Silver Bullet

Prologue

My eyes glitter with unshed tears as I slowly, and laboriously, make my way towards the altar. The dress I am wearing is beautifully deceptive, and blue as the sky, concealing the warrior waiting to be unleashed. My face is smooth, and placid, but underneath I am screaming, over and over again, his name, and asking why, why would this happen.

"Roxanne Sift," the man begins, drawing out the 'r' and hissing the 's'. "You have come to the Council, for your acceptance to the Third Silver Pack, and your first Hunt, yes?"

I cannot speak. I cannot breathe. This is what I wanted, didn't I? This was what I had dreamed of.

Then why, did I feel so agonizingly sad, so pained?

I knew the answer to that.

Because of him.

I nod wordlessly, unable to speak, and then the man continues. "Do you, Roxanne Sift, spend the life you know so well in secrecy, and swear to devote the rest of your life to Hunting the vampires? To uphold your family's honor as a Silver?"

My throat is parched, and I want to lick my lips. I don't. There is something, something preventing me from speaking. I don't say anything.

I move my head the smallest fraction of an inch. My mother, my father and my sister stare at me solemnly.

I blink once as my mother looks at me with compassion. I know, she seems to say. It's hard. Take your time.

"Well?"

The man looks impatient. I want to scream at him that he doesn't know anything, and he's wrong to judge. But I can't say anything. I can't.

My throat is drier than ever, and I try to speak. A dry rasping noise comes out of my mouth, but nothing else.

"Well?" The man asks again, and I clear my throat.

This time, when I try, words escape, so quiet that I can barely hear.

"I do," I whisper. "I will."