Horror

"Where are you headed?" Damon asked her.

"I'm going home but don't worry I'll manage. I'm waiting for a bus." She told him politely.

"You won't get a bus, they're all closed for the day."

How did he know? Ashley looked at the time, it was about 8:30pm, it was also a Sunday they might really have closed.

Should she trust the man? He had helped her once, true, but she didn't even know him. While she was still thinking she heard him speak.

"Get in. It's late and you shouldn't be standing here all by yourself or you may end up needing some help."

Ashley frowned slightly. Okay he helped her once but even though he was right he shouldn't make her look like someone that couldn't help herself.

She reluctantly opened the car door and got in. She told him her address and the car zoomed off.

They drove in silence for a long time before Ashley decided to speak up since she didn't feel comfortable with the silence.

"Thank you for helping me after I fainted the other night." Ashley told him while he only nodded.

She couldn't help but wonder why he only nodded when she thanked him for something.

Well, she had nothing to say again since it looked like her way of starting a conversation was not working. Ashley continued to stare out of the window and at the darkness of the night.

Soon, they got to her house and she thanked him for the ride again not expecting him to reply her but this time around, he said something.

"Be careful."

It sounded more like a warning than a concern. Even though it was just that, it was better than not replying at all and just nodding. Ashley alighted from the car and walked into her apartment after she saw him drive away.

Natalie's call came in almost immediately.

"Ash are you home yet?" Natalie asked.

"Yes I just got home. I got a ride."

"A ride? From who?" Natalie asked completely confused because she knew that there was nobody Ashley knew who could possibly give her a ride home.

"Damon, he brought me home."

"That same beautiful man? What does he want?"

"Speaking of which, he was also at the petting zoo today. I saw him." Ashley told her friend.

"Why? Has he been following you? I mean why is he always stepping in to help? Do you think he can be trusted?"

"I don't think he means any harm but I don't know if he can be trusted either and I also have no idea why he keeps showing up to help." Ashley said the last part with a sigh.

"Girl, please be careful." Natalie told her sounding worried and Ashley chuckled. The man had told her the same thing also before he left.

"I will."

Ashley had a warm bath then changed into her pajamas before she settled down to sleep.

This time, Ashley found herself at the karaoke bar with her friend. They were dancing and singing, the room was dark and only the light from the karaoke machine could be seen. They kept singing and when they were tired, they both fell on the large couch behind them, panting and laughing. Then all of a sudden everything was gone and Ashley was the only one remaining in the room, in the darkness.

She looked around her scared, wondering where her friend was. They were just together some seconds ago.

Still wondering, some candles lit up in the room and then she saw someone sitting at the other end of the room.

What was happening?

"Who are you?" Ashley asked but got no reply and in the next moment, the person was in front of her.

Ashley gasped and fell back in shock. Not only because of how the person got to where she was standing without walking but also because it was the same creature from her dream the other night. This time it's eyes were less red but she could still see it's fangs.

Why did she meet it again?.

Ashley stayed on the floor staring at what was in front of her horrified but what happened again made her blink a couple of times to be sure her eyes were not deceiving her.

The damn creature just turned into a human being. How the hell did that happen? Ashley was so confused and kept staring at the man in front of her who now looked less scary but she still felt that feeling of danger and that scary aura surrounding him.

"Well well. Hello there young lady. I believe we've met before." The man said, with a grin.

He knew?! Was he coming to meet her on purpose?

Ashley stood up, keeping some distance from the man and straightened herself.

Wh... Who are you? What do you want from me? Why am I here?" Ashley asked all at once.

"Calm down young lady, I'm just here to talk." He started.

How the hell could she calm down when she doesn't know what on earth she's having a conversation with in her dream?

"I don't believe you." Ashley said "Why did you bring me here?"

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you, at least not yet." He said with a smirk. An evil smirk.

Not yet? So he was going to hurt her! What was this?

Ashley frowned and got angry. What did she do to him to make him want to hurt her? He couldn't be in his right mind.

The man started walking towards her, his eyes filled with something dark that she couldn't interpret and she moved back till she hit the wall and couldn't move any further. She saw him lean in and she felt like kicking and pushing him away.

"You look so innocent it almost wants to make me feel bad for doing this." He said and looked into her eyes, keeping her in place.

"What do you want from me?" She asked trying as much as possible to keep her fear hidden.

"I'm trying to find out if you're the one." He replied coldly and she raised a brow

The one?

"It might take some more time but don't worry we'll find out soon."

We? Ashley became confused, this man wasn't answering her questions, he was only giving her more to ask.

As if noticing her confusion, he moved back.

"You'll understand very soon. I'll let you go now but... we'll meet again." He said with that evil grin on his face.

Ashley woke up wondering what all that was about. Her head was filled with many questions that she didn't have answers to and didn't know anyone who did.

Who was he? What was he?

Whatever he was, he was clearly evil and dangerous and she didn't want anything to do with him. The man, after she saw him the first time she had wondered if he could be related to Damon because of the same aura and feeling she got from touching both of them but she had dismissed the thought since Damon was clearly a human being and this one was... she didn't know what to call him... a monster. But now she saw him change form to a human and he looked so different and maybe beautiful but still frightening.

She had felt the same way about Damon and Sephirah too. They looked unnaturally beautiful and calm but she felt they could be dangerous too. Something was also different about them, apart from what she already felt and she still couldn't say what it was. They were strange. And these three people had something in common.

Ashley decided she would have to get closer to them, Damon and Sephirah, so she can find out more. How it was going to be possible, she didn't know but when the opportunity comes she would make sure to take it.

God, she could be going on a death mission.

But even with what she felt about Damon, she just knew he meant her no harm, even though she had only had a few encounters with him. But the man in her dream really meant harm. He even said it.

And what did he mean by 'if she was the one'? Whatever he meant she just hoped that he wouldn't come back to her dreams for a long time.

At work, Ashley wasn't her usual self and even though she tried to hide it Natalie noticed that something was disturbing her.

After the long day ended and they closed for the day, Ashley found her way back home. She wondered what dream would be waiting for her this night.

This was her life and she had accepted it.

As she got to her street, she noticed something wrong, some people were fighting. The area was less busy so she quickly hurried to hide somewhere because she didn't want to risk falling victim of the fight while walking to her house which was a few blocks away.

As she watched from her hiding place, she noticed it was two men that were fighting and it was a very strange fight. She couldn't see their faces clearly because their reflexes were so fast, even when they ran or chased each other it was so fast she couldn't keep up.

Ashley just wished it ended soon so she could go back home. But after some time, she thought she saw Damon. She wasn't too sure because both men were moving too fast. And then Ashley saw one of the men use what looked like claws on his hands to stab the other in the chest and dig in till he brought out what looked like a heart that was still beating before the victim fell down... dead. Ashley gasped and covered her mouth.

She saw a heart!

Almost immediately, the man who killed the other turned and looked at her and Ashley almost gasped again. It was really Damon! And... and he just killed somebody!Why did he have to do it in the most disturbing way?

She just witnessed someone get killed for the first time in her life and the killer had to be Damon?, the man she had thought meant her no harm. What was she thinking? Because she felt that way didn't mean he couldn't harm other people. Ashley looked at his hands there was blood on them and the claws were no longer there but.... but she had seen them. Was he some kind of animal?

Ashley looked at the floor where the other man fell but she saw his body turn to ashes and fade away. What the hell was that? And where was the heart Damon had removed?

Damon began to walk towards her and her instinct told her to run. Before she knew it, she was out of where she was hiding and running away. She was probably wrong. He might hurt her this night.

"Stop!" She heard him shout but she didn't listen and just kept running to wherever her leg took her.

"I said stop!" He said louder this time and Ashley felt herself stop and couldn't move, like something held her down.

She heard his footsteps near where she stood and then she found him standing in front of her. Ashley could hear her heart drumming loudly in her ears as he stared deeply into her eyes.

"Please don't...."

"You will forget what you saw and go home like nothing happened." He told her in a hypnotizing voice and she looked dazed for a minute before she slowly nodded and turned around to leave.