Chapter 16 – Whispers in the Dark
The first dream came the night after Damien’s declaration.
Elena tossed on her bed, the sheets tangled around her legs, her body hot despite the cold mountain air. The moonlight spilled through the window, but it wasn’t the gentle glow she knew—it was harsh, silver-white, slicing through the shadows like blades.
She tried to turn away, but the light followed her, pulling her deeper into the dream.
And then she saw him.
Lucian.
He stood in the forest clearing, his figure half-shadow, half-light, the full moon burning behind him like a crown. His dark eyes glowed red, a predator’s hunger coiled in them. But his smile was soft, almost tender.
“You felt it, didn’t you?” His voice slid through her mind, smooth and deep, wrapping around her like silk. “Th
