The arena's flashing alarm lights cast an eerie glow as the deafening sirens screamed out their warning. I was locked in mortal combat with Draven, exchanging blows amidst the sand and blood, when he suddenly seized my arm and dragged me from the ring. We sprinted through twisting corridors until we burst into his office, the door slamming shut behind us.

"What's happening?!" I shouted over the incessant wail of the sirens.

"Intruders," Draven growled, his fangs bared. "Werewolves have breached our defenses."

"Werewolves?!" I cried in dismay. "Why are they attacking us? What could they possibly want here?" My mind raced as I struggled to comprehend this sudden invasion. The arena was supposed to be impenetrable, yet our ancient enemies had found a way inside. We were under siege with no idea what these beasts had planned. All I knew for certain was that we would soon be fighting for our lives.

The door exploded off its hinges and crashed into the wall, splintering into pieces. I let out a blood-curdling scream as a shadowy figure emerged through the doorway. His eyes, two glowing amber orbs, bored into me, seeming to peer into the depths of my very soul. There was something hauntingly familiar about that piercing gaze, though I couldn't recall where I had seen it before. Every hair on my body stood on end as the intruder crept closer, his heavy boots thudding menacingly on the hardwood floor. My heart hammered wildly in my chest, threatening to burst forth. He was a werewolf!

The man's beady eyes bored into mine as Draven moved to shield me. "Hand over the girl and there will be no need for violence," he sneered, his voice dripping with malice. Though Draven's broad frame blocked my view, I could feel the stranger's menacing glare piercing through him, refusing to release me from his sights. My heart pounded against my ribs, the threat in his words sparking my nerves with adrenaline. I wished I could melt into the wall behind me, shrinking away from the impending confrontation I had stumbled into. Draven stood firm, unwilling to let this ominous man take me. The tension swelled, our standoff growing more volatile by the second.

With a roar of fury, Draven hurled insult after insult at the mysterious man, his voice rising to a crescendo as he unleashed years of pent-up rage. Just when it seemed his lungs would burst from the effort, Draven sprang at the man, fingers curled into claws. The man deftly sidestepped Draven's attack and seized my arm in an iron grip. I cried out in alarm, struggling in vain to break free of his hold.

"Reyna, don't be stupid!" the man shouted.

I froze, confusion clouding my mind. Reyna? I glanced around the empty room. There was no one else here. Was he speaking to me?

"That's not my name," I protested. "I'm Vixen."

The man's eyes narrowed. "And who told you that?"

Before I could respond, Draven let loose a feral snarl and hurled himself at the man once more. This time his claws found purchase, raking down the man's arm and eliciting a howl of pain. The man tried desperately to dislodge Draven, but he clung on tenaciously, his claws embedded deep.

My breath caught in my throat as I sprinted through the manor's twisting corridors, the pounding of my footsteps drowned out only by the frantic beating of my heart. "Vixen!" "Reyna!" The man's and Draven's anguished cry echoed behind me, spurring my feet to move faster. I had to get away, though I knew not where I was going nor what I was running from.

Only one thought consumed my mind - escape. Blindly I careened around corners, nearly crashing into antique furnishings and priceless works of art. I was a wild thing unleashed, my only goal to flee the predators nipping at my heels.

Then suddenly, I collided with something soft yet solid. As I stumbled back, ready to resume my frenzied flight, gentle hands grasped my shoulders. I looked up into a pair of familiar blue eyes brimming with tears. "Reyna!" the blonde girl cried, "There you are! We were so worried."

Reyna. The name struck a chord deep within me, though I could not grasp its meaning. "Who are you?" I demanded, wrenching myself from her grasp. "Who is Reyna?"

The girl gaped at me, shock and hurt twisting her features. But just as quickly, her expression hardened with resolve. "Those terrible vampires!" she seethed. "They've brainwashed you! Don't listen to them, Reyna. You're with us."

I shook my head in confusion. What was she talking about? Brainwashing? Before I could press for answers, she grabbed my hands, her voice gentling. "It's me, Valerie. Your best friend. Remember?"

Valerie. Yes, I knew that name. Knew it as well as my own. Which apparently was Reyna "Valerie!" I cried, memory flooding back in a dizzying rush. Now I understood exactly what had happened.