Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

The Red House

The house was beautiful inside, but there was something undeniably eerie about it. Every corner seemed to hum with an uneasy chill.

Warren, who was used to being waited on hand and foot, had only left two maids to look after Fiona.

Sylvia was sent upstairs to a room.

When she opened the door, the room was pitch black. Before her eyes could even adjust, someone shoved her hard, and she tumbled to the floor.

She scrambled up, desperate to escape, but the door slammed shut and locked behind her.

The darkness was suffocating, bottomless, like she'd been dropped into a well. Fumbling along the wall, Sylvia finally found the switch and flicked on the light.

When she saw the room, she froze, her face draining of color.

Before her brain could even process it, her body reacted first. "Urgh-"

She bolted into the bathroom, retching violently until there was nothing left. Leaning over the sink, she finally caught her breath.

When she looked up into the mirror, her own pale, numb face was slowly merging with another-one she didn't recognize. It was as if a shadow was leaning over her shoulder.

Sylvia spun around, heart pounding.

nothing just a stark

and looked around at the bizarre, almost indecent furnishings. She

mirror mounted above it. The

barely looked like anything you could sit in, or lie on. Even the window seat was covered in some kind of waterbed pad, and she could picture exactly how someone might

intentionally suggestive-the tub was oddly shaped, and there

bed, and wrapped herself in it, curling up in the smallest corner she

how much time passed before the door opened and Warren walked in,

out there. I asked the maid to

him, unable to make sense of this man. He was a

the surface. Her voice was flat and cold:

mug down, towering over

over her shoulders,

was beautiful and alive, but her eyes were rimmed red,

any man could lose himself in-just one look

brushing her hair gently. "Sylvia, you're

down Sylvia's spine. She shifted away from him,

face. Suddenly, he

"Sylvia, do you have any idea how much it hurt me to send you

wanted? Please. Even if I'd thrown

women have tried to trap Rupert? None of them made it out. You're the only one who ended up on