My name is Sophia. You've probably heard of my father, Viktor, and my doomed older sister, Sonja. I'm not surprised that you don't know anything about me – it's been like that most of my life. My father showered affection, love, and attention on her, but never me.

It must've been the fact that I was the reason why his wife died; mine and Sonja's mother. Every time he looked at me, I could see the hatred in his eyes. Don't get me wrong, I loved my sister, but there were times when I felt jealous.

I remember when I was five and she was eight; Father had given her a pretty black horse as a birthday present. I asked her if I could ride the horse, and she agreed. Our father saw it fitting to order me off her horse in front of all the other guests. I felt ashamed and humiliated, and I didn't come out of my room for two days. Sonja secretly gave me blood in my favourite goblet and my love for her increased.

She was perfect.

Her fighting skills were excellent, and when we were sparring I always heard praise for her and harsh scolding for me. I could never measure up to her, but that didn't mean I didn't try. I eventually became just as good as her, but my specialty was archery.

Sonja admitted that she saw Father gain some sort of respect for my skills, but it didn't matter to me; I wanted his love, not his respect.

Then came the day when the entire coven was rocked by the scandal. My sweet, kind, perfect sister fell in love with the blacksmith, Lucian. If he were a vampire everything would've been fine. I knew Father would have even allowed them to marry. But no.

Lucian was a werewolf.

What made things worse was that she was pregnant. Pregnant with a vampire-werewolf hybrid, the one thing our father feared the most.

I still remember that day when he heartlessly condemned the daughter he loved the most to die, and her lover tortured by having him watch her death.

So clear... my perfect sister, turning to ash before my very eyes.

"All in favour of the judgment say 'aye'," my father declared coldly.

"Aye," the council members said, one by one. When the time came for my father to speak, my grip on the stone wall tightened. He couldn't let her die. She was his daughter, my sister. The girl whom I looked up to and loved my entire life. If she died, I would have no one. I would be completely alone.

My chest tightened as I watched my father gaze at Sonja. She looked back at him defiantly, but I could see fear flash through her blue eyes.

"Aye."

The word rang loud and clear throughout the chamber.

"No!" I cried, but at the same moment Lucian roared.

"You can't do this! She is your daughter!" The chains holding him groaned as he strained to break free, but these held fast. It was ironic that he was the one who made the very chains that now twisted around his body.

Without a word, my father stood up and left the room. I met him as he exited, and he stopped at the look on my face.

"Sophia," he said softly, but I shook my head. My hands trembled, and I was afraid of speaking. Afraid of the words I would say that would surely lead to my own death.

Without another word, I rushed into the chamber. A guard was taking Sonja away, and her head was lowered to the ground. Lucian was staring at her, and his gaze only broke when I ordered the guard to stop.

"Sophia," Sonja breathed, her usually beautiful and shiny hair in a mess about her face. "Why are you here? Father would have you arrested - "

"He has done worse," I countered, giving her a hug. "Sonja, why didn't you tell me? I would've helped you in a heartbeat, you know that."

"I know. But I also knew that if Father found out about you knowing about this, he would have you killed as well. And I can't let that happen, Sophia. My sister..." Her voice trailed away. I have never seen her so defeated.

"Come on," the guard said roughly, tugging at Sonja's arm impatiently.

I hissed.

"Be gently with her, or you'll answer to me," I told him. The guard nodded and led Sonja away.

Lucian was still looking at Sonja, but when the heavy metal door clanged shut, he looked at me. "Are you going to berate me for impregnating your sister?"

I shook my head. "No. I'm not like my father. Lucian... thank you."

"For what?"

"For making her happy. I know she was when she was with you. I would never go against you or her," I informed him. "If there was anything I could do..."

"There is. But it is too big a risk. You heard what she said; she wouldn't want you to die because of us." Lucian sighed.

"What is it?" I asked him eagerly.

He shook his head and refused to speak any more. I left him then, the man who caused the death of my sister.

I headed to my room and saw my father there. He was sitting on my bed, and he stood up when I walked in. Unlike Sonja, who preferred her tight clothes, I took a fancy to flowy black dresses. My skirts whisked against the carpet as I approached him.

"Sophia, my daughter," he said softly, taking my hands into his. "I must know."

I knew what he was going to do a split second before he did it. He was going to check my memories, to see if I was faithful, or if I had disobeyed him. I felt my blood ebb out of the wound his fangs made on my palm, but I didn't cry out.

He seemed satisfied, because he left without another word. I sat in front of my dresser and looked at my reflection in the mirror. Outside the storm had calmed, and the moon streamed in my room through the coloured glass mirror. I let the moon's rays hit my face when I sensed someone in the room.

"My lady."

Kraven. One of my father's pet guards. He stood in the middle of my room, looking at me with interest. I knew he had a roving eye, and that his eyes had wandered to me and my sister over the years. He was one of the many soldiers my father had when he was turned by Marcus.

"Yes, Kraven?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"The time for the execution has arrived. Your father is about to – "

I didn't let him finish. I ran out into the hallway, ran to the only place I knew to look: the chamber that had a window that opened out into the sky. Into the sunlight. I arrived just in time to see them, Lucian chained to the floor and my sister tied to a concrete pole in the centre of the room, right below the window, which was now open. I could see the moon hitting her, and I realized with a painful jolt that the moon's rays would be replaced with the sunlight.

"No," I choked out. My father heard me and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Let it be done," he whispered. "You are my only hope left, Sophia."

I couldn't believe my ears. He neglected me for years, only to tell me that I was a replacement. How could I be a replacement of someone so beautiful, so perfect?

"Sonja," I sobbed, although tears were nonexistent. The doors closed, but there were bars. I peered through the bars until morning came. My sister and Lucian were obviously exhausted, and I kept silent.

When the time came, Lucian's and my cries for Sonja were one. I felt his agony, and I was sure he felt mine. Her porcelain skin turned gray, her silk tresses dried up, her eyes became empty sockets, and the child inside her womb died before knowing the beauty of the world.

Kraven, who was standing by me the entire time, led me aside as the guards swept in. Lucian was howling in fury, and before our eyes, he changed. He turned to a werewolf, broke the chains, ripped my sister's necklace from her throat (the only thing he had left of her), and disappeared into the night.

The war began.

I recall nothing but calling out for Sonja, for the sister I lost. Kraven led me past the guards and into my room. He locked us in and unsheathed his sword. I knew that my father had appointed him as my personal bodyguard, to make sure that what my sister did to him would never happen again.

As I sat there, numb to everything, the howls of the werewolves – who were now called Lycans, thanks to Lucian – grew louder and louder. The soldier's cries for blood rang throughout the fortress, and I could hear the battle rage.

In the midst of it all, my father banged on the door and instructed Kraven to bring me to the ship. We did so, and there was nothing left for us to do but to wait. All the while my mind ran with memories of me and Sonja, of things we had and would never share again. I would never be an aunt, nor would I see her raise what would have been a beautiful and powerful child. These thoughts haunted me as I sailed away with my wounded father (Lucian dealt him a nearly fatal blow, would you believe that?) and Kraven to our new home.

We sailed away from Sonja, from the castle where we spent our childhood, and from the place where her body would lie forever, chained to that concrete pole that ended her life.

1891

Things have changed. I am no longer the pitiful Sophia I was then. Although my father adopted a "daughter", he learned to show love and affection towards me. In the absence of Sonja, I flourished. It was as if she was the only one holding me back from my true potential.

It was a horrid thought, true, but I couldn't help think about it at times. Aside from developing my archery skills, I excelled in handling swords and other weapons. I became a killing machine.

And I killed Lycans.

This was after Kraven heroically pronounced Lucian, my would-have-been brother-in-law, to be dead, and he even showed me and my father the branded skin.

He was young when we branded him, but even then he never screamed when my father placed a searing hot poker onto his flesh. He was strong, and I couldn't believe it when Kraven told us about it.

After Lucian died, I felt no connection to the Lycans. I slaughtered thousands, and my father's respect and love for me grew. The other Elders, Marcus (my father's sire) and Amelia, saw me as a credit to the vampire race.

The Lycans saw me as a threat.

It was strange to know this, because when Sonja was alive, I cared for the Lycans. They were the ones who felt the brunt of my father's rage whenever something went wrong, and in a way, I knew what they were going through.

People change. Believe me, I had.

My past didn't matter anymore; I lived for the present. As my father, Marcus, and Amelia devised a new system that would allow them to rule the coven equally, I became more prominent in the coven. I was second in command to the Elders, and no one dared disobey me. I knew that Viktor lost Sonja that day, but in truth, he lost me too.

The new Sophia was very much unlike the old one. I was ruthless, blood thirsty, and unmerciful. The other vampires credited me as "being Viktor's daughter through and through". In a sense, I was.

Of course, my father's adopted daughter became as prominent as well. We were both lethal, and we led the guards during raids of the Lycan's hideouts. I learned from Kraven that the reason my father spared her was because she reminded him of Sonja.

Her name was Selene.

I taught her the ways of the coven, and she was a promising student. She learned quickly, and there were times when she surpassed me. We developed a sisterly relationship, but I never told her of Sonja and Lucian. It had become taboo, and I was beyond disobeying my father.

Of course, there was one thing that helped change my father's former attitude towards me. That was when Marcus and I fell in love. It was during his second turn as the ruler of the covens when he told me he loved me.

It was surprising, considering we hardly interacted back when Sonja was alive. Now, he said, he saw in me a woman in her prime, a force that could be reckoned with. A truly fiery spirit, he said. Our first century together was passionate, and it wasn't long before the entire coven knew about it.

When the time came for my father to rule, I was stricken. I didn't want to face two centuries alone, not when I had found someone who loved me deeply and truly. Finally the Elders agreed upon themselves (through a series of memories that only they could fit into a coherent pattern) that Marcus and I would rule as husband and wife.

In the rarest occasion, the three Elders awoke just long enough for me and Marcus to marry. Then Amelia and Marcus slept, and I joined them in a protected place of my own. It held a regal "S", and next to it was Marcus' "M", although he slept in a separate place.

Selene was happy for me – she did say so in her calm and serious way – and I knew I would miss her in my own way. We only saw each other when Marcus was awake, and even during then I only saw her when I wasn't with Marcus, which was rare.

Now I'm sitting outside, allowing the moon's rays to hit my bare legs, just like what I did before Sonja's execution.

"Such a lovely sight," Marcus said, coming up behind me and putting his around me. "My lovely wife, sitting out here in the moonlight with her legs bare and her skirt nearly up to her waist. Very tempting, my love." He stopped and became still.

"What is it, Marcus?" I asked, leaning my head against one of his arms. "There are no Lycans about, love, so please, continue seducing me with your words."

Marcus came to life again, and planted kisses on my neck. I smiled and reached up to entwine my fingers in his hair. "My love."

I sighed. This was pleasure, and I never knew I would be here with him, the man who sired my father. If you told me then that I was to become the wife of the patriarch of all vampires, I would have laughed. Now, it was my reality.

"And I am yours." I stood up and wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close. His beard and hair smelled of horses, blood, and sweat, and I loved it. It was his scent and no one else's.

"How is Selene?" I asked, gazing into his icy blue eyes.

He grunted. "She is well, as you might imagine."

"Kraven still lusting after her?"

Marcus laughed. "Like a male horse longing to mount a mare."

I gently slapped him on the arm. "Marcus!"

"Well, it's true," he said, smiling down at me. "Although your friend isn't giving in."

"Why should she? He's disgusting," I said, walking back to the house (my father's) while maintaining a tight grip on his hand.

"As I recall, he saved your life," he told me.

I froze. "He did. He led me away from battle, but nothing more. He didn't spill any blood on my account."

"True, but he didn't leave you."

"He was too scared to face my father if he did. I'm the only daughter he has left." I stepped into the foyer, where I saw vampires lounging about. They leapt to their feet and murmured greetings, which Marcus and I acknowledged with curt nods.

"And now you're my wife. Anyone who tries to hurt you shall suffer badly," Marcus announced passionately.

I smiled and pulled him into the library. It was deserted, of course. "Stay with me?"

He nodded and didn't resist as I pulled him towards our favourite spot in the entire house: the rug in front of the fireplace. We settled ourselves and just held each other, until one of my husband's assistants came and announced the arrival of Lord Pennington.

He was one of our contacts in England. He brought news of the Lycans slaughtering their livestock and driving the peasants out. Children and women had been massacred, and Lord Pennington hoped to have our assistance.

Marcus and I were now perched on our seats. I had changed into a royal blue gown and wore a necklace bearing Marcus' and my letters intertwined. Lord Pennington's gaze flickered from my husband to me, and it usually settled on my necklace, which was resting comfortably near my cleavage.

I smirked, and I could see Selene had caught this little exchange. She gave me a grimace, and I gave her a covert wink in return. How I tended to miss her, my little protégé.

"As you might as well know, Pennington, the coven in England can support your needs more. Why did you even make a trip to my house in the first place?" Marcus inquired. "Unless the problem is serious."

"The – the Lycans. They're not changing back to humans," Lord Pennington said in a hushed voice. "They stay as wolves."

I saw Marcus stiffen, and I knew this could only mean one thing. "Those aren't Lycans. They're real werewolves. Unstained by Lucian's genes." My voice rang throughout the entire hall.

Lord Pennington trembled. "Am I to have no help, then?"

"Oh you shall," Marcus intoned. "You shall. Go home and rest easy, Pennington. All will be taken care of."

Lord Pennington bowed and left swiftly. I looked over to Marcus, who looked taken aback. I knew what he was thinking, and who he was thinking of.

William.