My brain throbbed as if being rhythmically smashed against the wall of my skull. My mouth was dry, as if someone had shoved a fistful of sand between my lips and said good enough. Slowly, I opened my eyes, propping myself up to look around.
The room I was in was far nicer than my crummy studio apartment.
The sheets were made of silk—real silk, not the cheap stuff you find on fast fashion websites—and the bed was like being enveloped in a cloud. Despite the voice in the back of my headscreamingthat this wasn’t right, my first instinct was to sink deeper into the mattress.
For the past two years, I’d been working sixty plus hours a week at a local dive bar. The days were long, and the money wasn’t great, but it kept a roof over my head—even ifjustbarely.
Maybe I’d convinced a rich guy to bring me home during my shift last night… and, if that were the case, I better make the most of a bad situation.
Once again, my eyes fluttered shut. I wiggled under the downy comforter as the weight of sleep threatened to pull me under. But, as my fingers brushed against my side, I froze.
Without thinking, I yanked the covers off and looked down at my body. My curves were barely covered in a red lace slip dress. The thin fabric rode up my thick thighs with every movement, pulling so high I might as well have been naked from the waist down. Intricate floral embroidery covered my chest.
The dress, while revealing, was beautiful, and maybe even a little expensive. But, most importantly, it was notmine.
The room spun as I forced myself to sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed. My bare feet stuck to the cold hardwood floor. Panic prickled along my spine as I realized my purse was nowhere in sight.
“Shit,” I whispered, now taking the time to fully look around the room. The space is like something taken from the Victorian era. Ornate wall paper and velvet curtains that barely covered the large windows, and the furniture felt like it belonged in a museum, not used. Above me, an unlit crystal chandelier hung. Wind blew from an unspecified location, causing the glass to brush against itself.
The hairs on my neck stood on end when I noticed the vanity in the corner. The dusty, cracked mirror seemed out of place in a room as nice as this. But, something in the imperfection made me feel more at ease.
The floor creaked as I tiptoed toward it, and I silently swore, hoping no one heard. I didn’t knowwhyI felt like I was being watched, but I couldn’t shake the idea I wasn’t alone. All I wanted to do was figure out where the hell I was and run as far away from here as possible.
On the edge of the vanity sat a folded piece of ivory stationery branded with my name. My fingers trembled, but against my better judgment, I picked it up.
The paper nearly fell open in my hands. I wasn’t surewhatI expected to see inside. Maybe a note explaining where I was? Or, perhaps a threat from someone who lured me here?
Instead, all it said was ‘Welcome to The Game’.
“What game?” I whispered as if the walls might answer me.
But, no such luck.
I flipped the note over a few times, searching for a signature, or even rules, but there’s nothing of the sort. Clutching the note to my chest, I looked around once more.
My eyes settled on a heavy-looking door with a wrought iron handle. It didn’t look very functional, but it was worth a shot. Silently, I moved toward it, taking the cold metal in my hand and jiggling it.
But, no matter how hard I tried, the doorwouldn’tbudge.
Terror blurred my thoughts, leaving me to pound on the wood with a closed fist.
“Hello!” I called. “What’s going on? I know you’re out there!”
I did, in fact,notknow if anyone was out there, but the clicking of a lock confirmed my suspicion. The door groaned open just an inch, and I jumped back out of instinct.
My first thought was to look for something sharp to defend myself, but I stayed rooted in place. A hand poked through the space, a robe dangling from its grasp.
“Please make sure you’re decent before I come in. You’re a lady.” The voice was smooth and deep, the faintest hint of an accent I couldn’t place decorated the words.
“I—What?”
The hand shook the garment at me. “You’re a woman, Lux, and I’m a man. Please ensure you’re properly covered before I come in. It’d be impolite for me to barge in on you.”
I hesitated to grab the blood-red velvet from the outstretched appendage. But, another nondescript wind blew through theroom, nearly causing my teeth to chatter, leaving me to snatch it away.
I slipped the robe over my shoulders. It’s heavier than it looked. I was unsure what the material is–maybe velvet–but it glided across my skin like butter. Once it was on, I tied the belt and secured it, making sure I was as covered as possible.
“I’m decent.” My voice shook as I spoke, but I was determined to keep the nerves clawing up my throat at bay.
