Chapter 1

Chapter One

Serenity

I looked around my dorm room at Crescent Moon University, taking it all in. The clean, crisp scent of fresh linens and the faint aroma of coffee from the mug on my desk were in sharp contrast to the stench of stale beer and rotting food that had constantly permeated my childhood home. My mom passed away when I was fourteen, and with my stepfather's drinking and poker buddies always coming and going, it had been a constant struggle for me to keep the place clean.

I was excited. This dorm represented my chance at a fresh start, an escape from the chaos that had defined my life for the last four years. My eyes drifted to my poster of Captain America on the wall, his shield gleaming with the promise of justice and protection. It had been the first thing I put up when I moved in. Growing up, I had always dreamed of meeting a hero like him, someone who could swoop in and save me from the villains that always seemed to surround me at every turn, even though in my eighteen years I had learned the hard truth—heroes didn't exist, at least not in my world.

Instead, I was stuck with my stepfather, Freddie, the leader of the pack of lowlifes that had taken over our home the moment Mom was in the ground. He was the kind of villain who didn't need any superpowers; his cruelty and manipulation were more than enough to make my life a living hell. But now, standing in this small, tidy room that was all my own, I felt a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, I could finally break free of him and start living life on my own terms.

I smiled at my best friend, Joy DuPont. "Can you believe it? I'm actually here."

Joy, her raven-black hair pulled back in a ponytail and dressed in pink sweatpants that made her look like an athletic version of Barbie, sat down next to me on my twin bed. "You worked your ass off to get here, girl. I don't know many people that could work three jobs like you," she said, leaning her head on my shoulder and gesturing toward my poster. "Just like Captain America—I can do this all day."

I let out a deep sigh and squeezed her hand tight. "Even better, I finally escaped Freaky Freddie's clutches." My heart sang at the idea of never having to lock my bedroom or bathroom door again or needing to constantly be looking over my shoulder.

Joy returned the squeeze with a thoughtful nod. "Yup. On the scale of creepy dudes, Freddie tops them all. But hey, that's all behind you now. You're safe here, and I'm right by your side to make sure it stays that way."

I grinned, feeling truly free for the first time in ages. "And I never have to see that man again, thanks to you and your dad."

She winked playfully. "Having a family of cops comes with certain perks," she said, elbowing me gently. "Besides, my dad thinks of you as a daughter. Trust me, slapping that restraining order on Freddie totally made his day."

Freddie had beaten me countless times but had always weaseled his way out of getting arrested. He was friends with some corrupt cops, and they always made sure the paperwork disappeared…until Joy's dad made detective, that is. Then everything changed.

Her trademark smile lit up her face. "Let's celebrate. Classes don't start until tomorrow. Apparently, some of the girls on our floor are going to The Junction to get to know each other. I think we should go too. We haven't really met anyone on this floor, and it would be good to make some new friends."

The Junction was a restaurant across the street from our dorm and a popular local hangout for college students. It was rumored to have the absolute best pan-sized fresh baked cookies with homemade ice cream, beignets, and chunky bread pudding. I wasn't completely convinced on the bread pudding because that had been Mom's specialty. But I hadn't had some for a long time, and it sounded tempting.

I frowned, looking down at my dirty sweatshirt and pants. "I look like crap. "

Joy giggled. "It's not for another hour," she said, giving me another playful nudge with her elbow. "Plenty of time to spruce up. Come on, it'll be a blast—and hey, who cares if we're a bit messy? We're going for the food, not a fashion show! Please?"

She batted her eyelashes, and I laughed. I never could deny her anything.

I leaned my head on her shoulder. "Okay."

"Yay!" Joy hopped off the bed, but her socked feet slid on the smooth wooden floor, causing her to lose her balance. She stumbled and hit her head on the floor with a loud thud.

I rushed over and knelt down next to her. "Oh my god, are you all right?"

Her smile was forced as she rubbed her forehead. "I think I saw stars for a moment."

I gently placed my palm on her forehead, and as soon as I did, the familiar tingling sensations rushed through my hand. My head snapped back, and…yep, there it was…my nose started bleeding. I dropped my arm and quickly grabbed a tissue. "Feel better?"

She rubbed her forehead. "Yes, much, thank you. I'm not dizzy or anything. Wow. You've definitely got the healing touch, girl," Joy said with a relieved smile, winking at me to lighten the moment.

My shoulders sagged, and I stared at the hardwood floor. "I wish I knew how I'm doing it." I blinked away tears. "And I really wish I'd had it when Mom got cancer." My voice caught, and I struggled to keep the tears away.

The memory of my mom's final, horrible days flooded my mind. Why couldn't I have already had this ability then?

Joy got up from the floor and pulled me into a tight bear hug. "I know," she whispered, her own voice shaking with emotion. "Your mom would have been so proud of you. But hey, I'm sure she's smiling down on you, seeing all the amazing things you're doing."

We held each other for a few minutes before she pulled away, wiping her cheeks. "Enough of this. We gotta get ready and head over to The Junction to meet up with everyone else on our floor. We don't wanna be late, right? It'll be super fun to finally get to know our neighbors better. Let's just throw on something cute and comfy, do a quick makeup touch-up, and we'll be good to go!"

I sniffed and took a deep breath, then held up my palms. "Okay. Okay. I don't want to think about Mom or what happened after she died, anyway. Those memories can stay buried. Let me just take out this last bit of trash, then I'll get dressed and we can go."

Joy laughed and clapped her hands. "Yay! I'll be out of the shower by the time you get back. I'm so excited to meet everyone. This is gonna be an amazing night, for sure!"

"No rush," I said as I picked up our trash can that was filled to overflowing.

Leaving the warmth and laughter of my dorm behind, I stepped into the cool evening air, the campus lights flickering softly in the distance. The normalcy of a task as mundane as taking out the trash felt grounding after the whirlwind of emotions I'd just experienced.

The dumpster sat just behind the dorm, reeking of rotting food and overflowing with garbage. As I approached, a prickling sensation crept up the back of my neck. The night was suddenly unnaturally silent and felt charged with a foreboding I couldn't place. A white van was parked too close for comfort, its windows dark in the dim light.

A shiver ran down my spine, the cozy dorm room suddenly feeling worlds away. I quickened my pace, eager to return to the safety of my room, to Joy's infectious laughter and the promise of a night out. It was then, as I was looking back toward the dorm, that I heard it—a voice, chillingly close, shattering the night's calm.

"He was right. You really are a beauty," the voice sneered.

I spun around. A strong hand covered my mouth with a foul-smelling rag. Adrenaline pumped through me, and I kicked and flailed my arms as hard as I could and thrashed my head back and forth, but I started choking on the fumes and my arms and legs went limp. My eyes fluttered shut, and then everything went black...

As I slowly regained consciousness, my eyes struggled to see in the dimly lit room. My forehead was throbbing, and when I instinctively reached up to touch it, I discovered my hands were bound behind my back. A thick cloth was also stuffed in my mouth, muffling any sound I tried to make. I was on a bed.

I twisted my wrists, trying to break free, but the bindings were so tight that my efforts merely made them dig harder into my flesh. Beads of sweat broke out all over my body as I thrashed around on the bed, trying to throw my bound legs over the edge, but my sweatpants stuck to me like a second skin, making it even harder.

I frantically looked around, trying to figure out where I was—a luxurious purple bedroom with a small window. Maybe I could hop over to the window and crawl out? But first, I had to get these damn bindings off.

The mumble of voices stilled my heart. Shadows flickered underneath the door. The voices got closer, and my blood ran cold. Using all my strength, I rolled off the bed and landed on my back with a thud, sending the air rushing out of my lungs. A fresh, sharp pain stabbed the back of my skull, and stars dotted my vision.

The door whipped open. A tall, broad-shouldered man in a suit walked in and stared down at me. I had never seen him before. "Ah, so you're awake. Good. I'm Simon." He stroked his beard, eyeing me in a way that made me feel like I needed a hot shower. "You will bring a good price…especially since you're so young. My customers like them young."

Fuckfuckfuckfuck

Dread lodged in my throat—followed by a fear that burst through my chest, crushing my heart. It was like a panic bomb exploding inside me—I could feel my blood rolling through my veins, pumping between my temples.

"Now, here's what's going to happen, Serenity." He circled me, giving me a cruel stare.

God, he knew my name?! I had to get the fuck out of here. I briefly considered swinging my bound ankles and knocking him on his ass, but just then a large shadow filled the doorway, smashing my hope. It was a burly man that could snap me like a twig .

Hope returned when I thought of Joy. She would have reported me as missing to the police by now, either officially or just by calling her father, Louis. God, please, please, please let them be looking for me already. Girls disappeared on the streets of New Orleans all the time, and I didn't want to be another statistic.

"Michael." He nodded his chin at the bulky guy who stomped into the room like a giant. I shook my head wildly, scooting back from him, not wanting him to touch me. But my head swam as I inhaled more of the harsh chemicals, and I choked on the rough texture of the gag pressed to my mouth.

The man grabbed me and tossed me onto the bed like I was a suitcase. I landed on my back and the pulsing pain increased on the back of my skull. Then he stood back, folding his arms across his chest and watching me. If I made any sudden moves against Simon, I knew this guy would make me regret it.

Simon sat next to me on the bed. He lifted a blonde strand off my head and sniffed it.

Grossgrossgross

I jerked my head, yanking my hair from his long, slender fingers.

He chuckled softly. "Such a fighter you are, Serenity. And such a pretty name. Your new master will teach you discipline. Like I said, here's what's going to happen. I'm going to send my assistants in here, and they will help you get ready for the auction tonight."

Simon patted my thigh, making my skin crawl. "You will do exactly as you're told." He grabbed my hair and jerked my head up next to his narrow face. His nose and chin were too sharp, reminding me of a ferret, and his breath was overly sweet, as if he just eaten a whole tray of pralines. "There's a way we can inflict pain without leaving a mark. My witch has perfected it. Nod if you understand."

I forced myself to nod. I knew all about pain, and Freddie had hurt me more times than I could remember without ever leaving a mark. But a witch? Seriously?

Simon released my hair, and I fell back again onto the bed.

Then two women barged into the room dressed in suits, looking more like businesswomen than jailers, their faces caked with heavy makeup that failed to hide their lines and wrinkles. One of them, who had a severe gray bun and sharp features, gave me a once-over with cold, assessing eyes that were gray like her hair. "You were right, Simon. She will fetch a high price if we can bring out her real beauty. Wouldn't you agree, Marsha?"

The bitch! She made me feel like I was a cocker spaniel she was prepping for a dog show.

Trapped, I sized up my captors. Their hands were empty and relaxed, with no weapons in sight. Maybe this was my chance. I've never been one to play the victim.

But even as I plotted my escape, the older woman opened a closet, revealing a selection of long gowns. "Since she's so young, Marsha," she mused, "we'll dress her in white. Yes?" She selected a sleeveless gown with lace detailing. "But first, we'll clean her up. Those wolves would never want someone who reeks."

Wolves? My heart skipped. Were they talking about actual animals, or was that a metaphor for something more sinister?

Marsha's gaze on me was cold and devoid of pity. "Let's get her untied," she ordered, nodding at my bonds. "Quickly. We only have two hours to make her presentable."

The mention of wolves lingered in my mind, ominous and confusing. Why wolves? The question haunted me as I tried to mask my fear, my brain racing for a way out.

I lay perfectly still, pretending to be too scared to move. The gray-haired woman grabbed my arm and pulled me roughly to my feet.

My wrists and ankles ached as she untied them, but the second I was free, I immediately swung my arm and connected with her jaw, sending her staggering back. Blood gushed from her nose as she cried out in pain.

Marsha grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back, causing me to cry out. I refused to give up. With all my strength, I slammed my head back into her face, breaking free of her grip.

I lunged for the nearby window, frantically searching for a way out of this hellish situation.

" éclat de Chaos ," Marsha cried out behind me.

Instantly, a wave of agony wracked my body, as if a fist had crushed me. I bent over, holding my sides, freedom just out of my grip.

Marsha gripped my hair with her fingers, her nails scratching my scalp. Tears of frustration streamed down my face.

"I assume Simon told you he had a witch." She gave me a sinister smile. "That's me. And this is just one of my many spells that can cause you pain."

Simon stood in the doorway, watching with a cruel grin on his face. "I told you we could make you suffer, leaving no visible marks," he taunted as he approached me.

" Lame Diabolique ." Marsha released me and the pain ceased. But it had zapped all my energy, and I crumbled to the floor, landing hard on my knees and then falling forward onto my stomach.

In a desperate attempt to get away, I crept toward the window like a chastised dog, but glanced over my shoulder when I heard footsteps following me, only to find myself looking right into Simon's cold, calculating eyes. Fear turned me to stone. I had just made a grave mistake.