Page 76 of Dark Bonds

I know I should seek out Leo or Matteo, but the thought of explaining what just happened... How do you put an experience that defies reality itself into words?

My forehead thuds against the door as I try to gather my thoughts, but they are like mercury, slipping through my mental fingers every time I try to grasp them. My heart races, drowning out coherent thought.

Fuck it.

I turn on my heel and walk out of the dorm, my movements mechanical. The hallway seems to stretch and warp around me, echoing the surreal experience I just had. Every face I pass feels like it’s turned toward me.

Snippets of conversation reach my ears, each one a dagger of paranoia.

“I swear I just saw her do it...”

“There’s no way...”

“The goddess herself...”

Nausea roils in my stomach, threatening to overwhelm me. I quicken my pace, desperate to escape the suffocatingatmosphere of the dorm. The chilly January air hits me like a slap as I burst outside, but I don’t stop. I can’t stop. My feet carry me forward, driven by an instinct I can’t name, until the whispers fade and only the cacophony of my own thoughts remains.

I don’t even realize where I’m going until I’m standing in front of the guys’ locker room. Crap. I’m looking for Leo and Matteo. When did they become my go-to for supernatural emergencies? I know they are here—their pre-lunch gym routine with the team is a fact I’ve absorbed without realizing it.

I stand frozen, indecision paralyzing me. Do I go in and brave the sanctuary of masculinity in my desperate state? Or do I stand here, looking like a lost soul until they emerge?

The decision is made before I consciously realize it. I push the door open, steeling myself for whatever lies beyond.

Holy crap, the smell hits me like a truck—sweat, Axe body spray, and something that might be moldy socks. Guys are everywhere, half naked and totally unbothered by my presence. I feel like I’ve stumbled into some bizarre social experiment.

My eyes struggle to adjust to the dimmer light, scanning the room with desperate intensity. The space feels alien and forbidden, a realm not meant for me. Everywhere I look, I see flesh—muscular bodies in various states of undress, moving with casual confidence in this male domain. A few heads turn in my direction, and eyebrows rise in surprise or confusion. I feel their gazes like physical touches, but I push past the discomfort, driven by a need greater than social niceties.

My heart leaps when I spot a familiar head of hair in the far corner. Leo’s back is to me, his lean frame bent slightly as he talks to Matteo. They are both still in their workout clothes, their T-shirts clinging to sweat-dampened skin. For a moment, I freeze, suddenly unsure. What am I doing here? What can I possibly say?

It’s too late for second thoughts. Leo turns, his eyes widening as they land on me. “Frankie?” His voice carries a mix of surprise and concern, tinged with his usual warmth. “What are you doing in here? Is everything okay?”

I open my mouth to respond, but the words stick in my throat like tar. The room suddenly feels too small, too crowded. The whispers I thought I’d left behind in the dorm seem to have followed me, ghostly murmurs at the edge of my hearing. My hands begin to tremble, and I clench them into fists to hide the shaking.

Matteo’s gaze sharpens, his athlete’s instincts picking up on my distress like a shark scenting blood in the water. Without a word, he grabs a nearby towel and drapes it over my shoulders. The unexpected gesture of protection nearly undoes me.

“Hey,” he says softly, his tone measured and calm as always. He guides me toward a more secluded area near the showers, where the sound of running water provides a buffer against curious ears. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

A hysterical laugh bubbles up in my chest at his choice of words, but it emerges as a choked sob. If only it had been just a ghost. How do I even begin to explain the cosmic horror I witnessed?

Leo moves closer, forming a protective barrier between me and the rest of the locker room with his body. His voice is low and urgent but still carries a hint of his usual playfulness. “Frankie, talk to us. What happened? Did someone try to hurt you? Because if they did, I swear I’ll turn them into a human pretzel.”

Despite my fear, I find myself smiling weakly at Leo’s attempt at humor. It’s so quintessentially him, trying to lighten the mood even in the face of the unknown. I draw in a shaky breath, the scents of their familiar aftershaves grounding me slightly.

“I... I did something,” I whisper, my voice barely audible over the shower’s white noise. “Something impossible. Something terrifying.”

Their expressions grow more concerned. Matteo’s hand tightens on my shoulder slightly, a reassuring pressure.

“Hey,” Leo says, his goofy grin replaced by a look I’ve never seen on him before. “Whatever crap you’re dealing with, we’ve got your back. Okay?”

Safe.The word echoes in my mind, a concept that feels foreign after what I experienced, but as I stand here, surrounded by the solid presence of these two friends, I feel something inside me begin to uncoil. The words start to come, hesitant at first, then in a rush.

“It was Amanda and Chloe,” I begin, my voice trembling. “They confronted me, and I tried to defend myself, but then...”

I pause, searching for words to describe the indescribable. How do you explain tearing open the fabric of reality to two people who’ve never seen beyond its veil?

Leo and Matteo exchange another glance, their faces hardening at the mention of Amanda and Chloe, but there’s something else there too—a flicker of fear, perhaps? Or is it anticipation?

“Then what, Frankie?” Matteo prompts gently, his voice barely above a whisper, his analytical mind clearly working to process the information.

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