Chapter I

"Elsa wait for me, please. I can't keep up with your pace anymore. I still have to use my legs for your brother's sport tomorrow, remember?"

"I wouldn't be able to do that if I tire them out by chasing after you." 

Young Elsa's father playfully scolded her for walking too fast. Although with a mischievous smile playing on her lips she acted like she wasn't listening to him, she made sure to walk in close proximity to her father. They were walking into the bush in search of rabbits whose blood would be used for dinner that evening.

"Elsa, please be careful so you don't get injured by these sharp rocks on the ground." Mr. Lucas said to his daughter in a caring manner.

As they continued walking, the wind blew young Elsa's blonde hair behind her, accentuating her innocence.

Although the wind seemed eerie to Mr Lucas, he didn't mention it but decided to stay on guard while watching Elsa closely.

  They continued walking in that order until Elsa said.

  "Papa, when is the painter coming to make a painting of me?" Elsa asked out of the blues.

  Her father had promised to get her a painting of herself on a day when she came home on a windy evening after dance practice with her friends with a sulky face. The coach man had just arrived the Lucas family residence with the family carriage. Mr and Mrs Lucas and Calhoun, Elsa's younger brother, were expecting their daughter who had gone out to dance practice with her friends. They both came out to welcome a vibrant and cheerful Elsa but unfortunately were met with a rather unhappy Elsa. Her father then asked her,

"Elsa dear, why do you have a sad face on?"

  "Is anything the matter my love?" She had intended to smile when she got into the house but she was caught off guard with her parents unexpected welcome. She greeted her parents and shrugged off their questions, she then stepped into the house leaving her parents and brother in confusion on her sudden change of mood.

"Elsa, I and your father came out to welcome you back, but we were met with a sad look on you face."

"Can you please tell us what the problem is? Why do you look that way?" Her mum tried persuading her gently but she didn't bulge.

"I'm fine mummy, I'm just tired." She said and made her way to her room so she could have her bath.

Her father came in to announce he'd be out for a while.

"I'm heading out for a brief meeting with the Council, I'd be back soon." Elsa's father, Mr. Lucas said while pecking Mrs Lucas and little Elsa.

"Bye my love, please do come back safe and early." Elsa's mother told her dad.

"I will."

"Bye papa, please come home quick.", Elsa told her father.

"I will my little pumpkin."

"Bye dad, please come home early for my game."

"I will my dear son."

"Mama, I'm hungry please. Is dinner ready?"

"Today was very hectic you know." Elsa told her mother, chirping in the last part so she wouldn't get scolded by her mother for demanding food in that manner while making her way to the dining room.

"Dinner is served sweetheart." Her mother said while trying to suppress her suspicions that her daughter's day didn't go very well. 

"Thank you mama."

The mother, son and daughter trio sat down and had their dinner in silence. 

"Hey, Elsa do you want to see me run? I'm so good at it now and I'm sure I'd win the race tomorrow." Calhoun, her 3 year old brother told her with every ounce of enthusiasm in his veins but she only smiled in acknowledgement which made Calhoun a bit sad but he shrugged it off quickly.

After dinner, her mom tried to break the uncomfortable silence by teasing her in attempt to make her cheer up again.

"Elsa, your dad would soon be back home, go up and freshen up so you'd be able to show us a few dance moves." Her mom teased.

Elsa wasn't in the mood and all she wanted to do was sleep but nevertheless she still did as instructed.

The butler had come in to announce the arrival of Mr. Lucas.

"Thank you Jonas."

"Elsa, Calhoun your father is back." Their mom called unto them. 

"Yaay!!!" Calhoun squealed in excitement.

"Welcome papa" Elsa and Calhoun greeted in unison.

Welcome my love" their mom greeted their father.

Jonas, the butler then took off Mr. Lucas' coat from him as Mr. Lucas walked to go meet his family. 

"Good evening my two lovely ladies" he said full of sweet smiles.

"Good evening my hero." He replied Calhoun while ruffling his golden brown curly hair.

"I hope everyone has been good?" Mr. Lucas said while observing the faces of his family.

Elsa's face lacked interest and enthusiasm and now her father was really concerned as to what have causer her mood to be sour for hours.

Being determined to find out what the problem was he invited Elsa to the drawing room. 

"You've been sad for hours, what is the matter." He asked her with a soothing voice.

  She tried so hard to hide it but it didn't last long as she bursts into tears. 

"The elite vampiresses came to our dance practice today, with each a painting in hand." She said in between sobs.

  "They let only girls with paintings see and hold theirs. I was told not to touch it because I couldn't afford. Papa, I felt so humiliated today."

She told her father. Her father pulled her into a warm embrace and held her down in that position for a few minutes before saying "Elsa, what measures a man or woman is not what they have in gold or silver. It's what they have here and here", he told her while using hand gestures to his head and his heart. 

Elsa still felt slightly indifferent although she didn't show it, her father already notified it so he said to her

  "How about I get you your own painting, would you like that?" Like a thousand stars, her eyes lit up at her father's proposal. 

"Yessss! Yesss!! Yes papa, I would love ittttt." She squealed as she took a dive into her father's arms and engulfed him in her own tight but warm embrace, she slowly let go and then looked up to him to say "Thank you so much papa."

"You're welcome Elsa. Have you had your dinner?" Her father asked her.

"Yes papa, I have" she replied. He then nodded for her to go to bed.

"Papa, when would the painter arrive?" She said and pulled her father out of his reverie.

"The painter would arrive soon."

"Ok papa" young Elsa said and ran away.

"Elsa don't go too far, remember the werewolves are everywhere."

Mr. Lucas heard the halting of Elsa's footsteps, so he became alert while he brought out his canines incase he were to use them.

"Elsa what is the matter." He asked her in a low voice when he got close to her.

She didn't reply but only ended up looking at the scene before her.

"Papa, look." Her little voice managed to say.

Her father tilted his head towards the direction she pointed.

Before them was what seemed like a slaughter.

There were three men who lay dead and another who seemed alive.

They all looked human. The man alive was naked and had a deep wound that made his ribs visible, it seems he was mauled by a wild beast with long claws. A werewolf.

"What happened here?" Mr. Lucas asked the naked man.

But the man could only respond saying

"Sii-irrr, please help me. I was attacked alongside these men by rogue weres." The naked man said to Mr. Lucas amidst deep breaths.

"And you alone survived?"

"I still sense the presence of Weres here." 

"I don't believe you."

Without wasting time after saying that, Mr. Lucas turned away and was about to take Elsa and leave when she retracted her hand and said "Please papa, help him. He is in so much pain."

"We can't trust him, we do not know if he is a were."

"But if we don't help him, we would never know if he is a were or human."

"He wouldn't be able to harm us papa. You're the strongest man I know." The youngster tried convincing her father.

Her father stood helpless as he stared at the little innocent Elsa. He took in several deep breaths before saying "Ok, let's help him."