Chapter One
Caitlyn had been warned never to come near this place. Gutsy or foolish, she didn't know
which category she fell into, but it was too late to worry about that now. She had arrived.
Her rental car's headlights illuminated a smooth, black-topped driveway. Tall trees arched
over the road, their skeletal branches grasping like gnarled fingers at the starlit sky. She
suppressed a shudder and focused instead on the patches of bright yellow daffodils scattered
over the grounds.
Looking for the positive, she would call it. Foolhardy, some might say. But when facing the
unknown, she'd learned in her twenty-six years that keeping a good attitude was critical. The
fact that the grounds appeared well-maintained was a good sign. And the security guard at the
entrance had seemed friendly, checking her ID and welcoming her with a smile.
Think of this as an adventure. You love adventure.
Even so, her grip tightened on the steering wheel as she watched the heavy wrought-iron gate
swing shut in her rearview mirror. The metallic clang echoed around the barren trees and
vibrated through her bones.
She was locked in.
Dad had to be wrong. This place couldn't be dangerous. She'd looked it up on the Internet
before coming. Romatech Industries manufactured synthetic blood, then shipped it to
hospitals and clinics around the world. The CEO and inventor, Roman Draganesti, was
credited with saving thousands of lives every year. Who could object to that?
She proceeded down the long driveway that snaked through extensive grounds. Maybe Dad
was referring to the bombing she'd read about. That had happened three years ago, though,
and nothing dangerous had occurred since then. She was perfectly safe, she assured herself, as
a dimly lit, sprawling building came into view.
Neatly clipped hedges lined the wings that spread from the building's center. Overhead lamps
shone down on the dozen or so cars in the parking lot, while insects buzzed in each lamp's
halo of light. She parked her rented Camry and glanced warily at the entrance.
Dad was being overly dramatic, that was all. But why would he want to keep her away from
her sister? Was he concerned that a reunion would cause her emotional distress? Caitlyn had
to admit she didn't know what to expect from a sister she hadn't heard from in six years.
She'd been shocked when two days ago she'd received a card from her older sister. Shanna
had acquired a new last name: Draganesti. Was she married to the CEO of Romatech? When
had that happened? Shanna had included a photo of her son and daughter, and she'd invited
Caitlyn to a birthday party for Constantine, who was turning four in late March.
Caitlyn had stared, dumbstruck, at the photo for five minutes. She hadn't known she had a
