AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My brain stutters as it attempts to make sense of what I see inside. At first, I think that it’s not a window into the room, but a mirror. But no, that doesn’t make sense. Because while I see myself inside the room, the me in there is stark naked and prowling toward a man with tousled red hair. He stumbles away, twisting toward the door, and I catch a glimpse of his face. It’sMax.
Seeing the face that haunts my dreams makes my brain decide to function again. A horrified scream tears from my throat. I stumble away from the door and clasp my hands over my mouth.
Lex glances through the window and then back at me. “Oh shit.” Their cloud of green hair fills my vision as they step in front of me and grab my shoulders. “It’s okay, Grace.”
The door to the room crashes open, and I look past Lex to see Max emerging, his black eyes widening when he notices me pressed against the wall. Wild-eyed and angry, he yells something at the naked version of me as she steps out into the hall beside him. When he looks back at me, his mouth forms my name, but I can’t hear it over the violent thundering of my pulse. The other me shimmers before my eyes and her body morphs into someone else.
“No!” Max yells at the…shapeshifter?
“Wh-what’s h-happening?” My vision narrows, and my legs give out under me as I sink into darkness.
* * *
“Mona.”
A sharp scent hits my nose and I cough, eyes blinking open to see Blair’s face above mine.
“Blair?” My head pounds as I try to sit up, but she places a hand on my chest.
“Don’t sit up yet. You fainted.”
Everything feels fuzzy and wrong. “…I did?”
“Mona, I need you to listen to me.” Blair’s eyes pierce into mine as she keeps a heavy hand on my chest. I can’t look away. A strange wave of calm washes over me and I nod. “Your friend Max says you saw something you shouldn’t have.”
A little voice in the far recesses of my mind says I should still be concerned about Max. That he isn’t my friend. But all that seems to matter right now is listening to Blair.
“Gods, Mona. I had no idea they’d do that. I didn’t want—” Max’s raspy voice sends chills down my spine and heat pools in my belly.
“I’m talking. Calm down and be quiet.” Blair cuts him off, glaring in his direction before turning back to me with concern written across her sharp features. “Mona, I can tell you the truth, but it will seem like a lie. Or I can tell you a lie which will seem much more true. Which do you want?”
“Is that a riddle?” I ask, my mind not clear enough to grasp what she’s saying. She waits for me to answer. My gut tenses and my throat feels dry, a sense of unease building as I speak. “I don’t like being lied to…”
Blair nods and removes her hand from my chest, then helps me sit up. I’m on a wide bench in the middle of a small red room. BDSM implements line the walls, a stark reminder of just how far out of my comfort zone I am. Max stands in one corner, as far away from me as the room allows. He watches me with a nervous, pained expression. Why ishefreaked out?
“What you saw was a changeling,” says Blair, her tone matter-of-fact. “A type of paranormal creature that can alter their body to appear as anyone they’ve seen.”
I open my mouth to tell her I’m not in the mood for dumb jokes, but she holds a hand up and I can’t get the words out. “I know it sounds crazy, and I hate breaking the illusion that humans cling to. But you wanted the truth. And the truth is that monsters are real.”
Max nods in agreement. “I’m sorry, Mona. Please don’t be scared. We don’t mean you any harm.”
“We?” I ask, blinking back at him. Monsters aren’t real. They’re either fucking with me or they’re nuts. Neither option is good for me, sitting here in an isolated room with them. I should be running out of here as fast as I can. So why aren’t I?
“I need you to stay calm, Mona.” Blair takes my hand in hers and it feels reassuring despite all the batshit crazy nonsense she’s spewing.
“I’m…I’m trying. This doesn’t make any sense, Blair.”
She nods, her expression sympathetic. “I know.” She squeezes my hand, then parts her lips to reveal her teeth. No, herfangs.
I almost fall backward off of the bench, but Blair holds tight and Max steps in to steady me with a hand on my shoulder. “Monsters are real, Mona. I know because I’m one of them,” Blair says with a shrug of her shoulders. Like it’s no big deal.
Jesus, I should be screaming and running out of the room right now. What is wrong with me?
Sensing my thoughts, Blair continues. “I used a minor compulsion on you to help keep you calm. I don’t like doing that without consent, but worried you might hurt yourself.” She brings her other hand to wrap around the one already holding my hand and stares into my eyes. “I have no intention of hurting you. I’m still your friend—that hasn’t changed. I’m going to remove the compulsion now and however you want to react to this information is valid.”
Her teeth retract, and she turns away from me. My mind clears and my whole body starts to shake. The urge to run doesn’t surface, though, so I take a shuddering breath and close my eyes. When I open them, Blair continues to hold my hands, watching me with concern. I can’t stop staring at her mouth. “You’re a…vampire?”
She nods at my guess, waiting for my reaction with calm focus. Her eyes look almost sad. I surprise myself when I realize I’m not scared of her. This woman’s been with me alone in my house and in her car. She’s had me tied up and at her mercy, and has only shown me kindness and support. That doesn’t seem monstrous to me. “…Okay. Are you a vampire, too?” I turn over my shoulder to look at Max.
