I guess I'll open the door...

You decide to open the door. At this moment, Bones went absolutely ballistic. He had gone the entire day without barking even once… and now? “Relax, buddy,” you try to calm him. You go back up and pat Bones on the head, shushing him. When you turned around, you saw Scarlet still standing at the doorway, which surprised you a little since you expected her to follow you inside.

“Bones loved you until you interrupted our sleep,” you laugh slightly, trying to break up the feeling of being unnerved. The way she stood there was almost uncanny, but when she spoke, you knew it was her.

“You’re both sleepy heads,” she scoffed. “I need your help. We got a call to check a room in the room above us. I guess the desk tried to call you, but you didn’t answer.”

The pinch of discomfort washes over you. “Aren’t there rules about this? This is a strange hour to go out of room clearing. I doubt there’s anything up there that requires our immediate reaction.”

Scarlet shifted her weight, the dull lighting of the hallway projecting her strangely. “It’s my job being scared, Warren. I need you.”

Your eyebrows knit, and your eyes narrow. “So that’s why you’re dragging me along, huh?”

“Something like that,” her voice is hollow, and for a moment, it shifts slightly with an accent that she didn’t have. “I doubt you need any gear. The sooner we check the noise complaint, the better.”

A part of you tells you there’s something wrong. You stand up and close the distance, meeting Scarlet at the doorway. Her eyes watch you, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. They’re dark, but you can’t say you would expect anything different in the lighting. However, the air cools, and an odd sensation of arousal washes over you. Your confusion stifles any significant reaction, though.

“Is something the matter, Warren? You’re looking at me like I’m some kind of exhibit at the freakshow, for God’s sake,” Scarlet’s voice returns to the tones you’re familiar with. She tilts her chin down and looks up at you, the smile turning in a straight line. “Seriously. Are you upset I woke you from a wet dream or something?”

“Not exactly,” you murmur. “I’ll be out in a second. Just let me get my shoes on. Aight?”

“Take your time,” she muses. “I’m not in a rush.”

“Do you want to come in? I’d hate to leave you outside.”

Scarlet blinks and shakes her head. “No. I’ll wait. I’ll be fine.”

You pluck your shoes out of your closet and strap them on before getting your pistol holstered at your side.

When you reunite with Scarlet, you notice she hasn’t moved an inch. “You’re going like that?” you gesture to her pajamas.

“Yes,” she blinks, and her expression becomes scrutinizing. “Why?”

“Just seems a little out of speck for you, is all. " You glance over her. Her frame seems less masculine and tight. In fact, she looks slightly shorter while also being significantly more feminine.

Only one side of her mouth tightens into annoyance. “Sorry, Warren, do you want me to go back in and change my entire wardrobe so you feel more comfortable doing our job?”

A little laugh comes out, and you shuffle side to side. “No, I’m just making professional observations.”

“Yeah, well now you get to take point. Mr Professional.”

“Fair enough,” you sigh and lead the way. You’re about to take the stairs when Scarlet clicks her tongue and tells you to use the elevator instead. Strange, you think, but you don’t question it. When you step inside, the lights in the lift dim considerably. Scarlet’s outline seems almost transparent, too. The sliding doors shut, and all the lights go out.

Scarlet sighs. “I hate this fucking place.”

The doors open to a familiar darkness, and you turn on your light. Scarlet scrambles back behind you, causing you to jolt. “Lower the brightness on that thing!” she commands, punching your arm with so much **** that you feel it go numb.

“Christ, Scarlet!” You quickly adjust the brightness, snapping towards her. She grabs your wrist before you can shine it on her, though.

“Don’t you dare shine that bullshit on my face!” She shoves you away and points outside. “What are you trying to do, blind me? Blind us??”

“Of course not. But when you’re in complete darkness inside a building, human instinct tells you to light up the area, right?”

Scarlet shoves you out next. “Go to room 83. And hurry up.”

You do as you’re commanded and get outside the elevator. It’s just as dark as before but twice as cold. All the doors are shut except one. It’s the one at the end of the hall. You walk there, light in one hand, pistol in the other. Scarlet walks closely behind you as you knock the head of your light against the door. “Contractors. Show yourself or get shot. I’m paid to be rough, not careful,” you say, peering inside.

You sweep the room and figure out it's clear in less than 2 minutes. “Well,” you look at Scarlet. “Mission success?”

Scarlet looks up at you. Her features are translucent, but she doesn’t seem any more different than she has been. “I guess, so. But maybe we should stay?”

“Why?”

“Just in case they come back,” she says smugly and gestures with her hand like a snobby teen. Behind her, you hear the door shut and the chain closing. You shine the light behind her and see that the door isn’t just closed, but the whole suite of locks has been put into place. Scarlet grabs your wrist and squeezes so hard you think she’s about to snap it in two.

She doesn’t, but you’re thrown to the bed. Your flashlight drops and rolls to an empty spot on the wall, which reflects enough light to give Scarlet’s outline a demonic appearance without any of the notable features.

“Whoops,” she says, horns sprouting from her temples, a forked tail swaying behind her. “I had to get that light of your hand somehow, and that seemed like a good enough way to do it.”

She gestures with her hands again, and you feel the sheets on the bed shoot out from beneath you and wrap around your limbs-- ankles, wrists, even around your waist. You thrash and fight. Your mouth opens, but it’s stuffed with another cotton barrier!