***
“Gabrielle.”
I woke to the sound of my name, not sure how long I’d been asleep. I looked around the room. It was still night outside.
I turned to go back asleep when I heard it again.
“Gabrielle.”
My skin prickled. “Who’s there?” I called. I sat up, now alert. A creak came from the far side of the room, and my head snapped in that direction. A figure stood outside on the balcony, cast in darkness.
My hair stood on end. I threw off my sheets and rushed towards the door to my room, determined to get the hell out of there and get help.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” I stopped. I knew the voice that spoke to me. “After all, I’m a phantom that doesn’t really exist, aren’t I?” His voice tickled my ear.
I turned and stared at the man in the suit. He stood outside on the balcony, yet his voice whispered into my ear. He’d never gotten this close before, and never had he been so … personable. If you could call it that. Gooseflesh blossomed along my skin.
“Let me prove to you that I am real.” He smiled, and I reluctantly took a few steps towards him. Close up he was exceptionally handsome, and yet he exuded evil. You can’t be attracted to someone who scares the hell out of you.
“You mean to say you aren’t attracted to this?” He looking mockingly upset as he gestured to himself. “That’s too bad. I was hoping you’d find me more to your liking.” I stood there watching him just a few feet away on the other side of the glass, all my senses on alert.
“You don’t need to be afraid of me. I can prove it.” The balcony door unlocked itself and slowly swung open.
How did he do that? What was he?
The shadows gathered around him. “I am many things. You should know—you are many things as well.” He stared into my eyes. “I hear you killed a man tonight—how delightful. We can add murderer to that list.”
I broke eye contact and shuddered, disturbed by both his presence and the unwelcome reminder.
“Come with me.” He held out his hand.
“No.”
For the briefest of moments his friendly fa?ade disappeared, and his face revealed intense anger. Then it smoothed over, back into his usual smirk. “If you do not come with me, then I will take you.” Unwillingly, my eyes sought his out. I backed up, knowing he was serious.
For a heartbeat we stared at each other. Then I sprinted to the door.
He was on my heels in seconds, his laughter echoing along the walls. He grabbed me, and I only had time to scream before a true and terrible darkness descended.
Chapter 19
Bright morning rays woke me. I sat up, knowing something wasn’t right. I glanced about my bedroom. Leanne was already gone. At the foot of my bed was a newspaper.
I picked it up. “Victim, Villain or Hero? Violent Attack Leaves One Perpetrator Dead and Another Injured.” Scribbled over the story in sharpie was a note: When you get this, find me. We need to talk! I skimmed the story; my name was splashed throughout it.
In a rush the entire evening came back to me, ending with the man in the suit.
He took me. I shoved my fist in my mouth to stifle my scream. My skin crawled. I had no memory of the time between then and now.
I scrambled out of bed, and then paused when I realized my casts were gone. When had they come off? And who had taken them off? At least nothing hurt too bad; my injuries were almost entirely healed.
I grabbed my phone from my bag.
19 missed calls. 8 voicemails.
I clicked to see the details. The majority of the calls were from Andre, but the most recent were from Caleb, Leanne, and Oliver.
As I clicked through my numbers, Leanne came in.
“Where have you been!” she exclaimed. “I just got back from the hospital. They said you left last night.”
“You mean I wasn’t here when you woke up?” I asked.
“Of course not! When you didn’t come home I figured you were with Andre. But after I read the morning newspaper, I realized something was majorly wrong. I rushed to the hospital to find you. They told me you’d checked out last night.”
I felt my heart stop. I’d been gone for hours.
“I did check out,” I replied, “and I was with Andre.”
My face must’ve betrayed my calm response because Leanne crossed her arms and leaned on our wall. “Listen girl, are you okay? What’s going on? This is the second time someone has tried to kill you—technically the third, if you count that guy who chased you.”
I looked up at her and willed her to believe me. “I’m fine—a little shaken up, but fine.” What I couldn’t tell her was that that guy who chased me had subsequently abducted me.
“Okay, if you say so.” Leanne wasn’t buying it, not for a moment. But with a final skeptical look, she grabbed her towel and left to take a shower.