She picked it up and twirled it in her fingers for the thousandth time today. She had wondered where it was from. It had been as if conjured from her erratic dream.

What was with her having fangs? After finding the same rose from her dream lying innocently on her white feather pillow, she immediately jumped from her stupor to check the mirror if she had fangs.

That part of the dream was fabled.

She was still wondering about Darien. Why all of the sudden was he showing up in her dreams and her life? Barely even knowing this man had its limitations. But the mystery of it all called to her in unknown ways she would get to know him and find out more about him.

A knock on her office door broke her from her thoughts. She hurriedly scrambles to get a pen in hand and was making it look as though she was working on the papers that she had abandoned long ago.

"Come in." She said rather hurriedly.

She watched as her boss stepped in. "Another one just came in."

"Shit," Was all she could say. She tossed her pen onto the desk and snatched her coat off the rack from behind her desk, "Where?"

"South out of town, in a small tavern down there. Some say saw a strange man there that night. I have Toby there taking statements right now."

She attached her gun to her holster and snatched the notepad he was handing her. Written down was the address of the bar. She swung the door open wide and felt a cool light rain caress her face, her hair was blowing on the wind. She slid into her car and slammed the door shut.

She pulled easily onto the road since there wasn't a whole lot of traffic. Most of the cars she passed, she figured were on their way home to their families. She glanced again at the address and turned west onto a side street. She sped up and tried not to think about how slick the road was. As she passed the last car on this road that led out to the country area she flicked annoyed at her switch and turned her brights on. She sighed and rested her elbow on the door and her head on her hand. She didn't even see the person as it ran hurriedly across the road. Slamming on her brakes her car hydroplaned forward and the tail end tried to surpass the right side of her front end. Scrambling frantically to gain control she turned the front wheels to the right hoping to stop the wild spin.

When the car finally came to a stop she looked out her rearview mirror and could see the steam where her tires had skidded rising off the road. The person had disappeared and was no where in sight.

She slumped in her seat resting her head on the steering wheel. She tried to suppress the scream that rose out of her throat when she turned her head to her window and saw someone standing there looking frightened. She rolled it down about half and inch.

"Can I help you?"

The person never answered her but looked frantically around as if they were being pursued. Then without even answering they made a strangled sound and ran in the direction of the woods. She watched as something swooped down and knocked the person off their feet.

"Shit." She scrambled out of her car and grabbed her gun from the holster. She ran in the direction the person was going after it scrambled to its feet unsteadily. Then it tripped and didn't get back up. She ran up to its side and flipped them over. It was just a young man. She hurriedly felt for a pulse. It was almost faint but it was there.

She heard a gurgling noise and realized the young man was trying to speak. She placed her head close to his mouth and could faintly make out his words. But one was most prominent. Run. She heard a crunch of leaves to her left and sat bolt up. Cocking her gun she aimed.

"Who's there?"

She heard a sound to her right and swiftly pointed the gun over there. She realized whatever it was it was playing with her. She heard a laugh behind her and turned. She never even knew when it hit her.

⋆⋆⋆

I know you all probably hate me right now. I am terribly sorry. I had a major case of writers block.

I tried to make a longer chapter but I just had to end it here. I know this isn't a whole lot after such a long reprieve but I think I am getting back into this story. Maybe you can expect more updates more often.

XOXOXO

Ja ne,

Raining Tear Drops