After Dark

Raelynn shifted under the blankets, the discomfort in her throat making her stir. She blinked her eyes open, groaning softly at the faint glow of moonlight seeping through the curtains. Thirst clawed at her throat as she reached for the bedside table, fingers bumping into the empty glass she'd left behind.

"Right," she mumbled to herself, her voice raspy. She had finished the water before falling asleep and had forgotten to refill it.

Pushing herself up, she ran a hand through her messy hair and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She shivered at the cool air, her bare feet sinking into the plush carpet as she moved. She didn't bother turning on the lights as she opened the door and stepped into the darkened hallway.

The mansion was eerily quiet at this hour, the kind of silence that felt heavy and a little unsettling. Raelynn rubbed her arms as she made her way downstairs.