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God, time to get some sleep.

I was obviously suffering from sleep deprivation and paranoia.

“It's late. I should go to bed,” I said, trying not to yawn at my literature professor.

A soft smirk touched his lips, a hint of amusement in it, and a twinkle in his eyes.

“Then I wish you a pleasant night, Bayla.”

“Good night, Alarik.”

With a final smile, I turned away.

Having gotten away without getting caught once again, I made my way down the hallway to my room, entered, and was about to close the door behind me when I paused, catching sight of Alarik in the hallway, his lips pressed together as he stared at the painting I had been looking at moments ago. His jaw muscles flexed. Eventually, he looked down and gave a soft chuckle, barely audible – a pleasant masculine sound – before turning and disappearing into his apartment.

I stared into the hallway for a while longer, wondering what it was that moved this man.

Living in the Dark

Myuu

My gaze fell on the nightshade, which now rested on the picture frame, unaware of the dark creatures lurking in this town.

I lost myself in the silence of the hallway until it became too quiet and the throbbing darkness inside my head threatened to creep to the surface.

It clung to my consciousness, wanting to tell me something, as it had done for weeks, months... years.

I forced it away before retreating to my room and spending the rest of the evening reflecting on the discoveries we had made today.

In the process, I ignored the familiar uncomfortable prickling sensation in my neck. The one I had managed to suppress so well that I often couldn't tell if it was real until it reached my wrists, where it gathered so intensely that I couldn't help but scratch those spots.

Since my arrival in this town, I even managed to keep myself from thinking about the fact that I was still scratching there.

Mum had never liked it. She had thought it was part of the prominent veins that had started to appear when I had been sixteen.

And because I had never understood it, it had been easier to call it a stupid habit. To pretend I needed it to calm myself down in uncomfortable situations. Ever since I was a little girl.

Chapter 27

Quentin

Love is a Bitch – Slowedd

ImXgine, ONIBI

“What is that?” I heard Mr. DeLoughrey's unenthusiastic voice from the hallway.

“My dog.” When I heard Julie's voice, I looked up. “I had to bring him with me.”

“We don't allow pets in the labs.”

I put down the Erlenmeyer flask, turned around, and strode across the lab toward the glass door.

The scene that presented itself to me was almost absurd.

Julie Blair stood in the hallway in her gray felt coat, holding a pastel blue leash in her hand, at the end of which was a half-grown golden retriever puppy, which in turn was sniffing Bastien DeLoughrey's shoes. The latter looked down at the animal with disapproval and took a step back.

I hadn't felt the urge to smile in a long time, but I pulled myself together and reached for the golden ring with the raven and the snake, as I always did, to make sure I was actually wearing it.