Mina opened the large book, her eyes staring down at the pages. The words poured into her brain, but she hardly recognized them for what they were. Her mind was still reeling about that picture that she had found in Jekyll's room three nights ago.

It was at times like this that she wished to be like Dorian and just brush guilt from her mind.

And who would believe her story.

The boy had been so lonely and she had befriended him. They had spent hours in her home, their noses buried in piles of fantastic books. He had been wise beyond his years. He could talk of things that most people had no knowledge of.

He was brilliant and Mina found her days with him to be the most intriguing times of her life.

But that had all changed when he had come to her one night with confessions of love.

"Simon." She whispered lightly as she turned a page, her eyes now staring at a large 'V' at the top of the page.

He had gotten down on one knee, his whole being quacking with nervousness. His full face flushed with the heat of her presence; "Do you love me Mrs. Harker?" he had asked with those quivering lips, "Please."

Her heart had crumbled, "No." she had spoken.

Thunder had slammed the house, causing the library windows to rattle.

Mina looked about the library now and half expected to see large windows drenched in rain. And maybe she would even see Simon, his face leaking with disappointment.

"Please." He had begged again, his eyes bright with the plea.

She had stood up, towering over him; "You must go home, Simon. I am far too old for you. Some fair, sweet girl is out there waiting for you and I am not that girl. I am a woman. You really must go." She had pushed him to the library door, his face so sunken with sorrow that she was sure her heart would burst for him soon.

He had slipped out the front door into the downpour of rain. His form swallowed up by the storm.

A few nights later Mina had dropped herself into an alley to feed. She was waiting for a drunk to stumble out of the bar.

Someone soon came out.

She attacked. Slashed the throat out. All she could think about was Simon's face. The look that haunted his eyes from the way she had let him down.

She ripped skin from the throat, gnawing on bone.

Every time she thought of Simon, she lashed out at the victim in her grasp. She only wanted the pain she was feeling for Simon to go away.

Her whole chest was drenched in blood. The front of her blouse almost throbbing with the heat of the liquid against her skin.

She let go of her kill. The body sliding from her embrace.

She had flown off into the night.

A few days later she had come across a newspaper. In a large article on the front page was the face of Simon. He had been murdered in an alley behind a bar.

She had killed him.

Her eyes had fogged over and she was sure the voice saying her name was a million miles away.

"Mina."

She shook her head quickly and looked around.

Tom stood at the table, a book grasped in his hand, "You've been staring at that page for over an hour now. Are you alright?"

"Simon?" she asked upon looking up into Tom's eyes, "But I…"

"Mina?" Tom asked with a gentle tap to her cheek, "Whose Simon?"

Mina stood quickly, her hand shutting the book, "Mr. Sawyer." She said in a raspy whisper, "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"Ah…a shot to my youth. I guess your fine." He said as he pulled out a chair and seated himself, "Don't mind me, Mina, I don't have a problem with your cruel words."

"There not meant to be as horrible as they sound." She said, but moved herself over to a different table. She grasped the chair, but upon pulling it was met by a large yell.

"Do ya mind. I'm trying to read 'er." Skinner said as he lifted a book from the table, "This 'ere is my table, love."

"I'm hardly your love." She said dryly. She looked about the room and settled her eyes upon a large table at the other side. It was long and round, but not as cozy as the two tables on this side of the room, "Can't one of you settle yourselves at that large table over there?"

"That book you got there is rather huge. That table will make it look small. Right Tom? I think the girl needs to park 'erself over there." Skinner was now leaned back on the back legs of his chair, "Right love?"

Mina eyed Skinner and with one swift movement of her hand, jerked his chair back so that now he stared up at her from the floor. The only thing visible on him were his glasses, "Right love. I'll make my way over there."

Mina watched him grab his hat and book and scurry over to the other side of the large room, "Thank you Skinner."

She seated herself.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Tom meant to keep his eyes on his book, but Mina looked lovely tonight and he was beginning to feel an overwhelming desire to have her sucking at his mouth again.

He stared at her. She had that sort of perfect posture that seemed almost snotty.

And that wonderful, straight way that she sat made her beautiful neck seem even more elegant. He wanted to get up, walk over to her and kiss her skin right below her left ear.

He bowed his head for a moment and then he found himself looking at her again.

He was sure he could see her undergarment through the back of her white blouse.

Quickly he shut his eyes and shook his head. What was he doing?

He turned to see that Skinner was now balancing the book he had on his nose and leaning back in his chair.

That was good. At least Skinner hadn't seen him trying to gaze at Mina's under clothes.

He turned back to his book only to be met by the penetrating stare of Mina. She now sat at his table, her eyes boring into him, "I'd rather you not fantasize about me, Mr. Sawyer. I'm rather sure you wouldn't know what to do with me if I were to give you the chance."
Behind them the book that Skinner had been balancing on his nose, fell to the floor.

"That goes for you to Skinner. You're fantasies about me give me nightmares."

There was a shuffling and then the door to the library opened and closed. Skinner was now out of the room.

"What attracts you to me, Tom?" she asked with her eyes studying his face.

Tom leaned back into the chair as he shrugged, "You're beautiful."

"Deadly." She said softly.

Tom looked uncomfortable as he cleared his throat and tried to sit up straighter in the chair, "I don't know." He said with an embarrassed grin, "Probably 'cause I can't have you."

"And what do you want from me?" she asked

Tom looked at her, "Respect, I guess. I mean, I'm not really a boy. I do know stuff."

Mina raised an eyebrow and leaned back into her seat, "Hardly enough I'm sure."

There was a second or two were Tom let a small idea of Mina slamming him to the floor of the library pop into his head. He cleared it out very quickly, his face now simmering with a light flush.

Nervously he pulled his guns from his holsters and placed them on the table, "I should clean these." He said as he eyed her, "The Winchester to, when I am done."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mina eyed the gun that sat in the corner of the library, "Why don't I clean the Winchester for you?"

Tom gave her a strange look, "You're a woman, you don't know anything about guns."

Mina gave Tom a frosty glare and stood, "Let me show you what I know and maybe I will let you show me what you know."

Tom leaned back in the chair, "That's tempting." He said, "But that's a big gun and I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself with it."

She ignored him and went over to the corner. Taking it up she laid it out on an empty table, "It's quite hard to hurt myself with anything nowadays." She said as she began her cleaning of his weapon, "And death seems so wonderful a word when you can't have it so easily."

Tom stared at her as he cleaned the two guns in front of him, "What's it like?"

She seated herself at the other small table, her hands running two cloths up and down the Winchester, "Lonely." She said softly.

"Oh." Tom looked embarrassed for her, "Sorry."

"I do like you Tom. You just remind me a lot of someone I used to know and those memories are damaging to me." She eyed him, "You're a very attractive young man and you should use that on woman who would appreciate it. Don't waste it on me."

"It's the whole sweet thing, isn't it?" he said.

"Unfortunately I have been around Dorian for much to long of my life and now I yearn for his absolute cruelty. I think it is some sort of punishment to myself." She breathed a long sigh, "I haven't been a very good person, Tom. Don't ever look at me and think that I am good. This face is deceiving, just as Dorian's is also."

Tom shifted in his seat, "But Dorian is beautiful, isn't he?"

"Unfortunately. But you hold your own beauty, Tom. Dorian's is on the outside, but there is nothing beautiful within him." She held up the gun, cocked it, "Might I put this away for you?"

"I stash it." Tom said with a half grin lighting his green eyes, "In my bedroom."

"Shall I follow you to your quarters, Mr. Sawyer?" Mina said, her hands still grasping the Winchester tightly.

Tom stuffed his guns back in the holsters, "For a kiss goodnight?" he asked, eyeing her from under his bangs.

"I suppose that will work." She said softly, "But that is all."

"I'd ask nothing more."

"A true gentleman never asks for more than what he can get." She said as she followed him from the library, "I'm glad to see you know your boundaries."

"I'm useful, Mrs. Harker, not stupid."

Neither of them noticed the dark shape that lingered behind them as they made their way down the long corridor toward Tom's room.