Blair Bathory

The kiss was just too strange, but it felt real. Later that night, after dinner, they returned to their room, the evening winding down. The lights were dim, casting shadows that danced across the walls. Ritza slipped into bed first, pulling the covers up to her chin. Mark went into the bathroom, humming softly. That's when she felt it again. This time, it was different.

The kiss was heavier, lingering, like it was meant to consume her. Ritza jerked her head toward the door, but Mark was still in the bathroom, his voice echoing as he spoke to her. Ritza, you okay? He called out, his voice warm and distant. I felt it again, she muttered under her breath. A kiss. Mark came out, wiping his hands on a towel, a puzzled look on his face.

The kiss was heavier, lingering, like it was meant to consume her. Ritza jerked her head toward the door, but Mark was still in the bathroom, his voice echoing as he spoke to her. Ritza, you okay? He called out, his voice warm and distant. I felt it again, she muttered under her breath. A kiss. Mark came out, wiping his hands on a towel, a puzzled look on his face.

The kiss was heavier, lingering, like it was meant to consume her. Ritza jerked her head toward the door, but Mark was still in the bathroom, his voice echoing as he spoke to her. Ritza, you okay? He called out, his voice warm and distant. I felt it again, she muttered under her breath. A kiss. Mark came out, wiping his hands on a towel, a puzzled look on his face.

Ritza, you're starting to scare me. But Ritza wasn't looking at him anymore. She was staring at the reflection in the full-length mirror on the wall. The dim light made the shadows dance strangely, distorting her own image. But in the reflection behind her was the shape of a figure, pale, almost ethereal. It wasn't Mark, and it wasn't anyone she recognized.

Ritza, you're starting to scare me. But Ritza wasn't looking at him anymore. She was staring at the reflection in the full-length mirror on the wall. The dim light made the shadows dance strangely, distorting her own image. But in the reflection behind her was the shape of a figure, pale, almost ethereal. It wasn't Mark, and it wasn't anyone she recognized.

Ritza, you're starting to scare me. But Ritza wasn't looking at him anymore. She was staring at the reflection in the full-length mirror on the wall. The dim light made the shadows dance strangely, distorting her own image. But in the reflection behind her was the shape of a figure, pale, almost ethereal. It wasn't Mark, and it wasn't anyone she recognized.

The figure's face was blurred, but its lips, the lips were red, and they were smiling. Ritza turned, her heart pounding. No one was there. The room was silent, save for the sound of Mark's breathing behind her. I felt it, she whispered, fear creeping into her voice. Mark, concerned but still skeptical, checked the room, the windows, the closet. But everything was as it should be.

The figure's face was blurred, but its lips, the lips were red, and they were smiling. Ritza turned, her heart pounding. No one was there. The room was silent, save for the sound of Mark's breathing behind her. I felt it, she whispered, fear creeping into her voice. Mark, concerned but still skeptical, checked the room, the windows, the closet. But everything was as it should be.

The figure's face was blurred, but its lips, the lips were red, and they were smiling. Ritza turned, her heart pounding. No one was there. The room was silent, save for the sound of Mark's breathing behind her. I felt it, she whispered, fear creeping into her voice. Mark, concerned but still skeptical, checked the room, the windows, the closet. But everything was as it should be.

No intruders, no sign of anything strange. The next morning, Ritza's memory of the kiss lingered. It gnawed at her, an uncomfortable weight, like a dream that wouldn't fade. When she asked Mark if he had noticed anything odd during the night, he shrugged. You're just imagining it, babe. It's all in your head. But Ritza wasn't convinced. By the third night, the kisses had grown bolder.

No intruders, no sign of anything strange. The next morning, Ritza's memory of the kiss lingered. It gnawed at her, an uncomfortable weight, like a dream that wouldn't fade. When she asked Mark if he had noticed anything odd during the night, he shrugged. You're just imagining it, babe. It's all in your head. But Ritza wasn't convinced. By the third night, the kisses had grown bolder.

No intruders, no sign of anything strange. The next morning, Ritza's memory of the kiss lingered. It gnawed at her, an uncomfortable weight, like a dream that wouldn't fade. When she asked Mark if he had noticed anything odd during the night, he shrugged. You're just imagining it, babe. It's all in your head. But Ritza wasn't convinced. By the third night, the kisses had grown bolder.

The air in the room felt colder, as though it had been touched by something that didn't belong. Mark had grown distant, too, more absorbed in his phone, scrolling through pictures from their trip. and Ritza had noticed a strange absence in his eyes. He wasn't looking at her the same way anymore, and that's when the truth hit. In the reflection of the window, she saw it.

The air in the room felt colder, as though it had been touched by something that didn't belong. Mark had grown distant, too, more absorbed in his phone, scrolling through pictures from their trip. and Ritza had noticed a strange absence in his eyes. He wasn't looking at her the same way anymore, and that's when the truth hit. In the reflection of the window, she saw it.

The air in the room felt colder, as though it had been touched by something that didn't belong. Mark had grown distant, too, more absorbed in his phone, scrolling through pictures from their trip. and Ritza had noticed a strange absence in his eyes. He wasn't looking at her the same way anymore, and that's when the truth hit. In the reflection of the window, she saw it.

The figure was standing beside Mark. The lips, still red, still smiling, were moving closer to him. She could see them as if they were inches away, the figure bending toward Mark's neck, preparing to kiss him. Ritza cried out, but Mark didn't react. He didn't turn around. She ran up to him, shaking him violently. "'Mark, wake up! Someone's in here!'

The figure was standing beside Mark. The lips, still red, still smiling, were moving closer to him. She could see them as if they were inches away, the figure bending toward Mark's neck, preparing to kiss him. Ritza cried out, but Mark didn't react. He didn't turn around. She ran up to him, shaking him violently. "'Mark, wake up! Someone's in here!'

The figure was standing beside Mark. The lips, still red, still smiling, were moving closer to him. She could see them as if they were inches away, the figure bending toward Mark's neck, preparing to kiss him. Ritza cried out, but Mark didn't react. He didn't turn around. She ran up to him, shaking him violently. "'Mark, wake up! Someone's in here!'

But when Mark turned, his face was blank, almost empty, like a shell that had lost its soul. His eyes, his once warm, loving eyes were glassy, unblinking. He didn't speak. Then the cold kiss touched her cheek, colder than before." Ritza scrambled back, her skin going numb. The figure was there, pressing against her, as though it had materialized out of thin air, intent on claiming both of them.