Turned

A/N: Like most of my works this book is unedited (The first draft version) and it is also incomplete since I am currently focusing on finishing the 'A Pirate's Song' series. I decided to upload it anyway to give a sneak peak of yet another series that I will be writing in the future. I also wanted to show my readers what I had hidden and get their opinion on this book? Enjoy! December 5th, 1483, Hethersett, Norwich, England. Evana De La Crona. It was a cold night in early December, snow had already began falling since mid-November. The cobble stone streets were covered in a which layer of snow while more flakes fell from the sky. My heels clicked against the walkway, each step echoing out into the night. It was late, there was no one in sight and the only source of light came from the small flickering flames in the streetlights. Daniel walked beside me, his hands folded neatly behind his back as I hugged his suit jacket closer to my form. It wasn’t allowed for us to be out so, late but Daniel had insisted on showing me the frozen river despite my protests. He’d snatched me out of the house in nothing but my sleeping gown and a pair of hastily grabbed heels. My hair had been undone, its delicate braid and bun disassembled, leaving my exotic black curls down in messy tangles. My family had moved to England from France a long time ago, but even so I could still remember the smell of freshly baked bread and expensive perfumes that seemed to dangle in the air. Since my first language had been French, I had been left with a thick accent that showed whenever I’d speak English. We reached the bridge after a few minutes of walking, and approached the side to peer down at the frozen surface “It appears that we’ll be able to walk on it soon” Daniel noted, his eyes staring down into the thick layer of ice, but my eyes were focused on the sky above. The clouds were starting to clear up, snow no longer falling as stars were revealed to me, standing out against a dark sky “It is the constellation Ursa Major, no?” astronomy was newly discovered at the time, believed by many to be a form of witchcraft. My mother had taken a liking to them, studying their names and origins every moment of everyday. She was a talented woman, able to paint landscapes and portraits, however her heart always seemed to lay within the heavens which was why I had been looking up at them that night “Yes, the Big Dipper” Daniel responded, looking up from the river to see where I was gazing at. He preferred to use the more modernized set of names for the constellations, moving with the times instead of dwelling in the past as the De La Crona family chose to do “And if you set your sights just a bit lower, you’ll find its minor, the Little Dipper” the two constellations went hand in hand, their story intertwining. Each image in the sky had its own history, an ancient story that gave them their names. I smiled slightly as I gazed back down at the river, a small movement that Daniel seemed to notice “What are you thinking of?” he questioned, looking at me with slight amusement and curiosity hidden behind the brown of his eyes. I turned to sit down on the bench, turning my back to the river while neatly tucking my feet together beneath me. It was the proper etiquette or a lady of my status. I was the daughter of a Duke after all “Have you heard the story of the pair?” my ‘r’s’ rolled off my tongue like an enticing purr whenever I spoke, words pronounced oddly to the ears of Englishmen, but Daniel never seemed to mind, he’d sometimes tell me to say something just to hear my accent seep through “I can’t say that I have” he said, shaking his head as he watched me, eyes roaming over my form and taking in my appearance. My skin was a slight darker shade than his while my eyes were a bright emerald, the color of a lush field of tall grass in the middle of summer “The Greeks believe that their god of thunder had an affair. His wife found out and turned the woman into a bear. She sent her daughter to hunt and kill the mistress. When Zeus found her dead, he was so full of grief that he sent her body up to live forever among the stars. She had been with child which created the constellation Ursa Minor along with the Ursa Major” the ‘th’ sound was replaced with a ‘z’ whenever I spoke, my ‘h’s’ sounding almost nonexistent due to my accent. It was one of my favorite stories, one I had read many times in various books. I had a fascination with the different cultures and beliefs around the world, so I often found myself studying their religions “Does it not bother you that he was unfaithful?” Daniel asked, stepping closer to the bench with his eyes fixed on the sky or more particularly the stars. I stared down at the ice-covered cobble stone bridge, the same small smile as before tugging at my plum pink lips. The people of modern times believed that having more than one husband or wife was a sin, they believed that affairs were against their marital vows, however in ancient times that was rarely ever the case. Men could have had as many wives as they wanted, as many affairs as they wanted “It depends on perspective” I began, getting up from the bench and stepping around it to look out onto the river, heels clicking with every slow, elegant step that I took. Daniel’s eyes followed me, a cool breeze sweeping over the area and causing goosebumps to rise on my bare arm, only covered by the material of his jacket “Through the wife’s eyes it is seen as an insult towards her” it insinuated that she was perhaps not pleasing her husband or that she was not as beautiful as she had once been, forcing him to seek attention in other, sinful places “But through the eyes of the mistress, it is truly beautiful” Zeus had loved her so much that he couldn’t let her die and instead gave her everlasting life among the stars, where he could forever gaze upon her and their child. It was romantic in a sense that made me smile just by thinking of it. Daniel moved to stand behind me, his polished black shoes thudding against the cobble stone as he walked “I wish I could glimpse inside that mind of yours” he whispered into the night, his breath condensing in the cold air as he reached his hands out to grip each of my forearms. I turned my head to look back at him from over my shoulder. Daniel was the eldest son of the Blackwater family line in England, his father the Duke of Norwich “It is a mess” I argued, glancing back up at the stars. There were many constellations, some I knew the histories too, but others were unknown to me. Daniel gently squeezed my arms, his touch gentle and kind as if he was touching the petals of a delicate rose, and was afraid that he’d damage it “It is a remarkable mess” he disagreed which drew a small breath of laughter from my lips. The air turned white in front of me and the sound echoed through the night. It was a light, feminine sound that caused a smile to touch the corner of Daniel’s lips. He surprised me, stepping around my form so that he was at my side, hand reaching out to tenderly grip my chin between his thumb and forefinger “There is something I must confess” I looked up into his eyes, searching them for any sign of what he was about to say, but their depths gave nothing away. His white undershirt was ruffled at the wrists, causing the material to dance over the skin of my exposed chest. His brown hair fell into his eyes, messy from a day of work “I have been harboring feelings for you” my eyes widened ever so slightly at his words. He looked off to the side, eyes searching the cobble stone for a way to make his feelings known without scaring me off or coming off as too strong “Ever since the day of the ball” shortly after having moved to England, my family had been invited to a ball at the Blackwater family estate. It was expected of me to attend, so I arrived in an extravagant maroon dress with my hair up in a messy up do. The men had flocked to me, intrigued by a beautiful, single foreign woman of nobility, but Daniel had been the only man to catch my eye. He played the violin like it was second nature, standing in the center of the ballroom whilst I looked down from a balcony above. Our eyes met in that moment, locked in an endless dance. The way he played was like an angelic symphony that enticed me, enchanted me and since that day, he had played for me many times “Our parents plan for us to be arranged” it was news to me, yes Daniel was a dear friend to me but more than that he was not. I shook my head, slowly, taking a step back to place some distance between us. His hand dropped back to his side when I moved, eyes filling with a mixture of hurt and sadness “No, I do not feel the same” I protested, the back of my legs colliding with the cool metal of the bench. My one hand abandoned its place, clutching the jacket to brace me on the railing of the bridge beside me. Daniel swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing before he opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off “forgive me” I whispered, unable to meet his gaze. I then turned to flee from the bridge, his jacket tumbling to the snow-covered floor as I ran, the clicking of my heels yelling out into the night “Evana!” Daniel called out after me, his eyes widening in horror as I ran fled, my white night gown flaring out behind me. The street lights flickered in their glass cases when I passed, the town silent accept for my ragged breathing. I ran for the De La Crona estate that was located on the edge of town, my hands gripping the front of the gown to make it easier for me to move. I could hear heavy footsteps thundering from behind me, but did not dare to look back. I passed the shop window of the local dress maker, the mannequins wearing the sown fabrics as if they had been made especially for them to showcase to the world. I rounded the corner to the end of the town and felt my breath catch in my throat. On the hills just outside of Norwich was a great fire, one that stretched high into the sky, casting an orange hue onto the town. I stopped dead in my tracks, my eyes wide in fear and terror as I silently begged and pleaded with whatever entity was listening “Evana, wait!” Daniel cried out, but my feet started moving again, my expensive heels abandoned to the sidewalk as I took off running. I no longer cared about the prior conversation on the bridge, all I cared about was my family, my parents. My feet collided with snow and grass as I approached the burning mansion my hands reaching out to open the back gate that lead to the garden. There I froze, bottom lip trembling as a scream of terror escaped my lips. The mansion that was burning, was the De La Crona manor, my home. My parents had gone to bed a few hours ago which meant that they had been asleep when the fire had started. I made to run in the direction of the back patio, but a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around my waist “Evana, no” Daniel dragged me back, falling onto his rear in the snow as I reached a hand out towards the burning building. I kicked and thrashed in his arms, determined to enter the blazing flames in search of my only remaining family “My parents” Daniel tightened his grip on my small frame, as my eyes filled to the brim with salty tears. My outstretched hand trembled and shook as I fell back against the future Duke, my back pressed firmly up against his chest as my foggy gaze stared straight ahead “It is suicide” Daniel argued, shaking his head and burying his face into my shoulder. The tears escaped the corners of my eyes and trailed their way down the sides of my face, dripping down from my chin and into the snow. My hand lowered, gripping his forearm, nails digging into the material of his shirt and the skin beneath it. A strangled cry escaped my lips, eyes reflecting the sight of the dancing flames that seemed to swirl high into the dark heavens. My free hand moved up to cup my mouth, muffling my cries of agony as I closed my eyes, tear after tear dripping down from them. I leaned forward, my forehead pressing against my folded knees, my body curled in on itself, struck by grief and pain. There were voices coming from nearby which caused my eyes to snap open and my head to shoot up in their direction to find a mob of people, torches blazing as they made their way down from the hill of the mansion to the town “Damn it all” Daniel muttered from behind me, that’s when I realized what had happened. They had set the mansion alight, knowing that my family was inside, they had intentionally killed my mother and father, and tried to kill me. If Daniel had not drawn me out to see the river, I would have died along with them. My back muscles stiffened, my eyes drying as I thrashed, kicked and clawed at Daniel until he eventually let go of me “You knew!” I yelled, staggering to my feet and looking down at him, my elbow having connected with his nose. He clutched his face as I balled my fists at my sides. Anger mixed with sadness inside my veins, adrenaline fueling my movements for the time being “Evana, please, let me explain” him not trying to deny it was proof enough. Daniel had known about the towns attack on my family and had slipped me out of the house before hand, to ensure that I survived. Why he would want to save my life was the last thing on my mind, be it because he loved me or because there was some sort of gain he would receive by keeping me alive. I wanted to scream, to strangle him, but the sight of the townspeople nearby was enough of a threat for me to turn and take off running in the direction of the forest that overlooked the town. Daniel called out after me, but his voice did not register in my mind, I had to get away, I had to flee. My eyes darted in every direction, hands gripping and gliding over the tree bark as I moved, my eyes blind in the darkness, but my sense of touch was enough to lead me deeper into the woods. I gasped for air, white puffs of air escaping my lips as I dodged boulders and fallen tree branches, my bare feet skidding through the snow and dirt as crows cried out in the trees above, the moon a crescent in the dark sky. The orange hue of the fire had long since faded, along with the noise of the townspeople and Daniel’s frantic cries. I had been running for what felt like hours until my foot caught on a risen tree root and I tripped, falling to the floor in a messy heap. My hands gripped at the soil, nails digging into the leaves that had remained from Autumn as tears once again flowed from my eyes. The adrenaline that had kept me going was gone the moment my body connected with the earth, replaced by an overwhelming sadness. I cried out into the night, confident that no one was around to hear me. The sounds that escaped me where those that bared resemblance to a grieving, mourning animal, a dying creature filled with agony and haunted by suffering. I tried to get up, my legs moving and arms tensing, but I was too weak, too exhausted to do anything other than weep. There were footsteps that sounded nearby, heavy boots crunching into the ice and twigs, but I did not care, I much rather preferred that they kill me instead of forcing me to live a life, alone “What they did is unforgivable” the familiar British accents was replaced by an unfamiliar Scottish one. It was a man, his voice deep and husk as he approached me, kneeling, down in front of my crumpled form. His boots were black, along with his trench coat, the color fading perfectly into the night. He reached out, tucking his index finger underneath my chin and forcing me to look up at him through swollen, teary, red eyes. He was a handsome man, his skin pale, hair a dark, almost black brown with eyes that seemed to glow gold. His jawline was covered in a layer of stubble while a scar ran across his cheekbone, but the small imperfection seemed all too perfect on him “If revenge is what you seek, I can gladly provide you with the power to do so” he was tall, muscular and menacing. Power rolled off him in waves as I sat up on my knees, my hands braced against the forest floor with my eyes still captivated by him, his finger cold against my skin. Revenge had not yet occurred to me, but the thought rose, followed by his words. I had nothing to live for, I had no one to go back to with Daniel being a traitor and the town wanting me dead so what could I live for? I could live to avenge my family, to kill the ones who killed my parents. The man leaned in, his lips lightly brushing against the shell of my ear when he spoke, “All you have to do is say yes” my eyes stared up at the bare tree branches above, the stars and moon mixing into the dark canvass that was the midnight sky. A chilling breeze swept over us, my arms trembling as I parted my lips to say the word that would start a series of events that would stretch out over the span of nearly four-hundred years “Oui” the French word for ‘yes’ escaped my lips and no sooner had the man sunk his teeth into the side of my neck. I gasped, my eyes widening as my hands reached up to grip his shoulders. A chocked cry echoed out into the night, small as my hands balled into fists, gripping the material of his coat. The pain eventually gave way to pleasure, causing my eyes to close and my head to tilt to the side, offering him more of me, every part of me. I moaned when he retracted, his tongue lapping over the wound moments before an excruciating pain surged through me. My eyes shot open, back arching as I screamed, fire igniting in my veins while his arms tightened around me, holding me up when he stood. I couldn’t move, my body paralyzed by the agony. Tears dripped from my eyes as I curved enough to see the world at an upside-down angle from my place in his arms. No more screams could tear their way from my throat, the pain stopping all breathing, all movement or thought. My gums began to ache, mouth agape from the urge to shriek, my teeth felt like they were shifting, breaking until the pain shot up to my eyes and eventually took root in my chest. My vision began to blur, black spots filling my view when my body became limp and the pain gave way to a sweet numbness. The man held me closer to him, bending to reach my ears with his lips “Your revenge will come soon enough, but for now you must rest” I was breathing hard, my hands placed palms down on his chest. I hid my face in the crook of his neck, the fatigue consuming me, dragging me down into a state of unconsciousness where I was no longer in any pain, no longer consumed by grief or sadness, as I slept, I was free, but when I’d wake those emotions would come flooding back, stronger than they ever were before.