Vampires Realm Prophecy 01 - Child of Light

been a simple one, or so she’d thought.
    The tall witch gave her a sinister smile that sent a shudder up her spine.
    “It is time you learnt your true power.”
    * * * *
    Prophecy stared at the amulet as she walked. Her fingers still hummed and her whole body was buzzing. She couldn’t believe the things the witches had told her. She’d had a mother. She’d had a powerful, brave mother.
    She lowered her hand when she heard a noise and then thought nothing of it when it didn’t come again. She continued along the dark streets, heading back towards the hotel. The sky was clouding over. Small streaks swept across the moon, glowing silver-grey as they passed it. She’d lost track of time when she was with the witches and couldn’t tell how late it was. The sky was still pitch black and the lights were still lit on the Eiffel Tower and other landmark buildings. There weren’t many people around though. She’d only seen a couple since leaving the witches.
    The witches had told her to be careful.
    She decided that she wouldn’t have felt so jumpy if they hadn’t said that.
    She walked out of a small road and into a large square. It was dimly lit and the moon had disappeared completely behind cloud, leaving the world in darkness. She sharpened her senses so she would be able to pick up on anything out of the ordinary. She considered changing into her vampire guise so she could see better and then decided against it. There were still people around and she didn’t need to add any other crimes to her already growing list.
    She frowned when she sensed something and looked around her at all sides of the square but couldn’t see anything in the shadows. Walking faster, she kept her eyes fixed on the road that would lead to the hotel, and sharpened her senses. Her imagination conjured images of werewolves and vampire hunters. It wasn’t far to the hotel. She could make it.
    Something moved again. It was stronger now, which could only mean it was closer.
    She jumped when a cat ran across her path.
    “Stupid kitty.” She watched it go and tried to relax. That’s all it had been. Just a cat.
    She froze.
    Instinct forced her to change as her senses screamed of danger.
    She turned on the spot and stared at the man standing not fifteen foot from her. His face was hidden in shadow, his scraggly hair hanging to below his jaw blocking the light. She sized him up, assessing the situation and all possible outcomes. He wasn’t of a broad build like Arkalus, or tall like Valentine. He seemed average in every way. Her instincts told her not to underestimate him when he moved forwards into a more brightly lit section of the square and she saw his face.
    There was hardness in his eyes, and a sparkle of wisdom and calmness that set her nerves on edge.
    “So you’re a Caelestis,” he said in a deep voice that made her stomach flip.
    He knew what she was. He knew the bloodlines. He wasn’t a vampire; he was human. A hunter.
    Her mind raced and she considered whether this was the hunter that Valentine had spoken of. She wished he were here with her. She couldn’t fight a hunter alone. She’d never met one before and she didn’t know what to do. If Valentine had never been able to kill this one, then how could she?
    She backed off a step, wanting to place some distance between them and hoping she could get closer to the alley that led out of the square. She had been stupid to walk straight across it when she couldn’t see into the shadows. She should have walked around the perimeter, keeping to the shadows herself.
    The hunter moved with her and her eyes were drawn to his hands. He had a weapon. She flexed her fingers, trying to focus but finding it impossible when the hunter raised the crossbow and pointed it at her.
    “Why don’t you fight?” he asked with a frown.
    She glanced at the alley and then at him.
    “There’s no escape. I hadn’t realised that you were a Caelestis. I thought you’d be an Aurorea too.”
    It was him. He was the one who had followed them when they’d first arrived in Paris. What did she do? It was obvious he wasn’t going to let her go, not without a fight first. She didn’t want to fight him. There was something about him that made a part of her not want to hurt him. He was familiar somehow.
    She looked at the alley again.
    “Not going to fight me then?”
    She shook her head, wanting to run but finding her feet didn’t want to cooperate while he had the crossbow trained on her. She