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Chapter Text

Kavala, Greece. – 1001 A.D.

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

The cadence of fractured bones persisted, irritating his senses. His eyes, lost in the darkness of the night, watched as his two companions revelled in the execution of their victims, behaving like the untamed predators they were. Charmion, with subtle elegance, wiped the corner of her lips, and irony threatened to elicit a laugh.

"You seem bored," the woman commented while waiting for her companion to finish his macabre dinner. "You should be in a better mood, after all, it was your victory."

It was a celebration. They had triumphed over one of the lackeys of the Romanian clan, who had tormented the guard for over one hundred and eighty years. Driven by Aro's explicit order, revenge had led them to Greece. Two strangers, men whose faces had never crossed their paths, had fallen under Alec, Charmion, and Afton's masterful strategy. They were ephemeral prey who, in their final breaths, begged Stefan, one of the ancient leaders, as if he were a god.

Alec, Afton, and Charmion had been assigned to the mission. Alec relishing in being in charge, envisioned the success of the attack as an opportunity to be recognized by the masters, a distinction that piqued his curiosity in the realms of strategy and leadership. Now, however, the momentum dissipated, and his disappointment grew, as if anticipation and days of meticulous planning had faded in minutes. Alec's gratification seemed fleeting, and the only memorable aspect of the enterprise appeared to be the planning of the assault.

"I am," muttered Alec, disdainfully watching Afton sink his fangs into another unfortunate villager's throat. "Find me when you're done with this; I'll be on the beach."

"Is everything alright, Alec?" Charmion looked at him cautiously.

Alec, sensing that his tone might have been misunderstood, considered apologizing. It wasn't Charmion's fault that the mission didn't meet his expectations. He tried to offer a reassuring smile and be honest.

"I thought it would be... more rewarding to conclude the mission," he mumbled. Charmion raised an eyebrow playfully. "Not every mission is Prussia, Alec," she concluded.

Prussia, Alec remembered nostalgically, had been a memorable conflict. It was the first time they had deployed their battle skills, days that Alec cherished in his memory as a unique experience.

"Let the boy relax, darling," Afton intervened, joining the conversation, wrapping his arms around Charmion. "We'll have more time for ourselves," he whispered intimately.

Charmion looked at Alec again with bewilderment, nodded, and then hugged Afton enthusiastically. Alec quickly retreated before his presence could uncover any private conversation between the couple.

Kavala, a bustling city with a flourishing market in northwest Greece, spread before Alec. With a fishing and commercial population, its streets witnessed the coming and going of ships. Alec, grateful for the darkness of the night, explored the city after spending hours contemplating his options. He didn't want to return to interrupt the intimacy of Charmion and Afton, and the mere thought of hearing their personal affairs displeased him.

He wondered if Charmion and Afton felt fulfilled with each other after more than three hundred years together. He remembered how both had been introduced to the guard by Aro when he and Jane were reborn. Charmion, always attentive to his and his sister's well-being, was a constant presence in the guard, and both shared the stigma of being avoided by their peers. Jane found satisfaction in instilling fear, but for Alec, after almost two centuries, loneliness dominated his demeanour.

As he ventured into the city, Alec reflected on the surprising tranquillity that enveloped the settlement. For a town linked to maritime cruises, the night revealed an unusual calm. Human nature, Alec thought, wasn't precisely known for that virtue.

Suddenly, a captivating scent captured his senses. He decided to use his free time to refine his tracking ability and followed the essence calling him from the outskirts of the settlement, venturing into the forest. After covering several kilometres, the forest narrowed, revealing a clearing where stone cottages stood. The scene evoked memories of his old village, with houses surrounded by stakes connected by ropes, leading to different paths winding near the houses. Intrigued, he wondered about the significance of these details as he continued his search.

The scent in question came from a seemingly teenage girl, around fourteen or fifteen years old, lying on the grass of the large yard near the stable. Captivated by the fragrance, Alec advanced toward her, having travelled almost two kilometres from the city. The scent was so intense that, had he not fed previously, he would have attacked her on the spot. The venom stored in his mouth was pooling, as if his mouth were watering.

The girl, humming a Greek melody, lay with her legs moving entertainingly, plucking grass over her head. Alec, before considering the idea of attacking her, opted to listen inside the houses, following the masters' instructions: look for solitary victims who don't attract attention. The huts were inhabited, but he only found three beating hearts in the first one and two in the second. The scent of the girl concentrated mostly in the first one, surely where she lived.

Although his initial intention was to kill her, the proximity to the girl led him to lose himself in contemplation. He observed her slightly bronzed skin, her wrinkled linen dress, and noticed her attractiveness, even to a human. Alec, unaware, found himself admiring her curves, and with effort, averted his gaze. He wondered why the girl wasn't sheltered in one of the houses, considering her age was sufficient for marriage and motherhood.

Was there something unusual about her? Wasn't she the type of maiden the villagers sought? Alec spent time watching her as she sang and eventually fell asleep on the grass. He momentarily forgot his duty to meet with his companions.

After a while, Alec pondered what to do with her. He assumed ending her life wouldn't be a problem, as she was alone and defenceless. He approached a few more meters, wanting to describe the scent before carrying out the inevitable action. However, in an unexpected turn, the girl suddenly sat up, her heart beating fast. Although darkness surrounded the place, Alec could clearly see her face. While her eyes were open, her expression conveyed fear. Her wandering gaze suggested she was frightened, and Alec, despite his proximity, wondered if she had sensed him. Why couldn't she see him despite being so close?

The girl started moving, heading towards the largest stone house with hesitant steps and laboured breath. Alec stealthily followed her, observing how she suddenly seemed to perceive his presence. She increased her pace, brushing the ropes with the palms of her hands as she approached the entrance. In an instant, the girl turned towards him, adjusting her position on the ropes, facing him head-on. Although only a few meters away, Alec swore she knew he was there. Watching her face directly, he noticed strange scars around her eyes, like burns from a dark past.

"Bampás!" the girl exclaimed with a piercing scream, clearly terrified. From inside the stone house, movements resonated, and a man's hurried voice murmured.

Fearful of being discovered, Alec hurriedly left the place. Running, he couldn't help but feel a strange pity for the girl. It was evident that her disability was blindness, a condition he imagined must be distressing not being able to see and being exposed to any surrounding threat. As he headed towards his companions, he couldn't stop reflecting on how the girl, despite her visual limitation, seemed to detect his presence.

Upon reaching the city limits, he picked up the trail of Afton and Charmion.

"Good hunt, Alec," Afton congratulated him. "A true delight."

"Thank you," Alec lied. Charmion's curiosity settled on him, as if she could unravel his thoughts with just a glance. Avoiding her gaze, Alec suggested returning. "We should go back. The masters will be anxious to know what happened to us."

The trio quickly left Kavala, rushing on the journey back to Volterra, which took a day on foot and by swimming. Despite their unpleasant behaviour during the hunt, Charmion and Afton preferred privacy in their travels. In their intimate moments, Alec continued to reflect on the blind girl.

He admitted that, after more than a century, it was the first time a human caught his attention. He fantasized about meeting her again, building in his mind conversations where he pretended to be human. However, a part of his mind was disgusted with himself for having scared her in that way. He shouldn't have threatened her like that, and he couldn't help but consider the fear the defenceless human must have felt.

Suddenly, he realized such an obvious mistake that stopped him dead in his tracks during his run back to the city. The slowness with which he noticed his error frustrated him, blaming the girl for confusing him. He realized he had overlooked the most obvious and stupid aspect of the situation. The mere thought of facing Aro and his scrutinizing eyes filled him with anxiety. It was a rookie mistake that he knew Aro would detect.

The master, when requesting the mission report, would touch his palm and expose his thoughts to him. The flawless strategic plan, the attack on the Romanian lackeys, his sudden interest and encounter with the girl, everything would be laid bare. He considered the possibility of going back and eliminating her, preventing her death at the hands of another guard member. However, something within him resisted the idea of killing her. Feeling her presence without seeing him was so intriguing that it made her an uncommon human.

He considered the option of bringing her before the masters for them to study her. Wild ideas spun in his head, but as he reached the city limits, the concern for reaching Volterra clouded his thoughts. Upon arriving at the castle, he debated internally before venturing inside. His sister, Jane, greeted him with dark and hungry eyes. He assumed that due to the lack of supervision, she hadn't had time to feed. He greeted her affectionately, but the shadow of his thoughts oscillated in his mind.

"You took too long," Jane condemned him. "The master wants to see you right away, brother." Alec felt his sister's strange gaze, understanding that she sensed something disturbing in his aura. He felt guilty for not sharing with Jane what had happened in Kavala. Despite their close relationship, he knew she wouldn't comprehend his strange interest in the blind girl. He imagined she would see her as an ordinary human, not understanding the potential he saw in her. Moreover, he suspected Jane would criticize him for not eliminating her, as his sister was more pragmatic in such matters.

Upon entering, Master Aro observed him with self-satisfaction and a broad smile. Alec knew that Aro saw in him a victory against their enemies.

"Ah!" exclaimed Aro, rising from one of the thrones. "Alec! My boy!"

The masters Caius and Marcus studied him attentively. Marcus, watching him with piercing eyes, while Caius seemed bored by his presence. Alec supposed that Caius didn't enjoy visits, except for those of his wife and Felix, who brought him the decapitated heads of his enemies, as he knew how much Caius enjoyed those dark images of death. Alec feared that his success in the mission against the Romanians might be overshadowed by his small slip with the blind girl, but he remembered that the mission's strategy had been marvellous, and Charmion had even congratulated him. He tried to push the concern out of his mind, proud of his first mission, which wouldn't be tarnished by an unusual-smelling human with unique sensory perceptions.

"We were worried, my dear," Aro confided. Then, subtly, he extended his hand toward Alec. "Charmion and Afton?"

"They should be entering the castle now, Master," Alec murmured, looking doubtfully at the man's hand. "I've... given them some time alone."

"Oh, la privacy dell'amore" Aro sang.

Aro, now looking at him curiously, moved his fingers eccentrically in front of the boy, urging him to take his hand. Alec did so cautiously and stared directly into the man's eyes, trying to show that he wasn't afraid. However, Aro, apparently absorbed in visions in his mind, suddenly released Alec's hand and emitted a small cry of ecstasy.

"Incredible!" he exclaimed, clasping his hands together. "Oh, oh, my dear Alec!" he murmured without letting go of the link. "What splendid news!"

Alec looked at him, satisfied with himself. In front of him, Aro didn't change his composure upon seeing the image of the blind girl that lingered in the young man's mind.

"Oh, my boy," he murmured. "Good job. That's what it has been."

Aro released the boy's hand and turned to Marcus, who seemed to be experiencing similar sensations. Marcus nodded with his gaze, while Caius watched the situation with a bit more attention.

Aro returned his attention to Alec and smiled pleased.

"Congratulations, my dear," he said. "Now, go, my children." He dismissed them kindly.

As Alec left the throne room, he was surprised not to receive a reprimand about the blind girl. He knew that Aro had witnessed what had happened, so he supposed that the man hadn't given much importance to a simple human. After seeing Charmion and Afton heading to their quarters, Alec thought again about the girl. He wondered why such a brief encounter had disturbed him so much. As he continued to reflect on her, Jane asked him to accompany her on a hunt. After debating for a few seconds, Alec accepted, thinking that hunting might distract him from his thoughts.

Inside the throne room, his masters had different opinions.

"A human?" Caius questioned with disgust on his face. "Are you sure, brother?"

Aro, full of curiosity, seemed unconcerned about the girl's mortality. "Do you think it's safe for her to still be alive?" Caius urged him, looking at him with annoyance. Caius's bloodlust always kept him irritated. He thought about sending a guard in search of the girl since, despite not having seen him, she had felt him, and that flaw could reach the ears of another immortal.

"Alec has started to form bonds with that unknown girl," Marcus whispered, his voice monotone. "It wouldn't be the most prudent to go after his potential mate."

Caius, surprised by Marcus's interest, felt that he should study the situation more precisely. Aro, on the other hand, remembered his first encounter with Sulspicia. In a few weeks, his then mortal mate had decided his fate for all eternity.

"Something tells me we'll have a new addition to our guard," Aro murmured calmly.

Chapter Text

Zamalek, Egypt. – 1002 AD

A new and strong gust of wind hit them as they walked along the banks of the Nile River. The three creatures noticed it; they had specifically chosen a stormy day to approach the centre. The tempest would fall upon the city, keeping all citizens indoors. It was one of the most populous cities on the continent, and they didn't want to attract attention. Despite everything, they were entering one of the busiest neighbourhoods in Cairo, and the people who were still out without shelter looked at them, puzzled by their appearances.

Abasi insisted once again on talking to Jane. He had managed to get only a few monosyllabic responses from her since they had started traveling north with his assistance. The young woman glared at her brother every time he distanced himself a bit, giving them space. It insulted her that her brother found it amusing that the Egyptian vampire tried to court her.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are like a perfect night of stars?" Abasi continued, clearly oblivious to Jane's annoyance. His English, marked by the accent, was starting to irritate her.

"No, thanks," she murmured. Her voice was apathetic.

Alec, a few meters ahead, made a sound he tried to disguise as a snort but was a chuckle. Jane was upset with her current situation, but it went beyond the insufferable man who had welcomed them to the continent. Her irritation went back to when they left Volterra.

Aro had been clear about the purpose of the visit. It should be a short trip; both she and her brother would present themselves to the Egyptian clan, verify if the rumour about their new addition was true, ensure everything was in order, and return to Volterra. But Alec had other ideas. He had deviated from the planned route and asked her to wait for him a few days in the port of Athens. When he returned, he had changed clothes and seemed to be in an unrecognizably cheerful mood. He had asked her for patience throughout the journey, but, just like all the other times, he had disappeared and returned a few days later to Volterra or alluded to his sudden change of mood. He had been behaving out of character for exactly a year.

After a few minutes, the river was behind them, and they had started to climb uphill towards a mansion emerging on top of a hill, surrounded by other small mud houses.

"We have arrived," Abasi murmured, gesturing towards Jane. "Amun will be delighted to meet you."

Jane snorted and stormed into the mansion. Alec, behind her, observed everything with curiosity. The entrance was decorated with a water pond and a spacious green courtyard, with high ivory-coloured walls that adorned everything in sight. Jane took the opportunity to remove the veils that had enveloped her since they had set foot on the continent, avoiding attracting attention among humans. Alec followed suit.

In front of them, the entrance door opened, and a refined-looking man observed them from the first steps. He wore blue linen robes with gold embellishments.

"Welcome," he murmured with perfect English. "Abasi, you may withdraw."

Abasi, behind them, nodded and decided to step forward to give Jane one last lustful look. She raised an eyebrow and, without holding back, made him fall to the ground, gasping. The man writhed in pain for a minute until he finally lay still, catching his breath.

Jane turned her attention back to the man in front of them, who looked at her with visible terror. Alec took the lead in the conversation. He briefly praised the structure of the house and then let himself be led inside. The man who had welcomed them was now more relaxed, thinking that the young man next to him was more disciplined than his sister. Jane smiled to herself, knowing that if anything provoked her brother, the Egyptian would not stand a chance.

"She is Kebi, my wife," the man murmured.

A woman as dark-skinned as him appeared in the room. She wore a long dress, and her face was covered with a tunic in shades of violet that hid her face. The siblings could only see her reddish eyes. Behind her, a red-haired man, short in stature and with a curious expression on his face, approached them. His reddish eyes had a shinier tint than his companions.

"He is Demetri," the Egyptian explained. "He is a new member of our clan."

Jane analysed the situation seriously. He must be the tracker about whom Aro had received information. While Amun led them to a section with armchairs where he had invited them to sit, Alec briefly looked at his sister. They had devised a plan if the rumours turned out to be true. Aro had strictly instructed them to contact Charmion if they found him.

In the spacious set of armchairs, Amun talked about Aro, Marcus, and Caius with diplomacy. Alec and Jane nodded at the comments about their masters. Both knew perfectly well that, millennia ago, they had destroyed the Egyptian clan, and Amun and his companion were the only survivors of that.

Suddenly, the guests felt Abasi knocking on one of the side doors of the room. Following him, the siblings perceived a group of humans waiting. Amun ordered something in Arabic, and a group of half a dozen humans entered the room, many of them repeating prayers among themselves. Jane assumed it was some kind of prayer.

"A gift," Amun explained. "It must have been an extensive journey here."

Alec and Jane looked at each other. Alec had no problem feeding, but Jane looked disapprovingly at Amun.

"Do you know what will happen to them?" the young woman asked. "Do you know they will serve as appetizers?"

Amun nodded, trying to hide a smile. Demetri, smiling, confided in her, "It's our way of feeding. They believe Amun is a kind of god."

Jane nodded. Alec could feel his sister's prejudices growing. Clearly, the fact that humans knew about the existence of creatures of the night, even as they were about to die, did not sit well with her. Alec was not comfortable either, but for him, it had a closer connection to the rules their masters had instilled in them. Attack without being seen and without leaving witnesses.

Alec diplomatically nodded and approached one of the women, killing her instantly and then feeding on her. Jane imitated him reluctantly as she watched the other humans perish at the hands of their hosts. After the appetizer, Jane insisted that they had to leave. The siblings were polite and left in the midst of the stormy night.

They travelled in silence until they left the limits of the city of Cairo. They would head to the port of Alexandria, where they would swim to Athens. There, a lesser guard, Philippe, awaited them to report to the masters about what had happened in Egypt.

"Aro will be pleased," Jane muttered under her veils as she removed them to jump into the water. They had reached the port, and there were no fishermen arriving at the early hour of the morning; no one would see them depart.

"That's right," her brother whispered, seemingly distracted, looking at the ships.

Jane snorted again, but Alec ignored her. He knew his sister desperately wanted him to tell her about his journey through Greece, but she had to wait.

They arrived on the other continent the next day. It was a cloudy day on the Greek coast, so while they waited for Philippe to appear, Alec told his sister that he would visit the vendors at the port. Jane nodded, trying to appear indifferent, but she followed him with her gaze.

She saw her brother searching through trinkets from the jewellery shops at the port. Then she heard him inquire in Greek about the material. Jane, intrigued, assumed it was a gift for some of the masters' wives. When they had just been turned, both Alec and she used to get gifts for the ladies. Jane saw Sulspicia as a great teacher; they had both learned to speak Greek thanks to her, while Athenadora had taught them Latin. But after a hundred and seventy years, it was unusual for her brother to give gifts. Also, after thinking, she supposed it might be for her, but they didn't usually give each other jewellery. Jane watched Alec put the bracelet in a pocket of his tunic, and knowing it was there, she approached her sister.

"For whom is that?" she asked, without beating around the bush.

"For no one," he cut her off.

Jane raised an eyebrow, annoyed. She hesitated for a few seconds about what was happening to her brother. She knew there was someone making him act this way and wondered why he was being so cautious.

"I don't understand this secrecy," she muttered as they walked back to the port.

Suddenly, they intercepted Philippe's trail and exchanged a look. Alec smiled as Philippe reached them. Jane knew he liked the idea that he wouldn't have to interrogate him again. The girl looked at him with ill humour and set out to inform the guard of the plan, ignoring him. They had to inform Master Aro about what they had discovered; Charmion would leave the castle, and both Alec, Philippe, and Jane would take her to Amun and his new protégé. The guard nodded. Jane looked at her brother, who had stayed on the side without commenting.

"I'll stay here," he suddenly announced. "I promise to be back when you return to the port."

Jane took a deep breath, seeking patience while Philippe tried not to look at her so she wouldn't unleash her fury on him.

"I don't like this," the young woman muttered. "What do I have to tell the masters when..."

"The masters are aware," Alec assured her.

"But I'm not," Jane was offended. "Why?"

Alec hesitated to speak and observed as Philippe nodded silently and distanced himself from them, wandering around the port. Philippe didn't want to be in the middle of the twins if a fight broke out between them.

Alec seriously considered what to say.

"I don't know how you'll take it," he explained; his face was calm, but he still didn't look at her.

"I know you're seeing someone, Alec," his sister assured him. "I'm not stupid."

He smiled. He knew he had to tell her at some point, but he didn't know exactly how she would react. He was sure Jane would never do anything to hurt him, but he didn't know how she would take the situation. He supposed that if he insisted, the masters would end up telling her, and it would be better if she found out for herself.

"She's still human."

Jane let out a groan, a mix of surprise and anger. Her brother looked at her, exasperated, as if he had said something so low that she couldn't quite believe it.

"Human?" she asked, incredulous. "Alec, the masters..."

"Aro was the one who noticed," he quickly explained. Something inside him was grateful that her concern was a matter of rules and not a matter of status. "Her name is Cassandra," he told her.

"Oh God!" she exclaimed. "I don't want to know!" she growled under her breath. "Alec, the masters can't be happy about this; it's a mistake..."

"Jane, listen to me," he murmured. "The masters had a first perception of my feelings towards her," Jane looked at him scandalized. "A year ago."

"Incredible," Jane nodded, looking disapprovingly at the coast. Philippe, who was nearby, didn't look good either. Alec was annoyed by his interference.

"Why haven't you transformed her yet?" she inquired. "What are you waiting for?"

"I want to know her first." he explained. "I didn't know about her for a year; I visited her a few days before going to Egypt."

Jane nodded again, and Alec was dying to know what she was thinking.

"You disapprove it," he stated.

"Widely," his sister made a disgusted face. "A human, Alec," she spat out the word 'human' with disdain. "Why?"

Alec shrugged, disarmed by his sister's attitude. Then he remembered Cassandra's laughter when she told him about Jane's collection of skin dyes. He had told her few things about his life in Volterra, but he had talked a lot about her sister. After all, she was the only person who had known him forever. Cassandra had burst into laughter when he told her how attached Jane was to skin dyes. Something in the young woman's laughter inspired him.

"It's... interesting," he assured her. "You'll like her."

Jane looked at him directly now.

"I doubt it."

After her verdict, Jane left without saying goodbye. Philippe followed her silently after bidding farewell with a nod. Alec racked his brains, wondering if he had acted correctly by trusting his sister. He was sure Jane would be mad at him for the end of times. Jane disapproved of humans with such violence that he knew she would detest Cassandra until she was transformed. Speedily, he set out to make his way to Kavala.

The journey took him two hours. Before seeing her, he took the precaution of feeding again. He followed some villagers for a few minutes and satiated himself. Then, as he walked towards the open field where he had met her, he made sure to pick flowers along the way. Aro had suggested the idea of giving her a gift before seeing her again. The master had appeared in his quarters the day before the departure to explain the steps to follow with the girl from Kavala.

"You must convert her, my boy," he declared. "We can't wait any longer."

Alec nodded.

"How was it?" Aro looked at him, curious. "The courtship towards Sulspicia."

Alec nodded and listened as Aro told him the ancient story of a human Sulspicia who had recently been orphaned due to a war. Aro had found her begging for food as he wandered through her village. The master had been waiting for Marcus and his late sister for a long time. Both had gone to feed on the neighbouring village and had not returned yet. Aro sensed a sob during his walk and, curious about it, found Sulspicia, hungry. Aro had been wanting to find a companion for a long time, and something about the unusual way Sulspicia had ignored his reddish eyes, whitish skin, and all the strange differences between them caught his attention. After that, the master maintained a friendly relationship with the human, visiting her regularly. He had provided her with a small amount of gold so that she could live decently, and shortly after, Sulspicia confessed her feelings to him. Aro felt immensely satisfied to know that her feelings were reciprocal, and after a few weeks, he turned her.

"You make it sound very easy, master," Alec observed.

Alec doubted the girl's feelings since the last thing he had perceived from her had been terror.

"It will be easy, my boy."

By the time Alec arrived, it was noon. Cassandra wore her long chestnut hair in a tribal braid and was playing on the grass with her brother. Despite her blindness, the girl moved with agility, familiar with the surroundings. Her brother couldn't be more than ten years old, and something about him reminded Alec of a blurry memory from when he was human, competing with Jane and other children of his age, racing.

He stayed a while longer watching them play; Cassandra seemed to adore her younger brother. From inside the house, a woman in her forties emerged. Cassandra's mother seemed to be a copy of herself in the future, except for her lighter hair color and more muscular appearance. The woman called them, and the siblings went inside, pushing each other to the house's entrance, where they had a family lunch.

Alec decided to wait until nightfall to approach her again. Despite no one living in the area except Cassandra's parents and brother, it wouldn't be prudent to be out in the sun with his condition. During his stay, he resolved to quickly explore the second hut and investigate its quarters. Although the family was quite well-off thanks to her father's work, the siblings slept together in one room. He took the liberty of taking one of the handkerchiefs the girl had used days ago when they had first met. The boy smelled it intensely, and the scent hit him again. Gently, he placed the handkerchief in a pocket. When he transformed her, he would use her garment as a symbol.

He settled carefully on the girl's bed and felt the straw beneath him compress. The room assaulted his senses because everything emitted her scent. He wondered if she would also sense his aroma when she lay down in her bed that night. He wondered if the fact that he was there, without her invitation or permission, would bother her. Internally, he hoped it wouldn't, and he buried his nose in her pillow once again.

As had happened days ago, he could hear her working. He heard her from the other stone house, along with her mother, exerting effort on the weavings they were crafting. Her mother spoke to her in Greek, explaining the number of knots she should make in the weave to prevent the stitches from coming loose in her new blanket. He could also hear her frustration at not achieving it. A part of him wanted to tell her not to worry about the knots since she wouldn't need the blanket next winter. In fact, she wouldn't need a blanket to shield herself from the cold ever again. He hesitated on how to explain his impending situation to the girl.

He remembered her reaction from days ago. She knew who he was; she not only heard him but also recognized his scent. She perceived it so easily that Alec doubted whether she was some kind of vampire with the ability to appear human. After reassuring her and ensuring her that he wouldn't harm her, he invited her for a walk.

"How do you do it?" he had asked, his voice sounding more thrilled than he desired. "How do you know I'm here? None of you noticed it before."

"None of you?" the girl asked in a low voice, her face showing pure curiosity.

In one way or another, she already knew. She knew that he wasn't like her, that he was different.

They had walked all night through the forest, asking each other questions. Her father was a carpenter and supplied wealthy families in the city, while her mother taught them everything at home. Her mother wanted her to find a husband soon since she had surpassed the average marriage age. For this reason, she accompanied her father to the city. She hated going to the city; there, the villagers mocked her blindness. Her father also hated her going to the city with him. Cassandra assumed it reminded him of the accident.

"Accident?" Alec had asked.

"Some of dad's former associates," she muttered. "They did this." She brought her hands to her eyes. "It was a mixture of oils that they used to improve the ships they worked on." She recalled the attack with a pained expression. "Dad owed them money. They tied me up and blinded me for it."

They had walked in silence for several minutes until she assured him that the gods would punish them. He asked about her attackers, if she remembered who they were and where they lived. She mentioned their names vaguely and changed the subject. That same night, as they bid farewell, Alec devised how to attack them.

Now, as he waited for nightfall, he wondered if she would question him, or even know, about the fire that had killed her attackers. Part of him wanted to tell her, but another part didn't want to see the frightened expression on her face again. It had taken all his charm to make her understand that he wouldn't harm her and that she could believe in his word. Although the young girl trusted him fervently, he couldn't afford to see her face totally distorted by terror again.

Alec prepared to see her. Cassandra and Stavros, her brother, were heading to her room. There, the girl opened her window. He could see her brushing her hair calmly, while her little brother could be heard sleeping. Alec called her, and she leaned her face out of the window. Her face had a smile, but her gaze searched for something she clearly couldn't see.

After a few minutes, the young girl was leaving her house. She had taken the time to change her clothes. Alec also noticed that she had combed her long hair into an elaborate knot. He was pleased that she had taken the trouble to look good for him.

"You came back," she said cheerfully.

"I promised I would," he accused her. "Didn't you believe me?"

She blushed and reached for his hand. Alec hesitated to take it. Although they had talked a lot the last time, they had never touched. He wondered what her reaction would be to the temperature difference.

"Oh," she sighed as she took his hand between hers, giving warmth.

"Don't bother, it's not necessary," he assured her, but she didn't let go of his hand.

They walked together for a while; she asked about his family, clearly alluding to Jane and the members of the guard he had briefly explained were distant relatives. He simply told her that his real family was his sister and that he wished for both of them to meet. Cassandra nodded with pleasure. Alec could imagine Jane looking at her with disdain for her premature cheerfulness.

"I have something for you," he murmured as they walked back to the stone houses. "I would like you to have it on the next time we see each other."

Alec fastened the bracelet on her wrist. Cassandra smiled, gently touching the stones hanging from her hand. Her heart seemed to be racing so fast that Alec thought it would break.

"I've never had jewellery before," she murmured, lowering her face.

"You'll have many more," he promised. "You just have to wait for me a few days... and then, we can be together."

Cassandra had started hyperventilating so loudly that Alec watched her with concern.

"Together?" she asked.

Alec hesitated for a few seconds.

"As a couple, united," he dragged the words.

The young man had reconsidered how to say it for days since the master's visit. He had even planned to bring up the subject much earlier but couldn't. Something in him feared that the girl would reject him.

"Oh," Cassandra sighed.

"What do you think about that?" anxiety was eating away at the boy. "Tell me, please."

Cassandra looked flushed and nervous when she took his hand more firmly and moved even closer to him. Gently, she took his other hand and held them between hers with a smile on her face.

"Well... I would like it, yes," she said. Then her face hardened. "It's a bit soon, don't you think? We just know eachother. "

Alec nodded. He really couldn't listen carefully to much more of what the girl had said after the "yes," but he perceived her change.

"Something bothers you," Cassandra made a face and and he acted like he didn't notice.

"I'm thinking about how I'll tell my parents about... us," she murmured. "It won't seem appropriate to them that I talk about someone they've never heard or known before. They're not... they're not like me," she confided. "They'll ask, many questions. They'll want to meet your family, your sister, and..."

"No," Alec interrupted her sternly. "You mustn't tell anyone."

Cassandra let out a whimper, a mixture of fear and disappointment.

"Why don't you want anyone to know? I thought that..."

Alec let go of her hands and struggled with how to confess the reason for his reluctance. He decided that this wasn't the right time.

"I meant you're right," he reassured her. "It's not appropriate... they'll think, well, we haven't behaved properly." He tried to explain. "We'll be together, but... no one can know yet," he indicated. "The next time we meet, I'll introduce myself to them. I'll come with my family; I'll lie to them, of course, skip the details of how we met, and tell them how I saw you in the city and want to take you as my wife."

Cassandra looked confused, not really believing what he said.

"It seems very... elaborate," she commented, then put her hand on the boy's forearm, gesturing to assure him of something. "They'll believe it, obviously. My parents are desperate for me to get married," she confided.

The girl ran a hand through her hair, silently twirling it as they walked towards the beginning of the mansion's path.

"Does that mean I'll meet your family?"

"That's right," he said. "They already know about you."

Cassandra smiled widely, and Alec stroked her face with his fingertips; that contact had been the closest he had been to her throat.

Cassandra took his hand until they reached the door of her house.

"I really would like you to meet my parents now," she insisted. "Or at least, tell them about you."

Alec sighed.

He wondered how his situation would have been if he had been human. The boy took for granted that they would never have met due to the temporal and geographical differences that separated them, but for a few minutes, he let himself be carried away and imagined a celebration. His sister, the blurry face of his mother, and Cassandra's parents at a table with food that everyone could taste. But he had to be realistic. Cassandra's family would never know him.

"Next time," he lied.

"When will you come back?" she reproached him.

His face darkened, and Alec let out a silly laugh.

"I'll be back in a few days," he promised.

Cassandra wasn't entirely happy, but she nodded silently. Before entering her house, she asked him to wait there. The boy heard the girl moving cautiously, surely to prevent her parents from waking up. When she came out again, the girl had a bunch of dried lavender in her hand.

"It's not much," she admitted. "But I would like you to take it with you until we meet again."

He nodded and took the girl's hands. He hesitated for a few seconds, but he brought them to his lips and kissed them gently. Then Cassandra felt that her hands were suspended in the air, and a breeze of movement.

Alec made his way back to Athens totally ecstatic. Occasionally, he grazed the handkerchief in his pocket to encourage himself, and his head wandered in all the angles he had of the girl, replaying them over and over in his mind.

Back in Athens, he strolled again through the jewellery vendors and bought hairpins that matched the bracelet he had given the girl. He also bought a beautiful gold pendant. He imagined Cassandra wearing it around her neck and smiled to himself. Alec spent the day hidden in an abandoned tower of the city, inhaling the girl's handkerchief like an addict.

Jane, Charmion, and Phillippé were there the next day. All three seemed to have recently fed. Charmion appeared amused when she saw him waiting by the dock, watching as humans began their nightlife.

"Have you had a good night, Alec?" she asked, smiling mischievously. Alec shot his sister a glare. There was no need for her to open her mouth. Jane, on her part, ignored him.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh," the girl nudged him in the ribs. "I think you do, boy."

Alec growled at her, and she laughed heartily. She stretched and attempted to mess up his hair as she used to do when she wanted to annoy him. Charmion laughed at how suddenly grumpy he had become.

"Enough," he declared. "We have work to do."

Charmion let out a dramatic groan and dove into the water. Phillippé, following her, nodded at Alec and imitated her. Alec tried to hold his sister back to reprimand her lack of discretion, but she had her eyes fixed on the bunch of lavender hanging from the pockets of her jacket, proudly swaying like a banner.

"Idiot," he muttered and hurried to dive into the water.

The swim was quick. They reached the other continent hungry, especially Alec, who hadn't hunted before leaving. Jane, in a better mood, explained to Charmion and Phillippé the path they needed to take to reach Egypt. The group covered their faces, especially the women, and began their journey. Alec could feel Charmion shooting accusing glances at him along the way, and he decided to ignore her. He didn't want to deal with Jane's bad mood again.

On the way, the boy remembered the first time he had seen Charmion with her analysing gaze as she arrived behind Aro and Caius, holding hands with his sister. Charmion had been the one to teach him to be gentler and less terrifying in the eyes of humans when he started venturing outside the castle a few years after his first year as a newborn. Charmion, Afton, and Félix accompanied the twins to have normal interactions with the villagers of Volterra. Charmion knew that Alec was easier to teach than his sister, who seemed to fear and hate any human that came near her.

Upon reaching Egypt, Phillippé began to pick up a new trail. After a few kilometres, Alec and Jane felt it too. The siblings knew who it was. Charmion seemed expectant about what was happening. Suddenly, a few kilometres from reaching the city of Cairo, a man crossed their path.

"It's him," Jane commented.

Charmion observed him suspiciously. Alec knew what she was doing, looking for some way to break their ties. Phillippé, somewhat concerned, joined them when he felt two more men approaching. Abassi and Amun appeared behind Demetri. Amun didn't look well.

"We don't want trouble," Amun commented.

Demetri, now studying the new arrivals with interest, was called by Amun, but he approached the invaders.

"Demetri," he introduced himself, extending his hand to Charmion. The woman simply smiled at him.

Amun approached them. The face of consternation looked nothing like the calm and peaceful way he had received them nights ago.

"We haven't broken any rules," he began. "The humans..."

"This is not about the humans," Jane declared.

Charmion, delicately, addressed Demetri.

"Our masters have been captivated by you, Demetri," she said. "They have asked me" - the woman looked at the clan leader, smiling - "to get to know you."

Demetri smiled. His posture had changed completely. Before, he looked worried and ready to defend himself, but now he seemed thoroughly entertained.

"Would you like to travel with us and meet the masters in person?" the vampire asked.

Demetri hesitated. He looked at Amun over his shoulder. The man seemed to be holding back the urge to run and kick Charmion's head off, but, unexpectedly, he restrained himself. The same couldn't be said for his lackey, Abassi, who had his teeth out.

"Demetri!" Abassi growled.

Demetri tried to approach him, hands in the air, in a peaceful gesture. Demetri and Amun talked for a long time. Both conversed calmly, although it could be seen that Amun had given up the battle. Alec wondered if he already knew who had spoken about Demetri to Aro. The guard was usually discovered by nomadic vampires passing through Volterra. Aro used this mechanism to find people.

After an hour, Demetri was walking towards them again. The tracker was preparing to join them when Abassi, in a stupid attempt to get his lord's attention, ran after him. Alec, ready for the situation, concentrated, and in a few seconds, a mist moved around the Egyptian vampire. Abassi lay motionless on the ground.

"Jane," Alec murmured. "Do you want the honours?"

His sister, remembering the annoyance she had been a few days ago, smiled maliciously as she rushed towards Abassi and removed his head. Amun, with a hardened face, watched as his meddling lackey perished. Charmion, Phillippé, and Demetri stood watching the siblings act. Jane, quickly, obtained something from her clothes, and flames leaped from Abassi's remains. Demetri seemed startled watching the situation, and Charmion, to avoid any dissatisfaction, explained that the Volturi did not accept such behaviour.

Amun watched them leave with Demetri, more than pleased to go with them.

Chapter Text

Kavala, Greece. - 1002 AD

Clarity and the intense smell of burning completely stunned her. Her breaths, now without the need for the constant mechanism of inspiration and inhalation, were fast and labored. You could see her confused expression as she watched specks floating in the air, marveling at what she saw. She tried to move, but the speed with which her legs touched the ground disturbed her so much that she lay back down with uneven breathing.

When she moved again, slowly, she startled at the sight of her hands in front of her eyes. She spent several minutes looking at her hands, then her arms and feet, amazed to see herself again. In her mind, images of her body moved scattered and blurry, as if she were trying to see her own memories underwater. The girl tried to remember the last time she had seen her own body, but couldn't grasp the amount of time that had passed since then.

The young woman moved, standing up. She could see that she was in a stable, but the animals were not in it. She remembered the stable where she used to play with the pigs and horses her family owned and saw it very similar to the space where she was. Except that this one was smaller or, in her memories, she was smaller. She observed how the hatches and doors of the animals were open, and she could smell the scent of waste.

As she moved towards one of the sections where the horses used to rest, she inhaled again, and as she did, a scent caught her attention. When she turned towards the source of the mix of wood and citrus, she saw someone there, in the same stable as her. Her vision, now perfect and intensified, saw a boy at one end of the stable, looking at her with enthusiasm on his face and with reddish eyes that gave her the impression he had been studying her since the moment she woke up. The young girl tensed, nervous, and the boy in front of her raised his hands, trying not to seem like a threat. The boy's fine clothes were not characteristic of her village, but something in his scent seemed familiar. The boy approached her, almost touching her hand.

"Shh," he whispered, and the fact that his voice seemed familiar made her even more tense. "Calm down," he asked in almost perfect Greek.

Suddenly, the stable door swung wide open, letting the full light from outside attack her directly. In front of the enthusiastic boy, the poor young girl covered her eyes vehemently while exclaiming for her gods. The girl, getting used to the light, quickly ran to the opposite end of the stable, hitting the wooden walls and making a hole. From there, she watched as a group of people looked at her totally curious. They all wore fine clothes, like the boy who was already there, except the last one who wore a thin set of clear material. The boy who had taken her hand spoke angrily to a blonde-haired girl leading the group, and she gave him a few disgusted looks. She couldn't understand the language they were speaking, but they seemed to be arguing. Behind the blonde-haired girl, a woman dressed in a luxurious burgundy coat approached her with a confident yet slow step. Her sandy hair fell unkempt over her shoulders like a halo.

"Hello, Cassandra," she greeted in perfect Greek. Her voice was velvety and warm. But her eyes were as red as the previous boy's. "My name is Charmion. How are you?"

The young Cassandra was amazed to hear her own name. The man behind Charmion peeked his head, looking at her with a curious smile. Meanwhile, the boy and the girl arguing beside her fell silent.

"I can see," a voice emanated from inside the girl. Cassandra covered her mouth, surprised by the new tone in her voice.

All eyes were fixed on her. The boy with an enthusiastic face approached her cautiously, while behind him, the blonde-haired girl stuck to his back.

"Cassandra?" he asked in Greek, reaching out one of his hands to her. "Do you recognize who I am?"

Cassandra studied his face. His eyes, of alarming red, begged her to trust him. She looked at the others, sensing how expectant they were. The boy, somewhat desperate, took one of the girl's hands, but she pulled away.

"She's hysterical, brother," said the blonde-haired girl, looking at her with annoyance.

"Jane," murmured Charmion. "You, more than anyone, should help her," he scolded. "After all, she's your creation."

Young Cassandra looked at the boy trying to take her hand again. She tried to calm down, but the intensity with which he looked at her was making her nervous.

"I don't know who you are," she murmured. She was getting overwhelmed again. She looked behind the crowd, searching for someone who seemed familiar. "Where is my father? And my mother?"

Cassandra tried to move away from him and quickly approached the exit, but the curious-looking man rushed into the space she was going to use as an escape.

Behind her, the boy forcefully sat her on the floor. Cassandra decided she should calm down if she didn't want things to get out of control. Both Charmion and the blonde-haired girl studied her, ready to pounce on her if she moved improperly.

"Listen to me, Cassandra," he prayed to her. "I know you're confused; I assure you. But you and I, we know each other," he said. "I know you feel it."

Cassandra breathed in short gasps, the scent of burning was all she perceived, but also different smells like the perfume that enveloped him. She knew exactly that she had smelled that scent before, but the memory of the person she associated it with seemed vague and weak in her mind.

"I don't remember exactly," her new voice emitted.

In front of her, the boy sat down and took her hand slowly. Her hand brushed his face. Cassandra looked suspiciously at the boy, but once her hand rested on his cheek, she tried to follow the path of his face, the corners of his lips, and his chin. Cassandra closed her eyes in the process, concentrating on the path she was making to recognize someone's face when she couldn't see. Suddenly, confirmation struck her.

"Alec?" she asked with her eyes still closed.

"Cassandra," he replied.

Cassandra opened her eyes suddenly. The young man in front of her, Alec, looked at her affectionately. Her head was spinning. Everything was so confusing; everything had happened so quickly that she didn't understand if all this was really happening or if it was just the fact that she was dead.

"I'm so confused," she confessed.

Alec squeezed her hand gently.

"Tell me the last thing you remember."

Cassandra put her hands to her head, closing her eyes with fear, while noises and smells spread in her mind hazily. All the memories she heard seemed distant, and she wasn't really sure if she perceived them correctly.

Everything had happened very quickly: her mother's alarming exclamation, the fear in her voice as she begged her and Stravos to hide. Cassandra remembered hitting herself as she descended the stairs of the house, and her mother put a kitchen knife in her hand while asking her to protect her brother. The sounds of galloping horses arriving at the property. The sounds of the neighbours fighting and her mother's screams of terror. Stravos's faint crying behind her. The sepulchral silence and the stable door creaking and opening. Stravos's scratches as he was pulled away from her. Her own screams. Stravos's distant scream. The fact of defending herself. Her hands wet in a viscous liquid, in blood. The intense pain that engulfed her when the man stabbed something sharp into her stomach as he finished dying.

Suddenly, Cassandra opened her eyes, totally alarmed. Her hands flew to her stomach. The dress she was wearing had a long and scandalous red stain, blood.

"Oh, gods!" she exclaimed, pulling up the dress to find extremely pale skin without any wounds.

Slowly, she lowered her clothes and looked at Alec confused.

"How...?"

"Do you remember hearing me come in?" the boy asked.

Cassandra closed her eyes again. She remembered the pain that left her agonizing for a few minutes until cold hands hugged her. Alec's argument with another female voice talking and arguing in a language she didn't understand. Alec's hiss. The resignation in the girl's voice note. And suddenly, a bite on the wrist.

Cassandra opened her eyes, excited, looking at the blonde-haired girl for a few seconds until she lowered her gaze.

"What happened? I should be..."

"Dead," Alec stated. "But you're not," he turned. "My sister, Jane, do you remember I told you about her?" Cassandra tried to remember. "She changed you."

Cassandra looked again at the blonde-haired girl, Jane, who seemed totally uncomfortable now.

"Change me? Change me into what?"

"It should have been me, but your blood... Well, I couldn't do it," he continued explaining, somewhat embarrassed. "You haven't changed completely; you're just like me now."

Cassandra let out a frustrated huff, her eyes reflecting a mixture of disbelief and despair. Everything around her seemed to crumble, as if the ground had suddenly become unstable. Alec's voice echoed in her ears, but the words couldn't penetrate the whirlwind of confusing thoughts clouding her mind.

"Where is my family?"

The group exchanged an uncomfortable exchange of glances with each other and Cassandra, who felt overwhelmed by a sensation she couldn't describe in words. As if a collective unease had invaded them, the tension in the air was palpable. Unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere any longer, Cassandra rose abruptly and left the stable.

As she exited, the noon sun greeted her with its blazing brilliance, as if it wanted to unravel every corner of her being. The daylight seemed to intensify in an exaggerated way, enveloping her body in a dazzling glow. In an instant, every pore of her skin began to twinkle, as if tiny jewels were embedded in her epidermis, emitting flashes that oscillated between the magical and the terrifying.

Intrigued and bewildered, Cassandra observed her own hands with amazement, marvelling at the radiance emanating from them. Her fingers touched her face, feeling the extraordinary luminosity from her own skin. In her gaze, reflected the perplexity of someone discovering an indecipherable mystery.

In search of answers, she turned her eyes to Alec, who also appeared surrounded by a prismatic glow, a palette of bright hues that transformed his figure into something ethereal and surreal. Alec's explanation came like an echo in the midst of the surprise.

"It's the sun; it makes us shine," he revealed. However, the revelation did not reassure Cassandra but increased her confusion. Reality twisted before her eyes, and the apparent normality of sunlight manifested itself in a supernatural luminescence.

Jane, who was behind Alec, also shone with a similar radiance, but her words carried a warning that chilled Cassandra's heart.

"This is why humans shouldn't see us," Jane declared, unveiling a secret that plunged Cassandra into an abyss of uncertainty.

The young woman moved at an almost supernatural speed, guided by an instinct that impelled her toward her home. An intoxicating aroma filled the air, but instead of being welcoming, it generated in her a strange and annoying burning sensation in the throat. Upon reaching the steps of her house, she stopped abruptly upon discovering a pool of reddish liquid at her feet. Unable to resist curiosity, she lay down on the ground to examine it closely.

It was then that hands landed on her shoulders, and an inhuman growl emerged from within her. As if an unknown force had possessed her, she violently freed herself from Alec's grip and rushed into the house. There, she found the corpse of a man dressed in war attire. Without hesitation, she knelt in front of him and tore his throat with astonishing speed, voraciously absorbing the remains of cold and coagulated blood.

The young woman, with eyes gone mad, watched the scene with a mix of horror and fascination. Alec, leaning against the kitchen wall, looked at her with a strange expression on his face. He tried to reassure her with words that sounded like a macabre justification.

"It's okay. It's normal to have so much... thirst," Alec assured her. However, despair took hold of Cassandra as she realized the atrocity she had just committed. The soldier now lay even more desolate, his throat torn apart by Cassandra's voracity.

Amidst groans and a mouth stained with blood, the young woman couldn't contain her lament.

"What have I done?" she asked, desperately trying to understand the abyss of darkness she was in. Alec, with a tone oscillating between explanation and morbidity, tried to console her.

“It's all very confusing, but that's how we feed.” He explained with a sinister laugh, disdainfully kicking the deceased's leg. “Well, at least when they're alive.”

Cassandra, horrified by the magnitude of her actions, exclaimed that she had committed murder. Alec approached slowly, trying to comfort her, but his serious expression and furrowed eyebrows revealed an implacable reality.

“Humans like him don't deserve your sympathy, Cassandra” he affirmed, trying to justify the unleashed violence.

The young woman looked at him with exasperation, not fully understanding what was happening. Alec, with patience and a touch of solemnity, reminded her of the danger she had been exposed to.

“Do you remember who he was? What he was about to do to you before you plunged the knife into him?” he asked. Cassandra's denial indicated memory loss, but Alec pointed to a part of the corpse accusingly. “This scum tried to take you, and down there, in the abdomen," he explained, revealing the brutality of the assault attempt. “That's where you stabbed him. It's incredible that you managed to kill him; something tells me you'll be a very good attacker.”

Distorted reality unfolded before Cassandra, a macabre narrative that left her questioning not only her own nature but the dark fate unfolding before her.

Cassandra remembered fighting with the soldier who was trying to touch her anywhere and take her to one of the beds. With a sense of imminent danger, Cassandra remembered the cold touch of metal when she repeatedly plunged the blade into him and how he plunged his javelin into her. Searching the surroundings, the young woman set her eyes on a small blade emitting an intense aroma. She squatted down and took it in her hands, then smelled it. Cassandra recognized her own scent and was once again stunned by the situation. She stayed there, sitting, and pensive until she began to hear others talking outside. The girl tried to close her eyes, but the smells, all of them, added up, and unexpectedly, she found a scent like hers coming from outside. Cassandra looked at Alec with concern.

“Where is my family?” she asked again.

Alec, unable to avoid it, lowered his gaze. It was at that moment that Cassandra rushed out of the house, breaking a piece of the door frame. She chased the scent she felt she knew until, near the pond, the familiar aroma was all she could sense. Behind her, both Alec and the others followed her.

Cassandra found a hopeless sight: a group of people, two adults, and a child, lay lifeless in what had been her home's yard. They had been murdered. Her father, Cristel, had stab wounds all over his body. Despite being on the ground, Alec would later tell her that they had found him tied to the Madroño tree. In front of him lay Delia, her mother, who was tied, naked. She was terribly beaten and covered in blood. Lastly, Stravos, her little brother, was beside the inert couple. The young girl closed her eyes vehemently. Her brother was far from being a child's corpse; he had been pierced by spears and had holes all over his small body.

The young woman remained silent; her gaze fixed on the heartbreaking scene unfolding before her eyes. Pain seized her being, and a scream of anguish escaped her lips, resonating in the tragedy that surrounded her. The loss of her family enveloped her like a dark cloak, and in that moment, she fervently wished to join them in the embrace of death.

She lay next to the lifeless bodies of her loved ones, feeling the cold penetrate her soul and desperation embrace every corner of her being. Wanting to cry but unable to do so, she raised her prayers to the gods in a heartbreaking lament, pleading for mercy in a desperate attempt to find comfort in the midst of the tragedy.

The young creature, overwhelmed by the weight of her pain, lay motionless for what seemed like an eternity, emitting small moans that echoed like a pitiful echo in the darkness that enveloped her. Those who had awakened her approached cautiously, concerned about the palpable suffering in her figure. Cassandra opened her eyes, finding the compassionate gazes that observed her intently.

Most of them, including the young blonde they called Jane, reflected deep empathy on their faces. Alec, bending down beside her, extended his hand in a gesture of solidarity. Meanwhile, the adult woman watched every movement of the afflicted young woman with an attention that suggested a deeper knowledge of what was happening.

“Why can't I cry?” Cassandra complained, her distress resonating in the air charged with despair. Despite being in one of the darkest moments of her life, the creature couldn't shed a single tear, and the absence of that emotional expression began to disturb her.

“It's part of this new life, dear.” the woman explained in a calm voice, as if sharing ancient and painful knowledge. "We don't cry, even if we want to.” The explanation only deepened the mystery surrounding the situation, plunging Cassandra into an even deeper confusion.

Alec, sensing Cassandra's palpable anguish, took her hand and squeezed it gently in an attempt to offer comfort. However, a part of the young woman seemed to resist that gesture of closeness, pulling away slightly. The vampire internally lamented the difficulty of connecting with her amid the bewildering reality that surrounded them and allowed the girl to straighten up on her own.

“What is all this? What happened?” Cassandra asked between sobs, expressing the confusion and bewilderment that engulfed her. Her words hung in the air, awaiting answers that seemed to elude her. The truth appeared to be an elusive enigma, and as she sought to understand her new reality, Cassandra found herself entangled in a web of emotions and unanswered questions. Uncertainty loomed over her, like a shadow threatening to devour any glimmer of clarity in her tumultuous world.

Jane approached her. Her expression was devoid of any emotion, and she began to speak to her solemnly.

“Your home was raided, your family was murdered, and we found you in time to turn you into one of us.” Jane explained.” I bit your wrist; my venom entered your bloodstream; you died, and now you are one of us.” She looked at her with annoyance and continued. “I am your creator, and as such, I must teach you the rules of our world.” Jane approached her, and, due to the grimace she wore, Cassandra felt like she was about to be struck. She closed her eyes in panic. “You are no longer human; you will not grow, age, or need water and sustenance again.” Jane murmured. Cassandra opened her eyes to find the vampire face to face. “You will be stronger than any human, and they will be your new food. You will drink their blood, but you will do it discreetly; you will hunt in the shadows. They must not know that we exist. Nor can you be seen in the daylight because, as you may have noticed…” - she approached her and took her arm with fierceness to show her that she continued shining. – “they will notice.”

Jane observed her with suspicion, her gaze revealing a mix of distrust and evaluation.

“My brother found something in you that I can't describe; I hope he hasn't made a mistake” Jane expressed with a cautious tone “But now, it's your decision.”

The words resonated in the air, loaded with an unspeakable weight. Jane let the decision rest on Cassandra's shoulders, like a responsibility only she could assume.

“If you decide to join us, you will come to Volterra, meet the masters, and, with luck, be accepted into the guard, officially becoming one of us.”

Confusion reflected in Cassandra's eyes, who ventured timidly to ask:

“Of you? Who are you? “ her voice revealing a mix of intrigue and nervousness as her eyes moved from one face to another in search of answers.

Alec seized the moment to ease the tension, brushing Cassandra's hand with his arm and murmuring with a revealing tone.

“You will be part of the Volturi guard.” His words slid like a whisper full of mystery. “Like all of us”

The revelation accentuated the enigma surrounding that group, immersing Cassandra in a hidden reality she had barely begun to uncover.

Destiny unfolded before Cassandra like an unknown abyss, and the decision to join the Volturi presented itself as a pact with the supernatural. The uncertainty in her gaze reflected the internal weighing between the desire for belonging and the shadow of the unknown that enveloped her. The young woman found herself at a crossroads, where the choice she made would mark the course of her existence in a world where the fantastic and the incomprehensible converged intriguingly.

She looked at Alec with confusion still reflected in her eyes, but nodded slightly in response to his kind gesture. Alec's smile momentarily illuminated the sadness surrounding Cassandra as he took her hand, establishing a connection that went beyond words.

Demetri, the only one of them who hadn't spoken until now, suggested the idea of burying or bidding farewell to Cassandra's family's bodies. In response to this proposal, the young girl responded with a gentle smile, deciding to follow her community's tradition and opt for cremation. The group joined forces to help clean and dress the bodies with dignity before placing them on an improvised pyre. Cassandra personalized the funeral altar with everyday objects that belonged to her father, mother, and brother, giving the ceremony a touch of intimacy and filial love.

When Charmión lit the pyre, Cassandra remained there, motionless, feeling that her life unfolded in a new and unknown chapter. The dance of the flames seemed to reflect the internal transformation she was experiencing, marking the end of one stage and the beginning of another, filled with uncertainty and potential.

At the end of the ceremony, Jane pointed out that it was time to leave. In a blink, she disappeared into the forest with superhuman speed, followed by Charmión and Demetri. Alec and Cassandra stayed a little longer, looking at the pyre with determination, sharing the weight of loss and the impending change.

Before leaving, Cassandra took a small wooden horse that belonged to Stravros and tucked it into her garments. This simple object became a tangible symbol of her past, a connection to childhood and the sweetest memories that now lay behind. With sadness, she cast a last glance at the pyre, not only bidding farewell to her family but also to the life she once knew. The forest absorbed her figure as she ventured into the mysterious path that unfolded before her, accompanied by Alec, toward an uncertain destination full of secrets to discover.

Chapter Text

After five years, Cassandra had come to deeply understand and value the advantages that immortality brought. She had learned to appreciate the constant health that this new condition offered her, the absence of worries about illnesses or extreme weather conditions that previously affected her. The feeling of security in knowing that she was stronger than men, capable of facing dangers that previously terrified her, was a strength that she now carried inside of her.

However, among the many advantages, what transformed her life the most was the cure of her blindness. That condition that had tied her to her dependence and vulnerability in her human life completely vanished. She regained her sight in a way that surpassed any previous expectations. Every colour, every shape, every detail of the world came to life before her immortal eyes, giving her exceptionally sharp and detailed vision.

Upon her rebirth as an immortal, all her senses were amplified exponentially, a common phenomenon among her species. However, what made her stand out even more among her people was the acuity of her auditory and olfactory abilities, inherited from her previous dependence on those senses in her human life. This particularity made her exceptional in the eyes of her Masters, who instructed her in the fine task of tracking , making her an expert in finding even the most subtle clues.

And, although her new life was full of advantages, there were also aspects that she deeply resented. The inability to sleep after gruelling days of training or intense situations in the Masters' Hall of Justice frustrated her. She longed to be able to enjoy again the flavours and aromas of human food, which now seemed tasteless to her. She used, less strongly than in the past, to feel overwhelmed by the humans she was forced to kill for food, a moral conflict that tormented her despite Demetri's advice to go after unpleasant humans and harsh words from Jane about leaving her morality behind.

Furthermore, the weight of her nostalgia and pain for her human family accompanied her constantly. Her longing for her father, mother, and brother was a wound that never fully healed, reminding her of the duality of her immortal existence, full of benefits but also losses and dilemmas that made her constantly struggle.

“It's because you're still very young.” Jane had told her. “You must leave all that behind.”

But the pain of losing her family had taken root so deeply in Cassandra's heart that, two years after her transformation, she experienced intense agony that led her to take refuge in a lonely cave in the Chianti Hills, a few steps away, kilometres from Volterra. During her loneliness, her anguish took hold of her, generating not only a physical discomfort in her chest, but also an emotional tear that made her silently lament for what she could no longer have.

This episode did not go unnoticed. Her loved Alec, concerned for her well-being and perhaps misinterpreting her pain, came to meet rescue her. However, her small confinement was not well received by the Masters, who questioned her absence from fulfilling her duties as part of the guard. This situation revealed the complexities of her new life, where the balance between loyalty to the Masters and the internal struggle to maintain her lost humanity became constant challenges.

Her dialogue with the Masters after this incident was revealing. Aro, with his ability to read thoughts just by touching hands, sensed the depth of Cassandra's pain and suggested a way to handle it: take one day a year to grieve her loss and acclimatize to her current situation. This small concession, although symbolic, gave her a sense of compassion and understanding on the part of the Masters, generating in Cassandra an even greater respect for them.

This respect was not only based on the unreserved acceptance of her that they gave her from the first moment, but also on the efforts that the Masters and Ladies made to facilitate her adaptation and education. The art of reading, writing, and mastering several languages ​​became an integral part of her new immortal life. Learning from philosophers and debating moral problems became an activity that she deeply valued and that helped her fill an inner void. The guidance of the Ladies was always full of patience and understanding, something that, in some ways, reminded her of her mother.

Through the lessons of Mistress Athenodora, she overcame his father's restrictions on education, immersing himself in a world of words and knowledge previously unknown to him. The Anglo-Saxon language, taught by Mistress Sulspicia, initially seemed crude and unattractive compared to Latin and Greek, but she soon understood its importance when she realized that it was the language that Alec and Jane used to communicate privately and without no one listened to them.

These learnings not only expanded her intellect, but also connected her more deeply to her new identity as an immortal and member of the guard.

“You are learning fast, young Cassandra!” Sulspicia celebrated.

“Thank you, Mistress.”- she told her.

“Is there any particular reason why you are so interested in this new language?” Sulspicia looked at her with amusement in her eyes “Does it have to do with the fact that it is our young Alec's mother tongue?”

Cassandra nodded, somewhat embarrassed at having been discovered. Mistress Athenedora, from across the room, approached them quickly, pleased by a bit of gossip.

“How is that connection going, dear Cassandra? Tell us a little more.” Athenedora urged with a glint of curiosity in her eyes.

Cassandra, still combing Sulspicia's hair, felt uncomfortable at her sudden attention.

“Tell me, Cassandra, have you become intimate?” Athenedora's direct question made the young vampire gasp in shame.

“Oh, it seems we have touched on a sensitive topic.” Sulspicia commented in a soft tone, noticing Cassandra's discomfort with the question.

Cassandra felt watched and heard everywhere, aware of the pressure of the moment and what he would be listening to.

“Well... “ Cassandra hesitated, trying to find the right words to address the delicate topic.

The young woman debated internally, remembering every moment of intimacy with Alec in the corridors of the Castle, in empty rooms, in the forest during their joint hunts. She felt her body boil every time she remembered his passionate encounters, but she also knew there were boundaries she didn't want to cross just yet.

She explained, between sighs and avoiding details that might not be appropriate for the conversation, how she and Alec had maintained an intimate relationship in physical terms, but that there were certain limits that she had imposed on herself because she remembered, somewhat blurred, the words of her mother and her prayer prevented her from having relationships before marriage, as well as her fear of not living up to Alec's expectations, given her relative inexperience compared to him.

“I'm not sure how to handle this situation... “ Cassandra concluded, feeling shame and confusion mix in her voice.

“Oh, Cassandra, dear…” Sulspicia looked at her with compassion.

“Come with me, I will leave you a list of books that could help you better understand this aspect of your life.” Athenedora offered her support and guidance, showing a motherly understanding of her towards Cassandra's doubts and fears.

In her free time, Cassandra used to visit the library with great avidity, eager to gain more knowledge. However, this time, the books ordered by Signora Athenedora turned out to be so intense and descriptive that she decided to take a break from that reading, in addition to the fact that she was afraid of being interrupted by someone and discovering her study material.

But in addition to literary tensions, Cassandra was also faced with an abrupt change in her relationship with Alec. After listening to the conversation with the Mistresses, Alec seemed to have decided to distance himself from her intimate encounters. Although his attentions and sweet words toward her continued, his lack of physical connection left her with a feeling of emptiness and misery that she could not ignore. Was he upset with her?

On the other hand, Alec felt deeply remorseful for having acted selfishly and for causing so much embarrassment to his beloved Cassandra. He tried to contain his impulses and keep some distance, but that decision seemed impossible to him.

That is why, upon seeing her climb the stairs of the catacombs that led to the library, Alec heard Cassandra's steps and decided to face his fear. He wondered if she regretted sharing those intimate moments with him, or if, simply, noticing his distance from her, she preferred not to commit those acts never again.

When Cassandra finally reached the bottom of the stairs, Alec watched her carefully, noting how she wore her hair in a braid reminiscent of her village. He mentally prepared himself to apologize for his inappropriate behaviour in the face of the young woman's innocence, but his thoughts became intertwined in a tangle of emotions as she approached with curiosity and a slight but genuine smile that invited him to kiss her warmly with vehemence.

In his two hundred years as an immortal, Alec had never shown any interest in physical contact. Despite having been converted at the peak of adolescence and the human explosion of hormones, Alec had not felt any type of sexual awakening until he crossed paths with that human, with voluptuous curves, long, wavy hair and an unusual perception of its surroundings.

“My Cassandra.“ Alec greeted her, taking her hand delicately.

“Beloved.” she murmured in response, noticing the tension in his expression. “I have noticed that you seem worried.” Cassandra commented, her soft voice revealing genuine concern for him.

The tension between Alec and Cassandra was palpable in the air. Alec was deeply distraught at having felt that he had failed Cassandra in some way, but he also missed her touch and moments alone with her, a feeling that tormented him more than he was willing to admit.

Cassandra, for her part, felt bewildered by Alec's attitude and her own feelings toward him. The concern in her eyes was evident as she tried to understand what had happened to make Alec feel so guilty.

“I failed you” Alec began, a tone of regret in his voice.

“How? Why do you think that?” Cassandra asked incredulously, her gaze searching Alec's eyes for answers.

Alec watched her defensive posture, noting how she pulled the shawl around her and cowered slightly, as if she wanted to hide. No! , He wanted to beg her, don't hide your body from me, please!

“Tell me what I could do to correct my mistake, my dear Cassandra.” Alec pleaded, desperately searching for a solution to calm the emotional storm that had broken out between them.

Cassandra hesitated for a moment, her hand twitching on the stair trim as she tried to find the right words to express what she was feeling.

“It was nothing.” she responded, trying to minimize the situation. “It's something very stupid, I shouldn't care.”

Alec, however, did not give up and tried to approach the topic from another perspective, trying to make her feel more comfortable so that she would share her thoughts.

“So, I have disturbed you then?” he asked, with a serious look that was intended to be convincing but ended up triggering a nervous laugh from Cassandra.

The tension was momentarily relieved when Alec laughed, revealing the game he had tried to break the ice. Cassandra came up the stairs and Alec gently stopped her, pulling her towards him tenderly.

“Tell me, please.“ Alec pleaded. “I don't want anything to separate our paths.”

Cassandra rested her head on Alec's chest as he leaned against the wall, seeking comfort in her closeness. Cassandra told him about her fears.

“I don't think you've dirtied me.” Cassandra assured him in a soft voice, seeking to calm Alec's fears. “I highly doubt that what we have done so far is close to anything like dirtiness. I also feel... happy to be by your side like that.”

Alec, however, was tormented by his own thoughts and feelings of guilt.

“I have failed you deeply, my dear.” Alec lamented, his eyes full of regret. “I have dirtied your fine soul for a little pre-marital love. I put your honour at risk!” He reproached himself, feeling a great responsibility for having crossed certain limits.

The conversation took an unexpected turn when Alec proposed a radical solution to right his mistake: marriage.

“We will get married.” Alec announced. “I will ask the Masters to formalize our union, we could have a celebration. Something small. Maybe…” he smiled to himself. “Maybe I should ask Jane for your hand first, since she is your creator.” Then he took the young woman's hands. “What do you think? Would you accept me?”

Cassandra let out a funny snort as she imagined her creator, Jane, making a gesture of displeasure at such an act, as if they were joking with her, but she knew that, deep down, she felt responsible for Cassandra and that would be a great act of respect. To her.

On the other hand, her proposal took her by surprise; she could not deny that she was excited by the idea of ​​formalizing her bond with Alec in a way that transcended the passions of the moment. Although she knew they should wait for the Masters' final decision, the possibility of joining Alec in a deeper and more committed way gave her a sense of security and happiness that she had not experienced since she was a vampire.

“Yes!” She exclaimed, hugging the boy with all the strength of his love.

Alec received the hug with a smile that lit up his eyes. He lifted her into the air with ease, spinning her in the air before gently letting her fall. As he did so, he cornered her against the wooden wall, her eyes shining brightly. Wasting no time, he kissed her passionately, their lips moving urgently. He bit her lip first, moving down to her chin, and finally, he left a trail of kisses on her neck, causing a slight sigh of pleasure.

“Forever.” he reminded her, his voice deep and full of promises.

That same night, they headed together to Jane's private bedroom. The air was thick with anticipation, and Cassandra could feel her dead heart beating again in her chest. Alec knocked decisively on the door, and after a few moments, Jane allowed them to enter.

“My permission?” Jane asked with a raised eyebrow, her expression mixing curiosity and amusement. “Shall we estimate a dowry? I want her weight in gold, is that, or nothing.” She joked, a mischievous smile appearing on her lips.

Alec gave a low laugh and accepted, nodding his head.

“I'll buy you new silk dresses.” he responded with a knowing smile.

Jane simply accepted with a graceful wave of her hand. Before they could request an audience in front of the Masters, her sister requested time alone with Cassandra.

“How do you feel?” She asked in Anglo-Saxon as Alec left the room and returned her attention to her canvas.

“How am I feeling?” Cassandra muttered in the same language. She debated what to say. - Well then. A little restless, perhaps.

Jane made a noise, nodding.

“I never asked you if you were a Christian.” she said.

“My parents believed in the old Greek gods.” Cassandra responded.

“I'm not interested in what your parents believed; I'm interested in what you believe. Do you think there is a heaven and a hell? Do you think we are condemned to burn for our sins?”

Cassandra hesitated for a few minutes in her response. She did not believe in the God of the Christian Bible; she had not been raised with that belief in her childhood. Her mother owned a small, simple shrine to the goddesses Demeter and Ierene to whom she lit candles or left portions of food, and she also remembered very dimly how her father had carved wooden stars in Asteria's honour in the crib of her brother. She knew and had heard about Christians every time she accompanied his father to the town where she could hear their sermons and the prayers, they made to a God who saw everything and watched over everything in the heavens, and she had always wondered if this need to be distanced, it gave them a better perspective about the horrible or good deeds that were committed on Earth.

After being blinded, attacked, and losing her family at the hands of men who fought for a religion that did not represent her, she had begun to have a certain apathy toward them, and she wondered if Heaven and Hell were not on Earth and both humans and the creatures that roamed in the darkness were not part of a greater plan, of someone else.

“I don't know.” She whispered. “I don't think there is anything we do that is not equal to or worse than what many humans do to their peers. I believe... that paradise and hell are here, between all of us.”

Jane turned and looked at her for a few seconds before nodding and continuing painting.

“Perfect, that's all. You can withdraw.” She informed her.

Cassandra stood up abruptly and headed for the door, but not before asking the vampire something of great importance:

“If the Masters accept our union, I want you to know that now you will not only be my creator, but also my sister, Jane. I know... I'm not to your liking, but…”

The vampire let out a snort, cutting off the young Cassandra, and turned around from her stool, looking at her carefully.

“I'm not... used to being so open to people I don't know, maybe Alec, in that aspect, is easier to get along with, but I want you to know that I don't hate you.”  said the creature, with a somewhat discomposed appearance. Cassandra could tell that the conversation made her uncomfortable. “I can be somewhat unpleasant, but you must understand that I am not used to stopping being my brother's favourite person. It may be a complex thing, but Alec is one of the people I love most in this world and seeing you with him is... challenging. You must understand that we came into this world together, united as twins and perhaps I feel that your mere presence will distance me from it…”

“Jane, I will never do anything to distance you two.” Cassandra muttered. “I assure you.”

“I know.” the girl looked down. “I have… judged you without reason. When Alec told me about you, about the human who had bewitched him and assured me that I would like you, I flatly denied it, but well, Alec, after all, it seems that he knows me better.”

“Does that mean we're friends?” Cassandra asked her enthusiastically.

Jane pouted.

“I have never had a friend.” She confided her. “I don't think that's possible for me”

Cassandra approached her and sat at her feet, holding her hands and looking at her lovingly and then realizing her actions and fearing the repercussions of her actions. She didn't want to feel again the overwhelming fire that Jane could make you feel with her gift.

“I would love to be your friend, Jane. “ she told her, smiling and waiting for a positive reaction.

For a minute, Jane thought about moving her hands at Cassandra's abrupt and sentimental fact, but she couldn't deny that it felt good to know that, for the first time, someone saw her with something more than just fear.

Jane released her grip and pretended to return her attention to the painting.

“Well, then we should start by changing those bland dresses you wear.” She let her know. “I don't understand how Alec can find your clothes attractive.”

Cassandra laughed, somewhat insulted and relieved at the same time.

“Of course!” Cassandra exclaimed.

“I know places that can help us without problems.” She murmured. “The Mistresses will want to participate too.”

On the other hand, Alec rushed to approach the Masters and ask permission to carry out the union.

Aro exclaimed and clapped his hands in happiness, Marcus nodded solemnly, and Caius, surprisingly, congratulated him. Aro was so ecstatic with the news that he sent for the Mistresses to be aware of the news. When they found out, they began to laugh and congratulate each other. The men in the room looked at each other, feeling part of a plan they were unaware of.

When he told Cassandra about the situation, she felt that the Mistresses had played with the couple's insecurities and doubts in order to be able to do something out of the ordinary in their eternal days.

“I think the Mistresses wanted to celebrate.” Cassandra commented between laughs.

The boy also told him that the Masters had suggested holding the celebration in the Mistresses' personal garden and that they could invite the closest members of the guard and then hunt together on the outskirts of the city.

The celebration took place a month later because Alec had had to go with Felix and Jane on an expedition to France. Jane took this opportunity to bring in new fabrics and, together with Cassandra, design a dress that she would wear on their wedding night.

That day, in the dim light of the room, Cassandra looked at herself in the mirror, barely recognizing the figure staring back at her. Jane, with her particular enthusiasm, had brought the new fabrics they had found on their trip to France, and together they had designed a dress that, despite Jane’s attempts to modernize it, Cassandra insisted should be in Byzantine style, adorned with delicate details, gold embroidery, and deep blue tones.

"It’s perfect," Jane said as she adjusted a brooch on Cassandra’s shoulder. "Although, if you had left everything to me, you would have looked even more stunning."

Cassandra smiled softly, but her mind was far from the room, beyond the walls that surrounded her eternal life. She was thinking of her family. Though they had died years ago, their memory, their human traditions, and their love remained alive in her heart. 

"I would have liked them to be here," Cassandra murmured as she looked at herself in the mirror. "My mother, my father, my brother, I miss them."

Jane, who rarely showed her compassionate side, placed a hand on her shoulder. 

"What you have now is a new family. And though it can’t replace your old one, we are here. And Alec… well, he’d do anything for you." 

Jane’s words brought Cassandra some comfort. She knew Alec understood her more than she could even express. Sometimes, in their moments of shared solitude, she felt that the love they had was their way of defying eternity, holding on to the little humanity that still remained in them.

When the time of the ceremony came, Alec was waiting for her. The private garden, chosen by the Ladies, was decorated in a way that combined pagan traditions with ancient Greek touches. Cassandra walked alongside Jane, who had agreed to accompany her to Alec. There wasn’t a large crowd watching, just the few closest to them like Masters, the Mistresses, Jane, Demetri, Félix, Charmion, Afton and Phillippe.

The moment she saw Alec standing there, waiting for her, everything else disappeared. His gaze, usually calm, reflected something more: a restrained emotion, a love that had grown between them slowly, like a flame that would never extinguish.

Alec, for his part, felt that everything he had known for centuries had reduced to that moment. Seeing Cassandra walking towards him, reminded him of how much he loved her, how much he wanted her by his side—not just as his companion, but as his equal in eternity.

The exchange of rings, a tradition that had endured since the ancient Greeks, was the next step. Alec pulled out a steel ring with a reddish stone in the middle from his clothes. It was made of steel and very simple. Taking Cassandra's hand, he placed it on her ring finger, which the ancients believed was directly connected to the heart. Cassandra imitated him with a silver wedding ring. Alec took Cassandra’s hand with a reverence, and they kissed, not as the final act of a ceremony, but as the silent promise of a shared eternity.

Chapter Text

The cold dawn air in Budapest was unforgiving, sharp enough to tear through human skin. But for us, the chill was nothing more than an accessory of the night. The creature watched the movements of the guard in silence, memorizing every detail with precision. Cassandra and him were new to this kind of mission. Though they had undergone extensive training, this trial promised to be a defining test—one that could shape their future within the guard.

They had been thoroughly briefed on the nature of immortal children: beautiful, deadly, and utterly uncontrollable. In theory, Demetri understood. But part of him resisted the idea that something so small could truly pose a threat.

The permanent members of the guard moved with quiet confidence, their experience clear in every step. Beside Demetri, walked Felix, the one responsible for training the newer guards. His face was tense, hardened by years of combat. The others had told stories about his strength and his prowess—tales that the men had seen confirmed during the training sessions. There was something about him, something in the way his mind operated, that revealed a constant tension. Through Demetri`s gift, he had come to learn that he often recalled his past as a gladiator with deep regret. He wondered if anyone else knew about his human origins. Strangely, he felt a sense of kinship with him—perhaps because, like Demetri himself, he had come from outside and understood what it meant to earn a place in this hierarchy.

As they all waited in silence, Demetri noticed Alec and Cassandra exchanging discreet glances. There was a bond between them, unmistakable and natural, as if forged beyond duty. Alec remained distant with most of the guard. He, his sister Jane, and Charmion wore the darkest cloaks, symbols of a higher rank. Their detachment reflected that status—they rarely mingled with the rest, even within the walls of Volterra. And yet Alec, capable of robbing a person of every sense with a mere thought, was far more approachable than his sister. When in the right mood, he could talk, even joke around. Demetri had hunted beside him once. Still, his demeanor softened noticeably whenever Cassandra was near. His features—usually cold and composed—seemed to relax in her presence, as if a flicker of warmth still lingered somewhere deep within him, a trace of humanity long thought lost.

Jane, on the other hand, was... complicated. Her focus was always on the mission, on pleasing the Masters. Her bond with Alec ran deep—she considered him not just her twin, but an extension of herself. Although young Cassandra had tried to form a connection with her, Jane viewed her presence as a quiet threat to her very sense of identity. There were layers to it. She felt responsible for Cassandra—after all, she was her creator. But she also feared what Cassandra represented: a division of Alec’s attention, a shift in the closeness they had always shared. Despite understanding the nature of their bond, Jane couldn’t help but feel displaced.

Wandering through Jane’s thoughts was like navigating a storm of contradictions. Part of her longed to form bonds with others—to be more open, more human. Demetri could sense it in how she treated Cassandra, in those rare moments of softness. But another part of her lived in fear: fear of loss, fear of disappointment, fear of seeming weak. She believed that feeling—truly feeling—was something forbidden to her now, something reserved only for the Masters and her brother. She saw Cassandra as someone she wanted to befriend, but also as a liability—something that could make her vulnerable in the eyes of others. That’s why, even though they spent time together and Jane spoke to her more than anyone else besides Alec, there was always a subtle barrier she maintained. One she wasn’t yet ready to lower.

Cassandra was, unmistakably, from a different world. Thanks to his gift, Demetri could sense her thoughts—she saw this new life as a chance to begin again. Like himself, she believed it was a perfect opportunity to start from scratch and become someone. Perhaps it was a childish way of thinking, but then again, both Cassandra and Demetri were the youngest in the guard at the time, and a bit of naïveté was something they could still afford.

Cassandra wasn’t just thrilled about her new, eternal life—she was entirely in love with Alec, her companion. After losing her entire family, she saw his presence as a gift from the gods—a form of divine compensation. A bond of friendship had formed between Demetri and her, also. Something in her lively, curious demeanor reminded Demetri of his late and younger sister, Aella. Although her face had long faded from memory, he could still recognize many of Cassandra’s traits in her. Like Aella, Cassandra was sociable and eager to make a good impression on everyone in the guard. She knew their names, their habits, their preferences—always trying to be useful, to belong. It stood in stark contrast to the personalities of her mate and her creator, which, understandably, sparked curiosity among everyone.

Demetri and Cassandra shared more than just temperament. Both of them were Greek, and they often spoke in their native tongue when alone. They were also close in age—Cassandra was eight years younger than Demetri, and the transformations ages were nearly two years apart.

Suddenly, a growl tore Demetri`s toughts. The sound came from the informant Phillip held trapped between his arms. The Masters were approaching, flanked by Jane and Alec. Aro radiated a kind of unnerving mental calm as his gaze swept across us, as if he were reading the resolve—and fears. He gave the signal, and they all began moving toward the ruins, where rumor had it they’d find the immortal child and its creator.

The moment they arrived, Demetri`s senses sharpened. What remained of the village was nothing more than ruins—collapsed homes, scattered debris, and bodies lying lifeless in the mud.

Then, a faint sound reached, like the whisper of a giggle. Demetri turned sharply toward the wreckage, searching for its source.

Despite how well-developed Demetri`s gift was, he often struggled to distinguish whether certain sensations happened in the physical realm or only within the mind. Usually, he could tell by observing the reactions—or lack thereof—of those around him. This time, as he scanned for the sound of that childish laugh, he noticed no one else had heard it. That meant only one thing: the echo was a remnant of thought, the emotion of a memory so vivid that it bled into the present.

What he sensed next made my stomach churn. A vile sort of delight, twisted and dark—someone basking in the act of inflicting pain. If he had still been human, he might have thrown up on the spot.

From the shadows, he felt the presence of the mind responsible for those thoughts. Aro, who had noticed Demetri`s sudden stillness, followed the direction of his gaze—and saw it too. A child stepped out from the ruins. No more than five years old, his crimson eyes glowed like lit embers.

He looked like an angel. But his actions proved otherwise: Dragging a man by the ankle, the child brought him into view. The human was still alive, though barely—his body riddled with bite marks, caught somewhere between death and transformation. The child’s white shirt was soaked with blood, his face blank, stained with crimson. Yet his mind was alight with joy. He wasn’t hungry—he was entertained. He liked the man’s cries and whimpers. According to what Demetri picked up from the child's mind, this was the fifth victim tonight, tortured not out of necessity, but out of sadistic pleasure.

He stopped before us and lifted the man by the ankle, holding him level with his small face. Then, with one fluid motion, he dropped him and lunged, tearing into the man’s throat with savage delight. Demetri froze. The child did not feed out of need—he fed for fun.

Marcus approached slowly and picked up the boy in his arms. Strangely, the child did not resist. He appeared calm.

Demetri looked away in disbelief. Behind him, Cassandra’s expression was stricken with horror. She saw her deceased brother in the boy and couldn’t quite process what stood before her. But that thought was suddenly broken by a flash of alertness in her eyes.

“Someone’s coming” she whispered.

Cassandra didn't possessed a unique gift— but her senses were, on average, more acute than the rest of the creatures gathered there. She moved to Demetri`s left and pointed ahead. From atop the hill, he could feel a rush of thoughts filled with panic and anguish closing in quickly.

“The creator” he said.

The Masters turned in unison. Two guards materialized just as Sasha, the child’s creator, emerged in a fury. She darted straight toward Aro—but Jane struck her with her gift before she could reach him, dropping her to the ground in a heap, gasping for air.

Her thoughts were scattered between protecting the abomination she had created and shielding three other women—flawless, beautiful faces—who hovered constantly in her mind.

"She’s not alone" Demetri explained. "There are three other females in the area."

"NO!" the woman roared, locking eyes with Demetri, crimson irises ablaze with rage. Jane struck again, bringing her to the ground, writhing and gasping in pain.

Aro placed his hand on Sasha’s head, and his eyes widened, absorbing the flow of her memories. In them, he saw the truth: Sasha had created not only the child, but several female vampires who now begged for their lives, swearing they had no knowledge of the immortal child’s existence. A shadow of something close to sorrow crossed Aro’s expression as he pronounced Sasha’s fate. Alec stepped forward, standing beside me, linking with Phillipe, Klaus, and Felix to form a barrier in front of the Masters, while Charmion, Jane, and Cassandra mirrored the formation on the opposite flank.

“They don’t know about Vasilii!” Sasha cried. “I turned him behind their backs. They know nothing about the child!”

“Why did you create him, woman?” Caius asked, his voice steeped in revulsion. “His very existence is forbidden.”

Sasha growled, but Jane's warning glance forced her to straighten.

“Because he’s mine, he’s…”

And at that moment, something inside Demetri cracked. In her mind, her thoughts were chaos—a storm of guilt, panic, desperation—but one feeling rose above the others with blinding clarity. The face of a child: blond, small, smiling, fragile… human. Not the same child Marcus now held in his arms, but similar in essence. The woman carried within her a fierce, aching need to protect that boy. It wasn’t just maternal—it was primal, spiritual. The instinct to guard, to shelter, to love as only a parent could.

And then, like a spark igniting dry wood, a memory long buried surged forward. Another face. Not Vasilii’s, or Sasha's son. A different child— his own child. A boy with wide green eyes, innocent and unassuming, staring up at him through layers of time and haze like sunlight refracting through deep water. His features were blurred, hidden under the weight of a century of detachment and pain, but his eyes… Demetri remembered those eyes.

His son. Or rather, the ghost of him. The memory was fractured, disjointed. Demetri`s mind, warped by the venom and violence of my transformation, had tucked him away, deep in some unreachable vault. Human memories often faded after the change, becoming blurry, uncertain. But his hadn’t just faded—they had been ripped apart, shredded by the brutality of what Demetri had endured.

And yet, here he was, resurfacing like a specter in Sasha’s grief. Demetri`s breath caught—not because he needed air, but because the weight of it all crushed him from within. He hadn’t remembered his name. Not the sound of his laugh. Not the warmth of his small hand in his. All of it, erased by time and torment. He had failed him once by leaving. Now, he was failing him again by forgetting.

Lost in this sudden wave of guilt and confusion, Demetri faltered. He didn’t notice the three women approach. Cassandra was the first to react, hurling herself at one of them while Alec blinded them with his gift. He snapped out of it only when he turned toward the Masters and realized what had happened—he had let his memories compromise him. He hadn’t passed the first test of vigilance. He had failed to remain present.

Tanya, Kate, and Irina—Sasha’s coven—were clearly unaware of the child’s existence. Aro confirmed it after touching their hands. One of them, Irina, begged for Sasha’s life, but Sasha silenced her with a harsh command.

After deliberation, Aro, Marcus, and Caius spared the three women, but decreed that Sasha would perish for her crime.

Within minutes, Cassandra and Phillipe built a pyre from the remnants of the ruined village, and the flames rose quickly. While the rest of the guard held the women in place, Felix and Demetri restrained Sasha. Marcus decapitated her with swift precision. The immortal child, still in Jane’s arms, was thrown into the fire with his creator’s remains.

The three other vampires stood in silence, frozen in horror. Aro instructed Alec to paralyze them with his gift while the rest of us retreated.

Cassandra lingered behind, waiting for her partner. As she passed me, she slowed and looked at his friend carefully.

"Demetri," she said softly, concerned. "Are you alright? You seemed… distant."

"I’m fine," he replied, though his voice betrayed him. "It was just..."

"A lot," she finished for him. "I know. The child… he reminded me of my brother, you know?"

Demetri nodded.

But he didn’t know how to explain to her that the connection between the woman and the child had unlocked something in him, too —a memory he wasn’t even sure he deserved to recover. A son he had once loved, and whose name he no longer remembered.

How could he explain that? As we returned to Italy, Cassandra walked silently beside him. She didn’t say anything, but Demetri could feel her eyes on me, studying him with a quiet intensity. She knew. Out of everyone in the group, she and Demetri were the only ones truly affected by the execution—not just by what we saw, but by what it stirred in them.

It wasn’t the death itself. They had seen worse. Done worse. But the presence of that child… it had pulled something from the depths. Something neither of the two of them had expected.

Behind Demetri and Cassandra, Jane followed with her usual expressionless grace. But she wasn’t oblivious. She could feel it—the emotions clinging like dust in sunlight. And, with her icy voice, she offered only this:

“Immortal children always find a way to enchant those who haven’t yet let the past die.”

Her words landed like frost along Demetri`s spine. Not because she was wrong—but because she was so terribly right.

How could he let the past die when he didn’t even remember it?

The face of that child haunted him—not Vasilii, but the other one. His own blood. His smile still flickered through his thoughts at the most unexpected times, like a lantern in thick fog. And yet, Demetri couldn’t grasp him fully. He was always just out of reach, like trying to recall the details of a dream long after waking.

Was he real? Or was his own guilt inventing pieces of him just to torment himself?

Demetri used to pride himself on clarity. Precision. He was the best tracker the Volturi had for a reason—because he could always find anything and anyone. But now, when he searched within his own mind, all he found were fragments and shadows.

The creature didn’t remember the boy's name. Didn’t the boy's voice. Didn’t remember what his own son look liked, or what made him cry, or how old he was when he left.

All what Demetri remembered… were his eyes. Green. Innocent. Unafraid.

And that was the worst of it. Because if he couldn’t remember anything else, who was him to claim his son had ever existed? What kind of father forgets their child so completely?

Maybe it was better this way. Maybe it was what he deserved. His own purgatory, to being sad for someone you couldn't even remember. But part of Demetri —the part that still clung to whatever humanity had left—refused to let go of that flicker. That last little memory. Because it was all that he had. And losing even that… would mean losing everything .