When a select team of high school graduates becomes stranded on Mariner’s Island, their year end trip dissolves into a living nightmare. A series of suspicious accidents endangers the life of one of the students, Mallory Stewart. Does her interest in Aiden Chambers, a newcomer to the group, put her at risk? He has a reputation for violence and the rest of the students assume he is behind the attacks, but there’s something about him that just doesn’t add up.

As Mallory learns more about his past, she attempts to befriend him, but is her confidence misplaced? Is Aiden as innocent as he claims, or is he manipulative? Has Mallory become infatuated and fallen under the spell of this mysterious stranger?

Tension rises as the weather deteriorates into a hurricane and the group is left with no power or means of communication with the mainland. When the storm clears, the body of a missing student is found, washed up on the beach. Was his death accidental, or did it come about at the hands of the unknown assailant?

Mallory and her cousin Brittney team up with Aiden to try and discover who is behind the attacks on Mariner’s Island, before anyone else falls victim to violence.

14+ due to adult situations

Excerpt:

I leaned against the railing beside him, enjoying the warmth of the sun on my face. The breeze whipped against my cheeks and I breathed in the tangy air. Aiden didn’t acknowledge my presence so I let the silence hang between us.

Seagulls swooped and dived and Aiden took some bread bits from his pocket and tossed them over the railing. The greedy birds snatched them mid aid. Not bad for an inner-city kid. The brilliant blue of the sea beneath us was tipped with white caps.

“That’s Boneyard Bay,” I told him.

He didn’t give me a passing glance but I sensed his interest in the way his shoulders relaxed. Maybe he’d thought I was going to launch into a lot of embarrassing questions.

“You’ve heard the stories, I bet,” I continued despite his lack of response. “Shipwreck Island over there is where pirates used bonfires to lure ships to the shallower part of the bay. When the ships smashed to pieces against the rocks the cargo was washed onto the shore for easy pickings or the pirates waited for low tide and waded out to retrieve what they could. The sailors were left to rot at the bottom of the sea.”

Aiden snorted. “And now their ghosts wander the shores every full moon.”

“According to local history,” I agreed, watching the wind rifle through his hair. “And the lobster traps do tend to drag up the occasional human bone with the shellfish.”

Now he did turn to me. “And what does local history say about me?”

His eyes were grey. I’d never seen grey eyes before. I blinked.

“I wasn’t going to go there,” I told him. That was an outright lie.

He held my gaze for a minute and then turned away again, tossing some more bread to the gulls.

“Just as well,” he muttered.

Okay, change of plan. Back to local history, take two.

“You can get to the island by boat and some people say there’s buried treasure there, still waiting to be dug up.”

He swiveled back. “It is Mallory, isn’t it?”

Great. He barely remembered my name. I nodded my head.

“I don’t know what you’re up to, but I don’t need your sympathy or your company.”

I was stung. “So you’re going to spend your whole time on the island ignoring everyone.”

“I think it’s the other way around, don’t you? No one wants to know me.” He glared at me like I was missing the point. “And it’s better that way.”

His indifference frustrated me. “Okay,” I grumbled, pushing for a reaction. “So you admit there’s a good reason for it, and that everyone is right to avoid you.”

“Oh, so now the truth comes out,” he challenged. “You are just a snoop who’s trying to dig up some gossip to share with that bad-tempered cousin of yours.”

“No,” I denied it, naturally. Why couldn’t I have a conversation with this guy that involved telling the truth? “And Britt’s not so bad.” Even to me, it sounded lame. Britt would’ve done a much better job of defending herself if she’d been here.

“Forget it.” He spun on his heel and headed for the stairwell. Why couldn’t I have any kind of a conversation with this guy?

I got desperate. “What are you afraid of anyway?”

He stopped dead and I knew I’d hit a nerve.

I pushed him further, which was possibly not a good idea. “Are you worried we’ll find out who you really are and why you’re here?”

He took his time walking back to me and I found myself wishing I wasn’t alone with him on a balcony that hung out over the sea. Britt’s warning that he was potentially dangerous came rushing back to me. One quick push and I would be gone. It’d be a tragic accident without witnesses.

“I. Am. Not. Afraid,” he hissed. “But maybe you should be.” There was an angry glint in his eyes that set alarm bells ringing in my head. There was something dangerous about him. I just wasn’t sure what. It wasn’t hard to imagine him beating some guy to a pulp.

I took a step backwards and banged into the guardrail, trying not to let my fear show, pushing my hands into the pockets of my windbreaker so he wouldn’t see them shaking. I’m pretty sure he saw right through me, because his body relaxed. He appeared almost regretful.

 “Maybe you should think twice about getting involved in things that don’t concern you.” His voice was softer this time. “It might get you into trouble.”

“Mallory?” I head Britt calling me. “Where are you?”

I didn’t answer her. I just stared back at him saying nothing and he raised his eyebrows. “Not looking to be rescued?” he asked.

“By my bad-tempered cousin?” I stuck out my chin, put as much bravado into my voice as I could muster. “From you?” I wasn’t fooling anyone, not even myself. “I don’t think so.”

 “Oh Mallory,” he chuckled. “You do need to watch your step.”