The Imaginary Friend's Obsession: a Monster Romance (Monster Research Facility Book 3) by Skyla Gray

Author:Skyla Gray [Gray, Skyla]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2025-02-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Walking into the MRF feels extra risky the next morning, knowing what we plan to do right under their noses. Ezra is waiting for me in the lobby with coffee, like he knows I need the boost. My hands tremble as I accept it from him, and he gives me a knowing, encouraging nod.

I’m exhausted after a sleepless night and terrified about potentially revealing my abilities to the MRF. But when I think of Dorian sitting in that cell, I find the courage to step through the door. Ezra and I walk toward the observation room.

“Ezra!”

We both freeze and turn as a smiling, dark-haired young woman approaches us from down the hallway.

“Hey, Mara,” Ezra says. I stay at his side, unsure if I should speak, my eyes darting between the stranger and the observation room just a few steps away.

“Hey.” The woman’s eyes slide to me. “I don’t think we’ve met! Are you new here? I’m Mara Vance.”

I hesitate, clutching my coffee tighter.

“This is Gwen; she’s a consultant on X-15,” Ezra says.

“Ooh. Interesting. So are you a fellow, um, ghost enthusiast?”

“I guess you could say that,” I mumble, fidgeting.

“Cool,” she says. Then she peers at me more closely, and my discomfort grows. “You look familiar, actually. Do I know you from somewhere?”

Panic sparks in my chest and spreads, filling my body with an electric buzz of anxiety. “Oh, n-no, I don’t think…” I glance up and meet her eyes and realize with a fresh wave of dread that I do recognize her. I have a vague memory of a younger version of her, chubby-cheeked with a gap between her teeth. She must be from Ash Valley. I didn’t know her well, but it’s a small town.

Her eyes widen in recognition, too, but she seems to note my frozen panic. She glances from me to Ezra, who gives the smallest shake of his head.

“Oh, my mistake. Never mind then,” Mara says, with a breezy wave of her hand. “Anyway, lots to do, I’m off. But let’s catch up soon, Ezra. I want to hear all the juicy details of what you’ve been up to.” She shoots him a meaningful look, along with a finger gun.

“Sure, sure,” he says, pushing his glasses up and giving her a grateful smile. When she leaves, he blows out a relieved breath. “She’s a friend,” he mutters. “Don’t worry about her.”

I nod, but my nerves are buzzing even more than before. Sometimes it seems like Ezra and I are the only ones in this building, but Mara is a reminder that that’s not true. There are other people, and cameras, and so many ways for this to go wrong…

As I step into the observation room and see the equipment covering the table, I lurch to a stop, taken aback again.

“What is all of this stuff?” I ask, staring. There are strange metal devices heaped on the table and arranged on the floor. Some of them look like medical tools, or something out of a science fiction movie.

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