Bennett kicked the door open. It was brash and uncalled for. His face was red and steam was practically blowing from the ears. “Where is she?!” he yelled and the entire bar fell completely silent. His brother hobbled in behind him, his eyes bloodshot with fury and his lower lip jutting out.

“You all know who I’m talking about. She’s not welcome here. Now where is she hiding?” Bennett circled the bar, going from patron to patron and staring them dead in the eye, waiting for one of them to crack and spill the beans. He took in several deep breaths, not to calm himself, though. It was as if he was smelling her out. It wasn’t until his gaze landed on a glass with soda and a few dollar bills underneath. A menacing smile spread across his face and his eyes widened with madness.

“Who was sitting with her?” he asked with an eerily calm voice. He didn’t have to ask, though, because he immediately looked to Sam who had chills going up his arms.

Sam swallowed hard. “She left awhile ago,” he replied. “She didn’t seem too good, said she wanted to go back to her hotel.”

Bennett sauntered over to Sam, squaring his shoulders up against the man. “I’m sure she didn’t. Took a lot of anger to make our oven explode.”

Sam furrowed his brow. He balled his fists up, but kept them at his sides. He was standing prepared. However, as prepared as he was, it didn’t stop his neck from turning bright red with nervousness. “I - I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he answered Bennett.

“Yes you do, Sam. You know exactly what I’m talking about.” Bennett sniffed around Sam and let out a wry chuckle. “I can smell her all over you,” he added. “I can smell them all over you.”

“I assessed the farm earlier. Nate knows that,” Sam said quickly. He squared up his jaw to compose himself while his eyes darted back and forth between Bennett’s and Nate.

“Listen here,” Bennett started, poking Sam in the chest, “we all know she’s bad news. She comes from a long line of shit. Best get her out of here as fast as possible,” he continued, “or else.”

“I’m just doing my job, Bennett,” Sam answered, ignoring the finger at his chest and doing his best to brush off the threats that were staring him down. “Let me do that, and things will smooth right over,” he added and raised his hands up with mercy. “Now, why don’t you go grab a beer, okay?” Sam looked over to the bartender. Everyone was standing completely still, their attention glued to the scene at hand. The bartender gave a single nod and popped open two beers, passing them over the counter.

Nate limped over and swiped them. He took a long swig before pushing the second bottle into Bennett’s chest. “He’s right,” he said after a hard swallow. “If anyone’s going to get her out of here, and do right by it, it’s him.”

Sam nodded his head slowly. “Exactly. Just let me do my job,” he repeated.

Bennett smirked. “Hmph,” he took a long chug of his beer before setting it down on the table. “You’re right,” he said, “Honest Sam doesn’t break rules. Best keep to that.”

“Always,” Sam said as he pulled his wallet from his pants and laid some money down on the table next to the bottle. “Beers are on me, guys.”

He took a step back and to the side to move around the twins, but Bennett was too quick. He snatched him by the arm and pulled him in close, digging his fingers into Sam’s bicep. “Best. Keep. To. That,” Bennett said in a low growl, not releasing him until Sam gave a nod of understanding.

Once he was free, Sam bolted out the door.

He was shaking and pale as a ghost by the time he got to his truck. He clicked to unlock the truck and the break light highlighted Penny hunched over in the corner. She looked up at him and immediate sympathy crossed her face. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“That’s the first thing you say?” Sam’s tone was oddly sharp. His hands fumbled with the key to open the door. “What did I just sign up for, huh?” He then asked, looking over at her. His entire body was stiff, yet his hands still trembled. Sweat was pooling at his temples.

He really couldn’t take the heat, Penny realized. “I’ll explain in the car,” she replied calmly and made her way to the passenger side.

Sam had half a mind to deny her any more access to him. His gut was twisting with doubt and suspicion. Yet, here she was, climbing in as if it was her right to be next to him. He wanted to turn her away, but after seeing Bennett, he knew deep down he couldn’t leave her alone.

Sam started the car and turned the stereo off before the music had a chance to play. He slowly pulled out of the parking lot. He wanted to peel out, but he knew better than to make an even bigger scene. He was silent for several uncomfortable minutes.

Penny just sat there, staring at her lap.

“Tell me the truth about your leg,” he said, cutting the silence.

Penny bit her lip. Her leg was exposed. There was no cut, no blood, nothing. She’d completely forgotten to conceal her calf. “It wasn’t that bad,” she said at first.

Sam slammed the steering wheel and Penny jumped. “Dammit, be honest! If I’m housing you and those two psycho’s are threatening me, then fucking be honest!”

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Penny wasn’t prepared for Sam’s language. He was honest and respectful. Her mouth hung open while she thought about her words. She looked all over the dash and her lap as if it held the answers, but ultimately she was cornered. She cleared her throat before she spoke, internally bracing herself for his response. “I - I have powers,” she said softly.

He didn’t react. He didn’t even look over at her. For some reason that made Penny’s hair stand on end.

“I mean, I'm not some superhero or something I can just do things and sometimes – sometimes my emotions get the better of me,” her words were tumbling out in a scramble. “I - I don’t know why they’re mad. I was mad earlier, and I left, and there was a bang, but I didn’t mean it. Sam I didn’t mean it!”

“You blew up their oven,” he said simply, still not looking at her.

Penny bit the corner of her lip and nodded her head. “Sounds about right.”

“You really don’t remember me?” He asked, but this time he did look at her, and his entire body bristled with disbelief.

“No, Sam, I don’t,” she answered.

Sam went quiet again. He didn’t say another word for the rest of the drive. It wasn’t until they pulled into his apartment complex that he finally cleared his throat and told her they were there. He parked under a streetlamp and cut the engine. The complex was one of two in the town, and it was the nicer, newer one with small, manicured lawns and new cars parked adjacent to them. Penny knew better than to make a comment about him being well off for being an insurance surveyor. Her spitfire attitude wouldn’t dare make an appearance right now.

They both slipped out of the truck and Sam lead her up two flights of stairs to his apartment. He unlocked the door and let her in without another word. Inside was a minimal apartment kept neat and tidy. Everything matched in soft grey tones. There weren’t any dishes in the sink or stray pieces of laundry. Freshly vacuumed lines marked the carpet. It was as if this place was brand new.

She stepped in and took her shoes off, something that felt like a respectable gentleman would prefer. “I can go back to my hotel,” she said awkwardly.

Sam shook his head. “No, you can’t. They’ll come looking,” he said matter-of-factly. “Just stay here tonight, okay? You can go to the clerks tomorrow, sign the paperwork and get going back to Eva. The sooner you get out the better.”

Penny nodded in understanding. Sam went about finding the blankets and pillows needed to make her a bed on the couch in silence. Penny stood off to the corner uncomfortably before excusing herself to the bathroom.

She made her way down the hall and couldn’t help but notice the apartment was two bedrooms. One bedroom had been turned into an office and the other his room, both just as immaculate as the rest of his apartment. His bed was made meticulously to her right and his desk was free of any clutter with a completely organized computer area to her left. But there was something else that caught her eye, and that was a filing cabinet tucked in the corner with a key hanging from the lock. Her interest was suddenly piqued, and she remembered why she obliged in the first place. She wasn't here for safety. She didn't need it.

She finished up in the restroom and came back out to a nicely made place for her on the couch. “Thank you,” she said and walked over to him, laying a hand on his arm. “This really does mean a lot,” she added and a soft, golden glow radiated from her hand. Sam’s entire body instantly relaxed and a gentle smile appeared.

“Anything for you,” he replied and looked down on her with dazzling blue eyes. She smiled up at him and gently placed a kiss on his cheek, where the golden glow burned even brighter. He cupped her face in his hands and pulled her in for a deep kiss. She ran her hands through his sticky blond hair and pulled herself even closer. She enveloped them in the glow, letting it swirl between them and light a fire deep within.

He placed his hands on her hips and lead her backwards. His lips trailing down her jaw and to her neck insatiably. All the while she whispered sweet nothings to him, telling him how wonderful he was, how much she wanted this, how much he was hers. Her words were dripping with poisoned honey, all the while her eyes were planning her future route.

He had her in his room in no time and began peeling their clothes away. His hands wandered her body longingly, uncontrollably. Her skin beneath his palms was warm and intoxicating. He didn’t just want more, he craved more. He pushed her back on the bed and pulled her jeans away. She continued to let the glow seep from her hands and feed into his body, driving him to a lustful hunger. Before he knew it, he had her on her back with her legs wrapped around him. He entered her without any hesitation, and the moans she emitted were the most soothing thing he’d ever heard.

She kept the energy going. Her ecstasy generated just for him. Her eagerness playing right into his need for her body. Their glow building between them, amplifying every sensation for him. She felt warm and inviting, her voice was velvet in his ear, and her roaming hands took him to paradise.

It wasn’t long before he let out a guttural groan, finishing hard and fast. She heaved in time with him, though for her it was automatic. He didn’t notice, though. He was too caught up in his quick ecstasy to see that she was just staring and waiting. He collapsed next to her, wiping his face, his eyes wide with disbelief. “That was amazing,” he said breathlessly.

Penny agreed half-heartedly. She watched him for a moment before rolling over to lay closer to him. She brushed his hair back with her finger, and her golden glow turned into a warm amber color. His eyes fell closed and he was quickly drifting off into slumber.

Penny waited a few moments and then crawled off the bed. She made her way to the office. She knew she didn’t have much time. Thankfully she still had her clothes on. She knew she could have just put him to sleep to begin with, but they always slept better if they climaxed first. That one trick could buy her just a few extra minutes. A brief thought fluttered through her mind and she wondered if an actual climax would be better, and not just an imagined one.

She tip-toed across the hall into his office, bending down in front of the cabinet. She turned the key and opened the door to reveal a pile of manila folders. She combed through each one until she found the name she needed – Ruby Harding.

She snatched it and opened it quickly, immediately thumbing through the papers until she found one that stopped her in her tracks. She felt her chest cave and a loud gasp took the wind out of her lungs.

“I figured that’s what you were after,” came Sam’s clam voice from the doorway.

Penny’s eyes shot up to him. She hadn’t even heard him get out of bed. Tears were immediately streaming down her cheeks. “How - how are you awake? You shouldn’t be awake for at least another ten minutes.” she asked starkly, doing her best to conceal the shock from both his presence and the file in front of her.

“You clearly don’t remember me,” he said simply, then looked at the folder and saw the page she was on. She’d found the autopsy report. “You weren’t supposed to find out for a while,” he added, chewing on the inside of his lips.

“I wasn’t supposed to find out she was murdered?”