[Elena's POV]
The thin man's eyes lit up—just a flicker, a spark of chemical hunger that I recognized all too well from my father's worst days.
"Yeah," he said quickly, licking his dry lips. "Yeah, I can get that. I've got some... stuff downstairs. Stronger than Ibuprofen."
He turned to the brick wall of a man beside him. "Watch her. I'll be right back."
The big man didn't respond. Didn't even nod. He just stood there, arms crossed over his massive chest, staring at a spot on the wall behind me like a programmed machine.
The thin man disappeared down the stairs, his footsteps hurried and uneven.
I waited.
Five seconds. Ten. My heart was a metronome counting down to disaster.
I turned to the big guy, trying to shrink myself, to look as harmless and helpless as possible.
"Hey," I sa
