Chapter 1 PROLOGUE

Prologue

VANESSA

No living being would ever expect their pain, sorrows, and suffering, to begin on any special day. Sadly this was my reality, and it wasn't just any special day. It was my birthday.

It was 6 pm that evening, I had been indoors all day, and my parents were out working. I was home alone with the nannies and maids waiting for their arrival.

I was turning five, and my parents had never forgotten my birthday, but that day they were late.

On an average level, nothing less would be expected from a billionaire businessman and woman, but I wasn't an average kid, I was the daughter of Lucien and Saphena Jordan, two most mysterious people ever known.

We lived amongst humans and Rogues; The other type of werewolves as my parents used to say. Our true identities were hidden from humans but we managed to live normal lives.

To the world my parents were elites, but to me, they were my role models.

Brave, strong, confident, and hardworking, I admired them so much that they seemed to be the only people to exist in my life. But that fateful night, I was disappointed that they loved their occupations more than they loved me.

Well, not until I heard my mother's melodic voice sing out the ever-known tunes

"Happy birthday, happy birthday...."

"Happy birthday to you."

"Happy 5th birthday Vanessa." My Mom and Dad squealed at my face, my Dad held a large decorated box and my Mom held a beautiful princess cake.

"You didn't forget!" I yelled excitedly, I rose to my feet in a swift motion, my eyes not leaving both the present and the cake.

"Yes darling, and we are sorry for making you feel bad about today, but it was all part of the plan. Daddy got you a lovely present."

My dad came and sat next to me on my bed, he pecked my forehead and placed the medium-sized box in my tiny hands.

I licked my lips in anticipation and tore the box open, my eyes came in contact with a dark metallic object, it resembled that of my Dad's Fiery Split Blade dagger, the one he uses in training. I reached into the box and took it out, running my hands through the thick and sharp metal, my tiny lips curled into a satisfied smirk.

"Oh, Mothers!!!" My Mom gasped so loud it startled me.

"Lucien!" Mom glared hard at Dad, her eyes asking the necessary questions.

"What?" Dad nonchalantly looked at Mom and back at me. "Vanessa, Daddy is giving you his very own dagger, I feel that you have come of age to have one, and mine in particular." Dad smiled, caressing my hair.

I smiled happily and held on to the dagger tight, it now belonged to me. For a kid my age, there would have been a serious outburst, but instead, I loved it, because I was no ordinary kid.

"Least I forget, I had a scabbard made for my princess. It's convenient to keep your dagger strapped along with you." Dad reached into the box and brought out the strap he was talking about.

"So cool Dad! Does this mean I get to join you and Mom when you practice?" I asked with hopeful glimmers.

"Yes my love, you can join us for practice as from now on..."

I didn't let my Dad finish, I excitedly added." And the bedroom practice is too right, I get to join that, don't I?" I asked and my parents passed each other a weird look and shook their heads in disapproval, Mom's cheeks turned red like she was stung by a bee.

I wondered why they refused but forgot about it when Mom placed the cake aside and took out a small decorated box from her black pants.

I had failed to notice my parents were fully dressed, and my mother was wearing her favorite Sunny yellow blouse.

"Essa, it's time for you to see what I got you." Mom took my hand in hers and placed the box on it. She looked at the box confidently and nodded at me to open it up.

I sat on the bed and opened the box, my smile died the moment I saw what she had given to me.

"Another bracelet?" I whined dropping the box on the bed, caring less about what I saw in it.

"Essa," Mom said almost inaudibly, her cheerful voice saddened out immediately.

"What!" I snapped at her, folding my arms.

"Vanessa, don't be rude to your mother, she made that bracelet with so much love, when will you learn to accept it." Dad's calm voice turned strict within seconds.

Mom raised her hand to stop him from scolding me, I took my gaze elsewhere staring at anything but my Mom's sad purple eyes.

"I am sorry." I stared at my fingers feeling guilty. Mom joined me in bed and hugged me so tight, I thought I wouldn't be getting a hug ever again.

"It's okay baby, I am sorry too, I should have gotten you something better. Forgive me, my child." Mom pecked my forehead and softly pinched my chubby cheeks.

I smiled and did the same, softly pinching her cheeks. My Mom happened to be the best jewelry designer in all of California, but gifting your child every piece you make sounds boring, especially when it has a cause to fulfill.

"I don't need any more protection from these bracelets Mom, I am doing fine without them and soon I will be joining you guys to practice and learn to defend myself, I don't need any more of it. Please."

I pouted trying to look cute but I didn't need to try, not to brag but, I was the cutest child to ever walk the surface of the earth, my beauty and cuteness got me any and everything I wanted, not to mention my unique set of eye colors, I happened to inherit both colors of my parents eyes a mixture of fiery Gold and purple.

"Saphena, Vanessa is right, it's time you stopped with the bracelets, my daughter is strong and brave, she will fight off any difficulty that stands in her way with ease, I believe in her," Dad said almost proudly as if he had already been to my future.

Mom nodded and I noticed she wasn't convinced but still tried to hide it.

"Enough talking for now, Essa, it's time to get ready for our dinner date, I will assist you in getting ready." Mom left for my wardrobe and took out my pink princess dress, she placed it on my bed and also brought out my accessories.

Dad gave us both one last peck before excusing himself from our midst.

Thirty minutes later, I was fully dressed, Mom carefully placed the plastic silver crown on my head and gently patted my cheek.

Mom got up from her knees, she grabbed a hold of my hand.

"Alright time to go downstairs and join Dad, what do you say about that?" I held her hand and we both got out of my bed.

Walking towards the door hand in hand, the door burst open with a really loud bang, Dad stood at the entrance panting hard, his once white shirt was now covered in a red stain.

"Lucien!" Mom gasped and rushed to where he stood, Dad's fiery Gold eyes were now completely black, I watched them talk in hushed tones, and soon my mother's face held the same expression as Dad's.

Mom calmly came to me crouching to my level, her eyes burned with tears but she fought them back, trying to compose words.

The expression on my parent's faces looked familiar. I had seen them in my bedtime story. The three little pigs had the same expression when they were threatened by the big bad wolf.

"Is there a big bad wolf outside our house?" I asked fear crawling up my skin.

Mom looked surprised but shook her head." There's no bad wolf outside, but we can't go outside Essa. I need you to stay here while your Dad and I finish up some urgent work. Whatever happens, Essa, Don't come outside." Mom said almost in a pleading tone.

I nodded not wanting to make a fuse, they weren't looking like my parents anymore, this was exactly how they looked when it was time to practice.

Mom left for the box Dad gifted me, she took out my dagger and the strap. Moments ago she looked like she would kill Dad for exposing me to such a dangerous weapon, but now all I could see in her eyes was determination.

She took my hand and led me to my bed. "Essa...." She paused, gulping hard, her eyes showed how desperate she wanted to tell me the current situation but her mouth did otherwise.

"Dad gave you such a wonderful present, I hope you remember to love and cherish it." She forced a smile and strapped my left thigh, she shoved the dagger into it and tightened it to avoid a loose.

"Mom. I am scared." She sharply gazed at me and shook her head, she helped me get off the bed and crouched to my level.

"There's nothing to be afraid of my love, everything will be alright, now listen to me. If by any chance someone foreign comes in here, use the invisibility cloak just like you learned, all you have to do is concentrate your energy on it and take it to your heart, it's where the supreme spark comes from. Also remember you have amazing skin and no one should touch it except Mom and Dad, right?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Good girl!" Mom whispered her voice hoarse and different.