Chapter Selection:
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Chapter 1

“, you are taking hours in the bathroom.”
“I’m making myself pretty.”
“You don’t need to make yourself pretty. We are going to be in the car most of the time today anyway.” ’s head appeared out of the bathroom’s door. “We will drive past a lot of strangers who might look good so give me my time to beautify myself.”
rolled her eyes and dropped down onto the bed. They had been in Girvan for whole two weeks and in ’s mind it was way too long already. She knew that there were other things they have to face… other people to save.
“I’ve checked the news” she said out loud so that could hear her.
“Anything interesting?”
“Two deaths in Fort Augustus. Two women, both about 25 years-old. There is no other similarity. The article said that their bodies had been found in a lake… it says that there was no blood in their bodies anymore and they were cluttered with bites. Locals and tourists think it was the Loch Ness monster.”
“Stupid people” sighed in the bathroom shaking her head. But then it hit her like a lightning. She knew what could leave a person behind like this. And the thought of it made her shiver.
appeared out of the bathroom. “You don’t think it’s it, do you? You don’t think it’s a ‘Blutschink’?”
“Seems like it” said and got up from the bed knowing that thought the same.
“But I thought they only appear in Tyrol.”
“ , we have seen many things that we can’t explain. And you know as well as I do that we can’t rely on these things to stick to their habits and the stories in the books.”
“So do you know how to kill it?” she asked slightly scared.
“I would torch him… this seems natural.”
“I hate this job” was everything said before she turned around again and went into the bathroom.
looked at the article in her hands and whispered a weary “Me too.”

and walked down the water bank towards the group of people standing at the pier.
looked at and nodded once.
“Here we go” she whispered. She felt stupid walking around in a trouser suit but she knew that it made her look a lot more believable.
“Detective Inspector Emma Brush” said and lifted up an ID. “Criminal Investigation Department” she said while putting her ID back into the pocket inside her suit as fast as she had taken it out. “This is Detective Sergeant Jeanette Field” showed her ID nearly as quickly as and put it away as well.
“We are here to check on the case of Anne Poodles and Hannah McGreevy.”
“Of course, we already expected you, Inspector.”
nodded and followed the old man towards the water bank. “It was a dreadful view, I tell you, Inspector. I’ve never seen anything like that before… not in my whole life.”
“And he surely lives for a century already” whispered into ’s ear. “ !” hissed rolling her eyes.
“Who has found the two women?” asked .
“The first victim, Ms. Poodles, was found three days ago by a tourist and Ms. McGreevy yesterday. I found her.” “Have you noticed anything bizarre?” “More bizarre then the missing blood and the bites?” he asked looking at in disbelief.
“I mean… any screams? Any prints in the sand or ground?”
The man shook his head. “Nothing… no. But I’m not a professional on this. This is your job.”
“Of course” said nodding her head again. “Thank you, Mr-?”
“Mr. Fraser.”
“Thank you, Mr. Fraser. I’d like to talk to my partner in private.”
Mr. Fraser nodded his head and left the two of them alone. Looking at the ground could still see where the body must have lied.
“So? No screams… no prints…” summed .
“There must be prints. And there must be witnesses.”
bended down and looked at the ground. Looking around felt a rush of relief when she noticed a camera. “I think this might help us a lot more.”
didn’t look up. She reached out her hand towards a little red spot. The liquid marked her finger. She pulled it slowly to her nose and smelled.
“Blood” she confirmed.
shook her head. She feared that… “Okay, I want you to find out about ‘Blutschinks’ as much as you possibly can. We need to know everything to know its habits and to get this bastard.”
nodded. “And I’ll get this tape” added and their ways separated again.

entered the restaurant and went straight to the counter without noticing the amount of people sitting in there, probably excited to death to be this close to a place of murder.
“Inspector Brush” said and flipped open her faked police ID again. She got used to it and she knew the more casual she did the flipping the less the people suspected.
“I’m here in the case of the two murders. I’ve noticed a camera outside your restaurant. Mind if I have a look at the tapes?”
The assistant leaned forward. “I’ve told the police before and I tell you now… the camera’s positioned to film the lake… you know… to see any sign of Nessi… there’s no way a murder could be taped.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion… I asked for the tape” cleared starting to get annoyed.
“The police has it.”
looked at him in disbelief. Those amateurs have been here before her and they have ruined her plan. She sighed and turned around. Without saying another word she opened the door and stepped outside.
felt how someone bumped into her but the next thing she knew was that her knees were aching and she was lying on the ground.
“I’m sorry.”
She heard suppressed laughter which made it even harder for her to look up but she did and regretted it the moment she saw his eyes.
“I didn’t mean to-“
“It’s okay” said and got up trying to ignore the beating of her heart.
“No… you’re trousers… they are… well… ripped…”
looked down and could have cursed out loud but she pulled back and took a deep breath. “I fix it…”
“You can’t fix that. It will look horrible.”
looked at the man in front of her. “Well excuse me, I’m not the one who ripped it.”
“Let me pay for it…”
“What?”
“I’ll pay for it… buy yourself a new one.”
“Do I look like I need your money?”
“No of course not… but it was still my fault.”
“Keep it” she said as emotionless as possible and walked away. She knew that with these ripped pants her costume was broken. She couldn’t go into the police department like that and pretend to be a detective inspector from the CID. She knew what it meant and the action that was about to follow wasn’t really one of ’s most favourite things to do.
“Wait” she heard that someone yell behind her. She rolled her eyes and turned around.
“What?”
“My number” he said and gave her a piece of paper.
“I don’t need your number” she said coldly and turned around again without taking the paper.
“Please” he said and watched her stopping dead track.
“Would you feel any better if I take it?” she said without looking at it.
“Yes…”
She sighed and turned around. She held her hand open and he put the piece of paper into her hand. “I’m .”
“ .”
“Nice to meet you, ” he smiled. “Give me a call because of the suit… please.”
“I will” she said, nodded once and kept the eye contact. She knew that she would never do that… but she was an a1 in lying and that’s why she was able to walk away and leave this guy behind…
convinced of the fact that she soon will be getting in touch with him.

threw the tape onto the bed. She was back in their rented room near a roadhouse. was already sitting on her bed looking through some pages on the internet.
“Have you found anything interesting?” asked .
“I have, indeed” stated . “’Blutschinks’ are water spirits. Evil, of course. Like we already knew they have only been sighted in Tyrol… they live mostly in areas near water… which is typical for a… water spirit. Anyway- his upper body has the form of a raven-black bear whereas his legs are human-like and nude. His whole body is literally dripping wet of blood. Blutschinks suck out their victims’ blood and eat them… In our case it had just sucked them out.”
“Have you found any information about how to kill this thing? It’s not corporal so we can’t torch it” summed and looked at her friend who shook her head in response. “There was nothing on the internet about that. But I’ll try to find out more. What about the tape? It took you quite long to get it.”
dropped her suit onto the bed and took off her shoes. “They gave it to the police. So I needed to get it and because I ruined my pants” she pointed at the ripped spots “I needed to break into the office so that no one would ask stupid questions.”
“You broke into a police department” asked shocked.
“It wasn’t really a department” soothed guiltily. “It was more a gathering of rooms.”
shook her head. “You know… you could at least try to not bring us into jail.”
rolled her eyes. “Anyway… I’ve got it and that’s what matters.”
And with that she got up and both sat down in front of the TV to watch the tape.
“And what happened to your trousers anyway?”
looked at her. “I fell” she simply answered and paid her attention back to the tape.
“You fell?”
“I fell… Do you have a problem with that?”
“Why would you fall?”
“I stumbled over something!” she said annoyed. “Let’s just watch the tape.”


Chapter 2

breathed in a huge amount of air when she had reached the water bank. was already running to her.
“ !” she yelled.
She opened her eyes and looked down at her leg. It was bleeding and her clothes were soaked.
“ !” was now dropping down next to her already stopping the bleed.
“Have you killed it?” coughed falling down onto her back again.
“I think so.”
“You think so?” repeated looking at not believing her ears.
“I read the lines and it… disappeared. You know, with all that light and a big bang.”
exhaled trying not to feel the pain anymore.
“You need to get into the hospital.”
“No… I’m fine.”
“You are bleeding…”
“It’s just a little cut!” Suddenly felt a sharp pain and she let out a small yelp. “Okay… maybe hospital would be great.”
helped her stand up and both made their way to ’s car. But after a few steps already needed to sit down. “I can’t… it hurts too much.”
She felt how her head started to get dizzy.
“ , come on. Stay awake, okay?- Shit!” she heard curse and felt how the grip around her leg got even harder. That thing had sucked out way too much blood from her body…
“Listen, . Go and find some help.”
“I can’t leave you here alone.”
“Yes, you can. You need to if you don’t want me to leave you alone forever.”
“Okay… wait… I’ll go.”
nodded and flung her arms around her face. The pain was almost unbearable. It was like a thousand little stitches were torturing her body. She fisted the ground and let out a loud yell.
“Damn, lads!” she heard someone saying.
But before she could realize what was going on she felt how someone dropped down beside her again. She didn’t have the strength to look at the person. She felt how her eyes didn’t want to open again. Her mind started to drift away.
“The wound” she heard someone else gasping.
The next thing she knew that someone started to press onto her leg again and before she knew she fainted.

“ , stay!”
lost hold of the grip and started to run faster. She heard how footsteps followed her. “!”
She didn’t look back. She ran… she was exhausted but she ran. “You cannot save him!”
“I can and I will!” she yelled into the dark night.
“No you can’t!”
took out the gun and shot the lock. With a loud bang it split and opened the door. ran inside, up the stairs and just then she stepped into the room.
“ !” she yelled in fear when she saw him lying in the corner. She stumbled over to his side, the room looking like a mess, and just when she touched his face, his eyes sprung open… black!

“ !”
Gasping for air ’s eyes shot open. Her chest rose heavily… it was hard for her to breath. Once she realised that a tube was covering her mouth she started to cough and pulled it away. Her sight was still hazy but she didn’t care.
“Calm down” she heard soothing and she was stroking her hair. Shaking her head she didn’t want to hear that. “Breathe slowly” she advised again and this time listened. She tried to relax.
She tried to calm down… she tried to control her body and the panic.
“Good” whispered into her ear when her head lay on the pillow again.
“Water” whispered . It was hard to talk… her tongue didn’t seem to work properly.
Feeling the glass touching her mouth and the water moisten her lips she understood why water was also called the elixir of life. She felt the water dripping down her gullet, right into her empty stomach. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “What happened?” She looked to her right and saw putting down the glass of water. She looked exhausted without make up and without sleep. tried to smile but could tell that it was hard for her to do so.
“You fainted.”
“Why?”
“That thing… it bit you and sucked out a proud amount of your blood. You collapsed.”
looked at her leg. “It’s okay… the bite’s not big… just deep.”
“What did the doctor say?”
inhaled. “If he’s asking you… you’re Kate Laker. He said… that you will probably stay here for a week at least but that your leg will be fine.”
“A week? One more week to go? That’s unbelievable.”
“Well after all you’ve been in a coma for two weeks already. They just want to be sure.”
looked at her. “A coma?”
nodded. “You lost a lot of blood.”
“Fucking Blutschink. I hope he’s rotting in hell!” hissed causing to smile.
“No more deaths since then” she added satisfied.
smiled as well and that’s when something different caught her eye. The room was full of flowers and cards and more flowers.
“Who send those flowers?”
smiled cheekily and handed a card. “You’d be astonished.”
opened it. “Get well, soon. With best wishes, .”
Her heart was doing a jump. … … she knew that name. She heard it before.
“Who is he?” she asked.
“He’s the one who saved your life.”
“What do you mean?”
“He was around when everything happened. When I left you alone to call for help he and his friends found you. He carried you to a more public place and waited for help. I saw them and we waited together. He didn’t allow me to touch you anymore. He was the one who was staunching your wound.”
thought about ’s words. … that name was so familiar.
“I’m .”
“ .”
“Nice to meet you, ” he smiled. “Give me a call because of the suit… please.”
Suddenly she remembered. It was him… and he was the guy in her dream.
“Are you okay?”
looked at the words in her hand. “What does he know?”
“Excuse me?”
“What does that know about us?”
“Nothing… He came around for the first eight days and he left flowers every time he was around. He didn’t ask questions he just wanted you to get well.”
“Good” was everything was able to say. She wouldn’t wish her worst enemy to know what she was doing. She didn’t want him to know what creatures live on our world. She didn’t want him to fear his shadow… she didn’t want him to fear the dark… she didn’t want him to fear at all.
“Do you want to call him?” asked raising her brows.
“No” stated perplex. “Of course not.”
“I think you can at least thank him for the flowers, and for saving your life and for caring.”
“It’s better if he doesn’t know that I’m fine.”
“What are you talking ? You know what? I have his number… you’re going to call him.”
She pulled out her mobile and called his number.
“ , stop it!” hissed .
“ ?”
She rolled her eyes.
“It’s me . ’s friend.”

“He doesn’t even know me anymore” hissed again. “Just wanted to tell you the exciting news that she had woken up. Yes, you want to talk to her?
Because she wants to tell you something.”
stretched out her hand with a smile on her lips. looked at her with the most meaningful expression in her eyes than ever before. She reached for it and held it onto her ear. She took a deep breath.
“ ?”
There was silence on the other wire. “Thank you… for everything.”
Still no one said anything. “Without you I would probably not live anymore. And… I couldn’t thank you more for that.”
“You were knocked out for two weeks” he suddenly said. “Your name in the hospital is Kate Laker instead of . Something had bitten you and sucked out your blood. I don’t want a thank you I want the truth.”
was paralysed for a moment. She had just giving him the most honest thanks ever in her life and he didn’t want it. He wanted to be damned… he wanted to know the truth.
“What?”
“What happened to you?”
“I was bitten by something in the lake. I don’t know what it was… I didn’t ask for its name, I’m sorry”
she said now in a rude tone.
“Why were you in the lake?”
“I was taking a swim… what does it bother you?”
“I feel responsible!” he stressed in a sharp tone.
“Why would you feel responsible?” she yelled. “You don’t need to.”
“Are you going to do that again?”
“What? Taking a swim in a lake at night? Hmm… maybe.”
“No, risking your life!”
’s breath has been taking away. “You don’t know” she said close to tears. “You don’t know anything.”
“I know that it didn’t seem like an accident and I know that my blood’s running through your veins. I didn’t want to have giving it away for nothing.”
’s eyes widened. “Well then maybe you shouldn’t have giving it to me at all.”
And with that she closed the mobile. looked at her uncertain.
“You can pack my things. We’re leaving.”
“But the week-“
“We are leaving!” stressed and tossed away the duvet. “Why didn’t you tell me that I had a blood transfusion?”
“You would have freaked out.”
didn’t look at . “I go and sign the form. Please, take everything that I need.”
“What about the flowers?” asked when was at the door. She didn’t walk fast but very slowly and careful. “Bin them” she said emotionless and walked through the door.


Chapter 3

Two week had past already and and were sitting in a café in Cardiff. still felt the pain in her leg and from time to time she felt slightly dizzy but she knew that it was because of the “accident”. She played with her fork and moved around her food on the plate.
“You haven’t eaten properly for a whole week now” alerted looking worried at .
“The medicine… it makes me loose my appetite.”
“But you’ve eaten properly last week” she stressed knowing that was hiding something.
“What’s really wrong?”
looked from her plate up and right into ’s worried eyes.
“I have these dreams…”
“Dreams?” repeated leaning a bit forward.
nodded her head. “I don’t know what they mean but they are scaring me.”
“What do you dream?”
“There is always one person in it… and I see this person dying over and over again.”
“Do you know that person? Have you recognised him or her?” pushed .
looked back at her plate and shook her head. She didn’t dare to speak as she feared might tell that she was lying. She knew exactly who this person was… but she didn’t understand why she was dreaming such things?
“Maybe we should call Bob.”
“I don’t want to call Bob.”
“ ” started . She put down her own fork and reached out for her hand. “He might be able to help you.”
glanced into ’s eyes. “You know he knows a lot of stuff.”
“I know but anyway… only God knows where he is” stressed . “It’s pure luck to find him.”
remained silent and looked at her plate before she spoke the next words. “He’s in Cardiff.”
“ !?”
“I… I thought it would be better if he took a look at your leg. Maybe he has something to make the pain go away.”
“My medicine takes away the pain…”
“No, it doesn’t” she said already looking stubbornly into ’s eyes. “We are going to see him today. And while we are there you can also ask what’s up with these dreams.”
“I’m not going to bother Bob with my stupid dreams. They are only dreams after all.”
“Maybe, but you know very well that it might also mean something very different.”
didn’t say another word but looked down at her plate. The following time in the restaurant the both girls remained silent.

knocked on the door twice. They waited in silent until the door was opened slowly. looked into the eyes of a fifty year old man. His hair was grey already with only a few spot left that held its former dark brown colour. His eyes were ice blue and could see the experiences in them.
They looked worn… they have seen too many cruel things in this world. wondered if her eyes gave away the same expression. Bob was looking straight at … it had been a long time.
“ … ” he said as if he had waited for them.
His eyes wandered to meet ’s but they flashed back immediately to when they have registered ’s.
“Hey Bob” greeted and smiled at him. Without another warning Bob splattered water onto the two of them.
“Bob!” complained looking at the splashes on her top. Her glance wandered to the bottle Bob held in his hand. Holy water.
“You can never be too careful” he responded and stepped aside to allow the girls to enter. He closed the door the moment was fully through the door. looked around. Everywhere lay books… news paper snippets were pinned onto the walls… there were candles… all kind of different weapons were in a trunk in the corner… on a shelf were bottles, little sacks which held all different samples of plants.
“It’s been too long, Bob” smiled and hugged him. “You look wiped out” she winked at him.
“And you as pampered as ever” he said and raised his brows but smiled. Then his glance wandered again to who stood in the middle of the room with her hands in her thick winter waistcoat’s pockets.
“Good to see you, .”
She nodded at him once but didn’t say a word. She didn’t want to be here… being with Bob always reminded her of her parents and she didn’t like that… not at all.
“I’ve heard about the attack” he said looking at her leg. “You want me to have a look at it?”
shook her head. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“Bob, please, have a look at it” interrupted . “The medicine’s going to her head. She doesn’t know what she’s talking.”
“ … do you hear me?” asked looking at her.
“Yes” answered truthfully.
“Good. Think about it.”
rolled her eyes. “I just want you to be cured. My life lies in your hands… you’re not needed anymore if you’re broken!”
rolled her eyes but she knew that was right. She relied on her as much as relied on . “Fine… take a look at it” she allowed and unbuttoned her jeans.
Bob moved forward and knelt in front of . “It’s sore” he declared and got up again. He walked over to the shelf and grabbed a little can. Once he had twisted off the lid he smeared an ointment onto the wound. felt the cold and the corrosiveness touching her skin. It made her want to collapse but she stood her ground. He lost hold of her and got up while handing her the ointment.
“The wound needs to be smeared twice a day. It should be better in a few days time” he smiled at her and turned around. took the can and put it into her pocket.
“Thanks” she said in a low voice.
“It was not smart of you to go into the water, . You might have died” he stressed and felt like she a five year-old being rebuked by her mother.
“But I didn’t” she said now in a firmer voice.
“A Blutschink, . You were dealing with a Blutschink… you didn’t even know what you were facing.”
“But I survived and that bastard is rotting in hell. That’s what matter and nothing else!” Her voice started to grew louder. She didn’t like it when people were questioning her moves even if it was the most stupid she had ever done.
“There will be a moment in your life where no one will be there to save you and before you know it your life’s over. This happened to your father and if you’re not careful it will happen to you too-“
rushed forward and grabbed Bob at his collar. Pushing him into the wall she exhaled heavily in front of him. “Don’t talk about him like that. He died to revenge my mother’s death.”
“He died because he was blind with rage. Don’t let the same happen to you, .”
lost hold of him. “Go to hell” she whispered and took a few steps back. “And you can keep that” she yelled and tossed the can into the corner. “I don’t need your help. I can watch myself very well.”
“ !” yelled and rushed to the door to block it. stopped in front of her. “Get out of my way” she said.
“No… he’s right and you know. Stop being silly. You need that ointment and you need his advice.”
“No” said and shook her head. “I don’t!”
didn’t glance away from eyes but spoke clearly to Bob. “ ’s having dreams lately about a person dying over and over again.”
“ ” warned now with a sharp tone. “Don’t.”
“It started after the attack and when she was in the coma she started to mumble things and she repeated one name. . He’s the one who donated his blood to save her.”
shook her head disappointingly.
“You had a blood transfusion?” asked Bob and headed towards . “Someone else’s blood is running through your veins?”
“What’s wrong with that?” asked still angry.
“You are bound to him” he said in a low voice and more to himself rather then to . looked at him irritated. Bob shook his head to order his thoughts.
“It’s a really strange phenomenon” he said looking at the floor puzzled as if he could find the words for the explanation written there.
“People believe that once the universe was full of god chosen angels. Each angel was in some kind of relationship with another angel. Because of a disturbance in the universe- Lucifer’s attempt to gain power- every couple shattered and they were falling down to the earth. Since then both angels that used to be a couple are trying to find back together. He must have been your other half… the blood transfusion must have reunite the souls of the angels and now the two of you are bound to each other. That’s what the legend says.”
looked at Bob for a moment before she slowly shook her head. “I don’t believe in such things…”
“Do you believe in angels?”
“Yes… but-“
“I know that there may be other explanations for your dreams but… , the Blutschink being in Scotland miles away from Tyrol, his attack, the coincident of –what’s his name. ?- being in town, him being the one who had found you. You were dying but he had the same blood type… it was his blood that had saved you. I don’t believe in coincidence, .” Bob was looking at her with raised brows. His voice was firm and it made shiver.
opened her mouth. She wanted to protest… she wanted to yell at Bob… wanted to tell him to stop being stupid and to stop telling lies but she couldn’t. Her mouth closed again.
“So… ’s what? My soul mate?”
“Yeah…” answered Bob simply. “Somehow he is. He is your missing part… that’s why you dream about him. Your soul’s longing to be with him… it’s searching him… it worries… it wants his other half.”
looked at who stood motionless at the door. Her expression told everything… it was half way surprised and excited but then again scared and worried. She swallowed before she spoke the next words.
“So… I can’t live without him…” she assumed looking at Bob.
“You can… but you will soon find out that this life won’t mean much to you. There will always be this hole in your heart. That hole that makes it hard to breathe. Not to mention, that he’s going to be in your dreams until the day you die and longer.”
“Does he feel anything? I mean… does he dream about me?”
“Of course… the moment his blood had connected with yours was the moment the souls had reunited.
It doesn’t matter in which body it had happened… it happened.”
“Does everyone have his… soul mate?” asked out of the blue. Bob turned to her and started to smile. “I don’t know… maybe. But no one can say that for certain.”
started to drift away into her thoughts.
“So when I see him dying… does that mean… that he really is?”
“Your dreams tell the future… or your fears. You have to find out what this is all about.”
nodded and went silent. She didn’t want to hear it anymore… the giving information was enough. She needed peace… she needed to order her thoughts.
“It’s better if we go now” said and opened the door.
“ !” called Bob and walked over to her. “Twice a day and… take care.”
nodded once and took the ointment. Then she turned around and walked out into the dark night.


Chapter 4

“ mate, you should really get some sleep” patted his friend’s shoulder. He had watched avoiding to sleep much for the past two months and he didn’t look good at all. And whenever he did fall asleep he kept on mumbling incomprehensible words and was rolling around the bed restless.
“I’m fine” he mumbled and took a large sip of his coffee.
“Are you still having nightmares?” he asked worried.
shrugged his shoulders and took the magazine from the table. “It’s fine…”
“You are still dreaming about that girl we found, right? About that night?”
looked into his eyes over the magazine and locked them.
“I don’t dream about that night… not anymore” he revealed in a low voice afraid that someone who wasn’t supposed to hear it would listen.
“What means anymore?” asked and leaned forward. followed his example and started to explain.
“I have these weird dreams… about that girl, . I see her dying… I see her suffering… I can’t stop these dreams… and whenever I want to help her, I can’t. It’s like I’m paralysed. I can only watch… And whenever I do get the chance to help her it is always too late.”
“It’s about what you have experienced that night. It was the first time you have ever seen something like this. It’s not like the movies… you were scared… these dreams mean nothing” comforted as good as he could but he wasn’t quite convinced himself about what he was saying and did feel that. “Maybe you should see someone… a therapist…”
looked at him. “I’m not nuts…”
“It’s not about being nuts” stressed . “I know you’re not… but it’s about being cured. , you can’t live like this forever. You’ve lost weight… your eyes are empty and you look restless and intense. These dreams need to stop.”
listened to his friends words and found them quite true. He did was restless and stressed… and he didn’t have a real appetite since the blood transfusion.
“Maybe I’m just… missing her” he said trying to tell what was going on inside his body.
“You miss her?” asked confused. “How can you miss her? You’ve seen her like summed up a few hours…”
“I know… but I have this longing inside me… I don’t know how to explain this but I can’t suppress this feeling. It’s like it’s taking over me… every vain in my body wants her near me. Wants to protect her… wants to know that she’s save.”
“Then call her…” suggested honestly and his eyes told to do so. He saw the hope inside them that this might be the cure… the one thing that could make it all stop. The nightmares… the mumbling… the restlessness.
“I don’t have her number” he said thoughtfully.
“But her friends’” countered and raised his brows. nodded and at once he picked up his phone.

was sitting in the car waiting for to say goodbye to Bob. She saw her still talking to him inside the cottage. Bob’s words were spinning inside her head. couldn’t be her soul mate… he was . She didn’t know him… he was someone she had seen for what a minute in front of a restaurant. Something like a connection between two souls was impossible. Period!
But could she be satisfied with that conclusion? When she felt how her body is aching for him? When she felt that familiarity when she first looked into his eyes? When she knew that she was dreaming about him? And when she felt how it was tearing her apart when she saw him suffering?
A beeping noise made her jump. She glanced around until she found ’s mobile lying on the backseat. She reached for it and looked at the display name… unknown.
“Hello?” she said as soon as she had answered the call. There was a moment of silence until the other person answered.
“ -“
’s heart was making a jump… it was nearly pounding out of her chest. She felt how her body was getting hot and how her heart was starting to long and she felt the hole inside it when it realized that its other half was not close… that it was not there to touch. herself didn’t answer at once… the number of feelings that were running through her body made it hard for her to concentrate. “It’s you, isn’t it?” she heard him.
Why did he need to say something? It was making it only worse… and according to ’s intense voice claimed that his insides must be going crazy as well.
“I need to see you” he said and felt how tears started to drown her eyes. She wanted to yell into the mobile that she needed to see him to… that she wanted to see him so dearly. But on the other hand there was her sane brain telling her not to but to yell at him to get out of her life for his own good. It wanted to tell him to forget about her… that he’d be damned forever if he got to close to her. But neither her heart nor her head found the strength to say something.
“Stop calling!” she forced herself to say… “Forget me!”
And with that she was already closing ’s mobile. Her heart was going crazy… but it stopped pounding. What was left was that empty feeling which seemed to have grown a little bit more. out her head into her hands and tried to calm down. So that’s what it felt like… meeting his soul mate… not the most enjoyable feeling she figured and breathed in.
She allowed herself to look at the cottage again. She saw how was already walking towards the car. She needed to calm down or at least will figure that something was wrong. She was not allowed to get in touch with … looked at the mobile in her hand and without another thought she removed the battery and took out the SIM card. Once the battery was in its place the door opened and sat down.
“What a night” she said rubbing her forehead and glancing at who just looked out of the window. “So… what now?”
“I think… I’d like to go to bed” answered pretending to be lost in thoughts. nodded and started the engine to make their way back to their pension.

“What’s wrong?” asked worried when he saw contracting his eyes looking as if he was in pain.
“Nothing” he mumbled closing his eyes.
“What did she say?”
“Not to call her” he said now looking in his friends’ eyes.
“She did?”
nodded his head. “And now?” asked again surprised by ’s statement.
“I’ll leave her alone” he said too tired and exhausted to think of anything else.

looked out of the window. It was a rainy day and everyone seemed to move slower and duller. The restaurant was pretty empty and seemed cold. Her head turned to the left when she heard someone speaking… she felt a stitch in her heart which caused her to grab her chest tightly. She looked away out of the window but his reflection caught her eye and her eyes widened when she saw black fog floating around him. She jumped up, ready to fight whatever was near him but the moment she turned around he was gone.

startled out of her sleep breathing heavily. Her chest rose up and down and it seemed like she couldn’t get enough air in her lungs. Slowly her heart and her body relaxed and made it easier for her to think about what have happened. A dream…
Letting herself drop backwards, lay in the bed staring at the ceiling, remembering the tight feeling around her heart when she had heard his voice. When was this going to stop?
She no longer wanted to see him disappearing… she no longer wanted to dream about him and about him being in danger. She felt a tear rolling down her cheek… she felt exhausted and tired but also afraid to fall asleep again.
She looked to her right and saw sleeping. She looked peaceful… like nothing was disturbing her. No fear… no uneasiness… it seemed like she was free, not limited in her own world. It seemed like she knew that someday everything would be over and the world would be save again.
wasn’t convinced of that because she knew that no matter where, no matter when and no matter how… something will happen again… sooner or later… and that’s why she could never think of an end. She had to live with this “burden” of killing these things for the rest of her life. She did know that and being responsible for wasn’t really lighten it up.

was walking towards her with a plate full of pancakes.
“We should really go more often to a pancake restaurant” she smiled and sat down in front of .
watched her drowning her pancakes with syrup and felt the need to throw up.
“You sure you want to eat this?” she asked.
looked a bit irritated but nodded and put the first piece into her mouth. “Delicious.”
rolled her eyes and pulled something out of her pocket. “Here, I’ve bought you something.”
She placed a little card onto the table and looked at .
“What’s that?”
“A SIM card” she answered noticing the confused look in ’s eyes.
“Yesterday… when you were still talking to Bob I removed your card and broke it.”
“You did what?” snapped in disbelief. “You broke my card?”
“ ” soothed . “Before I’ve done that I have copied all numbers and saved it onto the new card so all you basically have is a new number.”
“And what if someone’s trying to call me? They don’t have my number now…”
“I’ve sent a message to everyone giving them your new number.”
“Why did you do that?”
“I figured that it would be better if we change our phone numbers from time to time” lied . put down her fork. “Are you kidding me? We rely on our mobiles… we rely on these things. It’s our only way to communicate with different people. We don’t have an address where they can write letters to or a phone that we can be reached through every time. All we have are these mobile phones and our email addresses and you can’t change it just because you feel like doing it. And above all you cannot just break my stuff.”
got angrily up and took her purse. “Where are you going?” asked feeling slightly taking aback by ’s rage. “Away” she snapped and was already walking away.
felt stupid but she had to do it. She shook her head in disbelief but she didn’t know what she was more angry about… was she angry at for leaving like that or was it rather herself she was angry at because she acted so stupid.
She looked out of the window seeing rushing across the street. She was looking angry and figured it was best to just let her alone for a while.

The next few hours she spent in the restaurant, she had surfed the internet looking for some news that seemed somehow mysterious. Nothing really caught her eye but it didn’t surprise her. Her thoughts were somewhere else and not dealing with the plan of searching some new monsters.
She looked out of the window seeing the rain pouring down onto the street. Everything seemed dull and cold. She saw how the raindrops becoming a puddle and the streets turning a darker shade of grey. She shook her head when she realised that she was drifting away in her thoughts again. Her head turned to look at her notebook and she felt a cold shiver running down her spine when she heard footsteps. It was like a cold cloud was surrounding her making her dizzy and sick. She felt how her body was about to collapse and it was then that she heard the voice. Her head turned to her left and it was like a rope was pulling her heart into his direction. With all her might she turned her head to the right. Her eyes were searching his body in the window reflection. And she caught it and it was then that she realised that she had seen this picture before. That cloud that was making her feel cold and dizzy was the same black fog she had seen in her dream. It was the same thing that was threatening . She jumped up and turned to look at it but her legs were giving up. She collapsed right onto the floor and fainted.


Chapter 5

She felt how some liquid wetted her lips. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw two eyes glancing right into hers. Her head pounded and she felt sick. In need to think about what have happened she closed her eyes again and tried to get a hint of what was going on. She couldn’t… everything was blank so she opened her eyes again. The eyes were still staring at her.
“I think she’s woken up” said the guy with the eyes. glanced around and found other people standing close to her.
“ ’s still unconscious” said someone else and ’s head turned to its right. She saw him lying there and tears were welling up. She felt exhausted but forced herself to get up. The guy with the eyes helped her. He supported her when he figured that she was walking towards his friend. knelt down next to him and looked into his face. He must have felt the same. Again she felt the need inside her body to touch and help him. This longing was surrounding her stomach, her heart, her brain, her sanity… everything. She needed to take a deep breath to gain some control over her body. With trembling hands she reached out to touch his face. It seemed like her hands were moving in slow motion and she feared the worst the moment her hands touched his cheeks.
When her skin touched his she felt relief running through her soul. She felt as if something deep down inside of her was finally satisfied. Warmth filled her body and she felt how her cheeks started to get red…
’s eyes opened a little while after she had touched his cheeks. He looked into her eyes and smiled. He felt his heart beating easier, his lungs breathed more easily and above all that longing was gone… because she was near.
“Are you okay?” she asked in a whisper.
lifted him onto his elbows and nodded. “Yeah… What has hap-“
“Not here” interrupted and looked at all the strangers that were surrounding them.
“Are you both fine?” asked the guy with the eyes causing to stop staring at .
Both nodded in unity and got up from the floor. “Fine” smiled another man which figured was the restaurant’s boss. “How about we get you some water?” he suggested and was already ordering his waitress to get two glasses. and were sat down near a table.
watched the other people watching her and . “ ” began and caught her attention. “These guys are my friends. ” he said and pointed to the one whose eyes had seen when she had woken up. “” he nodded towards a really handsome blond guy. “And ” he finished while nodded once.
nodded once but didn’t dare to say anything. “Listen, what has just happened was so spooky” started sitting down between and . “You both fainted nearly at the same time.” “Have you seen anything?” asked without responding to ’s observation. The lads looked at her irritated. “Like what?” asked .
“Like… something strange? Out of the ordinary?”
, and shook their heads but felt extremely confused. What was that question about? on the other hand looked at . He hadn’t seen anything strange but he did felt something… something out of the ordinary. But he as well, shook his head. This didn’t need to be discussed right here. He would find time to talk about what have happened, he knew that.
“Westlife” someone said and all the heads spun towards the boss. He was following his waitress, who brought and glasses of water, and held a camera in his hand. “Would you be so kind to pose for a photograph?”
’s eyes opened up widely. Westlife? She had heard of them… and suddenly she glanced around again and looked into each face more intense. And she realised who was standing in front of her. As fast as she could she got up and looked around.
“I’m sorry, I don’t think it’s the right time for a picture” said and shook his head.
“It just going to take a second-“

“Our friend just fainted” he stressed and looked at the man in disbelief. The man shook his head and took a few steps back. watched getting nervous. She ran to the table she used to sit at and packed the notebook into her bag. Once she had everything together she walked towards the door. “Where are you going?” asked and got up to follow her and although he still felt a bit dizzy he forced himself to walk.
“ ” she said and turned around when she saw him standing at the door. She had been already walking down the street but she took a few steps back to look at him. “I need to go.”
“Why can’t I call you? Why can’t I stay in touch with you?” he said slightly hopeless.
“For your own good” she answered and the toughness that she had always shown each and every person she knew was gone. A tear was running down her cheek and she didn’t care. He knew her better than anyone else even if he didn’t realise yet. She felt it and he must too.
“It’s not for my own good when you leave” he said and she saw the plea in his eyes. Her head looked to the ground and suddenly the oppressive feeling returned inside her body.
“Ten pm at the bridge near Bute Park. See you then” she said and turned around to walk off.

opened the door and entered the room she had rented with . was already lying on the bed staring at the television. Feeling that she was still angry didn’t want to say anything. If she was able to prevent a more upset then she would definitely do it. She sat down onto her own bed and took of her shoes. She dropped onto her back and closed her eyes. Although she could still hear the sounds of the tv it wasn’t that hard for her to drift away into her own thoughts.
What was that about? Why did she faint? And above all, why did faint the same time? If all this soul mate rubbish was no rubbish at all then… what was going to happen next? Was she going to dream about his death forever? She didn’t want to… she didn’t want to see it, imagine or feel it.
“Have you brought me some pancakes?” she suddenly heard asking. Her voice was still angry.
looked at her. “We had a real bad fight and all you can ask about is food?”
“I’m human and I need food to survive. So have you?”
rolled her eyes. “I didn’t find the time to get you something” she said coldly.
“It’s so you” mumbled more to herself than to . She rolled her eyes and got up. “I’m taking a shower” she simply said and vanished into the bathroom. An hour later she was back inside the bedroom, seeing already sleeping in front of the TV. She dressed into her jeans and a black pullover before she got inside her brown leather jacket. Taking the keys for the door and the car she made her way out of the room.

got out of the car. He had borrowed it from the hotel they stayed in and was lucky enough to get a decent one. He locked it with the remote and walked towards the bridge. Once he had crossed it he looked around. There was no sight of her. In fact everything seemed a little scary in darkness. The wind blew around his face and he needed to put his hands into his jacket’s pockets.
There was not one person walking around which was even scarier. But he told himself to be a man and stop behaving like a baby.
“Hey ye” he startled when he heard a voice behind him. He turned around and saw her standing in front of him. He inhaled deeply hoping she hadn’t noticed the small jump.
“Did I scare you?” she asked raising her brow.
“No” he answered and smiled. “Not at all.”
“Liar” she grinned and walked passed him. He watched her moving away and turned after her.
“Where are you going?”
“You think I want to stay in the dark?” she asked and giggled. “I’m not insane, you know” she laughed and started to cross the bridge.
“So where are we going then?” he asked following her.
“I’ve seen a pub down the road” she said and turned her head around to look at him over her shoulder.
He started to walk a little faster to keep up with her pace and just to walk to next to her instead of behind her. “So you want to talk to me in there?”
looked at him and flashed a smile. “Talk about what?”
“About what have happened” he stated and looked also at her.
“ , nothing has really happened” she said and looked ahead again.
“Don’t start that” he said and stopped dead track. still walked a few steps until she realized that he had stopped. “You told me I would get answers” he stated.
looked at him and breathed deeply. “You don’t know what you are asking for” she said and looked at him without smiling.
“I know what I’m asking for. It seems like you know something I don’t and I don’t like that. What have happened today or the past weeks is bugging me. I need to know what’s going on” he said and took a few steps closer to her so that he was face to face.
could feel his breath and she closed her eyes to concentrate for a moment before she spoke. “If I can prevent myself from telling you, I will” she said and didn’t move but looked up into his eyes.
“And today or tonight is not the time to tell you everything I know. I will start with the simple things but don’t ask me to continue if I don’t want to.” And with that she started to walk down the road again.
shook his head once before he followed her. “How can I be satisfied with that?” he asked desperate.
“You have to” she flashed another smile at him and opened the door to a pub. Light was now covering her face. “So you want to come in or not?” she asked and got inside. shook his head in disbelief and followed her.
She walked towards the bar and ordered. “Two cokes” she said and moved away. The bartender nodded and was already putting two glasses onto the bar to fill them up.
followed her into the corner of the pub where she sat down on a stool. took the stool in front of her and took of his jacket just like she did. Her glance wandered to the waitress who served them the cokes. thanked her and did the same. She smiled at him while taking hold of her glass. “Cheers” she said and held it up.
nodded once and sipped on his coke.
“The pub’s nice, isn’t it?” she asked and looked around.
“Don’t try to get around the topic” stated and looked at her.
“I’m not trying to get around anything” she said and raised her brows.
“Then why don’t we start talking about my questions” he asked and raised his brows as well.
“You aren’t a patient person, are you?”
“I am patient, very patient. But I have a feeling that something strange is going on and I don’t like that. So I want answers and you give them to me.”
“I told you that I won’t answer all of your questions” she stated and looked him deep in the eyes. Her heart that was going crazy from the moment she first saw him tonight and it made it hard for her to concentrate on other things.
“And I told you that I’m not satisfied with that” he stressed and didn’t broke the intense moment.
“So you really want me to tell you everything I know?”
“I do” he said with a final tone. “So, go ahead.”
shook her head. “You’ll be damned” she said in a serious voice.


Chapter 6

“Fine” hissed and looked him deep into the eyes. “What’s your first question then?”
took a deep breath. It took him a while to figure what he wanted to ask first. So many questions were spinning in his head. He had imagined this moment so often since all this started but now that he was really experiencing it, he had no idea where to start. What was the most important question?
What answers would he like to get first? He had absolutely no idea…
”Why did we faint today? At the same time, at the same place?”
looked at him. She had hoped that he would ask that question first because it was still the easiest to answer.
“I don’t know” she smiled and took a sip of her coke.
“You don’t know?” he asked confused.
“Yeah, I don’t know.”
“You told me you’d answer my questions” he pushed.
“I know but I can’t answer you something I don’t have a clue of. , I don’t know why we fainted today… I don’t know why it happened at the same time and at the same place. I just don’t have a single clue” she stressed.
“Do you have a theory?” he asked.
And this question was now something she didn’t really like to answer because it was nothing about facts but about her personal opinion. She swallowed.
“I’ve made up some theories, yes, but nothing worth to share with you” she lied.
“You are lying” said determined.
“What?” she asked surprised. She wasn’t a bad liar, so why did he know?
looked at her. He felt it… he felt that she had lied to him. It was like his soul was telling him as much as her eyes were giving it away.
“You are lying” he repeated. “I want to hear your theories!”
shook her head.
“Soul mates” she said without looking at him.
“Excuse me?” he asked irritated. Did she just say soul mates?
“You’ve heard me.”
“You think that you and I are…”

“Soul mates, yes. It’s a theory, like I said, so calm down.” “Just because we fainted at the same time, you think that we are connected to each other?”
“Yes” she said with the most convincible voice she had. Of course it wasn’t just because of the fainting but because of the dreams and the feelings she had when being around him and the conversation she have had with Bob. But these things were not the things she wanted to talk about… not now.
“I don’t know what to say” he replied and looked at his glass.
“It’s just a theory, okay? What did you make up in your mind, then, genius? You must have thought about this incident as well.”
“I thought that” he started and looked at her. “Well, maybe because- I don’t have an explanation.”
laughed and shook her head.
“But” he started again. “This soul mate thing… it sounds pretty comprehensible.”
raised her brows. What did he just say?
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Well… it’s quite stupid to say but… it started with the blood transfusion, right? Since then I have dreams about you… my feelings are going crazy when I’m near you or not… and now… we fainted at the same time. This soul mate rubbish may answer a lot of questions.”
looked at him while he was still talking to his glass. “You have dreams about me?” she asked and looked at him seriously. He looked up and nodded his head.
“Yes” he confirmed and looked away again.
took a deep breath. “What dreams? And promise me to tell the truth” she said already fearing that she might hear bad news.
looked up at her. “I see you… suffering. I see you… dying. I see you fighting and struggling and I can’t do anything against it. It’s like I’m paralysed.”
looked away and sought in the information he had just given her. “Do you have dreams too?”
She shook her head and although had the feeling that she was not telling the truth he just accepted it. “Do you have an idea what these dreams mean?”
“It’s just” she said and took a deep breath. “Don’t worry about it. They have absolutely no meaning. Maybe your consciousness is just digesting the night at the lake. I mean I was suffering there and nearly dying… just don’t worry about it.”
contracted his brows and watched her. She seemed uneasy with the dreams like something was bugging her and fearing her the same time.
“You sure?” he asked.
She nodded and took a sip of the coke. “How do you know?” he asked her out of the blue.
turned to him and could have torn herself into pieces. She had reassured him that these dreams meant nothing, no wonder he wanted to know how she could be so convinced of that.
“I have surfed the internet” she said.
“And you found what?”
“There are people who believe that” she paused and was not sure whether to tell him or not. But she had to. She needed to get at least this straight. So she told him what Bob had told her about the angels and their souls. She told him that their searching for their other half and that they are connected. She said that the blood transfusion must have indeed reunited the souls and that they are the reasons for the dreams. “So, the dreams you are having is basically the reflection of your fears when we’re apart.” Of course she didn’t mention the possibility that these dreams may also hint the future. It was worse enough that she had to deal with this thought.
“So if we were not apart, I wouldn’t have these dreams?” he asked raising his brows.
“I can’t answer you that. I don’t know” she answered and noticed that she felt pretty worn out.
“So you believe in these paranormal things?” he asked. There were more and more questions coming into his mind that needed to be answered and he didn’t know where to start at all.
“No” she lied. But of course she believed in paranormal things. Her whole life she had been chasing paranormal things… her life was marked by them. There was no doubt that these things existed… for her. But for they should be kept secret. He should enjoy life without knowing what was behind it.
“Why do I not believe you?” he asked.
“Okay, why are you always doubting what I’m saying?” she asked getting angrier all of the sudden.
“Because I have a feeling that you are lying.”
“I’m not lying” she lied. “I’m just not telling you everything.”
“But I want to know everything” he snapped.
“I told you before all this that I will not answer all of your questions. You’ve heard enough for today…
maybe for your whole life. I know that you will never forget this conversation and this thought is burden enough for me. So excuse me” she said and got up from the table. “I will leave now.”
She walked towards the door. jumped up as well. Leaving money on the table he followed her outside into the dark.
“I’m not satisfied with that” he called after her.
“I don’t care” she snapped and turned around angrily seeing him following her.
“So you believe in paranormal things, right?” he still called after her. “Because you wouldn’t have reacted the way you did if you don’t.”
“Shut up” she snapped.
“So what is this with us? Are we soul mates? And did we faint because of a monster was stalking us? Or did he suck out our energy? What was it? And what about the night at the lake? Did a monster bite you? Nessie, maybe?” he asked and could hear the sarcasm in his voice. He was making fun of it.
stopped dead track. “SHUT UP!” she shouted while she turned around and was only a few steps away form her. “You don’t know what you are saying!”
“Then tell me what’s going on!”
“NO! No!” she yelled and suddenly noticed tears in her eyes. They were close to roll down her cheeks. It was then that he noticed how far he had gone. He didn’t respect her wish not to tell everything. He was so selfish to force her to tell what she knew that he didn’t realize how much she was reacting against his bothersome questions.
“I won’t” she said now only in a whisper. And her head was sinking so that she was staring at the ground.
“I didn’t mean to upset you, . I’m sorry” he said in a low voice and looked at her.
“ ” she started and suddenly he noticed her tired voice and the moment she looked him in the eyes he saw how much hurt and emptiness they contained. They looked as tired as her voice sounded. “The reason why I’m not telling you is not because I want to upset you. I just can’t tell you... I don’t want to tell you. It’s for your own good. I want you… no, I need you, to forget about me. About what have happened and… continue with your life like it was before we met. Enjoy it… and don’t miss one second of it.”
“How can I forget about you?” he asked and took one step closer. “You are occupying my mind all the time.”
“You need to lock these thoughts away” she begged and tears were again rolling down her cheeks. “Don’t call me, don’t think of me and try not to dream about me. Forget me” she begged even more. “My life is a burden and there’s no place for it in yours.”
She stepped back. “Bye, ” she said and smiled wearily while her tears were still falling. didn’t say anything but just saw her running away into the darkness. And the moment she was out of sight he felt his heart cramping. He felt how it started to create this hole again. Within a few moments there was nothing left but emptiness inside of it. The emptiness that was gone when she had been close to him was back. And this time, stronger than before.

She opened the door to the hotel room. was walking up and down biting her finger nails. She startled when she heard the keys.
“Where have you been?!” she yelled almost at .
looked at the clock. It was already midnight.
“I’ve been in the pub” she said and closed the door.
“You’ve been in the pub?!?!” she repeated in disbelief. “I was worried sick and all the time you’ve been in the pub?!?!”
looked at her. “Listen, I didn’t think you’d wake up again and I was gone for what? Two hours?”
“You could have left a message. Something to make me sure of that you were safe” she yelled. “Okay” snapped not in the mood of long explanation and more accusations. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. If you’d excuse me now… I’d like to go to bed.”
She walked passed her friend. “ ” suddenly wailed. “What’s wrong with you? Tell me, what’s wrong.”
looked at her friend and saw tears running down her cheeks. She sighed she have had enough tears for one night. “ is wrong…” she said and looked away.
“ ? What’s with him?”
“You know that I have these dreams and today… it somehow turned into reality. He called you the night we’ve been at Bob’s. That’s why I changed the card. He should not be close to me. And today when I’ve seen him in this restaurant my dream turned into reality… we fainted and when we woke up I told him that we should meet. So that’s why I’ve been in the pub. I answered some of his questions and went away after telling him that he should forget me…”
didn’t realise until she had finished that tears were running down her cheeks. sat down next to her.
“What did you told him?”
“I told him about the soul mate story” she started. “And he asked me then if I believe in paranormal things.”
“And what did you answer?”
“No, of course” she stated and wiped away her tears.
“So you’re not going to tell him about our life?”
“No… I want him to live a life full of happiness. I want him to enjoy life and think the best of our world. Someday, I want him to tell his children that they shouldn’t be afraid of the dark and that monsters do not exist. And I want him to be convinced of that… I’m the last person in this world to tell him what secret it holds.”
“I think you underestimate him, . You think of all this as something bad. And our world is indeed not safe… but people could deal with it. And I think would too.”
“How? When even I can’t deal with it?” she said and got up. “It’s a burden. Every thought about it makes me want to cry, makes me want to scream. I want to shake the thought of my body. I want to lose the feeling it causes my heart when thinking of it. I want to lose the fear, the permanent fright of what’s coming next. I want to get rid of the fear that something might happen to you or every other person that’s close to me. I don’t want death to be my shadow” she said and tears were running down her cheeks.
It was the first time she had talked about it… about her fate. All that has built up inside her body since her father’s death was now streaming out of her. She couldn’t hold back the tears, nor the words. They wanted to be said…
“I thought I was strong… but I’m not. showed me that I’m not. The thought that he might know the same things is hurting me. I feel pity for myself. That’s not good… not healthy…” she said in between her sobs. She was now sitting on the floor crying into her hands. wiped away her tears and sat down next to her. Embracing her friend she started to understand what was going through because she herself felt sometimes the same.
“It’s okay, ” she soothed. “Someday, all this will end, I promise.”
looked up at who had red eyes. She nodded although she knew that couldn’t keep her promise. Her sanity was slowly coming back and she realised what she had just done. She have had some kind of a mental break-down. The first she has ever had… and she promised herself that this one would be also the last. She saw the fear in ’s eyes… who was used to these paranormal things but has always been her rock. And she didn’t feel like destroying this picture. A smile was appearing on her lips.
“Thanks, ” she said and hugged her. “I think I just needed this… once.”
smiled back. “You know” she started and looked at . “I think would do you good.” raised her brows. “Ha?”
“We are hunting these things since forever… it’s time for some vacation. Have fun, . Why don’t you start dating? We could go and see my parents… just get rid of these thoughts for some months before we start anew.”
looked at her. There was some sense in what was saying but how could she take a break? How was that going to work?
“I think you are right” she said and looked at her. “Why don’t you go and visit your parents and your friends?”
“You really think we should do that?” she asked and her eyes started to glance.
nodded and smiled. “Yes… it would do you good. But for myself I’m not coming with you.” raised her brows. “What do you want to do, then?”
looked at her. “I think it’s better if we have a break too. I mean… you freaked out because of pancakes” she laughed and did too. “I will just… I don’t know. See a friend in Dublin” she smiled. “You have friends in Dublin?” asked surprised.
“I have had a life before all this you know. She’s an old school friend and I think she would be happy to see me after five years.”
smiled and nodded. “That’s so good…”
They got up and already started to back her things. “I’m going to see my mummy.”
smiled and watched her before she turned around and lay down onto her bed. It has been a long night… and she just wanted it to be over.


Chapter 7

got into her car in Dublin. She had dropped at her parents in Manchester before she made her way to Liverpool to take the ferry to Dublin. She looked at the address her friend has given her. It has been ages since she had been to Dublin. She remembered how she had been in town every second weekend to visit her grandmother. Her parents and she used to live Newbridge about an hour away from Dublin.
When her mother died her father gave her to her grandmother and she took care of her since. Her father used to pick her up every holiday. Then she would be by his side. See him fighting demons and exorcising people… and many more scary things. She had learned a lot of him but then she turned sixteen and her father died when she was again at her grandmother’s place. She remembered Bob sitting in the living-room when she got home from school. He sat there while her grandmother was crying silently. had known at once what was wrong and when Bob told her in private what have happened she knew that she was going to hunt these things… just like her father did. She would revenge them… come what may. So she left her grandmother when she was done with school. She collected her father’s things and made her way all over Ireland and the UK. Two years later she had met … she was having a laugh with her friends in a cottage that was said to be haunted. Of course it was and in the end saved her life. Since then she stayed by her side…
started the engine. She knew where she first wanted to go… she needed to see this place. It had been too long.
She knocked at the door and waited. Someone opened it and she looked down. “Hello” said a little boy.
raised her brows. Did she mix up the houses? She stared at the little boy. “Hi” she said and her glance wandered to the bell. No… there was her surname written next to it.
“Is Mrs. at home?” she asked the little boy and looked at him. The boy looked up at her before he turned around. “Nana” he yelled. “There is some girl at the door” he yelled.
heard footsteps coming closer and then the door opened wider. An old woman, aged 68, opened the door. Her hair was grey but her eyes were warm. looked at the old woman and saw the resemblance to her mother and at once tears were stinging up. A tear was already rolling down her cheek. It had been six years since their last meeting. didn’t even know whether her grandmother would like to see her but she didn’t care. She wanted to see her
. “Nana” she sobbed and she saw that her grandma was putting her hands in front of her mouth. Tears were filling her eyes which made them seem even warmer.
“ , my dear” she said and embraced her grandchild with all the strength she could bear. hugged her back and sobbed into her granny’s shoulder. “ …” she said once more and her voice sounded unconvinced of the fact that her lost granddaughter was back in her arms. “My dear, ” she said once more. Slowly she lost hold of her and looked her granddaughter into the eyes. “You look just like your mother” she said and those words caused to cry even more. “Come inside, my love” she said and led her into the living-room. looked around. The house didn’t change much. The walls had new tappets and the floor a new laminate but the furniture was still the same. The same photos were looking at her…; she entered the living-room and stopped dead track when she saw people sitting on the couch. The people who were just laughing looked up at her and the woman stopped at once.
“ ?” she asked in disbelief. “Is that you?”
couldn’t believe it. Her cousin was sitting on the couch… probably with her husband. A little girl was sitting on the floor… she wasn’t much older than a year. The boy was now snuggling to his dad’s chest. nodded her head.
“” she smiled and soon found herself embraced by two arms.
“My God, it’s been years” sobbed who was only three years older than . “You became a woman…”
“Yeah” sobbed . “I finally got some breast” she said and giggled in between her sobs.
“And a pretty face too” she smiled and took ’s face in her hands. “How are you?”
“Fine” she said. “And you… you’ve got children?”
nodded. “May I introduce you to my husband “ and my two children “ and .”
nodded and knelt down next to . She smiled at her and kissed her head. “Hey, .”
The girl giggled and played again with her doll. smiled half-heartedly and looked up at her grandma.
“So… what have you done the past years?” she asked and sat down onto the lazy chair. looked at her grandma. “I’ve travelled a lot of places… I’ve met” she paused and thought about how to put it into words. “Interesting people and I’ve seen a lot of interesting things.”
Her nana smiled at her. “And where do you live? I mean… you barely called us. All that we’ve gotten was a postcard at Christmas saying you were fine.”
looked at who was having a ball with her doll. “In London” she lied.
“London” repeated her grandmother and looked at her other grandchild impressed. “I didn’t know that. What have you done there?”
“I studied most of the time” she said and was proud of herself that this was not even a lie. She did study but not on a university or college or any other kind of school but she studied a lot of things. Like… how to kill Blutschinks… or vampires… or how to exorcise people who were obsessed.
“I quite like that” smiled her grandma and could still see the tears around her eyes. “And was all that studying useful?”
“Very” she smiled and got slowly up to sit down next to her.
“I’ve missed you, ” she smiled. “You’ve missed so many things here.”
“I know” she said weary but tried to smile.
“I had hoped you would have at least come to my wedding” stated and looked at her and suddenly felt guilty. She remembered how she received the message on her mobile. didn’t know where to send the invitation and asked for her address but just told her that a message would be fine for her. So told her the date and place via mobile and just forgot to be there. It was four years ago… at that very day she had struggled with a dozen deaths near Aberdeen. When she got back to her hotel room that day she remembered where she should have been that night… but it was too late.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t make it” she said. “I was just stuck with work…”
“I know” said and believed her but knew that it made her sad. But shook her head and started to smile. “But don’t let us talk about the past. How long are you going to stay?”
looked at the ground. “It’s just… a short visit, really. I have a lot of work to do, you know.”
’s smile faded slowly but she kept a straight face and as happy as possible. “At least you’re here now.”
nodded and looked at her grandma. She was smiling at her. coughed and got up.
“ , I think we should leave now” she said and looked at him. He nodded and got up. “Come on, ” he smiled. “We’re going home.”
jumped up and down and ran to the hall. knelt down and picked her daughter up. “I think it’s better when we leave. I think the two of you have quite a lot to talk about.”
She put into her jacket and put her a hat on. Within the next five minutes they were gone and was alone with her grandmother. This feeling felt very familiar…
The good thing about her grandmother was that she never asked a lot of questions. She cared about , of course, but gave her the room she needed to grow. Her grandma knew that if there were things wanted to share with her, would do so. If not… then it would be none of her business. That’s why found herself back inside her old room after having chatted with her grandmother for two hours about random stuff.
looked at the ceiling of her old room. She remembered how a Johnny Depp poster used to glance down at her when she was twelve. She loved “21st Jump Street” and Johnny was her first crush. She smiled when she remembered the old times. Her life seemed to be so easy… so light. She didn’t think about death and demons and shadows. She was a happy child up to the day her mother died and her father became obsessed with the idea of revenging her.

“So tell me ” someone asked him and he tried his hardest to lift his head. “Where is she?”
He shook his head unable to lift it up. It hung powerless and swayed from left to right when she responded. From his mouth was dripping blood.
“You don’t want to die, do you?” that someone asked and with one fast move he grabbed ’s hair pulled his head upright. “TALK!” he demanded.
“Go to hell!”
His hands were tied behind his back. The room was dark and dirty and coldness was covering every centimetre of it.
“Been there before” smirked that someone and was raising his hand to-
sat up straight in her bed. Her heart was beating heavily against her chest. The pounding was echoing in her ears and she found it hard to concentrate on anything. Pain was streaming through her body and fear was causing it to tremble. Her lungs were working up-tempo, trying to inhale some air. grabbed her head and pressed it. Her ears started to ring now and her heart was feeling like knives were cutting it open. A yelp escaped her mouth. Her body couldn’t take it… every millimetre was occupied to struggle with the dream. Tears were rolling down her cheeks now causing her to fist the mattress. Another yelp was escaping her mouth and she started to fist the mattress even more. It was like something was crushing her mind and soul.
Suddenly the door opened and the light was switched on. She felt how two cold hands were taking hold of her face. “ ” she recognised her nana calling her.
“ , calm down” she soothed and fear was coming over her by the sight of her granddaughter. She was drenched wet of sweat and hot like fire.
“ ” she tried again when she was still struggling with herself in her bed.
“!” she screamed out.
Her grandma gasped. “!” she screamed now in panic.
“ !” she said again through gritted teeth. Her body was now shaking more than before. It was like she was fighting inside. “Get- out!” she said sharp but with a shaky voice.
And within one second lay silently in her bed. Her grandmother watched her falling quiet.
“ ?” she asked now in a shaky voice afraid that something might have happened to her granddaughter. She touched her forehead. She was still hot and sweaty… contracted her brows when she felt the touches.
“Nana?” she asked in the quietest voice.
“ , my dear. Are you good?”
nodded and cleared her throat. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked in her nana’s frightened eyes. “I’d like to have a glass of water” she said and blinked a few times. Her grandmother nodded and headed out of the room. The moment she was out of the room sat up straight and looked around. Something must have been here… she couldn’t smell sulphur so there was no sign of a ghost. But she knew that there was something inside her. Something that made her dream what she had dreamed. She looked around suspiciously.
“Your water, dear” said her grandma kneeling down beside her bedside. thanked her and took a sip. “Are you okay?” she asked once more.
nodded. “Just a nightmare” she lied and smiled at her guiltily. “Are you fine?”
Her nana nodded. “A little scared but fine.”
“You should go back to sleep” told her. “I’ll be fine. It was just a really bad dream.”
Her nada nodded again and before she left the room she gave her granddaughter a kiss on the forehead. “Sleep well” she whispered and left her alone. The moment the door closed jumped out of the bed. She grabbed her mobile-
“Hello-“
“Bob, it’s me, .”
“ , are you out of your mind? Look at what time it is” he said.
“Bob, I think I was possessed!”


Chapter 8

“Possessed?” he repeated. “You can’t be possessed, . You’ve got your protection.”
“Well it didn’t work very well, then, Bob” she said touching her shoulder. “Listen, I got an idea… maybe me and are no soul mates at all” she continued without letting herself being interrupted.
“Maybe… maybe something is after me. And that something is using as some kind of... bait.” “Why would it pick , then? You haven’t met him before. has had no meaning in your life before your transfusion.”
She didn’t think about that. She sighed and sat down onto the edge of her bed. He was right… there wouldn’t be no other reason to pick him otherwise. “Okay… so I think I can’t get out of the idea of he and I being sort of soul mates… but couldn’t there be the possibility that something’s controlling my mind?”
“A mind controller?”
“Not necessarily… Mind controllers have only this single ability. But that something… it was more powerful. I could feel it…”
“So you dreamed that something was happening to again and this time you saw a demon as well?”
“It didn’t show itself but… yeah, it was a demon. I don’t know what kind of but… I bet he’s a hell of a bad one.”
heard Bob sighing. “Don’t go looking for it-“
“What?” asked in disbelief. “What do you mean, don’t go looking for it? I have to find it… who knows what it intends to do…”
“ …” started Bob. “Give me some time. We need to plan everything. You can’t rush things…
you’re not prepared for what’s possibly after you.”
“Bob” argued . “I can’t let walk around like that when I’ve seen him being kidnapped. I need to find this thing and kill it.”
“We need more information about it. Write everything down that seemed bizarre. Every little detail. We need to figure it out.”
“So no hunting trip, then?”
“No” he demanded and this time would listen. She wouldn’t rush things again. She was too scared that her rushed actions might get into bad trouble.
“But what’s with ?” she asked.
“Find him… and keep an eye on him.”
sighed. “Fine” she said. “Thanks, Bob.”
“It’s okay” he said and right after that both closed their phones. She sighed and opened her laptop…
there was a lot of research she had to do now.

It was afternoon already when received a message from her phone. She had spent the rest of the night to search the internet for useful things. She had sneaked out of the house to get some books out of the trunk. The night didn’t bring any more information but she felt like she didn’t have enough details about what was going on. The morning and noon she had spent with her nana talking,
shopping and laughing… not mentioning what had happened the night.
reached for her mobile. “Wondering if you’re already in Dublin… tonight nice dinner at my place. Hope you’re coming”
read it again and again but she couldn’t find the enthusiasm to go over and enjoy that dinner. Not after that night. She sighed because she knew that she couldn’t get around it. Of course she wanted to see her friend but… she needed to do her job. And her job right now was to save . But then ’s words appeared in her mind. Just get rid of these thoughts for some months before we start anew…
was right. She needed to get her mind off these things for at least this night. She needed a break and she just hoped that nothing bad would happen. She confirmed the dinner and went upstairs to change in something decent.

At seven o’clock stood in front of gates that were locking the entrance to a big house. looked in up and down and suddenly felt intimidated. When did manage to earn that much money to buy such a house? swallowed. She couldn’t meet her… what was she going to say? What if they asked her what she was doing for living? Sure… would be impressed by the fact that earned most of her money by gambling. turned around ready to leave when suddenly the light lit up and a voice came through the speaker.
“Hello?” a woman’s voice asked.
cursed and turned around again to walk to the speaker. “My name’s ” she said and waited but the woman didn’t speak back. Did she also have her own employees?! “I’m ’s friend.” Suddenly the gate started to move and soon had enough space to walk through it. The moment she had taken some steps the gate was closing again. stopped and watched the gate closing. Again she looked at the house. This was going to be a hell of a night. She wasn’t in all that posh things. She was indeed happy that was living a good life but it was just not ’s world. With all the bad things she had to go through, all the good things in life seemed scary and not normal. She was walking towards the door. Her steps hesitative and doubtful. But she inhaled and told herself to calm down and just live through the night. She knocked at the door and waited…
Suddenly the door opened and a woman in a short yellow silky dress opened the door. In one hand she was holding a cocktail and in the other hand the door handle. ” ?” she asked.
nodded irritated. “But… you’re not …”
The woman started to laugh. “No… I’m . Come in” she smiled. And followed her instruction. “ ’s in the kitchen” she smiled and closed the door behind . “Can I take off your coat?” she asked but before could answer she suddenly hears a little yelp and felt two arms around her. “ ” she recognised ’s voice. Suddenly she felt how she kissed her cheeks like a hundred times. “It’s so good to see you” she finally managed to say when she had lost hold of her. “Thank you” smiled . “It’s good to see you too, . Wow” smiled. “You look so different.”
“Six years older” she winked. “But you look as fresh as always. How come?”
“A lot of sleep” she winked and just then she noticed ’s clothes. She was wearing a dress too… and that dress looked classy. felt uncomfortable… she was wearing her Led Zeppelin shirt and her favourite jeans… well… she certainly didn’t dress appropriate. “Can I take off your coat” asked again in a sweet tone. turned to her. “Erm…” she said but was already unbuttoning her coat. What was she going to do? Stay in her coat all night long? took it and hung it to the other coats and jackets. noticed that felt uncomfortable.
“Led Zeppelin” she read and smiled. “You still like them?” she asked.
“Their music calms me down” she smiled. smiled… “You’re fit, .”
“Thanks” she said simply feeling still uncomfortable. She sighed and rolled her eyes. “If I had known that this was going to be something… upper class… I would have dressed decent.” Truth was, if she had known that that was going to be something posh, she would have never even come. She didn’t own decent clothes… yes, in fact, the only decent things she got were two suits she often uses as costumes and that was about it. She didn’t own dresses because there was never an opportunity to wear them.
smiled and rolled her eyes as well. “Don’t be stupid, . It’s not upper class… it’s just a nice dinner with friends.”
“There are more?” asked terrified.
“A few more…”
“All dressed like that?” she asked.
looked at . “Kinda…”
“Okay, it was nice to meet you-“ she said in an ironic way and turned around to go to the door. giggled. “Nooo, . Wait… if you feel too uncomfortable you can have one of my dresses.”
looked at her doubtful and didn’t know what to say. She slowly began to shake her head.
“Don’t say no…” insisted . “Upstairs with you. We’re making you look posh…”
“Yeah, so posh that even posh spice would look… unposhish…” cheered . and looked at her and saw how she was raising her cocktail.
leaned over to . “She already had a few” she grinned and winked at her before she grabbed her hand and pulled her upstairs.

“ would you get up from the couch?” insisted who was walking into the living room with a pint in his hand.
“The film’s interesting” he replied and stared literally a whole in the wall beside the tv. noticed. “Really what’s it about?”
snapped back into reality and glared at the tv before his eyes wandered to ’s. “People?!”
rolled his eyes. “You’re still thinking about her?”
started to laugh. “Noo-hoo… nooo…”
“Get over her!”
“I can’t!”
“Yes, you can… don’t say you can’t because only people who can’t say they can’t and you can!”
looked at him irritated and took away the pint from his hands. “I think you’ve had enough for today.”
rolled his eyes. “We’re having a few days off so enjoy them… have some fun again.”
“I’m having fun” replied . “You see… the film’s great…”
“You’re watching a documentary about lobsters” stated looking at him.
“Lobsters are really funny” defended . “Think about Mr. Crabs.”
“He’s a crab… no lobster.”
sighed and rubbed his forehead. He looked up at again and contracted his brows. “Give me some time, man” he said. “It’s still in my head.”
nodded and got up and took his pint. “You’re joining us in the pool room?”
nodded and got up as well.

looked into ’s eyes that were sparkling. A grin was lightening up her face. looked again into the mirror and her glance wandered up and down her own body. Noticing how did the same she felt strange. This was way too girly… and way to posh for her taste.
“I’m not sure” she said in a low and insecure voice.
“It looks perfect. It fits you better than me” smiled . “You can have it” she smiled.
“No” shook her head. “It’s fine but… it’s yours.”
“For tonight it’s yours. You look so pretty and I want you to wear it.”
nodded. “Fine… for tonight. Bet the other people wouldn’t like my Led Zeppelin shirt anyway…”
smiled. “They would have loved it” she winked. “Come on. Dinner’s waiting” She turned around and pushed her forwards. “By the way… nice tattoo…” just responded with a shy smile. “I like the combination of a sun and a star…”
dragged her outside again and downstairs. They were in the hall again and stopped.
“Would you excuse me for a moment, please? Where’s the rest room?”
pointed to the door at the end of the hallway. excused herself and went straight into it. She closed the door behind her and turned around to look into the mirror. She wore a black strapless tube dress that ended about eight inches above her knees and it was way to tight. She has never worn something like that before and she definitely preferred her Led Zeppelin shirt to this but she needed to wear it. Just for these few hours… then she can feel comfortable again… in her shirt and her jeans. She looked at the shoes she was wearing… black high heels… Her feet were hurting already… how was she going to survive the night when she had to walk around in these skyscrapers? She sighed and shook her head… “Just one night… one night!” she told herself and took one last glance into the mirror before she stumbled her way out of the rest room. She walked along the white hallway. Her heels not making any sound as she was walking on the white carpet. She was now standing in front of the door and she heard people talking and laughing. She peered into the room and saw laughing and sitting down onto a chair. took one last breath and pushed the door slowly open. But the moment she touched the knob she felt a rush through her body. She stopped and needed to take some more breaths. Her heart was beating up-tempo again and she felt a cold rush go through her body. She closed her eyes and tried to calm down her body. “Don’t be nervous” she told herself and opened her eyes again. Hesitatively she opened the door until she could see the whole room.
Everyone was sitting at the table and there was only one seat left. She put a smile on her face and looked at the faces. She startled when she saw his eyes staring at her and her heart stopped beating for a moment. It calmed down and left the feeling of relieve running through her veins but at the same time she was scared and shocked and intimidated. She didn’t expect to see him again that fast. His eyes were fixed to hers. And she knew that he must be feeling the same rush of feelings like she did.


Chapter 9

She noticed her smile was gone and forced it to reappear as fast as it has gone. “Hey ye” she said to everyone.
“Guys” smiled and got up from her seat to walk towards . She put an arm around ’s shoulder and looked at the people in front of her. “That’s my friend . ” and now she was looking at her. “That’s my boyfriend and his friends and who you’ve met already” she smiled and continued. “ and finally that’s .”
nodded and smiled. “Good evening” she said and looked around uncomfortable. Her eyes were fixed on who was just staring at her.
“You know her?” asked surprised and little taking aback.
That question made break the moment and pay attention to what was going on around her. “You too?” asked surprised.
“We met her” said and for some reason he sounded defensive. turned to look at . “Long story” she said. “And not worth to tell” she smiled.
nodded and a smile reappeared on her face. “Take your seat, . There… next to …”
She was already going to protest but that would look stupid. So she just swallowed the words and sat down next to him. “Some wine?” asked who was already holding up a bottle of red wine.
“Thanks” smiled and let him pour it into her glass.
She didn’t dare to look to her right… she knew that he was looking at her and all she needed to do was focus on everything else beside him.
They started to eat the soup and listened to and discussion about whether it was salty enough or not. The other’s smiled and didn’t dare to say anything.
“Stop it, ” said finally. “It’s salty enough.”
fell silent and grinned around. “Gives me thrills every time to wind her up.”
shook her head and turned to the others. “You must know, ’s an old school friend. We used to hang out a lot…”
Everyone nodded and looked at her. just nodded uncomfortably in agreement and looked back down at the soup. “We kind of lost contact when she moved away after graduation.”
put a smile on her face and nodded again the same way like before. “What have you done after graduation then, ?” Suddenly was speaking looking at her.
felt like he was trying to make her feel bad for something…
“I… I moved to London” she answered shyly.
“London?” he asked. “What did you do there?”
swallowed and cleared her throat. She put down the spoon as she had already eaten the soup. She raised her brows and answered without looking up. “I studied.”
“What did you study?” Suddenly was asking the question.
looked at her and she really seemed interested in the answer.
“Tourism” she lied.
“Tourism?” asked now. “What? You wanted to become a travel agent?”
“Yes” nodded . “Something like that… I’m working for -“ she did a short break. “An independent travel business.”
She never felt so proud of herself. That lie came really fast.
“And what are you doing there exactly?” asked curiously.
looked him straight into the eyes and smiled. “I’m there where people need me. I’m showing them the town, the area, whatever, and make sure they’ll get back to the hotel safe.”
“So you were working in Ford Augustus?”
’s smile dropped when she heard this question out of his mouth. His voice didn’t sound convinced and it had a rough edge to it. She looked to her right and into his eyes feeling her heart jumping slightly. “Yes!” she answered firmly.
“Did you bring everyone home safe?”
“Yes!” she said again.
“Hmm” was all that said. He then took a piece of bread from a little basket on the table.
“Interesting” he added.
“So you’ve met before?” asked curious.
spoke before got the chance “Yes… in Ford Augustus… couple of weeks ago. And in Cardiff about a week ago… funny how small the world is, isn’t it, ?” he asked and looked at her with no smile.
“Yeah… I’m laughing myself to sleep because of that” she said sarcastically.
sensed that something was wrong. “Did you two have a fling or something?”
who was taking a sip of his water burst it into his glass again. “Sorry…” he said when all eyes were on him.
“No!” said ignoring . “No… we never even talked properly…”
“Yeah and that’s the point” snapped . “We never really talked properly…”
was lost. She couldn’t make out what was going on between them. She looked at .
“ had a blood transfusion… and donated the blood…”
’s eyes widened and she looked at and . “Oh my God” she said… “I would have expected sex and kisses and babies… but a blood transfusion?”
rolled her eyes. “Thank you, ” she said ironically. “Why not selling the story the local tabloid.”
“Oh, shut up, ” moaned . He didn’t like her… she was the reason was unhappy and he didn’t like it, ergo he didn’t like her.
look at him. “You’re rude” she said in disbelief.
“No, you’re rude” he snapped back. “He gave his blood to save you and you’re not even grateful for it.”
“Is this about the blood?” she asked and got up from the chair.
“Yeah and about your attitude” said and raised his voice.
was already breathing heavily when she suddenly felt how she got dizzy. She shook tilted her head to right and closed her eyes for a split of a second. She then glanced at . “He can have it back… I didn’t ask for it.”
“And that’s your problem” said and got up as well. Everyone watched them in shock. “You didn’t ask for it but he gave it to you. Hell, he didn’t even know you… but he was willing to give it to you.” “Oh come on… it’s his blood not his heart!”
“Maybe it came with the blood” yelled now that ’s voice grew louder as well. The words caused to look at who was staring at in disbelief. “Sit down, ” he hissed. felt again a rush of dizziness and bended forward to get some support by the table. She inhaled and looked at who stared at her with big eyes.
“It’s better when I leave” claimed and pushed the chair backwards.
“Don’t” pleaded looking at her. “Don’t go…”
looked at her and her face started to skew. tried harder to look at her but the harder she tried the more it skewed. “Are… okay? … look… sick… “ She didn’t hear ’s voice but she suddenly felt two arms around her.
grabbed her forehead. ’s face got now replaced by a picture… she saw… a street… lamps flickering- “ ?” Lyons Road read the sign… the street was wet… to her right stood big reservoirs… at least they looked like that. “She needs water…”
She saw a black coat… the person wearing it was moving down the street… “She’s cold…” She saw another person running down the street in front of the man in the coat… the street lamps started to flicker… “She’s in pain…” There was a zoom and saw the person’s face… it was-

“ !” it slipped through her teeth.
suddenly collapsed and fell onto her knees. Her eyes opened and she looked at two black pumps in front of her. Her own hands were still holding her head. She felt her heart beating… it was in her throat… beating up-tempo.
“ ?” she heard asking and saw her kneeling down beside her. She felt how Jaime touched her head. She slowly lifted it and looked into her eyes and saw fright.
“Are you okay?”
looked at her… she couldn’t speak… what she had just seen was… it was not normal. She felt like she was- she didn’t continue the thoughts but just nodded. “Fine” she said and her beating heart in her throat made it hard for her to speak.
“You want to lay down for a moment?” she asked. Before she could answer lifted her up and carried her upstairs. didn’t protest… she didn’t want to. She felt save in his arms… something she barely did near anyone. She felt how he laid her down. She opened her eyes and found herself alone with him.
“Thank you” she said in a whisper.
shook his head as to say that there was no need for a thank you. blocked away every thought about what she had seen… and why she had seen it… She cleared her throat.
“I am thankful” she said but her voice was still low. “ ’s wrong.”
didn’t answer. “Do you know that you’re always scaring me?”
raised her brows. “When I first saw you and I ripped accidentally your pants you went away and I got scared that I won’t see you again… so I gave you my number. When I saw you at the bay with the wound” he stopped and looked at her leg… the dress rode up her leg and showed the scare. Four little cuts… still rosy… “you scared me. I thought you were going to die… Then in the hospital they told me you needed a blood transfusion otherwise you wouldn’t survive the next hour as your brain wouldn’t get supplied enough with blood. So I told them my blood type and it was the same… so I donated it straight away in scare you wouldn’t survive the next hour. Since then I dream about you… almost every night… and when I wake up I am scared that what I’ve dreamed might come true. It helped me to know that you were fine the day I’ve seen you in the pub. I wasn’t scared then… because I was there and I could have an eye on you. But the moment you told me about to forget you… it felt like torture. I can’t forget you, . I’m too worried about you to forget you. The dreams won’t stop and I’m scared something might happen to you. And today… you’re screaming my name and you collapse. That’s scary, .”
looked at him and didn’t realise that a tear was rolling down her cheek. She looked to her right but felt how touched the right side of her chin and turned it to face him.
“Are you going to talk to me?”
looked at him and the tears didn’t want to stop falling. She didn’t sobbed, she didn’t make a sound… she was just shedding tears. She nodded her head…
took a deep breath. “And you will tell the truth?”
She nodded again and looked at him. She sat up and pulled her knees towards her body. That was the first time she felt like a little girl… like a weak little girl… a weak little girl who needed protection. “Fine” said and rubbed his forehead. “You want to drink something?”
shook her head. She was still confused and scared about what have happened just a few moments ago but she tried her hardest to seem sane.
looked at her and sighed. “I won’t ask you anything” he said after a few minutes of silence that took as a sign of thinking. “You tell me everything you want when you think it’s time for it…
okay?” he asked and looked at ’s surprised face.
She looked at him confused and before she could say anything he started again… “I don’t want to force you into anything… I just… , I need you to be around me. I want to spend time with you… I want to make sure you’re fine… I need to know it and I can’t be aware of it when there’s no way to get in touch with you.”
looked at her knees again. “ hates me… he wouldn’t want me to be around…”
shook his head. “He doesn’t hate you… he was just worried about me… and he’ll get his pay back for what he had said today” he tried to laugh.
looked at him. “I didn’t know that it means so much to you to get to know me… and… well… be around me.”
looked at his hands. “I didn’t expect that either” he smiled. “But I can’t change what I’m feeling although I’d love to from time to time…”
grinned. “Thanks for everything, . I mean it” she said and touched his hand. He glanced at her and smiled. “You’re welcome.”
“So… you’re feeling better? Do you want to go downstairs and eat your dinner?” he asked and raised his brows.
turned pink and felt hot. “After the scene I caused down there? I actually planned to run away and never come back…”
laughed slightly. “Guess it didn’t work out…”
“Not with these things on my feet anyway” she laughed and lifted up her left foot. smiled “That bad?”
“Oh please. High heels are a male invention to make women bums look smaller and to make it harder for them to run away…”
laughed. “Your bum doesn’t need to look smaller.”
looked at him irritated… widened his eyes when he thought about what he had just said. “I mean… you don’t have a big bum… it’s small… so it doesn’t need to look even smaller… … not that I’m staring at your bum… and now don’t think that I don’t want to stare at it… because it’s fine to stare at… it’s really luscious and-“
“Okay, how about we stop talking about my bum?” she asked feeling that felt like the last idiot. “Sure” he said and stared at the floor when he got up from the edge of the bed. “So do you want to go downstairs?” he asked and reached out his hand. looked at it…
“Yes” she smiled and got up. “But first of all” she said when he helped her getting up from the bed. “I’d like to change my clothes…”


Chapter 10

Five minutes later they were walking down the stairs and entered the dinner room. Everyone turned to look at her. sat down and walked over to . “I’m sorry” she said honestly. “You can’t believe how much courage it takes me to say this… I’m not a person who apologises easily. In fact, I’ve meant three apologies in my life in an honest way. And this is the fourth I make and the second for today… I’m sorry, . I didn’t want to yell at you… and I didn’t want to ruin the evening. And what I’ve said was rude… of course, I am thankful for what has done for me… because if he hadn’t I would not be here today…”
looked at her and felt how he flushed. “I’m sorry, too” he said. “I didn’t mean to accuse you of anything… it was rude.”
“Truce?”
He nodded and smiled “Truce” he said and shook her hand. She nodded once and sat down onto her seat. “And before there are any questions… the dress is in your bed room. This is what I like to wear… I’m not into classy dresses. I love my jeans and my shirts and… my boots and sneakers… I love my leather jacket… and I love Led Zeppelin… they rock.”
She exhaled and looked at the people around her. There was a moment of silence…
“Yeah, they really rock” suddenly said and earned a lot of head shaking.
“I love the song ‘You Shook Me’” laughed . “What’s yours, ?”
“Whole Lotta Love” she smiled and now a big discussion started. looked at who smiled at her. “ lost her virginity to this song” she laughed caused to open her mouth in shock. The mumbling around her stopped and again was bursting into his glass. raised her eye brows… “ lost her virginity at Billy Ashton’s party… in the basement.”
“The basement?” asked stunned.
widened her eyes and even looked irritated. “ lost it to Ronan Haley… also known as Mr. Geek.”
“At least he knew what he was doing… he did some research” she protested back but a smile appeared on her lips. “ was 15 when she lost it…”
“Baby?” asked looking at her in disbelief.
“ fourteen…”
“Fourteen, oh come on…” said in disbelief. “You were a kid…”
and looked at and then back at each other… and suddenly they started to crack up. was halfway lying on the table already laughing so much that tears were rolling down her cheeks. was leaning back onto her chair grabbing her stomach because it hurt of all the laughing. The others on the other hand did nothing but staring in disbelief at the two of them.
“You were a kid” repeated in a goofy voice pretending to be .
“Baby?” giggled in between her laugher.
They calmed down shortly after that and looked at the stunned faces. “We were joking” explained while was taking a piece of bread. “But I have to admit that your faces weren’t as funny as ’s grandma’s was when we said the same to her about seven years ago. You remember?” she asked who nodded.
“My grandma went nuts” she laughed. “We haven’t even finished the story and she was already praying to God for forgiveness.”
“And you remember her yelp in shock?” giggled .
looked around at the table and nodded. “We thought she was getting a stroke or something…” She said and saw how the corners of the ’s mouth were curving upwards. “She was saying…” she now spoke in an Italian accent “ … what did you do? You want to kill me? Do you want me to join your mum in heaven?-“
Everyone was laughing at her impression of her grandmother but stopped when she realised what she had just given away to all the unknown people around her. No one seemed to notice but … he was looking at her. His smiled disappeared but it flashed back as a sign of pity. looked away and smiled again at the crowd. “Of course she doesn’t have an Italian accent but I wanted to make it funnier…”
“Yeah, accents are funny…” laughed .
“Says the man with the strongest Irish one I’ve ever heard” giggled avoiding ’s gaze. “I don’t have an accent” he objected but couldn’t hide a smile.
“Oh come on, even I have to concentrate really hard to figure what you’re saying” laughed . “And I am Irish as well” he laughed causing every other person in the room to laugh even more.
Even was laughing again and so did the night continue… with a lot of laughter and a lot of beer and wine and cocktails…

woke up the next morning on the couch. She glared around and saw lying at the floor, his head resting on his arm. She looked at him and smiled… he looked peaceful. And she smiled even more when she figured that she didn’t dream anything this night. Now there could only be two reason for that… either the alcohol stopped the nightmares or it was ’s company. She got up slowly and found herself dressed in a white shirt and hell, she didn’t know why…
She scratched her head, leaving her hair as messy as before and looked down at herself… seeing her white socks she had to smile. She felt like she was the female version of Tom Cruise aka Joel Goodsen in “Risky Business” who was lip-syncing to Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock’n’Roll”. She shook her head and went into the kitchen… on her way she climbed over a table and stumbled over many books and tried to avoid stepping on anything else that lay on the ground… like cans and apples…
She reached the kitchen and looked at the clock. It was ten in the morning but it felt like seven to her. Hoping to find some milk in the fridge she opened it and soon found what she was looking for. Closing it again she now searched for a glass… she positioned herself in front of the cupboards and looked at them wondering which she has to open.
“The mugs are on the very left and if you’re in the need of a glass… they are in the cupboard to your right.”
startled so much that she nearly dropped the milk. She turned around and saw walking towards the kitchen island.
“Hey you look like that guy from Risky Business-“
“Yeah I know” smiled and put down the milk onto the kitchen island. sat down in front of her. “Hey, do you remember what have happened last night? I mean, this house looks like a battlefield…” stated looking around.
“The last thing I remember was how you jumped into the pool” stated .
“I jumped into the pool?” asked worried.
“Yes… but don’t worry… you weren’t the first one to do so…”
“Oh, thank goodness” she smiled. “Who was it then?”
slowly lifted his hand. “No way” she laughed. “What the hell were you thinking?”
“I think I wasn’t thinking…”
grinned… “Okay, so at least I know why I am wearing this” she said causing to smile too. “But it was a hell of a night” he stated.
“Yes, it was. I didn’t expect you guys to be that funny…”
“Well, I didn’t expect you too be that crazy either… I mean… not everyone would strip in front of their nana’s house…”
’s eyes widened. “Strip?”
“Oh… you did the whole thing… the moving hips… the shaking… the unbuttoning… the undressing… it was… a1” he said and grabbed an apple from the basket… the only one that was left there.
“You are kidding right?” she asked concerned.
“I tell ye, your grandma wasn’t that amused…” and suddenly he started to giggle. opened her eyes widely and leaned forward to hit his arm. “You scared me!”
laughed. “You should have seen your face” he laughed and did so too.
“Ha ha, ” she said and poked out her tongue. “And what’s your offence this time?”
“Nothing but the pool” he said and shrugged his shoulders.
“How come I don’t believe you?” she asked and smirked.
“Okay, okay” said . “Maybe I did something else…”
“What else?”
“I can’t tell you” he said cheekily.
“Yes you can… It’s easy… use some words…” she smirked.
“No… you would only hit me again” he pointed at his arm where she had given him a light pat. She rolled her eyes…
“Okay, I tell you” he said and took a sip from her mug and placed it back in front of her. He got up from the stool and walked around the island. He leaned forward and spoke right into her ear… in such a low voice that thought she might have heard wrong. “I kissed you…”
’s stomach was doing somersaults and her heart was racing. She felt his breath on her skin and shivered. “You are joking” she said unconvinced.
“Am I?” he whispered.
“Yeah… I would remember…”
“Do you?”
She shook her head swallowing hard. He hadn’t moved an inch… “I was right in front of you and you were struggling to get a glass in this very kitchen. So I helped you… then I leaned in and… kissed your neck… like this” he said and suddenly felt how his lips touched the right side of her neck and he placed a butterfly kiss on it. “Then I placed a kiss there” he said and kissed her right beneath her right ear. shivered again and felt how all the butterflies in the world were right now flying around in her belly… “Then you shivered and I looked at you” his eyes were meeting hers. “And I kiss you right here” he said and leaned in. felt how his lips touched hers and an incredible rush of warmth and love filled her body and soul. She wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him back… She felt how relief washed over her body like the first time she had touched him… and she felt satisfied and light.
“Hello—uuuu” The kissers parted and both their heads turned to the big kitchen door where was leaning against its frames. “A good morning, love brids” he grinned and stepped forward. “Have you slept well?”
turned pink and coughed while moving his thumb along his lips. He raised his brows and looked at . “Great timing, mate” he said and touched his head while turning away from who did the same.
“I go searching my clothes” she said and headed towards the door when suddenly appeared. She had a huge smile on her face… “I soo have great plans for to night” she smiled and sat down onto the bar. “I’m not gonna tell you but I think we’ll have a hell of a night” she smiled. “Are you joining us, ?”
looked at her and shook her head. “Sorry… I promised my grandma to go and see …”
“ ? Your cousin?”
nodded. “Yes but I wish you all a great laugh.”
“Oh, I think we’ll have that one” smiled cheekily. giggled and left the kitchen. She knew that was following her and when she reached the garden he was already outside as well…
“About the kiss” he started and paused. He didn’t know how to put this into words… “I didn’t mean to… catch you off guard…”
“It’s okay” smiled puzzled fishing her shirt out of the pool.
“I hope you’re not staying away tonight because of what have happened…”
got up and wringed out her jeans. She shook her head and smiled. “No… I really have to go to see …”
smiled. “Can I call you?”
“I call you” she grinned and winked at him.
“Can I be sure of that?”
“Tell me?” she asked and raised her brows… she then leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “I take it as a yes” he mumbled surprised.
“I call you, ” she smiled and went inside again.


Chapter 11

was sitting with her nana in ’s dining room. lived in a beautiful house… about two hours away from Dublin… fell asleep on the couch and was playing with her toys. They have talked for two hours already… and enjoyed being in their company. She realised that ’s plan to take off some time was indeed a good one.
listened to ’s story about how once put a lego stone into his nose and how they needed to see the doctor about it, when she suddenly felt a strange feeling. Her stomach was twitching… she felt cold all of a sudden and her head started to ache… it was like something inside of it was hitting her skull… A pounding started to appear in her ears and was making it nearly impossible to hear any other voices. Go! She suddenly heard a whisper…
“ , are you okay?” widened her eyes and looked at who was staring back with a puzzled expression. Call him!
“Would you excuse me for one moment?” she asked and got up from the table.
“Sure” said still puzzled. nodded feeling that the pounding and twitching disappeared now that she was moving. She went into the bathroom and locked the door. Taking out her mobile she dialled his number… she waited… the first free line signal… she swallowed heavily… the second…
“Everything’s fine” she mumbled to herself… the third… “He will answer”… the fourth… her stomach started to twitch again… the fifth… her heart was beating heavier… the-
“Hello?”
“ !” she called out in relief.
“ ?” he asked.
“ ” she said once more now calming down.
“Hey… what’s wrong?” he asked and she could tell that a smile was on his face.
“Nothing… I… I just… I told you I would call” she said trying to stop her heart from beating unnecessarily fast.
“Yeah… you did” he smiled.
“ … one thing…” she started. “Are you fine?”
There was a pause and could tell that he was a bit irritated by the intensity that came with the question. “Yeah, I am… why?”
She could literally feel the load being taken off her mind… “Thank goodness” she whispered more to herself… “I just… I was worried but hey” she said now in a happier tone. “Where are you right now?
Where is it that took you all?”
“Would you believe” she heard laughing. “We have just passed the gate to a… haunted house.”
nearly dropped her mobile. “What the-“ she started and inhaled deeply to regain some concentration. “A haunted house?”
“Yes… crazy, I know” he laughed.
“No, no, no, … listen to me… where is it?”
“I don’t know” he said getting confused. “ ” he called out. “Where are we?”
“Sally Gap” heard her saying. She inhaled and spoke quickly. “Are you freakin’ out of your mind? Listen, … what ever you do… get into the car and drive home… all of you… now!”
There was silence… “ ?” she asked into the horn. Silence.
“ ?” she asked louder, tapping against her mobile. Still no one answered.
She cursed, closed her phone and felt how the twitching disappeared and so all the other symptoms. She unlocked the door and rushed out of it. “ I’ve just made this ca- what are you doing?”
asked when she saw how grabbed her jacket. “I have to leave… I- I can’t explain. I’ll pick up nana… tomorrow… I have go to… See ye” she just said and ran out of the door into her car and at once she made her way out of the parking lot she put the pedal down and tried to get as fast as possible to and the others.

“ ?” he asked into the phone but no one answered.
“ ?” he said again and tapped against it. He looked at the display. “No signal…” he said and looked at the others. It was already dark outside and only four flashlights lightened their way.
“Do you guys have any signal?” he asked and one after the other they took out their mobiles. They shook their head.
“Oh, come on… nothing’s gonna happen” said and smiled. “We’re just going in there… doing a little sight-seeing tour and then… we leave…”
Everyone rolled their eyes… they all felt uncomfortable going in there but… excitement was running through everyone’s veins.
“Okay, then, let’s go…”
watched how and made their way first towards the door of the house. He turned around and looked at the black gates… “ !” he heard calling his name. He turned back towards the house and saw right in font of the door. “You’re coming?”
nodded and rushed towards the door as well… ignoring the shivers that this house gave him.

“!” yelled into her mobile. She was still about an hour away from Sally Gap where that house was.
“I need you to find out all about the haunted house near Sally Gap in Ireland…”
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “ ’s in there… and my other friends…”
“Wait… ?” she asked in an excited tone. “You’ve met him again?”
“ , focus!” she yelled again.
“I’m sorry, … I’m not at home… I’m in a pub…”
“Shit!” cursed and finished the call immediately. She dialled another one and waited.
“Hello?”
“Bob!” she said.
“ , what’s wrong?”
“What do you know about a haunted house near Sally Gap in Ireland?”
“Sally Gap, you say?”
“Yes…” she confirmed.
“Just the story really… not much”
“Go and check… please, Bob, try to find as much as possible and call me right the moment you know something.”
“But what’s-“
“We run out of time! Just, please, do it, Bob!”

was the last one of the group. He was right behind holding a flashlight and looking around. They were now entering the living room… “Wow, someone could have at least cleaned this place-“ said rolling her eyes seeing how much dust was covering the floor.
shook his head and pointed the flashlight towards the commode… there was a picture. He moved slowly towards it and took it into his hands. “Look, that must have been his family…” he said and and looked at the pictures as well. “There… these five must have been his daughters… and this one… his wife…”
“Wow… he definitely was outnumbered” laughed and tapped the picture frame… and before he knew it splattered into pieces… “ !” snapped and bended down to reach out for the picture.
“You eejit, you broke it.”
“Sorry… it’s not like he looks at it anymore…”
“Well, maybe he DOES!” screamed and nudged ’s side really hard. He startled and turned around to see kneeling on the floor laughing. “You should have seen your face. I swear you jumped like five feet high…” ”Hilarious, ” said and grabbed her chest. “You gave me a heart attack as well…”
shook his head and looked around again. “Hey, ” he said looking at another photo. “Do you know what happened to the family?”
Everyone now listened to speaking. “Well… it’s said that the family used to live here around the First World War. The father is said to have killed his five daughters and his wife.”
“Killed?” repeated scared.
“Yeah… well, that’s what my brother told me…”
“Andrew?” asked .
“Yes… he told me about this farm here and well… this photo shows that he had indeed five girls and a wife.”
rolled his eyes. “You do know that your brother told you total bull, right?”
smiled at him. “Yeah, probably, but it’s still exciting to be here…”
shook his head in disbelief… how thick can a person be? He shivered when he felt a cold rush of air touching his back. “Who opened the window?” he asked and turned around.
“What window?” asked and looked around. “They are all closed…”
contracted his brows. In fact no one was even near a window. “Oh…” was all he said.

picked up the phone while turning into the road that leaded to Sally Gap. “Bob” she said…
“ , whoever is in that house… you need to get them out of there!”
“What did you find out?”
“Without a doubt it’s haunted… and it’s not just one ghost in there.”
“What do you mean?”
“ , it’s a whole family.”
“A family?”
“Get them all out of there.”
exhaled heavily. A whole family… how was she going to deal with a whole family?
“Try to trap them…”
“Will they disappear when I burn that house down?”
“You can try. I’m not sure…”
“Okay… thanks, Bob.”
“Call me when you’re safe…”

“Okay… it’s getting really cold, isn’t it?” said breathing into her hands in order to make them stop feeling numb. was feeling it too, but he couldn’t explain. The moment they have entered the house it felt warm… or at least… not cold… but now according to the goosebumps on his back it must be at least 3° C.
“So… does anyone want to go into the basement?” asked raising her brows.
“The basement?” asked .
“Are you a chicken or what?” asked .
“No, I’m not but I don’t think it’s fair to the people who lived here to sneak around in there private things…”
“It’s not like they’d bother…”
“But I still don’t think we should-”
And suddenly there was a heavy gust of wind that caused a table full of different things to tilt forwards and scatter them onto the entire floor. The door have burst open and the wind didn’t stop. heard and screaming and saw and covering them. did grabbed hold on a windowsill… saw how a vase flew through the room and hit right on his leg… he collapsed. Suddenly there was a loud bang and the wind stopped. Everything calmed down and at once hurried over to . “Are you okay?” he asked feeling his voice was shaky.
“My leg” he said and grabbed it. “It hurts…”
“Let me see” said suddenly a voice beside and he startled when he turned his face to see her kneeling beside him. “ ?” he asked.


Chapter 12

“Where does it hurt?” she asked but he didn’t need to answer… the blood already showed the way to the injury. “It needs to be stitched” she said and tore the jeans open right where the cut was.
“Stitched?” repeated horrified.
“Yeah” she said and nodded… “But this should help for now” she calmed and started to bandage the cut with a white pressure bandage. “ , what are-“ started again.
“Shut up!” she hissed and continued to treat ’s leg. After two minutes of silence she got up and reached for a chair. She pulled it closer and set the table upright. “Sit down, ” she said. “And put your leg onto the table.”
did what he was told and watched who was now hurrying to her bag… “You know” she started but didn’t look at the others. “I wonder what genius told you guys to come and visit a haunted place…”
She turned around and looked at the group of people in front of her. They looked like school kids being rebuked for something. She shook her head and searched her bag…
“What have happened?” asked and heard the fear in her voice.
“What have happened? I tell you what have happened… you woke up the damn ghosts…”
looked at her puzzled and contracted her brows. “Excuse me?” She looked at and then her eyes wandered to every other person. “You are joking, right?” she said now with a giggle.
turned around angrily. “Look at ” she snapped. “Does it look like I’m joking?”
She was now holding a book in her hand… with the other one she rubbed her forehead.
“What are you doing here?” asked suddenly.
looked at him with a mad expression. “Saving you…”
“Why saving? We were fine” said probably as irritated as everyone else…
“Fine?” she asked and pointed at . “You call that fine? I heard your screams from a hundred miles…”
rolled her eyes. “I want to leave… can we leave?”
She looked at who nodded his head. “You can’t leave…” stated reading something in her book.
“Shut up, . You were so much cooler yesterday… right now, you appear like a total freak…” snapped and headed towards the door.
“Get back here!” ordered in a loud voice.
“What the-“ said and looked at her. “Why are you shouting? And why are you telling me what to do…” shook her head in disbelief and turned around the knob of the door. It was locked… she rattled it but it was locked…
“Open the door” ordered looking fiercely at .
“Get back here!” she shouted once more but this caused to rattle it even more when she suddenly felt a hit on her chest which caused her to hit the opposite wall really hard. ran towards the door and grabbed something from under the jacket. gasped when she recognised what it was. was pointing at something at the door and a loud bang went off again. “Get her into the living room” yelled and gave another shot… and another one… slowly backing towards the living room. Once inside she reached for something in her bag and threw it towards .
“Scatter the salt along the walls…”
did as he was told. “The line is not allowed to be broken… it has to be an entirely closed line!” grabbed her ears when another shot could be heard. There was another shot and then closed the door immediately. “Give me the salt!” she said and threw the rest in the bag towards her. She drew a line right in front of the door and stepped back… She checked the room and exhaled… the line was closed. She put the gun back where it was and looked at the others and started with an angry giggle.
“Hey, I gotta question. You do see a lot of horror movies, right?”
Everyone looked at her. “Right?” she asked again and everyone nodded.
“Good, do me a favour, the next time you see one, pay attention! When someone says a place is haunted… don’t go in!”
She took off her jacket and tossed it towards her bag.
“What was that? And why are you carrying a gun with you?” asked in shock.
“That my dear was Mr. Graham and his five beautiful daughters… the owners of this house… and I’m carrying this” she pointed to her waistband “to rescue your ass.”
“So this house is really haunted?” asked .
“Oh no, actually we’re all here on Punk’d… wait a moment and Ashton Kutscher will come out of his hidden place” she said in a sarcastic tone.
“So… you’re shooting Casper right into his head? Not really smart is it?” he assumed.
“It’s not typical ammunition” she said. “This thing here is filled with rock salt…”
“Rock salt…” repeated .
“Yes rock salt… it shocks ghosts for a few moments… and these few moments give us time to handle…”
“You could have killed someone of us…”
“Rock salt doesn’t kill people, stupid” she said. “It hurts like hell but it doesn’t kill you…”
“How come you know all that stuff?” suddenly said something for the first time. looked at him…
“I’ve got some practice…”
“Tell me more” he said and his face was dead serious.
figured that it was no way around it this time. It was like she was caught red-handed. She swallowed and started.
“When I was twelve my mum died… in fact she got murdered by something… my dad used to call it ‘the life sucking demon’. Since that day my father hunted these things... I lived at my nana’s but whenever he could he would pick me up and take me along to his trips. So… I learned everything I needed to know when I was with him. How to fake IDs… how to break into a house… how to shoot… how to exorcise… how to trap a demon… I’ve learned the basics… and then he died… murdered by the same thing that killed my mum. I was sixteen, still living with my nana, still going to school… I knew that I couldn’t do anything as long as I had to go to school… so I kept counting the days until my graduation and the day after… I left. I had some connections telling me the demon was in England… so I travel Britain since. For six years now… I’ve never been in college… and I didn’t study tourism… I was hunting… all the time. That’s what I mean when I say I’ve got practice…”
looked at her… “You’re a freak, you know that?”
“Yeah maybe, but that freak just saved your ass…”
was going to protest but fell kept quiet. See, did have a point when she said it…
“So there are supernatural beings in our world?” asked trying to get smart of what just told him. looked at him and the moment she had met his eyes she looked away nodding slowly.
“This… this spirit… that’s nothing compared to what’ve seen before but still we have to be careful. We don’t know how powerful this thing is… or rather… these things.”
“Things? There’s more than one ghost?” asked .
“What do you know about this house?” asked and looked at the others.
“All I know is that a family used to live here around 1914 and that the father killed his daughters-“
stopped when there was a rattle at the door… they startled and hugged even closer.
looked at the door… irritated.
“That’s all?” she asked. nodded.
“The First World War started in 1914… Finley Graham was scared to be recruited to fight against Germany because this would have meant the end for his farm… and therefore for his family. Knowing that the overseas peril was getting closer, he was afraid of Ireland getting bombarded… so, it’s said that he killed his daughters… and then himself. His wife was able to escape.”
There was a loud rattle at the door and everyone startled. contracted her brows and looked at the door.
“So now he wants to kill us?” asked shocked.
“Probably… of course, I don’t know the exact reason but… I’m pretty sure that he wants it.”
Another rattle.
“Why don’t we just leave?” asked whipping away a tear that was rolling down her cheek.
“We’re locked, don’t you get it? They’re keeping us inside…”
“So what do you want to do then?” asked .
“They won’t let us leave… so we have to kill them… “
“How are you going to kill something that already dead?” snapped getting up from the floor.
“We’re all going to die.”
“Can somebody please control her?” asked looking at the guys. “I’ve got a plan…”
“What plan?” asked getting closer.
“I can’t tell you… but I need your help…”
“We need to distract them” she said and looked at . “I need to speak to the father…”
“Why would you do that?”
She leaned in and whispered into his ear. “I think the father’s controlling his daughters. I think he gives them instructions… and he’s binding them to him. If we kill the father, we might be able to free his children and therefore make everyone leave this place.”
looked at her. “How are you going to speak to him?”
“I know how... I will leave the living room and you need to paint this for me on the floor and then put something over it. The carpet… please don’t screw it, … it needs to look exactly like this… just bigger” she showed him picture. looked at it and nodded. She handed him a piece of chalk and put out her gun…
She looked at the others. “Whatever you might hear… don’t leave the living room…” she stated.
“But what-“ started and looked at her.
“No buts” she stressed. “You will not leave this room, okay? You guys have to promise” she said and looked into each face seeing them nodding. She inhaled deeply.
“See you…” She stepped outside the door and closed it behind her. knelt down at once in the middle of the room ordering and to move the furniture out of the way. They did as they were told and started to draw something on the wooden floor.

did one step after another. She wasn’t scared… but felt slightly uncomfortable walking around a house at night with six angry spirits wanting to kill her.
“Hello?” she shouted. “I’m here… wanna play?”

looked at Jaime. “Does she want to commit suicide or something?”

felt a light breeze blowing through her hair. There was something close to her. She could feel it and suddenly she felt a sharp pain on her head and found herself lying on the floor. She felt how something pulled her on her feet. It pulled her along the hallway…
“Fuck” she cursed and tried to turn around. Realising it was impossible without twisting her angles she shot blind behind her. And the pulling stopped. At once she jumped up running upstairs… she felt how they were following her. “Oh yeah, come on” she shouted and kept running.

opened her eyes even wider when she heard something hitting the floor and a yelp. “Do you think she-“
“Stop talking, !” snapped and concentrated on the sound outside. Everyone jumped slightly when they heard a shot. He got up and looked at the door. “ !” he said causing her to look up at him terrified. “You need to finish this,” he handed her the picture. “It needs to look exactly like this… you hear me?”
She nodded and knelt down at once to continue drawing. walked over to ’s bag and looked inside. It was packed with all sorts of guns and pistols… he didn’t know what would help. But then he noticed that one gun and took it into his hands.
“Where are you going?” asked when he saw moving towards the door.
“I need to help her” he said and opened the door. rushed over and pulled him back inside. “She made us promise to stay inside” he stressed.
“I can’t let her be alone out there” he hissed and pushed away from the door. “She might need help…”
“You heard her… she has practise… you might ruin her hunt-“
“Oh yeah, come on!”
looked at the door where they heard her voice. He looked at . “I need to help her, . I need to protect her…”
sighed and looked at the other. He then opened the door. “Come on, then” he said to and both stepped outside.


Chapter 13

went in every room causing as much chaos as possible. She threw everything round in order to cause all the attention of the ghosts in their direction. Feeling that the pain hadn’t vanished yet she touched her head and soon found a big red spot on her finger.
“Oh, I will kill you” she cursed and stepped into the bathroom. She opened the medicine cabinet and looked at it. “Hmm… there was someone who forgot to take their sedatives…” she yelled into nothingness and let it drop onto the floor. “No wonder you went wacko-“ Suddenly she heard the door shutting behind her.
She spun around but before she could do anything she was pressed against the wall. “Hey ho… easy boy” she said when her gun slipped out of her hands. Her head pressed also against the wall which made it ache even worse. “Let us talk about it” she said knowing that it was not good news that she was the one who was being pressed against the wall. Her eyes widened when something turned on the tap and water filled the bath with an incredible speed.
“You don’t really want to do that, do you?” she asked a bit desperate. And suddenly a girl with braided hair and a white dress stood in front of her. She smirked and the water flew even faster…
“Okay, does your daddy tell you to do so?” she asked and tried to speak calm but it felt like something was choking her.
“You don’t need to listen to him… you hear me… you can all be free. I will-“
She felt how her head hit the wall. It got pushed backwards and caused to moan. “Okay, I will kill all of you, you know that? First I will kick your butt… then your sisters’… and then your freakin’ father’s!”
The girl smirked and vanished and before she knew ’s head was being pulled under water. She tried to pull it out of it but her hands slipped away over the edge of the bath. They were too strong… she heard giggling and she opened her eyes she found the faces of five girls looking at her. Their faces were misty and not real. Then she heard them screaming… it was like they were in pain and felt two arms around her. They pulled her… and pulled again but it felt like they weren’t strong enough. The girls screamed more… and pulled even more at ’s head until they gave up and ’s head got spun out of the water. She fell onto the floor lying on someone. She breathed in heavily… coughing… grasping for some air. Her heart was beating… She coughed even more and she was cold. She felt how two hands touched her face and she looked right into ’s eyes. “ , you hear me?” he asked.
She nodded feeling how much her head ached. “We need to get her into the living room” said another voice and she heard talking under her. pulled her up and followed ’s example. “No” she coughed. “Give me the gun” she said and pointed at the gun on the floor. “You are bleeding, ” stated and touched her head.
“It’s nothing… a little cut” she said and rubbed the water from her face. Her hair was drenched wet and so her top. looked at her suspiciously. “I promise” she said. He nodded and looked at her. “What did you do to the spirits?” asked .
“We poured salt into the water” said looking at .
giggled. “You are brilliant, you know that?”
They smiled shyly. “But now you have to go back into the living room… I will go and make the father go after me…”
’s eyes widened and he pointed over ’s shoulder. “I think you already have…” turned around and saw an angry looking man with a board in his hand. He reached back ready to launch it at them but was faster and shot right into his stomach. The man vanished immediately giving them time to run away.
“Come on… into the living room” she yelled and at once and were out the door being followed by her.
They hurried downstairs into the kitchen. bumped into who stopped dead track. glanced as well over ’s shoulder. “What the fu-“
“UPSTAIRS!” yelled when saw how the knife block started to shake. She let them pass and followed them and then she heard how some of the knife hit the wall. She turned around and saw five knives pinned in the wall of the staircase. “Hurry!” she demanded and ran even faster.
“Go to the other staircase” yelled . “There is no other staircase” replied .
“Damn it” she hissed and they stopped. “Okay… into this room,” she ordered and a moment later she was closing it behind her. She thought for a moment and looked around. They were locked inside the laundry room. The window was locked and it was just a moment of time when the spirit was entering this room. Her glance wandered to the little door. “Open that little door over there” she said and pointed at it. opened it and looked inside.
“I think it’s leading into the basement” he said. heard how the door started to rattle. “Jump inside” she said and looked hesitantly at the hole. He then shrugged his shoulders and let himself drop down and so did . gave him an encouraging nod before he did so. She then made her way over and followed the guys. She slide down pipe and landed right next to on the hard wooden floor. She compressed her lips in order to suppress a yelp in pain. She had landed on her wrist and it did hurt like hell. She got up and startled when she heard curse. She walked over to his side and looked at the wall. Kill to revenge was written on the wall and there lay two corpses on the floor right below it. touched his shoulder and turned him around. She looked into his eyes. “We need to get out of here” she said and looked at who nodded. She walked up the staircase to open the door but it was locked.
“I don’t have much rock salt left inside the gun” she claimed and looked around. “And I won’t be able to shot the lock away with rock salt.”
“What about that?” asked and took out the gun he took from ’s bag. ’s eyes widened. “You took it from my bag?” she asked.
“I’m sorry I d-“
“Don’t” she said and a smile appeared on her face. “It’s exactly what we need” she smiled and took it from him. She aimed at the lock and turned her head away. With a loud bang the lock shattered into pieces and the door sprung open. rushed outside and towards the living room door once she opened it everyone inside startles. and got inside when suddenly felt the rush of air coming towards her she looked at the floor… the line was gone. The air scattered the salt inside the room… the protection was broken. looked behind her and felt a hard hit on her head. She stumbled backwards and fell onto the floor… right on her butt. She looked up and saw Mr. Graham moving towards her. screamed in scare when crawled backwards. But then they all got pushed against the wall, leaving alone on the floor.
“Free my children” he demanded in a firm voice.
“That’s rich, coming from you” said in a sarcastic tone. She looked at who was struggling to move.
“I said free them!” he spat.
“To let them kill me, no way” she shouted. “They’d be free if you hadn’t killed them!”
suddenly saw the rage in his eyes. He raised his hands and moved even faster towards her. crawled even faster backwards. “I kill you!” he spat. felt the couch behind her back and she knew that she couldn’t go any further. She closed her eyes when he raised his fist right in front of her. She heard yelling a no but… nothing happened. She opened her right eye and looked up again. Then her second eye opened and she grinned. Her friends were already lying on the floor able to move again.
“What has happened?” asked Graham confused.
With a big grin on her face looked at the floor causing Graham to follow her gaze. “Trapped you.”
Graham looked up again and tried to get out of the circle but he wasn’t able to move out of it. “Get me out of here” he demanded in a furious tone.
“See… I don’t know if I can do that” said and got up from the floor. She touched her lip where she bled and looked at the others seriously. “Take your things and get out of here.”
didn’t need to be asked again. She already made her way outside with . looked at and . “Take with you” she said and they did as they were told. Her glance wandered to . “Leave” she said.
“I won’t leave you” he said firmly.
“I said leave” she demanded but he did not move.
“I’m sorry your dad didn’t teach you how to be forcing enough” suddenly Graham’s voice broke the silence. ’s head spun around and faced him. “What did you just say?”
“I said I was sorry that your father died too soon” he said with a smirk. “Now he has to live a thousand lifetimes in hell…”
“He is not in hell” she said.
“Yes he is… and all the other demons are having a lot of fun with him.”
“You are lying” she said and needed to swallow down the tears that were stinging up.
“Na na” said Graham. “You’re going to cry?”
“I’m going to kill you” she said through gritted teeth.
“Do it” he said. “And I’m going to show your father exactly what I think about that idea.”
“You touch him and I swear to God that I will come down to hell and hunt each and everyone of you little suckers down.”
Graham looked into her eyes and for a moment the smirk disappeared. “ , go!” she demanded not breaking the eye contact with Graham. “I won’t” he claimed. looked at him and saw determination in his eyes.
“Why are you forcing him to leave?” Graham asked and looked at her with a smile. “Your father did so be glad he doesn’t” he said. felt the provocation and inhaled deeply.
“At least he didn’t kill his own child” she spat in detested.
Graham’s face got darker. “At least I didn’t leave them.”
“But you KILLED THEM!” shouted on top of her lungs. “You finished their lives! YOU KILLED YOUR OWN FLESH!”
“I DID NOT KILL THEM!” he shouted back.
felt quiet. “Memory lapse?”
“It was their mother” he hissed in a low and aggressive voice. “And the day she did it I swore that I will revenge my daughters for what she had done.”
“By killing strangers?” she yelled again.
“By killing any human being that comes to this place to amuse themselves. Our death shall not be an attraction.”
“I could end this” soothed .
“You want to end this?” he mocked.
“Don’t you want your daughters to rest?”
Graham looked at . “Can’t you see that you are doing them no favour?”
“I cannot let them leave” he said.
“You have to. Don’t you love them?”
Graham’s glance wandered to the floor and for the first time did not see the spirit but the father he still was. “Don’t they deserve to rest?”
Graham nodded his head. “What’s dead should stay dead” said . “There should not be a world in between.”
“Can you free us?” asked Graham.
looked at him. “If you tell me where your bones lie…”
“In the backyard” he said after a few moments of silence.
“I will make this end…” said and grabbed her bag.
Graham watched her packing her things. “Can I be with my daughters?”
looked at him. “You will be… just wait a few more moments.”
And with that she left the living room being followed by . She walked through the kitchen right out of the backdoor into the backyard.
“What are you going to do?”
did not listen she walked into the stable and looked around. When she found a shovel she left it again. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to cremate the bones…”
“You are going to dig out a grave?” he asked shocked.
turned to face him. “Do you think this is a great job to do? Do you think I fancy seeing five little skeletons being burned?”
shook her head and turned around again to start digging out the grave. “Aren’t you mad at him for what he said about your father?”
“He lied” said and didn’t say anything more.
“Are you sure?”
“HE LIED, OKAY?!” she snapped in a firm voice.
looked at her. And saw ’s eyes focused on the ground in front of her. “So you want to free him?”
“Are you kidding me? Haven’t you seen the bodies in the basement? I need to free him… even if he’s not with his daughters anymore… he’s a danger and we need to get rid of him.”
“Why do you think he won’t see them again?”
“Because he’s a killer… killers end up in hell… Everyone knows that…”
went quiet and watched her digging out the grave. Once she was finished with the father’s ones she poured some salt over it and petrol. She took a brick into her hand and lit it. Once there was a little flame she tossed it into the grave seeing it burning the skeleton.
They heard screams from inside the house and within a few moments everything went silent again.
looked towards the house. “Is it over?” asked .
nodded. “Yes… he’s gone.”
“What about the daughters?”
“We need to burn their bones as well. Only then we can be sure that they are gone too.”
nodded and took hold of the shovel. He started digging. “What are you doing?” asked . “Take a break” he said to her. “I will do this.”
“You don’t need to.”
“But I want to” he claimed and looked her into the eyes. “You don’t have to do this alone.”
“Yes, I have to” she responded and took the shovel out of his hands. “ , you have to leave…
what you have seen today was never meant to… surface.”
“Surface?”
“This is my secret… it shouldn’t be yours.”
“But now it’s mine too.”
“I know” she said and took a step forward. “Go home…”
“No I don-“
“Please” said and her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want you close when I do my job.”
“I can’t leave you here alone… what if-“
“Nothing will happen… I will finish this and then I will leave this place and I will drive home. And now go” she said and pushed him slightly backwards. When she touched his chest she could feel the hurt inside her heart. It wasn’t because she asked him to leave and that she knew that he now would leave… it was rather the whole exhaustion. All the fright that she had since she heard that he was in a haunted house now wanted to leave her body. She wanted to cry but wouldn’t allow him to see her tears. So she needed him to leave.
didn’t say another word but just turned around and walked towards the house. watched him walking away and finally her tears were falling down. She realised how close she had been to loose him. What if she hadn’t called him? What if she wouldn’t have made it in time? He turned left and vanished behind the corner. A few moments later she heard how the engine started and how the car drove away. Her friends were now safe and relief filled her body. She wasn’t mad because they have left. She knew that nothing will happen to her. She was aware of that… she was just glad that they were out of anybody’s reach right now.

It was a long journey home from Sally Gap. She had time to think about everything but still she couldn’t manage to stop her tears from falling down. She was crying for what felt like a whole century.
Again she wiped away the tears on her cheeks with her sleeve.
She turned left with her car and drove along a long road. She hadn’t been here before but still she knew where to go. It was like her heart was telling her the way.
Right in front of a big house parked the car and got out of it. The tears had stopped but her eyes were still red and slightly swollen. She locked her car and moved towards the front door of a white house. When she was on the little porch she stopped and inhaled. Slowly her hand raised and she knocked three times. It only took a few moments until the door opened…
She looked up from the ground straight into his eyes.
“I need you tonight” she whispered.
She stepped inside the house and the door closed.


Chapter 14

The morning sun was shining into ’s face. He had to twinkle a few times until he got used to the light inside his bedroom. The whole room was lightened up… nothing was dark anymore. The white blanket was moving up and down along to his peaceful breathing. He looked to his left where a broken girl was lying next to him. Her hair was slightly messy and her tanned skin looked beautiful surrounded by that white blanket. stroked her bare back and smelled her scent… she smelled sweet and for a chance she did look peaceful. Remembering what a state she had been yesterday when she arrived at his house he now figured that she looked pretty calmed down by now. He lay there for a few more moments and just watched her sleeping.
opened softly her eyes. It had probably been ages since she had slept this well. She looked around the sunlit room and turned around. looked into her eyes and smiled.
“Hey” she said and a melancholic smile appeared on her lips.
“Hey” responded . “Breakfast?”
shook her head. “No… I think I should hurry…”
“Hurry?” he asked.
“Yeah, I need to pick up my nana…”
She sat up and grabbed the shirt that was lying on the floor next to her. She pulled it on and grabbed her jeans. Once she was in them she turned for her jacket and her bag. was already dressed too and stood in front of her.
“Are you gonna check your head, today?” asked remembering that when she arrived yesterday with the blood spot on her head she promised him to let it check the next day. nodded remembering her words as well.
“I will go and see the doctor” she responded.
“Are you gonna call me?”
looked at him. She nodded her head slowly and pulled on her jacket. “Give me some time though” she said and paced past him.
followed her to the door and before she could walk through it he pushed it back into the frame and looked at her. “I’m not scared about what I saw this night” he said in a confident voice. looked at him and raised his brows. “But you should…”
He shook his head. “I’m worried about you… I’m scared that something might happen to you.”
“Nothing will happen to me…” she said and looked at the floor.
“Call me, !” he said again and lost hold of the door. opened it straight away and left the house. Once she was in the car she started the engine and drove away.

lay on her bed. Once she had picked up her grandma she went to the doctor and let him check her head. He said that she was foolish to not have come immediately to the hospital but just shrugged her shoulders, asked him disinfect the wound and let her go home. The doctor didn’t seem to bother and did his best with the wound. Her nana did not ask about what had happened yesterday and was very thankful for that. She wouldn’t want her to worry.
So now she was lying in bed and starred at the ceiling feeling empty. It was like she was slowly suffocating to death… she couldn’t breathe normally anymore. Every feeling that was inside of her caused her heard to ache and her lungs to cramp. It gave her the feeling of unconsciousness every now and then. What was she supposed to do now? Now that knew everything? What did he think will happen?
couldn’t deny that she developed that strong affection for this guy but still she knew that it wasn’t right. Even though they might be soul mates she knew that she would never allow him to live her life in any way… let alone be part of it. He deserved better… he deserved a life that was not threatened by anything bizarre. He deserved to live it like everyone else. It was herself that was damned and so was her family but still had a way out of it. There was still a chance that he was not lost! Not yet…
startled when she heard a knock on her door and her nana came in. “There is a girl waiting for you…”
She raised her brows and looked at her grandma. “Who?”
The door opened a bit more and stepped in. “So… taking a break from your break?”
got up and looked her friend. “What are you doing here?”
“Do you think I stay in Manchester when I hear my friend calling for help?”
hugged her and dragged her onto her bed. smiled at her and raised her brows. “So what did I miss?”
“A whole lot of things” she smiled and for the first time since a very long time realized how much she relied on … in so many ways. started to tell her what have happened since she had been in Dublin and above all what have happened last night. Once she was finished looked at her closely. Her mouth was pouted and her eyes had a curious glance…
“So you killed six spirits all by yourself?”
“Once I was out of the house it wasn’t really such a big deal. All I had to do was to cremate the bones.” “And what did do?”
shook her head and contracted her brows. “He saw me cremating the man’s bones but when he wanted to dig out the children’s bones I sent him home. It isn’t a picture that you forget easily. They were just children you know…”
nodded. “I don’t even think I could have handled it.”
smiled wearily. “And that’s it… the house not haunted anymore. And to be totally aware of it… I burned it as well.”
nodded because she understood what was doing and above all why she had done it. Every other person would have looked shocked and disgusted and might have even called her crazy and immature… after all it was illegal… but that did not matter- not for . She knew that she could only be absolutely sure that a house is not haunted anymore when the house does not exist. She did not always do it but knew that must have had a reason.
“Does know?”
shook her head. “No… I think he knows too much already.”
“So you haven’t seen him since you’ve sent him away?”
A guilty yet sad smile appeared on her lips. “I drove to his place after I set the house on fire…”
“And?”
“I slept with him…”
’s eyes widened. “No way… why- how- I mean… no way!”
rubbed her eyes. “I did… I felt… lonely… and scared. I needed to be with him… I needed to know he was safe that night.”
“Or did you feel like you needed to be safe that night?”
looked into ’s eyes and as much as she wanted to shake her head and laugh at ’s words, she couldn’t find the power to do so, because she was right. She needed to feel safe… for the first time ever she felt like… he could protect her.
“So what did you tell him when you got there?”
“That I need him…”
“Do you think it’s time for you to settle down?” asked in an irritating tone. looked more closely at her and shook her head. “What do you think? I can stop leading this life and settle down and start a family? That I will stay here in Dublin growing old and bold?”
“You think you’ll be bold when you’re old?” asked seriously.
“ … focus on the not-random part” she said raising her brows.
winked at her and a smiled appeared on her lips. “Maybe it’s time for that . Maybe you have gone through enough of things… Maybe it’s time for someone else to take your job. Maybe you can be normal again.”
‘Normal’ she recalled in her head. She had never been normal. Nothing in her life has ever gone the normal way. She did not grow up with a father that worked nine to five and a mother picking her up from school. She did not have a mother who she could ask about what the first kiss feels like… She did not have a father who would take her to the lake and do some fishing. Her father was not mad at her for stealing the car with 15 years to drive to a friend of hers because she called for help. He was not mad that her marks weren’t the best. Nothing… absolutely nothing was normal in her life. So how could it now be? Was there the slightest chance that it might change?
“Why are you saying that?” asked calmly and carefully.
took a deep breath. “I met someone, ” she said. “He’s… gorgeous. He’s the perfect gentleman… he’s funny… and smart. He’s handsome and at the same time so… easy-going.”
watched talking about the guy she had met and saw the smile on ’s face growing bigger and bigger. She couldn’t do anything different then smile along with her although she knew what she had to do. And it broke her heart.
“You want to be with him, right?” she asked.
nodded slowly. “I thought about it after you have called me for help. I’m not ready to let this slip away… I am not okay with letting him slip away. But then again… , you saved my life three years ago. I promised you to help you with everything… I promised somehow… loyalty” she said and tears were on the edge of falling down her cheeks.
took her hand. “You have been loyal enough. I didn’t ask of you to stay with me. It was your choice and if it’s your choice to go back home… I will be the last to tell you not to.”
wiped away her tears and smiled at her. “Go home, . Have a life… full of brightness and happiness and… babies…” she giggled and winked at her. “I know you can do it. That’s your fate… you’re not chosen for my life style. You were a chapter of it but now it’s time for your finish…”
“You should really stop reading those heavy books” she sobbed and hugged . “I don’t feel okay leaving you alone.”
got out of the hug and looked at her. “You’re not leaving me alone. It’s the way it goes and you’re not out of life forever. I promise I will come and visit you whenever I’m in Manchester.”
“No, call me every time you need help and more. I want to know that you’re fine, … don’t let me ever think you might be dead.”
nodded. “Okay” was everything she said and suddenly her own tears were stinging up. So life can change. was able to change it again… maybe there was a chance for her as well-

has left Dublin the same night. accompanied her to the airport and once they said their goodbyes she turned around and left again, not wanting to make the parting even harder for herself nor for . She sat into her car and made her way home. When she got to a big crossroad she hesitated and instead of turning right she made her way straight ahead. Once she parked the car in front of a big gate she inhaled and got out of it. She stepped forward and pressed the bell.
“Who’s there?” there was a voice. She sounded scared… and uneasy.
“ …”
There was a long silence. They did not open the gate nor did they answer. tried again. “Let me talk to you…”
Another moment of silence before closed her eyes and turned around. She was about to get into her car when she heard the gate being opened. Quickly she turned on the engine and drove up the way to the front door.
She parked behind another car and got out of it. It was a cold night and regretted that she didn’t wear a jacket. She knocked on the door and it got opened by-
“ ?” she asked. He smiled at her wearily and welcomed her in. She got inside and looked around. There were jackets in the hallway… which meant that and were having guests. “Who’s here?” she asked.
“Everyone. , and … and well… the owner of the house” he tried to joke but there was no smile on his face. nodded and made her way to the loving room but once she had opened the door everyone felt quiet and looked away. They didn’t want to meet her eyes…
“Hey” she said and got inside taking one careful step after the other. She looked at who was drinking a scotch and then her glance wandered to who seemed to have red and slightly swollen eyes. felt sick… she felt like she could faint straight away.
She looked at whose leg was positioned on the couch table and could tell that it got stitched and bandaged. When she looked at she expected him to be angry but to her surprise he seemed lost and helpless. He was not… himself.
“I don’t need you to say anything, okay? Just listen…” she started and was taking off guard when she felt a big fat lump in her throat. She was close to tears…


Chapter 15

“I didn’t plan to come around tonight… let alone ever again but… there are things you need to know. Things about me, about the world we live in and about life in general. I don’t want to start off by accusing you of something but I must say it was the most stupid thing in the world to go into a haunted house. You think it was fun… but it’s not fun to be the one who has to safe you. It’s not fun hearing screams of your friends when you know that they can be dead any moment. It gives you feelings of rage and helplessness and unconsciousness. But on the other hand your brain has to work up-tempo. You’re not allowed to do the slightest mistake because that can mean death… for everyone. I know you thought that ghost stories are made up… that nothing of this is real but they are. There are such things out there… white women who seduce men to revenge their husband’s unfaithfulness… people who suck blood… people who transform into the most dangerous creatures… Those things are real. Our world is not the safe and beautiful place you want it to be. It’s dangerous… it’s dark… it’s full of secrets… but it’s not your job to worry about it. What you have seen last night was never meant for your eyes. I can’t turn back time and if I had known before that you were going to this place I would have done more then my best to prevent that… But it happened. You have seen things you will never forget and I can’t help it. But don’t let this change your life. It’s a once in a life-time experience. I’ve never met a person who experienced a supernatural thing twice in their life… except for us… hunters.” The last word caused everyone to look at .
“Hunters?” asked scared yet upset.
“Yeah” said after a short pause. “There are people who hunt these things… including me.”
“You’re a hunter?”
“Why do you think I know so much about these things? Why do you think I carry guns with me? And holy water… and daggers…”
“So… so it’s your job to search these things and kill them?”
“Yes, that sums it up pretty much…”
“Why would anyone want to do that?” asked getting angrier with each word spoke.
“Extremely bad guidance counsellor.”
rolled her eyes. “Can’t you be serious for one moment?”
“I’m serious all the time” snapped . “My whole life is serious…”
looked away. “You lied to us…”
“Yes and for a good reason. What you have seen was never meant for your eyes and now you are scared because of what you have seen.”
put the glass down. “I don’t need that…” She went out of the door. didn’t hesitate but followed her at once.
shook his head in disbelief. “I think you should go…”
“I will…” she said in a low voice. She figured that nothing that she said would make it okay… nothing would make them forget what had happened. She sighed and turned to .
“That’s it you know everything… but I wish you didn’t.”
She turned around and headed towards the door but just when she reached out for the knob she felt how someone took hold of her arm.
“I’m not scared…”
“Then don’t be such an eejit… let me go.”
shook his head. “No… why don’t you just quit this? Why don’t you start living your own life?
Without all these things? Without hunting demons and spirits and only God knows what else…”
looked at him and a smile appeared on her lips. “Because I can’t… that’s my fate, my mission.”
shook his head once more. “It doesn’t have to. Live with me… I need you around me.” He took her cheeks into his hands. “Please” he pleaded.
moved slightly forwards and kissed his lips. “I won’t forget you but it’s time to move on…”
She escaped from his hands and ran outside the door into her car and drove away…

walked down the little hill towards a little cottage. Light was still burning inside it and she knew that it was a mistake to come here but she needed to. She got the idea while driving home and decided that it was worth a try.
She knocked at the wooden door. It took a while until the door opened. looked into the woman’s face. She was a young, blond beauty…
“ ” she whispered. “I knew that you would come…”
“Can I come in?” she asked and looked at the blond woman. The woman took a step aside and allowed her entrance.
“I’m not sure if I can help you with your problem” said the women right after the moment that she had closed the door.
“You are able to… I know you are.”
“Pardon me” she said. “I must make myself clearer… I’m not sure if I want to help you with your problem.”
raised her eyes. “I know everything about you, Skara… I know how to destroy you… so don’t tell me that you don’t want to help me” she hissed.
Skara raised her brows and pouted her mouth. “You don’t know how much you’re going to harm yourself with that…”
“It’s the risk I take” stressed .
“For some human beings…” Skara said with detest.
“No… for friends.”
“You could die. Are you aware of that?”
looked straight into Skara’s eyes. “Like I said… it’s the risk I take.”
“That charm… it makes them forget what have happened… but what’s the price you pay for it? Do you really want to run the risk of dying because of them? How foolish can you be?”
“I want them to have a different life… I changed it with what have happened the past night and I want to make up for it. I need them to forget it.”
Skara looked at her and sighed. “Do you know what will happen to you?”
shook her head. She didn’t have the slightest clue what was going to happen to her during the spell. Skara already headed for a book in her shelf.
“All the feelings they had whether good or bad… all the impressions they had whether good or bad… every single thought they had whether hurtful or cheerful will run through your body. Every injury they got will appear on your body… and it will disappear… you are taking everything on your shoulders. In a moment they will forget about everything while you have to go through it again… ten times worse. It’s going to be dangerous for your heart… you run the risk of getting a heart attack in these few moments… I just hope that it’s strong enough to survive everything.”
looked at Skara. “It doesn’t matter… all I want them to is to forget everything.”
Skara shook her head in disbelief. “You are too good for this world, .”
“And you are too nice for a demon…”
Skara laughed. “Ready?”
shook her head. Skara pointed at the floor and lay down. She closed her eyes and heard Skara reading out the first lines of the spell.

“Who does she think she is?” yelled pacing the room. tried to calm her down. “ , it’s fine…”
“She’s a freak. She needs help… professional help” she snapped.
“Shut up, ” hissed causing her to look at him.
“Pardon me?”
“You should shut up!” he said once more. “You know what you saw yesterday. I know what I saw yesterday… so don’t title her mental!”
“Oh, so now you’re taking her side? we know us for four years now and you know her for a month or so… and you’re baking her up…”
“It has nothing to do about backing someone up but you have to accept what’s going on!”
“What is going on then, ? Tell me!” she yelled.

felt how the memories and the feelings pressed her onto the floor. She couldn’t open her eyes… she struggled to inhale some air but it seemed impossible. It was like something was strangling her. Skara kept on reading and a few moments later everything inside of her brain was a chaos. She heard people shouting, screaming, praying, cursing… a rush of fear ran through her body. Her heart was beating uptempo and it felt like it was going to explode in any minute. Suddenly there was a sharp pain. She felt how something hit her leg and cut it open. She felt her blood running down the side of her leg. She was losing blood… and then there was a pain in her spine. It was ’s hit against the wall. curved her back and pressed it up… the she let it drop onto the floor again. She heard different thoughts… most of them were scared. Her heart was pumping the blood even faster…

“ ?” asked who hurried to his friend’s side. He knelt down and grabbed ’s shoulder. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah… just…” he stopped and grabbed his head. He grunted and took hold of it even firmer. “My head… it feels like-“
Suddenly he felt a sharp pain on his head. He saw how got hit against the wall. “ ” he whispered. Anger was running through his body… but it was not his anger. He saw the hate in ’s eyes when she looked down at a little girl. He felt how his body filled up with this hatred. It was like every single vein in his body was filled up with it.

groaned in pain… she fisted the floor. She felt fear swallowing her body the moment when opened the bathroom door and saw her with her head under water. It was unbearable… Her head started bleeding again… she smacked it again against the floor. Her eyes were tightly closed… suddenly she heard screams… the girls’ screams. There was a moment of relief until the next emotion caught hold of her. She felt dizzy… her heart was starting to loose it. She felt how it got slower in his motions. She forced herself to open her eyes but it seemed impossible. It was like she was supposed to not wake up from the past. A lightning enlightened her mind’s eye and got again pressed unto the floor.

knelt on the floor with his two hands he grabbed his chest. Everyone was surrounding him already. “Call some help” yelled .
“No” panted . “I’m fine!”
He groaned when he heard screaming. “Stop screaming” he hissed.
Everyone looked at each other… no one was screaming.

The fear… so much fear… it was eating . She heard screaming the moment Graham appeared. Shock and panic were taking control of her body. The light was Graham… it was burning her. His presence was like fire… hell fire. screamed… a tear was rolling down her cheek. Skara stopped for a moment looking at the person lying on the floor. How much that girl struggled… how much she fought against whatever possessed her body at the moment. She kept on reading…

“It’s hot” exhaled already lying on the floor. “Air-“
“Open the window” ordered and did as she was told.
contracted his brows and closed his eyes tightly. His heart was burning…

She felt how Graham burned… how he was fighting against the flames that were coming for him. He was in pain and so was . She screamed… her heart was beating faster than ever. Every beat echoed in ’s ears. It was louder than a plane that was taking of… louder than any explosion she had ever experienced.
“Concesso” was the last word Skara read in Latin and suddenly all the motion in ’s body stopped. She was lying on the floor lifeless.

’s eyes opened abruptly and he inhaled deeply. She sat up straight and looked around… his friends were lying next to him. Everyone unconscious…
He got up and shook ’s shoulder. He was moaning but not waking up… it was like… he was asleep.
tried to wake up but he also just told him in dozily to get lost. shook his head… something weird happened and he needed to know what.
He ran to his mobile and dialled her number…

Skara looked at the ringing mobile but her attention got drawn back to the body lying on the floor. was lying in several pools of blood. One was at her head… another one on her leg… and another one right on her chest. Her white shirt was showing a big red spot. Skara ripped open the shirt and looked at her chest. Nothing… there was no wound. She touched her left breast and waited. There was no beating…


TO BE CONTINUED



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