Here it is! The start of Book 2! Enjoy and please review!

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Prologue: The Dream

Babette lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Although the Zemya were vampires, they still needed sleep, although not as much as humans. The woman scoffed "Humans. They are weak and useless. The only thing they are good for is food" she thought, repeating what had been taught to her by her sister, Jacqueline.

Babette smiled adoringly at the thought of her sister…the one person who took care of her. Strangely, the woman couldn't remember much of her old life, just what she had been told by Jacqueline. Which was that she had been a maid at a castle of a cruel human Prince and Princess who beat her and treated her badly, which, she had been told, was the reason her sister had turned her. It had been explained that she was close to death when Jacqueline found her, all because of the latest beating that the Prince and Princess had given her.

The woman had also been told that humans, although they were merely nothing but a food source, were not the cruellest creatures out there. Babette growled under her breath at the thought of them…the Maya. Jacqueline had told her that the Maya were the most terrifying creatures and, most alarmingly of all, they were just like the Zemya, half sorceress and half vampire. Except the Maya were half sol-vampire, which was a vampire that Babette had been told was evil.

Babette was suddenly brought from her thoughts by her sister's voice "Babette, may I come in?" she asked sweetly.

The former maid nodded "Oui" she answered, and Jacqueline entered the room. She smiled and walked over, touching her sister on the head.

Jacqueline, as she looked down at Babette, congratulated herself once again for her supreme acting skills. She had been playing the part of the kind, sensitive woman ever since her sister had been turned six months before. Jacqueline had trained Babette to be the perfect Zemya warrior, and had made sure that all of what was actually the truth about her past was replaced by convincing lies. Any subject that her sister brought up when she would inadvertently remember something, Jacqueline would hastily cover up with a lie about where the memory came from.

Fortunately for her, the subject of the annoying human whom her sister had been fond of, had never come up. Jacqueline was still thinking, however, of what she could say if, or more precisely when, the subject of him would appear.

Jacqueline was brought from her thoughts when her sister whispered "Jackie?"

The older woman resisted the urge to cringe at the use of the nickname. Instead, she asked kindly "Oui ma petite?"

"Why did you come in here?" she asked.

Jacqueline, quickly regaining her composure, replied "I just came in to see if you are alright."

"I am" responded her sister.

The older woman nodded "I see you are" she said, and left the room.

Babette now lay alone in her bed. She sighed and closed her eyes, slowly allowing sleep to take her.

She opened her eyes, and was confused to see that she was in an admittedly beautiful garden. To be more precise, she was in a clearing surrounded by roses. Kneeling down, she picked up one gently and sniffed it, before smiling and stroking the petals softly.

All of a sudden, a male voice with a French accent came from behind her "Compared to you, these roses seem wilted and old." She turned, and saw someone standing behind her, leaning back against the fountain casually. He was younger than his deep voice made him sound, and, although he loomed above her in height, he wasn't very physically intimidating at all. He had pale skin and bright grey-blue eyes, as well as long auburn hair that was tied back in a ponytail, and a long nose.

She extended her hand to him, and he rose it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on the soft skin. The man grinned charming at her before slipping his arms around her waist and cuddling into her. He whispered close to her ear "Je'tadore ma cheri, mon ange"

Suddenly, Babette was awoken from her dream, but by nothing in particular, simply herself. The young woman lay there, pondering "I know it was not just a dream, I know it was a memory as soon as I touched the rose" she said. Then, Babette continued to herself "A rose…" she muttered " There was something about a rose once and…and a monster, a beast."

The young woman was lost for recollection on that, and then her thoughts drifted to the man in the dream. She felt as though she knew him, but couldn't remember where. Whoever he was, he had been important to her, she could feel it.

Babette growled in frustration, and then it came to her. That one memory, that one name. She smiled in victory "Lumiere…" she said to herself "His name is Lumiere."