A/N: This'll throw you for a loop. We're going back in time now to look at an aspect of Annamarie's past. As I said before, pay attention to the time and places I give you. That's the only way you're going to be able to keep everything in order. Good Luck!

Don't forget to Read, Review, and Pass it on!

-Wish

Brecon, Wales 1680: Others

Annamarie waited under the cover of the trees as the sun sank below the horizon in the west. A few beams found her skin among the leaves and where they hit, the light reflected like pink diamonds. Annamarie took a step back further into the shadows. She couldn't have humans seeing her. She could smell them just down the road in the town of Brecon. The scent filled her nostrils and the thirst in her throat urged her on. But she waited. She'd waited for two weeks since last hunting; she could wait a few hours more. She had to keep out of sight in the sun; otherwise the humans would suspect something.

For three years, Annamarie had roamed England and Wales. She'd been lucky with the sun, England and Wales weren't very sunny places. Most of the time she'd been fine, as long as she kept her head down and to herself. There were still witch-hunters on the loose in England, and her red eyes would guarantee she burned, if they could catch her. In her first year, the humans hadn't stood a chance. She had superior strength and speed, though it had been harder to control her thirst. After the first year, her strength began to wane, but her thirst was slightly easier to handle. She was still amazingly strong, and humans still didn't stand a chance, but Annamarie had to be careful of others now.

Annamarie had spent the three years in relative solidarity. She'd heard of others like her, certainly she knew they existed from being changed herself, but she'd never really run into one before. One time she'd come close in Winchester where she found the remnants of someone else's meal. The corpse had still been warm. She'd only missed the other by a few minutes. But that was as close as she'd ever gotten to another.

Annamarie ran her hand along the bark of the ancient tree she stood behind. She stuck her finger in a knot, pushing it deeper and deeper, widening the hole in the trunk. When she pulled her finger out, it was covered in splinters of wood, but none had pierced her skin. Nothing could; her skin was like marble, hard and cold. Annamarie had also found that, like marble, she didn't have to breathe. She didn't get tired, she didn't drown, she didn't eat anything other than blood, and she didn't age. She minds well have been a walking, talking, marble statue. For all intents and purposes, she was one. She ran free, her only obligation to feed every week or so to sate her thirst and stay strong. When her thirst was satisfied, her eyes would change from a hard black to a blood red.

Then, her eyes were a matte black, dull from thirst. The fire in her throat burned with every inhale. She could smell the cooking fires wafting from the town to her in the trees, but it wasn't the smell of the humans' food that was making the venom pool in her mouth like saliva. It was the smell of their blood. Annamarie struggled to keep her feet rooted in place until the sun finished its descent. She had to. She couldn't be bothered to outrun a witch-hunting party in her state. Annamarie screwed her face in concentration and gripped the tree she stood behind. The old wood cracked with the strength of her grip. She didn't hear them come up on her until it was too late.

Annamarie was wrestled to the ground by hands again much stronger than hers. She was strong, but the thirst made her weaker. These hands belonged to one of the others. One who'd fed quite recently.

"This is our territory," the other growled.

Anna snarled in response, struggling against the other. She was sure it was a he. The voice was too low to be a woman's. The other on her back growled back, shoving her down.

"You are not welcome here," he said. "Leave and you will keep your limbs."

"Isaac." The word was a command as much as a name. The other at her back hauled Annamarie up and pinned her against the tree she'd been hiding behind only a few seconds ago. Out of the corner of her eye, Annamarie could make out the figure of a man with a woman at his side. The man was bigger than the one who'd tackled her. He was the one who'd given the command. The woman stood half a step back, watching with interest.

"I caught her on our territory, Roland," the one who'd tackled Annamarie growled. He seemed to address Annamarie more than Roland, who Annamarie assumed to be the bigger man.

Roland walked forward, the woman at his back. He stood just behind Isaac's shoulder, staring at her face.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Annamarie."

"You are trespassing. Isaac is right. This is our territory."

"I did not know it had been claimed," Annamarie replied. Isaac's grip against her chest was uncomfortable and reminded her of a time not too long ago, in London.

"Whose coven are you part of?" Roland asked.

"No one's."

Roland seemed surprised and suspicious. "Surely not," he said. "Surely you have a coven and simply refuse to give their name."

"I am not a part of a coven," Annamarie insisted. "I have not met another of my kind since being changed three years ago."

Roland snorted his disbelief, but the woman tapped his shoulder. He leaned back as she stood on her toes to whisper into his ear something neither Isaac nor Annamarie could understand. Roland listened and nodded before turning back to Annamarie.

"My mate confirms that you are new to this life. She also says that you are like her and David and have a special ability."

Annamarie's gaze flashed to the diminutive woman behind Roland. She did not look like anything special amongst her kind. But she seemed to be able to tell when one was changed, and whether or not they had any special talents. Annamarie doubted lying would get her anywhere with Roland, Isaac, or this woman.

"I can read memories off objects," Annamarie told him. "The more personal they are, the more I can read," she added.

Roland looked back at the woman who barely nodded, before turning back to Annamarie. "I am going to do something I do not often do. I am going to make you the offer of joining our coven, since you have been truthful thus far. You do not have a coven of your own. Join mine, and you will have access to plenty of prey and companionship in a fight."

Isaac's grip tensed. He did not seem happy about Roland's choice to make Annamarie an offer. Annamarie weighed that opinion, as well as her own opinion of Roland and the woman, and the possible outcomes of joining the coven. Her thirst bit into her throat. Roland had promised humans to feed from and help, should she meet another who was not so kind, like Isaac. Annamarie liked the thought of having help. She was tired of being taken by surprise. She needed someone who would watch her back, at least while it was still worth watching. Annamarie did not like it, but she realized that she needed Roland and his coven, at least for the time being.

"Yes," Annamarie said finally. "I will join your coven."

Roland nodded curtly. "Isaac, release her."

Isaac pulled her away from the tree and tossed her down among the roots of the tree he'd just held her against the moment before. Isaac backed away as Roland stepped forward, bent down and took Annamarie by the back of the neck. His grip was forceful and reacted against Annamarie's instincts. She struggled for a moment, but Roland held her firm. Annamarie was entirely at his mercy.

"If you are part of my coven you obey me," Roland hissed in her ear. "You do as I tell you, as soon as I tell you, without question. Remember this," he said, tightening his grip on the back of her neck. "Because with the flick of my wrist, I could take your head off." He pushed her face down before letting go and backing off. Annamarie knelt amongst the roots a moment, wondering what she'd gotten herself into. A hand came into her vision, offering her help. She took it without looking up and the arm attached helped her to her feet. Only then did Annamarie look up into the face of her helper.

He was beyond angelic. His pale skin contrasted with his deep, brown curls. He had a handsome smile and white teeth. His blood red eyes didn't seem to belong on such a perfect face. They looked out of place. He was not a monster. He was not supposed to have a monster's eyes.

"Welcome," he said. His voice was just as perfect as his face, smooth, cool, not at all out of pitch with the rest of his body. He was a hand's breadth taller than Annamarie, just tall enough to look down into her eyes as he smiled. He looked to be no older than twenty or so. "My name is David."

"David. Annamarie." Roland, Isaac, and the woman were beginning to head towards Brecon, the destination Annamarie had originally had. David and Annamarie turned at the order and hurried after the rest of the coven. David never seemed to look away from her, even as they ran towards the town, even as they searched out their prey, even as they fed. Annamarie felt his eyes on her the entire time, and she was happy for the first time since her father had died.