”This is my barrier,” Lena said calmly ”it keeps the outside world away while I’m sleeping. It means I can throw off all my cares and forget the world exists. It’s my temporary sanctuary.”

”Temporary?”

”I’m not gonna live here forever, you know,” Lena smiled, as she turned the handle and pushed the door open ”and now it can be your sanctuary too. If you’d like.”

The living room and the rest of the apartment was painted in soothing white and decorated to give the flat a cool, airy feel. The bedroom was completely different.

It was dark, without being threatening or seeming evil. Wood paneling, a sparkling clean floor, and a bed which rested neatly against one of the walls.

”It’s like we’re in a completely different apartment,” Stef laughed as she took her first careful steps across the threshold.

”I hope it’s not too…”

”It’s wonderful,” the blonde gushed as she walked around the room. The terrace had a small table with two chairs out on it. And a spectacular view at sunset.

”You wanna sit outside? Watch the sun go down?”

Stef turned to face the suggester, and shook her head. The end-of-day rays made her golden hair glow.

”Sorry, I have to keep the light out.” Lena apologized before she walked over to her.

”I’ll take this side,” the guest insisted as she dove at the closer half.

They raced to the middle of the partition and the room was thrown into sudden darkness.

”You’re not a vampire, are ya?”

”I could try to be,” Lena joked ”why? Are you into them?”

”Not quite.”

”What are you into?” The hostess asked as she walked over to the light switch over the bed and flipped it.

”Oh…this and that.”

”How informative.”

Stef looked at Lena, who sat on the bed facing her. She walked over and sat next to the other woman. And then she reached up and let her captive mane down. The curly-haired woman shook her head to let her hair cascade down completely.

”I hope you don’t think it’s weird,” the blonde remarked as she ran her fingers through her girlfriend’s hair ”but I’ve always wanted to do this.”

”With my hair? Or with biracial hair in general?”

”With your hair. And everyone wonders what biracial hair feels like. Can’t blame me for that.”