10

Raindrops hammered against the window as forceful as the pounding of Amelia’s heart. Deafening thunder struck nearby, reminding her that the Earth was still spinning.

Run!

Her body wouldn’t oblige.

There was a set of keys underneath her right shoe. The beast had been too distracted by the horror on her face to notice the tiny movement of her foot concealing them.

Too bad she was too afraid to do something now that she had them.

Run!

But what if he returns?

Run!

Amelia forced her muscles to cooperate. A sigh of relief left her lips as her shaky fingers grabbed the keys. On trembling legs, she rushed to the door. She stepped into a lengthy hallway covered in red carpet, not knowing what awaited her.

Her heart jumped to her throat as she almost bumped into a wolf. A marble wolf.

God… it wasn’t the only one present. Marble statues of people and animals lined the walls on either side like guards. Determined not to acknowledge their vacant stares, she surveyed both sides of the corridor, which culminated in archways and closed doors.

Left or right?

She had to pick in three, two, one…

Right! Running past numerous lifeless creatures along the hallway, her eyes set on the door at the archway. Relieved that it was unlocked, she flung it open and nearly crashed into the lift waiting on the other side.

She pushed the button and waited for its entrance to open. Her body trembled, forcing her to lean against the side wall for support. What was less than a minute seemed like torturous hours to her, but at last, the lift opened, and she peeked in. Empty, thank God! She pressed the button for the ground floor and turned to face the closing doors, cursing them for their snail’s pace.

Right before they closed completely, Amelia glanced at the empty hallway with its red carpet and desolate marble statues. In that same instant, the door at the opposite end of the walkway opened, revealing none other than Mikhail Korovin. He looked straight at her, their gazes meeting for less than a second…then the lift was sealed shut.

Fuck! Amelia held her breath. He’d seen her. She hit a random button in the middle of the panel. There was no way she was going down to the ground floor now. That man would be waiting for her there.

And he did appear human again, clad in a brand-new set of clothes.

Don’t think about him. He does not exist. It’s just a trick of the light, of my imagination.

If she persisted in recalling the image of the monster, her confidence would dissipate, and she would never escape.

The doors opened on the tenth level, revealing another empty hallway. As she hurried down a green floor, past entrances in the same colour and walls as white as canvas, she couldn’t help but compare her surroundings to a hospital. She wrinkled her nose. It reminded her of a hospital ward because it smelled like one.

Her eyes landed on a tiny stainless-steel table on wheels pushed up against the wall. Scattered on the green cloth were a few surgical instruments and different lengths of gauze.

This was a hospital ward.

Further down the corridor, one of the doors opened with a bang, forcing Amelia to cower behind the small table. She peeked from between its legs, and a quiet gasp died down her throat. An enormous grey wolf staggered into the hallway.

She blinked a few times. There were wolves at the zoos she had visited, but none of them had been this size. The animal’s eyes were black and empty, and his fur was matted along the spine and the hips. It headed towards the lift she’d just stepped out of, its wobbly gait leaving a bloody trail.

A tall man in green scrubs emerged from the same door. Holding her breath, Amelia ducked lower behind the table, terrified and transfixed by the smoothness of his stride. He caught up with the wolf and drove a giant needle into its back.

The wolf tumbled to the floor, powerless. Its silhouette slowly shrunk down , the fur melted away and the snout disappeared. The wolf was gone and, in its place, lay an unconscious, naked man covered in blood.

The guy in the scrubs turned him over, exposing the bleeding wound across the wolf-man’s chest. “Damn it, Keith! Where’s the fucking gurney?” He ran his fingers through his dark hair. A distinctive silver streak framed his temples, accentuating the sharp lines of his profile.

Another man in green scrubs rushed out of the room and pushed a stretcher down the hallway. They lifted the injured man onto it.

“He tore his stitches. I don’t even wanna think about what’s going on inside of him. How many times do I need to teach you how to sedate them?” The first man said. Amelia gaped at the two pronounced canines glittering between his angry lips.

A blonde woman in a white lab coat appeared. “He was sedated.”

“Then why did he turn ?”

“How the hell should I know?”

The man huffed in disgust. “Let’s take him to the OR.” He must have been someone important, as his behaviour reminded Amelia of the top surgeons at her own hospital. The three of them pushed the gurney forward, marched into the lift, and disappeared.

Amelia didn’t dare to move. This place was crawling with monsters.

“Why are you on the floor?”

Startled by the voice, she missed hitting her head on the wall behind by an inch. Turning to the side, she found a boy, around ten years old, standing in the nearest door frame. His pink cheeks and curious ocean-blue irises reminded her of her young brother Sammy at that age.

“Can you keep a secret?” she whispered. The boy nodded with eagerness. Amelia threw a worried glance towards the far end of the hallway. “Nobody can know I’m here.”

The boy’s eyes widened. “Are you hiding from the Tribunal?”

“Yes…” Whatever that is.

“Mom hates them. She says they’re perverted bastards. Oops! I said a forbidden word.” He covered his mouth with his hands and giggled.

Amelia attempted a smile. “I promise I won’t tell on you if you help me get out of here.”

The boy’s face became very serious. “The Hospital is one of the safest places in the world! You’d better just stay here. I’ll find someone to help you.”

“No, please don’t do that.” The word hospital rang in her head. So, she’d been right.

The lift at the other end of the hallway announced its arrival with a loud ding .

“Quick! Hide! It could be them!” The boy gestured towards his room.

Amelia kept low to the ground and slipped past him and into the room. No sooner did the boy close the door behind them that she got back up on her feet.

This is a hospital room, she realised.

Sure enough, a scrawny woman was lying on the bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling and her face twisted in an owlish smile. She paid no attention to Amelia or the boy.

He rested down on a little leather sofa in front of the only window, all the while staring at Amelia with inexplicable admiration. “What did you do to upset the Tribunal? Don’t worry about Mom, she’s in a coma; she can’t hear a thing.”

Amelia noticed the deathly pallor of the woman’s skin. “What happened to her?”

“She fell and hit her head. I was still very young, but a friend of hers saw it happen and brought her here.”

Amelia’s eyes darted to the monitors, following the woman’s vitals. Her blood pressure and heart rate were below average, but they appeared stable. From what she had studied, Amelia suspected the woman was suffering from a very rare neurological condition. A vegetative state with a bad prognosis would be her best guess. And she doubted it had been inflicted by a simple fall.

She ignored the urge to squeeze the woman’s hand just to confirm her unresponsiveness. “When did it happen?”

“Oh, a long while ago. About five years.”

Her heart filled with sympathy when she faced the boy once again. “Where’s your dad?”

He broke eye contact and gave no answer.

She shouldn’t have pried. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“Don’t. I… I don’t know my father.” The newfound decisiveness in his features told her he was a lot stronger than one would have expected from a ten-year-old.

“I lost my parents. And my brother,” she told him.

They shared understanding glances. “I’m sorry. You must feel very lonely.”

“You have no idea how much I miss them.” This was the first time she’d admitted as much out loud, and the fresh, raw pain her words uncovered caused a weight in her chest.

“Please, don’t be sad. You won’t be lonely anymore. I’ll be your friend.” He stood and extended a hand. “I’m Dave.”

“Thank you, Dave. I’m Amelia.” She shook his palm.

He contemplated her for a second. “Amelia. Interesting name. Are you a nymph?”

“A nymph?”

“You’re pretty like a nymph.” His cheeks flushed at his confession and he lowered his stare to the floor.

“Thank you. You guessed it – I’m a nymph.”

His gaze flew back to hers. “I knew it! I always guess!”

Her smile withered. As much as she enjoyed his company, it was time to leave. “Dave, please tell me how to get out of here.”

He grinned like a little devil. “Only if you tell me what you did to upset the Tribunal.”

“But, Dave, if I do, then you’ll be at risk. I wouldn’t forgive myself if they came after you, too.”

He crossed his arms over his T-shirt. “They can’t break me that easily, Amelia. In two months, I’ll be ten. I’m a grown man.”

“I’m sorry, Dave…”

He sighed. “All right, then.” He turned his head to the side abruptly. “Someone’s coming—” he whispered, alarmed. “It could be the Tribunal. Quick! Hide in the wardrobe.”

He opened the narrow cupboard, pulled out a small sack and a pair of shoes, and ushered Amelia in. She settled into the suggested hiding spot, holding her breath.

“Don’t you worry. I’ll deal with them.” He closed the door and left her in the dark.

For a few seconds, the erratic beating of her heart was her sole company. Then, the hinges of a door creaked as it was pushed inwards and…

“Mikhail!”

No. No, it can’t be.

“Hey, Dave. What’s up?” The man’s voice made her stomach tighten.

“Not much. Mom’s still the same.”

“I’m sure she’ll get better. Listen, Dave, I’m searching for a young woman. Slender, blonde, not too tall. Have you seen her?”

Her heart somersaulted and dropped in her shoes.

“Amelia?”

“Yes. Exactly.”

A brief silence elapsed.

Dave opened the door to her hideout. “There she is! Don’t worry, Amelia. I told you I’d help you escape the Tribunal. Mikhail is a very good friend of mine. He’ll keep you safe. Right, Mikhail?” The boy’s face was glowing.

Amelia couldn’t do anything other than pad out of the wardrobe. Her heartbeat raced at the sight of him. There was a gleam in his green-brown eyes that warned her against doing anything rash.

The man pointed to the hallway with his chin. Defeated, she headed for the door, because she didn’t want to provoke him around Dave. What would happen if he transformed into that monster in front of the boy and his poor mother?

“Amelia, will I see you again?” Dave asked.

Glancing over her shoulder, she forced a smile. “Of course.”

“Protect her from the Tribunal, Mikhail! Mom says they’re dirty bastards.”

Mikhail’s face softened. “They’re just doing their job, Dave. Don’t worry, though. I’ll protect Amelia from them.”

Oh, how smooth and friendly he sounded! The same as he’d been when he’d saved her from the Mercedes guy. A beast in disguise.

Amelia stepped into the hallway, all the while thinking that whatever this Tribunal was, it had to be better than her captor.

When they were alone once more, she turned to him. “Why won’t you let me leave?”

Mikhail’s features tightened. “Did you see Dave’s mother? The woman’s a witch. Five years ago, a berserk vampire tried to force her to perform some kind of black magic. When she refused, he got so mad, he smashed her skull in. She was brought here by another witch. Since she has no husband, Dave is staying here. He’s her only relative.”

Her throat went dry at the mention of witches and black magic.

“Dave still hasn’t reached immortality. He’s practically as helpless as any other child right now.”

“Why are you telling me this?” She shook her head, eyes darting around for help.

He stepped closer, forcing her to pay attention to his words. “So that you know why I do all this. I’m not a monster or a criminal. I don’t want to have anything to do with you, but it seems the circumstances require it.”

A rattling down the hallway made them both glance in that direction – a red-haired woman in a lab coat and stilettos was approaching.

Amelia waited until she was closer and stepped in her path. “Please, help me! This man kidnapped me!”

The redhead stared her up and down with her astonishing sky-blue eyes. “The human team is growing?” she asked Mikhail as if she were inquiring about the weather.

He side-glanced at Amelia. “Yes.”

“Don’t worry, honey,” the woman told her. “You’ll get used to us.” Then, the high heels disappeared as quickly as a fog.

What the hell is this place?

In a stone-cold voice, Mikhail said, “If you’re still not getting it, this is the Hospital for Immortal Creatures.”

Her brow creased. “What ? ”

He sighed as if she were boring him. “Let’s go back to your room and we can talk.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you!”

In a flash, he was next to her. His huge presence dominated her, robbing her of her breath. His male scent aroused her nostrils, and his closeness awakened shivers up and down her spine.

Distracted by his proximity, she didn’t realise what was happening until the sting in her arm made her wince. Soon, she was asleep once more.

***

She was in a dimly lit room. The place was filled with square tables, each with chairs turned over on top. At the far end, a sprawling bar counter occupied the space, while the shelves behind it struggled to maintain the weight of the full bottles.

A tall man was drying the clean mugs with a white cloth and piling them on the lowest available shelf. Amelia couldn’t see his face because it remained in the shadows, but the strong muscles of his forearms would occasionally leave the darkness as he moved around.

Light rushed into the room when the entrance door flew open. The man placed the last mug on the shelf and turned, allowing the rays of sunlight to outline his features well enough for Amelia to recognise him. Mikhail Korovin. His clothes were odd – a white cotton shirt and tight capri pants. His hair fell in thick long golden curls, framing his calm expression.

A stunning woman ambled inside. Her dark hair cascaded down her spine, creating a beautiful contrast against the ethereal ivory dress hugging her curves.

Before the woman could say anything, Mikhail was behind her. His hands traced her jaw, her arms, and ended up resting on her stomach. She tilted her head back and found his lips with hers.

After a long kiss, she turned to face him. “I have news for you, my love.”

Mikhail seemed in a daze, but forced his eyes to meet hers. “What news?”

In the blink of an eye, her beauty disappeared, and her features twisted into an evil, triumphant grimace. “Your parents are dead. Your brothers as well.”

Mikhail’s jaw tensed. “What are you talking about, Valeria?”

But he already knew. Amelia already knew . Because suddenly, she wasn’t only observing him. She was also sharing his emotions. His thoughts. She was him.

And together they had just figured out why he hadn’t been able to reach any of his brothers or his parents in the last couple of weeks.

Valeria’s soft lips widened into a sinister smile. “Killed in the Moscow house. Exactly where the letter from your father said they’d be. I guess that nowadays even manticores can’t regenerate quick enough from a bullet wound.”

“You betrayed them?” he shouted.

“Of course! But don’t you worry, my love. Soon, you will be with them, because you will not leave this room alive.”

He grasped her shoulders. “Why, Valeria? I didn’t think that you would betray me.”

She raised her hand, dug her black knife-like nails into his chest, and tore through his shirt and skin. Mikhail looked down, surprised by the blood gushing out of the wounds. He reached for her.

“Don’t you dare touch me, you horrid animal! You are an abomination!” She hissed, already turning her back on him.

Mikhail stared at her, stricken by her betrayal. His knees buckled and he tumbled to the floor. Blood kept pouring out of him while he lay there, powerless. Yet the sting from the wounds was nothing compared to the invisible claws that clenched around his heart and squeezed it until he couldn’t breathe.

A loud noise snapped him out of his thoughts. They were coming for him.

He pushed off the ground and rose on weakened legs. With painstaking movements, he straightened to his full height, his body already changing into the shape of a winged lion. When he leapt out into the street, a cloud of bullets poured over him.

Amelia writhed on the bed and woke up drenched in sweat. She ran trembling hands up and down her chest and stomach, but found no claw marks or bullet wounds. Yet the dream had been so vivid, she could have sworn she’d tasted the blood.

Bile filled her mouth as she rushed to the bathroom.