A/N: Yay! I have managed to write another chapter. LOL. Anyways, I hope this clears up all the confusion somewhat. There's still more to be explained, and that'll be in the next chapter. Read & Review.
"I love you."
The whisper came soft and warm in the overwhelming darkness of the shadows, which lurked behind the stately manor. Standing by the vine-overgrown wall, a pair of lovers embraced, holding onto one another as though this would be their very last moment together.
And perhaps…it was.
The night covers and hides most things, but only from those who don't try to see. Fate was about to cast them into a deadly eternity. But for now, all they knew, all they cared about, was eachother.
The male lover trailed kisses along her neck as she relaxed against the hard surface of the manor's wall. A cool breeze picked up and carried leaves along the ground, which had fallen from the ominous trees, lurking above them.
"I have something to tell you."
The kisses stopped. He brought his face to hers, his dark brown eyes inquiring. "What is it? Has someone become suspicious?"
The woman, who could only have been in her mid-twenties, shook her head. Yet, she started trembling slightly. "No. Nothing like that."
Her voice was quivering and she shivered slightly.
Her lover became alarmed. Pulling her slowly towards him, he wrapped her within his arms and cooed in a comforting voice into her ear.
"It's alright. I won't get mad. Promise."
She gave a small smile, but her mind was far from relieved. "I'm pregnant." She dropped her head. "And it's not his."
He didn't flinch. He just held her in his arms, stroking her hair. "I'm happy."
She looked up at him, her deep blue eyes widening. "You are?"
He smiled. "I am. My brother won't know. He doesn't suspect a thing."
She rested her head on his chest, listening to him breathe. "I trust you."
He lifted her chin and kissed her on the lips. "I know you do."
"It's a girl!" The midwife called out, as she bundled the newborn up into a warm, woollen blanket.
A man with misty grey eyes came rushing into the room, breathing a sigh of relief.
Outside, another man with dark brown eyes, leant against the wall, a small smile on his face; his features identical to that of the other. Except for their eyes.
Inside the bedroom, Laura Langley lay on the bed, her bedclothes soaked with sweat. But her eyes were fixated on her daughter, whom the midwife was placing into her arms at that instant.
The baby opened her eyes slowly, and looked up at her mother. Laura gasped. The baby's eyes were brown. Dark brown.
The midwife gathered up the soiled sheets and disposed of the dirty water, before bidding goodbye to them.
David Langley knelt beside his wife and smiled. She smiled back, but it was an uneasy one. How her heart prayed that he wouldn't notice. Wouldn't put two and two together.
He looked at the baby and for a second, Laura feared she'd lost everything.
Her life, her other daughters, her family, her reputation, her honor.
But, he kept smiling at the child and rubbed her hairless head. Laura relaxed and they shared a moment which should have belonged to Daniel. The man who stood outside the room, cut off from what was really his.
2 years later…
David was rummaging through his wife's desk, looking for some empty paper when he came upon a loose page. It'd escaped from her diary.
He wouldn't have looked, had the words 'not his baby' not jumped off the page and danced before his eyes. He read the page and dropped to the floor, shell-shocked.
He couldn't believe it. His wife had had an affair.
With his own brother.
His twin brother.
His mind flew back through all the years, and he saw how clear everything was. He had just never thought to see.
How Daniel always seemed just as worried about her when he was.
The way Daniel played with the daughter he thought had been his.
The way Laura would glance at Daniel, and give him a look of love. One she'd never shown to him.
A flare, no, a surge of rage swept through him and he pounded his fist against the wall in a fury. He wouldn't let them get away with this. Daniel was always the one who won.
He owned the company, he'd been born first.
And now, he'd stolen away the love of his own wife.
Bursting with anger, David searched for his revolver, hidden away in the folds of his clothing. He would have his revenge. He didn't care about the consequences.
Although, the consequences would be graver for his brother and the child.
The clock struck midnight. David crept silently down the halls of his home, and into his brother's room. He'd pretended that he'd be leaving on a business trip that morning.
So, he wasn't surprised to find his wife in bed with his brother.
He could have shot them both. But, he still loved his wife deep down, no matter how much he felt betrayed.
His brother, however, would have to pay.
He stood over the slumbering couple, raised his hand and fired. The shot was loud and clear. It pierced his brother's skin and left a gushing hole of blood. His brother stirred violently and screamed in pain.
He ran from the room then.
And didn't look back.
It happened in a mere instant.
Inside the room, Laura was sobbing and calling for help. He was bleeding; he was dying.
And she was helpless.
"Oh,God. Please,no."
She tried to stop the blood, but it flowed through her fingers and soaked the sheets red.
"No, Daniel,no."
She didn't know how or why this had happened. She didn't know how someone could have gotten into their home or why. But, whoever it was had shot the love of her life.
She thought that all hope was lost.
Until, she heard the voice.
"You cannot die. The Volturi forbid it. The debt has yet to be paid."
Her head shot up and she saw a cloaked figure standing in the center of the room, observing the pitiful sight. She was at a loss for words.
"We will save his life. But, you must offer us something in return."
She was desperate. She wouldn't let him die, not now. With wet tears streaming down her face, she furtively nodded. "Anything. I'll give you anything."
Unnoticed by the door, little Anneliese stood, watching everything from sleepy eyes.
"Your youngest daughter. She is his child. When she turns 18, you must have her sent to Italy. To Volterra."
The figure paused, but in the chilling moonlight, a deadly smile crept onto his face. "You will never see her again, and neither will you see this man too. All this in exchange for his life."
He took several steps forward. "Is it worth it?"
Unable to speak, Laura closed her eyes and exhaled. "Yes, anything. I will do anything for him."
"Very well."
The figure did a slight turn and suddenly both he and Daniel were gone. They'd vanished into the night.
All that was left was the spreading stain of crimson blood, which had been abruptly stopped.
Looking at the bloody sheets, she couldn't hold it back anymore. She screamed a terrifyingly piercing scream and cried into the pillows.
Anneliese, frightened, fell to the floor and crawled away in fear.
She didn't understand what had just happened, but the scream scared her.
The look on her mother's face made her own blood chill.
What happened that night changed all of their lives forever.
The deal they'd made with the Volturi had come back to haunt them.
Their firstborn child was to be taken away. Daniel had offered his lifetime servitude in exchange; a lifetime as a vampire.
But saving him from death had added to the bargain.
She'd lost her daughter, anyway.
It was all too much. Too much.
The deal that had been struck to protect Anneliese. The deal meant to keep her from dying young.
Dying from the curse which had plagued every second daughter of the Ergham family for generations.
Laura moaned and sobbed into the night.
It'd all gone wrong.
Horribly, horribly wrong.
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