Jane Rizzoli froze when she heard the scream. Her eyes widened and she spun around and ran back in the opposite direction she and previously been heading. The scream…Maura's scream had come from behind. Jane cursed again and paused a brief second down the hall at a crossroads.

"Maura!" She yelled and listened.

Maura moaned softly and her head rolled to the side. Blood pour from a gash in her chest and her breath was ragged. She heard faint words…words of her name off in the distance. The massive black figure still stood in front of her and when Jane had called out to her, it had jerked and looked back. Maura swallowed hard, her throat dry and her voice weak. -Leave-she thought-please leave…Jane…-

MAURA!" Jane yelled again and listened.

The blurry figure seemed to disappear after Jane's words were spoken again and Maura was alone now. A few tears fell from her eyes and her lower lip quivered. Terrified was an understatement now. She forced another swallow and trembling, pushed out one word…

"…Jane…"

The word was just loud enough that Jane finally heard it and was able to locate the direct from which it came. Her heart was beating faster now and she sucked in deeper breathes. She attempted to mentally prepare for what she was going to see…but nothing would ever prepare her for what she did see. Just around the second corner that she came to she saw Maura, slouched against the far wall with blood that was beginning to pool on the floor around her.

"MAURA!"

Jane rushed to her side and took her friend's face in her hands. She gently rolled Maura's face up and toward her. She looked into the closed eyes of Dr Maura Isles.

"15 people Jane," Maura said disgustedly and with a mixture of sadness. She stared down at more than a dozen photos, each having the same wounds and body position of death. Her heart ached for them, but her mind was alert and ready to take death at its own game. Maura picked up one photo and then another, studying each one…each life that was gone. Jane watched her friend in awe. She knew she could never do what Maura did, look at death…although she did it every day. It was different for Maura.

"I only hope there is no more," she said lightly and sighed. Jane's shoulders dropped and she ran her fingers through long raven hair in thought. "The only connection that I can see so far is the wound markings. Do you see anything further?" She asked her friend.

"Yes…"

"What?"

"They all have similar major alar cartilage."

"English?"

"They all have similar shapes to the nose, length, and nostrils."

"Ok and that is relevant because…"

"I don't know yet…"

Jane looked from Maura to the photos and back again, thinking…"Family members? Relatives?"

"Seems to be…"Maura said and set down the last photo.

A figure walked in front of the door where Jane and Maura were held up in with evidence. It paused, sniffed at the air and then continued onward farther down the hall. It took out a key card and unlocked the door that was next to Maura's room and went inside. On the bed lay the most recent victim…eyes and mouth open in a soundless scream. It smiled and touched the face of the young woman then let its hand slowly graze over the chest and left breast. It sighed and sniffed at the air again. Death…had a marvelous smell…

"Maura…oh god Maura! Wake up! WAKE UP!" Jane screamed and lightly smacked Maura's cheek. It took a moment for her eyes to flutter and then partially open. In that moment, Jane looked over her friend's wounds. She became scared and angry as she saw the hole in her left shoulder and gash in the right part of her chest. As she looked at her, Maura's chest barely rose and fell.

"…Jane…"

Jane's eyes shot up from Maura's chest to her face. Maura's lips parted, but barely a sound came out. "We have to get you out of here…" Jane said and gently put her arms around her friend to lift her up. The movement caused Maura to whimper in pain and force Jane to stop. By now, Jane's white t shirt was covered in Maura's blood. -Oh god Maura…don't die…-Jane thought. She set her friend back down and looked around the hall. She saw an emergency phone on the other side of the small area and stood. "You stay alive…Maura…that is a direct order…"

It watched from the shadows as the dark haired woman left the its victim alone. Saliva pooled in the corner of its mouth and it licked its lips. The figure watched the other woman in amazement, but then let its eyes fall back to the victim, to Maura. Eyes glistened in the shear pleasure of the blood that soaked the clothing of the woman.

Jane picked up the receiver and listened for a dial tone. Her heart stopped when at first she did not hear it. Then the familiar sound buzzed in her ear. Jane closed her eyes and whispered a thanks and then hit '911.'

It moved from the shadows toward Maura.

Jane looked back to check on Maura who looked in her direction with partially closed eyes….and she saw it…

"MAURA!"

To be continued…

I do know own the characters, but I am borrowing them for just a little imagination.