Chapter 1- Freedom

Author's note: Hi! This is a retelling of my most fav, fav, fav vampire story ever. (Well, second to Twilight). It originally is a story on wattpad but the author discontinued it and took it down. I don't know if she will ever finish it, etc, so I'm making my own version cause I miss it that bad. lol.

If ya'll are curious it was called "Tempting darkness" or something like that... It's a vampire romance.

Anywhoo, enjoy! Please comment, follow, etc. Please critic my writing most all. Feel free to be harsh lol. I wanna improve my writing. Thank you.

"Ari, you get your butt back here!" Finn called, as I stomped through the house on a mission. "Right now!"

I ignored him and made my way to the car garage, gripping my purse closer to my side. He could suck on grass.

I swung open the door that lead to the giant underground of expensive vehicles and made my way to the wall of car keys. Without thinking, I pulled the one I wanted off the hook and walked over to the red Bugatti.

I heard Finn gasp behind me when he saw the one I was going for. "Ari! Not my baby!"

I gave him the finger and got into the the driver's seat.

"Ariana!"

I started the engine and was gone before he could say anything more. Or maybe he did, but the rev of the engine was too loud for me to hear him.

I busted out of the garage and onto the dirt driveway, leaving a cloud of dust. I swerved around the giant angel fountain as I made my way to the gated entrance. Shifting gears, I flew past the perfectly manicured hedges as I put the petal to the meddle, leaving the white manor behind.

I knew once I made it out the gate, I would be home free. Where I was headed? Not even I knew.

I clicked a button on the dash above me and the giant black gates swung open.

Huh...That was too easy.

Just as I thought this, I slammed on the breaks, tires screeching to a halt in front of a very annoyed vampire.

Drat. Busted.

The vampire, Cillian, glared; arms crossed, clearly not impressed with my escape attempt.

Unlike his younger brother Finn, he wasn't as easy going.

I clenched my teeth and waited, both of us having a stare off. Human vs vampire.

I knew my resistance against this vampire was limited. Even though I had the same royal blood as him mixed in my veins.

Stupid vampire rankings.

He stared, I stared. His vampire power rolled off him in waves, pulsing in the air.

I winced after a minute, unable to fight it any longer, and looked away.

Cillian smiled.

I rolled my eyes and rolled down the window, then turned off the ignition; defeated.

"Where you going little sister?" he asked in his thick almost Romanian -or maybe Swedish- sounding accent, coming around the side to lean against the car.

"Out." I said, refusing to meet his gaze. He chuckled. He knew I hated losing.

"In Finn's car? I don't think Damian would approve of that."

I pursed my lips at his name. "Well Damian" I growled sourly "is never here." I sniffed, annoyed.

"True." he agreed then sighed, looking exhausted. And for a split second, he looked like a stressed out parent. A rush of guilt hit me. Raising me all these years must not have been easy...

"What did you do this time?" he asked, sounding very much like the older sibling. "And the truth Ariana...no beating around any of the bushes."

"What? Whatever do you mean my dearest brother?" I responded coolly, fluttering my lashes and trying my best to look innocent. I could tell he wasn't fooled.

I coughed, getting ready to spill the beans about the destroyed Renaissance painting and the thousand dollar vase in the living room...and the many other things too. But before I could speak he put his hand up, stopping me. He had his head cocked towards the manor, listening to something I couldn't hear with his supernatural hearing.

I gripped the steering wheel harder...waiting for Finn to rat me out and the the typical reprimand to start. Two week of grounding this time? Four?

"Be back before 11 pm." he dismissed, and my mouth fell open in disbelief.

"You're letting me go?" I asked, confused. He usually never let me go.

"On the condition you abide by a curfew. You do have school tomorrow." he reminded me.

I looked at him, highly suspicious. "Is something going on?" I asked. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No." he said coldly, and dug into his pocket for something. He shoved a fifty dollar bill at me. Sweet, free money.

"Be back by 11 tonight." he reminded me, "Stay safe." and then he was gone, disappearing in a black cloud of smoke as he magically teleported towards the house, too impatient to use his super speed apparently. Dang.

I turned the car back on as I thought about what could be going on that was so important, but then just shrugged my shoulders and turned on the radio. I'd find out eventually. I always found out.

I revved the engine as I pulled away, Bruno Mars crooning a song about love in the background, and sped down the empty road towards town; the black gates eventually disappearing behind me.

Freedom.

... ...

(Cillian's POV)

"What's wrong Finn? As the Americans say, 'where's the fire?'" I asked as soon I walked into the living area. Finn, my younger vampire brother, was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. Like Arianna would say with her teenage slang, "he looks nervous as all heck".

"Tobias called Damian!" Finn panicked. "And he's coming home tomorrow! What are we going to do Cillian? Arianna wrecked the house and took my car!"

Finn chewed on his nails nervously, a bad habit he picked up from our mother. Just then a throat cleared behind me and I turned to see Tobias, our other vampire brother and my twin -although we looked and acted nothing alike-, lounging comfortably in the nearby lazy chair in checkered pjs, nursing a gin and tonic.

"I called Damien." Tobias said, "I've had enough of her trouble. She had it coming."

"Tobias that was not your call to make!" I growled. "You know I am the master vampire here while Damien is gone."

"That brat ruined my art studio!" he yelled back, his vampire claws lengthening and eyes glowing. "You two can't keep babying her forever. She needs to grow up!"

"Don't talk meanly about Ari!" Finn said. "She's only human."

"And what am I? Chopped liver?" Tobias argued. "I live here too, and she needs to know her place!"

"Enough!" I shouted and pinched my nose.

"Sorry Cillian." Finn apologized, looking regretful. Tobias scoffed, and took another sip of his drink.

"Butt kisser." Tobias whispered under his breath, and in the next second, I had my hand clutching Tobias' throat, my claws digging into his skin.

"Enough!" I said, glaring at my twin. My vampire power fanned out around us.

"Oou. I'm so scared." Tobias mocked.

I hissed, showing fangs.

"You guys! Stop it!" Finn pleaded. "What are we going to do about the house? Damien's favorite painting is destroyed and my baby is now gone..."

Tobias shoved my hand away and got up from the chair. "You mean what are you two going to do? I have an art studio to clean. You two can fix the rest of the house yourselves."

Tobias started to make his way to the grand staircase. "By the way, Damien's room is worse than mine."

I sighed as he stalked out of the living room, proud of himself.

"I should have never let her go out." I said. "I didn't know it would be this bad this time."

Finn patted my back. "She'll be back, and then we'll ground her."

I nodded.

"And then we can get her to clean Damien's room as punishment for taking my baby." Finn cheered, smiling.

"You know she'll never go for that." I countered.

"True." Finn sighed, thinking over more punishment possibilities.

"I'll go get the broom and bucket." I announced, and walked to the kitchen to let the human maid Maria know that today would be a long day.