Chapter 48

Standing on the landing outside Brandon's office, I took deep gulps of air, breathing out pure rage and adrenalin-filled excitement, having found the one thing I never thought I would and much more that I had never expected nor wanted. The clock was ticking that much I knew but instead of walking towards the stairs, I found myself on automatic, almost sleep-walking towards our room. Their room. Bracing my arms against the doorway, I closed my eyes for a moment, overwhelmed by their scent, so thick and suffocating as it laboured the air with a heavy sense of their presence. I could see them here, bodies entwined and panting like beasts, the headboard banging so hard into the wall that it had damaged the plaster. And underneath it all there was a smell that made the hair on my neck prickle with fear, the sweat of the Varúlfur, like damp dog but so much worse that I convulsed and had to clutch a hand over my mouth to stop myself from vomiting out my terror onto the cream carp