The dense woods consumed the surrounding area. The dark night blinded most creatures, but not one of the night. I trudged through the bushes, pushing branches and leaves out of my way as I made my way towards my goal. The moon was bright in the sky but couldn't permeate the dense brush.
Finally, the area before me opened up into an expansive grove, oak trees lining the borders. A small spring ran through the center of the grove, toward a tall oak tree that took up the central area, its thick routes twining throughout the ground around. A small stone bench sat in front of the tree. I made my way forward and perched myself on the bench, leaning my back against the solid trunk of the tree.
I closed my eyes, listening to the sounds of the surrounding forests. Feeling the energy of the grove, I noticed the mystical plane that severed the land of mortals and gods was thin here. I heard the wind pick up behind me, then an eerie silence.
"So, your father has told you." The lyrical voice chimed behind me. A hand rested on my shoulder.
"Mother, why did you never tell me?" I asked her. I turned my head to see the goddess in semi-corporeal form before me. Her thick blonde curls tumbled in waves about her waist. She cinched her chiton in traditional fashion. A crown of flowers sat on her head, and her sea-green eyes peered into mine. She sat on the bench next to me and placed her hand over mine.
"I wanted to tell you, darling. It wasn't my place. I am limited in my knowledge of the curse, and I live under the reign of the titans. My only thought was to keep you safe. If keeping it a secret from you would keep the titans from finding out, I went along with it." She said. Her hand rose and played with the ends of my ruby locks. She sighed.
"What a path you have ahead of you." She said wistfully. I looked up at her.
"What do you know of the curse, and of the original text?" I asked her. She bit her lip in thought, sighing and shaking her head.
"Everything I knew I told to your father. They kept it in the temple of Rhea in Greece, the exact location I'm unsure of. There are records in ancient texts of the location. The titans have closely guarded the original text." She tilted her head to the side. "One who walks in sunlight, shrouded by night, with the gatekeeper of hell shall unlock the end of it all…" she recited from memory. I shivered. With the gatekeeper of hell. The end of it all. What did it all mean? I let out an exasperated sigh.
"What's bothering you, dear?" Mnemosyne reached her hand out to soothe me, but I moved away, pacing angrily back and forth in front of her.
"Mom, I have just found out my entire life has been a lie, I'm going to be hunted by every vampire family and hunter clan, I'm supposedly supposed to end the wars and break the curse, and the Awakening is in a day and a bit!" I ranted, flailing my arms as I talked. "The awakening is going to cause who knows what kind of reaction in me, I'm going to have to enter society and deal with everything that comes with that." I continued on. A small smirk lit on her bow-shaped lips. I growled.
"Why are you smiling?" I sputtered. She let out a small giggle.
"Are you scared of finding a soulmate?" She asked, raising a brow pointedly. A blush flushed my cheeks as I sputtered and searched for something to say.
"That's the least of my concerns right now!" I lied. She tsked and patted the bench next to her.
"Come sit, a mother knows. It is a scary idea, isn't it? Soul mates. That the three fates have control of our destiny in such a manner, even the cursed ones. One person to be our other half, in our emotions and our thoughts, our very cells." She looked wistful while explaining it.
"Was Ares your soulmate?" I asked inquisitively. She chuckled and shook her head.
"No, he was not. My soulmate was a human, actually. He died long ago." She looked sad. "Ares was a companion for a time, but we have long since parted ways." She looked up at the sky and a small smile of splendid memories crossed her lips.
"A soulmate isn't something to be afraid of. It is someone the fates have deemed as perfect for you; you should want each other. That's how it works." She said. I scoffed.
"Not likely. I can't imagine myself wanting male vampire I've ever met." I thought to the flash of red hair and blue eyes that haunted my dreams. Blushing, I scoffed. How could I think of a hunter? I shook my head to rid myself of ludicrous thoughts.
"You may change your mind, in time." She gave a knowing wink. I groaned. I opened one eye to look at her.
"So, your mate was a human? Is that possible?" I blanched at the thought. A human being mixed in with our society. They would pressure them to be turned or cast out. They would always be in danger as a human.
"It's never happened for one of the cursed ones to have a human mate, but for the gods, it was possible. Theoretically, it could happen." She mused. Sitting up straight, I sputtered.
"That makes me want one even less!" I cringed. She giggled.
"How do you recognize your mate?" I asked her. She sighed.
"Their soul will sing to you. It will call you. You'll feel drawn to them like no other. Eventually, if you spend time together, your emotions will bleed into one another. For vampires, you share blood, that's when you recognize the connection definitely. Then you are locked in." She stated.
"Sharing blood? With other vampires?" I was curious. The only time I had seen vampires feed from one another was in great battles, or to solve a crime with my memory ability.
"It's a common part of intimate acts amongst vampires, actually." She nodded. "Many of us are not lucky enough to find our mates in our lifetimes, or it takes many centuries of waiting and searching." She said sadly. "That is why your birth rate is so low."
She was right, children amongst the vampires were prized. They were rarities, as only mated couples could conceive children, except for the gods themselves.
"I don't want a mate. I don't want someone who will put me on a shelf, as if I am made of glass. I don't want to be locked away from society like the other women of the male-run families. I have a destiny to live up to. I am a warrior." Ranting, I failed my arms. My mother made cooing sounds and ran her fingers through my hair.
"Someone who is truly meant for you would never do that to you." She said. I sighed.
"I can barely keep myself in line, let alone someone else depending on me." I laughed. She chuckled.
"The awakening is not the end of the world, sweetheart. It is merely the opening of possibilities. Don't close yourself off to them. You will go up there in a day's time, and you will do your family proud. I will watch you." She winked. I smiled and opened my arms to give her a hug. I barely felt her form there.
"I will do my best." I assured her. And I rose to leave the grove. She gave one last wave, and she left.
As I turned to leave the grove, the bushes rustled. I paused, standing straight up, feeling for my daggers at my belt.
"Who is there?" I called. The rustling increased. I raised a dagger up, prepared to throw it toward the sound. Finally, a figure stepped out of the bushes, hands raised in surrender. Familiar red hair glowed against the dark of the trees. Bright blue eyes shimmered.
"Hello, Elysia." The hunter spoke.