Page 29 of Meet Me In The Dark

I rise on shaky legs, adjust my mask, and head toward the curtain, determined to find out.

Eight

A tall man stands at the entrance, arms crossed, dressed in black like every other gatekeeper here. His expression reveals little, but his gaze stays steady.

“Going in?” he asks.

My heart pounds against my ribs. I could still walk away, turn on my heel, and pretend this was just curiosity.

“Yes,” I say, surprising myself.

He nods once and unhooks the rope.

The change is immediate when I step through.

It’s quieter here. There’s still a bass line humming from the other rooms and music from the lounge, but everything feels closer.

More intimate.

A woman approaches me. Her mouth is painted a rich red, and when she smiles, it’s smooth.

“Welcome,” she says softly. “I’m Nina. I’ll be guiding you through the process tonight.”

My stomach flips. “Process?”

Her smile doesn’t falter. “A few choices.That’s all.”

I nod.

“Male or female?”

“Male,” I manage.

“Seeing or Unseeing?”

I’ve known since I walked in. “Unseeing.”

She steps closer and takes my wrist, tying something soft and light around it—a thin black band with a small button embedded in the center.

“If you want to stop at any point, press the button. Someone will come to get you. No questions.”

I look down at it.

“I understand,” I whisper.

“Good.” She extends her hand. “Come with me.”

We pass by a few closed doors before she stops at one near the end of the hall and unlocks it.

Inside is dim but warm. Shadows are softened by the amber glow of lights and candles. There’s a wide bed in the center of the room, framed by tall posts draped with fabric.

The walls are lined with toys and instruments, some sleek and modern, others looking like they belong to medieval punishment tools.

The air feels heavy with a charge that makes my skin prickle, and my throat goes dry.

Nina gestures to one of the plush chairs in the corner, upholstered in velvet so dark it looks black in this light. “You can take a seat if you’d like.”

I accept the offer because my legs aren’t exactly steady.