Doren was born with a powerful gift -- a gift he's managed to use to put him well on his way to becoming a star. But there is more to that gift than just musical talent, and as careful as Doren is to hide that fact, there are some who know of the power behind the sound, and all the ways they could abuse it.<br><br>August's goal in life is simple: make an impact in the music industry. An opportunity to work as the personal assistant to Doren seems to be exactly the kind of break he needs to accomplish that goal.<br><br>But all too often in life, simple becomes just another complication, especially when there are people whose goal is even simpler: destroy and dominate.

The Gift

Doren smiled, flicking one of the switches on the wall, and the pool was suddenly illuminated from under the water. “I knew you’d like it. It’s a salt-water pool. Neat, right?”


“Yes, actually. What makes the water all misty like that?”


“It’s heated.” Doren’s eyes fell to the front of August’s shirt, smirking. “And as we can both see the room is chilly. You could cut glass with those, my friend. Point being, voila, fog.”


August’s forehead creased; he crossed his arms over his chest. It was a thin shirt. And he hadn’t been granted an opportunity to change before he’d left the room, either. Besides, he was man. He wasn’t about to be made self-conscious over the existence of his nipples. “Mist,” he corrected. “Not fog. And keep your eyeballs to yourself. You’re a pig.”


“As am I—” August started to say.


Chapter 10