1 Prologue

Over the horizon, the full moon shone down the disorienting woods. Leaves fluttered as the trees danced from side to side, and the cold breeze screamed in the young girl's ears.

Her little legs ran through the dark woods.

Her heart hammered against her chest, breath fogging with every breath she took.

Twigs broked under the small of her feet, and she jumped over a rock and slid under a fallen tree.

The earth beneath her bare feet was damp from the rain the night before, and she could still smell the Storm in the distance.

Her sweat-drenched and blood stained pyjamas billowed against the chilly wind, and her little hands balled into fists turning her knuckles white. Salty tears streamed down her pale face, her small lips quivering as she ran away from a place she calls home.

Leaving everything behind.

The image of her mother sprawled on the floor was still fresh in her mind, her blood-stained blonde hair sticking to her fair face and the fear in her green eyes were evident when she told her not to be afraid. And the blonde girl wondered if her mother was saying that to her or more to herself?

'Be brave, be brave' the voice inside her head said, as her legs and chest started to burn. She was growing tired, but her legs didn't stop.

'Be brave and run.' it spoke once more.

Violet's platinum blonde hair shone under the moonlit sky, while heavy footsteps pounded a distance behind her.

Four men stood in the darkness, clad in a black cloak with hoods covering their faces.

"You, left! You, right! You, with me! Make sure she doesnt get away! Kill her!" one man ordered the other men. Causing her violet eyes to widen in fear, her sharp hearing picked up the voice even through the distance.

'Be brave, be brave' she reminded herself. 'Don't cry.'

'Be smart and run.' the voice echoed in her mind.

The nine-year-old girl kept running; her legs burned with every step. She panted, and her chest ached for more air, but she kept going. Holding down the sob in her throat, she ran as fast as her small legs could take her.

She gazed down at her blood-stained hands, the strong scent of iron filling her nostrils, almost making her gag.

After all, it was her mother's blood.

Violet shifted to look in the darkness as she sensed something moving fast towards her, its claws scraping over the moist ground. Its size could be felt just by every heavy step it took.

A pair of red eyes emerged from her right; sharp canines glistened under the moon's silvery rays. The grey wolf was massive, at least 120 pounds, easily double her size, and she paused on her tracks. The beast growled threateningly at her, baring its fangs. Its legs were readying to pounce.

She stepped back, and shut her eyes in fear, wanting to call 'Mom!', but her mother was gone, and her shoulders shook, and her legs glued on its spot.

'Mother said to be kind. Mother said to be patient. But just minutes ago Mother said to run.'

'Run.'

'Run.' she had said,

'RUN!'

'RUN AND LIVE!' her mother had screamed.

'LIVE!!!' the word echoed in her mind, and she clenched her jaw and fisted her hands. Slowly her shoulders stopped shaking; her legs stood still, firm. The pounding in her chest was gone, and she opened her eyes; one of her once brilliant pair of violet had turned into gold. And she stared back at the eyes of the beast, and she growled baring her own canines.

She shouldn't be afraid, she realized.

Grandmother once said she was an even bigger beast; she was a monster after all.

She breathed in the dewy air, and the earth shook beneath her feet, small rocks elevated around her.

Sensing the danger around its small prey, the grey wolf took a wary step back.

The sky darkened, and lightning struck in a frenzy.

Thunder echoed, filling the silence.

Thick branches snapped off its place and catapulted towards the wolf, piercing it one after the other.

Its crimson blood covered the moist earth.

....

15 years later.

Violet pulled the black hoodie over her head, hiding her long platinum blonde hair, partially covering her face. Her head remained bowed as she walked in the darkly lit streets; with humans chattering around in ease.

She sighed, she wondered yet again if it would have been better to have been born human, oblivious to the real world. Where to them mythical creatures, like witches, vampires and werewolves only existed in bedtime stories.

And many of them romanticize vampires, be it that they shimmer under the sunlight or burn under it.

Some of their lore so far fetched supernaturals like herself laugh it off.

Would she have been happy living in ignorance? Live her life oblivious of the dangers of the world...Unaware how easily it was to be a vampire's dinner? Or a werewolf's next chew toy? Or maybe get cursed by a real Witch to step on legos for the rest of their lives?

She couldn't help but ponder on the idea as she continued on her path. Her violet-coloured eyes bounced on their contented smiles, a smile she felt envious of. When was it since she last smiled? And, really truly smiled. She can't even recall. She had lived her life in the shadows, making herself subconsciously small. Doing her best to not stand out of the crowd.

Would I really be happy if I was human?

'No,' she heard her own voice speak.

Humans are weak.

Humans are prey to many of their kind.

Violet paused and looked at the door, reading the 'We're Open' sign before she pulled the door, chiming as she did.

She bee-lined to the back, grabbing books along the way that piqued her interest. She needed a stash. She needed it badly.

Years of hiding from the world, she learned a thing or two how to entertain herself. Books were her escape, and she knew that to others, it was too.

After purchasing seven new books in different genres, she headed back to her apartment in New York, effortlessly blending in the crowd, never standing out.

Violet unlocked the main door of her building, and got in the elevator, getting off when she reached her floor.

She made her way to the hallway and unlocked her door, shrugging off her hoodie the second she closed the door behind her.

Silence greeted her, and she knew she should be glad.

After all, silence protects her.

Alone protects her.

She entered her bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror. Brilliant violet eyes looked back at her, funny, she thought.

Her parents had a sense of humour, too bad they're dead.