CassieRaven: thanks, and its about to get more interesting.

SerenityMorrison: that relationship will develop but not by much and Mamoru will be in soon, I wanted the first few chapters to be like a 'prequel' of her life to what you'll be seeing soon…if you will. Like the origins of how she became before she was. Something that would have been interesting to see in the actual Underworld from Selene's perspective right before her family was murdered, not from when she was a kid. Like what happened after Viktor took her. her training and whatnot. Doubt it would have been long but it would have been interesting. Lol and ahh…Diamond won't be gone for long…. 😊

Guest (1): Its Damon. 😉 Mamoru will be in soon. For Rei's perspective its more, all up in Damon's ass whereas for Mamoru when he comes on, its 'eh' okay. She has herself fixated…at least so far… 😉 lol

TropicalRemix: soon…😊 I want her to have one last evolving thing happen before he comes into the mix.

OrientalDanceGirl: There wouldn't be force…at least not like that. For Diamond it's a mix of both. He HATES the vampires and their world but also has a bit of his own bloodlust that he never would have admitted to. like the side your being purveyed to is only going to strengthen. As for Rei…don't know yet…

mryann: just wait…Mamoru will show up but we have one last transition to go.

SerenityxEndymion: there's more to come. well if you were a newly turned vampire that wanted to escape where's your first instinctual place to run to? Damon is meant to do that…he's got both good and bad in him but mostly bad.

7 reviews nice, lets see where we get with this one. We're getting closer to when Mamoru gets in but we need one more thing to happen first. Please read and review, I love to hear what you think about this!

A vampire's forbidden love ch.3

Serenity POV

I had really hoped for Diamond's sake that he didn't do anything that would threaten an innocent life. I waited for hours with baited breath for some word to be given. That he was subdued and that he was savable. The more time that passed by the less hope I held. I tried to reason with myself that the search could end soon as vampires had more of an advantage at night time. It gave me very little hope. I sat in the tea room sipping some black tea when Rei came in. Her own outfit was a modest black dress with black heels on her feet.

"No word yet?" I shook my head no. "Damon's men are the best. They'll find him." She assured me. I wanted to believe that things would turn out okay. They had to. Diamond was all I had left of my old life here in this place. We heard the horses coming in and heard the distinct sounds they made when they sensed danger nearby. It was a frightening sound even for Rei. Horses that belonged to vampires had seen more than their fair share so what was so bad outside that the horses sounded afraid.

We both ran, not caring about how we looked to staff as we raced through the corridors. We reached the front of the mansion and with a hearty pull from us both they nearly flung open as we ran out the doors. The horses protested once more. I stopped dead in place at the front on the steps below as Diamond was fully taken over by his vampire half and could clearly see nothing more than the bloodlust in front of him.

He was covered nearly head to toe in blood. Half naked and not looking one bit afraid. He looked absolutely pissed off and in need of blood. However by the looks of it most of it wasn't his and that alone terrified me. I stepped forward only by shock alone as he was being reigned in by vampires with crossbows and the arrows that held at the end of them crosses that went through his skin and muscle securing him in place. He looked like a rabid animal that had to be put down in order to save lives rather than a respectable man.

"Diamond?" I questioned. The horror as I stepped further out into the night and saw how much blood and even guts were on him. I held a hand up to my mouth as I nearly gagged on the smell coming off of him. Blood may have been what we feed off of but this sight was just ghastly and gruesome. The other vampires just looked at him in disgrace. They had probably seen a lot of carnage before but I hadn't.

I almost broke when I saw that he still had a piece of flesh in his teeth from presumably a victim especially as he looked at me. He saw me and only then did his warmth return. Only then did he seem to visibly relax even in the slightest. His strength even I could tell was beginning to waver now that hopefully the adrenaline wore off. Rei touched my arm but I didn't feel it. "Serenity get back inside now!" Damon ordered.

I didn't go inside not due to defiance but out of shock, "What have you done?" I asked Diamond, though I doubted he heard me. I said it so low as if I truly didn't want to believe it. Yet I couldn't deny what I was seeing and what was out before me. Damon came towards me, his hand on my arm gave me more than blinded vision that centered on Diamond. I barely looked up at Damon as my shock was finally catching up to me in the form of grief.

Diamond had killed many and they were trying to subdue him. Yet I saw a flicker of his humanity still there within him. "You need to go back inside. My guards will handle this." He motioned for Rei to take me in as I was still in shock by the carnage I was seeing. Rei began leading me up the steps as I heard, "Sir he ripped the entire village apart." That caught my ears. I stopped in my tracks to where even Rei couldn't move me without force, "How did he rip a whole village to pieces?!" Damon demanded.

Before Rei could get me inside I heard, "He got inside the village in the later hours of the evening and began to attack anyone that crossed his path. Sir there was literally a trail of bodies that lead us around the village. Every place he hit had bodies dropped dead and even their heads ripped off." That was disturbing to hear. Just like that poor maid...my mouth opened up…trying to breathe in the fresh air to clear my head when I smelled nothing but the blood and death that encompassed Diamond.

My stomach lurched, "We believe he was wandering around the forest area for hours, probably unsure of where to go to and trying to avoid getting lost. His wandering was why we were able to get to him in time before he moved onto the next village. We cornered him at one of the larger homes in the area. He fought but it was all of us against just him." The guard indicated that they had had no real problem rendering him incapacitated.

At this point Diamond was probably so filled with rage and bloodlust that it took several of them to take him down. Thankfully no more death had occurred. Though I had to give it to Diamond, he found a way out but his bloodlust took over. Took many innocent lives tonight as I worried for his safety. For him not to hurt anyone. I should have done something, but no I'm stuck unable to help him out.

If only I'd been able to convince him to give it time. At this point Rei was still trying to usher me inside but the next words heard had me ready to cry, "Sir it's a blood bath. The next nearest village will not stand for the carnage. It will only be a small matter of time before they connect the dots of where he came from. He painted a target on our backs sir." The guard stated with anger and distain.

I couldn't blame him. There was something that could be done, there had to be something! I know there isn't an easy way out but - "They will seek vengeance and blood for their fallen neighbor." The guard told him. I couldn't help but want to sob. An entire village massacred by one man. One vampire. "Take him to his cell. You." He motioned for the guard that I recalled from earlier.

The one that gave the extra dose of blood. The others I noticed looked at him as what he was going to do. I watched as the guard that was assigned to Diamond backed up a step as Damon grabbed him around the throat. "What did I say would happen if even one person was lost tonight…?" he asked. The guard begged for his life. "This is what happens when innocent lives are lost." He pulled out his own knife from his side only to reveal that its handle also doubled as a stake. Just long enough to penetrate to the heart.

After slitting the guards throat he plunged the wooden end into his chest making the guard turn to dust in the matter of seconds. "Let that be a lesson that we don't tolerate this kind of bloodshed." The other guards said nothing. No protest or anything. They simply nodded and took the chained and roped up Diamond to his cell. Rei had even stopped trying to pull me into the mansion. "Serenity please we must go inside." She cajoled.

"What will they do to him?" did I even have the right to ask to plead his case? He had turned into the very monster that Damon cursed him to be. I used the only card I had left to spare his life. To spare more blood from being shed. Diamond deserved a lot of things but for these acts, acts that were committed because he was turned into something he didn't want and only in because he was trying to save me? No.

I took off from Rei to look for the room with the cells but was blocked by her. Her vampirism allowing her to blur faster and more steadily than me preventing me from getting that much closer. "I know you have this ridiculous need to ensure no harm comes to him but trust me if you go in there it will only make things worse." Her pacifying words didn't help. Instead I went to bypass her only to find Damon stepping in my way this time.

I nearly skidded right into him as I stopped fully and didn't try to pass. This would be my biggest hurdle to overcome. Remembering his words from beforehand I tried a different approach to this, "Can…can we talk?" I asked instead. He gestured to his study from where he came out of. I walked in as he closed and locked the door on me. He walked forward not saying anything and went to sit behind his big desk. "I don't know exactly what happened out there. I can't imagine that right now…" I began.

Honestly I didn't want to. The grim horrors of what had happened were already sinking into my psyche and tormenting me. The things those people must have gone through. The pain and suffering that was bestowed upon them as Diamond tore into them. It nauseated my stomach and made me want to hurl the contents of my stomach but I had to be strong in this. I thought about his family and wondered if my own family had been effected.

Was my own family massacred in all of that? I knew my family's home was further from the regular village but were they dead to? I had to talk to him. I had to know if he accidentally killed anyone we love. I feverishly wished and hoped he didn't get to get to them before they stopped him. I had to wish and hope as it was all I had right now till I could confirm it and Diamond was the only one that could.

He looked at me, "And I know that even in human society that he would be jailed if not hung for his crimes and he's responsible for what he's done but that…" I point in the direction of where it happened, "Wouldn't have happened if you hadn't turned him." I stated. Gaining a warning look as he sat up to reprimand me. I put my hands up in a defensive pacifying manner, "I'm not trying to go beyond what my place is here. I'm just stating facts that's all." I re-assured him as he sat back in his seat.

"I know what he's done. I am stunned and feel incredibly ill from it but he would NEVER have done that if it weren't for you turning him." If it weren't for me… "He was probably looking for help and the bloodlust took over. He barely has any part of himself in there." I reasoned. Trying to appeal to his humanity. "Then he should be put down…like the animal that he is." Damon ventured as if it were nothing to him.

My face dropped as he acted like Diamond's death wouldn't be anything to him. "If the man can't handle being a vampire we have protocols for it." He stood up and walked around his massively sized desk. "Please Damon…" I grasped onto his hand as he rounded the desk. It was the first bit of physical contact we'd had since he took me from my home. Shocking considering why he wanted me here.

"Just try to understand…" I tried as he stood still, "Diamond is only behaving like this due to your turning him when he tried to save me from you. This is because of me. Those lives…" I choked on my own saliva as I barely finished my words, "You silly naïve girl…" I looked up at him. This has NOTHING to do with you." I went to speak when he covered my mouth with his fingers. "He made a conscious decision to try and prevent me from getting to you. That was his choice. Not yours." He noted.

His fingers drifting over my lips as if wanting something. "Trying to take on that type of guilt when it's not yours to bear will kill you mentally and emotionally." I began to cry a bit as he tried to pacify me, "I understand what you're saying my naïve one but we must follow the protocols in place. They are in place for a good reason and must be adhered to." He stated as he pulled me in to hold me. I held on only because my body would have fallen to the floor without his support.

"I will see what I can do…no promises." He muttered into my hair before he left out leaving a silent Rei at the door having obviously overheard it all. "I tried to tell you." She noted. No remorse in her voice just a sad truth. "I'm not trying to excuse Diamond I - " she cut me off, "I know what you're trying to do because I did it to." I cleared my face of the tears. "What do you mean?" I asked her.

"You think you're the only one with a family before this…?" I shook my head no. "My grandfather was turned and couldn't control it…your lucky though…" she began. "How am I lucky?" I asked her. "Because…." She turned to leave, "I defied Damon and went to try and free my grandfather as his blood lust became out of control to." She said. I stepped forward, "What happened next?" I asked, hoping that it was a peaceful ending but having a greater feeling that it would be heartbreaking.

"He attacked Damon. Of course he fell at Damon's feet but for the attack against him I was forced to watch as my grandfather's head was ripped from his body. A lesson to NOT defy him again." She looked me in the eyes. "Don't ever defy him if you want the rest of your family safe." She warned and walked away. Her heels making clicking noises in her wake. I could only hope that Damon would at least try to spare Diamond's life.

Damon POV

I left for the cells where Diamond was. This man seemed to have an absolute hatred for my kind and was now taking innocent lives. I may not personally care for them but it wreaked havoc on the lives of those living here. I couldn't afford the liability. Diamond was proving to be nothing more than one. The guard that gave him extra was given a specific directive. My plans to make Diamond loose it were happening but perhaps at a different rate than what I thought. I even thought at one point that he would kill himself.

I had hoped he would but the bloodlust was higher than usual. He really had an intense hatred for our kind and it was fueling his bloodlust even further. Making him into even more of a liability. I had to find a way of getting rid of him for good. I went down into his cell and found the guards had doubled. They wanted his blood badly. I wanted him dead in all honesty myself but I wanted the formerly betrothed to be willing for my advances.

I hadn't tried anything yet as I wanted him gone first. Make it easier on taking her as my own. I knew he was being treated badly. The others wanting to see how far they could push him so that I would have reason to kill him but Serenity's protests touched a place in my own core that I didn't care to name. This visit would be the last to ever do so. I didn't want this to drag out any longer than needed.

Plus now I may have just shot my own self in the foot with this maneuver. He decimated a small town in a few hours. I was furious with him now. The guard to which is why I killed him. I found myself down by his cell and found him to be pacing it like a wild animal. He wanted me dead but that wouldn't be happening. "So looks like the 'pet' had some 'fun' outside." I remarked scathingly. He vented, "You son of a bitch! This is because of you! Those innocent people…I…" he was regretful I knew but it wasn't enough.

"Serenity seems to think your worth saving." I mused. He was fiercely protective of her and I could understand why. She was an incredibly beautiful woman that was to be his from what I've come to understand. Now that she wasn't…looks like he couldn't handle that. "Don't you talk about her so freely." I smirked. "You act as if you have a choice." I couldn't help but chuckle as he hit the bars repeatedly.

So when one of the guards came in and looked worried I ordered, "Spit it out." He responded, "Sir they have torches. The village next to the one he decimated is up in arms." This was why I was pissed. My amusement was short lived as I looked over at Diamond, "What were you thinking in your state?" I demanded of the spitfire I had behind the bars. "You made me into this!" same response as Serenity.

"I made you powerful, you did the rest by yourself. You could have accepted the help my guards offered you but you chose to still defy us and try to escape. Even Serenity is smarter than you to do such a thing. She's aware of how delicate the power of the blood lust is and hasn't made any such redundant attempts to break free." I explained. "YOU on the other hand…" I emphasized on him, "Have not only done so but have killed many people." He acted as if to snub me when the guard spoke.

"Sir we have maybe a day tops before that other village comes knocking on our door." I looked back to him. "I thought when you all recovered him there was no trail leading here?" I was getting pissed again. "We didn't but sir HE left a wide trail." I looked back and forth before demanding, "Explain." The guard was looking more heavy with regret, "He killed his family, ripped their heads clean off." I looked at Diamond morbidly.

"I've done my fair share of terrible deeds over the years but the one thing I never did was harm my family." I looked back at Diamond as he even looked regretful by his actions, "The pull was so strong…" he began. His pain was real. He had butchered his own family in his maddening bloodlust. I hadn't even ever done that. This turmoil would kill him emotionally for years to come. It would take a piece of his soul he can never get back.

The only way for him not to be able to do more harm would be to ensure he couldn't harm anyone ever again. Lifetime sentence for all those lives he took would be an eternity for him but he was lucky he was getting even that. By all rights he should be executed for his crime's but he would face something worse than death in this case. Imprisonment for all time would not only be enough to put an end to his own existence in some form or another but it would also ensure he never forgot what happened.

He couldn't be allowed to move past it and forget. So this would be punishment enough. Any vampire with self-worth would avoid tonight's events from happening just to avoid this punishment in particular. "This is why we wanted to teach you how to control it." I stated regretfully. I could have honestly helped him but only if he let me or the others. If we could have tamed or at least redirected his bloodlust we could even win the war against the Lycans. Sent him free on the battlefield and victory would be sure.

It's one of the reasons I was so lenient on him. Not just for Serenity. Men like him who had a predisposition in life to be natural born killers had a way of becoming beneficial in times of need. However, his bloodlust it seems is just to much to let things slid. Not that we cannot control him but when someone lacks in their duties its puts more of a burden and stress on the rest of us that have lives to protect.

It seemed Diamond would rather have his stubborn pride guide him along rather than the aid of our guards. We could have used him in the war against them. Yes I didn't care about him nor his feelings regarding Serenity. I cared none for that, I cared only for what he could do for us. If he would have relented we could have trained him properly and use that bloodlust for another purpose. Alas that would not come to pass. He hit the bars in anger, "I don't want to control it I just want to be safe and free from this with Serenity!" he yelled.

He sounded like he was losing his sanity. Perhaps he was. A man is never the same after taking a life. What's worse is when its not just one life but multiple. In this case it's a village and that will cost us all. He has no idea nor probably any care about the damage he's caused us in this. What he wanted was never going to happen. "The only reprieve I can give you from instant death is imprisonment for all time." He looked stunned. The guards looked a bit stunned but didn't protest against it.

They knew I had my reasons. I was hardly ever questioned or judged for my actions. We were all the same around here. Plus I think the others would even prefer for me to make sure he suffers for his crimes. "I don't plan on being around for 'all time'." I could tell he was thinking of how to get free. How to escape but all I could think was- "I'm going to get free and get Serenity out of here. We're going to be married and all of this will be nothing more than a bad memory." He said, as if that was actually going to happen.

I sighed, "I hate to break it to you…" I then looked around at the guards, "Actually I don't but this isn't about me. It's about you and what you've done." He backed away from the bars. "You see the problem with massacring a whole village is that you bring a lot of angry villagers knocking on our front door." I began. "Then they would do everything they could to rip this place apart. Many lives would be lost. Mostly theirs but still many lives." I continued on as he processed my words.

"And when the dust settles…we will be victorious, but not without casualties and that is unacceptable to me." he looked on almost uncaring, "Good. Then Serenity and I will be freed." He was glad. Very much on the enjoyment side of it. "Here's where that problem comes forth." Now he looked confused, "You see when angry villagers come around they kill anything that's not human. Which now includes the two of you." Diamond's face shifted.

Suddenly warry of his previous thoughts. "You see angry villagers will aim to kill any and ALL vampires…" I waited to see if he'd get the hint, pacing around the outside of his cage like a panther. I felt as wound up as one. "Serenity is a new vampire that lives well within these walls." Diamond narrowed his eyes at me. As if the very thought of me giving Serenity luxury was me poisoning her against him.

Oh how little he knew about how much better he could be treated if he only worked with us instead of against us. "You're trying to trick her with luxury, but she won't fall for it." Diamond lashed out, his hands hitting the bars. "You'll never truly have her." He remarked. Time would only tell on that one. Right now I was merely looking for submission from a willing party. She was fascinating in that she was willing to give up everything for her family.

That selflessness is remarkable and for once from one of these girls I'll have her willing and won't have to use compulsion. Young woman tended to get repulsed by a man that harms their family. Yet she's putting hers aside for them. "Perhaps not yet…but soon." I mused, knowing things would change soon. "And the luxury is no trick of the mind but only a glimpse of what we have here." He now frowned.

I decided to give him a glimpse of the life Serenity was now leading, "As it is Serenity is already making use of our training grounds for sword fights and fights with other various blades." Diamond looked stunned by that, "Oh yes, she got into that right after she showed an increased interest with the crossbow. Very talented with that." I enlightened him on it. He looked a little stunned by it.

"So it seems you don't know everything by your betrothed." That upset him, "Didn't even know she obviously knew how to use a crossbow and she never even told you. I wonder what that says." I put that doubt into his mind before I kept going. "She frequently enjoys reading in the library and drinking her tea and coffee with just enough blood in it. She's adjusting well at a matter of fact." He was stunned by it.

I don't think he thought she would be so obedient so fast. Well perhaps that was due to the lingering threat to her family but that's yesterday's news. "Her headaches from the transition are gone from what we can tell and she's training with some of our best fighters." It would only be a matter of time before she would become as skilled as myself in the art of war and an even shorter amount of time till I bed her.

"Your turning her into a monster…" Diamond sneered. "No I'm turning her into a warrior…after all…" I leaned forward just enough and said, "Having someone in bed that can be your equal in those ways is just…" I chuckled and backed up my head as he took a swipe at it. "But here's where we reach our dilemma as we were getting off topic there…" I get back to point as we need to take care of the situation.

I signaled to the guard that gave me the villagers news to come forward, "Sir!" he stood front and center. "How many is there to this lynch mob?" I asked. "At least half the village sir. Only the elderly, the children and the few young female adults are being left behind." I looked at him, "It was all we could see before they started to pack up and leave. We only made it back in as advanced time as we did as we put a blockade in the main road. It'll buy us that allotted time." I nodded, "Good, make sure that at the first sign of them were notified."

I couldn't take the risk that we were caught off guard by the members of the mob. I looked to Diamond, "I hope this was worth it to you as you'll never be seeing the light of day again." I signaled to the guards to begin the process. First he was treated like the prisoner he was with ropes and even chains to keep him subdued as several more guards ensured that he couldn't move to much to even try to escape as he was transported with myself to the furthest reaches to the cell corridor.

We arrived a few minutes later to what was the darkest portion of the cells. Barely light we often tried to avoid being down here. There was a well inside that had a seal on top. Only several vampires with their strength could even open it so I knew he'd be safe down there from threats to him and from being a threat to others. Besides…if we didn't do this it would only add to the problem, not help it.

He was deposited in there. Never to be resurfaced truly again, "Welcome to your new hell. I hope that you somehow manage to learn how to control it…since you've left us with no option." I remark as he looks at me with fury in his eyes as he's lowered down to the end and the seal is put back on in place. "This seal shall never be removed." I declared, "Sir what if the Lycan war - " I cut him off with a look.

"IF the Lycan war gets out of control we will take care of it…he…" I indicated to Diamond, "Cannot be trusted and cannot control it. Imprisonment for all time is the only way to ensure their safe." I indicated to everyone around, "And what of Serenity?" another guard asked. "What about her?" I inquired. "She cares for the beast. Is that perhaps another reason why he lives?" it was stated in near jest manner.

I replied, "Yes as a matter of fact…that woman cares for him. If I keep him alive I gain her trust and with that comes her body. Plus knowing he's stuck down here for all eternity knowing she's with me above ground is going to be a beautiful thing to enjoy. It's a torment for him. That add to what he's done…" I looked at the well again, "It'll eat him alive. He'll go mad from the bloodlust and his own demons now." I remarked as we all left the cell area. I issued orders to have the coven relocated.

Serenity POV

I was in the room I was given when a maid entered the room swiftly, "You must pack a bag we are all leaving." This had my ire up and my fear rising, "What happened?!" I asked, rising from my seat, the fear of what was going on evident on my face. "The village that Diamond massacred has a neighboring village that is out for blood. They'll be here by tomorrow morning." It was barely evening now. That was so close. I readily agreed to begin packing a bag as she left and found myself at a standstill.

I had nothing to pack. I held nothing of my own things here except for a slip and robe. It was all that I had on me when I came here and now I didn't recall where those things were. I scrambled the room for the outfit and found Damon walking in moments later, "We need to get a bag for you prepped up." He notioned, "I don't have anything other than my slip." I told him, "Nonsense you have everything in this room now please pack." I couldn't comprehend how he could leave with such ease.

"I'm confused." I expressed. He looked at me in question, "This estate has been in your family for years. How can you give it up so easily?" not that I wanted a war to start or for more innocent blood but I had to know, "I give it up for the lives within it. Those are more important to me than this piece of land. Land can be repurposed, those you hold close you can't." I nodded my head and moved as he asked me to.

Damon left the room shortly afterwards making me follow instinctually behind him. I left the room and waked my way through the corridor as I began to see the bustling hub of the vampires all packing things up and sorting it out. Some even blurring to get things done faster and without prompt by others. I heard the horses outside being pulled form there resting places from the barn and into business for the carriages.

Many vampires were already getting carried off by them as the horses took off west. I hadn't been out west ever so this would be new for me. when I saw the second carriage leave but go in a different direction I found Rei amongst the crowd and went up to her, "Rei listen, the other carriage is going in the wrong direction." She sighed as she went to remove me out of her way, "Your new here so you don't know our protocols." True.

"Their all heading in the same direction but in times like this we have at least three separate routes to leave out in but we always end up in the same place. There's another cover west of here. Several actually." That answered a lot. She walked away as I pondered what would become of this estate. Would the villagers give up on it as it was being burned down? I had hoped so as I didn't want to see angry innocent blood get spilled.

I suddenly thought about Diamond and wondered what befell him in the last few hours. Damon hadn't come back up to me at all and I felt like I was on pins and needles wanting to know what happened. I hadn't been able to do much at all though. Tea with blood didn't do anything to help cope with the possible loose of a good friend. I was worried sick on what would happen with him and then that's when maid came in. I had hoped to find out what had happened.

Finding Damon amongst the crowded living room I went right up to him, "What of Diamond?" he looked up at me, "Imprisonment for all time." Was all he said before walking away from me as everyone was hustling around. That's when I saw that the vampires were getting ready to burn the place down. Obviously they had money if they could do this. Relocated without a care and work together so effectively about it that it made my own head spin.

Some part of me wanted to go and save him from wherever he was but if anything it was the world that needed to be saved from him now. I left the living room and went back to the room I had been using to pack up the items that I had been using as of lately. Just the basic's that I would absolutely need or what could be used for survival. It was one of the things that the trainers taught me.

If what your carrying doesn't have three uses or more then don't bother bringing it. It was a useful skill in tradecraft that they were teaching me. It was coming in handy now as I needed to pack for the trip and for this new estate we were going to. As much as I hated to say it I would missing this place. It had been what I used to get comfortable in the new surroundings. I had been so far from home I had to make this comfortable and now it to was being ripped away from me. And Diamond would be stuck here.

I grabbed the bag I had and left the room. I glanced down the corridor where I saw Damon and others go multiple times in the direction of the cells. I breathed in and felt the overwhelming need to go see him one last time but I had no idea what further imprisonment meant. He was already caged up. What could be worse? I had to find out but I didn't think I'd get an answer in this chaos.

Telling myself to get an answer later on I left the room and found a guard grabbing my one and only bag, "There's a carriage waiting for you." He urged. "What about Damon?" I honestly thought he'd be with me on this ride. So when I saw Rei coming up to me and hand the guard her bag I asked, "Are we going together?" it was a fair one to ask, "Yes we are and we need to move now. The mob is only an hour out now. We must be gone." Rei didn't look worried more than she looked irritated.

She knew we could take them on but knew of Damon's orders for no lives lost either. He had expressed the very thing to me. I merely agreed as I felt more comfortable riding in a carriage with Rei in comparison to Damon. I knew Rei didn't view me in the same manner that Damon did. She viewed me as someone to get to know better as a person and not just a vampire. I had a feeling we'd become friends but not best friends.

That wouldn't ever happen. We got into the carriage ride and found Damon to be talking to one of the guards. I tried to listen in but there were to many other sounds. All of a sudden now that I was no longer running around I was hearing and feeling too much from the chaos of it all. The voices were all loud, movement was strong and fast. My eyes couldn't keep up with so much now. I left overwhelmed but everything all at once. It was only Rei's hand on my shoulder that pulled me back from panicking.

"Don't worry. Your senses just feel a little scrambled right now. It's the effects of such a rush during this time but don't worry they'll settle." I looked to her in shock, "Oh yes, your senses are just a little over loaded. Comes with the territory of being a vampire. Older ones even like myself can tune it out for a long enough time to get past it without its after effects but for newer ones like yourself the rush can hit unexpectedly." That's certainly how it felt. I almost had a headache again from all of it.

"Just breath." She told me and I did. I breathed in and smelled the gas in the air. The burning scent of smoke as the estate was going up in flames. I smelled fabric burning. Smelled wood burning. Smelled so much that I couldn't distinguish from wanting to cringe at the scent or ignore it. I watched then as Damon entered the carriage after the remaining guards filled onto the horses prepped for them as the staff that the estate housed entered into the two remaining carriages and were taken away.

Our carriage only moved when Damon, now inside, gave the signal to move forward. I didn't speak, I barely breathed as my senses were finally dying down. I leaned my head back and once we were a good distance away I was able to see the villagers and their torches as they came upon a burning estate. I then blurted out, "Where is Diamond?" Damon looked to me without remorse, "In a well at the bottom of that estate. Sealed…for all eternity." My eyes widened in shock. I looked back at Diamond's resting place.

Surely he couldn't survive a burning home of that size and any villagers that were now there. I turned my head back to see him give me a warning gaze, "If I may ask…" he nodded, "What happens if the villagers remove the seal?" he smiled, "That well's seal was created specifically for vampires at the highest punishment level. He's not ever getting out unless a vampire of significant strength releases him and I'm not. He's safely trapped in there for all time. No one else will ever fall prey to him again."

I looked away not having anything further to say and simply stared at the burning estate that had for a small period of time been…no I would never classify it as home but…it was a source of security for a little while. Damon's assurance was noted but it didn't erase how bad I felt. I knew I'd remember this for as long as I lived. I closed my eyes and wished for a peaceful ending for Diamond…especially after these last few weeks. The carriage drove off as I held myself close and looked at the nighttime through the window.