Million Shades of Blood
In the dark underbelly of Lake City, where power and secrets intertwine, a chilling murder sets the stage for a relentless pursuit of truth. Evelyn Dawson, the enigmatic heiress to the sprawling empire left by her deceased parents, finds herself plunged into a web of deceit and betrayal when her best friend, William Adler, is brutally slain. Haunted by a family plagued with dark intentions and burdened by her own extraordinary ability to hear the whispers of hidden truths, Evelyn stands at the center of a treacherous storm. As her family vies for control of the empire, their motives shrouded in secrecy, she must untangle the threads that connect her loved ones to the heinous crime. Enter Ethan Ashford, a seasoned detective with an unyielding determination to bring justice to Lake City. Initially suspecting the Dawson family, including Evelyn, as the perpetrators, Ethan embarks on a perilous journey. Reluctantly, Evelyn aligns herself with the detective, drawn to his unique ability to discern lies. Together, they navigate a labyrinth of long-held grudges, unspoken truths, and hidden pasts, realizing that William's murder is only the tip of the iceberg. As they dig deeper, Evelyn and Ethan unearth a far-reaching conspiracy that threatens not only their lives but the very foundation of Lake City itself. Each revelation uncovers another million shades of blood, leading them closer to the devastating truth. But with danger lurking in every shadow and the killer watching their every move, they must stay one step ahead, deciphering the tangled web of family secrets before it's too late. In "Million Shades of Blood," a gripping tale of loyalty, deception, and the pursuit of justice, Evelyn and Ethan find themselves entangled in a battle against time and the darkness that resides within the hearts of those closest to them. Will they unravel the sinister plot and expose the true face of evil, or will they become mere casualties in a game of power and revenge?
Prologue
A human brain can not function effectively with lack of sleep for 48 hours yet here she was awake for 3 days functioning perfectly as she weaved through the dance floor forcing laughter in front of her family with a drink in her perfectly manicured hand -that still had the crests of blood hidden underneath the nails- instead of a twentieth cup of coffee in the past 72 hours. But then it happened her brain snapped, the world tilted in front of her, the glass shattered to the ground, someone screamed in the room, the solid landing beneath her feet slipped away and the world turned into a rabbit hole as she fell through it, except she wasn't Alice and there was no wonderland, only darkness awaited her at the end of it.
24 Hours earlier
The clock ticked in the background somewhere, the sign of time continuously passing while her time seemed to have slowed in a faze. The bed beneath her remained unshifting, her body upon it stiff and awakened unblinking eyes staring at the blank roof without seeing it. The blue shimmering dress at the corner of her bed swayed by the edges from time to time gracing the golden paired heels lying on the floor beside it.
48 hours earlier
The smell of lilies mixed with fresh wet mud hung heavily in the air. Hushed sounds of people's praises and prayers along with their sobs surrounded the area, yet she searched for the sound of that perfect laughter. The haunting presence of grim reapers overpowered all her senses. The bland gravestone a few feet away from her taunted her, the words upon it a blur. Her body acted the way everyone around her moved. Kneeling to the ground placing the flowers atop the grave. Her eyes remained glued to the gravestone, she still couldn't perceive the carvings on top of it. Her mind a chaotic mess willed her to speak but no words slipped out of the choked throat and she silently turned around to leave.
72 hours earlier
The blood oozing beneath her fingers was hot and fresh and continued to flow between her hands no matter the pressure she applied on his chest pleading to him. "William please wake up" the words repeated over and over in her mouth. But he didn't budge. His eyes still half open as he stared at her but didn't move and didn't blink. He didn't reach up and hugged her telling the girl to stop crying even after her tears had begun mixing with his blood as she applied more pressure. He didn't move. He wasn't moving. But she was moved. A pair of arms pulling her behind, whose she didn't know. But they were pulling her away from her best friend. Taking him away from her. The sirens of the ambulance blared through the night sky. Death creeping out of the corners.