Dark Tides

: Cracks in

phony of howling wind and torrential rain. Anya watched from her window as the wav

ion into her life, his cryptic words, and the sketchbook she couldn't seem to stop drawing in. She fel

re woul

ts fury mirroring her

-

ast sky and a trail of debris along the shoreline. Anya ventur

he muddy ground, her mind restless. The need for answ

ful, is

e quickening. Damien stood a few feet aw

?" she demanded, her voi

aid, his tone calm, almost sooth

said curtly, c

observed, his gaze piercing.

anger. "You don't kno

think," he replied,

ad so carefully built begin to crack. She hated how easily h

her voice trembling. "Stop follow

aking the steel in his gaze. "I'm not pretending, A

demanded.

ht words. "Because I see something in you. So

a step back. "You don't see

ien said quietly. "And I know wh

g the breath from her lungs. For a mom

she said finally, her vo

en said, his voice stea

unable to face h

m

the air between them, h

-

ckage waiting on her doorstep. Her stomach tw

eather cover, its pages yellowed with age. The

he book over in her hands. The title, emboss

, flipping through the pages. It was a collection

particular c

ght of t

n silent

den u

in ever

lt almost intrusive, as though Damien had rea

didn't know what game Damien was playing, but

-

ed below the horizon, Anya re

ks flushed and her eyes wide. "You won

g?" Anya ask

pping into a chair. "He's... w

do you

n article. "Apparently, he's been buying up pro

dropped. "Why w

an talk about. Some people think he's trying to revitalize the area, wh

eliberate, calculated. If he was buying pr

o him," she said,

d, startled. "Are you s

itted. "But I

-

of the gates to Damien's estate. The iron bars lo

Every instinct told her to turn bac

age, she pressed t

came through, low and smooth.

she said, h

ya stepped inside, her resolve

or, Damien was waiting for he

?" he asked, his tone light bu

a said, her voice steady. "S

ying her. "Interfering? Is t

she sai

interfering, Anya. I'm investing. In you, in t

nvestment," she said

is voice low and unwavering.

s a whirlwind of anger, fear, a

dangerous game,"

e is a dangerous game, Anya. The question is

ealized with a sinking feeling that s