Laura remained pressed against the cold stone wall, her breath coming fast and uneven. Her heart wouldn't slow down. Dante's words still echoed in her mind, his presence lingering like a shadow she couldn't shake off.
"Everything's a game," he had said. "And we've just started playing."
The corridor was silent now, but the weight of their encounter clung to her skin. Her body still tingled where he'd been so close, though she hated to admit it even to herself.
She pushed herself away from the wall, trying to calm her racing heart. "Get it together," she muttered, angry at her own weakness.
Just as she began to steady herself, a familiar sensation crept down her spine—the feeling of being watched. Again. The hairs on her arms stood up straight. She turned around quickly, anger and irrit
