<div class="bbm_float fright" style="float:right;margin:0 0 5px 10px">
<div class="bbImageWrapper lazyload js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn1.sciencefiction.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F07%2FJonathan-Rhys-Meters.png&amp;hash=06e2ec7ede37608c77034580b78bc578" title="Jonathan-Rhys-Meters.png">
<img alt="Jonathan-Rhys-Meters.png" class="bbImage lazyload" data-src="/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn1.sciencefiction.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F07%2FJonathan-Rhys-Meters.png&amp;hash=06e2ec7ede37608c77034580b78bc578" data-url="http://cdn1.sciencefiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Jonathan-Rhys-Meters.png" data-zoom-target="1" height="" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" style="" title="" width=""/>
<noscript><img alt="Jonathan-Rhys-Meters.png" class="bbImage" data-url="http://cdn1.sciencefiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Jonathan-Rhys-Meters.png" data-zoom-target="1" height="" src="/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn1.sciencefiction.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F07%2FJonathan-Rhys-Meters.png&amp;hash=06e2ec7ede37608c77034580b78bc578" style="" title="" width=""/></noscript>
</div>
</div>When the papers blew off her desk in the office, he had watched her.<br/><br/>When a sudden gust of wind picked up and tousled her hair, he watched her.<br/><br/>When a door suddenly shut from air pressure, he watched her.<br/><br/>He wasn’t completely sure what it was that had drawn him to her in the first place, but he knew he just couldn’t resist her.<br/><br/><br/>Storm clouds covered the sky, shrouding the city in darkness. The moon was indiscernible through the thickness of the storm, its churning indigo clouds looking almost black. What few street lights there were seemed tiny pinpoints of hope that were quickly extinguished. The rain continued to pour down from the dark clouds, the scent of it mixing with the odors of the city, and masking all other aromas. Each time lightning crashed down in the distance, shadows danced all around the city as a cacophony of thunder resounded through the sea of concrete and metal. But here, where a lone woman made her way through the freezing precipitation, a different shadow could be seen for the split second of the bright flash, twisted and inhuman. It followed her as she made her way through the cold, dark night.<br/><br/>In the chaos of these surroundings, a man followed her. The storm was perfect cover, its discord covering every sound he made, masking the scent of the cigarette he so carelessly tossed to the street behind him. For a block or two he followed her. Far enough from the store that none there could see them. Far enough from anyone who might be awake at this hour that the sounds of wind and thunder would mask all other noise. Finally, he confronted her.<br/><br/>"You know, you've got pretty eyes, darlin'" though his words sounded on the surface harmful, charming even, the sinister intent in his voice was clear, "You never properly thanked me for helping you with that umbrella of yours..."<br/><br/>"You know very well that I did, and I would appreciate it if you didn't call me darlin." She commented back, but he brought a large hand around to catch her and spin her to face him.<br/><br/>"Now now, that's no way to talk to a fella looking to be sweet on a lady...". The cruelty in his expression became more and more solidified as he spoke, "Let me walk you home, sweetheart.”<br/><br/>As the large man continued to speak, the wind picked up. With a crash of lightning, the shadow behind Willa twisted into a terrible wraith. The unnatural creature formed just behind her, a construct of elemental air, its swirling body just visible in the dark night for the rain it scattered and displaced. Its body was a vortex of wind and water. It possessed two long arms with shadowy, claw like fingers. Atop the vortex was a dark ball of wind that twisted and boiled. As more lightning flashed, one could just barely make out what appeared to be a face atop the creature, its jaws twisted into a vicious grin. Just as quickly as the wraith appeared, it vanished.<br/><br/>A gust of wind tore through the street, causing signposts and traffic lights to sway and bend from the gale force. A sudden intense updraft knocked the man off his feet and away from Willa as small debris spun together into a vortex, cutting at his flesh. Specks of blood began to fly in the wind as the wraith reappeared. The sound of swirling air was irregular, almost like laughter as the creature began to appear more solid.<br/><br/>The hulking man, splayed on the ground, shouted into the wind, “What the fuck?! Come back you fucking bitch!” His expression had lost the self-assured malevolence disguised as charm. Now it was pure hatred. He tried to stand, tried to throw himself towards Willa and grab at her, until the wraith reached out its spectral arm and pointed at him in a sinister, twisted gesture.<br/><br/>There was another flash of lightning, it seemed to hit far closer as the deafening thunderclap rang out almost simultaneously. The man gasped suddenly and began to choke. He staggered forward a few steps, and swiped a muscled arm at the creature of air. The wraith merely laughed again as the limb passed right through the spinning vortex that made up its body. The creature closed its fist and the man grasped at his throat, rolling onto his back. He gasped for air, and then began to twitch on the ground as a silvery mist was expelled from his lungs. It drifted into the air and the wraith quickly snatched it, pulling the ethereal substance into itself. The man’s head fell to the cold, wet ground. He lay still as the waters of the storm washed over him.<br/><br/>The creature began to twitch, and descended to the ground. Slowly the incorporeal silhouette of its body solidified into a human shape. The first to form was a pale face. He had piercing blue eyes and messy brown hair. Next, air and water solidified into a torso covered by a loose grey shirt that blew in the breeze. Long, lean muscled arms stretched from his torso, fingers twitching at first but quickly becoming still. The laughter on his face became more somber as he glanced at his newly formed limbs. The last of the vortex became a pair of long athletic legs wrapped in black jeans. His head raised and the wind cutting through the empty street slowed from its intense force back to the typical gusts of a Portland storm. His eyes locked onto Willa’s.