Was I sore? My extremely hungover, just barely woken up brain tried to process.

      No, I wasn’t sore…but still, if I was naked he must be naked too..…... A quiver rose on my skin. I shrugged my mind out of their devilish thoughts and grinned at breakfast.

     I went to the fridge and opened it, my mind went back to the first day, there was only a sandwich in there which I had shamelessly munched on. But now it was stocked up, I looked at the items………. I didn't know if it was deliberate but everything in there was my favorite, I took out the almond milk it was the exact brand I liked. A tiny little mysterious feeling bloomed in my chest and I squashed it instantly.

        I sat on the sofa slowly nibbling at my spread of bacon, sausages and toast, in a strange way the wall between us had disappeared, I was a different person in front of him. I had not felt like that in a long time ………... it was the feeling when someone would offer me unlimited chicken noodles and pepperoni pizza for life ×1000. I couldn't describe it any other way, I didn't know such a feeling even existed. I wanted to keep him safe. It mattered somehow to my queer soul. I turned the note in my hands, I wondered where he went.

       I got up suddenly and walked to his room. It smelt of him. His musky scent was mixed with the deo he used. I sat gingerly on his bed. His scar popped before my eyes, it was so vaguely familiar, still I couldn't remember where I saw it. My eyes fell on the unicorn. It was now propped up on a shelf. His room was devoid of any decorations but I could see small rays of his personality everywhere.

   I stood before the mirror and I felt his warm hands envelop me in an embrace. Startled at the emotion I opened my eyes finding me staring at the mirror like an owl.

 What's happening to me? I questioned my inner angels and devils...... no answer came back apparently they didn’t have an opinion when I actually needed one. I did the only thing that was sensible.

    I closed my eyes and thought about him, I pressed a finger to my pulse . and started counting. After a minute my eyes swung open………No it can't be.

   Frustrated I closed my eyes again and started thinking about how stupid he was, his grin when he broke an egg on his head, his dislike for the absolutely harmless little spiders not to mention that he killed people and the way he left the milk carton open even though he knew it annoyed me. I checked it again. I laughed halfheartedly and shook my head. No it can't be, I said again searching my nonsensical brain for a sensible solution.

Ahaa , alcohol , I drank too much that’s why the high blood pressure. But wait, pulse and pressure are those the same? They must be. I concluded not wholly satisfied with the diagnosis.

        I sprawled on the bed and thought about him, with a jerk I sat upright. Did he go to kill someone? A newfound panic set in me. I l hoped out of bed and took a step ahead. Like the spider tingle my cop tingle started buzzing I took a step back. The ground sounded hollow. I yanked the carpet and sure enough, there was a trap door. I lifted it and ran down the steps, my hands found the switch and I turned it on with urgency, light flooded the room and I stumbled back with what I saw.

       There were maps placed everywhere, my hands flew through the elaborate plans, his genius escapades, his methods of blending in the household of his targets, and his talent of disguise. My eyes leaped to the picture on the wall and two well-known faces started at me. the Harper Brothers………….. I  sprang near their pictures. Sean Harper… date 26/6..... Luis Harper the date 25/6 ……. That was.......that was….. TODAY. Torrents of information filled my brain. Harper Brothers famous guitarist and singer duo, friends of Timothy Stark…….

   I ran upstairs found my phone and dialed Simon's number.

I heard a ring.

“ Pick Up. Pick Up"
 It rang for 5 more times then the operator's voice was heard. I dialed the number again and waited impatiently, every second mattered. I switched on the tv, there was nothing …………. YET.

“ Sarah it's still 8.30 you woke up my cat” I heard Simon's irritated voice mingled with his cat's incessant meowing.

“ Fuck Your Cat, no don't fuck it but  listen”

He groaned.

“ Simon Zeus is going to murder Luis Harper today”

“ WHAT?” his droopy voice was gone, even his cat was quiet.

“ Send protection asap, don’t ask how or why I know this, I just do, if you don’t act fast you will only find Luis's body.”

I shut the phone removed the sim and broke it in half.

    I slumped on the bed. I was worried, not for Luis but for Zeus, I didn’t want him to get caught. I racked up my brain to somehow warn him. I turned on my spare phone that I had brought just in case. I waited for an hour, then texted 'Don’t Do It'.

         Sweat formed beads on my forehead as I waited for the light to turn green, I paced up and down I would have easily claimed up a mountain by now. I  texted him again.

' I'll help you Zeus, I promise let me help you ' I stared at the text then I added.

' Please, this isn’t right.'

  I rubbed my sweaty palms together, the light turned green I prepared myself for the onslaught but it didn’t come.

Moron, I had said please.

        I went back down, trying to find any more plans, I found a safe but it was secured with a code. He was smart, he had set up the other room purposely so that I wouldn’t go snooping in his house, it had worked, I didn’t snoop and he had enough time to plan and act.

      I looked at Luis's handsome Irish face. A pang of guilt gripped my heart. I didn’t want to betray Zeus but I wouldn’t let someone die. After all, I was a cop. I couldn’t stay still but What if he got caught? I switched on the tv and waited there was nothing on the news.

I waited another hour, then dialed for Simon.

“ Did you catch anyone?”

“ No.....” before he could finish I ended the call.

 I sighed in relief, he was safe. I considered how twisted this was, me protecting him.

     The news ran in streams, so far so good. I glanced at the clock it had been another 2 hours. He will be home soon.

I steeled myself to face him. I went to get water. The half swallowed water caught in my throat when I heard static. I ran out.

The news anchor's voice was just as tense as his face.

“ It has just been notified …. There has been a new development. Famous singer Luis was found murdered in his home. It is been speculated that this was the work of Zeus the notorious killer". The image of his body came in view, a tremor ran in my spine when I saw the deep gashes, Zeus was a clean killer but this time ………this time…...he had himself held the knife…....he was pissed, really really pissed. The anchor continued, now with an impersonal and leveled voice.

    "The police had received a tip and provided him prompt protection despite this Zeus managed to escape.  His signature was found from the wound of the deceased………."
   
      The anchor continued to talk about Luis and Zeus, I stared at the screen wide-eyed. The anchored stopped. He was conversing with the staff they didn’t even bother to cut it …  the dread in his voice increased as he spoke “ We are first to report the murder of Sean Harper, Luis Harper's brother, our special reporter said that Sean Harper died in the same gruesome manner. Police are trying to track Zeus but no clues have been found yet. The commissioner will be answering the general pulic.....”

 I gasped, he killed them both…he killed them both I repeated........on cue the door opened.

Zeus was standing in the door, the glass in my hand slipped. His bloodshot eyes found mine. His whole demure had changed, I could feel the rage steaming from his body.

“ YOU ” he shouted and gripped me by my hair.

“ YOU BITCH” his hands snaked around my throat.

“ I trusted you didn’t I ?” I struggled against his strong hands and failed, he removed a knife out and ran it slightly over my skin.

“Stop it ” I yelled. He took me in, but there was no emotion other than resentment.

“ You won't kill me, I trust you,” I said feebly.

He laughed like a maniac. I was terrified and concerned. I didn’t know why my brain chose to be concerned for him when he was the one choking me.

The knife inched closer and drew blood. A sharp pain coursed in my body. I clutched his hands.

“ Stop it Zeus I had to it.”’

“ Then I have to do this” he pressed the knife more and blood dripped on my shirt, staining my shirt forming dark crimson wings.

" I should have killed you when I had the chance," he said menacingly.

" I tried to make you understand., but you won't listen.........and you never had a chance " I took out the gun tucked in my jeans behind.

If he could breathe fire, he probably would. He set me slowly down watching me like a hawk.

" I'm trying to tell you....."  all of a sudden he kicked the gun out of my hands. A wicked smile appeared on his lips.

" I don't want to listen to your lies, Game over ", he tried to grab me but I moved away

  We both looked at each other, ready to pounce with even the slightest movement.

“ I had to stop you.”

“You had a choice, and you chose to send me behind bars”

“ I notified you.”

He kicked my legs and I fell, he held my hands firmly over my head, I tried to remove his grip.

“ Not good enough”  he pressed on my wound further. I closed my eyes, he squeezed my throat my breaths became hollow. I let out a strangled cry. I looked in his eyes again……. His gaze traveled from my neck to my hands. His brows furrowed.

“ What is this” he growled looking at my wrist.

“ Its …. a....it’s a…. a "  I tried to speak , he loosed his hold slightly.

“ Its a birthmark”

 He rubbed the mark vigorously almost wishing that it would go away.

I didn’t want to die not like this, I took the opportunity and kicked him in the stomach , he clutched his body but recovered the next second, I kicked the knife out of his hands. Before I could celebrate he took out a gun from the kitten drawer.

 He looked up again, his expression similar to when he saw spiders, but this time it was laced with hate.

   I took a lungful of air, trying hard to get my heart stop pumping wildly. He trained the gun on me, any second now a bullet would find its way crushing my skull. I shut my eyes, I didn’t beg because Heck I Had An Ego and I would never beg in front of a criminal. I waited for the bullet to hit my face but it didn’t. When I raised my head, he was gone.

He wanted to kill me, I had seen the determination in his eyes, he wanted to kill me but he didn’t. I glanced at my birthmark again. The leaf like shape was now red from his rubbing.

Why didn’t he kill me?

********************************

I hope you don't find Sarah's obsession with   Chicken Noodles extreme. There are some queer people in this world who receive pure untainted love from food.

Believe me I know😉