CHAPTER 1
Fiella
My day was perfectly normal until everything went haywire. I gulped down a mouthful of strange-flavored thirst tonic as I hustled to get ready for my day, one boot dangling from my grasp as I hopped around with the other boot unlaced.
I was running late. Again.
I glanced in the mirror and caught a glimpse of blue. I stopped short, hoping I was hallucinating. I reached toward my hair with shaking fingers. “Ugh, gods damn it!”
The thirst-reducing tonic I’d been drinking had once again been contaminated, and this time I’d wager it was with bluebells. The seasonal flowers were lovely, sure, but when combined with the magical properties of the tonic, they tended to cause strange side effects. Like blue hair, apparently.
The strands on my head were as blue as the afternoon sky. Brighter, even. They practically glowed.
At least the color suited my complexion well enough, and it would probably fade in a few weeks. Kizzi must have screwed up her potions again. I’d have to give her a piece of my mind the next time I saw her.
I was just relieved that the ache in my throat had been soothed.
As a vampire, even a half-blooded one, I’d been pestered by the incessant thirst for blood since I was a wee little thing. It was a pain in the ass, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle, as long as I kept purchasing those overpriced tonics from the apothecary shop in town, Kizzi’s.
Even though Kizzi was supposedly my best friend, she wouldn’t give me a discount. Traitor. The trinket-selling business was dreadful during the freeze season and my silver stash was uncomfortably light. I couldn’t seem to catch a break!
I usually tried to think positively, in a goblet-half-full kind of way, but it was getting harder and harder with every bump in the road.
My parents had moved away from Moonvale a few years ago to “travel the lands”, and their absence was a constant ache in my chest. I missed having them around.
Shit gets lonely around here.
I liked to think of myself as a badass, independent woman who didn’t need anyone, butgods. What’s a vampire gotta do to find someone to share a lavender blueberry cider and a few kisses with?
My cottage was a mess, as usual, but it was one of my happy places. I had moved into my haven as soon as I could afford to live on my own, and it had been the best decision of my life. It was small, but it was cozy, and it wasmine. Every available space was filled with houseplants. I had a massive bookshelf filled with tomes covering the entire side wall, and I even had space for my personal collection of knick knacks. Trinkets filled every nook and cranny. It was delightful.
There was hardly room for a bed among all the wonderful clutter. My bed was more of a pallet, wedged in a corner, forgotten until it was time to catch some sleep. I didn’t usually pay it much mind.
I wouldn’t go as far as to call myself an interior decorator, but I knew a good trinket when I saw one.
I lovingly caressed the leaves of my purple ficus as I passed, making a mental note to wipe the dust off them later. That mental note would probably vanish as soon as I walked through the door, but it was the thought that counted. I was a good plant mom when I remembered to be.
I pulled my mess of blue hair back into a twist, tucked it under the hood of my cloak, and tromped towards town. The journey would only take a few minutes, but I was determined to escape the eyes of the locals. The human and non-human folk of Moonvale were used to my antics at this point, and it took a lot to surprise anyone, but this stylistic choice had been inflicted upon me against my will. So I chose to rebuke it.
My cottage was nestled into the edge of the Greenwood Forest, and I loved the privacy that the location granted me. Sure, neighbors were fine, but nothing was better than some peace and quiet. I meandered my way through the sparse trees on the forest’s border until my boots clacked on the stone walkway leading into town.
I took a deep breath, pulling crisp air into my lungs, relishing the morning. It smelled like greenery and living things. The best smell in all realms. Or maybe the best smell was fresh-baked berry tarts–it was a very close competition.
It was still the freeze season in Moonvale, though the beginning of the mild season was slowly creeping in. Most folk seemed to be indoors, much to my luck. The only living beings I passed that noticed me were the local critters. The chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, and the squeaking of rodents betrayed the presence of the small creatures that often scurried through town.
As was my daily ritual, I stopped by the bakery to pick up tea and a pastry on my way toward the town square. The bakery wasalways lively–packed to the brim with folk securing their warm beverages and snacks for the day. The scents wafting from the propped-open front door were divine, making mouths water and stomachs growl of any passersby.
I secured my bounty without any fuss, only receiving a few sideways glances that I could easily ignore. I avoided any unnecessary conversations just to be safe.
Raising my mug of tea to my lips, my fangs gently tapping against the pottery, I inhaled the sweet, earthy scent of herbs and berries as I let the hot liquid trickle into my mouth, only mildly scorching my flesh in the process.
There’s nothing better than hot tea on a chilly morning.
I picked up my pace and made my way over to Kizzi’s, deciding to visit my best friend and show her what her tonic had done to me before starting my own workday.
“Ooh! New look? I love it!!” Kizzi shouted when she caught a glimpse of my new cerulean strands, her bright green eyes flicking up to examine me. She set down her cauldron stirring rod, fixing her undivided attention on me for just a moment before she moved on to fussing with an assortment of baskets.
I glared at her. “Nope. This one’s on you, not me.” I pulled my hood back to reveal my hair in all its glory.
