I woke to a chill running down my spine. sunlight tried to pierce through the blinds, but the room felt darker than it should, heavy with silence. the city outside hummed faintly, oblivious to the storm brewing within my veins.
i had slept—or tried to—but dreams had invaded me again. flashes of crimson, a river of light twisting through shadowed streets, faces contorted in fear and rage. and always, always, that pull. something in me stirring, demanding.
my heart was pounding before my feet even hit the floor.
The notebook Maya had given me lay open on my bedside table, pages scribbled with hurried notes about instincts, blood, and danger. i reached for it, fingers trembling.
Adrian’s voice broke the silence. “you’re up.”
he stood in the doorway, his presence overwhelming as always. T
