A/N: This Halloween two part one-shot is based on the original Psycho movie. With apologies to Hitchcock.

A big thank you to our betas, Bloodsong 13T and Suilven for all your help!

Hotel Blaze

Part 1

Korlys sat up in bed, loath for this too-short tryst to end. He looked down at Mario, draped across the bed like a lazy cat, and smiled. "How'd you enjoy your 'lunch'?" he asked.

Mario arched his brow. "You know, usually at lunch you're supposed to eat something, not to be ravished," he said lightly.

It didn't take the observational skills of a Crow to see there was something amiss, despite the flirty response. He watched his lover swing his legs over the bed and rise, then occupy himself with dressing. "Why don't you call your boss and tell him you're taking the rest of the day off?" Korlys suggested. "We could spend a little more time together before I have to leave."

"A little more time." Mario crossed his arms. "And then I'd walk you to the airport? And wait for the next time you call me that you're coming over?"

"Well, isn't that better than never getting to see each other?" Korlys replied, feeling a bit defensive. And guilty, truth be told. He knew Mario deserved better.

"I don't know." Mario turned away. "I… I can't do this anymore, Korlys. Hide in these horrid hotels, like we're criminals on the run."

"Well, I am a criminal," the assassin cut in jokingly, desperate to lighten the mood, or at least deflect the conversation, before Mario said something that would change everything.

"A smooth one," Mario agreed with a little smile. "But I'm not going to see you in a seedy hotel again. This is the last time, Korlys."

Afraid of the finality in his lover's voice, Korlys blurted, "What if I come down next week? Take you to lunch? We can at least still see each other, right?"

"We can meet each other. Respectably. You can come over for dinner at my house, meet my brother. He'll make you his signature dish, prime rib au jus."

Korlys paused, but only for a moment. "All right."

That caught Mario off guard. He didn't think Korlys would accept his offer, especially not this easily. "You'd really be okay with that?"

"Sí," Korlys said with a little smile. "I am really okay with that." He pulled Mario in for a small kiss, but just as quickly pulled away, a small frown on his face.

"Korlys… let's get married," Mario blurted, knowing full well that it was a bad, crazy, dangerous thing to say. But he couldn't help it. These stolen moments were not enough. He needed more, he needed Korlys by his side every day.

Korlys snorted, his frown deepening. "And what will you do? Live with me in a tiny shack while I work to pay off Nico? That's no life for you!" He shook his head. "If only I had enough money! I could pay him off... buy a tropical island... we could fly away and be free. Just the two of us." The thought of it was achingly sweet, and at the same time painfully bitter in its impossibility.

A shack or an island, what did it matter? He'd live anywhere, do anything to be with Korlys… "I need to go," he said. "I'll send the invitation for dinner."

The assassin watched his lover walk out the door. Despite Mario's words, it felt like the thief was walking out of his life forever. He would soon find out how prescient that feeling would turn out to be...

oOo

Mario entered the office, tossed his briefcase on the desk, and plopped down on his chair. He shouldn't have said anything… Korlys must be annoyed with him now. Maybe he should force Claudio to make the prime rib… the next weekend? It would give them both some time to cool off…

He looked at Charles, the other assistant - supposedly the same age as Mario, though he looked much older, always so starchy, always talking about his perfect wife and their perfect life. "Is the boss back from lunch?"

Charles looked up from his paperwork. "He's having lunch with the lady buying the Harry Street property." Here the man's tone changed to the one respectable people used when talking about something seedy and distasteful. "You know, Tammy Cassidy. That woman who made all her money as a 'lady of the evening'." The man's lips puckered, as if he'd just drank sour lemonade or something.

As if summoned, their boss walked in, Tammy in tow. Mario's head started to ache the moment he saw the pitiable cow, with tons of makeup and an outfit that looked like she forgot to wear the bottom, drenched in patchouli. Everything was ridiculously expensive, he knew - yet it all looked so cheap on her. How unfair, that someone like her had so much money, while he and Korlys had to work their asses off just to survive.

The woman scanned the room like a cougar on the prowl. A hungry grin appeared on her face as her eyes met Mario's. The sway in her hips as she strolled to Mario's desk was more nauseating than alluring. Tammy hocked a hip on his desk and leaned over, showing ample cleavage. "Hi there, sweety. Is it hot in here, or is it just me?"

It's just you. I'm having cold shivers right now. But she was a client, and the boss hoped to finish the deal that day, so he forced himself to smile. "It is very hot, yes," he said; he was trying hard not to look at her cleavage, because it was the very opposite of 'hot', hoping that she'd think he was just a bit bashful.

"My boy is getting married tomorrow," the old hag continued, a pleased look on her face as if she'd just gotten a compliment. "Eighteen years old." She pulled out a picture from her purse and waved it under Mario's nose. "Never been unhappy a day in his life. Know why?"

Mario honestly doubted that claim - he'd bet the poor lad was suffering inside any time he was near his mommy dearest - but he forced himself to keep smiling. "Because he has such a lovely mother?"

Tammy's laughter ended in the coughing of a long-time smoker, but it didn't seem to embarrass her in the least. "It's because I buy it off! Don't let anyone tell you you can't buy happiness, sugar."

As Mario dug through the papers on his desk and came up with the paperwork for the real estate sale he'd typed up before leaving for lunch, Tammy pulled out a huge wad of hundred dollar bills from her purse and threw it on Mario's desk. "That should cover it," she said, clearly expecting him to be impressed.

Before he could react, the boss jumped in. "We don't usually handle cash transactions, you know." It was clear the idea of having that much money laying around worried him. The office was in a pretty nice area, but that didn't mean they couldn't be robbed. "Why don't we put this in the bank safe until Monday? Then when you're feeling better you can write us a check?" Although he addressed that last to Tammy, it was clear he was also addressing Mario, asking him to do that very thing.

"Speaking of feeling good," Tammy replied. "How about a drink from that bottle you said you had in your office?" She turned to Mario, smirking as if she had accidentally/on purpose let the cat out of the bag. "I can usually keep my mouth shut you know...In case you ever want to..." She winked, as if it wasn't already perfectly clear what she was suggesting.

Mario couldn't stand it anymore. One more moment and he'd lose his patience and tell her to go fuck herself, and then he'd get fired, and Claudio would be disappointed… but damn it, she didn't make it easy. "Boss?" he asked, not bothering to respond to the flirting. "I'll go to the bank right away, but would you mind if I went home after that? I feel sick to my stomach..."

The boss hurried the hag into his office before she could do any more damage. Before closing the door he turned to Mario. "That's fine, just make that deposit before the bank closes." The last thing Mario heard as he hurried out was Tammy's coarse laughter coming from the boss's office.

oOo

What are you doing? You should go to the bank. This is a bad idea. Yes. He knew that. This meant trouble; this meant throwing away all his effort over the last two years. And right when he'd managed to keep a job for six months. Claudio had even invited him for a drink on the 'anniversary' last Monday… Mario felt a pang of guilt. His brother had done so much for him after their mother died, kept pulling him out of shit and giving him second chances… more like a million chances.

But what use was it? All the effort, all the hard work, living like an honest citizen, and he couldn't afford to rent a decent house with Korlys. And Korlys, giving almost all he earned to Nico... While that stupid vulgar drunk 'buys off unhappiness'! Tosses around wads of dollars like they were used tissues!

There was enough to pay off Nico in that wad. He'd counted it. Korlys could be free. They could have a future. It was worth the risk.

He pressed his lips together as he looked over the open suitcase. There wasn't much, only the most necessary things, as if he were just going to spend a weekend with Korlys. That was what the note he left for Claudio said; the longer it took for anyone to realize something was wrong the better. He resolutely snapped the suitcase closed, looked around the room for one last time and walked out.

With a sigh, he flung the suitcase into the back seat, then changed his mind and put it next to the driver's seat. He had a long drive in front of him - if he drove all night, and all day tomorrow, he could reach Korlys on Sunday evening. He wished he could take a flight, but the risk and the price were both too high. Dammit, Korlys. Why do you have to live so far away?

oOo

Mario woke up with a start. Someone was tapping on the car window… Fuck. A cop? How had they found him so fast? His mind raced, looking for any excuse or way to escape, as he rolled down his window.

"Good morning, officer. Something wrong?"

The cop looked down at him impassively, his face as unreadable as an assassin's. The reflective sunglasses he was wearing made it impossible to see his eyes, contributing to Mario's unease. After a long moment, he said, "You okay?"

Mario forced himself to smile. "Yeah. I just fell asleep. I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open, so I pulled over to get five minutes rest…" He chuckled. "Seems I was more tired than I thought."

"You slept on the side of the road all night?" the cop asked after another interminable moment. Was he just slow, or was he trying to trap him in a lie?

"So it seems," he said patiently.

"There are plenty of hotels around here, you know. Why didn't you stop at one of those?"

"I thought I'd reach the town before night," Mario answered. "As I said, I only wanted to take a short break."

"What town would that be?"

"The next one." Mario was starting to lose his patience with this fool. "Anyway, it's not illegal to sleep in a car, is it?"

Instead of answering the question, the cop said, "I'm going to have to see your license and insurance, sir." His voice sounded awfully formal now. The sort of tone a cop used when things have progressed from 'friendly chat' to 'official business'.

Stay calm. Stay polite. "Sure," he said. He pulled his wallet from his pocket, took out his licence and handed it to the cop.

The man took it and strolled to his patrol car, stopping to check the license plate on Mario's car on the way there. The cop got into his patrol car and sat there a while - running his license and plates to see if they were stolen. Standard procedure, really. It didn't mean anything. It would come back clean and that would be that. The thought didn't stop his heart from pounding.

After what seemed like ages, the police officer got back out and strolled back to Mario's car. He handed back his license. After a pause, he said, "You sure you're okay?"

"Well, my neck is killing me. Sleeping here was a bad idea," he said with a smile. "But other than that, yes, I'm fine."

The officer paused for a long while, face inscrutable. Finally, as if finding no reason for keeping him, he said, "You're free to go, then. Next time find a hotel before you get so sleepy you have to pull over."

"I will." Mario kept smiling pleasantly as he turned on the ignition and pressed down on the gas pedal. Only when he couldn't see the cop and his car anymore did he allow himself to breathe again.

oOo

He drove the whole day, only stopping twice at gas stations to buy himself a sandwich and a Coke and use the bathroom. But the cop was right, and his neck proved it - sleeping in a car was a dumb idea. He should find a motel before it got too late and have a proper rest. If he got on the road at sunrise, he could be with Korlys by Monday morning.

And then? Soon, everyone will know what you've done. The boss will call the cops and it won't take long until they find out about Korlys…

So what? All we have to do is to pay off Nico. By the time the police finds us, we'll be long gone.

On the run. Is that the life you want for Korlys? Hasn't he gone through enough shit already without now having cops on his heels?

At least we'll be together.

Mario's mood was getting darker, perfectly reflecting the weather. Thick storm clouds obliterated the last bit of light, and the air became unbreathable.

At nine, lightning ripped the sky, and immediately the downpour started. Mario could hardly see the road at all. He slowed down, looking for any sign of a motel, but for several long miles there was nothing. When he finally noticed a neon light in the distance, barely discernible, he couldn't tell what it was. But even a gas station would be better than nothing.

He forced the car to move through the flooded road, dimly aware that he'd left the highway. As he got closer, he saw the neon sign more clearly. 'BLAZE MOTEL' it said. The windows were all dark, but there was a light on in the office, and Mario sighed in relief. He pulled as close to the entrance as he could, and dashed out of the car, to the door, into the office. It was empty. Confused, he looked around.

"Hello? Anyone here?" There was no response.

Frowning, he went out to the porch again. He didn't feel like going alone through dark cabins, opening doors to see if anyone was there, and getting shot as a robber. For once, he wanted nothing more than to pay for a single night. He looked around. Slightly behind the hotel, he saw a path leading to an old house. There was a light on in one of the upstairs rooms. Thank goodness. He headed up the path and was almost there when he noticed a silhouette of a woman passing by the window. She stopped and peered out, then quickly moved away. Huh. Well, whatever. At least they knew now they had a customer. Someone was bound to come to see him.

But no one came. Annoyed, he returned to the car, laid on the horn and held it. After a moment a man ran out of the house. When he saw Mario, he paused then returned to the house. What the fuck? He didn't go to get a gun, did he?

But a moment later, the guy reappeared - holding an umbrella. As if it was of any use now. Mario couldn't be more wet if he became water himself.

"Hello! I'm terribly sorry," he said, as he handed Mario the umbrella. "Mother told me about you, but I had to take care of her first - she's very ill, you see. Please, come."

There was something disarming in his voice - it sounded surprisingly youthful and warm. Mario took the umbrella, but didn't bother to open it, as he followed the man into the office.

"You've got vacancies?" he asked, taking the opportunity to study the guy - Mr. Blaze, he assumed. He was tall and thin, with red wavy hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, a wide, open, baby face that made it difficult to guess his age - he could be anywhere between fifteen and thirty - and a timid smile that made it difficult to stay mad with him.

"Yes," Blaze replied, with a little sigh. "Twelve cabins, twelve vacancies. Nobody comes here anymore since they moved the highway… Oh, but don't worry. Everything is pristine and ready, I assure you." As he spoke, he went to the counter, opened the registration book and pushed it slightly towards Mario. "Would you sign, please? Name and home address - just the town will do."

Mario walked over and grabbed the pen. The name… something similar, familiar would be the best… He grinned a little bit as he wrote in the book - Marco Ghilani. The town now. Whatever. Los Angeles? Yeah, that sounded good.

"So… what's your favourite number from one to twelve?" Blaze said with a little smile.

"The one that's nearest to here. I don't feel like walking in the rain again."

"You could try dancing." Blaze chuckled. He took a key with a big round tag with the number one on it from the board. "Cabin one is right next to the office. Please follow me."

"Do you also provide food?" Mario asked; the sandwich happened centuries ago.

"No," Blaze said apologetically. "As I said, no one comes here anymore, so… there's a diner in Fairvalle - it's not far, just about fifteen miles. Do you have any bags?"

"Just my suitcase. I'll get it myself." No way he'd let the money out of his sight.

Outside, the rain got heavier, if that was even possible. Blaze pointed to the door just down the porch to the left. Mario drove the car to the parking spot in front of the cabin, grabbed the suitcase, and ran to the cabin's door. Blaze was already there, but he hadn't unlocked the door yet.

"I think I'll skip dinner after all," he muttered when he reached him. Blaze gave him a sympathetic look as he opened the door.

The cabin was small and the furnishings outdated and worn out, but just as Blaze promised, pristine clean, and surprisingly cosy. "The mattress is soft," Blaze said. "And there's stationery with the 'Blaze Motel' logo in the desk drawer - you know, if you want to brag to your friends," he said with that timid little smile of his. "And over there is the - the - "

"The bathroom?" Mario suggested, and Blaze gratefully nodded; Mario noticed he actually blushed. What a weirdo.

"Yes. Well, I - I'll be in the office, if you need anything" he said, hurrying to leave.

"Thank you, Mr. Blaze." Mario gave him a smile that he hoped was reassuring; no need to make this harmless little weirdo uncomfortable.

"Attrei," he said. "Attrei Blaze." He paused at the door, looking thoughtfully at Mario. "Well… I was just about to have dinner. Nothing much - just sandwiches and milk, I'm afraid, but - if you'd like, I'd be glad if you joined me."

That took him by surprise. He probably shouldn't - he was on the run, should lay low and leave at sunrise. But what was the harm in it? Even if the police tracked him here, Blaze didn't know anything. By the time the police came, he and Korlys would be three states away anyway. "Sure, I'd like that."

Blaze beamed as if Mario had promised to do him a great favour. "Excellent! Please make yourself at home - there are hangers in the closet, and I'll come back for you as soon as it's ready. It won't be more than ten minutes," he promised, and bolted out of the room.

Mario smiled a bit as he opened the suitcase. He had no intention to "make himself at home", of course, but he could at least change out of these wet clothes for dinner. Poor guy, living here all alone with a badly ill mother. From his reaction, it must've been days, maybe weeks, since he had anyone to talk to.

Suddenly the quiet was shattered by the shrill, ugly sound of a woman's angry voice. It was coming from the direction of the house. Mario moved to the window and opened it; now he could understand the words.

"No! I said, NO! I won't have you bring strange men to dinner! Girls aren't enough? Now you bring men too? You will have dinner by candlelight? Play romantic music? And then what? Eh? You'll - you'll do disgusting things! I don't want to even talk about them, because they disgust me! You disgust me!"

If Blaze tried to protest, he couldn't be heard over her shrieking. Mario shuddered in disgust. And the guy was taking care of her? He must be a saint. Mario would've strangled her ages ago.

"You better tell him he won't be appeasing his appetite with my son! Or do I have to do it myself, because you don't have the balls? Huh? Do you have the balls, boy?"

There was a sharp noise, as if someone had slammed a door. Mario discreetly peeked out of the window, and noticed Blaze running out of the house, carrying a napkin-covered tray in one hand, and an umbrella in the other. He quickly stepped away; a moment later, he heard a knock on the door.

Attrei looked terribly embarrassed. "You probably heard that," he said. "I'm sorry. She's not feeling well tonight and…"

"No need to apologize. It's not your fault," Mario assured him. "But I wouldn't want to get you into even more trouble. I don't have much appetite tonight anyway."

"Ah… that…" Attrei looked as if his whole head was on fire. "I'm sorry. I understand if you don't want to…"

"Bullshit," Mario said. "You made the dinner, we may as well eat it. Come on in."

Attrei took one step in, then hesitated, glancing at the bed, then shooting a quick glance at the window. "The office will be more comfortable. Let's eat there." Without waiting for Mario's reaction, he turned on his heel and bolted out again.

Mario sighed. But he probably couldn't expect too much from the guy; he'd bet this much was already super rebellious for him.

oOo

The office behind the front lobby was darkened when they walked in, so it was startling when Blaze turned on some of the lamps placed around the room. It was furnished more like a parlor than a proper office, and the soft light cast from the lamps would have made the place feel homey... if not for the paintings that covered the walls. One of the bigger ones depicted a nude Revered Mother lying across the altar in a Chantry, a seductive look on her face. Others were of nude Chanters cavorting in libraries. Weird.

"Please, sit down." Attrei pointed at the sofa, as he started to spread the food on the table - a basket of buns, butter, cheese, ham, and a big jug of milk.

Mario watched him with a little smile. When was the last time he drank milk? Must've been when Ma was still alive. "You're very kind," he said. "Thanks."

"It's all for you," Attrei said. "I'm not hungry."

Mario frowned a little bit. Hadn't he said he was just about to have dinner? And now he wasn't hungry? What if his mother had a reason for her accusations? "Thanks, but that's a bit too much for me. Besides, it's weird to eat alone. If you feel bad about earlier, it's okay. So please. Join me."

Attrei gave him a little smile, then nodded. They sat on chairs at either end of the table; Mario was determined to keep distance between them, lest the guy thought he really wanted to do something 'disgusting' with him.

"Where are you travelling?" Attrei asked, curiously, then quickly added, "I don't mean to pry, of course."

"I'm looking for a private little island." Mario laughed. "A paradise where I can have my happily ever after with the love of my life," he said in a dreamy voice, as if he was making it up.

Attrei tilted his head and observed him for a moment. "You sound as if you were running from something."

Mario stopped eating. "Why would you say that?"

"Aren't we all?" Attrei shrugged. "But it's futile. No one ever escapes from anything. I have a little theory, that we all live in our own little trap. We struggle to get away, we scratch and claw at each other… but we never budge an inch, in the end."

"I don't believe that," Mario snapped, harsher than he intended. "You can leave it, if you want. Sometimes, you may just walk into another one, true. But it's in your hands."

"I guess you're right." Attrei shrank back into his chair, avoiding eye contact. "I was born into mine, maybe that's why I got used to it, and don't mind it anymore."

"You should," Mario pressed.

"Well… if I'm honest, I do. I just say I don't." Attrei laughed a little bit.

Mario shook his head. "You know, if someone talked to me that way, I don't think I'd be able to laugh about it. Why don't you walk away?"

"Well, sometimes… when she talks to me like that, I really want to curse her out and leave!" He laughed again, but then became serious. "But I could never do that. She's ill."

"I don't mean to pry, but she sounded pretty strong to me," Mario said.

"Oh, she is, physically. But she's… ill. She had to raise me all by herself, when my father died. He did leave us some money, but being a single mother isn't easy, you know. Years later, she finally met another man she thought she could love, and all was sunshine and light, but then he died, too. And… the way it happened… I'm sorry. It's not something to discuss during a meal. But it was too strong a blow for her. She's never been the same. I can't leave her. She's got no one left. Even though I hate her sometimes, when she talks to me like that… No. Not her. I don't hate her, I hate the illness. What it made her become. You understand, don't you?"

"I do," Mario said softly, his respect for the guy growing again. If Ma hadn't died, if she'd turned into a shrieking lunatic, would he have been able to take care of her? He'd like to think he would have, but he wasn't sure. "Have you considered putting her in… someplace?"

"Someplace." Attrei straightened his back. "People always talk of 'someplace'. Just call it what it is. A madhouse."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to sound uncaring-"

"What do you know about caring?" Attrei sounded furious now; Mario wouldn't have thought he was capable of it, to be honest. "Have you ever been in a madhouse? Have you heard the laughing, crying, felt cruel eyes following your every move? My mother in there? Has she ever harmed you? She yells sometimes, that's all. She's harmless!"

"Okay, okay," Mario said. "Didn't mean to upset you. I meant well-"

"People always say they 'mean well' when they say the cruelest things," Attrei accused, then sunk back into the chair, the fury gone as abruptly as it appeared. "I have considered it. More than once," he whispered. "But… she needs me. And she's not a maniac… We all get a little mad sometimes. Don't you?"

"I do," Mario said, careful to keep pity out of his voice. "Thank you for dinner, Attrei."

"Oh… are you going to your room already? It's not… I didn't offend you, did I?"

"Of course not," Mario assured him. "But I'm leaving early in the morning, and I still have a long drive ahead of me."

"Okay. I will get breakfast ready for you," Attrei said. "Have a good night."

"Thanks. You really are too kind," Mario said. "Good night."

oOo

Attrei watched the man as he walked out of the parlor, and then out into the night. He started to clean up the table, but paused when he heard the soft sound of the door closing. I won't do it, he thought as he walked to the wall. He pressed his ear on the wall. He could hear Mario walk around the room. Soft rustling sounds as if he was taking off his clothes. I won't! No! I'm not as weak as Mother says! But even as he was repeating it to himself, he was looking at the picture at the far end of the wall.

Who was he kidding? They both knew the truth. He slowly walked over to the painting and took it down, carefully leaning it on the wall, delaying the moment when he pressed himself to the wall, his eye on the tiny hole.

Mario was standing next to his suitcase, naked except for his briefs. He took them off, then pulled out a toiletry bag and a towel from his suitcase. He straightened up for a moment, and Attrei couldn't help giving him a lookover. Disgusting, Mother's voice said right into his ear. Attrei startled and looked over his shoulder, but there was no one. Of course there was no one. It was just him and his dirty mind.

He pressed his eye to the peephole again. Mario was walking towards the bathroom, relaxed and confident, and so- so-

Attrei's face got painfully hot. His heart thumped, and beads of sweat appeared on his brow. No! Stop it! He pulled himself away from the wall, breathing heavily, then bolted out of the office. He was half aware he didn't lock the door behind him, but who cared. No one ever came here anyway and it was better that way he was better alone-

The light in Mother's room was still on. He wanted nothing more than to lock himself in his room, but he'd have to pass by hers first, and he didn't have the strength to face her now. He ran into the kitchen instead, and slumped into a chair. I failed again, he thought as he buried his head into his hands. But I'll never do it again, never, I swear!

It was a lie. They both knew it. He was disgusting.

oOo

Nothing like a hot shower on a night like this. Mario sighed in relief as he felt water falling over him, and for a moment he just stood there with his eyes closed, letting it wash all the tension and worries away. The last two days had been exhausting, more than he expected. But it would be all over soon. Tomorrow by lunch, he would be with Korlys. And this time tomorrow they would be on their way to their personal paradise, wherever it was, Nico and all the other cretins out of their lives forever. The only thing he regretted was not being able to say goodbye to Claudio. Who knew when he'd have a chance to talk to him again… if ever. But, it was worth it. Yeah.

He reached for the soap and lavishly lathered up his body and hair. He must look his best tomorrow! He imagined himself strutting into Korlys' apartment, smiling. Hey, love, he'd say. I'm here to solve all your troubles. And he'd nonchalantly toss the envelope with the money to him. And Korlys would be impressed, naturally. And they'd have long, hot sex. And then- And then there was a sound, as if someone was pulling the shower curtain away. Mario turned in the direction of the sound-

"What the fuck?" He tried to blink the soap out of his eyes, and saw someone - a woman? - looming there. Was that a knife she was holding?

He tried to grab for her arm the same moment as she lunged at him, aiming for his chest. He failed to grab her, but at least he brushed her arm away, and the knife hit the tile behind him. Now was his chance! He grabbed her arm, trying to make her drop it, but he was all wet and slippery and couldn't brace himself. She was much stronger than she looked; she hit him in the face with her other fist, and he relaxed his grip on her arm a bit. That was all she needed; she pulled her hand with the knife back, and then stabbed.

Mario's eyes widened in shock and pain. "Why?"

But she didn't reply. She pulled the knife out. He slumped to the floor, breathing heavily, staring at the face above him. I should've stayed with Korlys.

She stabbed again.

oOo

After some time, he finally calmed down. Mother had not called for him; maybe she had fallen asleep. Thank goodness. He should go back to the office and finish cleaning up. If Mother went to the parlor and saw the mess - saw that picture off the wall… He shuddered at the idea. Also, it was true that almost nobody came here anymore, but they did have a guest today, didn't they? He didn't doubt that Mr. Ghilani was a decent man, but what if someone else came and found the office open?

With that, he forced himself to get up, and slowly walked out of the house. After every few steps, he paused to listen, but it seemed that Mother was asleep, despite the light still being on in her room.

The parlor was just as empty as he had left it, but something felt off. At first he couldn't put a finger on it, but it nagged at him as he picked up the dishes and put them back on the tray. It was only when he finally gathered the courage to lift the cursed picture and hang it back in place that he realized what was wrong - the shower in the cabin was still running. He frowned. No one took a shower for almost an hour. He peeked through the hole. The room was empty, but the bathroom door was open.

He hesitated. Maybe he was mistaken. Maybe Mr. Ghilani did like long showers. But somehow, all his alarm bells were ringing. He'd better go and check.

He walked away from the parlor, faster and faster, until he was running; he banged into the cabin, which was unlocked, through the room, into the bathroom.

"Oh, God! No! Mother! Mother-" But there was no point calling for Mother. She knew. She always knew. Pressing his fists to his temples, he leaned on the wall, then slid down. He sat there for a long time, thinking about what to do. "I'm sorry, mister. I didn't want this to happen, I swear," he said when he finally got up. "But I have no choice now. We need to protect those we love. You understand, don't you?" His face was determined and focused now. He rolled up his sleeves.