BORROWED [Watty Awards Finalist/NEWLY EDITED!]

Chapter Twenty-Four

|Morgue|

Kyler holds my hand tightly. I know he must be thinking if he let's go, I will change my mind. Maybe I would. But I can't. I'm too far into this to back down.

"Where are we going?" I say timidly.

Play the part, Irissa.

He locks eyes with me and smiles. "You get your own private room. I'd like to show you."

"Oh," I say. "I'm sure if you told me, I could find my way."

Kyler squints his eyes, wrinkling his forehead.

"Or you can just show me," I add, watching his jaw unclench.

"I'm actually surprised," Kyler speaks softly.

"Surprised?"

He nods. "I didn't think you would give in this easily." His infectious smile widens. Why does he have to be so damn contagious? I should despise him, but something in me still hopes he is redeemable.

I shrug. "I'm just seeing things clearly now. You were right, I should take time and learn from all this."

Kyler laughs lightly, giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

"You won't regret it," he says seductively. His thumb strokes my hand. I should pull away, but I can't seem suspicious.

Finn...

Trying to push him from my mind, I smile up at Kyler. "Almost there?"

"Just arrived," he says, pointing toward the door to my room.

Following Kyler inside, I become suddenly still. The room is beyond stylish, set in a studio apartment style. A bed to the far right with a small kitchen to the far left of the room. In the center, black and white furniture accents the blood red walls. An oval-shaped glass table with cushioned chairs secures a center piece filled with red roses. It isn't the only area with roses. The top of the bed is showered in petals.

I glance at the doorway feeling nauseous. Biting my lower lip, I stare back at Kyler. Being surrounded by rose petals and a bed isn't an ideal setting. Clearing my throat, I say, "I'm going to use the bathroom."

"Sure," he says, pointing toward a door kitty-corner to the kitchenette. "I will stick around for a bit longer if you don't care?" But he doesn't wait for my response, settling on the stark white sofa chair.

Taking a deep breath, I hold it in, trying my hardest not to blow my cover.

Making my way to the bathroom, I step inside, and lock the door behind me. I splash water in my face, something that might wake me up. Bending over the sink, the water runs through the spaces of my fingers. Staring at the liquid coursing over my skin, a memory of the Seraph floating inside the chamber haunts me. Looking up into the mirror, my own image frightens me. The resemblance between me and the Seraph is too real.

This is real...

There's a gentle knock on the door.

"Iris, everything okay?" Kyler asks on the other side.

Blowing out a few short breaths, I stare openly at my reflection.

He knocks again, more urgent this time. "Please answer me?" It sounds like his face is pressed against the door, his voice muffled.

Stepping away from the sink, I turn toward the door. "I'm...fine." I try to hold back my anger that wants to seep through my bone and flesh. Just another lie added to the pile building up.