il

ng cr

ough sheer curtains. Shadows stretched long

oo crisp, too foreign. My mi

it hi

mansion.

shift back into something familiar. Reality stay

stil

ll

ut sharp enough

answer, the doo

steppe

ir. Delicate features. A face that e

si

were old friends. W

without hesitation as if the

st be Emily. I'm Came

's si

iked, a sharp, involuntary reaction. My muscle

thing sharp, nothing cold. No peeling me ap

fer

Almost.

tion-she dropped on

. Too

t was

was n

belonge

something almost intimate. She didn't seem to notice my rigid posture, t

y at ease, her dark eyes studying me like I was s

r head, her smile soft but knowing. "Marco didn't tel

rest

ling for something to say, some

ing about th

In a stranger's bed. Trappe

ng, speaking to me lik

m to faze her. If any

r voice light. "That's okay.

inside me-somethin

t as fast, swallowe

ainty. The sheer wro

ensed it because her

ing," she said, voice gentle n

rmed in m

on

xactly h

ingers brushing against my skin.

ack, standing wit

"You should meet th

sita

wouldn't ch

at, pushed back the weight of hesi

et's go before Marco decid

ct. Wariness. Don't

Forced my l

apped in the illusion of

ed th

emptiness. The

Dark wood. Everything is cal

statement. A f

her voice filling the space

her get a cat. Some story about her b

ly lis

re of t

tching. Judgi

ome... dis

e h

he sta

bun. Uniform perf

r gaze.

f something

a sm

urned and

urled in

Bianca," she said lightly. "

d not

unease r

d not

ept g

, but only when he wants to be. And

st tig

's pa

t about them. What w

g my expression too easily. "

bted

er hallway. Everyth

here. Maybe tha

rushed my arm. A

now if I b

-

ining

nt of coffee and fresh b

the head of t

oth

ng against th

n't lo

felt

ed the room, thic

d into a seat.

in response.

ed near t

I noti

at at t

anger. No

. A resemblance to Marco,

friendly. Not welcomi

aking the seat Camellia ge

rco at

expo

lly ignoring the tension, grabbed a c

pa

n afterthoug

lowed.

of si

ngle word.

t feel l

ld respond,

e you sl

ques

clenched under the ta

small sound. A

raised

Not quite a smirk. "No,

n crawled

ed back in

osphere

teo's fingers drumm

ng was

ropped. Calm. E

rules in

inside me c

hem. You'll resp

ing dangerous flickeri

depends on how w

g. No- a

efused to brea

him see

mirked

isf

had happened, he ret

ation r

arely h

he truth

't just a

s sur

s alread