KAIREN
His voice came from the shadows behind me. A low, intimate poison that seeped into the cold air.
"I've always wanted to do this, Kairen."
I whirled.
Kaito filled the doorway, the only exit. The ember of his cigarette glowed like a demon's eye in the gloom. His gaze was a physical weight, stripping me bare.
My insides turned to water.
"Stay the fuck away from me," I snarled, retreating until my back hit a cold metal shelf.
He smiled, a slow, cruel stretch of his lips. He took a long, savoring drag.
"Why? You used to be so quiet. So still. Like a little mouse."
"That was a lifetime ago."
"Not so long." He stepped forward, his shoes crunching on the gritty floor. "You remember. I know you do. The way you'd freeze. The sound you made when you cried."
My hands clenched, nails digging half-moons into my palms. "I was a child."
