Alex Forrester is not having a good day. He stands in front of a full sized mirror in a dingy old motel room, rolling his eyes at the vindictive yet attractive girl sprawled on the bed behind him.

"This place is disgusting," Macey groans.

"I know," he replies.

"Why are you even here?" She questions.

"Someone had to make sure that you don't get yourself murdered and eaten up by cannibals," Alex snorts.

"Whatever," She rolls her eyes. "Are you sure that you aren't a cannibal?"

"If I was a cannibal, you wouldn't be alive to ask me that," he said.

"How far have Kathryn and your loser friend gone?" She questions, ignoring him.

"Not too far," he says. "Just about an hour away."

"Great. Let's go join them," Macey suggests. "I don't wanna spend another minute in this dump,"

"We don't have a car, genius." Alex states.

"So we'll rent one," she says. "It's not rocket science, weasel."

***

The two of them find a place to rent cars a couple of blocks down the road. Unfortunately, the only car that is available is a beaten down yellow bug.

"I'm not getting into that ratty old thing," Macey protests, taking a step back.

"It's either this or bunking with the rats and cockroaches at the motel," Alex shrugs, making Macey reluctantly agree.

"You're driving," Macey says and Alex nods. She turns on Google maps and puts the location in.

"We're 50 minutes away from Los Huesos Pier. There's a lot of traffic on the main road so take the back road," Macey commands, carefully examining the map.

"Are you sure? I don't know that road," Alex worries about listening to Macey. After all, she isn't the most reliable person ever. For all he knows, she'll probably take off with the car and leave him behind to get eaten up by the cannibals.

"Yes, weasel. We've got Google maps, we're good."

They ride for about twenty minutes in silence until the sky starts to turn dark gray. Loud thunder claps, making Macey jump in her seat. "This is bad," She observes.

"It's just a little thunder," Alex assures her. "Relax."

"Go left," Macey commands.

"Are you sure?"

"For the millionth time, yes. Yes, I'm sure."

Alex does as she says and they enter a narrow road with no other cars in sight.

"Okay, go straight now. We're only half an hour away," Macey says.

A huge lightning bolt strikes a tree a little ahead of them, the brightness almost blinding Alex.

"Holy crap!" He exclaims and thunder follows.

Macey looks out of the window to see huge black clouds, the sky seeming lower than ever. Torrential winds take over, making her scarf fly out of sight.

"No! Chase gave me that scarf!" She yells. She rolls up the window and it starts to pour heavily. Water starts to seep into the car through a tiny hole on the roof. "Ugh, this is such such a nightmare."

Alex accelerates and tries to drive as quickly as he can.

"Are you insane?! Stop driving like a maniac!"

"Excuse me for wanted to get out of this hell hole as soon as I can!" Alex snaps back and the car suddenly halts.

"Why did you stop the car?!" Macey demands to know.

"I didn't!" Alex yells. He turns the key, trying to start it again. "It's not working. The car won't start."

"You idiot! You killed the car!" Macey shrieks.

"No I didn't!"

"Yes, you did, and now we're stranded in the middle of nowhere!"

"And whose fault is that? You're the one who wanted to take this stupid road."

Macey starts to say something but is cut off by a roar of thunder.

"We need to find shelter," Alex states, trying to stay calm.

"I think I see something behind the trees," Macey says.

"What? Where? I don't see anything."

"Right there!" She points. "Come on, let's go." She opens the door and steps out with Alex.

The walk through the trees to see a huge mansion that looks like a castle. It's surrounded by tall brick walls and they wonder where the entrance could be. The two of them are completely drenched by now.

"I don't think we should go in there," Alex whispers.

"Would you rather stay here and get struck by lightning?" Macey narrows her eyes at him.

"Yeah, I might develop some cool super powers," he jokes. "Besides, that place looks creepy as hell. They probably carry out human sacrifices in there!"

"Shut up, Forrester." She drags him into the mansion.

The grand place surprisingly has an entrance that's rather small.

"What the hell is this place?" Macey says as they enter.

"It's not too late to turn back," Alex suggests.

"Stop being a wimpy weasel," she commands and they go further inside.

The eerie mansion has tall dark walls filled with antique mirrors of different shapes and sizes. With a large chandelier in the center lit with candles, the house has an ancient feel to it. The windows look like ghouls and monsters might jump out of them any moment. At least that's what Macey thinks.

"On second thought," she says. "Let's get out of here."

"I think it might be too late for that," Alex points at a guard in a fancy red uniform running towards them.

"Intruders!" He yells and grabs Alex by the collar of his shirt, dragging him into another room. "You better follow, missy," He looks at Macey. "Unless you want me to call for backup."

She reluctantly does as the guard commands. They enter another room that's even grander, and just as creepy.

"Are we in hell?" Macey whimpers.

"Don't try to escape or we'll be forced to take action against you." The guard warns them and leaves the room.

"Take action? What kind of action?" Alex wonders out loud after he leaves.

"I don't know and I don't wanna know," Macey states. "But I have a taser in my bag that I'm not afraid to use."

"Why do you have a taser with you?" Alex demands.

"I thought I was going to Chase's," she shrugs.

"You were going to tase Chase?" He raises an eyebrows.

"Chase's kinks are none of your business," she scolds.

"I can't wait to tell Will."

"I'll murder you before the freaks who live in this haunted mansion do," she narrows her eyes.

The two of them gaze around, looking up and down.

"What if this is where the cannibals live?" Macey asks, terrified.

"Not cannibals, but we can be just as bad when we want to." A petite yet fierce looking redhead enters. "Which alternate universe have you come from, Pink Ranger?" She snickers. With her fancy black mesh gown with stripes and ruby red lipstick, her look is gothic.

"Now, now sister, that is no way of treating our guests," says a tall attractive guy with dark hair and a silky voice.

"What are you? Some kind of a cult?" Macey questions, offended by the redhead's Pink Ranger remark.

"We can be whatever you'd like us to be," he says. "But what I want to know is how you entered this place."

"Well, our car broke down in the middle of nowhere and we happened to come across this eerie ass place. We'll leave now but dude, there's a storm brewing up on the west coast," Alex speaks. "It's crazy as hell "

"Yeah, we almost got struck by lightning," Macey adds.

"I'm Alex. Alex Forrester," He introduces himself, trying to be polite to the well dressed, privileged looking siblings.

"What's your name, Pink Ranger?" The redhead asks.

"It's Macey Gilbert, goth princess."

"I beg your pardon?" The redhead demands.

"You heard me, Goth Princess," She narrows her eyes. "Come on Alex, let's get out of this haunted mansion."

"Are you crazy? I don't wanna get struck by lightning," Alex protests.

"I'd rather get electrocuted than get sacrificed in one of their cult rituals," Macey states.

"Interesting. But amidst all this, what you've failed to mention how you entered this place," the guy, whose name is apparently Charles, wants to know.

"Look, buddy. I've got a taser and I'm not afraid to use it," Macey threatens and Agnes snatches her pink purse away from her.

"Fine." Macey rolls her eyes. "I came across a very small opening for this huge mansion. At first we thought we were in hell, but then an overly dressed guard chased us and dragged us away."

"And I am here to sermon your lies," Charles replies.

"Why do they talk like that?" She looks at Alex, not bothering to be discrete. "Like they're a hundred years old or something."

"Listen, Stacey, I don't care where you're from or whatever happened to your car, but if you think that you can enter my home and cause harm to my family, I will feed you your tongue." Charles furrows his eyebrows, making Macey take a step back.

"Hey man, this isn't her fault, okay?" Alex steps up, surprising her. "She didn't cause the damn thunderstorm or the car to break down. She doesn't need to listen to your crack."

"Okay, 'bro', it's settled then. You stay and Stacey goes." He decides.

"It's Macey, you vampire!" She yells, annoyed.

"Dude, our friends are like five miles away from this death trap," Alex informs Charles. "Let us go and you'll never see us again. Swear it."

"Okay, that's enough! I have stood here getting bullied and hurt. First my cousin abandons me with this weasel," Macey points at Alex. "And now you freaks! You're all going to hell. My rosary will trap your spirits and send them to the devil to eat your flesh!"

"I'm not sure that's how it works, Gilbert," Alex says awkwardly.

"Well isn't it funny how a person's sharp tongue can end up cutting their own throat?" The goth princess snaps back. She takes slow menacing steps towards Macey and is about to hit her when Alex stops her hand, coming out of nowhere.

"No, don't do it. You're better than her," He says to her, surprising himself. What is it about this girl that's so familiar to him? He observes her dumbfounded for a split second. She has long hair that's the same colour as his and dark eyes.

"You said that your friends are in town. Here somewhere," she recalls. "What are you going to do? Just drive around until you bump into them in this storm? Fine, it's your funeral. But, I'm not allowing you to drive my bloody car," she starts to walk away and her four inch heels bring Alex back to reality. 

"Did she just offer us a ride?"

"Yeah, I guess she did in her own goth princess way," Macey says.

"Agnes has longevity that I do not. I suggest you leave before something goes wrong. After all, we are cannibals," He says with a cheeky half smile. "Goodbye crazy Casey."

"Rot in hell." Macey whispers and runs behind Alex out of the demonic confines of the mansion.

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A/N

As you would have noticed, this is the first chapter in this book that isn't about Kathryn and is in third person POV.

In fact, this chapter is a crossover with He Wouldn't Mind by lise_05. It's an incredible book and you should all check it out! You'll be glad you did!

What did you think of this chapter? About Alex and Macey? What about Charles and Agnes? They're interesting, aren't they?

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to vote and comment❤️

Also, please check out my new book 'The Line Between Reality And Fiction'!