Chapter 1
The night is dark, shadows twisting within other shadows, a shrieking wind howls through the bare tree tops. There is a woman lying atop the frozen ground, almost as pale as the snow falling from the sky above. The woman's features are serene and angelic. Her lips, a blood red, and her face is surrounded by halo of wavy black hair. The makeup she wears is dark and dramatic, haunting.
The dress she wears is made out of purple velvet, dark vines lace around the bodice. Above the top of her corset, resting atop her breast is a large intricate pendant, a ruby decorating its center. It hangs from a delicate silver chain, stopping at the base of her throat.
Suddenly, as if a light switch were turned on, her eyes flash open, revealing startling ice blue eyes with darker blue outer rims. Almost as silent as the falling snow, she whispers one name.
"Dianna." A cruel smile twists onto her face, all innocence fleeing from her expression, evil taking its place. "Come to me, my daughter, find out who you really are." And then she disappears into a cloud of black ravens and smoke.
I wake up screaming. I'm clutching my necklace in one hand, the other is helplessly tangled between my sheets. I hear feet pounding up the wooden staircase.
"Dianna? Are you okay?" My Dad asks, pushing my door open, a look of concern lighting his face.
I nod, still clutching my necklace. "Another bad dream." I say, sinking back into my pillows, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks, walking into my bedroom. He sits down at the edge of my bed, gently putting his hand on the top of my foot.
"No." I say, shaking my head. I put my head in my hands and groan.
"Maybe I could call Dr. Richmond and have him put.."
I cut him off. "No. No doctors, Dad. Please." I say, acid leaking into my voice. Mentally, my mind is reeling from how nasty I sounded just now. Ugh.
My father raises his eyebrows at me, clearly taken aback by my sudden hostility as well. He knows I hate doctors, and anything to do with them. Especially when it involves needles or blood. Oh and that weird scent all doctors offices have, it all just freaks me the hell out.
Finally he nods. "Okay, fine, no doctors then. I'll be downstairs, call me if you need anything." He says before getting up and walking out of my room. He shuts the door gently behind him.
I crawl out of bed, my skin still prickling with cold sweat from the dream. Turning the hot water on in the shower, I step into the steaming mist. I let the water wash over me, washing all of the thoughts of the weird dream down the drain. This is the third one this week, I think grudgingly to myself.
"Dianna, I'm going to work! I'll see you later tonight." My father yells from outside the bathroom door.
"Okay, bye." I call back, pressing my face against the coolness of the tiles in the shower. Twenty minutes pass and water begins to turn cold. I shiver and shut the water off.
When I get out of the shower, I dry off, brush my hair and throw it into a messy bun before hurrying downstairs to the kitchen to find something to eat for breakfast.
I pull a box of cereal out of the cupboard and head to the living room where I flop down on the couch and flick the T.V on. Only ten minutes through an episode of "Rosario + Vampire," an odd thud-thump sounds above me. At first I dismiss it, until the second time I hear it, more insistent than the last time.
