Eden by Jamie McGuire

echoing under my
feet.
    “ Sasha?”
    I slowly walked down the aisle,
looking to each side of me.
    A small, muffled noise came from a
dark corner of the room. The hair on the back of my neck stood up.
I was alone, but something was inside that room with me.
    I took a breath, and then walked as
quietly as I could to the end of the aisle, turning toward the
noise. A dark, huddled figure was slumped with its back turned to
me. In the failing light I could see it shivering.
    “ H…hello?”
    The figure froze. Adrenaline seared
through my veins. Immediately every move, every act of defense I
had learned replayed in my mind. My hands balled into fists, and I
braced myself for a fight.
    “ Go away,” Sasha hissed.
She gasped, and her body shivered again.
    Every taut muscle in my body released,
and anger served as an outlet for the adrenaline. “What the hell
are you doing down here?”
    Sasha turned, wiping her eyes. “Peter
said Grant was out for the day, and that I needed to straighten up
down here until you came in. Does he think I’m stupid?” She stood.
“Why would I want to work for someone that doesn’t appreciate me,
anyway? I wouldn’t. I am far too talented to be sentenced to the
file room.”
    “ Sasha. You misused
company resources.”
    “ It was
approved!”
    “ You’re an intern. Interns
don’t hire calligraphers or order cappuccino machines.”
    “ Grant loves
cappuccinos!”
    “ Then he can buy one for
his office.”
    “ He’s the CEO!”
    “ No,” I breathed. “He’s
not. Report to Peter when you’re finished with the file room so he
can give you a list of new duties. You will work in Peter’s
department, now, so he is your immediate supervisor, and he will
handle your evaluation. If you need anything, Peter will be happy
to address your concerns.”
    “ Nina!”
    I walked out of the basement and took
a deep breath. It was the first time my lungs felt like they were
getting air. I noticed another, newer, male intern walking down the
hall, and called him over.
    “ Yes, Mrs.
Ryel?”
    “ The lights in the file
room need attention. Call maintenance and have the bulbs replaced
or repaired immediately, and please help Sasha with whatever she
needs. You’ll find her at the end of the third aisle. And do not,
under any circumstances, leave her alone.”
    The intern frowned with confusion.
“Y-yes, ma’am.” He stood there for a moment, every thought
scrolling across his face.
    “ Well? Go.”
    He nodded, hastily making his way down
the hall to the file room, and I paused, disturbed by the distinct
Cynthia-like tone in my voice just then.
    I rushed up the stairs, squinting from
the bright sunlight bursting through the windows of the lobby. When
I made it to the Escalade, Jared watched me warily.
    “ Was there a problem?” he
said.
    I took his hand. “They were in
there.”
    “ Who?”
    “ They, Jared,” I sighed. I
put my elbow on the console and covered my eyes with my fingers. “I
could feel them.” Jared was quiet, so I peeked up at him. He seemed
confused. “You couldn’t feel them?”
    “ What makes you think they
were there?”
    “ I was creeped out, for
one. I’ve been around them enough to know what it feels like when
they’re around. Sasha was down there crying; negative energy in the
air; it was cold.”
    Jared’s mouth pulled to one side.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean that—,”
    “ Just,” I sighed,
irritated, “this one time, trust me. I’m not a Hybrid, but they
were in there. Not many, but I could feel them.”
    “ But… I couldn’t feel them. It doesn’t
make sense that you could and I couldn’t.”
    I shook my head. “I don’t understand
it.” I thought for a moment. “Could you sense me?”
    “ Yes. You were just
fine.”
    “ I was not just fine. I
genuinely believed something was about to attack me. You didn’t
sense that?”
    Jared shifted to face me, his face
darkened with concern. “You were afraid.” His tone was more of