Science Fiction: Welcome to my Worlds

lot of trouble for nothing."

"Ahhh." Her neck turned under his arm. "None except that one, I suppose." The sarcasm in her voice was hard to miss. "Clever making it look like part of the wallpaper. I'd have seen it earlier, though, if it weren't so damn dark in here. I'm only looking for one and that certainly appears to be it."

What could she be talking about? She seemed to think there was a painting here in his living room. The sharp sweetness of her perfume distracted him as he tried to think. He had a hunch that he needed to make the right choices and make them fast. He didn't want to kill her, and he was beginning to realize that he didn't want her to kill him either. At least not now. Something about this painting was important, although perhaps not to him exactly. But he did need to know about it.

"Bring it to me." Isaac released her throat and gave her a firm push away from him.

"What?"

He could tell from the tremor in her voice that he had taken her completely by surprise. He just hoped that he was right about her. "Bring the painting to me and let me touch it. Then you can either take it or I will give you what you think it is worth."