A sharp knock jolted Anna awake.
Her breath hitched, heart hammering against her ribs as she blinked away the haze of sleep. The room was still cloaked in shadows, the only light coming from the dim glow of the bedside lamp she had forgotten to turn off. She turned her head to the clock on the nightstand.
3:37 AM.
The knock came again, more urgent this time.
Anna threw back the covers and climbed out of bed. A strange sense of unease crawled up her spine as she padded barefoot to the door, her fingers tightening on the knob before she turned it.
The door swung open, revealing Dara.
Disheveled. Pale. Eyes wide with panic.
Before Anna could say a word, Dara slipped inside and shut the door behind her with a quiet but firm click. She turned the lock, then pressed her back against the w
