'Tell me about yourself.'

Lisa let her head rest in the curve of Kaufman's arm, eyes closed as she let his fingers encircle a lock of her hair, his free hand softly running down the length of her arm.

The room wasn't quite as romantic as he had claimed, with only a heart shaped bed to set the mood. Honestly, she found it tacky, but it was more attractive than that sordid motel room.

The experience hadn't been as intolerable as the first time, and though there was still some measure of discomfort, she found it far more pleasant. Lifting her leg so that it wrapped around his, she inhaled the powerful scent of aftershave and sweat.

With a grunt, the director gazed down at her. 'There's nothing to tell.'

Bright pupils staring back at him, the girl pulled a face. 'Of course there is. Are you married? Divorced? Any kids? Pets?'

The man smirked in response, hand shifting to her bare shoulder, protruding from the askew bedsheets. 'Would it matter if I had a wife?'

'I guess not.' She replied, a little disappointed.

'And no, I don't have any pets, nor children.'

'Ever thought about it?'

Exhaling, he released his grip on the intern's hair. 'No. I'm a busy man, with little time or patience to deal with either of those.'

Nestling against his chest, the nurse remained unphased by his comments, already presuming he wasn't a fan of any creature that would demand his precious attention. Somebody like him would never be able to upkeep a relationship. The man was a workaholic. He craved money, and lived for his job. Everything else, including his morals, came second.

Trailing a finger across his naked flesh, the teenager listened to the soft beating of the doctor's heart, pulsing against her cheek as she settled comfortably into his arm. Smiling contently, she knew that this peace would not last, merely satisfied with enjoying the moment whilst she could.

'What about you?' His subdued, lazy tone enquired. 'Have you ever thought about marriage?'

She didn't reply, taking some time to really think about the question. Seventeen was far too young to consider such a commitment, and certainly too premature to consider having children. Perhaps one day she would change her opinion, when she was older and more mature, but for the moment, she had a lot of problems that she needed to sort through.

No, she wasn't ready to take that step. She feared she may never have been able to dive into the complicated and frightening world of motherhood. And as for marriage, well, wedded bliss would be all but impossible with her current predicament. Kaufman was becoming as addictive as the PTV she so desperately craved.

'Maybe one day.' She managed, her words lacking enthusiasm.

Though she tried to ignore them, thoughts of Alessa soon swamped her mind, drowning out all sensation until she could feel nothing but an odd discomfort. That girl had become a spirit, following her wherever she went like a tortured soul demanding justice. It was arduous.

Lips dry, she ran the tip of her rough tongue over the cracked surface, wishing she had remembered to bring her lip balm. There had been something she had desperately wanted to ask the man, but she was far too afraid to put forth such a question.

Why couldn't Alessa die?

He would most likely react with dismissive irritation, as he so often did when faced with a topic he chose not to discuss. She was growing weary of it. The director had invited her into his world of deceit, yet he refrained from revealing any secrets pertaining to it.

'There's something wrong with that child.' Kaufman shifted beneath her, jaw clenched as he tried to avoid her piercing gaze. When he didn't respond, she repeated herself. 'That girl, she should be dead. There's something very wrong about this.'

'I thought I told you not to pry into my business?'

Pushing herself upright, Lisa allowed the bed sheets to fall from her slender frame, not caring that her nude figure was on display. Kneeling on the matress, she winced as a sharp spring wore away at the thin fabric, slightly grazing her shin.

'Your business is my business! You made that abundantly clear when you got me involved.'

Her fingers clasped the duvet so tightly that her knuckles turned white, back hunched as she leaned forward to scowl at him. Without a retort, the man drew himself away from her, making to stand as he set about getting dressed.

The teenager looked on, affronted that he wouldn't even provide her with an answer. Suddenly cold, the nurse shivered from the abrupt chill, rubbing at arms now erect with goosebumps. Cupping both hands in her lap, she watched as her boss gradually slid into more layers of clothing.

It were as though he was concealing his brittle core, donning that overly expensive suit and tie to disguise the bare, brutal truth that lay dormant underneath.

'I've done my research.' She mumbled, matching his movements as she slid back into discarded underwear. 'This is a dangerous game you're playing.'

'What exactly are you referring to?' He quizzed, pausing to glare at her.

'The Order. Samael. Dahlia's insane scheme.' Shaking her head, the intern squirmed, feeling disgusted at not having showered. She felt dirty and unclean. 'It's magic. It has to be. I know you're going to tell me I'm crazy, but there's no other explanation.'

The older man chuckled disconcertingly, making the young woman swallow her next sentence. It was a sinister sort of laugh, one that sent shivers down her spine.

'Honestly, I really don't care about that woman, or about your concerns. I'm doing this for profit, not because I have any loyalty to the cult.' He pulled on his tie, creating a firm knot that sat against his collarbone. 'Even if witchcraft existed, there's simply no way for you to prove it. Really, who is going to believe you?'

Resolve fading, Lisa reluctantly admitted defeat, knowing that he was right. She had no one to confide in, and even if she did summon the courage to speak, the threat of Kaufman's retaliation forever loomed above her head.

There were days when the man would stare unwaveringly in her direction, a reminder that he was always watching, wherever she was, whatever she did. Even at home, in the security of her bedroom, the nurse did not feel safe.

Could he see her there, sprawled on the bed, eyes rolling into her skull as a bag of PTV sat atop her desk? Did he smile arrogantly upon realizing that she would always come back to him, swooning like a lovesick puppy to his door?

He owned her, and though she couldn't see it, a transparent leash looped around her neck, trailing back into his greedy hand. There was a menacing, darker side to the doctor, and she was terrified of drawing it out.

'I can't keep doing this.' She stated, pinning her cap into place. The palms of her hands ran down her bob, smoothing loose strands of auburn hair. 'It's too much. It's too hard.'

'You don't really have a choice.' He replied, matter-of-factly.

'How long are you going to keep her there?' She almost pleaded, eyes begging for him to release her from the tedious duty.

'Until she is no longer needed.'

The intern opened her mouth to respond, but was swiftly cut off by the sound of footsteps out in the hall. Pulse hammering as she prayed that nobody had overheard their conversation, the nurse clamped her jaw shut, reaching out to take her red cardigan.

Though the complex was empty, it was almost easy to forget that the walls had ears, with every sound seeping determinedly through the various cracks and crevices. A man's voice could be heard in the distance, mumbling to himself. Lisa recognized it, and from the doctor's reaction, he did too.

'Travis Grady.' He hissed, brow furrowed at the mere mention of his name. 'That man is everywhere. What a nuisance.'

'Why do you hate him so much?' Lisa enquired, admittedly agitated that their discussion had been cut short. 'He's not a bad guy.'

Kaufman raised his eyes to the ceiling, tracing the direction of sound with an unhappy snarl. 'Just like you, that man needs to stop butting his nose into my personal affairs.'

There was something unusual about his behaviour, and though it was highly coincidental that the tuck driver happened to bump into them wherever they were, the director's actions led his employee to believe that Travis knew more about the events than he should have.

Lisa's prying clearly annoyed him, but Grady was a loose cannon, capable of disrupting everything the doctor had worked so hard to accomplish. And unlike the nurse, his silence couldn't be bought.

Seating herself on the edge of the bed, Lisa began to slip on her pumps, thick material snapping against her heels as she hurriedly tried to finish dressing. Kaufman joined her on the adjacent side, affixing his collar as the sudden glare of a torch illuminated the room.

Kaufman had warned her that Riverside was all but defunct, and that they had been granted access to the room purely as a favour from one of his associates. Even so, she could not suppress surprise at the knowledge that Travis had tumbled from the ceiling, breaking any privacy they may have had.

A plate of white powder sat on the dressing table, and the teen cursed at having forgotten to dispose of the evidence. The trucker seemed nonchalant about the whole affair, as if nothing could sway him, but still she worried.

Had he been eavesdropping? She certainly hoped not.

Keeping her head bowed, she prepared to leave the den of shame, having no inclination to discuss anything with their guest. The trucker called out to her, but all she could do was offer him an irked reply, riddled with misguided spite and unnecessary scorn.

Yes she was angry, but not with him.

Outside in the gloomy hall, she wrapped both arms around herself, soles scuffing the threadbare surface as she scuttled towards the exit. Moments later the director caught up with her, matching her pace perfectly as they walked in tandem.

'That meddlesome man is starting to bother me.' He growled, placing emphasis on his words. 'He's like a damn stalker.'

Peering at him from behind her fringe, the teen released a gust of hot air. 'Maybe we should stop this whole Alessa business? I mean, if Travis tells anyone-'

'He won't.' It was abrupt and stern, cutting her of before she could finish.

'You don't know that.' She pushed, moving closer to him. 'If we get rid of the evidence, then we can't be charged with anything.'

'And what do you suggest we do with the child, hmm?' He questioned, not expecting a reply. 'No, there is no way to destroy something like that.'

That? He made her sound like she was some sort of object, rather than a living creature. To Kaufman, the girl was just a means to an end and nothing more. Of course, Lisa knew she couldn't chastise him without sounding like a hypocrite. They were more alike than she cared to admit.

'I think we should stop.' The nurse said, voice barely audible. 'Alessa is different. She's not like us. I can feel it when I'm in the room with her. A horrible, chocking sensation, as though she's trying to speak to me.'

The doctor shook his head. 'She can't talk. Her vocal chords are too damaged.'

'I didn't mean with her mouth.' She responded, feeling sheepish as she heard the words escape her lips. It sounded ridiculous. 'With her...mind.' She tapped her head with a finger, noticing how her boss' expression soured.

Grabbing her wrist, Kaufman lowered his voice until it was so low that she could almost feel the Earth quake beneath her feet. 'I have asked you to do one thing, and one thing only. Be a good girl; keep quiet, and do your job.'

His grip hadn't been tight, but she was suddenly frightened by his physical outburst, lingering behind as he stormed ahead. A nausea bubbled in her gut, and the intern squeezed her stomach tightly. It was happening again. She was going to be sick.