Something that sounded like “Bleedin’ faeries,” came through the door.
“What?” I asked, confused. Clutching my robe to my chest, I crept closer to the door.
“Nothing. Look, open the door and we’ll talk.”
I stood there, undecided.
“It would be easier if you’d willingly open the door, sweetheart.”
I kept the security bar on the door flipped closed and opened the door about two inches, my heart thundering in my chest, breaths shallow and fast. He was even bigger in the flesh. I began to hyperventilate and tried to slam the door shut. He shoved his giant sneaker-clad foot into the door and forced me to keep it marginally open.
“Don’t make this difficult, love. Open the door so I can rightly introduce myself to you,” he said, voice cajoling.
“Who. Are. You.”
“You’ve already answered that, Maddy. I’m Bahlin, and you’re about to be in over your head.”
“Oh right. Get me to open the door by threatening me. Brilliant.” I stepped away from the door, figuring that if I couldn’t get his foot dislodged, the very least I could do was grab some clothes and lock myself into the bathroom while I dialed front desk security. I turned away from the door and heard it shut with a clear snick. My shoulders sagged a little bit. Thank heavens he was gone. Maybe I should call for security before—
The security latch flipped back with a thunk and the electronic lock hummed right before the door swung open. Bahlin stood in the doorway scowling, wearing the same outfit he’d been wearing in my dream, plus the shoes.
“What the he-hell—” I stuttered, eyes nearly bugging out of my head.
“I told yeh it would be easier all around if yeh’d open the door, woman,” he interrupted, stepping inside the room and shutting the door. He shoved his hand through his hair, stalking into the room. “But no, yeh couldn’t answer the door like normal folk. Just like yehr great-grandda yeh are…” He stopped at the small secretary, yanked out the chair and sat.
It was like my brain suddenly engaged and thoughts clicked into place: The dream? Click. The lock disengaging itself? Click. The door opening? Click. My great-granddad? I passed out cold.
I have no idea how long I was out. All I knew was that I came to with Bahlin leaning over me and pressing a cool cloth to my forehead.
“Gaaaa,” I yelled, sitting up so fast I should have hit him in the face. He sat back on his heels, apparently anticipating my physical reaction to his nearness. My head was pounding again, but nothing like it had been before. I could live with this. Now, what exactly had happened? Oh, yeah, he opened the door from the outside and said something about my great-grandfather. In a rush of adrenaline, I crab walked backward, putting some distance between us and likely flashing my cookies in the process. He stayed squatted on the balls of his feet, watching me.
“Are you going to listen now?” he asked, voice much calmer, brogue much less pronounced now that he wasn’t upset. What a shame. About the brogue, I mean.
“Listen to what? You confirm that you’re a maniac? Got it in one, Bahlin.” I crouched back against the bed, wedged into the side rails as if they could provide me with some type of protection. It was obvious, even to me that I was thinking clearly.
“Did you not get my message then?” he asked, standing and walking over to the desk.
I cringed back even further, nearly shoving myself under the bed.
“I’ll take that as a no.” He sat in the chair and dropped his head in his hands.
“What note,” I whispered, voice flat, eyes wide. I should have made for the front door, but in my panic to get away from him I’d put myself almost as far from it as I could have. Dumb, dumb, dumb. And then I remembered the two pieces of vellum-like paper that had come into my possession: one left in the car and one left here at the hotel.
As if reading my thoughts, he said, “I left a note for you at the front desk.”
“I got it,” I said quietly. “I just haven’t opened it yet.”
“What? Why the hell not?” His eyes flashed strangely in the lamplight as he shoved himself to standing and towered over me.
And it was then that I decided that if this lunatic was going to threaten me, I was going to give him a fight. I