Leo stopped in front of large, white double doors and pushed them open.

Faith followed him and set her cat on the carpet to poke around and wander, she’d have to go back for the litter box.

The room was nearly as big and nice as Leo’s, with a bathroom and large closets and a fireplace. The difference in this room was the light. There was so much light, and more so with snow on the ground. Three-fourths of the wall space was taken up by windows.

A large Christmas tree with tiny white lights that dimmed and brightened in a slow pattern stood next to the windows. Green and silver ornaments decorated the tree, and a silver- and green-patched skirt was wrapped around the bottom. Squish was already burrowing underneath the tree skirt to take a nap.

“The rooms on the farthest ends of the house are like this, but this one is the best,” he said. “You’ll get a lovely sunrise each morning.”

She knew she should thank him, but she was still too afraid he’d go back on his word, or that he would use all that he was giving her as justification for taking what he wanted later. The way he looked at her, she knew how badly he wanted it. That morning, his erection had pressed up through the sheets, and she’d been terrified he was about to force himself on her. She’d drawn herself tightly into a ball against the headboard, trying to keep her tears quiet so she wouldn’t wake him, her breaths coming out ragged and panicked.

“I’ll have someone bring your things. You can go anywhere in the house, except my room, the cellar, and the back of the house that contains my office and operating theater.”

“Operating theater?” That sounded macabre.

“I’m a surgeon. At least that’s a part of my work. I run a private practice here with a separate entrance in the back. We probably won’t see each other a lot, but if you need anything, use the intercom system.” He indicated a rectangular white box on the wall beside her bed. “Someone will come and take care of you. You don’t need to be afraid of anybody who works for me. They’ve all got orders to leave you in peace.”

Faith remained quiet, unable to bring herself to look into his eyes. She was afraid if she did, she’d see the devil trying to drag her into hell.

She’d seen crucifixes in various places about the house and a few other religious iconographies, like a Virgin Mary statue in the entry hall, so she knew he must be Catholic. She was a lapsed Catholic herself, and wondered if being taken was some kind of punishment for her sins. She hadn’t been to church in longer than she could remember. She couldn’t call this place Heaven, but if Leo stayed true to his word, it wasn’t Hell, either. She silenced the voice in her mind that whispered, purgatory.