"Mr Aristarkh, what are you doing here… I
mean how do you know this place?"
He didn't reply immediately, just walked into the
room, turned to me before speaking.
"What are you doing here?"
He asked.
"I… I came to see my sister. She's sick"
He turned, looking at Anya.
"leukaemia."
I looked at him.
"How do you know?"
"You know what I am. It's not hard to know
about one's blood."
My sister was already sleeping. Her finished ice
cream laid on the table beside her.
"What's her name?"
He asked.
"Anya Mireille."
I answered.
He nodded before speaking.
"Look Ana, this place is not safe right now for
you and your sister, you need to leave."
"I don't understand. What are you saying sir?"
He tried speaking again before a knock came
through the door.
It was Ivanov.
"Just a sec."
I turned to open the door before Aristarkh
gripped my arm.
"Who's that?"
He asked curiously.
"It's Ivanov. My childhood–"
He interrupts me.
"Don't open that door."
I pull my hands away from his grip.
"I don't know what's happening but my little
sister is in the room, sick and you're scaring
me."
He sighed gruffly.
I walked to the door and opened it.
It was Ivanov.
He hugged me immediately, making Aristarkh's
jaw clench.
He pulls back from the hug.
"What took you so long ana?"
I blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind my
ear.
"Nothing, I was just talking to my boss."
I closed the door. Aristarkh approached us.
"Who's he?"
Aristarkh asked. His voice carries a slight tone
of jealousy.
I stammered before replying.
"Th-This is my childhood friend Ivanov, Ivanov
this is Mr Aristarkh, boss at the mansion I work
at."
Ivanov extended his hand for a handshake but
Aristarkh ignored it. He broke the silence to
speak.
"This place is not safe,"
Aristarkh spoke. His voice was deep, threaded
with steel.
I frowned, speaking softly.
"What do you mean?" His gaze didn't move
from Ivanov.
Ivanov stepped forward, his jaw tight.
"Don't scare her."
He stood in front of me. Shielding me from
Aristarkh.
Aristarkh lips curled into a smile that didn't
reach his eyes.
"You think you can protect her?"
The tension thickened before I stepped
forward.
"Stop it—both of you. This isn't the time."
Let's leave the room, my sister is asleep.
Aristarkh gripped my arm.
"We can't– they're here."
My brows furrowed.
"Who's here?"
And then it came– the faintest shift in the air. The scent Aristarkh was following. He looked towards the corner of the ward. The shadows stirred and from them emerged a hunched figure, cloaked in rags, its eyes glowing with a sickly red hue.
I stepped back immediately, scared. And trembling.
"What's that Mr. Aristarkh?"
Aristarkh turned back, looking at my scared
and trembling form.
"shh."
Ivanov's arm shot out in front of me, holding me
back. His own fear was clear but his stance
remained steady.
"Ana stayed behind me."
Aristarkh's jaw clenched at the sight, his mind
split between protecting me and his own
jealousy and possessiveness.
The creature snarled, launching forward, its
claws scraping against the wall. Its tongue
slickered like a snake's own.
It was twitching unnaturally, malformed.
Before I could blink, Aristarkh moved.
He was a blur, his eyes glowing red, fangs
extended, his hand clamped around the
creature's throat, lifting it effortlessly into the
air.
The creature writhed, clawing out his arm but
Aristarkh gripped and tightened. His glowing
eyes blazed with fury. His voice dropped to a
deadly whisper.
"You dare crawl into her presence. Send my
message to your leader. If anyone dares cross
her path, they'll be dead. All dead."
He twisted his hand and the creature's neck
snapped to the side, killing it. It turned to dust,
withering away. The air was mixed with a
metallic tang of blood.
There was silence before my sister woke up
from the noise.
"Ana?"
I turned immediately. Aristarkh returned to his
human form.
"Anya. Are you okay… hey.."
I rushed to her. Sitting beside her on the edge
of the bed.
"Did you see anything?"
She shakes her head.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
She spoke softly.
"It was only sounds I heard. What was it?"
I stroked her hair.
"My boss was showing us some tricks. It's
nothing. Just rest. Sleep back. I'll be here."
I tucked her in before standing up and walking
up to Aristarkh, still trembling slightly.
"A word sir?"
He nodded.
I started walking out before Ivanov spoke.
"I'm following you out. I'm not leaving you with
him after what I just saw."
I nodded. Aristarkh sighed, walking out the
door. I followed him with Ivanov. Closed the
door softly.
"What was that Mr Aristarkh?"
Aristarkh sighed.
"It's nothing."
For a moment, Aristarkh hesitated. His
expression hardened. His possessive edge
sharpened as he looked past me at Ivanov
who was still tense, glaring at me.
Ivanov stepped forward, voice form.
"Ana asked you a question. And until you
answer her, you need to leave."
Aristarkh's jaw clenched, the muscles in his
neck taut. For a heartbeat, I thought he would
lash out at Ivanov the way he lashed out with
the creature. But then his eyes softened when
they returned to mine. Glowing with something
far more dangerous than rage–obsession.
"The crimson altar."
I stepped forward.
"What about the crimson altar? What is this
group?"
He sighed.
"I also don't know. I'm still trying to figure it out.
I've been tracking them and I saw someone on
my way to the office. I followed the creature
and it turned out to be this hospital."
"You're lying."
I stepped back.
He brows furrowed as if confused.
"Why would I lie to you Anya. I just saved your
life."
Ivanov wrapped his arms around my chest
making Aristarkh
's jaw clenched. Ivanov spoke.
"She's right… you might be lying."
Aristarkh groaned.
"Do you remember what happened to Tatiana?
When she passed out. The reason was this
crimson altar. They tried to attack you but I
don't know how Tatiana got attacked instead."
I looked at him, angry and trembling.
"Attack me? Why?"