Prologue

Deep in the heart of the Soulless Forest, where it was deadly silent, stood a small old castle. 

One might say as old as time itself. But this castle stands as strong as the day they built it. It was dark, not of color, but charm and hospitality. The hairs on the back of your neck are likely to stand up if you were near this castle. You would surely feel the power that emanated from it, just like the power of the one who lives here, me. 

Darkness was everywhere. 

It was as if the shadows covered every inch of the castle. Inside, you could sense the heaviness of it. Even though lit by intricately designed chandeliers and wall lamps with exquisite crystals to make them look as raindrops, it wasn’t inviting. 

Voices were heard coming from a room up the long staircase. Agitated voices, well one voice, in particular, mine. Me, the mistress of this castle, the one with the blackened heart. The one everyone in this land is afraid of, and despises, I was thinking bitterly. 

The room was poorly lit, despite all the elegant lamps, the same as the ones that decorated the rest of my castle. That was  the way I liked it. Dark and somber, just like my soul, many would say. The air was stale, as I rarely used the room. I only used it for my guests I deemed of the utmost importance.

I was pacing the room as I was discussing it with him. My long raven black hair swoosh with every turn I made. My long fingers with my well-manicured nails fidgeted with the buttons on my silky blouse’s sleeves. 

He was following my every movement; I sensed his eyes on me while I was getting more and more agitated. My eyes gave me away. They were moving about wildly, and my voice was becoming pitchy with every word I said. I realized I was losing it, the more I thought about it.

I could see it in the way he looked at me. His blue eyes took me in, and I noticed he was enjoying seeing me like this. 

Losing control.

I know he likes it when I give into my darker side. I can practically see the shadows dancing in his electric blue eyes. I can not come apart in front of him. I scolded myself. My brows knitted together. 

Not now, I need his help more than ever. He can help me find it. He has the means to do that. Without him, I won’t get as far as I want. 

Realizing this, I smoothed my hair, even though my hair was perfectly styled and composed myself. How can I, when they have infuriated me so? How can they expect to get away with what they have done to me? 

Don’t they remember who I am?

“Can you stop pacing for a moment? Let’s figure this out.” His melodic voice took me out of my infuriating thoughts. I love this voice he is using. It has that hint of rasp to it I like so much. He knows that eventually I’ll stop and listen to him. 

As much as I love his help in this matter, I hate him for having that much power over me. “You are letting them get to you.” He continues. “Don’t give them the satisfaction of being right about you.”

He tried to stop me from pacing by running his fingers delicately from my collarbone to my elbow, while smelling my hair, giving me goosebumps all over my body. But I can’t. 

If I stop, it will consume me, and I’ll have no choice then to accept my fate. A destiny I must change, even if it kills me. I smile a devilish grin at this notion. He tries again to stop me from pacing, grabbing my hands. Twisting, I avoid his grasp. “You know I don’t mind you sending a few souls my way. But keep your wits about you.” He chuckles as he gives me a knowing stare. Moving, he stands in my way.

I have to stop my pacing. He grabs me by the shoulders, and I press my lips together. My eyes met his as I glared up at him. He lets go of me. I pace again. I know it drives him crazy.

“Just because I am who I am, they assume the worst of me? Do they not get it?” I growl out through gritted teeth. 

He is standing again. In my way, looking right into my eyes. He sees the madwoman resurfacing. This time I don’t care if I lose my self-control. 

“They want to see me being me? I’ll show them how dreadful I can be.” My voice was getting higher with every word, becoming  more and more pitchy, almost shrill. “Not just here in this land, the entire world will learn who I am. They don’t know who they are messing with.”

I saw my reflection in the mirror. My control is slipping, my hazel eyes are glowing and changing. They are having this terrible dark color, a mixture of red, and the deepest black you have ever seen. To most people, my eyes right now will frighten them. Not him. I know to him they are magnificent. He sees the power behind them. He knows when my eyes glow in this manner, everyone needs to run and hide. 

My wrath is deadly.

When I turn to peer at him, he takes a step back. His movement caught me off guard. 

Is he afraid of me? Why? 

He knows I could never hurt him. Oh, but he knows me too well and that I can lose myself in my madness. “You know I love your gorgeous wild eyes as much as your normal ones, but could you reel in your madness just a tad? Your power is calling me on a much deeper level, and we wouldn’t want that side of me awakening right now.” He practically purrs when he says that to me.

I know if that side of him awakens right at this moment, we will lose precious time to search for what I need. We do not have time to indulge ourselves in our sexual needs. 

Tempted to give in, with want burning me from the inside out, but I can’t. I need to find it before all ends, before I can cause more despair in this world. 

I have already unleashed some of it into the world, for I am Apocalypse.