Chapter 1 Hey Des Lilly said as she saw me come up.Hey Lil! Whats up I said to her wondering again why she wore that shirt with the black flowers and orange background, it wasnt even Halloween. Happy Birthday! She said giving me a big hug.LIL KEEP IT DOWN! I WANT TODAY TO BE NORMAL NOT ANNOYING! I said.Well, that might be hard.Why? I askedI kind of told everyone it was your birthday. She said shyly.UGH! Lil Im gonna be nice and act happy but you owe me!Okay deal she said in that tone of voice that always makes me laugh.Did you tell Danny it was my Birthday? I asked hopefully. Danny Smith was the hottest guy in school (Well, I thought so anyway).Of course I did! What kind of friend would I be if I didnt tell my best friends crush it was her birthday? Lil asked as we sat down on the bus.A terrible one, but since you told him I say youre the best friend a gal could have! I said.We arrive at school a few minutes later. Everything seems normal till Ally comes up and hugs me saying happy birthday & giving me a present. Allison Renee is one of the most outgoing girls around. She gave me a perfume set for my birthday this year.Thanks Ally. I love it. I said. All throughout the day I get happy birthday wishes. At lunch we sit at our normal table with our normal group of friends. They all give me presents. I tell them I love them when inside, Im really screaming my head off at Lil.Justin comes over and says happy birthday and I turn red. I say thanks and he leaves taking my breath with him. It takes me a couple of seconds to get it back.During free period, I stay near my locker and talk to Lilly. The hall is empty except for me, Lil, and this weird guy with a sapphire crescent moon on his wrist. I think Lil sees him to but Im not sure.Desperado Alinara Summers you are now part of the Children of the Night. You are now a vampire. Death is your rebirth. Come to the Children of the Night headquarters where our Head Vampire can see to you. He says. I only realize he is a vampire once I feel the burning of my own crescent on my right wrist. My head hurts so badly that I fall under the pain.DES, ARE YOU OKAY?!?! Lil asks as I sit upLil get me to Aislings house. Shell know what to do. I say.First Ill take you home to see your mom. Lil says and I get scared. What will she think if she sees this?At home, Lil drops me off and goes back to school. I go inside to face my mother.Mommy, Can I talk to you? I ask in my childish voice, I use my jacket sleeve to hide my mark for a short time.Whats wrong? You sound scared sweetie. She says. I move my sleeve so she can see the filled in crescent moon on my wrist. She gasps. She automatically gets up, grabs her truck keys, and takes me to the Children of the Night office. There the Head Vampire greets me with a warm smile.Welcome Desperado to the Children of the Night headquarters. She saysCall me Des. What is your name? I askMy name is Diana. You can call me Ana or Di if you wish to. She says. Your room is all set up and your roommate is anxious to meet you.Um, okay, how long am I staying here? I ask as mom and I follow her to my new room.Until your body fully accepts the crescent of night, after that as long as you want. She says. We come to a tower like building. Inside we go up a flight of stairs to the second floor. The first door on the right, Di knocks on. From inside we hear a cheerful Come in, so we enter.Inside a cute Blond girl comes to greet us. Hey Di. She says cheerfully.Bethany, this is Desperado. She is your new roommate. Di says.Welcome Desperado. Bethany says. Ill leave you three alone for a while. Di says than she leaves the room.I am Roxy, Desperados mother. Its nice to meet you Bethany. Mom says. Call me Beth. As you can see your half of the room is already set up. They came while I was still asleep. Beth said. I remember that vampires sleep during the day.I better get home love you sweetie. Mom says kissing me on the forehead.Love you to mom. Ill call you soon. I say as she leaves.So, Desperado would you like a tour of this place? Beth asks curiouslyCall me Des and yes I would love a tour. She takes me all around campus. My favorite room is they Library. I love to read. Our final stop is The Temple of the Night. It is my second favorite place in the school. Wow! Its amazing in here! I say, mesmerized.Yeah it is. She agrees.Welcome Young Desperado. A voice says.WHO IS THERE? I ask out loud. A woman appears. She is tall with night black hair. Her eyes look like they are full moons instead of normal eyes. She is wearing a white dress and silver earrings.I am Nyx. I am also your Aunt, Desperado. She says in a velvet voice.How? I ask confused. Beth was probably thinking the same thing.Your real mother is my sister, Starla. You are a natural Born Goddess. she says. Im stunned.How is that possible? I was born to a mortal family. I say trying to figure this all out.When you were born, we were in the middle of a war. Our mother said send you somewhere safe till the war was over. My other sister Airana sent you to Roxy as she was giving birth to the mortal body you possess. The war ended a year after you were born. Mother said leave you be until you were old enough to know it all. Nyx said. I was shocked. I couldnt say anything. Beth spoke up then.Thats amazing. Was all she could say.Nyx then came over to me and said My sweet niece, Welcome back to the world you were born into. You shall become a fairy after you complete the change. Then she kissed my crescent and something incredible happened.I fell to the ground in agonizing pain. My wrist was burning so badly I thought it was on fire. Then the pain stopped and I opened my eyes to see Beth bent over me staring in shock.What Happened? I asked in a weak voice. When I sat up I noticed she was staring at my wrist.Your mark its complete. It looks so beautiful. She says. At that moment Di runs in.I heard screaming. What happened? she asked. Then she looked at me and said Oh My Goddess! Your Mark. Its Complete and extended!I stood up. I looked at her and said Nyx just came to us. She said Im her niece, that Im her sisters biological daughter.So the prophecy is true. The Last Surviving child of the gods stands in front of me. She says. Then I realize what just happened. In a matter of minutes I accepted the crescent. I am the second vampire in history to accept it so soon after being marked.She also said Im destined to be a fairy. I said. At this thought I fell down again. Beth caught me before I hit the ground. Di came over, put her hand on my head and mumbled something. After that I felt better, but I was still stunned. I just couldnt believe it. I was the last surviving child of the gods.Well she accepted the crescent. So now what? Beth asked.Im going to stay for a while. Nyx said Im destined to become a fairy. Di Do you think you could teach me somethings I need to know about being a fairy? I asked.Yes, and Ill even bring my sister in to help you. She is a fairy also. Di says.Great. Um, Di, Would it be okay if my cousin stayed here for a while? I asked.Of course your cousin can stay for a while. Di said. Then she smiled at me and left the room. Beth had gotten over my marks by now. I took out my cell phone and dialed Aislings number.Hello?

Hey Aisling! Its Des. Ive been marked so Im staying at the House of Night. I was wondering if you wanted to come stay for a while? I asked herId love to sweetie. Ill be there around six okay? she saidOkay, see you then! Bye Aisling. I said. I hung up the phone and Beth and I went to our room to get ready.When I took my shirt off to change I saw all of my marks. They are incredible. I thought. I had an entire shirt of markings. It was a V-neck type shirt with a necklace that was an amethyst stone, only it wasnt a stone. They were my marks. The markings looked like music notes twining together to form the V-neck shirt. I honestly couldnt believe it.When Aisling arrived we took her to our room.So, Des, why do you have a full set of marks if you were only just chosen? Aisling asked. I knew she was going to ask that.I just accepted the crescent a few minutes after I was marked. I also found out something I never would have guessed. I said. Aisling and I were extremely close. We were like sisters.What did you find out? She asked. I told her the story and she only shook her head. I knew there was something different about you that wasnt like anything Ive ever known. She saidWell, Im going to be here for a while. I said.Ill be with you every step of the way. You can always count on me sweetie. Aisling saidIll be here for you too Des. Beth said.

Chapter 2First thing is first. Ive gotta find out what my real name is. I said.Maybe I Can Help a voice said. Out of nowhere a woman appeared. She was tall, had Sky blue eyes, Brown hair, and smiled a lot. Hello Desperado. I am Airana. Ive been watching you your whole life. I am another of your Aunts. She said.Airana, do you know what my real name is? I asked my Aunt.Yes. Your real name is Shining Starr. Your mother encourages you to change it to whatever you want. She said.Okay. Ill say Desperados Shining Starr. I said, loving the sound of my new name.Perfect Aisling, Beth, and Airana said together.Hey, can we go out and sit by the lake. Ive got a friend there who could help us out. Beth said to Airana.Of course, I prefer being closer to the sky any ways. Airana said. I remember from reading a book once that she was the goddess of the skies.Thank you. Crystal can help with any problem. She gets visions from Tara. Beth says. Another goddess I read about. Beth knows who a lot of the gods are, but I dont think she knows who Starla is.We leave our room and walk down the path to the lake. Beth whispers something into a shell necklace she was wearing.You called Bethany. A girl says as her head comes above the water. I only then realize she is a mermaid. She has sea blue eyes and fiery red hair.Crystal, we need your help. My friends need a vision. Desperado is Starlas daughter. Beth said to the mermaid.Okay, let me prepare. Beth, stand at the eastern point that always helps me. Crystal said. We all move to the eastern point as she instructed.I cant believe any of this. Aisling said. When I looked at her she looked confused, shocked, and scared all at once. Aisling always believed in mythical stuff, but having it all right in front of her was probably too much for her.Oh, great goddess Tara, please show me the future of the niece who stands before us and wishes for the future of her beloved ones. Crystal said. Then she closed her eyes and when she reopened them, they were pure blue. In a mystified voice, she said The future of thee is this. Desperados Shining Starr shall go forth and fight the creatures that threaten her family. By her side, shall be her faithful consort, Justin Smith. Together, victory shall be won, for her and her family. Her wings shall carry her into a new life where her love will never abandon her and her power is and forever will be greater than anything ever known or is to be known. Then, the waves carried her up. Her tail was visible then. It was a beautiful pattern of red and blue waves decorated on her scales. Her hair formed a cape around her as she fell from the wave. When her eyes reopened, they were back to normal. I stood there in shock. Justin Smith would be my consort. Id only been a vampire for a few hours and already he reenters my life. I really like him but I didnt want this to happen.Well there you go. We must find this Justin and somehow set him up with Desperado. Airana saidNO!!! me, Beth, & Aisling said at the same timeWe have to let it all happen as it was set to happen. We cant tamper with fate. Aisling said.Plus Ive still got to find out how to become a fairy. I said trying to avoid all talk about Justin.Airana, could you go back to your sister and mother, and ask how she would become a fairy? Aisling asks. Im glad she said that. Airana knew me the best out of everyone there so she knew about my feelings for Justin.Alright. I might bring Starla back with me though. She said. Then she disappeared. I was still in shock from what Crystal had said.Des, Beth, Could you come here a moment please? Di said. I was glad to hear her voice.Sure. Bye Crystal. Beth said as all three of us rushed to Di.My sister will be here in a few weeks to help you and another fairy start your training. Di said.Okay. I said. Then Di turned and walked away.

Chapter 3As we walked back to the dorm, I heard a voice drawing me to an oak tree by the door. I walked over to it and sat down in front of it. It was then I saw her. She looked almost exactly like me. The only differences were our eye color, our hair color, and the fact that she looked more mother like than I ever have (even when I was around young children I always acted like a mother and I have no clue why).Hello my daughter. It is so wonderful to see you for the first time. The woman said. I realized after she said daughter, that it was her.Hi, Mom. I said close to tears. I couldnt believe it. She was really there.I have waited fifteen long years for this moment and now it is finally here. She said smiling. She looked like she was about to cry. I stood up and took a step closer to her and hugged her. She was crying by then. I couldnt imagine how hard it was for her all those years, never seeing your only child, never seeing her when she was born. It must have been so hard for her. At that thought, I cried too.Des, where are you? I heard Aisling calling me. I looked at my mother and she nodded.Over here Aisling. I called back. When she and Beth came over they both gasped. Aisling looked shocked and happy. Beth looked shocked, happy and like she was about to cry.Welcome Aisling and Bethany. I am Starla. Mom said. I was still crying but I smiled and said I cant believe it. Youre really here Mom.Yes my darling, I am here. Ive wanted to see you for so long it almost became unbearable. I never saw you when you were born. You were automatically taken from me and I never saw your sweet face as a child. When my mother said wait till you were old enough to know who you really are I almost passed out. Never seeing you was the hardest thing Ive ever had to do in my entire life. She said. I still couldnt believe it. My real mother right here in front of me basically saying she never stopped thinking about me. I truly couldnt believe it.Why was she sent here though? Aisling asked.To be protected from the witches of vampires. They are three evil vampires who are after Desperados power. She possesses the Fame of Harmony. It is the life force that created everything there is. She is the only one in history to possess it and I hope the only one to ever possess it. It can be extremely dangerous when used in the wrong hands. Starla said. At this my eyes widened. Three vampires who were after me at birth, that was a scary thought. I knew from what Nyx told me that I was sent here for protection, but I never knew why.So how can we help her become a fairy? Aisling asked. Beth was still in shock.She has to earn her wings by doing the right thing. In her case it would be bringing a boy she likes into her life in some form. I dont know who though. Starla said. At this my eyes went wide. How could I bring Justin into my life without hurting him?I cant do that. If I do Crystals prophecy will come true. I dont want that to happen to Justin or anyone for that matter. I said still dazed from it all.DES IS THAT YOU?? I heard a familiar voice say. I turned around to see Ally running up to me.Ally, what are you doing here? I asked confused. As far as I knew she was a human.Im a shape shifter. When Lilly told me you were marked I had to get permission to come see you. Mom doesnt like me here. She says that vampires are a bad influence on shape shifters. She said. I didnt care I was just glad to see her.Can I have a few moments alone with my daughter please? I have something I need to talk to her about. Starla asked. Everyone nodded and went inside. Starla sat down next to the tree and motioned for me to sit next to her.Tell me about this boy. He might need to come into your life. She said with concern in her eyes. I told her about Justin and she only nodded her head. He needs to become a part of your life. He might help you through it just as I will. She said. I realized she was right. The thought of all this scared me though. I was really happy that he would be part of my life, but I was really scared of hurting him. Mom is there anything else I can do to earn my wings. I just cant bring him into all of this. I care too much to hurt him. I said.I know baby but you have to. If the prophecy comes true, then maybe life will get better. I learned that after a few years. She said. I knew she was right. I just couldnt do it. I knew my strength. Since I accepted the crescent, my strength doubled. I couldnt risk hurting him.Des, you have to. I know its hard but you have to. Hearing my mother say that, I had the strength to do it.Des its dinner time come on. Beth said heading for the dining hall. I looked at my mother and she decided to come with me.Hurry so we can get a good seat. Beth said running ahead again.If I see Diana at the door we could sit at the center table. Its reserved for the gods if any of us visit. Nyx said shell meet us there. Starla said smiling mischievously.Aisling can tag along to right? I asked.Of course she can. She said as we entered the dining hall.Welcome Des. Di said as we enteredHello Diana. I havent seen you in a while. Starla said. Diana smiled at her. She welcomed her in along with Aisling.Whats for Dinner? I asked as my stomach growled. Starla smiled at me.Smells like spaghetti. My Favorite meal. She said.Looks like Nyx, Airana, and someone else beat us here. I said wondering who the third person was.Thats my mother. She is queen of all gods. I wonder why she came. Starla said curiously as we got our food. As we sat down at the table, Airana and Nyx greeted us, but her majesty didnt.Mother this is my daughter, Des this is my mother Goddess. Starla said. When Goddess looked up, her ice blue eyes caught my gray-green eyes. She smiled at me.Hello Des. Its so nice to finally see my only grandchild. She said.Its nice to meet you to. I said. She seemed nicer than she appeared. This is my cousin Aisling. I said.Hello. Aisling said too focused on her book. Goddess only chuckled and said Im very pleased to see you accepted Nyxs Crescent. I told Nyx to mark you to preserve you into the family. The mortal body you possess is too weak to last as long as your sole will. So thats why I was marked. To be preserved. I saidYes, though you are a fairy, you would only have lasted an extra year. Goddess said. The more I looked at her, the more I figured out about her. Her hair was pure black, her ring was actually a magic scepter (It was obvious from its looks) and her stare could petrify you if she stared long enough.The only thing left is for her to get her wings. Nyx said There might be an issue with that. Starla saidWhy? Nyx saidFor Des to earn her wings, she has to bring into her life a boy she cares deeply for. Starla said. At the mention of this, i thought automatically of Justin. Goddess looked at me then. Her stare was so cold. Is that even possible?Is that who it is? She asked me. I then thought she could read my mind. She nodded then to confirm my theory.Yes, but I dont know if I want to. I said. Starla put her arm around me.You have to Des. It might be the key to saving the Otherworld. After the war, everything was destroyed. We are still rebuilding our temples. It was a hard war, but we survived and so did you. You are the future of the gods. Goddess said. For a moment I saw pain flicker through her eyes.I know I have to but I just cant. I said thinking of Justin.Then tomorrow, Airana will go with you to talk to Justin. Goddess said.WHAT?!?! I said.You have to. Tara told me of the prophecy she gave the mermaid. It is destiny, Des Goddess said. Her eyes, though still icy, took on a very mother like look to them.Fine, Ill go talk to him I said, but I only worried inside.

Chapter 4I woke up a few hours after dawn. I only slept for a few hours so I was a little grumpy when Airana woke me up.He is going to be at the park today. Well meet him there. She said. I was still kind of sleepy when we got to the park. He was already there when we got there. I sat down on a bench near the basketball court. He saw me and told his friends he was going to take a break. Hey Des. What happened to you yesterday? He said. Then he saw my wrist and his eyes went wide. They chose you huh? he asked.Yeah, but I accepted the crescent after a few minutes. I said his eyes got wider.Wow, I would have never guessed. He said.Yeah, well, I also discovered something I never thought possible. I said. Airana nodded at me then and walked away.What did you discover? he asked. I told him, I left out the parts about him though. Wow, thats amazing. I knew you were different, but being a goddesss daughter, thats amazing. He said. He looked into my eyes then.Yeah it is amazing. I said. He studied me for a moment. I could tell he knew I was leaving something out. Right then, Airana came up.Now you know the story. She said. With his eyes never leaving mine he said How could I be a part of all this cause it feels like Im supposed to be part of all this.The prophecy did mention the name of my consort. I said. He looked deeper into my eyes and then said Its me, isnt it? Yes it is. Airana said. I glared at her then.Seriously? Justin asked shocked, he finally looked at Airana. While I was glaring at her, she said I was there when the prophecy was first spoken. It is all true. Thats amazing. Justin said. He looked back at me. His brown eyes met my grey-green eyes and we had some sort of connection. Then he understood.Can you meet me back here around six? he asked. I stared at him and then answered SureSee you then. He said before running back to his basketball game. Airana looked proud of me. I couldnt blame her, I was proud of myself for having the courage to even do this. After that I went back to the C.O.N headquarters and slept till five. When I got up, I put on the nicest shirt I own, put on my make up, and left.Where are you going? I heard a voice ask.Im going to meet Justin at the park. I said.Well, dont let me stand in your way. Go and have fun baby. Starla said. I smiled and hugged her. Then I left. I arrived a few seconds after him.Hey, I didnt think youd show up. He said. I smiled at him.Of course Id be here. Im not the kind of girl who would stand someone up. I said truthfully. Then he smiled at me. So why did you want to meet me here? I asked.I wanted to talk to you about the whole consort thing. He said.I dont know much. Its still new to me. What I do know though, is that a vampires consort is kind of like a blood donor. The consort is there for their vampire like if the vampire is injured and has lost a lot of blood, then the consort will let the vampire drink their blood. In other cases like the once a week feeding for adult vampires, the consort will do the same thing. In my case though it is once a month. I said.Wow so thats how it works. He said.There is also the risk of an imprint that comes with the blood drinking. I say as we sit down on a bench.Whats an imprint? He asks purely curious.An imprint is like a label. It repels other vampires from drinking your blood. It also links the vampire and consort. If an imprint is broken, it can be very painful, like if the vampire breaks the imprint, the human will suffer the pain, if the human breaks the imprint, the vampire will suffer the pain. I said. He raised his eyebrows.Wow. I would hate to be the one in pain. He says.Me too I said.So the prophecy says Im supposed to be your consort. He said.Yes, though Im still kind of touchy about it, I know its true. I said.Did it say exactly when? He asked.No, actually it didnt. All it said was youd be my consort. I said.Did it say anything else? He asked.Last night I learned from my mother that to earn my wings as a fairy, Id have to bring someone I really care about into my life. I said.Really? he asked. I looked at him then. His eyes were filled with curiosity. Yeah, really. I said. Then, out of the corner of my eye I saw movement. I looked toward it. A figure stepped out of the bushes. As an automatic reaction I lifted my hands only to see they were glowing with a fireball. I realized my powers were kicking in. then the figure spoke.Calm down Des, its only me. Starla said I was so relieved.Gods, Mom you scared the crap out of me. I said relaxing.Scared me too. Justin said. I looked at him then. His eyes were still a little tense though he seemed relaxed.Alright Ill leave. Starla said.Dont cause any trouble either or you know what will happen. I told her. She smiled at me and then disappeared.Okay that was scary. Justin said. I smiled at him.Yeah it was. At least I know my powers are kicking in. I said.So who is the special parson you have to bring into your life to get your fairy wings? he asked. Someone I said smiling at him. He smiled back.Is it me? He asked knowing he was right from the look in my eyes.Maybe. I say. He smiled at me again. What you told me earlier today, when will it all happen? He asked.Once Im a full fairy. I need to master my powers. Im the strongest thing alive. I said.If there is anything I can do to help, let me know. He said. Then he kissed me on the cheek. Im sure I turned red because he was smiling at me then. I smiled back. It was nice being there with him.Okay I said.He walked me back to C.O.N. We said good night, then he turned and went home.

Chapter 5When I walked back into my room, Beth & Aisling swamped me with questions. I told them to back off, but they barely did.The most Im telling you two is he told me to meet him there, we talked, and then he walked me back. I said. Then they kept asking what we talked about. I swear I wanted to smack them.Guys we only talked and no it wasnt anything romantic. I said. Then Di came in. she glared at Aisling and Beth. Then she looked at me.Since you are now a full vampire, you have 24 hour access to the stables. She said. You also have access to everything else on campus. You can come and go as you please. You dont even have to cover your wrists anymore. She said I smiled at herThanks. By the way, Ill be leaving often to visit my old friends. I saidAnd current boyfriend Aisling murmured. I turned and glared at her. She backed off.Fine with me, but be careful. Di said.I will I said. Di turned and left the room. Beth had class that day so I hung out with Aisling for a few minutes. She had to leave around eight. After that I decided to go to the barn. When I got there a class was in session. The horse master came and introduced herself.Welcome to my stables Desperado. I am Lilita. She said.Nice to meet you Lilita and call me Des. I said.Your horse is in the first stall on the right, isle 3. She saidThank you. I said as I walked away. I loved horses. I grew up around them. The last time I was around one was when we finally moved away from my Grandma Alisas house, I havent been around them since. When I got to the stall, the horse greeted. I smiled at it. It was a pure white horse with ice blue eyes like Goddesss.Her name is Moonlight. Lilita said. I smiled at her.I can see why. She reminds me of a horse Aisling used to own. Her name was Angel. I miss her. I said Angel looked exactly like Moonlight. The only difference is that moonlight has a black star on her forehead. Ive never seen a horse with a black star.She is now your horse. No one likes her for the black star. Lilita said. Hearing this I felt sad. Why would you not like a horse only for an odd marking? It makes her special.I love her. I said. I got a brush from the brush box. I started brushing her down when my phone rang. I looked at the caller ID. It was Roxy. I answered it.Hey Mom, whats up? I said.The ceiling. She said laughing. It was good to hear her voice.Sorry I didnt call. Its been a busy day. I said hoping shed understand.Tell me everything. She said. I told her the whole story with the exception of talking to Justin today.Amazing. Was all she could say.Yeah it is. I said thinking about Justin.Well I just wanted to make sure you didnt die, but now I dont have to worry. I love you. She said.Love you too mama. I said hanging up the phone. I continued to brush Moonlight till the lunch bell rang. I put the brush away and headed for the dining hall. On the way, Goddess showed up.Have you talked to him? She asked.Yes, twice today. I said. At this, she looked pleased.Good, you need him in your life. She said. I smiled at her.I know. When I went to see him the second time, he wanted to know about a vampires consort. I said, she looked at me then.You told him everything you knew, right? she asked hopefully.Yes, I did. I said with a sigh. She looked proud then.A goddess does what her heart tells her is right. She said. As we entered the dining hall and got our lunch, we sat at the table for the gods. I admit it was wired, but I was a god so I had the right to.Des, can I ask you something? Goddess asked me.Yeah, what is it? I asked. She hesitated.How did Justin take it when you told him everything? She asked. I thought for a second. Then said he only said it was all amazing.He didnt freak out or anything? she asked.No, Why? I asked. No reason, just curious. She said. We ate the rest of our lunch in peace. After that, I went back to Moonlights stall and brushed her down more. When Lilita let her run in the pasture, I cleaned out her stall. After that I went back to my room. Beth was back at three a.m. She asked how my day was alone and all I said was it was okay.Did Justin tell you when to meet him next? She asked. I couldnt avoid her any longer. She would never shut up if I didnt answer.No he didnt. He said for me to call him when I can meet him next. I said.Well, when do you want to see him again? She asked.Whenever I can, why do you care? I asked sounding a lot like my mother.Just curious, you would be too if you were me. She said. She was right I would. Im just not going to say it because then itll go ti her head.Beth, I really like him. I dont want any of this to happen, it puts him at risk of getting hurt. I said sitting down on my bed. She looked at me with understanding.I know, I could never do that to a boy I like. I honestly wish I was more like you. She said. This shocked me.Why? I asked.Youre every guys dream. You have amazing eyes, you have an amazing smile, youre smart, youre talented, and a whole lot more. She said. I was stunned. Was I really all those things? I never noticed.Beth, youre perfect the way you are. No one can replace a spunky, kind, and caring girl like you. I said. She smiled. Then Starla appeared.Hello girls. She said. Desperados Shining Starr, for the accomplishment you have made today I gift you with your wings. Transform to use them, otherwise, you may stay in your normal form. Your wrist tattoos will appear and disappear whenever you wish. She said. At that same moment, a purple and blue colored fairy dust whirlwind surrounded me. I transformed for the first time. My wings are amazing. They are the color of blue fire with purple music notes decorating them. They are so big that if I stretch my arm out all the way I cant reach the ends by an inch. They curve to form an upside down crescent moon and another one below it facing the opposite way. My outfit is a one short sleeve top that exposes my stomach with capri pants to match. I have a matching pair of boots on as well. The whole outfit is an aqua green color. I have a headband the same color. My necklace is an emerald gem. I cant believe it, Im finally a fairy.Wow, I dont know what to say. I said.Im proud of you Des. You brought Justin back into your life and you earned your wings. She said. Tonight all the gods are coming to celebrate. I already talked to Diana, she said you can invite Justin if you wish to. Then she smiled mischievously at me. I knew she wanted me to.Ill text him soon. He has no school tomorrow so he most likely can. I said. It was five a.m. I texted him and he texted back he would be here in an hour. I transformed back and redid my makeup. When he got here, he was kind of shocked to see so many vampires, but he got over that very quickly.So, remind me again, why Starla wanted me to come here? Justin asked.To celebrate me earning my wings. I said.So it was me that needed to come into your life. He said. I looked at him then and smiled. He smiled back. When we entered the dining hall, most of the fledglings erupted into applause. I turned red. When we sat down at the table of the gods, everyone was already there.Welcome Desperado and Justin. Goddess said. My husband couldnt make it tonight, but he sends his congratulations to you Desperado.Grandma, you know I dont like to be called by my full name. I said.I know I just did that to annoy you. She said with the same mischievous smile as Starla.Im the odd one out here. Justin said.Im odder than you. Im a mixture of a few things here and you are only human. I said. He smiled at me and I smiled back. Starla said something hidden by a cough. I already knew what she said, I just pretended not to.Im so proud of you Des. A red haired female said. She must have seen the confusion in my eyes because she then said Im Selrena.Pleased to meet you. I said.Justin, did Des tell you everything that has gone on in the past two days? Goddess asked. I looked at her then, she was reading his mind just to be sure.Yes, as far as I know. He replied. Then he looked back at me, like it was hard to look away from me. I knew how he felt.Shall I propose a toast to Des? A blond asked.Sure, Meladena, That would be nice. Starla said. Meladena stood and raised her voice to get everyones attention.Tonight, we gather not only in honor of a meal, but in honor of a special girl who has made something incredible happen. For the first time in history, one girl has become a fully changed vampire, a goddess in training, and now a fairy. In honor of her we raise our glasses. To Desperado! she said.TO DESPERADO! everyone, even Justin, shouted in reply. Meladena sat back down and everything went back to normal. After dinner, Justin and I walked down to the lake to talk for a while.This place is amazing. He said.It is, it also holds many secrets. I said. Everything looked so magical under the light of the almost full moon.Like what? he asked. I looked at himRight on the eastern bank of the lake is where the prophecy was first spoken. I said looking into his eyes.Amazing, the water of the lake looks like a mirror. He said.It does. It makes me think of magic. I always feel comfortable close to it, though water is my exact opposite. I said. It was true.You know what else is magical? He asked.What? I asked.The way your eyes look in the moonlight. They sparkle and take on a sort of glow from the moon. He said. I smiled at him.DES! COME QUICK! Goddess shouted from the oak tree by the girls dorm. We ran up the hill to find Tara on the ground in excruciating painWhat happened? I asked shocked.She just fell over in pain I dont know whats happening. Goddess said. When she said that, I transformed. Justin stared at me in shock as well as some of the other gods.I have a healing power I could use. I said as I knelt beside Tara. I put my hands over hers and recited a spell Starla told me. Let the pain and suffering end, let there be peace once again in her body, let the warmth of my flame ease the agony within her, let the torture end now. Then she stopped screaming and opened her eyes. It had worked. My first spell had worked. What happened, Tara? Goddess asked.I remember walking with you guys to the tree, I fell and suddenly I was getting an image, the mermaids, theyre in danger. She said. We all gasped. I used my new wings and flew back down to the lake. Tara wasnt far behind me. You have a choice you can go with me into the lake to save them, or you can stay here. She saidIm going. I said.If she goes, Im coming. Justin said.No, its too dangerous. I said.I dont care Im coming. He said.Fine, but do exactly what we tell you, okay? I said. He agreedSo how do we get down there and be able to breath? He asked.Just jump in, youll be fully protected. Its a magic lake. Tara said before jumping in. We jumped in right after her. The underneath of the surface was beautiful. Justin took my hand so I could help him get to the bottom of the lake easier. Once at the bottom, Tara led the way to the castle. There, the real adventure began.

Chapter 6So, did you actually see what was attacking the mermaids? Justin asked.No, I only saw the city of coral being attacked, but by the looks of things it hasnt happened yet. Tara said.Good, maybe we can protect the city. I said. Then, Crystal showed up.Des, what are you doing here? Crystal asked.Tara had a vision the city of coral being attacked. We came to try to save the city. I said. She nodded and then said Follow me, Ill take you to Queen Ramallah. We followed her into the castle. We entered the throne room to see two women talking. I guessed the taller one was the queen and the shorter one was her daughter. Then Crystal said My Queen, we have visitors. Then she bowed. The queen and princess took their seats and Crystal took the other one by the Queen. I then realized she was a princess too. That was a shocker.Ramallah, I have had a vision that the City of Coral will be attacked. I have come here with my niece and her consort to protect the city personally. Tara said. At this the queen stood up (If you could call it standing up, I guess you would for mermaids) and bowed to Tara. Queen Ramallah, have you gotten any threats lately? I asked. The queen looked thoughtful for a moment.Yes, the king of the Shark Warriors, another tribe of mermen, threatened me and said if we wouldnt join powers to attack the house of night, he would attack us. The queen said. At this, Taras eyes widened.Tara, should I set up a barrier to protect the city? I asked.Yes, but it will only be temporary, after they arrive you will attack them as a warning saying if they ever threaten my mermaids again, they will pay worse consequences. Tara said. Ive never seen her so aggressive.Okay, come on Justin. I said turning to leave.Wait for me. Crystal said. Once outside I half flew half swam above with Justin and Crystal following me. I told them to stay at a certain point, and they did. Casting a barrier spell was easy, all I had to do was throw a dome around the city. The down side it drained a lot of my energy. I fell from my position and Justin caught me. We reentered the castle, Justin still carrying me. Tara was still worried when she saw him carrying me. I told her I was fine and I just needed to rest for a while.an hour later Tara asked if I was strong enough to fight. I honestly wasnt. That worried her. I knew what she was thinking without reading her mind. The one thing I wanted to avoid, she wanted me to do.Tara, are they even here yet? I askedNo, they will be here in an hour. She said.Give me 45 minutes. I think Ill be strong enough by then. I said still avoiding the one thing.Fine, but if not youre gonna have to. She said, knowing I wouldnt talk about it.Fine. I said. Justin and Crystal looked at me confused. What is a consort for to the vampire? I asked looking at the ceiling.I get it now. Justin said and Crystal agreed. A few minutes later, Tara came to check on me. I was strong enough by then. I went outside, with Justin, Crystal, and Tara following me, to the edge of the barrier. Not long after, the sharks showed up. I threw fire and sound bolts at them and they fled screaming. That was a mistake, and then the king himself came up.Well done, Desperado, Well done, indeed. He said. I glared at him. There was no way I could win him in my condition. Now it was time for reason.What do you want? I askedFor the mermaids to join the sharks, of course. If they join us, we will conquer the house of night. He saidWhy do you want to conquer the house of night? What have the vampires done to you? I ask. he is frustrated now.They treat the sharks like pets in the lake. He yelled.No, they dont. Thats all in your head. I said.NO ITS NOT! I WILL RULE THE HOUSE OF NIGHT AND NO ONE CAN STOP ME! He shouted before throwing a spear at me. I ducked and it bounced of the barrier only to harmlessly hit the ground.I threw a fire bolt at him and it hit him square in the chest and he fell to the ground. He got back up and then started shooting arrows at me. Bradley, Crystal, and Tara backed up behind the Barrier for protection. I dodged every arrow and hit him every time with my fire bolts. Then I did a stereo clash and he fell to the ground screaming. One of the shark warriors came up behind me and when I moved out of the way of his blade, his blade slashed my right side and. I fell to the ground in pain and weakness. That made Tara mad. She threw all the power of the sea at the sharks and they vanished. Bradley picked me up and he, Tara, and I went back up to the surface. When we got out of the water (Dry even) everyone crowded around us. When Starla saw my wound she automatically had Justin take me to the infirmary. Once there, Starla got multiple medical supplies out and started cleaning my wound.She lost a lot of blood. Im so glad shes still alive. Starla said as she worked. Justin never left my side and neither did Beth. I was grateful for that. I turned my head to look at Justin. When I looked into his eyes I saw pain. I knew he hated seeing what happened to me.How much blood did I lose? I asked Starla even though I was looking at Justin.Enough for your wound to be fatal. Starla said. I knew what she wanted me to do when she was done cleaning my wound. I hated the thought of it, but I knew it was necessary. Will I die? I asked feeling dizzy.Only if you dont drink blood to replace the blood you lost. She said. I knew she would say that. Justin knelt down so his face was next to mine. He kissed me on the forehead.Done, now you just need to get blood so you can heal easier. Ill go find some blood bags. Starla said leaving the room.Beth, go help her. Shell get lost here. I said still looking at Justin.Okay, be back soon. She said leaving the room.Im so sorry this happened. Justin said.It wasnt your fault. I said.You said a consort is there for their vampire when they have lost a lot of blood due to an injury, right? He asked.Yeah, why? I asked, starting to lose the battle with dizziness.Im supposed to be your consort. So you need my blood to heal. He said. I tried to widen my eyes, but I was too weak to. Then Starla walked in.I couldnt get access to the blood bags. It looks like youre going to have to drink his blood. She said. I would have glared at her, but I was too weak. She then left the room to give us some privacy.Told you. Justin said as she left. I couldnt say anything. I was losing consciousness fast. Everything after that was a blur. I remember Justin sitting next to me, he used my nail to make a small cut on his arm for me to drink his blood from. Then I couldnt remember what happened after that. I woke up with Justin still next to me, his eyes focused completely on me.What happened? I asked, finally able to sit up.You passed out due to blood loss, so I gave you some of my blood while you were unconscious. He said. I guess after that we imprinted.How did you figure that out? I asked.Starla came in while you were out cold and sensed it. He said.Of course, she always does. I said. He smiled happy to see I was back to normal. What time is it? I asked.Almost six p.m. youve been unconscious since eight this morning.Not bad, I technically got a full nights sleep. I said then my stomach growled. Did Starla say when I could leave? I asked.When you woke up, want to grab some breakfast? He asked.Sure. I said sitting up. Only then did I realize I was still in transformation. I transformed back and we went and got breakfast. Im kind of glad we imprinted. It means Im closer to him now.

Chapter 7Back in my room with Beth and Justin, and some of the gods, we were trying to come up with a plan to get back at the sharks. I say we lead an army to fight them and give them payback for what they did to Des, no one hurts her and gets away with it. Selrena was complaining.But then they would have the advantage if we attacked them, we would be on their turf. They would use every soldier and we would be over powered. Nyx said.But, if we meet in the middle, we could still have the advantage. Starla saidMaybe we could do what they did. Do a hit and run attack. Airana said.All but Selrenas are good ideas. I think we should do Starlas idea. Goddess said.I agree. It would be easier for the animals if we kept the destruction to a certain area. Danabella said.But how are we going to get word to them about it? Beth asked. They are planning another attack on the city of coral. Maybe we could intercept their path and fight them at a half-way point. Tara said.Good idea. I said. I looked over at Justin. He was sitting on my bed while I was at my desk checking my e-mail. He smiled at me and I smiled back.When is the attack going to be? Danabella asked.On Saturday, that will give us time to prepare, and for Des to heal. Tara said.Ill go summon my armies and train them. Selrena said before disappearing.We all should. Goddess said.By Des. They all said before disappearing.Im going to the stables, either of you coming? I asked.Cant, I have a big test to study for. Beth said.Ill come with you. Justin said. When we got to the stables, Lilita was untacking her horse. When she turned and saw us, she smiled and said hello, then she walked into the tack room. We continued to Moonlights stall. When I got there, she whinnied hello. I grabbed a brush and started brushing her.She has a pretty marking. Justin said petting her forehead.I think so too. Thats why when Lilita said she was mine, I was glad. No one else liked her just because she has a black star. I saidThats harsh, why would someone hate an animal just because it has an odd marking? He askedI dont know, but I think shes pretty, a white horse with a black star and blue eyes. I said.I agree. I know of one thing thats prettier than her though. He said.Whats that? I asked looking over at him.You. He said. Im sure my expression gave away my shock because he then said I really like you. I have since 7th grade. I was shocked. I never knew he liked me.Really? I asked as I stopped brushing Moonlight.Yeah, would you go out with me, Des? He asked. I smiledI will. I said. He smiled back at me. He grabbed a brush and helped me finish brushing Moonlight. The whole time we talked about random stuff. When we left, Lilita asked me to help with the lesson on Friday since I was one of the most experienced riders there. I happily agreed and then Justin and I left.Des, Could you come here a moment? I heard Di call. I ran up to her at the top of the hill next to the stables.Whats up? I asked. My sister cant make it for your training, but she is sending the other student so your mother can teach you both. She said before walking away. I was getting an odd feeling about her and it wasnt good. Justin and I went back to the dorms to find Beth studying.Hey book worm, lunch is in an hour, find a good place to stop. I told her as Justin and I sat down on my bed.What has you in such a good mood all of a sudden? Beth asked.Nothing at all, why do you ask? I said while smiling at Justin.What happened, something happened, what happened? She asked.I asked her out and she said yes. Justin said, Im guessing to shut her up.Thats amazing! Congrats you guys! She said hugging me.Now you know not to tell her stuff. This happens. I said to Justin. He only smiled. I couldnt help but smile back.

Chapter 8Justin I dont want you coming to the battle. I said.Des, you need me there. Last time you fought the sharks, you almost died. Justin said. He was right. A week ago I fought the king of sharks one on one, but he cheated and one of his warriors sliced my side almost killing me.And I dont want that happening to you. You fight amazingly with a sword, but it wont be good enough to fight the sharks. Theyre some of the best warriors in the sea. I said. In the past week I had been studying my enemies. I knew all their tactics.The king will fight either you or Goddess. If he fights you, youll need someone to cover for you in case they cheat again. Justin said.Fine, but you never leave my sight range and if one comes up behind me, try to help. I said. I didnt want to go through what happened last time again.Des, its time to head to the lake. Beth said. She was one of the most skilled fighters at the house of night. The warriors there trained her every day.Okay, well be there soon. I said, then I transformed into fairy mode. Justin still cant get over how amazing I look as a fairy.Lets go. He said. I used a spell that teleported us to the lake.I hate when you do that. Beth said arriving seconds after us. I smiled the same mischievous smile my mother has.Time to go to battle. Selrena said. We all jumped into the lake and swam to the halfway point between the sharks and the mermaids kingdoms. Not long after we set up the defense line, the sharks arrived, they stared in shock for a few seconds and then attacked. Then the battle began. As expected, the king of sharks attacked me. The battle was almost the same as before, I threw fire and sound bolts at him and hit him every time, he shot arrows at me and missed every time. When almost all the shark warriors were gone, then he really attacked. I once again did a stereo clash and he fell to his knees in pain. Then I took my chance and threw a full power Flame of Harmony convergence spell at him, and he went limp of weakness. I had won. Immediately, I put an imprisonment barrier around him. Selrena came and took him away to the prison of the gods. I knew that was bad. After I recovered for a few seconds, I collapsed of weakness myself. It wasnt much of weakness, more like shock, excitement, and gratefulness combined. Justin rushed over to me. I assured him I was okay and he backed off somewhat.Des, Im proud of you. You fought like a true goddess today. Thank you for helping me save my mermaids. Tara said. I stood up and hugged her. We all went back up to the surface for celebration. I had to ditch to go see my horse. While I was brushing her I was completely lost in thought.Hey warrior, whats up? A voice said behind me.Gosh, Justin, you scared me. I said.Sorry, I didnt mean to. He said entering the stall. Im glad you didnt get hurt this time. He said hugging me. He was a half inch taller than me so, I felt kind of short (Im used to being one of the taller people).Me too. I said.When I killed off some of the shark warriors, I was able to catch a glimpse of you fighting. You looked like an ancient warrior goddess. He said. I looked in his eyes, I could practically see the memory there.I did? I was so focused on winning the battle to save the mermaids to even look at my surroundings. I said. Ill never forget that. He said. I knew he was always going to be there for me. The prophecy was coming true.Me either. I said.The one thing Ill never forget is seeing you almost die. I never want to see you like that again. It hurt too much. He said and once again, I saw pain in his eyes.Ill never forget that either. It literally hurt too much for me to ever go back. I said. The memory of the blade that sliced my side was too painful. The look in Justins eyes made it even worse. Im sure he saw the agony in my eyes because he kissed my forehead then.Des, Justin, why are you in here? Airana saidI was brushing my horse. I saidWell come on, the party cant start without you. She said and then left.Lets go I said putting the brush back. We went out to the party for a while, and then we went to my room to see Beth studying. I went to my laptop and turned it on.Didnt feel like partying tonight? Beth asked.No, plus I had to check my e-mail. I said. When I logged in, I saw I had a message from Aisling. Id e-mailed her an update Friday. The e-mail read:

Dear Des,Life is good here. I miss you a lot. The horses are fine, but have been acting funny for a couple of days now. The best advice I can give you is stay focused and dont let your guard down and if you hurt yourself again, that will become the least of your problems. Im proud of you for getting your wings. I wish I could have been there. I also wanted to say congratulations on your new horse. Ill be visiting soon. Let me know what happens in the battle.Love, AislingOf course shell visit soon. I muttered to myself. Then I realized Justin was standing behind me reading my e-mail.Hey, Im staying for a while. School is finally out. He said as I glared at him. I promised him he could stay for a while once school got out. Beth still had two more days.Fine, but please stay out of trouble. I said. If he got into trouble, I would be the one saving him. The thought was funny, but in reality, it wasnt so fun. My reply to Aislings e-mail was:

Dear Aisling,We won the battle. I didnt hurt myself and neither did anyone else. I miss you too. My advice on the horses is keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Usually when a horse acts funny something bad is near. I cant wait for your next visit. I have even better news for when I see you again. I cant wait to tell youLove, DesI hit the send button and turned off my laptop. Then Beths shell necklace started ringing (Odd for a necklace to ring). She answered it like a phone and when she hung up, she said The Queen fell sick! We have to go back to the mermaid kingdom! then we all ran back to the lake. When Starla tried to stop us we pushed past her and dove into the lake with Tara following us. I guessed she figured something was wrong. I transformed when we were under water and created a current with sound to get us there quicker. When we got there, we found the queen on the floor with multiple mermaids surrounding her.Back up and give her some air. I said then I knelt beside her.Des, do you think you could do a healing spell on her? Crystal asked I shook my head.This isnt a normal illness. Its a dark spell illness. Id need a week to set up a full ritual to fully heal her. I said. I had to think. What was a quick way to fully heal her without having to set up a whole ritual? Then an idea came to me. I cant heal her alone, I need everyone to focus their energy on me as I work. I told Justin.You heard her, focus your energy. He said. I then said my spell.Let the pain and suffering end, let there be peace once again in her body, let the warmth of my flame ease the agony within her, let the torture end now. I said, then she opened her eyes and tried to sit up. I stopped her. Stay down for a few seconds. You were just influenced by a dark spell illness. I said then I had so sit down myself.Thank you Des, Thank you. Crystal said hugging me.No problem, I only needed more power behind the spell. I said then Justin knelt beside me and hugged me too. I still got butterflies whenever he hugged me, why, I dont know.How strong of a spell was it. Queen Ramallah asked.A pretty strong one, I had to multiply the power by ten to fully heal you. I said.By ten, that would be a negates spell against your power. The queen said. I wondered why the spell felt familiar.Negates is what was attacking the morning I was born. I said. When Justin saw the painful memory in my eyes, he put his arm around me to comfort me.Yes, I almost lost immortality that night. They were very strong. When you disappeared, the creatures did too. It puzzled us until we figured out your power. Tara said. I looked at her then. The Negates was still after me and we all knew it.Then, why did they attack? I askedThey were under the influence of the 3 Witches of Vampirism. Tara said. I froze then. I knew too well about the witches. They were out to get the flame of harmony and had failed. My father died in attempt to kill them. He succeeded, but lost his life in payment.If the witches are still alive then that means my dad is to and hes just trapped in the realm of stone. I said. I then left the castle, Justin trailing behind me, and we swam back up to the surface on a sound current. Back above water, I ran straight for the tree by the western wall of the girls dorm. I climbed up it and sat on one of the higher branches.Des, come down please. Justin said when I didnt answer he came up. He sat next to me on the branch.Are you okay? He asked. I shook my head and started crying. He put his arm around me and I cried even more. Just knowing what happened to my dad or what might have happened, really scared and confused me. Ive never known a dad, mortal or immortal. I cried for a while with Justin by my side. Once I was done crying, we went back up to my room. I transformed back. Justin went to his room for the night (Or technically day). Then I myself went to bed.

Chapter 9Des, I have something to tell you. Starla said as she woke me up. I rolled over to look at her. I saw Justin standing next to her. I knew it was something big.What is it? I asked still groggy from sleep.Its about your father. She said. Justin came to sit next to me then.What is it? Tell me. I demanded.Hes still alive. I was performing my location ritual with Airana and we got a message from the realm of stone. I read it and it said he is alive, but imprisoned with the witches. She said. I was so shocked I had completely frozen. I couldnt speak, I couldnt move or anything. Daddy was alive. I had to save him and destroy the witches. I absolutely had to.Des, say something. Justin said sounding very worried.Mommy, I have to save him. I said. It was the best I could come up with while in shock. The witches would pay.No you wont. if you go there, you might not make it back. Anyone who does go there either dies, or is permanently imprisoned. She said.Im the exception to everything, Mother, I will make it back and dad will be with me. I said.At least wait until youre strong enough. Im training you. She said.Please Des, wait until youre stronger and have better control over your power. Justin said. I looked into his eyes. I couldnt say no.Okay, Ill wait. I said. Then they both left so I could get changed. When I went to put on my make up, I saw how different I looked now. I looked older somehow and it really brought out my Cherokee Native American features. My gray green eyes seemed to stand out more. I looked like a familiar stranger. After I finished putting on my make up, I went down stairs to meet Justin so we could go get breakfast together. I couldnt stop thinking about my dad though. Knowing that he was alive was great news. I knew I had to save him. We sat next to Goddess that morning for breakfast.Did your mother tell you about your dad? She asked.Yeah, she and Justin did. I said.Good. We all will be training you. She said.Why? I asked innocently.I know you want to save him and you cant do that until youre stronger. She said. For sake of not arguing I agreed to it and ate in silence. After that I went to the library to learn more about the witches. I found a book about the attack on the castle of the gods in the Otherworld. Hey, look at this, its on the attack and failure of the witches. I said then I turned to the page and read aloud:The attack of the Three Witches of Vampirism was on the morning of May 27th, 1996 at 12:27 a.m. They led an army of Negates creatures they had taken under control. Their mission was to find and capture the source of the Flame of Harmony contained in the daughter of Starla. The child was sent to another realm for protection. It is said that once the child was sent away, her father, Prince Michael, attacked the witches and disappeared into the portal to the realm of stone. Beyond that dark gate, no one knows what happened. Some say he died, some say he was turned stone, and some say he was tortured. The child lived life as a normal girl. For sure, no one knows what happened to her besides that she was normal.I knew all of what the text had said. It was no new information.Wow, thats the basic story right there. Justin said.Yeah and its also nothing that I dont know. I need new information that could help me get to dad. I said. I went back to raiding the books. By lunch, we found nothing new. I couldnt believe it. Nothing I didnt know was in that library. I hated not knowing how to save my dad. I needed to save him. After lunch, we went to the oak tree by the girls dorm.The tree actually has a portal behind it. I said. I figured if I could get to the castle library, then I could get more information. Then Starla appeared.Hello, my daughter. She saidMom, I need to get into the castle library, could you help me? I asked.Sure, come with me, both of you. She said. We entered the portal and (unwillingly) I transformed. I looked over at Justin, and he looked normal. Then, he looked at me.Wow, youre transformed and your tattoos are showing. He said.In The Otherworld, we show our true forms. I for example have a pentagram tattooed on my forehead as you have the crescent on your wrist. She said turning so I could see the starry silver colored pentagram on my mothers forehead. It looked beautiful standing out from her Strawberry Blonde hair. As we stepped out of the portal, we saw a beautiful crystal palace glowing in the sunlight. Around us was a garden with all my favorite flowers in it. There were multiple colored roses, daffodils, tulips, daisies, and so many more were all right here. Behind us was a crystal clear lake. I could see the mermaids at the bottom. It was amazing. We followed Starla to a gigantic library with thousands of books lining the walls all the way up to the 50 foot high ceiling. OH MYGOSH! IVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY BOOKS IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! I said.I agree with Des on this one. Thats a lot of books! Justin said his brown eyes wide with shock.The entire family history is in here, youll find what youre looking for. Starla said then left. I guessed you had to use magic to find books in here.Find the story of Desperado. I said and a book came flying down from the highest shelf in the library. It opened to a chapter that said The Key to Victory. I read aloud:

The key to her victory is love. Her love for her family, friends, and beloved one is the strongest weapon she has. The witches overpower her for a short time until she sees her father and beloved ones faces. She sees them and then remembers what shes fighting for. Her power grows so much that she under goes a process when the battle has finished. This process is called evolution. It can only happen to a fairy. Desperado becomes wiser and finally learns that the truly powerful weapon in existence is love, always love. The world remains safe thanks to Desperado, but this is only the beginning. Multiple more challenges await her in the future.Wow, if only it said when this all would happen we would know what to do and when. Justin said. I couldnt speak. What did it mean the witches would overpower me for a short time? What was evolution and why was it so important? Find a book on fairy evolution. I said. Another book came floating down as the story of my life floated back to its shelf. I opened the book on evolution to the first chapter and began to read aloud:

Fairy evolution is very important. It allows the fairy to grow and discover new things about her powers. If a fairy never goes through evolution, then her power will never be the same and it will become weak. Evolution is painful. Every time you complete an evolution, the next one will be twice as painful as before to make sure that the fairy gets stronger. Once a fairy goes through her first evolution, she unwillingly gives up one of her traits whether it is looks or personality. A fairy of the gods will undergo the most painful evolutions ever. She will need her loved one by her side to keep from losing her personality. If she loses her personality, she will never be the same and will forever be a memory. If the evolution doesnt grow any more painful, then the fairys power has completely grown. Evolution usually occurs when the fairy needs it most.So to keep you from losing your personality, I have to be by your side when evolution occurs? Justin asked.Yes, but I most likely will be screaming in pain and you would have to be with me every time after that until my power has completely grown. I said.Wow. He said. Then there was a loud crash as if a bomb had hit the castle.What was that? I asked. Then Starla came running in.Were under attack!! She shouted and then ran out to the garden with Justin and I right behind her.What are those things? I asked seeing the black creatures that had come to attack us.Negates Demons, theyre here for you Des. Theyre the same ones that attacked the night you were born. Starla said. When she said that, Justin backed up behind the protective barrier. Well, theyre in for a real surprise welcome. I said sarcastically flying up and attacking with my fire bolts. One almost hit me with an arrow and that really made me mad. I shot a Flame of Harmony convergence at them and they all fell to the ground I threw more fire and sound attacks at them and they got weaker every time. One in the back that I didnt notice shot my ankle with some sort of laser. I fell to the ground; my ankle felt like it was on fire, it hurt so badly I was sure I was screaming. I stood up on one foot holding perfect balance. I threw a full power Flame of Harmony attack and they disintegrated into dust and then I burned that so there was no chance of them coming back from the dead. Then I collapsed. Justin and Starla rushed over to me. Starla looked at my ankle and told Justin to carry me to the hospital wing of the castle. Once there, Starla told Justin to lay me on one of the beds. She got out multiple medical supplies and some magical supplies, I guessed to get the shot out if it was in my ankle.Negates bullets arent as harmful as they should be. I can easily heal this. She said and got busy working on my ankle. I looked at Justin then. Just as before when I was wounded in a battle, I saw pain in his eyes. I touched his arm and he smiled at me.Justin, Im going to be fine. I said to reassure him.I know its just hard seeing you in pain and injured. He said. Then he looked into my eyes.Im not in pain right now. I understand why youre worried about me, but you dont need to unless it was like the last time I was hurt in battle. I said. I remembered the last time all too well. I had been fatally wounded and had to drink Justins blood.Okay, youre not allowed to walk for the rest of the day meaning either fly, have Justin carry you, or go back to the house of night and stay in bed. Starla said.Ill fly; I still need to start my training if Im going to fight the witches. I said.Thats my girl. I was the same way. Train so I can be ready. Starla said.Mom, what was Dad like? I asked.He was unlike any other man Ive ever met. When we first met, we were young and foolish. His eyes were unlike anything Ive ever come across, his smile always made me breathless, and when he kissed me for the first time, I knew he was the one. I miss him so much. When I found out what happened it broke my heart. I had lost both my daughter and the love of my life. I was so depressed for a time that I almost killed myself, and when Airana told me about what had happened to you and that I would eventually see you again, I had hope. I waited so long to see you and it was so hard being away from you and Michael. I really want him back, but I cant enter the realm of stone. Only if your destiny says you enter the realm of stone than you can. Otherwise its pointless to try. She said I felt so bad. It must have been torture for so long.Thats so sad. Justin said sitting next to me on the bed. I will save him from the realm of stone. I said.Its time to start your training then. She said. We went out to an obstacle course around the back of the castle.All you have to do if fully complete this obstacle course and it will decide whether or not to enter the realm of stone. Starla said. Ready, set, GO!I flew into the course. It was easy. I dodged a few boulders, had to defeat a dragon, not get hit by blasters, and win a sword battle. I beat the entire course so quickly, Starla couldnt believe it.Wow that was amazing. She said. You are ready to enter the realm of stone. She said.I have more to do though. I saidLike what? She asked.Its a war, a series of battles are to come and my power isnt ready yet. I may be skilled, but itll take more than that to survive against the witches. I said.Okay, go home and get some sleep, well start training tomorrow. She said. Justin and I entered the portal and when I transformed back, Justin had to carry me back to my room before going to his room for some sleep. When I got into my room, Beth would not stop asking questions.Beth, all we did was go to the castle in the otherworld and look up my history. Then some negates creatures attacked, I got hurt and mad so I burned them into ash and burned the ash. Starla treated my ankle and by tomorrow Ill be better. I said then I fell asleep.

Chapter 10I woke up early so I could get breakfast and have some social time before I have to begin training. I packed last night so I could stay there for as long as I needed. Justin is also training just in case I need back up. The book said that in the realm of stone, it would be me, Justin, Dad, and the witches. I would probably need back up. I used magic to make my 2 bags the size of doll bags and put them in my pocket. When I met Justin in the dining hall he had 2 bags like I did he asked me to do the same thing I did to my bags for him so I did. We got our breakfast and sat down to eat when Di came over.Hello Des, I heard you and Justin are leaving us for a while. She said. I could tell she was hiding something.Yea, were going to the crystal palace in the otherworld for training. I said. I didnt trust her at all.Well, the other fairy will be here very soon so would you wait for her before you leave? She asked in a fake caring voice.We cant. Starlas specific instructions were to eat and then go straight there. I said.Oh, okay. Ill just give her directions and hope she doesnt get lost. She said in that same voice that honestly hurt my highly sensitive ears.Okay. Well well see you soon Di. I said and then we left. Once we were in the portal I said to Justin Shes hiding something. Yeah, I just wonder what it is. He said.Im thinking the same thing. I said. Then I transformed and my tattoos appeared. It never ceased to amaze me how pretty they were.Maybe shes a demon. Justin said.I think shes somehow working for the witches and is trying to be my friend just so she can tear me down and prevent me from saving my dad. I said.Maybe, its possible. He said. When we left the portal, Starla was there waiting for us.Welcome back. Training begins as soon as you put your bags in your room. She said. Then she turned and started walking into the castle with me and Justin following her. She took us to the highest tower.This is your room. It always has been Des. Justin will be staying here with you as well. If you wish to meet the other fairy, she will be here around lunch time. Starla said before leaving. We took out our bags and they returned to their normal size.I have an odd memory of this room. I said looking around. You should if it was yours. Justin said.I was probably never in here unless this is where I was born. I said.Why? He asked. He should have remembered.When I was born, I was automatically taken away because of the Negates attack. I said.Oh, yeah. Sorry, I forgot about that. He said smiling childishly. He was such a dork sometimes. Thats one of the things I like about him though.It just seems familiar. I said.How so? He asked.Its like a memory from a dream or something, like Ive been here before and I just dont remember it. I said. My eyes fell upon a silver jewelry box on the desk. I went over to look at it. When I opened the lid, a sweet melody started to play.It was mine as a child. My mother used to sing me that lullaby every night so I wouldnt be scared to fall asleep. Starla said from the doorway. I hadnt realized she was standing there.It sounds so familiar. I said. I had heard it before, but I couldnt remember where.Arana, I should have known she would do that. Starla said, leaving me completely clueless.Do what, mom? I asked.She must have come to see you some nights and maybe then she sang the lullaby to you. It always helped me when I was your age. She said. I smiled. I loved hearing the lullaby. It really made me feel at home. I was home. I was born here and this is where I belong.Wow, a family lullaby. What are the lyrics to it? Justin asked. Then Starla started to sing.Hush now my baby, be still love, dont cry, sleep as you're rocked by the stream, sleep and remember this last lullaby so i'll be with you when you dream. Starla sang in a voice that sounded oddly like a bell.The exact lullaby Ive heard all my life. I said with tears in my eyes.Yes, it is. Ive heard it all my life too and so has Airana. She said.What about Nyx? I asked.No, not her. She was never afraid of the dark, or anything for that matter. She never needed it. She said.Oh, well I only had certain days I was like that, but I still heard the lullaby. I said.Time for training now. Well start with the basic sword maneuvers.be in the fencing room in 5 minutes. She said and then left.Teleport and beat her there? I asked Justin.Yeah, itll be funny to see the look on her face. He said before taking my hand. I used my teleportation spell to go to the fencing room. Starla arrived two minutes later.Late much, gosh, its usually me thats late. I said. Starla looked very annoyed.Okay, first maneuver your signature position. Starla said.We have to have a signature position? Prof. Jax never said anything about that. I said.Well then you know all but one basic. She said.Okay, then let the lesson begin. I said.

Chapter 11First, hold your sword like you normally would. Then, pretend there is an army coming, stand as you would to defend yourself from the warriors. Starla said. I stood with my sword tip pointing left in front of me and my left hand behind me clenched into a fist.Very good, Des, that is your signature pose. Starla said. Now, do you know how to fight? She asked.Ive done 10 battles so far. I saidThen you know. You shall battle me, Nyx, Airana, and then Selrena. For each goddess you defeat, you move on to the next. If you defeat Selrena, then we are finished with the arts of the sword. She said.Okay, lets get started then. I said. I assumed my signature position as did Starla. She made the first move and I blocked it. It went on the same way for a while. Then she made a wrong move and I tripped her, stole her sword from her hand, and pinned her to the ground.Very good, Des. She said. I was proud of myself. I defeated my mother in a sword battle.Wow, I won, I didnt think I was that good. I saidNext, you battle Nyx. Be warned, she is a better fighter than I am so she will be harder to defeat. Starla said as Nyx walked in and took her signature pose. I assumed my signature pose. As did Starla, Nyx made the first move and again I blocked it. It went on the same way for a while and as Starla had done, she made a wrong move and I stole her sword, tripped her, and pinned her.Excellent, you defeated me and Nyx, next you fight Airana. Starla said Airana came out and stood in her signature pose and I did the same. She made the first move and I blocked ite. The battle continued as it had previously and when she made a wrong move, I repeated my procedure of trip, steal, and pin.Amazing, you defeated the triplets the same way, now you fight me. Selrena said stepping from the shadows. This fight I wasnt sure I could win, but I had to try my best.Alright, let the battle begin. I said as we both took our signature positions. As in my previous 3 battles, she made the first move and I blocked it. The fight continued like that for a while, but when I dodged a move and turned, instead of tripping her, I brought my sword down, and, shockingly, shattered her sword blade. The battle was over then. Selrena fell to her knees in shock. I backed up expecting her to curse me out or something like that, but she only stood, walked over to me, and bowed to me. I was shocked now.No one has ever shattered a sword of mine in combat. You, my niece, are the first, and you are truly gifted. You defeated me in a battle and you graduate from sword classes. You have the gift I gave you as a child, the gift of combat. You fought like a true warrior and in result, you are a true warrior. I am proud. Selrena said.Wow, I dont know what to say. I said. I couldnt believe it, I actually shattered Selrenas sword.I wish to offer you a gift to show how proud of you I am. She said.You dont need to do that. I said.I insist. I offer you the sword Excalibur. She said then two warriors came holding a case. When they brought it to Selrena, she lifted the lid and removed the sword from its case. She knelt in front of me and offered it to me. I grasped the hilt and a pure magical wave forms around me and like ripples in water, floated away from me. I couldnt believe it. The actual sword that King Arthur has owned was right here in my hand and it was now mine.Amazing, I never thought that Excalibur really existed. I thought it was only a myth that parents told their kids. Justin said. His eyes flickered from the sword to me and then back to the sword. I had to agree. I never thought I would see the most famous sword in history let alone own it.Selrena, thank you. I owe you greatly for this gift. I said.You owe me nothing. That sword represents your victory over me, and it will be buried with you when you die. Desperado Alinaras Shining Starr, you now are the guardian of the sword Excalibur. She said. When she rose, I could do nothing but hug her for a few seconds as my thanks. Then I used a spell to hide the sword, but when I needed it, it would reappear. Justin and I went back to our room until lunch.

Chapter 12Wonder whats for lunch. Justin said as we unpacked.Me too. Im just curious who the other fairy is. I said.I know, right? It bothers me who it might be. I hope she isnt working for Diana. He said. I had to agree.If she is, we know how to deal with her. I said. Then Starla walked in.Des, I think you should come meet the other fairy. Airana says it will shock you. She said. We followed her to the dining hall of the castle and sitting in the spot across from mine and Justins seats sat the last person I expected to see.Lilly, is it really you? I asked as I got closer to her.Des, youre Starlas daughter? She asked as she stood upYeah, I didnt know you were a fairy. I said as Justin and I sat down.I knew you were a vampire, but not a fairy, and Justin, what are you doing here? Lil asked.Im Dess consort. He said.Wow, this is so unexpected. Lil said.Well, more unexpected surprises shall occur. You both are on different levels of training. Selrena said.Thats true, I just kicked Selrenas butt in a sword battle and Justin follows my levels so thats both of us on the Archery level. I said.I still need to learn how to even hold a sword. Lil said.Selrena, would you teach Des and Justin while I help Lilly? Starla asked.Sure, itll do them some good if I push them a little harder. Selrena said.So, how did this all happen? Lil asked. I told her the story with the help of Starla and Justin.I cant believe it. Was all Lil could say when we finished explaining.Yeah, Im still fighting strong and Im going to save my dad no matter what. I said.Its going to be a major battle. Tara said.But not everyones going to be in the Realm of Stone with me. I said.No, but were all going to at least be at the gates to the Realm of Stone. Selrena said.Okay, but be careful. I said.So, who all is to go with you into the Realm of Stone? Danabella asked.Going in there it will be me and Justin, but leaving will be me, Justin, and dad. I said. After that we ate lunch in silence. I was worried though, why was it Lilly who was a fairy? What if Diana was trying to get my guard down so the witches can finish me off? Selrena said for me and Justin to go back to our room and rest up for tomorrow. On the way back an idea hit me.Did Lilly seem different to you? I asked Justin.Now that you mention it, she did. It kinda seems like she was hiding something from you and she didnt want to be part of it since it was you and not someone else. He said. Yeah, Ive got a bad feeling about this. I said. Once we got to our room, I went straight to the music box and let the lullaby calm me down.Des, what do you think will happen in the Realm of Stone? Justin asked.I dont know. What I do know is I will save my dad and well get out alive. I said. Then my phone rang. I looked at the caller id, and it was Beth. I answered it automatically.Hey Beth. I said.Hey, Des, can I tell you something BFF Confidential? She asked.You can always tell me anything Beth. I said.You know that vamp Hachi? She asked.Yeah, he was in one of the classes I taught with Lilita. I said. Hachi was one of the best riders there. He was tall and had brown eyes similar to Justins, but not as dark. He also had that movie star quality to him.HE JUST ASKED ME OUT! She said.Oh, Beth, thats amazing. Im so happy for you! I said.Yeah, he wants to take me out tonight, any advice? She asked.Just be yourself and find a common interest. Itll work out I promise. I said.Thanks Des, I got to go talk to you later. Bye! She said before hanging up.What was that about? Justin asked.Its BFF confidential, translation; Im not allowed to say. I said. He smiled at me and I smiled back. I loved him so much. He always made me breathless whenever I looked into his eyes.Des, Im honestly worried about the whole battle with the witches. He said.I am too. The book said that the witches would overpower me for a time until I saw yours and dads faces and remembered what Im fighting for. I said.I know. Im just curious to see if you can change it. He said.Maybe, I dont know. What I do know is that Ive got to train hard if I want to survive all this. I said.What about Lilly? he asked.I dont know. Shes hiding something, and I dont like that. Shes never hidden anything from me and all of a sudden she hides something and its obvious, it just doesnt add up. I said. The music box continued to play as I tried to think through all of this.I dont know either, but we will find out. Justin said.We will, I can promise that, but what if I die before it all happens? I asked.Dont you dare say that! Ive watched you almost die once and I couldnt bear it if you died. He said. He was right, I couldnt put him through all of that again. I couldnt do that to him or Starla.I know, but what if? I asked. There was a long pause and then Airana came in.Des, Justin, I have very important news. She said. I went and stood next to Justin just in case I needed support.What is it? I askedDanabella needs your help, one of the dragons is trying to give birth, but the baby is stuck. She said. I used my teleport spell and we were there two seconds later.What do you need me to do Dana? I asked.Stay by her head and keep her calm. Dana said.Okay, whats her name? I asked.Lucy, she is the youngest dragon alive. Dana said.Okay. I said as I walked to Lucys head. Her eyes were fully dilated and she was panting.Easy girl, Im not gonna hurt you. I said in a calm voice. She looked scared.Keep her calm, the baby might not make it if we cant get it out. Dana said.Its okay girl, youll be okay. I said to the dragon, she started calming down then. I knelt by her head and started petting her. She fully calmed down then.Good, Des. Dana said. I barely noticed though, I was too focused on the dragon to pay attention.Easy girl, you and the baby are gonna be okay I promise. I said. Then the dragon let out a big sigh as if a weight had been lifted from her.The baby is out. Poor thing, Lucy couldnt lay the egg so it hatched inside of her. Dana said. Thats so sad that Lucy couldnt lay the egg. It might have been better if she had. I said the dragon was still in pain though.Here, keep the baby by her head, I need to get the shell pieces out of Lucy. Dana said. I did as I was told. Lucy looked happy to see her baby, but I could still see pain in her eyes.Dana, why couldnt Lucy lay the egg? I asked.Lucy is a very young dragon and she wasnt fully developed when she hatched. Dana said.Thats sad, I honestly think shes perfect the way she is and she has a baby to match. I said.I agree, though I say the same about all animals, I think that Lucys your Dragon, she hatched the same day as you were born, so it only makes sense. Dana said. Hearing that, Lucy looked at me and I saw something in her eyes that said that Dana was right.I think so too. I said smiling at Lucy. Justin came and stood beside me. My life was growing as was my family. I knew that this was only the beginning of a long and amazing future for me.

Chapter 13Selrena said shes starting us on archery today. I said as Justin and I walked out to the field.This should be fun. He said sarcastically. Seriously, its Selrena training us and shes gonna push us to our limits until she thinks were good enough. I said. It was true, I hadnt known the gods very long, but I knew what Selrena was capable of making us do.True, this is gonna be hard. Justin said.Maybe not, I used to take archery when I was younger. I know the basics, but thats about it, I think. I said. I honestly didnt know. I didnt know if I could beat Selrena at a sword battle and I did, so I might beat her in archery too.You never know, especially after what happened yesterday. Justin said.True, I still dont know how I did that. I said.Me either, but it was awesome to see the look on Selrenas face when that happened. Justin said. We were silent for a while.Welcome, do either of you know anything about archery? Selrena asked as we approached.I kind of do I said.Why does that not shock me, anyway, today we learn the basics, or do you know all of that? Selrena askedYeah, pretty much. I said.Okay, then instead well start targets, moving or not? She askedMoving I said. She flipped a switch and the targets started moving. I shot three arrows at one and hit it dead in the center each splintering the one before. Selrena stared in shock. I didnt blame her. I was shocked with myself.Amazing, Ive never seen that happen, except in Robin Hood. Justin said.Exactly like I shot on my first time. Selrena said. I shot another arrow and it split the one before right down the center.Amazing, Ive never seen anything like that. Justin said.Its her gift. I remember when Starla was pregnant we all gave the child a gift. My gift to her was the skills of the most ancient warriors and the strategic knowledge of the greatest warriors ever to exist. Selrena said.The gifts are finally awakening. I said in a mystified voice. I almost couldnt recognize the sound of it.All the gifts are awakening now. Shes beginning to tap into her true nature. Selrena said and all the other gods appeared out of nowhere. It is time to gift her with the full ability of her gifts. The head god himself said. I couldnt believe it. My grandfather was none other than Jesus Christ himself. That had me shocked silent, but not for long. All the gods raised their arms and then together recited a spell.Gifts of the past, gifts of the future, and gifts of the present we give thee. Daughter to Starla, we gift you withThe Flame of HarmonyThe Heart of a WarriorThe Care of AnimalsThe Beauty of GemsAdventurous SpiritWord of the SpiritsVoice of NatureBrightness of the SunHeart of the NightGrace of the SkiesChildish SpiritPlayfulness of the WavesPowerful EssenceDetermination of Iceand a Heart as Pure as a CrystalWHATS HAPPENING???? I said as I floated up into the sky with an entire magic whirlpool of stardust carrying me up. Then the most amazing thing happened. The whirlpool clouded my vision so I couldnt see, but when I was back on the ground I realized my wings had grown a few inches out (now I couldnt touch the ends by 4 inches instead of 1).OH MY GOSH! HER TATTOOS! Tara saidAMAZING! IVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THEM, EVER!!! Nyx said.The marks of a truly rare angel indeed. Goddess said.What? I asked confused.Your marks changed color. Theyre a lilac color now. Justin said. My eyes widened in shock as I looked at the tattoos on my wrist and sure enough, they were lilac.Amazing, I cant believe it. I said.Neither can I, I knew you were destined for great things and to make history as a special creature, but nothing like this. Starla said.Same here, the last child is now the most historical being, she lives and breathes as an eternal piece of history. Said Jesus, I still couldnt get used to that.Shes so beautiful. I heard Justin say, but something caught my attention and it wasnt good, I could feel a dark element behind it.Des, did you hear what I said? Meladena asked obviously frustrated with me.Theres something over there and it has a dark feel to it. I said staring at the figure. Everyone looked at it then and it pounced on Tara, who was the closest to it. It was a Panther of Darkness.Any of you move, and she dies. A voice said stepping from behind the trees. I realized who it was.Diana, What are you doing here?! I asked so mad I actually cursed.Im here in honor of them. She said and I knew who she was talking about.The 3 Witches of Vampirism are dead, Michael killed them. Nomad said.No, they are only spirits no