Author's Note:

I'm on the lookout for a beta reader, if anyone would like to help, please get in touch.

Primary characters are listed as Greg Sanders and Nick Stokes because they do feature strongly but it is very much a case fic at heart. I hope to update regularly and for anyone still following 'Forever Buried in Mind' this will also get updates ASAP.

This prologue is just a short introduction, the chapters themselves will be longer.

Timeline is solely so it can include my favourite and original CSI team: Gil Grissom, Sara Sidle, Catherine Willows, Warrick Brown, Nick Stokes and Greg Sanders :)

Prologue

December 24th 2005, Las Vegas

She was probably every man's fantasy; a beautiful vixen sat drinking alone in the club on Christmas Eve. She had chestnut brown hair and alluring red ruby lips, she was wearing a tight red dress that showed off her curves to perfection and wore matching red killer heels, but most striking of all were her wide 'come bed me eyes'. She had attracted a lot of attention but had brushed off every man who tried to flirt with her so far, she seemed content to play with the straw in her drink coquettishly, watching the packed dance floor.

25 year old Callum Davidson and his friends had certainly noticed the sexy brunette, Callum could not keep his eyes off her, she was so beautiful, he knew she had rejected more handsome man than he, a humble student but he tried his luck anyway, trying to catch her eye. He was somewhat stunned when she smiled back warmly and now she was getting off her seat to make her way over. Callum gasped and quickly checked behind to see if he was mistaken but no, she was definitely making her way toward him. Callum silently thanked god for bringing him the best Christmas present ever, he was a confident guy but even he felt his pulses quicken a bit as she came to stand by him "Hi" she simply smiled in greeting.

Callum knew he was probably drooling as she stepped in closer to him but he did not care, she was stunning and she wanted him he felt like the luckiest guy in the world. Say something witty He mentally chastised himself, finding himself surprisingly tongue-tied. Seizing the moment, he grabbed some mistletoe from a passing seller.

"Christmas kiss?" he offered, holding out the plant above the beautiful stranger.

For a second she looked shocked.

Idiot! He scolded himself that was the lamest thing you could have done!

He was about to apologise when to his surprise and to the sheer incredulity of his mates, she leaned in for the kiss. Callum did not need a second invitation and kissed back passionately, his hand tangled up in the brunette's hair. He thought he had died and gone to heaven as she explored his mouth with her tongue, he was grinning like the cat that got the cream when they feverishly broke apart.

For the next half hour, Callum and the beautiful stranger danced together and flirted outrageously, it was as they were getting down to some serious dirty dancing that she reached up to whisper into his ear seductively "Lets go back to your place" she whispered breathlessly.

Score one for the good guys Callum thought happily, thinking of the smarmy and probably rich men she had turned down earlier. He grabbed her hand and guided her towards the cloakroom and into a waiting cab, but not before giving a triumphant grin and cheeky wave in the direction of his best friends Mike and Karl at the bar, who stared in amazement as if to say how did he pull her.

After more kissing and stroking in the cab, Callum led the beautiful stranger into his apartment, not caring it was in a bit of a state, he was in a state of high anticipation as she led she way to his bed, as she pushed him back against the pillows, it occurred to Callum that in all their dirty dancing and kissing, he had not once requested her name, it had seemed a small detail.

"Hey, I don't even know what your name is?" he said, as she leant in for another kiss.

She kissed him on the lips and smiled coquettishly again, "You don't need to know that"

"I need to know whose name to scream" He replied cheekily

She simply laughed and then murmured "Oh you'll be screaming all right..hey, do you have any ties or rope?"

The request was simple but it threw Callum momentarily, boy was he in for a wild night, he flew off the bed in his eagerness and returned with several ties and a scarf.

"Perfect!" She practically purred in delight "Now lie back" She instructed. Callum willingly allowed himself to be tied to the four corners of the bed, dressed only in his boxers now. He winced slightly at the tightness of the bonds, she was certainly tying him securely, and the anticipation was almost killing me as she straddled him tantalising.

"Now close your eyes" She whispered seductively. Callum did as he was told, closing his eyes, she leant forward and tied the scarf around his head, covering his eyes.

"Hey!" he shouted startled, not sure if he was going to like this or not

"It's OK" She whispered, kissing his ear, "Just relax"

Callum began to relax as she kissed his face, the anticipation was almost too much now, he felt her warm body get off him and he protested at this tease.

"Just getting protection" She reassured him, padding over to her handbag but it was not a condom this beautiful girl pulled out of her handbag, it was something much heavier and deadly. Callum was growing frustrated at this teasing game. "Hey where did you go?"

She walked back to the bed not even attempting to conceal the weapon from his blindfolded eyes. "I'm right here" She said all hint of seduction had gone from her voice, it was cold and harsh. She fired the gun at his chest with deadly accuracy. Callum screamed just as she promised not one of ecstasy just one of horror and agony. The screams died down quickly and his body stilled, it was Christmas and she was in a more generous mood, no need to suffer unneccesarily. She could not have her new adversaries thinking she was soft though, and she continued to maim the body with cuts until blood flowed readily from all pores. Satisfied with her work, she gathered up all her things pausing to kiss the boy's cheek, which she had left untouched as always, leaving an imprint of lipstick behind. "Merry Christmas" she whispered to the corpse, before slipping silently out into the night.