Donovan Castle Chronicles: Volume 1

Prologue

SELENE

In the middle of the night, I jolt awake, panting from the nightmare I had. I grip my chest until my breathing levels out. I reach out for Mason, only touching the bedding before remembering he's on a trip. Wiping the hair away from my damp face, I lay back, settling back into the mattress, Gradually, my heartrate slows down.

As I lay there, trying to go back to sleep, the dream comes back to me. In the nightmare, I had lost my family and loved ones. Just thinking about it causes my heart to ache and tears to spring to my eyes. I wipe a tear away with the back of my knuckle before it can fall down my cheekbone.

It was just a dream. I tell myself. It wasn't real.

Laying there, I reflect back on how my life has been thus far and what this castle means to me. My biological family has been blessed with an extended lifetime, which we refuse to take for granted. I'm so grateful to share my life with my family and friends as they share theirs.

Mason and I originally bought this place to be a safe haven for our immediate family. But that all changed when some of our supernatural friends needed protection. It was then we decided to open our doors to them as well.

Opening this castle to other supernaturals has been one of the best choices we've ever made. Most of us here has been through traumatizing or difficult experiences. At one point or another, we've been ostracized, judged, or taken advantage of in one form or another. None of our lives have been easy or fair. We've had to suffer at the hands of others. Yet, we've learned and grown from those experiences.

Living at the castle, we are spared some unneeded, unwarranted, and unwanted trauma at the hands of society. Unfortunately, the castle doesn't prevent all obstacles we've had to overcome.

At least the castle provides a safe haven where we are free to be ourselves. Whereas in society, we have to hide our true selves. We have to pretend to be someone we aren't in order to fit in.

As the centuries have passed, I've seen Dragon's Hollow change along with us. They've adapted our accepting standards more so than Angels City and other places. I suppose that's because there are more supernaturals living here.

I don't know what I'd do if I lost them. I can't lost them. I know my family and I are hard to kill, but it is still a possibility. This is a deep-seated fear that I haven't been able to rid of. It never leaves regardless of how many centuries pass.

It also applies to our friends. Most of them are immortal or hard to kill, but that doesn't mean they can't be killed. I doubt this fear will ever go away. Perhaps I need to talk to someone about it.

I turn to face the stone window where translucent curtains hang. The early morning sun has begun to filter into the room through them. It illuminates the poster on the wall, reminding me to keep my fears under control.

The quote says: "It is important to overcome your fears, because fears prevent you from living life." - Ashley Griffith.

The author is right. I can't let my fears control me. I must control them.

Closing my eyes, I use the box method to settle my nerves enough to fall back to sleep.