pressed the basement button. This time it lit up. “Okay, that was easy,” I said to myself as the elevator descended. Considering how easy it was to figure out, I started to feel silly for even bothering to snoop.
The elevator doors opened into pitch-blackness. I hadn’t even considered bringing a flashlight. I reached for my phone in my back pocket. Using the illumination from the screen, I stepped out and heard the elevator doors slam closed behind me.
Barely able to see a foot ahead of me, I inched forward, reaching a hand out before me to brace myself. Before long, my palm hit onto to something hard and cold. I realized it was a door. Using the light from the phone to search for the handle, I yanked the door open, half expecting it to be locked. It wasn’t, and light flooded through the doorway.
I felt the wings before I saw them, but it was the sight of so many black birds that made me jump. As the flapping died down, I moved through the doorway and turned around. Lanterns lit the interior space beyond the door and I watched five crows facing me from the side of the door I had just been on. Levi had told me they were originally crow shifters, but these birds in front of me seemed creepier than the Pterons. I wondered if Levi could communicate with the regular birds. I’d have to ask him. That is if I made it through my search of the basement first.
Letting the door close behind me, I tentatively stepped forward again, but I was distracted by the rich marble floors and walls around me. Detailed carvings that looked a lot like hieroglyphics were etched into the marble slab. In the dim light I made out a bunch of different animals, but most of the pictures were of birds.
I wrapped my arms around myself. Now that I could see, I realized just how cold it was. I walked down the corridor, a little spooked by the flickering lights of the lanterns. I noticed a number of doors ahead of me. Selecting the nearest one, I opened it, relieved that the lighting continued.
Entering the large circular room with rows of stone seating built into the side, I was struck most by carvings of two large birds on the marble floor. Rubies were inlaid in the pictures, giving the birds a majestic feel. I’d never seen gems used in flooring before, but it was gorgeous.
“ It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
I startled, turning around to face the source of the female voice.
“ Natalie, umm hi,” I stuttered.
“ I’d ask you why you were down here, but really it was bound to happen with you dating Levi and all.”
“ You know Levi?”
She smiled. “Yes, I know Levi.”
“ Wait, so are you a—”
“ Yes, I’m a Pteron. I had a feeling he let you in on the secret, but I wasn’t sure.”
“ Wow. Umm, so I’m guessing this whole place down here has something to do with you, right? I mean all the bird stuff?”
“ Of course.”
“ What’s this room for?”
“ For meetings. I really can’t tell you more.”
“ Why not?”
“ It’s not my place. You should talk to Levi if you want answers.”
“ Why does it have to be him?”
She hesitated. “Because he’s the one who’s brought you in.”
“ Brought me in? You mean like in on the secret?”
“ Yes, he must really think you’re special.” She smiled.
“ I guess, but I don’t know what makes me different from the rest of the girls he dates.”
“ The key word is dates. He has never really dated anyone seriously as far as I know. He’s usually more of a one date kind of man.”
“ You mean he’s a player?”
“ That’s one way of putting it.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I know that, I’m not letting myself get too attached.” I hoped my words were true.
“ I’m not telling you that to scare you off. I’m letting you know he’s been different with you, that’s all.”
I chose to press on with my own question, ignoring Natalie’s implication. “Are you going to tell Levi I was down here?”
She looked towards the door suddenly. “I
The elevator doors opened into pitch-blackness. I hadn’t even considered bringing a flashlight. I reached for my phone in my back pocket. Using the illumination from the screen, I stepped out and heard the elevator doors slam closed behind me.
Barely able to see a foot ahead of me, I inched forward, reaching a hand out before me to brace myself. Before long, my palm hit onto to something hard and cold. I realized it was a door. Using the light from the phone to search for the handle, I yanked the door open, half expecting it to be locked. It wasn’t, and light flooded through the doorway.
I felt the wings before I saw them, but it was the sight of so many black birds that made me jump. As the flapping died down, I moved through the doorway and turned around. Lanterns lit the interior space beyond the door and I watched five crows facing me from the side of the door I had just been on. Levi had told me they were originally crow shifters, but these birds in front of me seemed creepier than the Pterons. I wondered if Levi could communicate with the regular birds. I’d have to ask him. That is if I made it through my search of the basement first.
Letting the door close behind me, I tentatively stepped forward again, but I was distracted by the rich marble floors and walls around me. Detailed carvings that looked a lot like hieroglyphics were etched into the marble slab. In the dim light I made out a bunch of different animals, but most of the pictures were of birds.
I wrapped my arms around myself. Now that I could see, I realized just how cold it was. I walked down the corridor, a little spooked by the flickering lights of the lanterns. I noticed a number of doors ahead of me. Selecting the nearest one, I opened it, relieved that the lighting continued.
Entering the large circular room with rows of stone seating built into the side, I was struck most by carvings of two large birds on the marble floor. Rubies were inlaid in the pictures, giving the birds a majestic feel. I’d never seen gems used in flooring before, but it was gorgeous.
“ It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
I startled, turning around to face the source of the female voice.
“ Natalie, umm hi,” I stuttered.
“ I’d ask you why you were down here, but really it was bound to happen with you dating Levi and all.”
“ You know Levi?”
She smiled. “Yes, I know Levi.”
“ Wait, so are you a—”
“ Yes, I’m a Pteron. I had a feeling he let you in on the secret, but I wasn’t sure.”
“ Wow. Umm, so I’m guessing this whole place down here has something to do with you, right? I mean all the bird stuff?”
“ Of course.”
“ What’s this room for?”
“ For meetings. I really can’t tell you more.”
“ Why not?”
“ It’s not my place. You should talk to Levi if you want answers.”
“ Why does it have to be him?”
She hesitated. “Because he’s the one who’s brought you in.”
“ Brought me in? You mean like in on the secret?”
“ Yes, he must really think you’re special.” She smiled.
“ I guess, but I don’t know what makes me different from the rest of the girls he dates.”
“ The key word is dates. He has never really dated anyone seriously as far as I know. He’s usually more of a one date kind of man.”
“ You mean he’s a player?”
“ That’s one way of putting it.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I know that, I’m not letting myself get too attached.” I hoped my words were true.
“ I’m not telling you that to scare you off. I’m letting you know he’s been different with you, that’s all.”
I chose to press on with my own question, ignoring Natalie’s implication. “Are you going to tell Levi I was down here?”
She looked towards the door suddenly. “I
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