Mirror Me

Regan stared lowly off into the distance, finding interest in anything she could find, no matter how insignificant. A floating speck of dust, a crack in the stone, anything that might distract her from the pile of bodies dumped oh-so callously to her left. A slow trail of crimson ran like a ghoulish stream across the brick, touching the edge her pale canvas' – she fought the cringe that tugged her features.

She failed.

"Forgive me, my dear, does the blood bother you?"

Regan looked up, one of the three new men – if indeed you could call them that – was speaking to her finally. He sat between the others, perched happily in one of three throne like chairs. Smiling widely, he held Demetri's hand between his own, tilting his head with interest at her while the latter merely gazed on. They released each other, and Demetri stepped back down to her from the dais, raising his eyebrow at her once mockingly, before returning smoothly to her side.

Regan squared her jaw, and the raven haired man on the throne grinned.

"I would have thought from your recent actions, a lady such as yourself would care not for such a meagre spillage?" He went on to chuckle, shaking his head indulgently, as he fixed his fingertips together tightly. Sitting back casually in his chair, he rested his ankle on the opposite knee, and watched her keep up her self-imposed silence. He sighed heavily, deep in thought. "My name is Aro. Suppose you tell us yours?"

Regan allowed herself exactly one blink. "Regan." She answered smoothly.

"Hello, Regan." He murmured, drawing out her name for far longer than she found comfortable.

They held each others gaze for what seemed like an age, but all the while nothing was said. Aro simply stared at her, grinning excitedly, like a child would after spotting a brand new toy to play with.

Frowning eventually, he leaned his head casually to his left.

"Caius. What should we do with this one, do you suppose? She has murdered one of our own, that's true; our poor, sweet, Luciana, but she does seem such a curious little thing herself... Perhaps we could keep her? We are a secretary down, after all."

Caius, Aro's fairer, harsher counter part, narrowed his scarlet gaze cruelly in Regan's direction, a twisted smile pulling nastily at his lips, that pressed her heart readily into her throat. "Her crime was a direct attack against our coven, such an act should never go unpunished. It would be remiss of us to allow it."

Regan suppressed a whimper, fear sparking her adrenaline fuelled anger quicker than intended. "You would have killed her anyway!" She barked in a rush of syllables. "She's hardly a loss to you!"

"You would be so dismissive of the life of one of your own?" Caius questioned quietly.

His voice held no judgement, only distrust, the loss of Luciana was less of a crime than an offence. Her name and face would be forgotten in only a handful of weeks, Regan was certain. Beauty was not admired or held in reverence here, not in this room where it surrounded her in each and every face she could see.

Regan forced herself to hold Caius' stare, she had to be strong, or she would not survive this.

"I see it more as practical." She replied, pressing her voice into an even keel. "I didn't overly like her, I was about to die, so I seized the one opportunity I thought I had. She was a weak and unexceptional person, I can't see why you would have wanted to keep her around."

At this Aro burst with laughter, the sound standing the hairs on the back of Regan's neck to attention. Like tombs in a graveyard.

"Why, she is an impertinent one, is she not, brothers?" He clapped merrily, eyeing her now with even more interest. "Tell me, my dear, do you truly have such blunt views on sweet Luciana, or are you merely seeking to appease our dear Caius?"

Regan swallowed the stress infested bile in her throat, smoothing her face over as best she could before answering simply, "I'm a very good judge of character."

She knew the accusation in her tone was hard to miss. The flash of ice in Aro's ruby gaze, told her he had not.

"I have no doubt." He murmured silkily, but there was an edge in his voice that had not been there before, and yet to Regan it seemed to fit much better than his show of inane positivity.

She bit her lip, hardly daring to push her luck further.

"So... I can stay?"

Aro inclined his head slowly. "We shall see. First, I wish to discuss the matter. Demetri?"

"Yes, master?"

"Take Regan to Luciana's chambers." He smiled cruelly. "Perhaps there she will feel the weight of her crime, and my brothers, and I can decide what is to be done with her."

Demetri bowed low, then, taking hold of Regan's arm in a vice-like grip, as she stumbled backwards, and began to lead her forcibly from the room.

Aro waved merrily. Joyous once more. "Rest well, sweetling. We shall meet again soon."

The words held more meaning than Regan would have like to have heard, and pushing the fear down, she gulped.

Silly girl. She thought. What the hell have you got yourself into?

Thank you very much for being patient. This story will find its legs I promise. I hope no one judges Regan too harshly, she is only trying to survive after all.

She doesn't even know they're vampires yet... though, I would have hoped she'd have the brains to guess.

How do you think things are going to work out for her in the next chapter? I'd love to hear!

Reviews are always appreciated, and make me a better writer :)