The vision swirled into a flash of images, rushing through Vanessa too quickly for her to make much sense of them, but they left a vile, dark aftertaste, and she gasped, stepping back as her hand dropped from the glass. Her breath was short, and she turned a confused gaze on the owner of the voice that had so shaped what she had seen.

A young face, stubbled jaw, something dark just behind the eyes. Vanessa gazed into them, searching, frowning slightly. Then she asked, with no regard for what he might think if she was wrong, "Is it you?"