“And You Were There”:

Elvira’s POV

I had just straightened from the bed, my fingers still tingling from where they had brushed against the glass of the perfume bottle, when I heard it, footsteps in the hallway.

They weren’t hurried or heavy; they were measured. Each step thudded softly against the floorboards, the sound carrying just enough weight to make my stomach twist.

For a heartbeat, I froze where I stood, pulse hammering in my ears. Then instinct kicked in.

I darted to the far side of the bed, my boots barely making a sound against the rug, and dropped to my knees. The space beneath was low and shadowed,...