One.
Her breathing was shallow, ragged. It came in sharp, terrified gasps. He smirked to himself. She was really making this too easy. Not that it mattered. Even if he couldn't hear her heart pounding, loud as a drum, he could smell her all too clearly. This part was for his benefit, pretending to look for her. He could already pinpoint her location, have her by the throat in less then three seconds. But, no. What was the fun in that? He had always liked to play with his food, after all.
She strained her ears, listening for his footsteps. But it was impossible. Even without the pounding in her ears she wouldn't be able to hear him. He walked lightly, barely making a whisper of a breathe with each stride. She squinted her eyes. How could he possibly see anything in here? The inside of the warehouse was filled with shadows. Dark windows, most boarded up, filtered in dim light every few feet. The moon was hidden tonight though, sheathed in thick, dark clouds that promised rain later on, and it was even darker then usual within the warehouse.
He hummed quietly to himself, eyes focused on his surroundings; a large metal barrel with particularly ghastly remains (even he couldn't help but wrinkle his nose at the repugnant smell rising in waves as he neared it) sat in the corner, hidden in shadow. A rat as big as his fist scurried towards it, emitting soft squeaks. A large stain flourished on the concrete floor, dark as an ink stain. He glanced at it, a grim smile lighting his face. He happened to know where it had come from. The land owner, who had long since given up on maintaining the building but who still held the longing, if not improbable, desire to sell the place, passed it off as an oil stain to potential buyers. Oh, how few people would even step foot in this place if they knew the real source of it. He chuckled, leaving the room behind.
Nora felt the first tears coming. They ran down her face in hot streams, gliding down her cheeks and dangling on her chin. She licked her lips, tasting the salt of them. This is it, she thought, the end. The thought to escape crossed her mind, fading away as quickly as it appeared. Her entire body ached and she could taste blood in her throat. She couldn't hoist herself into a sitting position, let alone try running around in the surrounding darkness. That would probably only get her killed faster. She wiped her eyes with the pads of her thumbs. Slowly, she gathered the chain from around her neck into her hands, clutching at the small ornament dangling from it. Holding her cross, she waited, a silent vigil.
Enough of the games, Keiran could practically hear Lucifer whispering into his ear. Finish this. "Yes, my Lord." Keiran murmured, sarcasm flooding his voice. He was doing Lucifer a favor, was he not? And he would take his damn time doing it.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Nora stiffened. Despite her terror, she couldn't help but feel surprised at the voice cutting through the air. It wasn't low and rough, as she had imagined it. "I know you're here, Nora. There's no need to hide." The silky voice called, followed by laughter. She buried her head in her arms, waiting.
Slowly, he approached her. She didn't look up. He wondered if this was a last-ditch attempt at defiance or if she hadn't heard him coming. "Nora." At the sound of her name, the small, shaking figure in front of him raised its head. A cloud shifted and suddenly, the moon appeared, flooding the room with white light, brilliant compared to the gray, dusty light of before. She angled her face toward him and he had a clear view of her now. Keiran's breathe caught in his throat at the sight of her: she was beautiful.
AN: No, Keiran is not a vampire.
Some fun facts: Keiran means "dark one", Nora means "light" and I don't know what Lucifer means, but it sounds badass so I'm sticking with it. As always, feedback is appreciated.