Chapter five

Lun pulled his head out of the water and caught his breath. Her lungs were burning from being underwater for so long. It had been five months since the thieves had raided the parking lot and made a killing as well.

Everyone, including herself, considered it a miracle that she was still alive.

When Paulina had found out, she had hugged her tightly as she cried, complaining that they had almost taken away the only family member she had left.

Since the accident, Lun couldn't help but dream every night of faces, grunts and blood. She couldn't make out much, but for some strange reason she saw in her dream's hair-covered monsters that devoured every human they caught. She dreamed of the face of a beautiful woman who had helped her get out of the clutches of one of them alive.

Was it true? I didn't remember seeing any woman when the ambulances arrived. Everything was blurry, he could not define anything clearly. And trying to do so caused her intense pain.

And what disturbed her most were the dark blue eyes as dark as the night she was dreaming about. He was watching her. Every step she took, he watched her. She could vaguely remember a straight nose, masculine lips and short black hair down to her neck, or was it longer? He shrugged as he stepped out of the tub and wrapped himself in a white towel he had left over the sink. Every time she tried to remember, the pain came flooding back mercilessly and she reached for her bottle of pills, taking more than the recommended dose.

That face was exquisitely perfect, beautiful, masculine and... mysterious. By some strange sensation, when she dreamed of him she was in his arms. Perhaps she had spent her time reading romance novels? She was a big fan of those books despite what Virginia said about them.

Oh, but she didn't end up there....

Every time she caught the scent of fresh, damp mint, that pair of stormy, cold eyes came to mind.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she brushed back the long hair that reached halfway to her waist. Her movements were quick and energetic. At as she continued to comb her hair, she looked at her injured leg. It was the left one. It had been in a cast for five weeks and stitches had to be added. But there had been no serious consequences, so collateral damage had been minimal.

When she finished dressing, she sighed in relief to see that Paulina was not up yet. It was Saturday, barely ten in the morning. She was wearing tight jeans, a black T-shirt, running boots and a jacket in case it got cold again. Without making a sound, Lux left the house, putting his keys in his pants pocket.

She walked quickly while observing everything around her. She was always attentive to any stimulus she received. In those months she had learned self-defense and, in addition, she had obtained a permit to buy a gun. Paulina had not even protested. On the contrary, she had also acquired one. A hunting shotgun, no less. At first Lun had laughed, but when his sister had glared at her, he had left the room as if he wanted nothing to do with her.

Walking with quick steps, she stopped in front of the window of a perfume shop where her mother used to shop. None of the perfumes interested her, but she had seen out of the corner of her eye a woman with long hair down to her back. She was talking to the salesclerk, discussing the price of one of the products. Lux squinted as she watched the exotic woman. She looked familiar.

She put her hands to her temples, trying to control the headache that was invading her brain. When the woman turned around, Lux felt all the air leave her. Her heart skipped a beat. She knew her. She was sure. She had green eyes with flashes of yellow and brown. She wore black dungarees and a butterfly barrette that gathered some of her locks. When she saw her, she froze. Leaving the sales clerk talking to herself, the brunette girl hurried out of the store and walked towards Lux with determination.

She took a few steps away.

"I know you," the woman whispered with a twinkle. Do you remember me? If you remember, you've had those dreams too, haven't you?" she smiled hopefully and leaned toward her. She seemed really desperate for Lun to recognize her. "Please tell me you remember my face, that I'm not going crazy."

Not knowing what to do, Lux watched her intently. She backed away moved by his instinct, but was decreasing the distance that separated them. She decided to speak softly.

"You look familiar," she murmured. Lux squeezed his temples tighter as another bolt of pain settled in his head. "Every time I try to remember who you are, a pain of a thousand demons runs through my head" she whispered to herself.

"I understand you. I've been like this since I had the accident," she seemed desperate to talk to her. Her big eyes looked from side to side, fearful. "Look, what do you say we grab a cup of coffee and talk? You don't have to be afraid, I'm not going to do anything bad to you. What's more, I can give you my ID and...".

"I don't know," she replied.

The survival instinct Lun had developed after the accident was screaming at her to get out of there. To go home and lock herself in a locked room. But then again, she was sure she had seen this woman before. She had a hunch it wasn't the first time they'd spoken. 

"You're a stranger to me, why should I go with you for a drink? Besides, I don't know what the hell I'm doing talking to you."

The brunette girl grabbed him tightly by the forearm, looking at her with intensity. Wow, she was getting straight to the point, Lun thought. By some strange chance he felt no danger with her... she had vanished. Moreover, she could have sworn that that face appeared in her dreams and was the woman who had helped her escape from something... or someone.