Prologue

“Take her somewhere safe!” The woman pleaded weakly whilst lifting her baby from her blood drenched skirt.

“But I can’t leave you like this!” The man protested tearfully.

“Its my responsibility to stop such vicious ceremony, I had to!” The woman tried to convince him. “Now , I must bear the consequence! I’m sorry!”

“Look at where your bravery has taken you!” He sobbed mournfully and hugged them both.

There’s a rustle in the trees above them followed by an animalistic groan. Their eyes snapped into that direction and back to the wailing baby in their arm. The weak woman nursed the baby to quiet her sobs as tears trickled down her eyes like rain.

They both tried to move behind the tree to conceal themselves from danger but from nowhere an unscathed youthful man appeared and confronted them.

“Lennon!” They both gasped and clutched their dearest little one. “You scared the hell out of us!”

“What are you doing here?” the man questioned him.

“I should be asking that! Furthermore I had been snapping the necks off some Kanimas on my way here!” Lennon related. “Besides father is adamant of having your head off if anything happens to her!”

“He would do no such thing since you’re here I’m sure I’d be fine!” the woman said with renewed hope in her weak voice.

“Yes, you’re right! But the baby must be taken back to the village where it’s safe and since you’re not severely injured you should take her back!” Lennon urged the man whilst taking the baby from the mother and handing it over to him.

“He’s right you must hurry and get help for me too!” The woman urged the man then lightly peck his lips to assure him.

More rustling sounds could be heard among the trees so he clutched the baby tightly and ran as fast as he could among the thick undergrowth of the forest towards the village.

With the man went away Lennon turned to his pale sister and asked with a wicked grind which she didn’t took notice of, “Are you ready for a battle in this condition dear sister!”

The rustling grew louder.

“Do you think they will make it to the village!” She asked sobbingly indicating to her child and husband.

“Yes they will! Provided that you’re ready to fulfill your promise and sacrifice your self to protect her!” Lennon stressed.

“I definitely will!” She stood up courageously ignoring the afterbirth pains that were ripping though her body. “But if I’m forced to drain their blood and become like them just to destroy them , then you must take this weapon and pierce my heart!”

“I hope I’ll never have to do so!” Lennon shouted to her and shifted into a jaguar, for in that instant they were attacked by the Kanimas which surrounded them.

They threw themselves on the woman that was unable to shift since she was too weak , wounding her, tearing her already tattered clothes apart however she fought back with equal vigor despite being in her human form. She noticed one of the creature sniffed the air and glanced in the direction in which her precious baby was taken.

Her eyes widened in horror . Her protective instinct kicked in as she launched for its neck and before she realized it she was already drunk from the lifeless creature blood that she drained dry from its body. A sickly glow began to creep up her legs as her transformation from good to evil began.

“Lennon!” she shouted with the very ounce of good left in her heart.

She however didn’t notice that the creatures had already receded and Lennon was hovering her with his bow and arrow aimed to pierce her beating heart.

With a pleasurable grin he sent his weapon to its target before dropping it and ran to his almost dead sister.

“I knew it was you that planned this from the moment I began consuming that creature’s essence!” she confronted him with her few breaths that left. “Why?”

“Why? It’s simply because you were chosen over me, now I’d get what’s mine after you’re gone!” He happily proclaimed. “Now hurry and die so I can take you home, because I waited long enough! “

“It’s a shame to have a brother like you!” She spat on him. “And you’ll never get what you want unless you possesses the key!”

After uttering her those words her chest rose and fell as life ebbed out of her battered body

IznaPOV

Blueshirt, black jeans, croptop,sunflower dress, I must have already emptied half of my

cupboard with clothes and dumped it on the bed.

" It was just too difficult to choose the best from the best, ok."

And just as I bent downwards to reach for my tank top that fell on the floor , something shiny under the cupboard caught my attention . Kneeling on the floor , on all four

limbs, stretching my hand in order to grasp the object, I saw it’s actually the key , that I had been looking for all year .

"Shit !" I exclaimed loudly.

"How did it even get there in the first place?"

The key was very dear to

me.

I remembered the day vividly when Aunt Mila gave it to me.It was actually on the day we moved from a quiet suburban community. One with, nice family homes lined up in a straight ,neat row, with green, luscious trees in a lined , adjacent to the road, there was also a library and next to it was an icecream parlor where I spent my weekend as a sales girl to earn some cash, in order to pile on new novels. It was probably the best community we had ever lived in , so far.There was always a sense of comfort and security.

That day, I was just home from school when I noticed several boxes and luggage bags standing at the entry way. My dad was talking busily to man that seem to own a hire canter that was parked on the road. I waved my hands at him, to grasp his attention but he was so caught up in his conversation, that he didn’t even took any

notice of me. I gritted my teeth in anger and stumped off into the house, where Aunt Mila had been running around with a some green and brown herbs wrapped in a newspaper under her arms and a motor pestle in her hands. When she saw me , she simply told me to grab her wicker basket that’s resting resting on the counter, but I was so frustrated seeing them so busy, and everyone was treating me the audience , watching some play . It’s like I had no idea what was going on and what would happen next? So I just stood there until she noticed, that I

didn’t gave her the basket . Actually I was waiting on an explanation as to why I was not informed about any of the activity they planned. When aunt Mila saw the look, that’s on my face, she went out and dragged my dad towards me, to explain. But all he said was;

“Honey you how know my job is? I always have to change residence every three to five years.I just

want you to know, I'm doing what’s best for us and I really care and love you more than anything in this world. I really hope you understand and forgive me if I've hurt your feelings. “

And with that he gave me one big bear hug, kissed me ontop of my forehead, walked to the canter that was already loaded with all our stuff and climbed into the passenger seat.

Aunt Mila came from behind and rested her hands ontop of my right side shoulder and gave me a light squeeze and nodded her head in assurance, that everything was going to be okay , then she motioned me towards her cute bubblegum, pink Audi . I seated myself at my usual

place, that’s the front seat next to my aunt . She too had climbed into the car . Just as I was about to fastened my seat belt , she held my hands and placed the cold metal into my palms.

Her eyes was all glisten with tears. Like she was giving me a piece of her . The words she told me , clear as ever , replayed in my head.

She spoke quietly then, “this key that I’m giving you here, it’s special because it belongs to your mother. It’s probably the most valuable thing you can have, that was an important piece of item in her life. It’s the key to a special something, which I can only give you when you are old enough.When I say old enough , I really meant ,the day you become an eighteen year old girl.

But for now, I don’t want no questions from you. I just want you to keep it close to you until it’s

time. “

I wanted to ask so many questions then but instead I swallowed them and stared at the key that was lying in my palms. It was and still is, the most beautiful crafted key, that I'd ever seen.

The metal was actually real silver, with a heart shaped top. Around the heart was tiny pieces of pink quartz neatly lining it . Inside the heart was a clean cut , green tourmaline crystal . The bottom of the key was actually ,circular in shape, the entire key was no bigger than my thumb.

Three years later . Everytime I tried to ask my aunt a question about the key. She would always gave me a, wide eyes. I found it funny and annoying at the same time.

It’s like in Harry Potter, say the name Voledmort aloud and suddenly the death eaters would find you.

This time I really did think I have at least two more years, to stick around one place and complete high school , which I believed that I would in two months time. But you know what ?

I didn't even

knew, why this kept happening to me?

It was like that since forever.

Eyeroll,.

I was just tired of packing and moving, then get a bit comfortable thinking ," ahh... finally, I'm going to make some friends and stick together."

You know , like the best friends forever thingy you see on Disney

channel .

" Ha-ha! for that I just need to keep dreaming. This is my reality, this is my life."

" Like, literally, look at me, tan brown, chocolate eyes with fan like eyelids, sometimes girls at my school had directly asked me, if they were fake and how did i got away with it . My hair was long and black like the raven wings, I loved to keep them in a pony , a bit chic like Arianna Grande.

Attractive, that's what I felt like when I stood infront the mirror but when I was next to someone my age , I was tiny bit short , that's if you think five foot two can define , short.

" fine I know, that's short . "

Eye

roll .

My dad usually said to me , “it's the genes, your height is actually considered very attractive at the place where I was born, the guys there would totally drool over you hence, I’m so glad we don’t live there because, I might have to murder them and you how much I love blood on my hands darling."

Well that always cheered me up, a tiny bit. And a long slice of cheesy pizza.

"Yes! I binged on junk food sometimes when got upset."

"And no! I didn't gain weight , like no matter how much I

ate , but instead I got pimples that left scars on my face."

"Whoever said that being thin meant you

can eat anything at any amount ."

My aunt Mila always made sure I went on a regular detox, with some of her unpleasant tasting herbal concoctions.

''Ewww!"

I looked great with some pains attached to it, at times whether physically or mentally. When I said mentally, what I meant , was ;

"not paying attention to people that would taunt you for being naturally thin!"

At times I just wanted to eat nonstop to gain more weight. I knew it was crazy but then like I said , "all I get was unpleasant stuff, nothing more!"

Another thing was that, I could not get close to one single person, not even those hot guys that always get a bit flirty with me. It would be so nice to get to know someone and have that love like ,romantic feeling, to lost in a world of your own with Prince charming. Instead I have to play an

attractive girl that don't give a shit with relationship and one that also does not need too much of of close friends.

"Izna! Iznaaa! Iznaaa! "

My dad shouting made my hands that had been propped under my jaw to jerked off, waking me up from

my train of thoughts. Or you can say self pity.

"Yes dad! I’m coming just a few minutes more!"

Supposed to be packing all of my necessary things in fifteen minutes however, instead of doing

that, i was on the floor. I couldn hear him grumbling to himself while he paced the floor , impatiently on the lower flat of our two story home. I was only allowed to carry a handluggage. Because a small plane can only handle a certain amount of weight . Like seriously my stuffed bear couldn't even fit when I finished stuffing my clothes and toiletries.

Humph! It so unfair I had to

left behind my previous book collection. But not my Bini , I just couldn't ’t slept without it . The honey color fur was so soft and cuddly , having it close to me alone could simply, just scare my nightmares away . So I just held it like a three year old infront of me.I guessed it didn't

even had much weight . I was optimistic that I could fly with it. The only problem that I assumed would be, was that if the airport official mistook it to be stuffed with cannabis instead of cotton and ripped it into pieces. Let's just hope that crises does not occur.

Izna!

My dad was yelling for me again.

“We're going to miss the plane if you don't get down here! like right now!"

I hurried downstairs, panting very heavily by the time i step out by the door .