“Fuck off, will you?” I started up the stairs to my room.
“Who knew such a small thing would trigger him so hard.”
“What are you talking about?” I looked over at him and froze. “It was you! You put the mask in his room. Why?” I demanded.Carson grinned and shrugged a shoulder.
“I was bored. It’s just a mask, right? A silly prank.”
It was more than just a mask. Way more than he knew.
Rule 21 - Delaney
Don’t go exploring in a haunted hotel.
“What are you staring at?”The voice came from a beautiful Latina woman I didn’t recognize.
After I left my suite, I’d gone exploring and found an empty lounge-like room. It looked more like a closet, but I needed to be alone, and this was perfect.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Is this your room?” I stood to go. We weren’t the only guests this week, and I had forgotten all about the other people around the hotel. Had I stumbled upon someone’s paid space by accident?
“No, although I do enjoy the view.” She brushed past me and looked out the window, only to frown when she looked back at me. “Most of the time. I hate the winters here.”
“You come here a lot?”
“Unfortunately. Do you? I’ve never seen you before.”
“No, I’m just here with a group. We’re doing this writing thing.”
“Oh, I did see that in the lobby. Fun,” she said with a loud layer of sarcasm. “If you’re with a group, why are you up here alone?” She sat and patted beside her. Nervously, I sat back down.
“I had an argument with my b—suitemate,” I corrected myself quickly. “He doesn’t like the man I’m interested in.”
“Oh? Does he have a say in that?”
“Not at all. That’s why we were fighting.”
“Maybe he’s jealous. Is he attractive?” She brushed her long, shiny waves behind her shoulders.
“Who, Moth?”
“The one you’re fighting with.” She adjusted her shirt, revealing the edges of a tattoo on her collarbone.
“Oh, Priest. Yeah, I guess.” Attractive was an understatement. Priest was probably the hottest person I’d ever seen in real life. Unfortunately for me, he was off-limits.Or, supposed to be, anyway.
“What’s he look like? I wonder if I saw him already. I like to wander during the day.”
“Dark hair, bright green eyes. They are stunning and deep. You can feel every emotion behind them.”
“I think I did see him. Tall, built… Italian?”
“His dad is from Spain, actually, but yeah, that’s him.”
“Yeah, I saw him at the pool. He was in just his underwear…” A smile curled on her lips and she looked up at the ceiling. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone like that.”
“Really? But you’re… beautiful.”
“Yes, but beauty is meant to be seen. No one sees me anymore, darling.” She sighed deeply. “Except for people like you.” She went to the bookcase, pulling a book from the shelf. “While I do kind of claim this as my space, consider it yours while you’re here. I’ll leave you alone to write or whatever you’re doing. Feel free to read the books too. Some of them are pretty interesting.” She waved the one in her hand at me and then set it back on the shelf.
I joined her and read the spines of the books. Most of them were classics or non-fiction.
