The Unclaimed: Bloody Waters (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798257151095)

"Some children were born to be kept... and some were born to be currency."

Nicole Waters has built a masterpiece of a life. As a high-level director in Seattle, she's a "bright light" in the community, a loving mother, and a survivor of a foster care system she's fought hard to leave in the dirt. Her home is a sanctuary of sage-green walls and silver trophies-a testament to a war won against a past she can barely remember.

But Nicole's carefully constructed world is about to face a reckoning.

When a mysterious new volunteer named Brian enters her life, the "rhythmic, metallic tick" of Nicole's reality begins to fracture. Brian is a ghost from a basement she's spent decades suppressing-a man who was "sold" for four thousand pieces of silver so that she could be "retained."

Now, the "Collector" has come to claim the interest on a thirty-year-old debt.

While Nicole's husband, Don-a "solid brick" detective with a tracker's brain-tries to guard the perimeter, a chilling gift left on their porch proves that no door is strong enough to keep the dark water out.

In this gritty psychological thriller, the lines between victim and villain are blurred in the mist. How do you find your way home when the map was burned thirty years ago?

But wait... there's more to the story than you think. Included exclusively in this edition is a SECRET BONUS BOOK!

Tucked away in the back, you'll discover a deep-dive prequel that reveals the "lost years" of the Unclaimed. Experience the moments that turned a brother's love into a lethal obsession-a secret experience you cannot get anywhere else. Are you ready to face the truth? Or will you be pulled under by the Bloody Waters?

• Gritty Psychological Tension: A slow-burn "noir" feel that keeps you guessing until the final page.

• Complex Characters: Meet the "Collector," the "Protector," and the "Favorite" in a story where everyone has a price.

• Deep Emotional Stakes: A haunting exploration of trauma, sibling bonds, and the cost of survival.