MarcusOfTheVolt and HopeNeverDies_
I sat in my office alone as the voices of the guards below wafted up from the castle grounds below. My silent, frozen heart was heavy – which was nothing out of the ordinary – as the recognition once more drifted into the forefront of my mind, knowing that I would never again find a love remotely similar to my beloved Didyme. As I attempted to focus on the task at hand – paperwork passed along to me from Aro by way of Renata – my thoughts refused to obey as they returned to days long gone by.
I had been born somewhere around 1350 BC, but time was calculated different back then so the precise date was not precisely known, and you could not determine the age at which I was transformed if you looked upon me now. Although we did not age once we were changed into the creatures that we were my somber, melancholy expressions seemed to have altered my exterior over the centuries. I no longer appeared as the youth I had been, but rather an old, weather-worn man. It would be difficult for most to believe I was chronologically younger than both Aro and Caius as they still appeared more youthful than I.
As I stood and walked to my office window, I peered out at nothing much at all. My thoughts took me back to some time around 1330 BC which as best as I could determine was when I became what I am at this point of my existence. It occurred during the period near the twentieth year after my human birth - at least that was what Aro believed. I had remained solitary, traveled as a nomad until Aro found me for lack of a better word. I did not mind the nomadic life, my gift had helped in understanding many whose paths I came across. It was not long, however, that I found I had grown fond of the rather enthusiastic vampire named Aro and soon we developed a friendship of sorts. None other I had come across had been even remotely similar to him.
Aro, however, was not the least bit interested in remaining a solitary pair and when we came upon Caius and Athendora, Aro offered them the opportunity to join is. To say I was, at the time, hesitant would have been an understatement. Truth be told, I did not trust Caius who was extremely intense and rather bitter. Aro, though, always had a method for convincing others to see a situation as he envisioned it and, not surprisingly, Aro soon talked me into the partnership, reluctant though I was. Caius was bonded to Athendora, but it appeared she relied more heavily on that pairing than he and it became apparent to me at least that the ties between Aro and Caius were growing, becoming stronger. It was clear to me why this would be the case for Caius, but I never did and possibly still do not understand what Aro sees in Caius. I turned from the window, returning to my desk chair and refocused my attention to the business at hand, chastising myself for allowing the jaunt down that path of thoughts.
Hours, even days and weeks pass and I rarely bother to notice, my thoughts most often dwelling upon what I had lost. After my darling Didyme's disappearance, I had, of course, remained at Aro's side. There was nowhere for me to go, no purpose to my existence other than to continue on with Aro's plan of ruling. Although all our kind looked to the three of us as the leaders, masters…Caius and I were well aware of our positions in the hierarchy. In truth, I knew of Aro's desire to keep me close in order to use my talents when necessary, but he now had amassed such a gifted guard, I often wondered why he required me at all.
It was with those thoughts in my mind that I mused over the possibility of whether or not Aro would object if I took some time away from the castle. I had a mind to tour Europe – something I had not done in since my dearest wife's demise and although it would be lugubrious to traverse the sights alone, there could be no other way and something was compelling me to go.
After having a rather in-depth discussion with Aro in which he was not convinced I would return, I reluctantly allowed him my thoughts as evidence. I did not wish a confrontation with either him or Caius and I had nowhere else to call home. I merely longed for a change of scenery. Once Aro was satisfied that my intentions were pure - that I only wished for a short respite away from the castle – he reluctantly agreed. I had never required or found the need for a cellular telephone, but at Caius's insistence, I accepted one prior to departing. Of course Demetri, if called upon, would always be able to locate me, but there truly was no need to send him out only to retrieve me or contact me should my services be required before I had decided to return.
As I was changing out of my robes, deciding instead on denim pants and a tailored shirt in a meager attempt to blend in with the humans, I heard a knock at the door and detected a familiar scent.
"Yes, Chelsea. Enter."
She bowed, nodding slightly as she inquired whether or not I required assistance. My first thought was no, but I wished to appear as human as possible so I asked, "Presentable?"
Chelsea nodded before casting her eyes down. I was rather certain Aro had instructed her to offer aid when yet another distinct scent caught my attention as footsteps came down the hall. Before she could knock I called out, "Yes, Heidi. What is it you require?"
Heidi snickered as she performed a perfunctory bow.
"I only wished to see if you needed dinner before you departed, Master."
I shook my head no, certain she had also been sent to ensure I had the proper items for traveling and took a step back.
"Acceptable?" I said as I exhaled unnecessarily.
Both Chelsea and Heidi smiled at my appearance, but it was Heidi who spoke.
"Why Master, you are quite stunning if I may be so bold," Heidi quipped as Chelsea did her best to hold back a laugh. I raised a brow at them both.
"I may now be dressed to appear human, but I remain your master," I retorted immediately.
Both bowed quickly although it was apparent they remained amused by the change in my appearance. Several suitcases had been packed although I did not see the need, but Chelsea and Heidi reassured me that it was a necessary part of the facade. Soon I took my leave along with a guard who was assigned to escort me to the airport field.
I did what was necessary to maintain a low profile during my travels, blending in as best I could with the mortals; however, I refused to reside in unsavory surroundings and therefore upon arriving in Germany I resided in one of the finer hotels – it was in fact the most luxurious in all of Frankfurt. It was opulent, with grand architecture and its location was only steps away from some of the city's most exquisite shopping districts and as such, an area abounding with humans to feast upon.
As I was unpacking my suitcases and hanging up my attire and other outer wear, my ears overheard the laughs and whispers of what could only have been described as a newly wed couple. My thoughts returned to my darling wife Didyme and the less than human nights we shared after our bonding, however no one in centuries, millennia even, had shared my room let alone my bed. As always, I had a room to myself and this day was no different than any other – I remained alone, lonely. As I pondered over the lives of Aro, Sulpicia, Caius and Athendora, there was a small part of myself that missed their company, but I was certain they were preoccupied with the typical dealings of the day in Volterra.
As I inhaled deeply, my eyes closed. There had been something unusual compelling me to leave Volterra, bringing me to this precise location, but what could possibly have caused such a reaction in me? For all the gifted guards Aro had accumulated over the years, he had yet to find one who would have been able to solve such a mystery as this.
I knew deep down in my being that I would never find another such as my Didyme. I would forever feel the emptiness from the loss of her. But did I even dare consider that something had changed? Never in over a millennia had I left Volterra without a direct request from Aro and yet for some unknown reason I had been compelled to depart the castle and not only leave the confines of that stone-cold building but also Volterra and Italy as a whole. I had considered many different locales and yet in the end I had decided upon Germany – Frankfurt of all places. I sat back in a chair, staring out the window, wondering what precisely brought me to this place.
After taking the time to unpack my luggage, as I had decided to remain in Frankfurt for a spell, I made the determination to venture out of doors. The skies were overcast and the weather prediction for the day was rain so there was no possibility of exposure. I had not fed since departing from Volterra, however, the ever constant burn in my throat was minimal so the mortals would be safe…for the moment.
As I walked about the streets filled with humans, all who appeared to be in somewhat of a hurry, a scent caught my attention and would have overwhelmed me had I not existed for such an extended period of time. My eyes swiftly glanced about, my nostrils flaring as my gaze fell upon a young woman, who appeared to be in the second decade of her mortal life. Her flesh was pure and slightly pale with only a hint of pink as if the sun in the sky had barely caressed the apples of her cheeks. My eyes fell to her slender neck, her pulse beating out a rhythm that truly had me mesmerized. In all the years – the centuries since the loss of my one true love – I had never been compelled to move toward another as I was with this mere mortal. I slowly made my way in her direction when she was approached by a man who seemed only to ask her an inconsequential, inane question. She responded briskly – it was obvious he held no interest for her – and I found myself smirking – something I had not done in years and the amusement I felt confused me. I followed her from a distance so as not to startle or frighten her until she entered a small café. I took a seat at one of the tables on the sidewalk and found myself absolutely and completely enthralled by this girl – or rather woman – as if she had somehow bewitched me.
I continued to watch the beautiful young woman from my sidewalk table. She was stunning, exquisite and as my thoughts and senses became filled with both the innocence of her face and the intoxicating fragrance of her blood, from somewhere in the recesses of my mind, one name sprang forth. Didyme. I rebuked myself immediately. How could I denigrate my wife's memory by thinking of another? I summarily lowered my gaze away from the angelic creature who had caused me to momentarily feel something other than apathy; the alluring creature had allowed, if only for a moment, for me to feel something glorious once again. She seemed to have filled a void with … I had no words, and I was quickly returned once again to the remorsefulness and despair which I had carried with me for century after century. Closing my eyes as memories of Didyme consumed my mind, I detected the sound of a telephone ring – a cellular phone. Slowly raising my face and glancing around, I heard her voice – the angel's sweet tones – as she answered the call. "Yes, this is Olivia Christos. How may I help you?"
The sound of Olivia's voice was completely alluring as I recalled stories from days gone by of mythical creatures referred to as Sirens. I smirked slightly because back when I was a youth in Greece, Sirens were not believed to be mythological. Nevertheless, regardless of whether they were real or imagined, these beings that were part human and part bird were said to live on rocky islands in the middle of the sea. They sang melodies so beautiful that sailors passing by were unable to resist getting closer to them. As the sailors followed the melodic sounds of their voices, the foolish men would ultimately steer their boats towards the Sirens or jump in the water in an attempt to get closer. Either way, their efforts were ill-fated, always ending in tragedy on the rocky shores. While it was true that I could not perish, at least not at the hands of a mere mortal such as Olivia, I found myself entirely unable to remove my eyes from her as my ears were peeked by the captivating sounds of her musical voice. In the deep recesses of my mind, a voice endeavored to break me from the spell Olivia seemed to hold over me, but such attempts were met with failure. From that moment forward, I knew that regardless of the consequences, and it was certain there were bound to be such, I could not leave Olivia. Somehow I would find a way to merge Olivia's life with mine. There could be no other way for me.
Unable to tear my eyes from Olivia's beautiful face, I watched, listening intently as she concluded her conversation. There was no doubt in my mind that the most prudent course of action would be for me to depart, but I found myself unable to compel my body forward. It appeared as if I was truly frozen in space and time. Suddenly and without warning Olivia lifted her eyes and immediately captured my gaze. I watched as it appeared that Olivia held her breath as a thought crept through my mind that I had startled her as I remained still, unmoving. I longed for nothing more than some pleasant acknowledgement from Olivia of my presence, a smile perhaps, so I nodded politely but it was too late.
As Olivia inhaled quickly, she lowered her eyes. I continued to hear Olivia's heart beating, only now the fragile organ was pounding furiously in her chest. In that instant I recognized that I truly was in fact a dark creature, a being of the night whose sole purpose was to terrorize mortals. I had inadvertently frightened Olivia, and for some unknown reason that dismayed me greatly. As those thoughts began to consume my mind, control began to return to my limbs, and I forced myself from the chair without another glance back, deciding to find my next meal. It was imperative that in a city filled with humans I not lose control and after being deemed a monster by Olivia, I would once again behave as such. Aro's voice rang out loud and clear in my head, mocking me for even considering the possibility that I could find another. I was destined for all eternity to mourn the loss of Didyme. For being unable to protect her, I deserved nothing less.