Prologue

In darkness lies hope and in hope there is darkness. My life is filled with both hope and darkness but in order to grasp the current situation we must first take a look at the past. Seven years ago I was the happiest I have ever been but then everything changed. I will never forget that night nor any night before or after in which has led to this single night. It was a Saturday and I was just returning home from a girls night out....

"Ross?" I called out to my husband as I stumbled into the house. I quickly shut the door and fumbled with my platforms relieved to finally be rid of the man made torture device. The foyer was covered in complete darkness, I held back a yawn as I tried to toss my purse, keys and phone on the side table near the front door. I cursed under my breath as my purse slipped off the table and it's contents scattered across the floor. I could hear my husband moving around upstairs as I fumbled for the light. The alcohol I had consumed was making me a bit clumsy and I felt the wall for the light switch, a door opened on the second floor and I could just make out my husbands form descending the stairs before I knelt on the floor and tried to shove everything back in my purse. 

"You're finally home, I was afraid the girls had kidnapped you for a longer night." Ross knelt beside me and pulled the purse out of my hands. "Leave it love." He said as he pulled me to my feet and wrapped his arms around me. I blew some of my long red locks out of my face as I hugged him back as tight as I could, I rested my head on his chest. 

"You and I both, finally I managed to get away." I leaned against my husband feeling drained, I inhaled deeply taking in his comforting scent. I couldn't resist the urge to like my lips as I caught an unusual scent; coconut. Alarms bells went off in my head but I quickly pushed them back as Ross let go of me and took my hand. 

"Lets get you some hot tea." He said as he slowly led me from the foyer and towards the kitchen. I didn't protest and I made my way behind him slowly. Once in the kitchen Ross led me over to the island, he grabbed me around the waist and gently lifted me up onto the counter. "Stay here love." He kissed her cheek before turning towards the stove to put a kettle on to boil. 

"So what did you do tonight?" I asked as I played with the ring on my finger and smiled thinking about the five long happy years we had been together. 

"Well the guys drug me out to the new bar they opened up in Studio City, although we didn't drink nearly as much as you girls or stayed out as late." Ross didn't turn around as he talked he just watch the kettle. I looked up and across his back as I saw glitter covering his clothes. I gasped as I put my fingers to my lips as I realized the horrible truth I had been running from. "Sephora?" Ross turned around and looked at me wearing a worried expression. My eyes went even wider seeing the glitter mark on his face. I quickly slipped off the counter and ran from the kitchen as fast as I could. I managed to knock over the lamp in the living room and I stumbled through. "Seph!" Ross quickly turned around to turn off the burner before running after me. I made it up to the master bedroom before he caught up. I quickly grabbed a suitcase from the closet and flung it open on the bed. Ross stood in the doorway confused over the fear I had. "Love what is it?" He asked deciding approaching might not be the best course of action. 

"We need to leave now! They've found me!" Ross tried to make sense of the situation as his anger started to grow.  He couldn't let his wife be this fearful of anything and he had to eliminate the threat. 

"What is going on?" Ross moved towards me and stopped my movement by wrapping his arms around me. I started to tremble as I came face to face the glitter shaped hand print on his jaw. 

"How long were you with this woman?" I asked as I placed my hand over the glitter print. Ross' eyes went wide as he noticed I could the glitter. 

"Two minutes max, she defiantly wasn't my type. Love I only have eyes for you." Ross squeezed me tightly as another wave of fear set in. 

"It can't be." My voice was just audible. 

"Who is it Sephora?" Ross asked as he now put a face behind his wife's fear. 

"My mother." I mouthed, the words wouldn't come out but I saw Ross' face twist with confusion. 

"Sephora your mother is dead." Ross said enunciating the last word. 

"We have to move." I said as I shook him off and headed for the door. "Now!" I decided that I would no longer live in fear of my parents but that if I wanted to protect the life I had with my husband that I would have to fight for it. Anger pulsed through my veins as my life with my husband was being threatened. 

"Your mother is dead!" Ross said viciously as he grabbed my arm, stopping me from leaving the room. 

"She is not dead, I lied hoping she would stay away. If we don't move now you may never see me again." I grabbed the arm that had a hold of me and yanked him into the hall. 

"How could you lie to me about something so big?!" Ross' anger was now out of control. "I would rather my parents be dead, I ran away and I will never go back." I started down the stairs knowing Ross' anger would make him follow. 

"Your parents can't be that bad." Ross said following behind. 

"Not that bad? Oh I would rather Hades himself be my father that who I am seeded from. My mother is twice as bad if not more." I grabbed my car keys and flung the front door open, I paused only long enough to grab my heels and my purse hoping I hadn't lost anything important. 

"Don't you think you are being too hard on your parents? You know seeing as they are alive and all." Ross said as his anger was cooling off a little. 

"To say my mother is beyond Hades' evil is an understatement." I turned to see Ross on the porch and front door still wide open. Alarm bells went off in my head as the air filled lightly with the scent of coconut. 

"What praise you give to me. To know my flesh and blood thinks so high of me." A familiar voice spoke behind me and I flinched realizing how close she was. I could feel my body chill and my heartbeat become erratic, my fight or flight sense kicked in. I fought the urge to grab Ross' arm and take off. "What no welcome hug for dear mommy? I've missed you in the past couple years. I even shed tears the first couple months you were gone." I decided to make my move now but I knew my mother would be prepared. Ross only had enough time to blink before I was halfway to him but I was quickly stopped by my mother. 

"Let me go!" I yelled as I yanked myself free from her grip, one of my heels had sunk into the ground and caused me to fall to the ground hard. My mother stood over me and smiled as her spirit held mine in place. "Let my spirit go! Ross run!" Ross couldn't make up his mind to run to me and help or to run from me. 

"Enough!" A loud voice silenced the world around us. "No daughter of mine will act so barbaric, neither will no wife of mine. Eliza let our daughter go. You two will return to the seat in order to be dealt with." The man's voice grew louder as he drew near. 

"I will not return to the seat father. I will never return to the life I once lived." I tried to hold my voice steady as I rose to my feet and glanced across the yard at my fathers retreating form. 

"You will do as I say, as your King I command you. As a man I ask of you to come willingly. As your father I ask of you to obey and as your kind if you shall do neither than I shall use force. I wish not to use force but I must so be it." My father didn't even glance back as he retreated into the night.