God, she was so tempting, so helpless.

"Who's there?" Her little whisper startled him. He was not expecting her to speak out loud, to confront her fears. "What do you want? Why are you here?" Her voice was demanding, but there was a quiver underneath the bravery.

She reached out and poked her reflection in the mirror. Could she see him in there? He decided to take this a step further, to push the limits. He leaned down and brushed his lips against her head. She was amazing; her curiosity won out over her instinct to run. He reached out with both hands now and brazenly lifted her hair off her back. She sat, frozen like a deer in headlights, too afraid to move. Her long ponytail was brought to the front and laid to rest on her left shoulder.

"Oh my God," she said aloud. "What are you?" He couldn't answer her so he cupped her face in his palms and ran his lips over her eyes to close them. A soft smile began at the corners of her lips. He was not sure if he had transfixed her or if she had hypnotized him. He smiled too and he did not want to let go of her sweet little head. She still sat peacefully, no signs of stress or fear. His palms ran over her lips now, he could see them pull slightly from the friction. She started to shake her head slowly and began to speak, but he hushed her with a finger to her lips. He did not want the spell to be broken. If she knew she was being touched by a murderous apparition, she would scream and run. At least this way, she felt safe because she was in awe of the experience, just as a child might be. Without seeing him, she could sense and trust his sincere intentions. She knew he was nice and meant her no harm. If only this were completely true.

They stayed this way for some time. He touched her tentatively, in different places, and watched her reaction to each caress. He knew he would have to let her go soon and make his way to the cellar, but this was the sweetest thing he had ever experienced and he wanted to savor it.

He could feel a rip current of energy start to build within him. He imagined what he could do to her right now. Then he asked himself if this was right. He did not know her well, but in the field she had enjoyed his advances to a certain level of intensity, and then tried to stop him. She had not wanted to share herself then and he could not imagine she would want to now. Not with a murderer.

With great restraint, he kissed her collarbone lovingly, pressing his lips against its smoothness, and then climbed up to her neck to do the same. God, she was so tempting, so helpless.