Eleazar POV-
Vlorë, Greece – September 1568.
The wind howled, whipping around us, almost tickling our ears. I smiled grimly, the humans crowded around on the top of the cliff, shouting obscenities, screaming their disgust, anger and outrage at their fellow human.
But no – not a fellow human, she had been a friend and family to many of these humans, the humans so quick to condemn her, no longer human, but a witch. Perhaps Caius was correct, this could only work in our favour.
The sea whistled and crashed, dancing up to meet the cliff, to meet her. She stood, proud, straight backed and tall, looking as if she wasn't about to meet her death.
The sea crashed impatiently, waiting for her to join it, to take her under, away. She smiled gently, she knew she would not meet her death this day.
The humans moved – whilst one short, official looking man read a scroll, condemning her to death for her witchcraft, another grabbed her arms, and lead her to the cliff edge.
She was to be punished for inflicting illness upon her second husband – her uncle Narcissus, who she was forced to be wed as the only heiress to her father, to preserve the family money.
She had done no such thing. I knew that. Just four days after her wedding to Narcissus, he had been taken ill with a terrible fever, vomiting and convulsions. He died soon after, what I knew to be the disease malaria, Narcissus' brother, Nichlos, accused dear Corin of witchcraft.
I had received word from Santiago, Corin's watcher, that they were going to have her stand trial for witchcraft. At first, I believed she had exhibited her gift in front of others, I knew she had done it before, and worried for her. Would we get there in time to save her?
I felt Caius shift impatiently beside me, his amusement at these humans turning on their own rapidly diminishing, and anger replacing it just as fast. I could not see through the humans to Corin any longer, and anxiety was starting to tear at my heart.
After five years of waiting for Corin to mature, old enough to be turned, I had grown fond of her. Though she didn't know our secret, both myself and Santiago had spent an even once every few moons watching her. She took our attention captive, stole our common sense and danced away with it. I smiled again, thinking of her soft melodious voice that calmed me. I wondered briefly what she would sound like as a vampire – tinkling bells, like so many others? Or would she keep her edgy, soothing voice, like diamonds, edged, and coated with smooth caramel? I hoped she would.
The official had finished his speech, and the crowd started to talk, first in whispered, low tones, rising to a dim roar. Just as they readied to push her, bringing their arms back, Caius nudged me forward, to hurry down to the bottom of the cliff, to catch her, to save her.
He pushed, and the wind protested and screamed at her body falling through it- I heard the crowd rushing forward, ready to see her body falling into the sea, taken for its own, holding their breaths to hear the splash of the water. They were waiting a long time, after more than two seconds, they started screaming – there was no splash. There was no drop of weight into my arms, no crunch of her bones as she hit my arms.
I looked up, around, looking for her – what on earth was happening? Why hadn't she landed?
She was floating.
Absconded in mid-air, arms out to the side with her platinum blonde hair fanning out behind her, she looked every bit the falling angel.
I closed my mouth, and looked around for Caius, I needed instructions! What do I- A black blur came rushing off the cliff, grabbing Corin and falling into the sea.
Oh. Caius had jumped off, to get her to the ground and far away.
Caius righted himself, and we ran, little more than a blur to the humans. We looked back to see the forty humans staring, open mouthed, and for once, silent in fear.
"Oh yes," Caius whispered, a malicious grin creeping up his face. "You should be scared."
I chuckled darkly, knowing that in those six words, those humans were condemned for revenge.