Chapter 1: Introduction
The town was caught in a blizzard. It was so heavy that I had to stop worrying about the biting wind and focus on not wiping out on a slick patch of ice. As I kept a careful watch on the sidewalk, Andrea slipped into my mind.
Andrea was a student like any other on campus. Except for his striking blue eyes and raven-black hair, of course. He always kept to himself, and even though I didn't know him well, I could understand his loneliness. He had a hunger for connection that clung to him like his favorite leather jacket.
And somehow, without really trying, he found himself with an incredible gift: an ability to peer into the minds of the women he desired.
A timid smile here would turn into a knowing smirk there, and soon enough, there would be an invitation to coffee or dinner. Except, it wasn't just his charm or gift that won them over. In some twisted, unspoken agreement with himself, Andrea couldn't help but use his newfound powers to glimpse a little too far past the veil of intimacy.
But then came Antonio Rossi.
Jesus Christ, this man was pure evil wrapped in a sharp three-piece suit. I could sense his menacing presence crawling through the city's underbelly, even without using my abilities.
One evening, while attempting to eavesdrop on the next beautiful woman to grace his sheets, he stumbled upon Antonio's plan to take over their beautiful town. In that moment, Andrea couldn't just stand there and let it happen, no matter the consequences to himself or his very private life.
With newfound determination, he knew exactly what he had to do.