The Unshadowed | Book 1 |

Chapter 1 ~ Demian Daggers

Here is where the irangel story begins.

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~ Where It All Began

Wachstyen Forest, Germany ~

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He could still see those awful images in his mind from over a year ago, images that haunted him to no end.

Ruby Blackheart dumping him. Him chasing after her. Her just ignoring him and never talking to him again, as if he never existed in her life. Pictures of Ruby with the love of her life, Robert Cabernet. Endless days of internal pain and mental agony.

The images continued to torment him, even when Demian Daggers seized the car keys and rushed out of his apartment. His hurried footsteps took him to the driver's side of the car, a sleek metallic blue BMW.

He shut the door and turned the key ignition, pressing hard on the gas pedal. A small sigh of relief escaped him as he heard the low whir of the car engine and started to drive. He didn't see the glimmer of sunlight as it hovered over him; the only thing he heard was the pitiful attempt of his running car engine, trying to block out his raging hurricane of thoughts.

He drove far with no clear destination, his mind consumed by the storm he was trying to escape, unaware of the glimmering sunlight that seemed to follow him.

The sunlight warmly touched Demian's fair skin, noticing the self-inflicted scars that ran down his arm. Realizing the dark truth of his scars, the sunlight sobered and backed away into the silver clouds, leaving a few scattered rays of light that streamed through the back of the car.

As the sun concealed itself in the trees, the sky became cloudy again, blocking out the shards of light that tried to escape. The cloudy sky stared down at the forest landscape below, its silver clouds promising serenity amid the stillness of the wood.

The smooth paved road in between the trees was clear except for Demian's blue BMW cruising on the asphalt. It was the only car on the road, its speed accelerated as the car continued driving, following the curve of the road, until its driver reached a decision.

The BMW parked abruptly on the side of the road, its black tires resting on the grass underneath the shade. Demian Daggers stepped out of the car, treading on the autumn leaves underfoot, as he went in the forest. It could be government property for all he knew, and he still wouldn't care about whose land he trespassed on. He simply needed a quiet place to think, and the remote forest looked like a place where he could be completely alone, away from the suburban city of Mondlicht, Germany. He had parked by the side of the private forest without any knowledge of what was to become of him, unaware of the changes that would occur in his life.

Demian went deep in the forest, his feet crunching on leaves as he walked at a steady pace. He didn't fear anything; depression blocked off any fears and anxieties for the time being. He put his hands in his front jeans pockets where he kept his favorite obsidian black Maxam switchblade knife. He always carried a knife with him. He also had a black handgun in his car and another in his room. Weapons were an interest of his. Bleeding was another, more painful interest.

Demian kicked at a stone as he walked alone in a hidden part of Wachstyen Forest located on private property. The stone fell several footsteps away, a victim of Demian's frustration and anger.

He felt his life was in shambles. He was unable to find another woman to love, still scarred with the emotional tragedy that had left him broken. He no longer believed someone would ever love him again, his hope taken away by the woman who threw away his love for her. He despaired, feeling as helpless as the stone he just kicked.