Tobias sat in his four door vehicle, after having ended his call, wondering at the irony of tracking down an alien and a gifted kid to a therapist’s residence. Especially after so many times his daughters had urged him to go, as if there were something wrong, they just didn’t understand the poor girls, he was perfectly sane and healthy.

It was a home residence that stood before him, a surprising choice in today’s world. The home appeared to be of an older style that was pleasing on the eyes. Tobias reviewed the notes he had taken, an act of comforting repetition that he had never needed due to possessing an eidetic memory.

The office was located in the back of the home in what was once a greenhouse, an odd choice in Tobias’ opinion. The rest of the home contained six other rooms, three bathrooms, an attic and basement. How the young Kidemonas Empeei had acquired the property was relatively unimportant, the important factor was there were two people here who he wanted, he had been patient enough and it was past time to collect them.

It seemed that the therapist knew and was actively supporting and hiding them from public view. There was in fact an amber alert out for one of them, Varia Lawrence. The other, no one believes exists, an alien being that had been here since the Roswell crash. It certainly looked nothing like the “little green men” that people assumed aliens would look like.

Tobias put on a face of depression and high anxiety, a mask that would work well for the setting, and stepped out of his vehicle taking great care to slouch his back and shoulders in a way that shouted timidity and lack of fortitude. He began the slow walk of the utterly disconsolate toward the office while pondering how amusing this experience would prove.

Taking care to flinch when he was spotted through the glass windows, Tobias knocked with apparent sheepishness at the ornate door while internally smirking at the thought of being a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

A soft yet bubbly voice called out, “Come in, I’m all set for our appointment Mr. Cain.” Tobias entered, wondering if this is how the vampire felt having to wait to be invited in. He was greeted by a young woman with a broad smile, she had medium length curly brown hair and green eyes. Her build was slim but clearly athletic. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person, all we had until now were phone calls, not even a video call.” Tobias watched her carefully as she extended her hand in greeting.

Tobias let himself recoil as if threatened, then relaxed and grasped Kidemonas’ hand in a dainty grip, and mumbled softly, “Thank you for having me, Ma’am.”

“Ok, you don’t need to be nearly so formal as calling me Ma’am. I’m just here to help people. I promise you I’m just as much a regular person as the next gal.” The smile didn’t fade as she spoke or as she sat him down in a rather absurdly comfortable chair.

Kidemonas felt like something was off, not about the depression or anxiety. It felt deeper to her, like being in a lake so deep it has no bottom. Her clients jade green eyes shifted constantly, yet didn’t feel like a nervous habit. It was more refined or purposeful. Watching. She felt a cold chill prickle down her arms, wondering now who or what she had invited into her home now. The kid and Martian were one thing, they were all too easy to read and because of that she had become attached to them, caring for them much like a big sister.

Snapping out of her train of thought she sat across from the man she knew as Harold Cain. “What do you do for a living Mr. Cain? You have any family?”

“I do contract work, mostly small scale projects. Satisfying work even if, deep down, I want to do more.” A shy smile was on his face as he spoke but was replaced with tight lips of anger as he continued, “I have two daughters, at least one of which I had hoped would follow me into contracting but that never fell through even after they were attacked at a bar in New York City. Now one of them is a Librarian and one is malingering in archeological dig sites. Better than when they both blatantly pretended I didn’t exists because I forbid their relationship.” He noticed Kidemonas’ jaw drop, “Uh, to clarify, one is adopted, I opposed the relationship for other reasons, and no not because they are same sex either.”

The feel of truth and lies mixed was beginning to make Kidemonas nauseous. Everything he said felt true, to a point. It also felt false, like oil on the surface of clean water. “Well, what would you like to address first then? You had mentioned having issues with high anxiety and depression, I get the feeling that isn’t all you have going on inside though.” Her brain was a flurry of activity as alarm bells rang loudly, she had a deep trust of her intuition and it was screaming for attention.

Kidemonas couldn’t help but sit back in silent revery as she was overwhelmed by memory.

Kidemonas had just returned from a consult at a facility she used to work at. Her home should have felt empty and spacious. From the moment she had entered, it distinctly didn’t. “Who’s there? I know you’re in here.” Silently cursing herself for feeling like a horror movie trope, she pulled the pepper spray from her travel bag. Armed with a phone ready to call 911 with the press of a button, and pepper spray in the other, she began regretting ever having lucked into the property title, finding it in a hidden compartment of a desk she had purchased at an auction.

Adrenaline had her heart rate soaring as the incessant silence ate at fraying nerves. Even after checking all rooms including attic and basement it looked as if nothing was missing, gone, or that the house was used in any way while she was away. That was her what she thought until she looked in her fridge for that pint of Ben and Jerry’s that she had squirreled away for stressful moments. It was in fact gone when she hadn’t even touched it. The days were long since past that she could place suspicion or blame on an entitled roommate.

Maybe she was hallucinating, maybe she had somehow eaten all that ice cream for no reason. Maybe she had seen one too many horror movies lately and it was all coalescing because it was a damn big house and it was completely silent. Shaking herself out of staring at the vacant ice cream hideaway, she closed the freezer door and went to bed, having resolved to find out the solution to her mystery.

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Movement in a hallway mirror had her spinning with hand up and heart racing. She saw nothing there and wondered what was so wrong her intuition and vision were playing tricks. Yet she also wondered, what if they weren’t playing tricks? What if what she felt was real and she was being watched. Hunted.

Dozens of possibilities flew through her mind, all of them worst than the last.

It was only when she felt a chill run down her spine that she actively fled as terror overwhelmed her. Even in her mad sprint for the bedroom she was aware of the clear impression of being followed. She could almost hear the pounding steps, like something being on the edge one’s vision.

Entering ahead of whatever entity was dogging her heels she slammed the door viciously, expecting to hear loud banging immediately after, yet there was no sound, nothing but the sound of shaking limbs and heavy breathing. This is not what she worked out for. “What the fuck is going on?” She said to herself aloud. The last thing she had expected was a response.

“You could feel Dava, and when you ran you triggered her chase instincts. Her species are pure predator by the way. Also, sorry we broke into your home. We thought you would be gone longer than you were.” This from a small but confident voice emanating from Kidemonas’ bed. It was a young child or teen. Almost indistinguishable from the covers and blankets.

“You have got to be kidding me! Who the hell are you! Why are you even here!” Somehow she had remained composed enough to avoid outright yelling, and instead just raise her voice. Kidemonas couldn’t decide what should rule her at the moment, fear or her heart that felt mercy for this lost kid. Her hand hovered over the call button in indecision of whether to call nine one one or not. Then a question blurted out as soon as it crossed her mind, “Wait, who’s Dava?”

A smooth and haunting voice spoke to Kidemonas’ immediate left and three feet above her, involuntarily she snapped her head around and up to see a human like face filled with razor-like fangs in the approximation of a smile. The eyes were violet and a yellow glow began to swirl around her even as the creature spoke. “That would be me, my name is Davacor even though the Little One has taken to calling me Dava for short.”

Kidemonas’ brain felt like soup, she was too shocked to move and by now too tired to care. She needed some damn coffee. “Well big girl, I would say have a seat but I feel like nothing here would fit. Now, explain why you’re squatting in my house so I can figure out how to help.” Like that her mind was made up. She would help provided they weren’t killers or something.

Davacor sat on the bed wrapping her long limbs protectively around the girl who had yet to name herself.

“My name is Varia, my family was murdered at Joint Base Lewis-McCord, Dava rescued me when Fae Folk abducted me and for the past few weeks we’ve been on the run from a man who is hunting Dava because she is interesting or an alien or both. We watched you for a while, you seem to like Dutch Brothers and Ben and Jerry’s. We decided here would be safe to stay. Is it?” Varia delivered this as if it were the morning news. A mildly bored tone that expected no one to really be listening.

Kidemonas however was indeed listening, she saw a lot of fear and abandonment in Varia’s eyes and body language. Not to mention that she was entirely telling the truth. A rare thing among kids she had met in her line of work. “ I know you’re telling me the truth, I will help you both. Though what the big one needs help with besides figuring out what to eat, I can’t quite picture. What does this man look like?”

It surprised Kidemonas that it was Davacor who spoke rather than Varia. Though she noticed Varia’s eyes appear to be following something moving around the room. “He has green eyes, like twin stones. He is powerfully built for your species even though he is lean. He is on the tall side as well. With hair that is brown. He is actually quite attractive as well. Though most of all he is relentless. Should you ever encounter him, attempt to run, if you can’t don’t fight, it will only mark you as acceptable prey.”

Reality cam back to her in a flash of lightning. This was the same man, sitting right in front of her that frightened a giant alien with big fangs. Only one word came to mind to sum up the situation. “Fuck!” Even as she spoke aloud she bolted for the door deeper into the house. It seemed instantaneous that she was thrust back into her chair, the man looming over her with all pretense washed away. His eyes were cold jade above a knowing smirk. He moved oppressively close and she considered a swift kick to the testicles but Davacor’s warning seemed all too accurate.

A baritone voice lacking any sympathy filled her ears, “Where are my two little runaways? I know you’ve dealt with them or you wouldn’t run like that. Though I do admit I tend to have that effect on people.” The smile grew on his face as he was certain the meaning kicked in.

“For all your posturing, you have far less acting ability than you assume you do. Including the act you’re putting on now as well as your whole life I would bet.” Defiance blazed in her eyes. The man bore all the hallmarks of a serial killer. Not to mention that she researched such topics and understood the mindset very well. “Let me guess, abusive but eventually absent father and a mother who grew to resent you only to turn to drugs, alcohol or both. I doubt you went after small animals, you wanted challenges. Big animals, even big predators. You eventually moved on to people when your usual targets offered no more thrill. Am I right?”

Tobias shrugged, “Mostly, I just want the hunt to be worth it, a challenge, a trophy. Now you, you have a tender heart but lack the ability to push your convictions in open confrontation. You crumble slowly as others chip away at the cheerful personality until you realize some of those you help use you for one sick purpose or another. This crushes you but every time you bounce back. Still having faith and optimism in a world that is callous and cold. People may appreciate you Doc, but that’s only because you’re useful, not for who you really are.”

“See how quick you move to cover the wounds left unhealed by time. You do have good intuition but I am not so frail as you believe. Nor even as I believe. I am human and flawed but I have found my path in helping others heal and heal myself as well in my own bumps and bruises that life gives us all. If you mean them harm you won’t ever find them. Hell they are likely gone already.” Kidemonas was well and truest riled up now, for all she cared he could go fuck himself, no matter how interesting it might be to delve into his issues and trauma might be.

“I’ve never been out to hunt them in that way. They have talents I need. I will acquire them. My instinct says they have indeed moved on. You are in fact quite lucky. I will keep a trophy of this moment, but it won’t be you.” Tobias reached out and took a letter opener from the desk. “This will do nicely, I will have another sent here to replace it. You really should be thanking me, the last time I was this pleased I tore the fang out a siren’s mouth with pliers.” Tobias took his time leaving, confident he would track them down in time.

Once the office was empty Kidemonas let herself relax fully, letting out a shaky breath she hadn’t been aware she was holding. The intensity of the experience had left her feeling drained yet exhilarated. She had faced down a killer in conversation and lived. How many therapists can say that they did the same. Then the question came, “When did I get a letter opener?”