Vampires Realm Prophecy 01 - Child of Light

again. Pushing the door open, she took a deep breath and sighed it out. She looked up at the clear night sky, giving herself a moment to prepare before heading around the house towards the gates.
    She moved as quickly and quietly as possible. Her chest tightened when she saw the distant gates. Just a few more minutes and she’d be free.
    “Halt!”
    She froze when she heard the male voice. Clawing her hair over her face more and desperately trying to stifle her nerves so he couldn’t sense them, she watched him approach. She recognised him. He had always stood out in amongst the other guards because he was taller than all of them. His broad build made him so imposing that she could never forget him.
    “I was just—”
    “Oh, it’s you, Serenity,” he interjected and she saw his eyes scan over her in the dim light. “Go on with you.”
    She felt relieved and walked past him in the direction of the gates. When he smacked her backside, she barely stopped herself from looking around and frowning at him. She growled under her breath instead.
    The gates opened as she approached and she gave a small nod of thanks to the gatekeeper.
    When her foot hit the other side, a weight lifted off her and she glanced back at the house. She could see her window. It was dimly lit by candlelight and Serenity was standing in it. She held her hand up and felt a little sad when Serenity did the same. She hadn’t made her friend go through with the plan, Serenity had offered her services, but it didn’t stop her from feeling terrible for asking her to do such a thing in the first place.
    The moment she was out of sight of the gatekeepers, she ran. She wished she could see Arkalus’ face when he found out what they’d done.
    She had almost reached the end of the avenue that ran along the perimeter wall of the mansion when she bumped into something.
    Her claws automatically extended when she sensed it was a vampire and she was immediately on it. She threw a series of fast punches and redoubled her effort when the vampire blocked most of them. When her opponent stumbled backwards, she dipped her upper body and brought her leg around, catching them hard across the face. Her foot landed on the ground and she brought her other leg around, letting it arc gracefully in a lotus kick.
    The vampire snarled and grabbed her roughly, throwing her against the wall. She landed heavily on her knees and frowned. Her head snapped up, her eyes narrowing on the vampire as it waited in the shadows. It was too dark for her to make the vampire out, she could just see a shadowy figure standing stock still, as though it was waiting for her to make her next move. She pushed herself up and ran at it, drawing her fist back in the process. When her assailant went to block her move, she ducked under its arm and landed her punch in its stomach. She smiled when they growled at her.
    She barely had time to react when the vampire launched an attack, lashing out at her with a barrage of perfectly executed punches, every single one of which met their mark. She tried to place some distance between her and the attacker, but they caught her arm and slammed her into the wall again, knocking her breath from her.
    She landed on her feet and paused for a moment to catch her breath and give her body time to shut down the pain that was flooding through her. She sprang at the vampire, her teeth extending. Her attacker punched her solidly across the jaw and she dropped to the floor again.
    She was about to sweep its legs out when she found herself being hauled to her feet.
    She started to growl.
    It fled her lips the instant she recognised him.
    Valentine frowned when he found that his assailant was actually the girl he’d come to rescue. He tried to set her back down on her feet but she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He winced when she pressed her hands into all the places she’d just hit him.
    “Valentine.” She breathed the word into his ear with so much relief that he found himself wrapping his arms about her and holding her as she buried her face into his neck. “You’re safe. I knew you were safe.”
    He smiled. A small jolt of pleasure ran through him on hearing those words. She’d been worried about him and had clearly missed him judging by the bear grip she now had him in.
    “It was dangerous of you to come here. You shouldn’t have come,” she whispered into his ear.
    “I was not about to let you get yourself killed.”
    He looked