Francesca was walking to the bus stop this morning, so she didn’t have a chance to walk past the place where she met that psychopath last night. More precisely, he met her. And if more precisely – attacked. But now she and Tammy were walking along this road. Francesca recalled the trajectory of yesterday’s path. Here she turned the corner and ran. Then she stopped to check if anyone was watching her. And she blundered when she decided that she herself was imbued with this fear.

      She looked at the brick wall. The same smooth, silent, mute, not giving out their secrets… As if nothing had happened yesterday. There’re so much people don’t know. Although every day can pass by the scene of another crime and not even know it… There was a bitter sense of injustice. She wanted to shout: “Here! Here! It was here that he grabbed me!”. But she was silent. All this seemed ridiculous, implausible and even stupid.

      Approaching the door of her apartment, Francesca turned and looked at Tammy. In the eyes clearly read: “Thank you for escorting, then I can handle it myself.” Friend, understanding everything without a word, nodded.

      “If anything, call me anytime.”

      “Good.”

      But Tammy was in no hurry to leave and was still looking at her anxiously.

      “Everything is good. True.”

      She clearly didn’t believe. But didn’t insist.

      “Okay. Get better.”

      And Tammy turned and walked down the steps.

      Taking a deep breath, Francesca entered the apartment and closed the door behind her. The ringing sound of her friend’s heels reflected from the walls of the entrance, moving farther away. Francesca sat down on the floor in the hallway. She didn’t want to think about anything. Not only that she has heavy heart, soon ached and the body. Her stomach ached again, and, with a tormented expression on her face, the girl went to the toilet.

      The rest of the day went terribly. Mostly she did only two things: lay in bed or in a fit of nausea ran to toilet. It tired her not only physically, but also mentally. In the late afternoon, Francesca was lying down flat in bed under the blanket, waiting for the next burst of pain. It was gradually getting dark outside the window, and there was less and less light in the room. It pacified.

      She extended the trembling hand to a water carafe on a bedside table. Francesca was already drinking straight from it, ignoring a lone glass. For some reason, she couldn’t connect the two obvious things: the more she drinks, then more often she vomits. But she was thirsty. Unbearable thirsty. And the head had completely refused to work. The whole body was weak. And besides, she couldn’t fall asleep, no matter how much she wanted to.

      After another visit to the toilet (she was throwing up just clear liquid), water disgusted. And folding her arms across her chest, Francesca emaciated looked out the window.

      Night was slowly falling on the city. Like a predatory beast, it sneaked through streets, shrouding houses in black veil. Sounds faded, lights turned on. In the east the sky has already disappeared into darkness.

      About an hour later, as expected, a noisy company of young people passed under the windows. Among them, of course, was a couple who lived in a nearby house – Bunny and Kevin. They often gathered friends and got drunk, after which they were necessarily dragged to some club. It so happened that friends brought them back in an almost insane condition and unloaded directly under the entrance door. It seems that Bunny worked in the supermarket, and her friend was either a porter or someone else. He changed jobs like socks, and because of this they made such scandals that screams rang along the whole street. Every passerby heard them. However, afterwards they still put up and also usually not without emotions… And now they are going to the nightclub again.

      Francesca didn’t like night clubs. A bunch of unhappy, lonely people who flood their lives with liters of alcohol and dumbed down minds by drugs… she thought indignantly. After such a terrible day, all thoughts took quite a negative color.

      She turned to the side, closed her eyes and diligently tried to sleep. It didn’t work out… And closer to three o’clock, when the torturous insomnia was completely fed up, Francesca despaired and decided to resort to sleeping pills. Pulling the dusty jar out of the drawer, she put two pills in her mouth and washed down with water. She fluffed pillow, warmly covered himself with the blanket, lay down, unmoving, and closing eyes, waited for a salutary sleep…

      It seemed that already not enough strength, and the air becomes treacherously less. Lungs burned and convulsive breathing broke from the lips. Her legs carried her along unknown dark alleys. There was no sound behind her, no hint of pursuit, but she knew he was there, that he was catching up with her, that he was watching her. Francesca felt his presence with all the cells in her body. It seemed to her that the faster she runs, the inevitably closer he to her. Frightening, unwelcome meeting followed her like her own shadow.

      Moving was almost impossible, the body wouldn’t obey. But ahead loomed the faint outline of a door. Is it really her salvation?! She ran up, grabbed the handle and, turning, without looking, jumped inside. Relief… And then the inevitable meeting with bright blue eyes…

      It was the dining room. Very dark. Only the place where a long rectangular table stood was illuminated. Behind it would fit a man fifteen, but it was empty. Only a vase with large white flowers, a decanter filled with wine, and two crystal glasses were on the wooden table-top. At the table, in the far edge, sat on a high chair… A Stranger.

      The face wasn’t visible, the darkness enveloped all its features, hiding them under itself, as if under a veil. All except bright eyes. Only eyes; but Francesca recognized him. A shiver ran through her skin. She staggered to the door, fingers gripping the air in search of a handle, but it already there wasn’t.

      The Stranger stood up and walked slowly to a carafe with a slow, smooth gait. With long fingers, he wrapped around its neck. Francesca flinched, swallowing nervously. He filled both glasses to half-full, took them in his hands and walked slowly towards the girl. Fear gripped her. She leaned against the wall in the hope that it will allow to fall through it. But for a moment – and he was already standing right in front of her. And just as intently, as at that time, looked at her face.

      And suddenly Francesca seemed to be under the influence of his captivating eyes. When he handed her the glass, she obediently raised her hand, accepting it. The Stranger stepped forward and was so close, that if even a little bit more, and he would have fully pressed against her trembling body. He gently lowered his head to her shoulder, hiding his face in smooth, dark-golden hair. His warm breath caressed neck exactly where two small wounds were gaping.

      Heady sensation suddenly flooded Francesca. Fear remained, but it ceased to have its former significance. Heart pounding with mad power, and breathing increased. Head was spinning, knees went weak. At that moment, The Stranger let go of his glass. Sliding, it rapidly was falling to the floor.

      Instantly covered with cracks, the glass shattered into fragments, giving freedom to its contents. Red liquid splashed onto Francesca’s legs. And only then did she begin to realize that this wasn’t wine at all.

      Not allowing the girl to think about anything else, his strong arms wrapped around her waist and pressed to the slender male body. Lips clung to the drumming of the artery, and sharp fangs pierced two scarlet dots that didn’t have time to drag on. From the neck under the skin spreading the sweet, but poisonous pain. Francesca looked up, but her eyes closed involuntarily before losing consciousness. One hand clenched the glass, the other tightly squeezed the shirt on his back.

      Fingers weakened, and the second glass, slipping from her palm, landed with a clink at feet…