Vampires Realm Prophecy 01 - Child of Light

went to the edge, leaning against the wall and casting a glance over the garden below her and the forest beyond it. The moon was still high enough that it cast a silvery light across everything, turning the grass pale blue and the dark pines a deep violet.
    She had left her jacket back in her room. The night was warm enough that she didn’t feel the cold. It took a lot for her to feel it, but she still did. She’d felt the cold in the witches place in Paris. It had stolen all warmth from her and it had taken most of the day for her body to recover to room temperature.
    Here it was warm but she felt cold whenever she thought about what was coming. It wasn’t just the impending war that was chilling her; it was the approaching talk with Valentine. He had left her at her door without saying a word and had followed the guard to his own room. He hadn’t given her back the amulet. She knew he was waiting until he had a chance to speak with her to return it. She could feel that he was going to fall back on treating her as though she was a child. No matter how much she wished he wouldn’t, her heart told her it was inevitable. She’d crossed the line again and disobeyed his rules. He was going to be madder than Hell at her.
    She clenched her fist, her nails digging into her palm.
    Since when did he dictate what she could and couldn’t do?
    She wasn’t a child and he knew it. She wasn’t his to command.
    Her gaze didn’t leave the garden when she heard the swish of material that signalled someone approaching her. She knew it was him. She didn’t need to look in order to know what his expression would be like. The soft lines of his face would be hardened by anger, his lips would be compressed and his eyes clouded.
    She glanced at him and found that she was right.
    Her eyes dropped to his hand when he extended it towards her.
    “There is a time and a place to use this.” His voice had a hard edge to it, one that made her feel like she used to when Iona was berating her for something she’d done wrong. He wasn’t her commander or her superior.
    She held her hand out, narrowed her eyes on his and waited for him to give her back what was rightfully hers. He didn’t. The anger that had been building up inside of her slipped through the restraints she’d been holding it at bay with and she clenched her left hand into a fist again, keeping it by her side so he couldn’t see it.
    “Amongst allies is not one of them,” he continued, his eyes unmoving from hers but his expression darkening. “We need these werewolves on our side, Prophecy. I told you not to react to them. I told you to stand down!”
    She snatched the amulet and slipped it on, fastening it quickly and raising her hand up. She stared at him, her breathing heavy and her eyes narrowed into slits.
    “Told me? Told me!” She gripped her wrist tighter and stared into his eyes, ignoring the shocked look that had entered them when she’d threatened him with her magic. “I’m not a child to be told, Valentine! I’m not yours to command as you wish. I’m not below you or inferior. I’m your fucking equal!”
    He took a step back as though he’d been slapped, clearly stunned by her words.
    “Prophecy, I—” His tone was gentle and he held his hand out to her.
    She growled at him, cutting him off. “Don’t! Just don’t... I’m tired of being treated like a child. You once said I wasn’t a child but you still treat me like I am. Am I not allowed to defend myself? I reacted, yes, but I was provoked beyond what was fair. I’m no one’s to command. I’m not a present for someone and I’m certainly nobody’s bride!”
    He held his hands up by his side in an act of surrender and she lowered hers. She’d regretted threatening him the moment she’d seen the hurt in his eyes. She could never hurt him, but he’d pushed her into reacting just as the werewolves had done before him and she couldn’t take any more.
    Her hands hung limp at her sides and she dropped her head forwards, heaving a sigh as she did so.
    When he moved towards her, she turned away and stared at the garden. She wished he would go. Even though she’d not given him a chance to really drive his point home about what she’d done, she still felt intensely guilty. Just him looking at her made her feel terrible inside. She hadn’t wanted to react, she just hadn’t been able to stop herself, and everything had snowballed after that.
    She wrapped her arms about herself and sighed