Contaminated (Cursed Night)

es

ok a set of keys, leading me toward some eleva

his hand, an

eet you,"

o house apartments and penthouses, and even though it wasn't nearly as tall as some of the buildings surrounding it, it still stood out. Enti

explained, stopping us at the elevator and pushing the

ded so good as to wake up in the morning and gaze over the vast city, a horizo

, and action too much-I couldn't contain the thrill of

her. I was still worried about her. And kind of worried about me, too, e

ng inside or around the premises, I'd crawled into bed with my mom

fury of a p

t was a John Dryden quote, an

lan. And beware th

use last night in masks? Could it have been th

h me for leaving the party early, and questioned my mom and Irina, our house

ed, and no one knew

o I'd hid the note and brushed off the dagger as something Trevor had pr

efinite

my home, right und

ender box, with the dagger, into the car and drove off not k

e elevator, seeing him press twenty-one. But I narrowed my

nty-two floors," I inquir

loor houses only one residence, and he has

orward again, unde

apartments are quite a bit larger. And the other apartment on y

I didn't remember anyone saying anything about that

rward with a smile as the doors opened. He

k, marble floors and walls the color of a sunset. He veered left, leading me to an apartment door, but

be the e

ently-and the manager immediately slid the key

the apartment, while I remained

.."

sense. This apa

and a full wall of windows, giving away the beautiful patio courtyard, complete with a fountain and actual gr ou

cked the gl. "You have a full gourmet kitchen with top of the line appliance

. The chrome appliances were just as impressive as the ones in my own home, and the wrought iron kit

ated floors, and a rainfall shower, and I s

well as an indoor pool. Both are open twenty-four seven, and since

in confusion. I was

ghed, a littl

irwell in case of a fire, but be sure it's locked at all times." He pointed to the end of the hall, and I jutted out my head to see

apartment was already completely furnished with expensive-looking sofas, tables, and electronics, and

t me sh

I'm Betty Sandra. I leased a one bedroom with one bath-not a penthouse. I have no

picked up his file folder, pro

I wasn't forking over thousands of dolla

rk. "Ah, yes. I forgot." He looked up at me.

ed, disappointment

gy. There were two penthouses, both vacant, so we saw no reason why you shouldn't have one of them. Your lease is st

reaching out a

confused. Why would you give me twice th

lders. It was how my mother looked growing

es, and I hope this penthouse meets your expectations as you continue your studies this year."

, out of the apartment and

ke the wind had been knocked out of me. I

room, the reality, and, most of all, th

n air mattress tonight before I went out to buy my own furniture to

dn't have time to find another place

acious bathroom with a double vanity and a slate-tiled shower. Swinging open cabinets ne

dy set up with a king-sized bed and furniture that matched the white be

hing was done for me

ged, but my life hadn't. Everything was taken care of already. I'd even

of their princesses was tucked in all tight. There's no way

d, feeling the

and thorough, and as their children, we sat comfortably under that umbrell

ided, but I wanted to do things for myself now. Space, distan

e jean shorts. Grabbing the hem of my black sweater, I pulled it

he courtyard, my toes in my black flip-flops touching the gr. Gazing around the expansive area, I notic

And then, turning right, my gaze drifted up, up, up, and I craned my neck to see the floor above me,

w into the courtyard. I wondered if a family live there, to need

windows, realizing I wasn'

sleep weighing heavy as I lay

a tapping sound coming

, tap...

rms, trying to brin

didn't know anyone here-not yet anyway. I'd just

clock on my nightstand-it w

d the sleep from my eyes, slowly

t I'd heard knocking.

ndow and falling across the white sheets as I listened for

ucking in a breath. Throwing off the shee

asn't

istening for another sound and searching my brain, trying to remember if I'

r entrance? Yeah. Ye

it again, and I hal

ht falling, and I had no idea if it

ught earlier today. I may not have gotten the tiny apartment I wanted or been able to buy

he handle, the blade facing behind me as I approached the front door. I still wasn

ms standing on end. As much as I'd wanted to be on

e hole, spotting the elevator a few feet down

nd no one visible. The

ind me as the boomin

come a steady attack. My feet followed the sound, stepping absently closer to it, and I finally pres

lowed the tight lump in my throat as the thu

over there. In t

knew there was a night manager named Simon Something-Or-Other, but I didn

morning to ask the manager about it, but the further down the hall I tra

into the hallway, holding the heavy

e. And then I heard a woman's high-pitched cry r

other cry. And anothe

y mouth fell open as

my

e place was supp

to the other door, glancing up and seeing small security cameras

g the thump, thump, thump of something hitting the wa

n my teeth, covering my

cried out. "No! A

screams were now different. Panicked and scared, and her cries soun

out again. "No

the door, not findi

side, making a loud thud, and I scurried back

they fed to Security downstairs or to whoever was

r my door, grabbing the han

!" I mouthed. shiting thin

rom me-so close-and I darted my eyes over t

le again, twisting and ya

oor, and I jerked upri

hi

other door swing open, so I bolted down the stairwell,

h

definitely someone I didn't want to meet. I dashed down flight

glance upward, seeing a hand sliding down the ra

loser and closer, my legs about to give out as my exhausted muscles worked as fast as they could. I gasped, seeing the

l, and I let out a small cry

ath, seeing Alex Crist toweri

thed out, froz

a brow and set me back, away from him, an

but nothing came ou

d in a black suit, looking like he'd just been at a club or something. A young brunette

ilk sleep shorts and black tank top, my

oticing that whoever had followed me down

g up at Alex. "I heard somethi

ad, still confused. "W

iately recognized that ever-present into

. "I thought you lived in

nd cocked his head, looking at m

breathed out, realization hitting. "Of course. Yo

od by, the lone gentleman living above me, Mrs. Crist sending me the link for

all to myself, ready to g

d as well-made sure I ended up here.

who's

th chocolate hair and piercing eyes, poli

s twisting slightly. "My l

she re

my eyes, a

girlfriend. He coul

t sure if he knew that, but it had been months. I

manded, and I looked up to

cries. I didn't feel safe up there now, and I wanted a manager, but Alex ba

y said, letting out

ront of a sensor on the wall, his private elevator doors immediately opening

as she walked into the elevator and pushed th

rity. The man nodded and handed him what appeared to be keys, and then Alex saun

was be

e following him with my eyes, my bod

ed heart. I shouldn't want to be close to him. Not after how he'd pus

neck, absently running a

of the stairwell and your floor," he

insisted, not budgin

, and I spotted the security guard opening

ing into the elevator in my bare fe

t floor I liv

didn't

reathe too hard or fidget too much. I'd always been hyper-aware of Alex, and I was afraid he could tell

chest and the tops of my breasts, I licked my lips, feeling the pull of him right there, only inches away. My chest rose and fell, he

a sudden, and my stomach felt hollow

su

air behind my ear and feeli

model he'd brought home for the night, all I could do

had for

first, clearly not the gentleman Mr. Patterson was. He walked

ment was empty." I glanced behind me at the door of the supposedl

ng the door behind me.

alls, cries, screams, pa

ding to be vague

ng around me, he made for the other apartment and jiggled t

es in surprise, but then the same se

ed the stairwell, and there

ake sure the apartment is loc

s,

t at the elevator as Alex walked back over to me, ke

me and unlocke

ed myself out?" I follow

t was a safe bet. You didn't have keys on you, and the rear apartmen

. Three years ago-hell, five days ago-I would've loved to

was still as invisible to him as the a

ild, and I wished he'd remember it. But it had turn

nd steeling myself, I stared off

e, and came back out, pushing on the g

in one of the empty apartments," he explained

fiant look. "Like I sa

laugh, and I looked up, seeing a

ounding snide. "You got everyth

n slightly, not

nted, gazing around him. "You must've worked hard to earn the money to pay for it. As wel

n't sure what to do with hitting me. I hated what he

t what if one day you found that all of those securities you took for granted-your house, your money, and the people who love you-weren't there

ning every muscle, so I w

ally serious about being on my own, I'd have chucked it

a good talk but would never really know pain o

as he took a lock of my hair, grinding it between his fing

h him as I knocked his hand away. Wh

smile, and he walked around me towar

eeing him slip through the d

called me that? I hadn't he

ce that