ELEVATOR TRAP
806 Words
CHAPTER 18
(Season 1)
The elevator doors closed with a soft _ding_.
Kalen and Liora. Alone.
He was quiet. She was trying not to stare.
Then—
_JOLT._
The lights flickered. The elevator lurched... and stopped.
“What’s going on?” Liora asked, voice already rising.
“The elevator stopped working. Obviously.”
Kalen’s tone was flat. But his jaw was tight. Bad day. Worse now.
He pulled out his phone. Dead.
“Great.”
“Oh my God... this is bad. What are we going to do?”
She wasn’t scared of small spaces.
She was scared of being stuck in one with _him_.
“Someone will notice soon. Don’t worry.”
_Ouch._
Liora hissed, rubbing her arm where she’d scraped it against the wall.
A thin line of red appeared.
Kalen’s head snapped toward her.
Eyes narrowed.
For a split second, something dark flashed across his face. Hunger.
He clamped his eyes shut.
Stormy. Turbulent. Like he was holding back a hurricane.
Jaw locked. Lips pressed thin.
Sweat beaded on his forehead. One drop slid down his temple.
His breathing was shallow. Controlled. Like he was counting every inhale to stay sane.
Liora turned, concerned. “Kalen? Are you okay?”
Worried. Because what if he collapsed and she was the only one here?
“Stay... away,” he gritted out. Voice cracking.
“What’s going on? Are you hurt? Please talk to me!”
She was panicking now.
His fists balled at his sides. Every muscle in his body was screaming.
But his face? Blank. Except for the twitch at the corner of his eye.
“Stay the f**k away from me. Stay AWAY!!!” he roared.
He wouldn’t even look at her.
Liora flinched. Tears stung her eyes.
“Why won’t you let me help you? You’re obviously not okay!”
“Because I don’t f*****g need your help!”
The words hit her like a slap.
_Trauma? Illness?_
Why was he pushing her away when he clearly needed someone?
He was losing.
She could smell it. Her blood. Her fear.
And it was driving him insane.
---
*THE MANSION | 30 MINUTES LATER*
Zod slammed through the front door.
No Kalen.
He called. Straight to voicemail.
Kalen’s phone was _never_ off.
“When was the last time you talked to the boss?” he asked Caius, who was typing 100mph.
“Hours ago. When he canceled the Jones deal. Why?”
“He’s not picking up. He was supposed to drop Miss Liora home.”
Caius stopped typing.
“But they’re not back. Did you call the office?”
Because if Zach came back and Liora was missing with Kalen...
Caius’s head was gone.
“Stacy said he walked Sophie out. Didn’t see him go back in.”
“And Miss Liora?”
“I DON’T f*****g KNOW, OKAY!” Zod snapped.
They were spiraling when the front door opened again.
Lucas.
Carrying Liora. Unconscious.
“What happened to her?!” Caius rushed forward.
“She passed out. She’s fine.”
Lucas carried her upstairs without another word.
“What about the boss?” Zod called after him.
Lucas paused.
“He’s fine.”
And disappeared down the hall.
Zod and Caius stared at each other.
_He’s lying. Something happened._
---
*FLASHBACK | 20 MINUTES EARLIER | ELEVATOR*
Liora sat a few feet from Kalen, trembling.
Cleaning her bleeding arm. Praying.
No help was coming.
So she started banging on the doors.
“HELP! ANYONE!”
Again. And again.
Until her vision blurred. Dizzy. Weak.
But she kept going. For him.
Downstairs, Lucas had just arrived for Ryan’s meeting.
He saw Liora’s phone on Kalen’s desk.
Something was wrong.
He called Kalen. No answer.
He asked Stacy. “No, they didn’t leave.”
Then he did what no human could.
He _listened_.
And heard it. Banging. From the service elevator.
He called for emergency override.
The doors slid open.
Liora collapsed into his arms.
“Miss—”
“He...lp... Kalen,” she whispered, then went limp.
Blood on the floor.
For one horrifying second, Lucas thought: _Did he feed on her?_
Then Kalen’s voice cut through the dark. Cold. Controlled.
“Clear that stupid thought from your head. And get her out of here.”
Relief hit Lucas like a wave.
He looked at Kalen. Saw the hunger in his eyes. The restraint.
Best not to ask questions.
He carried Liora out, bridal style.
Leaving Kalen alone to fight his demons.
---
*BACK TO PRESENT | LIORA'S ROOM*
Lucas tucked the blanket around her.
Stared at her pale face for a long time.
“I have no idea what happened in there,” he whispered.
“But I hope you’re okay. For all our sakes.”
Because if Kalen had lost control...
Zach would burn this entire city down.
TBC
- Writer
