The Infinity Coven Trilogy_A Dark Temptation (Volume 1)

Chapter 1

Murdered!

That one word kept haunting Quinn as she sank back into her seat of the black limousine. She drew in a long deep breath and stared out across the dark green landscape along the side of the road. The setting sun was gone, leaving a trail of arising dimness. She closed her eyes and let her upsetting memories carry her away.

Even after two months, the vivid images of her mother's unnatural death still tormented her. How could she ever forget that night- the night when all that unexplained weirdness began.

That Saturday evening, Richards' mansion was strangely quiet, amiss of the usual loud high society parties thrown nearly every weekend lately. Byron Richards never missed an opportunity to remind his business rivals of his superiority and power over them. Those parties were known as the most lavish ones where all friends and foes got together to celebrate his reign over the hotel industry.

But that night; however, for some reason, he chose not to, instead burying himself in his vintage furnished study. It was unusual for him to seek refuge in solitude rather than his accustomed show off. Quinn quietly sneaked inside the mansion so that her father remained unaware that she wasn't asleep. She quickly looked around but there was no one to see. Not a single indoor staff in sight. Strange...maybe she just got lucky. Even god was helping her from tolerating another repeated discussion about her rebellious behavior.

Exhausted from Sebastian's latest breakup party, Quinn climbed the stairs barefoot, her black high pumps in her hands when a sound broke the stillness of the air - the sound of a shattering vase. Her long slender legs moved in a quicker pace this time upon hearing other things smashing on the floor.

She knew the sound was coming from her mother's room. She feared the worst. A little inside shiver went through her; the kind that made her suddenly feel sick. A dreadful thrill of genuine panic engulfed her whole body. Quinn hunched her shoulders, trying to shrug the negative thoughts off, but another shiver caught her midway through. Something felt horribly wrong inside her. She placed a hand on her belly as her stomach churned from the heightened level of fear, her instinct repeatedly warning her off.

Quinn stopped at the heavy rustic double french doors. Her hand rested on the doorknob for a moment, silently wishing her instincts were wrong. Calming her nerves, she pushed it open and stared around in absolute shock.

The once white neat masterbedroom was in an absolute mess. Pieces of mom's beautiful malachite glass vase were scattered on the rich tapestry carpeting and other objects cracked as she moved, pricking her bare feet.

The once white neat master bedroom was in an absolute mess. Pieces of scattered vase and other objects cracked as she moved, hurting her feet. Several bed sheets covered the flooring and under them, partly covered was a hand. She froze on the spot. For one second, she even thought she was hallucinating.

Her fear became reality when she uncovered the body. Her mother was laid down face-downward. Her pink chiffon dress was creased. Slowly, she turned the lifeless cold body around.

Quinn opened her eyes widely. The memories of her dead mother perturbed her more.

How in the world did she leave her lavish lifestyle in New York, her queen bee title, her friends and agreed to stay with her grand-aunt? Obviously, because Byron Richards, her dear father said so as he believed it was the only way to make her forget the tragic past. Every order must be executed - no discussion, no argument.

But she had also a hidden reason to leave everything and start over - the endless nightmares which occurred after the death of her mother.

As the past threatened to overcome reality, still desperately being fought by conflicting emotions, yet another reality surfaced when the driver informed her that they will soon reach their destination Blue Haven, a small town located about thirteen miles east of Ellijay, Georgia. It had only a population of fifteen thousand and twenty-four people... now fifteen thousand and twenty-five as they crossed the border. A long trail of weird looking tall of what seemed to be mossy oak trees greeted her, running along the pathway.