PLEASE NOTE: This is BOOK 1 of a two book series. The second book of this series is "Kiss of the Scythe." Both books have been released simultaneously to avoid a cliffhanger. This novel is intended for adults, 18+ years of age. This book contains content that some readers may find objectionable: 1.Profanity/Adult language 2.Occasional racial slurs and genealogically charged language 3.Explicit sexual content 4.Graphic violence 5.Mental and emotional abuse 6. Descriptions of poverty 7.Mental illness - i.e., clinical depression and sociopathic behavior Reader discretion is advised. For renowned hypnotist Jayson Sebastian Toscana, life has never been easy, or ordinary, from the day he and his twin brother drew their first breaths. Labeled a troubled child, he struggles to turn a new leaf. After putting trust in a friend turned foe, he suffers the worst act of betrayal. He makes a fresh start, but change proves hard, for evil and buried secrets sometimes fester, becoming larger and more threatening with time. As he teeters back and forth on the line of good versus evil, temptation visits him in the form of Dr. Ava James. Ava is an accomplished, cultured, and charming veterinarian. She has a host of close girlfriends, runs a thriving clinic, and helps both her furry patients and their owners. However, not everything is quite peachy-keen, for the good doctor suffers from a sleep disorder that has tormented her for the majority of her life: Ava is a notorious sleepwalker. Finally, she seeks help at the urging of her best friend. Upon meeting Jayson, his handsome looks, demeanor, and powerful mystique bowl her over. As they get to know one another, the ultimate no-no is now deliberated: Can Jayson date his patient? Love blooms but Jayson's past still haunts him, while Ava has a hidden REM state secret or two of her own. It takes the likes of Jayson Toscana to bring the darkness forth, to finally uncover what she's known all along but was unable to face...until NOW. Secrets are exposed, hearts are broken and healed, and love blooms-but can it last after all is said and done? And, can good finally trump evil? Step into the lives of Jayson Sebastian Toscana and Ava James and let yourself be hypnotized. The answers to these questions await...