Chapter One:

I woke with a throbbing pain behind my eyes and goosebumps covering my body. I let out a small hiss in pain. I couldn't lift my head. My heart rate accelerates. I let out a groan as my arms begin to feel like I had fifty pound weights attached to them.

         I gasp and let out a strangled scream as it felt like someone had stuck a white hot branding iron to my chest. My breathing had become labored and my heart was racing so fast that I thought it was going to explode. Another scream escaped me.

          Black dots dance across my vision as I hear my bedroom door burst open and frantic foot steps approaching my bed side.

                               "Give into the pain Eritrea! It will only get worse with you fighting it." Belladonna's voice was somewhat muffled. Had she gone mad how was I suppose to give into this. My back arches and I gasp for air as the pressure on my chest grows.

   Belladonna growls in frustration. I could feel her cool fingertips against my forehead.

                                "Sleep." I moan as I could feel myself slipping in to the darkness. The sleeping spell she had cast was a strong one. I close my eyes and enter the nothingness.

                DREAMSCAPE:           

                   I gasp sitting up. Looking around I could feel my own confusion set in. Where am I? I was surrounded by tall grass and wild flowers. I could see tall oaks all around me. A clearing? The sky however has black clouds and a blood red sky. I shiver. Was this a nightmare?  Since I was able to notice the details of this place. It meant that I had been thrown into the dreamscape. I let out a clipped sigh. I hated this ability the most.

              Staggering to my feet I begin making my way through the clearing. I kept looking around for the person that this dreamscape belonged to. They had to be here somewhere. I flinch and freeze mid-step as a low warning snarl sounds from behind me. Oh hades!

                 Slowly I turn around and my eyes widen slightly. My heart skips a beat. Wolf..I silently curse. This was mostly a shifter and not just any shifter a Lycan. Lycan's wolf forms were generally larger than a regular shifters. And this guy was a towering six foot on all fours.

           His fur is a stunning Grey mixed with white color. My breath hitches as I look into his eyes. They were breathtaking. A vibrant forest green. The wolf's eyes widen a little as he stares at me. I watch he inhales a deep breath. He let's out a small whimper.

     I could feel my eyebrows draw together as I tilt my head at him curiously. I watch half amused as the wolf decides to slowly approach me like a human would approach a wounded animal. Sighing I walk the rest of the way to him, holding my hand up and out toward him.

         I giggle as the wolf smells my palm. His nose was cold and wet and it was a strange sensation. He tilts his head at me curiously as I move closer to him letting my hand run through his fur.

         I could have sworn he shivered under my touch. I smile softly.

                                               "I know it's strange to see another person here. And by the scenery of your dream scape I would say that you and your human side are fighting against each other." The wolf huffs and nudges me with his snout. I roll my eyes.

                                                 "I've read that when the animal and wolf side are fighting its normally because they are still unmatted or haven't found a pair bond. But this is no reason for you to fight against your human." The wolf whines and sniffs my neck causing me to giggle again.

                                                   "I'm sorry that I have invaded your space. I don't have control over this ability yet. But I'd like to help you if I can." I gasp as the wolf licks the side of my face. I glance up and the sky has shifted. Stars glowed and the moon shimmered above us. I couldn't help but smile. This was better than the blood red sky.

          **                 **                 **             **

                    I groan sitting up in bed. I felt a faint smile on my lips. That wolf seemed to be better before I was dragged out of there. I stumble out of bed and into the hallway. I could hear Belladonna's soft humming from another room. It wasn't hard to find her in the kitchen mixing herbs.

     She looks up as I stand there watching her. Belladonna was like a grandmother to me. Though she didn't look it. She has salt and pepper hair that reaches her waist line. She is a slender woman but tall. About five-eleven I would say. She has beautifully tanned skin. Because she spent most of her days in the garden. Either on the mornings or afternoons.

       Her Grey eyes held concern as she stares at me. I give her a guilty smile and all she does is sigh and shake her head.

                                   "Well what ability came in now?" I arch an eyebrow at her. How was I going to explain this one?

                                                     "I don't know. I was thrown into a shifter's dreamscape." Belladonna grumbles. Being able to dream walk was a common gift among Witches. It was a pretty basic thing actually and the fact that I was almost twenty and still couldn't control it was a little on the concerning side.

                                       " If you wouldn't fight it so hard when another ability is trying to emerge it wouldn't hurt so much." I scrunch my face up. I didn't want anymore abilities that I couldn't control. Basic magic was difficult to deal with. But if I was working with herbs it was almost second nature.

     But that could be because ever since Belladonna found me she had be teaching me about them.

   Belladonna had found me on her doorstep. I was just an infant. She didn't even question it. She just raised me. She said that everything happened for a reason.

    I tried to see things the way that she did but I couldn't bring myself to believe it.

                                 "Aren't you suppose to help out at The Grand Library today?" I let out a heavy sigh.

  I had almost forgot. I had been spending so much time there The Grand Master cornered me and asked if I could help out since he was short staffed and I would have said no but he offered to pay me. And with the Harvest festival coming up I wanted to be able to look half decent this year.

                                                  "I'm going to go shower and head over there. But I will be at the shop today at two." Belladonna chuckles and shakes her head.

   I was also working at her shop in town. Which she does pay me but it seemed like it was more of an allowance then being paid to work. I loved being in the shop.

     I rush to the bathroom locking the door I turn the hot water on in the shower. Quickly stripping I step inside. Warmth enveloped me and I couldn't help but smile. I loved being warm. I hated being cold. I scrub my scalp and body raw.

   Quickest shower I'd taken in my life. I wrap a towel around me and head back toward my room when my ears start to ring. I wince and try to ignore It as I am going through my clothes.

       Most of them I had bought when Belladonna would make trips to the Human realm. Witches and other supernaturals were still over there. But, with the supernatural realm we had everything they did besides cell phones and TV.

    Which I was guilty of having because Belladonna couldn't tell me no. We spent most weekend nights watching ridiculous supernatural movies. Who ever wrote them was dead wrong about most supernatural things. I had to admit that something were dead on. But not alot.

    I grab a pair of ripped skinny jeans and a black long sleeved v-neck shit and struggle into them.  I was a rebel. I hated towel drying.

     I shove my feet in to my converse and walk over to my mirror to fix my hair. I saw myself frown slightly at my wet starlight colored curls. My hair was nearly as long as Belladonna's but I had layers put into mine and side bangs. I quickly braid my hair down the side of my head. I glance up and my cobalt eyes glowed softly. That was new. I shake my head. I'd figure it out later.

        My skin was almost porcelain and no matter how long I stayed in the sun it never tanned. I sigh. My body wasn't bad though. I had an hourglass figure and I was about five-four. Yeah I know short right?

     Grumbling I pick up my messenger bag and head back out into the living room.  Belladonna stood just infront of a shimmering purple and blue portal. I frown slightly. I hated portalling. It was the fastest way. But I hated the way it made my stomach feel.

       I step through first and squeal. It felt like going down a massive hill and it made my head spin. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding as my feet make impact with soild ground. Belladonna chuckles beside me. I openly glare at her.

                                      "I will see you at two little dove." I groan at the pet name she had given me when I was two. It was because of my hair. She said that it shimmered like a Dove's feathers when it was flying. I turn and take off toward The Grand Library.

        The walk was peaceful and I noticed a few new faces in town. Probably because the festival was coming up. Alot of different towns would visit another in hopes of people finding their pair bonds.

     Shaking my head I pick up the pace toward the library.

     I suppress a groan as I notice The Grand Master waiting at the entrance of the library. He was an older man. Grey hair with a matching Grey beard. He's about five-eleven and a thin man. His eyes a a strange purple color. But that was because he was an elemental witch. The could manipulate water and air.

     He smiles brightly at me.

                  "Good morning Eritrea." He has a really deep voice and it always threw me when he started talking.  I smile politely at him.

                                                 "Good morning Grand Master. Have you been waiting long?" He chuckles and waves off the question. Instead he turns around walking toward the library doors.

                        "Come I will show you where to start." I was kind of excited to help. The Grand Master was very picky about who he let work in the library.

    I frown slightly. I was reshelfing books. I inhale a deep breath. I would not complain. A job is a job and atleast I was getting paid to did.

      I noticed that the library was kind of busy today. A few girls around my age were an aisle behind me and they were giggling and talking kind of loud so I could hear what they were saying.

       "It says here that attraction potions aren't hard to make!" I snort. Okay that was a lie. I had seen Belladonna make a few and they seemed hard to me and they weren't like other potions. You couldn't just substitute one ingredient for another or it would LITERALLY blow up.

     Growling out a sigh I walk over to the aisle they were in.

                                             "A charm would work better. Rising Dawn is a shop in the main square. They have top quality stuff and they are cheap. Tell the owner Eritrea sent you and you'll get a forty percent discount." Both girls squealed a thank you before running out.

   Honestly I just didn't want to see the the two of them in a few hours at the shop because they had fried their eyebrows off trying to do something clearly neither one of them were qualified to do.

    Time passed quicker than I thought. It was two minutes til Two. I begin collecting my things and notice The Grand Master talking to another old man. Sighing I head out of the library.

   I let out a frustrated groan. The streets and side walks had even more people. I loved a good festival but these people were desperate to find their pair bonds.

     It wasn't uncommon for someone to find their pair bond which was basically the same thing as a mate but without the cool mind-link thing that shifters got to do.

      But pair bonds depending on how deep the connection was could see the others memories and sense the others feelings.

    The one thing that did happen was a tattoo would appear on the couples. But it was something uquic to just them.

      I wasn't sure if that was something that I even wanted.

  I shove my way passed a few people to get into the shop. Belladonna was at the first smiling and talking. I frown. How could this woman constantly switch that smile on like that?!

If I didn't feel like smiling then I didn't. 

I make my way up to her. She pats me on the shoulder as I pass her. I sit down behind the register and begin checking people out.

    For the love of the goddess this place was busy today. There were over a dozen special orders that people wanted done for the festival!

    I glance up at Belladonna leans over my shoulder as I stack the papers with the orders on them. She chuckles lightly.

                                 "Don't you just love festival time?" I roll my eyes and say nothing because I went for the food and merchant stalls and others went for stupid reasons.

                "Hello Beautiful." I cringe at the sound of a male voice. I knew that voice and it made me want to puke everytime he opened his mouth.

    I look up and there he stood. Paris was a summer fae. His bronze skin and athletically toned body drew my attention and I mentally kick myself. His chocolate brown eyes scanned over me making my skin crawl.

His honey colored hair was tossled today. And of course he wore a shirt that looked like it was glued to him.

                                             "What do you want Paris?" He didn't seem to take the hint. He smiles easily leaning on the counter to get closer to me. I lean back in chair alittle.

                "You. I thought that was obvious." I arch an eyebrow at him. He didn't seriously think that was going to work did it?

                                               "Not even in your dreams fae." He frowns slightly but quickly recovers.

                 "Your loss doll." I snort.

                                               "I highly doubt that." Paris does frown then and walks away. I wanted to gag. That guy was seriously mental and a man whore. Belladonna snickers which draws my attention.

                              "Poor thing I think you hurt his feelings." I openly gwack at her.

                                               "Well let's hope he took the hint this time." Belladonna shakes her head and heads off toward a few customers that are having a hard time choosing between two different pendants. I noticed that alot of the customers today were young around my age or maybe two or three years older than me. They were all buying different charms such as good luck charms; attraction charms; beauty charms.

       This time of year was so crazy. I wanted to say something to them but Belladonna had always warned me against it. She said that it may offend some people if I did.

      But I didn't understand it. If they did meet their pair bonds then they should be exactly who they are and not use magic to help them.

It really didn't make any sense. But then again I tended to stay away from people anyway so I guess that I didn't need to say anything.

                     The say was finally winding down and Belladonna and I were restocking the shelves because we both knew it would be the same way tomorrow. This made me shake my head.

     The door swings open. I look up and it'd Nyssa. One of Belladonna's friends. I smile brightly at her and she returns the smile. She closes the door and flips the sign over to closed.

    Belladonna and Nyssa move over to the sitting area. They did this once a week. Nyssa laughs.

         " I have so pretty interesting news." Belladonna mumbles something and I couldn't help but laugh. Everytime Nyssa said that it was some kind of gossip.

                              "Oh really. What news is that?" Nyssa pauses for a moment. Probably taking a drink of tea.

       "You know of Kyro. The Lycan prince whose been stuck in wolf form for over a year now correct?" For some reason my hearts starts pounding.

                             "Yes of course the poor boy." Nyssa chuckles.

       "His wolf let him take his human form again." A vile I had been holding slips through my fingers. I scramble quickly catching it before it can reach the floor.

                              "Did they say why it would happen now?" Belladonna was oddly interested in this..I swallow hard. Why was I so nervous? It had nothing to do with me. But my heart was still racing in my chest.

       "It's unclear. The wolf refuses to say anything to him about why."

  I did not want to hear anymore of this conversation. I grab my messenger bag and open the door that kept a portal to home in it and quickly step through.