Prologue

Six sisters entrusted with the protection of the human race. It has been so since the dawn of civilization. They are feared and respected by all supernatural beings for their powers and abilities as warriors, mediators, and avengers. They are the judges, the juries, and the executioners of the night. Anyone who dares to defy them quickly learns that their power is unparalleled, and retribution swift.

Six immortals. A witch, a werewolf, an oracle, a shapeshifter, a vampire and a being more powerful than any could imagine to lead them all. Bound by The Covenant, the only thing more powerful than their pact to protect mankind is their pact to protect each other. No man nor god can break the bond that is The Sisterhood. Or so they thought...

Artemis is the youngest of the Sisterhood, a werewolf, the daughter of a powerful alpha. She was merely a child when she watched as her family and friends were slaughtered by a rival pack, leaving only Artemis alive. Ishtar, the beautiful, mysterious being that no one really knows anything about aside from the fact that she'll kick your ass if you ask too many questions, took her in as she had the other sisters with the offer of vengeance and justice, but she would sacrifice her identity, her very being in order to achieve it. This has never been a problem for Artemis, she's never once regretted the decision she made that night. At least, until a series of events forces her back into the life she once called her own, and into the arms of a childhood friend that has since taken over leadership of her former pack, who also happens to be the mate that her parents chose for her as a child. As if that wasn't complicated enough, he seems dead set on keeping that oath, despite the fact that as a Sister, Artemis is forbidden to have anything more than a platonic relationship with men. But if there's one thing Artemis knows about werewolves, it's that once they bite down, they never let go.

Artemis is the youngest of the sisters, a werewolf. Her story begins more than a century ago when her pack, the strongest and most powerful and respected in the Western Hemisphere was attacked…

June 24, 1903

Screaming, horrible gut-wrenching screaming was all the young girl could hear. She tried to cover her ears to shut the awful noise out, but there was nothing to shut out. It was all in her mind.

The stench of blood, death and decay was already in the air. The attack had been swift, brutal and merciless. And even though the death-bringers had left, she could still hear the torturous screams of her friends, family, and parents.

The girl knew what she would see if she opened her eyes again. She could feel the hot blood congealing on her skin, pooling around her, it had already soaked through her clothes and begun to crust. The tears that stained her face had long since dried and she couldn’t seem to bring herself to shed anymore of them.

They’d let her live. She didn’t know why. Maybe they’d thought her weak and not worth the effort, maybe they hadn’t had the stomach to kill a child, or maybe they wanted someone living to tell the tale of their massacre.

She whimpered, rocking back and forth, hands clasped about her ears, eyes clamped shut, as she tried desperately to block out the images and screams that seemed etched and embedded into her mind. Images of her father’s head being ripped from his body. Images of her mother’s stomach being ripped open with another's bare hands. Images of all their dead bodes, lying on the floor, their eyes glazed over, rolled back, staring at nothing.

She hadn’t tried to wake them up. She knew that death had claimed them. Even an eight-year old knew what death was. And it had paid her a visit tonight, but spared her, why? Why had it taken her family, her friends and not her?

The girl began to rock even harder, her chin quivering with rage and fear, when an angelic voice sounded just above her. “You were not meant to die this night, child.”

The girl was too shocked to move. Her breathing was labored, and she finally found the courage to open her eyes and look up. And when she did, she saw the most beautiful woman she’d ever laid eyes on. The little girl had heard of angels, but she hadn’t truly believed until this moment.

Engulfed in a bright light, and a golden billowing robe, the blonde-angel knelt down before her, ignoring gore around them, and the blood that was seeping into her robes. “I am not an angel, child. But I am not here to harm you either.” The woman reached out and brushed back a wild lock of black hair, thickened with blood. “Are you afraid?”

Even though she was only eight, the girl was a werewolf, the daughter of an Alpha, and she had been taught to never show fear, not to an enemy and especially not to a friend. She held up her chin and defiantly shook her head.

The woman smiled gracefully. “You have courage. You will need it if you come with me and learn what I have to teach you. Tell me, would you seek revenge on those who have done this?”

The girl’s eyes hardened and she nodded without hesitation. It was her duty as a daughter to seek revenge for her parent’s murderers, and her duty as an Alpha’s daughter to seek revenge for the murders of those belonging to her pack.

The woman’s smile grew wider. “Good. What would you say if I were to promise you that one day you could return here and take your revenge?”

“How?” The tiny girl asked simply, for though she was young, her childhood had been stripped of her this night.

The woman stood, her full, regal height forcing the child to bend her head almost all the way to her back to see the woman’s face. “I am Ishtar. The First of The Sisterhood. If you wish to right the wrong that has been done to you tonight, you will come with me. I will train you, I will teach you and instruct you in the ways of the Ancient Ones. And I promise that you will have justice.”

She gazed up at the angelic woman with pure unadulterated awe. Her father had told her stories of The Sisterhood, and of Ishtar the Immortal. He’d told her of the mystery surrounding her existence, her incomprehensible powers, and her unparalleled prowess in battle. Everytime her name was spoken, it was with reverence and respect, and even sometimes, fear. But she’d never understood why. Despite all the stories her father had told her of The Sisterhood’s ventures, the only thing she’d ever felt towards them was admiration, but never fear.

Suddenly feeling very small again, the girl looked around the room at the bodies of her parents and thirteen of their friends lying lifeless on the hardwood floor of their lodge in the woods, where they’d retreated to expecting a relaxing vacation. She resisted the strong urge to once again cry. There was nothing left for her here, and the woman, Ishtar, was so beautiful, nice and terrifying at the same time that she couldn’t help but be in awe of her, the way she’d always felt when she’d heard the stories. But if she could help her avenge their deaths, how could she refuse?

Slowly, and on shaky legs, the young girl stood. The woman made no effort to help, merely watched with impartial observance as she rose from her fetal position. “What about the rest of my pack?” She inquired hoarsely, brokenly, her throat was sore from all the crying and heaving that she’d done that night.

“They will be told.” Ishtar dismissed readily, holding out her hand for the young girl. “Come. We must go.”

Refusing to remove her eyes from Ishtar’s, the girl placed her hand confidently into hers. Ishtar’s eyebrow lifted with what seemed to the girl to be approval, then bent down and hefted the child into her arms, tenderly, the way a mother would. “You have shown true bravery this night, and have passed your first test. There will be many more before your training is over, you understand this?”

The girl nodded silently, not trusting her voice to speak.

“Then, from this day forth, you are no longer the daughter of Kane and Alexandra Lycea. You are Artemis of The Sisterhood. You are to respond to no other name. Do you understand?”

Again the girl nodded, not sure she fully comprehended the consequences of her actions this night. She was not sure that she could give up her name, her heritage, things her parents had always taught her to be proud of. Now, she was throwing it all away, becoming someone else. But if it would fulfill her duty as their daughter, it was technically living up to their name wasn’t it?

“Close your eyes.” Ishtar commanded, gently, but powerfully. The girl did as she was told immediately, not wanting to keep her eyes open any further. And then just like that, she felt her body dissemble, and plunge into a dark oblivion.

Pronunciation Guide: (Subject to change whenever updated)

Kali- kah-LEE

Freya- fray-UH

Seti- Set-EE

Coactu- KOH-ahk-too

Caelum- KAY-ayhel-um

Lycea- LYE-see-uh

Daeton- Day-TON