Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own anything in this story apart from the St-Claire clan, all my inspiration is thanks to the genius of Stephanie Meyer. P.S please review even if you do not like so I can improve thanks! X
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Prologue - Elen; A History
Life has a strange way of creeping up on you when you least expect it. My mom used to have this saying, " If life hands you lemons, then make lemonade." Well that is great mom but you never told me what to do if life, hands me over to death.
Do not get me wrong I am not afraid of death, never was, and I know that may sound conceited coming from someone who cannot die but, it's true. Birth, for the child, is simple, painless. Death can also be; it is the part in the middle that can become complicated.
You see I had a simple, happy childhood. I was born on the 23rd August 1662 to a loving mother, Carys Llewellyn, who was even more loving as I never knew my father and as a result she loved me enough for both of them. She told me that my father knew she was pregnant but he was forbidden to see her by his father who was a pastor and was disgusted at his son having a child out of wedlock. My father then went missing a year later and after a search was conducted and there seemed to be no trace of him he was presumed dead. I was only one year old at the time and therefore do not remember it well but my mother was everything to me throughout my childhood.
When I was 16 a terrible accident bought me into the knowledge of vampires truly existing, and it was then that I had the epiphany that led me to believe that this was what had become of my father. I searched for any trace of one of their kind for years and nothing, until two found me.
Even now I do not know how it happened, but I "died" on the 23rd May 1680 and after that I never saw my mother again. Three years later we went back and next to the memorial headstone that had been laid for my father there was one for me, and next to that was my mothers; I later found out she had died from malnutrition she had stopped eating after I had - gone. She had lost everything and I have never stopped blaming myself. The complicated thing about all this is that if it was not for Lucien, I would not be writing this now, I would have been in that graveyard in 1680, for it had been he who startled the vampire who bit me, soon enough that I survived ; but not soon enough to stop the venom.
Now Lucien is like a father to me and is the head of our coven. Until recently there was five of us; Lucien, the eldest. Arnaud who was sired by Lucien in 1678 due to Lucien being Arnaud's doctor when he fell victim to a late outbreak of the Black death. Then there was me, Elen Juliana Llewellyn St-Claire, I still have no idea as to the identity of the monster who sired me as the coward came at me from behind. Then there is Devon who was also sired by Lucien, in 1812 after I discovered him badly beaten and dying in an alley in Paris; to this day he still has no recollection what happened to him before Lucien saved him. Finally, the newest addition to the family is Marcus who was sired a mere ten years ago by Arnaud, after he was attacked by a bear in the forests near where we were residing at the time; I believe he still feels a little out of place sometimes around us old-fashioned types, but if he does he never mentions it.
So that was the family, however, as I said, that was until recently. You see our coven, the Parisian coven, better known to most as the St-Claire clan, are vegetarian vampires; meaning we only drink the blood of animals. It is natural for us all to have terrible difficulty with this at the beginning, but with a lot of practice the lifestyle becomes easier to adopt - for most.
From what Lucien has explained to me, Arnaud had trouble taking on the vegetarian lifestyle from the moment he was sired. Back in the late 18th century he left the coven for many years, by all accounts this took place not long before I was turned, unable to control his lust for blood he went to pursue other ways of existing. However, in 1814 we were in Paris in Lucien and Arnaud's mortal birthplace, there was me, Lucien and our then newborn Devon; and Arnaud had tracked us down. He spun Lucien a tale of deepest regret and begged for forgiveness; and Lucien being the forgiving soul that he is welcomed him back with open arms. If you were to ask my opinion I would say this is one of Lucien's flaws, and to me he does not have many, but this one he does; he trusts too easily.
For years everything was fine, yet I still never trusted Arnaud. There was just something about him, every time he looked at me it was like he was waiting for something, biding his time. For what I still do not know, but that is how it felt. It may have been my often overwhelming paranoia rearing its ugly head, although somehow, this time, I do not think so. After Arnaud sired Marcus I began to trust him more he had shown strength in what he had done to save him and I am glad he did, Marcus is my confidante I cannot bear to think what I would do without him now; we were as close as any family could get.
Six months ago we were living in Alaska; when it happened. Her name was Marie Robbins and she was driving Arnaud crazy. Her scent was like a drug to him; his own personal brand of heroin. He could not take it, he lost control. He could not stop. She could not stop him. The rest of the family; did not know. A few weeks later we caught him, the taste of human blood had been too much and he had relinquished his diet, he was with a young girl she could have been no older than twelve.
She was drained of blood, of life.
The argument which ensued revealed that Arnaud had murdered six people in that week alone. It was two weeks since Marie Robbins had been reported dead.
I had never seen Lucien so angry ; he banished Arnaud and told him that if he were to ever come near the family again we would have to destroy him; to protect others. What happened next I still do not understand and according to what he tells me neither does Lucien, but somehow I think he is just saying that to protect me.
I remember it all clearly. The anger in me built till I could not control it; I had only just started to trust him and then he betrayed me. "How could you? We trusted you. We helped you. Did it all mean nothing to you? How could you just betray us?"
I was met by silence. Not a shocked silence, I am renowned for my temper; one of my more negative features, but a chilling, haunting silence. Even the birds had ceased their melodious choruses.
" Betrayed you did I little one? You want to talk about betrayal, why you should converse with our dear Lucien. He has not told you the truth once since you were born; or should I say reborn. You ought to be careful Lucien you never know who may come looking for a talent, a treasure like her," and then he was gone and we have not seen nor heard of him since.
I never talk much with the others about what was said that night. They become angry at the mention of Arnaud, Marcus in particular as it is his belief that Arnaud would have completed the job which the bear had started that night, rather than turned him, if Lucien had not been there to make him stop. Between you and me; I agree.
Yet the things that were implied that night by Arnaud's eloquent and concise little speech are always haunting my mind. Even though I did not trust Arnaud, something about Lucien's reaction to his words gave them a slight hint of credibility.
After everything that had occurred we obviously had to leave Alaska, and that is how we found ourselves here; under a constant cover of cloud and rain. The little town of Forks, Washington. Population 3120; now 3124. This is where the story starts and one thing is for certain it is going to be a roller coaster of a tale; so why not tag along for the ride. You never know, you might have fun.
