In one of the better neighbourhoods, for so far these neighbourhoods existed in a city like this, a girl was leaning against the windowsill, her red hair flaming in the light of the setting sun. The scene could have been mistaken as the perfect peaceful setting, perhaps even the stage of a romantic movie, as long as one didn’t pay attention to the sounds. 
While the red haired woman herself was silent, paying little attention to anything but Mother Nature’s artwork, another woman was crying and pleading for her life. A particular loud sound drew Ireane’s attention, and she looked at the direction the sound had come from. [i]“Help me!”[/i] The woman had started screaming again, a practice she had given up on hours ago. Ireane wondered briefly what new event had caused the girl to start over again, but realised that she didn’t really wanted to know. Drake was creative with his victims. Too creative she thought, as she walked to the fridge and got herself a drink. 

She had only half finished her drink when she heard the sounds of footsteps, and a slightly panting man, somewhere in his fifties, came up the stairs. He shrugged at her as he washed some blood off his hands, preparing two glasses of water. [i]Great, he’s giving her water, he won’t kill her any time soon…[/i] She frowned as she downed the last of her drink. She hated screaming, it hurt her head, and it made them sound so pitiful. As she took another glass she looked at the man, stopping him as he was about to walk away again. She nodded towards the staircase that led to the cellar. [i]“She looks an awful lot like me.”[/i] Her voice was clear and devoid of emotion, and her eyes almost immediately returned to their previous position, looking towards the setting sun.

Drake sighed barely audible, as he leaned against the wall and looked at her. [i]“So what? You’re feeling kinship with her now and want me to let her go?”[/i] Sarcasm dripped off both his voice and his stance. He was clearly not in the right mood for a discussion, but she didn’t care. [i]“I know better than to get myself involved with another Shade’s prey… I was just wondering whether I’m going to find myself bound to your torture device one morning if I don’t pay attention, that’s all.”[/i]

She could hear him chuckle, as he turned around and grabbed a slice of bread. [i]“Such distrust… I do like you better when you’re Sam.”

“I seem to like you a whole lot better when I’m Sam as well… Pity I can’t be him all the time eh?”[/i] She let some more poison drip in her drink as she looked at the man curiously. She knew he would agree, expected nothing less, but a part of her hoped secretly that he would say he didn’t care. He was an aggressive murderous sadistic monster, but he was the closest thing she had to family since she left her birthparents. But she knew the answer, knew even the way his lips would move as he said it, although his back was turned on her. “Yes, a pity indeed.”