Chapter 12

Killian caught her just in time. He felt the heat radiating from her skin.

"She's burning up," he said to Nikita.

"Get a doctor!" Nikita cried.

Latisha drifted in a long, dark dream. She was a child again, locked in the storage closet by Renata. The darkness was absolute, swallowing her whole. She beat against the door until her hands were raw, but no one came.

Just as she was giving up hope, a sliver of light appeared. The door creaked open, and a figure stood silhouetted against the light, a savior descending to banish the shadows. He held out his hand.

In that moment, he was her god, and she, his most devout follower.

But as she reached for his hand, he pulled it back. The door swung shut, plunging her back into darkness.