The Sinful Pact

Chapter 1: The Summons

Leona gripped the frayed strap of her bag a little tighter as she stepped through the great iron gates of Crowe Manor. Never had she seen anything quite like this: towering walls cloaked in mist, the ivy crawling up the stones like shadows grasping for the sky. The invitation felt heavier than it should in her hand, almost as if carrying a warning she wasn't perceiving. But she needed this. Her clinic was about to be shut down, and the sum he promised to pay her was more than she could make in months.

The walkway was long and circuitous, with only the faint lanterns to light her steps. The hush that surrounded her felt thick, pressing in upon her from every side. She swallowed nervously as each step brought her closer to the mansion entrance. At the top of the stone steps, the huge wooden door creaked open before she was even able to raise her hand to knock. A tall man greeted her from the doorway with piercing eyes that seemed to fill the whole doorway.

"Miss Leona." His voice was smooth and dark, offering danger in a velvet tone.

She made herself meet his gaze, though it was like locking gazes with a predator. "Mr. Crowe."

"Please, call me Alistair." He stepped aside and invited her in. She took one deep breath and crossed the threshold, immediately aware of the chilling power that seemed to permeate the air. Tall windows lined the hall, showing the barest sliver of moonlight in the sky, which threw shadows racing along the walls.

Alistair led her into a grand room filled with ancient books, strange artifacts, and an unsettling quiet. "Thank you for coming," he said, gesturing for her to sit across from him. "I trust you know why you're here?"

Leona held his gaze, her heartbeat steady but quick. "Your invitation said you needed a healer. But I don't understand why you'd need someone like me. Surely you could afford... well, anyone.

A slight smile played across his lips, though his eyes remained cold. "I have my reasons. And yes, part of the reason I've called you here is because of your skills as a healer. But there's something more." He leaned forward and never broke his gaze. "I know about your Bond".

Leona's blood ran cold. Her Bond was a secret, closely guarded, a power she'd kept hidden longer than she could remember. She could amplify another's abilities, make them stronger. A gift that had brought her trouble in the past, and which she'd sworn to keep hidden. But Alistair knew it.

"Don't look so surprised, Miss Leona," he said in an even tone. "I make it a point to know everything about those that I invite into my world."

She swallowed hard. "What. what exactly is it that you want from me?

He rose from his chair and moved closer, his eyes dark, intensity palpable. "I want us to make a pact. I want you to merge your Bond with mine, increase my capabilities. In return, I will provide you with more than enough to keep your clinic running, and then you shall be free from all the struggles that you find yourself in now. All I need is your consent".

A pact, the word rolled in her mind, heavy with its implications. She wanted to refuse it, but the promise of security, of finally being free from her debts, was almost too tempting.

"What happens if I say no?" she whispered.

Alistair smiled, coldly; a ripple of coolness ran down her spine. "Refusing isn't an option, Miss Leona. You stepped into my world. There's only one way forward.