Chapter 191: Three Steps Into The Snow
’You smell so good.’
A soft whisper filled with utter love drifted into Aliana’s ears as she slowly coaxed herself out of sleep.
Her eyes fluttered open, revealing her light grey gaze to the dim room.
The first thing she saw through the window was the serene lake resting beneath the dark sky, surrounded by mountains covered in a thick, white blanket of fallen snow.
She blinked through her sleepy haze, instantly feeling a harsh dryness in her throat.
Slowly, she stretched her limbs, only to wince as an intense ache bloomed through her body. She felt as though a truck had run over her, and only one person came to mind.
Gavriel.
Vivid memories of their intense intimacy played in her mind, making her heart flutter against her ribs.
Without looking, her hand reached out across the mattress to touch his side of the bed, only to find the sheets empty and cold.
Her brows furrowed.
Turning around, she confirmed he was gone.
She pushed herself up to a sitting position, her eyes scanning the dark, quiet space. The only illumination came from the fireplace, where the embers glowed faintly after burning throughout the long night.
’Where did he go?’ she thought, looking around the darkness of the room.
Thinking he might be in the bathroom, she slowly shifted to the edge of the bed, now painfully aware of the soreness between her legs.
A quiet sigh escaped her lips at the sheer effort it took to make even the smallest movement.
Her feet sank into the plush carpet as she finally rose to her full height.
The chilly morning air immediately brushed against her skin, making her instinctively glance down, only to gasp when she realised she was completely naked.
"Oh dear..." she murmured under her breath before taking slow, careful steps towards the walk-in closet.
Reaching for a deep purple velvet robe, she slipped into it, every movement feeling like an uphill battle as her trembling legs reminded her just how thoroughly the beast of a man had ravaged her.
After securing the belt around her waist, she released a soft breath. Her eyes drifted towards the bathroom door, and she pressed her lips together, debating whether she should check on him.
Making her way over, she knocked gently.
"Gav? Are you in there?"
Silence.
She knocked a second time, and when no answer came, she slowly pushed the door open, only to find the bathroom completely empty.
The faint line between her brows deepened.
’Just where could he be?’ she wondered, turning around to walk back into the bedroom.
Her eyes found the digital clock on the nightstand, which read five in the morning. Having stayed with him for the past couple of days, she knew he was an early riser, but never this early.
Slipping into her footwear, she quietly stepped out of the bedroom and made her way into the chalet’s vast foyer.
Coming to a stop in the centre of the dark hall, her eyes slowly sweeping across the silent space, now cloaked in the eerie stillness of the predawn hour.
"Gav?" her soft, hoarse voice rang out, only to be met with total silence. As the echo faded, the realisation of just how thirsty she was grew sharper within her.
Heading into the kitchen, she reached for a glass, poured water from the jug, and chugged it down in one go. A wave of relief washed over her, leaving her feeling much more awake.
"Gav?" Her voice came out a little louder this time, now that her throat was no longer dry.
But just then, a sudden knock resonated through the silent estate, coming from the main door.
Aliana’s eyes instantly drifted there, and she wondered if it was Gavriel. With sleep still clinging to her, she did not think about the fact that he wouldn’t need to knock, since the sensor lock would allow him in with his fingerprint.
The moment she pulled the heavy door open, a chilly gust of wind brushed past her, causing goosebumps to erupt across her skin. Her velvet robe offered little protection against the harsh winter weather outside.
But what truly baffled her was not the stark temperature difference, but the fact that no one was standing on the porch.
A deep sense of unease settled into her chest. Just as she was about to shut the door, she caught sight of a tall figure standing down by the lake.
From this distance, shrouded in the surrounding darkness, she could not quite determine if it was Gavriel.
Judging by the height and the dark hair, she allowed herself to hope.
Even so, doubt lingered inside her.
"Gav? I-is that you?" she called out.
The figure didn’t turn to face her.
Instead, without so much as looking back, he spoke. "Aliana, come here."
His voice was slightly raspy. It sounded like Gavriel’s... yet there was something strangely off about it.
He remained facing the lake, and Aliana couldn’t help wondering what he could possibly be staring at so intently while it was still dark outside.
Every instinct inside her screamed that something wasn’t right.
Yet this was Gav calling her.
She found herself torn between listening to her instincts or listening to him.
Taking a deep breath, she wrapped her arms around herself against the bitter cold and cautiously took a step towards him.
But the moment her third step pressed into the snow, she froze.
Thanks to her heightened senses, she could distinctly pick up a scent cutting through the crisp, clean smell of winter air.
He didn’t smell like Gavriel at all.
Instead, a rotten stench drifted from him, making her nose wrinkle in disgust.
Panic hit her. ’What if it is a spirit?’
She took a step back and realised something. Spirits didn’t smell like that at all. In fact, spirits didn’t have any smell.
Warning bells rang in her head, and without alerting the man, she silently took a step back.
But just as her foot crushed something that twitched beneath the snow-covered ground, the man turned to look at her, and her blood ran cold.
His eyes were pitch black and sunken, each with a bright red pupil, while a grotesque grin was plastered across his face.
"What’s wrong, Aliana? Won’t you come to me?" he asked as he took a step towards her.
A sharp gasp left Aliana’s lungs, and just as she took a panicked step back, the man launched himself towards her, transforming into a dark, slimy, grotesque-looking creature with jagged teeth and drool slipping from its wide-open mouth.
A terrified scream tore from Aliana’s lips while the creature screeched, its voice echoing through the silent surroundings. It charged towards her on its four lanky limbs, and Aliana turned and ran back towards the house.
Just as Aliana felt it closing in on her, another sharp screech tore from its mouth, making her glance back.
The moment she did, her eyes widened in horror as she saw the creature leap so high into the air that it reached the height of the roof.
And Aliana knew then that this was her end.
Her foot slipped on the slick snow before she could reach the main door.
Just as she was about to fall flat onto the ground, her body collided with a rock-hard surface. A large hand came up to shield her eyes, right before a deafening blast sent a powerful shockwave rippling across the land.