Sulpicia POV
I don't know how long Marcus screamed but every time he did I saddened even more.
Aro didn't move he stood still, eyes glued to his burning sister he must've felt almost and bad as Marcus.
Caius was growling something I didn't bother to understand. Athendora collapsed on the floor next to Marcus in attempt to comfort him.
Slowly I was able to look over and try to get Aro to say something
"What happened?" He asked an edge to his voice that I'd never heard. I lead him down the hall back to our room and collapsed on the couch wishing I could cry.
Aro sat beside me and took my hand. "Are you okay?" He asked.
I shook my head and looked away.
"What about you? She was your sister" I replied.
Aro looked at the floor. "It'll be okay." He said. I sighed held his hand between mine wanting him to read my mind and know and feel how I felt because no words could describe it.
He sighed and kissed my forehead, I sighed and walked to the window.
Aro followed and stood beside me.
"I need to hunt its been weeks" I told him noticing my black eyes.
"We can go tomorrow" he told me.
I nodded and stayed there with him listening to Marcus' screams.
Aro POV
I didn't know what I was thinking.
Marcus was inconsolable and Caius was angrier than usual his focus on something else. Sulpicia stayed in her room I tried to keep her occupied but her mind was constantly drifting off to Didyme and everything she's lost.
"My dear come for a walk" I encouraged.
"I don't know," she sighed her voice was soft and lighter than usual.
I took her hand and watched her brush her hair from her face. "Is Marcus going to find who did it?" She asked her voice of that of a small child's.
"He'll try" I told her.
"I hope he does they deserve death as well, I'd kill them myself." She spat her mind picturing herself ripping someone to shreds.
"I'm sure that would be the proper punishment." I agreed.
Sulpicia looked out the window her expression older than her youthful face.
"Where's Athendora?" She asked. Picturing the vampire's face.
"With Marcus" I replied.
Sulpicia sighed and looked at me her eyes far sadder than I'd ever seen them.
I regretted it. At that moment I realized fully the impact it had on her was far worse than it would've been if they'd just left.
"I think I do need a walk" she agreed a small flicker of hope echoing in her guarded words.
I stood and pulled her to her feet after me. "Smile my dear" I told her resting a hand on her smooth pale cheek.
"I don't think I can" she sighed the hope gone.
With a sigh I led her out the door and through the halls. Her eyes were dark and almost tired if it were possible but I'd never seen her looking worse.
She walked like a zombie the shadows beneath her ruby eyes more prominent than ever.
"I don't know what to do" she sighed slowing so that she was standing in the center of the corridor.
"Ah my dear its okay," I comforted.
Sulpicia smiled softly her eyes brightening.
"Perhaps, I just it's been so long. Since I've seen Airlia it feels as though my life before never happened." She sighed lost in thought for a moment.
I stepped forwards and rested my hands on her shoulders.
She leaned forwards and rested her head on my chest. Her hair was down and flowed in simple waves down her back.
I tilted her face up and met her eyes, her mind was filled with lost memories and curiosities of her human life. "I'm so confused" she chimed.
"I know" I told her.
She looked up and pressed her dark red lips to mine, even as a vampire she was intoxicating. Her lips were as sweet as her blood once was, it was near impossible to stop. I lifted her into my arms and carried her back to our room closing the door behind us.
Athendora POV
"Marcus?" I rested a hand on his shoulder.
"She-she's gone?" He asked his voice like a child's.
"Yes, she's gone." I told him trying to keep my voice calm and not yell to let out my anger.
Marcus shook with tears he couldn't shed.
His pain echoing through me. "I…will…find…who…did…this." He gritted out.
"Yes and I shall help." I agreed.
He looked at the floor from where Felix had removed Didyme's burning body.
Caius had gone to question the latter of the guard that wasn't hunting.
I led Marcus over to one of the couches and looked him in the eyes. "We'll all help you" I said.
Sulpicia POV
Marcus mourned.
I hardly saw him, he spent most of his time in his room looking out the window or on the floor in despair.
Aro was growing impatient with the lack of progress in the search for Didyme's killer.
One of the nights he finally talked Dimitri into not going hunting with us. "Friend do not worry we will be fine." Aro reassured
Dimitri nodded and stalked off leaving us alone.
Aro smiled at his accomplishment before turning back to me.
"Let's go" he said before we took off over the landscape.
"I want to go home to Athens" I told him.
Aro nodded and led the way to my familiar city.
It seemed like forever since I'd been to the ancient city. We walked through the streets my memories of the place vague and hazy. We passed the orphanage the windows and doors dark. I wondered where Airlia was and if she was still safe.
Those thoughts vanished a few minutes later. A woman a few years older than me crossed our path. Her hair was long and dark a curtain that blocked our view of her face.
She pulled her cloak tight around herself and headed down the street. Aro nodded for me to attack, starting forwards I drifted towards her when she turned around and I saw her face. We froze locked in a perpetual staring contest. Her eyes met mine and her lower jaw trembled with fear. "No-no you're dead" she whispered. If my hearing wasn't enhanced I wouldn't have heard it.
I shook my head "Airlia? It's me Sulpicia." I replied.
"Impossible, you're a hallucination a demon stop playing with my head leave devil!" She cried backing up.
"Airlia I'm your bestfriend, we've known eachother for years."
"No! You died you disappeared without a trace. Your-your eyes they're red." She pointed shivering.
"I'm sorry to have caused you grief." I told her feeling shameful.
Airlia gasped as Aro walked up beside me, as graceful and deadly as a lion ready to pounce.
She looked at his face her gaze resting on his red eyes, the same as mine.
"What are you? Some demon a monster come from the underworlds to torture me?" She asked her voice mocking.
"Airlia trust me I mean you no harm." I told her.
Aro stood silently beside me like a graceful beautiful statue of an angel.
"Stay away, you're not Sulpicia. Not anymore" she growled.
I nodded "goodbye," I whispered. In the time it took her to blink Aro and I flew into the shadows. I watched her look around astonished. Her eyes wide like saucers. "Airlia!" A man called stepping out of the house and running over to her.
"Airlia my dear you'll get sick standing out in the cold like this," he said. Rubbing her arms. "I was just…stretching my legs, thinking about a walk but you're right it's far too cold." She agreed taking the man's hand.
I watched them walk back inside before turning to Aro who was watching me sincerely.
"I was hoping that would never happen" he told me.
"Me too" I agreed.
"Come, we do not have all night." He said leading me back trough the streets in search for more people that had decided to take a walk. Unfortunately it would be their last.
