BOTH SIDES OF ETERNITY CHAPTER 1

"Peace does not exist, only war and bloodshed. Harmony doesn't exist, only death. Equality does not exist, as long as the werewolves live and fight.."

The words echoed in the young woman's mind as her long curly black ahir blew in the wind along with her blood red dress. Her blue eyes glimmered like jewels against her porcelain skin. Her name was Elizabeta and she was the princess of the vampires. She was the daughter of Dracula and she would be coronated as queen in one week. She was determined to end the war with the werewolves. She had lost her mother, countless fiances, and now her father. Both sides had undoubtedly lost more lives than necessary. Too much blood had been spilled in this war. It was time for the fighting to stop.

The werewolf prince looked out at the battlefield. Carnage filled the land and the air wreaked of blood. The soil had now been tainted with blood and death. His wavy dark brown hair fell to his mid-back and his slightly tan skin accented his strong, tall, muscular form. His green eyes were hard with anger as he stared at his slain kin. He wore dark brown pants and a tan shirt with black boots. A sword was sheathed and hooked around his waist. Several of his friends and kin were dead along with the slain vampires. He couldn't care less about the fallen vampires. They were his enemy and it was good that they were dead. He mounted his horse and sat in the saddle taking one last look at the battlefield before it was burned. "Nikolay.. You must stop this war.." he said to himself as he turned his horse and spurred it into a trot. He rode back to the werewolf village and dismounted outside of the palace. Nikolay entered his home and traveled through the hallways to his chamber. His coronation for king was in six days and on that day he had to announce his mate, as did the vampire princess on her coronation. He laid on his bed and thought. "How can I stop this war?" Nikolay asked himself. But little did he know that the vampire princess had thought of a plan for peace. Elizabeta landed on the werewolf palace. The prince's room had a sky light that let in light and fresh air. It was open and she could fit through it. She dropped through the sky light and landed right in front of Nikolay. Instinctively he reached for the dagger in his belt. "I will not hurt you.. I just want peace.." she assured him, not moving from where she stood. "And what means of 'peace' do you mean? Slitting my throat?" he questioned fingering the handle of his dagger. "No. A proposition." she aanswered. He rose from his bed. A idea clicked in his head. The idea of it repulsed him but it was the only means of peace. "I have one as well." he answered moving closer to her. Elizabeta was taken aback. Her idea was to slit his throat but the war would only become worse. She nodded for him to continue. "Just the thought of this will repulse you I know but it is the only way to stop this war." he explained not wanting to say the proposition. She nodded once more. "Go on.." she said. He sighed mentally. "I'm going to regret this.." he thought.

"We would have to become mates." Nikolay said nearly choking on the word. He had to admit that the princess was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen but she was the enemy. Just the thought of having her as his mate repulsed him. Elizabeta nearly fainted. "Become MATES?!" her mind screamed. She would be damned if she took him as her fiance! Sure the prince was handsome but they were enemies! She would be betraying her kin, her family! She was speechless. She couldn't think of a single word to say to him that wasn't an insult. Nikolay knew that Elizabeta was too shocked to say anything. "If it is the only thing that can be done then I will get down on one knee and propose to you." he said. She was still too shocked for words. "It is the only way.." she finally said. Nikolay got down on knee and took Elizabeta's hand. "Princess Elizabeta Dracula, will you be my mate?" he asked still holding her hand. "Yes.." she aanswered looking down at her new fiance. He stood and looked down at his mate. How they would tell their people about their engagement they would never know. But they knew that it was the only way to end the bloodshed.

Six days passed and Nikolay stood in some of his finest clothes. Today was his coronation and he looked over at his mate Elizabeta. She was dressed in a beautiful black dress with a red corset. Her long curly black hair was tied back with a red ribbon. Two stray strands framed her face. She looked beautiful but still menacing. "There is no way that they will accept her.." he thought knowing the shock it would cause amongst his people. Nikolay walked down the hallways with Elizabeta by his side. She stayed hidden behind the palace's doors as she watched her fiance being coronated. He was crowned king and his subjects cheered. He was about to announce his mate and he was nervous. "I have chosen my mate and with our union the bloodshed will end!" he said to the cheers of his people. He held out his hand in her direction and she stepped out into the view. Elizabeta walked over to Nikolay and took his hand. The werewolves were completely shocked. The vampire princess was his mate?! Everything was silent.. Surprisingly Elizabeta grew uncomfortable from the deafening silence. Reluctantly the werewolves bowed to their king's mate. She could sense the shock, fear, and anger amongst them. Nikolay hoped to calm them down. "With the princess as my mate the war with the vampires will finally end. Elizabeta wants to end the war as much as I do and the vampires will no longer attack us. Please trust me and trust her as well.." he said appealing to them. Trust.. that was one of the most important things valued by the werewolves. Without trust there was no union, no kin, no love.. The crowd applauded. They would honor their king's decision even if they didn't like it.