Florence twinkled in her eyes as they approached, running side by side. As she had thought, Aro hadn't refused Alec whatsoever, much to her disgruntlement. His hand found the small of her back as she came to a stop on the outskirts of the city, only a few still out in the very early hours of the morning. They slipped into an alleyway, and she followed his hand as he gestured to an abandoned apartment complex that had certainly seen better days. A yellow hazardous sign was strapped to about every window that wasn't shattered that she could see.

In a handful of seconds they were both inside, Alec slipping in through the glassless window after her. His hands caught her waist before she could surge forward towards the small group of humans that were at the other end, their presence unnoticeable to the small group but not the other way around. He gave her a wicked smirk, something she raised a brow at before she saw the smoke slipping from his hands.

His lips found her ear. "It won't be any good if they run screaming from the building about their companions being slaughtered by red eyed people." He murmured and she hummed, leaning back into his touch. The smoke curled and coiled through the air towards the group, the humans remaining oblivious due to the narcotics that clouded their minds as they laughed drunkenly and slurred their words to one another. Her nose wrinkled. Drugs and alcohol always did make the blood taste funny to her.

By the time the black mist had reached them, it was too late. One tried to run but swiftly collapsed with her friends, one hand stretched out towards the exit in front of her body. Olivia gave a small smirk as they began to walk forward. "It always surprises me how they try to run," she mused softly as she picked up the woman whom had been attempting to escape, a smirk spreading across his face as he picked up a fallen male, reddened dots lining his arms in the crease. He gave a dark chuckle. "Not I."

Her teeth sank through the soft flesh, slicing through the layers easily. She gave a soft groan as blood spilled over her tongue, quelling the burn in the back of her throat. Bones crunched and turned to splinters as the woman twitched in her arms, going limp as the last drop of blood was drained from her body. Olivia dropped it with a look of disgust; the blood tasted bitter due to the substances within it, but it did the job. Her red eyes blazing, she snatched up a man, his blood just as sour but warm and lovely as it quenched her thirst.

As she went to snatch up the third out of the five, a hand circled her waist, pulling her back. A snarl left her lips before a shushing sound reached her ears, a fingers gently caressing the curve of her neck, staining her skin with blood. Alec gave an amused grin. "There's only one left, Olivia," he murmured, her red eyes drifting towards his as he looked sideways at her, blood staining her cheek from where she had torn into skin without restraint.

She gave an amused hum, turning her mouth towards him. "Afraid I won't share?" She breathed softly and he grinned wider, withdrawing the mist from the remaining male just as she got up from his grasp, hearing him move closer behind her. A delighted smile overtook her features before she pounced, a manly scream echoing throughout the empty, deserted building.

Reclining against the stained drywall an hour later, the blood dried on her uniform, Olivia glanced at the male beside her with a soft smile. "Why are you willing to wait?" She asked softly and he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, blood, now dried, flaking off of her skin.

Alec gave a slight grin. "Because I love you, Olivia." His grin softened. "I do, and its strange and unknown to me. The love I have for my sister, whom I love more than life itself, is different to the love I have for you. I understand if you don't in return. You're still new to this life compared to the rest of us. But I do love you, and I'll wait for eternity if I have to," he murmured.

Olivia let her head fall back against the wall as she looked at him. "What if I didn't want to wait?" She whispered, his head snapping up back to her. He frowned. "Oliv-" she cut him off, moving forward quickly, pressing a finger gently to his pale lips. "Hush," she whispered softly, her eyes gentle. "I cannot go into battle, one where either of us might die, and not know what it feels like to be loved," she whispered. His eyes went soft as she spoke. "I simply cannot," she whispered, moving forwards into his embrace and tucking her head under his chin as his arms gently cradled her to him.

"We won't die," he murmured back and she hummed in response. "I hope so, for I cannot walk this earth without you by my side."

They returned just as the sun graced the tops of houses, both of them dropping down into the castle below through the grate in the alleyway before it could touch them. They landed with a soft thud, and before the sound could echo, they were already gone.

Chelsea greeted them, a smile on her face, something that wasn't out of the ordinary for her. She motioned them along, complaining about the state of their uniforms, something that brought a glimpse of a smile to her face as she entered her chambers, Alec going into his just across the corridor to get changed himself.

A summons to the throne room was issued not even an hour after they had arrived. A lower guard, pale faced even for a vampire, delivered it with a shaky demeanour, Olivia stiffening in Alec's arms from where they reclined on his chaise, watching the flames dance in the hearth.

It was clear what it was for, and even as she readied herself, she dreaded the announcement that they were officially going to war.