Would you like a muffin?

Gabriela ran down the long corridor, trying to escape her pursuer. Her muscles burned from the tension, sweat running down her forehead. The breath came raggedly into her lungs and caused pain. She had to find a way out, find the way to salvation, but it did not appear to her. She had to hide the book and fight back against what she had released from it. Everything around was plunged into darkness and she could barely make out the outlines of the walls around her.

She knew these corridors. She wasn't going to die here, she threatened herself. There were memories of this place, memories that assured her that they belonged and would help. She heard terrifying noises behind her and quickened her pace.

I shouldn't have let myself get caught. She knew it would be the end if it happened. So she kept straining her legs and moving with the greatest possible speed in this darkness. Minutes passed and she seemed to be making no progress at all. Was there no end to this torture? she asked herself.

Something ran along the wall in the corner of her eye. She stopped in her tracks and listened. The world fell silent. Only her quickened breathing and uneven thumping of her pulse disturbed her stillness. She tried to breathe calmly and relax her jittery heart. She swung around, pivoting on her heel to look behind her. There was no one there but a terror crept down her spine, telling her there was something ahead she could not see.

She quickly turned her head back forward and for a second an image appeared before her. But it disappeared so quickly that she might have thought she imagined it if she didn't know better. The pumping of her blood was so loud in her ears that she could barely hear herself breathing. Feeling faint and losing strength quickly, a realization hit that she was holding her breath. Sharp deep intakes of oxygen filled the silent hall. A whimper was trying to escape from her lips but was held back. Giving up would only lead to disaster.

With tears in her eyes, she barely noticed the door at the back of the hall. It was close. She could see its outline highlighted by the faint glow from behind. If she could reach it, she had a real chance of success. She steadied herself and tried to command her muscles to move again. But no matter how much she strained herself, she didn't budge an inch. There was a crippling affliction on her body which was fought hard.

She quickly began to tire of the effort, but if she stopped, she would be consumed by the darkness. She was flailing her arms frantically trying to escape this nightmare. Her salvation lay behind the door at the bottom of this corridor, but she could never reach it. Her heart was beating fast, each breath bringing relief and more burning pain. Her eyes blurred from the effort and all she could think was "Oh please, please help me". She had forgotten everything she had been taught since childhood. Now she was just a scared boy trying to escape the monsters in the dark.

Wait, boy? She looked down at her hands and noticed they were big and manly. There was something wrong, but the terror came back with brute force and moved the thought back into forgetfulness.

The effort took to keep himself alive was burning her inside. How could she escape when she can't even move? But she knew that if she stopped if she turned around, all was lost. The image of that behind only appeared when there was no way to escape anymore. She had no desire to become familiar with the creature behind. She had to escape and hide the book she was holding. Nothing else mattered at this very moment.

Then dozens of dead hands reached from the darkness and grabbed her, encompassing the body. She felt herself being dragged into the abyss. The last thing she felt was thousands of arms digging into her flesh and muffling her screams.

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

Gabriela woke up with a scream on her lips, gasping for air. She reached over and immediately turned on the light. Looking around the room, she commanded his pulse to calm down. Isis had laid down right next to her, watching her intently. The clock was showing at half past four in the morning. Well, there was no more sleeping tonight, she thought.

She leaned back into her pillow and thought about the dream. Some things in the dream were familiar to her and others were not. Her body felt different—heavier and not as exercised as she was maintaining it. And her voice, even if only in her head, was different. The hallways were somewhat known to her. But was it because of her previous dreams or else? Why was it so hard to figure it out, she asked herself with frustration. Was she not clever and strong? Maybe not, she thought to herself disheartened. Perhaps part of growing up is realizing how little you can do or know.

Had she experienced someone else's memory or dream? Had she not seen and experienced all this only as an observer? It was possible. Now the fear and terror that had gripped her were subsiding slowly. Whereas in her previous nightmares, they hadn't left her for hours after waking up.

But on the other hand, she was now convinced that her experience was real, while the previous ones had been more like warnings. Was she late? Was she no longer receiving warnings because the intervention time had expired? It was unknown. But she could find out. She should call her grandmother to discuss this. The waiting period was over. The time for action has come.

Since it was too early for a phone call, she should focus on other things. A nice cut of tea was a great start. Maybe a quick search for clues in her books. Even a web search was not out of the question. There were a few genuine sites with information on the paranormal and magic. Also, the Council had a website as well. She should look things up.

Several hours later and two teapots she was nowhere near an answer. The information was too scarce. What did she have? A damned book, which she already dealt with, dreams filled with fear and darkness, and a creature, which figure she could hardly pinpoint. She laid back on her sofa, shielding her eyes with her hand. A deep sigh was heard in the room. This is frustrating, she thought. If only there were some other clues, anything really would help. A soft melody reached her ears.

Sebastian was surprised. The melody at the door was gentle and pleasant, unfamiliar to him. Just like Gabriela, he thought. Beautiful, gentle, and inscrutable. She had made quite an impression on him last night. He decided that her willingness to pretend to be a witch only amused him. When he went back home last night he couldn't stop thinking about her. And when his interest peaked nothing was stopping him until everything was made clear.

He stayed until midnight going through the papers on the robbery. No one did a so-called heist without previous research. So he went through all the records on the gallery and this specific exhibition. He sent a request for a thorough check on all the employees involved.

At about 7 am he received an email that made him angry. Mago again. A few weeks prior she had been contracted by the owner of the book for "security services". What exactly was that? She is not a bodyguard and has no connections to law enforcement. As far as he knew she was an artist that thought herself a witch. It was too suspicious and highly alarming that he still thought she had nothing to do with the robbery.

So the moment he finished reading the information, he boarded his car and came straight to her apartment building. His employees were competent enough to find her address in a matter of minutes. After all, with the salaries he was paying them, it was expected to have at least that ability. Everything was public record if you dig long enough.

He scanned the building as he waited for the young woman to open her door. A little scruffy, but well-kept, it wasn't the typical place you'd think she lived. Maybe she just created such a feeling for some of his purposes? Perhaps. Even though they had spent some time talking the night before, he hadn't been able to fully figure her out. He could feel her devotion, politeness, and care toward her uncle despite his hostility. He also noticed her strong attachment to the house, which made him wonder if this beautiful creature did not dream of a home and a family. But she was also beautiful and charming, had a sense of humour, and wasn't afraid to flirt with men. The memory of last night's touch and the divine feeling he felt made him imagine her in an ethereal nightgown, hair tousled, lips pouted, opening the door and sinking into his arms.

As she tormented herself with visions of satin and silk Gabriela opened the door. What he saw was a fresh young woman. With her hair in a ponytail at the back of her head, a ripped t-shirt, old jeans, and bare feet, she stood before him like a vision. Vero was shocked by the fact that even in such an outfit he found her incredibly sexy. She tilted her head quizzically, and he decided it was the most charming reaction to his appearance he'd ever received.

She was very surprised to see him in front of her home. The fact that he had sought her out irritated and flattered her at the same time. What was he doing in front of her door this early in the morning? Furthermore, he was not privy to her address as far as she knew. If he turned out to be ill-mannered she would just have to cast some spell on him. His presence was suspicious, to say the least given the circumstances.

Then she remembered the nightmare and seeing the creatures when they met. Maybe his being here had something to do with what was going on. Her posture changed to the defensive. What was his involvement in all this? She scanned her surroundings and found no threat. Her gaze went back to his and locked there. His body was confident, but a bit stiff. His eyes were sharp and calculating with a hint of curiosity. It seemed he was there to have some answers, but she didn't know the questions. Still, she opened the door wider and let him in with a nod.

Slowly Sebastian crossed her threshold and went into the living area as she closed the door. He was surprised by the warm and homey feeling of the space. He started to explore the room while she was waiting patiently near the kitchen area.

The man took his time going around her living room. She was watching him closely as he was exploring like a wild cat in a new habitat. His movements were graceful and enchanting. This man was such a specimen, strong, intelligent, and with a hint of primal energy. She could feel her body heating up just by looking at him. At that moment he turned around and focused all his attention on her. That shook her to the core. His gaze was intense and they still had not spoken at all.

The silence was deafening. The tension was quickly rising. Gabriela could honestly hear her heart pumping in her veins and the flow of magic in the air getting denser by the second. Enchanted, she didn't want this moment to end. On the other end of the room, similar thoughts were rushing through Sebastian's head. Never before had he experienced such a thing. His body was buzzing with raw energy he could barely contain. Something was about to happen and he could not wait. Then a beep was heard from behind her. Both of them jumped at the sound and quickly regained their senses. Gabriela was the first to speak.

- Would you like a muffin? - going to the kitchen and reaching for her pot holders. A heavenly aroma filled the air the moment she opened the oven. She carefully took out a tray with baked goods and set them on the countertop.

His mouth was watered with the aroma and the vision before him. A woman that looked that good and baked as well? Which man could even resist such a treat? Remembering he hadn't yet had breakfast, he became eager to try the food before him.

- Yes please - he answered and moved to the seating area she indicated with a move of her head. Sebastian continued to observe her while she served the breakfast and prepared tea for herself and coffee for him. Aperanty they were not going to discuss the moment they had. That was fine with him as he was not exactly sure what to say. After taking a sip of their chosen beverages their eyes met again.

- So - Gabriela was quite curious to see why he was at her door this early in the morning - What is it that you want to know? - She could have started with why he was here, but it was obvious he wanted to speak with her. It also gave her an opening to get some information from him without asking questions. It was a benefit of the class she took regarding business negotiations.

- I would like to clarify some things from last night if you do not mind. - His eyes narrowed. Why was he feeling like she was playing with him? Was she involved in the robbery? Did he misjudge her? He didn't like the thought, but the suspicion was there already. He needed to find out more and fast before something else got in the way.

- And what makes you think I am the person to consult on those topics? - oh, she was having so much fun, she thought as she was slowly tapping the edge of her cup with her nails. She always wanted to try some of the dialogue tips she learned but never got to do it. It was a perfect opportunity. Especially knowing the man before her was a big player in the business world. She could learn so much just with a simple conversation. Being so handsome was also a plus in her eyes. At that moment the good-looking in front of her was getting impatient. Well, it didn't get much to stir him up.

This was going nowhere, he thought. He was thinking of speaking to her directly about the robbery when a familiar tune filled the room. Someone was at the door.

Gabriela moved her attention from him to the door, thinking of who it might be. As she was moving through her living space a dark premonition crossed her body. By the time she felt the cold of the front door handle, she knew what she was about to find. Opening the floor, she was greeted by two solemn and professional-looking faces. The police were in front of her door early in the morning. That was never a good sign.