Page 8 of Veil of Shadows

She leaves before I can argue, the click of the door echoing through the empty lab. I turn back to my desk, her warningringing in my ears, but I push it aside. There’s too much at stake. The faces of victims I’ve seen, the families I’ve met—those are the ones I can’t forget.

Hours blur together. The caffeine stops working, and my eyes burn from staring at my laptop screen. I’ve gone over the evidence a hundred times, and yet... there’s something I’m missing. Something right in front of me.

I stand, grabbing the files to put them away. But as I open the cabinet, my hands go cold. Two files are missing. I tear through the drawers, shoving folders aside, but they’re gone. My throat tightens. I know I filed them yesterday.

Before I can process it, my phone vibrates in my pocket. The screen lights up with a message from an unknown number:

*Stop digging if you value your life.*

I drop the phone like it’s a snake. My pulse races. Whoever sent this knows exactly what I’m doing. The files... they weren’t just misplaced. Someone’s trying to shut me down.

The lab feels colder than before, the shadows longer, deeper. I grab my coat, throw it on, and head for the exit. The stale air feels suffocating, and I need to clear my head. Outside, the night air is sharp, biting my cheeks. I take deep breaths, trying to calm the frantic beat of my heart.

But then I hear it—footsteps. Slow, steady, just behind me.

I spin around. The street is empty, the distant city lights casting an orange glow. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I see him. Viktor, standing under the dim streetlight, his face hidden in shadows. He’s watching me.

“What do you want, Viktor?” I call out, my voice stronger than I feel.

He steps forward, his eyes dark and unreadable. “I warned you, Alyssa. This isn’t a game.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Warned me? Or threatened me? I’m not backing down.”

He’s closer now, close enough that I can see the tightness in his jaw. “You’re in over your head,” he says, voice barely above a whisper. “You have no idea what you’re up against.”

“Try me,” I snap, fists clenched. “If you’re so worried, maybe you should’ve left me alone.”

For a second, something flickers in his eyes—regret? Fear? It’s gone before I can read it. He leans in, his breath warm against the cold night air. “I don’t want to see you hurt,” he says, so quiet I almost don’t hear it.

I swallow, the words catching me off guard. But before I can say anything, he’s already turning away, disappearing into the shadows.

The street is silent again. I stand there, shaken, trying to make sense of the warning, the files, Viktor’s cryptic words. But there’s no time to unravel it now. I have work to do.

The next morning, I’m back at the lab. I lock the door behind me, double-checking it this time. I can’t afford more surprises. I sit down, crack my knuckles, and dive into the research. I’m not stopping until I get to the bottom of this.

If they think a few threats will scare me off, they have no idea who they’re dealing with.

Chapter Six – Viktor

The penthouse is quiet, the early morning light casting a cold blue glow over the sleek furniture. The city sprawls out below, a glittering sea of glass and steel. But the view doesn’t calm the storm inside me.

I stand by the window, fingers tapping absently against the glass. Alyssa’s face is stuck in my head—her stubborn eyes, that sharp, unyielding glare. She’s relentless. She’s a problem. And she’s getting too close.

A faint creak behind me. I don’t turn, but I know who it is.

“Viktor,” Lev’s voice is a low rumble, steady, unflinching. He’s always like that—watchful, calm, a shadow that never leaves my side.

“Is this a social visit?” I keep my eyes on the city.

He steps closer, his reflection hovering in the glass, arms crossed over his chest. “You’re distracted.”

I let out a slow breath. “Just thinking.”

“About her.” He doesn’t ask; he knows.

A corner of my mouth twitches. “Is this an interrogation, Lev?”

“Cut the crap,” he snaps, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “You’re letting her get under your skin. And it’s starting to show.”

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