I’m lying on the bed, a thin blanket my only cover. My blood-soaked clothes are discarded on the floor. Pete follows my gaze and understands what I’m looking at. His face says it all. Katya glances between us.
“Should I…” Katya starts, flicking her wrist.
Before anyone can say anything, she’s back with a fluffy bathrobe. Both men glare at her, but she just smiles, handing me the robe.
They all exit the room without a word. I sit up carefully and put on the robe. As soon as I’m decent, they barge in without knocking.
“Ready now?” Belvedere asks, sounding almost bored. I nod. “Do you know what grabbed you?” he asks, studying my face.
“Did you notice a smell?” he continues, ignoring my outburst.
“What? No! I don’t think so… I was kind of preoccupied with the pain!” I snap back.
“And what kind of pain was it?” Pete jumps in.
I turn to him. “I already told you,” I say, feeling like I’m under interrogation.
“Tell me again,” Pete says, his voice softer now.
I sigh and close my eyes. I don’t want to remember.
“At first, it was just dark. My eyes were open, but I couldn’t see anything. It was like all the light had been sucked out of the world,” I begin, feeling crazy just saying the words.
“No, just describe the pain,” Belvedere interrupts.
I look up at him. “Um… It was cold, like I was frozen to the bone. It started on my neck and then moved up to my head and down my back. It burned unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. Maybe like frostbite, but worse, much worse.”
I shudder. The memory of it makes me nauseous.
“And how did it make you feel?” Katya asks, coming over to sit next to me on the bed. Her eyes are softer than before. She gives me a small smile.
“Like…um…like everything was ruined. Like all my hopes and dreams were lost. I felt unlovable, worthless,” I stammer, feeling tears welling up in my eyes.
She gently takes my hand and gives it a light squeeze. A tingle travels up my arm into my chest and warms my heart. It’s comforting, like my heart is getting a loving hug from someone dear to me.
I look at her, stunned. She smiles warmly and pats my hand. Serenity fills me and I feel safe and accepted.
“It’s okay. It’s all okay,” she says, her voice gentle, like a mother soothing her child.
I’ve never met this woman before, but for some strange reason, I believe her.
“I have what I need,” Katya says, turning to Belvedere, who nods back at her. I look between them, confused.
“Have what?” I ask, feeling left out.
“You can go home whenever you want, but you need to take three days off work to recuperate,” Belvedere mumbles.
“What? I can’t do that! I can’t afford to take time off!” I exclaim.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle it,” Pete chimes in.
I’ve had enough. The combination of it all is freaking me out. “All is not what it seems,” Belvedere murmurs, staring out the window.
He looks at me from the corner of his eye, not even bothering to turn his head. I’m losing my patience, and I don’t care if I come off as rude. I need answers, and I’m not backing down.
The silence stretches for several minutes before Pete finally sighs and looks at me.
“This is all more complicated than you can even imagine. We’re not sure of anything yet,” he says, his voice calm and collected.
I raise an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
“I need approval to tell you anything else,” he continues, looking genuinely apologetic.
“You need approval to tell me if I’m in danger or not?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him. This is ridiculous.
“Well, yeah, kind of. It’s hard to explain without saying too much,” he replies, his eyebrows furrowing.
“Fine! Then go get approval,” I say, gesturing to the door. I’m so angry that I feel like I’m about to explode.
Katya is the first to leave. She looks back at me and gives me a tight smile before disappearing out of sight. Pete trails behind her, looking nervous. As Belvedere reaches the door, he turns his head toward me.
“If you want answers, you should stay calm. An outburst like that will get you nowhere pleasant,” he says, his face still stoic. A few seconds pass with him just staring at me. His lips start turning up into a suppressed grin. “For your sake, I hope you’re open-minded.” He chuckles as he closes the door behind him.
As soon as the door is closed, I let out a growl of frustration. I’ve never felt this lost and helpless before. I don’t understand any of this, and they obviously don’t care to tell me.
My eyes are squeezed shut, my teeth gritted, as I try to keep the angry tears at bay.
A gentle warmth spreads across my cheek. My eyes snap open, scanning the room. It’s empty, but I can feel a presence.
“Don’t be scared,” a voice murmurs, low and soothing. It’s like a balm to my frayed nerves.
I stay still, my heart pounding like a hummingbird’s wings. But I’m not scared. The presence feels familiar.
“Why can’t I see you?” I whisper, not wanting to startle whatever this is.
I wonder if this is the same thing that’s been touching me in the bar, the locker room, at home, in the tub... I know in my heart it’s not a threat. I feel safe, even though it doesn’t make sense.
Warm air brushes my skin, just below my ear, sending shivers down my spine. When I close my eyes, the heat intensifies. It’s as if someone is sitting next to me on the bed, their heat radiating onto my left side.
Frustrated tears prick my eyes again. What the hell is happening to me? I’m not usually this emotional. This thing, whatever it is, seems to care about me. Why? I have no idea. I’ve never had that before. If I had died last night, no one would have cried for me. I’ve been alone for as long as I can remember.
Warm air brushes my lips. My heart flutters, heat spreading through my torso. I close my eyes, basking in the sensation.
“Do not tell anyone about my visits.”
And then it’s gone. I’m alone.
My mind is racing, my thoughts a whirlwind. I feel dizzy, overwhelmed, and utterly confused.
I can’t explain this with any science I know, and I’m not religious. I need an explanation. Not knowing is driving me crazy.
I slide my fingers into my hair, tugging in frustration.
There’s a knock on the door. I wipe away my tears and tighten my bathrobe.
“Yes?” I snap, sharper than I intended.
There’s some shuffling before the door opens and Pete steps inside. His face is almost unrecognizable.
“The boss wants to see you,” he says quietly.
His face makes me hesitate. He’s pale, his expression stoic.
“Get dressed. I’ll wait outside,” he adds, turning on his heel and leaving the room, the door closing behind him.
I blink a few times, trying to comprehend what’s happening. The boss wants to see me. I’ve never met him before. As far as I know, none of the ground-floor employees have. Rumor has it he’s terrifying, ruthless, and cold.
“There are clothes for you in the closet.” Pete’s voice comes from the other side of the door.
I move toward it, my hands trembling slightly.
“Hurry up!” he adds, sounding almost agitated.
I’m not used to Pete acting so stern. It makes me even more anxious.
In the closet, I find a plain black T-shirt and thin, purple leggings. I frown as I pull them on. The T-shirt is about three sizes too big, but at least it covers my ass in the almost see-through leggings.
I look at myself in the mirror. My hair is a mess, my face stained with blood and smudged mascara. I look like a disaster. I head toward the bathroom, thinking I should at least wash my face before meeting the big boss.
“No time, Jenny!” Pete calls through the door.
How does he know? I march over to the door and fling it open. He turns to me, his face still devoid of emotion.
“What’s with you?” I snap. This isn’t the Pete I know.
“No time to explain. Come!” he says, starting down the hall toward the elevators.
I stare after him for a few seconds before hurrying to catch up.
“Tell me what’s going on! Why are you acting so weird? Why does the boss want to see me?” The questions tumble out of me.
He glances at me. Pete is acting like a completely different person. A chill runs down my spine.
“It’s not my place,” he replies, his voice still cold.
We reach the elevator. It pings, and the doors open.
He ushers me inside. I notice we’re on the eighth floor. I’ve never been this high up before. I always thought the top three floors were offices, but apparently, I was wrong.
The elevator starts moving. I step back, leaning against the wall, closing my eyes for a few seconds.
I don’t know how to feel about meeting this guy. He’s like a secret mystery no one dares to mention. The fact that I look like I’ve been on a three-day bender doesn’t really help my confidence.
The hall is eerily silent and empty. I feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise. This place has an unsettling ambiance. It’s too quiet.
We reach massive, black, double doors, covered in intricate carvings. They’re probably three meters tall and two meters wide.
I look at Pete, struggling to hide my intimidation. He meets my gaze and gives me a tight, almost sad smile.
The doors start to open slowly.
