Seacouver, present day

The wind blew in the scent of streets wet with rain through the open window in Marian's bedroom. Underneath the black satin sheets of the bed, Marian tossed and turned. Her jet-black hair covered half her face but couldn't hide the look of terror etched on it. She screamed a name and with her flailing arms, she knocked the pillows and sheets off her, revealing herself clad in a crew neck blue sweater. She trembled, not from the cool October air but from fear. She screamed again, words kept coming out of her lips like a hurried prayer.

"No..please..."
"Not again..not again.."
"Nooo...please.."
"He's going to kill you.."

**Make it stop! God, wake me up, WAKE me up! I don't want to see her die again** Marian pleaded half consciously, half dreaming. Her dreams took a turn from ahhh-paradise to AHHHHHH-nightmare. At first she saw a couple so much in love but then the scene changed and it ended in tragedy. In one breath, she screamed again, "Noooooo!!!" Finally, she awakened. She sat up and wiped the cold beads of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. Marian looked around her room then took a peek under her bed. **Still afraid of monsters little girl?** She giggled. How can you giggle after a nightmare like that? She asked herself ruefully. The curtains on her window snapped, Marian jumped in surprise, stood up and walked towards it. Another gust rushed in and caressed her face like a lover. Her sweater was clinging to her uncomfortably so she pulled it over her head and tossed it on the floor. Naked, she closed her eyes feeling the cold breeze touch her like fingers stroking every vulnerable part of her body. **It's his fingers.** Marian's eyes flew open. "And who's fingers might that be?" She asked outloud. The lean, gentle fingers of the man from her dreams and not, she emphasized, NOT the man of her dreams. There's a big difference you know, she reminded herself. **Who is he? Why do I keep dreaming about him?** She turned away from the window and eyed her rumpled bed. Another one of her dreams haunted her.

At the foot of the bed, Tristan crawled his way on top of Arianna. First, he sucked her toes then licked her ankles. After which his lips left a trail of tender kisses from her calf to her leg making her pale skin blush. Arianna writhed in pleasure when his tongue dipped into her inner thigh. Then he buried his mouth on the triangle of soft ebony curls between her legs. She gasped. Tristan smiled and continued the sensual foreplay. He moved up, his tongue tasted her navel then found the sensitive skin between her breasts and nuzzled it. A soft moan escaped from Arianna's lips when she felt his teeth nibble her rose tipped nipples. She arched back and his hand cupped the center of her being. He gently caressed it; his thumb teasing the throbbing flesh now damped with her womanly fluid.

With every kiss and touch of the man, Marian touched herself. She burned in desire and she could feel the center of her womanhood release her sweet nectar. Marian shook her head violently trying to get rid of the vision. **Now you're dreaming your dreams awake? Wait, that doesn't make sense.** She continued shaking her head stopping only when she felt pain. **Uh, stupid, stupid idea** She started massaging her temples and then the lovemaking dream invaded her mind again. **Oh, she must be so happy. He is so sweet.** She smiled wistfully then frowned. **Why the hell do I care?** "They're making my life miserable," she whispered. BEEP. "What the.." BEEP. The sound came from the small rectangular black hunk of plastic on her desk. Marian stared at the laptop. BEEP. "Okay, okay." The damn thing was designed to emit a sound, in this case an annoying beep, when she had new messages. Dragging her feet, she wearily decided she might as well check her mail since sleeping seemed to have lost it's hold on her. **Well, the night is young .. Eewww, cliche.** She let out a chuckle.

BEEP. "Beep," Marian jokingly replied. BEEP. **Oh you want to communicate, eh?** "Beep," she answered back. BEEP, BEEP. "Hey, no fair. I only understand one beep per minute." **Yup, it finally happened. I've lost my mind**

She pulled out a chair and sat. **Hmm, I wonder who e-mailed me today** She opened the laptop and it winked at her. She winked back.

-- You have one message --

FROM: Scotch
SUBJECT: Still having those dreams?
MESSAGE:

Haven't heard from you for a while. Is everything okay?

Reply

TO: Scotch@aol.com
SUBJECT: I just woke up from one
MESSAGE:

It was the same dream I told you about last week. But this time it was lot clearer. I can almost see the face of the murderer.

Message sent.

**Scotch. He is so understanding. Too bad we can only communicate through this thing**

BEEP.

New message

FROM: Scotch@aol.com
SUBJECT: Did you get a name?
MESSAGE:

I can do some research for you.

Reply

TO: Scotch@aol.com
SUBJECT: Unfortunately, no.
MESSAGE:

Thanks for the offer though. I just had a thought. We've been e-mailing each other for what, a month now? And I still don't know you're real name. I asked you first but well, my name's Marian.

Message sent

After a few minutes...

BEEP. New Message.

FROM: Scotch@aol.com SUBJECT: Marian ... MESSAGE:

Like Lady Marian from Robin Hood.

Marian smiled.

Reply

TO: Scotch@aol.com
SUBJECT: Bright Boy!
MESSAGE:

You still haven't told me your name.