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nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
Once again, the words of Lord Byron express what I felt when I first saw you, walking on the side of the road in that foggy night. I have never met a woman that stirred my soul. You left not just the motel room but my heart empty when you fled. I want to see your beauty walk the night again. I know you're afraid. Solitude has been my life. I've reached out. You can take my hand or remain alone.
Magnus
PS I will stay in the city until late tonight. If you want, call me and together we shall walk the night. 206-555-4937
    Tears burned in my eyes. My hand reached down to my pants to pull out my phone. I kept it off during work and hit the button. My hand shook as I waited for the screen to boot while my eyes read the poem again.
    “So you've made your choice?” Owen asked as he sat down at my table.
    I nodded. The one-eyed man's face was blurry. I wiped at my tears. “I guess I've made a choice.”
    “ The choice,” Owen said as I dialed the number. 

Chapter Five
    Magnus
    The Seattle traffic crawled by me as I sat on my Harley. A cacophony of sounds echoed through the street, funneled by the massive buildings that dominated entire blocks of downtown. The traffic crawled down two lanes, cars honking while oblivious pedestrians stepped into traffic staring at their damned smart phones.
    I didn't have a smart phone. I had a dumb phone. The screen was green. It was almost a brick. They were getting harder to find these days. Next time I had to get a new phone, I would probably end up with one of those ridiculous phones with a camera.
    I smiled; I bet Raven's phone had a camera. It would be one of those touchscreen smart phones with all the bells and whistles. I pictured her curled up on her couch in her pajamas, not pink, maybe a nice lavender, her black hair falling in a loose mess about her shoulders. Tea steamed on the coffee table beside her, a smile twisting the corners of her lips, lit by the bluish light from her screen. Her fingers would be a blur as she texted.
    I pulled out my electronic-cigarette. Supposedly, they were healthier than real cigarettes. I inhaled; the smooth, vanilla-scented vapor filled my mouth and lungs. The nicotine flooded my veins. I sighed, savoring the buzz. The twisting in my stomach lessened as I waited for her phone call.
    She had to call. I poured my heart out into that note. Nothing was ever harder than sharing what lurked in the dark corners of your soul. I could face Talon and his knife a million times without flinching, but waiting for her to call proved to be so damn difficult.
    I took another pull. I missed cigarettes. These flavored scents just didn't have the same harsh, acrid flavor. They were smoother. Healthier. That “healthier” was important. My dad smoked three packs a day. Last year, throat cancer ruined him. It spread to his jaw, and the surgeons had to remove half of it. I couldn't keep smoking the damned things after that.
    These e-cigs better be fucking healthier.
    But the nicotine was a welcome blessing. I was on the hunt. My prey was skittish, but I was luring her in. I closed my eyes and savored the night I caught her. What a creature she was. My blood boiled for her. You didn't meet a woman that had the guts to claw Talon's face every day. There was no way I would let her get away.
    Even in that unflattering uniform she wore, she was a goddess. My dark-haired goddess of the night. Raven was the perfect name for her. They were smart birds. Observant. Fearless. They had a majesty about them. Her parents must have been omniscient or lucky.
    I took another drag, holding the vapor in my lungs and