She kept having a most disturbing feeling that eyes were upon her... Every time she left the house, it was like someone followed her... To the mansion, to the studio, to the greenhouse and the park when she went on her walks; it got to the point where she was constantly looking over her shoulder. Xavia felt quite unsettled about it and wasn't sure if it was her imagination or if she just happened to be dealing with paranoia.

It started shortly before she met Artair... Subtle things were happening at first. For instance, it looked like someone tried to open a screen up on a window in the back of the house. Her mother could have done that, though, so she kind of blew it off for a while. After that date is when it started to get worse. She'd thought that maybe it was her imagination, still, and continued to go about her business until something extremely weird happened. She was driving to work one day, and she noticed a car behind her that kept making the same turns as she did. This was, perhaps, a day after she broke the news of her twins.

Xavia stopped somewhere along the way, then watched the car with tinted windows, so dark that she couldn't tell who the driver was if she had wanted to, and it unnerved her to the point where she got out of the car and the car sped off. What in the...?

She pulled out her phone and shot a text to Artair..,

Me: I don't know if I am seeing things or if I am being followed.
I don't feel right, it really feels like I am being watched.
Just saw a car keep making the same turns as me through
the rear view mirror, stopped the car, got out and the
other person sped off. Am I being paranoid?

Warrior: It's probably nothing, but if you see
something else like that, call me and tell me, and
then call the police.

Me: I will... Maybe it is just hormones playing with my head.
Just... Have this feeling like I don't want
to be alone right now. Will call after work to
let you know all is well.

Warrior: Try not to think about it too much.
Talk then.

After the text conversation, she went to work, but still couldn't shake the feeling that something weird was going on. Eventually, though, she had to get on with things, like taking care of her plants and such because the school year was over and the students weren't there to assign to plants anymore. Sure, she had her assistants, but she needed the distraction. Add to that, she wanted to keep in shape, and she would rather use the Mansion facilities than get stuck in the crowd of a public gym.

After she was through with work and made it home, that foreboding feeling came back twofold. She didn't see anything that time, but she did call Artair and say, “I really can't shake t'e feeling t'at someone is out t'ere watching or somet'ing. I don't know what to do, I have no way to prove it. Just... If somet'ing happens... I don't know...” She'd trail off and they would have their conversation, more lighthearted toward the end as she told him where the date was going to be and that surprises would be involved, that she took his joke to heart and would, indeed, sweep him off of his feet.....

From the Stalker's Point of View

Why can't I get her out of my head? She doesn't deserve my thoughts, let alone is too defiant for my liking. I think I want her to comply to me, that is it... God, the taste of her lips is like nectar to me, sweet honey all sweet on my tongue. And the smell of her? It drove me crazy. I had to have her and now I want her again. I am watching her now, every day... Keeping my distance as much as possible but it is hard to stay away from her. I know all about her, who she is, where she came from, and I want her to be on my leash under my command. Why is she so damn beautiful?

There she is, right now... Peering at me without seeing me. I have gotten under her skin, haven't I? I will have her, believe that. I like that frightened look she has on her face. I think I am going to like it more when my hands wrap around her lovely throat and squeeze out the air. I want her to beg me to let her live since she deserves to be punished for trying to hurt me. I want her punished for making my wife leave me. She ruined my life!

God, but I want to cause her to suffer.

Ahh, there she is again, yes... Look at me like a doe caught in head lights, Xavia...

You will be mine...

There was a sound on her window... Tap... taptap... She rested in the living room, trying to get over the massive bout of nausea that she was feeling at the moment. It was passed midnight, her kid and mom were asleep, and there she was being kept up by her unborn children. She sat up, craning her neck and squinting toward the window. The feeling of dread filled the pit of her stomach and she turned on the lamp beside the couch.

Xavia stood and peered out the window, but all she saw was darkness, and drops of rain start to spatter against the cool glass. She rubbed at her arms while walking about, locking windows just to be on the safe side... It had to be the rain, right? But she wasn't so sure as she moved to double check the dead bolt on her door. She then pulled all the shades down...

The next morning, she went outside to collect her mail and newspaper. She tucked all the stuff underneath her arm and walked around the side of the house to make sure her flower beds were okay after a pretty gross storm happened the night before. That was when she saw the large foot print in the mud by the window that she had heard that tapping from.

She froze, dropped the mail where she stood, and ran into the house to get her phone. Her fingers shook as she took herself outside again and took a few pictures. The clearest one, she sent to both Devon ( Tempest ) and Artair ( Artair Hawke )...

Me: I am not crazy... this was outside
one of my windows... I'm starting to get
really scared. Calling the police, will
call you, Artair, after.

Me:

Indeed, the cops were called, they also took pictures and asked some questions. They would watch her house on patrol, but there wasn't much they could do without knowing much information. After the cops left, she received phone call that was an unknown number. She didn't answer, but the caller left a voicemail:

Heavy breathing, then a distorted voice... “They can't help you.” Click....

Her heart was pounding, she dropped the phone and stuffed her knuckles into her mouth, really scared now... The phone call she promised Artair was not made.

From his perspective:

My carefully laid plans are coming to fruition. I have her pissing herself by now. I am sure of it. I paid a visit to her house last night and knocked on her window while she was laying there trying to sleep. I HATE THAT F***ING WOMAN! I HATE THE WAY SHE LOOKS SO DAMN BEAUTIFUL AND I WANT TO KEEP HER IN A JAR... Damn her. She ruined my life... I will make her pay soon, she will pay dearly for what she did to me.

Indeed, my patience has come to an end. I have given her long enough to wonder what is going on. I know she is thinking about me, but doesn't know who I am. I know she has to be pondering why her? Poor HER. SHE WON'T WONDER ANYMORE WHEN I CORNER HER LIKE THE SCARED LITTLE RABBIT SHE IS! And then? Then I will make her hurt the way she made me hurt...

I am calling her right now... Maybe I will call her one last time before I get her, but I want to instill some more fear into her. “ZZZZZAAAAAHHHHVIIIIAAHHHH..... Pick up your phone... I just want to talk to youuuu... ANSWER YOUR PHONE, YOU F***ING WOMAN!”

She won't pick up, though. I feel my anger boiling and throw my phone against the wall. Damn it, I need to make her pay NOW. I HATE HER! URGGGHHH, URRGGGH!

Silence.

From his perspective:

WHY AREN'T YOU ANSWERING YOUR PHONE? Maybe I should just... CALL YOUR MOTHER! I can feel the spit on the corners of my lips as I am muttering because of her, like I'm becoming a rabid dog and want to bite her... I am going to do something really stupid because of her, doesn't she f***ing know that?

I am going to strike soon, and she won't be able to fight me. I will spray weed killer all over her if I have to. Stupid woman. Why didn't she just stay away after I saw her the first time? It's all... her... FAULT!

I am calling her again... “Zzzzzaaaaaaviiiiiaaaaaahhhh.... ZZZZZZAAAAAAHHHHVIIIIIIAAAAHHHH!” And again, “Answer your PHONE YOU B**CH!” And again, “I'm gonnnnnaaa GEEEETTTTTT you, and then I'm gonnnnnna make you hurt!” And again, “ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAVIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” And again, “I wonder if you will wilt just like a flower if when I pick you. Xavia, I'll see you sooner than you think.” And one more time, “DON'T MAKE ME CALL YOUR MOTHER AND SCARE HER TOO! DO YOU THINK THIS IS A GAME?!”

I throw the phone at the wall and it breaks into a bunch of pieces... And there goes my security deposit, too, stupid woman! Now there is a hole in the wall because I did something really naughty... Hahah... She won't know it until it hits her... Hehehe..... She'll be pissing all over herself.... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.