Aurelia awoke terrified, drenched in her own sweat with tears flowing down her face. She tasted their saltiness as they kept coming; her sobs held silently in her throat. It had been nearly 11 years since her father was killed and the vision of him being overtaken by feral Rogues, along with the sound of her mother's cries, had kept her company each evening when she had to relive that same nightmare in her dreams. She sat, pulled her knees up and into her chest, wrapped her delicate arms around herself and rocked as she wept quietly. She never allowed herself to show this weakness, her fear, even to her own mother, and though she was still distraught from reliving her worst nightmare, Aurelia forced herself out of her queen-sized, canopied bed into her satin slippers and headed to shower. Aurelia Evelyn Amerie Ariti, Evie to her close family and friends, was 20 years old and with her birthday rounding the corner, she would soon be 21.
Aurelia let the water run as hot as her body would let her and soon steam filled the large adjoined bathroom. Aurelia allowed the water to cleanse her mind, as well as her strained muscles, while the steam enveloped her and cleared her senses. When she was satisfied she turned off the scalding water and grabbed her favorite teal towel. She dried off her ivory, soft skin and then wrapped the velour towel around herself. Aurelia swiped the steam still attached to the bathroom's mirror with her hands, then wiped the moisture onto her towel, and stared at back at her reflection. She really was breathtaking at 5'4" with womanly curves in an hourglass figure and porcelain skin. She admired her long, waist-length, sandy blonde hair, which had the slightest of curls. Her brunette undertones made her hair's various shades of blonde shine golden in contrast. Her heart-shaped face and button nose matched her almond-shaped eyes, their color a heart-stopping, emerald green with golden specks that danced around her pupils, and a violet storm-gray limbal ring around her irises, which made her eyes devastatingly mesmerizing. She had full, sultry lips and a shining white smile.
Today was a special day and she wouldn't let her nightmares in to spoil it. She smelled the intoxicating aroma of blueberry muffins and knew her mother, Clarissa, would have her 1 year-old twin brothers, Leonidas and Lucas, at the breakfast table. She knew if she wanted any of that breakfast for herself she needed to quicken the pace and get ready for her brothers' Initiation Celebration and their Baptism of Fire. Aurelia hurried to get dressed putting on a beautiful black, deep red, and white, floral sundress with a halter, sweetheart neckline. She placed her favorite red ankle-heeled boots onto her feet, which accentuated her calves and the curves of her figure. She was a natural beauty with an amazing complexion so she didn't need a concealer. She usually only applied a bronzer, smoky eye shadow, eye liner, and mascara but today was a special occasion. She decided to put on vibrant matte red lipstick and styled her hair into loose ringlets.