I find Anthony in the last row, packing.

“I'm going out for some fresh air.” I say.

Our eyes meet.

“Is everything all right?” He brushes back a brown hair hanging in his eye.

The monotonous ripple of his aura doesn't tell me if he can see my agitation or if he's just asking out of politeness.

“Of course, I'm just having a cigarette. I'll be quick.”

“Take your time, there's not much traffic today anyway...”

I'm leaving the department. The corridor is buzzing with emptiness, so I pause for a moment. I put my back against the wall, trying to process what's happened.

When that girl bent down to pick up the book, only a very narrow margin of sanity separated her from throwing herself at me.

And? Would it have been so bad?

The mere memory of her raging energy field quenches my desire like a hurricane snuffs out a candle flame.

It's strange. I usually like it when young girls hit on me in secluded places. But she... She followed me around, stalking me, seeming so natural, as if she was hunting me, not the other way around. Her aura... The hunger in her eyes...

The same thing I feel for my victims.

I could give her what she craves, as I have given so many of my prey before her, yet...

Who knows, maybe I will.

I glance at the door marked with the female figure that slammed behind her a few moments ago.

I rub my temples; I must be conscious by the time she's done.

Making my way down the stairs, she is still on my mind.

She got so excited that she had to go to the restroom. I satisfy women on a weekly basis, but she's the first one I've nearly managed to satisfy with a simple touch. The fact is so absurd that it makes me smile.

I make my way downstairs to the counter, where Emma is adding new books to the system, waiting for someone to ask for help. I step behind her, run my hand over her thin shirt-covered back, and as she stiffens, her aura begins its usual dance.

“You're working so hard, you haven't had a break since noon. Have a cup of coffee, I'll take over.”

She lifts her round green eyes to me in wonder.

“I'm serious.”

“I'd love to drink one with you.”

“We can’t be both on break. As soon as Joshua's back from sick leave, we can do that.”

“It's a promise then.” She winks.

“Well, I'm off.” she goes, making sure to use the excuse of the tight space to make as much contact with me as possible.

I sit down and continue to register the books.

Footsteps sound from the direction of the stairs, and Talia appears.

Different from before; her energy heavy with repressed emotions, full of hopeless bitterness, guilt. Her posture is slightly hunched, shoulders hunched forward. She walks to the counter, but carefully avoids my gaze. It's as if she knows I'm reading her aura and is ashamed to be aroused in a public place. I almost say there's nothing wrong, it also happens to me, but I bite my tongue. To tell her would be just as terrifying as inviting her straight to my flat.

In thought, she might be happy to take the opportunity, but in reality, her common sense would immediately sound the alarm. No matter, sooner or later I'll break the boundaries of her sanity.

She fishes her library card out of her pocket with one hand and holds it out to me, along with the books. I've been analyzing her borrowing history for two months, so I know that none of her books, apart from Harry Potter, are in her interests, but if she's game, so am I.

She looks over my shoulder.

I'm suffocated by the disgust and self-loathing with which she lashes herself. As if she's not the girl I met in the section above... Perhaps I just misread her reaction.

Or did I?

Taking advantage of her not daring to look at me, when she reaches for the books after documenting the borrowing, I put my hand under hers. Let's see if I can whip up that hurricane again.

As soon as her ice-cold fingers touch the back of my hand, she flinches, her melancholy aura swelling into a tsunami.

“Excuse me, I... I...” She hurries to pack her bag.

Says goodbye without looking back and storms out.

Her library card is still in my hand. She didn't even notice I forgot to give it back.

I smile.

This will be easier than I thought.