Chapter 1: Preface
1949
She was expecting this, something eventually had to happen and it had to be her. She wasn't an elderly woman but she wasn't a teenager either. It was that sort of in-between age where crazy things could go on in life and this might have been one of them.
In that current moment she was thinking about how the situation at hand had turned into a nightmare, that this wasn't the way to go but it had to anyway.
Distantly she could hear shouts of a deep baritone voice. She didn't want him to find her yet, it was much too early for that but from her restrictions it wasn't like she was going to run off, actually she couldn't even move her hands, just wiggle frantically.
After the drugs had worn off she begun to take in her surroundings, an empty house in central Cardiff, her hands tied behind her back. The deep purple silk around her neck was the next thing she noticed, along with the fact that she seemed to be standing on a strong metallic stool. Then, on the maroon sofa, a man, dressed in all black apart from the military style jacket, seated casually with a duffle bag filled with the parts for a sniper gun. The man slid out a box and took out a cigar, flicked on a lighter and took a long drag.
"I'm glad you're awake, it's going to be so much more fun like this," he said, a weak welsh accent and an undercover strong Irish brew. "You know, your partner-in-crime is about to come exploding in here, in such a fearsome terror. He'll be arriving in, oh, 9 minutes. And you'll certainly want to put a show on for him, one he can't save you from. Something painful and slow, but first.."
She had been keeping silent until he leapt up, she let out a small yelp making her wobble on the stool.
"Oh, no, dear, mustn't die yet, I've got to give you something."
Grinning he pulled forward another of the silver stools and jumped up on it so that he was towering over her slightly. She tried to pull away but his left hand gripped the back of her head, his right wrist went to his mouth where her bit down quickly and forced it onto hers.
"There, there, now. Drink up you're going to need it," he sang, "Oopsies, almost forgot, I'm Nathaniel, call me Nate if you like."
He finally pulled away and with the utmost elegance and got back to the floor. She was still spluttering as she gasped out, "Why did you do that to me? I I don't-"
"Yes, well, it had to be done, don't worry. But now, I've got to do this!" With sudden movements he slammed back the stool with a powerful kick and she dropped almost 4 inches, dangling harshly from the ceiling. The purple of the silk choking her, definitely not suiting her bluey-green mermaid hair and reddening face.
Nate gave one last announcement before leaving, "Like I said, darling, don't worry, lover-boy'll be here in a few mo's. Ciao, Leila," Finally with an actual swoosh, he left grandly.
She didn't have long and her vision had begun to get spotty. This was it and there was nothing she could do but she knew who was coming. Leila didn't want him to see her dying, dead maybe but on her way to actually being dead was different; he would try to save her.
The door was in splinters within moments and suddenly he was in the room staring at her horrified at the scene.
"HELP ME GET HER DOWN."
One of his men beside him rushed forward to an abandoned stool while he brought out his switch blade and clambered onto the stool, slashing at the fabric.
'It's too late, I'm so sorry. There's nothing you can do,' she thought, 'I'm sorry, my love.'
Her eyes were drooping and one of her last glimpses was the face of the man she adored so much. I'm sorry, my love. His arms curled her closer to him as he took what he thought would be their last embrace, he closed his lips around her bloodied ones, sealing her last few moments with a kiss.
