The next day was the first morning of the rest of my life, and in a way the beginning of the end of it. No-one could have predicted what happened next, if they had the surely would have prevented it.

I woke excited at the prospect of eternal life, I planned to enjoy every second of it. Which child, young and foolish doesn't think they will live forever? I know I did, that was my fault, the flaw that brought about the destruction of humanity. We are more often treacherous through weakness than through calculation.

The sky outside was grey as I rose from my bed still wondering about the absence of James and Victoria. There missing state unnerved me almost as much as there presence had.

I'd expected it feel different, on the day my life would end, happier, but instead a sense of what I can only describe to you as dread filled my heart. But other than that it started like any other day; I rose, ate and walked. Then just before noon, well when the sun was highest in the sky, I had no way of knowing the real time, The Prince arrived.

He was breathtaking as usual but his eyes looked darker than normal as if he hadn't eaten in while, his normally silken locks were dirty and his black hair seemed to absorb all the light, drawing your eyes towards his head. He also had dark purple bruise like marks under his eyes, which served to make him look more sinister.

An old rhyme my mother taught me echoed round my head. I realise di hadn't thought of her for a long time, longer than was fair to me, to her.

If I make the lashes dark
And the eyes more bright
And the lips more scarlet,
Or ask if all be right
From mirror after mirror,
No vanity's displayed:
I'm looking for the face I had
Before the world was made.

The room was gloomy because of the outside weather but the light caught his neck just right and I could see a crescent shaped scar under his left ear, it sent shivers down my spine.

I knew why he was there I had been practically counting down the hours until he arrived, so when he beckoned with one outstretched slender finger I followed willingly, hardly noticing the jealous gazes of my peers as they stared in awe.

I don't think I really realised at the time what it meant to become an immortal, I didn't understand that it would rip my soul from my body in three agonisingly painful days and heart wrenching nights. Nor did I realise the Prince was doing it for his own ends, he wanted me to be his second in command, if not his meal but I didn't realise until too late.

I swept out of the room closely followed by the mysterious Vampire eager to escape that place once and for all. Once we were safely outside the Prince smiled. It was a smile so unlike Edwards the night before, it was cold and hard but it was similar in one respect. It didn't meet his coal eyes, which never left my face.

"Finally Bella" He said as if he had been waiting his whole life for that moment.

"Thank-you" was all I could manage to whisper.

"Thank-you?" He responded in surprise. "Do you not know how easily this can all go wrong?" I hadn't even considered the latter outcome, I was too wrapped up in my own delusions to care, but when I thought about it did seem incredibly risky.

"You're evil, this whole place is full of darkness and death." I stated he seemed shocked I hadn't realise this before.

"No my friend, darkness is not everywhere, for here and there I find faces illuminated from within; paper lanterns among the dark trees." the words danced on his tongue like he was playing with them in his timeless mind. I recognised them though I didn't know where from.

I was no longer elated at the thought of eternal life, I was terrified. Frozen to the spot with fear.

He must have seen the panic in my eyes because he started to play with my emotions.

"Silly Bella, don't you know just how… ravenous we can be" He smiled the cold light reflecting off his pearly white teeth. The Price of the Night stepped towards me so fast I hardly registered the movement. His cold fingers caressed my throat.

Suddenly he was serious again.

"I'm sorry." He said his words were so sincere, and he leaned in to bite me.