In the heart of Ravensbrook, where shadows whisper secrets, Anne is about to uncover a mystery that's been buried for centuries.
Leading a project to transform a 100 years old mansion into a luxurious hotel, Anne's days should be filled with bluepri...
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Mornings had a peculiar way of soothing the soul, or so I told myself as I lit a cigarette and willed my sleepy legs to take one step after the other. The 6 a.m. air was a crisp slap to my sweaty face, and I embraced it like a half-forgotten friend. It was my habit to venture to the outskirts of town, near the edge of Ravewoods, for a jog that bordered on masochism—running until my lungs felt like they were about to incinerate. Something about the burning muscles and the profound silence of dawn had a magical quality, or perhaps it was just the way the hushed sounds from the woods made the world feel...alive, but not too alive.
As the air stirred me awake, memories of yesterday's chaos washed over me. Today, I had to visit the infamous mansion again. The thought of it sent a chill through me, a chill that had nothing to do with the morning air and everything to do with the bodies they'd found. They had quite the talent for turning up in the most inconvenient places, didn't they?
"Hello, Miss Anne," a thick Italian voice intruded from behind me. Startled, I turned around too quickly, and my legs, ever so gracefully, decided to perform a ballet of entanglement. I ended up clutching the man behind me in a desperate bid to stay upright. We both went down in a heap.
The next thing I knew, I was pinned to the ground by what felt like a sack of heavy potatoes, only this sack was warm, very much alive, and had a familiar scent. I blinked, trying to clear my head. It was David, of course. And from the way he was lounging on top of me, he seemed to be enjoying himself quite a bit.
"What a charming young lady you are, Miss Anne. Is this what they call modern courting?" His smile was a blinding flash of perfect white teeth, so dazzling I half expected a dentist's billboard to pop up beside him.
"Well, if I'd paid that much money for teeth, I'd grin stupidly all the time too," I muttered, and then cringed as I realized that, of course, I'd said that aloud. Well done, Anne, brilliant work.
David chuckled as he rolled off me, stretching out on the rocky ground like a cat in the sun. "I've never met anyone who could make insults so funny, Miss Anne. You are truly gifted," he said, his ice-blue eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. And not in a good way. How could eyes be so cold and yet feel so warm? Snap out of it, Anne. Stupid hormones would get me killed one day. Here I was, lying at the edge of the woods with no protection, and this man—twice my size and muscle mass—was beside me, capable of anything. What a clever idea, jogging on the edge of the woods. Truly, my best decision yet.
I grinned, trying to get to my feet and run, but his heavy arm pinned me down. Alarm bells blared in my head as his expression shifted, his eyes suddenly glazing over. "You're hurt. Wait here; I'll get a first aid kit from my car," he said.
I glanced down, noticing for the first time that my left ankle was bruised and twisted. "No, thank you," I brushed his hands away and struggled to my feet, aiming for some semblance of dignity, despite the slightly torn shorts and the disheveled hair.
