With the grace and maturity of a queen, Sarah descended the stairs, extending her hand. Victor made a strangled noise, placing his tendrils on her shoulders. With a soft smile, Sarah drew on his energy, the strength that she had become used to, the aura that was smooth and black but shiny as if polished by goodness. A goodness that overcame the darkness of his hell.<br/><br/>The cloak of witchcraft settled over her well and had equipped her for this day, she realized. Not going out,<br/>Sarah had no idea that she had learned to set guards over her own spirit. She didn't know the tensile of her own strength, so immersed as she was in Victor. She was a tower in her own right. A tower, like the castle of a chess game. A safe place for the King, for Victor. That safe place that was Sarah was a place of bullet proof glass. Transparent but deceptively indestructible.<br/><br/>The instant Jeff touched her hand, Sarah's defenses slammed into place, She was aware of the probing that normally netted him the essence of the innocent. At first, the tendrils gently looped around her mind, seeking an opening. His face changed from sly confidence to that of frustration. All this happened unseen. He was ancient, corrupt and quite skilled at taking what he needed to survive but more than that. Llike a hoarder, Jeff took more than he needed, because he could. Life and death was simply a game for him.<br/><br/>Sarah could see his aura, twisted, red, gray and black, pieced together like a patchwork quilt. His eyes bulged with the effort of draining her. Victor watched her with a worried expression. Sarah felt confident that he would intervene before allowing Jeff to make a meal of her. Without breaking a sweat or even blinking, Sarah shook Jeff's hand and said serenly,<br/><br/>"Yes, Jeff, welcome to our home. I am appalled to find others have been victim as my dear husband has been. Come in and sit with us. You must be tired, you have come a long way and, " Sarah stopped for a heart beat and couldn't squelch the words, " and you are very old." She released Jeff's hand and seemed to float across the floor.<br/><br/>"Have a seat."<br/><br/>She turned to Victor,<br/>"Darling, would you like me to stay or go?"