Mariena dragged herself through the door. Her face was drenched in sweat and her boots were caked in mud. However, her eyes gleamed, her gaze heavy with the weight of someone dangerous.  "Work at the office was pretty crazy today," she said with a proud snicker that made Terri shiver as she rubbed her eyes in the darkness.  

Terri kissed her on the cheek. Mariena nearly fell in Terri's arms, but she quickly caught herself- or so she thought. Terri was no fool. She picked up the faint traces of gunpowder and blood. Terri bit her lip, holding back everything she wanted to say. She wanted to tell her how much she already knew what she was really doing when she stayed out late. She wanted to tell her how much she loved her anyways. Besides, Mariena was not the only one keeping secrets. 

Something else followed her home that night. Every time Mariena stepped through the door, the soft whispers crawled at the edges of Terri's mind. Mariena's victims. Their voices echoed, growing sharper, more defined every day, piercing. Sometimes they begged. Sometimes they cried. Mariena didn't scream when they appeared and towered over her. She slept so peacefully.   

That night as Terri lay beside the woman she loved, the voices twisted into screams. A pale figure stood in the corner of the room. It was human-shaped, but covered in open wounds and trembling. Terri gripped her beloved tightly. The blood in the open wound congealed and contorted into eyes that opened. Pained gazes focused on Terri. 

Mariena stirred. Terri kissed her forehead and said, "Everything will be okay, my love." But deep down, she wondered how much longer could she protect her from things only Terri could see.