Chapter 1

The sprawling campus of Hainamor University was a sight to behold as the first vestiges of fall appeared by means of brightly colored leaves and the crisp, clean air that always compelled Naomi to inhale more deeply. Vermont had been a revelation for her. The Prices had a long history of not traveling above the Mason-Dixon line, but here she was, teaching English Literature?with a focus on poetry?in a small town that seemed pulled from the storybooks she’d read as a child.

As much as she liked to wander around the town, which was always bustling with activity, she especially loved being on campus. Students stretched out under trees in the quad, the tall Gothic-inspired buildings that gave the impression of being on the grounds of a castle, the paths that wound through vibrant green grass?it was idyllic, and most days she couldn’t believe life had led her here.
But then there were days like today. Today her deep breaths weren’t invigorating and pleasurable. They were to keep her blood pressure from elevating so high it would cause her to stroke out on the pavement as she walked to her next class. Her relocated next class, which had been moved because his almighty highness decreed it be so. Because heaven forbid anyone inconvenience the man who seemed to make it his mission in life to rile her.

Professor Blake.

It was fitting that Sebastian Blake wrote dystopian novels about the cataclysmic way the earth would end, seeing how he was a harbinger of despair and agony. Ever since she’d arrived to teach summer session three years ago, the man had been infuriating and antagonistic. He was the one gloomy spot in her otherwise bright existence. And while she knew she was giving him too much power?had allowed him to become her arch-nemesis despite it being less stressful to simply ignore him completely?it was impossible to interact in any way other than with utter contempt and malice.

It didn’t help matters that he was a literary genius. Despite Naomi’s specialty being poetry, she had not only read Sebastian’s books, but she’d reveled in them. There had been no other faculty member she’d been looking forward to meeting more than him.

It was for that reason that she’d maybe gone a little overboard on her first day, electing to bake everyone in her department a small cake in the shape of a book. She’d even iced his with the title of his latest novel on it, Persephone’s Revenge. It had taken a considerable amount of time to bake her ten fellow English professors personalized cakes, but she’d wanted to make a memorable impression?even if she now thought of the moment she presented the cakes with a tinge of embarrassment.

Still, all the other faculty members had been appreciative and touched. All except Sebastian. He’d looked down at her outstretched cake and said, “I’ll pass, thanks,” in a voice that sounded as if she’d offered him rancid squirrel meat. He then pointed as if signaling for her dismissal, and muttered, “My office hours are over for today. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to what I was doing before being interrupted.”

Naomi had been dumbstruck. His remark was so unwarranted she hadn’t been able to think of any way to respond. So she did what any rational, professional woman would do.

She told him he didn’t know what he was missing, took one bite of the cake, and then tossed the rest into his trash can and stormed out.

Once Naomi had calmed down, she’d convinced herself Sebastian had probably just been having a bad day. That their next interaction would put them on the path toward becoming thriving colleagues who bantered about how colloquialisms were destroying literature. This would be a small bump on the way to a lifelong, professional relationship built upon mutual respect and support.

As it turned out, however, their next meeting would only affirm for Naomi that Sebastian was from the very deepest bowels of hell.

Thi