Caroline lay awake in the stillness of the night, her mind racing with thoughts she couldn’t quite control. The moonlight filtered through the heavy curtains, casting a pale, ethereal glow across the room. Damon had gone to bed earlier, but she couldn’t seem to find peace. The warmth of his presence, the soothing promise of his touch, had done little to erase the gnawing uncertainty that churned within her.
The image of Lila’s icy blue eyes flashed behind her closed eyelids, her voice still ringing in Caroline’s ears. “Enjoy your time with him while it lasts, dear.” The words felt like a warning—a promise that no matter how deep Caroline buried herself in Damon’s world, there was always something lurking just beneath the surface. Something dangerous. Something she didn’t yet understand.
