Page 5 of Veil of Shadows

And the way he studied me again, last night... That look wasn’t just cold calculation this time. There was something more—a flicker of lust, of something far more dangerous. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to feel about it. Part of me wants to push him away. The other part... I can't deny, it wants to see what he does next. But I know better than to get too close to men like him. Because men like Viktor—they don’t let go once they have you in their sights.

And I can't afford to be his next target. Not now. Not ever.

I shiver, pushing the thought away.You have to focus, Alyssa.I’m alone in my cozy living room. The worn leather of the couch creaks as I shift, a dozen files sprawled out in front of me. The glow of my desk lamp bathes the room in a soft, golden light. But even here, safe in my sanctuary, I can’t shake the prickling on my skin, like someone’s eyes are boring into the back of my skull.

Snap out of it, Alyssa.I press my hands against my temples, massaging the tension there. This isn’t my first case that’s drawn attention from dangerous people. Being in forensics, you learn that not every monster hides in shadows—some wear expensive suits. But the way Viktor looked at me, his warning hanging in the air like cigarette smoke… I’ve never felt this exposed.

A knock at the door shatters the silence. I flinch, my pulse spiking. It’s almost midnight. I never get visitors this late. For a split second, I see him—Viktor, standing at my front door with that smirk, eyes gleaming with something darker than malice.

But it’s only Nina.

“Alyssa?” She peers at me, her eyes tired, the lines on her face deepening under the harsh hallway light. “Are you okay?”

I sag against the doorframe, relief flooding my chest. “Yeah… yeah, come in.”

She unwinds her scarf, her breath still fogging in the chill. “I figured you’d be up.” She eyes the mess of files strewn across my coffee table. “I needed to clear my head after today. It was... one of those shifts.” She drops onto the couch with a soft sigh, her weight causing the cushions to sink.

I close the door behind her, locking it with a soft click. “You’ve had long days before, Nina. This one looks like it drained your soul.”

She nods, her gaze flickering over the files again. “This case looks intense,” she murmurs, her voice low. “Should I be worried?”

I can’t meet her eyes. “It’s… complicated.”

“Complicated?” Her brow furrows as she studies me. “Alyssa, I’ve known you for years. What’s going on?”

I exhale sharply, sinking beside her on the couch. “I’ve been digging into these cases, and they’re all connected. I think—”

Nina reaches for my hand before I finish my sentence, squeezing it a little too hard. “You have to stop this. You know what they’re capable of.”

My jaw clenches. “I can’t.”

“Alyssa,” she insists, “you’re going to get yourself killed.”

I pull my hand away, shaking my head. “I have to finish this.”

For a moment, the silence hangs heavy between us, thick with Nina’s worry. I can feel her eyes on me, like she’s waiting for me to reassure her, but I know I can’t. Not this time.

She finally stands, wrapping her scarf around her neck with a sharp motion. Her eyes glisten with unshed tears. “Just… promise me you’ll be careful,” she says, her voice cracking slightly.

I nod, but the words don’t leave my mouth. I can’t make a promise I might not keep. I glance at her, but she doesn’t look convinced.

Then, my gaze shifts, and I find myself asking her a question I wasn’t sure I even wanted the answer to. “Why are you so concerned about this?”

Nina freezes, her newly manicured fingers tightening around the scarf. There’s a moment where she doesn’t look at me, but I catch the flicker of something across her face—a hint of guilt or something deeper, something she’s hiding. She frowns, as if she’s caught off guard by my question, and then she quickly shrugs it off. “I just care,” she says, her voice a little too defensive.

I narrow my eyes at her, not buying it for a second. “No, you don’t. You’re acting like you know something about this case.”

Her eyes widen, her lips parting in surprise. For a second, I almost see her hesitate, like she’s about to say something, but she quickly clams up. “What? No. I don’t know anything,” she says, too quickly. She turns away, her voice dropping. “Forget it.”

But I can’t let it go. “Nina, wait—what do you know?” I press, stepping closer, not willing to drop it.

She stiffens, her back to me now, and I can feel her panic rising. “I... I have to go. My father’s calling,” she mutters, way too fast, before she bolts toward the door.

Before I can say another word, she’s gone, leaving only the sound of her hasty footsteps echoing down the hallway. I stand there, watching the door long after she’s disappeared, a knot forming in my stomach. Something’s wrong. And I know, deep down, she’s hiding something from me.

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The next morning, exhaustion pulls at me like a weight as I walk into the lab.

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