She was trying to focus on her footsteps but her eyes were concentrating around her instead of her footing. She was telling herself to grow up, but the child that was trapped inside was trying to break through. Her legs wanted to run, wanted to explore like she had never done before. The pain in her head had numbed itself gone, for a short time, but nevertheless, it had stopped. Her chest was taking the Italian air in one long breath at a time. She knew she was trusting, not a man, but a demon. She was well aware she could be killed any second, but something else told her He wouldn't hurt her. Behind caged walls, or even the fields of Tuscany, she would not be hurt. The agent would be careful, but like it had always been with Him, the walls were never there.

The man in front of her, chewing the dull gum in with his sharp teeth, was focusing his attention on his own steps, walking calmly toward the town ahead. He could forget everyone and everything around him perfectly. He had done it so many times before; his body was always in control. But at this moment, something was falling out of stride. His eyes, clad in the black lens, were shifting, trying to see the woman behind Him. Just a glance, his mind taunted him, beckoning him to take a glance. But with strong hands on the luggage, He knew what he had to do: focus, like he had always done.

It had been decades since his body betrayed his mind. And at this moment, his eyes were crawling at the corner, begging to his neck. Move, they screamed, move. And his neck obeyed. His mind was silent.

The woman was smiling brightly, eyes absorbed in her surroundings. She was similar to the paintings of goddesses seen in foreign magazines. Her auburn hair shined through the morning rays; her coat hugged at her curves, swaying with her lean legs. She was unaware how striking she was; she had kept her innocence, making it a part of her own self, masking herself in safety. It radiated like the rising star in the sky.

His heartbeat was calm, yet one of his senses was taking in the woman behind him. His eyes were drinking her being.

The bridge seemed eternal as I tried to catch up with the driver. It wasn't too long until we reached the city gate, one of the tallest points of the town. Up close, the town was made from the mountain itself. Below the gates opening, a small tunnel leads into town. The tall clock tower greeted me, looking down into the main street. The square smelled like flowers, and the smell became stronger as we reached the town's center. The walls were clouded in ivy and wildflowers, crawling into the doorsteps.

Cobblestone streets adorned the ancient walls. I was trying not to trip on the pebble ground, my boots getting caught in large stones. My neck was beginning to ache, while I tried to take in the beauty. Beauty was understatement. An artist could make a masterpiece out of this place.

It seemed that the town was abandoned. There were only a few tourists, mostly couples, walking through the small streets. A few cats laid among the pillars for shade, while pigeons waited for any bread from the gullible travelers. There only a few businesses in town; a picturesque café and a restaurant made their business in the mountain.

The driver didn't stop, but kept walking until the farther street leading east of the small town. A few more steps through the stone walls and the man stopped at a large red door, a lavender-flowered shrub covering the opening. The man dropped the luggage in the steps, and reached into his jacket; a bundle of keys chimed as he opened the rustic door.

He brought the luggage inside, and patiently held the door for me. It seemed I was in a daze, and I had to shake myself to go inside. If the town had made me short of breath, the inside of the house left me painfully breathless.

It was similar to the town; I felt as if I had gone back into medieval times, a crystal chandelier hanging handsomely from the ceiling. Most of the walls were made out of darker stone. The wood floor led into the kitchen, where marble and granite countertops shined under the blown-glass lantern. There were flowers in every corner, some I hadn't even seen before; the exotic scents filled the rooms. Elaborate stairs led to the second floor; my feet were already walking towards the steps when I remembered the driver behind me.

"Oh, Thank you so-"

But I didn't finish my sentence, as the man was calmly removing his scar from his face. His sunglasses revealed deep maroon eyes. He straightened his back, locking himself into his usual graceful position. Somehow, I really wasn't surprised.

"Dr. Lecter…glad to join your company."

"Good Morning, Clarice. You cooperated quite well. Too well, surprisingly."

"You think I would get into any car with any stranger? Either that 'driver' was you or someone you paid. You told me to trust you."

"Yes, and your mind is telling you otherwise, isn't it? But you saunter ahead and you ignore that dreadful little voice. The voice you've been obeying all your life. Tell me, Clarice…what are you feeling at this very moment?"

I could feel my heart stop. This wasn't a game I enjoyed playing with him. I couldn't lie, that would only frustrate him.

"Excitement. Nervousness. Fear. But overall… excitement. "

"And as much you dread to admit it, you are enjoying this…aren't you, Clarice?

"Yes, Doctor. I…this place…I'm speechless."

The smile was before once again.

"Well, welcome to Civita, cara. The 13th century town abandoned over the course of time. The ancient Etruscans built this out of the bear rock, but we'll absorb more about its antiquity this week, I assure you. I was able to acquire this little gem after some consideration from its past owner. Don't fret, Clarice, we will be safe from anyone here. We are sealed in time," he proclaimed with a grin.

I never thought I would be happy to be in a place alone with him, but at this moment I felt safe in the beautiful villa. I needed to thank him, but that wasn't enough. I had to cooperate. It was hard believing Dr. Lecter was doing this out of the goodness of his heart, a goodness I didn't think existed. But I believed it.

Now you admire the killer? Are you forgetting something, Starling? You've been throwing everything away the moment you started trusting this monster. He is only one thing: a monster.

Not now. Breath, Clarice.

"I want to show you something. I think you will delight in it", he proclaimed serenely. He walked toward the large glass doors toward the right of the kitchen, sun streaming through the glass.

I followed him carefully, a little nervous as to what he had to show me. He opened the door with one of the keys gracefully, waiting for me to approach it. Dr. Lecter wouldn't open the door,however; I was to do it.

He backed away from me, a civil space between us. I could smell his expensive scent, like a small cloud in the air. It was his own familiar aroma of dew and untainted man.

I opened the door, hand shaking on the silver knob. The door opened to an antique garden, larger than any house I had ever lived in. An intricate metal enclosure was placed between stone, marking the border of the property. My legs were moving, my mind unconscious. Flowering trees were planted in every corner, the branches leaving a sea of blossoms. I reached the fence, looking down toward the rest of the town. But there was no town, just sky. A cliff greeted me, a long drop down into the Italian hillsides. I was in the sky.

A burst of warm wind greeted me as I tried breathing normally. My lungs wouldn't agree.

I looked back, feeling a pair of eyes watching me. Dr. Lecter stood only a few paces away from me, his eyes digging into mine. He was looking at me like no man has ever looked at me before. His maroon eyes were filled with adoration.

My heart was beating a different rhythm.

Update coming soon!

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