Welcome to my very first attempt at writing my own story.

My special thanks go to my dear friend WheresMyPenn aka scriptor412 who agreed to be my beta for this story although she usually doesn't like AU stories.

"My" OC in this story is based on a character from Dexter, but the name and the appearance are the only similarities. Her backstory isn't the same, at all.

The story is rated 'Mature' for a good reason, meaning violence, language, and adult situations! Consider yourself warned!

I don't own Daryl, Merle, or any other TWD characters.

Enjoy!


The girl tied to the tree in front of me has been waiting for hours now. Her hands are tied above her head to a branch, her legs loosely to the trunk, just so she couldn't kick. She's kinda hanging there, sobbing quietly at the moment. She's through with the usual yelling 'What do you want? Where am I? What are you doing? Please! Please, don't hurt me! Please, let me go. I won't tell anyone….' and sobbing, crying, shouting and crying again. But where I took her, where I always take them, no one can hear. The sound doesn't carry around here, and no one wanders to these parts of the forest.

When they wake up here, most often there is confusion at the beginning, sometimes, very rarely, there is recognition. But then, the pleading, sobbing, promising of all kind of things, that all comes eventually, every single time. I don't really care for that. I don't need to hear their pleading. The thing I enjoy about this is the calm, surrounding me when I see the life leaving their body, the moment when they realize this is the end. They no longer hold power over anything. No money would help them. Here, they aren't better than anyone. The longer I let them wait for it to sink in, the sweeter that moment of realization is.

It's been long enough now, so I put on my gloves again and I come a little closer. Her head snaps to my direction, as she hears me moving for the first time in the hours she spent here with me. When I'm close enough I reach for her, I caress her from her sides to her arms. She flinches and I can feel her trembling under my fingertips but starts her pleading again despite her nerves.

"P-please, let- let me go. I won't tell!" She's stammering over the words as my hands travel to her neck.

"Please, t-talk to me, I-I... I'll do w-whatever you want. J-just let me go!-"

I snort at that. This stuck up bitch has been treating me like dirt, ever since she first showed up at the shop, acting like she would get dirty just from me touching her car. I close both my hands around her neck and whisper. "The only thing I want from you...!" I squeeze, cutting her air supply "... is for you to die."

I add the pressure. She's trying to talk to me again, but she can't. It takes few minutes but then...Yeah! There it is…Her eyes that were staring at me, pleading with me lose the fight, her body is still jerking but her eyes, they know already.

And then she's gone. Only the body left. I break her neck for a good measure and take a deep breath, to savor the moment. Maybe I'll try to prolong it somehow the next time, it was over too soon.


In this world, there are those given opportunities and those given shit load of nothing. What really matters is how people play the cards they were given. Me and my brother… well, we were given really shitty cards, could be worse, I'm sure of that, but as it is, we just always knew that nothing special is waiting for us in our future and I think we are okay with that. I know I am. I'm very okay with who I am, which caused countless sleepless nights for my brother, I'm sure of it, but he's still here, with me.

All these kids around me, though… They are the lucky ones. Snotty little assholes, thinking they are superior to all mankind. They couldn't be more wrong. I look around me, seeing all the people drinking, dancing, laughing... I want to leave instantly. Why did I come again? Oh, that's right! Merle!...

I lived in this town my whole life. I've seen thousands of kids come and go. I've spent countless evenings just like this one, in the quarry kids from local college use for parties for as long as I can remember, waiting for Merle to pick up the drunkest girl he can find, drunk enough to let him fuck her so he could save money that he usually spends on hookers. I don't know why he always insists I go with him every time he goes… well anywhere. Maybe it's because he feels like he can watch me this way like he would change anything. Well, he can't and he won't. Deep down he knows that fact, but whatever helps him sleep at night…

"There you are Darelina!" I feel Merle's hand land on my shoulder. I look behind me and there he is, next to him a girl, swaying on her feet. His other hand around her is probably the only reason she's still standing if you can call it that. Her eyes are unfocused and her hair and face look like Merle spent some time with her already, or someone else did. Oh yeah, looks like we got a winner of this evening.

"You ready to go?" I ask him, I can't get out of here fast enough.

"I don't think she'll make it to my place before going completely comatose on me. I'll fuck her at your place, it's closer."

"Fuck no!" I don't need a second to think about that, no way I'm cleaning after him and some skank he fucked, the way she looks it wouldn't be only fluids from fucking either. Ugh!

"Why not? You got the room!" Why he sounds so surprised is beyond me. The girl doesn't even look like she knows what's going on around her.

"Just bend her over a car or something. Better hurry up too, she looks ready to throw up, or pass out."

"Not cool, baby brother, not cool! Wait for me here then. You little shit," he mutters the last part and starts to drag the girl away. I can still hear him talking to her. "Come on sugartits, I'll show you my brother's nice truck."

That fucker. "Use the bed, not the cabin! I told you I'm not cleaning anything after this bitch!" I quickly shout after him.

I notice people around me are now looking at me after the shouting as if they weren't the ones doing all the fucking noise here.

"What?!" I growl at them and all the eyes are anywhere but on me in a second. I light a smoke, grab a beer and get comfortable while waiting for Merle.

Guess Merle is wasted too because it's taking a while. I already finished my second beer and I'm on yet another smoke. Looking around I notice quite a few people giving me nervous glances. Guess I don't look like I could be a college student anymore. I see a girl then, she's looking at me too but when she realizes she got caught she immediately looks away. I watch her nervously tapping her leg. She doesn't look like a stuck up bitch to me, in fact, she looks kinda out of place. Sitting alone, no low cleavage, no heavy makeup, her blond hair loosely falling around her shoulders, she's not drinking neith-

"Okay, I'm ready to go now." Finally! Merle is walking my way, still struggling with his belt. "Gotta love school breaks, it's like Easter holiday here, you just go and look for the right egg! You should try it sometime Darelina!" He's saying on our way back to my truck. I quickly check the bed, just to make sure he didn't leave the girl there, it wouldn't be the first time either. Empty, good!

"Yeah, I don't think so. We wouldn't want any of those eggs to get broken now, would we?"

Merle shoots me a look but says nothing. I didn't even mean it like that, but whatever. I just need more than barely conscious someone to stick my dick into. Where's the fun in that? But I'm not going to explain myself to him. Which leads to an unusual quiet ride home.

I left Merle at his house and now I'm heading back to mine which is actually closer to the quarry. I can't stand the place Merle lives in. Not the house itself but with all the nosy neighbors, I would go mad. Merle likes it, he says that it's because there is always someone to have a beer with or to just hang out but that's not for me. I don't need some assholes talking constantly about their stupid problems. I'd rather drink a beer alone. It's enough I have to listen to the guys at work, Merle being one of them. That's why my house is outside of the city. Right on the edge of the forest, quiet, just perfect. I think to myself while pulling over.

I turn the TV on and leave whatever is on and go heat something to eat. As I look through the fridge I can hear the news...

… and we are back with the latest shocking discovery. A body of a young woman was found today by the riverside of White River less than two miles from Montrose. It's the fifth body found in the area in last six months and the police believe that we are facing a case of a serial killer…

Just great! Looks like fish aren't hungry.

...I would like to welcome Mr. Freeman a specialist on a serial killer behavior who is working with the police on this case. Thank you for being here with us tonight, Mr. Freeman.

Thank you for having me.

Mr. Freeman, what are your thoughts about this case. Do you find the suspicion correct?

Yes I do, to my understanding, although the victims aren't all of the same genders, they are all young between twenty and thirty, and they all seem to suffer the same cause of death. There are other similarities in the way the victims were treated before they died, as well. I can't disclose these details at the moment.

Any thoughts about the killer himself? About who we are facing? Can you give us some advice we could follow to protect ourselves?

There's no way to... tell a serial killer simply by his appearance most of them look like everyone else. Ted Bundy, who was convicted of thirty murders, was often described as attractive, charismatic and articulate. In this particular case, I believe we do look for a male, a strong one if you consider the way the victims were murdered. Caucasian in his late twenties or in his thirties. He's most likely from this area. If he'd fell under the organized, nonsocial category we would be talking about an average guy, could be married even. But seeing all the evidence I do believe that we are facing the less common type, the disorganized, antisocial type. It means that our killer most likely keeps to himself, he comes from a family with abusive behavior, lives alone, does not date...

So what you are saying is that it's not likely the women victims met him on, say, a blind date?

I don't believe they did. Those kind of killers are-

I switch to another channel as I sit down with my dinner. What the fuck does he know about shit?


Today is my free day, so I slept in and I'm going to Merle's so we can go grab something to eat together. The bistro is full of people, right, fucking Sunday. We sit down and order the usual. As we sit in silence we can hear all of the conversations going around us. 'Did you see the news yesterday? - I won't let my daughter go anywhere alone! - They say he kills women as well as men, I think we need to watch our boys too! - They say it's a serial killer. - If I were the police I would just go check every bachelor living alone, you heard the interview yesterday? - I think they should arrest everyone who seems suspicious and just have them questioned with a lie detector-'

Awesome seems like we have a town full of specialists now. I should have stayed home!

I ask to have our food packed to go. Merle gives me a questioning look so I explain, "Too many people, let's eat at your house."

He just nods.

As we sit on the steps, eating, I hear Merle talking about something. But somehow I can't concentrate on what he's saying. Looking around I eat my food, grumble here, give a nod there so he thinks I actually pay attention. And it works too until Clyde comes by. I always wonder if Merle is using that much, or if they are just that good friends. But it's his problem so I won't ask. Well with Clyde here it won't be that easy pretending that I am listening to what they are saying so I mutter a, "need to do something at home, bye," and I leave them to it.

In the evening I hear Merle's bike and few moments after there is the usual banging, but he doesn't just walk in, strange. I stand up to open the door, and there stands Merle, with some chick.

"Hey, brother! Meet Crystal! Crystal here is a real sweetheart, she'll do whatever you want her to. And when I say whatever, I really mean everything. She can shut her mouth about it after too, don't you sweetcheeks!?" Crystal nods and smiles at him. I give her one over and I'm not impressed. But she's obviously a hooker Merle uses so what could I expect. Some high-class escort? Not likely.

"What the hell Merle?! I don't need you to bring hookers to my house!"

Merle shoots the girl a look. "Wait here sugartits." Then he walks with me inside.

"Not for me, I brought her for you! Don't worry 'bout a thing baby brother. I paid her already and if you worry about your spotless reputation you don't have to, no one knows she's here, no one even knows she's with me tonight." He does seem a little nervous. What's his problem, now?

"Look, I can see that it's been awhile because you are starting to... you know how you get. And with the police sniffing around. I thought, you know, I think you really, really need to get laid! I think it might help you to focus on something else..."

Of course, he does. Merle thinks pussy solves everything. Whatever. I look at the girl again, she has seen better days but what they say about a gift horse? She'll do, I can have some fun at least.

"Well no reason for wasting that money, send her inside then."

Merle grins and on his way out he gives Crystal a push in my direction. The things I do to make my brother happy, I think as a smirk starts to break on my face. I watch Crystal making her way to me. She smiles and puts her hand on my arm, tracing in up she leans over and tries to kiss me, "No" I tell her firmly. There is no way that mouth comes anywhere near mine. Her smile falters a little but stays nevertheless as a small "okay" leaves her lips.

Okay then, to the business. My hand makes its way to her nape and I grab her by her hair. I lead her, not too gently, by them to my bedroom. Her smile dropped right there, good. In my room, I push her to my bed and with "Get rid of that dress."

I go search for something I could use to tie her up with. Here! I turn around and find her waiting for me on my bed, already naked. Very good! Her eyes go to my hand and I see them go wide and she starts to back up to the head of my bed. Ts, ts, ts… that won't do. I grab her ankle and pull her to me.

"I did hear something about you doing everything I want. Now, I want you to lay back, don't move and be quiet."

She does as I say and I tie her wrists with the plastic ties I found, each arm is now stretched to one of the legs of my bed. She keeps giving me nervous glances but otherwise stays quiet. I spread her legs and bend them so she can support herself on her feet, then I lift her hips a bit. Nice! I get off the bed to enjoy the view while taking my belt and jeans off. I watch her for a bit then I lick my palm and wet my dick, giving it a few rough tugs. Now I'm ready.

I climb back on the bed, with one hand I support myself on the headboard, the other I use to get my dick into her. I then grab her hips and snap all the way in. I hear a strangled gasp coming from her, I love the sound of it and I want more! So I start to fuck her right away. She struggled for a bit but after a few minutes she seems to get used to my dick and the pace and she stops doing that hot noise. I look around me, where did I put the other two ties? Right, there they are. I stop to tie her legs too, now she's spread on the bed with not much room to move and I crawl on top of her again. I push my cock into her, this time my hand goes straight to her neck and squeeze. Yeah! And here's that sweet noise again I revel in it as I continue to fuck her. I look at her then and her eyes are wide, full of fear, tears are rolling down from them, her mouth is open as she's trying to take a breath in or scream. Nothing comes out except the little choking noises though. In a panic, she starts to thrash under me but it has no effect with her limbs secure. Her eyes start to roll up just as I start to feel myself coming. Fuck! I breathe through the orgasm. I let go of her and take a few more deep breaths. Enjoying the moment as much as possible.

Okay, I guess I really did need that! I look down at her again when I realize she's not moving. Damn! But there is no mess so… I check her pulse and yeah, it's still there. I check for breathing and it's okay too. So I cut her ties and just push her off the bed. When I wake up she's gone. I don't worry about her, she knows better than to talk about it.


Merle's waiting for me before the auto repair shop we work in, sitting on his bike. I see the smug smile he's giving me but he looks curious too.

"Well, how'd it go? Feel better? Have you freed the beast?"

What do I say to that for Christ's sake? I resort to "Sorta."

Merle is on his feet instantly and whisper-shouts. "Fuck! You killed her didn't you? Goddamnit Darelina, I liked that one!"

I just shrug, but seeing his eyes go wide I add. "I didn't say I did, although it might be a good idea to not bring any more of your favorite hookers to my place! I don't see this one coming again anytime soon at least."

Merle stares at me for a few seconds then asks. "What the fuck did you do? No! Wait, you know what? I don't wanna know. Let's just go inside." Yeah, let's.

Inside, guys are already drinking coffee and preparing for the work. They gossip like a bunch of old hens, as usual. I can hear them snicker and once they notice us, Garth calls my name with a big fake smile on his face. "Hey Daryl, prepare yourself, they really do start to inspect lonely guys living in the area. Starting up in Crowtown. Heard it from Wayne yesterday. With the house outside the town, it looks like you fit the profile!" He laughs and others join instantly. Not Merle or me though.

Well shit!

Later on are sitting outside, having lunch, when Merle suddenly turns to me and says.

"You know, it will take them some time before they come here. I'm thinking it's time you get a roommate baby brother. It'll be awhile before they knock on your door if you find someone fast enough it won't even look suspicious."

At first, I find that idea idiotic, but after giving it some more thoughts I change my mind. It's brilliant actually. So here I am, putting an ad on the board in the bistro. All kind of people goes here so I hope the cheap rent gets me someone soon even if it's a bit far from the town.


It seems the cheap rent doesn't make up for the distance because I had to wait few days but eventually one afternoon my phone rings.

"Yeah?" I answer my phone in a second ring, but there is no answer on the other end, asshole! I'm about to hang up when I hear a hesitant "Hello?" It's a woman's voice, or a girl, hard to guess over the phone. I hear her clear her throat.

"Sorry, I-I'm calling about the room and I somehow, from the way the ad was written, I thought it was a woman who owns the house. You know, there wasn't a name and because of the 'looking for quiet and clean person' part,... which I am, I am very clean and quiet, I can put some meals together too-" She stops suddenly. Sounds like a nervous talker. I chuckle as she rambles away. And a girl, perfect! She takes a deep breath and continues. "Anyway, I wanted to ask if it's still free…." She trails off.

"Yeah, it is. Wanna come see it?" I hear her let out a breath as if she was holding it before.

"Yes, I'd like to, I'm in kinda situ- I just need a place as soon as possible so, could I come today? Whenever you are free." Yeah, I'm in kind of situations myself here.

"Today is fine. I'll text you the directions to this number? You be there at 7."

"Okay, yeah, great! See you tonight, bye."

"Yeah, bye." I hang up.

A few hours later I watch the girl from my kitchen window. Well, what I can see from her, which isn't much. I can see she has a blond hair but her face, I can't see it very well through the windshield. She's here on time but she's still sitting in her car. I see her head turning from left to right as if looking around, then back to the road. What's she doing? I know I don't have a white fence around a neatly mown lawn, but it's not a complete dump either. Finally, she climbs out of her car and heads for the door. She looks familiar but I just can't place her. I go open the door for her but as I do just that I find her heading to her car again. What the hell?

"Hey," I call after her and she jumps a little and turns around. When she sees me she freezes on the spot though.

"It's you…, um, I'm sorry, I-I think this is not a good idea." She starts to back up to her car and I follow, slowly.

"What are you talking about? Are you here for the room right? You haven't even seen it yet." Her back hits the car and she jumps again. What's up with her? I stop moving too, to leave her some room to breathe. I really need her to stay. She clears her throat, much like she did on the phone.

"Well, I… I saw you…" It's my turn to freeze on the spot. "In the quarry, the other day, you were there with your, um, brother, friend? I guess?" I stare at her and then it clicks in my head. Oh yeah! Right! That's why she seems familiar. It's the misfit girl from the party, that's where I saw her.

"Brother. What about it? I saw you there too. Come look at the room and I forget all about you staring at me at the party." I give her small smile and she blushes. How cute. But then she gets serious again. She looks me in the eye.

"I was just thinking, about the girl your brother… it seemed… I'm sorry, I really should go." She makes a move as if to turn for the handle but I reach it first startling her in the process. She takes a step back so I lean on the door and I show her my hands in a placating gesture.

"Listen, my brother is a manwhore, that is true, but that girl there was wasted, nothing more nothing less. You didn't hear her screaming for help, did you? Wasted people just do stupid things like that. Nothing you have to worry yourself about. And it doesn't even matter because my brother doesn't live here, I do, and I am in need of someone for the room and you are the only one who called so far. So please…"

She looks to the side for a moment, thinking. But eventually, she sighs, looks back at me and gives me a small nod.

"Okay, yeah, I guess I did jump to conclusions a little too quickly. Sorry."

"It's all good, so now we can move on." I give her a small smile and make an after you gesture in a general direction of the house. She still doesn't seem completely convinced though as she drags her legs on her way to the door. Damn it. She waits by the threshold, I motion for her to enter but she hesitates again and glances at me. Do I have my 'I kill people' shirt on today or what? Strangely enough, though I'm not annoyed by her delaying. For some reason, it just doesn't bother me.

"Tell me what else worries you," I tell her, better to have it sorted here and now. She starts to fidget, her eyes dropping to the floor and she's blushing again. Eventually, I hear her mutter something, but it's too quiet for me to understand.

"What was that?" I ask and she glances up at me and clears her throat, again. I'm so giving her coughing syrup as a welcome gift. She hesitates for a moment but then she starts talking again.

"You are a guy...!" Huh? What that has to do with anything? It's not like she didn't know that before she came. She seems to see my confusion because she continues.

"What I mean is, when I found out it's a man who owns the house outside the city I thought it's some old widower who wants a company, maybe someone who'd made him a homemade meal sometimes. And then it's you, and … I don't know, makes me nervous…" She trails off. Okay, I can work with that. I touch her elbow to get her attention. I plant a smile on my face, again and when she looks at me I start.

"You've got nothing to worry about, there is no need for you to be nervous. You know what? I think I should be the nervous one here. I've never lived with a girl before. Let's make a deal if I do something that'll make you uncomfortable just tell me and I stop, and I'll do the same. Sounds cool?" She seems to contemplate what I told her, good, that's better than her leaving. "Look, like I said, I really do need someone here, and seeing as you are the only one who called I'm open to any suggestions you have. I wouldn't mind the homemade meals neither." I wink at her and she gives me a small smile and after a few more moments a nod.

"Okay, I'm sorry, it's just, with everything that's going on around here, I guess my nerves keep getting the better of me." She looks calmer already.

"Understandable, so what's your name?" I ask her because I just now realize I don't know it.

"It's Lumen. Lumen Pierce. Yours?"

"I'm Daryl. You are good? Good! Come see the house and the room. I think you'll like it."

I give her quick, quiet tour and now we are standing in hopefully her room. I'm leaning on the doorframe and she's taking all in and if her smile is anything to go by, she likes what she sees. It's not that big but it's furnished and it has its own bathroom. My house is L shaped and this room is on the shorter side, the living room and the kitchen, which she'd be both welcome to use, are in the middle and my room is on the opposite side. We'll have easily our privacy. There is also a den, or rather a basement, the door leading to it is in the kitchen, but there is no need for her to see it. My hunting gear is there, some old parts. The shack behind the house would more likely scare her off so I decided not to show it to her now.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what's that situation of yours that left you in need of a room?" And the smile is gone. Crap, well done Dixon. "Sorry, you don't have to-"

"-No it's okay, it's nothing special really, I broke up with my boyfriend. It wasn't a nice break up so I just grabbed my things and left… in fact, everything I manage to grab is in my car outside. I needed to find a place to stay but I can't really afford to spend money on hotel, so-"

"Say no more, you like the room? It's yours, I'll even help you to bring everything inside!" I smile at her and she smiles back, so far so good.

"So, if you don't mind me asking." Her smile gets a bit bigger. "What's your situation that left you in need of a roommate?" Fuck my life! I think quickly about what to say to her when the obvious hit me.

"I need some extra money, and like you said, the company doesn't hurt either. I love the place but it does get lonely here." She's still smiling, and I know I said the right thing.

"Okay then, I'll take it, along with the help with my things. If the offer still stands."

And just like that, I have a roommate.