CHAPTER ONE – THE HOTEL ROOM

Karina cracked open one eye. Her head felt heavy, like it was stuffed with cotton. Where…? A wave of nausea rolled through her as fragmented memories flickered back – the clinking of glasses, forced smiles, John Hardy’s hand brushing hers a little too intimately. Then, the blurry edges of leaving the stuffy dinner party, the late-night hotel room…. A soft creak from the bedroom door had her snapping her eyes open. John? Relief washed over her, so sudden it left her breathless. But the room remained empty. She sat up slowly, wincing at the dull throb in her head. Her gaze fell on a sleek, silver mini-fridge tucked discreetly into a corner. Karina stumbled out of bed, her legs shaky, and pulled the fridge door open. A cold bottle of water, condensation clinging to the glass, greeted her. As she unscrewed the cap and took a long, cool gulp, a sound froze the glass halfway to her lips. A low, guttural growl, raw and primal, erupted from the bathroom. It wasn't human. The sound echoed in the sterile silence of the room, sending shivers down her spine. The water bottle clattered to the floor, forgotten. Terror locked her limbs in place. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drum solo in the sudden quiet. Another growl, closer this time, vibrated through the bathroom door. Images from horror movies she’d snuck in to watch as a teenager flickered through her mind – snarling beasts, razor-sharp claws, eyes glowing with unnatural light. Her breath caught in her throat. There was something in the bathroom with her. Something dangerous. Panic fueled a burst of adrenaline. She needed to get out. Now. Backing away from the fridge, her eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape. The window. It was her only option. She stumbled towards it, her bare feet cold against the plush carpet. Her shaking hands fumbled with the latch, her nails digging into the cool metal. Finally, with a groan of protest, the window creaked open. Fresh air, tinged with the faint scent of exhaust fumes, flooded the room. But it wasn't enough to mask the metallic tang of fear that filled her mouth. She threw a leg over the window sill, ignoring the sharp protest of her protesting muscles. Just as she was about to haul herself out, the bathroom door splintered inwards. A monstrous roar filled the room, drowning out her own choked scream. A monstrous shape filled the doorway. Fur covered most of its body, but it walked on two legs. Its head looked like a wolf's head on a man's shoulders. Fear choked Karina. This couldn't be real. Maybe the strange drink at the party was stronger than she thought. "Well, well," the creature said in a rough voice. "Lost, are we?" Karina's voice trembled. "Who... who are you?" The creature chuckled, a sound like scraping rocks. "Call me Rex," it said. "And you, little runaway, what's your name?" Terror locked her jaw. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out. Rex tilted his head, his amusement turning darker. "Don't be scared," he said, taking a slow step closer. Karina pressed her back against the window, cold glass biting into her skin. Escape! She had to escape! With a surge of adrenaline, she scrambled onto the window ledge. Rex lunged, a growl ripping from his throat. But she was too fast. She hoisted herself onto the thin metal fire escape, the bars groaning under her weight. Looking down, her breath hitched. It was a long way to the ground. But the image of Rex's sharp teeth spurred her on. Ignoring her shaking legs, she began to inch her way along the fire escape. A deep growl echoed below. Rex stood on the window ledge, huge and terrifying. But he wasn't following. He watched her with hungry eyes, his long tongue lolling out in a twisted smile. "This isn't over," he called out. "We'll play again soon." A new wave of terror washed over her. He was playing with her, enjoying her fear. The fire escape ended abruptly, leaving only a sheer drop to the alley below. She was trapped. Rex threw his head back and laughed, a booming sound that bounced off the buildings. Then, with surprising agility, he started climbing down the outside of the building, following her like a giant spider. Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision. She was going to die, alone in this cold city. A sob escaped her lips. Just then, a metal door at the end of the alley clanged open. A gruff voice shouted, "Hey! What's all the noise?" Karina spun around, a flicker of hope igniting in her chest. An old man stood in the doorway, his face creased with wrinkles. He held a wrench in one hand and a half-eaten sandwich in the other. "Everything okay here, miss?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. Karina whipped around, her heart hammering against her ribs. Rex was gone. Relief washed over her, so sudden it left her legs weak. She slumped against the wall, gasping for breath. The old man approached cautiously, his gaze darting between her and the shattered window. "Everything alright here, miss?" he repeated, his voice gentler this time. Tears blurring her vision, Karina stammered, "There was a... a monster. A big, hairy man-wolf thing." The man chuckled, a warm, reassuring sound. "Sounds like you had yourself a night, miss. Maybe a little too much alcohol?" He gestured to the empty window. "Must've climbed out for some fresh air, eh?" Karina wanted to argue, to tell him it was real, but the exhaustion from the ordeal left her speechless. The man patted her shoulder kindly. "Come on, let's get you down from there. You look like you could use a good rest." He helped her climb back inside the room, his touch surprisingly strong for his age. Once on the floor, legs shaking, Karina pointed towards the bathroom. "He came from there." The man peered inside, his expression unreadable. He emerged a moment later, shrugging. "Empty. Looks like your monster friend decided to take a vacation." Disappointment gnawed at her. He didn't believe her. But a part of her was grateful. Maybe it had all been a terrible dream. The old man hailed a taxi, his gruff voice softening as he spoke to the dispatcher. "Young lady needs a ride home. Looks a little worse for wear." The taxi arrived a few minutes later. With a mumbled thanks, Karina climbed in, the city lights blurring past the window as they drove. Home. The familiar sight of their brownstone apartment brought a wave of relief. Inside, the warm aroma of freshly baked cookies filled the air. Her sisters, Sarah and Emily, were sprawled on the living room floor, giggling over a movie. Her father sat in his armchair, reading a newspaper. "Karina!" Sarah squealed, jumping to her feet. "Where have you been? We were worried sick!" "Just a late meeting," Karina mumbled, exhaustion dragging at her eyelids. The memory of Rex, the fear, the chase, it all felt surreal now. Her mother bustled out of the kitchen, a warm smile on her face. "There you are, honey! We were starting to think you'd gotten lost in the city." Her mother's embrace felt safe, comforting. Avoiding their questions, Karina mumbled a quick excuse about needing sleep and retreated to her room. Locking the door, she collapsed onto the bed, the events of the night replaying in her mind. Was it real? Or just a terrifying hallucination? She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the image of Rex away. Sleep, a heavy, dreamless sleep, finally claimed her.