Page 6 of The Vampire's Seduction

To steal, duh.

Another barrage of gunfire sounded, this time nearer. More shouting. Screams.

Were they on her floor?

She shuddered, her shoulders curling inward in response while her eyes darted around the lab like a trapped rabbit.

Breathe. Breathe. I’ll be fine. I’ll just stay in the lab. The police will be here soon. Tomorrow I’ll be safe in LA.

Olivia squeezed her eyes shut and sucked in deep breaths.I’ll be fine.If it were thieves, anything worth stealing would be in the right wing, where Olivia didn’t even have clearance to enter. In fact, the employees in the other wing might as well work for a different company as far as she was concerned.

They used different entrances, had a different cafeteria, and even parked away from the rest of them.

Her lab didn’t contain any materials worth stealing.

Well, her research was groundbreaking, but not worth breaking into Zylotech’s highly secure facility. Besides, she hadn’t even finished it. Wouldn’t it be easier and smarter to hack her computer once she’s done?

How many minutes had it been since she heard something? Olivia debated peeking out the window to check.

Someone jiggled the door handle. Olivia slapped her hands over her mouth to smother the scream. Her heart jackhammered against her chest.

Oh God, oh God. Someone’s trying to enter her lab!

Terror seizing her heart, Olivia looked around wildly. What would someone who could invade Zylotech do to her? What if they planned to kill all witnesses?

Her careening eyes latched onto her desk. Without another thought, she bent over below the window and scurried over. The person on the other side was still messing with the door.

They were here to steal her research!

Her blood drumming in her ears, Olivia crawled under her desk and curled up with her purse tightly against her chest.

Her fingers tugged and rotated her bracelet, a nervous habit worsened by the terror choking at her. Her thoughts smashed into one another in a jumbled mess. Was there a better place to hide? Maybe Yun’s desk. It faced the corner. But wait! The bottom two inches were uncovered. Anyone could see her hiding.

The cabinets? All of them had shelves and she wouldn’t fit.

The samples fridge! It was big enough for her! But if the thief was here to steal her research, he might search in there.

At the unmistakable gunshots, Olivia clamped her hands over her mouth to stifle her fearful whimpers.This can’t be happening.Hot tears burned behind her eyes. Sobs rose in her throat as glass crunched.

Someone was inside the lab!

Where were the police? What about the guards? She didn’t hear any more gunshots or fighting. Had the intruders killed everyone else?

She fiddled with her bracelet frantically as she prayed for safety, burying her face into her purse.

Please, please, don’t find me. I’m not here. I don’t exist.

Olivia barely dared to breathe as she waited, ignoring the slight heat around her right wrist. Her heart palpitated in her chest, her body frozen. The same words repeated in her brain.

Don’t find me. I’m not here. I don’t exist.

Her heart stopped when she heard footsteps right beside her desk. She opened her eyes a smidgen. A pair of black laced-up boots came into view.

She was done for.

Please. Please. Don’t look down.As if anyone who would attack Zylotech wouldn’t have the brains to look down.

Time slowed to a crawl as Olivia’s world narrowed to that one moment. Suddenly everything seemed to clear. If he found her, she would slam him with her purse before making a run for it.

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