A/N: So this is my first attempt at a Twilight fanfic and I hope you enjoy it. The timeline for this story will run alongside the canon saga with canon pairings, but there will be some new original characters added to the mix who will shake things up a bit, especially when we get to Breaking Dawn.

This first chapter begins with the introduction of my OCs and how they became vampires. I own nothing to do with Twilight, only these two original characters and their backstories.

December 10, 1987, outside Rapid City, South Dakota

One second. That's all it took for his life to shatter. Vince automatically glanced down when the radio in his cruiser chattered even though he was headed home. When his gaze returned to the road, there was a bull elk standing in his path. Adrenaline shot through his veins and he yanked the wheel hard, throwing the vehicle off the road. Gravity pulled at his stomach as the vehicle sailed through the air and down an embankment. His head struck the door frame and everything went black.

Fire coursed through his chest and a groan slipped through his teeth. The world spun in slow circles, dancing in and out of focus through the drifting smoke … smoke? He forced himself to look around despite the pain in his skull. Upside down … he was upside down and the cruiser was on its roof. Vince struggled to reach for his radio, but his arms wouldn't work, sending a spike of fear straight to the pit of his stomach. "Help," he choked out, knowing he wouldn't be missed until he didn't show up for his shift in the morning. "Please …" He shouldn't move, he knew that, but he didn't have a choice unless he wanted to die out here in the snow. He wiggled in his seat, but it felt wrong, somehow.

It was then he realized he couldn't feel his legs.

He screamed, panic taking over. Then he couldn't stop screaming as the movement of his ribs sent waves of sheer agony blasting through his chest. He choked, and the metallic taste of blood coated his tongue.

Someone had to see the tracks, the skid marks on the road, the churned up snow and earth where he'd gone over the side. They had to.

He must have closed his eyes, though he didn't remember doing it, because the next thing he knew, a man was kneeling next to the crushed driver's door. How long had he been out? He hadn't heard sirens or anything … The man's golden eyes were soft. Golden? Vince squeezed his eyes shut tight, hoping that would fix whatever was haywire with his vision, but when he opened them, the color he saw staring back hadn't changed.

"Who … are you?" he rasped, biting back another howl of agony. "Help, please …"

"I will, son, I promise." The man looked away, and then there was a giant of a man next to him, some Good Samaritans stopped to help. He knew he'd never seen them before, so they couldn't be paramedics. He hadn't heard of any new hires …

"Call 911," he begged through his clenched teeth, fighting to breath through the pain. "Please …"

"Emmett, get the door." Metal shrieked and groaned; Vince found himself howling along with it as the vehicle rocked. "Easy," the stranger hissed, and then Vince was sprawled in the snow, staring up at the darkening sky. "Easy," he said again, his voice softer. "I'm a doctor." His hands were gentle as he quickly unbuttoned Vince's uniform shirt and began to examine his torso.

Vince howled, choking on air, or maybe blood, as broken ends of bone grated against each other. Spots darkened his vision and he struggled to escape the agony. The stranger pinned him down and the look on the man's face sent his heart galloping madly in his chest.

He'd seen that look before.

With everything he had, Vince willed his arm to work and clutched at the doctor's shirt, leaving a crimson stain on the crisp, white cotton. "Please, I don't want to die," he gasped on a choking breath. "Help me."

"What about the treaty?" Emmett whispered under his breath, so low that Vince almost didn't catch it. The golden-eyed man shook his head.

"I'll explain the situation. Take care of the scene." What? The world spun again, forcing him to close his eyes against nausea. There was a pinch in his arm and he tried to open his eyes to see if the man somehow had supplies for an IV with him, but they wouldn't open.

He felt himself picked up out of the snow and then there was nothing else but a growing burn in his right arm.

Three days later, he stared out at the world with ruby red eyes.

April 15, 2005, Volterra, Italy

Heidi had done well, as usual. Marcus relaxed in his throne and held back a sigh as he watched the interest slowly turning to confusion and fear on the tourists' faces. It seemed they were all strangers this time, he couldn't see anything stronger than casual bonds between any of their prey.

But they all had someone elsewhere. He flicked a glance to the side, catching sight of Athenodora and Sulpicia standing behind their mates. Reining in his errant thoughts, he let his gaze roam over the group and read the strength of their bonds to pick his meal.

He dismissed the redhead with the Gucci sunglasses instantly; shallow, that one. No significant attachments beyond – what did they call them these days, hookups? – beyond that. If he couldn't enjoy that bond firsthand, at least he could still taste it when he devoured his lunch. The sole pleasure left to him now.

Marcus picked up speed, rejecting tourist after tourist. In less than a second Aro would stand, give his dramatic speech welcoming them to Volterra, then the feast would commence. He almost skipped over the willowy brunette near the tail of the group, but a flicker of something snapped his black eyes back to her face.

Impossible.

He checked the bond again, tracking the golden thread to its tether, and his eyes widened, an ancient Greek curse slipping through his teeth. It was fragile, but most definitely real. But how? So far as he knew, they'd never met … how could it exist?

"Friends … welcome to Volterra!" Another curse. Marcus stood and ghosted to his brother's side, holding out his hand, but Caius had already leaped. Screams filled the room and the tourists shoved at each other in a vain attempt to reach the doors. He tracked the green-eyed brunette, even as slight pressure on his hand informed him Aro had received the message.

The woman spun, her purse clutched to her like a shield, making him wonder why women always seemed to do that. Surely they had to realize that no matter how bulky and heavy, a purse wasn't going to stop an attacker. Her eyes were wide, but somehow her gaze was turned inward, like she was thinking hard. Turn around, he pleaded silently. Just look at him. His fingers twitched, and Aro laid a hand on his arm.

"What will be, will be, brother," he whispered far too softly for any human to hear it, even if that had been possible over the screams. Marcus forced himself to tamp down the rising disgust. Of course he wouldn't care; if the loss of his own sister hadn't bothered him, why should this? Turn, damn it! One of the lower guard leaped at her, and Marcus sighed. So much for that.

He blinked in shock when the vampire flew past her. What? Another leaped, and he focused, watching as she seemed to step aside a split second before the vampire would have taken her throat out. How? Beside him, Aro stepped forward, a gleam in his eyes. Oh, now that she appeared to have a latent talent he was interested enough to step in.

"Demetri," Aro called, and their tracker spun, a drained corpse dropping to the stones at his feet. Aro nodded to the woman and Demetri turned. The second their gazes locked, Marcus felt it and almost smiled, the golden thread strengthening as he watched. Eyes wide, the woman backed into the path of another member of the lower guard and Demetri's face twisted into a feral snarl as he leaped. She ducked aside, proving her talent wasn't perfect when Demetri clipped her shoulder as he flew past, spinning her off her feet and knocking her to the stone floor. He ripped an arm off the other vampire and spun to find his mate.

The woman had picked herself up and was running for the doors. Demetri launched himself at her and tucked her into his arms, spinning them both around to put their backs to the wall, quiet snarls leaking through his teeth. The woman shook with fear as she struggled to get away, but Marcus knew it would have been impossible for anyone save another vampire. He flitted to their side and touched her shoulder as the meal finally ended, the rest of the guard watching with rapt interest.

"Dear ones," Aro called. "We must rejoice, for today, Demetri has found his mate at last." His brother chuckled. "After all, look how long it's taken!" The other vampires laughed, even the guard member in the process of reattaching his arm. The woman shook her head, her gaze shooting from one set of ruby eyes to the next.

"What the hell are you talking about? Who the hell are you people?" She pushed at Demetri's hands. "Let go of me, asshole! You're all sick freaks!" She looked away from the bodies on the floor and her face went white.

"We're vampires," Demetri said. "No different than you eating a cheeseburger."

"I don't carve out my burger while the cow is still alive," she snapped. The mating bond flexed and strained; Marcus held his breath. It was possible she could reject it, and if she did, he knew what Aro would demand, no matter how much it would hurt Demetri.

"What is your name, my dear?" Marcus forced a smile while he said it. There was no doubt that Chelsea would be hard at work, impressing loyalty onto this woman's mind, but whether she would be successful was an intriguing question. What exactly was her power and how would it manifest after the change? It was times like this he wished Eleazer hadn't left them.

"Why should I tell you?"

"I did ask politely."

"Congratulations, you know that much at least." A spark flared to life in his dormant heart. Oh, he liked this one, she had spunk, much like his Didyme. A perfect foil to their brilliant tracker. Aro smiled, but it was far from pleasant, more like a veiled warning.

"Demetri, see to your mate."

"Excuse me? Not on your life, you son of a bitch." She tried again to evade Demetri's grasp. "I said let go!" She kicked backwards. Marcus had to smile at her choice of target, but against a vampire, it wasn't as successful as it would be against a human male.

"Leave us," Aro commanded, and within a second, the room was clear of all but the three ancients, Demetri, and the woman. Why Chelsea hadn't stayed he wasn't sure, perhaps she'd failed and he'd missed her communication of that to his brother. The woman blinked at the empty room, her mouth a shocked o.

"Son of a bitch," she said again, but this time much slower. "That's – that's not possible."

"But you saw it, didn't you?" Aro was closer now, his hands clasped in barely concealed excitement. "Oh, I'm so delighted, it isn't often we find new talent. Tell me, how did you do it?" But she wasn't paying attention, her gaze tracking back over her shoulder to Demetri. The bond pulsed. Behind her back, Marcus caught Demetri's eye.

"Perhaps if you explained the situation?"

"Of course, Master Marcus." The woman shook her head slowly, the word vampire slipping free. She glanced down at the bodies on the floor and paled, one hand rising to cover her mouth.

"I'm not doing that," she said hoarsely. "I won't do that." Marcus frowned at the seeming depth of her understanding. What kind of talent were they dealing with?

"My dear," Aro began, "you know about us, indeed, you're mated to one of our own. There are only two choices before you and I dearly hope you choose wisely." His blood red eyes gleamed with an almost visible threat.

"Join or die, is that it?" She looked around and he had to admire her courage. "I won't be a part of that!" She pointed an accusing finger at the bodies and Caius growled softly. "Shove it, jackass," she snapped, and the growl became a snarl that brought an even louder one from Demetri.

"Peace," Aro said, almost giddy with delight. "There is an option should you choose not to share our diet. But truly, is it such a small issue when you're being handed immortality and a mate?"

"Who said I wanted either one?" But she was intrigued, Marcus could see it in her eyes. "I'm not drinking donated blood either, Dracula."

"You'd have her follow Carlisle's path?" Caius' face twisted in disgust. "It's unnatural."

"Just think of the possibilities, brother," Aro said with excitement. "Can you imagine what her talent will be if she can avoid us now?" He turned back to the woman. "What about a deer?"

"Animals?" She glanced again at Demetri; Marcus was sure everyone in the castle could hear her heart kick. She gnawed on her lower lip.

"You promise I won't have to kill another person?"

"Of course not." Marcus fought a sigh. Aro was so desperate for her power, whatever it would turn out to be, that he'd probably agree to give her the moon if she asked for it. Best get it in writing, my dear. He was sure that Aro figured she wouldn't be able to control herself after the change and once she'd tasted human blood her vehement denials would be forgotten.

"And he's mine?" She nodded at Demetri.

"Yes," Marcus answered. "I possess a talent of my own that allows me to read the bonds between individuals. You shocked me, I didn't expect to find a mating bond among our … guests. When he jumped, it wasn't you he was aiming at, it was the other vampire. Demetri's only thought was protection."

"You sure about that, hm? He's got more on his mind than protection." Demetri held back a snort and she raised an eyebrow. "There wasn't a double meaning in that, jerk." Aro cracked a smile, but Caius still looked disgusted. The woman's gaze flitted among the three of them, then glanced back to her mate – the bond was strengthening a little more with every passing second – but Marcus wasn't sure what she was thinking. Her mind was sharp, and he had a feeling he knew what she would choose, if for no other reason than she didn't wish to die. She flicked another calculating glance at Aro and Caius, and something in her bonds darkened.

Ah.

So that was it, yes? He found himself smiling when she stepped back into Demetri's arms and tipped her head, exposing her throat. His teeth sank almost delicately into her neck before he pulled away and locked every muscle he had to keep from draining her, though his recent meal would help with that.

A shudder ran through her and a feral smile touched her mouth. "The name is Courtney, Master Marcus." A frisson of something ran down his spine and he had to stop himself from rubbing his hands together in excitement.

What an enjoyable game this was going to become.