Et voila, Chapter 8…

Aurora POV

What have I done?

The vampires, my family, left me soon after to hunt. I could not despise them for killing humans; I had just welcomed three vampires onto an island full of people. I was practically inviting death. My actions were none the better, all I did was killing and destroy. My own family had abandoned me and readily handed me over to this place, I had no-one, not until Nomeus.

He took me a number of years to realize that his strength and vampirism had started to wane, I would never have guessed initially, not in the way he treated me. Yes, I was treasured and revered according to him, he saw me as a gift, a being caught between humanity and something else. Yet, with all the love and affection he showered me with, when I did not return it, he was sure to beat me, to draw blood from me. This was one of the ways I knew I was different, human blood satiates vampires and the smell of it is undeniable. My own blood, however, strengthens even the weakest of beings, and is worth a meal of tens of men. I was lucky enough that due to his weakening state, Nomeus, could physically not feed off of me for very long. Without his weakness, he never would have had enough self control for me to stay alive.

This was when I discovered my …gift, as he would call it, more like a curse. When I become scared or feel any heightened emotion, one of two things happen. Sometimes, the nearest thing to me is weakened and confused, I don't know how I do or understand this, but it is my strongest weapon when I hunt. Unfortunately it is something I cannot control, and many a time I have been seriously wounded while waiting for it to happen. The other…reaction, the worst pain I have ever experienced, is when, again, I feel frightened, a blur of images and sensations runs through me. There is nothing I can possibly do to stop it but wait till it has subsided. Sometimes I can make out colours or images, and in the past I have been able to feel the tenure of what my assailant is feeling, but the pain is usually so blinding that I do not normally care.

I despise my own existence; I can never live with my own kind. The people of the villages despise me because I hunt the largest of the animals. In the past I have killed them for trying to steal my hunt, just because I am on my own, and a woman, they think they can take from me. They were not able to make the same mistake.

The only company I can keep are the more tame beasts of the forest and Island. Until now. I know that the vampires will not hurt me; at least they don't want to hurt me. I see in Marcus and Aro the brother and father I have always needed, and subconsciously, always wanted. I knew that as cruel as Nomeus was that I never wanted to be left alone, a stupid weakness. Hunters are solitary; my body is designed to kill, but I know that I will wither away if I do not have something, someone, surrounding me. I really am pathetic. This is the reason I have chosen, no, accepted the vampires.

I have reservations though, the vampire, Caius, looks at me in a way that no other man, nor being as ever before. I do not understand his desires and I certainly do not accept them. I believe he sees me as those men once did easy prey, but unlike them, he will never hurt me. He shall never take my blood, he shall never have anything that belongs to me. I know now the importance of companionship, and know that I will offer the strength of my blood to my family, should they need it. Nomeus accepted me as a prize; my new family have welcomed me as an equal.

I found myself walking away from the forest to the beach, I needed to swim, and it had been so long since I submersed myself into the depths of the beautiful ocean and felt the waves crashing around me. One of my favourite things to do, aside from hunting, was to swim against the current when it was at its strongest and feel the power of the ocean. I was always guaranteed privacy since, being much stronger than the average human, but barely comparable to a vampire, the waves pose only a thrill to me. I passed my small make-shift cave and took one of the heavier animal skins I would usually sleep on and left it out on the rocks so that I could wrap it around me after I had finished swimming.

Once I was thigh deep in the water I ripped off the clothing I had around my chest and between my legs and discarded it on the beach. I really had been using that for too long now, there were blood stains from animals everywhere and surely the scent would begin to attract predators. Not exactly what I had in mind. Finally liberated from my tightly bound constraints I dove headfirst into the water already beginning to feel the salt seep into my recent wounds. It was not incredibly uncomfortable but because they were so open and raw, it did sting a little, but at least they would be clean.

At least it was better than waking up to having a vampire on top of me, licking my wounds. I couldn't possibly describe my reaction to that; I was shocked, scared and unfortunately a little too excited. Thank goodness my predatory instincts kicked in as an unconscious growl left my chest, otherwise I would have lain there like a pathetic human, it was one of the times I thanked whoever made me for being what I was. Even if my head couldn't keep up, I could always rely on my body to react.

At this point I could barely see the Island; I had been swimming forcefully out into the open ocean and I saw the big beautiful white above my head. Utterly perfect. I noticed a glow back on the beach, against the white light in the night it was impossible to deny that there was a vampire, and something, I do not know what, told me that it was Caius.

What was he doing? I swam as quickly as I could back to shore, although it took me a while and I knew I would be very hungry when I returned, not only had my slept been interrupted, but I hadn't fed today. The good thing was that I had managed to catch and kill some very large prey today, although I received some gaping painful wounds, it was so worth it. I even managed to stun him temporarily before he was slain. Perfect. This is honestly the best part of my life, knowing I can hunt and kill, and there is nothing that can stop me.

I can see the line of the shore now, getting closer and closer, I see Caius pacing the beach and I make my way over to the rock where I left my skins. I do not want to give him the satisfaction of seeing my body naked so I pull the skin to the water, and, as it floats on top, I drape it around me, covering everything. I tie up the sides made of muscle sinew, really very strong.

Here stands the vampire before me.

"Aurora". He bows his head imploringly, with a smirk written over his face; I am instantly disgusted and curious.

I walk purposefully over to my bed, without looking at him I return his greeting, "Caius". It is then that I notice that something is missing. Where is my hunt? My kill?

I turn to face him and I know that that is the reason for the smile on his face.

I breathe deeply and turn my head towards him, but do not look at him. "Did you steal my hunt?" I pray for his sake, that he did not.

CPOV

I have been dismissed by my own brothers from a woman, no a creature, who is mine. How is this possible? The frustration boiling inside me was incredible; I needed to talk to them. Marcus was always trying to persuade me to act, rationally, HAH, like that would ever happen, but maybe if I spoke to them, they might understand that this can never happen again. She is mine, all mine, no-one else's. It's just a shame she doesn't know that yet.

Unconsciously I had followed the scent of my wonderful brothers to the village; thankfully it was still dark, so most of the inhabitants were sleeping. Humans rarely give me a good chase anyway, so incredibly boring. I even prefer to chase animals, not kill them, for they taste worse than the most disgusting human. But at least they tried to get away, generally human just scream. All they do is make so much noise, little ones cry, the men try and roar but sound pathetic, the women whine. It is truly sickening. Seeing my brothers already feasting on several low lives I decided to let the scent of a number of females lead me to them.

Of course I did not in any way find them appealing; I never had with a human or vampire female. Not until her. Focus Caius, you need to feed, then you can see her, you must feed.

I walked inside the ten of females and surveyed my prospective meals; none of them were promising, although if I was quick and quiet, I could take at least half of them before becoming full. I sauntered over to the first, she was small and dark skinned and possibly beautiful to human males. The only thing I wanted was the liquid oozing through her, I pressed my hands either side of my head and lowered my body down. I abandoned all caution and grabbing her hair, pulled her head to the side, snapping her neck and digging my teeth into her pulsing throat.

Mmmm, sweet satisfaction. It did not take long for me to finish draining her and continue with four others in the same way. I exited the tent and felt like I had fed when I was a newborn, I had never felt so hungry, my thirst for blood was satiated, but I knew what I really wanted, no, needed.

"Hungry were we brother?"

Aro always loves to state the obvious.

"Yes, we didn't hunt this morning or yesterday, I wondered why neither you nor Marcus did not complain."

"Oh your brother and I were slightly, preoccupied this evening."

"Evidently."

"Caius, we apologise for taking you away from her, I know, well its obvious how you're feeling but you must control it. She one of us now, she agreed to join the family."

Clearly he expected me to pose some kind of threat to this notion, I couldn't be happier. She would be my wife, I would make her a vampire, and as long as I don't kill my brothers, we can all live together forever.

"Excellent, but, we must give her a name. It seems Nomeus neglected that duty, terrible excuse for a vampire that he is, well, was." I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my lips.

Finally, Marcus, as pensive as ever, decided to speak.

"Aurora, we called her Aurora."

"Even better, then I feel it is only right to welcome my, I mean, our new companion properly."

So now I can find her and tell her she's mine and show her she belongs to no-one else.

I followed her scent back to the beach where I had originally found her sleeping, oh what I wouldn't give to lick that neck again, her blood sweat and her was sweeter, better, richer than anything I had ever tasted. I want to taste her in every way. But first, proper introductions. Or I could just force her into submission and bend her to my will for eternity. Decisions, decisions.

Reaching the beach I could see her outline in the water, she was beauty encapsulated. Better than anything I had ever seen in all my years as a vampire. Before closing my eyes to relive her sweet scent I smelt something dead, and vulgar, and animal. The animal that my Aurora had killed was laid strewn across the beach, just asking other animals to seek it out, and consequently, attack her. This would not happen, so I flung the beast over my shoulder and buried it deep into the forest. I couldn't help but return with a knowing smirk on my face, in the knowledge that, even now, I was keeping her safe.

She arrived on the shore in excellent timing wearing a much heavier animal skin that unfortunately covered up a lot my skin, only rewarding me with a slight view of her legs.

I offered her my greeting which she returned but hesitantly. She seemed to be looking for something, which I assumed was the beast.

Slowly she turned to me and anger was radiating from her body, "Did you steal my hunt?"

"I disposed of that animal for you for your safety", at that point her eyes flicked to mine. Black with anger.

To be continued….

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