1 Chapter 1

Taylor walked at a brisk pace that morning, her dark eyes fleeting around. There was nothing but the usual scenic views of her mountain home, but for some reason, today was just different. There was an odd sense of danger in the air, and no matter how fast she walked, she couldn't shake it.

Taylor couldn't help it, she broke into a jog as her lodge came into view, and bounded up the steps and through the door.

When it was shut behind her, she let out her breath. The room was unusually dark, the windows' shades were all drawn and only a dim light shined from somewhere in the kitchen. The country furniture seemed to stare at her, so she lifted her small head and walked away, all the way down to the den, where her father sat, waiting for her.

"Did you enjoy your run, dear?" He asked coldly, his voice just as dark as Taylor had always remembered it as.

She wanted to shudder, or maybe even to reply as bitterly as he spoke to her, but instead, she fell politely into the chair next to him and nodded her head.

"Yessir, I did. Thank you."

The distant man cocked an eyebrow at his young and beautiful daughter. His stony grey eyes moved up and down, studying her. Suddenly, he cracked a smile, something rare for a man like him, and let out a noise of amusement.

"We have a guest coming soon. Go make yourself look presentable. You look as if you were just run over."

"Yessir." Taylor said quickly, then left.

She hurried up to her room on the second floor, a spacious wooden room with a wall of windows facing the stunning forest, and walked into the bathroom.

A quick glance in the mirror showed her a slightly roused and messy girl, looking rather silly in the eyes of her father with her dark brown hair frizzy and her ponytail loose. Her face shined with sweat and her pale cheeks were flushed. She cocked her head at her reflection, pondering it. She was pretty, it was true, but she looked so childish. Her face was chubby and young, and her eyes were big and animated. In comparison to her mother, a woman who had captured the hearts of many boys at Taylor's age of sixteen, she was nothing.

She showered and cleaned herself up, dried her hair and straightened it into something that made her feel mature, and she even dabbled in a small bit of makeup. Even still, she was unhappy with her reflection.

Exiting the steamy bathroom, Taylor turned her attention to her clothes, picking out a simple dress and a jacket. It was autumn, after all. When she was done, she gave herself a smile and began on her way back downstairs to get her father or mother's approval, but stopped in her tracks halfway down the stairs. There were two men standing in the entrance to her home, both looking around. One of them had to be at least five years older than her father, who was fourth eight and going on a thousand. The other was much younger, maybe early or late twenties. They looked identical apart from age.

The young man locked eyes with Taylor, and she took a moment looking into those terrible voids of eyes before she realized what was happening and looked away. She scurried down the stairs, feeling his eyes on her back as she walked back into the den.

"The guests are here, sir."

Her father rose from his leather seat and placed his thin arm around his daughter.

"Well then I think it's time you meet them."