Valerie found herself back in the secret room, the symbols on the walls pulsing with an otherworldly energy. Hugh's eyes burned with an intense fury, his grip on her arm like a vice.
"You'll never escape me, Valerie," he hissed. "You'll never escape the shadows."
But Valerie knew she had to try. With a surge of adrenaline, she wrestled free from Hugh's grasp and faced him, her eyes blazing with determination.
"I'll never surrender to the darkness, Hugh," she declared. "I'll never surrender to you."
Hugh's face twisted in rage, and he summoned the creature from the shadows. But Valerie was ready. With a fierce cry, she unleashed the power of the shards, channeling the light into a blast of energy that sent the creature flying across the room.
Hugh's eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, Valerie saw the glimmer of humanity beneath the darkness. But it was too late. The shadows closed in, and Hugh was consumed by the very darkness he had sought to control.
As the darkness dissipated, Valerie stood victorious, the shards of her soul reassembled, her true self restored. She knew she would never be the same, that she had faced the shadows and emerged stronger.
And as she walked away from the secret room, she knew she would always carry the light within her, a beacon to guide her through the darkest of nights...
YOU ARE READING
shadows of desire
RomanceValerie Wood, a beautiful and fiery young woman, had always been drawn to the darkness. Growing up in a troubled home, she found solace in the shadows, where she could escape the pain and hurt. Hugh Karter, a wealthy and enigmatic businessman, was a...
