Page 99 of Petals and Fangs

“What's wrong with me? It's called being in charge, something you clearly don't understand. And as for your phone, I need it for a moment. You'll get it back soon enough,” Nick says, his tone dismissive and authoritative.

“Wow. Is it Ethan calling? Is he okay?”

“No, this isn't Ethan calling. And he's fine, as far as I know. Now, can you quit asking so many damn questions? You're beginning to give me a headache,” Nick responds back impatiently.

“So, who is calling, then?”

“It is a fellow vampire colleague if you must know. Now, another request for you, Lily Snow: Can you please stop being so damn nosey? You don't need to know everything that is going on.”

“What the heck are you saying? And why are you talking to me like that?”

“Miss Snow, please,” Alfred says, slowly raising his hand. He must have felt the tension in the office between me and Nick.

“Nick. I am going to say this for one last time. Give me my damn phone back. I am getting the hell out of here for good.”

“You're not going anywhere. Not until I say so. And no, I'm not giving you your phone back, not yet. So, why don't you quit the attitude and do as you're told?”

“Alfred?”

“He is thirsty. Please, stay away Miss Snow.”

“Alfred? Alfred can't help you. No one can. Why are you suddenly so desperate, Lily?” Nick slowly walks towards me.

“I'm not desperate, Nick, but you are scaring me right now. Maybe it is because you're thirsty, but I'm not the most comfortable creature in this room at this moment, and I need to go looking for Ethan.”

Nick's expression suddenly softens. Something is wrong with him. He is either extremely thirsty or on substances.

“Stay away from my brother. And stay away from this company,” he finally speaks as he throws my phone on the couch, and heads towards the door.

“What a freak.”

“What did you say?” Nick stops and looks back, his eyebrow raised.

“You heard me. A freak.”

“Get the hell out of my company. I want all of your things gone right this second,” he says, and finally turns around and disappears into the hallway.

“Miss Snow, you need to take this and leave before he comes back, please,” Alfred says as he hands me an odd-looking key.

“What is this, Alfred?”

“You will see soon enough.”

Chapter 22

Ethan

Ican't see anything. I can barely move. The room is dark, and my body is tied to a chair. The restraints are tight, and I can't do anything at all. I struggle against the chains for what seems like hours before realizing that there is no escaping from this nightmare.

I close and re-open my eyes many times, but it still doesn't fix my sight. Something is wrong with me. I can’t see clearly. I can only hear footsteps on the carpet as someone walks back and forth in the hallway.

“Hello? Anyone there?” I say, but my voice is barely heard.

I am all alone in this dark room with an awful smell. What is this place? It looks like a place from my deep-buried nightmares.

“Perry?” I speak again, softly at first, then I yell his name repeatedly.

No answer. I call again, but the only voice backing me up is my echo. My vision slowly clears, and I soon realize that I can be in what looks like an abandoned hospital. There are medical tools everywhere.

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