Prologue

The World of love is all that I know. The very word lies at the heart of my strength and my weakness. My beast thrives in it and uses it to gain power. The power of love has made me the leader of the dragon clan The power of love has been the very answer to how my clan would now survive in a world where the humans have locked us away.

When they put us here they didn't even make sure we had proper shelter. They didn't care if we had food. If it weren't for my parents, my clan Scarlet Light would have been lost without me. the other clans may have also perished without our donations. After thirteen years of being place here, our people now thrive. Our fields and livestock now can sustain our people and many more, now that we know how many of us there are. Many other dragons who deserve the home and privileges we have made.

The life of privilege is one that I have always known. Born from an egg, I woke up in a loving home. My mother was a professor at the local college. She focused her teachings on cultural differences in the world. My father was the CEO of a fortune five hundred company. For years they tried to have a child with to no avail.

When the world was collecting all the eggs of the beautiful colors, they were gifted one. My mom always described it as a feeling of intense happiness when she touched it. My father says that some days, he would just stare at it and he had no idea why. The year before I came they decided to go through the adoption process. After jumping through all the channels and hoops, they were approved in just ten short months. They met the woman who would give them a child. They supported her and they waited.

They were heart broken when she changed her mind in the end. My mother wallowed for two months. She was unable to go to work or leave our home for the pain it caused her. My father threw himself into his work more than ever. After eighteen years of marriage the pain from losing a child made them grow apart. The day I came into the world is one that I don't remember, but they tell the story frequently.

They had dismissed there servants for the day because they felt those that worked for them shouldn't have to be around such a tense atmosphere. They were sitting at the table silently as they enjoyed dinner. Neither were able to say a word to the other as they were tired of trading insults. My father got tired of the quiet and turned on the radio to fill the background noise.

He remembers my mother staring at the radio with such an intense moment of joy on her face that he was stunned. Before he could ask her anything she bolted from the table and ran from the room nearly tripping in her wake. The golden egg that had been gifted to them set on a pedestal in their trophy room. As she arrived at the room my mother dove to the floor just as I had fallen after hatching from my egg.

Tears cascaded down her face as she got her first look at me. When she placed a kiss upon my tiny head of golden hair I glowed. My skin which had moments before lay unblemished filled itself with a trail of golden tattoos. My father fell to his knees before her as he stared amazed in awe at the baby she now help.

"How?" he remembers asking.

"The radio. I heard it on the radio. All the eggs are filled with children. After years, our prayers have now been answered. I can't believe we had what we wanted all along" She cries as she brushes her thumbs across my chubby cheeks.

"What is he?" My father ask as he traces the tattoos.

"He is our son. No matter what he is. He is a blessing. If he is different from us he will still be loved despite them. He will be raised to help defend his own race. He will always be a part of us" my mother told him with conviction.

"Agreed. He will be our little defender. To grow strong and to help those who need it. Our little miracle" he promises as he takes me from my mother's arms.

"I like that. Our little defender. I now have the perfect name for our son, my love. We will call him....."

I am Xander.

My name is Tika Heather. My life was perfect. I grew up surrounded by people. Raised by the best nanny, my own five star chef at my beck and call. My parents provided everything I needed. They held lavish parties and large events. When I didn't have to attend I was always left to my own devices. I was the princess of the tabloids and everyone wanted to know my life.

The picture we portrayed made others want to be us. The lies that were told with smiles on her faces were believed by everyone. The day I stopped believing the lies is when everything changed. The trickle of events that happened ended up taking away that perfect life. One mistake made a prisoner in the biggest hell hole. They wanted to see me rot for what I did. The needed me to suffer. I needed me to suffer too.

They didn't tell me when they traded me. They didn't tell me that I would be shipped off to a prison worse than the one I deserved. I became their guinea pig with the only purpose to fulfill an alliance. They sent me to my death. To give a monster a baby and pray that I survived the process. One mistake has brought me from the prison I deserved, into one far worse. The best part of this whole thing, I probably deserve that too............