Chapter 5 CAUGHT OFFGUARD
The room was quiet except for the occasional hiss of a candle flame. Shadows danced across the walls, flickering with every tiny movement, stretching and shrinking as if they had a life of their own.
The air smelled faintly of wax and something metallic, an odd mix that somehow matched the man who inhabited the space.
Nikolai sat at the center of the room, cross-legged on the cold wooden floor, a single candle burning before him. The wax dripped slowly, pooling into irregular shapes on the dark surface. His eyes were fixed on the tiny flame.
He reached forward and touched the tip of the candle flame with his index finger. A sudden hiss echoed as the fire scalded his skin, and he didn’t flinch.
He let out a low, amused chuckle, staring at the tiny burn with a dark fascination. Blood welled up, tiny beads forming and glistening in the candlelight, yet he seemed entranced rather than in pain.
Shadow, his black cat, padded silently across the room and curled at his feet, purring. The sound was almost hypnotic, a soothing contrast to the madness that radiated from his owner. The cat’s yellow eyes reflected the flame, unblinking, as if observing every meticulous, dangerous movement Nikolai made.
He dipped his finger into the molten wax, letting it stick and cool before flicking it to the floor. The wax hardened instantly, a small, jagged monument to his fleeting whim. He smiled a thin, cold line that didn’t reach his eyes.
For a moment, the only sound was the cat’s purr and the faint drip of wax. Then Nikolai’s hand twitched. He drew an invisible shape in the air, tracing it deliberately as if he were mapping some dark ritual.
His lips moved in a silent murmur, muttering words no one would hear, words that didn’t exist anywhere else but in his mind.
Shadow purred louder, circling Nikolai’s legs and brushing against him. Nikolai leaned back, letting the shadows swallow parts of his face, the candlelight accentuating the hard planes of his jaw. He flexed his burned finger, examining the redness, and chuckled again.
The quiet of the manor was shattered by the sudden creak of the door swinging open.
Nikolai’s head snapped up, eyes narrowing at the intrusion. His mother stood there, her face pale in the candlelight, shock and fear mingling in her expression.
"What are you doing?" she cried, stepping forward instinctively.
Nikolai didn’t answer. His gaze remained fixed on the candle, on the scorched tip of his finger. When she reached toward him, he moved with startling speed, shoving her aside.
She fell hard onto her butt, the wooden floor echoing the impact.
"Nikolai!" she shouted, clutching her chest.
"What!?" he barked back, voice sharp and raw.
"You’re hurting yourself! Can you stop this madness already? I want my son back!" Her voice cracked with desperation. Tears glimmered in her eyes as she reached for him again.
He didn’t respond, not a word. His expression remained cold, unreadable, as if she weren’t even there.
"Say something!" she demanded, her voice breaking.
"Why are you here?" he asked instead, voice low and controlled, as if her pleas were an irritation rather than concern.
"I sent you a text, but you didn’t reply, so I decided to come myself. I’m inviting you to dinner by 7 p.m., and you know it’s your brother’s death anniversary" Her voice softened, pleading now.
Nikolai didn’t move nor blink to what she just said.
"I want to see you, okay?" Mrs. Volkov said, her voice trembling. With a deep sigh, she turned and left the manor, closing the door behind her.
For a long moment, the room was silent again, except for the soft purr of Shadow circling his legs.
Nikolai’s eyes flicked to a delicate vase on the floor. Without hesitation, he scooped it up and smashed it against the hardwood. Pieces of ceramic flew in every direction.
He laughed. Low at first, then louder, more unhinged.
Shadow padded closer, tail curling, seemingly unfazed, as Nikolai’s laughter filled the candlelit manor.
•••
Anya stood in front of her small mirror, carefully fastening the buttons of her blouse and adjusting her skirt. Her ankle was still tender, but the sprain had eased enough to let her move with caution. She left the clinic with Liana that early morning.
The room was quiet except for the rustle of fabric. Most of her roommates weren’t in yet, leaving the space strangely empty except for Olga, who was perched on her bed scrolling through her phone.
"Anya dear," Olga called out, "can you please take some pictures of me? Katya and Daria aren’t here, you’re my only hope" She held out her phone with a hopeful smile.
"Sure" Anya said, taking the device. She knelt slightly, angling the phone, and snapped a few pictures of Olga in playful poses.
Olga leaned over, peering at the screen. "Oh wow! These are good!" she exclaimed, a bright smile spreading across her face. "I love them! Thank you! I hope we bond well" she added, winking before hopping off her bed and heading toward the door.
Anya smiled softly before she turned back to the mirror, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear, taking a deep breath.
She stepped out of her hostel building, the cool morning air brushing against her face. The campus was alive with chatter and laughter. Students walked in groups, some rushing to classes, others lingering to gossip or admire the posters plastered across walls and noticeboards.
Brightly colored posters announced the upcoming freshmen party that night, the words practically shouting: "Freshmen Party: Don’t Miss It!" Anya paused for a moment, scanning the notices, her curiosity piqued despite herself.
She didn’t notice the young guy ahead of her, crouched slightly as he adjusted the settings on his camera. She bumped into him, causing the camera to fall with a clatter to the ground.
"Oh my! I’m so sorry!" she exclaimed, bending to help.
"It’s fine" he said, brushing off the dust. "I was planning on changing it anyway, you only made it faster for me. You’re a freshman, right?"
"Yes" Anya replied.
"That means you’re coming for the freshmen party?" he asked, a teasing smile on his lips.
"Nah, I’m good. I didn’t come to Russia to party" she said casually.
He chuckled."You will be such a boring person"
Anya couldn’t help but smile, a small warmth spreading through her chest.
"Maybe" she replied, shrugging.
He seemed about to introduce himself, but then gave a small wave and walked away.
Suddenly, a ripple of unease spread through the campus. Students started parting instinctively, murmuring to each other.
Nikolai appeared, striding into the campus with Shadow, his black cat, in hand. The atmosphere shifted instantly; even the air seemed heavier. Students moved quickly out of his path, fear etched on their faces.
His eyes scanned the crowd before locking on Anya. He stopped for a heartbeat, studying her with an unreadable expression. Then he took deliberate steps toward her, Shadow came down from his arms.
Whispers ran like wildfire:
"Seems the new girl is trouble…"
"What is he going to do to her?"
"Something crazy, of course…"
Anya froze, her instincts screaming at her to run. She took a step back, but he was faster. Before she could react, his hands shot around her waist.
The world seemed to pause as his lips crushed against hers in a hard, urgent kiss. Anya’s eyes widened in shock, the entire campus gasping in horror around them. Students scattered, some whispering, others frozen in disbelief.
He pulled back slightly, licked his lips and a faint, almost predatory grin spread across his lips.
Then, without warning, he kissed her again, harder, more insistent. Anya’s breath caught, her mind a storm of confusion, fear, and something inexplicably dangerous.
And the campus watched in stunned silence.