Patient A-3

Chapter 23: Idalia

 Idalia? Like Cierien's Idalia?

 My blood runs cold, and my outstretched hand trembles as she envelops it with her frigid touch. She lifts my hand to her lips, bestowing a gentle, chilling kiss. "You're a vision of beauty, aren't you?"

 Words cling to the back of my throat as I remain transfixed by the enigmatic woman before me. A beguiling smile graces her lips, and she releases my hand. "And what a lovely name you have. I-" Her words falter, lost in a sudden coughing fit.

 "A-Are you alright?" I stammer, my voice quivering.

 The vibrant green of her irises swiftly transforms into a menacing red. She reaches out, gripping my hand once more, and pulls me closer, her intense gaze locked onto mine. As she thrusts the jewelry she had been holding into my hand, she instructs me with unwavering authority, "Purchase these for me. Once you've finished, meet me in the alleyway on the side of this store. Nod if you understand."

 Her pupils constrict to an unnaturally small size as she lays out her demands.

 I nod in compliance, and a faint smile tugs at her lips before she gracefully slips past me. I remain rooted in place, my senses on alert, waiting for the familiar chime of the bell that signals her departure from the store. When the sound finally reaches my ears, I reach for my phone, quickly searching for Wrath's contact. I thank the stars that Cierien had given me his number; I shudder to think what I would have done without it.

 Me: Idalia

 Me: She said her name was Idalia

 Me: Wellington

 Me: Cierien

 Me: Don't tell him

 Me: Ex!!!

 Me: Help!!!!!!!

 I share my location, glancing up from my phone to confirm that the woman is not watching. My eyes lock on Sophie, engaged in conversation with an attractive girl, oblivious to what's happening. Just then, my phone buzzes, signaling a message from Wrath.

 Wrath: Five minutes. Stay put.

 I do the exact opposite. I abandon the jewelry on a nearby table, ensuring that Sophie remains distracted by the pretty girl. As I step out of the shop, I'm suddenly seized and whisked into the alley in a disorienting whirlwind of motion. My senses reel from the rapid journey, my eyes struggling to adjust, leaving my stomach queasy and my head spinning. In a span of a single heartbeat, she has transported me from the front of the store to the concealed alley- a move that echoes the speed Wrath had displayed when he had moved me to the couch. She pins me firmly against the rough brick wall.

 Her eyes, once a vibrant green, are now consumed by a malevolent red. "Where's my jewelry?" she questions, her bottom lip jutting out in a petulant pout. "You know what? Don't answer that."

 Her smile takes a sinister turn, revealing her sharp, pointed fangs. She uses a powerful grip to seize me by my hair, forcibly jerking my head to the side. She moves with such swiftness that I'm left utterly helpless. Her breath is warm against my skin, her teeth poised to pierce my flesh.

 She's violently hurled off me before she can sink her teeth into me, leaving a bloody scratch behind as she crashes against the opposite wall. Wrath promptly positions himself between us, his gaze sweeping over my face before zeroing in on my neck. He deftly wipes the blood away with his thumb, his eyes darkening, veins pulsing beneath them as he shifts to face the hunched-over blonde, who now coughs harshly. Wrath maintains a protective stance, shielding me from any further harm, as he addresses the disheveled woman. "If you ever lay a hand on her again," he declares, his tone strikingly composed given the severity of his words, "I will make sure you suffer."