***Prologue
She was naked, cold, and afraid. However, this wasn't the type of fear to make you run from your demons, no, this was a feeling of numbness; an empty perception that filled her mind and shrouded her thinking. Something was wrong. The female sensed an evil inside of her, it filled her core with a dark ambiance. She couldn't identify the source because her main focus was to survive.
Survive? Survive what?
Her only thought was to keep moving forward. Quick, sharp breaths inhaled into her exhausted body, the cool air drying her mouth. The girl's mind was practically blank as the dazzling white swirled around her; it began to snow. She looked to the sky and noticed the ice blue tint of the harsh winter yet to come. The sky. It dawned on her that she hadn't seen the sky in quite some time.
Why?
The crystalline geometric shapes floated down like frozen feathers forgotten by the doves. And there she was, walking through the pine infested woods, the crunch of fallen snow beneath her bare feet. The dark green of the forest loomed around her, beckoning her to delve deeper into the unknown. She didn't understand how so much could be unfamiliar; all the sights, sounds, even the smells. The crisply cold air stung her face and extremities as the female's body started to gain a pinkish sheen, her physical form working hard to stay alive against the bitter bite of the below freezing temperatures. She didn't know how long she'd been moving until her body started to stiffen, slowly she collapsed to her knees. Her frail being pressed into the freshly snow blanketed ground like she was laid to die, the female couldn't continue on. Her world was quickly darkening as she stared into the trees, her thoughts debating whether or not she saw an angel in the distance; right before her vision turned black.
Chapter 1 - First of Many
When she finally became conscious, the feeling of a tile floor against her nude body was much different than the snow.
Where is the snow?
She couldn't help but be a little confused of her surroundings, this was not where she had last been. A light weight red and black plaid blanket was laid across her back, the warmth of it sheltering her exposed body was comforting to say the least. The smell of fire became most apparent as it filled the girls' nostrils with thick smoke of burning pine. She quickly lifted her head with wide eyes, but was relieved to find the danger was contained in a dark grey brick fireplace to the left of her. She stared into the popping and crackling tongues of yellow and orange, letting the dance of heat hypnotize her.
Luckily, the light of the flames exposed a small wood-walled room that covered four sides of her, including a roof that connected at a peak. Two large stained glass windows were the triangle apex of the lodge. Their glass designs showed a sun in one and a moon in the other. A dark hallway was towards the far corner to the right of her, the girl's mind pieced together what seemed like a cabin. The lack of sunlight through the artful windows had let her know that it was dark outside. There was a low, black squared coffee table a few feet in front of her covered in all sorts of things. Objects ranged from books to few pencils, a large wooden handled knife, and a jar of mysterious cloudy liquid. There was also a beaten down brown clothed couch decorated with various quilts portraying patterns of animals and nature.
"Ah, it seems you're awake." A smooth male voice chimed out against the roar of the fireplace, a bit of amusement trailed in the stranger's tone.
She felt her mind and body pause and her gaze defensively shot from visually exploring to the direction of the words. To the right of her was a most interesting appeal of character. He was sitting cross-legged just about a meter away from where she lay. His posture and tone of voice held no threat so she let her guard drop from lack of fear. Slowly moving to a position where her face was off the ground, she put her legs to the side of her as she rested her palms on the hard floor.
The man's black hair was an edgy mess upon his head, ending just before his shoulders. Posture straight as he held a cup of what seemed to be tea in one hand by the smell of it and the other was holding a chestnut brown leather bound book, the pages most certainly worn. Adorned on his almond colored body was a loose black shirt, his legs covered in a dark denim material. The strangers eyes were a most piercing silvery-white and she couldn't help but to feel intimidated by his gaze. His face was diamond shaped, his nose long; lips thin and mischievous as he stared at her. Ebony eyebrows were untidy above his exquisite eyes, stubble of facial hair lined his sharp cheeks and chin. However the most peculiar thing were his horns. Protruding from both sides of his head were a set of curved ram horns, grey in color, however, the one of his left was chopped halfway through its curl.
Looking at him she didn't understand. She did not know this man, she did not know where she was, she did not know what he was; what she was.
Do I look the same?
The female's breath became rapid and short as she continued to stare at the male before her, confusion boiling in her blood. She reached her hands up to rub at her eyes. Looking down at her frail, shaky palms, she noticed the fingertips were wet with tears.
Why am I crying?
To her confusion she couldn't help but start to feel an increasing amount of despair, but suddenly her condition escalated in a matter of seconds.
She opened her mouth to make out a scream but it was just a feeble squeak before her body shut down and she started to collapse back towards the tile. Her whole being was shaking in agony, but from out of the corner of her eye she saw the male move lightning fast to catch her before she hit the stone floor. Against his lower abdomen he cradled her head in his protective large hands. The girl's head was nestled in his lap as her eyes fluttered in and out of focus, looking to him as she whimpered, her body still trembling from the internal attack. He lifted a hand clouded in a black essence and rested it on her chest, instantly her world turned off once again.
