Marked by Midnight

Chapter 6

THE GIRL IN THE HOUSE

Elena

The Hayes residence looked different in daylight.

Maybe it was because I had only seen most of it at night since arriving in this world. Or maybe I was seeing it differently because I knew I would be staying here now.

After the Mate Ceremony, the academy dormitories were no longer necessary. Students who normally lived with their families were allowed to return home until classes continued as usual.

For everyone else, it was probably a relief. For me, it meant going back to the house of the man I barely understood.

Alaric Hayes.

I stood outside the front doors with my bag hanging from my shoulder and stared at the enormous house. I didn't know why I suddenly felt nervous.

It wasn't because of the house.,It was because of what waited inside it.

Ravina.

I had heard enough about Alaric's daughter to know she wasn't someone I wanted to upset. She was popular at Moonridge, powerful, beautiful and surrounded by people who seemed eager to agree with everything she said.

And now I was apparently going to live under the same roof as her.

Wonderful.

I pushed the door open.mThe house was unusually quiet. Too quiet.

I stepped inside and slowly closed the door behind me.

"Hello?"

My voice disappeared into the hallway.

No answer.

I frowned.

I knew people were here. I had seen servants moving around the house before. Yet there wasn't a single sound coming from the rooms.

I adjusted my bag and started walking.

Then I heard something. A soft scrape.

I stopped.

My heart gave a small jump.

The sound came from somewhere behind me.

I turned.

Nothing.

I stared at the empty hallway for a few seconds before shaking my head.

"You're being ridiculous, Elena."

I turned back around. A girl was standing at the end of the corridor.

I almost screamed. She leaned casually against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest.

Ravina Hayes.

I knew it immediately. She looked exactly like someone who knew she belonged at the centre of everyone's attention.

Her eyes moved over me slowly, from my shoes to my face.

Then she smiled. It wasn't a friendly smile.

"So you're the human."

I tightened my grip on my bag.

"Excuse me?"

She pushed herself away from the wall.

"I said, you're the human."

"I heard you."

Her smile widened.

"Good. Then we're already communicating better than I expected."

I said nothing.

Ravina walked closer.

I noticed that she carried herself differently from the other students at Moonridge. There was confidence in every step, but there was something else underneath it.

Possession. As though everything around her belonged to her. Including this house. Including the people in it. Possibly including me.

"I heard Father assigned you to me," she said.

"I'm supposed to accompany you at school."

"That's what bodyguards do."

"I'm not exactly a bodyguard."

Ravina laughed.

"That's funny."

"What?"

"You."

I stared at her.

She stepped closer.

"You don't even understand where you are, do you?"

"I understand enough."

"No, you don't."

Her voice dropped.

"This isn't the human world. People here can smell weakness."

My stomach tightened.

"And you're saying I'm weak?"

"I'm saying you're human."

There it was again. The word “Human”.

It sounded different when she said it. Like an insult.

Before I could answer, another voice came from behind us.

"Ravina."

We both turned.

Alaric stood at the entrance to the hall. His expression immediately hardened when he saw us.

"Leave her alone."

Ravina rolled her eyes.

"I was only introducing myself."

"I heard enough."

She looked at him.

"You seriously expect me to let a human follow me everywhere?"

"Yes."

Her face changed.

"You can't be serious."

"I am."

"Father—"

"Enough."

The single word silenced her.

I looked between them. Something about the exchange made me uncomfortable.

Not because Alaric had defended me. Because of how quickly he had done it. And because Ravina looked genuinely shocked.

She glanced at me again. This time, there was something different in her eyes.

Suspicion.

"Why her?" she asked.

Alaric didn't answer.

Ravina waited.

Still nothing.

"Why is everyone acting like she's important?"

My stomach dropped.

Alaric's eyes flickered toward me.

Only for a second.

But I noticed.

Ravina noticed too.

She smiled.

"Interesting."

"Go to your room, Ravina."

She ignored him.

Instead, she looked at me.

"If you're going to follow me around, you should learn one thing."

"What?"

"You don't tell me what to do."

"I wasn't planning to."

"Good."

She walked past me.

Then she stopped.

Without turning around, she said, "Tomorrow morning, you're coming with me."

"To school?"

"Obviously."

She finally looked over her shoulder.

"And try not to embarrass me."

Then she disappeared upstairs.

I stared after her.

"She seems lovely," I muttered.

Alaric didn't laugh.

That caught my attention.

I turned to him.

"What?"

He was still watching the staircase.

"Nothing."

"You're a terrible liar."

His eyes met mine.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then he said, "Stay away from the eastern wing."

I frowned.

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one you're getting."

He walked away.

I watched him disappear into another room. Something was wrong. I didn't know what.

But I had learned something about Alaric since arriving here. Whenever he wanted me to stop asking questions, there was usually a reason.

And I had never been good at leaving things alone. Especially when people clearly wanted me to.

That evening, I tried to ignore everything. I ate dinner quietly. Ravina barely acknowledged me. Alaric spent most of the meal looking unusually distracted. Nobody mentioned the Mate Ceremony. Nobody mentioned the three men who had rejected me. I was grateful for that.

After dinner, I went upstairs.

My room was at the end of the hallway. I changed into comfortable clothes, sat on the edge of my bed and stared at the ceiling.

For the first time since the ceremony, I was alone. Really alone.

My mind immediately went back to the three faces.

Kyle. Damon. Lucian.

Three men. Three bonds. Three rejections.

I pressed my palms against my eyes. I didn't want to think about them.

A sound came from outside my room. I froze. Someone was walking down the hallway.

Slowly.

I listened.

One step.

Then another.

Then silence.

I waited.

Nothing.

I opened my door. The hallway was empty.

I stepped outside.

The lights were still on, but the far end of the corridor looked darker than it should have.

I took one step forward. Then another.

A cold sensation crawled up my arms.

I stopped.

There it was again. That feeling. Like someone was watching me.

I looked toward the windows.

Nothing.

I looked behind me.

Nothing.

Then I heard a whisper.

"Elena."

My entire body went still. It hadn't come from behind me. It hadn't come from the hallway. It had come from the eastern wing. The wing Alaric had specifically told me to stay away from.

My heart started beating faster. I should have gone back to my room.

I knew that. Instead, I walked toward it.

The door at the end of the corridor was slightly open.

I stopped in front of it. Why was it open?

Alaric had told me not to go there.

I reached for the handle. Before I could touch it, the door moved. It opened by itself.

I stepped back.

My breathing became shallow. There was darkness beyond the doorway.

Then something moved inside.

I couldn't see what it was.

But I heard breathing.

Slow.

Deep.

Not human.

I backed away.

The door suddenly slammed shut.

I jumped.

Then a voice came from behind me.

"What are you doing here?"

I spun around.

Ravina stood at the other end of the hallway. Her face had lost all its usual confidence. She wasn't looking at me. She was staring at the closed door.

"You heard it too," I whispered.

Ravina's eyes snapped to mine.

"What did you hear?"

Before I could answer, something struck the other side of the door.

Once.

Hard.

Ravina's face went pale.

She grabbed my wrist.

"Get away from that door."

I stared at her hand around my wrist.

"What is in there?"

She didn't answer.

Another bang shook the door.

This time, I heard something else.

A low growl.

Ravina pulled me backwards.

"Elena, run."

And for the first time since I had met her, Ravina Hayes sounded afraid.