Ava's POV
"Get your damn hands off me!" I yelled, thrashing against the unfamiliar grip that clamped down on me like an iron vice. My pulse raced wildly in my chest, a mix of terror and raw energy surging through me so intensely I could hardly process it all. Things were unfolding way too quickly. I balled up my fists, drew my elbows back, and dropped into a defensive stance, poised to lash out at whoever had grabbed me.
"Shh, I won't do anything to harm you," the unknown person murmured, her tone gentle yet somehow chilling to the bone. I froze right where I stood, my breath snagging in my throat—a female voice? What in the world was going on?
"I'm not going to hurt you," she repeated, her arm still locked firmly around my waist, keeping me pinned in that suffocating darkness.
"Are yo
