Vampires Realm Prophecy 01 - Child of Light

use going down the route her thoughts were heading towards. No matter how much Valentine changed, he could never change enough to love a vampire outside of his bloodline. She wanted to tell herself that it was just his sense of duty driving his actions, but deep inside she knew that wasn’t true. Neither was her belief that he could never love her, but it was the only way of protecting her heart. If she believed that he couldn’t, then maybe she wouldn’t have these feelings either.
    She stared at the lights that were dancing on the water and sighed.
    Things were complicated enough without her girlish fantasies carrying her away.
    “Prophecy?”
    She looked up and found her eyes meeting his. She couldn’t look away when he gave her a small smile, narrowing his eyes, his head inclining to one side as he blinked slowly. Her insides trembled and she swallowed hard when he went to raise his hand and then lowered it again, as though he’d wanted to touch her and then got the better of himself.
    “Are you sure that you are all right?” His expression became one of tender concern and she nodded mutely, unable to find her voice while she drank in the sight of him looking at her as though he really cared about her.
    A shout brought her crashing back down to earth and she noticed it’d had the same effect on him too.
    His head shot around and his brow arched at the gondolier as he shouted again in their direction. A smile curved his lips and she realised he could understand, if not speak, Italian.
    When he looked at her, she smiled awkwardly, unsure of what to say or do to make things between them less uncomfortable. The moment had been shattered, but the feelings he’d stirred still lingered inside of her.
    Her eyes dropped to the floor and it seemed impossible to bring them back up again. They moved everywhere, scanning over everything, but avoiding him. She bit her lip, struggling to overcome the shyness the gondolier’s shouts had made her feel. She didn’t even know what he’d said.
    “What—” She cut herself off, feeling foolish that she’d even started to ask him.
    “Did he say?” Valentine finished her question and she found the courage to raise her eyes back up to meet his. He looked amused. “That I am lucky in love and should never let a beauty such as you go.”
    She turned her head to one side and stared blankly at the rippling water. The gondolier had thought they were in love. Her stomach swirled and she felt as though she should try to say something funny to alleviate the tension between them, but funny had never been her strong point.
    “Oh,” she said, her eyes still fixed on the canal.
    “Italian’s are a romantic race... he did not know any better.”
    She frowned at his words. He didn’t know any better. It sounded like a flat denial of love to her. She straightened up, trying not to let how crestfallen she felt show in her eyes as she looked at him.
    “Crazy Italian, thinking we’re in love. Completely ridiculous.” She forced a giggle as the feeling of elation she’d felt evaporated, leaving her cold and hollow.
    “Absolutely. An Aurorea could never love a Caelestis, and vice versa.” He smiled but it faded from his face when her frown intensified and she narrowed her eyes on him.
    “An Aurorea did love a Caelestis once, but then true love overcomes all boundaries.” She turned sharply and strode along the canal front towards the bridge.
    “Prophecy?” Valentine called after but she continued to walk away, her head bent as she pushed her way through the crowds lining the street.
    He sighed. He’d regretted his words the moment they’d left his lips. She really believed in the love that Lord Aurorea and Lady Caelestis had shared and how it had united their families. He could see no future in it, no comfort. He didn’t want to go down in history as a star-crossed lover. He didn’t want to be history at all.
    When she gave no sign of stopping to wait for him, or even slowing down, he went after her, following her at a distance while she roamed the city. It wasn’t safe for her to be alone right now, no matter how much she needed the solitude. He couldn’t let her be alone. He knew that when he caught up with her, he wouldn’t be able to find the words that would make her believe that he hadn’t really meant what he’d said. He had answered without thinking but nothing he could say would heal the hurt he’d seen in her eyes brief seconds before they’d become