France, the de Martel estate, 1002

Lucien's eyes flew open and he gasped in shock. Where was he? What had happened? The last thing he remembered was the pain. He had tried to kill Tristan. That bastard had flogged Lucien. Cut his face. All because he had thought that Lucien had done something inappropriate with Aurora. He hadn't. She wasn't the one he wanted. She wasn't the one he loved. His pathetic obsession. The woman he could never have. Lady Cerise. Tristan's betrothed. The future Countess de Martel. Tristan didn't deserve her.

"Lucien?"

The voice sounded somehow familiar, but it took a moment before Lucien recognized it. Niklaus. Lucien got into a sitting position and looked around. He was in the woods. It was dark, but he could see everything clearly. The trees, the sky, the stars… The flames. Niklaus had a torch in his hand; he was staring at Lucien disbelievingly.

"What…" Lucien murmured. "What happened?"

"You…died," Niklaus replied after a moment of silence.

Lucien's eyes widened.

"What?"

Slowly he touched his back, all his wounds were gone. In fact, he felt wonderful. But…

"I am hungry," he stated.

Niklaus bit his bottom lip.

"Yes, I… I felt the hunger too after I woke up." He paused and took a step towards Lucien.

"You must try to fight it. Please, do not make the same mistakes I did. Believe me; you do not want to become a monster."

Lucien looked at him calmly while standing up. For the first time in his life, he felt powerful. Truly powerful. And hungrier than ever before. He knew what he needed.

"Lucien!" Niklaus cried out.

Lucien barely heard him, he was moving incredibly fast. It didn't take him long to reach the castle and grab the first guard he saw. He felt his sharp teeth coming out and sank them into the guard's neck. The first drop of blood in his mouth tasted sweeter than anything ever before.

"Lucien!" Niklaus snapped. "Not here!"

Lucien licked his lips and dropped the guard's lifeless body on the ground.

"More."

Niklaus pressed his lips together and grabbed the body.

"First rule, we cannot make a mess."

Lucien wasn't really listening; he had just spotted two servant girls heading to the chapel. All they were to him now were prey. He was the predator; all his instincts were telling him to hunt them. They were lighting up candles when Lucien entered the chapel. He threw one of them against the wall and grabbed the other one. Her blood tasted even better than the guard's, it didn't take him long to drain her. The other girl was sitting on the floor; her back was leaning against the wall. She stared at him in horror as he laughed.

"Oh, you do not know all that you are missing!" he announced. "I feel as though I have left the fog of winter to enter the most glorious springtime!"

The girl burst into tears.

"Please, my family…"

"Lucien, no!" Niklaus snapped. He had just entered the chapel. "What did I just tell you? This will not go unnoticed, now we will have to leave. I know you despise me…"

"No, no, no, I do not," he assured. "Why would I?"

Niklaus hesitated for a brief moment before replying.

"Because of Aurora."

Lucien smiled; Niklaus also thought that it was Aurora. No.

"We are as alike now as brothers, are we not?" Lucien hummed.

"It seems so," Niklaus muttered.

"Then teach me, Niklaus. Teach me to be what we are."

Niklaus looked at him for a moment before slowly lifting the sobbing girl to her feet.

"Gladly," he stated and sank his fangs into the girl's neck.

Lucien laughed, he had never felt better. He was fast, strong, invincible. He could take whatever he wanted. Whoever he wanted… Suddenly the thought hit him. Cerise. She could be his now, no one would be able to stop him. He could simply kill anyone who would try. His lips curved into a sinister smile. This night was about to get even better.