Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer.

Atlantis, c. 4000 BC:

It was happening again.

Vampires were always in danger of hunters, but this was worse. Every few centuries, a band of hunters would try to attack the clan at home, in Atlantis. It had happened when I had just been created – just finished changing after vampire blood had been pumped into my veins. A large group of vampire hunters had attacked at the shore, and we had been hard pressed to fight them off. I was only a lowly foot-soldier then, but I was promoted after the battle to a general. Now, almost nine hundred years later, with barely a century left to live, I was head of council.

I looked down from the heights of the tower of Atacarma where my court sat in council, and my heart thudded harder as my sharp eyes discerned the shadows of the hunters down below. I turned to my mate of eight hundred years, staring at her in an agony of pure fear. I had to conceal it, however, or a panic would break out in the council chamber. The very last thing I needed was a rout.

"Can we not fight, Aro?" She asked quietly.

"No, Sulpicia. They have the Sorceress Jenda on their side, with her army of familiars. This is different from the assault on Atacarma when we were just changed. They have magic far more powerful than ours on their side. This is the end of the clan – unless –"

"Would that we were immortal, as humans indeed suppose we are," Marsin groaned softly.

I turned to look at him. "As I was saying, this is the end of the Vampire Clan – unless someone can contact Azrael. He is the only one who can save us, although it is unlikely he will have a mind to. We have only minutes before Jenda has tabbed all of us. Then there will be no escape."

Caius begged leave to speak. "Why must we rely on the might of angels? Can we not stand? Wherefore sit the most powerful vampire warriors in fear before a crowd of human hunters, organised though they be? Has the Court of Atacarma lost all dignity? Why do we not fight, and crush these small fry like a spider destroys a fly?"

"Peace, Caius," I replied. He had ever been the most eager of the Court to seek open battle, to destroy. "As I said, they have enlisted the help of Sorceress Jenda. There is little we can do. Has anyone a suggestion?"

Tarsia, Adra's mate raised a hand. "Can we not ourselves hire a magic-user to combat her?"

I chuckled bleakly. "How much do you know about Jenda?"

"N-not much." She admitted.

"I thought not. If nobody has any more suggestions, I and my mate Sulpicia will seek out Azrael, the only one of the angels sympathetic to vampires. All of you, I'm afraid, will have to stay here in mental contact with us. I have no idea how he will respond, so all of you must be prepared for the worst."

Marcus raised a hand. "May I speak to you privately?" At my nod, he rose and placed his hand in mine. I concentrated and slowly caught the flow of his thoughts. "What worst will that be?"

I addressed both the room and him. "Death for every member of the clan if we fail."

Heavy silence followed my pronouncement. I cleared my throat and continued. "Are you all in agreement? Else, this is the end of over twenty millennia of vampire rule in Atlantis. Show of hands, please."

Every hand in the room rose. I swallowed hard. Each and every member of the council had been chosen because it was felt that they could make choices for the clan and not in their own interests. And every one had risen to my expectations. All were giving up the chance for a quick escape to help us keep our kind alive. I only hope I can prevail on Azrael to do that. "Thank you. There is then no time to lose. I leave at once."

Shrine of Azrael, three hours later:

"There is only one way I can help you, Aro."

"How?" I asked.

"Are you certain? This is a great sacrifice."

"Yes."

"Then I will transform the vampire. Instead of a long-lived being that needs human blood in order to survive, he will be an eternal predator, who thirsts uncontrollably for human blood at all times. He will have no access to the peace beyond death. He will be completely free of the blessing and curse of humanity: he will no longer be subject to human vulnerability, but he will also be deprived of the gift of childbirth.

"His mind will be far more capable, his senses and natural weapons far more developed than they already are. Unnatural beauty will be his lot, the better to attract his prey – and I do not use the word lightly. The mental power that nature has already endowed your kind will be increased so it is always at your fingertips. Blood will no longer flow in his veins; his heart will be stilled forever, and that part of his soul which connected to Paradise is no longer.

"Is that truly what you want, Aro?"

No, I did not desire such life, but I had to make choices for the collective good, not for myself. "I choose for the clan – yes."

"Sulpicia?"

"If Aro agrees, so do I."

He raised some kind of needle with a barrel at the end, and placed it on the stone in front of us. "Please wait a moment." He rose in a movement too fast to see and was gone.

Sulpicia turned a strained face to me. Is this worth it? Her face pleaded.

I nodded once in reply, and opened my mouth, when Azrael came back.

"What is that?" I couldn't help enquiring, pointing to the needle.

Azrael chuckled. "It has no name in today's tongues. In six or so thousand years, they will call it a hypodermic syringe. Your arm, please, Aro."

I stretched my arm out and felt the prick as the needle pierced my skin. Instantly, I was plunged into the searing fires of Hell.

Three days later:

"Hail, Aro, first of the new age vampires." Azrael's voice sounded different – clearer. I could pick up on each tiny change in pitch and tone.

I looked at Sulpicia, and saw Sulpicia, but she looked different – even more beautiful than she did before. And my eyes are far stronger – I can appreciate her new beauty. Her flaming crimson eyes would take some time to get used to, but if Azrael spoke the truth, I had all eternity in which to do so.

"Now, listen carefully. If you are to save others, you must ignore the thirst that burns in your throat for now, and change as many of those trapped in Atlantis as you can. All you need is a single bite to the jugular – your mouth contains the venom I just used on you. Do not feed on them, although you may be tempted. The blood of vampires is the only thing poisonous to you now. They will go through the pain as you did, but will thereafter be invulnerable, even as you are now."

"Thank you, Azrael." My voice rang like a bell. It was overwhelming, but I had no time to be overwhelmed. My throat burns, the thirst trying to take over my newly roomier mind; I had no time for that either. I took my mate's hand and stiffened in shock. Images, thoughts, words came pouring into my mind. My old gift was impossibly sharpened, I did not even need to concentrate and I heard and saw everything she had thought in her entire life. "Is this what you meant by our talents being at our fingertips?" I whispered, overcome by the power which my new life had given me.

"Yes. I leave you now."

I took Sulpicia's hand, and again marvelled at the results. The possibilities of the new race opened before me. I knew then that I would always love and covet the talents of this new breed – the potential was almost intoxicating. But for now, we had a task. We began running through the streets of Atlantis, more fleet than the East wind. Every time we came upon a fleeing vampire, I knelt and bit him. I had to stop breathing to avoid the temptation of swallowing the hot, wet liquid as I bit, and to my surprise I had no urge to breathe again. I could go without air indefinitely. This was something Azrael had left out.

Finally, we came to the Atacarma, mere paces ahead of the vampire hunters. I had no time to explain, just flung myself on Caius, my second-in-command, while Sulpicia dealt with his mate Athenodora. Next, I took Marcus and Sulpicia took his mate Didyme, as the sound of pursuit came closer and closer. Just as we dropped them, the door was flung open, and the vampire hunters arrived.

I flung Marcus and Caius over my shoulder; Sulpicia took their mates. None were yet under the influence of the venom. The Hunters shot arrows, poisoned arrows, as we fled the chamber. They glanced harmlessly off our granite backs. Just as we left, however, an arrow hit Didyme. She screamed, and Marcus echoed the scream. Sulpicia and I jumped heedlessly off the Atacarma tower, thousands of feet high, and landed three full seconds later, absorbing the impact landing at the perfect angle. Marcus and Didyme fell into each other's arms, kissing fiercely as Didyme breathed her last. He had no time to grieve, however, as the venom burning set in.

I could not cry for his pain, because my eyes were tearless forever. On this somber note, we had to build our new world. We had to stay hidden. there must be no more vampire hunters. no more Didymes.

Atlantis, vampire home for millenia, was finished. It was time to leave for good.