London, England. Spring, 1663
I would wonder often, over the years, if proposing to Lorelle when I had was selfish. I couldn't have predicted how things would go, but I did know beyond the shadow of a doubt that the creatures we were tracking down on the last night of my life weren't human. I had spent weeks searching for them, following trails of missing people and curious sightings. Humans couldn't murder a husband and wife in bed, no struggle, with their child sound asleep in the next room. The coroner had dismissed the bites on their necks as the result of an overly exuberant married couple, but I was certain those bites were the cause of death.
It had been presumptuous to believe that I could have any sort of chance against these supernatural creatures, even with the entire congregation of my father's church standing behind me and my betrothed's crimson ribbon tied on my wrist. I knew that now, staring at the carnage surrounding me. There were only three of them, but even against twenty of us... they were too fast to see, the flash of bright red eyes the only indicator of their presence before yet another body, friend, brother, was torn to pieces, their throat ripped out. It was mere seconds, and already half the parish had fallen. Pure dread filled me, bile rising in my throat as I stumbled back just as one of the creatures attacked me. I felt their teeth tear into the flesh on my arm before my body flew through the air, slamming into a wall. My vision faded in and out, and I watched through blurry eyes as the ribbon Lorelle had given me fluttered through the air, falling to the ground mere meters away and settling into a growing pool of blood. Foolishly desperate, I reached out with the remnants of my strength and flinched back as a foot trampled it. Perhaps a smarter option would be to play dead... but I couldn't resist one last attempt to grab the ribbon, successfully clutching it close.
It wasn't long before the horrific screams and disturbing sounds of bodies being broken and torn asunder fell silent. I kept still despite the burning pain that was beginning to spread from my arm, eyes barely open enough to see the three creatures walking through the abandoned warehouse they had been using as a home, every once in a while kicking at a body. For a moment, as if I had forgotten all I had just witnessed, I was struck by the beauty of the beings. They were terribly gorgeous... and terribly human, somehow, under the uncanny perfection.
"None escaped, correct, Alair?"
"None, sir," replied one of the creatures. His voice seemed young, younger than some of the boys who had joined us tonight and fallen under my watch.
"Roman, one still lives." The third creature took several measured steps toward me, crouching down. I held my breath, praying harder than I had ever done before. Please, Lord. Let me make it back to her. Let me keep my promise. That's all I ask.
"You may pause your breaths, but I can still hear your heart racing, little human," the thing hissed, reaching out and pressing into the wound on my arm with claw-like fingers. I couldn't contain myself any longer, letting out a near inhuman screech as my body spasmed out of my control. The creature laughed, before the first shoved him out of the way, kneeling beside me and gripping my face.
"He's their leader. But not the usual one. Similarities, but younger. Smarter. This must be the good Father's son... Carlisle Cullen." He dropped my face again, inspecting my arm. "Ah, he was the one I bit earlier. Let him be. His injuries are too much for him to make it through the change. Rather, let him experience the pain. A little taste of the flames of hell that await."
"No, please," I gasped, reaching out. "Don't leave me here. Help me. Please, I-"
The creature who seemed to be in charge laughed, simultaneously the most beautiful and yet terrifying thing I had ever heard. "Tell me, human, if you had the strength, what would you have done to my brothers and me?"
My throat dried, and I cast my eyes away, falling limp against the cold, bloodied floor.
"That's what I thought. Be happy that I've given you a few spare minutes to reflect on your shortcomings... though I doubt you have long enough to repent for your life of sins. Come along, Alair, Pascal. We should leave. Before the Volturi show up."
There was a long silence. Though I hadn't heard them depart, I was sure they were gone. Painstakingly, each movement pure agony, I flipped myself onto my stomach. Help. I need to find help.
I coughed, the sound feeble and raspy as blood dripped from my lips. My vision began to go dark again, blurring as the room began to spin.
I can't die yet. Not here. Not now. I promised her.
I promised her eternity.