Page 1 of Sinful

Prologue

Sebastian

NOW

October 18th,2024

I stoodin the dark driveway, staring up at the house. It towered on high, three stories of wood and stone throned on a mountain and surrounded by deep green foliage.

I used to view the place as a mini paradise tucked away from the rest of the world. A peaceful escape. Now I only saw it as the place where it all began. The place that had carved its mark on my life, leaving behind all the jagged scars that defined me.

What started here twenty years ago wouldn’t be over until someone forced it to end. That was my job now, and I knew it was finally time.

My boots crunched against the gravel as I turned and faced away from the house. I yanked the burner phone out of my jacket and composed a text to a now-familiar number.

The owner of that number pretended he didn’t care for modern technology, but I knew he checked the phone every day. He was a fucking liar and a hypocrite, just like the rest of those cultist bastards.

Thinking of him automatically made me think ofher,down on her knees, mouth gaped, eyes shimmering with tears until one finally escaped to land on her delicate cheek.

With my lips pressed together in a firm line, I finished the message and hit send.

I have your daughter. Follow my instructions, or I’m going to kill her.

1

Sebastian

THEN

.

October 4th,2004

The monster was back.

His black claws scraped the lip of the cave as he crept forward, a deep growl rumbling from his matted belly. I could smell his foul breath and feel the horrible heat of it, drawing closer and closer by the second.

“Mom!” I screamed. “Mom, help!”

Footsteps thundered up the stairs. In an instant, my mother was in my room, the bedside lamp casting a soft light over her concerned face. “What happened, Seb?” she asked, her voice steady but laced with worry.

I sat up straight, bottom lip trembling. “I had another bad dream.”

“Oh, honey.” She rubbed my back soothingly. “I’m sorry. Do you want to talk about it?”

“There was a monster in a cave. He wanted to eat me. It’s the same dream I had last time we were here.”

“Would you like me to check under your bed to make sure he’s gone?” she asked, brows lifting.

“No.” I shook my head and crossed my arms defiantly. “I want to go home!”

Her face fell. “But you love Pinecrest Falls. You wanted to come here.”

That was true. I’d always loved spending time at our family’s vacation home. My friends back in the city vacationed all over the place, and I often had the opportunity to do so as well, but nothing ever matched up to the fun I had exploring the woods and mountains around here with my mom and dad. I loved the trees and the animals, and the way everything seemed so peaceful.

I knew my mom loved it here too. Even though the house belonged to my father’s side of the family, she spent more time here than anyone else. Like me, she loved nature, and she said the peace and quiet made it easy for her to concentrate on her work.

“I do like it here,” I said sullenly, looking down at the bedspread. “I just don’t like bad dreams.”

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