Chapter 1

She pulled into the driveway; she opened the back door of her SUV and retrieved her briefcase, a brown paper bag and some dry cleaning. She was glad to be home, this had been a very long stressful week at work, but tonight was a time to celebrate. She put her key in the lock and turned the key, the house smelled of fresh flowers from her partner's garden no doubt, classical music played on the stereo softly Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven.

"Babe, I'm home and yes I remembered to pick up the dry cleaning. Sorry I'm a little late I know I said I would be home an hour ago but I had to finish up those reports." She spoke out into the air.

She put her briefcase down and laid her keys on the table by the door. She went over to staircase and carefully placed the plastic bag over the railing. She turned and walked from the foyer passing through the dining room she started to remove the bottle of wine from the paper bag.

"I also stopped and picked up your favorite wine, so we could toast…" she continued walking and talking as she entered the doorway to the kitchen.

She stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes met her wife's filled with panic and fear, she didn't remember the bottle falling from her hand, but the crash of the glass splintering across the floor brought her back to her senses.

"Let her go." She spoke in a commanding tone.

The figure dressed in black fatigues with a mask covering their entire face and dark goggles to hide their eyes. This figure had her wife covering her mouth preventing her from screaming, she was breathing heavily and struggling, trying to get free.

The black figure had a gun pointed at her head, the muzzle pressed tightly against her temple. She tried to speak but their hand prevented her from making any noise other than jumbled sounds of groans.

"I said let her go. Whatever it is you want, you picked the wrong house. Now just let her go and you can leave, I will wait an hour before I call the police." Her hand slowly moved to her gun attached to her belt hidden beneath her jacket.

"I would not do that; if you do I'll just have to kill her sooner than I planned." The figures voice was disguised by an electronic device.

"Listen to me; you don't want to hurt her. If I'm the reason that you're here then let her go and deal with me." Her voice still had a commanding tone, but calmness took over her. She moved her hand away from her gun, but before she did she unsnapped the thumb break.

She tried to think of her next step, she had to get her wife free from this maniac and out of danger.

"I want you to know that I really did not want it to be this way. I know that in the beginning you will be angry, but in time you will see…you will see it was the best thing I could do for you."

"What are you talking about? What is best for me? Do I know you?" she asked puzzled by their ramblings. Fear crept up in her as she began to realize the gravity of the situation.

"You have yet to realize your full potential. We have only begun our little game of cat and mouse. You intrigued me the moment you took an interest in me. It was so refreshing to know that someone with your abilities, insight and knowledge could take an interest in my work."

She looked into her wife's eyes as the terror shown in them. She pushed down the sickening feeling that came over her as she knew who was standing before her.

"I can help you. I just need you to put down the gun."

"Do not insult me with those rehearsed lines. Perhaps I give you too much credit. Perhaps it was just a mistake that you could be someone of my stature, my intelligence."

"No…no, I'm sorry…I just…what do you want from me?"

"Nothing that you are ready to give me now…but in time perhaps. In time…"

The figure removed the gun away from her wife's temple and pointed it directly at her. The brunette struggled to get free, screaming into the figure's hand as the gun went off.

She saw the muzzle flash and reached for her gun but it was too late, she had only gotten her gun halfway out of the holster when the first bullet hit her in the chest right above her heart. The force knocked her to the ground, the second bullet creased her on the side of the head.

The impact of the second bullet forced her into a darkness she couldn't fight off but for a few seconds. In those few seconds she saw her life taken away from her as the figure threw down the gun and pulled out a knife and stabbed her wife.

The brunette screamed and called out to the blonde as the knife entered her chest. Her breathing was gurgled as blood entered her lungs. Her last words were "I love you, Emma."

The figure picked up the phone and dialed 9-1-1.

"What is your emergency?" the operator asked

Still using the electronic device, the figure spoke into the receiver "I would like to report a murder."

"Just a moment and I'll connect you with the police department…"

"Police what is the nature of your call?"

"I would like to report a murder." The voice spoke again

"Did you say murder…. hello…hello. Are you hurt? Hello…" the police dispatcher spoke into her mic. "I'm tracing the call; in case you're hurt. The police are on the way."

The phone lay on the counter, the voice of the operator echoed against the silence of the empty house but for the two bodies lying on the floor.

The blonde woke from her dream drenched in sweat, clutching her chest. Her head throbbed as she rubbed it. She got out of bed and went to the bathroom; she opened the medicine cabinet and removed a bottle of aspirin. She took out three tablets and put them in her mouth then cupped her hand and filled it with water. She tossed her head back as the pills went down her throat.

She splashed cold water against her face and then dried it. She looked in the mirror and pulled the neck of her tank top to the side. She ran her fingertips over the small scar above her heart. She stared at her reflection in the mirror for a moment then turned off the light and went back into her bedroom.

She walked out onto the patio outside her bedroom and sat at the table looking up at the stars in the sky. She closed her eyes as the night breeze brushed softly against her skin.

Author's note: If the formatting is not correct please let me know as I stated this is my first time publishing. If it looks ok please let me know that also.

Thank you!