Chapter 20 Room Six

Chapter 20 Room Six
After walking for several minutes, we finally spot a building sitting at the end of a narrow street. A crooked sign dangles above the door, its faded paint barely legible. 'Inn for Locals.'

The place looks old, too old. Faint light seeps out from behind lace curtains that have probably been there for decades. A couple of townspeople pass by, their eyes sticking to us longer than necessary. They whisper to one another, not bothering to hide it.

I shift uneasily, feeling the weight of their stares. It’s like we’ve stepped into a different world.

“Liora,” Nikolai murmurs beside me, his tone calm. He reaches for my hand, his grip warm. “I’m with you.”

I nod, even though my stomach feels like it’s tied in knots. “I know."

We push the door open and step inside. The faint jingle of a bell echoes through the small lobby. 

A woman stands behind the front desk, flipping through a worn guestbook. She looks to be in her late forties, her hair tightly curled and her lipstick a little too bright. When she sees us, her eyes widen slightly, then narrow in interest.

Her gaze slides over me quickly, then lingers on Nikolai. Her whole expression changes. The tired lines on her face smooth out, her lips curl into a bright smile.

“Well, hello there,” she says, her tone immediately softer, more playful. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“The weather turned bad up there,” Nikolai answers evenly, resting one elbow on the counter like he’s been here before. “Had to make an emergency landing.”

“Oh, heavens,” she gasps, pressing her hand to her chest. “You poor thing. Must’ve been terrifying. You handled a jet? You must be quite something.”

I almost roll my eyes. Of course, she’s impressed. Nikolai could walk into a room full of soldiers, killers, or angels and still somehow draw all eyes to him. He’s the kind of man who looks carved, not born.

Meanwhile, she hasn’t looked at me once since we entered.

“Do you have a room?” Nikolai asks, his voice dipping low enough to sound almost intimate.

Her smile widens. “For you? Always.” She leans forward, grabbing the keys from a peg behind her. “Just one?”

“Yes,” he says smoothly. “One for my wife and me.”

The change is instant. Her hand freezes midair, her eyes flick from him to me, and for a second, I swear the friendliness drains from her face.

“Your… wife?” she repeats quietly, blinking.

“That’s right,” Nikolai confirms, his arm snaking around my waist. His fingers rest there deliberately. “My wife.”

“Oh,” the woman says after a pause, forcing a laugh. “Of course. My mistake.”

She fumbles with the keys and pushes one toward him. “Room 6. Top of the stairs, end of the hall.”

“Thank you,” Nikolai says simply, taking the key.

As he turns to leave, I catch sight of the woman watching us. Her once-flirtatious smile is gone. Now she’s just staring. Something about it makes my skin prickle.

Nikolai doesn’t seem to notice. His hand finds mine again, and together we walk down the narrow hallway. The walls are lined with faded wallpaper and framed photos that look decades old.

When we reach the door marked Room 6, he slides the key into the lock. The knob turns with a low click, and he pushes the door open.

The space inside is small, almost cramped. A single bed sits near the window, covered with thin white sheets that have long lost their brightness. A bedside table stands beside it, scratched. In the corner, a small wooden cupboard leans against the wall, one of its handles missing.

It’s not fancy. Not even close. But after everything, it feels… safe enough.

Nikolai steps in first, scanning the room like he’s checking for danger. Then his gaze softens as he looks back at me.
“Is this okay with you?” he asks quietly, his tone gentle in a way that catches me off guard.

I nod, maybe too quickly. But honestly? It’s not like I have a choice. We’re already here, and I doubt there’s any other place to stay. Well, unless I want to risk sleeping in one of the villagers’ houses, and God forbid I ever do that. I’d rather take my chances in this tiny room.

He tilts his head, eyes narrowing slightly, as if searching for something in my expression. “I’m going to need you to use words, my love. Do you like it?”

My eyes flick up to him. There’s something about the way he says my love, like he enjoys teasing me with it.

I sigh, crossing my arms. “I do,” I finally say. “It’s small, but it’ll do for the night.”

He gives me one of those small, knowing smiles. The kind that never reaches his eyes, and gestures toward the bed. I sit slowly, every movement cautious, like I’m sitting beside a sleeping beast. The thought of sharing this bed with him twists something uneasy inside me. It hadn’t hit me until now, there’s only one bed. One.

No way am I sleeping next to him. I’d rather risk the splintered floorboards and wake up covered in dust than fall asleep beside Nikolai Volkov. But that argument can wait… for now.

Just as I’m thinking that, a soft knock sounds on the door, followed by the creak of it opening. The receptionist from earlier steps in, her smile wide.

“The bill is fifty dollars for the night,” she says, her voice lilting as her eyes slide right past me and land on Nikolai. “Food will be delivered tonight and again tomorrow morning.”

I can almost see her batting her lashes in slow motion.

Nikolai exhales lightly, leaning back in that relaxed, disarming way he always does. “I’ll pay as soon as your services to me are complete."

The woman blinks, caught off guard. For a split second, her smile falters, but she quickly replaces it with another one. 

“That’s not how it’s done here,” she says, her tone filled with forced sweetness. Then she glances at him through her lashes. “But… for you, I can make an exception. Pay tomorrow.”

I roll my eyes before I can stop myself.

“That’s much appreciated,” Nikolai replies, voice polite but empty, like he’s already bored. The woman lingers a moment before turning and walking out, closing the door behind her.

Then Nikolai turns to me, studying me with that calm expression of his. “You don’t like her,” he says casually. “Why?”

My eyes widen. “What? Why would you think that?”

His lips twitch. “Because I can read you, my love. You’re not exactly subtle. So, tell me, do you feel threatened by her presence?”

I snort before I can help it. 

“If by threatened you mean her trying to steal you away for the night, then no,” I say flatly. “I’m not losing sleep over it.”

He chuckles softly, and the sound sends a strange chill down my spine. “Then what is it really?” he presses.

I drop my gaze, fiddling with my fingers. “I don’t know. This whole place just feels… off. Can’t you feel it?”

He’s quiet for a moment, and when I glance up, his expression has softened slightly. 
“You’re not alone, Liora,” he murmurs, taking my hand in his. His thumb brushes lightly over my skin. “I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

My instinct screams to pull my hand away, but I force myself to stay still. Besides, I can’t tell which unnerves me more, the eerie silence of this place or the calm way he’s looking at me right now.

Outside, the sun dips lower, painting the sky orange. My eyelids grow heavier by the minute, exhaustion tugging at me, but I can’t bring myself to lie down with him sitting there.

Then it happens.

A scream.

Unmistakably human.

I jolt upright, heart slamming against my ribs.

“What was that?” I whisper, eyes darting toward the window.

Before Nikolai can answer, another scream rips through the air, this one closer.

“Nik—” My words die in my throat.

He’s already standing, eyes narrowed toward the door, jaw tight.

My hands clutch the sheets until my knuckles turn white. Something about the sound wasn’t random. It sounded like someone was being dragged, or worse.

“Let’s leave. Now.” My voice trembles despite me trying to stay composed. “Please.”

He looks at me, his face hardening into a calm line.
“Give me a moment to check what’s going on,” he says quietly.

I want to tell him not to go, to stay, but the words get stuck in my throat. So I just nod, though my heart is pounding loud enough to drown out my thoughts. He opens the door and steps out, his silhouette disappearing into the hallway.

The silence that follows feels suffocating.

I sit there on the bed, hands fisted in the sheets, waiting. The seconds stretch into minutes.
Still no sign of Nikolai returning.

My chest grows tighter with every passing minute. Did something happen to him?
The thought slips in before I can stop it. I catch myself caring, really caring, and bite down hard on my lower lip. No. It’s not that. It’s just… he’s the one who’s supposed to protect me. That’s all. Nothing more.

Another few minutes pass. I can’t take it anymore. I rise from the bed and start pacing the room. He should’ve been back by now.
Something’s wrong. I can feel it.
I knew this place was bad. From the moment we arrived, it reeked of trouble.

Then, suddenly, the door handle twitches.

My heart jumps into my throat. Relief floods through me, and I whisper. “Nikolai?”

The door swings open.

It’s not him.

A tall man steps in, his face half-hidden by the dim light. I recognize him instantly, one of the men we’d passed earlier. He’s holding a bat, gripping it like it’s an extension of his arm.

My breath catches. “Where is—”

The rest of the question never leaves my mouth.

The bat comes down fast, cracking against my head with brutal force.
Pain explodes through me. My knees buckle, and before I can scream, my body gives out. Completely.