The thought of that night always woke Selene up. Just the barest thought would send a shiver up her spine. If it came in the form of a dream, she would wake with a start, making her start hyperventilating and give her a new coat of sweat.

Young Selene, not even of 20 years, was now running for her life. Everything seemed so scary, so new, so frightening… had it been only hours ago where she was tucked in her safe, welcome, comforting bed?

It was all happening so fast! First she heard the horses, as did the rest of her family. Which was, of course, why her father had gone to check on them. Why wasn't he back yet? Surely the storm had been what had woken them…?

Then had been the sounds of her nieces screaming in unholy terror. Why are they screaming, she had asked herself. Now, she was asking herself what she had done to deserve such a Hell…

Following the discovery of her nieces' mutilated bodies had been the appalling sight of her mother's body. That's when Selene ran out the door.

Now she was running toward the barn, to the last loved one she had that was still living. Unless he was…

No! Selene scolded herself. He can't be! The fates would not be this cruel to me!

She entered the barn and slammed the door shut, whirling around. Please, no! What Selene saw would be burned into her mind forever. Her father's body, once full of life and joy, was now cruelly killed, his throat exposing the underlying flesh. Blood leaked onto the concrete like the liquid was water in a rapid river, flowing out carelessly and without reason.

Why? Why me? Selene asked herself. She sobbed and sobbed, losing all focus and attention to the world around her – until a warm and helping hand was placed on her shoulder.

Viktor's.

Selene shuddered at the thought. Viktor's. All of the other parts of the memories were more familiar to her, as well as the emotions tied with them, than the feelings of Viktor she now harbored. Yes, she always felt the fear and confusion from that night. But never before had she felt such dislike, detest, abhor, and just plain loathe that she felt toward Viktor as she did now.

Probably because I never knew he was responsible for the whole damn nightmare before, Selene thought.

But these thoughts should not be on her mind right now. Right now, she was enjoying the first sunrise she had ever seen in centuries. Right now, she was enjoying the company of the love of her life, Michael Corvin.

Selene looked at Michael. He wasn't looking at her. He, too, was looking at the sunrise as if it were the first one in 600 years that he'd seen. An aura of immeasurable bliss emitted from his body. He radiated with the glow of an angel.

My angel, Selene thought. She turned her attention back to the sunrise and smiled. The sight was still as breathtaking as when she had first seen. Sunrises will not be rare from now on, Selene thought. And neither will the feeling.

Selene leaned her head on Michael's shoulder. "It's beautiful," she whispered just audibly. "Just beautiful."

He looked down at her and pushed a strand of loose hair from her face. "Yes, it is."

He laid down and pulled her down with him. Selene kissed Michael and said the words that she had previously been scared to even think.

"I love you."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I was in the mood to write, so I thought it'd be cool to start a new story, a new take on the events following EVO.

Anyway, unlike in my last story, "Resurrection", Marcus and William will not be the baddies in this story.

I hope you continue to read, and please leave a review or any critiques you have!

KATEB819