Angeli Fidei [Book 1 in the Angeli Fidei Series]

Prologue: A Vision [ANGELI FIDEI]

Despite her best efforts to ignore the pulsing vibrations in her head, Melyna could still feel drops of sweat trickling down her back. She was tense. Removing the crumpled bedsheets from her body, a cool breeze made the hairs on her arms stand up. She grabbed her silk gown from the bedside table and slowly made her way to the full-length mirror. Putting her arms through the sleeves, she groaned as the sore bruises on her arms and legs reminded her of her current state. Buckling slightly, she reached out and held on to the wooden chair next to the mirror, hoping to regain control of her trembling limbs. Closing her eyes, she remembered the exercises the nurse had taught her. Je m'appelle Melyna. I am seventeen-years-old. Je suis française. I moved to London. Je suis à l'hôpital. I am safe.

As she focused on switching languages, Melyna felt herself become calmer. She was okay. She was safe. Mustering the courage to look into the mirror, she regretted it immediately. Though she knew full well what she was going to see - it still frightened her. Her usually dark brown pupils were turning a golden caramel shade, matching her complexion exactly. Taking a strand of her dark brown curls between her fingers, she examined the rapidly growing honey blonde tips. What's happening to me? Wiping away the sweat from the back of her neck, she let out a whimper of shock as her fingertips became stained with blood. Soon, sharp pains darted across her back as feathers began to pierce through her skin. As they began to grow more and more rapidly, developing into full fledged wings, her small five-foot frame struggled to remain upright. Lunging again at the wooden chair for support, she was unlucky this time. Melyna felt her fingers slip, and unable to find a grip, suddenly found herself on her back.

"Need any help?" she heard a voice say softly, before feeling someone's arms on her own and being pulled up to her feet. Looking at the contrasting pale hand against her own warm caramel complexion, Melyna wondered how someone had managed to enter her hospital room when she was sure the nurse had locked it, as she had done so the past three nights. Finally looking up to meet the gaze of her helper, Melyna's eyes widened in shock.

She found herself staring into the hypnotic blue eyes of her best friend Lilli. The only problem? Lilli was dead.

Melyna had killed her.