Page 16 of Bite Marks & Broken Hearts

“Dolly’s been with us for years. Very reliable employee. Never takes sick days.” He winked at me.

“Ha…ha?” If he thought his odd humour would make me relax, he was severely wrong.

Sebastián continued down another corridor, and I jogged to catch up, glad to get as far away from Dolly as possible.

The corridor ended at what looked like a bank vault door—gleaming steel with a digital keypad mounted beside it, which stuck out like a smartphone at a Victorian tea party against the aged wallpaper.What the fuck was in the basement, and why did it have a state-of-the-art security system?

Sebastián tapped in a code lightning quick. The keypad chirped, a green light flashed, and the massive door released with a pneumatic hiss.

“After you.” He gestured toward the darkness beyond.

My feet refused to move. “You know what? I think I’ll pass.”

“Flynn.” His voice softened. “I promise you’re safe.”

Right. Because following a stranger into a basement was the epitome of safety. Every horror film ever made screamed at me to run.

Sebastián waited, patient and still, while my mind conjured increasingly gruesome scenarios. A dungeon filled with torture devices. A blood-spatteredoperating theatre. Chains dangling from ceiling hooks, ready to—

“I can hear you catastrophizing from here.”

Heat crept up my neck. “I’m not—”

“You are.” He stepped through the doorway first, flicking a switch. Fluorescent lights flickered to life, illuminating a concrete stairwell descending into the bowels of the hotel. “Better?”

I stared at him, my feet glued to the floor.

“We can keep this door open,” he said. “There’s a brick around here somewhere…”

He located said brick, wedging it in the doorframe. Then he descended without looking back.

Last chance to run.

I pressed my hand against my icy chest, resigned myself to my fate, and followed him downwards.

The air grew cooler as we descended, raising goosebumps along my arms. The stairwell opened into a vast underground space. More fluorescent tubes buzzed overhead, casting harsh shadows. Computer monitors lined one wall, their screens displaying various camera feeds, some of which I recognised from the walk here. A large table dominated the centre of the room, covered in maps and papers.

Curious.

There was a notable lack of a metal examination table with thick leather restraints, so I crept into the middle of the room, wrapping my arms around myself.

“What is this place?”

“Our command centre.”

Just as I was about to question “our,” thundering footsteps echoed down the stairwell, accompanied by shrieks of laughter. Two people burst into the space—a smaller pale bloke with chaotic blond hair and more ear piercings than I could count, followed by a striking woman in a vibrant purple dress, her long dark plait swinging as she chased him.

They skidded to a halt when they spotted me. The woman’s hand flew to a pendant at her throat, while the guy’s eyes went comically wide.

“Seb!” His voice splintered with disbelief. “What the actual fuck?”

“This is Flynn Carter,” Sebastián said, as if that explained everything.

The woman stepped forward, her rich brown skin glowing under the harsh lights. A small tattoo peeked out from beneath her sleeve as she tilted her head, studying me with intelligent eyes. “The one from last night?”

Sebastián tossed his paper bag onto the table. The smell of fresh sourdough filled the room, and both newcomers pounced on it like they hadn’t eaten in days. The blond one actually ripped the bag apart, sending paper flying.

“Oi, save some for me!” The woman elbowed him aside, grabbing for a chunk of bread.

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