"Make no mistake, You shan't escape
Tethered and tied
There's nowhere to hid from me
All mine, you have to be
So don't resist
We shall exist
Until the day
Until the day, I die
All mine
You have to be"
(All mine – Portishead)

- x -

"The Other"

Everything seemed strangely cold and empty.

Her sleep, that used to be so heavy and continual, was now dissolving quickly like a tenuous curtain of smoke front a more intense and cruel breeze, leaving just that thin feeling of daze that precedes the complete awaking.

Instinctively, still sleepy and lazy, her hands touched the other side of the double bed and only found the emptiness and the lukewarm contact of the sheets that seemed to burn her fingers on the place where he was before. Slowly, her eyelashes moved and her eyes accustomed to the soft silver light that made almost imprudently insinuations through the opened window, dampening the compelling mode the darkness.

Her heart failed a beat when she noted that he was standing in front of the window, eyes fixed at the sky, seeming distant and entranced by her presence.

Was there, clear, every sign of her influence on him: the anxiety that preceded the consummation of the act and then after would be replaced by the guilty and the feeling of dirt; the fists shut like he had the intention to keep that intensity that control the instincts; the irresistible attraction that made his thoughts always return to her…

Always her…

Against his wish, fighting with nails and teethes and claws he tried to resist, but in the end he always surrended. What chances had he to win against that fascination, that sickly passion that devoured his entrails and burned his rationality?

She could feel all the anguish and despair and panic before that power. Seducing him with her cold and languid voice, whispering the promise that she would be possessing him soon and would have in her power not only his thoughts, but his body that'd torn up with horror and brutal pleasure. And would make he gives up with body and soul.

It was terrifying, absolutely terrifying.

Sighing deeply, Tonks freed her body of the sheets and got up of the bed. Calmly straightened her colored hair and emitted a long yawn.

The dawn moved forward quickly, the days were tiring, but she though she'd not be able to sleep. The sleep vanished in the moment that she awoke alone in bed. Always like that, that feeling of discomfort.

It was summer and in other times the nights would be clear and luminous. But a dense fog hovered above the British capital, concealing from his hopeless looks the shine of the stars. Mining the little happiness they could take in those dark days. The happiness that, together, they had achieved after so many fights and pains and discussions. The happiness that seemed to decrease while she showed herself in her beauty and lewdness, when it wouldn't be long for her to reach the the height of her powers. When finally the instincts would dominate the reason and he'd lose all the control of himself.

And it was so ironic to think the only light that won that smoke of foggy despair, belonged to the cause of all that exasperation.

Absolutely scathing

-Is everything ok, Remus? – Tonks asked very hushed, holding the man from his back and supporting her head on his shoulder.

-I can't sleep! – He answered and felt a strange shiver cross his body and it wasn't from the foggy that hovered sinisterly in the sky. He thought about justify his despair say that was just worry about the war and about Harry - who after Bill and Fleur's married simply left with Ron and Hermione without more explanations. But wasn't that and if he said so, Tonks wouldn't believe him.

Poor man, made of tears and pain… trying to hide in his strength of determination and courage his own weakness. Trying to hide how his body wanted to give up to the languid pleasure of that cold hug and that his heart always denied admitting. Since so young having to deal with the darkness of his own curse, having to attend the caprice of her, who was so full of phases.

-Me too.

Almost in a unwitting way, Tonks's hands started to glide of Lupin's chest, holding him in a strong and possessive hug.

-Could you stay here with me? – Lupin said quietly, allowing himself to became more and more involved by that hug, so different from that cold and pale touch that kissed him in such a cruel way.

-Sure, you silly!

Lupin felt some comfort when he noted Tonks smiling against his neck; his body relaxed something more and that strange charm that the other has about him undone for a while.

Just like her, Tonks has the power of make him lose the reason and act with desire. And his body answered too to the sensations that she caused on him and to the passionate instincts that blocked his reason. Tonks was his friend, his companion, his lover… and she could control his body, too, but to Tonks he gave his heart.

Lupin turned round to Tonks, giving his back to the window and ignoring the presence of the other.

She could be possessing him very soon, but not that night. That night he'd belong just to Tonks.

--

Notes: I Solemnly Swear that I'll love my beta (deviliciouss) for the rest of my life. Thanks a lot, sweetheart.