My heart palpitates in my chest at the thought that I could have been walking along the street last night with someone who bears me ill will, for whatever reason.
My overactive imagination churns a mile a minute. Is Dorian a psychopath? Is he a murderer?
It's a good thing I'm sitting down because my legs turn to jelly at that thought. I'm already paranoid as hell, feeling little pinpricks down my back.
I frown when I recall that sensation of being watched. That had mostly gone away since I've been working for Stephan—up until last night when I went out, that is.
That must be the crux of the issue. Maybe I have some sort of social anxiety. Every time I go out and am around random people, I get that tingly sensation of paranoia like I'm being watched. Maybe I should just stay in from now on.
I'm so lost in my thoughts, I don't notice how much time passes. Before I know it, it's almost time for me to go home.
I'm alerted of that fact when I get a text message on my phone from James. I'm surprised because James never texts me, but in light of everything Stephan just told me, maybe Stephan is just being super careful.
I glance down to read the text.
James: I'm already waiting out front. Come on down when you're ready.
I assume James wouldn't be advising me to go ahead and come down were it not already approved by Stephan, so I gather up my purse and begin making my way to the elevator.
I get inside the empty cubicle and press the button for the ground floor. It never begins moving, though, because no sooner does the elevator door close behind me than Dorian materializes out of nowhere.
I gasp and jump back, my back hitting the side of the mirrored elevator.
Dorian holds his hands up in a motion of surrender while he smiles that disarmingly handsome yet dangerous-looking smile at me. "Hello, Elena. It's me, Dorian, from last night."
When I just stare up at him with wide eyes, he chuckles and feigns hurt. "Don't tell me you've forgotten me so quickly."
I'm frozen to the spot as I stare up at him and try to process what just happened because this is impossible, right? I must really be crazy because I was sure that there was no one on this elevator when I got in here.
I don't know what's going on, but this doesn't feel right. I'm on the verge of hyperventilating, and my hands are shaking as I fumble in my purse for my phone.
I'm moving on instinct, everything in me telling me to call Stephan. He told me to call him if his brother came near me again.
Dorian's eyes flick down to where I'm fumbling with my purse. He moves lazily as he deftly plucks it from my fingers. "What are you looking for, pretty girl. This?"
He pulls my phone out of my purse, and I can't nod or speak or do anything but stand there and swallow noisily.
"Don't be frightened, Elena," Dorian's voice is low and soothing as he takes a step toward me. I'm not going to hurt you. I'll treat you way better than my brother ever could. You'll see," he assures me as he continues to close the distance between us.
I'm shaking my head, wondering what the hell all this is about. What is he talking about? Treat me better than his brother? Does he want me to come work for him?
One look in his eyes, though, and I have a feeling that what Dorian wants me from me isn't secretarial services.
I press myself deeper against the glass, but there's nowhere else to retreat. I'm already in the corner of the elevator, which is suspiciously closed and not moving. How is that possible? How has someone else not already pressed the button to get the elevator to come down?
Dorian closes the rest of the distance between us until he grabs me by the throat and tilts my head to the side.
His eyes burn into mine, and then his gaze travels down to the side of my neck.
He licks his lips, and his eyes begin to glow red. I blink, sure that I'm imagining things.
"I can already tell you're going to taste fucking amazing," he rasps before he begins to lower his mouth down—though not to my lips, but to the side of my neck.
I feel the scream rising in my throat, but it never materializes because out of nowhere, Dorian is yanked back from me and flung against the other side of the elevator.
Glass shatters and falls all around him.
I stand there staring at the black blur that moves so swiftly I can hardly see it, and then suddenly a pair of golden eyes are right in front of me, blazing down at me intently.