Chapter one

It was an icy night, the rain out side drizzled down the windows which were slightly fogged. I reached out and touched the glass windows in front of me; it was chilled against my warm palms.  My hair fell across my face and I brushed it away so I could see clearly. I stood up from where I was sitting on the lounge and glanced around the room. It was filled with a dull reddish glow from the fireplace; there were two lounges that framed the room along with a few paintings lining the burgundy painted walls. Just as I was walking towards the door a figure moved into the room in front of me. "Come to bed," she said, she reached out and brushed her hand over my cheek and down my neck. "You're cold." I looked at her for a moment; I saw the fire reflected in her determined and increasingly enticing eyes. My eyes drifted down her well-toned body, her chest, and her waist. She took my hand. "What's the matter?" Her words echoed through my mind. "Nothing" I replied. She still had my hand in hers and I allowed her to lead me down the hall of our home in Miami. She opened a door and led me into the room that was faintly lit from what I could see. When I was fully in the room I glanced around, the windows in this room were also fogged, but on the desk and bedside tables were scatted with candles that gave off an extremely romantic feel. The woman I was with, my girlfriend, walked over and blew out all the candles she then made her way over to where I was standing and led me to the bed she pushed me down and followed close behind, slowly kissing my neck, ears then I felt her lips brush my face and I gave in. I held her close and kissed her soft lips that made me melt into her and want her even more, like a dream I never wanted to wake from. Before I knew what was running through my head, before I knew what was happening, I burst into a flurry of tears. Madison stopped kissing me and sat up slightly cradling me in her arms. "What's wrong Lara?" She questioned me in a persistent but sensitive tone. The rain outside slowly got heavier as I looked up at her through my blurred eyes. "Today, well, 6 years ago, I don't know where to start!" I fumbled out my words in a mix of fury and confusion. Madison held me tight and supportively.

It had been six years since I had gotten into the position of a crime scene investigator, since then I had covered murder and manslaughter cases, serial killers, you name it and two years later, something happened, something horrible. I was the victim of a killer myself; he had been stalking me, against my knowledge. Then one night he broke into my home in Los Angeles and attacked me and left me for dead, it was amazing I managed to live after that. An investigation ran on my case but came up with near to nothing, this guy was a professional for sure. Today, I was given a new case.

Chapter two

I pulled my flashy red car into the over filling car park of my Los Angeles crime scene office. My boss, Adrian Mossk, awaited me in his briefing room ASAP. I entered in to the building and walked down the hall to stop in at the evidence lab on my way. Afterwards, I headed down to the briefing room. I was late as usual but briefing hadn't started yet. I opened the sliding glass door and took a seat with my crime scene team. “Right, we are all here finally," Adrian started, glancing in my direction "I have a new cases for you all. Kelly, you and Greg will have case one." He slid the case file over to Greg at the far end, who opened the manila folder and read the description, another hit and run. "Ummm, Kelly, Lara and Nathan, take case two, I am sure you can handle this case!' Adrian handed the case folder to me and I opened it up, Nathan and Kelly huddled over my shoulder to read our case. Murder, joy, at least it was more interesting than a hit and run. "Report back here in a few hours to fill me in on how your all going on your cases, leads, the usual if you need a warrant speak to me then if you have ground I will refer you to Warren White, you got it? He glanced around the room "Happy hunting!" That was his final note; he turned and walked out of the room and around the corner to check in with another case he was running.

Kelly, Nathan and I got up from our seats and went into another briefing room that branched off from this main room. Nathan opened the sliding glass door and Kelly and I entered the room. I glanced around; it was freshly painted and had a lard white board for collecting information and a large table and chairs in the centre. We each took a seat and I opened the manila folder and read the description out loud. "I suggest we start with the crime scene?" Nathan pronounced.

When we arrived at the scene, there were a few police and yellow tape masked across the door. We entered the two-story Miami home and surveyed the scene. The hall way looked like it hadn't been touched. "Nathan, you check out the kitchen, Kelly, umm, lounge room? I will check up stairs" I exclaimed and proceeded, unsure of what I would face. I worked my way down the hall, one foot in front of the other hoping not to destroy any foot prints but something told me this would not be an easy case, a gut feeling that this would have been done by a professional! I entered the first room to the left it was a bathroom, everything seemed clean and in order here. I exited and made my way into the room on the right, a smell immediately hit me as I turned in through the doorway. It was a bedroom I had just entered, it was where our victim was. I carefully walked over to the body of what seemed like an 18 year old female woman who was pinned to the wall with stakes. From what I could see the murderer had carved out symbols in the flesh o her arm, it was bone deep. First step was to run the scene, but I would need both Nathan's and Kelly's help for this one, we mustn't leave anything unprocessed.

At that precise time, Nathan entered the room and when he saw the victim a shade of green made its way across his face. "Ohh god," Nathan stated focusing on calming his stomach "This is going to be one deadly case!" "Yeah," I agreed "but somehow I don't think we are dealing with a first time killer, see the marks on her wrist?" I gestured towards her arm and Nathan nodded with agreement. "I think that's the killer leaving his mark! I think we are dealing with a professional.  It all seems pretty personal, whether this is someone that she knew or was being stalked by I don't know but one thing is for sure, we will get the person that did this!" I heard footsteps behind me and I turned around, it was Kelly, she took one look at the body and ran out the door and into the bathroom, that's one cross contaminated surface I thought to myself, but I could hardly blame her, this was disgusting but quite artistic in a way.

 Chapter three

I parked out side my home and went to knock on the door. I heard Madison yell from inside that the door was open. So I grabbed the cold handle and entered, I felt quite gloomy and was relying on Madison to help me to forget the day I had had and take my mind from the scene, the blood, the teenager, and the murderer. "Where are you honey?" I yelled out after I had removed my thick combat boots and stored them in the corner. "I am in the bathroom Lara." She replied. I made my way down the hall and into the open kitchen area to the right, I dropped my things and put my keys on the bench the headed in through another room and opened the bathroom door. The curtains were drawn closed and the bath was full of soapy bubbles that were covering most of Madison's body. She looked up at me; I had forgotten how beautiful she was. "Come here." She motioned to the side of the bath. I walked over and sat on the edge. She grabbed me and pulled me into a long kiss, her soft lips tasted of strawberries, her hair smelt sweet and I didn't protest, there was plenty of room for two in the bath so I turned off the light and stripped down. I made my way over to the bath and slid in, the water was just freshly run, warm and soapy. I ran my fingers down her cheek and pulled her closer, I was drawn to kiss her and did so for what seemed ages. Her soft lips covered mine all the tensions of the day seemed to drift away. She put her hand on my breast and i responded by intensifying the kiss, I wanted her. I needed her. My tongue found its way inside her mouth and i explored it with passion and hunger.

I made my way down her neck, I could feel her pulse racing as i slid my tongue down her chest, her nipples became hard and i knew it would be cruel to suspend it any longer.

To be contuined...........