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and controlling—rough. I like this side of her. Wherever it’s coming from, I don’t want it to go away.
    I lick my bottom lip, lunging forward without thinking, taking her into me. I kiss her. Her body quivers under my spell as I suck her bottom lip. She nibbles my tongue, setting off a throb in places I didn’t even know existed.
    “Lay down.” She pushes me on my back flat against the rug.
    The fire sparks, flames lick the logs like a snake attacking its prey. She slinks my robe down my shoulders, pulls a knife from her back pocket and opens it. She holds the tip against my collar bone—pulling slowly, torturously tracing my sensitive skin. I close my eyes as the intensity overcomes me. When I open them, it’s not Heather. It’s him—the man from my dream. He pushes the knife harder against my skin, and blood pools in a perfectly straight line, right along my collar.
    ***
    “Wake up, sleepy head. I come bearing hot chocolate.” Heather lightly shakes me awake.
    “How long have I been out?” I ask, still breathless.
    Her face turns, suddenly scowling. “Syd, you’re bleeding.”
    I reach toward my neck, knowing exactly where I would find the source. “I must have scratched myself while I was dreaming.”
    “Must’ve been some dream. You might wanna cut those claws,” she says.
    I observe my blood stained fingers, utterly confused. “Heather, can I ask you something?”
    “Sure.”
    “Did Lana ever mention having weird dreams?”
    She stands, irritated. “I told you we weren’t gonna make a habit of bringing her up. Why do you want to know?”
    “I’ve been having weird dreams, that’s all.”
    She sighs heavily before responding. “She said that’s how he first came to her—Dominick—in her dreams. She started getting to a point where she couldn’t sleep anymore. She took so much fucking Ambien that it eventually stopped working. That’s when she became desperate, trying to find him in other ways. You don’t really believe in all this crap do you?”
    “No, of course not. I was just curious,” I speak the words, although after the last three attempts at sleep I’m beginning to wonder.
    Heather scoots closer and begins blotting my shoulder with her sleeve, her face unreadable.
    “Sydney, Lana really messed me up. I didn’t love her, but I didn’t want her to hurt herself either. She actually thought she loved this guy—so much that she wanted to die to be with him. It was a deranged obsession. I don’t want you thinking about this too much. It’s just too close to home.”
    “Okay, I’m sorry. I was just curious about it. I won’t ask you about her anymore.”
    “Good. Now, I have a way more exciting question for you—and possibly a chance for redemption for my earlier screw up.”
    “Sure,” I respond curiously.
    “How would you feel if we converted the office into a dark room, so you can do your own developing at home?”
    “You would do that?” I ask in shock.
    “I would give you anything if you’d let me—so say yes.”
    Now this is the Heather I know. Kind and generous, always so giving and wonderful. This is the side of her I love, so different than the Heather I lust in my dreams. It’s odd. I see duel sides of her fighting for my attention. I don’t know which side I like more at this point.
    “I would love that!” I squeal, pulling her into a tight bear hug.
    “I’m glad to hear you say that, because I’ve already done it.” She jumps up excitedly.
    I gasp, slapping her back playfully. “No you didn’t!”
    “Come on, I want you to see it.” She tugs me into what used to be office.
    Everything is perfect. It’s a textbook dark room, fully stocked with every supply I could possibly need to process my own photos.
    “When did you do this?”
    “Last weekend. I thought it would be a nice surprise. Do you like it?” She bubbles with excitement.
    “I love it!” Tears fill my eyes, daring to spill over.
    She pulls me into a warm embrace. “This way