If not for the loss of her lover, she would never believe pain could feel this exquisite and all-consuming. The agony of black poison surges through her veins like a

If not for the loss of her lover, she would never believe pain could feel this exquisite and all-consuming. The agony of black poison surges through her veins like a curtain falling over her memories, and she pushes past it to recall ritual diagrams written in carmine on vellum pages.

I catch the stranger's eye in the dim light of the bar and we identify each other instantly. Her gaze falls to my USB bracelet as she unconsciously touches the

I catch the stranger's eye in the dim light of the bar and we identify each other instantly. Her gaze falls to my USB bracelet as she unconsciously touches the back of her neck and blushes. We share knowledge about each other in that moment, something nobody else can see.