The first thing he noticed when consciousness returned was the damp musty smell of wood and dust. Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the dim light. His head throbbed, and when he tried to move, he realized he couldn't. He blinked up, and his vision cleared—
The cracked, warped wooden beams of an aged ceiling stared back at him.
But what truly froze his blood was the pair of boots planted right by his face, blocking most of his view.
His breath hitched. Trembling, he tilted his head slightly—and locked eyes with them. Those glowing blue-green eyes. Not human. They shimmered faintly, like cold fire, unblinking, drilling into him.
A violent shudder ran down his entire body. He couldn't stop it. He didn't even realize his lips were muttering "monster, monster…" until his teeth bit down on his tongue.
