Coralane stood in the doorway of her bedroom, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. There was blood everywhere. It slid down the wall in dark rivulets, pooled beneath the bodies of what was once her parents, and was splattered across almost every surface of the room. The couches were ruined as well as the two overstuffed chairs her parents sat in and read at night. Not that they would need them anymore.

She noticed a dark shape moving in the room and tried to make it out. She thought it might be a person but could not really tell as the only light to see by was the starlight on a moonless night. Faster then thought, there was a man standing in front of her. She cowered from him, backing into her room. She tried to slam the door but powerful hands caught it and flung it back open. She screamed and ran for the window as the door crashed against the wall. Strong hands grabbed her and wrenched her back to be crushed against a rock hard body.

Coraalane panted in fear as she froze not sure what the man would do to her.

"Look what we have here, hmmmm? A little whelp of a thing left by mommy and daddy? And what should I do with you? Maybe I should rip your limbs off and leave you to die like your worthless parents?"

Coralane whimpered, not wanting to provoke the terrible man. She thought about struggling but knew it would be useless. She could not possibly be fast enough to get away from this man.

The man snarled and threw her against the floor ready to poince.

"Stop it!"

An angry female voice comes from the doorway and the man stopped, looking up at her.

"Bring her to the Master. Let him decide what to do with her. He is the one who ordered these deaths in the first place. If he cannot be thorough enough to do his homework to find out if these two had any children then let it be his problem."

With an irritated grunt, the man nodded. His large hand came crashing down on the back of Coralane's head and her world fell into darkness..........

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

........She woke in a damp room with the smell of mold and urine in the air. She tried to move her head but the shock of pain made her reconsider the idea. Although only twelve, Coralane was not a stupid girl and knew when she was in over her head. This was deinifltly one of those times.

She heard a loud clanking sound from far away that seemed to draw closer. She decided to brave the pain in her head so she could sit up and maybe hide from the noise. Slowly, she got to her knees and crawled across a floor slick with unsavory things. She made it to a corner before the noise was close enough for her to hear footsteps along with the clanking sound. After a few moments, she heard a loud noise, like a rusty bolt being thrown back and then the door to her small room flew open revealing light and pain.

She blinked as her eyes watered from the pain of light searing into them.

"All right, let's go girl. He's ready to see you."

It was the same voice she'd heard in the house before she was knocked unconscious. Without a word of complaint, Coralane stood and walked to the door. She galnced back to see her small prison and was apalled at what she saw. It was a small stone room, maybe six by six. There was one tiny window near the top of the ten foot wall. It was barely big enough for her hand to go through. The floor was covered in mold and other unidentifiable mush. She supressed the urge to gag as she proceeded the man out the door.

They moved down a long stone hallway that led into a larger stone room. They passed through this room without stopping and started up a long flight of stairs. Most of the trip was just a series of random hazey images to Coralane. She spent most of the walk staring at her feet.

They finally came to a large chamber with thick soft carpets and the sound of a lot of people. Coralane finally looked up and the first thing she saw was a thin, pale man sitting on a large chair. His eyes were the darkest she had ever seen. They were like pools of sheer black malice. His lips were full and his smile was disarming. She gasped in shock, forgetting herself as she stared at the man's beauty. His hair was like spun black silk cascading down his shoulders and his body, while slim, was powerfully built. As he moved his arm to beckon her forward, she could see the muscles move beneath the skin. Although she had not quite hit puberty yet, this man caused her body to react in a way she had never felt before.

Hesitantly, she stepped forward. He motioned for her to bow before him and she dropped to her knees without comment.

"So child, you are the offspring of the Berke family. Are you an only child?"

Coralane nodded, not trusting her voice.

"Ah well then, that settles it. You will become mine, girl. I will teach you the ways of my family and I will make you my childe. Are you prepared for that girl? Your training will be rigorous and harsh but it will mold you into a good warrior and give you a strong body. What do you say to that, girl?"

Coralane looked up at him and she suddenly realized that this is the man who had ordered her parents killed. She didn't know why nor did she care. But if this was to be her fate then she would embrace it. She would become the straongest warrior in this room and then she would kill them all. With boiling hate in her eyes, Coralane nodded. Oh yes, she was ready.

"Good." The man of evil beauty looked over at her prison guard. "Then I suggest you start her training."

Without another word, the other man grabbed Coralane by her arm and hefted her to her feet. She went without comment or protest.

"Oh one more thing. You can no longer be known by your given name. That would make things complicated. Instead I will call you Ishani. I think that is a fitting name for one who will be groomed to be my child. So, Ishani, your training begins. Do not disappoint me."

She was then dragged from the room in silence.