Chapter one

CHAPTER ONE

The journey to Duskwood was a long one, winding and shrouded in mist. I gripped the steering wheel, my fingers tightening as I looked at the towering pines flaking both sides of the narrow road.

The late afternoon sun barely penetrated the dense canopy, casting the town in an eerie twilight despite the early hour.

The view was extremely beautiful unlike the description from tales of people who have been here.

I exhaled, forcing myself to relax.

Leaving Ebonbrook meant leaving the military and losing my job, with no clue of how I'll survive. But I wasn't bothered because, this is supposed to be my fresh start, a chance to leave behind every memory that still haunts me. Mom was dead which means no more warnings about staying away from the woods and avoiding the wolves.

The town finally appeared as I rounded the final bend, emerging like something out of an old fairy tale. It was quiet, almost like no one lived in it. It had a stone bridge over a lazy river, and it was beautiful, almost too beautiful.

My house is a wooden cabin, located a little far away from the town. The last thing I wanted was having neighbors around me who would want to know about my life. Coming to Duskwood was solely based on making a fresh start. The real estate agent, a young woman in her early 30s, had warned me about how the woods could be scary and the last owner had complained about it being haunted. What was wrong in a little adventure? I asked myself. Plus the price was irresistible.

I was finally here! I stepped out of the car and stretched my legs which were already hurting from stiffness. Then I smelt it, it had a faint musky scent. It must be the damp earth, I muttered.

I could feel a presence, it felt like I was being watched from the darkness between the trees.

Working as a nurse at the military ground had given me experience about someone watching me and I could feel it.

“Hello? Anyone there?”

Silence.

“Show yourself!

My heart was racing, but nothing moved. No wind, no rustling leaves. Just stillness.

Get inside.

My instinct was right and it sent a wave of uneasiness, but I obeyed.

I grabbed my suitcase. On a normal day I would have been dragging many suitcases, but I didn't want anyone to know I had left Ebonbrook as it was popularly called when I was young. I didn't want anyone to come finding me here in Duskwood so I took just a few things I needed.

I entered the cabin and slammed the door shut.

Later that evening, after unpacking my things, I decided to go into town to pick up a few things I didn't bring with me.

Duskwood was even smaller than it had looked at first. A few shops, a tiny grocery store and a bar which I think should be the town's hub. It was lively and filled with people who probably didn't have any secrets before coming here.

I parked my car in the parking lot and stepped inside.

The moment I entered the grocery shop, every head turned.

If I hadn't worked on my social anxiety, I would have ran back to my car and drove back to my cabin.

I could feel the weight of a dozen eyes on me, scanning, questioning.

Then, just as quickly as they had turned to look at me, they returned to what they were doing.

Weird.

Shrugged off the feeling of discomfort I had felt and made my way to where wines were kept.

“Meridian blended brandy” a voice said behind me as I touched the first wine that drew my attention.

“I'll go for this instead” I said, picking up the Vecchia Romagna wine mom had always loved.

“You're new.” She observed.

I nodded. “Yeah. Moved in today.”

She extended a hand “Quinn Colby. What brings you to Duskwood, we rarely have new faces here.”

Do people here not mind their business? I asked myself.

“I need a change.” I answered dully. “Fresh air. A quiet place.”

She smirked. “You'll surely get that here.”

Before I could ask anything else the front door swung open.

A sharp, electric tension crackled through the air.

The entire room became still. Conversations died. And it seems the music from the bar nearby became dim.

I turned

And met his eyes.

Golden. Intense. Doe-liked. Unlike anything I have ever seen before.

He was tall and broad-shouldered. His brown shirt clung to a muscular frame, he had short dark hair and it looked like he had just come from the wild.

And he was looking straight at me.

I could feel heat rushing down my veins. A sudden sense of familiarity struck me so hard.

Quinn murmured under her breath, “Oh boy.”

I could barely hear her. This strange man gaze held me captive and it was piercing like he was digging into my soul.

Then, he started walking towards where we stood.

The crowd parted spontaneously, as if sensing his power.

He stopped a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest and kept on studying me like a predator was waiting on its prey.

“You shouldn't be here.”

His voice was low and rough like gravel.

“Excuse me?” I growled, my gravelly voice harsh and Intimidating.

But he didn't blink. “Duskwood isn't for outsiders.”

I lifted my chin, refusing to be intimidated. “I live here now so I guess that doesn't make me an outsider.”

He was surprised and I could tell from his facial expression and it left as quickly as it came.

“You don't belong here,” his voice was quiet this time and didn't sound annoying.

I clenched my fists. This man was already pissing me off. “I'll decide that for myself.”

For a long moment, we just stared at each other, a thick tension hung in the air.

Then, he took a step back, his eyes still on me for a little while before he turned and walked out the door.

Only when he was gone did everybody exhale.

Quinn let out a low whistle. “Well, darling, you sure know how to make an entrance.

I swallowed hard. “Who was that?”

She hesitated, then sighed. “Edgar Nolan”

It sent a chill down my veins.

Quinn leaned in. “And trust me, honey. You'd better stay far, far away from him “

Outside, in the dark woods, golden eyes peered from the shadows.