Page 22 of Absentia Mori

I leap to my feet and press my back against the wall. “Who the fuck is there?” I say louder this time.

A stream of giggles erupts in the room, and I almost lose it. My throat is dry, and my knees shake. I grab a pillow without thinking. As if that’s going to fucking help me.

“Let’s make her scream.”

I gasp as two demonic-looking blonde girls step into the stream of moonlight.

“Stay the fuck back,” I shout.

They move in unison, mimicking each other as if they’re one entity, flying toward me at full speed.

I dart out of their way and almost fall down as I trip over my own shoes.Fucking ghosts. I hate them. “Get out of my room, you little brats.”

They growl as their eyes darken. “You’re going to die here just like us.” Their voices echo in the room as they charge toward me again.

I remember the knife Fabien gave me but then remind myself that its useless. You can’t kill a ghost. And these two are so far gone that they aren’t even solid matter anymore. Not like Jessamine back at Tenebrose. That snarky little bitch is now shacked up with Professor Erebus.

I try sidestepping around them again, but I’m not quick enough. They each take a slash at my arms with their nails. Solid or not, theycanstill inflict pain. Fuck.

I spin around, looking for them, but they hide in the dark. My pulse is beating so hard I can barely catch my breath. “What do you want from me?”

Another eruption of giggles breaks out. “Sweet treats for evil deeds.”

Huh?

I need to get the fuck out of this room before I actually lose my damn mind.

The twins emerge again, right in front of me, their faces contorted. I scream and run for the door. As I turn the knob and pull, I’m relieved that it’s unlocked. Alarmed but relieved as hell. Someone forgot to lock me in tight tonight.

But it’s not until I’m in the fluorescent-lit hall that I realize I’m barefoot and wearing only a thin tank top and panties. Where the fuck am I gonna go? If I tell the orderlies there are two demon ghosts in my room, they’ll drug and restrain me again. Fuck.

All right. I can do this. They are just annoying and will probably go away when they get bored of terrorizing me.

I take a deep breath and grab the doorknob, dreading going back in. A cold chill sweeps up my spine.

Oh, no.

I jiggle the knob, but it doesn’t budge. I fucking somehow locked myself out. Or those evil brats did.

I slam my hands against the door. “Let me back in!” A phrase I did not think I would ever utter in this place. But lingering in a creepy hallway half-naked was the worst possible scenario.

The giggling continues. I press my ear to the door and scream again, “Let me the fuck back in.”

Footsteps barrel up behind me. Before I can turn around, a hand covers my mouth. “Keep your fucking voice down,” Raithe growls into my ear.

I scream into his palm and writhe against him. I hate this man. I think I hate him the most out of all three of them.

He grunts and drags me down the hall. “I’m going to shut you up, little freak.”

I bite on his fingers, but he doesn’t let up. He holds me tight in his grip as I kick and flail to get out. It’s no use. This man is six foot five of solid muscle. He’s a fucking beast.

We reach the end of the third or fourth corridor he’s dragged me down—I can’t keep track of where I am at this point—and come to a stop. He pulls out a key and unlocks an unmarked door.

As soon as we enter, he throws me to the floor and locks us in.

“Fabien wants to mess around with childish pranks. But a woman like you doesn’t scare easily, does she?”

I look around the room we’re in, my teeth chattering as the cold linoleum floor presses against my ass cheeks through my thin panties. There’s an operating table in the center and a tray full of scalpels and needles next to it. A fluorescent lamp hangs from the ceiling, flickering, dangling by one wire as if the slightest draft will knock it completely out.

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