VALERIE
I’ve always known what fear looked like. It comes in many forms—twisting in the faces of strangers, lurking in the shadows, or manifesting in the anxious grip of uncertainty. But there was something different, something more potent, about the fear I felt whenever this man stood before me. His presence was a dark cloud of power and mystery, and it sent a chill through my veins, tightening my nerves to the point of snapping.
There was an undeniable aura of dominance that clung to him, one that reminded me too much of Caleb. It was a primal, commanding energy that made the air around him feel heavy, oppressive.
"Damien Black," I whispered, more to myself than to him, as he loomed before me, dressed in nothing but long, dark tracks. His chest was bare, revealing a body carved from
