I pinch myself again—hard—and then wince at the pain.
I let out a hollow chuckle. Maybe I really am insane because isn't that the definition of insanity? To keep doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? I keep pinching the hell out of myself like somehow that's going to change things. Like eventually I'll pinch myself and wake up, but it's like Stephen said, this isn't a dream—or rather, a nightmare. It's very real.
And just, holy shit. I can't even begin to wrap my head around this.
Stephan and Dorian are vampires.
Vampires! Freaking vampires!
I thought vampires were just mythical creatures Hollywood made up like unicorns or centaurs.
But if what Stephan says is true and they really are vampires, then that has me questioning everything. What if there really are centaurs and unicorns and all kinds of other mythical creatures out there?
I get up and pace over to the window that’s framed by heavy black curtains. Just like everything else in this room, they’re so dark and black. The only pops of color are the Impressionist-style paintings and gold-gilded frames along the wall.
But that doesn't mean that the space is ugly by any means. It's opulent and darkly beautiful, with tasteful antique lamps scattered everywhere, casting a gentle glow all throughout the space.
The settee and bed look like they're handcrafted in that old-world-craftsmanship style
And hell, if Stephan is centuries old like he indicated, then they probably are.
I push back the curtains, and my mouth falls open when I take in the view from the castle.
The snow-covered mountains rise up in the distance. If I'm in Transylvania, then those must be the Carpathian Mountains, and although I don't feel a chill coming in from around the window that's obviously been upgraded since medieval times, I know that it must be freezing cold out there if that's indeed where I'm at.
And although I've never been to Transylvania, this bleak, dark, wintry, overcast landscape is exactly what I would have pictured it to look like.
It looks completely dead. I suppose it's fitting that it would be a retreat for something like a vampire.
Blood rushes through me from the top of my head to the tip of my toes when I think of Stephan and how he’s been watching me this whole time since that night a few months ago when I first saw him.
I think back on that extraordinary coincidence where I thought that fate was finally smiling down on me to give me such an amazing job. How stupid and naive I was. I should have known then that something was up. It's totally unfathomable that a girl like me with no experience would suddenly get the position of a lifetime and be driven to and from work every day and then moved into a luxury apartment in the most prominent building in the entire city.
I am such a fucking moron.
My heart trips when I remember the intense way Stephan stared at me.
Does he always watch me like that? I recall how darkly handsome he is. He’s so much more handsome than his brother. Maybe some girls might think Dorian is more handsome, and maybe he is in that classically handsome sort of way, but Stephan…
Stephan is like a dark angel. Dark and mysterious and brooding.
Stephan actuallylooksmore dangerous than Dorian. Of course, they’re both vampires, so I’m sure they’re both plenty dangerous, but there really must be something wrong with me because Dorian may have been about to bite me or whatever, but Stephen is the one who essentially kidnapped me.
Why do I not feel more fear in Stephan’s presence? Maybe it's because I've been talking to him on the phone every day as his employee. Maybe it's because of all the lengths he's gone to to protect me.
It's sweet in a twisted kind of way that he's been secretly stalking me this whole time to keep me safe.
And how fucked up is it that I can even think of "sweet"and "stalking"in the same sentence?
See, this is what happens when you're an orphan who's all alone in the world. You don't have anybody, so you're so happy for any person to pay you any attention that you're even flattered by someone wanting to stalk you.
I obviously should take all that money that I've saved from my fantastic job working for Stephan and put myself into therapy.
That is, if I can ever get out of here.
My eyes rake around the vicinity until they land on the door.
I walk over to it and check it, surprised when it opens. Of course, Stephan told me I wasn't a prisoner.