When Hell Runs Cold

Chapter Twenty Five

Mainly out of fear that she would do something stupid, Alysia made the decision to not go into her father's hospital room. The feeling she had felt inside the hospital room the last time, as if a black hole had opened in her gut, had terrified her.

She didn't want to be like her father.

She couldn't do that to her mother's memory.

Entering the elevator, she pressed the floor 5 button, before leaning back on the railing.

Questions plagued her mind as she waited, questions about who Frostbite could be, and how he was connected to her father. How he was connected to her. Alysia rolled her eyes when a man walked into the elevator right as it was about to close.

She hated when that happened.

Watching as more people got into the elevator, she had to restrain herself from letting out a groan. She narrowed her eyes as each person pressed a different floor, meaning that they'd have to make a stop on each floor before they got to the fifth floor.

You've got to be kidding me, she thought, the doors finally shutting.

She saw two of the men glance at each other, and she felt a wave of unease settle in the pit of her stomach.

Something was very, very wrong.

Alysia glanced down at her phone, trying to swallow her unease, and decided to shoot Nathan a quick text.

To Bird Boy: You said the fifth floor right?

Nathan responded with a thumbs up emoji, and Alysia crossed her arms as the elevator jolted to a stopped at the second floor. The doors opened.

No one moved. They all stared at the entrance way, but not a single one left.

Alysia felt bile rising in her throat, sour and hot, and her heart raced in her chest.

Something is wrong, she thought, her panic climbing with each breath.

A couple stepped into the elevator, a tight squeeze, but Alysia sighed in relief. She took the opportunity to quickly exit the elevator, not wanting to get caught in the crush of people. She narrowed her eyes when she saw that none of the others made an attempt to come after her.

Maybe she was overthinking it.

She spotted the stairs, quickly making her way over to them, slightly groaning when she realized the fifth floor was three flights of stairs up. Alysia braced herself, and started to climb.

The fact she made it to the fifth floor without panting like a dog, surprised Alysia. In fact, she barely felt phased. It appeared the workouts and training Nathan had forced on her, actually had an affect on her stamina.

Wandering down the hallway in what felt like the right direction, she heard Nathan's distinct voice from inside a room. Alysia raised her eyebrows. In the all time that she had worked with Nathan, she had never heard him laugh before.

Alysia slowly walked towards the source of the sound, she paused outside a room, where she saw Nathan laughing at something his father said. She took a seat in one of the chairs outside the room, her eyes flitting around the hospital hallway for any of the men from earlier.

There was a possibility that she was overthinking it, but there was also a possibility that she wasn't. And the pit in her stomach said that she wasn't overthinking it. It had felt off in the elevator, and it had even felt off when they had gotten to the hospital.

A woman stepped out of the elevator a few feet away, her eyes widening in curiosity when she saw Alysia. She strutted over to her, her heels clicking on the tiled floor of the hospital floor. "And who would you be?" The woman looked over Alysia, curiosity sparkling in her blue eyes.

There was something familiar about the woman.

That's when it clicked. Those ocean-blue eyes that matched Nathan's, the expensive clothes, the proud air that surrounded her. This was Madeline Carstairs, the woman that had been on the covers of countless magazines when Alysia was a child.

"Mom," Nathan materialized next to Alysia, crossing his arms. Madeline Carstairs raised an eyebrow at her son. "Don't interrogate her."

Madeline rolled her eyes. "I was just asking who she was, Nathan. Calm down." She scolded, reaching up to flick his forehead gently. Nathan flinched, before giving his mother an unimpressed look.

"I'm Alysia." Alysia spoke up, and Madeline's eyes narrowed in what seemed like recognition.

"Alysia." She looked at her thoughtfully.  "So I'm guessing you're Monarch? I don't know who else could tolerate this one." She glanced at Nathan.

"Mom." Nathan said again, giving her a warning look, but his ears started to turn a soft pink.

Alysia shifted awkwardly. If Madeline knew that she was Monarch, that means that she probably knew that she was Lux, and knew that she was the one who had broken into her home.

Madeline beamed. "Well it's nice to meet you!" She flicked Nathan's forehead again. "I can't believe you're only bringing her to meet me now."

Nathan rolled his eyes. "You act like she's my girlfriend." Nathan deadpanned. "Which she's not."

"Not yet." Madeline whispered with a wink.

"Mom. Stop." Nathan said one more time, and Madeline put her hands up in a surrendering notion. Alysia's mouth quirked up in a slight smile when she saw how red his ears were getting. Nathan seemed to notice her gaze, and gave her a dirty look.

She shrugged in response.

"Mom, we should go now. We have a few things to do." Nathan said.

Madeline seemed to know what he was talking about, and her eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Be safe. Both of you." She looked between Alysia and Nathan. "I expect to see you at Christmas dinner. Both of you." She looked at Alysia with a smile.

Alysia's eyes widened in confusion. "Wha-?"

"You two have to get going right? Have fun!" She waved, before heading into Nathan's father's room. The tone in which Madeline spoke, made her think that there was no choice. She was going to Christmas dinner, or face Madeleine's wrath.

Nathan cleared his throat, turning away from his parents. "Let's go."

Happy Friday! I hope all of you are doing well! How did you like this chapter? Remember to vote, comment, or share if you enjoyed! I've already prewritten most of Chapter 26 so you can expect more constant updates from me.

Onto question of the day!

QOTD: What show(s) are you currently watching?

Right now, I'm watching Reign, and a C-drama called Well-Intended Love. Both of them are very different genres but I love them both!