Born of sin; one-night sin that grew into love, Born of sin; away from a talking, small town.

Born of sin; home lost in the maple and birch, Born of sin; as his beloved mother died in birth.

Raised alone; a kindly father saddened by the sin, Raised alone; unattractive to others, congenital. Raised alone; terrorised by outsiders, threatened, Raised alone; watched his loving father killed.

Rescued; saved from the killer by old hermit Harlon, Rescued; offered a home and a road to retribution. Rescued; given immortality by the old ghoul’s queen, Rescued; to the life of a blood-drinking immortal.

Purged of anger; as his furious blade penetrates, Purged of anger; by a wicked vengeance of blood. Purged of anger; stalking prey with sadistic relish, Purged of anger; fed by each victim’s life force.

Saved; an ardent passion seeing Lyra sleep in peace, Saved; by the new resident’s desperate melancholy. Saved; as he secretly watches her heaving in sleep, Saved; by a new lust beyond consuming the soul.

Warned of the killer; she hears his pounding steps, Warned of the killer; sadly, she chases the death threat.

Warned of the killer; her heart pounds as he turns, Warned of the killer; clarity forces her to run.

Emotionally; she runs from his pursuing blade, Emotionally; failing to hide, failing to outwit him. Emotionally; surrendering to wrath’s impending death,

Emotionally; her lashes lower as her soul submits.

Urgently; he tenses rushing towards her, blade high, Urgently; he stabs the bark and waits as she opens her eyes.

Urgently; he embraces her as a lover kept forever waiting,

Urgently; he takes her with heavy breath abating.