Salt Valley is small town with pollution in air of big city. In cold winter morning it’s like driving through clouded sky. You can barely see lines of road and phantom like lights of other cars. For eyes that didn’t sleep whole night it feels like driving through afterlife especially this early in the morning when most of the souls are still in dream land. And it’s even cold like grave even with heaters on max car still feels frozen. Cleaning mess on M18 wasn’t Dona's ideal night, three cars collision, two dead on spot, four fighting for their life in hospital, this suicidal planet seems to be in real mess. When she joined police force she dreamed of becoming detective, having cases like those in movies, so she worked hard and long hours and here she is. Dream come true, expect she’s still mostly cleaning messes like this. She should have joined the army, so even if she had to deal with mess it would at least be with people she didn’t know. Driver of black BMW was teacher Samantha’s kid, and Dona was the one that had to knock on her door in middle of the night with bad news. This town was shitload and she felt more like a garbage man then like a police. Whole life of training and planning felt like wrong turn. She was tired and just wanted to go home and sleep. Her parents were smart for living in village and avoiding towns and cities. Her sister in other hand loved mess of town but wouldn’t deal with it in way Dona had to.

When she was finally home ready to jump in her bed in working clothes her smartass of sister was sitting in kitchen smoking and drinking coffee while laughing at some video on her phone.

-You disabled fire alarms again. -Dona sighed suddenly more tired then she was minutes ago. -You do understand we need those fire alarms because of your cooking skills that almost burned apartment down.

-I’ll fix them before I decided to cook again. -Luna shrugged. -It’s freezing cold outside I can’t go out for smoke.

Dona couldn’t argue with that, she set down and light one cigarette too. There was no option of sleeping before she sends her sister away for her work. Which should be soon so why's Luna still sitting and not getting ready?

-When are you leaving for work? -she asked pulling cup of Luna’s coffee to herself and taking a sip.

-Called in a sick day. -Luna smiled in victory, for somebody who claimed to have great job she called in sick a lot. Securing hospitals wasn’t much of a challenge it didn’t make much of money either. Luna actually lived her awesome life on side jobs securing famous people from time to time. In Dona’s opinion she was wasting her talent, she would be great police officer but Luna loved money more then being useful to society.

-Really? -Dona asked not surprised at all. -Then why did you wake up in this forsaken hour, you love sleeping.

-Oh, Emma called and woke me up. -she said setting her phone down like she just remembered. -She couldn’t get you on the phone.

-My phone is dead. -Dona nodded. -What did she want?

-They got man last night in ER, looks like he was tortured, really badly, no identification on him or anything. Emma says he’s like really pretty.

-Why didn’t she called police? -Donna asked confused. -She knows the regulations, she’s working ER for two years now.

-Well she probably did, or other doctors did. -Luna shrugged. -That’s beside the point. This pretty, tortured man called your name few times before passing out. They will have to tell the police the other workers were there too. She just wanted you to know that you should clean your basement if you have thing for torturing pretty boys.

-Weird. -Dona frowned. -Maybe he just knows me and he knows I work for police so he was asking for me.

-Maybe. Either way you would tell me if you had a thing for torturing pretty boys.

-If I was into torturing at all Alex would be my first victim and you would know for sure.

-Well Alex is pretty. -Luna nodded.

-He’s asshole. -Dona protested. -An asshole that you stopped me from killing. So no, I don’t have thing for torturing boys at all.

-If police calls don’t tell them that. -Luna laughed. -That didn’t sound like innocent person at all.

-I’m too tired for this shit. -Dona sighed again. -Little Tim was in car accident last night.

-Is he okay?

-He’s dead.

-What? -Luna was shocked, weird tortured man forgotten now. -How’s Sam?

-Still in shock I guess. -Dona shook her head. -I booked him for drunk driving two times just this year and it’s still January. I mean is it really surprise? Dumb kids torturing their parents.

-Fuck! -Luna cussed jumping from her seat. -I have to go to work.

-You called in sick day.

-That was before I knew that Angela isn’t coming to work. We have some VIP asshole in hospital today. I can’t leave it to rookies, it’s my reputation on line here. -Luna explained in a rush, gathering her things and dressing up. But she almost fell over her own feet and she cussed again.

-What the fuck was he thinking?

-He wasn’t thinking. -Dona sighed ready to go and sleep for awhile before station calls her about pretty, tortured boy. -Youngsters those days never think. Tell Angela to call me of they need anything. Tell her to call till I answer.

-Then put your phone to charge. -Luna reminded her already leaving house. -And call me when you know more about pretty, tortured boy.

-Right. -Dona mumbled going to her room where it was always dark as in grave but at least it was warm. Her life was really dream come true. She better fall a sleep before anyone really calls.

Luna has this thing whenever she gets Dona’s phone she puts some loud, rock song as her ring tone, which is why Dona woke up to screaming “Carry pie”. It felt like she just closed her eyes and somebody was already calling.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

-Speak. -she answered phone in groggy voice too tired to even be mad at caller.

-Need you in hospital. -she recognized Nikki’s voice on other side. Why was Nikki on duty they just pulled all-nighter? Is it possible that they called her first?

- Did chief called you first? Behind my back? -Dona was now completely awake jumping out of bed.

-No. I was already in hospital. -Nikki huffed and Dona could imagine her rolling her eyes. -I guess Emma called you already. Anyways you should come here because doll face is awake and he won’t talk to anyone. Keeps calling your name.

-I’m not the only Dona in the world. -this time Dona rolled her eyes but she was already walking to bathroom. How pretty was this boy if Nikki called him doll face? She’s not the one to be easily moved.

-No. -Nikki agreed. -But you’re the only Dona Dagon we know so we have to take a chance.

-I’ll be there. -Dona said sighing. -And he better be real beauty.

-He is. -Nikki promised with amusement in her voice. Dona ended phone call and started brushing her teeth. January is a really long month.

🌙🌙🌙

Salt City Hospital usually had few security people walking around and standing next gates and doors. It was big complex to cover but rarely there was any real trouble. Few angry petitions or drunk was all to deal with, so it was peaceful job. Shift for today was gathered in meeting room when Luna walked in.

-You don’t look sick. -manager commented as soon as he saw her. She was the best they had so they had to deal with her crap.

-I’m too pretty to look sick. -she smiled. -Angela’s not coming, so somebody capable should be in shift that’s why I’m here.

-Yeah. -manager Tomson sighed. -We heard about Tim the whole shift needs to be on funeral but we’ll focus on job now. Dagon you get the VIP.

-That’s why I’m here. -Luna smirked.

-Don’t be full of yourself. -Tomson glared at her. -You’re VIP is Benjamin Sharp, good luck.

-Wait! What? -she suddenly protested. If they had Ben Sharp in hospital why weren’t they calling police? -Did somebody shoot the asshole?

-We don’t care. -Tomson huffed. -You’re job is to make sure nobody shoots him while he’s here.

-What if I shoot him boss?

-Stop playing saint, your sister is cop not you. And if she had anything on him he would be in jail, so stop complaining and go to work.

-Okay. -Luna agreed because she didn’t really care that Ben Sharp was criminal, that asshole once saw her in bar on her birthday and paid for her drinks then pretended not to know her next time he saw her with her sister. So naturally she thought of him as asshole. Now problem was that this asshole was handsome like a lot.

Being security meant black uniform and gun on her belt which was Luna’s style, plus she was pretty, with red hair, like black widow, so she was out of his liege always. She power walked into his hospital room.

-Okay Mr. Sharp I’ll be your security. -she said on door not even looking at him. -Any danger I should know about?

-Hi Scorpio girl. -he smiled at her and she instantly hated it, hated the way it made her stomach act weird. -You’re really hard to find.

-Nuh, you’re just bad at looking. -she played it cool perfectly after all she was ice queen she wouldn’t be moved by his perfect smile, or his blue, blue eyes, or that perfect jawline. She shook her head in annoyance. -So any danger I should know about?

-I don’t know Scorpio. -he wasn’t shy at all, he was checking her up openly. -I don’t think any of my enemies would risk shooting me in hospital but then again I pissed some really mental people.

-You know how they say, you attract what you radiate. -she shrugged. -Why are you here anyways? I don’t see wounds or blood?!

-Headaches. -he smiled again like he was tempting faith, like he was free falling his whole life and it never scared him. -First I thought it was stress from work, then I thought let’s check it.

-So they found some terminal disease and you’re dying. -she said sarcastically. -Great Ben Sharp killed by mutations of his own never system, must be karma.

-You really are Scorpio. -he laughed and damn it even his laugh sounded awesome. She shouldn’t have come to work today. -I saw you and I recognized you, I really wanted to say hi but I recognized your sister too and I just didn’t want her to think that you’re hanging with people like me when she’s not around. I was hoping to find you later on but wherever I asked nobody would say a word about you. I started wondering who is actually mafia boss in this town, you or me.

-So you found the only public info about me and that’s the fact I work as security of Salt City Hospital, then all you had to do is pretend that you have headache and ask for VIP position. -it sounded crazy when she said it out loud but she had a feeling that this handsome boy was as crazy as she thought. -You knew I’d be the best in my job, you also knew that they would be scared to give you anything less then the best so you had your chance to meet me. You’re psychopath.

-High functioning sociopath actually. -he wasn’t bothered by insult. -And I didn’t pretend that I have headaches, I do. And I still think that they’re from stress. I also know that you’re Dagon which means I can’t intimidate you, so playing helpless, cute VIP patient was my best option.

-First you’re not cute. Second my sister knows that I hang out with criminals, that’s why she’s such a good cop. I’m her inside person. -she came really close to him jabbing her finger into his perfect chests. -And third I had sick leave day that I couldn’t use because of you. So you’re not getting any points for stalking me.

-But I get to see you. -he caught her hand and kissed it like they were in some sort of TV drama. -I count that win.

-You know they can still find something in your head. -she huffed pulling her hand out. -Not your brain for sure but some sort of illness that will kill you.

-Oh, you so want to go out with me. -he laughed.

-Oh, I so want to shoot you. -she huffed again leaving room but she was surprisingly blushing. Luna Dagon never blushes what the fuck is wrong with her.

🌙🌙🌙

Dona hated hospitals, she never understood how could Luna work here. For ten years now their father was in and out of hospitals fighting bone cancer and Dona was just sick of those white walls and weird smell. But as police detective she was often in Salt City Hospital anyways so much that people knew her here.

-Dagon hi. -Mark viewed at her the moment he saw her. He almost lived in this hospital being best in surgery will do that to doctor.

-Hi Mark. -she smiled back. He had thing for her but Dona was too sick of hospitals to go out with doctor. -Where is my pretty, tortured guy?

-In observation room. -Mark sighed. -He was beaten badly but nothing surgical, just bruises and few broken bones that are healing too fast. Like not human fast.

-What? He’s medical freak? -she asked while following Mark to observation room.

-Pretty much. -Mark nodded. -But he knows you so I’m keeping it under the rag for now. Besides it’s not mid evil time, I can’t keep him here against his will.

-Not human things are better left alone. -she looked at him seriously. -We don’t know who this guy is but whatever it is doesn’t seem safe so don’t get involved.

-You’re worried about me. -he smiled brightly at her.

-You’re best surgeon there is. -she said still serious. -You’re worth more to this city then average human and I know I have cold heart but I don’t care. I won’t people like you safe.

-It wouldn’t hurt to lie to me from time to time, you know. Flirt back and shit.

-It would. -she sighed. -Trust me it would.

-Well, here’s your guy. -Mark said opening door for her, his bright smile gone.

-Dona Dagon. -man in hospital bed said the moment he saw her. -First born Dagon. You look just like your grandma.

-I’m taller. -she said in shock. He was pretty, like no human pretty. Warm whiskey eyes sharp in corners like those of tiger, perfectly shaped smooth face. Whoever tortured him, shaved him nicely too, shoulder long black hair jut bit curly, and gold, caramel skin. Human or not he wasn’t from this part of world, but that wasn’t what shocked her. Her grandma had this old photo, like really old and boy on that photo was same as boy in hospital bed.

-You are. -he smiled nostalgically like he wasn’t seeing her but ghost of a woman she looked like. -But still as beautiful as she was.

-What the fuck? -Nikki asked looking weirded out and just now Dona noticed that she was in room too.

-Pretty, tortured boy isn’t only tortured. -Dona whispered still in shock. -He’s insane too.