Prologue


The night sky was a dark, clear gray and the town of Martinsville, Indiana, was silent. Kessira had always loved the delicious night air and the open atmosphere. She walked silently down a dark, narrow street near the armory. A faint moon hung over the entire town, enveloping much of the town in shadows. The music of the Kottonmouth Kings streamed through her headphones. She closed her bright brown eyes for a minute and then reopened them. She started to sing along. A few moments later, a sharp snapping sound broke the silence. Kessira had heard it, even with her headphones on. She turned, stopped walking, and looked behind herself, �Huh�?� Kessira turned her CD player off.

Her eyes slowly moved back and forth over the background. �Anyone there?�, she asked frightfully. Kessira wasn�t dumb enough to ignore it. She knew that something was there. She stepped back, keeping her eyes in front of her.

Out of the shadows appeared a boy with spiky blonde hair, most likely around the age of seventeen. The boy looked up and said in a deep voice, �Don�t be scared, my lady. I merely came to show you. That is, if you trust me.�

Kessira tugged a strand of her raven-black hair behind her ear. �Show me what?�, she asked. It surprised her that she was no longer, in the least bit, afraid. There was something about that boy that was calming.

The boy smiled at her and walked forward. Kessira stood were she was, mesmerized by his emerald eyes. �Your destiny,� he said. The boy held up his right arm. On the back of his hand was an odd symbol. Kessira nearly stopped breathing and her eyes widened. She knew that symbol, although she knew not of where she had seen it or what it meant. The boy grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. Kessira gasped. The boy�s grin broadened, �It�s time, love.�


Chapter 1