Chapter 1

17 years later...

Beside a river, the morning sun painted everything in warm light. A young woman, dressed in a simple blue dress, stood by the water's edge. She playfully traced patterns on the surface with her delicate, bare foot. The river flowed gently, copying her graceful moves.

Her hair, a radiant golden hue, sparkled in the sunlight like strands of spun gold. Her eyes, a mix of green and brown.

Around her, the world seemed calm and quiet. The town's old streets were still, and the sea breeze carried echoes of days long gone.

Suddenly, from somewhere nearby, a voice called out. "Aurora," it said.

She was startled, her eyes going wide with surprise and then realization. Without wasting a moment, she reached for her nearby shoe, slipped it on, and grabbed the woven basket she'd brought.

"Where have you been, young lady? I've been searching everywhere for you," a woman said with a deep frown settling on her face, but it was replaced with relief knowing the young lady before her was okay.

"I just got distracted by the water," Aurora responded, her voice soothing like angels singing down praises. "You don't need to worry, Mother," she added, trying to reassure the woman who looked at her like she almost had a heart attack.

"You know the woods are not safe; you shouldn't wander off like that," the poor woman said. Aurora wrapped her hand around her in a gentle side hug.

"I am fine, Mother. I am not a kid anymore," she stated and pulled away. "Infacf, I am going to the town market to get the supplies you had requested, like a grown adult."

"You are still my baby, only this time more beautiful," the woman said and cupped her chin as she caressed her cheek. Her eyes became teary, as if remembering the first time she had found her at her doorsteps, but she quickly looked away and wiped it off before her daughter noticed. "Now hurry along and don't wander off!" she said sternly.

Aurora rolled her eyes before she responded. "Yes, Mother, don't worry yourself."

"I won't worry myself if you don't make me worry."

Aurora smiled before waving and running off into the woods and out into a clear path which led to the town.

"What a beauty," a man whispered to another when they caught sight of Aurora. Although she noticed, she pretended not to and walked further into town, heading forward with only one thought in mind: Don't look back.

But being a beauty always called for attention. She could feel gazes shift in her direction; she wasn't nervous at all. In fact, she was used to it, as that had been her daily routine, but she just ignored them most of the time until one grabbed her hand.

She snapped her head quickly at her wrist and to the man who held it firmly. It was a face she was familiar with, someone she knew and had seen countless times but also someone that disgusted her.

"Let go of me, Richard," she fumed, pulling to break free, but his grip only tightened, causing her to wince as he pulled her close and held her waist. "What are you doing? Let me go!" she continued to struggle.

"You grow more beautiful every single day, Aurora. When are you going to accept my proposal? I will take good care of you," he whispered in her ear. Her body stiffened when she felt his hot breath against her skin, which only further irritated her. "Or have you forgotten," he said in a deep voice.

Of course, she hadn't forgotten; he had sent a proposal for her hand in marriage, but of course, she had refused, and her parents stood by her on that.

"Even if I were locked up and chained, I still refuse to be with someone like you," she replied glaringly at him, but to her amusement, he chuckled, causing her to furrow her brow in confusion.

"Even when you act tough, your voice still sounds like a sweet, sweet melody," he grinned. Her frown didn't leave her face. She stomped hard on his feet and spat at his face.

"Hmm," he groaned internally while she freed herself from his grip and ran into the crowds. "You can run for now, Aurora, but soon you will be mine!" Richard yelled, watching her disappear into the crowd, then he looked down at his feet and let out a groan. "That hurts," he muttered, wiping his face.

Aurora stopped running as she was sure she had lost him. She clenched her fist, thinking about how close he was to her, which caused her to sigh in frustration. She shook her body as if trying to get his touch off her. How dare he touch her without her consent? She bit her lips but decided to shove it off.

She made her way through different aisles of goods spread out as merchants negotiated with buying consumers. A bearded man seeking jewelry of different kinds caught sight of a beautiful young lady as his gaze scanned through different items. He immediately grabbed her hand, thus startling her, and she pulled away. What's up with men and touching, she thought.

"Try this one; it complements your hair and pale skin," he said, holding a golden bracelet, but that wasn't what she had come here for.

She gave him a warm smile and said politely. "It sure looks beautiful, but that isn't what I have come here for."

The man was once again still persistent; he hadn't seen any woman as beautiful as she was and wanted to make her his, but when they heard the sound of the town bell, he let her go, with his attention now fixed towards where the bell was being rung.

This didn't go unnoticed by Aurora and the others present. They knew the bell was only rung to signal the villagers for an emergency gathering.

People began to murmur as they made their way in that direction. Aurora wasn't left behind, and although her mother had warned her against wandering off, she couldn't resist the urge.

They all gathered at the town square; Aurora pushed her way through the crowd until she could get a clear view of what was ahead. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw a man tied in chains, knelt with his head facing the floor, making it hard to see his face.

A man walked toward the center; he had a huge claw scar at the center of his face and in between his right eye, making that eye practically blind. He was feared and respected by many and was known by one name: The Hunter. "My beloved people of Willowbrook, for years I have lived to serve you, to serve this kingdom, and protect them from creatures who dwell among us," he said, taking one step closer to the man who was chained. "And bloodthirsty vampires!" He yelled, pointing his sword at the man in chains.

People began to murmur once more, this time louder. Aurora only stole glances at the man who was accused of being a vampire. She had heard rumors of vampires before, and all of what she heard were terrible, unimaginable things. Staring at this man, it sent a shiver down her spine; this was the first time she had ever seen one this close.

"Aren't vampires afraid of the sun?" a man in the crowd yelled, which only caused a grin to form on his scarred face. Like he was expecting that question.

"That's right!" he stated. "But over the years, they have evolved. They have grown to adapt, and now some, just like this one right here, can move like a free man." He slid his sword on the skin of the vampire, forcing painful groans out of his mouth. The sword was made of sliver, a metal that could kill a vampire. As the sword pierced further into his flesh, he let out a loud scream and jerked upward, revealing his face.

Many gasped, so did Aurora. She had been expecting a terrifying hideous creature, but what she was staring at wasn't anything close. He had the face of that of a god; there was nothing terrifying about him. In fact, if he were human, he would have a ton of women drooling over him. The only thing terrifying was his eyes, his red eyes flared with fury, and worse, he was staring directly at Aurora. She could feel his gaze like a physical weight on her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. His eyes were locked on hers, his red irises burning with fury. But beneath the anger, she could sense something else, something colder and more calculating.

The air around them felt charged, like a storm was brewing just out of sight. She felt a sense of foreboding, a premonition of something terrible about to happen. But she couldn't look away, couldn't break the connection between them. It was as if he had cast a spell over her, trapping her in place.

She could hear the hunter's labored breathing, the sound of his heart pounding in his chest. But beneath all that, there was another sound, one that made her blood run cold. It was the sound of laughter, low and menacing, coming from the vampire.

She watched as a slow, malevolent grin spread across his face, revealing sharp, pointed teeth. His eyes were full of malice, and as he looked at her, she felt like prey in the presence of a predator. He licked his lips, as if savoring the moment. And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the spell was broken. The hunter swung his blade, and the vampire's head fell to the ground with a thud. His head fell to the floor, and his body turned to ashes.