Page 3 of Secrets Of Blackwood
“Are you alright?” she asks, pulling me from my reverie, her voice a melody that somehow softens the stark stone around us.
Lying, I force myself to say, “Fine,” even though I feel like I’m being torn apart by a conflict. She deserves someone untainted, not a man mired in darkness, yet here I am, drawn to her light like a moth to flame.
“Damien?” Her hand brushes mine, tentative, questioning.
“Let’s get you to your class.” My voice is gruff, an attempt to build the walls back up, but they’re crumbling faster than I can repair them.
LILY
Though his touch is fleeting, it sears into my skin, leaving a trail of heat that I’m powerless to ignore. There’s something about Damien Blackwood, something more than the rumors and whispers that shadow his every step. He’s the enigma of the academy, a puzzle I want to solve, even if it means getting lost in the labyrinth.
We come to a stop outside my classroom, and I feel the loss of his presence like a physical blow. As I turn to face him, his gray eyes reveal a storm, a tempest suppressed solely by his sheer willpower. It’s there, in his gaze, the unspoken words we’re both afraid to voice.
“Thank you,” I murmur, my heart thumping against my ribcage. “For helping me.”
“Anytime, Lily.” His reply is audible, a whisper of sound that carries more weight than any shout.
With our eyes locked, the world tilts on its axis. It’s a moment suspended in time, an understanding that passes between us without need for words. Danger lurks in the depths of his stare, warn the forbidden fruit that dangles within reach.
And yet, I can’t help but wonder what it would taste like.
As soon as a bell rings, breaking the spell, students spill into the hallway, their voices buzzing and filling the void. But even as I turn away to enter my class, the electricity that hummed in the air lingers, a promise—or perhaps a threat—of what is yet to come.
* * *
DAMIEN
The air shivers with tension as I watch Lily disappear into the classroom, her golden hair catching the light like a beacon of purity in this den of vipers. Turning on my heel, I head back through the now-crowded halls, each step deliberate. As students part for me, their whispers slither behind my back, serving as a constant reminder of the power I wield here.
A new transfer student, bulky with misplaced confidence, bumps into me, testing boundaries and seeking to establish his own foothold. I don’t even blink.
“Watch where you’re going,” he sneers, locking eyes with mine, challenging.
“Watch whom you challenge,” I retort, my voice low and even. A murmur ripples through the bystanders; they sense a storm brewing.
“Or what, Blackwood?” He squares his shoulders, oblivious to the danger.
Saying this with a stiff smile playing on my lips, I warn, “Or you’ll learn why they part ways.”
For a moment, he falters, sensing the predator in me. Then, with a huff, he backs down, melting away into the crowd that’s hungry for drama but finds none today.
Retreating, a flicker of my past claws its way up my throat—the taste of iron in my mouth, the sting of fists, the jeers from an unforgiving father. The memories are like shards of glass, tearing at my insides, reminding me of the darkness I come from and the control I must maintain to not become that which I despise.
* * *
LILY
The teacher’s voice drones on, but my thoughts are fixated on Damien’s compelling gaze, leaving me unable to focus on the task at hand. My focus wavers as emotions overwhelm me, dulling my senses—until a sharp nudge from behind snaps me back to the present.
“Hey, newbie,” a snide voice cuts through my reverie. “You’re in my seat.”
As I turn, I am faced with a girl whose eyes are like steel traps and lips twisted in a sneer. My heart stutters, but I find my voice. “I… I didn’t know,” I say, gathering my things.
“Make sure it doesn’t happen again,” she snaps, claiming the spot as I move to an empty seat by the window.
With sweaty palms and a racing pulse, the encounter leaves me. It’s clear that not all challenges will come from understanding the curriculum or navigating the halls. There are wolves among us dressed as students, and I am walking among them, unguarded, unprotected.
Except… In Damien’s presence, when he looks at me, I feel shielded, as if his very existence could create a protective shadow over my vulnerabilities. The thought both comforts and terrifies me because what does it mean for my heart if it beats in rhythm with his dark, enigmatic world?