Sorry this has taken a while and I'm sorry it's not a massive action chapter like the last but hopefully it will make sense later on.

i have had someone contact me to ask whether there will be any rizzles as I put it will be non rizzles as we start and it has been pointed out that it is (now) chapter 9. If you have read any of my other stuff (Taste especially) you should know that my stories can be ridiculously long so chapter 9 isn't necessarily the middle or the end, it's still the start, I haven't mapped it all out yet and it is a story of angst, depends on what happens I'm sorry I can't give a more definite answer I hope I don't lose you as a reader but I can't say more for now.

i will be updating as much as I can over the next few days to try and make up for the lack of updates recently xx

The malevolent force was swirling inside Maura. It hadn't left her at all, it began swelling back up inside of her, it was trying to possess her wholly. She could see a light ahead of her and she struggled toward it. The blackness was tugging her backward trying to keep her from reaching the light. She drew closer to the light and every cell in her body wanted to burst through the light but fear held her heart in its icy grip. Her chest tightened in fear but the harder she breathed the more the darkness seeped into her. She could feel her resolve fading when she heard someone scream her name and it pushed her forward into the light.

Her retinas burned with the intense light blaring into them. She felt the sting of tears but none ever appeared, it was like she was too drained to give any more emotion. She sucked in the air around her as if it would help cleanse her insides from the inky substance that had remained inside her. Her chin wobbled as she remembered being inside that darkness and having it inside her; crawling its way through her body and consuming all her organs until she was left for dead. Never had she been so petrified in all her life and even though she was now in the light, she could still feel its stain on her soul, she didn't think she would ever feel clean again.

As her eyes fought to focus through the light to determine where she was or indeed what she was she felt an odd lightheaded sensation. Almost like she was floating. An odd calm fell over her as she considered that this was possibly the end. It didn't feel quite real, she didn't feel like a person anymore, more like an entity, even though she had a lot she wanted to live for her body had seemed to accept its fate.

She thought of Constance and her life so far, she considered herself to be happy but she never had the things others had. She had never really had any close friends, no one she ever fully trusted, she was often used for her intelligence or outcast for her oddness. Science was the only thing that ever made sense to her, it didn't make her happy as such, she knew that a concept of thought didn't possess the power to evoke an emotion but it did make her feel like she belonged, to science. She was a tool rather than a person, someone to discover and solve. She liked the idea of giving a voice, a reason, a purpose to those who had none. She was compassionate but in a distant way, caring but aloof. She had always thought that a natural trait she inherited off Constance. A brilliant woman with natural presence and a commanding attention yet somewhat shy and awkward when it came to affection as if it weren't natural.

There was a noise cutting through the glaring light but Maura could not focus on it, the light was too powerful, too commanding, too encompassing. Suddenly a face loomed in cutting through the piercing light and coming so close she could feel the foul breath on her face. Fear took hold of her and chills ran all over her frozen body. The face twisted into a cruel smile as the light faded behind the figure. Maura's eyes were wide with fear and her ever growing tears were blurring her vision making the visage grotesque and her heart pounded as the realisation set in that her nightmare may only just be beginning.

"Maura, do you know who I am?"

The foul breath washed over her again and her stomach rolled with nausea, she shook her head. The chuckle that was emitted rippled shivers down her spine as the gruesome sound matched the evil sparkle in the dark eyes boring into her soul.

"Of course not, the little princess wouldn't know me."

Maura frowned at the nickname that had never been associated to her, Constance was never one for pet names, as far back as she could remember Maura was the most personal name she was called, otherwise it was always Miss Isles. She felt a shooting pain in her head but as she reached up to cradle the pain she found her hands bound behind her back. Panic began to set in and she could feel faintness clawing its way toward her. That noise that had been niggling at the back of her mind began to grow louder and sounded like it echoed but still she couldn't focus on it, it was being drowned out by her fear and pushed down by the blackness.

"Ever heard the idiom revenge is a dish best served cold?" Maura nodded feeling ice slide down her spine with anxiety. The disgusting breath blew in her face again "You, my little princess, are the perfect recipe."

She felt the rough hands grab her by her slender shoulders and yank her off her feet, she screamed only to wince at the severe pain in her head. She was carried into a malodorous room, the stench smashed against her senses and she retched painfully.

"Quite powerful isn't she?"

She was let down heavily in front of a species of plant she had never seen before. It was looming over her smaller form and the smell was just as imposing.

"It comes from Indonesia, they call it the corpse flower because of the smell."

"What are you going to do with me?" The hideous smile returned as did the impending sense of dread.