Prologue

"If I look at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, if I touch near the fire the impalpable ash or the wrinkled body of the log, everything carries me to you, as if everything that exists, aromas, light, metals, were little boats that sail toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now, if little by little you stop loving me I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly you forget me do not look for me, for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad, the wind of banners that passes through my life, and you decide to leave me at the shore of the heart where I have roots, remember that on that day, at that hour, I shall lift my arms and my roots will set off to seek another land.

But if each day, each hour, you feel that you are destined for me with implacable sweetness, if each day a flower climbs up to your lips to seek me, ah my love, ah my own, in me all that fire is repeated, in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten, my love feeds on your love, beloved, and as long as you live it will be in your arms without leaving mine"

~ Pablo Neruda

Different memories have different meanings for every person. Some people hold on to memories that serves as a reminder of how strong they were. Others hold on to memories that make them laugh. Most people value memories where they were the most happiest. Ask anyone on the street about their fondest memory, and it would either be a) a childhood memory, b) their first love, or c) that one moment that had changed their lives forever. Whether a memory is good or bad doesn't matter. What matters is how you choose to remember it. Any two people sharing a memory would remember it differently. It's a fact of life.

I had only two memories I treasured above all others. The first was the day I became a Keeper. The second was meeting Damon Salvatore. You're probably asking 1) what's a Keeper and 2) who is Damon Salvatore. So, let me start at the beginning.

In a time when immortals and other beings raised from that of which they came, five scientists joined forces and created a race of their own. They're called Guardianes de los Condenados. Translated they're simply called The Keepers of the Damned, or more commonly known as just Keepers.

As time went on the race grew and colonies started appearing all over the world. To become a Keeper you have to go through a complex process of blood transfusions and rituals. It combines the forces of science and magic. The first Keepers were ordinary people turned immortal. Like all creatures Keepers adapt to survive. They're peaceful beings, designed to keep the peace, and to never judge. Keepers are the in-between, neither good nor bad. They don't pick sides when there are wars, and they never meddle in supernatural business.

To be a Keeper is an honor. Age old traditions gets passed down from generation to generation. Becoming a Keeper gives one immortality and the ability to read and manipulate people and other beings thoughts. The scientists intended for the new race to keep the secrets of supernatural beings. Their tasks are to make sure that these beings identities aren't discovered, so they're stationed around the world, cleaning up the messes of the supernatural world. Just like other societies, Keepers have laws, traditions and values they live by.

There's a government entity that make laws and keep order among the Keepers. This is known as the Assembly. It consists of five highly ranked Keepers. The original five members of the Assembly were the scientists, the creators of our kind. The highest ranking member of the Assembly is the leader, which is normally passed down through generations, except when an existing leader decides to choose another Keeper. First Chair's the leader; Second Chair's the leader's right hand. Then counting down to Third, Fourth and Fifth Chair, whose powers only lie with decision-making and voting. A new law can only be passed when all members of the Assembly agree on it, which meant the voting was unanimous.

I was born into the Keeper race, raised in the environment of Keeperism, and finally at age of twenty-two I became a Keeper. Well, technically I wasn't born into the Keeper race. But that's a story for another time. A few weeks after my twenty-second birthday I got summoned and got told of my acceptance to become a Keeper. It was one of the greatest moments of my life.

Becoming a Keeper was difficult for me. I was born with moderate Hemophilia, also known as Hemophilia B. With my blood disorder it was harder for my blood to accept the Keeper cells. Eventually my blood transformed and I became a full Keeper. Being a Keeper had a few perks. Although I was still human, with a heartbeat, blood in my veins and human emotions and feelings, I had some additional features. As a Keeper I healed faster than humans did. I also had better vision and hearing. And the biggest selling point was immortality.

After my blood cells transformed, the cells literally changing color, my blood now had a golden tinge to it. The gold was a sign of status. You got ranked higher depending on how much gold you had in your blood and skin. Because of my blood disorder I wasn't like other Keepers. My skin wasn't as gold, neither was my blood. In saying that, I had control on all healing and mystic features.

I was, after all, more human than anything else. I could better pass as a human, which was the reason The Assembly valued me. Well it could also be that my father was the leader of the North-American Sector. But not that it really mattered. Becoming a Keeper also meant some physical changes. I went through some vigorous training. All Keepers had training on how to defend themselves against any supernatural creatures. As a Keeper we were subject to any number of dangerous situations, and we had to know how to handle them.

My abilities were in vampires and faeries. Don't let faeries fool you they're quite sinister at times, as I found out first hand on my first assignment. My case load consisted of some of the most dangerous vampires, and fiercest faeries.

But never did I imagine that one vampire would turn my world so completely upside down. Becoming a Keeper and meeting Damon were both life changing events. One more so than the other. I reply those two memories over and over, wondering if I made the right choices.