A Hidden Memory that Changed Everything

by Speklez

An accident on his part leads to Demetri becoming the caregiver to a young human teenager. What will he do when his charge is in danger after a decade of making his life hell? Turn his back and be rid of her, or has what started as an obligation become too important to him to lose? Story told in a series of flashbacks. DPOV/AU/OOC/OS Rated for later language.

It had never occurred to me that having my charge with me during a judgment might be dangerous for her. This was certainly not the first one she was present for and the one being judged was certainly not the most dangerous vampire she has ever been around. However, it would seem that he was the most desperate and desperation leads one to do the stupidest shit.

Overconfidence can also lead to situations that a human need not be in. No one thought that anyone would be dumb enough to make a stand before Aro and I never thought that someone would use my human charge to do it.

The moment that Felix released the condemned, I had a foot land solid and square center of my chest hard enough for my flesh to crack and send me flying backwards. Kicking my feet up, I dug my fingers into the marble floor to slow myself down before dropping into a crouch.

The recovery was quick and flawless, but it still wasn't fast enough to prevent my charge from falling into the hands of a desperate and scared vampire. His hand was wrapped around her throat with enough pull back for her to have to stand on her toes. Her hands clutched his wrist, her surprised gasp only just leaving her lips. Though I saw and heard that happen, it was secondary to her wide and terrified green eyes.

My eyes hadn't even had the time to change color when they connected with her's. The moment our eyes locked, I was transported ten years into the past, to the very first time I ever saw them full of the same emotions.

I was taken back to the day this human became mine.

Flashback

A report had been received from a very well known coven that a nomad was wreaking havoc in their territory and they were unable to deal with it on their own. After numerous attempts to catch and remove the female, they had sent a request for aid having run out of options. It was a routine call, really. We received requests like that all the time so it was pretty straightforward as far as orders. Find the nomad and either remove it from the area or destroy it. That call was always left to us, however. Master Aro never cared how we dealt with exposure threats, just that they were dealt with as swiftly as possible.

Ninety percent of the time it was destroyed just because it was easier than trying to reason with a nomad.

Since it was only one female vampire and not a rogue coven, it was only Felix and I that were sent to deal with the issue. After a short stop at the coven's den for a slightly more detailed report of the actions of the nomad, as well as a description of who we were looking for, the two of us formed a plan of action for when we found her.

Not that she was all that difficult to find. The female was an idiot. Either that, or she just didn't care if she was caught. In the end, it also didn't matter. In no more than a few moments, she was taken care of and that would have been that had I not looked further into the alleyway we were in. No sooner had Felix dropped the match on the pile of body parts did I see something that actually had my venom run cold in my veins.

Not fifteen feet from us, hidden in the shadows, was a human that couldn't have been older than twelve or thirteen. Even my eyes could barely make out her outline, but her bright green eyes, wide and terrified, were like a shining beacon in the night. I wasn't even fully positive at first that what I was seeing was real until my gift sparked, the feeling of fingers dancing on my brain freezing me in place. All I could do was let out a hard groan.

"Mother fucker."

I felt Felix's eyes on me and all I could do was nod to where I was staring. I had thought I cleared the area of any humans before dealing with the nomad, but somehow, someway, I missed her. With the look in her eyes, there was absolutely no chance she didn't see what just happened. When I heard a resigned sigh next to me, I knew Felix saw what I did and I wasn't actually hallucinating. I looked at Felix when he clicked his tongue.

He had a pensive look on his face. "What should we do? You know she saw that shit. She's too young to change and kids give me indigestion. Do you want to eat her?"

I shook my head. "Nope. Not hungry." I scratched my brow and lifted a shoulder. "I was the one that missed her. She doesn't really deserve to die for my oversight." Though why the life of this human mattered to me, I had no fucking idea.

He nodded and rubbed his chin a little before he too shrugged. "I guess the girl comes with us and we'll let Master Aro decide."

I grunted. "This should be interesting."

Annoying would have been a better term to use once it was all said and done. It took forever to get the human out of hiding without having to resort to force to do it. It wasn't either of our intention to harm her, but my God did I want to re-evaluate just how hungry I actually was on more than one occasion. If getting her out of her hiding place was difficult, however, getting her to come quietly was near impossible. In the end, it took knocking her out with a pressure point in her neck. It didn't buy us long, but it was enough time to get her out of the area and on the plane back home before she woke up again.

Talk about tense and uncomfortable for all parties involved.

The flight was mostly quiet. Felix and I played cards as we always did while the human simply sat in her seat and watched the clouds outside pass the windows. She wouldn't talk without prompt and answered only what was asked. We found out she was just shy of turning twelve but nothing else, not even her name. She wasn't timid when she spoke, she was just quiet and reserved.

Her scent didn't indicate she was scared, but after being kidnapped and waking up on a plane, I was sure there was a margin of fear there.

Felix ignored her completely, but I couldn't. I spent a lot of time allowing my mind to run wild with different reasons as to why I didn't know she was there; questing repeatedly how I missed a fucking human within twenty feet of me. I couldn't figure it out. I also couldn't figure out what had stopped me from simply snapping her neck on the spot. Humans and their lives meant shit to me. So, why couldn't I do it this time? What was is about this situation that prevented me, that stilled my hand? That was the series of questions I spent the entire eight hour fight trying to answer and never came up with anything.

Even more mind boggling was it didn't stop there. It continued as I stood before my Masters and actually advocated for the human to live. My reason was the same before them as it was to Felix in the alley. I didn't think she should die due to my mistake. When it became apparent to them I wouldn't back down for the first and only time, Master Aro put me in charge of her care. She was forbidden to ever leave the palace walls without myself to personally escort her and it became my responsibility to to see to her every need and care.

Once that was decided and I took her to the room across the hall from mine, I finally took the time to get a good look at her, taking stalk of everything that would be needed sooner rather than later. Before leaving her to her own devices until a more appropriate time to take her out for clothing, I cleared my throat to catch her attention. When she was looking in my direction, I clicked my tongue. "I doubt you want to be called 'human' for the rest of your life. Do you want to tell me your name now?"

She looked a me a moment, her eyes telling me that no, she didn't want to tell me shit. However, after a time, she sighed. "Alexandria. But I go by..."

END FLASHBACK

"Alex."

The vision was gone as soon as it started, no one the wiser that I wasn't present before them. I hadn't moved, no one had. I watched as the human before me morphed from the teen she was to the woman she had become. Everything about her changed; her features, her height, the color of her hair. Everything but her eyes. They were still clouded in the terror that I swore to her she would never feel again.

I felt the color drain from my eyes as they started to narrow. A growl built in my chest as my lips pulled from my teeth. The sound was never given full life before my ears were assaulted with a whimper of my name.

Once again the room around me melted away as another memory of the past slammed down on me with the weight of a sledge hammer.

FLASHBACK

It had been roughly a year since the day in the alley and my human was still adjusting. She never even pretended that she liked it here and did everything in her power to make sure I knew she was in no way grateful for it. Though I had gotten the point months ago, she continued with the teenage drama bullshit and went out of her way to make my life a living fucking hell.

However, nothing she did was unexpected or even unwarranted in my opinion, so I mostly ignored it. It wasn't until just after she turned thirteen that things changed and crossed the line from harmless pranks and jokes and into a far more dangerous realm of rebellion.

If you have never had the pleasure of arguing with a teenager, it is something of a cross between amusing and infuriating. This wasn't the first disagreement we had over the year, but it was the one that held the most lessons for the two of us. When she resorted to petty name calling, I put an end to the battle with a wave of my hand and an 'Enough, Alex'. As with every other ending, she stormed off leaving me with a migraine when she shrieked her distaste.

I had assumed she went to her room or the gardens as she always did so I left her to cool off for a time. It was early afternoon and there was plenty of time for that to happen before her dinner would be ready. Though over those passing hours it had occurred to me to check on her, I saw no reason to once again get her riled up due to my presence, so I stayed clear of the area until her requested meal arrived.

When I went to retrieve her, I came to realize that not only do teenage human females define the term 'little bitch', but they are escape artists with commendable talents. I had Heidi check the gardens while I went up to her room. After numerous knocks and no answers, as well as Heidi saying she wasn't outside, I let myself in and paused when I saw no sign of my charge, nor the presence of a recent scent.

After calling her name once as I made my way across the room, I pointed Heidi to the bathroom and I went to balcony. She had this nasty habit of not answering me when she was pissed at me, so she could have been there just not answering. When there was a denial of a human's presence in the bathroom and lack of one also on the balcony, I get a little irritated.

Setting my hands on the railing and glancing over, I glared at what I saw. "God Damn it. I am going to kill her."

Whirling around and darting from the room, ignoring Heidi's startled questioning, I went to my room, grabbed a cloak and exited via my own balcony doors. After leaping from the rail to the wall, I stuck to the shadows as I pulled on my jacket, jumping down into the city after my hood was up. It was not quite twilight yet so there was still patches of sunlight that I didn't have the desire or time to avoid.

As I weaved my way through the streets and alleys, I focused on her and once I got a lock, I redirected myself. However, since there were still humans out at this hour, it took me more time than I would have liked to make my way across the city.

I was within blocks of her when the sun set behind the buildings and mountains allowing me to move a little more freely, though still with caution. When I was close, I called her name again since her exact location wasn't certain since she was moving. I glanced down a side street when a shadow moved and my eyes narrowed.

"Gotcha."

Darting down the alley, I growled low at the sight of my charge cornered in a dead end by a soon to be dead human when I looked to the right. With a light hop and a flip, I landed between them making the human in front of me jerk back and the one behind me whimper my name. I crossed my arms, glanced behind me and narrowed my eyes. "You are in so much trouble, Alexandria."

She could say nothing before the human male finally got over his shock at my presence and regrew those balls that climbed back up inside at his scare. There was an indignant scoff before his voice sounded out drawing my attention back to him. "Hey, she's mine."

The corner of my lip curled slightly as a light growl slipped out and I turned back to the human male. Growl growing in volume when he made to charge me, I snapped my teeth. "Wrong." When he was close enough, I slammed my fist into his throat, feeling a crunch under my knuckles. "She's mine."

The human dropped to his knees, his hands around his throat as he gasped and gagged. Crouching down in front of him, I used the tip of my finger to tilt his head back, locking our eyes. "I'm not allowed to kill you within the walls. My Master would be extremely cross with me and I have enough to deal with. However," I pulled my phone out and shot a text off to Felix before looking back at the human, "there is nothing to say you're going to live to see the light of another day."

I flicked him under the chin simply to be an asshole before standing and turning back to my charge. I opened my mouth to reprimand her again only to she shocked into silence when she lunged at me, grabbing the lapels of my jacket and burying her face in my chest. I could smell salt and when she sniffled I looked up at the sky and sighed. Wrapping an arm around her trembling shoulders, I looked at the top of her head. "The term grounded doesn't even cover it, Alex."

She nodded quickly, her voice soft. "I'm sorry."

I rubbed my forehead then ran my hand down my face with a harsh sigh. Stepping back, I crouched down in front of her, looking up into her wet green eyes. Giving her the most serious look I ever have, "Listen very carefully, κούκλα. I am only going to say this once. You know that there are rules for my kind within the walls of the city and that you're safe from us. However, the same cannot be said about your own. What you did was not only extremely dangerous, but very stupid. If I didn't have my gift and it had rained, no one would have been able to find you.

"Volterra is no different than any other city in the world. There is crime here and it can be a very dangerous place. You cannot sneak out like you did. Bad things do happen here during the day and you know I cannot go out during that time."

She sniffled and nodded. "I'm really sorry Demetri. I swear I didn't mean for this to happen. At first I didn't leave the grounds. I went to cool off and got lost in the gardens and then I was in an alley and then I got turned around and then I was lost."

I knew instantly where she left the grounds and I could understand how it happened. That is a maze for a reason. Even a few of the guards still got themselves backwards in that area. I gave her a nod. "There will be no more climbing down the rose wall, Young Lady; period. If you want to go to gardens, use the doors. If you get hurt on the jump down, I will be pissed. Got it?" She nodded just a Felix landed next to us in the alley making Alex jump a little at his abrupt arrival. Holding up a finger to him, I finished with Alex. Standing up, "Go back to pulling pranks, κούκλα. I don't really care if it was an accident. You do this again, I will personally break both your legs."

Turning to Felix, "Take her home." I growled again and glanced at the human still on the ground. "I'll be along shortly."

I watched as Alex got settled on Felix's back and was just about to remove the threat to the city from the city when a call of my name gave me pause and my attention returned to my charge.

She licked her lips and looked down slightly before looking at me again. "Thank you. I am really sorry."

I pursed my lips slightly before I tisked, walked over to her and I locked eyes with her. "I gave you my word that I will always do the best I can by you and I will always protect you. However, if you put yourself in situations like this, I can't do that. Do you understand?" She nodded at me and I took a step back. "Go eat. We'll talk more when I return."

END FLASHBACK

Things settled slightly after that, though the pranks she pulled became more intricate and outlandish leading me to believe she teamed up with Felix in her attempts to drive me insane. That was more or less fine with me. As long as Alex stayed within the walls unless she was with someone, I really didn't care. Plus, the fact some of them I knew she couldn't do on her own gave me someone to take the irritation out on.

The growl that had been working it's way up my throat finally found it's full life and sounded into the room. Whoever wasn't already looking at me in the seconds prior was now.

I climbed to my feet as memory after memory assaulted my consciousness, my eyes going blacker with each one. I watched her grow up, watched as she settled down. I watched as she finally started to see that her situation wasn't a prison sentence and it was what she decided it was going to be.

Flashback

I had just gotten out of the shower after returning from a mission that took slightly longer than originally thought when there was a timid tap on my door. Since there was only person in the entire place that gave me that courtesy, I knew it was my little charge. I didn't make her wait too long, not really knowing what it was she needed since I had been gone for two weeks. I pulled on a pair of pajama pants and ran a towel over my hair as I went to answer the door.

Letting it drop around my shoulders, I pulled the door open and leaned against the jam. Tilting my head to the side, I cocked a brow at my now fourteen year old human. "Yes, Alex?"

She had her arms crossed and was looking down at the ground. Over the last two years, I learned that this was something she did when she thought she was going to be in trouble for something. She bit her bottom lip slightly before lifting her eyes to mine. "I wanted to talk to you about something. Do you have a minute?"

I nodded and stepped to the side to give her room to enter before shutting the door behind her. If she came here, she didn't want this conversation overheard. If she didn't care if it was, she would have waited until I went to check on her to say something.

I followed her to the sitting area of my room and took a seat in the chair she didn't. Going back to drying my hair, I looked at her. "What's the matter?"

She shook her head. "Nothing's the matter. I just... um."

My nose twitched at the change in her scent when it went from its normal smell of citrus and honey to something sour that was comparable to rotten apples. Tossing my towel over to my bed, I leaned forward and caught her eye. "You just what? Whatever it is, it cannot be that bad."

She scratched her temple and sighed as she looked at me through her lashes. "I know the language pretty well now, and I was wondering..." I cocked a brow at her and she backtracked a little. "You know I won't say anything, but I mean, I just..."

I propped my chin in my palm and snorted a little. "I am very well aware you wouldn't. So, spit it out. What is it you want, Alex?"

She made a noise in her throat before clearing it. "I wanted to talk to you about maybe spending more time around humans."

It was my turn to hum a little. "Oh? In what way?"

She shrugged a little. "School?" When I made a face at the thought, she elaborated. "I mean, Afton's great as far as a vampire teaching a human different subjects. But, he had this tendency to make me feel stupid because I have a hard time in a few of them and he thinks that I should have no problems picking it up. I don't have your abilities for perfect recall and instantly understanding everything I hear and he refuses to stay on anything long enough for me to get the concept of what he's trying to teach me. I'm not really learning anything."

After filing away the fact I had to have a little talk with Afton about how he handles his given responsibilities, I tapped my cheek a few times before I let out a sigh. "What subjects are you having difficulty in?"

Her brow drew down and creased. "Math, French and political science."

I nodded slightly and gave it a moments thought before I clicked my tongue. "Alright, how about this for now. I will look into human tutors and study groups for you for the time being. It's not me you have to convince that you'll hold your tongue around humans. That would be Master Aro. I will talk to him and convince him to allow this on a trial basis until you can prove to him you'll keep our confidences. Then, if you can do that, we'll talk about you starting school on a regular basis starting next session. Is that a deal?"

She looked shocked for a moment before her eyes lit up. "Really?"

I shrugged and leaned back in my seat. "I see no reason as to why you should continue to be locked away within the walls when you're not actually in trouble for anything. Besides, you have a valid reason to ask for such a thing. Also, it may be beneficial for you to be around others your own age and not constantly around creatures that are centuries old, even if we don't actually look like it. Just bear in mind, Alex, that it is Master Aro that gets the final say in this, not me."

She squealed before shooting out of her seat and diving at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. Even though there was a slight grunt from her throat from the impact, there was still an exuberant 'thank you'. I smiled slightly and gave her back a pat before she pulled away and ran for the door.

When she pulled it open, I actually let out a scoff when I heard her yell 'Heidi, he said yes!'. Whipping around to face the door, I gawked at it for a second before my mind caught up and called after her, "I did not!"

Dropping my head on the headrest of my chair, I sighed, "teenagers", but couldn't help but grin slightly at the sound of her laughter that followed.

End Flashback

To my shock, it took very little on my part to talk Aro in to allowing Alex to spend time around her own kind. He was in agreeance with her reason for asking and consented to allowing her to begin tutoring for what she needed it in and come time for her to register to begin classes, he was more than accommodating to it. There were a few conditions to it as I figured there would be, as did she, but she did start going to school that fall.

Everyone saw a change in her with being allowed to attend. She was far more talkative for one, having no problems answering any question she was asked by Aro for the first couple of weeks. Once he was fully satisfied that she kept her word, he left the rest of her schooling and making sure she stayed silent up to me. I dropped her off and picked her up, making arrangements for someone else to if I was unavailable to do so.

She was very quick to make friends with other students. Her marks in the classes she was having difficulty in while being taught them by Afton started to go up as did her confidence levels since she wasn't constantly surrounded by only vampires. After a few rounds of arguments about her trying out for sports, I finally gave in and she made her school's swim team. Win or lose at her meets, it was very hard to regret the decision when I saw she was ecstatic either way.

When her fifteenth birthday rolled around later in the year, she asked in the same timid manner about starting school about having a small party with her friends out in the gardens to celebrate. That one, I made her take up with Aro herself.

Flashback

I escorted a very subdued human to Aro's office, not doing anything to try and calm her down about making her request. When I heard her sigh for the tenth time in as many feet, I glanced down at her and cocked a brow when she looked up at me.

Once again, she sighed. "You know he's going to say no. It's one thing for him to let me be around humans outside the walls but it's way different having them in here."

I nodded at her. "I'm glad you see the difference. However, you don't know for sure his decision on the matter. Master Aro may surprise you, κούκλα. One really never knows with him. You know that."

She crossed her arms and looked down when Aro's door came into view, her voice lowering. "He hates humans. He'll never agree to this."

I glanced at her from the corner of my eye as I stopped at the door. "Make your choice, Alex." She looked up at me for a moment before swallowing hard and nodding. So, I reached out and knocked on the door, only opening it upon getting permission. Poking my head in, I dipped it slightly. "Forgive the interruption, Master Aro, but Alex wishes to speak with you if you have a moment."

He looked up at me from the paper he was reading and nodded, holding a hand out to the chairs across from his desk. It took giving her a little push, but she finally entered and took the seat indicated to her and I took up a place standing behind her chair. After he set his paper down, Aro looked at Alex. "What can I do for you, Stella?"

Alex played with her nails for a moment before she licked her lips and lifted her head to look at him. "Well, um, see, my birthday is coming up and I wanted to ask if I could have a little party for it."

Aro snorted and leaned back in his seat. "You have one every year, Stella. What would make you think you needed permission this time?"

Alex went back to playing with her nails causing Aro to cock a brow at her. When she started to stutter even worse, he looked at me.

Glancing down at Alex for a moment, I looked back at him. "She wants to have a pool party in the gardens with some of her human friends this year."

I clearly saw her wince when Aro's other brow raised to join the first in his bangs. After a moment he looked at me again and when I shrugged, he sighed. "No, absolutely not. Your birthday falls in the time of year that there are hardly any overcast days and it is impossible to predict whether or not it will fall on one this year. I will not have a bunch of human teenagers running around where no one can keep an eye on them."

I saw her shoulders slouch and head bob once in a nod of understanding to Aro's decision. She went to stand up when Aro picked up whatever he was reading when we came in, but before she was even off the seat, she was stopped by him speaking again.

"I have seen human teens around and I will not have them unsupervised. You can entertain your guests in the indoor pool area where things can be overseen by slightly more responsible persons."

Her head shot up at that. "Huh?"

With a smirk on his face, Aro chuckled. "Nearly three years you have resided here and other than asking to attend a human school, you have asked for nothing. On top of that, you have done everything asked of you. Your life here is not a punishment, Alexandria. It is something of unfortunate circumstance and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Other than one incident two years ago that I have to agree wasn't entirely your fault, you have done nothing to warrant being locked away.

"You are doing quite well in your studies from what I have been told and I believe, after this long, you have earned enough trust and respect to be given a few liberties. I don't think having a handful of your friends over for your birthday is a horrible and out of the question request so long as they stay inside and out of trouble. However, any unfortunate circumstances that occur during your party are on your head, so I would choose your guests quite wisely."

Then he looked at me. "I believe, Demetri, it goes without saying that you are to chaperon the event." I nodded and he waved a hand in dismissal. "Make sure the little bastards don't break anything."

I nodded again and, after Alex thanked him, we left Aro's office. Once we were back in the halls, she looked up at me with a beaming smile and brightly lit up eyes reminiscent of when she asked about starting school.

"I have a few calls to make. This is going to be so much fun."

I chuckled as she darted away and headed for her room to use the phone. I just shook my head when she glanced back with that same smile in place. "I'm sure it will be, Tesoro."

End Flashback

Once again the past melted away and the present took over. I watched as the light in Alex's eyes died and be replaced with a darkness that I never wanted to see.

I snarled slightly as she let out a yelp when she was jerked away from facing me, our eyes finally breaking contact with the movement. However, now I could see a wet track on the side of her face as the light from above reflected off of it making my eyes narrow more.

It was then the corpse started talking, trying to plead a case he wasn't even going to survive long enough to be judged for. He didn't even have anything new to say that was never heard before. 'I did nothing to belong here', 'I was falsely accused'; same thing that everyone before him has said as will everyone that comes after. It was a song and dance, a smoke screen. It was nothing more and it was going to be his downfall.

No one made my human cry.

I imagine there were words exchanged, something from Aro or Caius about the dead one and his lack of brain power, but I would never be able to say for certain. I could hear nothing but Alex's short and terror filled breaths and the pounding of her hammering heart.

When she trembled, I saw a recently turned seventeen year old version of her on the side of the road after her first car accident take her place. A whimper transformed that into a six month older Alexandria after a nasty breakup with her first boyfriend. That was one fun human to torment for awhile.

Ninety seconds was all that had passed since my human was taken hostage. In that time I saw her entire near decade worth of time with me flash before my eyes. Nothing of those memories were missed as they played and danced in painful detail. Her birthdays, her graduation, her acceptance to college; her heart breaks, her failings. I saw her ups and downs over the years but one thing never changed and that was the way she always came to me when she was in need and always had a smile on her face or in her eyes when I was around. How I missed that over the years, I will never know. Perhaps I didn't and just decided not to acknowledge it.

I never moved my eyes from the side of her face so I didn't miss the setting of her jaw as her own rather horrible temper began to grow. That was something that was rarely seen and seeing her cheeks begin to flush and her cheekbones start to become more prominent, a clear sign she was getting pissed off, I was taken once again from the room and back into the very recent past.

It was the first and only time she ever yelled at me and, though at the time I ignored her words, this time as I watched the scene play out, I lost the tiny thread I had left of my own temper because something, something that I had no idea happened, surfaced with the memory as well. Only the beginning of it was clear but the rest of it was hazy and distorted meaning I wasn't the one that it involved.

The occurrence happened four days ago.

Flashback

Alex had gone out with Heidi and Felix for the night and since she had recently turned twenty one, they took her to a bar for the night. I didn't go with them since I had other obligations to see to, however, that didn't stop a very drunk and pissed off human from paying me a visit. She didn't knock as she normally would but that didn't mean I didn't know she was coming.

When my doors were thrown open, I looked over at her and the only thing that came to mind was she looked ready to beat the shit out of the Devil for the chance to kill me. The three of them were not gone that long, only a few hours, but their return coincided with when I was supposed to meet with Caius and with the look I was receiving, I was probably going to be late for that.

Her lips were pressed together and her eyes were narrowed into near slits. After she crossed her arms, her glare darkened. However, all I could do was open my mouth to ask what the problem was before she let me in on that.

"It's because I'm human, isn't it?"

I blinked at her, my lip curling in the corner. "I beg your pardon? Is what because you're human?"

I didn't think a human could actually look dangerous, but I wasn't entirely sure she wasn't thinking of a way to kill me at this moment. Her cheeks began to flush and there was a distinct growl, that was pretty impressive for a human, that came from her throat. "That you want nothing to do with me. Is it because I'm human?"

I was so blindsided by the question that I honestly couldn't think of a response but to stare at her... and that only served to further piss her off.

She shook her head and let out a hard breath of air. "For a year I have been doing everything I could think of to get you to see me as something more than just a responsibility and obligation. For a year I have gone out of my way to get you to notice me and nothing. Seriously Demetri; what the fuck do I have to do? Parade around like the little sluts and half dressed whores around here?"

I shook my head at her. "You have no idea what you're talking about, Alex."

That was apparently the wrong thing to say.

She blew the fuck up on me. "I'm human not fucking deaf, you jackass. Believe it or not, I can HEAR YOU. I learned a long time ago that there is no actual privacy, only the illusion of it. I am right across the damn hall and can actually hear the revolving door your room becomes at night when you think I'm sleeping."

As I listened to her continue to rip me a new one, I began to get more and more annoyed with her words. She was the one that made it quite clear over the years that she wanted to live and die human. So, what she was bitching about was a pretty moot fucking point.

Still, she continued with no pause and no care as to the fact I was starting to get pissed off. "I have gone out of my fucking way to try and show you that I'm not like them. I want nothing of yours and they think they are going to get it for lying on their backs while I break mine bending over fucking backwards to show you you have nothing I want. I don't want your money, your status, nothing. I even started taking up doing odd jobs around here that are not really human friendly so I didn't have to come to you to ask for money to get a box of fucking tampons or have you just been too god damn busy with the palace whores to notice that I haven't asked you for a penny in months?"

By the time the question was presented, I was right at my own breaking point, something that had never happened around her, and she really didn't want it to. No vampire can be held accountable when they are not the one in control of the body's actions and I really didn't want to hurt her. Instead of answering her, I glared at her. "Again, you have no idea what you're talking about, Alexandria. Nothing that is going to be said tonight will be remembered by you tomorrow. So, if I were you I would drop it, go to bed and sleep it off before you really piss me off."

She scoffed and shook her head as she re-crossed her arms. "Why? Expecting company? Is that why you didn't want to come out tonight after you said you would? I am I keeping you from getting laid? I am so fucking sorry." She then grabbed my door and looked me dead in the eye. "Tell the little skank she can come out now and to keep it the fuck down for once. Finals start tomorrow. Have fun tonight, Asshole."

I wasn't sure what it was that set me off. I wasn't sure what had me lose the control I did, but it happened. One minute I was trying to hold the last thread of my conscience mind and the next I was in the hall, cutting off her would be triumphant exit before she slammed the door.

She was hazy and distorted to my eyes, but her shock was crystal fucking clear. I could feel my arms cross and the flat look on my face, but could do nothing to change either. Nothing before me looked familiar. Nothing felt as though I had done it before as every memory that came before it.

This wasn't my memory. This was my demon's and if he was sharing it, there was a reason for it.

I felt myself cock a brow and my head tilt ever so slightly. My voice was deeper than normal and that was not lost on Alex.

"Are you finished?" A smirk pulled at my lips and he continued before she has a chance to say a word. "My turn. Allow me to be the one to remind you that it was by your own choice that your heart beats and humanity hinders you, not mine. You sprout all these words and spit your anger at me when it's not my fault you cannot have what you want. You see, while you're alive," my hand lifted and a finger flicked back and forth between us, "this can't happen. You want to believe I can't, or won't, see you as something beyond what you have made it perfectly clear is all you want to be. Think, for just a moment, about someone besides yourself and take that time to think what it might do to ME were I to hurt you. All the pretty words and actions in the world cannot change the fact that were you to be harmed, it would kill me. Or, is it you don't care about that?"

He didn't let her respond. "You say you have done this and that to prove that you don't want anything from me but what you fail to see is it's already yours. My money, my status, my power within my world; all of it is yours whether you want it or not. There is not a single vampress alive that stands a snowballs chance in hell of obtaining anything from me."

I felt my lip curl in one corner as my head shook and a scoffed snort came from my throat. "Do you honestly and truly think that all you are to me is an obligation? That you haven't become something far too important to me to risk in a game of chance?" His voice softened and a hand raised towards Alex's face only to stop before contact was made with her skin. "You're everything to me and I cannot even touch you for fear and risk of hurting you."

Then he actually snorted in irritated amusement. "You want to condemn me for my nightly activities when you're no better. How many times have I had to hear and listen to you talk to another male in cheerful chatter only to be the one to offer comfort when it doesn't work out? How many times have I had to stand back and watch as the only female I want in my life leave in the company of someone else because he can give her what I cannot? You have repeated, passionately demanded to remain human I am only doing as you want. Why is it I'm the bad guy for giving you your wishes?"

Alex bit her lip and glanced away a moment before looking back at us and swallowing hard. "Demetri..."

He cut her off again. "You are mine, Alexandria. You have always been mine and so long as you walk this Earth, you will always be mine. Whether that is for the next fifty or sixty years as a human or eternity as a vampire, that will not change. I will not risk your life, however. If you choose to stay human so be it but as I said, this cannot and will not happen so long as you are alive. So, I suppose the answer to your original question would be yes; it's because you're human. Do not think for a moment you're the only one that suffers either, Alex, because you're not. Human interest is nothing compared to a vampire that has chosen their mate and cannot have said mate."

She blinked and jolted slightly at the term she had heard numerous times over the last ten years. "Mate?"

He smirked wide and a dark sounding chuckle sounded into the hall. "Seems we both said too much tonight. Good night, Agapi. If you'll excuse me, I am now late for my meeting with Master Caius." He turned away but before he took a step, he held up a finger and looked over his shoulder. "By the way, if you will not let me have you, you will damn sure allow me to take care of you. No more cleaning up the feeding hall. That is not a request. That is Santiago's job and his job alone."

End flashback

My demon's memory only lasted a moment in time, but I had to close my eyes as it vanished. Agapi... Mine... Mate. Over and over those three words circled, pounding against my mind and penetrating every inch of my brain. Threads began to pull and break, intertwin and knot when two became one with my head as the imaginary sounds of snapping metal rang in my ears.

For the first time in over two thousand years, there was no separation between me and my inner demon. We were one in the same and someone was about to die.

I couldn't begin to imagine what I looked like when my eyes reopened, but the fact I saw Felix, who was still on the other side of the room where he backed up to at the demand of the future firewood, take a step back I knew it wasn't pretty.

However, the startled look on his face melted away, leaving behind a smirk that I knew perfectly well as he address the condemned after an asinine statement about not being deserving of standing before Aro. "Oh, I'm pretty sure Aro isn't the one you need to worry about right now, dumbass."

The vampire that held my human hostage began to turn his head to look around the main hall. With the movement, the corner of my lip curled but I was gone from my place before the growl that escaped could be heard by anyone. To most in the room, it looked as though I simply vanished and reappeared, but everyone heard the cry of pain from the male that was touching my female when I ripped his fucking hand off.

Without the support of the hand around her throat, Alex started to fall. Wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her to me, my other arm shot out and my hand wrapped around his throat. I turned slightly so that when I got nose to nose with the fucker, I was between him and her. The glare I could feel on my face was darker than I ever remember, my voice a nearly unintelligible growl as I snapped my teeth in the male's face. "I am." Then I planted my foot in his chest as he did to me when he took my Alex.

A flurry of activity kicked up around us since I didn't care where I kicked the bastard and his path took him straight towards the dais where the Masters were. Blurs moved about the room as time slowed to a crawl when I redirected my attention to Alex when I felt her hands close around and clench the lapels of my jacket.

I crouched, lowering her slowly to the ground as I moved my other arm around her, placing it on her back when she laid her head against my chest, her body shaking as she started to cough and choke on her breath.

I heard her sniffle before she spoke in a soft whimper. "Took you long enough."

I sighed slightly at the comment. It had been two minutes; a very long two minutes I'm sure, but two minutes nonetheless.

Instead of commenting on that and escalating the anger her scent indicated was still present, I moved my arms from around her and leaned back, cupping her face in my palms. With her back within my grasp, color returned to my eyes, my face softened and my voice was only for her. "Are you alright, Agapi?"

She still shook in little spasms and sniffled again as she continued to try and catch her breath. However, she tried to put more life into her voice making it sound rough and harsh. "I'm dizzy and my neck hurts."

I dipped my head a little more, getting an eyeful of the bruise that was starting to surface around her throat that was already dark enough for me to count fingers. A growl sounded in my chest as my eyes narrowed and shifted over to the corpse that was once again in Felix's grasp.

The death of this vampire was one that I was certainly going to enjoy.

Looking back at Alex, I clicked my tongue. "After I deal with this, you and I are going to have a little chat, hmm?" That, however, was not what she had in mind. The slightest movement I made to pull away was met with her tightening her grip on my jacket and a whimper that caused me to sigh again.

Ultimately, her desires were my main priority and currently her desire was for me not to leave her. The anger she felt before at my delayed rescue had at this point completely melted away to relief, she was still shaking and was clearly still scared.

No matter the level my own anger was still at, she came first.

So, with that decision made, I shifted my position and hers so that I could slide a arm under her and scoop her up into my arms as I stood up. She didn't readjust after that. I expected her to wrap her arms around my neck like she always did, but instead she just curled more into my chest and turned her head so her face was pressed into my shirt.

When I heard Aro say my name, I turned to him before looking at the body in Felix's hold when I was asked what was to become of the bastard. I pressed my lips together for a moment as my ire shot back through the roof at the sight. After a time, already knowing that I wanted the vampire dead but wouldn't leave Alex until she allowed it, I finally decided that hearing him die would have to suffice.

I turned away and headed for the door so she didn't have to be privy to the preparations of what was about to happen.

"Light him up from his toes." I stopped at the door and glanced back over my shoulder. "With his head still attached."