Faceless Instincts

Dressed in Black

After a while, I walked towards my bed and got under the covers to warm myself up. I dwelled there for a few moments reflecting on the last two weeks. My mind was working overtime, pictures of the old woman rushing up to me and expressing her faith the evening before were beating me inside. In addition, the man from before freaked me out. But the funeral was clouding my mind heavily.

I didn't know what had happened to her and why, her granddaughter shared the same tattoo as the trinket, and now she wanted me to attend the funeral of a lady I never knew. It was too complicated as it was hazy. No matter what I did or thought I simply wasn't getting a clearer picture, however one thing I knew for sure was that the nurse knew something about Doria

I got out of bed and walked up to my closet, flipping through the dresses to find the one I was going the wear. I took out the plain black dress with laced three fourth sleeves and walked into the bathroom. After a short hot shower, I was standing in front of the mirror, black didn't pop out the colour of my skin which was so pale and sickly. I tried to make myself look better by adding pearls around my neck but it did nothing, I was painfully depleted.

The bruises on my face were still recovering and it was unbelievable how I had forgotten about them. Looping in the pearl earrings I traced a finger on my bruised earlobe, I knew the bruise might heal, but the scar was there to stay. I put on a black sweater and finished up tying my hair in an updo, recollection of memory was rushing through my mind, where could Dorian be? He either went to his town or somewhere where I could never reach. I walked over to my bed and collected everything lying there and neatly placed it in a bag and carefully secured it in my closet. I took my phone and texted Nikolai, "I am ready."

The reply was almost instant, an eye-rolling emoji with a "liar."

I smiled to myself and dropped the phone on the bed as I turned away it chimed, I grabbed it and saw Olivia's name flashing on the screen. I debated picking it up but eventually did.

"Hello," I said, pensively.

"I need to see you" her voice had a certain level of urgency.

"I am not available right now, I have work"

"What work?"

"I am going somewhere "

"Where?"

"What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you about something, I am almost at your door open up."

I furrowed my brows and dropped the phone, solidifying the closet nicely I rushed downstairs.

When I opened the door I found Olivia chewing on her perfectly pedicured nails, she rushed in as soon as I opened the door, "what the-"

She walked into the living room and dropped her phone on the table, taking off her jacket she reached for the window and drew the curtains, "what is happening?" I asked.

"Did you talk to Amy?" She said as she turned to face me.

"She was here last night why?"

She ran her fingers through her hair, "she knows something very important about Dorian."

"What do you mean?"

"She is hiding something from the beginning, when you showed us the letter we knew nothing about it we-"

"But Amy said you knew about it."

She stopped, "what?" She took my hand, "we knew nothing about it. After you left Wembley's office Tanner and I did some digging, Amy has known more about Dorian than we thought, and it's just not that her family has some serious connection with-" Her words cut short when a knock on the door interrupted her.

I opened the door and found Nikolai standing with his hands in his pocket, "Nikolai" I said.

"Ready?" He said with a genuine soft smile.

"Yeah, I.. Umm" I glanced back.

"What is it?" His brows furrowed instantly.

"Olivia's here."

His brows raised, "that's good?" A strange expression formed on his face as he walked inside. "Hi Olivia," He said, extending his hand.

"Nikolai" She took his hand and gave it a firm shake, she noticed his clothes and then looked at mine, "where are you both even going?"

"Eva's grandmother passed away last night" I recited the major events of the previous night to her and she gaped in horror,  "are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah... I am" I looked at Nikolai and he gave me a knowing look.

She looked between me and Nikolai then frowned, "I'll let you both go then, I was just here to make sure Kiara was okay." she looked at Nikolai.

"I've been with her these last few days, she seems fine to me," said Nikolai in a defensive tone.

"I am her best friend you know how my protective instincts are so strong."

"I will never forget that now, thanks for telling me. These things aren't generally noticeable," he smirked.

"Kiara, walk me to the door please?"

I followed her closely and as she stepped out, her voice dropped, "call me when you are alone, I will come over" she turned to leave but halted and looked back at me, her gaze flickered towards the living room and then again at me, "don't tell anyone about any of this, please"

"She seemed weird" He mentioned as I returned into the living room.

"And you weren't?"

He raised his brow," me?"

"Was it just me who felt a pessimistic vibe between you two?" I started as a matter of fact.

He looked at me with narrow eyes and twisted lip, "probably" he stepped closer, "I am the kind of a person who runs at the first sign of any sort of negative vibe, I don't stick around where I am not required." he tucked a loose lock of hair behind my hair, "and witnessing that I am still here, you must know I have pretty positive feelings about everything I am doing."

He was doing something to me and I wasn't sure what, "I am glad you're staying." I said and he smiled down at me.

After what felt like an eternity I was feeling normal. Standing here in the middle of my living room with light snow falling outside, it felt normal, warm and welcoming.

For some very Bizzare reason, I had a blooming feeling inside me, I looked at Nikolai and he just stood there, and I felt like I wanted to stay like this.

This was wrong, I can't feel like this I told myself over and over again.

"Nickolai," I said.

"Yeah?"

I was debating if I wanted to tell him about the strange man earlier, for some reason I decided otherwise, "you've got snow in your hair." I said and he brushed it off giggling.