3:20 am.....16 September 2006 ......Manchester, NH

She walked down the crowded street, as shoppers with bundles in their arms jostling her as they pass. Soft melodies drifting through the air from open shop doorways and she watched the hustlers on the street corners plying their wares for money trying to catch her eye. She was hungry and on the prowl looking at the faces of each one assessing and thinking.

Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
I travel the world
And the seven seas--

She stopped and stared at a couple in front of a store window, arms wrapped around each other whispering intimately. She tilted her head wondering if they were whispering sweet nothings and words of love or talking about what to buy who for a gift. Shaking her head she walked on slowly. Her thoughts...feelings whispering softly ...the case...the rogue, Liams words...the file for the Prince and Molotov. ... lately her thoughts were of Mol... all of the time, she thought about Mol.

Everybody's looking for something.
Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused.

She moved silently, her hazel gaze studying those that she passed, her thoughts and feelings buzzing inside her brain whirring softly always there....always real. Faces and places from the past and the present made her thoughts jump and spin from one time back again to another.

23 December 1930.....Los Angeles, California

I travel the world
And the seven seas--

Stepping past a darkened alley she stopped to look in a shop window. Over in a darkened doorway...two bodies pressed back and tightly together. The sound of lovers heavy breathing and the rapid pounding of their hearts pulled at her....a tight smile gracing her lips as her hunger grew. Senses tingled as she listened to the soft moans and sensed their excitement, as the sound of their pounding hearts pumping blood washed over her.

She laughed quietly to herself and moved on down the street, sticking to the shadows. Her hands pushed deep in the pockets of her coat as her steps moved silently in the direction of the docks. Here the crowds thinned and she watched the sailors move in and out of the seedy bars that dotted the street here. The hookers strolled here with their high heels and tight bodices that hugged high on their breasts and smooth skirts that molded to their well shaped bottoms.

A shake of her head, and the brown mane of hair falling down over her shoulder, brushing across her cheek as she moved on down the street. Lifting her gaze she watched as a sailor pressed the nubile body of a young hooker back against a wall, his face pressed into the crook of her neck as his one hand was pulling at her skirt bunching it up around her waist. The other hand kneading and caressing the scant lace covering of her breast where he'd pulled the tight bodice of her dress down. The hookers hands were pushed tight against his shoulders pressing hard as he laughed against her throat.

She turned and the low growl beginning deep in her throat as she moved a few steps closer brought two heads around in her direction. The glaring brown gaze of the hooker and the deep green glint of the sailors gaze stopped her. Her hands pressing into tight fists as she stopped...the glowing green gaze meeting theirs defiantly....as the hooker hissed between ruby red lips..." Go find one of your own ...this ones mine."

Everybody's looking for something.
Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused.

Stepping back with a quick pivot on her heel she moved down the street with a tight smile on her lips...the laugh echoing back in the the darkness cold and hollow. Walking close to the wall her hands again relaxing in her pockets. A scraping sound in the alley ahead brought her head up with a snap...peering through the dark as she stepped closer. The gravelly voice drifted from the dark...

"Hey girly...can you help me out here I have a problem...." a hand slowly emerged from the dark beckoning her closer. She looked beyond the hand to see his form pressed against the wall....in his other hand the hilt of a knife was being held tightly. She moved closer peering toward the voice with a blink...her gaze cool and innocent as she stopped and tilted her head to the left.

"How can *I* help you mister? Whats the problem..." eyes shining in the moonlight as his hand shot out quickly wrapping his fingers around the back of her neck roughly pulling her toward him. She let an audible gasp leave her lips as she feigned stumbling over her feet landing against him.

He moved quickly spinning them both and pounding her hard into the wall wrapping his fingers in the hair at the back of her head ...pulling it to expose the soft skin to the blade of the knife as he looked into her blue gaze and pressed the cold edge of steel to her throat. Her shuddered gasp and the look of sheer terror that flashed in her gaze made his lips curl into a sneer as he leaned in...his breath warm and fresh on her skin as he brushed his lips roughly on hers.

Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
Everybody's looking for something.
Some of them want to use you

"Now you're gonna take care of my problem....and we are going to have a little party just you and me..." his hips pressing against hers. She smiled inwardly and nodded as much as the hand holding her hair would allow ...stammering out in a frightened voice..

" Yess....yesss...mister...anything you want...anything..we'll party...okay" her voice low and shaking. Licking her lips nervously and catching the tip of her tongue on the edge of his lips letting out a soft groan that sounded more frightened than delighted.

His hand pulled tight on her hair and his lips crushed down on hers forcing hers apart as his tongue assaulted the inside of her mouth catching on her teeth. He lowered the knife as she kissed him back slowly as if frightened. She heard the soft swoosh of the blade being sheathed before his hand came up grabbing the front of her shift and ripping the buttons open.

Some of them want to get used by you
Some of them want to abuse you
Some of them want to be abused.

His hand roughly pressed and kneaded her softness as his mouth continued to assault hers...tongue pressing deeper into her mouth as his hips held her tight to the wall...rocking back and forth painfully. Her groan into his mouth was not what he believed it to be as he let his hand continue to roughly explore her bared skin. The groan in truth was a gutteral growl beginning deep in her throat as she shifted against the wall under him.

He moaned eagerly before pulling back looking into her eyes with a malicious glint dancing in his gaze...the passioned gaze leaving hers to look down at the soft skin his hand was roughly touching...tweaking a stiffened peak hard making her gasp. As he curled his lips to laugh she let her blood teeth drop from their sheaths smiling coldly letting her lips curl back exposing the ivory tips to his view.

Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?

Reaching up to wrap her hand in his shaggy hair yanking his head back sharply listening to the bones protest under the strain...she snarled softly...

I travel the world
And the seven seas--

"Yes lets party shall we? I'm hungry...aren't you?" his groan became a growl as his hand left her chest groping for the hilt of the knife. She anticipated the move and grasped his wrist, tightened her hold and with a deft move ..pressed the wrist back until she heard the bone snap, feeling the jagged edge rip through the skin to spirt his warm blood down her wrist.

Before he could cry out she pulled his head down pressing her lips against his skin and holding his hair tightly in her fist. She moved down his jaw and pressed her mouth to the wildy beating pulse of his artery before sinking the tips her blood teeth in. The rush of his hot blood into her mouth made her moan aloud as her lips closed over the spewing fountain.

He screamed and she pulled his body tight to hers spinning to press him to the wall...his broken wrist left his hand hanging at his side useless. She drank deeply feeling the pulse slowing as the pounding of his heart began to fade. He slumped against her and she let him slip down the wall following him...her lips still on his throat tasting the last drops of his blood as his heart stopped completely.

She lifted her head and washed the tip of her tongue across the wound feeling it close before she leaned back to rest on the balls of her booted feet letting him slump to the side.

She wiped her hand over her lips and looked at him as she pushed herself to her feet pulling the front of her shift together. The color warm on her cheeks and her lips stained a bluish red from his blood she smiled and tipped a salute in the direction of his slumped form.

"Thank you....I enjoyed your hospitality and ....Merry Christmas." she turned on her heel and moved out of the alley pushing her hands deep in the pockets of her coat holding the front together against the chill of the night air. Head down she continued her walk toward the docks.

4:20 am ....16 September 2006 ....The corner by Storm Towers

Little did she know the vision she presented standing there on the corner by Storm Towers staring into the window. Her mane of brown curls flowing wildy around her shoulders...the breeze bringing a glow to her pale complexion, and a file clutched in her hand lost in thoughts of a time long past.

A gentle tap on her shoulder brought her around with a snarl, looking into the deep brown eyes of a stranger. He stepped back with a start at her snarl and opened his mouth to apologize at the same instant her jaw clenched tight on a nervous laugh.

"I'm sorry you startled me...nice weather we're having isn't it?" she held the file tight in her hand as she smiled and turned away walking to the entrance to the Tower, leaving the man staring at her back.

[Lyrics: "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" written by A. Lennox/D. A. Stewart; performed by Eurythmics]