Wonderland

Prologue

~Katya Cotta~

Fifteen years ago

Katya was sitting in her mother's lap as her mother read softly to her. She loved listening to the softness of her mothers voice, the sweet melody. They were sitting outside on the porch of their home with the sunsetting in the distance. Her mother was rocking them back and forth in the rocking chair. Katya smiled and tugged on her mothers soft dark curls. Her mother stopped reading and smiled down at her.

"My sweet baby, are you falling asleep yet?" she asks as she places a kiss on Katya's forehead.

"No, Momma, I'm still waiting for Daddy." Katya says, and just then her father was running down the driveway to their home. Katya smiled happily, but then realized that her father looked...scared. In the distance, behind the trees surrounding their home, people were running towards their home carrying torches in the setting dusk. Her mother stood up and took her inside of their home. She ran with Katya in her arms to the basement, and then to the hidden room underneath that.

"Momma!" Katya cried as her mother set her down on the damp floor and stood up. She turned back towards Katya and kneeled in front of her once more. There were footsteps upstairs as her father ran into the house.

"Katya, my precious baby, I need you to stay down here and stay very quiet. Don't come out no matter what, you understand?" tears were streaming down Katya's face in fear, but she nodded. Her mother had tears in her blue eyes as she hugged Katya, and placed a kiss on her head. Her father came down the stairs then and kneeled in front of Katya as well.

"My baby girl, I love you. I know that we haven't taught you much about you being a mage, but-" he stopped as loud angry yells were growing closer from outside. He reached into the pocket of his black shirt and pulled out a folded white piece of paper. He put it into her hand.

"I love you, baby girl. Go to this man when things have calmed. Do not leave this place unless it is safe, do you understand?" Katya nodded frantically. She didn't know what was going on, she didn't know why her parents were acting as if they would never see her again. Both of her parents kneeled in front of her and pulled her into a hug, placing kissed on the soft dark curls so much like her mothers. All too soon they left, closing the door behind them and leaving Katya to silently cry on her own. She was only five years old, how could she know what was happening?

Katya sobbed that whole night as she heard the scream coming from outside. She knew they were the painful screams of her parents. She knew her parents were dead, and the people who did it wanted her. She huddled into herself on a dark corner and waited for everything to calm down just like her father had told her to.

A few days later Katya stood up and walked out of her hiding place. Her pink dress was now dirty and ripped. Her olive toned skin covered in a sheen of dirt and sweat. Her stomach was cramping from the lack of food. She felt weak. She didn't look around her home, knowing she wouldn't like what she saw. But she hadn't expected to find the bodies of her parents hanging from the oak tree right in front of their porch. Their bodies were mutilated beyond belief that she wouldn't be able to recognize them if it wasn't for their clothing. Even then their clothing was shredded and covered in dark dry blood. She let out a whimper, unable of anything more, her sorrow too great. She spent that afternoon taking them down and giving them a proper burial before she steeled herself. Locking away all emotion she making her way to the mans name that was written on the piece of paper her father had given her. Christian Amadeos.

Seven years ago.

Christian has taught Katya a lot of skills in the past seven years. She has learned how to fight and defend herself, how to fend for herself, how to use her magic. She hasn't spoken a word ever since the day she got there. She has only trained hard every single day and taken punishment when deserved. Christian had been a good friend to her parents and had promised to them that he would watch out for her. He was a werewolf, and even with the animosity that the species tended to have towards each other because of their pasts, he and his family welcomed her with open arms. He had a wife, Sasha Amadeos, and a son, Derrick Amadeos, who was only a few years older than Katya. They tried to talk and comfort Katya, but they understood that she needed her space. She was grateful to have them in her life, and for them being so patient with her.