Celestine

The church sends off Celestine Bellarose to kill a vampire. If she succeeds, she proves herself worthy of heaven. Should she fail, however, she will be the church's next sacrificial lamb to the gods. Celestine willed herself to enter the mansion of the vampire Julian Mourningstar with a dagger tucked into a pocket hidden within her sleeve, but the blade brought her only doubt. "This murder would be justified," she was told. "Doubt is a vice. Faith is a virtue." Even still, she could not bring herself to kill. Not quite yet. She needed a reason to hate him, she thought, so it would be easier.

Celestine pretends to be lost and starving as she begs for shelter. Julian accepts her pleas with a cold tone and a sceptical look, but that was all she needed for the moment. To get in. In her time at Julian's mansion, she begins to question the church, distracting her completely until she feels the dagger in her sleeve again. Through unexpected bonding and self reflection, Celestine finds that she no longer wishes to please the church.

When Celestine had not returned home for months, the church leaders agreed that she must've run away, and that they absolutely must find her, as she would be a lovely sacrifice to the gods. Kidnapped, Celestine is brought to her former home. She is dragged into the church and forced on her knees in prayer, eyes squeezed tightly shut for hours. She did not dare look up. Not until she heard the crackling of the church burning, and found Julian Mourningstar standing in front of her.