Brian and Paul stood outside the interrogation room behind the glass as before. The sound switch was on, voice recorder and cameras in place. True to his word Aden stood inside the room near the door, behind the chair the prisoner would take. Rose insisted he stay out of the man's view. Rose sat at the table wearing her sunglasses, hands folded in front of her on the table patiently waiting for the oncoming train wreck she was sure to happen.
Michael Hannigan was led in chains to the table. The bailiff fastened the chains to the table and left the room as instructed. Aden went unnoticed. The man's brown eyes stared into the tinted glass that shielded the vampire's eyes. His thin white and wiry frame look fragile enough to break in his bonds. He smiled. "Hello, demon." She said nothing. "I have a message for you from the boss." He extended his chalky white hand out as far as it would go against the chains. She withdrew hers.
"I'm listening." No smile, no emotion.
"Just take it."
"I'm listening." She repeated slowly, ignoring the his attempt to reach for her.
"You have to take it."
"You're here to confess to the murders of seven women..."
"I'm here with a message that is meant only for you." He interrupted glancing in the direction of the two way mirror.
"You're saying you didn't kill those women."
"Just take my damned hand!" He bellowed, rising from his seat, then cowered back down in tears. He rubbed his eyes with his bound hands, pushing his black strands out of his view. "Look," He pleaded. "You take the message from me and I will confess to anything you want me to. You don't take it and I don't talk." Once again he extended his hands toward her.
"What do you want me to do?" Pretending to be dumb
"Just touch him." Paul whispered behind the glass. His jaw tight with anticipation.
"Take my hand and you will see."
Reluctantly she slid her hand in his direction. He spread out his fingers. Her left hand found his first, then the right, then the lights went out. When they came back on she was alone with the golden eyed, black man of her dream in the place where the prisoner was just a moment ago. No Aden, no walls, no sunglasses, no escape. Her voice failed her.
He smiled revealing a row of perfectly white teeth, only slightly sharper than normal. "Hello, Twila my dear. I've missed you." She whimpered. He frowned. "Now that hurts. After all this time? I thought you'd be happy to see you're dear old daddy."
"You're not my father." she squeaked trying to swallow the lump lodged in her throat.
"Not directly, maybe." He leaned back scanning her eyes. "You've grown up. I can see you've been practicing your power. Too much longer and you might be able to give me a run for my money." He put his eyes just inches before hers. His breath filling her senses with the scent of lemons and honey. "We can't have that."
"I'm no threat to you."
"You're wrong about that. You have been a thorn in my side since you drew your first breath. I would have taken care of you then if you mother hadn't protected you so well." She listened wide eyed. "You see, your mother could always..." he searched for words, "see me coming. Oh it took me awhile, I'm sad to admit, to figure that out. But when I did, I learned a way around it. I learned how to get close to you without her 'seeing' me." He traced his fingers in quotation marks in the air. "Almost had you too." He paused, traced a finger down her stony cheek and smiled. "You looked so beautiful in your wedding dress."
She winced. "My wedding..." A tear escaped its hold.
He straightened. "Yes. Well. I couldn't let you go procreating could I? I mean, its not natural."
"Natural?" Her voice lost in his words, confused.
"We are the same. You and me. Abominations of unholy seed. We should not exist. I'm here to make sure your existence comes to end. And since Mommy isn't around to save you anymore."
"And who will end yours?" Her anger found its way past the fear.
"Well... I don't know. Maybe God Himself. If He can, that is. Maybe no one. Either way, you will still have to die."
"Why? What have I done?"
"Nothing. You just shouldn't exist. An accident if you will. A mistake that must be corrected."
"I'm not your mistake?"
"Not directly. My brother's actually, but since he's too stupid to see the error of his ways..."
"So you're just being a concerned brother?"
He let that thought hang in the air. "You know," he continued. "A lot of people are dead because of you."
"You killed them, not me."
"Only because you don't have the decency to die yourself."
"Sorry to disappoint." Swallowing her fear, she allowed defiance to rise.
"I propose a meeting. Just you and me."
"Sorry, I'm busy."
"In Idaho. The house you were born in."
"I want nothing to do with you."
"I am sorry to hear that."
"I doubt that."
"We need to settle this. Once and for all. You must die to make things right."
"I disagree." her eyes hard, jaws set.
"Then we have a problem."
"Yes, it seems we do."
"You know where I'll be. A woman dead for every week you make me wait."
"I'll see you in Hell, first."
"Lead the way, witch." He chuckled behind a low growl and then he faded into darkness.
The lights went dark sucking the air out of her lungs. She drew a deep breath to steady her nerves and opened her eyes to the bright light above the table. Michael sat quivering in his chair holding his hands to his lips. Tears streamed down his pale white cheeks, fear and remorse laced in his brown eyes. "As agreed?" she asked.
"As agreed." He whimpered.