Abruptly, I pushed away from Damien , chills ran down my spine and my back stiffened. Surveying the area, I looked for Lizzie, but she was nowhere to be found. I thought maybe her voice was an imagining of sorts. However, I quickly dismissed that notion certain I felt her breath at my neck. Terror consumed me and I feared my most-awful nightmare had begun.

     “What’s wrong?” Damien asked. “You’re trembling…Are you cold?”

     I shook my head, no.

     “You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said.

     “Maybe …”

      He looked musingly at me.

     “Can you take me home?” I sighed.  “I’m tired and I need to dry off.”

     He lifted me off the car and I slid inside. My wet clothes clung to my body and I began to shiver. It was warmer earlier that evening but the storm brought with it a cold front. Damien turned on the heat and I warmed my hands in front of the vents. Fretfully, Lizzie’s words stirred in my mind. Why did she want her body back? Why now? What would happen to me? What would happen to Damien? Uncertainty tormented me and I felt under attack. I wanted to share my predicament with Damien but couldn’t articulate my fears, certain he would never believe me. I needed help and Cherrie seemed to be my only hope. After all, she recognized my soul. We drove silently until we reached my house.

     “You want to come in?” I asked, afraid to be alone.

     “It’s late… what about you parents?”

     “They’re away.”

     “Won’t they be mad…I mean me being here when they’re not home?”

     “For someone who’s such a bad-ass… you sure worry a lot!” I got out of the car, making my way to the porch. “Are you coming or not?” I said glancing back. Damien followed me inside and I tossed him the TV remote.

     “I’m soaked,” he said

    “I’ll grab you something dry.”

      Cautiously, I opened my bedroom door. I imagined Lizzie ready to pounce and steal my soul, but no-one was there. Nevertheless, I couldn’t shake the feeling I was being watched. Snatching some Pajamas I quickly changed. I grabbed some sweats and hurried back down the stairs.

     “You can change in there,” I said, pointing to our downstairs bathroom slash laundry area. “Then put your clothes in the dryer.”

     Damien gave me the most ridiculous grin. “Nice PJ’s,” he said, taking the dry clothes from me.

     Uneasily I glimpsed down afraid of what I might find. I didn’t realize I was wearing his Zombie Apocalypse tee shirt, and under the circumstances, it kind of creeped me out.

    “Can I get a wash cloth?” He asked, motioning to the black on his face.

    I tossed him one from the linen closet and then waited on the couch. It wasn’t long before he fell alongside me and began flipping through the channels.

      “Evil Dead is on…I love this movie!” He said, looking at me for approval.

      Crinkling my nose, I shook my head, no, and he continued channel surfing.

      “Invasion of the Body Snatcher’s is on SyFy…?”

       I rejected with a disapproving grin.

     “How about ….Dawn of the Dead?”

     “How about we don’t watch TV at all,” I said, freaking out and seizing the remote.

     Damien flashed me a mischievous grin.

     “I don’t want to watch horror movies.”

     “Why? Do they scare you?” He asked with a sinister tone.

     I paused for a moment giving his question thought. “I can think of far more scarier things than a movie?”

     “Name one.”

     "I hesitated before answering, …Being without you.”

       Slowly I found my way to his mouth. I slid my hand along his chest, and his heart beat uncontrollably like mine. Pulling him closer I kissed him more eagerly, tasting his lips with my tongue. Damien slipped his hand around my waist just under my tee shirt and tangled his other in my hair...

     “I’m not who you think I am,” I said breathlessly.

     Trailing his tongue along my neck he continued kissing me.

     “I need to tell you the truth before it’s too late…”

     “I know who you are,” Damien said just above a whisper.