Sweet-scented winds rustled tall stalks of blue-green grass beneath our feet. Overhead, a full moon in a navy sky cast its silver glow on a herd of unicorns the same shade. Their horns were tall spires of white, their ethereal bodies shining like the heavens. The unicorns whinnied, nostrils blowing and black hooves stamping as they raced past, larger than life.

This world was pure art, with no frame or edges; the planes stretched on in every direction, no end in sight. There was only us and the unicorns, their manes whipping in the wind as they ran wild and free.

Dorian whistled and a unicorn broke from the herd, trotting our way. I was hesitant at first, but one nod from Dorian and my fingers skimmed the hairs along its soft, luxurious coat. The unicorn seemed to approve, tossing its beautiful head as Dorian climbed its back, extending his hand in welcome.

"No." I shook my head. "Absolutely not. No way."

Dorian chuckled. "Never fancied a ride on a unicorn? Not even when you were a little girl?"

"The world wasn't rainbows and puppies and unicorns when I was a little girl."

"It is now." He motioned with his head, urging me to join him.

Was I really going to give up the opportunity to ride a fucking unicorn?

I sighed. "Don't let me fall."

"Never."

Accepting his hand, I climbed behind him and held onto his waist, my chin on his shoulder as the horse came alive. I laughed, shrieking in joy and terror as the unicorn rose on its hind legs and whinnied. Then it took off, streaking alongside its brothers and sisters, racing across the vast plains.

We dismounted at the edge of a pond - a sparkling, glass-like body of water Shelby Cummings had painted at the edge of her art work.

"That. Was. Amazing." I took Dorian's hand and he helped me from the unicorn's back. My feet felt like they were wading through water.

"You're a natural. If only the artist had painted them with wings."

"This place, it's so... real." I walked to the water's edge, in love with the moon's reflection on its rippling surface. "It's beautiful. But it doesn't  answer my questions." I turned back to face him; the unicorn dipped its head to drink from the bank. "How is this possible?"

"It shouldn't be." Dorian stuffed his hands in his pockets. "But I'm cursed. Eternal youth does have its disadvantages."

"So what happened between us last night - the dream that wasn't a dream? Was that one of your 'disadvantages'?"

"Yes. I would never hurt you, Amelia. But he would."

"He?"

"He is me and I am him. Yet we are not the same."

"I'm... not sure I follow."

"Seeing is believing. I could show you. If you trust me."

"I don't trust you at all." I grinned. "But isn't that the point? To try?"

One ride on a magical unicorn and I was ready to believe in anything. Were there vampires? Were there aliens? Did we really land on the moon?

Thunder boomed in the distance, sending the unicorns in a frenzy. Dorian steadied the one at our side, stroking its head, speaking in soothing tones to calm the bucking creature. Meanwhile the winds picked up, loud and angry, whipping my hair against my face.

"What's happening?" I had to shout above the rising wind. When he didn't answer, I followed Dorian's stricken gaze. The skies were churning; the clouds rolled as they darkened and filled with lightning. A storm was coming.

"That's not possible!This isn't part of the painting!" I yelped, ducking and covering my head as lightning struck only yards away. "What is this?"

"It's him! He's found us!"

Across the pond, a tornado was forming; lightning flashed in its core. It grew thicker and thicker, collecting the wind like flowers for a deadly bouquet.

"Amelia, we have to go!" 

Dorian mounted the unicorn but I was rooted to the spot, fixated on the tornado. It twisted its way across the pond, picking up water, becoming a hurricane. A giant, evil face was supernaturally imposed on the spinning cyclone; its villainous laughter boomed in our ears.

"Amelia!"

I snapped to and joined Dorian on the unicorn, holding tight as we charged across the plains, back the way we came. Of course it was a bad idea to look behind me - but I had always been prone to doing the wrong thing. 

The storm chased us-a roaring, hungry monster demanding to be fed, sucking up everything in its path, unicorns included. And it was gaining.

"Dorian, how do we escape?"

"Through the window! It's the only way!"

There was a shimmer on the air ahead - a tall, thin slit as though the very fabric of time and space had been ripped. Dorian urged the urged the unicorn faster and onward, but I was terrified we wouldn't make it. Already, I could feel the spray of the cyclones' water, felt it pound at my back and pull at my hair, unwilling to let go. Worst of all, I heard the monster roar and call for me. This was it. We only had seconds before it was upon us, before it devoured us like everything else in its path...

The unicorn leaped at the last second, my heart and stomach flying with it as we passed through the portal in a glorious flash of white light...

Dorian and I fell through the painting, tumbling across the smooth marble of the gallery floor. Aching all over, gasping like I'd run a marathon, I rolled over and sat up, staring at Shelby's painting, half expecting the cyclone to follow us through. But the painting was still-life once more, as though it had never lived and breathed at all. Relieved, I flopped on the ground with a sigh.

Dorian lay beside me, stretched on his back, arms spread wide.

"Now do you believe me?"

I shook my head. "I figured it out. We're both insane."

His laughter was infectious.

Dorian lived in a ramshackle beach house on the edge of town, where the sea was practically in his front yard.

"It's a bit sparse," he said, removing my jacket. "At least the plumbing's up to date."

"I like it," I replied, taking a slow spin in the foyer. I loved the stressed white paint, the creaking wooden boards, the bare-bones furniture. "It's not at all what I expected."

"These days I'm trying my hand at a lower profile."

"Because of Opal?"

Dorian nodded, placing my jacket on the coat-rack.

"Why is she trying to kill you?"

"She's looking for the secret to my immortality." Dorian's gaze traveled to the vaulted ceiling. "She wants to destroy me, and the weapon she needs is right up the stairs."

"But you trust me, a perfect stranger, to share your secret with? Why?"

Dorian straightened, hands sliding behind his back. "When Opal shot me, I died. It wasn't the first time, nor will it be the last. But this time something was different."

"What?"

"You were there. I've never returned from death so quickly. You gave me a reason to live, Amelia. A reason to keep fighting. I owe you my life. The very least I can give is my deepest, darkest secret."

"Then the least I can do is make sure Opal never gets her hands on it. I promise."

I followed Dorian through his home, up three flights of winding stairs to a door in the roof. He pulled a string and a ladder descended at our feet.

"It's not too late," he said. "You can still turn back."

"No. I can't."

I followed him up the stairs, into a large, dim space that smelled of dust and mothballs. Dorian pulled another string and the room was flooded with light, illuminating the cobwebs drifting from the rafters overhead and the round, stained glass window at the far end of the attic. The only furniture was positioned in the center of the room - an easel covered by a large, white cloth.

"Your secret is a painting?" I took a few cautious steps; the hairs on my arms stood on end.

"Not just any painting." Dorian approached the easel, shadows on his face as he touched the cloth protecting it. "It's a dark object, the manifestation of my curse. The reason I shall always live and never die."

I swallowed. "Show me."

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