Semua Bab The Devil in My Bedroom: Bab 1 - Bab 10

The first thing I learned about Lucien Blackwood was that he didn't like people.The second was that he didn't like questions.The third—Well, the third was the reason I should have walked out of his mansion before midnight.I didn't.That was my mistake.My name is Serena Vale, and three days before I met Lucien Blackwood, I was counting coins in my wallet to see if I could afford dinner.Now I was standing inside a mansion that probably cost more than my entire bloodline had ever earned, holding a silver tray with a glass of untouched whiskey on it.Life had a strange sense of humor."Put it outside his study."Mrs. Reyes, the housekeeper, pointed toward the corridor."Don't knock."I looked at the closed double doors at the end of the hall."Why?"She gave me a look."You ask too many questions."I smiled awkwardly."I've only asked one.""And that's already one too many."She walked away.I stared after her.Wonderful.I'd been employed for exactly three days, and apparently ever

"Come find me."The voice faded.The piano stopped.And somehow, the silence that followed was worse.I was still holding Lucien's hand.Neither of us seemed interested in mentioning it.Then I remembered that I was angry.Very angry.I pulled my hand away."Who is she?"Lucien didn't answer."Lucien."Nothing.I stepped in front of him."Don't do that.""Do what?""That mysterious-rich-man thing."His eyebrow lifted."What mysterious-rich-man thing?""You know.""I don't.""The brooding. The silence. The looking at me like you know something I don't.""I do know something you don't.""Then tell me.""No."I stared at him.He stared back."You're unbelievably irritating.""So I've been told.""By women?""Mostly.""Of course."A faint smile touched his mouth.I hated that I noticed.I hated even more that it looked good on him.He turned toward the hallway."Go back to bed."I laughed."You cannot be serious.""I'm completely serious.""My mother's voice just came out of the walls.""

The rain started at eleven forty-three.Serena knew because she had been staring at the clock for the past twenty minutes, pretending she wasn't listening to the sound coming from upstairs.Three knocks.A pause.Then three more.Not loud.Not enough to wake someone.Just enough to make someone wonder if they had actually heard them.Serena slowly lowered her book.The library was supposed to be the safest room in Blackwood Estate.At least, that was what Mrs. Vale had told her."Why?" Serena had asked.The old housekeeper had simply smiled."Because Mr. Blackwood doesn't allow anyone to disturb him here."Serena had laughed at the time.She wasn't laughing now.Another three knocks sounded from somewhere above her.Her eyes lifted toward the ceiling.West wing.She knew it immediately.She had heard that sound before.The first night she arrived.The night Lucien had told her not to go upstairs after midnight.The clock read 11:47.Serena closed the book."Absolutely not."She stood.

They didn't open the door.Lucien waited until the scratching stopped.Then he unlocked it.The hallway was empty.No footprints.No woman.Nothing.Serena stepped into the corridor."Who was that?"Lucien closed the door behind them."I don't know.""You're lying.""I'm not.""You knew the voice."He didn't answer.Serena followed him downstairs."You knew it.""Yes.""Who is she?""I don't know.""Lucien."He stopped.She nearly walked into him.He turned."Do you really want the truth?""Yes.""You may not like it.""I haven't liked anything you've told me so far."He looked at her for a long moment."Neither did I."They stood there in silence.Then Lucien said—"My father believed the house was haunted."Serena blinked."That's your explanation?""No."He looked toward the west wing."My father believed something lived here.""Something?""A presence."Serena folded her arms."And you believe him?""I believed him when I was thirteen.""What changed?"Lucien's expression darkened

The silence after the recording stopped was worse than the voice itself.Serena stood frozen beside the old cassette recorder, staring at the machine as if it might suddenly come alive again.She finally remembered.The words were still inside her head.Not because they made sense.Because they didn't.Her fingers tightened around the brass key.W-13.The small piece of metal suddenly felt heavier than it should have.Lucien hadn't moved.He stood several feet away, his face partially hidden by the weak light from the desk lamp. For the first time since Serena had met him, his expression wasn't controlled.He looked afraid."Who was she?" Serena whispered.Lucien didn't answer."Lucien."His jaw tightened."Don't.""Don't what?""Ask me that question until we're somewhere safe."Serena almost laughed."Safe?"She gestured toward the hidden room."We're inside a secret room beneath your house, listening to recordings of me as a child while a woman who looks exactly like my mother tells