"Love, which absolves no one beloved from loving,

seized me so strongly with his charm that,
as you see, it has not left me yet.

Love brought us to one death."

-Dante Alighieri, Inferno

"I'm coming for you," a soft whisper echoed in my bedroom walls. I tossed and turned in my warm bed, covering my ears with a pillow, wishing the familiar echo would come to a stop. A cold gust of wind removed my blanket, exposing my goose-bumped legs. Strong, chilled fingers tucked loose strands of hair away from my face, sending chills down my spine. "We will see each other soon," that familiar voice whispered again. I opened my eyes, sat up, and took a mouthful of air, trying to calm my pounding heart.

Ever since I was a little girl, my dreams always included of him. He never showed his face. His cool voice whispering in my ear, begging me to say three simple words he has been waiting for me to say are the norm of these dreams. However, there were nights when I swore I could feel how silky his dark hair through my fingers or how muscular his chest was. Maybe I was going crazy. "Or maybe you just need a boyfriend," my best friend, Angelo, would say.

Perhaps.

My gaze turned to the clock next to my bed; 9 am. I forced myself to leave the warm embrace of my bed and headed to the bathroom. Dark circles ringed my brown eyes from another sleepless night and my long tousled brown hair was a rat's nest. I used a small amount of makeup to hide them and wore the outfit I prepared the night before.

I passed by my parents' empty bedroom. They had an early shift and left me a cold omelet in the microwave. I ate my breakfast alone in our rundown apartment. It has been too long since my family and I ate breakfast together. It was my senior year in high school and they worked more hours to help save up for the expensive tuition. It was almost Christmas and none of us could afford to buy each other gifts.

After finishing my breakfast, I went up to my room and fished out the money I've saved from work to buy my parents Christmas gifts. I smiled, proud of myself. I was able to save enough money and I couldn't wait until they open their presents. My thoughts were interrupted when my phone rang.

"Hey Celeste, I'm here. Are you ready?" A smooth accented voice asked.

"I'll be right out!"

My best friend Angelo De Rege waited in his brand new Ferrari. The neighborhood I lived in caused the car to stand out from my neighbors' beat up cars. A strong wind blew against my face. I was glad I decided to wear my red coat in this chilly November morning in California. I flashed a warm smile as I opened the door of the car and sat down.

"Are we still heading to the Venice Mall?" Angelo asked turning his strong body towards me

"Of course!" I replied with a grin.

Angelo started the engine and I leaned back, enjoying the comfortable seats of his Ferrari. Angelo de Rege and I had been best friends since we were small. He was made fun of by the other kids in my elementary school because his mother would dress him in a suit every day. Angelo came from a wealthy family, yet they raised him with lessons in kindness and humility. I remembered perfectly when I walked towards him; I stuck my hand out and told him that boys in suits are the coolest thing. We became the best of friends after.

Nothing else changed about him. He still had his unruly blonde curls and warm hazel eyes that showed nothing but compassion. His strong facial features and muscular build was now the object of infatuation for many girls in my school. Yet, he remained to be the Angelo that listened to my burdens, my shoulder to cry on, and the guy that helps me cheat on my Calculus test.

We arrived at the mall and headed in front of Macy's where my friends, Ted, Brittany, Summer, and Daniel waited. Joy filled my heart every time our "squad" hangs out. We hung out together for a little while before we decided to split up and buy Christmas gifts for our loved ones.

I stumbled upon a new store at the mall. Business was slow. Many people passed by the store without notice. The doors were tinted black which prevents any potential customer from checking what the store has to offer.  A foreboding feeling surged through my body and warning bells rang in my head.

Don't do it Celeste.

Move on.

Go to another store.

What is the worse that could happen? My curiosity got the best of me and I grabbed the silver handles of the sleek tinted door and opened it. The small shop was illuminated with red light. There were no employees manning the boutique. The scent of incense wafted in the air causing me to feel light headed and it looked like a sensual version of a soap shop. Different shapes and sizes of soaps, lotions, and perfumes were displayed in high shelves. Some of the soaps were even shaped in the size of the male reproductive organ with names such as Pleasure, Temptation, and Sin.

Wow.

I turned around to leave before a deep familiar husky voice stopped me on my tracks. "Did you find what you wanted?"

There was only one person who had that voice. He haunted my dreams since I was a child. It couldn't be him.

I faced the owner of the voice and took a step back stunned. He was beautiful. Unearthly. His dark locks were untamed as if he frequently rakes his fingers through them. What caught my attention the most were his eyes. They were wintry blue that held no warmth. He wore black pants and a black button up with the sleeves rolled up emphasizing the intricate snake tattoo on his pale skin. In total, he was tall dark and handsome. His gaze made me uncomfortable, as if he was seeing through my soul.

Devil.

I pushed the thought in the back of my mind. I realized I've been standing there for awhile like an idiot. "Um, I was just looking for a Christmas gift for friends and family." I said shyly. My eyes darted on the eerie looking soap and felt my face heat up before I returned my gaze to his.

His soft lips turned up into a grin and took a step closer towards me. "I think we have something you might like." He turned around and walked towards a part of the boutique.

His aura was unnerving, yet I followed him anyways. I looked around the store. There were no other customers that entered.

"Here." His voice returned my attention to the object he held in his strong hands. It was a red apple. I took it with a questioning look. "This fruit had a long history and symbolizes many things." He explained as he used his icy hands to close my fingers around the strange fruit.

"Like Adam and Eve." I murmured, remembering a story in the Bible of Adam and Eve's downfall due to a certain serpent.

"Exactly."

I didn't want the fruit. It was odd that a boutique selling soaps and lotions would also sell fruits. I stood there not knowing what to do.

"We're closing soon. Are you going to buy the fruit?" he asked lazily as he leaned against the register.

I frowned. I really didn't want the fruit but I felt bad for the store. It probably didn't make enough profit due to its weird customer service. "Do you have more?" I asked.

He grinned; his ivory smile reminded me of a predator that was ready to attack its prey. He took out a sleek black box and placed the six fruits in its designated section. He tied the box with a crimson sash and handed the box to me.

"How much are they?" I asked.

"They're for free. It's on us." He replied smoothly.

"Um, thank you..."

"Daemon." He answered as he walks past me and opens the same door I entered in the shop. He seemed in a hurry to get rid of his only customer. I didn't mind, the incense mixed the scent of the other soaps and lotions had given me a mild headache. I murmured a thanks and left.

"See you soon." He purred. I ignored the uneasiness his voice gave me. It seemed as if he meant his last few words.

I saw Angelo and the rest of my friends again once I exited the shop. I held the box close to my chest as I sauntered towards them.

"Where have you been? We've been looking everywhere for you." Angelo asked, worry creasing his handsome features.

"You wouldn't believe what I got from this weird store..." I pointed to the store behind me.

"What do you mean? There's no store Celeste." My friend, Scarlet pointed out.

She was right. All I saw was a gray wall separating two stores. The boutique I have just exited wasn't there anymore.

It's as if it never existed.

 Hey guys! This is the first chapter of my new book! I hope you guys enjoy it, there's more to come and any feedback would be great! :D Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think! If you guys want the first to know when updates are or just chat with me, follow me on Twitter! @AngeliqueToledo