PROLOGUE

It was a fine night. The air was calm and howled a sweet tune. Sweet that even the trees began to dance to it. It would have been perfect if it wasn't marred by the stench of blood and desperation. Hannah ran as fast as her aching legs could carry her. She was almost there. Yes! she could feel him. A brief jolt of relief washed through her before it was followed by bitter pain. Oh! Her Freya. Her sweet child was to be condemned to the cruel death of her people. She shook her head before the thought could conjure in her head. No. She couldn't be distracted. Not when her daughter's life depended on her. She was almost there and there was no stopping her. She looked at the child in her arms as the tears that had been threatening her fell with full force. She will do anything for the child in her arms. Her only regret was that she might not live long enough to be the mother to her. Oh! And of course Marcus. Her one true love.

Warmth spread through her as the thought of the only man she ever cared about flashed through her memory. She ran a few more feet before catching sight of the distant light and voices. Opening her senses, she surveyed her surroundings. Most of the guard were Valhallians while the remaining few where fey. She looked back as the sound of the approaching men drew near. Ugh! She had run for miles, yet the pests kept up. They had to be off her trail long enough to reach Marcus. Muttering strings of curses, she turned back to face them.

"The child is all we want." one of them said. "Give us the child and we will be on our way."

The other man turned to regard his partner in alarm. "Really? She is a beautiful one." He surveyed her with greedy eyes as his gaze fell on her lips. "And she gave us quite a chase. Shouldn't we, after the_

"What are you suggesting, fool!" The first growled at the other man.

"I'm just saying_

"Oh shut up! The king asked that we deliver the child! You can get a million women when we get to the village for all I care! But for now the child is our priority and we…

Hannah looked warily from one man to the other. Really. Men. Do they always have to be so predictable? She didn't have time for this. In fact she didn't have time at all. She had to reach Marcus and take him far away from Valhalla. And nothing, not even the two babbling idiots in front of her could stop her. If they needed blood then she will give hers for her Marcus' and Freya's life. She muttered a few words of magic under her breath and almost immediately, the men dropped to a deep sleep. With a slow smile of satisfaction, certain they wouldn't be waking anytime soon, she turned to continue her journey. The magic won't last long, but it will last long enough for her to rescue Marcus from whatever cramped prison he was placed in. She sighed "Marcus," and with a little effort, she was back at her hunt.

***

Marcus winced in pain as blood and sweat dripped from his throbbing head. All he could think of amidst the pain was Hannah. They were attacked shortly after his wife gave birth to the loveliest little girl he had ever seen. She looked delicate in her tiny frame, with brown hair, and brilliant blue eyes that shone like sapphire. A sure sign of her heritage and her fate as a chosen. Words had spread quickly of her birth, and within hours after her delivery, they were being hunted.

Strong palms connected to his left cheek, jerking him back to reality, as the enraged guard gave a thunderous roar. "I said tell me where they are!" He had forgotten the fool before him, while he was lost in thoughts of Hannah. The guard must have noticed he wasn't being listened to.

The palms were now converted to angry fists that struck his lower abdomen. He could hear the chatters and agitation as the guards outside were running helter skelter in confusion. Oh and what was that outside? A fire?

But how did a fire… His confused thoughts were interrupted as realization dawned on him.

"Hannah?" he breathed.

"I didn't know the punch of Valhallians were so weak and pathetic?" He taunted, hoping to distract the guard than to further enrage him.

"I'm fey you moron! Fey!" the guard growled, delivering yet another blow. This time, the blood came gushing from his swollen mouth.

Almost immediately, a brown haired woman with smooth alabaster skin appeared in front of him. Even rugged and bloody she still looked strikingly beautiful. Stretching out her hands she muttered a low word and within seconds, the guard was struggling for his life as he held on to his throat, trying to reach out for whatever air his body could catch. Within seconds, he fell lifeless on the floor, his body turned a pale blue. This woman was putting herself in danger and it was totally unacceptable by him. It was worse than being tortured by these ignorant men.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his words were shaky from brutal torture and anger that was rapidly spreading through him like wildfire. She on the other hand appeared calm and didn't seem to care about his male tantrums. Placing the baby on the floor to lean against the sleeping man, she focused on him as she smoothly untied the chains connecting his hands to the ceiling.

"You can yell me to death after am done saving your ass."

"But it's dangerous. What if they got hold of you or worse, the baby?"

"Marcus we don't have time for this. I need to get you and Freya out of here" She interrupted.

"Freya?"

She looked down at the child with eyes that spoke of motherly love "I gave her a name."

"She has your eyes. They are beautiful."

Marcus cupped her face in his bloody hands. "We will get out of this together." he gave a pause before continuing" There is a village not far from here. We can make it through and head to the mountains at first light. We will never be found there."

"Marcus_

With a smooth motion, Marcus silenced her with a brief kiss. "We will make it" he assured her.

She nodded in agreement but he was far from convinced. She never gives up that easily unless she was plotting something.

"Try not to do anything stupid before we get there," he warned. "You know I can't live without you."

He thought he heard her wince but he shoved off the thought as the other guards began to stir. Picking the baby, they managed to evade the guards as Hannah sent another blast of fire in the opposite direction to distract them.

They had almost reached the village when gunshots were being fired at them. She could hardly put on leg in front of the other. Hannah halted to study her surroundings.

"What are you doing, we need to go!"

She looked at him and then at the baby in her arms as tears filled her eyes. Under the moonlight her blue eyes looked almost transparent like diamonds. If not for the unmistakable outline of her pupil, it wound have appeared that her yes where all white. She calculated the distance to the hill clan. There was no way she could get to the Hill clan without putting Marcus and Freya's life in danger. She shook her head. "No Marcus. You need to go."

"Hannah!_

Mustering her last strength without giving him time to talk, she managed to open a portal "Tell Freya I love her." Then she shoved them into the portal and turned to face her approaching death. If she wouldn't live to see her Freya grow, then she would at least die knowing she is safe with Marcus. The next bullet landed on her chest. Then without much effort, she fell to the dust and opening her heart, embraced the enveloping darkness.