Prologue
'We are never this merciful to humans, Luciana.' Aro lifted my chin with his cool finger. I met his eyes. 'Do you understand that we could kill you right now?'
'Yes, master.' I hoped that calling him this would please him.
It did. He smiled kindly at me. 'Good. This is the first time we have shown favor to a human that knows our secrets. And it will be the last. You will not tell anyone, Luciana.'
'I don't understand why you're doing this, Aro.' Caius said. His face was grave and cynical. Unlike Aro's milky, red eyes, I found no type of kindness or humanity in his. 'The human girl should be killed for knowing of us.'
'She desires Demitri.' Marcus told them softly. I tried my hardest not to flush and did not meet any of their eyes. Aro looked intrigued. He lifted a silky black eyebrow.
'Is this true, young one?'
My eyes still down, I nodded. Demitri was the first vampire I met. He seemed to care about me. He didn't kill me like they did with the other humans that they brought to the castle. When he looked at me, it was the way Daddy used to look at Mommy when he was alive. With love. 'I love him, master.'
Another vampire chuckled under his breath. It was probably the one named Felix. I looked up through my lashes at Demitri. He stared at me evenly, a smile playing at his lips.
Aro threw his head back and laughed. 'You love him. Amazing. Is she not the most beautiful human girl ever seen, Demitri?"
"The most beautiful," Demitri agreed. My heart lifted.
"This is truly amazing. Well…we won't kill you, Luciana. At least…not yet. You have a special gift. I can tell. You may visit us every day. I'd like to study you further. But remember, you can't tell anyone about what we are. Not even your sisters or your Mother."
I looked up again. 'How do you know about my family?"
His answer was one that I would never forget. 'I know all about you, Luciana. I know all about you…"