Clarice strolled along the quiet hotel corridor. She was in London visiting her friend, Stella, and using up some well earned vacation time. She had decided to stay at the Romao Hotel, despite the extravagance, as a special treat to herself.
She had been through a lot in the past months. Her time had been spent searching for Hannibal Lector in every suspected country he had supposedly been spotted. But every time she had got to each location there had been no sign of him. It had been very tiring and now that she was supposed to be resting she still found herself thinking of him.
As a distraction for her unhealthy obsession with a man who was both dangerous and intriguing, Stella was taking her out for the evening. Clarice was dressed for the occasion in a dark skirt suit and was on her way to meet her close friend.
She passed along many doors on her way to the elevator. Being in room 1003 meant that she was on the tenth floor and the furthest away from the elevator. She had come accustomed to this walk every day. She passed the many doors of other vacationing guests and the doors of utility closets, not thinking twice about them as she ambled along.
However, behind one of these doors was a familiar face. Hidden with the cleaning products and ironing boards, Hannibal Lector lay in wait. He had been following his prey for the whole two weeks of her stay. Dining at tables twenty metres away from her, keeping his distance every where she went just so that he could await the perfect opportunity to talk to her.
He had taken great pleasure in following her whilst she tried to find him. It was the ultimate game of cat and mouse yet the role of the hunter was undetermined. He had left clues to his close proximity to her by sending roses to her hotel room as a way to both taunt and woo her.
He stepped out of the small closet, satisfied she had passed by. He caught her form turning toward the elevator and quickened his pace.
Clarice moved inside the elevator and saw the doors start to close. They were almost shut when a hand stopped their motion. She watched as a debonair man paced inside, a hat hid his features but he had an air of sophistication she admired.
He stood next to her in the enclosed space, his breathing even and controlled as he risked a glance in her direction. As she turned to return his look, he looked away again.
The elevator made its steady descent and the two occupants stood in an awkward yet charged silence. After going passed four floors with no new passengers Hannibal pushed the emergency stop button. Shielding his face still he greeted her in his familiar tone.
"Hello Clarice."
She gasped as her brain made the links between his voice and his face.
"Dr Lector?" She questioned as she reached for the gun she didn't have with her.
He turned with a smirk on his face. "Surprised to see me?"
Despite the immediate anxiety at being stuck in a lift with a known killer, Clarice also felt a tinge of excitement. She didn't know why he made her feel that way. He should have disgusted her but she had always been drawn to him.
"What are you doing here Dr Lector?"
"Sampling the delights that this cosmopolitan metropolis have to offer." Was his cool reply.
She backed as far away from him as the lift wall would allow. When the cool metal made contact with her back he laughed.
"Are you scared Clarice?"
"No." She gasped out.
"Then why are you moving away? It's been so long since we spoke last, I expected our reunion to be different."
"Start the elevator Dr Lector." Her tone was shakier than she had wanted it to sound. "Start the elevator, I have somewhere to be."
"Ah yes, the ballet. I've never been as much as a fan of the ballet as I am of the opera although Mikhail Baryshnikov is highly recommended."
She ignored his comment. "Start the elevator." She had found her voice now.
Laughing gently he replied. "I'll do that for you if you do something for me."
"Quid pro quo?" She asked echoing his words from years before.
"Indeed Clarice. Quid pro quo." He paused in thought. "I will start the elevator again if you grant me one request."
She nodded apprehensively as he moved over to her. Infiltrating her personal space he breathed on her quickly flushing skin. She wanted to turn away but became transfixed by his eyes.
"I have been watching you Clarice, everywhere you've been I've been one step behind. Could you sense me, feel the weight of my stare? I wanted to touch you, know the feel of your skin but I refrained, knowing that the longer I waited the better this moment would be."
He allowed a silence to hang in the air briefly.
"Do you want me to start the elevator Clarice?" He taunted.
"Yes" She breathed out with a hint of seductiveness.
"Then kiss me." Despite the commanding nature of his statement it sounded almost tender.
Clarice was startled but not sickened by his request. In fact she responded without words as their lips met in a frantically passionate kiss. It was a sadistically sensual moment, a meeting of minds as well as lips as Clarice allowed herself to be taken over by a man she should detest.
Years in the FBI had taught her to track and incarcerate men like him but here she was letting his tongue investigate her very willing mouth.
Commonsense suddenly flooded her mind and she broke away from the kiss. Avoiding his gaze she spoke. "Start the elevator."
Without hesitation he pressed the button which immediately started the moving platform. When they reached the ground floor Clarice moved swiftly to exit.
Hannibal grasped her arm to halt her progression. "If you ever feel the need to give in to those dark temptations of yours Clarice, I will never be far away." He whispered close to her ear before releasing her arm.
She walked out into the hotel lobby, never looking back but her mind was filled with thoughts of him and how she could still taste him on her lips. When she was greeted by her friend, she tuned out the questions of what had taken her so long and where she had been. Instead she grabbed her friend's arm and led her out of the hotel as they went for a night at the ballet.
Hannibal Lector watched the two women leave. When they were out of sight he searched his pocket for his ticket to the ballet and said to himself. "I'll never be far away."
THE END