When Hell Runs Cold

Chapter Eighteen

So the question is, who has Alysia Lockheart screwed over?

Alysia groaned at the stupid question that Nathan had asked her. She hadn't exactly screwed anyone over. At least, she didn't think she had.

Instead of sleeping, she'd mulled the question over in her head, scouring her memory as she tossed and turned on the couch. She had just started to fall asleep again when she heard the trapdoor to the base open. Alysia groaned in complaint as the lights were turned on, covering her face with a pillow.

Cold air pressed against Alysia's skin as the fuzzy blanket from her apartment, along with the pillow under her head, were snatched from her. Alysia let out a hiss of annoyance. She narrowed her eyes at Nathan, grabbing the other pillow, and throwing it at him.

Nathan caught the pillow as it bounced off his torso, giving her an unimpressed look. "Get up. We have things to do. We need to come up with a list of suspects." When Alysia didn't move, he pulled her up by the arm.

"Seriously?" Alysia glanced at the analog clock, groaning when she saw the time, the neon numbers glaring at her. "It's so early, what the hell?" She exclaimed.

Before Alysia could complain anymore, Nathan stuffed something in her open mouth. "Here. Have a donut. And it's ten, that's not early."

She took a bite of the glazed donut, before pulling it out of her mouth. She gave Nathan an unimpressed look, taking another bite of donut. "That was unnecessary."

"Donuts are never unnecessary." Nathan grabbed a donut from the box, and taking a bite out of it. "Now, go get ready or whatever, we have a lot to do today. There's coffee on the table for when you come back." He mumbled with his mouth full, crumbs spraying down his shirt.

Alysia stuffed the rest of her donut, muttering profanities under her breath as she made her way to the bathroom. She hadn't woken up this early since April had forced her to go on a road trip with her in spring break during their freshman year.

Alysia got ready, hastily throwing her hair into a messy bun. Grabbing her toothbrush, she squeezed a dollop of toothpaste onto it, and stuck it in her mouth. When she was done, she walked out of the bathroom, walking over to Nathan, who was already at the computer.

She wrapped her hand around the cup of coffee, slightly recoiling at the warm touch before picking it up. She took a sip, slightly smiling when the acidic burn of bitter black coffee hit her taste buds. "Thanks for the coffee. You got my order right."

Nathan let out a hum of acknowledgment, turning his chair to face her. He still had donut crumbs down his front, but he didn't seem to care. "So, do you have any idea as to whom Frostbite could be?"

"Nope. Can't think of anyone."

"You didn't ruin anybody's life, did you?" Nathan inquired, the image from the screen reflected in his eyes. "Were you one of those classic mean girls that you see in the movies?" Noticing the face Alysia gave him, he shrugged. "I went to an all-boys private school. I don't know how teenage girl-drama works."

Alysia scoffed, taking another sip of coffee. Of course Nathan Carstairs had gone to private school. "No, I wasn't one of the mean girls. I mean, I guess I was popular, but only because I was mean to the mean girls. And those girls don't have the guts to commit murder. Plus, according to Stella, Frostbite is a guy."

"Any ex-boyfriends that don't like you? Any guys you told no, and have a bone to pick?" Nathan probed.

Alysia shrugged, "I dated one guy freshman year of college, and we ended on kind of bad terms, but I don't think he'd resort to murder."