Chapter 1

Speeding down the deserted country road the blood red metal of the Mustang flashed with a fiery glow in the early morning light. Natasha Lovless, straight "A" student, head cheerleader, and most popular girl at Dumbarr High, was perched in the passenger seat. She was blessed with beauty, she was rich, and she was popular. She had everything a girl could wish for, including Daniel Bullock.

Daniel was the top varsity football player, a talented musician, and a babe. Natasha considered herself the luckiest girl in the world to be dating the most popular and sought after guy in the entire school. She gazed at him now with her emerald eyes, pushing back the long, silky locks of brown hair that fluttered around her face, and smiled. She had never met anyone who made her heart pound in her chest, beating out the words I love you, the way he did. Just one touch was enough to send her soaring into the realms of desire.

As Daniel turned into the Siquan Country Club parking lot he noticed Natasha's lingering gaze and returned her loving smile.

She couldn't fight Temptation any longer. As soon as Daniel cut off the car she slid into his lap and pressed her lips against his in a soft, sensuous kiss. Her heart no longer the only thing pounding, she began to lose control as she tugged his bottom lip. This move always drove Daniel wild and she could feel his excitement building. Soon she was grinding against him and guiding his hands along her most sensitive areas.

Completely lost to the real world the pair blissfully continued their erotic behavior until the blasting of a car horn and the dirty stares from an elderly couple snapped them back to reality. Embarrassed and shocked at their own behavior, Natasha and Daniel slowly separated from one another, each secretly wishing it didn't have to end.

Stepping from the car, Natasha took in the bright sunshine, the colorfully flowered landscaping, and the brisk, morning air that always filled her with a calm, soothing contentment. She and Daniel had been coming to the country club every Saturday morning since they began dating three years ago to play tennis together. Even on days that it rained he would drive her to the country club to get breakfast. He knew that it was important to her because he had asked her to be his girlfriend there one day after running into her on the tennis courts.

"Natasha." Daniel's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Yes," she replied, slightly startled.

"I'll be right back. I have to go to the bathroom and adjust, umm, my clothes."

Natasha couldn't hide her smile as Daniels cheeks reddened. "Ok, but don't be too long," she replied, holding back the giggles echoing inside her.

While waiting for Daniel to return, she grabbed the gym bag in the back seat and marched over to the courts. Sitting on one of the benches she gazed at the sky and began searching for shapes in the clouds. After a while her thoughts returned to Daniel and she realized he had been gone for too long. She gazed around hoping to find him back at the car or caught up in a conversation, but as always the grounds were empty of any other visitors and Daniel was no where in sight.

Quickly she became worried and headed for the bathrooms in order to check on him. On her way she was reminded of the sexy scene they had shared just minutes before and decided he may be perfectly fine after all. A grin began to spread across her face as she imagined what might be taking him so long and she quickened her pace eager to join in.

As she drew nearer, she could hear the water running in the sink. She knocked lightly and called out, "Daniel, it's me," in her sexiest voice.

No reply. Slightly vexed she pushed open the door only to find a pitch black room. Confused, she fumbled around on the wall next to her before finally finding the light switch. The instant she turned it on she wished she hadn't.

Sprawled out in front of her was Daniel's lifeless form. His neck was broken, the ivory bones sticking out of the ripped, bloody skin. He hung from the sink by his head and arm facing her, his eyes burning into hers with their perpetual glare. His once beautiful face was distorted, the jaw twisted in a silent scream.

Breaking into fretful sobs, Natasha dropped to the floor. "No, no, it can't be. It just can't be."

Chapter 2

Black eyed peas. Daniel's eyes. Staring at her. Burning into her.

Whispers. Loud whispers.

"Should we take her to the emergency room?"

"Darling, it was her boyfriend that was hurt, not her."

"Not hurt Robin, murdered! In cold blood. Didn't you hear them talking about it at the crime scene. They said there was blood everywhere. On the walls, the ceiling. They said the floor was swimming in it and our darling baby saw that!"

Why? Why are they talking about it? I'm right here. I can here them. I just want to get through dinner and leave. I can't stop thinking about it. The blood. It really had been everywhere. It was worse than a horror movie. And those eyes. I will never forget those eyes. He had stared at her. Like it was her fault.

Hot tears began to run down Natasha's face. She couldn't hold it in any longer. She knew her parents would worry, but how was she supposed to take this. She had just seen her boyfriends mutilated body.

"Can I be excused?"

"Oh baby, are you ok. Of course your not, what am I saying. I'm sorry. Of course you can be excused," cooed her mother.

"Natasha, take your plate with you. You need to eat," her father commanded.

"Yes daddy." Her voice was barely a whisper. And so hoarse.

Natasha struggled to pick up her plate. It felt so heavy and she could not stop shaking.

Feeling numb, she shuffled to her room. She set her plate on her desk.

I can't eat this. I'm going to be sick. I want to sleep. Lose myself in the blissful nothingness. Nothing. Daniel is nothing now. Unless you consider a mindless heap of broken bone and rotting flesh something. No. I can't think like that. I loved him. I still love him. Oh Daniel, come back to me, please come back.

Hoping to lose herself in the realm of the Unconscious, Natasha dropped onto her bed. She closed her eyes and instantly found herself in a dark room. Her hands slid along a cold, tiled wall until they found a light switch. She flipped it on and a red glow revealed a red room. Blood had painted the walls and flooded the floor. She turned to run but found herself blocked by a pair of eyes. She couldn't look at them, they were filled with sorrow and pain and death. She turned back to the red room. Daniel stood before her, his neck broken, the bones exposed, leaving his head to hang from his limp body.

"Noooo."

Natasha snapped her eyes open and bolted upright. Cold sweat slid down every inch of her body; hot tears leaked from her eyes.

But as she sat, whispering her lost lover's name her vision blured and stars flashed before her eyes. She frantically searched for someone to help her, but all she saw was a face. A dark face wearing brown sunglasses and lurking in the shadows outside of her window. It stared at her. Then all was black as Natasha's head fell to her pillow.