Lucian
I woke before dawn, my chest tight with anticipation. The house I’d rented for Mara wasn’t anything grand—just a modest, quiet place tucked away where the trees stood like sentinels. It reminded me of her parents’ home. Familiar. Safe. I knew she’d smile when she saw it, and that smile meant everything to me. She didn’t care for extravagance. She wanted something real. Something that felt like home.
I hadn’t told her yet, but if this place felt right to us—if the walls echoed with laughter and mornings felt like peace—I’d make it permanent. I’d buy it. I was ready to start our life. A family. A future. Just us.
But there was still a shadow hanging over me. Martha. As long as she was free and had access to power, I wasn’t safe. Mara wasn’t safe. Darian was the only other person wi
