Twisted Devotion

Chapter One

The night was alive, thrumming with an energy only the city could conjure. Dark clouds pressed low in the sky, their heavy presence turning the usual glitter of the streetlights into a dim haze. The streets beneath them glistened with the recent rain, slick and dangerous. But to Ava, the cold bite in the air was comforting, the muted lights familiar. She loved this time of night—the hours when the world slowed, when the chaos retreated into the corners, and the silence stretched between every heartbeat.

She walked alone down the quiet streets, her bag slung over her shoulder, the sound of her boots echoing off the wet pavement. A shiver ran through her, but she told herself it was the cold. She pulled her jacket tighter and quickened her pace. The route home was one she knew well, but tonight, something felt... different. The streetlights seemed dimmer, and the shadows clung to the edges of her vision.

Ava brushed the sensation off. She'd had a long shift at the radio station and her nerves were still buzzing from the caffeine she'd gulped down just to keep herself awake. Just a little paranoia, that's all. She had to get home, lock the door, and everything would feel normal again. She let out a soft laugh, almost mocking herself for being on edge. There was nothing to fear in a city this big, not when she'd done this walk a thousand times.

But she was wrong.

He was there, watching her from the darkness.

Hidden beneath a tangle of shadows, he remained still, his breath barely noticeable in the thick night air. His eyes never left her, not for a second. He had perfected this—staying invisible, blending into the unseen corners of her world. She never noticed him. Not yet.

He knew every part of her routine: when she left for work, how long her shifts lasted, the exact time she'd stop for a coffee and something sweet at the place on 5th Street, and when she would finally make her way home. Every day, she became more predictable, more certain that her world was just her own. But it wasn't. It hadn't been for months.

It was his world now, too.

His pulse quickened as he watched her turn the corner, disappearing down a narrower street that cut between old brick buildings. His fingers flexed, tension rolling through his muscles. Soon. But not yet. He had to be patient.

She was still unaware, her mind wandering somewhere far from the danger that lurked in the shadows. Ava thought of the warmth waiting for her in her apartment, the small comforts she had created to make her solitude bearable. A glass of cider maybe. A book she'd started but hadn't found the time to finish. The quiet of her apartment, so different from the noise of the world outside, called to her.

Her steps slowed, though she didn't consciously mean for them to. A prickle of unease worked its way up her spine, her skin tingling with the awareness that something—someone—was near. She stopped, turning her head slightly, her eyes scanning the street behind her.

Nothing. Just the wind brushing through the alley, the distant hum of traffic, the city's endless murmur.

Still, the feeling persisted.

Ava sighed and shook her head, forcing her feet to move again. She was tired, that was all. She had to stop letting her imagination get the better of her. It was the city—sometimes it just made you feel like you weren't alone.

But as she moved on, her pace hurried now, the watcher followed, his footsteps silent, his presence untraceable. His lips curled into a smile that no one would ever see. Not yet.

He liked this game—the way her instincts flared but couldn't pinpoint why. She was starting to feel him, even if she didn't understand it yet. It was thrilling, intoxicating even. He wasn't ready to show himself to her, not fully. She wasn't ready for that.

But the time was coming.

He had been patient, so very patient, studying her every movement, learning the rhythm of her life. She was his now, whether she realized it or not. He didn't have to touch her, didn't need to speak to her to claim her. She already belonged to him.

Up ahead, her apartment building loomed, a beacon of false safety. She climbed the steps quickly, fumbled with her keys, and disappeared inside. The watcher lingered, his eyes tracing the window where the light flickered on.

One day soon, she wouldn't be able to close the door on him.

One day, she would look into the shadows and know exactly who was watching her.

And by then, it would be too late.

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•Thanks for diving into Twisted Devotion! Ava's journey is only just beginning, and trust me, things are about to get intense. What are your first impressions of Ava and her world? Drop your thoughts below!•