Page 18

When I looked up again, the scene hadn’t changed. If I was asleep, it probably would have been. The sky was a ruby red when I looked out, with a smattering of twinkling stars.

It shouldn’t have been possible, the deep, rich crimson and I couldn’t stop staring. The sun was shining, too. I could see hints of green trees and shrubs, yet the view overhead looked like a pool of blood. It was both beautiful and horrifying.

I turned away, intent on exploring something else, when I came to an abrupt stop. Peeking over my shoulder, I glanced again at the strange sight. There was something about it, something that tickled the back of my mind. It had to do with one of my own drawings.

And I didn’t want to think about it.

Swallowing, I ran back to the bed, yanking the covers over my head. This couldn’t be right. Maybe if I went back to sleep, I’d be home and I could just yell at Bryan and his dirty socks in the morning and then leave his ass. Everything would be normal.

Sleep never came. I don’t know how long I laid there, but my brilliant idea wasn’t working. I sat down again on the bed, trying to think, and then noticed my clothes weren’t my own.

The well-fitted blouse and black leggings didn’t come from my closet. I had as many pairs of the comfy pants as any other girl, but the material was weird. No—not weird. Different. They were abnormally soft. Kind of like the blanket.

Pulling the waistband away, I peeked down to make sure I was wearing my own underwear.

I was.

Small comfort seeing as I still didn’t know what was going on.

The temptation to pull drawers open was too much to bear, and I found myself rifling through them. Going by the contents, I had to assume this was a man’s room. A very rich man.

The fabrics and styles of the garments were otherworldly with their craftsmanship, and I was pretty sure the jewelry contained real diamonds and rubies, though they were glossier than anything I’d ever seen. The shine almost hurt my eyes.

If I was dreaming, this all felt really real. Everything was solid. Things worked as they should. Or as they shouldn’t because my bra strap kept falling. I even bumped my toe against the edge of the bed, and it hurt and left a little red mark.

I was thirsty. These normal hazards indicated I was wide awake.

Moving on to the desk, I pulled the little draw string of the lamp and stared at the wood grain of its surface for a moment. I could smell the wood polish, a crisp but creamy scent. A couple of scrolls sat near where the piece of furniture met the wall, with a stack of books that had titles I didn’t recognize. Beneath them were cubbies that were empty other than a few pens, a stamper, and a small jar.

The drawer contained a notepad, more pens, and a stiletto. I slammed the drawer shut and backed away.

The weapon’s blade was clear crystal or some other see-through stone and the handle, an etched gold. It reminded me of Lukas’s nails. I’d never been one for hallucinating or imagining things, and at the age of thirty, I’d had plenty of time to develop maladaptive responses. I know what I saw.

He’d used those fingernails to murder my boyfriend and those two women. And I was pretty sure the other guy helped, Kiam. Had the police found them yet? Were they looking for me? I had no idea how much time had gone by.

As scary as it was, I knew I had to leave the room. I’d been avoiding whatever may be on the other side of the wall, but the time had come to act.

With a glance at the window and foreign sky, I walked over to the door and gripped the handle. It felt like something was tugging on it from the other side, like a rubber band. After yanking on it several times, I got it open and found myself in a hallway.

Out here, the floor was black marble, and the hall was no less fancy than the room. Double-lit sconces lined the walls, casting a warm amber glow on my feet. A crystal chandelier hung in the distance in what appeared to be an open space.

I held onto the doorframe as I peeked out and twisted to look the other way. Several feet away from me, a man stood. He was well over six feet tall, with tan skin and extremely long black hair. He stopped walking and stared at me, canting his head to the side.

His nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed while he gazed at me curiously. A sense of dread washed through me, and I took a step backward, intending to close myself back in the bedroom but suddenly, he stood right in front of me.

He’d moved so fast it didn’t make sense. He was in one spot for one second and breathing down my neck the next.

His hand went to the door, pulling it from my grasp and I screamed, “Get away from me!”

“Stand down, Kalix,” I heard a familiar voice.

Lukas was suddenly in my space as well, and then Kiam appeared. He gestured to Kalix, and they walked away, leaving me the two of us alone.

“You killed Bryan,” I accused. As if he didn’t know. My question was stupid, but I didn’t know what else to say.

“You can’t say it was a loss.” He moved forward, forcing me back into the room. “How did you leave the room?”

Walking backwards as he towered over me, I replied, “I want to go home. Well, not home. Just not here. Why am I here?”