"The Dark Stranger"
© VeGirl 2014

About a week later; a week of sassing from Eddie at work, Peter is looking a bit anxious as he walks into the lounge of our house, like he has something to say but doesn't know how to take the subject up.

"Noel asked if we could go out with them tomorrow."

"Yes?"

"Are you okay enough to go out, I mean with this creep stalking you?"

I had almost forgotten about that, especially with the last attack. "Sure, I'm okay," I lie and am surprised as how easy the lie rolls off my tongue. I plaster a fake smile on my face as a suffix.

"Great, I'll give him a call," Peter beams and walks off with the phone to his ear.

That next evening I sit alone on the back porch when Peter and his friends go out to the pub or wherever they were going. I told him I wasn't feeling so good and that they should go without me, and truth be told, I am glad to have them out of the house; the pre-party was enough for me and I was getting more and more annoyed by these guys. It turned out as a guy's night out and when they asked if they should call their girlfriends to come over and keep me company, I had to tell another white lie and say I had a migraine coming on and was going to bed as soon as they left.

I draw a sigh of relief when a cab roll off with them and the house is silent again. Too lazy to make dinner, I call the local Chinese restaurant and have them deliver a chicken chow mein with the most delicious sauce. It is my favourite and with a rich chocolate icecream or cake for dessert it is definitely indulgence-food.

The doorbell signals that dinner is ready. I take it out on the back patio where I sit in the last red light of the setting sun. I smile to myself when I pour myself a glass of white wine and open the box with deliciously scented food, leaning back in the chair to dig into this food. A few deep contented breaths later I almost laugh to myself while savouring the delicious dish and enjoy the solitude as I satiate my hunger for food.

Halfway through the dinner, my entire body starts to tingle in that eerie way I have experienced before, and I can see a black figure walking out from the woods behind our house, sauntering across my lawn towards me. My breath catches in my throat and I'm instantly on my feet as I watch this man closing in on me like a predator his prey.

My own eyes are wide open in fear. "What do you want from me?" I stutter as I back up against the wall.

A pair of piercing dark blue eyes narrows. "I have saved you more times than one and you think I'm here to hurt you?" It is the same dark husky voice that has spoken to me inside my own head.

"Saved me?" I breathe barely audible, keep pulling shallow breaths.

"What do you think would have happened if I hadn't got you out of that alley, or if my... associate had caught you in the middle of the road?" There is a humorous edge to his words, but I still have a hard time to breathe in his mere presence.

"Your associate?"

He lifts his eyebrows and those blue eyes glisten with mirth. "The black car," he explains with a smile lurking at the corner of his mouth; the next minute, that smile is gone. "You need to stay away from me." His expression is once again dark and broody as he turn on his heel; he is almost instantly swallowed up by the darkness that suddenly seem to surround our entire neighbourhood.

I can breathe again and I lean forward with my hands on my knees panting for a couple of minutes. Was there actually another man, about to attack me in that alley, when this dark evenger saved me?

I slump down in the chair by the table again, trying to control my body as it shake from the shock. A sudden rage takes hold of me and with clenched teeth, I get on my feet and stomp around the corner of my house, out the gate and over the small street I live by. Half blind of anger and with all hairs on my body standing on edge, I stamp up the stair and pound on the door of the ragged old house opposite mine.

"You say I should stay away!" I yell madly. "But you are the one that keep coming to me! Perhaps you should stay away?" Just as filled with rage I stomp back, round my house and plump down on the chair again, crossing my arms determinately over my chest.

I'm startled as that voice in my head continues. 'I'm just doing my best to protect you, Samira.' The seductive voice says softly in my head.

"Perhaps you should protect somebody else," I grunt and seconds later I roll my eyes at my own stupidity. Now I even answer the voices in my own head.

I hear the voice chuckle sweetly. 'You don't want me to stay away...' The husky, seductive voice send shills along my spine and I start to question myself even harder.

Was that true?

* * *

That following week my dreams intensifies. I constantly feel like some deer caught in the headlights, unable to do anything but stand still and wait to be hit. I stumble to work, dead tired and I manage to mess up orders at work so bad that they send me back office as much as they can. In the kitchen, I can't embarrass myself to customers amusement.

The week creeps forward in snail pace and I start to fear that this is the week where there won't be a weekend at all. Finally after what feels like half a century, it is Friday and Eddie and I have decided to go out dancing. Eddie has hooked up with Kevin, not a minute too soon if you ask me, and him and Milo meet us at The Cave.

"Isn't Peter giving you a hard time by going out with me again, sugar?" Milo smirks at me.

"I'm not out with you Milo, I'm out with Eddie!"

He is taken aback a little by my cocky attitude at first, but smirks at me. "You don't mean that, come and dance with me now, love!"

"You're not the boss of me!" I snap and do my best to hide my smile. "And I'm way to sober to dance with you," I state mirthfully.

"Let me talk to your boss." He plays along. "Either you dance with me or I'll have you fired," he threatens evilly even if I know he is still joking.

"I should be so lucky," I reply cocky, but his snaking arm around my waist makes me worm away and I giggle.

"Okay, let's get you drunk then." With his arms around my waist, he guides me to the bar and orders two shots each. After those two, one straight after the other, I seem to lose my bearings slightly; yeah I know, I'm a lightweight.

We head for the dance-floor in this dark cave and mingle with all the other people swaying and turning in beat with the music. Milo's arms slide around my waist and I'm way beyond protesting, I just revel in the way my stomach clenches a little and my heartbeat picks up.

After a few dances, a guy comes up tapping Milo on the shoulder to talk to him, and I wave dismissingly at him and walks to the side of the dance-floor while Milo and the guy walks in the other direction.

I have been standing there for a couple of minutes, when my entire body starts to tingle in what now seems like a familiar way. I am just about to look around, when the sweet seductive voice purr in my ear "Have you told him about me yet?" A shill runs down my spine and an electric current hums between us.

I swallow and turn slowly towards the dark-haired gorgeous dream-guy. "Who are you talking about?" I croak out.

"Did you tell your boyfriend about me?"

I have hard time breathing, but am determined not to let him know how he affects me. "Why would I?" I fake a cocky attitude and let my eyes wander over his model-feature. This is the first time I have him really close up to get a good look at him and I feel my stomach clenching and I almost drool. He is absolutely exquisite!

His black hair seems a little too long and mussed and I instinctively want to pull my fingers through it. All of his features; his well defined jaw and the promise of a sinewy body are screaming strength and determination. His silver blue eyes seem to beam in the florescent light. "I bet you dream about me," he says glib and I feel my heart skip a beat at that statement.

How on earth could he know that?

Once again I fake up some bravery. "Don't hold yourself too high," I snort and I see in the corner of my eye how Eddie curiously close in on us with a smirk on her face, but as she gets closer, she furrow her eyebrows and holds back.

I look at this blackclad beautiful man. "Do you realize this was you approaching me again?" I say cocky and watch a shadow of surprise run over his features, changing into a hint of smile. I just raise one eyebrow. "I'm just saying. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to meet my friend." After that statement I turn and walk away from him. With my breath still caught in my throat I walk towards Eddie.

"Who was that?" she wants to know.

"Just my neighbor." I will my voice to sound blasé.

"Nicholas Cage's friend?" Eddie asks excited. "He's gorgeous. But he has a black aura," she adds murmuring.

I laugh out loud and turn towards her. "Are you into aura-readings as well now?" I mock her. "What's next; exorcism? Or perhaps you'll start seeing ghosts and angels?" I keep laughing.

"Says the girl who lives next door to a vampire..." Eddie says tart.

"That's your explanation, not mine." I make sure she hears. "Come on now, let's dance." I hook my arm in hers and drag her to the dance-floor where we're swaying to the music.

After some time there is that weird feeling of being watched again and I try to discreetly scan the premises. In the darkness of the shadows, I find my neighbor's piercing eyes follow me on the dance-floor. The prickling feeling is about the same as when I totally freaked out the last time I was here. I am breathless, but not scared this time as I contemplate whether it could have been him.

Kevin and Milo joins us on the floor and I do my best to tune out the tingling sensation that is constantly running up and down my spine as Milo slides his hands around me. I pretend that it is Milo's touch that makes me tingle all over and after a while I think it actually might be. Milo is a really good looking guy and I enjoy his body so close to mine, there is just one thing that is holding me back from letting my hands slide inside his shirt. If I only could remember what that was...

"I think I better take you home now, sugar pie," Milo whispers into my ear and my body tingle so it's hard to breathe. "Or I might take advantage of you," he mumbles in my hair, making my stomach jolt again.

"Please..." I say and watch the surprised amusement on his face.

The cab he hauled in stops outside my house and Milo tells the cabdriver to wait while he walks me to the door. "Next time I'll take you to my place, sexy," he whisper seductively as he puts his arms around me.

The sight of my house has cleared the alcohol intoxicating veil that swirled around in my head, and it becomes clear to me that it was that fiancée of mine I was supposed to remember. "Sorry, that's not gonna happen, Milo," I whisper in a suggestive tone.

"Oh yes it will," he says confident and kiss me lightly on the lips before he release me and strut back to the car. I stand there with my back leaned on the door, watching him surprised as he gets in and drive away. I take a deep breath to inhale some cool air to lift the last of the intoxication from my mind before I go inside.

Peter meets me once again, just inside the door. "Was that the same guy driving you home again?"

"Yeah, that was Milo, is that a problem?"

"I don't like that guy; I don't want you to see him again."

I laugh out loud. "That is not your decision." I just walk away.

"You are my fiancée, so that is definitely my decision," he yells. "Don't walk away from me!" He takes a few fast steps, grabs my arm and jerks me around.

"What the hell?" I scream.

"If I tell you to stop seeing him, you will do that."

"Or what?"

He clenched his jaw together. "I'm having a hard time to trust you right now, and I need for you to do what I tell you."

"You're kidding me!" I can't believe what I hear. "I don't trust you one second, so I can't see this going anywhere."

"What the hell does that mean?" Peter yells and I can see blind rage in his eyes.

"This is over, we're through!" I say calm and collected.

"You can't mean that; we are not through!" He grabs my upper arms.

"Peter, let go of me, you're hurting me!" I scream and suddenly all hairs on my body stands on end. "Peter, get the hell out of here, this is over!" I yell and jerks free, just to push this surprised guy backwards towards the door. I can't even believe my own strength.

Peter just glares at me with surprise and betrayal written over his features, and then he slowly walks out of our house.

The feelings when I go to sleep that night is penduling from a strong regret and feeling that I have done something really wrong, to an extreme sense of relief. I lay awake for a good while, listening for the cab to bring him back, but there is not a sound coming from the street. Surprisingly enough I sleep like a dead that night, and wake up well rested and alert.

The first person I call that morning is Eddie. "I broke up with Peter." I say as soon as she answered.

"Hi Sam, or at least I hope this is Sam." The sarcasm is flowing.

"Of course it's me," I sigh.

"What happened between you and Milo last night?"

"Nothing!" I defend myself rather harsh. "That was not why I threw him out."

"Oh, you threw him out, did you?" By now she is chuckling.

"Why don't you sound surprised?"

"I've been waiting for this a good while now," she reveals. "Ever since the visit at Esmeralda's." I gasp and she keeps talking. "She told you that Peter wasn't right for you," I hear my friend say and I remember that clearly.

I almost believed her there, until she told me about the name-tag necklace I wore.

Eddie is quiet for a while. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"I guess I have to call him."

"To take him back?"

"No," I almost yell. "Just to talk to the guy, to arrange for him to pick his stuff up and all that. He needs to return the key."

* * *

A couple of days later Peter is due to pick up his stuff during my work-hours. My mind can't help but to flicker to him during work. Have I done the wrong thing? My subconscience remind me how I started to get irritated with everything he did, surely that can't be right.

"Stop thinking about it," Eddie hiss as she walks by me. "The other's are just wondering when you're going to break down."

I whip my head around to catch my two co-workers hastily looking away. I purse my lips to prevent me from grinding my teeth. "I'm okay, you can stop worry," I mutter loud, but catch them glancing at me several times during the work hours.

A sigh of relief leaves my mouth as I drive off from work, hours later. With a knot in my stomach I see Peter's car standing on our driveway. Noel's van is parked by the curb and the two of them are carrying boxes out of the house.

I swallow hard as I park next to Peter's truck and walk out to meet them

"Hi Sam." Peter says, trying to keep his tone light. "I'm sorry we're not finished, I couldn't get off work early, due to some meeting," he explains and it actually doesn't feel like I staked him in the back when I told him to get out.

"That's no problem, take your time," I reply, wanting to give him some privacy and respect his dignity.

"I can get out of the house if you want."

"No, off course not!" I say sharply. "I just don't want you to be embarrassed," I add in a mumble, feeling quite uncomfortable myself. "I'll try to stay away." I get into the kitchen to make myself some latte before I walk outside. After about an hour, Peter walks out on the back patio.

"Are you ready? Wow that was fast," I add supportive.

"Yeah, I need to get out of your way," he says awkward and I smile to him in a similar awkward way.

He stays on the spot, scraping with his shoe in a way that tells me he has more to say. "Can I ask you one last thing?" he finally says.

"Of course!" I dread what will come.

"Were you cheating on me?" he asks quietly.

I pucker my eyebrows. "No, I definitely wasn't," I answer sharply. "I can't believe that you would even think that." I'm appalled.

"I didn't think that, it was somebody else that brought it up, with you being quite changed and all," he admits embarrassed. "Thank you for being honest."

"Yeah, sorry it didn't work out. I'm sure you'll meet somebody that is perfect for you. You're a great guy." I stand up and give him a supportive hug before he walks out of my life.

I slump back on the sun bed, contemplating my life. I thought everything was on the right track, but now I have to start from scratch again. What will my life become now; what will I become?

All thoughts are swirling around in my head, making me so tired. It isn't like I have any answers to any of the questions that are pestering me right now. I try to relax and realise that I'll just have to wait to see what tomorrow has to bring for me.

A velvet voice pierces through the calm surroundings. "You can claim that you don't dream about me as much as you want, but we both know that isn't true."

I snap my head up and realize that I've been dosing off. Was I dreaming of him again?

.