Page 47 of Visions of Darkness

Everything was regimented and controlled.

Scheduled.

Not that I minded order.

I just hated that I was beingcontrolledhere.

I hugged my arms across my chest as I followed the rest inside, and the door locked behind us with a buzz.

Yeah, I wasn’t getting through that, either.

Complaints of discontent sprouted from the group when we were led through the main room and into art therapy.

“This is so stupid,” Jenny grumbled from the chair next to me. “I don’t know why they make us do this. It doesn’t help anything.”

I shrugged. “It’s okay, I guess.”

More than okay. I loved it. I loved the feeling of my hand stroking over the blank paper as I scratched the charcoal pencil across it. As it grew and the lines became more defined. As the image took shape and came to life. I just sat back and let it flow.

I wasn’t surprised when pale eyes stared back at me.

As he looked at me with his dark intensity.

The meadow alive around him, so real I could almost smell it.

“‘Um, it’s okay, I guess,’saysLittle MissAria da Vinciover here. Seriously, I’m embarrassed to even show you mine.”

Pouting, Jenny glanced between the stick figures on her paper and my drawing. Mock shame hung her head.

A small chuckle escaped me, and I bit down on my bottom lip.

Her feigned offense only grew as she touched her chest.

“What, you think you’re better than me?” She held up her picture, displaying the drawing that looked like a five-year-old had done it. “This is my best work, Aria. A real classic.”

That time, I laughed. I couldn’t help it.

Blue eyes glimmered as she grinned, and I smiled back, savoring the bond, this unlikely friendship formed in the most unlikely of places.

Smirking, she quirked her brow as she gestured at my drawing. “Bet you wish he was real. Hot damn, baby.”

I glanced back down at the image.

Pax, in our sanctuary. Sitting in the high grasses.

His expression severe.

Fierce.

The same way that he always looked at me.

My chest squeezed.

She really had no idea.

Dr. Perry pulled her glasses from her face, set them on the desk, and sat back in her chair.

“Tell me how your first night was here, Aria.”

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