Page 15

“And fast. You’ve seen the speed I am capable of. Do you think you could outrun me?”

“I’m not fast like you, but I have my ways.” I let my smile turn smug.

“And you’d have to want to hurt me, Adam.” He tilted his head down and peered through long, dark lashes. “Would you want that?” he asked, in his smooth, dark, chocolatey voice.

I sensed I was being teased, or even lured into a verbal trap. “It depends. Would you like it?”

Victor shifted closer, pouring all his predatory grace into the two steps that brought him right up against me. “I admit to being intrigued by what you are and what you’re capable of. I already knew you were remarkable. The truth only enhances that. I care for you Adam, in ways I’ve not cared for anyone in centuries.”

“You didn’t leave because of me?” Looking up, I found his eyes sincere.

“I left to keep you safe, to keep the hotel safe. If they ever discover⁠—”

The elevator lurched, grinding to a sudden stop. The small screen above the door blinked, alternating numbers between minus one and zero. That was fine, right? Worst case, if the doors didn’t open, it couldn’t be far to climb to the lobby floor?

Victor jabbed the buttons, then hit the alarm, but nothing sounded. His eyes narrowed, and he looked over my head at the camera in the corner.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Many things.” He grabbed the rail, tilted his head back, and jumped, shoving the overhead access hatch open. Then he vanished through it. Moments later, he leaned back in and offered his hand. “I’ll lift you out. We’ll climb the rest of the way.”

“Isn’t it just a glitch?” It seemed safer inside the car than exposed to all its cables and gears.

“I doubt that. These elevators have several safety features and fail-safes, few of which appear to be working.”

If it wasn’t a glitch then the elevator had been deliberately stopped? I glanced at the camera’s beady eye. Was someone back there, watching us?

I grabbed Victor’s hand and clung on, as he effortlessly hauled me through the hatch and onto the top of the elevator car. Thick cables clanged and twanged far, far above. So far above that perspective made the shaft narrow to a point. Nausea churned. The elevator car swung an inch, and my insides swooped.

“How far down is it?”

“A few floors.”

And the door to the lobby was just a few meters’ climb above. Not so bad.

“Put your arm around my waist, I’ll carry you up.” Victor said, unpeeling my viselike grip from his forearm.

A twang sounded, then another clang, until the noises became a cacophony of metal strumming metal.

We both looked up.

The elevator car dropped.

My insides lurched. In a few horrible seconds my fate came rushing up to meet me. If I died here, then the prophecy was wrong. Ha! Take that, destiny! Although, I’d be too dead to revel in the victory, so . . . not ideal.

Victor’s fingers snatched my wrist, jolting my brief plummet to a stop.

Below my dangling feet, the elevator car exploded. Bits of metal rained and rang, and cables twanged some more.

It had all happened so fast.

One second I’d been standing on it, and now it was below, crushed like a can, and I dangled from Victor’s grip.

He clung to the side of the shaft with one hand, while the other had hold of me. “I’ve got you.” He heaved me into his arms, then wedged me between himself and the wall. My heart galloped. I could have died. I’m hard to kill, but being crushed in an elevator car may have been enough. “It’s alright. I have you Adam,” Victor said again. His voice echoed now the shaft had fallen quiet.

“Oh, my stars.” I gulped. “Was that deliberate?”

“I fear so.” His voice rumbled. “They clearly know we’re here.”