrea asked.

Jenny’s mouth had gone dry. She stared back at Andrea dumbly, too afraid to
answer.
“I don’t know.” She finally said when all eyes fixed on her.
“This is insane.” Tom exploded angrily. “Andrea, stop it.”
“Jenny. Tell me. Can you see it?” Andrea pressed.
“Anny, that’s enough!” Tom snapped.
Jenny nodded slowly, heart thudding hard in her ears.
“Where is it?” Dee asked, stepping forward like a warrior braced for battle.
Jenny started to lift her hand to point, but froze when Julian advanced another
step to her.
“Right in front of me.” Jenny breathed, and choked back a sob when Julian
reached out and touched her cheek. His touch was so soft, barely there, like a
cool gentle breeze playing across her flushed skin.
“I don’t see anything.” Tom said irritably.
“Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there.” Andrea scolded at
him.
“Anny, you’re not helping...”
“Are you here because of Jenny?” Andrea asked coldly.

Julian leaned closer to Jenny, and she felt her stomach flutter.  She was frozen
under his touch. Her body went numb when his lips delicately brushed against
hers.
“Do you like playing games?”
He pulled back from Jenny suddenly, and she followed his gaze. Andrea was
standing right next to her, a look of absolute contempt on her face. She folded
her arms across her chest slowly, and cocked her head to the side, staring back
expectantly. Not at Jenny. At Julian.
Right at him. Jenny struggled for a breath, shocked. She stepped away and looked
at him.
Curiosity swathed his face, amusement glittering in his eyes as he stared back
at Andrea.
“How about it then? Do you like playing games? Do you want to play a game now?”

Jenny weakly leaned against the wall when Julian disappeared. Like a light
switch being flicked off. One moment he was there, the next he was gone.
“Wow.” Dee said quietly. “Did you feel that? I didn’t notice it before, but the
room was really cold just a second ago.”
“Temperature is picking up.” Tom agreed in quiet tones, and then he was beside
Jenny, wrapping his arms around her protectively.
“I think I scared it off. For now.” Andrea said slowly, and turned to glare at
Jenny.  She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again and let out what could
have passed as a growl. “I can’t believe this.”

Jenny blinked and watched Andrea storm from the room, golden hair flying out
behind her. She looked up at Tom, and felt his arms tighten around her.
“Whatever just happened,” Dee was saying, picking up the stools that had fallen
over. “I really hope it doesn’t happen again.”

~...~

...If we play very quiet, my lamb...

~...~

When they stepped back into the lounge, Andrea was packing up the computer and
rolling up cables. She did it noisily and hastily, oblivious that Michael had
woken up and was glaring at her grumpily.
“Anny...” Tom started.
“I’m getting my money back. I’ll lie and say the cameras and stuff didn’t work,
or that it’s not what I wanted. Or something.” Andrea muttered.
“Need a hand with that?” Dee asked, arching her eyebrows in surprise when Andrea
picked up the monitor and carried it past them out the room.
“Get lost.” Andrea’s sharp retort sounded back at them from the hallway.

Tom and Dee exchanged startled looks. It was Jenny who followed Andrea through
the house as she unplugged cables and dislodged the cameras, tossing everything
dismissively into a box.
“Andrea.” Jenny said quietly.
“Yes, Jenny.” Andrea said curtly.
“I... did you see him?” Jenny asked.
“Oh. Him?” Andrea repeated, freezing momentarily to give Jenny a death glare,
before continuing her fussing. “It’s got a gender now?”
“I thought... it’s just... the way you looked at him...” Jenny stammered,
confused.
“I was pretending that I could see him. It.” Andrea corrected herself, and blew
out an angry breath. “Damn it.”
“But you looked right at him.” Jenny said, stumped, then stepped forward in
determination. “You did see him, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t see anything.” Andrea replied.
“Yes, you did. Anny, if you... if you could tell the others, we can work
together to get rid of him.” Jenny said, sudden hope flaring to life inside of
her. Hope that was exterminated a second later.
“I don’t want anything to do with you.” Andrea said, and brushed roughly past
her.
Jenny stood for a minute, not moving, not breathing. Then she was on Andrea’s
heels as the girl briskly walked to her bedroom and flipped on the light.

“But you can help me.” Jenny said, watching Andrea drop the box on her bed.
“No, I can’t.” Andrea said, dropping to all fours beside her bed. She pulled a
large red sports bag from underneath it and left it on the floor.
“You can’t, or you won’t?” Jenny asked after a moment of anxious indecisiveness.

Andrea threw open her closet and pulled its entire contents out in one swift
movement. She dumped the clothes on the bag, hangers and all.  She knelt beside
it and zipped the bag closed, messily tucking in hems and sleeves that
overflowed.
“Won’t.” Andrea said, and finally looked at Jenny. “I’m sorry, but you can’t
expect me to.”
“He’s going to hurt the others.” Jenny said quietly, more to herself than to
anyone else.
“He’s not going to hurt me, that’s for sure.” Andrea said coldly, closing down
her laptop on the desk and sliding it into a leather suitcase. She selected
certain books from the shelf above the desk and shoved those in too.

“Andrea, I think we should all sit down and talk...” Audrey appeared on the
threshold, looking groggy and tired, but she fell silent when she spotted the
bulging bag on the floor. “Where are you going?”
“As far away from here as I can get.” Andrea said in a brusque manner.

“You’re leaving?” Tom stepped out from behind Audrey, a look of genuine shock on
his face as he looked from Jenny to Andrea. “Anny, where are you going to go?
You don’t have cash for a motel, and it’s past two in the morning.”
Dee picked up the bag and put it on the bed before sitting down beside it,
leaning over it like a guard dog protecting its territory. Summer and Michael
stood just inside the door, closest to Jenny, looking drowsy.
“Don’t you talk to me at all, Locke.” Andrea spat, feverishly emptying drawers
onto her bed and grabbing the necessary. “Just... don’t even come in my room.
For Hades sake, stay away from me.”
“I’m sorry.” Jenny said, and she meant it.
Andrea was in quiet hysterics. Jenny could tell by her trembling hands and ashen
complexion. The girl was scared out of her mind, and Jenny didn’t blame her. If
she had the option to run, she would have.

“Sorry doesn’t quite cut it, Jenny.” Andrea said coldly. She took out her mobile
and made a quick phone call for a cab. She cut the phone off herself before Tom
could cross the room and take it away from her.
“Anny, this is ridiculous. Yeah, I’ll admit there’s something in the house, but
it’s...” Tom said angrily.
“What’s his name then? Lucifer? Legion? Shaytan?” Andrea asked, staring back up
at Tom, fuming.
“What?” Tom spat back, confused.
“Or is it something a bit more ironic? Like Shade, or Jimmy, or Angel?” Andrea
carried on.
“What are you talking about?” Tom demanded, his voice rising as his temper took
flame.

“You know what, never mind. Don’t tell me. The less I know, the better.” Andrea
snapped.
“Julian.” Jenny’s soft answer cut through the room, and every pair of eyes fixed
on her.
For a moment there was no sound but that of Andrea shoving more things into a
smaller duffel bag, and her bitter mutter of ‘Julian? Oh, I guess that’s
supposed to be funny”.
Then Tom took a step toward Jenny, his features moulded into shocked misery.
“Jenny...”
Jenny didn’t move an inch closer to him. She stared back at him, fear gripping
her insides. He was wearing that look again – that sympathetic, apologetic,
helpless look he’d always had while she was in the institute.
“Tom.” Jenny said, and her voice came out shaky.

“He’s dead. Jenny, he can’t hurt you anymore.” Tom said gently.
Andrea had paused abruptly in her fussing, and was staring at both of them with
round, haunted eyes. Suspicion and fear turned her features sharp and cold.
“Wait... wait, wait. You’ve seen this thing?” Andrea asked, and her features
cleared suddenly. “Oh. Wait. It’s the reason why you’ve been in the institute.
Because you can see him, but the others can’t.” Andrea’s eyes shifted from Jenny
to Tom, and she frowned hard. “But you told me that Jenny’s in there because of
some lunatic that was obsessed with her when you guys were still in school...
you said he committed suicide.”

“Not my exact words, but close enough.” Tom said slowly, stepping toward Jenny.
“Jenny, look...”
“Oh...” Andrea gasped, her mouth a round O as she stared at Jenny wildly.
“That’s... oh that’s just crazy...” Andrea strolled up to her so fast that Jenny
reflexively took a step back.
Tom reached toward her, and Dee moved off the bed, but Andrea stopped right in
front of Jenny with sheer terror written on her face.
“He went through Hvelgemir to get back to you. Why?” Andrea asked, shocked.
“Is that some fancy name for hell?” Michael asked, confused.
“No. It’s from Norse mythology.” Andrea said almost chidingly. “The well where
all being is from and where all being returns. From a mythological stand point.”

“Revenge. I think.” Jenny said quietly.
“Oh, Jenny.” Andrea gasped, and whirled on the others. “You could have told me,
you morons.”
Andrea slumped the duffel bag over her back and dragged the sports bag across
the floor as quickly as she could.
“You realize you’ve got a demon on your hands, don’t you? It’s not a poltergeist
at all.” Andrea said, dragging her way to the front door.
Jenny and Tom trailed after her, the others following uncertainly. Andrea only
paused outside on the dark front porch to readjust her grip on her bag.
“A demon.” Tom repeated, subdued.

“I’ve been hearing his voice ever since I moved in with you guys. Just whispers
at first, but since Jenny got back I’ve been hearing it clearly. And I’ve caught
glimpses of him. And I was so stupid not to realize what it was. I mean... I
provoked it in the kitchen tonight. I was almost inviting it to kill me.” Andrea
spluttered on, and glanced toward the road when a cab pulled up on the sidewalk.
“Andrea, wait, please...” Tom finally stepped forward.
“They are elemental beings, you know. Very powerful. They can manipulate
anything and everything, from your thoughts and nerves to the air you breathe.
They can do things that shouldn’t be possible, like turning an image into
reality.” Andrea raged on, and let out a thankful breath when the cab driver
came and picked up her sports bag. “You’re my friends, I love you, and I’m
sorry. But I’m not going to get in the way of whatever your jin... Julian’s
agenda is.”

The car door slammed shut, and they watched the cab drive off into the night.

~....~

...Mary never has to know...

~.....~

They were huddled beneath a thick white quilt on the porch swing, watching dawn
break and the sun gradually lighten the sky. Jenny watched the little coils of
steam dance over the rim of the teacup in her hands. There were many silences
between them since they’d come to sit out here. But they did talk – in hushed
voices that fuelled the quiet feeling hanging over them. Like soldiers
discussing the final strategy before stepping into uniform and falling in line.
Dee kept checking on them every now and then – popping her head out the screen
door to peek at them, before retreating back into the house as swift and silent
as a ninja.

“There really is no way out of this, is there?” Jenny said for the fifth time.
“No.”
Jenny’s eyes darted toward Julian. He was dressed in black jeans, heavy boots,
and an unbuttoned black shirt that shimmered like a million tiny sapphires when
he moved. His eyes were just as dark and deep, his hair like newly fallen snow.
He was comfortably perched on the porch railing, staring out at the arriving day
along with them, as if he belonged there.
“I wasn’t talking to you.” Jenny bit each word off distinctly.

Julian turned his eyes on her. Jenny felt her breath catch in her throat, a
natural reaction to his beauty that only fuelled her anger and hatred even more.
It wasn’t fair that he had the power to do that to her. It wasn’t right.
A slight frown creased his perfect features, and his eyes darted to Tom on the
swing beside Jenny before meeting her gaze evenly.
“He doesn’t have the answers, Jenny. I do.” Julian said lightly chiding.

“Is it some new game that the rest of us aren’t included in?” Tom asked, and
Jenny tore her gaze from Julian’s to look at him.
Tom was staring at the floorboards, his handsome face pale and strained. There
were shadows beneath his eyes, testifying to the rough night they’d all had.
“No. He’s not playing any games, Tom.” Jenny said, her voice a little more
brusque than she intended. “He’s just...”
“Here to claim what’s rightfully mine.” Julian cut in.
“... messing with my head. He wouldn’t play another game.” Jenny finished.

“Don’t be so sure.” Julian said.
“You won’t. You know why?” Jenny snapped, turning to glare at him.
“Careful, Jenny.” Julian said quietly.
“I’m not afraid of you.” She said just as quietly. Her gaze didn’t waver when he
gave her a cold look.
When she looked at Tom again, he was staring at her. She couldn’t define his
expression, but it scared her almost as much as Julian did.
“I don’t know what to do.” Tom said steadily. He straightened up, exhaling
deeply, and glanced around the yard. “What can I do, Jenny, if you’re the only
one who can interact with him?”

“There has to be a way to get rid of him. We can’t be the only people bothered
by something like him.” Jenny said quietly, staring down at her cup helplessly.
“We could go to the library and see if they’ve got anything on shadow people. Or
there’s always the internet.”
“Shadow people aren’t supposed to communicate with us. They shouldn’t even be
seen by us.” Tom said, and a wry smile touched his lips at her surprised look.
“At least, that’s what the internet says about them. But he broke all the rules
– no one out there has dealt with this before.”

“You could try some Quranic verses, or you could recite aya kursi as many times
as you can,” Julian suggested, a lilt in his voice. “Or get a priest of some
kind to try exorcise the house.”
Jenny shook her head. Nothing he said made sense to her, and she doubted a
priest would be able to help them. She felt they were far beyond any spiritual
help.
“We’re on our own.” Tom added.

“No.” Jenny said sharply. “We’re not. It’s my problem – maybe I’m supposed to
figure out how to get rid of him.”
“Jenny...” Tom looked pained. “It’s been years... I don’t think he’s going
anywhere until he gets what he wants.”
“I’m not going to give up.” Jenny said, shocked.
“I’m not saying you should.” Tom said gently. “I...  there has to be another way
around this.”
“There is.” Julian said. He was wearing a smile on his face that would have sent
Jenny screaming if she’d had control over her body in that moment. “We could
make a bargain, Jenny.”
“Go to hell.” Jenny said coldly. It was a clichéd and childish retort – one that
she used quite often where Julian was concerned. It seemed to be the only thing
she could say that had some moderate effect on him.

Just now his eyes became even darker at her words, flashing back at her
dangerously.
“Oh, I will – and I’ll take him with me.” Julian nodded toward Tom. His smile
had turned cold, and ugly.
Jenny clenched her jaw, staring back at him soberly.
“I’ll put it to you sweet and simple, Jenny.” Julian continued smoothly. “It’s
either you, or your friends. One way or the other, someone will join me.”

“What are you talking about?” Jenny asked, her voice high and near hysteria.
Julian swung his legs onto the porch to face her. For a long moment he studied
her face.
“Jenny, what’s wrong? What did he say?” Tom asked, frowning at her.
“I told you I’d resort to force, Jenny.  You will be mine, by whatever means
necessary.”
“You’d better not be threatening my friends.” Jenny said slowly, narrowing her
eyes at him. Then she was on her feet, her cup smashing onto the ground. She was
breathing hard, and pointing a trembling finger at him. “I’m stronger than you
are. And I will protect my friends. But I will not go with you willingly, not
without a fight – even if it kills me...”
“Jenny...” Tom was getting up, too.
“...and even if I don’t win this time, I will make your life a living hell. I’ll
make you wish you’d never laid eyes on me.” Jenny finished loudly.

Julian was on his feet and had pushed her back onto the swing so fast, it took
Jenny’s stunned mind a moment to catch up with her body. He held her lightly by
the shoulders, his warmth soaking through her blouse onto her skin.
“You are the best and most probably the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Julian said softly, his face hovering inches from hers. His breath washed over
her face with a sweet, intoxicating odour. What Jenny thought moonlight should
smell like – refreshing, almost like mint, only milder.
She restrained herself from breathing it in.

“I didn’t ask for any of this either.” Julian continued, and his voice hardened.
“But it is what it is. You know what it’s like with us, Jenny. You might have
fooled yourself into thinking you can resist it, but deep inside you want it as
badly as I do.”
Julian stepped away from her suddenly, and then Tom was next to her with his
arms wrapping her in comforting protectiveness.
Jenny stared at Julian wildly until Tom cupped her face in his hands.
“Jenny, look at me.” Tom said gently. “Jenny, I love you.”
Jenny’s eyes snapped to Tom’s face.
“I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe from him. He can have you, over my
dead body.” Tom said reassuringly.
“Your call, buddy.” Julian said frostily.
“Jenny, I won’t let him hurt you.” Tom said, wiping away her tears.
Jenny didn’t realize until then that she’d been crying. She allowed Tom to pull
her against him, to embrace the familiarity of his arms around her, and feel the
comforting beat of his heart against her cheek. But she didn’t feel safe. There
was an unyielding knot of icy fear inside of her.

“Everything okay out here?” Dee’s voice made Jenny look up. “I heard someone
shouting.”
“We’re okay.” Tom said.
“ ‘Kay. You guys feel like some coffee?”
Tom leaned back to look at Jenny. She managed a weak nod, and Tom pulled her to
her feet.
Everyone was sitting around the island in the kitchen. They all looked battered
somehow – like they’d been tossed back into battle without warning.

Summer made little whimpering noises every now and then, staring at the granite
surface with wide, unseeing eyes. Michael looked weary, stirring spoons of sugar
into his black coffee. Audrey wore a disgruntled look, her porcelain features
flushed indignantly.
“There has to be some way we can fight him, and win for good.” Audrey said,
finally breaking the silence in the room.

“How? I don’t think cutting his name out of the stave of life will do any good –
it didn’t work the first time.” Michael said solemnly.
“We could go back to the shadow world,” Dee said. “Deal with him on his own
territory.”
“What do you mean deal with him? If we can’t fight him here, we won’t be able to
fight him there at all!” Audrey said.

“Maybe that’s what he wants. Maybe he’s somehow vulnerable here in our world,
and that’s why he’s only showing himself to Jenny. Maybe he wants us to go to
the shadow world.” Michael said. “And maybe we can get rid of him there.”
“Maybe isn’t good enough.” Tom said helplessly. “We have to be certain. There’s
too much at risk by betting everything on a guess.”

Jenny shifted uneasily on her stool, sending a quick glimpse around the kitchen.
Julian was gone.
“He said there is a way to get out of this. If we make a bargain.” Jenny said
softly.
“What kind of bargain?” Audrey pounced.
“I don’t know.”
“It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?” Dee said, looking at Jenny with a shake of her
head.
“He might suggest another game.” Tom said. “We’re trying to avoid another trap
like that.”

“I should just give in. I mean, it would be the right thing to do, wouldn’t it?”
Jenny said, tears stinging her eyes again. She went on before anyone could get a
word in. “He’s going to hurt you because of me. I can’t let that happen. If
anything happened to any of you... if he really hurt you it would be my fault.”
“Jenny, none of this is your fault.” Dee rapped out.
“It will be, if I don’t do anything about it. If I can do something to prevent
you from getting hurt...”

“Jenny, in all the years you’ve been in that institute, this is probably the
single most craziest thing you’ve ever said.” Audrey said crisply.  “What can
you do? If you give in to him, who’s to say he’s not going to hurt us anyway?”
“She’s right.” Tom said. “What stops him from getting us out of the picture for
good?”
“I have to do something.” Jenny said, almost sobbing.
Summer had been staring at the door to the hallway, and now turned to look at
everyone else.
“I still can’t believe Andrea’s gone.”
“Summer, forget her. She’s better off not getting involved in this.” Audrey said
impatiently.
“I know, but... she might have been able to come up with a way to protect us and
help Jenny. I’ve read some of her work, and some of it is just so detailed and
real, it’s scary. Like, really scary.” Summer said faintly.

“Audrey’s right. Anny is safer where ever she is now.” Tom agreed.
“But...” Summer stammered, looking at Jenny for backup. “But she knows.”
“Anny knows lots of things about the supernatural. But she gets it from movies
or other stories. She’s never dealt with the real thing.” Dee said, casting a
sloe eyed look at her. “There’s a difference between imagining things and facing
reality.”
“But she wrote a whole book about the shadow people.” Summer blurted out.

There was a stumped pause, before Summer leapt to her feet. “I’ll go get it.”
“She did know about the mythological worlds.” Audrey said slowly once Summer was
gone. “We talked about it on occasion. I have a broad knowledge about it, but
Andrea knew about it in specific detail.”
“And she obviously knew what Julian was without ever seeing him. Unless she did
see him. Did she see him?” Michael asked, looking at the others for
confirmation.
“Well, she had to know enough for her to get out of here so quick.” Tom said. “I
don’t blame her.”

“See,” Summer reappeared, paging through a thick velvet-bound book. “It’s about
this shadow person that this girl could sense since she was a kid, and then
later when she gets bigger, she gets the shadow person to communicate with her
and he tells her all about his world and his kind...”
Summer sat down and put the book on the table. Jenny leaned forward, frowning at
the withering old pages.
“...and she goes to his world – she calls him Mikael – and she learns things
that Mikael’s elders don’t approve of humans knowing, so she comes back to
earth. But then she has all these abilities she didn’t have before, like sensing
things that other people don’t pick up on, or having premonitions of deaths...”
Jenny pulled the book toward her, turning it to the first page.

It was written in first person, in childish handwriting. The tails of the g’s
and j’s were curled, the dots above the i’s drawn little circles. Jenny scanned
through the first page – with its terrible spelling – and paged on. And on. And
on. The handwriting changed, becoming less rounded and spaced, and more defined,
delicate, mature.
Jenny’s heart was beating unpleasantly hard in her ears. She flipped the book to
near the end, on the last written page.

I didn’t know what to make of it. Stay and inevitably die – or leave knowing
that he would be in a place he loathed? I know how much he hates it there. And I
know how much he hates his elders. I hate them, too. He said he’d hate me if I
stayed with him, even though I know the total opposite rings true. He’d love it.
He’d love having me next to him, love talking to me, love spoiling me, love
entertaining me with his tricks. He’d love my presence there even if he knew I
was dying a slow death. It’s part of his nature, to love the cruel, the wicked.
He can’t help that, and I forgive him for it.
But Mikael is smart. He’s managed to look at things, really look at it, and in
the long run it won’t benefit either of us. We’d be happy for a little while.
But then I’d die, and he’ll be alone again.
 He said it’s better that we go where we belong, because it will hurt him much
less knowing that I was still alive – unattainable but alive – rather than dead
because of him.

He said I’ll always be in his heart, I’ll always be on his mind. I hit him when
he said that. How could he say that? What is WRONG with him? Did he really think
he could sweet talk me when he’s saying goodbye for the final time? But that’s
our relationship. Love-hate. A confusing mix. Sometimes I want to choke him,
sometimes he wants to kill me (he’s threatened me so many times I’ve lost count)
but we’re just such a good match... well, not really. But sort of. Show me any
other guy that will be as comfortable and accepting of who I really am. Who
won’t cringe when I look like Madussa first thing in the morning, or chastise me
when I go off into another fit of profanities, or who complains that I talk too
much. But, light kills shadows. Shadows consume light. There’s no winning for
either of us.

The only comfort I have is knowing that he’s still there. Not here, like I
wanted, but at least he’s still there. Not that I’m allowed to contact him. He
swore he’d strangle me if I did. In my sleep. Nice boyfriend, huh? Or
ex-boyfriend. Or whatever. His elders are still messing around with me, though,
but it’s much less now. If I move around a bit more, I can lose them. Maybe part
of me doesn’t want to lose them completely. They’re my only gateway to Mikael.
Oh, hell. Who cares anymore? What’s the point?

There were no dates anywhere, but Jenny knew what it really was with an
undeniable certainty.
“This isn’t just a book.” Jenny looked up at the others, who had returned to
brainstorming ideas to get rid of Julian. “It’s a diary.”
“What?” Tom looked at her sharply, and leaned over her shoulder to look at it.
Apprehension shone through his hazel eyes when he finished skim-reading the
page. “That’s not real.”
“I’m going to call her.” Jenny said, jumping off her stool and picking the phone
off its cradle.
She punched in the number. A second later, the clear ringing of a mobile phone
echoed down the hallway toward them.
“She left her phone here?” Tom asked distractedly. He was still paging through
the book, pausing every here and there to read a bit.

“We need to go to extreme measures. Try everything and anything.” Dee said
confidently, and banged her fist on the counter. Everyone looked at her,
startled. “He’s not going to get Jenny. He’ll have to go through us first,
right?”
“Right.” Tom agreed.
“Right. Exactly.” Audrey added.
“I know just the place where we can start.” Michael announced.

~....~

The house looked like it was inhabited by a mad scientist - or more accurately
an obsessed sorcerer – by the end of that week. Michael and Audrey had flown
over to Pennsylvania along with Zach, and returned with boxes loaded with
protection charms. The very ones that Jenny’s grandfather had kept in his
basement when she’d been a kid.

Tom had gone to fetch a minister to exorcise and then bless every room in the
house. Even Summer had brought home a car full of spell books, powders,
dream-catchers and spirit-traps, incense and scented candles of sage, and stones
charged with positive energy to drive out any negative entities. Dee had stuck
to Jenny’s side every waking moment.

Jenny still wasn’t sure whether the sense of comfort she experienced was
genuine. Since the minister had come around, Jenny hadn’t seen him once. It was
going on six days already – the longest Julian had ever been absent. She wanted
to believe he was really gone, but still she kept expecting him to just suddenly
appear. In her room, or outside in the yard, and to give her that wolfish grin
and say ‘You didn’t really think you could get rid of me, did you?’

By Monday morning, there was still no sign of Julian.
Tom had taken the day off from work to spend quality, uninterrupted time with
Jenny. Summer was on the backseat of the smoky grey Ford sedan, complaining
about missing a ride with Michael and Audrey earlier that morning, trying to
come up with a good excuse about being late for work.
Jenny was watching her in the rear view mirror, and exchanged looks with Tom.
“Why don’t you just tell your manager the truth? You don’t need to make
something up, Summer.” Jenny said lightly.

“What do you mean?” Summer asked, blue eyes wide and confused.
“Just tell her that you missed your ride in to work.” Jenny said patiently.
“Oh. I guess I could do that.” Summer said thoughtfully.
Tom headed up an on-ramp to join the traffic on the highway, and braked briefly,
anger flashing across his handsome features. “Asshole!”

A red Toyota sped past them, and Tom flashed his lights at the driver before
joining the flow of traffic. The weather was miserable for a summer day – the
sky was clouded, and light drizzle accompanied with swirling mist hung in the
air.
“What movie are you guys going to watch?” Summer asked curiously.
“I don’t know yet. We’ll see what’s showing,” Jenny said, turning a little to
peek over the shoulder of her seat. “Are you sure you won’t join us for lunch
later?”

“It’s okay. There’s this really cute guy...” Summer started.
“There always is.” Tom said with a chuckle.
“... who just started at work, and I want to have lunch with him today. “ Summer
finished.
“Dee said she’ll meet up with us a little later.” Tom said, glancing at Jenny
quickly.

It all felt too good. Too real. Too normal.
Jenny knew she should have known that Julian would show up again – and choose
the most impossible, most insane manner of entrance. She just hadn’t expected
that he would come back with a vengeance.
“Speaking of which.” Tom added.
Jenny turned fully in her seat when the sound of a motorbike approaching fast
reached her ears, and a moment later Dee’s Hayabusa appeared through the mist.

Dee flew by them with a roar, and Jenny turned back in her seat to watch her
friend change into the lane in front of them. What happened next was something
right out of a horror scene.
The mist swirled around Dee – and took on the shape of a figure. It knocked hard
into the side of her bike, sending her right into the next lane.

Jenny was vaguely aware that she was sitting bolt upright, fingers digging into
the upholstery of her seat, screaming Dee’s name. But it was too late – Dee
managed to steady the bike and swerved to avoid getting hit by a blue Volvo, but
at the speed they were all going no one was able to stop in time when a diesel
truck materialized right in front of them.

The bike skidded sideways as Dee tried to avoid impact, and disappeared beneath
the giant black tyres with a sickening grinding noise that shook through Jenny. 
It jarred the truck into a wild slide. Jenny heard Summer shrieking before they
hit it. They were doing one-twenty – the collision would kill them all on
impact.

It happened so quick but so painfully slow and clear, too – the bonnet hit
first, metal screaming on metal, tyres whining dangerously across tar. The
bonnet crunched up like a piece of paper, the engine popped out and flew right
at her through the windshield. It touched the glass, cracking it and then
bulldozing right through it – and along with the large engine came the mist. It
slammed into her with immense force, knocking all clarity from her mind and
leaving her breathless. It knocked her right through her seat, right through the
backseat and then right through the trunk.

She was standing on the road a split second later, watching in silent horror as
the car’s entire roof was sliced off by the truck. She was having an out of body
experience – or she was already dead. Jenny had heard of these encounters
before. She stood, paralysed, when a body went soaring through the air like a
ragdoll. An oversized, limp ragdoll. The blue Volvo had also been knocked
sideways, and two other cars were worse off. Jenny could barely identify Tom’s
grey sedan as a car when it whirled out from beneath the truck like a penny
rolling across the floor. The truck kept skidding sideways, its momentum causing
it to teeter on only half of its wheels before the entire thing collapsed onto
the little rubbish ball.

Cars pulled to a halt around her as the truck now efficiently cut off the rest
of the highway. The entire crash had taken less than a minute, but it felt like
an eternity to Jenny. She stared at the unmoving wreck with an insane calm. Any
moment now, Tom would appear and start walking toward her. And Summer, and Dee.
Because no one could have survived a crash like that. She was dead – they had to
be dead, too. So where were they?

The smell of overpowering diesel washed over her as waves of the liquid poured
from the damaged drum of the truck. Something caught fire – and then there was a
loud explosion that had the people who’d gotten out of their cars around her
staggering back and ducking for cover.
“Finally.”
Jenny slowly looked up toward the voice, and stared. Her mind was hazy with
shock, and the beautiful boy in front of her didn’t help much to clear it. She
stared wide eyed at him, turned back to look at the wreckage sprawled across the
highway in front of her, and then back to him with a slight frown. It took her a
long moment for her thoughts to gather themselves and for her mind to clear.

Once it did, Jenny would wish time and again afterward that she could have that
temporary amnesia again. It wasn’t the engine that had hit her, Jenny realized.
It was the mist – it was him.
Julian was wearing white from head to toe, with delicate gold trim, watching the
scene with absolute satisfaction.  He looked at her, and gave a smile that would
make angels weep. His touch was gentle as he entwined long slender fingers with
her own, and pulled her closer to him.
“Will you yield to me now, or do you want me to kill the rest of your friends
first?”

~.....~

...if I cut you down...

~....~

Everything came to a screeching halt around her as she stared back up into his
captivating blue eyes. She slowly disengaged her hands from his, and he let her.
Jenny took a step away from him.
It couldn’t be real. It was impossible that he was able to morph from an element
such as mist into an actual living, breathing person. It was impossible that
he’d gotten her out of the car so fast. It was impossible that she was standing
in front of him, in broad daylight, in the middle of the highway, surrounded by
shocked spectators, without a scratch anywhere on her body. Her mind backtracked
against the idea of it all being real – because it simply couldn’t be.

Her denial was wrenched out of her when she heard people shrieking and staring
at them. It was clear in the terror on their faces that they could see Julian.
Jenny’s head snapped in the direction of the wreck again, and then she was
running toward it.
Her legs felt like they were made of glass, but she made it to the truck. The
heat from the flames was scorching, rippling through the air. Adrenaline pumped
through her, and Jenny fell down flat beside the truck, ignoring the burning
heat from the tar. The sedan was unrecognisable. She could see nothing more than
broken metal and shattered glass.
“Tom!” Her voice made the hair on her arms stand on end.  Jenny never knew she
could scream like that.

She wasn’t going to be able to get them out. Logic told her the truck weighed
far too much for her to even attempt to lift it, and even if she could get to
the car underneath she wouldn’t be able to open any of the doors. Because they
were non-existent. Jenny could barely make out which part of the car was the
front and which was the back – it was too crushed, too wrecked for her to
distinguish which parts of the metal were the doors. But logic meant nothing to
her – right now, all Jenny wanted was to get in there and get her friends out.
To hell with logic.

She started crawling toward the smashed car, half-scared that the truck would
somehow crush her, too. She was nearly there, when she was suddenly being pulled
back by her ankles.
“No...no!” Jenny cried out, trying to kick off the hands. “Summer! Can you hear
me?”
There was no response – and then Jenny was roughly yanked out from under the
truck. She turned onto her back, and stared up at Julian for a split second.
Adrenaline changed into soaring horror. He pulled her to her feet firmly.

Full blown hysteria.
“You killed him! You bastard, you bastard!” Jenny shrieked, staggering away from
him. She fell down onto her hands and knees, frantically scrambling to get back
to the car.
Again, hands pulled her back.
“Tom! No... Tom!”
“Don’t, Jenny.” Julian said gently, drawing Jenny against his chest. He held her
there, his arms like cool steel preventing her from struggling.

Jenny could hear the blood speeding through her ears. Her hysterical cries were
muffled in his chest. It was a while before the hysteria finally ran out, and
heartbroken sobs shook through her. She felt a flicker of loathing toward
Julian, but mostly she just felt numb. Surreal. Like she wasn’t really there.
None of it was really happening to her. It was shock settling in, Jenny thought.
It was too much.
Julian had led her aside, and Jenny watched helplessly as the fire brigade and
police milled around.

There were five casualties found thus far. The drivers in the cars, and the
truck driver.  Not all of them were in one piece. One of them was Dee – Jenny
could only watch with blind eyes when they lifted her body into a body bag.
They had to lift the truck off with a crane. Jenny stiffened. There was
practically nothing left of the car. She caught a glimpse of blonde hair, and
stared in shaken disbelief when the crew of rescuers cut the car open and lifted
the small body from the wreck. There was something very wrong with Summer’s
head. Jenny’s shocked mind couldn’t take it in. Summer was put in a body-bag
like the one Dee had been put in.

A choked whimper escaped up her throat when five of the rescuers worked on the
other side of the car. She didn’t want to watch, but Jenny had no power to look
away. They cut metal away – each snap reverberated through her core. Then they
were pulling something out. The dark head was limp and rolling on the broad
shoulders. He was put on the ground, out of Jenny’s view. Paramedics surrounded
him. For a few minutes, Jenny could do nothing but stare.

“Let go.” Jenny said, her voice clipped and faint.
Julian’s arms released her. Jenny stumbled toward the wreck, and reached the
circle of paramedics just as one of them rose to his feet with a grim
expression. Tom was lying flat on the ground there, his face turned to the side,
his eyes closed, lips slightly parted. There was no blood. Not even a scratch.
Jenny fell to her knees beside him, and shakily picked up one of his hands. It
was heavy, limp, still warm.
“Tommy,” Jenny whispered, leaning closer to him. She put a hand on his shoulder,
gently shaking him. “Tom, wake up. Please.”

Someone was trying to tug her away from him. Jenny pushed their hands away,
gripping Tom’s hand, shaking the limp arm feverishly.
“Tom! Wake up!”
She was vaguely aware of voices – gentle, firm, sympathetic voices. Then she was
being pulled back, and Jenny lost it. She shook them off violently, and draped
herself across Tom’s chest, clinging to him and shaking him furiously.
She cried out his name in anguish, and screamed bloody murder when anyone would
come near her. She was back in her terrified five year old mind in an instant.
Things like this couldn’t happen, shouldn’t be real. The monsters took her
grandpa away – and now one of those monsters had taken Tom from her. These
people didn’t understand. They didn’t know.

Two people were prying her off his body. Jenny clung to him as if her life
depended on it, and stared at the two male faces. One of them was looking back
at her with faded, dark sarcastic spaniel eyes. The other one had sharp
features, and cold grey eyes that were staring past her.
Jenny didn’t recognize Michael and Zach until they’d torn her away from Tom’s
body and hustled her to get checked over by a medic. She was given a sedative
for shock, and then Jenny could just sit and stare at the ruined car, half
dazed.

Jenny was driven back to her parent’s house. Her mother’s golden brown eyes were
solemn and concerned as she sat cradling Jenny on the couch. They rocked back
and forth gently, her mother stroking Jenny’s hair comfortingly. “It’s okay,
dear one, it’s all right to cry.” It was all her mother could say.
Michael and Audrey stayed for a while. No one really knew what to say or do.
Shock was still present in them, but Jenny felt the very real nails of grief
digging into her heart.
There was an ache in her chest that climbed up to her throat and stayed there.
It squeezed hot tears from her eyes relentlessly. The tissues couldn’t keep up.

The hurt was indescribable. Not even the grief she’d felt when she’d thought
Summer was dead, back when they were teenagers, when Summer didn’t come out of
her nightmare room, could compare to this. This pain was deeper, darker, and
worse – it had its own power, writhing inside of her and devouring her whole. 
Joey slunk through the room later, when Jenny’s sobs had quietened down and her
parents were talking to her gently.
“I’m really sorry, Jenny.” Joey said, awkward, and slipped from the room.
“I’ll make us some tea.” Jenny’s mother said quietly and went after Joey.

“We should go see their families tomorrow.” Her father said, clenching and
unclenching his fists. “And pay our condolences.”
“Yes, we should.” Jenny said, her voice thick with tears as she wiped at her
eyes.
“I’ll call Aba and see if they need us to go with them for the viewing.”
“Viewing?” Jenny repeated blankly.
“The police... it’s a routine thing, they’ll have to go in to confirm Dee’s
identity.” Her father said, strained.
“Oh.” Jenny said softly. She couldn’t imagine Aba and Dee’s mother and little
sister having to go in, to see her body, knowing it was Dee, but having to say
‘that’s our girl’. The tears sliding from Jenny’s eyes increased at the thought,
and she reached for another tissue.

When her father was out of the room, Zach spoke up for the first time.
“Was it him, Jenny? Did he do it?”
Jenny looked across the lounge at her cousin, and then her vision blurred from
tears. She could only manage a slight nod.
“I thought I saw him there but... but...” Audrey trailed off, her face haunted.
“I saw him, too. “ Michael said, staring down at his sneakers.
“We weren’t the only ones.” Zach said. “I saw several police officers speak to
him. He’s interacting with other people – he’s not hiding anymore.”

Zach was the only one who expressed fury. In a quiet, fuming way; it showed in
the sharpness of his eyes, in the grim line of his lips, in his voice. It seemed
he was furious on behalf of the remaining members of their group.
“It’s my fault.” Jenny said softly. “He said it was either me, or them. If I’d
just stopped fighting him, Tom would still be alive.”
“Jenny, you couldn’t have known he’d make good on his word. He made us think
before that Summer was...” Audrey stopped short, breaking into a shaky sob. “You
couldn’t have known.”

“But I did know.” Jenny said, and closed her eyes as the truth of it crashed
down around her. She’d known Julian was serious with his threats – he hadn’t
given her any reason to doubt he would do exactly what he said.
“You can’t give up.” Zach said angrily. “If you just give in now, their deaths
would be pointless. They would’ve died happy knowing that you would stay strong,
that you wouldn’t give in to that thing!”
“You don’t know that.” Jenny whispered.
“Yes, I do, because any of us in this room would gladly put ourselves at risk if
it meant that it would save you.” Zach snapped.
“I don’t know about the glad bit about it,” Michael interjected and let out a
shaky breath. “But Zach’s right, Jenny. We can’t let him win.”
“You don’t get it,” Jenny exploded, lifting her head to glare at them through
her tears. “He’ll kill you if I keep resisting. He’ll kill all of you, and he’ll
kill my mom and my dad, and he’ll kill everyone I love until there’s no one left
but him.”
“But...” Zach said.

“There are no buts or maybe’s , Zach.” Jenny said and her voice cracked. “I
don’t have a choice anymore.”
It was hard to say it out loud, to admit it. She was so used to fighting Julian
and his tactics, so used to resisting the magnetic pull he had over her that it
had become a second nature to her. It was hard to believe the war had been won
by the enemy.

~.....~

The night had been restless. Jenny had woken herself up time and time again, to
find her pillow soaked with tears.  Every time she woke up, the feeling was
there. A shattered feeling. And it seemed to become worse. Her mother came into
her room mid-morning with a cup of steamy coffee.
“Here you go, Jenny.” She said gently as Jenny propped herself up in bed.
Jenny accepted the cup, sending a glance around her room briefly. The
wastebasket was overflowing with tissues, and a photograph of her and Tom was
lying flat on the bedside table. Her gaze rested on her mother’s worried face,
and Jenny felt her throat constrict. She’d have to tell Julian today that it was
all over. She couldn’t bear to lose any one else.

“Do you want to come with us to see Tom’s family?” Her mother asked.
Jenny slowly shook her head, avoiding her mother’s eyes.
“All right then, dear. Do you want me to call Audrey to come over?”
Jenny shook her head again, and cleared her throat. It burned. “No, I’m going
over there today.”
“All right then. There’s breakfast in the microwave. You’ll eat something, won’t
you?”
“Yes, Mom.” Jenny said.

When Jenny finished her coffee and the cup had gone cold in her hands, she
finally dragged herself from bed. It was strange to know that this would be the
last time she’ll ever be in her room. She took a hot shower, trying to chase
away the cold dread that hung over her. There were some of her clothes still in
her cupboard that Jenny hadn’t worn in years. She slipped into a pair of levis
and pulled a butter-yellow blouse over her head. The clothes still fit as
perfectly as they had before.

She dried her hair until it hung like a shimmering veil around her shoulders.
The yellow of her blouse brought out the gold flecks in her eyes. Jenny stared
at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were slightly puffy and red from
crying, her cheeks unusually pale. She looked as miserable as she felt.
Jenny stepped into the kitchen, and dished up a couple of pancakes on a plate.
She took one bite, chewing it slowly. It tasted like grit. She abandoned
breakfast and headed out.
The walk to the house was a lengthy one, but it felt like only a few minutes
before Jenny was walking up the foot path to the front porch. The door was
unlocked and she stepped inside, closing it quietly behind her.

Audrey and Michael were sitting on the couch in the lounge. Audrey was talking
on her phone, and Michael was just sitting, head in his hands, staring at the
floor.
“Hi.” Jenny said.
Michael looked up at her. He took a moment before licking his lips. “Hi.” His
voice was shaky.
Jenny went to sit down when Audrey hung up her phone, her lips pursed hard.

“That was daddy.” Audrey said timidly. “He said he was going to help pay for the
funerals.” Her voice hitched at the last word.
Funeral. Jenny hadn’t even thought about that. Would she go to them?
Of course she had to – Dee had been her best friend, and Tom had been her
everything for as long as she could remember, and little Summer...  But would
she be able to handle it? To stand at their graves, knowing their blood was on
her hands – would she cope with it?

“I just got off the phone with Cam. He said they’re going to have Summer’s this
Thursday. Tom’s will be on Friday. I don’t know about Dee’s... Aba didn’t say if
they’re holding one or not.” Audrey said.
“Right.” Michael slowly let out his breath.
“Jenny... if there’s anything we can do, you know?” Audrey said suddenly. But
Jenny could see her own defeat reflected in the brown eyes. There was nothing to
be done.
“Thanks,” Jenny said awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.

There was a sombre silence in the house. Jenny could hear a clock ticking the
seconds away somewhere.
“Have you changed your mind, Jenny? Or do you need a little more persuasion?”
Julian’s voice cut through the silence abruptly.
Jenny jumped and looked to where he stood, gracefully leaning against the
doorframe. He was flicking a silver lighter on and off, watching the little
flame rear up and die down.
“You!” Audrey exploded, rising to her feet. “You’re a monster! Jenny will never
love you, you know. She’s too good for you. She’ll always hate you for what you
did!”

Jenny opened her mouth, staring wide eyed at her friend. This wasn’t like the
Audrey she knew; there was no trace of the cool and collected persona Jenny had
always known. Right now, Audrey’s eyes were wild and her cheeks  flushed in
rage.  Her angry shouts fell on deaf ears. Julian didn’t even acknowledge her
presence. Instead, he glanced at Jenny, holding her gaze steadily.
“Well?”He asked, arching an eyebrow expectantly.
“You’ll pay for this one day. I’ll find a way to kill you, even if it’s...”
Audrey was still raging on.
Julian looked at her sharply then, and Jenny shrieked when Audrey went flying
across the room. She hit the wall hard and collapsed onto the floor. Michael had
leapt to his feet and rushed to her aid.
“Audrey? Audrey! Are you okay?” Michael cradled her in his arms, and turned to
glare back at Julian. “You damn asshole, you have no right!”

There was something very malicious in Julian’s face. It spurred Jenny into
motion, chasing her off the couch toward her friends. Audrey was still
conscious, her expression dazed in pain.
“Are you all right?” Jenny asked, panic in her gut.
“Jenny? I’m...ow...” Audrey struggled to sit up.
“You bastard! If you touch her again, it will be the last thing you ever do!”
Michael had risen to his feet and was facing Julian squarely.
Jenny blinked up at him in terror, her eyes bulging in their caskets as she
stared. Now was not the time for him to get over his cowardice. But then, none
of them seemed to be in their right mind. Grief and pain overshadowed all
caution and common sense.

Jenny got to her feet, pulling Audrey up with her. Julian was advancing on them,
his eyes almost black with anger. The air crackled around them. Jenny linked her
arm through Michael’s, and then she was propelling them from the room.
“Don’t, Mike, please just leave before he hurts you...” Jenny pleaded when they
reached the front door and Michael tried to break free.
“Someone needs to put that bastard in his place...” Michael said angrily.
Michael had never had a quick temper before, and seeing him this mad was
frightening.
But Julian stepped into the front foyer behind them, and then Jenny flung the
door open. She shoved her friends outside – literally shoved them. Audrey
stumbled, and Michael nearly tripped over his feet.
“Please, please, just go.” Jenny said to them before closing the door quickly.
She slid the bolt in place, and turned around.

Jenny caught her breath. Julian was right in front of her, eyes still fathomless
pits of midnight shades. She didn’t know how long they stood face to face,
staring at one another in silence. All she knew was that her muscles were
beginning to ache from the tension in her body, and her heart was thudding
sickeningly in her ears. Part of her was screaming at her to make a run for it.
She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t give in to him – she just couldn’t. But the
other part, the small voice that had always pleaded for her to go to him, was
silent. Satisfied. Triumphant.

Her eye caught on the clock behind him.
“I’m having lunch.” Jenny’s voice finally disrupted the tense silence.
It was the stupidest thing to say. Julian blinked slowly, nonplussed. Jenny
started toward the hallway, but paused when she was right next to him. She
couldn’t quite meet his eye. There was a brief urge to slug him – inflict some
sort of pain on him while he was off his guard – but then her feet were carrying
her toward the kitchen.

Jenny didn’t look up when he joined her. She busied herself, pulling ingredients
from the cupboards and fridge. Flour spread on the counter, eggs sizzled in a
frying pan, milk spilt. Dishes clogged up the sink. She had to search for the
oven mittens.

“What are you doing?” Julian asked. He still had a bewildered expression on his
face, and a nasty gleam in his eye. He didn’t like being left in the dark.
“I’m baking. And cooking. I told you, I’m having lunch.” Jenny replied curtly.
“Jenny.” He snapped. His voice flashed through the room like lightning,
spreading little shocks through her fingers.
“It’s the last meal I’ll ever have. So you can watch me and poke fun at me as
much as you like, but I am having lunch, and you can go to hell if you don’t
like it.” Jenny shot back at him, without pausing in her fussing.
“What?” Julian really didn’t like what she was telling him.

Jenny stopped prodding the eggs with the whisk and turned to face him suddenly.
“It’s not like I’m going to be eating anything when you take me to the Shadow
World, now is it?” Jenny said, her voice rising with every word. “You don’t have
any real food there, do you? Because things fade there.”
She was out of control. Jenny picked the pan off the stove, and hurled it across
the room at him. “I hate you so much!”
Julian dodged it easily. “What are you talking about?”
“I give in! Okay? I’ve given up.” Jenny shouted at him, anger trembling through
her. “You win.”

She wanted nothing more than to wipe that pleasantly surprised smile off his
face then.
Jenny grabbed another pot off the stove and launched it at him. Boiling water
soared through the air and splashed against the cupboard doors, but the pot
smashed into something invisible right in front of him and fell to the floor
with a sharp bang.

He strolled right up to her, his posture one of tense caution.
“I do. Really, now?” Julian asked coldly.
Jenny glared back up at him, flattening herself against the wall.
“No, I just said it to wind you up. What do you think?” Jenny spat at him.
“Well, I don’t know, Jenny. You’ve said a lot of things before that you didn’t
mean.” Julian said dangerously. “How do I know this isn’t another ploy of yours
to try escape me?”
“Don’t be stupid.” Jenny said, her anger growing stronger.
“Don’t,” Julian said quietly.
“You killed Tom. You killed my friends. I won’t let you hurt anybody else.”
Jenny said through gritted teeth.
“So you’re giving in.”
“Yes.”
Satisfaction spread across his features, and he leaned closer to her.
“You’re sure?” His lips were warm and brushed against hers when he spoke. Jenny
stood rigidly, and closed her eyes when tears threatened to spill. She didn’t
answer, didn’t dare move.

He pulled away from her slightly to study her face. “I thought you’d choose me
willingly, you know. If I’d known I had to get Tommy out the picture, I would
have done it a lot sooner.”
Jenny slapped him.
It was done instinctively, the only thing her body could do to express the
burning rage and festering grief his words evoked in her. It was a good hard
slap, too. She found herself shaking her hand distractedly as it stung, staring
at him wide eyed. There was a neat, faint pink imprint of her hand down the side
of his face.
He was going to kill her. It didn’t matter that she’d been able to physically
hurt him, and now she found herself regretting it.

Julian didn’t look shocked. He looked quite indifferent to it, in fact – like
he’d expected it to happen, and accepted it before it even materialized. Jenny
lifted her hands to fend him off.
He leaned into her, pushing her back into the wall and trapping her hands
against his chest. Then his lips made soft demand on hers; warm, tender caresses
that tried to coax her into response.
Her body reacted to his, but her heart wasn’t in it. The kisses were slow, long,
shivery ones. Jenny gave up to it, allowing pure sensation to set her adrift.

I’ll hurt you like you’ve never been hurt before, Jenny found herself thinking.
I’ll make you suffer for what you’ve done.
That was the turning point, of course. The part of Jenny that had wanted to be
with Julian was gone, replaced by something far darker. She wanted to hurt him.
She wanted him to be miserable. Nothing else mattered more but that one thing.

Bells chimed sweetly through the house, ripping them back down to earth.
“You can answer that if you want.” Julian said, stepping back from her
reluctantly.
“No. Just... take me now.” Jenny said, slumping against the wall weakly. If that
was her mother, or her father, or even Joey outside... Jenny didn’t want them
coming face to face with Julian. Ever.
Julian pulled her into his embrace, and the kiss was light and soaring this
time.
The doorbell rang again.

“You want me to send them away?” Julian asked.
Jenny felt an involuntary shiver race through her when his breath raked down her
neck.
“No. Let’s just go.” Jenny said.
“Jenny,” Julian chuckled lightly. Her heart fluttered, and Jenny condemned it.
“Do you need a hand?”
He was glancing at the mess around them.
“No. I’m not hungry anymore.” Jenny said, and straightened up when he let her
go. “Can we go now?”

“Where do you want to go?” Julian asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Wherever you were planning on taking me.” Jenny said.
“I wasn’t going to take you anywhere.” Julian said.
“What do you mean? You said you were going to take me to the Shadow World.”
Jenny frowned at him.
“When did I say that?” Julian asked, and Jenny felt the world drop away around
her. “I don’t need to take you back there to be with you. Or haven’t you
noticed?”

~......~

...to a thing I can use...

~.....~

“You can’t stay here.” The words rushed from her mouth before Jenny could stop
herself.
“I can. But if you’d prefer my world to yours, I’ll be happy to take you there.”
“You’re crazy, you know that?” Jenny said angrily.
“I don’t suppose an oath would be any good this time.” Julian continued on as if
she hadn’t spoken. “And a ring means nothing to you, seeing as you’ve thrown it
away like a piece of junk the first time, and had it melted down when I was
gone.”
Jenny stepped away from him wearily. Her anger had quickly evaporated as Julian
drew close to her again. She tried to put distance between them, but he matched
her every step with his own.
“Words and materialistic things won’t do.” Julian said smoothly.

Jenny backed up against the wall, heart making terrible plunging beats in her
chest.
“The promise will have to be a little more physically binding.” Julian said. His
eyes glittered mischievously.
His fingers hunted through her hair lightly, spreading little sparks across her
scalp.
“What do you think?” Julian asked. His voice had changed into a playful almost
sing-song tone.
She had to diffuse the situation. Get herself out of it, and quick. Jenny didn’t
want to go down the route he was steering toward. “I wish you were dead.” Jenny
choked the words out.

It didn’t quite have the effect she was going for. Julian let out a deep sigh,
and tilted his head to the side. His eyes roamed over her face, piercing.
“I thought you admitted defeat, Jenny. Or are we still playing hunter and prey?”
“I did. That doesn’t mean I’m going to bend over to fulfil your every whim.”
“No, I don’t expect you to.” Julian said gravely, and his eyes narrowed at her.
“What I expect is that you will stop resisting.”
“I’m not resisting.” Jenny said quietly.
“You haven’t stopped fighting me.”
“I’m... I’m not.” Jenny stammered. She was caught between lashing out at him
again, or apologizing. Both actions were too ridiculous to follow through.
Jenny’s nerves were melted into hot liquid – she couldn’t look away from his
eyes.

“You could have fooled me.” Julian said in a hushed voice. “Saying the words
alone isn’t good enough, Jenny. You have to actually give up.”
“I did. I told you, you’ve won.” Jenny said.
“Then prove it. Let’s make it official.”
Jenny couldn’t breathe. “Fine. I’ll do anything, but I’m not... I’m not doing
that. What you’re thinking of. I won’t.”
“Ah, see.” Julian’s eyes flashed. “You’re fighting it.”

“Can’t we reach some other compromise? I mean, there has to be another way...”
Jenny said, her cheeks burning bright red.
“Stop trying to play your way out of this. Jenny, this isn’t a game.” Julian
said, resting his hands against the wall beside her, trapping her with his gaze.
“I know.” Jenny said, shrugging, looking away awkwardly.
“What can I do to emphasise how serious this is... I could kill Audrey and
Michael.”
Jenny blinked hard, the blood draining from her face.
“Or Zach. Or maybe Joey.” Julian carried on. “Catch my drift, Jenny?”
Jenny nodded slowly, and swallowed the lump in her throat.
“I’m keeping them alive for your good behaviour. If you continue to resist, I
won’t give you another warning. Understand?”
“Yes.” Jenny said weakly.
“You’ll stop struggling against me?”
“Yes.” Jenny said. She was going to faint. She could see white dots dancing in
front of her eyes. She was petrified beyond words.
“Let me love you, Jenny. You don’t know how good it could be with us.” His voice
changed from cold anger to softly encouraging.
Jenny closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. Don’t pass out,
just don’t pass out right now, Jenny thought desperately.
“Come with me, and I’ll show you.”

The world was spinning when his fingers curled around her hand, and she followed
him blindly up the hallway. She was suddenly too aware of everything; the sound
her sneakers made on the smooth floorboards, the pungent scent of some air
freshener hanging around them, the clock ticking the seconds away far too
loudly. It’s over. She really, really did lose.
Winner take all. She remembered Julian telling Tom that, when they’d met the
first time in the paper house. The memory brought a flood of tears forth. Julian
had said he would win. Jenny never had a chance.

He was pulling her up the stairs, and Jenny could do nothing but follow. Resist,
and have another funeral tagged onto the rest. She had to do this to save her
friends and family.
The front door clicked open, and Jenny stopped to turn toward it.
“I locked the door...” Jenny whispered, staring at the door as it cautiously
swung open.
“Argh, damn it.” Julian spat, glancing from Jenny to the door with a look of
utter loathing.
A head poked into the house, sunlight dazzling off long golden locks. Green eyes
warily scanned the room, darted past Jenny and fixed on Julian.
“Damn it.” The girl snapped, stepping into the front foyer and kicking the door
shut behind her, all caution gone. “I thought nobody was home because no one
answered the door when I rang.”

“What are you doing here?” Julian asked, intensely annoyed.
“I forgot my laptop.” The curt reply came. “Don’t worry, I’ll be outta here in
two seconds. You never saw me, I never saw you, we all live happily ever after.”
Jenny took a step down when the girl disappeared down the hallway. She
reappeared a moment later, leather bag slumped over her shoulder.
“This,” she gestured toward them without really looking at them. “Never
happened. And tell Dee I’ll mail back her Tai Chi handbook next week.”
“Dee’s dead.” Jenny said quietly, watching Andrea yank the door open. A second
later the door slammed shut, and she was alone with Julian again. If Jenny had
control of her legs, she would have run after the other girl. If she could find
her voice, she would have shouted for help.

Julian let out a deep, heavy, angry sigh.
The door opened again, startling Jenny, and Andrea’s head popped back inside.
Her eyes were narrowed as she glanced from Julian to Jenny.
“I know I sometimes hear things... but did you say Dee is dead?”
Jenny opened her mouth, and took another step down. Julian’s grip on her hand
tightened, and she stopped.
“She died yesterday.” Jenny felt tears burn her eyes again.
Andrea looked like Jenny had punched her in the face. Shock melted into brief
sorrow, turned into cold fury and settled into pure indifference.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Andrea said. Her gaze darted to Julian and back to
Jenny. “Where’s Tom?”
Jenny closed her eyes, willing herself to stay in control. But the hurt had
formed a wave and it was washing up her throat and down her cheeks.
“Oh.” Andrea said gently, and let out a shaky sigh. “Car crash?”
Jenny managed a slight nod. She pleaded with her eyes to Andrea.
“Well.” Andrea said awkwardly, sliding her hands into her pockets uncertainly.
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, staring down at the floor for
a moment before dumping the bag against the wall. “I’m staying.”

“You’re leaving.” Julian retorted sharply.
Jenny turned to him, startled when he pulled her closer to him suddenly.
“No. I am staying.” Andrea said slowly, as if she was explaining a difficult
task to a child. Restrained impatience.
Julian was fuming. His grip on Jenny’s hand tightened bruising hard, and then he
was pulling her up the stairs behind him.

Every heartbeat reverberated through Jenny, every breath she took fuelled the
panic flaming inside her chest. She cast a glance over her shoulder, but Andrea
wasn’t at the bottom of the stairs anymore.
He led her into the room where she and Tom had slept in one another’s arms only
two nights ago. The bed was neatly made, the room immaculately tidy – everything
had its place. That’s how Tom liked things.
“I can’t do this.” Jenny said shakily when Julian turned to face her.
She couldn’t look at him. Her eyes were diverted to the green commercial carpet,
staring at it blindly through tears that didn’t fall.

He lifted her chin gently, and Jenny blinked to focus on his face. He looked
vaguely troubled.
“Why do you insist on defying me?”
“I’m not ready. I can’t do this. If Tom...”
Julian’s cold, bitter laugh cut her off abruptly. “I can make you forget all
about him, Jenny.”
Jenny opened her mouth to respond – and he kissed her.

It wasn’t like the soft, slow kisses or the wild, passionate ones they’d shared
in the past.
The kiss was shivery, delightful, and very sweet. It enveloped her in floating
warmth that sent shivers through her. Jenny found herself flowing toward him,
her arms coming up around his neck. He held her close, his body’s heat soaking
into hers. She was trembling against him, but the fear was overshadowed by his
touch. Every nerve ending in her body was put on slow burn – pure sensation.
There was something she was supposed to remember, that she knew she had to
remember...
His hands silkily caressed her cheeks, his touch as soft as moth’s wings, and
then his fingers were dancing through her hair. The small deed nearly
short-circuited her brain.
Jenny clung to him. The tremors of fear evolved into rickety desire, and she was
kissing him back. He changed the pressure of his lips on hers, and she came
undone in his arms.
Jenny forgot everything else.

She was faintly aware that he was edging her toward the bed. He broke the kiss
long enough to bring them both skin on skin, and before Jenny could find the
breath to protest, his lips locked onto hers. His fingertips brushed across her
flushed skin, leaving pleasant tingles in their wake. 
The kiss deepened and spurred the wildfire attraction into action.
For a long time, the world existed of infinite passion. Nothing mattered but
their arms around one another. Nothing else was real until Julian cradled her
against him, their bodies clammy and the sheets beneath them soaked with the
evidence of their binding.
Jenny’s breath slowed, and her own lips responded to Julian’s smile. She
snuggled closer to him.
She felt strangely complete. Fulfilled somehow. And closer to Julian than she’d
ever been to anyone in her life.
Jenny closed her eyes when his lips embraced hers as soft as twilight, before
trailing across her heated cheeks, his breath cool and slow.
“I love you.” His whisper wound around her snugly. His voice was husky, and the
words were almost as comforting as...

Jenny crashed down hard from the blissful high she’d been riding on. Her eyes
snapped open, and for a moment she lay stiff in his arms before wrenching
herself off the bed. She landed clumsily on her knees on the carpet, snatching
the nearest pillow to her chest. Her eyes scanned the familiar room as if it was
the first time she was really seeing it, and Jenny thought she might be sick.
“Are you all right?” Julian was sitting up, smooth muscles flexing beneath
golden skin.
Jenny stared back at him for a second, and scrambled to her feet, still
clutching the pillow to hide herself. “Yeah, I... I’ll be right back.”
Jenny bolted to the bathroom. She locked the door securely behind her, and
leaned over the sink.
Wave after wave of nauseating shame crashed into her. Every inch of her body
felt raw, scorching with severe guilt. She tried to control herself, to keep
from hyperventilating.
Jenny had never truly regretted walking into the More Games store until today.
When she looked at her reflection, the wide pine green eyes were accusing. How
could you? The question resonated through her core.

Jenny climbed into the shower and turned the hot water full blast on her skin.
It was meant to be purifying, to wash away the betraying body odour and the
lingering tingles Julian’s touch had left behind. She didn’t stop scrubbing
until the hot water ran out. Her skin was pink and itchy when she wrapped a
towel around her, and then Jenny just sat. The reality of what she’d done was
painful.

Not even the fact that she’d quite possibly saved her friends and family’s lives
justified it. She’d betrayed Tom. Everything she was meant to share with him had
just been snatched up by someone else. She should have thought about him before
Julian kissed her. She should have held onto his memory longer, she should have
fought Julian harder. She would have negotiated something as a substitute, but
she didn’t – and there was no one to blame but herself.

The tears evaporated into whirling disgust. You have no right to cry and feel
sorry for yourself, Jenny thought. For heaven’s sake, Tom hasn’t even been gone
for twenty four hours and you’ve already moved on.

When Jenny finally got dressed, she went downstairs. The TV was on in the empty
lounge, and the smell of bacon grilling wafted through the air. Jenny’s mouth
was dry when she stepped into the kitchen. Raw egg had left an oily stain
against the wall, lying scattered on the floor next to an upside down pan. The
counters were strewn with flour and raw scraps of dough, and a cupcake tin
filled with black charred balls was sitting next to the overflowing sink.

Jenny slowly sat down on one of the stools. She’d forgotten Andrea had come
back. She watched the other girl bustling around the kitchen, heaping more dirty
dishes onto the pile. Julian appeared behind Jenny, his hand light on the small
of her spine. She could feel his warmth soaking through her clothes, and
restrained herself from slapping his hand away.

“Hungry?” Andrea asked, noting their presence.
“No.” Jenny said.
“Starved.” Julian said.
“Not starved enough.”  Andrea muttered. “You haven’t dropped dead yet.”
“Hmm.” Julian said apathetically.
“Anything to drink then? You look like you need a picker-upper, Jenny. I’ll make
you a drink. I can whip up a mean Bloody Mary.” Andrea offered.
“No, thanks.” Jenny said, subdued.
Andrea didn’t seem to hear. She was pulling out glasses and bottles of alcohol,
mixing liquids together expertly. “I used to work at a bar, y’know. There are
lots of tricks people don’t know about that goes into making the perfect
cocktail.”

“Really.” Jenny said distractedly, staring at the golden liquid. She kept seeing
Tom’s face in her mind’s eye, that time when she’d announced she was going to
the prom with someone else. His face had gone pale, his mouth had quivered – and
the pain in his hazel eyes... He didn’t deserve to be forgotten and replaced.
Flaws and all, Jenny had loved him endlessly. Or she thought she did. People
didn’t do the thing she just did when they lost the one they loved.
“You know,” Andrea sighed heavily, pouring a tall glass. “You could have at
least waited until Tom was buried. It’s common decency.”
Jenny felt her throat constrict, and her cheeks go pale. Had they been making
noise? Jenny couldn’t remember. “Sorry.”
Andrea shook her head, a grim smile on her lips. “No, no, no my dear Jenny.
Rebound sex is evil. I don’t blame you, you’re only human after all. I’m talking
about Julian being an eager puppy to mark his territory.”
Jenny’s face went bright red.
“What do you want?” Julian said indifferently.
“I’d like my friends back.” Andrea looked at him steadily.
Jenny felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, if anyone could get anything done right,
Andrea could do it.
“Can’t do that.” Julian said with a shrug.
“Well then, I think it’s safe to say you’re in for it.” Andrea said calmly.
“Because, you know, there are a lot of people who are out for your blood.”

“And?”Julian said.
His hand moved up her back gently and rested warmly on her shoulder. Jenny
shivered. It was wrong that it felt so good. It only served to increase her
shame by tenfold.
“And I’m willing to deliver their target. I mean, bargaining your life in return
for my friends’ lives – it’s a bit of a no-brainer, don’t you think?” Andrea
said.
“You have no authority to do that.” Julian said, and Andrea laughed.
“I don’t need authority.” Andrea said the word mockingly. “I can have someone
make the bargain on my behalf. And do the dirty work for me, too.”
Julian stiffened and an oppressive silence hung in the room.
“You don’t want to go down this route, Andrea. Trust me.” Julian said,
insidiously.
“What stops me? You?” Andrea snorted.

Julian advanced on her suddenly, and Andrea stumbled away from him, startled.
Jenny straightened up, alarmed. Her hands flew to her throat and her eyes went
wide in fear. She’d seen what Julian could do to Audrey. He was capable of so
much worse, Jenny was certain. But the images popping up in her head shattered
when Andrea spoke up.
“Hey! Hey! Do I need to remind you that all the horrors of hell will be on the
doorstep the second you touch me?” Andrea cried out, backing up against the
counter, and seizing hold of a cutting knife.
She wielded it smoothly in her hands, and pointed it threateningly at Julian.
“For the record, he’s the only one who approves of your success to actually get
this far.” Andrea said carefully. “He’s the only reason why none of the others
have hunted you down yet.”

“And I should be grateful for getting Mikael’s stamp of approval?” Julian hissed
through his teeth.
“You should be grateful he doesn’t know the details. He thinks you’ve
accomplished the one thing he’s always wanted to do. Happy girl, happy boy,
happy love, happy life.” Andrea said, and jumped when Julian took another step
toward her. “If he knew that you were here and I was here, he’d be here too. And
trust me, Julian, you don’t want him here.”
There was a spark of friction between them. Jenny didn’t know how she could be
sure, but there was something in the way Andrea looked at Julian that was
disturbing. It was the same expression Andrea had worn when she’d caught them on
the stairs earlier. Disgruntled recognition.

“I don’t want you here, either.” Julian said.
“I know.” Andrea said evenly. “But Jenny does.”
Jenny’s mouth went dry, and she swallowed hard. “Do you know each other?”
All eyes swivelled to rest on Jenny, and she stood tall before them.
“We’ve met before.” Andrea said. “Briefly.”
Something flashed across Julian’s face.
“What?” Jenny asked, stumped, and then angry. “You know him?”
“It was nothing. Really.” Andrea replied. “He knows me better through my
reputation. The girl who warmed an ancient wraith’s heart. Like Hades and
Persephone...ah, never mind, you probably don’t know the story.”
“Oh, I think I know you a little better than that.” Julian said callously.
“Mikael is one of the oldest shadow people there are.” Andrea explained, arching
an incredulous eyebrow at Julian before turning to Jenny. “And one of the most
powerful. And the nicest.”
Julian snorted, a sceptical look on his face. “I don’t think so.”

“Well...” Andrea sent a sidelong look at Julian, holding his gaze for a moment,
before pursing her lips and smiling at Jenny. “He’s nice to me. Most of the
time. He’s named after the arch angel Michael. Mikael is the Jewish version of
the name, I think.” Andrea handed one of the glasses to Jenny, and took a long
sip of her own. “Want to know why?” Andrea asked, her eyes dancing.
“Why is he nice to you?” Jenny asked uncertainly. Hadn’t Julian once told her
that he was the nicest of his race? Or had that just been another farce of his
to get her guard down?
“No, why he’s named after an angel.” Andrea rolled her eyes, paused, and broke
out in a genuine grin that lit up her face. “Because everyone shits themselves
when Michael pitches up on the scene.”
“Mikael isn’t exactly an angel.” Julian said brusquely.
“Yeah. Neither are you.” Andrea cast a pointed look at him.
“I’ll give you one last chance. Get out now.”
“Or what?”

Amusement strolled across Julian’s features then, and he made a slight gesture
with his hand.
“Here, I’ll show you.” He said furtively.


~.....~

...I fear there will be nothing good...

~.....~

“Julian, don’t hurt her,” Jenny cried out, following them from the kitchen.
Julian had Andrea by the arm with a firm grip, half shoving and half dragging
her up the hallway. There was purpose in his stride.
Andrea didn’t put up much of a struggle. She was calm and silent, the complete
opposite of Jenny.
Julian opened the cellar door.
“You’re kind of hurting my arm.” Andrea said.
Glass shattered, and Julian motioned to the cellar gracefully. “Get in, or I’ll
throw you down the stairs.”
“Why’d you have to break the light? I don’t like dark places.” Andrea said
nervously.
“I know.” Julian said, and pushed her.

Andrea grabbed hold of the doorknob, catching herself before she could tumble
down the stairs.
“Touch me again, and I swear you’ll regret it, Julian.” Andrea snapped,
startled.
“What are you going to do, Anny? Summon Mikael? He’s likely to kill us both
rather than help anyone.” Julian shot back, and paused to give Jenny a wolfish
grin. “I’ll be with you in a minute, Jenny.”

She caught sight of Andrea’s ashen face before the door closed behind them.
Jenny took a step forward and reached for the doorknob just as the front door
swung open. Michael and Audrey stepped inside cautiously. From their
expressions, Jenny could tell they hadn’t expected to find anyone home when they
came back.
Audrey rushed up and flung her arms around Jenny.
“Jenny! Are you all right?”
“Is he gone?” Michael asked, looking as rumpled as ever.
“No. He’s in there.” Jenny nodded at the cellar door, and shook her head
helplessly at Audrey’s cheer and Michael’s praise.
“You did it again, you trapped him!”
“No. He’s down there with Andrea.” Jenny said, shifting away from the door.
“Anny’s back?” Audrey asked sharply, glancing at the door before abruptly
yanking it open.

Silent, inky blackness stared back up at them.
“Andrea!” Audrey shouted, flipping the light switch.
“He killed the light.” Jenny said when Audrey flipped it up and down
frantically.
“Andrea!” Audrey called again.
There was a muffled sobbing sound from the depths. Then Julian came into view as
he ascended the stairs. He didn’t look happy when he saw Michael and Audrey, and
his gaze shifted to Jenny momentarily, his lips a grim line.
“Don’t leave me here!” Andrea’s anguished cry drifted up to them.
“You can’t do this,” Jenny said, her temper flaring up.
Julian reached her before she could step across the threshold. “Don’t, Jenny.”

“Anny! Don’t worry, we’re coming,” Michael called down to her. “Get a
flashlight, Aud.”
Audrey obeyed. Julian stood leaning against the wall, amusement twinkling in his
eyes as they watched the couple carefully descend the stairs. Julian kicked the
door shut behind them, and turned to Jenny with a shake of his head.
“Glad that problem worked itself out.”
“What are you doing?” Jenny asked, alarmed when he turned the key in the lock.
“Getting rid of the pests.” Julian said gently, and steered Jenny toward the
lounge.
“You can’t just leave them down there.” Jenny protested.
“I might be able to contain myself with you, Jenny, but your friends don’t share
the same luxury. It’s best they don’t get in my way.” Julian explained and
pulled her down on the couch beside him.
Jenny avoided looking at him when his fingers danced up and down her arm.
“It’s Summer’s funeral on Thursday. And Tom’s on Friday.” Jenny could barely
make herself say the words. “You’ll let me go to them.”
“If that’s what you want.” Julian said distractedly.
“I’ll always hate you for it.” Jenny said unsteadily. There was heat behind her
eyes, but the tears had run out.

“That’s your choice.”
“I could never love something like you.” Jenny said, frowning hard at the
television displaying commercials.
His hand cupped around her chin and Jenny was forced to face him. His lips
touched hers; a gentle, slow kiss that plunged Jenny straight into a pool of
floating sunlight. Julian broke the kiss a long time later, his lips brushing
against hers when he spoke.
“I think I just proved you wrong.” His voice was full of pleasant victory.

“I’m letting my friends out.” Jenny responded. “You can’t lock them in the damn
cellar.”
“They’re not in the cellar.”
Jenny tried to pull away from him as far as she could. “What are you talking
about?”
“They’re in a half-way place. A little safety nest. Don’t worry – no one can get
to them but me.”
“You mean a half-way place between here and the Shadow World?” Jenny asked, the
breath squeezing from her lungs.
“If you’re good, I’ll let you go see them a bit later.” Julian said slickly.
“Where do you know Andrea from?” Jenny asked when he leaned in for another kiss.
She was grappling for conversation – anything to make him stop touching her.

It worked.
Julian sat back. “What?”
“How do you know her?” Jenny asked again, relief flooding through her.
“In the Shadow World, everybody knows who Andrea is. Her reputation exceeds
her.”
“What kind of reputation?” Jenny said.
“You heard her. She somehow managed to charm one of our eldest and most powerful
devils. Legend has it that she captured Mikael’s affection by doing a sacred
dance. Other rumours are that she sang like the angels and when he heard it his
heart began to beat.” Julian said, his voice odd.
“Andrea?” Jenny asked doubtfully.
“She’s a clutz on her feet, and her singing is more likely to send a devil
running and screaming.” Julian said and shrugged. “As I said, her reputation
exceeds her. She’s nothing special.”

“So,” Jenny turned to him fully. “When did you meet her?”
The question hung unanswered between them. Julian stared back at her hard, and
slowly leaned away from her. A twinge of premonition flashed through Jenny.
Instinct shocked her limbs into motion, and she rose up from the couch to
cautiously back away from him.
A small, amused smile lifted his lips. “You don’t want to play this game with
me, Jenny.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jenny said, edging her way toward the
door.
“You’re trying to distract me.” Julian said, and got up.
“I... of course not.” Jenny said, her stomach turning into knots.

“No matter where you run, I’ll follow you. No matter where you hide, I will find
you.” Julian stepped up to her, holding her gaze evenly. “I’ll hunt you down,
Jenny. You can’t escape me.” Then, with a manic gleam in his eye, he pulled her
to him. “Be sure of that if you ever think of taking off.”
“I won’t.” Jenny said weakly.

~.....~

A low fog hung over the world, the whiteness of it turned into a beautiful, warm
golden glow in the early morning sun. Jenny kept glancing at the view of Vista
Grande from the graveyard. It was unfair that Tom couldn’t be here to view it
with her. Jenny turned faded forest green eyes back to the coffin enshrined with
bouquets of flowers, slowly being lowered into a perfect size hole in the
ground.

I wonder how long a person can survive without food and water, Jenny thought.
It’s been four days since Julian had locked her friends in the cellar – or
half-way place. Jenny hadn’t been able to open the door because Julian had taken
the key. She could picture them lying on the cellar floor, starved – and in
their own excrement. There was no bathroom down there. Jenny shuddered.

She’d cried at Summer’s funeral the previous day. She’d been inconsolable. Today
she couldn’t squeeze a tear even if she tried. The grief was too overwhelming,
it held her body numb.
There was an enlarged photograph of Tom on an easel beside the grave site,
surrounded by a thousand more bouquets from family and friends. Jenny gazed at
it for a long time. Her memory of Tom had faded to near non-existence. Julian
was able to manipulate her mind that way. The boy in the photo almost looked
like a stranger.

Jenny didn’t find any comfort in her mother’s hand squeezing her own. She felt
awkward when her father hugged her close after they began to fill up the hole.
They’d become strangers to her, too. Julian wanted it that way, keeping her in
isolation with him and alienating her family.
“I’m going to stay here a little longer.” Jenny said when her father offered her
a ride home.
“Do you want us to stay with you?”
“No. I need to be alone.”
“Don’t be a stranger, Jenny.” Joey muttered on his way past her. “You can pick
up the phone and call some time.”
Jenny watched her little brother join her parents, and looked up sharply when
another voice spoke.
“Where are the others?” Zach asked.

His face was pale and strained.
“They’re... safe.” Jenny repeated Julian’s words. “They couldn’t make it today.”
“I’ve been going through Grandpa Evanson’s journals...”
“Zach. Don’t. It’s too late.” Jenny cut him off. “Stop trying to get involved.
I’m trying really hard to keep you guys safe. If you pitch up at the house with
some sort of spell or trap, Julian will know. And I don’t think I’ll be able to
stop him from hurting you.”

“Right.” Zach said curtly, and shrugged helplessly. “Jenny...”
“I need to be alone right now.” Jenny interrupted.
Zach didn’t say anything and left. Jenny stood beside the grave until the sun
became too hot on her skin and her body instinctively searched for the nearest
shade. Her eyes roamed across the older tombstones around her, and her heart
reared to a stop when she caught sight of something black shifting between them.

“I saw you.” Jenny called out cagily.
No one came forth. There was no sound but the native birds tweeting in nearby
trees. Her little finger tingled, and Jenny heeded the warning.
She took Michael’s car and drove home. She parked it in the driveway, and sat
staring at the house for a long time. She wanted to run. She didn’t want to go
back in there, to forcefully submit herself to Julian’s obsession.

Jenny couldn’t make herself get out of the car. He’d come fetch her sooner or
later, of course. It’s what he’d done the day before, when she couldn’t make
herself step back into her prison. He’d dazzle her with his beauty, embrace her
passionately like they were lovers reunited – and he’d devour her like a starved
wolf. And Jenny would let him. The flame she’d once had to resist him had been
doused with regret, and fear, and shame.

 Jenny sucked in a deep, trembling breath. This was her life now. There was no
alternative.
She had to face up to it, and make the best of it.

...left of you.

~....~

The house was eerily quiet when Jenny stepped inside, braced like a warrior
about to face his demise. She held her head high, resolving to at least pretend
to have some dignity left.
“I’m home.” Jenny made herself call out.
She frowned and glided up the stairs when silence met her. Julian wasn’t in the
room, and Jenny locked the door behind her gratefully. She dressed in a pair of
denim cut-off shorts and a snug fitting tank top, kicking the long, stylish,
violet dress aside dismissively. She never wanted to look at it again.

Jenny brushed her hair with firm strokes, watching the static lift golden
strands in the mirror.
“Julian?” Jenny called out when she heard a faint noise outside.
Silence. Jenny put the brush down, her frown deepening. Why wasn’t he answering?
Unless he wasn’t in the house...
The cellar. He had to be in the cellar, and didn’t hear her come in. She could
get down there while he was in there, she could get her friends out. Jenny
whirled around – and screamed.

A thing was right in front of her. It rippled in the air, eye level with her,
covered in a hooded cloak of shadows. But the face staring back at her from
within the black folds was fading with beauty. Skin as white as ash, with high,
hollow cheekbones and equally pale lips set in a grim line. There was no emotion
on the face – but its eyes held the malice of hell. Black on black, deep endless
abysses that reflected light back at her, taking nothing in. It was terrifying.

Every fibre of her body turned to aching ice and Jenny stepped away from it,
knocking hard into the dresser behind her. Then she’d flung the door open, and
she bolted down the stairs wildly.
The TV was on, and Jenny ran into the lounge. Julian was sitting on the couch,
wearing modest faded grey jeans with a black leather belt. He was shirtless, and
there were expensive-looking boots on his feet – which were propped up on the
coffee table. His hands were clad in black leather gloves, showing the flesh of
his fingers and his knuckles, like some gangster out for trouble.  In one hand
he held the remote, flicking through the channels. In the other, a slice of
pepperoni pizza was oozing with cheese. He was lounging comfortably, not at all
disturbed by her flustered entrance.

“Julian...” Jenny’s voice hitched in her throat.
He put the remote down and smoothed the frost blonde hair back from his forehead
– and looked at her. He was beautiful, yes – frighteningly so – but the eyes
were wrong. They weren’t an indescribable blue, or heavy lidded. They were
wide-set, narrowed at her, and as cold and blue as ice. There was faint stubble
on his chin, perfectly sculpted lips pursed. It took Jenny’s baffled mind a long
moment to come to the conclusion that there was a stranger in her house. One
that emanated a frostiness that made the thing upstairs almost seem warm and
comforting.

Her voice failed her when he suddenly rose to his feet and walked over to her
slowly, his steps calculated and precise. He stopped in front of her, leaning
against the wall with his elbow, and took a bite of the pizza. His gaze was
scrutinizing as it wandered up and down her body, undressing her without shame.
A light flickered in the heavenly depths of his eyes.
“Hi.”

Jenny blinked hard. There was an energy around him that crackled in the air and
sent chills through her blood.
“Want a bite?” He asked, nodding at the pizza in his hand.
Jenny glanced from it to him, and swallowed hard. “Who are you?”
“Take that as a no.” He said good-naturedly.
His voice was beautiful, too. Not in an elemental way like Julian’s, but it was
deep, and warm despite his aura – and it strangely set her at ease.

“Where’s Julian?” Jenny asked quietly.
“He got a little held up with some old friends. He’ll be here soon.” He said
reassuringly.
Jenny backed up when he stepped up to her, and tensed when his face drew within
inches of hers.  There was pepperoni and coke on his breath, and Jenny flinched.
He brushed his nose against her cheek softly, his lips nearly grazing against
hers. Was he smelling her?
His eyes met hers evenly. And his lips twitched into an amused grin.

He stepped away from her abruptly, staring at her in awe. “Well.” He said, and
laughed.
It was a genuine, heartfelt laugh that lit up his eyes, and did something
inexplicable to Jenny’s soul.
“This is most certainly not what I expected.”
“Who are you? What do you want?” Jenny asked when she could breathe again.
“Mikael,” He made a graceful bow, and his voice was playful. “And you are
Julian’s.  Correct?”
Jenny shifted uncomfortably at his words.
“His scent is all over you.” Mikael said, and chuckled again. “That kid is just
full of surprises.”

Jenny opened her mouth in stunned realization, and glanced toward the door.
“What are you doing here?”
“My purpose doesn’t involve outsiders.” Mikael said, his tone bearing no
tolerance for further discussion.
“You... you’re looking for Andrea, aren’t you?” Jenny stammered, and choked down
a breath when his expression changed.
The light in his eyes turned into cold fire, the smile disappeared off his face.
All trace of good cheer snapped off.
“He said he’s keeping them in... in some half-way place between here and the
Shadow World... they’re in the cellar but...” Jenny trailed off, frightened at
what she could see in his eyes.
“I came through the door of the cellar. There’s no one there.” Mikael said
coldly.
“What?” Jenny exploded. She didn’t wait for any clarification. She hurried down
the hallway, and flung the cellar door open. She stumbled down the steps.
“Audrey? Michael? Anny, are you here?” Jenny called out into the darkness.

She lost her footing, and became air borne for a second before arms coiled
around her and steadied her. Jenny screamed.
“There’s no one here, I told you.” Mikael’s voice chided impatiently.
“He lied to me. He said he was keeping them safe...” Jenny said wildly,
struggling against him when he started to pull her back up the stairs.
“Oh. Since that’s the case, I think I ought to return the favour.” Mikael said.
“Stop struggling. You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not.”
“Let go of me!” Jenny cried, trying to kick him. It was hard, because she
couldn’t see a thing in that darkness, and she only got him in the shins on her
third try.

Mikael let rip a string of profanities. His grip on her changed, and then she
was lifted over his shoulder with a shriek.
“Put me down!” She blindly beat at him with her fists.
He dropped her on the floor when they were back in the hallway, his expression
stumped.
“You’re an aggressive little thing, aren’t you?” He stared at her, intrigued.
Jenny climbed to her feet, breathing hard, and glared at him.
Mikael burst into laughter again, and shook his head in delight. He closed the
cellar door firmly and glanced at the front foyer briefly. His eyes were dancing
when he stepped closer to her.
“Mind not sharing any of this with your love? Things might get ugly.” Mikael
said, and winked at her playfully.

“He’s not my love,” Jenny bit back coldly.
Mikael arched his eyebrows at her sceptically. “Really?”
“I’m here because I have no choice. I don’t want to get involved in whatever
else is going on, because I’m having a hard enough time dealing with what I’ve
got.”
Mikael took a step back, his eyes searching her face. An uncertain smile tugged
at his lips.
“Huh, I don’t think I’ve ever come across a lady who could resist our charming
little spawn.” Mikael said, a peculiar lilt in his voice. “You’re here by
force?”
“He was going to kill everyone else.” Jenny said, shifting under his gaze. “Like
I said, I have no choice.”

They stared at one another for eternity. There was a faint softening in his
gaze.
“How profound.”Mikael said, and narrowed his eyes at her thoughtfully. “I didn’t
catch your name.”
“Jenny.”
Julian’s voice physically jolted her away from Mikael, and then he was between
them, shielding her.
“Still in the habit of inviting yourself where you’re not welcome, I see.”
Julian said sharply.
“Oh. Now.” Mikael said, spreading his hands in mock surrender. “I wasn’t aware
that we parted on bad terms.”
Julian’s laugh was like cool velvet. “Not very observant, are you?”
“Andrea’s missing. Naturally, the first person I thought of holding responsible
was you.”
Julian rolled his shoulders, and stepped up to him threateningly. “And?”
“And, she’s not here.” Mikael said, looking strangely satisfied.
They were standing face to face, mere inches apart. The tension was thick enough
for Jenny to touch it. Julian looked ready to launch an assault, but Mikael
looked indifferent to it.
“So what are you still doing here?” Julian spat.
“Your girl.” Mikael’s eyes darted past him to Jenny. “I had my Fly tag her
today. He gave her a bit of a scare upstairs. He’s a bit of a peeping-tom.
Naturally.”

Jenny remembered the black thing she’d seen in the graveyard, and shuddered.
“I find her resemblance curious.” Mikael added.
“Touch her and you’re dead.” Julian said ominously.
Jenny wanted to run then. She started edging her way toward the front door,
despite Mikael’s eyes still on her.
“Maybe, if I can’t find my little fire, I can take yours as a substitution.”
Mikael said mischievously.
“That’s not going to happen.” Julian’s eyes were blazing with hot rage.
Mikael let out a long breath, and finally looked at Julian.
“You still haven’t let it go, have you? You’re mad at us, and now you’re taking
it out on an innocent girl.” Mikael said coldly, and Julian backed down. “I
admire your perseverance, kid, but you know the laws.”

“The laws don’t apply to me.” Julian shot back. He was radiating violent menace.
Jenny edged toward the door, trying to put as much distance between herself and
them as discretion allowed.
“You know what’s funny? Loki said the exact same thing to me. I gagged and bound
him with a viper until Ragnarok comes. His screams echo off the branches of
Yggdrasil.” Mikael said dangerously, and poked Julian hard on the chest. “Don’t
mess with an old dog, kid. I will rip you apart.”
“Then do it.” Julian challenged.
An indefinable expression crept across Mikael’s face. “You disrespectful,
revolting, sadistic little...”
“Get out before I do something we’ll both regret.” Julian spat in his face.
Mikael was the one to back down this time, slowly. “What business have you got
with Andrea?”
“I made her a promise.” Julian said menacingly. “I’m just keeping my word,
that’s all.”
“Ah. I remember,” Mikael’s eyes flashed. “May I remind you the promise I made to
you in return? Come near Andrea again, and I will bring a war to your front
door.” He smiled disconcertingly. “I’m big on keeping my word, too.”
Something was coming over Jenny. She’d started to feel very strange during the
banter going on, and now her head filled with drunken dizziness. She was
fighting to hold on to consciousness.
Julian’s smile matched Mikael’s coldness. “Shed one drop of blood of mine, and
she dies.”

The last thing Jenny heard was Mikael’s voice, echoing through the heavy
drowsiness.
“A life for a life, brother.”
Jenny succumbed into floating darkness, and silence veiled her.

~.....~

~END~